Scientists Just Starting To Understand Array Of Health Problems Caused By COVID-19, Experts Say

reported, “Scientists are only starting to grasp the vast array of health problems caused by the novel coronavirus, some of which may have lingering effects on patients and health systems for years to come, according to doctors and infectious disease experts.” In addition to “the respiratory issues that leave patients gasping for breath, the virus that causes COVID-19 attacks many organ systems, in some cases causing catastrophic damage.” Along with “respiratory distress, patients with COVID-19 can experience blood clotting disorders that can lead to strokes, and extreme inflammation that attacks multiple organ systems,” and “the virus can also cause neurological complications that range from headache, dizziness and loss of taste or smell to seizures and confusion.”

COVID-19 May Cause Platelets To Become “Hyperreactive,” Researchers Say

reported, “The COVID-19 coronavirus may cause cells which help blood to clot to become ‘hyperreactive,’ according to scientists who believe this may be why clotting is a problem for some patients.” Blood clotting complications “are common in COVID-19 patients and can cause organ failure and death, particular in those with underlying conditions such as obesity, diabetes, and high blood pressure, according to the authors of the paper published in the journal Blood.” The scientists “found that the virus appears to influence how platelets are made by changing gene expression,” and “the germ also seems to affect how blood clots in COVID-19 patients, making platelets ‘hyperreactive’, or overly sensitive to stimuli, and more likely to cluster, stick together, and spread.” https://www.newsweek.com/coronavirus-may-cause-blood-clotting-cells-become-hyperreactive-1513720

The Dyslexic Brain Struggles in Processing Variation in Speech

A new study brings neural-level evidence that the continuous variation in natural speech makes the discrimination of phonemes challenging for adults suffering from developmental reading-deficit dyslexia. This may compromise the learning of native language phonemes already at an early age for infants at familial risk for dyslexia. Dyslexia is understood to stem from difficulties in phoneme processing. Natural speech has continuous acoustic variation, and the phonemes sound different depending on, for example, the word context or speaker identity. In order to effortlessly understand speech, the phonemes still have to be detected accurately. “In our study, dyslexic participants had difficulties, particularly when acoustic variation was added to the speech sound stream. In the absence of this variation, neural speech sound processing did not differ between dyslexic and typical readers. This seems to reflect a difficulty in categorising speech sounds in the native language phoneme classes,” Dr Paula Virtala from the University of Helsinki explains. https://www.technologynetworks.com/neuroscience/news/the-dyslexic-brain-struggles-in-processing-variation-in-speech-336663?utm_campaign=NEWSLETTER_TN_Breaking%20Science%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=90288506&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_4JwWyIxrpMgL3NE3LxWMdNzEcKwCXeWVVPU-__NuUZnkiTrK6X0tzu6iT5egUtRVHBmwbD1cXhRVAAdNk7SjY-rrkbA&utm_content=90288506&utm_source=hs_email

Younger People Make Up Growing Percentage Of New Coronavirus Cases

reports that younger people “are making up a growing percentage of new coronavirus cases in cities and states where the virus is now surging, a trend that has alarmed public health officials and prompted renewed pleas for masks and social distancing.” The pattern “is drawing notice from mayors, governors and public health officials, and comes as a worrisome sign for cities and institutions as they look to the fall.” The rise in cases among younger people “could complicate the plans of leaders who are eager to open schools and universities, resume athletic events and return to normal life and a fully functioning economy.” https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/25/us/coronavirus-cases-young-people.html

Endocrine News Examines The Controversy Surrounding Blood Pressure Drugs During The Coronavirus Pandemic

reports earlier in the pandemic, there were concerns that blood pressure drugs, including ACE inhibitors and ARBs, might increase the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection or worsen the severity of COVID-19, but “a group of professional associations and researchers moved quickly to counter this fear – and to recommend that” people with SARS-CoV-2 “continue taking renin-angiotensin system (RAS) blockers in the absence of a clear reason to stop them.” Endocrine News outlines the history of the issue citing reports and studies that have debunked fears that people should stop taking the common drugs during the pandemic. Dr. Stephen C. Textor of the Mayo Clinic, who served on the committee that wrote the Endocrine Society’s statement on hypertension, said, “This has been an active debate and an example of how little bits and pieces of basic science can lead you down paths that can really get you twisted around.” https://endocrinenews.endocrine.org/expert-opinion-covid-19-ras-blockers/

