Efficacy and cost prove similar to traditional face-to-face management UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA OKANAGAN CAMPUS While virtual medical and rehabilitation appointments seemed novel when COVID-19 first appeared, they now seem to be part of the new norm and might be paving the way to the future. A recent review paper, co-authored by Brodie Sakakibara with...
Month: <span>September 2020</span>
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Gene therapy for inherited blindness
by Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich Retinitis pigmentosa is the most prevalent form of congenital blindness. Using a retinitis pigmentosa mouse model, LMU researchers have now shown that targeted activation of genes of similar function can compensate for the primary defect. As many as 40,000 people in Germany suffer from retinitis pigmentosa. This hereditary disorder...
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Scientists look to cell recycling tools for new ways to treat Parkinson’s disease
by Vanessa Wasta, Johns Hopkins University Photomicrograph of a mitochondrion, the energy-generating powerhouse in a human cell. Johns Hopkins Medicine researchers are studying how to recycle these organelles and perhaps, lead to new treatments for Parkinson’s disease. Credit: University of Wisconsin-Madison College of Agricultural and Life Sciences Researchers at Johns Hopkins Medicine are taking a...
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Fecal transplants may reduce alcohol use, early research suggests
by Jackie Kruszewski, Virginia Commonwealth University A Virginia Commonwealth University researcher has published preliminary but striking evidence that shows the transplantation of gut bacteria may have implications for addiction disorders. Jasmohan Bajaj, M.D., a gastroenterologist and liver specialist, transplanted bacteria from another person’s stool into 10 volunteers with severe alcohol use disorder and cirrhosis. Nine...
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New connections reveal how cancer evades the immune system
by University of Michigan If cancer is a series of puzzles, a new study pieces together how several of those puzzles connect to form a bigger picture. One major piece is the immune system and the question of why certain immune cells stop doing their job. Another piece involves how histones are altered within immune...
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New theory suggests autism may not be tied to mindblindness
by Ghent University Tracking the extent to which other people think differently from yourself appears to be more relevant than understanding someone else’s thoughts per se. Neuroscientists at Ghent University and the University of New South Wales (Sydney) came to this conclusion. Through a systematic review and critical analysis of more than 50 neurological imaging...
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Diabetes as a consequence of COVID-19
by Frederike Buhse, Kiel University The SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, which causes the coronavirus disease COVID-19, can penetrate many different body cells. This has been shown in multiple research papers published in recent weeks. Thus, not only can the function of the respiratory tract and the lungs be severely disrupted, but also numerous other organs. The SARS-CoV-2...
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Honeybee venom rapidly destroys aggressive breast cancer cells
Reviewed by Emily Henderson, B.Sc. Using the venom from 312 honeybees and bumblebees in Perth Western Australia, Ireland and England, Dr Ciara Duffy from the Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research and The University of Western Australia, tested the effect of the venom on the clinical subtypes of breast cancer, including triple-negative breast cancer, which...
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COVID-19 patients may experience long-term cardiovascular complications
By Sally Robertson, B.Sc. Researchers at the University of Washington in Seattle have conducted a study suggesting that infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) can directly infect heart tissue and contribute to whole-organ cardiac dysfunction. Charles Murry and colleagues found that the virus directly infected cardiomyocytes, impaired their electrophysiological and contractile properties,...
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Immune Cells in Spinal Fluid of Multiple Sclerosis Patients Identified as Likely Disease Drivers
Results Lay Groundwork for New, More Targeted Immune Therapies. New UC San Francisco research sheds light on how immune system B cells that infiltrate the central nervous system may drive multiple sclerosis (MS), pointing the way to a new generation of targeted immune therapies to halt the progression of the disease. MS is a common...