Dr. House
Dr. House
Tuesday, March 31, 2020
COVID-19 – Accelerating Vaccine Development and Manufacturing
As the COVID-19 outbreak rapidly evolves, work to develop a vaccine and to test antivirals and other therapeutics continues in parallel.
On March 23, 2020, Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that the Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization – International Vaccine Centre (VIDO-InterVac), a research organization of the University of Saskatchewan, will receive $23.3 million to support development of a vaccine for COVID-19 and the organization's work on other infectious disease threats.
Technology Networks spoke with Dr Paul Hodgson, Associate Director of Business Development at VIDO-InterVac to learn more about their experience working with coronaviruses, the organization's manufacturing facilities, and the other antivirals and therapeutics they are currently testing in relation to COVID-19. https://www.technologynetworks.com/drug-discovery/articles/covid-19-accelerating-vaccine-development-and-manufacturing-332719?utm_campaign=NEWSLETTER_TN_Breaking%20Science%20News&utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&utm_content=85513068&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-92MlQN6uqDrAtPFQ5FzkDjJcgozeCxj7cNCZNyCs0hddeOt3GcUDufn0AJAuXAv91P7_U-g5_6pkM6rmzA4o1FVCiiRQ&_hsmi=85513068
Thursday, March 26, 2020
US Death Toll From Coronavirus Passes 1,000 Mark
reports that “the death toll in the United States topped 1,000 on Wednesday night as the novel coronavirus continues to spread across the country.” According to USA Today, “America’s first death was reported on Feb. 29 and the rate has spiked over the past two weeks as extreme public health measures go into effect to combat the virus. The U.S. death count eclipsed 600 on Tuesday and 900 early Wednesday before reaching 1,031 on Wednesday night, according to the Johns Hopkins University data dashboard.” https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2020/03/25/coronavirus-usa-death-count-dead-1000/5079442002/
US Death Toll From Coronavirus Passes 1,000 Mark
reports that “the death toll in the United States topped 1,000 on Wednesday night as the novel coronavirus continues to spread across the country.” According to USA Today, “America’s first death was reported on Feb. 29 and the rate has spiked over the past two weeks as extreme public health measures go into effect to combat the virus. The U.S. death count eclipsed 600 on Tuesday and 900 early Wednesday before reaching 1,031 on Wednesday night, according to the Johns Hopkins University data dashboard.” https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2020/03/25/coronavirus-usa-death-count-dead-1000/5079442002/
Thursday, March 19, 2020
Do Infectious Organisms Play a Role in Alzheimer's?
For researchers investigating Alzheimer’s Disease (AD), a devastating neurodegenerative illness afflicting close to 6 million Americans, it is the best and worst of times.
Scientists have made exponential advances in understanding many aspects of the mysterious disease since it was first diagnosed over 100 years ago. Nevertheless, every effort to find a cure for AD or even slow its relentless advance has met with dispiriting failure.
The next chapter in the fight against the disease will require dynamic insights and adventurous new approaches.
In a lively discussion appearing in the Viewpoint section of the journal Nature Reviews Neurology, Ben Readhead, a researcher in the ASU-Banner Neurodegenerative Disease Research Center at the Biodesign Institute joins several distinguished colleagues to discuss the idea that bacteria, viruses or other infectious pathogens may play a role in Alzheimer’s disease.
The concept, sometimes referred to as the infectious theory of Alzheimer’s disease, was first proposed some 30 years ago. Since then, the idea has encountered considerable resistance in the research community. Until recently, it had been largely displaced in favor of approaches https://www.technologynetworks.com/neuroscience/news/do-infectious-organisms-play-a-role-in-alzheimers-332289?utm_campaign=NEWSLETTER_TN_Breaking%20Science%20News&utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&utm_content=84964491&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--51BchPdMETJxwqXm-_0HJZOtfFFP9fGTc7_zedKoodg6__Z2eAoYrz80a0WXRV1cc7oqgys_TgkSs6eNo-kdexvhqlA&_hsmi=84964491
President Trump To Invoke Defense Production Act To Increase Production Of Medical Supplies In Response To Coronavirus Pandemic
President Donald Trump announced Wednesday he will invoke emergency powers to marshal critical medical supplies against a coronavirus pandemic threatening to overwhelm hospitals and other treatment centers.” President Trump “said he would employ the Defense Production Act as needed, giving the government more power to steer production by private companies and try to overcome shortages in masks, ventilators and other supplies.” Meanwhile, “the Senate acted on the economic front, approving legislation to guarantee sick leave to workers sickened by the disease.” https://apnews.com/bd6d92f70e73276c74502fc18e663ae7
Friday, March 13, 2020
Cancer Death Rates Decreased In The US From 2001 To 2017, Report Says
reports “cancer death rates continued to decline in the United States for cancer of all sites combined, and this trend was seen in all major racial and ethnic groups as well as in men and women and in all age groups,” according to the Annual Report to the Nation on the Status of Cancer. In addition, “the 2020 targets were met for reductions in mortality from lung, prostate, breast, and colorectal cancer, according to the companion report, Progress Toward Healthy People 2020 Objectives for 4 Common Cancers.” The article says that “both reports were published online March 12 in Cancer.”
