by Josh Barney, University of Virginia Patterns of influenza and severe acute respiratory infections and timing of influenza vaccination campaigns, Ceará, Brazil, 2013–2018. A) Dominance of various influenza subtypes over time. Years indicate date each strain was first identified. B) Weekly cases of influenza and severe acute respiratory infections. Credit: DOI: 10.3201/eid2709.203791 With flu season approaching...
Month: <span>October 2021</span>
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How probiotic bacteria benefit the intestine
by Uppsala University Distinct B cell subsets in Peyer’s patches convey probiotic effects by Limosilactobacillus reuteri. Credit: DOI: 10.1186/s40168-021-01128-4 Interaction between the gut microbiota and the immune system is important for host physiology and susceptibility to disease, but also for the efficacy of e.g., cancer immunotherapies. A multidisciplinary research team have now discovered that specific probiotic bacteria shape...
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Newly generated monoclonal antibodies effective against SARS-CoV-2 and variants
by Kumamoto University The 9-105 antibody neutralizes SARS-CoV-2 completely by binding to vulnerable sites on the spike protein. It even blocks viral replication at low concentrations. Credit: Kumamoto University Japanese researchers have successfully produced potent neutralizing monoclonal antibodies from a patient who recovered rapidly from a severe case of COVID-19. In addition to appearing to have the world’s...
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Topical pain-killers more effective, safer than opioids for knee osteoarthritis pain
by Jennifer Stranges, St. Michael’s Hospital Treatment effect on osteoarthritis pain and dropouts due to adverse events compared with oral placebo, ordered according to treatment effect size on osteoarthritis pain. Blue: oral non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs; green: topical non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs; orange: opioids. Area between dashed lines shows treatment effect estimates below the minimum clinically important difference....
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Pain relief without side effects with promising technique
by Lund University Matilda Forni with the ultra-thin microelectrodes during production. Credit: Agata Garpenlind Researchers at Lund University in Sweden have developed a completely new stimulation method, using ultra-thin microelectrodes, to combat severe pain. This provides effective and personalized pain relief without the common side effects from pain relief drugs. The study, which was conducted on rats,...
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Why do we wake at 3 a.m. and dwell on our fears and shortcomings?
by Greg Murray, The Conversation Credit: Shutterstock When I wake at 3 a.m. or so, I’m prone to picking on myself. And I know I’m not the only one who does this. A friend of mine calls 3 a.m. thoughts “barbed-wire thinking,” because you can get caught in it. The thoughts are often distressing and punitive....
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Study: Genetic kidney disorder reversible in preclinical models
by Jane E. Dee, Yale University Fig. 1: Reactivation of Pkd2 reverses cyst formation. Credit: DOI: 10.1038/s41588-021-00946-4 Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD), a genetic disorder, causes fluid-filled cysts to develop on the kidneys, which can impair their function. As part of the growth of cysts, the kidneys develop inflammation and fibrosis, or scarring. The disease...
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Study examines the differences between opioid receptor subtypes
by Ingrid Fadelli , Medical Xpress Each opioid receptor subtype displays specific sequences or “barcodes” recognized by regulatory proteins. This unique network of interacting proteins will dictate its localization and signaling, thus impacting its physiological functions such as induced analgesic effects. Credit: Jade Degrandmaison. Opioid receptors are proteins in the central nervous system that are...
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Statins Tied to Diabetes Progression
Statin use is associated with increased likelihood of diabetes progression, according to a new matched cohort analysis of data from the Department of Veteran Affairs. Patients with diabetes who were on statins were more likely to begin taking insulin, become hyperglycemic, and to develop acute glycemic complications, and they were also more likely to be...
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Treating autism through the gut? Axial Therapeutics refuels on its exploration of the gut-brain axis
Stewart Campbell, Axial TherapeuticsOctober 13, 2021 07:20 AM EDTUpdated 07:36 AM FinancingTreating autism through the gut? Axial Therapeutics refuels on its exploration of the gut-brain axisNicole DeFeudisEditorIf Stewart Campbell had said five years ago that you could treat conditions of the brain through the gut, you probably would have thought he was crazy — or...