Wherever you happen to be reading this, if you look around, you will likely see many objects made of plastic. University of the Pacific is contributing to a global discussion about this ubiquitous material and its impact on the environment through its involvement with the Veolia Institute’s latest publication, Reinventing Plastics , part of its FACTS Reports series.  The idea for this issue came from Dr. David Ojcius, department chair and professor in the Biomedical Sciences

Inflammasomes are cytosolic multiprotein complexes of the innate immune system responsible for the activation of inflammatory responses and cell death . [1] [2] They are formed as a result of specific cytosolic pattern recognition receptors (PRRs), which are molecular sensors of microbe-derived pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs), damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) from the host cell, or homeostatic disruptions. [1] [2] [3] Activation and assemb

The human microbiome is the aggregate of all microbiota that reside on or within human tissues and biofluids along with the corresponding anatomical sites in which they reside, [1] [2] including the gastrointestinal tract , skin , mammary glands , seminal fluid , uterus , ovarian follicles , lung , saliva , oral mucosa , ocular surface , and the biliary tract . Types of human microbiota include bacteria , archaea , fungi , protists , and viruses . Though micro-animals

Life extension  is the concept of extending the human  lifespan , either modestly through improvements in medicine or dramatically by increasing the  maximum lifespan  beyond its generally-settled biological limit of  around 125 years . [1]  Several researchers in the area, along with "life extensionists", " immortalists ", or " longevists " (those who wish to achieve longer lives themselves), postulate that future breakthroughs in tissue  rejuvenation ,  stem cells ,  regene

This commentary describes the changes taking place in dentistry and speculates on improvements that could happen soon. Advances in health care will have an impact on the integration and delivery of oral care; conversely, there is growing acceptance that oral health impacts systemic health. Technological innovations are changing the face of medical care and are quickly becoming integrated into dentistry. Advances in novel antimicrobials, genomics, robotics and artificial intel

The immune system employs a temporal hierarchy of effector mechanisms to combat infections by intracellular pathogens. The nonspecific response is independent of MHC and can be activated rapidly, while the specific response is slower, more specific, and requires major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules. MHC-dependent responses have been characterized extensively  in vitro  for antigens presented by polymorphic MHC class la and class II proteins and recognized by T lym

Boswellia  trees, found throughout the Middle East and parts of Africa and Asia, are the source of frankincense oil. Since antiquity, frankincense has been traded as a precious commodity, but it has also been used for the treatment of chronic disease, inflammation, oral health, and microbial infection. More recently, the bioactive components of  Boswellia  trees have been identified and characterized for their effects on cancer, microbial infection (especially infection by or

The  history of dental treatments  dates back to thousands of years. [1] [2]  The scope of this article is limited to the pre-1981  history . The earliest known example of  dental caries  manipulation is found in a  Paleolithic  man, dated between 14,160 and 13,820  BP . [3]  The earliest known use of a  filling  after removal of decayed or infected  pulp  is found in a Paleolithic who lived near modern-day  Tuscany , Italy, from 13,000 to 12,740 BP. [4]  Although inconclusiv

La  boca , también denominada como una  cavidad bucal  o  cavidad oral,  siendo en realidad divisiones en sí de la boca del aparato digestivo; [1] ​ es la abertura corporal por la que se ingieren  alimentos . [2] ​ Está ubicada en la  cara  y constituye en su mayor parte el  aparato estomatognático , así como la primera parte del  aparato digestivo . La boca se abre a un espacio previo a la  faringe  llamado cavidad oral, o cavidad bucal. La boca  humana  está cubierta por lo

Dean Prof. Dr. Zahid Yousaf of the University of Gujrat (UOG) embarked on a significant visit to the University of the Pacific,...

Highlights • Exercise-induced microbial formate enhances immune checkpoint inhibitor efficacy • Microbiota-derived formate is essential...

Frankincense oil, originating from Boswellia trees in the Middle East, Africa, and parts of Asia, has a rich history as a valuable remedy...

Introduction: Boswellia trees are the source of frankincense extracts that can be found throughout the Middle East and parts of Africa...

Smoking increases the risk of heart disease, cancer, lung infections, and diabetes, and causes oral health problems. The prevalence of...

Cette composante s’est appuyée sur la méthodologie développée par l’association RESOLIS, à savoir une méthode d’analyse systématique et...

Highlights P . gingivalis upregulated P2X7 receptor levels in the colon of wildtype mice. P . gingivalis triggered intestinal...

On the occasion of the high-level meeting showcasing 130 years of Science at the Institut Pasteur, the Genes & Immunity Journal published...

La revue  Genes & Immunity  publie, à l’occasion de la rencontre au sommet célébrant 130 ans de recherche à l’Institut Pasteur, un numéro...

There is a growing number of health-related programs at the University of the Pacific on the three campuses - in Stockton, San Francisco...

Highlights A novel mRNA vaccine was developed to achieve broad-spectrum protection against Influenza virus. The Ub-Re-N mRNA vaccine...