New Coronavirus Cases In US Reach Highest Level Since April

reports the daily number of new cases in the US “is the highest it has been since the height of the pandemic two months ago, as several states around the country experience spikes in cases.” According to the data compiled by Johns Hopkins University, there were 34,700 new cases of coronavirus reported on Tuesday, which is the highest number so far except April 9 and April 24. https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/504253-us-coronavirus-cases-at-highest-level-since-april

Experts Identify Steps To Expand and Improve Antibody Tests in COVID-19 Response

More than 300 scientists and clinicians from the federal government, industry and academia published a report of their conclusions and recommendations on COVID-19 serology studies online in Immunity. The group gathered for an online workshop in May to discuss the role of serology testing in understanding and responding to the COVID-19 public health crisis and to explore strategies to address key scientific knowledge opportunities and gaps in the emerging field. Serology tests for COVID-19 are designed to detect antibodies against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. While such tests do not diagnose active infection, they can indicate prior infection with SARS-CoV-2 that may have been missed because a person did not experience significant symptoms or access testing while infected. https://www.technologynetworks.com/diagnostics/news/experts-identify-steps-to-expand-and-improve-antibody-tests-in-covid-19-response-336538?utm_campaign=NEWSLETTER_TN_Breaking%20Science%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=90217250&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-93WWFNoaO0K_ObUB83SGHWt4WD_gUMtZrNUvg30Klh9VNd0E__n7TPPO2laIIEnmHnGVAA3ffDYMYyohs9DXEz8PYh-A&utm_content=90217250&utm_source=hs_email

Above Average Belly Fat In Older Women May Be Associated With A 39% Higher Risk Of Dementia Within 15 Years,

reports that research suggests “current belly size could be a key indicator in whether” older adults “develop dementia within the next decade or two,” with the risk “particularly high” for women. Researchers found that “for women in later adulthood, above average belly fat can lead to a 39% increased risk of dementia within 15 years compared with those who have a normal waist circumference.” The findings were published in the International Journal of Epidemiology. https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/23/health/belly-fat-dementia-link-wellness/index.html

Tongue Microbes Could Provide Window to Heart Health

Microorganisms on the tongue could help diagnose heart failure, according to research presented on HFA Discoveries, a scientific platform of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC).1 "The tongues of patients with chronic heart failure look totally different to those of healthy people," said study author Dr. Tianhui Yuan, No.1 Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine. "Normal tongues are pale red with a pale white coating. Heart failure patients have a redder tongue with a yellow coating and the appearance changes as the disease becomes more advanced." "Our study found that the composition, quantity and dominant bacteria of the tongue coating differ between heart failure patients and healthy people," she said. https://www.technologynetworks.com/diagnostics/news/tongue-microbes-could-provide-window-to-heart-health-336468?utm_campaign=NEWSLETTER_TN_Breaking%20Science%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=90130436&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-941mdALs7IGBdYWy_ngbwx4nQ5i_C98jIEJ_EmkUnIRYlbA9cvVnhlDprci2oaWOHvLdK4xmq0F7Cyitclo-Jx6_6d6A&utm_content=90130436&utm_source=hs_email

