Alzheimer’s disease (AD), a disease of the neurological system, is the most common form of dementia. The early stages of AD affect the portions of the brain that control thought, memory, and language. As the disease progresses, patients may experience difficulties talking, reading, writing, and recognizing people they know. AD has been linked to the …
Brain Iron Deposits as a Predictive Measure of Dementia in Parkinson’s Disease
Parkinson’s Disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that causes neurons in the area of the brain that controls movement to weaken or die. Up to 50 percent of patients with PD suffer from dementia. The timing, severity, and effects of that dementia differs — and the reason for the varying vulnerability of different brain …
Could Chicken Antibodies Temporarily Prevent COVID-19 Infections?
Although the first COVID-19 vaccines approved by governmental regulators are slowly being rolled out in certain countries, a safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine is not currently available worldwide. To continue fighting the pandemic, researchers are exploring new and innovative ways to protect people from SARS-CoV-2. One team of researchers from Stanford University is currently working …
The Genetics of Calico Cats
Whether you adore cats or you’re allergic to them, you might be surprised to learn that you can better understand genetics by studying calico cats. More specifically, you can learn about epigenetics, or the study of changes in organisms due to the modification of gene expression, not the alteration of DNA. Known for their distinctive patches …
Could Gene Therapy Hold the Answer to Danon Disease?
Danon Disease is a rare, life-threatening condition in which the body’s protein removal and recycling processes no longer work properly. The result is dysfunction of the heart, skeletal muscle, nervous system, eyes, and liver. The disease is more common in males and is thought to be inherited. Symptoms begin in early childhood or adolescence, and …
The Link Between Pollution and COVID-19 Deaths
Several months after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, many journalists began reporting on the fact that, due to reduced levels of transportation, lockdowns were leading to reduced air pollution. This news was celebrated, as we’ve known for decades that air pollution is detrimental to human health. However, there is also a troubling connection between air …
Advances in Drug Discovery for Central Nervous System Diseases
Discovering effective and safe new drugs depends on a detailed knowledge of disease mechanisms, as well as a successful progression from candidate identification to clinical trial design. This complicated, work-intensive path makes drug discovery hard, according to Valentin K. Gribkoff and Leonard K. Kaczmarek, authors of an article in Neuropharmacology entitled “The need for new …
Are Sports Bubbles Effective in the Fight Against COVID-19?
The word bubble has several meanings. Although it’s most commonly used to describe a sphere of liquid enclosing air or gas, it can also be used to describe an inflatable dome-shaped structure or an enclosure that protects patients from infection. Lately, bubble is also being used to describe an area in which competing sports teams reside in isolation in …
Resiliency in CRO Operations During the COVID-19 Pandemic
A Conversation with QPS Holdings LLC Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, Ben Chien, PhD NOVEMBER 2020 As QPS Holdings LLC Chairman President, and CEO, Ben Chien, PhD, leads a large global organization with locations across the US, Europe, and Asia. Since its inception in 1995, the company has grown from a three-employee molecular bioanalysis …
What Field Researchers Can Teach Us About Quarantine and Isolation
As countries around the world move through various stages of quarantine and restrictions on public life, many people are finding themselves more isolated than they are accustomed to. Contact with someone who has the novel coronavirus can require a two-week quarantine, further restricting their movement and contact with others. For most people, this is an …
