Monthly Archives:April 2019
An epigenetic treatment strategy puts a brake on alcohol dependence
Alcohol use disorder, commonly known as alcoholism, is a chronic debilitating psychiatric disease that affects >16 million people in the United States. Disease progression of alcoholism cycles through several different stages, characterized by preoccupation or needing to
Cost-effectiveness of rapid diagnosis of drug-resistant tuberculosis
Globally, tuberculosis (TB) is a leading cause of premature death. There are treatments for tuberculosis, but drug-resistant strains of tuberculosis have emerged, mostly due to improper or incomplete treatment. If diagnosed properly in a timely manner, extremely
Nodding syndrome, a form of river epilepsy
Nodding syndrome (NS) is a devastating epileptic condition appearing in previously healthy children between 3 and 18 years old. It is characterized by brief episodes of sudden forward dropping of the head (nodding), often accompanied by declining
Novel biosensors for the rapid detection of toxicants in foods
The specific objective of this monograph is mainly to exploit progress in nanosciences to deploy nanotechnology in affordable, mass-produced sensors, and to integrate these into components and systems (including portable ones) for mass market applications in environmental
A novel electrochemical sensor based on molecularly imprinted polymer modified MOF derived exfoliated porous carbon
In this work, we report a novel hybrid electrochemical sensor coupling exfoliated porous carbon (EPC) with molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) for detection of lidocaine (LID). LID is a local anesthetic and antiarrhythmic drug. It is also the
The use of dry powder mannitol in respiratory disease
Asthma is an inflammatory disease of the airways causing them to be hyperresponsive to a wide range of stimuli. It is a common disease both in children and adults and most asthmatics suffer from allergies and from
College drinking culture in Spain, Argentina, and USA: An examination of impulsivity, college alcohol beliefs, and alcohol outcomes
Across many countries and cultures, college students drink heavily. Students who drink heavily are at risk for a wide range of problems ranging from hangover to unsafe and unplanned sex to poor academic performance to developing an
Treatment of elderly patients with pancreatic cancer
Our publication is about elderly patients’ treatment evaluation for pancreatic cancer in the United States. This is a Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER)-Medicare analysis of patients above age of 65 who have Medicare and were treated
Nucleophosmin holds it all together, the smart glue of the nucleolus
The nucleolus is an organelle that serves as a factory for ribosome production and a stress sensor in the nucleus of eukaryotic cells. Unlike the nucleus, the nucleolus is not surrounded by a membrane. Instead, the nucleolus
Fibroblasts in rheumatoid arthritis: From friend to foe
Our joints are composed of tissue-resident cells, called fibroblasts, which are responsible for maintaining the structure of the joint and repairing damaged tissue. Additionally, we and others have shown that fibroblasts can also influence the types and
TussisWatch: a smartphone system to identify cough episodes as early symptoms of chronic diseases
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and Congestive Heart Failure (CHF) are progressive diseases and often the terminal stage of heart and lung disease, leading to death and disability. Both of these diseases may manifest with similar conflicting
The discovery of anticancer compounds as a highly potent and selective Cyclin-Dependent Kinases 4 and 6 inhibitors
Cell cycle is a highly regulated process that leads to the transition from quiescence or cytokinesis to cell proliferation through its checkpoints ensures genome stability. More importantly, cyclins and cyclin-dependent kinases (Cdks) play an important role in
A culture medium for screening pandrug- resistance to aminoglycosides in Gram-negative bacteria
Multidrug resistance in Gram negatives is now recognized as an issue of worldwide interest. Those bacteria possess various resistance mechanisms compromising the efficacy of several class of antibiotics such as beta-lactams and aminoglycosides. Therefore, it is essential
Pathophysiological advantages derived from simultaneous measurement of diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide (DLCO) and nitric oxide (DLNO)
It has been over 100 years since Marie Krogh developed the method to measure the transfer of carbon monoxide (CO) through the alveolar wall. Since then, the single-breath CO diffusing capacity (DLCO) has become the most clinically
Counting choline: why this nutrient is important and how we can measure it
Choline is an important nutrient for the growth and sustenance of living things, from humans to bacteria. Cells covert choline into phosphocholine via the activity of the enzyme choline kinase, and a change of other enzyme mediated
Sea-level rise: a big push to increase plant root zone’s subsurface water salinity level
In coastal east-central Florida (ECF) in the U.S. (Fig. 1), plant root zone’s (PRZ) subsurface water salinity level is crucial to the survival of various vegetation species because it is one of the dominant factors controlling seed
How does chromium cause lung cancer? Resistance to cellular stress
Lung cancer is the deadliest form of cancer in both men and women. One cause of lung cancer is occupational exposure to heavy metals. Extremely useful in several industries, heavy metals have become widespread environmental pollutants over
Second-generation composites from recycled wind turbine blades
The demand for wind and other forms of clean energy is increasing in the US and throughout the world. Wind energy is also expected to provide 14.9% of the global electricity demand by 2020. Under this scenario,
Insights into the molecular basis of posterior polymorphous corneal dystrophy
Posterior polymorphous corneal dystrophy (PPCD) is a rare autosomal-dominant disease affecting the innermost part of the cornea, termed the endothelium. This monolayer of cells maintains corneal transparency by regulating its hydration. Human corneal endothelial cells do not normally
Large animal models for osteoporosis research: The small ruminants (sheep and goat)
In the healthy skeleton, constant bone remodeling occurs in which mature bone tissue is removed, in a process called resorption, and new tissue is formed in order to maintain bone strength and mineral homeostasis in continuum with
