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Study sheds new light on complex dynamics involved in microbial infections

Included in the vast fallout stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic, scientists are paying closer attention to microbial infections and how life forms defend against attacks from pathogens.

27 May 2021

Antithrombotic endothelial dysfunction is prevented by Tie2 activation in severe COVID-19

Researchers from the US recently assessed if severe COVID-19 is linked to procoagulant dysfunction of the endothelium and changes in the Tie2-angiopoietin axis. They assessed circulating endothelial markers in a study cohort of 98 patients with mild, moderate, or severe COVID-19. This study is published on the medRxiv* preprint server.

19 May 2021

Measuring metabolic 'fluxes' could help scientists advance new tuberculosis drugs

Mycobacterium tuberculosis is incredible in that it can survive for decades within its human host. It does this by varying its diet to successfully steal nutrients from the human host including immune cells; it is known to acquire and absorb multiple carbon sources from the body during infection.

12 May 2021

Natural products a rich source for novel antiviral compounds

In a recent review in the journal Viruses, researchers look at natural products that can be identified as potential alternative antiviral agents. The reviewers discussed the antiviral activities of several natural products towards DNA and RNA viruses with an analytical approach. The researchers detailed the cellular/viral targets of the active molecules and their impact on the infection and viral replication cycle.

10 May 2021

SARS-CoV-2 infection prolongs viral shedding and lymphocyte loss in patients with cancer

Patients with cancer have a more challenging time with infections while undergoing treatment — placing them as high-risk for severe COVID-19 illness and death. However, how the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) interacts with cancer therapies remains poorly understood.

7 May 2021

Could in vitro glycoengineering help produce better SARS-CoV-2 spike candidates for vaccine research?

A vexing problem in the development of vaccines has been the need to achieve the right glycosylation profile for the viral antigens. A new study, recently released as a preprint on the bioRxiv* server, shows how a sequential cell-free approach produced complex N-glycans from simpler types, in a one-pot reaction.

4 May 2021

New study launched to more accurately diagnose early hepatocellular carcinoma

A first of its kind cohort study on patients at high risk of developing primary liver cancer also known as hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), has been launched to diagnose HCC more accurately at an earlier stage and to predict an individual's likelihood of developing the cancer.

3 May 2021

Researchers create new, open-access tool for assessing infant brain health

Researchers have created a new, open-access tool that allows doctors and scientists to evaluate infant brain health by assessing the concentration of various chemical markers, called metabolites, in the brain. The tool compiled data from 140 infants to determine normal ranges for these metabolites.

29 Apr 2021

Processed diets may promote diseases characterized by low-grade infection and inflammation

Processed diets, which are low in fiber, may initially reduce the incidence of foodborne infectious diseases such as E. coli infections, but might also increase the incidence of diseases characterized by low-grade chronic infection and inflammation such as diabetes, according to researchers in the Institute for Biomedical Sciences at Georgia State University.

28 Apr 2021

SARS-CoV-2 recruits heme metabolites in antibody evasion

A research paper recently published in the journal Science Advances by Cherepanov et al. (April 22nd, 2021) demonstrated that the NTD binds to biliverdin, a product of heme catabolism, leading to enhanced antibody escape at physiologically relevant concentrations.

28 Apr 2021

High dose of vitamin D does not have a beneficial effect on moderate or severe COVID-19 patients

Can a high dose of vitamin D administered on admission to hospital improve the condition of patients with moderate or severe COVID-19? The answer is no, according to a Brazilian study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

23 Apr 2021

Researchers identify natural molecule that blocks the binding of human antibodies to SARS-CoV-2

Researchers have found that a natural molecule can effectively block the binding of a subset of human antibodies to SARS-CoV-2. The discovery may help explain why some COVID-19 patients can become severely ill despite having high levels of antibodies against the virus.

23 Apr 2021

Experts to present latest research on aging and longevity at the 8th Aging Research & Drug Discovery Meeting

Scheibye-Knudsen Lab, University of Copenhagen and Deep Longevity are excited to reveal the speakers for the 8th Aging Research & Drug Discovery Meeting, the largest scientific academic, and industry conference that will transpire on August 31 - September 3, 2021, on-site at the Ceremonial Hall, University of Copenhagen, and online.

22 Apr 2021

Metabolic testing of COVID-19 patients through skin imprints

There is, therefore, a great need to understand how the illness can be diagnosed using more convenient and inexpensive methods. A new study posted to the medRxiv preprint server reveals the potential role of skin imprints to test for biomarkers that indicate a diagnosis of COVID-19 in a non-invasive way.

22 Apr 2021

Systematic review: Exposure to endocrine-disruptors could elevate breast cancer risk

Exposure to certain endocrine-disrupting chemicals could elevate the risk of breast cancer, according to a new comprehensive systematic review of epidemiological research.

20 Apr 2021

New mathematical model could help design new probiotics and tailored diets to prevent diseases

A new mathematical model for the interaction of bacteria in the gut could help design new probiotics and specially tailored diets to prevent diseases. The research, from Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden, was recently published in the journal PNAS.

20 Apr 2021

Plant-derived compound isorhamnetin may have antiviral potential against SARS-CoV-2

The lack of new or repurposed drugs to treat patients with severe or critical COVID-19 has been one of the biggest hurdles to reducing mortality rates in the ongoing pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2. A new study describes the potential for the use of the plant molecule isorhamnetin in the management of this virus.

19 Apr 2021