For that which is relating or is of the topic of Medicine
Figure: Bacteria are essential for gut health because they help break down key dietary nutrients. But when one’s diet changes– the gut microbiome can be driven out of sorts. Scientists now understand that the gut microbiome is altered by a calorie-restricted diet in such a way that it prevent dieters from keeping weight off. Future …
Figure: Cancer cell division is rapid and uncontrollable. New evidence suggests that the gut microbiome may contribute to cancer cell proliferation, spurred on by a high fat diet – but also that there may be ways to fix a cancer-causing gut microbiome (Source: Pixabay, ColiN00B) Background The war on cancer has been fought valiantly for …
Gut Bacteria May be a Cause of Colorectal Cancer (and the Key to Effective Treatment) Read More »
Abstract: Cancer treatment has long been an engaging field of study for researchers. Yet despite years of refinement, conventional treatment methods like radiotherapy and chemotherapy are still incompetent in the permanent cure of cancer. Recently, bacterial treatment approach has shown promising experimental results. Bacterial treatment allows for deeper tumor penetration than radiation due to the …
Figure: A computer representation of the anthrax toxin protein (Source: Wikimedia Commons, Ayacop) For intensive surgery, opioids are often prescribed to help ease post-operative pain. They are very effective, but unfortunately also tend to be highly addictive, affecting about 15 million people every year, with an estimated cost of $35 billion in additional health care …
Study Finds Anthrax Toxin as Possible Substitute for Painkillers Read More »
Figure 1 President Tsai Ing-wen inspects the Central Epidemic Command Center on April 2, 2020 (Source: Flickr, 總統府) (A previous version of this article that describes the situation in the pre-Omicron wave can be found here) Recently, an article in The Lancet medical journal article measured the biological, economic, demographic, and socio-political correlates of COVID-19 …
Trust: The Essence of Good Policy Implementation Read More »
From DNA to Life. (Source: Wikimedia Commons, William Crochot) Our DNA is like a secret code – 6 billion base pairs (per cell) but only 4 letters, repeated over and over in a seemingly random order. The structure appears relatively simple, but those nitrogenous bases of DNA store the secrets of life, death, evolution, and …
Extensive and irresponsible use of antimicrobial drugs is one of the leading causes of antimicrobial resistance. (Source: Wikimedia Commons, freestocks.org) Most of us never thought that our lives would intersect with a pandemic. Yet, COVID-19 may not be the only pandemic witnessed in the 21st century. Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is standing in the wings, ready …
The Looming Pandemic of Antimicrobial Resistance Read More »
An intricate view of the intertwined helices of DNA. (Source: Wikimedia Commons, KES47) The development of high-tech machinery within the field of biology has led to the development of remarkable technologies – from the first DNA sequencing machines to more modern innovations such as DNA sensors. DNA sensors – fragments of DNA capable of binding …
The diagram above displays the many potential uses of stem cells. To make the most use of stem cells’ versatility and life-saving capacity, researchers must develop a detailed understanding of where stem cells can be found and what roles they play in the body. (Source: Wikimedia Commons, Mikael Häggström) The biology of stem cells, which …
A photo of a Pfizer facility in Italy. (Image Source: Dr. János Korom, Wikimedia Commons) On November 5th, 2021, Pfizer announced that it would seek FDA approval for its new drug, called Paxlovid. It is given to those with an active case of COVID-19 and has been shown to reduce the risk of hospitalization and …
The Biochemistry and Broad Utility of Pfizer’s New COVID-19 Drug: Paxlovid Read More »