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Identifying COVID-19 host genes using symptom-based predictions

A recent study published on the preprint server bioRxiv* in August 2020 shows that symptom-based prediction of the diagnosis can help identify host genes that are responsible for part of this variability.

26 Aug 2020

Blood transfusions protect the brain from stroke damage

Muscle weakness permeates through one side of your body and your speech slurs. It's a stroke. And you need to be rushed to the emergency room.

26 Aug 2020

Study examines safety and early outcomes of gene therapy for spinal muscular atrophy

In May 2019, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved a gene replacement therapy for the inherited, progressive neuromuscular disease 5q-linked spinal muscular atrophy.

25 Aug 2020

Monoclonal antibodies may be a better choice than convalescent plasma for treating COVID-19

A team of researchers from the Netherlands demonstrated that prophylactic treatment with a high dose of human convalescent plasma or by using concentrated monoclonal antibodies could protect against disease following severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection in an animal model. However, no protective effect was observed with a ten-fold lower dose of convalescent plasma. The results are currently available on the bioRxiv* preprint server.

25 Aug 2020

A person's socioeconomic status can help predict heart failure mortality

Heart failure is a medical condition that results when the heart muscle is not strong enough to effectively circulate blood.

25 Aug 2020

Painless magnetic stimulation dramatically reduces episodes of fecal incontinence

Painless magnetic stimulation of nerves that regulate muscles in the anus and rectum appears to improve their function and dramatically reduce episodes of fecal incontinence, a debilitating problem affecting about 10% of the population, investigators report.

25 Aug 2020

Heart Research UK awards over £145,000 to Queen’s University Belfast project on blood vessel grafts

A project at Queen’s University Belfast aiming to develop a new method of making grafted blood vessels more resilient has been awarded a grant of over £145,000 by national charity Heart Research UK.

25 Aug 2020

Single dose nasal vaccine against SARS-CoV-2 shows promise in animal studies

Now researchers at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have worked on developing a candidate vaccine against the infection that could be administered in a single dose via a nasal spray rather than an injection. In their preliminary studies using lab mice, this single dose of the nasal vaccine successfully prevented the infection with the novel coronavirus.

24 Aug 2020

Researchers identify potential drug target for curtailing cancer metastasis

Researchers led by Ludwig Chicago Co-director Ralph Weichselbaum and Ronald Rock of the University of Chicago have identified in preclinical studies a potential drug target for curtailing cancer metastasis.

24 Aug 2020

RNA-targeting compound restarts a healing factor silenced by heart attack

A heart attack can leave parts of the heart permanently scarred and stiff, resulting in prolonged disability and potential progression toward heart failure. Scientists have studied various ways to repair or regenerate such damaged heart tissue, with limited success.

24 Aug 2020

Nasal vaccine effective in preventing COVID-19 infection in mice

Scientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have developed a vaccine that targets the SARS-CoV-2 virus, can be given in one dose via the nose and is effective in preventing infection in mice susceptible to the novel coronavirus.

21 Aug 2020

Study: Many COVID-19 patients suffer cardiovascular damage even after recovery

One of the most harrowing effects of COVID-19 is severe damage to the lungs, which makes breathing hard or impossible for those who're severely affected.

21 Aug 2020

Strand-like muscle fibers in the heart tied to heart failure risk

The muscular band of heart tissue called the moderator band or the septomarginal trabecula is found in the right ventricle of the heart and was first described by Leonardo da Vinci in his exploration of human anatomy.

21 Aug 2020

Combining expertise in organoids and sequencing technologies for ALS research

MDC researchers received a $150,000 pilot project grant from the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative's Neurodegeneration Challenge Network to investigate a defining feature of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

20 Aug 2020

Study examines the effect of low-carbohydrate, high-fat diet on older adults

A new study, published in Nutrition and Metabolism, from researchers with the University of Alabama at Birmingham's Nutrition Obesity Research Center observed improvements in body composition, fat distribution and metabolic health in response to an eight-week, very low-carbohydrate diet.

20 Aug 2020

Scientists investigate the role of contractility and microbiota in chronic constipation

Chronic constipation (CC) remains a serious medical and social problem because the complexity of diagnosis, the lack of a single approach to treatment, and unsatisfactory treatment results.

20 Aug 2020

Gastric bypass surgery is the most effective therapy to treat type 2 diabetes

Gastric bypass surgery is the most effective therapy to treat or reverse type 2 diabetes in severely obese patients.

20 Aug 2020

Study shows Klotho supplementation can prevent hypertension

High blood pressure is often called a silent killer because it is the biggest risk factor for the most death and disability worldwide including heart disease and stroke, but presents no symptoms as a warning indicator.

20 Aug 2020

Study sheds light on 500-year old mystery about the human heart

Researchers have investigated the function of a complex mesh of muscle fibres that line the inner surface of the heart. The study, published in the journal Nature, sheds light on questions asked by Leonardo da Vinci 500 years ago, and shows how the shape of these muscles impacts heart performance and heart failure.

19 Aug 2020

New treatment increases the speed of nerve regeneration for trauma patients

A University of Alberta researcher has found a treatment that increases the speed of nerve regeneration by three to five times, leading to much better outcomes for trauma surgery patients.

19 Aug 2020