Abstract  The optical properties of metal nanoparticles have garnered researchers’ interests, since 1800s, owing to their strong extinction efficiency in the visible spectrum. With increasing interest in basic and applied nanosciences, the use of metal nanoparticles spans various fields like data storage, therapeutic purposes, biological sensors etc. This article describes a study, using numerical [...]

  Abstract Gaucher’s disease is a pathology associated with intracellular accumulation of glucosylceramide due to glucocerebrosidase dysfuntion. Gaucher’s disease, type I in particular,  does not usually present with neurologic components; however, researchers and physicians have recently noted an increased incidence of Parkinsonism in patients with type I Gaucher’s. Parkinson’s disease is a pathology affecting dopaminergic [...]

  Abstract  1 in 6 children and 1 in 3 adults in the United States are obese. Estimated costs in 2010 relating to obesity exceed $300 billion. Although the etiology of obesity may be well characterized, the advent of the epigenome has increased the complexity of pinpointing causes of obesity. Ovine and murine models show [...]

  Maybe it was a good book on some fascinating phenomena. Perhaps it was a starry night or visit to a zoo. Perhaps, it was the chemistry teacher you had in high school. Often, those with an interest in science can point to some influencing factors or moments that triggered their pursuit of scientific knowledge. [...]

Abstract: Neurotheology encompasses areas of research that investigate the neurological factors involved in religious conviction and sensations (religiosity). Since the 1970s case studies of patients with temporal lobe epilepsy have offered insights into religiosity and have sparked interest in the pursuit of neurological correlates for religiosity. Following the theory that the temporal lobes play important [...]

  Online “trolls,” have long perfected the art of provoking fellow readers with their over-the-top, annoying and illogical comments, but as harmless as they may often seem, these online hecklers are negatively impacting the way other readers are viewing science and technology.   That’s what University of Wisconsin-Madison science communication researcher Dominique Brossard found when [...]

Dr. Geoffrey S. Ginsburg, M.D., Ph.D., currently serves as the Director of Duke University’s IGSP (Institute for Genome Sciences and Policy) Center for Genomic Medicine and is Professor of Medicine and Pathology at Duke University Medical Center. Before joining academia, he was Program Director for Cardiovascular Disease at Millennium Pharmaceuticals, Inc, and subsequently held the [...]

  Years of hard work in school have finally paid off. You’ve gotten your degree in the biological sciences, but now what? After great consideration, you’ve decided that medicine isn’t for you and graduate school just doesn’t fit with your plans. So, all your years of hard work have been for nothing, right? Wrong! There [...]

  Government agencies and private institutions of all kinds have many uses for satellites. Satellites are used for communications, earth observations, and space exploration just to name a few of their many applications. Such technology, however, is restricted to those institutions that can afford the expensive costs of building, launching, and maintaining satellites. For instance, [...]

Abstract Cleavage of influenza A virus hemagglutinin (HA) via host cell proteases is required for entry into the host cell. The serine protease, TMPRSS2, has been implicated as having an important role in HA cleavage and activation. To better understand the role of TMPRSS2 for avian, human and swine influenza virus infection, a lentivirus was [...]