Researchers Propose a Clinical Trial To Test MMR Vaccine for COVID-19

Administering the MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccine could serve as a preventive measure to dampen septic inflammation associated with COVID-19 infection, say a team of experts in this week’s mBio, a journal of the American Society for Microbiology. Long-time collaborators and spouses Dr. Paul Fidel, Jr., Department Chair, Oral and Craniofacial Biology, and Associate Dean for Research, Louisiana State University Health School of Dentistry and Dr. Mairi Noverr Professor of Microbiology & Immunology at Tulane University School of Medicine in New Orleans co-authored the perspective article based on ideas stemming from research in their labs. Vaccination with MMR in immunocompetent individuals has no contraindications and may be especially effective for health care workers who can easily be exposed to COVID-19, say the researchers.https://www.technologynetworks.com/biopharma/news/researchers-propose-a-clinical-trial-to-test-mmr-vaccine-for-covid-19-336390?utm_campaign=NEWSLETTER_TN_Breaking%20Science%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=89967446&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_C8UMlCk6j6TeMseFppYPvww2XDf6C52_9ok2ytGS7NAs6AxMuzdVGU5Znm4X6RE6wuULke1QY2Yp-zxIuu5wLJarQUg&utm_content=89967446&utm_source=hs_email

CDC Says Fewer Americans Were Admitted To EDs For Heart Attacks, Strokes, Hyperglycemic Crisis 10 Weeks After The National Emergency Declaration Than 10 Weeks Before

reports researchers at the CDC found “fewer Americans were admitted to emergency departments with life-threatening conditions such as heart attacks during the initial months of the COVID-19 pandemic.” According to the CDC report, when comparing ED visits 10 weeks after the national emergency declaration to 10 weeks before, ED visits for heart attacks decreased 23 percent, ED visits for strokes decreased 20 percent, and ED visits for hyperglycemic crisis decreased 10 percent. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-emergency-dept/u-s-emergency-visits-due-to-heart-attacks-fell-during-early-days-of-covid-19-idUSKBN23T2QP

Overabundance of Opportunistic Pathogens Identified in Gut of Parkinson's Disease Patients

Parkinson’s disease is a common, progressive and debilitating neurodegenerative disease. It currently cannot be prevented or cured. In 2003, Heiko Braak proposed that non-inherited forms of PD are caused by a pathogen in the gut. He hypothesized that the pathogen could pass through the intestinal mucosal barrier and spread to the brain through the nervous system. Up to now, there has been no evidence of a specific pathogen that may trigger PD. https://www.technologynetworks.com/immunology/news/overabundance-of-opportunistic-pathogens-identified-in-gut-of-parkinsons-disease-patients-336332?utm_campaign=NEWSLETTER_TN_Breaking%20Science%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=89848778&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--C-08xxVuGNDHZSG4Ieh5V_dkGA17FHyv804o91ANKls2ucHfnNx8W3IIrrLv2zATqje2CsdCLHmSk-XJUMtOAW0i9zw&utm_content=89848778&utm_source=hs_email

American Red Cross Will Test All Blood Donations for COVID-19 Antibodies

The American Red Cross has begun testing all blood, platelet and plasma donations for COVID-19 antibodies. During these uncertain times, the Red Cross hopes that testing for COVID-19 antibodies will provide its valued donors insight into whether they may have been exposed to this coronavirus. The antibody test is authorized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and may indicate if the donor’s immune system has produced antibodies to the coronavirus, regardless of whether an individual developed symptoms. For the next few months, Red Cross blood, platelet and plasma donations will be tested using samples obtained at the time of donation and sent to a testing laboratory, where the samples will also undergo routine screening and infectious disease testing. A positive antibody test result does not confirm infection or immunity. “As a humanitarian organization and member of the broader health community, the Red Cross has adapted our services to help meet the needs of this extraordinary time,” said Chris Hrouda, president of Red Cross Biomedical Services. “We recognize that individuals and public health https://www.technologynetworks.com/diagnostics/news/american-red-cross-will-test-all-blood-donations-for-covid-19-antibodies-336173?utm_campaign=NEWSLETTER_TN_Breaking%20Science%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=89693272&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9YKytTbten0jApY3th8_BUQqsMghM-TZUC6tckLgr1dVgVsCTnk5PzYnOLrGIcHM2U7TmZ65VlsFZh6xCwoeHOHABkSg&utm_content=89693272&utm_source=hs_email

