Recently Published Articles
Disruption of Hydrogen Bonding Network Decreases Catalytic Diversity of Chloroperoxidase via Abolishing Both Chlorination and Dismutation Activities
Abstract:
The perpendicular orientation of the proximal alpha helix to the heme plane in chloroperoxidase (CPO) maximizes the influence of its intrinsic helix dipole that has been shown to reduce the “push-effect”, thereby increasing the heme redox potential and fine-tuning the catalytic capabilities of CPO. We investigated the effects of a disruption of the hydrogen bonding network between R26-N37 and A27-N33, formed by the proximal alpha helix, on the CPO structural stability and catalytic profile using site-directed mutagenesis and spectroscopy. The mutant CPO (R26A, N33A, and R26A/N33A) exhibited significant tertiary structural changes and distinct heme coordination, likely, due to destabilization of the proximal helix as a result of the disruption of the proximal hydrogen bonding network. In line with these observations, biochemical characterizations showed that all mutants displayed dramatically different activity profiles relative to that of the W...
Internal Jugular Phlebectasia; A Challenging Neck Mass in Children
Abstract:
Cystic neck masses are uncommon in children, and a minority of them are soft. Internal jugular vein phlebectasia (IJVP) is a rare cause of soft neck cysts. It presents usually as a unilateral soft neck mass of changing size. In most cases it is unilateral, right sided and predominantly in males. Imaging study modalities are diagnostic and helpful for observation and follow up. In the vast majority of cases, it decreases in size with time requiring only conservative treatment. However, surgery might be necessary in large or complicated phlebectasia. IJVP is underdiagnosed or misdiagnosed especially in pediatrics, with few cases documented in medical literature. To improve awareness of presentation and management-plan of this rare case, the authors present an extremely rare case of huge left internal jugular phlebectasia in a 14 year-old boy worsened and complicated over years of wait and see...
Why Do Human Body Systems Go Into Catastrophic System Failure Leading to Diseases -Is the Answer in Science or Nature?
Abstract:
Both the human body and the natural world are governed by multiple complex systems. These systems have feedback loops which is a process in which the outputs of a system are circled back and used as inputs. Where there are multiple systems, there is always the potential for a catastrophic system failure. If a system fails in the human body, this can lead to a number of life-threatening and debilitating diseases such as cancer. Diseases such as cancer is in effect, the result of a catastrophic system failure. There are cancer cases in which the root cause of the disease is unknown. System failure in the human reproductive system can lead to congenital birth defects. In cases of a system failure leading to congenital birth defects, some of the causal factors are known but in 65% of these cases, the reasons for this reproductive system failure are unexplained. There are ne...
Creation of Music-Induced Analgesia in Chronic Pain Patients through Endogenous Opioid Production: A Narrative Review
Abstract:
Chronic pain affects over 30% of the global population, and reliance on external drugs for treatment has led to major issues, including the present opioid epidemic. A healthier option is necessary, which is why music therapy’s analgesic effects have been extensively studied within the last 20 years. Not only is music relatively harmless but given that chronic pain patients require repeated treatment, musical intervention is far more accessible and economical. While the mechanisms underlying music-induced analgesia are relatively unclear, the production of endogenous opioids while listening to music through both the descending pain modulatory circuit and the limbic system, is postulated to play this role. This review describes the brain regions and pathways by which music may trigger the release of endogenous opioids such as enkephalins, endorphins, and dynorphins. More importantly, it ...
Loneliness and Bedtime Procrastination: Exploring a Model of Interconnectedness Among Young Adults in Germany
Abstract:
This study aimed to examine the relationship between loneliness and bedtime procrastination in young adults in Germany, offering critical insights into the development and maintenance of both conditions. Specifically, it sought to test a new model that connects these two psychological constructs. A quantitative online survey was conducted with 500 young adults ( The results show a significant positive correlation between loneliness and bedtime procrastination in young adults. Sleep quality ...
Primary Healthcare Services and Health-Related Quality of Life of Older Persons with Non-Communicable Diseases: A Narrative Literature Review
Abstract:
In response to the rising burden of non-communicable disease (NDC), the World Health Organization (WHO) developed tools to enable early detection and management of NCDs in Primary Healthcare centers (PHC). Globally, the prevalence of NCDs remains alarmingly high with 41 million deaths annually. Of these, 17 million people die before the age of 70, and 86% of these premature deaths occur in low-and middle-income countries. This narrative review aimed to assess the effect of PHC services on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of older persons with NCDs, to critically analyze the potential of the existing literature in informing improvements in PHC services. We searched various databases (PubMed, Springer, Scopus, and ScienceDirect) for relevant literature. Peer-reviewed articles on the influence of PHC services on HRQoL among older persons with NCDs written and published in English between Januar...
Increased Reaction Vessel Surface Area Decreases the Overall Mortality Rate of Rana catesbeiana Larvae during Chemically Induced Metamorphosis
Abstract:
Stimulating precocious metamorphosis in anuran larvae is an important pedagogical tool for understanding vertebrate development. However, historically, artificially provoking metamorphosis by immersing tadpoles in exogenous inducing agents (e.g., thyroxine, and iodine) compromises the longevity of the experimental animals, resulting in up to 100% mortality within a week. In our undergraduate teaching lab, we house our experimental tadpoles in circular glass dishes having a surface area of 182 cm2. Over the past four academic years this lab was performed, we observed 100% mortality of experimental animals within 10, 12, or 15 days when treated with 10-5 M, 10-6 M, or 10-7 M thyroxine, respectively. Here, we investigated whether increasing the surface area to 413 cm2 using square glass dishes would reduce the mortality of...
Climate Change Reduces Darling River Water Levels by Decreasing Eastern Australian Rainfall
Abstract:
Significantly decreased rainfall run-off into the dams that feed the Darling River in eastern Australia during the Millennium (1997–2009) and Tinderbox (2017 –2019) Droughts coincided with reduced river levels along the Darling River. The rainfall reduction was due to accelerated global warming since the mid-late 1990s. During this period, unmonitored river water extraction from the streams that feed the Darling River was diverted to crops, on-farm dams, and to storage in the Menindee Lake system. This practice exacerbated the effect of the two droughts because streamflow that reaches the Darling River ceased in several upstream rivers, and in the Darling River. Using Darling River height levels, before and after the mid-late 1990s, it is shown that global warming is the key factor reducing Darling River levels in the last 53 years, even allowing for river water diversion and extraction. Between the periods 1972-1997 and 1998-2024 the Darling ...
COVID-19-Induced Changes in the Fibrin Network of Pulmonary and Renal Microthrombi
Abstract:
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection often causes coagulation disorders that affect highly vascularized organs, such as the lungs and kidneys. The objective of this study was to report the histopathological findings of variations in the fibrin pattern of pulmonary and renal microthrombi in patients who died from SARS-CoV-2 infection. Minimally invasive autopsies were performed on 40 patients to collect lung (n=40) and kidney (n=16) tissue samples. Histochemical and immunohistochemical staining techniques were used for histopathological analyses. Premortem laboratory data were obtained ...