In a special report published today in the journal Blood, an international working group of experts in myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) proposes – for the first time – the recognition of a distinct subtype of MDS based on the presence of a nonheritable genetic mutation that causes the disease. The mutation is found in approximately one...
Month: <span>May 2020</span>
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COVID-19 study shows that men have over double the death rate of women
The COVID-19 pandemic has exploded across the globe, leaving healthcare staff, policy makers and ordinary people struggling. We still don’t completely understand why some people are more severely affected by the virus than others. So far, the elderly and those with certain pre-existing conditions appear to be at greater risk. A new study in open-access...
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Ultra-precision nano-sensor could detect iron disorders
Chronic iron imbalances – having either too little or too much iron in the blood – can result in medical conditions ranging from anaemia and haemochromatosis through to more severe diseases, such as cancer, Parkinson’s Disease and Alzheimer’s Disease. Haemochromatosis is one of Australia’s most common hereditary diseases and the Australian Bureau of Statistics estimates...
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Simple ‘sniff test’ reliably predicts recovery of severely brain injured patients
The ability to detect smells predicts recovery and long-term survival in patients who have suffered severe brain injury, a new study has found. A simple, inexpensive ‘sniff test’ could help doctors to accurately diagnose and determine treatment plans for patients with disorders of consciousness. Published today in the journal Nature, the study involved brain injured...
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Implant-free optogenetics minimizes brain damage during neuronal stimulation
A minimally invasive optogenetic technique that does not require brain implants successfully manipulated the activity of neurons in mice and monkeys, researchers report April 29th in the journal Neuron. The researchers first genetically engineered neurons to produce a newly developed, extremely light-sensitive protein called SOUL. They then demonstrated that it is possible to shine light...
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Brain-Computer Interface Lets Man with Complete Spinal Cord Injury Feel and Move His Hand
Spinal cord injuries can leave people paralyzed and without a sense of touch in much of the body. While there’s been a tremendous amount of work in the past decade to overcome paralysis by using brain-computer interfaces to bypass damaged spinal cords, providing a sense of touch is a necessity for truly proper treatment. As...
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The race for coronavirus vaccines: a graphical guide
Eight ways in which scientists hope to provide immunity to SARS-CoV-2 . More than 90 vaccines are being developed against SARS-CoV-2 by research teams in companies and universities across the world. Researchers are trialling different technologies, some of which haven’t been used in a licensed vaccine before. At least six groups have already begun injecting...
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Pick of the coronavirus papers: ‘Dry swabbing’ offers a workaround to test-chemical scarcity
Nature wades through the literature on COVID-19 so you don’t have to. 28 April — ‘Dry swabbing’ offers a workaround to test-chemical scarcity Wide-scale genetic testing for SARS-CoV-2 has been hampered, in part, by shortages of the solutions used to store sampling swabs and extract viral RNA from them. To overcome this difficulty, a team...
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SYPHILIS ALTERS JUST 1 GENE TO EVADE IMMUNE ATTACK
The bacterium that causes syphilis likely uses a single gene to escape the immune system, according to new research. The finding may explain how syphilis can hide in the body for decades, frustrating the immune system’s attempts to eradicate it. It might also account for the bacterium’s ability to re-infect previously infected people who should...
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Breast cancer drug slows prostate cancer progression in major trial
By Nick Lavars Scientists are reporting some promising findings from a large prostate cancer trial, where patients were administered a drug typically used to treat breast cancer. The drug proved more effective than standard hormone treatments at applying the brakes to the disease, with the scientists hopeful it can lead to approval this year of...