Parts Of US See Record Increase In COVID-19 Cases, Hospitalizations

reports, “New coronavirus cases and hospitalizations in record numbers swept through more U.S. states, including Florida and Texas, as most push ahead with reopening.” For instance, “Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Florida, North Carolina, Oklahoma and South Carolina all had record numbers of new cases in the past three days, according to a Reuters tally.” The AP (6/12, Weber, Demillo) reported “states are weighing the health risks from the virus against the economic damage from the stay-at-home orders that have thrown millions out of work over the past three months,” and several “governors are coming down on the side of jobs.” https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-usa/record-spikes-in-new-coronavirus-cases-hospitalizations-sweep-parts-of-u-s-idUSKBN23L0JB

How Lockdown Has Affected Our Sleep

A survey conducted at the University of Basel and the Psychiatric Hospital of the University of Basel has investigated how sleep has changed during the COVID-19 lockdown. The 435 individuals surveyed – most of whom were women – reported sleeping longer while sleep quality deteriorated. The results of the study were published in the scientific journal Current Biology. Research assumes that many sleep disorders are caused by our modern lifestyle, which is characterized by pressure to constantly perform and be active. Rhythms of work and leisure activities thus set a cycle that is often at a mismatch with the body’s internal biological clock. If the differences in sleep timing and duration between work days and days off become too large, this can lead to “social jetlag”. With this in mind, restrictions that involve working from home could offer some benefits: flexible working hours, no commuting and potentially more time to sleep. https://www.technologynetworks.com/neuroscience/news/how-lockdown-has-affected-our-sleep-336091?utm_campaign=NEWSLETTER_TN_Breaking%20Science%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=89530580&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--Awaj99LHlmKcxzMmnsnCIXKb4fwQNqI5NDcrfXx1lSn5SX9G-zUE1veZwcCjTw1r9OLsANFb_WPtTWiNPpzZiZQlUGQ&utm_content=89530580&utm_source=hs_email

Number Of Coronavirus Cases In US Tops 2 Million As States Forge Ahead With Reopening

reports the figure was reached “as states forge ahead with reopening their economies and demonstrators gather en masse to protest police brutality and racial inequality.” It took nearly three months for the US “to officially hit 1 million confirmed cases on April 28, but just six weeks to double it.” This “2 million mark comes weeks after President Donald Trump urged governors to ease monthslong restrictions that led to furloughs, layoffs and shuttered businesses, and the White House’s coronavirus task force had begun fading from public view.” USA Today (6/11, Bacon) reports, “The Johns Hopkins virus dashboard counted more than 27,000 new cases Wednesday, a day that saw almost 1,000 U.S. deaths.” Over “113,000 Americans have died since the virus emerged here a few months ago.” https://www.politico.com/news/2020/06/11/us-coronavirus-cases-surpass-2m-312718

Regular Dose of Aspirin To Reduce Risk of Inherited Bowel Cancer

A regular dose of aspirin to reduce the risk of inherited bowel cancer lasts at least 10 years after stopping treatment, research has revealed. The international trial - known as CAPP2 – involved patients with Lynch syndrome from around the world and revealed that two aspirins a day, for an average of two and a half years, reduced the rate of bowel cancer by half. The study, led by experts at the Universities of Newcastle and Leeds, published in The Lancet today, is a planned double-blind 10 year follow–up, supplemented in more than half of recruits with comprehensive national cancer registry data for up to 20 years. Supports national guidance The findings of the study further strengthens the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recommendation on taking daily aspirin for those at high risk and supports wider use of aspirin to prevent cancer. https://www.technologynetworks.com/drug-discovery/news/regular-dose-of-aspirin-to-reduce-risk-of-inherited-bowel-cancer-336022?utm_campaign=NEWSLETTER_TN_Breaking%20Science%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=89412893&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_zKODGi_A20vu_jiD3nIeikKhCzGUxcr7yPLSSmdWkjCDYILtg3TZudJ65nBr_j-FxkNa-sLtAX1OEg3ldFQwgnKtG4w&utm_content=89412893&utm_source=hs_email

