Aurora magazine

The UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers have identified the mechanism behind white hair and baldness. Thanks to the discovery, some of the effects of aging will be better understood. Also, it could lead to a treatment against these two cosmetic problems.

The discovery was born under a medical design project. The authors were studying the formation of certain types of cancer. Going forward, they identified the progenitor cells from which their hair was born and the reason they became white. The hair shaft cells contain the gene responsible for the protein KROX20, associated with the development of the nerves. This first discovery is followed by the SCF (stem cell factor) protein.

Scientists have eliminated KROX20 protein from progenitor cells of some cavities. The mice in question have become bald. They then eliminated the SCF protein from another group of cavities. In this case the hair became white. It follows that the first protein is essential for hair growth and the second for pigmentation.
Cells with their KROX20 and SCF proteins move from bulb to epidermis. Here they meet with melanocytes, cells containing melanin, pigment of skin and hair.

Following this encounter, the hair color. If proteins are lacking, the hair grows without pigmentation or grows.
With aging, the two proteins work worse. According to the authors, this may be the cause of hair loss and hair loss.

Source: medicalxpress.com

The Virginia Department of Health reports an increase of 40% of syphilis cases between 2015 and 2016. The trend is common across the United States and is a symptom of a general decline in attention to sexually transmitted diseases. According to doctors, the danger is spread not only among adults, but also among newborns, at risk from mother-to-childhood contagion. For this reason, prenatal screening is more important than ever.

Syphilis has symptoms similar to those of various types, which makes diagnosis often complicated. The main features of the disease are epidermal rash, enlarged lymph nodes, fever, and sores in the genital area. If untreated, syphilis can cause permanent damage to both the person and a possible offspring.

The transmission of mother syphilis in childhood is called congenital syphilis and may be lethal for infants. According to Centers for Disease Prevention and Control, in the United States cases of congenital syphilis have increased by 6% between 2014 and 2015. The worsening of cases of sick infants contributes to the increase in the overall incidence of disease. It is also a symptom of lowering prevention levels.

The number one rule remains to use the necessary preventive measures against sexually transmitted diseases. In pregnancy, a prenatal screening pathway may also include tests for syphilis, gonorrhea and chlamydia. In this way it is possible to take the necessary measures to ensure mother and child health.

Source: dailypress.com

From the University of Surrey comes a new cell separator that could revolutionize cancer research and Alzheimer's. The outstanding part is that the machine had a humane genesis, made of foil and epoxy glue. One of the purposes of the new process, in fact, is to get cellular separation at a fraction of the current cost. This would make some therapies for fatal diseases more accessible and many stem cell research.

Cell separation is critical to medical research. It ranges from the separation of red blood cells from white blood cells to the separation of different types of stem cells. It is used to identify the cells to be used in regenerative therapies, but also for biochemical and material science related processes. At the moment, however, the process is complex and very expensive.

A team from the University of Surrey developed a cell separator that uses 3D electrodes and a low-cost chip. Thanks to a small electrical charge, the chip allows the passage of only one type of cell and blocks all others. The principle is similar to that used in printed circuits and makes separation 10,000 times faster.

The invention came after years of research and the first prototype consisted of foil paper and epoxy glue. Despite the fact that the present car is a bit more complex, it has maintained the originality of the original project. The new cell separator costs one-hundredth of the traditional ones and the used agents cost just as little. In addition, it does not use chemical markers, so it is possible to reuse the cells for therapeutic purposes.

Source: alphagalileo.org

Systemic lupus erythematosus (LES) is an autoimmune disease, involving at least 4 different organs. The most striking signs are skin rashes and excessive sunlight sensitivity. Renal and joint problems are very common, as well as severe anemia. The most affected are women, especially between the ages of 15 and 40. It is a sporadic disease, but you may experience cases of familiarity.

The causes of lupus are still unclear. It is an autoimmune disease in which the immune system recognizes the body's components as enemies. It produces antibodies that attack organs and damage them, most of them irreversibly. Some research has highlighted a deficit in the mechanisms that regulate inflammatory processes and excess T-lymphocytes that cause them. However, you still do not know what triggers the immune system's aggression.

The main symptoms of lupus are cutaneous and mucous: butterfly rashes on the face that affect cheeks and nose are the most characteristic symptom. Sensitivity to the sun also causes erythematous lesions in the most exposed areas. Sick patients often suffer from fever and widespread tiredness, also linked to the involvement of the hemopoetic system, which includes anemia and platelet deficiency. Arthritis, kidney problems and concentration deficits are other common symptoms.

Lupus is a disease that involves the whole body, easy to confuse with other pathologies. The first suspicion of illness comes from the presence of at least four clinical manifestations typical of the disease. The safest way to confirm the diagnosis is, however, a renal biopsy, to look for ANA or positive anti-DNA.