Pandemic News and Research

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A pandemic is a global disease outbreak. During a pandemic, transmission can be anticipated in the workplace, not only from patient to workers in health care settings, but also among co-workers in general work settings. A pandemic would cause high levels of illness, death, social disruption, and economic loss. Everyday life would be disrupted because so many people in so many places become seriously ill at the same time. Impacts could range from school and business closings to the interruption of basic services such as public transportation and food delivery.

Repeated mRNA vaccinations enhance mucosal antibody production

During the COVID pandemic, many of us have received multiple mRNA vaccines. New work by researchers at the VIB-UGent Center for Inflammation Research, Ghent University, and University Hospital Ghent, among others, has found that such repeated vaccinations lead to the presence of mucosal antibodies, for example, inside the nose. Their work appears in Science Translational Medicine.

23 Oct 2024

New antibody platform targets evolving viruses

Scientists at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, in collaboration with colleagues in the field, have developed an innovative antibody platform aimed at tackling one of the greatest challenges in treating rapidly evolving viruses like SARS-CoV-2: their ability to mutate and evade existing vaccines and therapies.

23 Oct 2024

Southwest Research Institute breaks ground on new clinical supply facility

Southwest Research Institute broke ground today on a new 21,000-square-foot Clinical Supply Facility to support government and industry clients with integrated pharmaceutical and bioengineering research and development.

23 Oct 2024

The future of UK life sciences starts in the West Midlands

In this interview, Gino Martini, the CEO at PHTA, talks to NewsMed about the West Midlands, a region with a rich heritage in both manufacturing and life sciences.

From PHTA Ltd 23 Oct 2024

Floor swabbing offers new insights for COVID-19 monitoring

COVID-19 is here to stay. As restrictions and human testing have waned, new research is tackling the challenge of how we can monitor, predict, and prevent cases and outbreaks of COVID-19, especially among vulnerable groups like hospitalized patients.

22 Oct 2024

New report explores the landscape of school meal charge policies

Public schools, nonprofit private schools, and residential childcare institutions can participate in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and School Breakfast Program (SBP), which provide federally assisted meals through the USDA.

22 Oct 2024

Understanding the impact of psychological distress on life expectancy in Japan

The Japanese population is known for its longest life expectancy (LE) at birth. Extensive studies have been conducted on the physical health of the Japanese population, mainly on mortality outcomes.

22 Oct 2024

THELMA project examines impact of algorithmic surveillance on women's reproductive health

In a context of demographic decline, algorithmic surveillance of reproductive health could be used to covertly control reproductive decisions, increase inequalities and violate women's rights.

22 Oct 2024

Frequent ultra-processed food consumption raises mortality risks, especially in women

Ultra-processed food intake is linked to increased all-cause and cause-specific mortality, particularly in females, with metabolomic signatures highlighting the associated risks. This study provides critical evidence on the health dangers of UPFs.

22 Oct 2024

Major study links loneliness to increased risk of dementia

New research led by Florida State University College of Medicine faculty quantified the association between loneliness and dementia by analyzing data from more than 600,000 people around the world - the largest study of its kind.

21 Oct 2024

EURESTOP network aims to tackle antibiotic resistance crisis

There is compelling evidence that bacteria, parasites, viruses, and fungi are developing resistance to antimicrobials. As a result, infections in humans, animals, and plants are becoming increasingly difficult, and in some cases impossible, to treat.

21 Oct 2024

Online food shopping: Are you getting the information you need?

A study highlights the inadequate provision of nutrition labels on US online grocery sites, calling for enhanced regulatory measures for public health.

21 Oct 2024

Sweden exceeds UNAIDS HIV goals but faces new challenges

Sweden has surpassed the UNAIDS 95-95-95 targets, with reduced HIV incidence and a steady increase in diagnosed and treated cases. However, challenges remain, especially among migrant populations and recent arrivals.

20 Oct 2024

EAT2 study to investigate adipose tissue responses to weight change

Dr. Ursula White, an associate professor of Clinical Science at Pennington Biomedical Research Center, is taking a deep dive into the lasting health effects of short-term weight gain and weight loss.

20 Oct 2024

New consortium launched to combat Mpox outbreak in Africa

University College Dublin (UCD) is leading MpoxVax AFRIVAC, a new €1.3 million international consortium that aims to rapidly deploy technology and develop new knowledge to end the current Mpox outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and surrounding countries.

17 Oct 2024

Brazil-Italy joint lab focuses on Alzheimer’s drug development

A self-proclaimed Brazil-Italy collaboration enthusiast, researcher Laura Bolognesi created the B2AlzD2 Joint Lab at the Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology of the Università di Bologna (UNIBO), the first Brazil-Bologna joint laboratory dedicated to the development of new drugs for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease.

17 Oct 2024

New synthesis technology promises faster production of mRNA vaccines

In an era where viral outbreaks can escalate into global pandemics with alarming speed, the ability to quickly develop new vaccines has become crucial.

17 Oct 2024

U.S. cancer detection severely disrupted during first year of COVID-19, shows incomplete recovery in second year

A JAMA study finds COVID-19 caused a 127,931 deficit in cancer diagnoses in 2020, with recovery in 2021 influenced by demographic and community characteristics.

17 Oct 2024

GLP1R medications show promise in reducing suicidal ideation among adolescents with obesity

Adolescents treated with GLP1R drugs for obesity exhibit fewer suicidal thoughts, indicating potential mental health benefits of these medications.

17 Oct 2024

COVID study shows higher risk for those with multiple illnesses

Individuals with multiple long-term conditions are two and a half times more likely to die following COVID-19 infection than others. When children were assessed separately the risk for mortality among those with multiple long-term conditions increased to almost three times (2.8) the risk of those without. The mortality rates are 22% and 8% respectively.

17 Oct 2024