Chronic News and Research

RSS

Researchers make a significant leap in mucus biology

Worldwide, hundreds of millions of people are impacted by chronic respiratory disease. COPD alone affects more than 250 million people, causing 3 million deaths each year.

13 May 2020

Racial status and the pandemic: A combustible mixture

In early March, Madalynn Rucker, then 69, agonized over whether to close her Sacramento consultancy office.

13 May 2020

COVID-19 pandemic is taking toll on mental and physical health of smokers

The havoc wreaked by the COVID-19 pandemic is twofold: in addition to suffering direct effects of the virus, the world is grappling with the challenge of social distancing.

13 May 2020

Nanosized silver cubes can make it easier to read diagnostic tests

Engineers at Duke University have shown that nanosized silver cubes can make diagnostic tests that rely on fluorescence easier to read by making them more than 150 times brighter.

13 May 2020

Analysis of single-cell data indicates that SARS-Cov-2 targets many cell types

Before it can sicken people, the new coronavirus must first sneak into their cells. But not any cell will do. The virus can enter only those with a certain combination of molecules on their surfaces.

13 May 2020

A 'multi-omics' approach to the development of drugs against COVID-19

A new study published on the preprint server medRxiv* in May 2020 reports a multi-omics approach that could make it easier to develop drugs that are effective against COVID-19.

12 May 2020

Using a smartphone to perform non-invasive at-home testing for COVID-19

In Pennsylvania and other U.S. states, one of the keys to safely reopening society amid the COVID-19 pandemic is providing sufficient testing so that new cases of the disease do not overwhelm the public healthcare system.

12 May 2020

Repetitive head impacts for NFL players lead to increased risk of premature death

A new study published Monday in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) by researchers from the David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics at Syracuse University shows that an increase in repetitive head impacts for NFL players leads to an increased risk of premature death.

12 May 2020

Millions stuck at home with no plumbing, kitchen or space to stay safe

In nearly half a million American homes, washing hands to prevent COVID-19 isn't as simple as soaping up and singing "Happy Birthday" twice while scrubbing.

12 May 2020

Does cholesterol play a role in COVID-19?

A new study published on the preprint server bioRxiv in May 2020 suggests that the strikingly increased mortality in COVID-19 patients who are either old or also have high blood pressure, diabetes, cardiovascular disease is due to high tissue cholesterol levels. It also indicates the role of a healthy diet, by showing that polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) in blood oppose the effects of cholesterol and thus the risk for severe COVID-19 symptoms.

12 May 2020

Study: New combination treatment significantly improves degenerative joint diseases

Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria Syndrome (HGPS) is a fatal condition that is especially prevalent in the skin, cardiovascular and the musculoskeletal systems. There exists a wide gap between existing knowledge of the disease and a potential treatment or cure.

12 May 2020

Single-cell RNA-seq addresses key question in islet cell biology and diabetes research

The pancreas is an abdominal organ that produces digestive enzymes as well as hormones that regulate blood sugar levels. This hormone-producing function is localized to the islets of Langerhans, which constitute clusters of different endocrine cell types.

12 May 2020

Indo-Mediterranean style diets can cause decline in pre-heart failure, arrhythmias

The role of diets in the pathogenesis of cardiac dysfunction is controversial. However, it is well known that Western diet causes oxidative stress and has pro-inflammatory effects, whereas Mediterranean style diets are anti-inflammatory.

11 May 2020

Soft robotic exosuit improves biomechanical gait functions in stroke patients

Stroke is the leading cause of serious long-term disability in the US with approximately 17 million individuals experiencing it each year.

11 May 2020

ACR releases new guideline for management of gout

Today, the American College of Rheumatology released the 2020 Guideline for the Management of Gout.

11 May 2020

Clinical trial launched to evaluate experimental COVID-19 therapies

Clinical leaders from the University of Kentucky's Markey Cancer Center, College of Medicine and College of Pharmacy have launched a clinical trial for experimental therapies to treat patients infected with COVID-19.

11 May 2020

COPD and smoking linked to greater COVID-19 severity and mortality

Current smokers and people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) have an increased risk of severe complications and higher mortality with COVID-19 infection, according to a new study published May 11, 2020 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by Jaber Alqahtani of University College London, UK, and colleagues.

11 May 2020