Researchers Say The Microbiome Can Affect How People Metabolize Some Drugs

reports variations in people’s microbiomes can affect “how well they metabolize medicines, and could explain why some patients respond better to some drugs.” Researchers “examined the impact of the microbiome on more than 500 medicines” and published their findings in Cell. https://www.statnews.com/2020/06/10/microbiome-drug-metabolism-research/

Federal Government To Conduct Phase 3 Trials For Three Coronavirus Vaccine Candidates Starting This Summer

reports John Mascola, director of the NIAID’s vaccine research center, said the federal government plans to conduct phase 3 trials for three coronavirus vaccine candidates this summer. The three candidates to be tested are being developed by Moderna; Oxford University and AstraZeneca; and Johnson & Johnson.

Researchers Suggest Human Eggs “Choose” Which Sperm Will Conceive Baby

reports a new study finds human eggs “appear to ‘choose’ which sperm will become the lucky winner in conceiving a baby.” Study author John Fitzpatrick, an assistant professor in the department of zoology at Stockholm University in Sweden, said: “Human eggs release chemicals called chemoattractants, which leave a sort of chemical breadcrumb trail that sperm use to find unfertilized eggs. What we didn’t know until this study is those chemical breadcrumbs act differently on sperm from different males, in effect choosing which sperm is successful.” The study was published Tuesday in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society.

Widespread Mask-Wearing May Help Prevent Future Waves Of COVID-19, Research Suggests

reports that research suggests “population-wide facemask use could push COVID-19 transmission down to controllable levels for national epidemics and could prevent further waves of the pandemic disease when combined with lockdowns.” The study “suggests lockdowns alone will not stop the resurgence of the new SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, but that even homemade masks can dramatically reduce transmission rates if enough people wear them in public.” The findings were published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society A. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-masks-study/widespread-mask-wearing-could-prevent-covid-19-second-waves-study-shows-idUSKBN23G37V

Gargling with bleach? Americans misusing disinfectants to prevent coronavirus, survey finds

“More than a third of Americans misused cleaners and disinfectants to try to prevent infection by the coronavirus, according to a survey” conducted by the CDC. The survey cited Americans using bleach to wash food, using disinfectants on bare skin, and intentionally inhaling or ingesting such products as common examples of such misuse. NBC News (6/5, Edwards) reported, “Such acts are not only harmful, they also do nothing to prevent infections and should never be done.” Other sources covering the CDC Survey include: Fox News (6/5, McFall), The Hill (6/5, Kelley), and STAT (6/5, Joseph). https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-disinfectants/gargling-with-bleach-americans-misusing-disinfectants-to-prevent-coronavirus-survey-finds-idUSKBN23C2P2

Diet and Gut Microbes Influence Chemotherapy Outcomes

“The first time we observed that changing the microbe or adding a single amino acid to the diet could transform an innocuous dose of the drug into a highly toxic one, we couldn’t believe our eyes,” said Eyleen O’Rourke, PhD, of UVA’s College of Arts & Sciences, the School of Medicine’s Department of Cell Biology and the Robert M. Berne Cardiovascular Research Center. “Understanding, with molecular resolution, what was going on took sieving through hundreds of microbe and host genes. The answer was an astonishingly complex network of interactions between diet, microbe, drug and host.” https://www.technologynetworks.com/drug-discovery/news/diet-and-gut-microbes-influence-chemotherapy-outcomes-335781?utm_campaign=NEWSLETTER_TN_Breaking%20Science%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=89124043&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_JlBlz4r5ze4543JQWtVmZsYUBcWBs6UcUFoXPHmeW-tHnetOOHfa-xxygtWDzA0Z9Hgqrk7JxNrsjyYaBhVio2PNWcA&utm_content=89124043&utm_source=hs_email

