Macaques and malaria
Reading Time: 2 minutesRESEARCHERS in Malaysia, with assistance from colleagues in USA and Singapore, have discovered that long-tailed macaques from Malaysian Borneo harbour a new species of Plasmodium parasite, a group of approximately 250 species of blood parasites, some of which can cause malaria in humans. Plasmodium parasites are spread by vectors, such as Anopheles mosquitoes, and can […]
Drinking tea improves brain health
Reading Time: 2 minutesA RECENT STUDY led by researchers from the National University of Singapore (NUS) revealed that regular tea drinkers have better organised brain regions – and this is associated with healthy cognitive function – compared to non-tea drinkers. The research team made this discovery after examining neuroimaging data of 36 older adults. “Our results offer the […]
Release of Wolbachia infused mozzies help in war against dengue
Reading Time: 2 minutesMALAYSIA’S long standing battle against the dengue health menace is showing some initial sign of victory – with the release of Aedes mosquitoes infused with the Wolbachia bacteria into the environment. According to local media reports, Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad said releasing Wolbachia-infected mosquitoes is seeing a downward trend in infection rates […]
Wound healing innovation from bitter gourd and rotten starfruit
Reading Time: 2 minutesSERDANG: Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) researchers succeeded in producing ‘Medicated Wound Dressing’, a wound healing product from bitter gourd and rotten starfruit, a more effective and appropriate wound healing method especially for diabetic patients. It has both antimicrobial and healing abilities, and can be used on chronic and traumatic wounds with reduced microbial infection. Lead […]
How old are your organs?
Reading Time: 3 minutesSCIENTISTS once thought that neurons, or possibly heart cells, were the oldest cells in the body. Now, Salk Institute researchers have discovered that the mouse brain, liver and pancreas contain populations of cells and proteins with extremely long lifespans — some as old as neurons. The findings, demonstrating “age mosaicism,” were published in Cell Metabolism […]
Would you eat GM food if you understood the science behind it?
Reading Time: 2 minutesJONATHAN MCPHETRES, a newly minted PhD in psychology from the University of Rochester, admits he’s “personally amazed” what we can do with genes, specifically genetically modified food — such as saving papayas from extinction. “We can makes crops better, more resilient, and more profitable and easier for farmers to grow, so that we can provide […]
Biosimilars – A case of more for less
Reading Time: 6 minutesCONTRARY to popular opinion, biologics, a large molecule typically derived from living cells and used in the treatment, diagnosis, or prevention of disease, have been around for a long time and regulations overseeing biologics can be traced back to the Biologics Control Act, 1902 in the United States of America (also known as the Virus-Toxin […]
Could climate change cause infertility?
Reading Time: 2 minutesTHE scientific community has long held an understanding about the effect of temperature on sperm production in mammals, but this new study sheds light on how spermatogenesis in insects is hampered at extreme temperatures. In the new scientific paper, published in the Journal of Evolutionary Biology, and an academic letter recently published in Trends in […]
‘Hello, how are you?’
Reading Time: 4 minutesA simple yet important question to foster a culture of caring towards struggling parents of special needs children. BY SARAH FAZALUL I AM different, not less..’ is one of my favourite inspiring lines quoted from Professor Mary Temple Grandin. She is a renowned woman scientist who has devoted her life advocating on humane treatment of […]
Wearable sensors mimic skin to help wound healing
Reading Time: 2 minutesRESEARCHERS at Binghamton University, State University of New York, have developed skin-inspired electronics to conform to the skin, allowing for long-term, high-performance, real-time wound monitoring in users. “We eventually hope that these sensors and engineering accomplishments can help advance healthcare applications and provide a better quantitative understanding in disease progression, wound care, general health, fitness […]