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Combination of biology and lifestyle increases COVID-19 mortality in men

Being a man, having a lower income, having a lower level of education, not being married, and being born abroad in low- or middle-income countries - these are factors that, independent of one another, are related to an elevated risk of dying from COVID-19 in Sweden.

12 Oct 2020

Scientists 3D print special fluid channels that could be used for medical testing

In a groundbreaking new study, researchers at the University of Minnesota, in collaboration with the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Soldier Center, have 3D printed unique fluid channels at the micron scale that could automate production of diagnostics, sensors, and assays used for a variety of medical tests and other applications.

12 Oct 2020

Study shows evidence-based patient education is important in tinnitus

About 50 million people in the United States suffer with tinnitus, a condition in which people perceive sounds such as ringing or buzzing in their ears or head. It is the number one service-related disability among U.S. veterans.

12 Oct 2020

Researchers examine the cooperative effects of genes in suppressing neuroendocrine tumors in mice

Volume 11, Issue 28 of Oncotarget features "Genetic analysis of the cooperative tumorigenic effects of targeted deletions of tumor suppressors Rb1, Trp53, Men1, and Pten in neuroendocrine tumors in mice" by Xu et, al. which reported that the authors examined whether the TSGs Rb1, Trp53, Pten, and Men1 have cooperative effects in suppressing neuroendocrine tumors in mice.

12 Oct 2020

Study explains why milk is an effective way to quench the burn of spicy food

Maybe you've heard that milk is the perfect way to extinguish that spicy food burn. Why is milk so effective? And what if you can't drink milk?

12 Oct 2020

A new therapeutic approach for Epstein-Barr virus-associated tumors

A research team at LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong (HKUMed) discovered that exosomes derived from Vδ2-T cells (Vδ2-T-Exos) can effectively control Epstein-Barr virus-associated tumours and induce T-cell anti-tumour immunity.

12 Oct 2020

Peer reviewers flag misleading studies on COVID-19

The preprints selected for review in Rapid Reviews: COVID-19 (RR:C19), an open-access overlay journal published by the MIT Press, cover a wide range of subjects, with peer reviewers finding a study that higher levels of cytokines IL-6 and IL-10 are associated with increased severity of COVID-19 is particularly noteworthy and could be useful in clinical care.

12 Oct 2020

Transgenders who experience stigma are more likely to have poor mental health outcomes

A University of Waikato study has found that transgender people who have experienced stigma, including harassment, violence, and discrimination because of their identity are much more likely to have poor mental health outcomes.

12 Oct 2020

New study may lead to more effective, personalized cancer immunotherapies

Neoantigens, tiny markers that arise from cancer mutations, flag cells as cancerous and could be the key to unlocking a new generation of immunotherapies.

12 Oct 2020

Researchers identify molecular mechanisms of IFN responses in SARS-CoV-2 infection

As of October 2020, SARS-CoV-2 causes an ongoing pandemic, with more than 35 million reported cases and more than 1 million deaths worldwide. One prominent feature that distinguishes COVID-19 from SARS in terms of immune responses is the poor induction of a type I interferon (IFN) response by SARS-CoV-2 compared to SARS-CoV and influenza A virus.

12 Oct 2020

New trial tests the effectiveness of BCG vaccine against COVID-19

A largescale global trial designed to test the theory that the widely-used BCG vaccine could help protect against COVID-19 will soon recruit healthcare staff and care home workers in the UK.

12 Oct 2020

Study shows SARS-CoV-2 can remain infectious on surfaces for long periods of time

Researchers at CSIRO, Australia's national science agency, have found that SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for COVID-19, can survive for up to 28 days on common surfaces including banknotes, glass - such as that found on mobile phone screens - and stainless steel.

12 Oct 2020

COVID-19 survivors may have protective antibodies for 4 months

The study, published in the journal Science Immunology, highlights the body's immune response against COVID-19. Also, it offers hope that people who are infected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus will develop lasting protection against reinfection.

11 Oct 2020

Cloth masks should be machine washed daily during COVID-19, study says

A team of researchers reports that cloth masks effectively protect against infection if they are washed every day. The researchers recommend daily washing of cloth masks at high temperatures to reduce the likelihood of contamination and transmission of viruses such as the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the causative agent of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

11 Oct 2020

Elevated plasma ACE2 activity persists months after SARS-CoV-2 infection

Recently, researchers from the University of Melbourne and Immune Therapies Group, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, reported that downregulation of cardiac ACE2 is linked to increased plasma ACE2 activity. This study is summarized in a preprint paper published in medRxiv.

11 Oct 2020

Temporal predictors of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies

Researchers in a recent paper published as a preprint on the preprint medRxiv, study the clinical factors, the laboratory assays to streamline plasma donor selection, and the durability of nAb responses in adults.

11 Oct 2020

New study reports on extremely potent human monoclonal antibodies for SARS-CoV-2

Researchers have recovered and identified the various types of neutralizing antibodies for SARS-CoV-2 from convalescent COVID-19 patients. Of these, they identified three that are extremely potent and could be used to develop treatment therapies.

11 Oct 2020

Vaccines likely to be effective against SARS-CoV-2 D614G mutation

The emergence of the new severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) mutation D614G has raised many questions, including whether it will cause the virus to become resistant to the vaccines produced against earlier versions of the virus. A new study published in the journal npj Vaccines in October 2020 shows that this may be an unfounded fear.

11 Oct 2020

Rapid and sensitive detection of SARS-CoV-2 with functionalized magnetic nanoparticles

A recent study published on the preprint server arXiv in October 2020 shows the potential for using functionalized magnetic nanoparticles to detect the presence of the virus in a sample.

11 Oct 2020

Analysis of existing comorbidities and COVID-19 mortality

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to spread, and research related to potential risk factors for COVID-19 mortality continues, it is becoming clear that individuals with underlying comorbidities have a greater risk of death from COVID-19. The exact contribution of different comorbidities is unclear, however. Now, a new study published in the journal PLOS ONE dissects this topic and may help to quantify the risk posed by specific conditions and offer help with the prognosis.

11 Oct 2020