A new technique called electronic acoustic Raman (EAR) spectroscopy could improve the way we study proteins, which in turn could help fight diseases like cystic fibrosis. The technique involves using a laser to excite small molecules like proteins; when excited they vibrate and give off sound at a specific frequency. By analysing the sound, researchers […]
Tag: medicine
Only half of patients take their medications as prescribed
A new comprehensive review shows that only about half of all patients who are prescribed medication actually take their medication as prescribed. Interventions such as support from family members or pharmacists, education and text messaging were not found to improve the situation in a reliable manner. The authors are now encouraging collaboration between researchers so […]
Silver nanoparticles could upset gut bacteria
Silver nanoparticles that leak from water filters could alter the community of bacteria in the human gut, according to a new study. Silver nanoparticles are meant to kill harmful bacteria in portable water filters, but if they leak into drinking water they could also kill beneficial bacteria in our digestive systems. A simulated gut bacterial […]
How ZMapp fights Ebola
A new study highlights the biochemical mechanisms behind ZMapp, a promising experimental treatment against Ebola virus infection developed with the involvement of the Public Health Agency of Canada. Using single-particle electron microscopy, researchers determined the structures of each monoclonal antibody in the Zmapp cocktail and how each one binds to vulnerable sites on the Ebola […]
Healthy baby birth weight depends on mother’s birth country
Babies born in Canada from immigrant mothers, especially from East and South Asian mothers, are often of lower weight than babies from Canadian’s mothers, but it’s not worrisome a new study shows. It’s usually thought that smaller infants are more likely to die or suffer adverse events than heavier infants. Research now shows that clinicians […]
To visit ED, or not to visit ED?
One in five patients who are discharged from hospital emergency departments (ED) without being admitted could just as easily have gotten the treatment they need at a family practice, according to a new report. Data compiled by the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) helps determine which emergency room visits are avoidable and could help […]
Why anesthesia may cause memory problems
After surgery using a general anesthetic, up to a third of patients experience memory problems for months afterward and a new study helps explain why. Many anesthetics work by binding to specific receptors (GABA A receptors) in the brain and increasing the function of these receptors, leading to drowsiness and memory loss. The new study shows […]
Ebola: how ZMAb, and ZMapp, works
Researchers at the Public Health Agency of Canada have studied how the experimental Ebola-treating antibody cocktail ZMAb – a major constituent of the drug ZMApp – fights the virus. They report that the drug binds to the proteins on the surface of the virus and neutralises its activity. The researchers say the findings may help […]
This robot makes you feel like there’s someone behind you
A new study sheds light on the mechanisms underlying the “feeling of presence” phenomenon, where people feel like there is a presence with them in a room even though they are alone. Scientists usually attribute this feeling to medical conditions such epilepsy, stroke, migraine and tumors. Researchers have now devised a robot capable of giving […]
How to prevent a world without antibiotics
A new mathematical model suggests that in addition to looking for new drugs, we should also be using strategies to prolong the life of old ones. Most drugs only work for a certain period of time until organisms develop resistance. This lifetime can be prolonged by using antibiotics sparingly or combining them into ‘drug cocktails’ […]
Micro-scallop robot could swim in human blood
Researchers have created an artificial micro-swimmer which could swim through viscous fluids such as saliva and blood by opening and closing its shells at different rates. The robot consists of two silicone polymer shells, each only 300 micrometres in size, connected by a single hinge. An external magnetic field is used to drive the movement […]
Alternative hospital funding can be risky
A review of worldwide experience with an alternative model of hospital funding suggests that it increases the number of patients needing post-acute care. Activity-based funding (ABF) is a system whereby hospitals are paid a set rate for each episode of care, intended to fund the bundle of services provided to patients with particular diagnoses, as […]
Screening software could help find new drugs
A new method of screening molecules for their ability to bind to enzymes and other proteins could help discover potential new drugs. A newly built model looks at covalent bonding, a much stronger type of chemical attraction but one that is harder to model. Computer models that predict which molecules will interact with enzymes have existed […]
Controlling Ebola outbreak in West Africa most effective way to decrease international
Controlling the Ebola virus outbreak at the source in West Africa is the most effective way to decrease international risk of transmission, a new study of global airline travel patterns shows. The authors used a model that predicts that three people infected with Ebola are predicted to fly from West Africa (Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra […]
Senegal is now Ebola-free
On Friday, October 17, the World Health Organization declared that Senegal is now free of Ebola virus transmission. Senegal had a single case of Ebola in late August. All those who contacted the patient have now completed the 21-day monitoring period are are symptom free and tested negative for the virus. A similar announcement about […]
Ebola in DRC different than that in West Africa
The current Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is caused by a different virus strain than the one circulating in West Africa, a new study shows. Researchers conclude that the two Ebola outbreaks are not linked to one another. At least 49 people have died from Ebola in Congo between July 26 […]
