Category Archives: Research
Metabolic and non-metabolic roles of pyruvate kinase M2 isoform in retinal rod photoreceptor cells
Glucose is the main source of fuel for every living cell. Normal cells take up glucose and burn it in the mitochondria (oxidative phosphorylation) for energy production (ATP synthesis). Rapidly dividing cells, such as cancer cells, and
Advances in drug discovery and development in geriatric psychiatry
Drug discovery for disorders of the central nervous system is a long and challenging process, with a high attrition rate from the preclinical stages through to marketing a compound. In geriatric psychiatry, the heterogeneous nature of these
Chemotherapy and radiotherapy in abdominal sarcoma
Soft tissue sarcomas (STS) are a rare group of cancers that arise in connective tissues such as muscles, fat and blood vessels. STS can occur almost anywhere in the body but are most commonly found in the
Clostridioides difficile infections: what is new in laboratory diagnosis and clinical treatment
Clostridioides difficile infections (CDI) have become a major economic issue from developing countries as well as from the Western World. Early and accurate diagnosis of CDI allows earlier treatment, which can significantly reduce the morbidity, mortality, medical
The silent effects of heart surgery: voice and swallowing
Heart disease is a leading cause of death worldwide. Heart surgeries saves thousands of lives a year but can be lengthy and complex. During surgery, many patients require prolonged periods of intubation and coronary bypass (mechanical support
The destruction of endocrine disruptors in wastewater
In Canada, endocrine disruptors are a very topical issue in wastewater effluent quality. We define endocrine disruptors as chemicals that can interfere with the endocrine or hormone systems in wildlife and humans. Results can vary from different
Lernaean hydra puzzle in compensatory angiogenesis and tumor drug resistance
Before we proceed to apply the analogy of Lernaean hydra to compensatory angiogenesis and tumor drug resistance against anti-angiogenic drugs (AADs), let us have a cursory look at the interesting mythology of this hydra. According to Greek
Floating oils can be submerged in water with granular particles as encapsulated oil sacks
The particle stabilized liquid interfaces in liquid droplets and encapsulation of liquids with nano particles are used in industrial applications such as ink jet for printing and fertilizers. Applications with much larger drops of hydrophobic liquids ranging
Genetics, human metabolism and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
Advancement in technology has introduced a new era of genetic investigation: the so called next-generation sequencing. This innovative approach has allowed to extend the study of our genome and has led to the identification of numerous variants
How war and torture affect people
At any point in time, there are hundreds if not thousands of armed conflicts throughout the world. These include wars between and among countries, civil wars, wars against and between militias or guerrillas, and wars against and
A drug resistance gene mediates stringent response in bacteria
Mycobacteria represent an important group of bacteria. Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the causative agent of tuberculosis (TB), infects about a third of the world population, of which 5% to 15% develop active disease. Furthermore, a rapid emergence of multidrug
Look ma, no air
Until recently, it has been conventional thinking that mammals cannot live without oxygen. This has been challenged by studies demonstrating survival of mole rats without oxygen for extended periods of time. The ability of mammalian cells to
The synthetic cannabinoid XLR-11 and the impaired control of mitochondrial function by the endocannabinoid system as its underlying mechanism of nephrotoxicity
Synthetic cannabinoids (SCs) comprise a diverse group of new psychoactive substances (NPS) designed to activate at least one of the main cannabinoid receptors (i.e. CB1R, CB2R). Variations of SC have rapidly surfaced over the past few years,
How salt hate your bones: the nexus between high dietary salt intake and bone loss
Osteoporosis weaken bones making them fragile and highly susceptible to fractures due to reduction in bone mass via depletion of bone minerals. This leads to higher incidences of fractures many folds responsible for enhanced morbidity and mortality.
Developing attention networks in children with different temperaments
Attention Networks Brain imaging has provided a great window on how networks of neural areas develop from birth through adulthood. The infant comes to control the waking state during the early months of life. During waking periods
Cryptosporidium and Giardia detection: Microscopy to genetic signature based methods
Cryptosporidium and Giardia are the most commonly occurring enteric protozoan parasites. These pathogens can cause gastrointestinal diseases that may lead to nutritional imbalances and severe health problems. The severity of disease is most often seen among children
Fatal asthma, thunderstorms and grass pollen
More than a dozen epidemics of thunderstorm-related acute severe asthma have been reported in past 3 decades. The largest event occurred in Melbourne Australia (October 2016) affected more than 8,000 individuals and resulted in ten deaths. This
Observing marine plastic litter from space, a supporting model
There is growing global concern over the plastics pollution of our oceans and the many unanswered questions about its sources, sinks, pathways and impacts. Remote sensing (RS), the science of obtaining information about objects or areas from
Cardiac autonomic neuropathy: Risk factors, diagnosis and treatment
Cardiac autonomic neuropathy (CAN) is a serious complication of diabetes mellitus (DM) that is strongly associated with approximately five-fold increased risk of cardiovascular mortality. CAN manifests in a spectrum of things, ranging from resting tachycardia and fixed
Under pressure: a stem cell’s journey home
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) involves breathing in pure oxygen at an air pressure three times higher than atmospheric pressure. This allows more oxygen to enter the lungs, dissolve into the circulation, and ultimately reach cells. The future
