Body
In the current situation when the fear of virus infections in the public is common, it is good to remember that some viruses can be extremely beneficial for mankind, even save lives. Such viruses, phages, infect bacteria. The research conducted at the University of Jyväskylä shed some light on the phage therapy history. It revealed that Brazil was a strong user and developer of phage therapy in 1920-40's. The research was published in Lancet Infectious Diseases -publication on March 2020.
Researchers at the VU University Medical Center in the Netherlands have tested a new drug in patient samples and mice with multiple myeloma and discovered that it was effective even in advanced disease - a point when many patients currently run out of options. These promising results could pave the way for the new drug to be tested in patients.
Gardnerella bacteria in the cervicovaginal microbiome may serve as a biomarker to identify women infected with human papillomavirus (HPV) who are at risk for progression to precancer, according to a study published March 26 in the open-access journal PLOS Pathogens by Robert Burk and Mykhaylo Usyk of the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, and colleagues. According to the authors, the findings could lead to therapeutic strategies that manipulate the microbiome to prevent disease progression.
Washington, DC (March 26, 2020) -- High blood pressure has a range of effects on the body that can influence both physical and mental health. Two studies in an upcoming issue of CJASN offer insights gained from "ambulatory" blood pressure monitoring, which is conducted while people go about their daily activities, including during sleep. This type of monitoring can provide more information than blood pressure measurements taken only in clinics.
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - March 26, 2020 - More than 90% of the legal marijuana products offered in medical dispensaries are much stronger than what clinical studies have shown that doctors recommend for chronic pain relief, according to a study published in the March 26 online edition of the journal PLOS ONE.
To many that may seem like a good thing, but just the opposite is true.
Sepsis--the body's own immune response gone against it--is a major health problem worldwide. It is basically a "hyper"-immune response by the body to infection or injury, and is characterized by hyperinflammation, immune system paralysis, cell death, liver and kidney failure, blood clots, and even hemorrhage. An estimated 30 million people suffer from sepsis every year, of which 20% die.
Shortages of respiratory protective devices for healthcare personnel are major concerns during the COVID-19 pandemic. A team of researchers at Baylor College of Medicine, Emory University, the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health Centers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have found that reusable respirators may be a suitable alternative to disposable N95 respirators currently in high demand. The study appears in the journal JAMA.
(New York, NY - March 26, 2020) - In a series of four studies published today in Gastroenterology, a journal of the American Gastroenterological Association, Mount Sinai inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) researchers, describe the identification of predictive tools and a new understanding of environmental factors that trigger IBD.
Much remains unknown about how SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, spreads through the environment. A major reason for this is that the behaviors and traits of viruses are highly variable - some spread more easily through water, others through air; some are wrapped in layers of fatty molecules that help them avoid their host's immune system, while others are "naked."
Researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health contributed to a new U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that finds the prevalence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) among 11 surveillance sites as 1 in 54 among children aged 8 years in 2016 (or 1.85 percent). This is a 10 percent increase from the most recent report two years ago when it was 1 in 59, and the highest prevalence since the CDC began tracking ASD in 2000. Consistent with previous reports, boys were 4 to 5 times more likely to be identified with ASD than girls.
Boys with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) experience poor muscle regeneration, but the precise reasons for this remain under investigation. An experimental model of severe DMD that experiences a large spike in transforming growth factor-beta (TGFβ) activity after muscle injury shows that high TGFβ activity suppresses muscle regeneration and promotes fibroadipogenic progenitors (FAPs). This leads to replacement of the damaged muscle fibers by calcified and connective tissue, compromising muscle structure and function.
What The Study Did: This randomized clinical trial compared how effectively high-dose, targeted radiation therapy versus no treatment (observation) among 54 men prevented the progression over six months of recurrent hormone-sensitive prostate cancer that has metastasized to a small number of sites in the body.
Authors: Phuoc T. Tran, M.D., Ph.D., of the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore, is the corresponding author.
Osaka, Japan - Geographically isolated from mainland Eurasia, the island nation of Japan has seen little in the way of population mixing for thousands of years. In fact, after two waves of human migration—one 40,000 years ago from Southeast Asia and one 3,000 years ago from the Korean Peninsula—Japanese people are recognized as a relatively homogeneous and isolated population.
But in a study published in Nature Communications, an international research team led by Osaka University revealed that there is more than meets the eye when it comes to the Japanese population.
Acupuncture can reduce migraine headaches compared to both sham (placebo) acupuncture and usual care, finds a new trial from China published by The BMJ today.
The researchers say doctors should provide information about acupuncture as an option when discussing preventive treatment strategies with patients.
More than one billion people worldwide are affected by migraine. It has considerable impact on quality of life and imposes a substantial burden on society.
CORVALLIS, Ore. -- It's a self-perpetuating cycle: Kids with developmental disabilities face challenges in building motor skills, which makes them less able to participate in routine physical activity, which gives them less opportunity to practice those same motor skills.
But parents can make a big difference by modeling and supporting physical activity in daily life, especially with younger children, a recent study from Oregon State University found.