Category Archives: Research
The influence of pollution on bone premature aging: the case of the fishbone
Bone is one of the most sophisticated biological structures developed by nature, its major constituent is a calcium phosphate mineral that is similar, in composition and structure, to minerals within the apatite group which are naturally formed
Granule formation in pancreatic acinar cells
The pancreas is an important gland organ within the digestive and endocrine system of vertebrates. It is both an endocrine and exocrine gland. The endocrine part produces several important hormones such as insulin which are released in
Allylic oxidation of steroidal olefins
The goal of steroid chemistry is to chemically modify naturally occurring steroids in a way that will alter their biological activity to the benefit of mankind, livestock, and plants. This process can be achieved by adding a
Potential for therapeutic intervention in lung diseases
The major function of the lung is to enable ambient oxygen uptake (essential for life) and eliminate carbon dioxide (a waste byproduct of metabolism) from the body. Surfactant protein A (SP-A), is a protein found in the
Hybrid mimics, a new strategy for increased food production
The growth of the world’s population is presenting a major challenge to agricultural industries to produce enough food for all people. We have been carrying out research which could provide a component of the needed food supply
Effects of untreated and treated oilfield-produced water on seed germination of sunflower
Currently, about 70% of water consumption is dedicated to agricultural irrigation and the growing use of bioenergy tends to aggravate water scarcity. The oilfield produced water is produced in large quantities in onshore and offshore oil exploitation.
Molecular giants detected in agarose gels
Lipopolysaccharides (LPS), which are the major biological macromolecules of the surface from Gram-negative bacteria (fig. A), are of huge interest in medicine. Large amounts of LPS in the bloodstream cause diverse pathophysiological effects, causing thousands of deaths
Fear of anxiety and the brain response to threatening stimuli in panic disorder
Panic attacks are periods of very sudden intense fear, accompanied by bodily or cognitive symptoms (such as heart palpitations, dizziness, shortness of breath, or feelings of unreality) that can last from 10 minutes to hours and are
Stern alcohol policies fail to improve public health
New research found that the severity of alcohol policy had no association with the number of disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) lost due to alcohol in 30 OECD countries in 2005 nor with alcohol consumption (Table, Figure). DALYs
Studying the interactions that trap cells in circulation
Healthy blood stem cells and invasive tumor cells use similar mechanisms to exit the circulatory system and penetrate other tissues. Cell migration is a multi-step process in which a number of adhesion molecules find their partners and
The nostalgic brain gives you the power to live
We are all familiar with feelings of nostalgia that we all experience often. Nostalgia reminds us of better times and helps us feel less lonely when we are facing adversities. It also helps us identify positive aspects
Maternal diet alters offspring metabolism and performance
Scientists at The University of Texas Marine Science Institute in Port Aransas have discovered that in fish, just like in humans, the nutrients that are passed from a mother to her offspring can change the way her
Mummification of cells: how dry is dry?
Human cells, the fundamental building blocks of tissues and organs, are often used to replace damaged body parts as well as for the production of certain medicines. However, the long term storage and transport of these cells
Obesity protects inflamed dialysis patients
A high body mass index (BMI) is linked to longer survival terms for several serious chronic debilitating diseases. A large European epidemiological study shows that this protective effect does not apply to all patients with a high
Is New Zealand blackcurrant a new ergogenic aid in sport?
The daily consumption of fruit and vegetables in appropriate amounts will provide health benefits. Fruit and vegetables are multi-ingredient foods with the anthocyanin content potentially linked to the health benefits due to its known anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant
Fostering empathy after community violence to promote coping
This study explores the role of empathy for victims and offenders after a violent event, such as a school shooting. Empathy is the ability to experience or comprehend the emotions of another person. In this study, over
Elastic properties of the annular ligament of the human stapes
Stapes – the smallest bone in the human body. It is located in the middle-ear. It constantly vibrates transferring sound from the external word to the hearing organ. The vibrations are possible thanks to the extremely compliant
Exploiting an ‘Achilles heel’ of DNA replication to arrest viral proliferation
In order to proliferate all organisms need to replicate their genomes. In most, this is achieved by a process named DNA replication by which a parental DNA gives rise to two faithful copies of itself. For this
New technology to make your electronic devices thinner and lighter
For photographers, the heavy and bulky photographic equipment to get high quality pictures may bother them a lot, especially when they want to go to open country. For doctors who need to go to an emergency situation
Inhibitors of gastric acid secretion and gastric cancer
The highly acidic gastric juice is an efficient killer of swallowed microorganisms. This is an important function which is reflected in the tight regulation of gastric acidity involving both nerves and hormones (blood born messengers). The most
