Yearly Archives:2020
Upstream open reading frames (uORFs) as translational regulators in human disease
The messenger RNA (mRNA) translation process is a key step of gene expression, whose regulation allows the cell to rapidly change protein synthesis in a spatio-temporal manner in response to different stimuli. Translation comprises four steps –
Medical grade honey facilitates the healing of minor injuries in pediatrics
Children are at risk to injuries and wounds as it is their nature to play and explore in adventurous environments. At the same time, they are less experienced in calculating the risk when performing some stunts. However,
电子液晶:所以的关键因素lving a long-standing mystery of the high-temperature superconductivity
The phases of matter are characterized by the symmetries inherent to each state. Imagine the freezing from water to ice. This phase transition is accompanied by the crystallization of H2O molecules, forming a periodic structure in a lattice.
Investigating SOCS3 as a new target for drugs to treat pulmonary arterial hypertension
Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a fatal disease caused by the walls of the small blood vessels that supply the lungs walls becoming thicker (Fig. 1) and unable to adapt to changes in blood flow, resulting in
The quest for smart radio frequency materials
Reconfigurable and tuneable wireless devices are the ultimate goal of all generations of wireless technologies – starting from the first generation all the way to the current, fifth generation. And the interest is ever growing. It is
Extracellular cytochrome c: a novel damage-associated molecular pattern (DAMP) of the brain
Cytochrome c (CytC) is a protein that is normally located inside mitochondria where it participates in the energy-generating processes of cells. Since mitochondria are essential for life, these CytC-containing organelles are found in most animal cells. The
Interesting structural properties of auricin and its biosynthetic gene cluster
Streptomycetes belong to the main producers of secondary metabolites with a broad range of biological activities. A large number of these products belong to polyketides. These structurally diverse compounds are synthesized by a repeated decarboxylative condensation from
Photonic biosensors for mycotoxin detection in milk
Contamination of food and agricultural products by various types of toxigenic molds (fungi) is a serious and global problem. Fungal toxins, in particular, mycotoxins produced by several species of fungi are naturally present in food species such
Prostate volume estimation: is there need for a change in the standard method?
As men age, prostate enlargement often leads to complications such as obstruction of the bladder neck and urinary retention with potential consequences on the kidney. Therefore, knowledge of prostate volume is required to help clinicians effectively manage
Anatomic variation of the nasopalatine canal among dentate, partially edentulous and completely edentulous subjects
The rehabilitation of the upper central incisors with the use of implants is one of the most complex aesthetic challenges. The anterior sector has important anatomical implications: resorption of the alveolar bone and the nasopalatine duct (NPD),
Chemoselective Intramolecular carbene C-H insertions of 2-diazo-2-sulfamoylacetamides
The transition-metal-catalyzed intramolecularly aliphatic and aromatic C-H insertions of diazo amides provide useful and important transformations to efficiently synthesize nitrogen-containing heterocycles with the new generated C-C bond. The reactivity of different diazoamide derivatives has been well studied
Non-local deformation sensing in nanoscale
Nanoindentation and pico-indentation based on atomic force microscopy (AFM) are commonly used for the evaluation of material mechanical properties using the depth-loading profile measured at a specific location of the material. However, the interpretation of the measurement
Sustainable ZnSnO3 nanowires produced by a low-cost solution process
Oxide materials, and more specifically, multicomponent oxide materials, have been widely explored in thin-film technology, being the indium-based materials very common. For example, conductive indium-tin oxide (ITO) or semiconductive indium-gallium-zinc oxide (IGZO) are key-materials in billion-dollar industries
Particularly harmful particles? Sifting out the dirt to find the microplastic effect
Research on microplastic effects in aquatic environments has expanded dramatically in the last decade. However, many important questions remain largely unanswered. We still do not know, for example, what are the safe levels of microplastic in different
The anterolateral ligament of the knee – an anatomical phantom
In 1879, Paul Segond published an article on clinically present and experimentally created bloody effusions in sprained knee joints. As an associated aggravation, he reported the formation of comminuted fractures of the lateral tibial condyle caused by
Antibiotic tolerance in bacteria: how to regain susceptibility?
Bacteria use a plethora of mechanisms to evade killing by antibiotics. Resistance is the best documented mechanism. Here, genetic changes in the bacterial DNA result in antibiotic insensitivity. As a consequence, resistant bacteria are able to grow
miRNA, the inconspicuous but key player in the development of cervical cancer
Cervical cancer is among the top three cancers affecting women below 45 years in several countries. Both the alterations and modification in deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) sequences play a critical role in the onset and progression of cervical
Measuring the pH levels inside lysosomes
The pH level varies in different organelles inside a cell and there is a diversity of function carried out within. Any deviations of pH from normal levels could signal cellular stress or dysfunction and may indicate serious
Nonsense-mediated mRNA decay (NMD): a bifunctional mechanism in human physiology and disease
Proteins are the working-units of the cell, which are encoded by thousands of genes that pass their information into an intermediate molecule, the messenger RNA (mRNA). For this flow of information – from genes to RNA (transcription),
Analysis of the arabidopsis Major Facilitator Superfamily reveals a larger and more diverse group of transporters
As sessile organisms, plants need to adapt rapidly to the environmental fluctuations they endure during their life cycle in order to survive. Upon external insults, plants activate a network of coordinated molecular responses to restore cellular equilibrium,
