Author Archives: Tigran Dadalyan
Crafting and grafting of new cells to treat epidermolysis bullosa
Epidermolysis bullosa (EB) is a disease that causes the skin to become extremely fragile, which leads to the formation of blisters. Depending on the form the disease takes, ranging from relatively mild to terribly severe, the blistering
Can antioxidants benefit the diabetic kidney?
People who have diabetes are at high risk of developing kidney disease that may require dialysis or transplantation. This has been known for a long time but there is still a need for new ways to prevent
Alcohol problems in India
Despite low prevalence of alcohol use in India, alcohol use disorders are prevalent and persistent among men in Goa, India. The finding is reported in a study conducted by the Sangath Institute (India) in partnership with the
Use of a web-based dietary assessment tool in early pregnancy
It is now known that diet during pregnancy can influence long-term health of the offspring. However accurate dietary intakes are difficult to obtain. For example, mis-reporting of energy intakes by the respondent and inaccurate estimation of portion
Delivering the intended drug: Adding surfactant to IV administration fluid prevents protein particles
Each year, over 12 million people are diagnosed with cancer, and many others are impacted as a family member or close friend. No matter how one is affected, cancer causes pain, heartbreak and suffering. Scientists at Bristol-Myers
Not all chlorhexidine containing antiseptics kill multidrug resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae
The best way to treat an infection is to prevent it in the first place. As resistance to antibiotics becomes increasingly prevalent, the reliance on disinfectants and antiseptics to prevent the spread of bacteria becomes ever more
Time trends in hospital stay after hip fracture in Canada, 2004-2012
Canadian health authorities aimed to shorten hip fracture hospital stay through changes in bed management protocols and surgery access policy. Some provinces introduced the practice of repatriating hip fracture patients to long term care within 5 days
Myotis daubentonii can serve as an integrative bioindicator for changes in metal exposure
Many bats species are worldwide endangered due to loss of habitats (e.g., deforestation), new diseases (e.g., White Nose Syndrome) and pollutants in the environment (e.g., pesticides). Beside pesticides like DDT or Lindane metals are one of the
Genetic disorders in primary aldosteronism – familial and somatic: an explanatory attempt
Aldosterone is the steroid hormone secreted from the adrenal gland in response to sodium deficiency, blood volume loss or potassium loading. It acts on the kidney and the colon to retain sodium and excrete potassium, in a
Borrelia spirochetes found in a patient with Flegel disease
Flegel disease (Hyperkeratosis lenticularis perstans – HLP) is a rare autosomal dermatosis, characterized by small, asymptomatic, reddishbrown, keratotic papules occurring most frequently over the dorsa of the feet and the lower parts of the arms and legs.
Novel approaches to cancer treatment encoded within non-coding RNA
A hallmark of all living organisms is the presence of genetic material within each cell; this material is invariantly composed of a specific class of biological molecules known as the nucleic acids. While the more familiar variety
“I feel blue”: The problem of using figurative language in psychological tests
Ever had difficulty describing a nagging worry or burst of joy? Emotions are hard to describe with literal language, so people often use figurative language: I’m feeling up today, but she’s got the blues. However, when figurative
A New therapy for healing nonunion fractures in patients using self-bone marrow derived mesenchymal
Sometimes a broken bone fail to heal (“nonunion”) and it is necessary to induce the formation of new bone tissue to connect the broken pieces. Investigators from the Instituto Venezolano de Investigaciones Cientificas (IVIC) and orthopedic surgeons
Sub-Antarctic Fish – how do they do when things get warm?
Scientists are concerned about the fate of marine species, in particular fish, under future climate warming. Because fish body temperature varies as a consequence of variation in the ambient environmental temperature (they are “poikilotherms”), scientists expect that
Mapping brain shrinkage in dementia
Dementia is not a specific disease but rather an umbrella term for a collection of syndromes that affect thinking and behaviour. This is similar to cancer being the umbrella term for different cancer types, such as melanoma,
Action plans for pediatric eczema: Are they effective?
Eczema, also known as atopic dermatitis, is like asthma in that it requires patients to change their medications and/or treatment depending on their symptoms. This can be very confusing for many patients. An Asthma Action Plan has
Visible-light-induced preparation of Functionalized Indoles
The use of low energy visible-light irradiation for the construction of synthetically and biologically important heterocyclic molecules by simple utilization of readily available starting substrates has emerged as powerful and sustainable approach in organic synthesis. Indole scaffold
Protection against production of cancer-causing agents in cooked meats by apple peel extracts
There is increasing evidence that the presence of cancer causing compounds in the diet are responsible for variations in cancer rates among different populations worldwide. Cancer causing agents are known to be generated during high temperature cooking
Varicella. A case report: With palms and sole of foot affectation
Varicella is caused by Varicella Zoster Virus (VVZ). This virus produces two different clinical manifestations of diseases: varicella and herpex zoster. It is present all over the world. In children, varicella is a mild disease, but in
Clinical studies ask: “Are less expensive ‘biosimilar’ drugs as effective and safe as current drugs?”
Several debilitating diseases caused by disorders in a patient’s immune system – often called ‘immune-mediated diseases’ – have become easier to treat in the last two decades following the discovery of drugs called ‘biologics’. Biologics act on
