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Studying the Proteome and Human Diseases using Mass Spectrometry

An interview with Amanda Hummon, discussing how mass spectrometry can be used to analyze the proteome and how this can help with the study of human disease.

From Pittcon 13 Aug 2020

Chaotic and incoherent: Damning study of over 500 U.S. campus COVID-19 reopening plans

Now, a new study by researchers at California Institute of Technology and Johns Hopkins University and published on the preprint server medRxiv* in August 2020 shows that poorly planned and inadequate testing approaches to mitigate viral spread among the returning university students are likely to result in epidemics that will plague the country for a long time.

13 Aug 2020

New treatment regimens show early efficacy for multidrug-resistant tuberculosis

New treatment regimens for multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) have shown early effectiveness in 85 percent of patients in a cohort that included many people with serious comorbidities that would have excluded them from clinical trials, according to the results of a new international study.

13 Aug 2020

Yoga improves generalized anxiety disorder, study shows

The feelings of fear are normal emotions felt when the brain senses an impending danger or stress. Anxiety is the body's natural response to stress. In some people, however, they experience constant and overwhelming anxiety and fear, impeding their normal activities.

12 Aug 2020

Researchers recommend inclusion of pregnant and breastfeeding women in COVID-19 vaccine trials

Researchers from the United Kingdom have published their views on the inclusion of pregnant women in clinical trials for vaccines against the novel coronavirus and the related challenges this presents. Their article titled, “Inclusion of pregnant women in COVID-19 vaccine development”, was published yesterday in The Lancet Infectious Diseases.

12 Aug 2020

Higher BCG vaccination coverage associated with improved COVID-19 outcomes

A tuberculosis vaccine administered during the past 15 years is associated with significantly improved COVID-19 outcomes, according to a new study published in Vaccines.

12 Aug 2020

Study of 300 COVID-19 patients shows efficacy of convalescent plasma therapy

A preliminary analysis of an ongoing study of more than 300 COVID-19 patients treated with convalescent plasma therapy at Houston Methodist suggests the treatment is safe and effective.

12 Aug 2020

Research looks at convalescent plasma use in COVID-19 mouse model

A new study by researchers at the University of Iowa and published on the preprint server bioRxiv in August 2020 reports the utility of a mouse model that recapitulates several aspects of human COVID-19 and can reflect the antiviral efficacy of new drugs as well.

12 Aug 2020

Simple process could enhance personalization of cancer therapy

Researchers have developed a simplified process that could enhance personalization of cancer therapy based on a single nuclear medicine scan.

12 Aug 2020

New technology could serve as more reliable model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

A new study published today demonstrates that a technology developed at the University of Central Florida could serve as a more reliable clinically-based model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and a better screening tool for novel therapies than currently use preclinical models.

12 Aug 2020

People of color, minority groups are underrepresented in COVID-19 clinical trials

Despite disproportionately higher rates of COVID-19 infection, hospitalization and death among people of color, minority groups are significantly underrepresented in COVID-19 clinical trials, according to a new perspective authored by faculty from the University of Georgia and University of Colorado and pharmacists from Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital in Albany.

11 Aug 2020

1st human data for Sinovac's SARS-CoV-2 CoronaVac vaccine is out

A group of Chinese researchers recently conducted a phase 2 clinical trial to further evaluate the immunogenicity and safety of SARS-CoV-2 inactivated vaccine known as CoronaVac. The results are currently available on the medRxiv preprint server and demonstrate that the vaccine is well tolerated and without any notable dose-related safety concerns, which opens the door for phase 3 clinical trial.

11 Aug 2020

Certain N95 masks are highly effective in preventing the inhalation of airborne particles

This spring, due to limited national supplies of N95 face masks, hospitals across the country asked the public and private companies to donate personal protective equipment (PPE), including many different types of masks, to be sure healthcare workers were protected while caring for patients.

11 Aug 2020

First clinical trial could become an effective way to deliver chemotherapy to abdominal cancer patients

City of Hope surgical researchers are the first in the nation to open a clinical trial that could one day become an effective way to deliver chemotherapy to abdominal cancer patients who currently have very few treatment options.

11 Aug 2020

Scientists reveal the best and worst face masks to use for COVID-19 protection

Duke University went about testing 14 different types of masks to determine which offers the best protection against SARS-CoV-2 infection. The team has found that bandannas, gaiters, and knitted masks are some of the least effective face coverings for preventing the spread of SARS-CoV-2.

10 Aug 2020

Mouthwashes could lower the transmission of SARS-CoV-2

Sars-Cov-2 viruses can be inactivated using certain commercially available mouthwashes. This was demonstrated in cell culture experiments by virologists from Ruhr-Universität Bochum together with colleagues from Jena, Ulm, Duisburg-Essen, Nuremberg and Bremen. High viral loads can be detected in the oral cavity and throat of some Covid-19 patients.

10 Aug 2020

DHODH inhibitor PTC299 shows potential as a COVID-19 therapeutic

As COVID-19 continues to take a heavy toll on human health and life in many parts of the world, there is still no effective antiviral drug or vaccine. This has fueled an intensive search for small molecules and proteins that can inhibit viral entry and replication.

10 Aug 2020

Encouraging results from Phase I NovaVax SARS-CoV-2 nanoparticle vaccine trial

NVX-CoV2373, a recombinant nanoparticle vaccine developed by Novavax and manufactured at Emergent Biosolutions, was found to be well tolerated and immunogenic – inducing T-cell response and neutralization antibodies four-fold higher than the mean observed in hospitalized coronavirus disease (COVID-19) patients, shows a recent study available on the medRxiv* preprint server.

9 Aug 2020

FDA approves opioid agonist for management of moderate to severe acute pain in adults

Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Olinvyk (oliceridine), an opioid agonist for the management of moderate to severe acute pain in adults, where the pain is severe enough to require an intravenous opioid and for whom alternative treatments are inadequate.

9 Aug 2020

FDA approves first oral drug for treatment of spinal muscular atrophy

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved Evrysdi (risdiplam) to treat patients two months of age and older with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), a rare and often fatal genetic disease affecting muscle strength and movement.

7 Aug 2020