Aspirin should be favoured over warfarin to prevent blood clotting in children who undergo a surgery that replumbs their hearts, according to a new study. The research, led by the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute (MCRI) and published in The Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, will have implications for clinicians when prescribing blood thinning medications […]
Freiburg immunologists decipher anti-cancer drug's mode of operation
Rituximab, an anti-cancer drug targeting the membrane protein CD20, was the first approved therapeutic antibody against B tumor cells. Immunologists at the University of Freiburg have now solved a mystery about how it works. A team headed by Professor Dr. Michael Reth used cell cultures, healthy cells, and cells from cancer patients to investigate how […]
Constipation in the Elderly
The elderly are five times more likely than younger adults to develop problems related to constipation. Causes of constipation in the elderly Some of the reasons for this propensity include poor diet, lack of adequate fluids in diet, lack of exercise, the use of certain drugs to treat other medical conditions, and poor bowel habits. […]
Types of Electron Microscopes
There are several different types of electron microscopes, including the transmission electron microscope (TEM), scanning electron microscope (SEM), and reflection electron microscope (REM.) Each of these types of the electron microscope will be described in more detail in this article, including the benefits and disadvantages of each. Transmission electron microscope (TEM) The transmission electron microscope […]
The Importance of Spotting Leukemia
By Keynote ContributorDr. Mary Frances McMullinProfessor of Clinical Haematologyat Queens University, Belfastand Consultant Haematologistat Belfast City Hospital By Dr. Mary Frances McMullin, Professor of Clinical Haematology at Queens University, Belfast and Consultant Haematologist at Belfast City Hospital The majority of people have heard of the term leukemia, but evidence suggests many people are not aware […]
What is Common Variable Immune Deficiency (CVID)?
Skip to: What is CVID? What is the prevalence of CVID? What are the causative factors? How CVID is inherited? What are the common symptoms? How is CVID diagnosed? How is CVID treated? Common variable immune deficiency (CVID) is a genetic disorder characterized by a weakened immune system. Patients with CVID frequently suffer from infections. […]
History of Sleep
Ancient Indian sages, Egyptians and Greeks, and Romans, have all described sleep in various ways, including naming the gods who brought dreams to sleepers. It was also well known that many people experienced sleep in two shifts, with an hour or three of intervening wakefulness, when one could have quiet time alone or visit one’s […]
What is Inclusion Body Myositis?
Inclusion body myositis (IBM) is a progressive inflammatory disease of the muscles. It is the most common among such conditions, but is distinct from hereditary inclusion body myopathies (hIBM). As such it is often referred to as sporadic inclusion body myositis (sIBM). Myositis refers to the inflammation of the muscles, whereas myopathy refers to disease […]
Designing a Multiplex Immunoassay: Factors to Consider
Multiplex immunoassays and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) are used to determine and analyze the presence of an analyte in a sample through the binding of complimentary antigen-antibody pairs. Multiplex immunoassays are useful in cases of limited sample volume or time. molekuul_be | Shutterstock Multiplex immunoassays can be differentiated by the surface to which the antigens […]
How is Takayasu’s Arteritis Diagnosed?
Skip to: What is Takayasu's arteritis? What causes Takayasu's arteritis and who is at risk? Management and diagnosis of Takayasu's arteritis using non-invasive imaging Summary What is Takayasu's arteritis? Vasculitis is an inflammation of blood vessels. Takayasu's arteritis is one form of vasculitis, in which chronic inflammation affects the walls of the aorta and other […]