Why iPSC Technology is Vital to Cardiac Research
by Dr Jay Lu. According to the World Health Organization, cardiovascular disease, specifically ischemic heart disease, is the leading cause of death worldwide. Cardiovascular diseases result in an estimated 17.9 million deaths each year, which is about 31% of all deaths worldwide (1). Medical researchers are continually working on ways to reduce those numbers by developing new technologies that can combat premature deaths from cardiovascular diseases. Although animal models are promising tools in disease modeling, the human [...]
Choosing the best light source for your fluorescence experiment
provided by Scientifica Learning Zone https://www.scientifica.uk.com/learning-zone/choosing-the-best-light-source-for-your-experiment There are a variety of light sources that can be used to illuminate a sample during widefield fluorescence microscopy experiments. Choosing the most suitable one requires evaluating the properties of the light sources and balancing out their pros and cons. Here, we will introduce the three commonly used light sources and discuss their properties as well as their advantages and limitations, to help you make an informed decision of which source [...]
Understanding the cell as an electrical circuit
-provided by Scientifica Learning Zone https://www.scientifica.uk.com/learning-zone/understanding-the-cell-as-an-electrical-circuit Lea Goetz1 and Christian Wilms2 1UCL, London, UK 2Scientifica Ltd, Uckfield, UK Electrophysiologists frequently describe cells as electrical equivalent circuits, i.e. a combination of resistors and capacitances. In the following article, we will look at how resistance and capacitance determine the electrical properties of the cell to understand why this is a useful description. Membrane resistance, RM The cell membrane consists of a double lipid layer that separates [...]
Coronavirus: A Detailed Guide
by Dr Jay Lu What is coronavirus? It is a newly discovered virus and also called as 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19). It belongs to a family of viruses that carries strains that become reason for deadly diseases both in mammals and birds. Coronavirus (CoVs) belongs to the largest group of viruses under the Nidovirus order. (1) Simply speaking, it is a type of virus that transmits from animals to humans but experts are still wondering what animal actually caused [...]
CARDIAC ELECTROPHYSIOLOGY – MAPPING SYSTEM
by Dr Jay Lu Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death worldwide, accounting for 17.3 million deaths per year. This number is expected to grow to more than 23.6 million by 2030 (1). Cardiac arrhythmias and sudden death are the cause of more than 60% of those CVD deaths (2). Well, what could be the possible solution to this global issue mentioned above? Imagine if a scientist could pinpoint a certain area of a diseased heart, [...]