The Genetic Basis of COVID-19 Susceptibility

Professor Alessandra Renieri, Director of the Medical Genetics Unit at the University Hospital of Siena, Italy, will describe her team’s GEN-COVID project to collect genomic samples from Covid patients across the whole of Italy in order to try to identify the genetic bases of the high level of clinical variability they showed. Using whole exome sequencing (WES) to study the first data from 130 Covid patients from Siena and other Tuscan institutions, they were able to uncover a number of common susceptibility genes that were linked to a favourable or unfavourable outcome of infection. “We believe that variations in these genes may determine disease progression,” says Prof Renieri. “To our knowledge, this is the first report on the results of WES in Covid-19.” https://www.technologynetworks.com/genomics/news/the-genetic-basis-of-covid-19-susceptibility-335789?utm_campaign=NEWSLETTER_TN_Breaking%20Science%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=89124043&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_mkloohUkITKu4VaSqGzmpqmy8R_rwqasq6_NzicB-WzlSw9LrFKNy89gpu0kBeFN_0ewZt9Zaed3GqJMoqsBM69qudA&utm_content=89124043&utm_source=hs_email

Medical Journals Retract Two Major Studies Questioning Efficacy Of Different Drugs On COVID-19

reports two studies that questioned the efficacy of different drugs for treating COVID-19 were retracted Thursday by major medical journals. The Lancet pulled a study saying hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine caused heart problems, while the New England Journal of Medicine retracted one on the use of cardiovascular and blood-pressure drugs. The New York Times (6/4, Rabin, Gabler) reports the studies were retracted “because the authors could not verify the data on which the results depended.” Both studies “were led by a professor at Harvard, and both depended on a huge international database of patient medical records that few experts had ever heard of.” The data “came from a company called Surgisphere, which claims to have granular patient-level information shared by 1,200 hospitals and health facilities on six continents.” Among other media outlets providing coverage are: The Washington Post (6/4, McGinley) and the AP (6/4, Marchione). https://www.wsj.com/articles/authors-retract-study-that-found-risks-of-using-antimalaria-drug-against-covid-19-11591299329

Hairy, Lab-grown Human Skin Cell Model Could Advance Hair Loss Research

Organoids are small, lab-grown cell groupings designed to model real-world organs – in this case, skin. A paper published in Nature describes the hairy creation as the first hair-bearing human skin organoid made with pluripotent stem cells, or the master cells present during early stages of embryonic development that later turn into specific cell types. The hirsute organoid’s development was led by Karl Koehler, Ph.D., formerly of Indiana University School of Medicine and now at Boston Children’s Hospital. An Oregon Health & Science University graduate student, Benjamin Woodruff, contributed by helping make the organoids as a post-baccalaureate research technician in the Stanford University lab of Stefan Heller, Ph.D. “This makes it possible to produce human hair for science without having to take it from a human,” explained Woodruff, who now is completing his first year of cell and developmental biology graduate studies at OHSU. “For the first time, we could have, more or less, an unlimited source of human hair follicles for research.” https://www.technologynetworks.com/cell-science/news/hairy-lab-grown-human-skin-cell-model-could-advance-hair-loss-research-335709?utm_campaign=NEWSLETTER_TN_Breaking%20Science%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=89041517&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8LknBasIjc1tIegO9YeI2Xd04RUWIFaLurG7Kug3nE1tL9pLZYykj59gWC4x1lJwyty-KPS7BEN9YnYm8A9nm2YHRDdQ&utm_content=89041517&utm_source=hs_email

Obesity May Greatly Increase Odds Of Children Developing Severe COVID-19, Study Suggests

“If a child is infected with the new coronavirus,” having obesity “appears to greatly raise the odds for developing a severe form of COVID-19, a new study finds.” According to the research, “eleven (22%) of the 50 kids” had obesity, “and six of the nine children who required a ventilator” had obesity. The findings were published in JAMA Pediatrics. https://consumer.healthday.com/infectious-disease-information-21/coronavirus-1008/similar-to-adults-obesity-raises-kids-odds-for-severe-covid-19-758267.html

Trial Investigates Unique Formulation of Ibuprofen as Treatment for COVID-19 Respiratory Complication

