Monthly Archives:June 2017
The capillary web gets lost in diseased kidneys
Main functions of the kidney are regulating ions, pH, fluid balance and blood pressure and disposing of metabolic waste products. These functions are dependent on properly working renal blood vessels, including the smallest ones, the so called
Puberty changes how adolescents remember peer faces
Together with voices, faces are the most important source of social information for humans, even prior to birth. What is equally important to know is how the kinds of information we pay most attention to in faces
Time is Brain. Rupture of a brain aneurysm and the patients journey to the neurosurgical center
In brain infarction or traumatic injuries of the brain an immediate admission to a neurosurgical / neurological center can be life saving. With brain hemorrhages caused by a ruptured aneurysm the situation is not as clear. First
Mechanisms of diuretic plants: an overview
Ongoing research suggests several molecular mechanisms that were correlated with acute or prolonged diuretic activity of different natural products. So, it is not surprising that research on this subject is at the forefront of research on the
New strategy for the degradation of persistent pollutants in water
An hybrid solid system for the degradation of persistent pollutants was realized by mixing titanium dioxide, silica and an enzyme extracted from soybean hulls. Removal of organic pollutants from urban and industrial wastewaters is one of the
A covert authentication and security solution for GMOs
Significantly increasing worldwide utilization of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) presents challenges to ensure security, authenticity and validation of material goods and legal agreements. Similarly to the evolution witnessed in Internet protocols, strategic focus is required to anticipate,
Evolution of aquatic mammals and birds: the present predicts the past
The movement of vertebrates from the water to the land has been considered one of the great evolutionary transformations in history. However of equal evolutionary importance was the re-invasion of the aquatic environment by various groups of
The worldwide prevalence and phenotypic features of polycystic ovary syndrome
PCOS is the most common endocrine disorder among women of reproductive age. Although many studies have investigated the prevalence of PCOS, there are discrepancies in their results. Even using the same subset of diagnostic criteria, the reasons
The distressful life of FtsZ-deprived bacteria
Failure to assemble a division septum occurs in Escherichia coli cells when their supply of FtsZ is blocked. FtsZ, ancestor of eukaryotic Tubulin, is the main component of the divisome, the molecular machinery that drives septation in
Studying potential endocrine disrupting chemicals: comparison of yeast and human cell-based in vitro assays
The production of chemicals for agricultural and industrial use, cosmetics or food additives is steadily increasing. To protect the environment and human health against the potential risks arising from these man-made chemicals, the authorities introduced several programs
Limiting environment speeds up the opening of serotinous cones and decreases aerial cone banks
Serotiny, the maintenance of closed cones after maturation (Fig. 1), is a key adaptive trait of plants in fire-prone environments. However, in moderately serotinous species, cones may open in the absence of fire under hot and dry
Screening sunscreens: protecting the biomechanical barrier of skin from ultraviolet radiation damage
The uppermost layer of human skin, known as the stratum corneum (SC), is the most important physical barrier between the human body and the environment and plays a surprisingly acute role in the mechanical function of full
A sticky, flexible and strong material for better dentistry
Restorations of endodontically treated teeth represent a big part of modern restorative treatment. A post and core should be fabricated to provide retention for the coronal restoration- most often an indirectly made crown. Traditionally metal cast post
Glucose – a bitter sweet for the brain
During ischemic stroke, insufficient supply of oxygen and glucose leads to severe damage of cerebral tissue. Since the most important energy substrate for the brain is glucose, high blood sugar levels could be a strategy to enhance
A curious eighteenth century travelling theodolite
An old topographic compass displayed in a showroom at the Museum of Astronomy and Related Sciences (MAST) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (Fig. 1), took my curiosity namely because of its resemblance to a theodolite described by
Key genes for amniote organ regeneration detected in lizard transcriptomes shed new hope for limb regeneration in humans
While in water-adapted vertebrates (anamniotes: fish and amphibians) organ regeneration is relevant or outstanding, including in fins or limbs, in fully terrestrial vertebrates (amniotes: reptiles, birds and mammals) regeneration is absent or rare. Aside numerous anatomical and
A personalised operation to stabilise aortic root aneurysms
Personalised External Aortic Root Support (or PEARS) is the name given to a very specific operation. By taking the exact measurement of the individual person’s aorta from a CT or MRI scan, a replica of their own
Using misglycosylation as a way of visualizing CRISPR-mediated knock-outs of the Conserved Oligomeric Golgi Complex
Intracellular membrane trafficking is a crucial, bi-directional process that occurs in every eukaryotic cell. This process is similar to a cellular mailing system in that it processes, packages, and ‘ships’ things to their correct location. Membrane trafficking
Oil spills can be catastrophic: which European coastal regions are most at risk?
From Portuguese shores to North Sea coasts European Atlantic regions are at high risk of being affected by oil and other marine spills, with United Kingdom most affected, according to recent research analysing the potential impact of
Discovery of prostate cancer-specific peptides using bacterial viruses
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer and the third leading cause of cancer death among American men. Although chemotherapy has been widely used for prostate cancer treatment, it is not specific to cancer cells. As a
