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Aneuploidy testing can be key in determining optimal treatment for lung cancer patients

Patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) whose cancer cells have low levels of aneuploidy - an abnormal number of chromosomes - tend to respond better to immune checkpoint inhibitor drugs than patients with higher levels, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute researchers will report at the virtual AACR Annual Meeting 2021.

12 Apr 2021

mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy provides passive SARS-CoV-2 immunity to neonates 16 days after first dose

Recently, a group of researchers analyzed 122 pregnant women and their neonates at the time of birth. All the women studied received 1 or both doses of a messenger RNA (mRNA)-based vaccine for COVID-19. Of the 122 women part of the study, 55 had received only the first dose of the vaccine while 67 women had received both doses of the mRNA vaccine by the time they gave birth; 85 women had received the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, and 37 women received the Moderna vaccine. The study is published on the preprint server, bioRxiv.

11 Apr 2021

Researchers unveil new SARS-CoV-2 inhibitor that targets viral immune evasion

In a recent quest for an effective antiviral compound, UK researchers have purified a specific enzyme of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) known as nsp15 and optimized fluorescent biochemical endoribonuclease assays to screen a custom chemical library with over 5,000 commercial compounds. The study is currently available on the bioRxiv* preprint server.

11 Apr 2021

L452R and Y453F SARS-CoV-2 mutations increase transmission and evade immunity

Mutations from the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) have created multiple variants. Some variants, such as those found in South Africa and Brazil, have caused concern for their potential to evade the immune response. While vaccination efforts are underway, the world is racing against the viruses’ ability to evolve under selective pressure.

11 Apr 2021

Pregnant women transmit SARS-CoV-2 and vaccine-induced antibodies to fetus

Pregnant women are at high risk for severe COVID-19 infection and death. Yet, insufficient safety data on babies has led many guidelines to leave the decision-making and potential threats to future mothers. While the vaccine trials did not directly test pregnant women, more real-world data suggests the vaccine may provide immunity benefits to newborns through breastmilk.

11 Apr 2021

Previously approved drugs starting points for COVID-19 therapeutics

Researchers in the United States have identified several clinically approved compounds that could be repurposed for the treatment and prevention of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

11 Apr 2021

New polypeptide could provide universal protection against coronaviruses

Researchers in the United States have developed an inhibitor of the spike protein found on the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) that limits its formation in host human cells that would otherwise be the source of newly generated virions.

11 Apr 2021

Job and social strain associated with higher risk of coronary heart disease in women

Psychosocial stress - typically resulting from difficulty coping with challenging environments - may work synergistically to put women at significantly higher risk of developing coronary heart disease, according to a study by researchers at Drexel University's Dornsife School of Public Health, recently published in the Journal of the American Heart Association.

9 Apr 2021

Broadly neutralizing antibodies show promise in preventing tick-borne encephalitis in mice

Tick-borne encephalitis is a disease just as nasty as it sounds. Once bitten by an infected tick, some people develop flu-like symptoms that resolve quietly but leave behind rampant neurological disease--brain swelling, memory loss, and cognitive decline.

9 Apr 2021

Sleep apnea treatment linked to lower risk of Alzheimer's and other dementias

A new study finds older adults who received positive airway pressure therapy prescribed for obstructive sleep apnea may be less likely to develop Alzheimer's disease and other kinds of dementia.

9 Apr 2021

Study uncovers molecular reason why fecal transplants effectively treat C. difficile infections

Experts have uncovered a new molecular reason why faecal transplants are highly effective in treating infections such as C. difficile (a nasty bacteria that can infect the bowel), which could lead to more targeted treatments for this and other similar diseases.

9 Apr 2021

Analysis highlights the need for a more nuanced approach to COVID-19 vaccine prioritization

It's time for a more nuanced approach to vaccine prioritization, as more contagious COVID-19 variants become prevalent and a third wave of infections threatens to overwhelm hospitals in some provinces, according to an analysis published today in the Canadian Medical Association Journal.

