Medical News

RSS

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

SFU mathematics professor to lead new infectious disease modeling network

Simon Fraser University mathematics professor Caroline Colijn will lead a new, national infectious disease modeling network that will inform decisions related to public health threats and better prepare Canada for future pandemics.

9 Apr 2021

WHO develops Progress Indicators to monitor the status of assistive technology access

Today, 1 billion people globally need assistive technology to lead healthy, productive and dignified lives but only 1 in 10 have access.

9 Apr 2021

New consortium aims to accelerate development of stem cell-based therapies for Huntington’s disease

The Stem Cells for Huntington's Disease (SC4HD) is a new international consortium created to promote advanced therapy medicinal product (ATMP) through cell transplantation studies on Huntington's Disease.

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

FDA approves marketing of first AI-based device to assist clinicians during colon cancer screening

Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration authorized marketing of the GI Genius, the first device that uses artificial intelligence (AI) based on machine learning to assist clinicians in detecting lesions (such as polyps or suspected tumors) in the colon in real time during a colonoscopy.

9 Apr 2021

Federal funding to help UNT Health Science Center lead health literacy outreach in seven states

Federal funding from the National Institutes of Health will allow The University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth to serve as a leader in health literacy outreach.

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

COVID-19 vaccine may precipitate the development of functional neurological disorder

Videos of people experiencing severe neurological symptoms, including convulsions and difficulty walking, purportedly after receiving a COVID-19 vaccine, have surfaced on Facebook, YouTube and other social media channels.

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

Medical 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

SFU mathematics professor to lead new infectious disease modeling network

WHO develops Progress Indicators to monitor the status of assistive technology access

New consortium aims to accelerate development of stem cell-based therapies for Huntington’s disease

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

FDA approves marketing of first AI-based device to assist clinicians during colon cancer screening

Federal funding to help UNT Health Science Center lead health literacy outreach in seven states

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

COVID-19 vaccine may precipitate the development of functional neurological disorder

New biosealant therapy may help treat damaged cartilage tissue

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

How industrial hygiene flow calibration supports defensible exposure data

How electrical engineering ensures accurate calibration and patient safety

The importance of ketones from a clinical and medical perspective

Latest News