HealthDay (3/12, Preidt) says the first report concluded that death rates from cancer in the US fell “from 2001 to 2017 – dropping an average 1.5% a year.” The report also found that “the annual decline was slightly larger among men (1.8%) than women (1.4%).” https://consumer.healthday.com/cancer-information-5/mis-cancer-news-102/cancer-death-rates-continue-to-fall-in-u-s-report-says-755637.html
Researchers Say Bacteria May Play Role In Development Of T2D In People With Severe Obesity
researchers “analyzed bacterial genetic material in blood and tissue samples taken from 40” people with severe obesity, half of whom had type 2 diabetes. The researchers concluded that “bacteria may play a role in the development of type 2 diabetes in” this population and published their findings in Nature Metabolism. https://consumer.healthday.com/infectious-disease-information-21/bacteria-960/bacteria-may-be-a-player-in-diabetes-among-very-obese-755595.html
Thursday, March 12, 2020
Some US Hospitals Already Struggling With Limited Supplies In Face Of Coronavirus Outbreak
reports, “As new coronavirus infections accumulate across America, hospitals want to make sure they have everything they need to keep staff safe.” In the US, “some hospitals are already struggling with limited supplies, as health officials figure out the best way to protect workers.” Hospital officials are trying to make “sure there’s an adequate supply of protective equipment for staff members and enough space to isolate patients, while also navigating a flurry of regulations and recommendations that could change at any moment.” https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/03/11/us/virus-health-workers.html
Road Traffic Noise May Be Associated With Increased Incidence Of Diabetes And Hypertension, Research Suggests
Noise from road traffic in Toronto was associated with elevated incidence of diabetes and hypertension, especially in women and adults younger than 60 years,” researchers found. The study revealed that “among participants with no history of diabetes or hypertension, for every interquartile range increase in continuous A-weighted sound pressure level (10 dBA) during a 24-hour day, the noise conferred an 8% increase in incident diabetes...and a 2% increase in hypertension.” What’s more, “these findings were similar for traffic noise exposure between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m. and remained consistent after adjustment for related air pollutants such as ultrafine particles and nitrogen dioxide,” the study revealed. The findings were published in the Journal of the American Heart Association. https://www.healio.com/cardiology/vascular-medicine/news/online/%7Bfc407d64-67ea-4997-a618-3b021ae65772%7D/long-term-traffic-noise-exposure-elevates-incidence-of-diabetes-hypertension
Monday, March 9, 2020
Close Association Appears To Exist Between Sarcopenia, Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy, Study Suggests
“There is a close association between sarcopenia and diabetic peripheral neuropathy,” researchers concluded in a “cross-sectional study” that “included 1794 individuals (937 men; mean age, 60.22 years).” Of these people, “83 patients (98 men; mean age, 59.08 years) were enrolled in the follow-up study with a median follow-up of 2.7 years.” The findings were published online in the journal Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice. https://www.endocrinologyadvisor.com/home/topics/diabetes/close-association-between-diabetic-peripheral-neuropathy-and-sarcopenia/
Kids May Get More Calories From Post-Sports Snacks Than They Burn While Playing, Study Suggests
reported, “Kids get more calories from the snacks they eat after sports than they burn while playing, which could add up to thousands of extra calories a year,” researchers concluded after tracking “the activity levels of third- and fourth-graders during 189 games of soccer, flag football, baseball and softball, along with their post-game snacks.” The findings were published in the American Journal of Health Behavior. https://consumer.healthday.com/kids-health-information-23/misc-kid-s-health-news-435/post-game-snacks-may-undo-calorie-burning-benefit-of-kids-sports-755402.html
Extra Sugar in Children's Breakfast Cereals Thanks to Confusing Standards
Parents may let their children consume more sugar from their breakfast cereal than intended due to insufficient industry nutritional guidelines. A new study in the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, published by Elsevier, finds little improvement in the nutritional value of breakfast products marketed to children despite 12 years of self-imposed industry regulations intended to improve child health.
