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Genomic sequencing shows COVID-19 spread patterns

Throughout the spread of the virus, genomic sequencing has played a role in epidemiologic tracking of the viral strains carried all over the world. Such strains are traced back to their origin by their unique mutations and help to link remote infections.

22 Apr 2020

Using 'own' immune cells to fight infectious diseases including COVID-19

A provocative paper from Duke-NUS Medical School, published in the Journal of Experimental Medicine in March 2020, discusses the possibilities of creating new receptors on a sick person's own immune cells as a means of controlling the infection. This therapy is already being used to treat certain cancers with marked success.

22 Apr 2020

Coronavirus has mutated into at least 30 variants

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues to threaten millions of people across the globe, and lockdowns appear set to remain in place in many countries amid rising death tolls, as governments decide whether to extend restrictions aimed at reducing the spread of the virus. Now, a new study reveals that the novel coronavirus has mutated into at least 30 different genetic variants, affecting different parts of the world.

22 Apr 2020

Lifting the lid on coronavirus flatulence

The highly infectious virus is spread via aerosols (droplets of saliva or nasal discharge spread by coughing or sneezing by the infected person with the mouth uncovered). New speculation reveals that it could spread via fecal matter and even via farts or flatulence. Researchers believe that there is some truth to this speculation.

22 Apr 2020

Hyperferritinemia associated with increased illness severity in COVID-19

Yehuda Shoenfeld is the world's leading expert in the research, treatment and prevention of autoimmune diseases.

22 Apr 2020

Natural mood regulation is impaired in people with depression, research shows

Periods of lockdown during the COVID-19 situation likely to exacerbate problems with mood regulation, say experts at the University of Oxford.

22 Apr 2020

Majority of women prefer LAI HIV therapy over daily pills

A new qualitative study by researchers at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health found that the majority of women living with HIV would endorse a monthly long acting injectable (LAI) antiretroviral therapy over current daily pills.

22 Apr 2020

New heart attack testing protocol can reduce wait times and overcrowding in ERs

A new protocol using highly sensitive blood tests to determine whether someone is having a heart attack can reduce wait times and overcrowding in emergency departments, according to a new study from UT Southwestern Medical Center.

22 Apr 2020

AMPK activation by anti-diabetes drug promotes survival of dormant breast cancer cells

Most breast cancers utilize the female hormone estrogen to grow, so drug-induced estrogen deprivation is used as a treatment in many patients. However, cancer will recur in one-third of these patients.

22 Apr 2020

Should age be a prioritizing factor in deciding who gets treated for COVID-19?

With pubic healthcare systems becoming increasingly strained due to the impact of COVID-19, healthcare professionals are having to question whether to factor age in as a priority when deciding who to treat.

22 Apr 2020

Specialized nerve cells promote the consumption of high-fat food

High-calorie, energy-dense foods are constantly available in our modern society. Researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Metabolism Research in Cologne have discovered that a group of nerve cells in the brains of mice promotes the consumption of high-fat food.

22 Apr 2020

Study identifies a promising new strategy for combating malaria

Researchers have discovered a promising new strategy for combating malaria, a mosquito-borne parasite that claims nearly a half-million lives each year.

22 Apr 2020

Salt substitution could prevent nearly half a million cardiovascular deaths in China

A nationwide intervention to replace regular household salt with potassium-enriched salt substitutes in China could prevent nearly half a million cardiovascular deaths per year, according to a new modelling study published in the British Medical Journal.

22 Apr 2020

Have we found a new malaria vaccine?

A new study published in the journal Nature in April 2020 reports on a malaria protein antibody that appears to protect resistant children from severe disease, showing promise in the fight against malaria, a new study found. Almost 500,000 people die of malaria every year.

22 Apr 2020