9 Apr 2021

New biosealant therapy may help treat damaged cartilage tissue

A new biosealant therapy may help to stabilize injuries that cause cartilage to break down, paving the way for a future fix or - even better - begin working right away with new cells to enhance healing, according to a new animal-based study by researchers at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.

9 Apr 2021

Canada should take a more nuanced approach when setting SARS-CoV-2 vaccine priorities

When setting SARS-CoV-2 vaccine priorities, Canada should take a more nuanced approach that considers geographic and occupational risk exposures, as 75% of Canadian adults have at least 1 risk factor for severe COVID-19, argues an analysis in CMAJ.

9 Apr 2021

Advanced computer model could lead to improvements in 'bionic eye' technology

There are millions of people who face the loss of their eyesight from degenerative eye diseases. The genetic disorder retinitis pigmentosa alone affects 1 in 4,000 people worldwide.

9 Apr 2021

Children may be less infectious in spreading SARS-CoV-2 to others

Children may not be as infectious in spreading SARS-CoV-2 to others as previously thought, according to new University of Manitoba-led research in CMAJ.

9 Apr 2021

CARA bill to increase nurse practitioner’s buprenorphine prescribing falls short

Since 2016, a federal regulation has allowed nurse practitioners and physician assistants to obtain a waiver to prescribe buprenorphine, a medication used to treat opioid use disorder as a medication assisted treatment.

9 Apr 2021

SA’s 2018 'sugar tax' has led to reduction in purchases of sugar sweetened beverages, study shows

A study by PRICELESS-SA and partners shows that SA’s 2018 “sugar tax” led to a reduction in purchases of sugar sweetened beverages (SSBs).

9 Apr 2021

Hay fever and asthma occur earlier in life and affect more people

The unpopular guests are already here. Hazel-, alder- and elm tree pollen sweep in over us during the early spring months, with birch pollen following in May. Then grass follows in June-July before mugwort pollen closes the season in late summer. All leading to more and more people suffering.

9 Apr 2021

Study shows intricate association of aluminum in the neuropathology of familial Alzheimer's disease

This study builds upon two earlier published studies (Mold et al., 2020, Journal of Alzheimer's Disease Reports) from the same group. The new data, also published in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease Reports, demonstrate that aluminum is co-located with phosphorylated tau protein, present as tangles within neurons in the brains of early-onset or familial Alzheimer's disease (AD).

9 Apr 2021

Medical Research News

Aneuploidy testing can be key in determining optimal treatment for lung cancer patients

mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy provides passive SARS-CoV-2 immunity to neonates 16 days after first dose

Researchers unveil new SARS-CoV-2 inhibitor that targets viral immune evasion

L452R and Y453F SARS-CoV-2 mutations increase transmission and evade immunity

Pregnant women transmit SARS-CoV-2 and vaccine-induced antibodies to fetus

Previously approved drugs starting points for COVID-19 therapeutics

New polypeptide could provide universal protection against coronaviruses

Job and social strain associated with higher risk of coronary heart disease in women

Broadly neutralizing antibodies show promise in preventing tick-borne encephalitis in mice

Sleep apnea treatment linked to lower risk of Alzheimer's and other dementias

Study uncovers molecular reason why fecal transplants effectively treat C. difficile infections

Analysis highlights the need for a more nuanced approach to COVID-19 vaccine prioritization

New biosealant therapy may help treat damaged cartilage tissue

Canada should take a more nuanced approach when setting SARS-CoV-2 vaccine priorities

Advanced computer model could lead to improvements in 'bionic eye' technology

Children may be less infectious in spreading SARS-CoV-2 to others

CARA bill to increase nurse practitioner’s buprenorphine prescribing falls short

SA’s 2018 'sugar tax' has led to reduction in purchases of sugar sweetened beverages, study shows

Hay fever and asthma occur earlier in life and affect more people

Study shows intricate association of aluminum in the neuropathology of familial Alzheimer's disease

Advancing Drug Safety Assessment With AI, Predictive Modeling, and Human-Relevant Data

AI-powered analytics and experimental validation

Membrane proteins in focus: Turning high-risk targets into routine workflows

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