Unfortunately the mechanism was not discussed. https://www.technologynetworks.com/drug-discovery/news/trial-investigates-unique-formulation-of-ibuprofen-as-treatment-for-covid-19-respiratory-335642?utm_campaign=NEWSLETTER_TN_Breaking%20Science%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=88976795&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8TA18ESqylMP1x0FSkBa5QI0JLE6huPkdPGTCb23qyDNf3C42EGYwSjeBFN6_gMtCDhJlJORlK5ykPjG0Psb8UPe4Rdw&utm_content=88976795&utm_source=hs_email

Twin Study Finds Sensitivity Is Partly in Our Genes

The study, led by Queen Mary University of London, compared pairs of identical and non-identical 17-year-old twins to see how strongly they were affected by positive or negative experiences – their ‘sensitivity’ level. The aim was to tease out how much of the differences in sensitivity could be explained by either genetic or environmental factors during development: nature or nurture. Twins who are brought up together will mostly experience the same environment. But only identical twins share the same genes: non-identical twins are like any other sibling. If identical twins show no more similarity in their levels of sensitivity than non-identical twins, then genes are unlikely to play a role. Using this type of analysis, the team found that 47 percent of the differences in sensitivity between individuals were down to genetics, leaving 53 percent accounted for by environmental factors. The research, from Queen Mary University of London and Kings College London, is the first to show this link conclusively in such a large study. The findings are published in Molecular Psychiatry. https://www.technologynetworks.com/genomics/news/twin-study-finds-sensitivity-is-partly-in-our-genes-335679?utm_campaign=NEWSLETTER_TN_Breaking%20Science%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=88976795&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--BU6Avw1x0eiOOYr7SpbhzcPZO1B3xB_U5HFtjqGfRSNA00MR3Z1Wd5E8WiQPdOjNS-ZblNdf58eHH8iBO81uGIYrxzg&utm_content=88976795&utm_source=hs_email

What Are the Risks and Benefits of Low-dose Aspirin?

Low-dose aspirin significantly lowers cardiovascular disease risk but increases the risk of bleeding, according to a review published in the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology. Investigators conducted the review because the overall balance between risks and benefits of taking aspirin has been unclear. The team pooled information from analyses of all relevant observational studies and randomized controlled trials. Use of low-dose aspirin in people without cardiovascular disease was associated with a 17% lower incidence of cardiovascular events (such as non-fatal heart attacks, non-fatal strokes, or cardiovascular-related deaths). Low-dose aspirin use was also associated with a 47% higher risk of gastrointestinal bleeding and a 34% higher risk of intracranial bleeding. "These risks and benefits need to be weighted in formal decision analyses to guide aspirin use in primary prevention," said co-author Lee Smith, MSc, PhD, of Anglia Ruskin University, in the UK. The authors noted that although many dozens of health effects besides cardiovascular disease and bleeding have been assessed, evidence for these remains weak and therefore should not be a major consideration when deciding whether to use low-dose aspirin. Reference: Veronese, et al. (2020) Effect of low‐dose aspirin on health outcomes: An umbrella review of systematic reviews and meta‐analyses. British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/bcp.14310 https://www.technologynetworks.com/drug-discovery/news/what-are-the-risks-and-benefits-of-low-dose-aspirin-335612?utm_campaign=NEWSLETTER_TN_Breaking%20Science%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=88836729&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8RIyB2u8uiJBZMYv8oi7WpSAGzuopQl9lDpPI9G9Xge6tyl09xqBR8XJosphFBgIC1iVll98VtLtWF_LpD0OIndQPouw&utm_content=88836729&utm_source=hs_email

Dairy Consumption May Not Improve BMD Or Reduce Risk Of Osteoporotic Fracture In Women Charting Menopause,

reports, “Dairy consumption does not improve bone mineral density (BMD) or reduce the risk of osteoporotic fracture in women charting menopause,” investigators concluded in “a new analysis of the Study of Women’s Health Across the Nation (SWAN).” That substudy “started in 1996 and involved 3302 pre- or early perimenopausal women between 42 and 53 years of age,” and the “sample size for the annualized rate of BMD loss and fracture analysis involved 1955 women.” The findings were published online in the journal Menopause. https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/931559

