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Frequently used serology test may not detect SARS-CoV-2 antibodies, shows study

Two different types of detectable antibody responses in SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) tell very different stories and may indicate ways to enhance public health efforts against the disease, according to researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.

15 Aug 2020

Nanoparticle carriers expand the effectiveness of gene therapies for human eye diseases

NIBIB-funded researchers have created nanoparticles for successful gene therapy of a mouse model of macular degeneration.

15 Aug 2020

Gaiter face covering provides respiratory containment of exhaled droplets

Experts with the West Virginia University Center for Inhalation Toxicology found that – assuming it's a good fit - a gaiter will, despite recent reports, provide a respiratory containment of exhaled droplets comparable to a common over-the-ear cloth mask.

15 Aug 2020

Pregnant mother's immune conditions linked to behavioral, emotional problems in children with autism

Children with autism born to mothers who had immune conditions during their pregnancy are more likely to have behavioral and emotional problems, a UC Davis Health study has found.

15 Aug 2020

Influenza-virus-based vaccine platform another viable option against SARS-CoV-2

In a novel proof of concept study, published on the bioRxiv preprint server, U.S. researchers used attenuated influenza viral particles that express severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) receptor-binding domain to induce neutralizing antibodies in mice – unveiling another viable vaccine candidate for preventing coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

14 Aug 2020

COVID-19 pandemic as severe as 1918 influenza pandemic

A recent study published in the journal JAMA Network Open reveals that the excess death toll observed during the initial period of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in New York City is comparable to that observed during the peak of the H1N1 influenza pandemic in 1918.

14 Aug 2020

TGen review: Postmenopausal women at higher risk for developing NALFD

A review article authored by a researcher at the Translational Genomics Research Institute, an affiliate of City of Hope, suggests that following menopause, women are at higher risk for developing nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, a chronic condition caused by the build-up of excess fat in the liver not caused by alcohol.

14 Aug 2020

Social connection found to be the strongest protective factor for depression

Researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) have identified a set of modifiable factors from a field of over 100 that could represent valuable targets for preventing depression in adults.

14 Aug 2020

Cardiovascular risk factors may impact COVID-19 outcomes

COVID-19 patients with cardiovascular comorbidities or risk factors are more likely to develop cardiovascular complications while hospitalized, and more likely to die from COVID-19 infection, according to a new study published August 14, 2020 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by Jolanda Sabatino of Universita degli Studi Magna Graecia di Catanzaro, Italy, and colleagues.

14 Aug 2020

Gene variants help explain link between skin condition and food allergies

Two common variants in the KIF3A gene increase the risk of young children having a dysfunctional skin barrier and developing the skin condition atopic dermatitis.

14 Aug 2020

New research delineates how genetic variations cause atopic dermatitis

New research supported by the National Institutes of Health delineates how two relatively common variations in a gene called KIF3A are responsible for an impaired skin barrier that allows increased water loss from the skin, promoting the development of atopic dermatitis, commonly known as eczema.

14 Aug 2020

Patients face challenges in getting treatment for opioid addictions

Women are having a difficult time getting into treatment for opioid addictions, according to a Vanderbilt University Medical Center study published today in JAMA Network Open.

14 Aug 2020

BMI change between young adulthood and midlife linked to risk of early death

A new Boston University School of Public Health study finds that changes in weight between young adulthood and midlife may have important consequences for a person's risk of early death.

14 Aug 2020

Newly identified gene could improve treatment for multiple sclerosis

The disease multiple sclerosis (MS) attacks the central nervous system and, with time, can give rise to muscle tremors and loss of balance.

14 Aug 2020

Can SARS-CoV-2 die out without immunity?

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to take thousands of lives every day in different parts of the world, vaccine and antiviral research is continuing, as the only hope of emergence from under its shadow. However, a recent study by researcher Bhavin S Khatri at Imperial College London and published on the preprint server medRxiv* in August 2020 suggests that the pandemic may die out more rapidly than thought, provided the reproduction number is kept low.

14 Aug 2020

Act of smiling can trick the human mind to be more positive

From Sinatra to Katy Perry, celebrities have long sung about the power of a smile - how it picks you up, changes your outlook, and generally makes you feel better.

14 Aug 2020

Study calls for targeted interventions to help people with lower levels of health insurance literacy

One-third of the people who could benefit from a special type of savings account to cushion the blow of their health plan deductible aren't doing so, according to a new study.

14 Aug 2020

Retrieving memories is an active process that can bias and distort memories

Adopting a third-person, observer point of view when recalling your past activates different parts of your brain than recalling a memory seen through your own eyes, according to a new paper.

14 Aug 2020

Neuroscientists discover specific brain region that helps prioritize information

It is known that different regions of the brain help us prioritize information so we can efficiently process visual scenes. A new study by a team of neuroscientists has discovered that one specific region, the occipital cortex, plays a causal role in piloting our attention to manage the intake of images.

14 Aug 2020

COVID-19 during pregnancy shows no affect on placental structure and pathology

A new study published on the preprint server medRxiv in August 2020 shows that the placenta in pregnant women infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) does not show any signs of abnormality that can be attributed to the infection.

14 Aug 2020