Dwain Dsouza 
HIV has posed to be one of the hardest viruses to tackle, thus making it more dangerous and harder to eradicate. This is in part because of what’s called metastability. This is when the virus actually changes shape at certain points, like when it is trying to enter a cell. When developing vaccines for a … Read more
This installment of classic hits will take a look at rock covers. I am always intrigued by how a favorite hit from yesteryear can be re-arranged to sound just as good with crazy guitar riffs and screaming vocals thrown in. Let’s look at a few. One of Deborah Harry’s (a.k.a. Blondie) biggest hits came in … Read more
Last time we talked about songs that had been re-made or covered by other artists. My next installment of Classic hits will be remixed. I like fast tempo music. Couple that with my love for classic 80s and 90s music and we have a winner! Here are a few of those I enjoy. First up, … Read more
Many of us love the music (and remakes) from the 80s and 90s (without actually revealing our age), so it’s difficult for us to accept when a newer artist decides to pay a ‘tribute’ to the original artists by reworking their songs to sound more modern. It’s a form of flattery that may work in … Read more
Ovarian Cancer is a disease that affects thousands of women annually. It ranks fifth in cancer deaths among women and accounts for more deaths than any other cancer of the reproductive system. The American Cancer Society predicts that in 2016, over twenty-two thousand women will receive a new diagnosis of ovarian cancer and over fourteen … Read more
A migraine is an intense throbbing or pulsing sensation in one area of the head, and is commonly accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and extreme sensitivity to light and sound. They can last hours and some people find it difficult to function while others try their best to go about their daily lives even with the pain. … Read more
Diabetes Mellitus, commonly referred to as just Diabetes, is a collective of metabolic diseases that cause a prolonged period of high sugar levels in the blood. Leaving it untreated can cause long term complications like cardiac events, stroke, kidney failure, foot ulcers, and eye damage. The main cause of Diabetes is either when the pancreas fails to … Read more
Mother’s Day, the one day we show (extra) appreciation to the one woman in our lives that shaped most of who we are, and prepared us for almost every crisis situation that we have come across. If she didn’t, she had a lot on her mind… give her a break! Either way, a small list of … Read more
Nanoparticles are particles that vary in size between 1 and 100 nanometers (1 billionth of a meter). Researchers at MIT (Langer Lab) and Brigham & Women’s Hospital (under Omid Farokhzad) have developed nanoparticles that act as vehicles for transporting anti-obesity drugs directly to adipose or fat tissue. The drugs work by converting White Adipose Tissue … Read more
Talk to any cancer survivor and they will proudly admit to surviving the treatment, whether radiation or chemo-therapy, which at times may feel worse than the actual symptoms of the cancer within them. Radiation therapy has long been a proven method of killing cancer cells as well as inducing a fair immune response to where … Read more
HPV (Human Papillomavirus) is currently the most common sexually transmitted infection (STI). It is so common that nearly every sexually active male or female will have it at some point. The types of HPV that are of concern are those that cause genital warts or cause cancer of the reproductive organs and throat (oropharyngeal cancer). … Read more
It’s April and time for another Music Snapshot, with music that’s keeping the club scene fresh and sparkling. I have some brand new music to share with you today and some you’ve probably already heard. Without further ado, let’s get started… First on the docket are a couple of Jersey brothers making up the electric … Read more
Turn on the news as of late and there will undoubtedly be an article here or there about the Zika Virus. The Zika virus is a type of flavivirus (from the latin ‘flavus’ for yellow, as it was originally associated with yellow fever) that is of the family flaviviridae that includes the viruses for several … Read more
Until now, contraception (hormonal or nonhormonal) has mainly been the responsibility of women, even if it means at times carrying a condom. Researchers at the University of Virginia School of Medicine have discovered a way to produce an enzyme found in sperm that’s involved in its motility, or ability to move. This can lead to several … Read more
Autism is something we are, as a society, getting more and more familiar with. A new study shows that at least 1 in 45 children in the US are now diagnosed with autism. It is no secret that fungicides (among other chemicals) are used daily in farming to keep the year’s crop from being eradicated. … Read more
Seizures are a result of a chronic disorder called epilepsy. Many with epilepsy have more than one type of seizure and multiple neurological issues. The brain is the ultimate source of said seizures, and can affect any and many parts of the body as well as how long it lasts. A study just published in … Read more
When one thinks of health, we usually consciously or subconsciously associate that with life and death as the ultimate measurement of said health, age being the actual measurement. Doctors Peter Joshi and Jim Wilson out of the University of Edinburgh’s Usher Institute of Population Health have identified DNA alleles that may actually have an effect … Read more
Evolution has a way of reminding us that we were once very strong, or very weak, depending on the circumstances. Our DNA is like the rings on a tree, with a basic structure built upon by eons of change that manifest itself as a fork in the evolutionary branch that produces a certain trait that … Read more
Cancer patients have enough to deal with. It all starts with a tumor. If it stops there, that can be a good prognosis. The trouble starts when the metastasized tumor cells start spreading to other organs and tissue. What if we can trick the secondary tumors into ingesting poison? Researchers at the Houston Methodist Research … Read more
Trioxacarcins are naturally occurring antibiotics that fight cancerous tumors and can serve as a building block towards producing other drugs and therapies. Their complex molecular structures have made them an attractive target in trying to synthesize them in the lab. They are normally extracted from Streptomyces bottropensis, and they are cytotoxic by means of attaching … Read more
It’s about that time to do a musical snapshot of what’s getting a lot of airplay on the radio. I’ve put together a set list (as my alter ego DJ Anubis) to listen to while you watch the March Madness Basketball or do whatever it is that you do! We’ll start with a favorite of … Read more
Life is a complex set of reactions that take place inside living organisms. A lot of these reactions need a little help in the form of catalysts. One of the biggest catalytic reactions is via enzymes. They are extremely specific and usually do one job well. They are also very dependent on temperature. Certain enzymes … Read more
Krypton. The very term has been associated with two major influences in our lives. The most obvious being Superman, a superhero created in 1938 that hailed from the planet Krypton, and subsequently his downfall, attributed to the material known as Kryptonite. The second association with Krypton is with the color green (which may also have … Read more
There’s only one thing that’s (arguably) worse than cancer, and that’s the treatment of cancer. The most common methods are either by chemotherapy or radiation therapy. Neither is fun, and the side effects are just as bad as the symptoms of the disease itself. The side effects are usually due to the destruction of the … Read more
HIV. The very mention of it sends chills through many a spine. Things have vastly improved since the early days of HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) and the disease associated with it, AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome). When HIV is introduced, the body responds by creating antibodies to try and fight the virus. When we test … Read more
Pick up any health, food, or beauty magazine these days and you are bound to find a new latest article on the ‘Joys of Dopamine.’ It is akin to the ‘devil on your shoulder.’ This neurotransmitter is best known for its work during our time of craving and lust, be it gambling, sex, food, or … Read more
Most of us are quite familiar with the hit show The Big Bang Theory featuring the lives and trials of Mensa level college geeks. A catchy tune by the Bare Naked Ladies lends a nice touch to the initial credits as well as highlights what we’ve all considered to be canon as far as how … Read more
We all know someone that swears by the adage “They have a cure for cancer, but they won’t give it to us because then they’d lose money.” Business practices aside, this may be true, but it isn’t the whole truth. We can “Shkrelify” every pharmaceutical company as much as we want, but the science behind all … Read more