Neutralizing ROS: A Shield Against Cellular Damage Survival Boost: Flies treated with HEWE (8 mg/ml) or HEBE (1 mg/ml) saw survival rates jump by 55% after DSS exposure. Even with SDS (another irritant), survival improved by 35–51% . Reduced Cell Read more…

The cAMP-PDE4 Axis: A Balancing Act cAMP levels determine how cells respond to hormones, neurotransmitters, and external signals. PDE4 enzymes ensure this signaling doesn’t spiral out of control. Of the 11 PDE families, PDE4 is cAMP-specific and divided into four Read more…

Key Concepts in Combination Chemotherapy Synergy vs. Additivity Drug combinations aim for synergy—where the combined effect exceeds the sum of individual drug effects. For example: Platinum agents (e.g., carboplatin) damage DNA. Taxanes (e.g., paclitaxel) disrupt cell division. Targeted therapies (e.g., Read more…

Boosting B Cell Responses CR2 partners with CD19 to form a co-receptor complex that amplifies B cell receptor (BCR) signals. Mice lacking CR2 show impaired antibody responses, highlighting its role in adaptive immunity . Viral Hijacking: The EBV Connection EBV Read more…

Medical Therapy Albendazole: Anti-parasitic drug that kills larvae. Corticosteroids: Reduce inflammation caused by dying parasites. Combined therapy showed a 20% cure rate and 60% partial improvement in one study . Surgery Reserved for cysts causing mechanical damage (e.g., retinal detachment). Read more…

Anthelmintic Use Drug Class Efficacy Against Cyathostomes Resistance Status Ivermectin >97% (adults), 86–97% (L4 larvae) No resistance reported yet Moxidectin 99.9% (encysted larvae) Emerging tolerance observed Oxbendazole 94–100% (adults) High resistance globally Key Practices: Targeted Treatment: Use fecal egg counts Read more…

Antivirals: Stopping Viral Replication Nirmatrelvir/Ritonavir (Paxlovid): Mechanism: Inhibits SARS-CoV-2 protease, blocking viral replication. Ritonavir boosts drug levels by slowing metabolism . Efficacy: Reduces hospitalization risk by 80% in high-risk patients if taken within 5 days of symptoms . Challenges: Over Read more…

Antimicrobial Activity: Killing Free-Floating Bacteria Turmeric extract inhibits bacterial growth at low concentrations: Pathogen MIC (mg/ml) MBC (mg/ml) Source S. aureus (clinical) 4–16 16–32 P. aeruginosa 8–32 32–64 Table 1: Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) and Minimum Bactericidal Concentration (MBC) of Read more…

The Anatomy of a C. diff Spore: A Survival Machine C. diff spores are armored with layers of protective proteins and a calcium-rich core, enabling resistance to heat, disinfectants, and antibiotics . Key features include: Outer Exosporium: Shields against immune Read more…

Sensitivity: Can DBS Match Venipuncture? A 2020 study compared DBS formats to serum testing using Cambodian samples: Marker HemaSpot Sensitivity Ratio Whatman903 Sensitivity Ratio HBsAg (HBV) 17.6:1 31.2:1 HBcAb (HBV) 23.5:1 38.9:1 Anti-HCV (HCV) 26.3:1 32.0:1 Table 1: Sensitivity ratios Read more…