“Consumers often confuse what they consider to be a single serving and what is listed as the product’s suggested serving size, generally eating more than what is recommended for a healthy diet,” said author Matthew B. Ritter, PhD, of High Point University, High Point, NC, USA. “Many parents may be misled by the sugar content contained in the nutrition panel of many ready-to-eat cereal boxes, potentially leading to a higher sugar intake among children than intended.”
The study focused on the Children’s Food and Beverage Advertising Initiative (CFBAI), an industry self-regulation program introduced in 2007 that, in part, guides companies in promoting food and beverages to children under the age of 12. The CFBAI includes 18 companies that together produce 70 to 80 percent of all children’s television advertising. https://www.technologynetworks.com/applied-sciences/news/extra-sugar-in-childrens-breakfast-cereals-thanks-to-confusing-standards-331807?utm_campaign=NEWSLETTER_TN_Breaking%20Science%20News&utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&utm_content=84448971&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--Z-F_N64zSOuYwqsVHKhCOMw2n5b1_jDKj4keb2jHjI6xkxJwTF8EXhb1VZ8NF3qzMay-SZXdf4nHbkB9e83RdoUr8TA&_hsmi=84448972
Friday, March 6, 2020
Eating More Protein From Plant Sources Or Dairy While Reducing Red Meat Consumption May Help People Live Longer, Studies Indicate
reports research from two preliminary studies indicates that “eating more protein from plant sources or dairy while reducing how much red meat you consume could help you live longer.” The first study revealed that “those who ate the most plant protein were 27% less likely to die of any cause and 29% less likely to die of coronary heart disease when compared to people who ate the least amount of plant protein.” The second study “found that replacing one serving per day of red or processed meat with foods such as nuts, whole grains or dairy was associated with up to a 47% lower risk of having coronary heart disease.” https://www.cnn.com/2020/03/05/health/plant-protein-meat-dairy-wellness/index.html
Wednesday, March 4, 2020
Sports Physicians May Not Know Which Forms Of Corticosteroids Are Banned Under Anti-Doping Rules, Research Suggests
“Sports physicians routinely prescribe corticosteroids to athletes for conditions like inflammation, asthma and allergies, but not all of them know which forms of these drugs are banned under anti-doping rules,” researchers concluded. After surveying “603 physicians from 30 countries,” investigators “found that four in five prescribe oral corticosteroids to athletes, one of the forms prohibited during competition by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).” Even though “73% of physicians knew athletes needed a medical exemption to use oral corticosteroids just before or during competition, far fewer knew exemptions were also required for other forms of these drugs including intravenous injections, ointments, creams and inhaled medicines.” The findings were published online in the British Journal of Sports Medicine. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-sports-steroids/sports-doctors-may-accidentally-prescribe-banned-steroids-idUSKBN20Q2ZW
Tuesday, March 3, 2020
Online Pharmacy Says Tests Found Probable Carcinogenic Impurity In Metformin
reports Valisure, an online pharmacy, announced “its tests showed high levels of a probable cancer-causing impurity in [the] diabetes drug metformin” and that it has called for the FDA to recall the lots they identified. Valisure announced that high levels of NDMA “were found in metformin made by 11 companies, including Amneal Pharmaceuticals Inc and Aurobindo Pharma Ltd.”
Ed Silverman writes in his “Pharmalot” blog for STAT (3/2) that Valisure filed a petition with the FDA saying that NDMA was found above acceptable levels in 16 batches of metformin made by 11 companies.
Systematic Review Finds Insufficient Evidence For Effectiveness Of Herbal Supplements For Weight Loss
reports, “Herbal supplements don’t work for weight loss,” investigators concluded after conducting “the first global review of herbal weight-loss supplements in almost two decades.” That 54-study review revealed there “was insufficient evidence to recommend any of these ‘medicines’ for this purpose.” The findings of the systematic review were published online in the journal Diabetes, Obesity & Metabolism. https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/926081
Death Toll From Coronavirus In US Rises To Six With Four More Deaths In Washington
reports the death toll from coronavirus in the US rose to six with four more deaths in Washington, and four of the deaths have been among residents of Life Care Center, a nursing home in Kirkland. The article says that news of the six deaths came as California announced several more cases. https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-03-02/california-sees-coronavirus-spread-as-death-toll-rises-in-washington
Frequency Of Tooth-Brushing May Be Associated With Risk Of New-Onset Diabetes, Research Suggests
reports research indicates that “frequency of tooth-brushing was associated with risk of new-onset diabetes.” Researchers found that “in 188,013 individuals followed for a median of 10 years, those who brushed three or more times a day were 8% less likely to develop diabetes.” The study also revealed that “having periodontal disease increased diabetes risk by 9%.” The findings of the “large retrospective study” were published online in Diabetologia. https://www.medpagetoday.com/primarycare/preventivecare/85188
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