By James GallagherHealth and science correspondent, BBC News A “revolutionary” new class of cancer drug that can treat a wide range of tumours has been approved for use in Europe for the first time. Tumour-agnostic drugs do not care where the cancer is growing in the body as long as it has a specific genetic abnormality inside. UK doctors testing the drugs said they were “a really exciting...
Post
A better MRI marker for disability progression in multiple sclerosis
by Ellen Goldbaum, University at Buffalo A retrospective, five-year study of 1,314 patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) has found that atrophied brain lesion volume is the only marker from MRI scans that can accurately predict which patients will progress to the most severe form of the disease. Secondary progressive MS, known as SPMS, typically appears...
Post
Walking speed may predict return to work in young stroke survivors
Stroke journal report AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION Study Highlights: A simple test of walking speed may be a reliable tool to evaluate whether young stroke survivors are ready to return to work. Walking faster than 3 feet per second predicted a stroke survivor’s likelihood of returning to work. DALLAS, Sept. 26, 2019 — A simple walking speed test may help predict whether young adult stroke survivors are ready to return to work, according to new research published in Stroke, a journal of the American Stroke Association, a division of the...
Post
FDA approves vaccine for prevention of smallpox, monkeypox
Jynneos Smallpox and Monkeypox Vaccine, Live, Non-Replicating, was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for prevention of smallpox and monkeypox disease in adults 18 years or older who are considered at high risk for infection, the agency announced this week. Jynneos, which is administered in two doses four weeks apart, contains Modified Vaccinia...
Post
A comprehensive atlas of genetic regulation of lipid metabolism published
UNIVERSITY OF HELSINKI An international research team has identified several novel genetic variants associated with plasma levels of lipid species and cardiovascular disease risk in humans. The study demonstrates that genetic studies focusing on circulating molecular lipid levels over traditional lipid measures can help improve cardiovascular risk prediction and treatment. The results of the study...
Post
Researchers make breakthrough in understanding enzymes that assemble the antibiotic enacyloxin
Reviewed by James Ives, M.Psych. (Editor) One of the WHO’s three critical priority pathogens, Acinetobacter baumannii, for which new antibiotics are urgently needed is one step closer to being tackled, as researchers from the Department of Chemistry – University of Warwick have made a breakthrough in understanding the enzymes that assemble the antibiotic enacyloxin. Acinetobacter...
Post
New mechanisms that regulate pluripotency in embryonic stem cells are discovered
by Karina Toledo, FAPESP Embryonic stem cells (ESCs) can give rise to many types of tissues and organs. At the turn of the century, these cells were believed to offer hope of treatment for several health problems, but as research advanced, scientists realized that understanding and controlling the behavior of ESCs would be a more...
Post
UK urine test that can detect early-stage pancreatic cancer starts clinical study
by Queen Mary, University of London A urine test that can detect early stage pancreatic cancer has reached the final stage of validation before being developed for use with patients. If successful, this non-invasive urine test would be the first in the world to help clinicians detect the highly lethal cancer at an early stage—enabling...
Post
Quality control in immune communication: Chaperones detect immature signaling molecules
by Technical University Munich The cells of our immune system constantly communicate with one another by exchanging complex protein molecules. A team led by researchers from the Technical University of Munich (TUM) has now revealed how dedicated cellular control proteins, referred to as chaperones, detect immature immune signaling proteins and prevent them from leaving the cell. The body’s defenses systems have to react quickly whenever pathogens...
Post
Light-activated metal catalyst destroys cancer cells’ vital energy source
Posted Yesterday A space-age metal that formed part of the asteroid that destroyed the dinosaurs could provide a new method of treating cancer tumours selectively using light. Scientists at the University of Warwick in collaboration with colleagues in China, France, Switzerland and Heriot-Watt University have developed a technique that uses light to activate a cancer-killing...