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How SARS-CoV-2 blocks immune response

An international research team has confirmed the mechanism by which the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Their article titled, “SARS-CoV-2 Orf6 hijacks Nup98 to block STAT nuclear import and antagonize interferon signaling,” is published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

11 Nov 2020

COVID-19-associated pulmonary aspergillosis caused by aspergillus fumigatus

A new study published on the preprint server bioRxiv in November 2020 discusses the characteristics of COVID-19 associated pulmonary aspergillosis (CAPA).

10 Nov 2020

Lowest risk for autism associated with mid-levels of immune marker measured at birth

The causes of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) - including genetic and environmental factors - are not entirely understood. Many studies have already shown that serious maternal infection during pregnancy is associated with increased risk for offspring in both people and animals.

10 Nov 2020

Researchers uncover new 'hidden' gene in SARS-CoV-2

Researchers have discovered a new "hidden" gene in SARS-CoV-2--the virus that causes COVID-19--that may have contributed to its unique biology and pandemic potential.

10 Nov 2020

Repairing brain damage caused by MS

Neurological symptoms as a result of Multiple Sclerosis (MS), such as loss of cognitive or motor function, lead to a great many problems for over 2.5 million people worldwide.

10 Nov 2020

Clinical study of personalized cancer vaccine to expand after promising preliminary data

A clinical trial at the University of Arizona Health Sciences designed to study the safety and effectiveness of a personalized cancer vaccine in combination with the immunotherapy drug Pembrolizumab will expand its cohort after promising preliminary data was presented at the annual meeting of the Society for the Immunotherapy of Cancer.

10 Nov 2020

Compound found in brown seaweeds could help treat malignant brain tumour

A compound found in brown seaweeds could help to treat one of the most common and aggressive forms of malignant brain tumour.

10 Nov 2020

Severe COVID-19 linked to age, body mass index and ABO blood group

With the COVID-19 pandemic caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infecting over 50 million people worldwide with hundreds of thousands experiencing severe respiratory illness, researchers have been trying to find the factors associated with severe disease. From the start of the pandemic in March this year, several studies have indicated heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, etc. could be linked to severe disease. Now German researchers have published a study on the association between severe respiratory infection caused by SARS CoV-2 and factors such as age, body mass index (BMI) and ABO blood group.

10 Nov 2020

Identifying SARS-CoV-2 spike protein mutations resistant to antibodies

Using a set of different monoclonal antibodies, researchers determined different mutations in the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein that leads to resistance. Understanding these resistant mutations is important in developing effective therapeutic strategies.

10 Nov 2020

Researchers investigate natural compound for treating amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment

Greek researchers and clinicians investigated for the first time the effect of High Phenolic Early Harvest Extra Virgin Olive Oil (HP-EH-EVOO) versus Moderate Phenolic (MP-EVOO) and Mediterranean Diet (MeDi) as a therapeutic pharmaceutical natural compound for older adults with amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment (aMCI).

10 Nov 2020

Genetic disposition plays key role in the human immune system

A genetic disposition that plays a role in the development of the heart in the embryo also appears to play a key role in the human immune system.

10 Nov 2020

Spit testing may aid non-invasive concussion diagnosis

Doctors may soon be able to more accurately diagnose concussions by measuring the number of certain molecules in a person's saliva, according to Penn State College of Medicine researchers.

9 Nov 2020

WPI researchers awarded NIH funding to develop computational models for human cell division

Two researchers at Worcester Polytechnic Institute have been awarded $917,999 by the National Institutes of Health to develop computational models for the study of a critical piece of cellular machinery that often goes awry in cancer.

9 Nov 2020

Longer period of morning stiffness reported in children from less affluent families

Children with arthritis affecting five or more joints, called polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis (polyarticular JIA), living in less affluent families were twice as likely to report more than an hour of morning joint stiffness, compared to their counterparts from more affluent families, according to a study by investigators at Hospital for Special Surgery.

9 Nov 2020

Researchers identify new strategy to combat loss of skeletal muscle mass

Researchers at the University of São Paulo (USP) in Brazil have shown for the first time that stimulating expression of a protein naturally produced by the human body can be a strategy to combat loss of skeletal muscle mass, which happens normally with aging but can intensify in cases of neurodegenerative or inflammatory disease, or in patients who spend long periods in intensive care units (ICUs).

9 Nov 2020

New strategy for designing COVID-19 antiviral drugs to inhibit key viral protein

SARS-CoV-2, the respiratory virus that causes COVID-19, attacks the body in multiple steps. Gaining entry into cells deep within the lungs and hijacking the human host cell's machinery to churn out copies of itself are two of the earliest steps -- both essential for viral infection.

9 Nov 2020

Researchers analyze metrics of cognitive decline in diverse Latinx populations

Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD) are degenerative brain diseases that affect over 5.8 million people in the U.S. Rates of ADRD are higher among Black and Latinx individuals compared to non-Latinx white individuals.

9 Nov 2020

Patients diagnosed with Parkinson's disease may actually have NIID, shows study

A joint study by the National Neuroscience Institute (NNI) and Singapore General Hospital (SGH) revealed that patients who have been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease might actually have NIID instead.

9 Nov 2020

New strategy shows promises for treating RNA-repeat expansion disorders

A new strategy for treating a variety of diseases known as RNA-repeat expansion disorders, which affect millions of people, has shown promise in proof-of-principle tests conducted by scientists at Scripps Research.

8 Nov 2020

Study suggests SARS-CoV-2 mutation fingerprints could be used for molecular contact tracing

In a recent groundbreaking study, researchers from Stanford University demonstrated the potential of multiplexed targeted next-generation sequencing assay for detecting SARS-CoV-2 genetic fingerprints used in mutation profiling, with the potential of massive scalability required for population studies. The findings are currently available on the medRxiv preprint server.

8 Nov 2020