Tag: studies

Nanoparticle-delivered COVID-19 vaccine candidate shows promise in preclinical studies

Researchers from Cleveland Clinic’s Global Center for Pathogen Research & Human Health have developed a promising new COVID-19 vaccine candidate that utilizes nanotechnology and has shown strong efficacy in preclinical disease models. According to new findings published in mBio, the vaccine produced potent neutralizing antibodies among preclinical models and also prevented infection and disease symptoms

NIH ACTIV working group weighs human challenge studies for SARS-CoV-2 vaccine development

In a Perspective for the New England Journal of Medicine, members of the National Institutes of Health’s Accelerating COVID-19 Therapeutic Interventions and Vaccines (ACTIV) Vaccines Working Group assess practical considerations and prerequisites for using controlled human infection models (CHIMs), which can be used for human challenge studies, to support SARS-CoV-2 vaccine development. In the article,

Cancer, coronavirus are a dangerous mix, new studies find

New research shows how dangerous the coronavirus is for current and former cancer patients. Those who developed COVID-19 were much more likely to die within a month than people without cancer who got it, two studies found. They are the largest reports on people with both diseases in the United States, the United Kingdom, Spain

Brain studies show chronic fatigue syndrome and Gulf War illness are distinct conditions

Gulf War Illness (GWI) and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) share symptoms of disabling fatigue, pain, systemic hyperalgesia (tenderness), negative emotion, sleep and cognitive dysfunction that are made worse after mild exertion (postexertional malaise). Now, neuroscientists at Georgetown University Medical Center have evidence, derived from human brain studies, that GWI and CFS are two distinct disorders

Two studies reveal benefits of mindfulness for middle school students

Two new studies from MIT suggest that mindfulness—the practice of focusing one’s awareness on the present moment—can enhance academic performance and mental health in middle schoolers. The researchers found that more mindfulness correlates with better academic performance, fewer suspensions from school, and less stress. “By definition, mindfulness is the ability to focus attention on the

Synthetic DNA-delivered antibodies protect against Ebola in preclinical studies

Scientists at The Wistar Institute and collaborators have successfully engineered novel DNA-encoded monoclonal antibodies (DMAbs) targeting Zaire Ebolavirus that were effective in preclinical models. Study results, published online in Cell Reports, showed that DMAbs were expressed over a wide window of time and offered complete and long-term protection against lethal virus challenges. DMAbs may also

New studies illustrate need for rigorous review of infection preventionist staffing models across healthcare systems

Severe gaps in staffing and outdated coverage benchmarks point to the critical need for evaluating and updating standards for infection preventionist (IP) staffing levels, according to two new studies that explored infection prevention and control resourcing across a variety of healthcare settings. The studies were published in the American Journal of Infection Control (AJIC), the

Ultra-secure lab in Gabon equipped for Ebola studies

At a research facility in Gabon, one isolated building stands behind an electrified fence, under round-the-clock scrutiny by video cameras. The locked-down P4 lab is built to handle the world’s most dangerous viruses, including Ebola. “Only four people, three researchers and a technician, are authorised to go inside the P4,” said virologist Illich Mombo, who

Doctors advise on what ACTUALLY helps back pain

How to REALLY beat back pain: As new studies reveal many treatments do little to help, doctors offer advice on what actually works and what doesn’t Four out of five adults in the UK experience back pain at some point in their life It accounts for seven million trips to the GP a year, many

An off-the-shelf, dual-targeted CAR T-cell product shows promising results in preclinical studies

FT819, an off-the-shelf, T-cell receptor (TCR)-less CD19 CAR T-cell product that could potentially be made more accessible to cancer patients than conventional CAR T-cell therapies showed positive results in preclinical specificity, functionality, and efficacy studies, according to data presented at the AACR Annual Meeting 2018, April 14-18. “Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy has shown