Study evaluates efficacy of isotretinoin in improving COVID-19 outcomes

In a recent study posted to the medRxiv* pre-print server, researchers evaluated the effectiveness of isotretinoin (13-cis retinoic acid) in improving coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outcomes. Study: 13 cis retinoic acid improved the outcomes of COVID-19 patients. A randomized clinical trial. Image Credit: StudioMolekuul/Shutterstock Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infections have surged rapidly

Can wearables transform the future of healthcare?

Thought LeadersProfessor Michael SnyderProfessor of GeneticsStanford University In partnership with SLAS 2022, we spoke to Professor Michael Snyder about his latest research that investigates wearables and their future within healthcare. Please can you introduce yourself and tell us what inspired your career in genomics? My name is Michael Snyder and I am the chair of

New AHA Guidance on Transition to Adult Congenital HD Care

Most people who are born with a congenital heart defect (CHD), including complex heart conditions, now survive into adulthood, and the smooth transition from pediatric to adult-centered care is key to their health, survival and quality of life, the American Heart Association (AHA) says in a new scientific statement. Adolescents and young adults who are

World’s Most Polluted Island Is in the Wrong Place

New technology shows that the remote and highly polluted uninhabited Henderson Island in the South Pacific has been mismarked on navigational charts for 85 years. What to know: The British patrol ship HMS Spey has determined that Henderson Island in the remote Pitcairn chain is 1 mile south of the position that has been marked

Research demonstrates within-host seasonal immunity

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the virus responsible for coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19), first emerged in Wuhan, China in late December 2019, before spreading to the rest of the world. Many governments were forced to enact costly and restrictive measures in an attempt to reduce the rapid transmission of SARS-CoV-2, from mandatory

Risk of schizophrenia assessed with new screening tool

Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and colleagues in Nairobi, Kenya, have shown that a screening tool developed at Washington University can help predict in about 5 minutes whether young people are at high risk for schizophrenia and may go on to develop the illness. The findings are published in the

Irradiation of tumors with laser protons tested for the first time

Irradiation with fast protons is a more effective and less invasive cancer treatment than X-rays. However, modern proton therapy requires large particle accelerators, which has experts investigating alternative accelerator concepts, such as laser systems to accelerate protons. Such systems are deployed in preclinical studies to pave the way for optimal radiation therapy. A research team

PrEP Kidney Function Monitoring to Be Fine-Tuned

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) – The risk of kidney-related adverse events among patients receiving tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF)-based oral HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is small, a systematic review and meta-analysis revealed. Therefore, less frequent monitoring may be appropriate for some younger people, Dr Robin Schaefer of the World Health Organization (WHO) in Geneva and colleagues

Implementing wastewater-based Covid-19 early warning system in Germany

Coronaviruses can be detected in wastewater some days before first disease symptoms develop. On this basis, it is possible to determine the number of infections more quickly, analyze the infection situation more precisely, and identify new Covid-19 variants and their spread at an earlier stage. The project "Systematic Monitoring of SARS-CoV-2 in Wastewater" coordinated by

Novel targets to inhibit SARS-CoV-2 variants

A recent study published in the journal Viruses identified additional targets on severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) proteins to prevent the emergence of new SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VOCs).  Study: Conserved Targets to Prevent Emerging Coronaviruses. Image Credit: Lightspring/Shutterstock Various studies have reported sufficient coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine efficacy against infection and

Poland Sees Signs Women Fleeing Ukraine May Be Trafficking Target

PRZEMYSL, Poland (Reuters) – Poland has seen indications that human traffickers may be targeting refugees fleeing the Ukraine war, officials and aid workers said on Tuesday, and although trafficking cases have not been confirmed, preventative efforts are now being put in place. Nearly two million people, mostly women and children, have arrived in Poland since