Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes

DNA vaccine against Zika performs well in tests on mice

In Brazil, researchers at the University of São Paulo (USP) and the Pernambuco division of Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (FIOCRUZ) are developing a Zika vaccine. The formulation was tested on mice and found to be efficacious, ...

Pediatrics

New AI smartphone tool accurately diagnoses ear infections

A new cellphone app developed by physician-scientists at UPMC and the University of Pittsburgh, which uses artificial intelligence (AI) to accurately diagnose ear infections, or acute otitis media (AOM), could help decrease ...

Medical research

New study shows a role for cholesterol in pain perception

When you stub your toe or bump your head, you know that rubbing the injury can lessen the ouch. But how? New research from the lab of Scott B. Hansen, Ph.D., shows how physical pressure on cells can reduce pain signals, while ...

Psychology & Psychiatry

Is ketamine an antidepressant, wellness trend or dangerous drug?

When an autopsy revealed that actor Matthew Perry died of "acute effects of ketamine," it put fresh attention on an ongoing debate in the field of psychiatry: What's the right balance between expanding access to a drug that ...

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Membrane

A membrane is a layer of material which serves as a selective barrier between two phases and remains impermeable to specific particles, molecules, or substances when exposed to the action of a driving force. Some components are allowed passage by the membrane into a permeate stream, whereas others are retained by it and accumulate in the retentate stream.

Membranes can be of various thickness, with homogeneous or heterogeneous structure. Membrane can also be classified according to their pore diameter. According to IUPAC, there are three different types of pore size classifications: microporous (dp < 2nm), mesoporous (2nm < dp < 50nm) and macroporous (dp > 50nm). Membranes can be neutral or charged, and particles transport can be active or passive. The latter can be facilitated by pressure, concentration, chemical or electrical gradients of the membrane process. Membranes can be generally classified into three groups: inorganic, polymeric or biological membranes. These three types of membranes differ significantly in their structure and functionality.

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