Category: Science and Tech
JAMA Question Is an artificial intelligence (AI) deterioration model–enabled intervention associated with a decreased risk of escalations in care during hospitalization? Findings In this cohort study of 9938 patients hospitalized at a single academic center in 2021 and 2022, exposure to the intervention was associated with a 10.4–percentage point absolute risk reduction in the primary composite outcome […]
Mar 26, 2024
A protein found in human sweat may protect against Lyme disease
MIT News Researchers also found that a variant of the protein is not as protective against the bacteria and increases susceptibility to the disease. Lyme disease, a bacterial infection transmitted by ticks, affects nearly half a million people in the United States every year. In most cases, antibiotics effectively clear the infection, but for some […]
Mar 20, 2024
Zika Vaccine Candidate Battles Brain Cancer
Precision Vaccinations Scientists from Duke-NUS Medical School (Duke-NUS) have developed a new approach using the Zika virus to destroy brain cancer cells and inhibit tumor growth while sparing healthy cells. Using Zika virus vaccine candidates developed at Duke-NUS, the team discovered how these strains target rapidly proliferating cells over mature cells—making them an ideal option […]
Mar 12, 2024
New antibodies target “dark side” of influenza virus protein
NIH NIH researchers explore hidden, vulnerable region of influenza neuraminidase. Researchers at the National Institutes of Health have identified antibodies targeting a hard-to-spot region of the influenza virus, shedding light on the relatively unexplored “dark side” of the neuraminidase (NA) protein head. The antibodies target a region of the NA protein that is common among […]
Mar 5, 2024
SARS-CoV-2 fragments may cause problems after infection
NIH Most COVID-19 cases are mild, but many still lead to life-threatening complications. Severe cases feature an overactive immune response that causes dangerous inflammation. This inflammation affects many different tissues and cell types, including uninfected ones, and resembles that seen in some autoimmune diseases. It’s not clear why SARS-CoV-2 can cause such inflammation while other […]
Feb 27, 2024
Deer Are Beta-Testing a Nightmare Disease
The Atlantic Prion diseases are poorly understood, and this one is devastating. Scott Napper, a biochemist and vaccinologist at the University of Saskatchewan, can easily envision humanity’s ultimate doomsday disease. The scourge would spread fast, but the progression of illness would be slow and subtle. With no immunity, treatments, or vaccines to halt its progress, […]
Feb 21, 2024
How bubonic plague rewired the human immune system
BBC Bubonic plague is still found in scattered locations around the world, but thanks to modern antibiotics it is far easier to treat than in the past. Yet, the disease may still have left its mark on humankind. Under the microscope, Yersinia pestis doesn’t look particularly special. It’s a fairly standard shape for a bacterium – a […]
Feb 20, 2024
The uncharted world of emerging pathogens
In their quest to detect early outbreaks, virus hunters are sampling environmental DNA in water, dirt, and air. It all started when Christopher Mason’s 3-year-old daughter licked a subway pole.Like any parent, he was horrified, but also keenly curious: What types of microbes might be clinging to a metal pipe gripped by countless commuters every […]
Feb 20, 2024
COVID-19- and Flu-Ravaged Lungs Could Be Repaired with mRNA Therapy
Genetic Engineering and Biotech News Respiratory infections, such as those caused by SARS-CoV-2 or influenza, can damage the lungs’ delicate network of capillary blood vessels, compromising oxygen delivery and carbon dioxide removal. To overcome this damage, the lungs depend on the regenerative capacities of vascular endothelial cells. As valuable as these cells are, they can, […]
Feb 7, 2024
More Americans Could Benefit from Paxlovid for COVID Infection
Johns Hopkins One of the best tools for preventing severe complications from COVID infection is the prescription antiviral drug Paxlovid. But not nearly as many people who could benefit from it are being prescribed it, says Amesh Adalja, MD, FIDSA, a senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security who specializes in infectious diseases and pandemic […]
Feb 6, 2024