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Virtual reality can help boost brain rhythms linked to learning and memory

A new discovery in rats shows that the brain responds differently in immersive virtual reality environments versus the real world.

28 Jun 2021

Blood cancer patients show widely variable response to COVID-19 vaccines

Patients with a type of blood cancer called multiple myeloma had a widely variable response to COVID-19 vaccines--in some cases, no detectable response--pointing to the need for antibody testing and precautions for these patients after vaccination, according to a study that will be published in Cancer Cell this week.

28 Jun 2021

Could the activation of FcγRIII/CD16 by anti-spike SARS-CoV-2 antibodies independently determine COVID-19 severity?

A team of scientists from Germany recently investigated whether hyperactivation of immune receptors that recognize the Fc part of an IgG molecule (FcγR) can lead to immunopathologic changes in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients. They have observed that hyperactivation of FcγRIII (CD16) by proinflammatory IgG antibodies against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) can significantly contribute to COVID-19 related immunopathology.

28 Jun 2021

Gene variant in African Americans contributes to unnecessary bone marrow biopsies

A gene variant that lowers white blood cell levels and is common in individuals with African ancestry contributes to unnecessary bone marrow biopsies, according to a study published June 28 in JAMA Internal Medicine.

28 Jun 2021

Researchers develop engineered yeast probiotic for treatment of inflammatory bowel disease

The world of microbes living in the human gut can have far-reaching effects on human health. Multiple diseases, including inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), are tied to the balance of these microbes, suggesting that restoring the right balance could help treat disease.

28 Jun 2021

UK study finds SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in domestic cats and dogs

Researchers analyzed sera from pet cats and dogs and found them to have developed antibodies against the virus later on during the COVID-19 pandemic. These findings suggest that viral prevalence among the human populations could have led to the pets becoming infected.

28 Jun 2021

Study associates higher antibody titers with naïve B cells post-mRNA vaccination

Researchers compared peripheral blood mononuclear cells in people with high and low antibody titers after two doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech (BNT162b2) mRNA vaccine. They found a positive correlation between naïve B cells present before vaccination and high antibody titers.

28 Jun 2021

What have been the main drivers of COVID-19's rapid spread in Brazil?

New research suggests that if a lockdown had been imposed earlier on in superspreader cities like São Paulo, mandatory road traffic restrictions had been enforced, and ICU beds had been allocated more equitably across geographical regions, Brazil’s experience of the COVID-19 pandemic might have been mitigated.

28 Jun 2021

Resting heart rate variability predicts emotional resilience during COVID-19 restrictions

An interesting new study available as a preprint on the medRxiv* server suggests that vagally-mediated heart rate variability (vmHRV) is a physiological marker of resilience to stress by indicating how well an individual handles the emotions when faced with changes in the surroundings.

28 Jun 2021

Could microalgae-derived antiviral compounds combat SARS-CoV-2 and other viruses?

A new review article published in the journal Antibiotics reports the presence of a large number of bioactive compounds in microalgae that target chemical structures present only in their structure.

28 Jun 2021

Vaccines and drugs must be adapted to combat emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants, says study

A new review of the emerging variants of concern (VOCs) of the SARS-CoV-2, which has caused the COVID-19 pandemic, shows that there is a major need to constantly re-evaluate the utility of existing therapeutics and vaccines against the virus and to develop new ones.

28 Jun 2021

Tocilizumab and sarilumab shown to be effective in critical COVID-19

A new study, released as a preprint on the medRxiv* server, describes how a team of researchers from the University Medical Center Utrecht in the Netherlands explored the efficacy of four monoclonal antibodies that antagonize powerful pro-inflammatory pathways. The team sought to determine which were useful in treating critically ill COVID-19 patients on organ support.

28 Jun 2021

Induced pluripotent stem cells hold great promise for regenerative medicine

The 2012 Nobel prize-winning discovery that ordinary cells could be coaxed to revert to their earliest pluripotent stage ushered in the era of ethical stem cell research.

28 Jun 2021

Selection acting on males causes offspring to inherit healthy gene

A few males are enough to fertilise all the females. The number of males therefore has little bearing on a population's growth. However, they are important for purging bad mutations from the population.

28 Jun 2021

An oral pill for COVID-19? Molnupiravir shows promise

Recently, researchers reported molnupiravir as the first oral and direct-acting antiviral that is highly effective at reducing SARS-CoV-2 levels.

27 Jun 2021

Black Lives Matter Fellowship established to help Black students excel in neuroscience or neurosurgery

There are many reasons to pursue diversity in medicine: social justice, providing a counterforce against societal bias, bringing new points of view to the clinic.

25 Jun 2021

Muscles lose their smallest, most basic building blocks after stroke

After suffering a stroke, patients often are unable to use the arm on their affected side. Sometimes, they end up holding it close to their body, with the elbow flexed.

25 Jun 2021

Comprehensive reference on the science, technology, and applications of postbiotics

Postbiotics: Science, Technology, and Applications explains essential and practical knowledge about postbiotics. Chapters cover the definition and classification of postbiotics, principal methods for preparing them, information about the main post biotic constituents and their biological activities and their clinical health benefits.

25 Jun 2021

Research shows how circadian control of glucose production is disrupted during lung cancer progression

New research from the University of California, Irvine reveals how the circadian regulation of glucose production in the liver is lost during lung cancer progression, and how the resulting increase in glucose production may fuel cancer cell growth.

25 Jun 2021

New positive data on BCG’s ability to safely and significantly lower blood sugars

At the recent 2021 Annual Scientific Sessions of the American Diabetes Association, researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) presented positive updates on their trials of the bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine to safely and significantly lower blood sugars.

25 Jun 2021

Medical Science News

Virtual reality can help boost brain rhythms linked to learning and memory

Blood cancer patients show widely variable response to COVID-19 vaccines

Could the activation of FcγRIII/CD16 by anti-spike SARS-CoV-2 antibodies independently determine COVID-19 severity?

Gene variant in African Americans contributes to unnecessary bone marrow biopsies

Researchers develop engineered yeast probiotic for treatment of inflammatory bowel disease

UK study finds SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in domestic cats and dogs

Study associates higher antibody titers with naïve B cells post-mRNA vaccination

What have been the main drivers of COVID-19's rapid spread in Brazil?

Resting heart rate variability predicts emotional resilience during COVID-19 restrictions

Could microalgae-derived antiviral compounds combat SARS-CoV-2 and other viruses?

Vaccines and drugs must be adapted to combat emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants, says study

Tocilizumab and sarilumab shown to be effective in critical COVID-19

Induced pluripotent stem cells hold great promise for regenerative medicine

Selection acting on males causes offspring to inherit healthy gene

An oral pill for COVID-19? Molnupiravir shows promise

Black Lives Matter Fellowship established to help Black students excel in neuroscience or neurosurgery

Muscles lose their smallest, most basic building blocks after stroke

Comprehensive reference on the science, technology, and applications of postbiotics

Research shows how circadian control of glucose production is disrupted during lung cancer progression

New positive data on BCG’s ability to safely and significantly lower blood sugars

A new method to measure intracellular water in biological systems

Obesity, GLP-1s, and metabolic care

Automation in cell-based workflows

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