Scientists Question Data Cited In Two Coronavirus Studies Published In Prominent Journals

reports “a group of scientists has questioned the data used in studies in two prominent medical journals.” At issue are a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine on May 1 concerning the impact of blood pressure drugs on patients with coronavirus and a study published in The Lancet on May 22 concerning the use of hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine to treat patients with coronavirus. The studies share some of the same authors and both relied on the same database, which the group of scientists say may not be reliable. The AP (6/2, Marchione) reports that on Tuesday, the New England Journal of Medicine issued an “expression of concern” about the study it published that “suggested widely used blood pressure medicines were not raising the risk of death for people with COVID-19.” In its communication, the journal expressed concerns about the reliability of the database. Similarly, The Lancet issued an expression of concern about the study it published that “tied the malaria drugs hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine to a higher risk of death in hospitalized patients with the virus.” The Lancet said questions have been raised about the data used in the study. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/02/health/coronavirus-study.html

Estrogen Level Changes In Female Mice May Make Consuming Alcohol More Rewarding, Study Indicates

“Changes to levels of the hormone estrogen appear to make consuming alcohol more rewarding to female mice,” investigators concluded, which could possibly “mean women are more likely to drink to excess at different phases of the menstrual cycle, one of the scientists involved” in the study “told Newsweek.” The findings were published online in the journal JNeurosci. https://www.newsweek.com/estrogen-levels-may-make-alcohol-more-rewarding-females-say-authors-study-binge-drinking-mice-1507736

Experts Urge Caution in Interpreting COVID-19 Antibody Tests

Antibody, or serology, tests became available in April. They are performed on a blood sample and detect antibodies produced by the body in response to the virus. A positive test indicates that a person was infected at some time in the past. In a paper published recently in the journal Clinical Chemistry, Neil Anderson, MD, an assistant professor of pathology and immunology at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and the assistant medical director of the Clinical Microbiology Laboratory at Barnes-Jewish Hospital, and Christopher Farnsworth, PhD, an instructor of pathology and immunology at the School of Medicine, emphasized the importance of ensuring that antibody tests are used appropriately. Here, they discuss further how such tests should – and should not – be used. Why are antibody tests for COVID-19 important? https://www.technologynetworks.com/diagnostics/news/experts-urge-caution-in-interpreting-covid-19-antibody-tests-335509?utm_campaign=NEWSLETTER_TN_Breaking%20Science%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=88836791&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_HfsNdlWTCK4YL2ydRjmBgfw3hDbHxXlgW8rvcpIEVTeJd98FPOUP_VeL8M_4qceuNlIBeHXnMQb-XC3SPmf30JatvzQ&utm_content=88836791&utm_source=hs_email

Could Gut Mucus Help Protect Against Brain Disorders?

Bacterial imbalance in the gut is linked with Alzheimer’s disease, autism and other brain disorders, yet the exact causes are unclear. Now a new research review of 113 neurological, gut and microbiology studies led by RMIT University suggests a common thread – changes in gut mucus. Senior author Associate Professor Elisa Hill-Yardin said these changes could be contributing to bacterial imbalance and exacerbating the core symptoms of neurological diseases. “Mucus is a critical protective layer that helps balance good and bad bacteria in your gut but you need just the right amount - not too little and not too much,” Hill-Yardin said. “Researchers have previously shown that changes to intestinal mucus affect the balance of bacteria in the gut but until now, no-one has made the connection between gut mucus and the brain. “Our review reveals that people with autism, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s and Multiple Sclerosis have different types of bacteria in their gut mucus compared with healthy people, and different amounts of good and bad bacteria. https://www.technologynetworks.com/neuroscience/news/could-gut-mucus-help-protect-against-brain-disorders-335550?utm_campaign=NEWSLETTER_TN_Breaking%20Science%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=88836791&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--tAOgSnoOK4RUQu_b5xVcDqBdvcQ_SfTnw1t5qIpbqqqUF2-1bCVU5IDsocIYAj4TGNo6CbQaCi2j-8H-QCAOKO7HjPg&utm_content=88836791&utm_source=hs_email