Patients with thyroid eye disease who used the minimally invasive insulin-like growth factor I blocking antibody, teprotumumab, experienced improvement in their symptoms, appearance and quality of life, according to a study recently published in The New England Journal of Medicine.
Scientists have identified a key molecule involved in the development of cerebral malaria, a deadly form of the tropical disease. Further, they defined a potential drug target and way forward in alleviating this condition for which few targeted treatments are available.
An anti-cancer compound developed at the University of Michigan has shown “profound” activity in mouse models against two subtypes of leukemia — representing up to 40% of patients — a U-M research team reports in the Journal of Clinical Investigation.
A new study finds that one side effect of lupus could also make patients with the autoimmune condition more vulnerable to a skin infection, or spreading the infection to others.
Research suggests that a drug recently assessed as a potential treatment for fetal growth restriction may cause high blood pressure and raise blood sugar levels in offspring. The study urges practitioners to consider both short- and long-term effects when treating people with this pregnancy complication.
An experimental fingerprint detection approach can identify traces of cocaine on human skin, even after someone has washed their hands - and the test is also smart enough to tell whether an individual has actually consumed the class A drug, or simply handled it.
Cancer-fighting compound fights obesity and diabetes: Eric Prossnitz, PhD, and his team reported that G-1, a cancer-fighting compound they discovered some years ago, reduces fat in obese mice. Although G-1 is currently in phase 1 clinical trials for cancer, Prossnitz and his team are planning preclinical studies to use G-1 to fight fat in obese people.
A Rutgers-led team has developed a tool to monitor influenza A virus mutations in real time, which could help virologists learn how to stop viruses from replicating. The gold nanoparticle-based probe measures viral RNA in live influenza A cells, according to a study in The Journal of Physical Chemistry C. It is the first time in virology that experts have used imaging tools with gold nanoparticles to monitor mutations in influenza, with unparalleled sensitivity.
In a UCLA-led phase I clinical trial, a new plant-based drug called APG-157 showed signs of helping patients fight oral and oropharyngeal cancers. These cancers are located in the head and the neck.
APG-157 is made up of multiple compounds produced by plants, including curcumin. UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center researchers found that treatment with this botanical drug resulted in high concentrations of curcumin and its byproducts circulating in the blood and absorbed by tumor tissues within three hours after being taken orally.
An alarming number of people don’t take the medications prescribed by their health care providers to manage chronic health conditions, and that can lead to a range of complications.
About 29 million Americans use over-the-counter nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) to treat pain. Every year in the U.S., NSAID use is attributed to approximately 100,000 hospitalizations and 17,000 deaths. All of these drugs have benefits and risks, but deciding which one to use is complicated for health care providers and their patients. To assist in clinical decision-making, researchers address cardiovascular risks and beyond, which include gastrointestinal and kidney side effects of pain relievers.
Researchers have found that ozone treatment and subsequent chlorination can convert trace amounts of some pharmaceuticals in wastewater into DBPs called halonitromethanes.
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory engineers and biologists have developed a “brain-on-a-chip” device capable of recording the neural activity of living brain cell cultures in three-dimensions, a significant advancement in the realistic modeling of the human brain outside of the body.
The February 2020 issue of Toxicological Sciences includes cutting-edge research spanning the toxicological field, from molecular, biochemical, and systems toxicology and nanotoxicology to regulatory science, risk assessment, and decision-making.
A new study shows that having general anesthesia in a cesarean delivery is linked with significantly increased odds of severe postpartum depression requiring hospitalization, thoughts of suicide or self-inflicted injury.
The February special issue of SLAS Discovery, “Advances in Cellular Target Engagement and Target Deconvolution,” features 13 articles focused on multiple aspects and technologies of cellular target engagement.
Physician-Scientists and other researchers at Rush University Medical Center, in collaboration with colleagues at other institutions, have revealed a new treatment target that may help change the outcome for patients at risk of AKI.
Welcome to the Heart Health Month Special Edition of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center’s (BIDMC) Research & Health News Digest. February is Heart Health Month. This special edition includes consumer-friendly news and research briefs specifically tailored to Heart Health Month:
ISPOR--The Professional Society for Health Economics and Outcomes Research has released its third annual "Top 10 Health Economics and Outcomes Research (HEOR) Trends" report. The full report is available at www.ispor.org/top10trends.
As published today in the Royal Society of Chemistry’s Chemical Communications, a novel compound — known as “C1” — uses a novel mechanism to efficiently prevent the enzyme gamma-secretase from producing amyloids, the abnormal proteins that form toxic clumps inside the brains of patients with Alzheimer’s Disease.
In a study in Nature Medicine, researchers describe how injection of neutralizing antibodies are associated with enhanced T cell responses that specifically recognize HIV.
Most medicines work by binding to and blocking the effect of disease-causing molecules. Now to accelerate the identification of potential new medicines, bioengineers have created a computer model that mimics the way molecules bind.
اكتشف باحثو Mayo Clinic جزيئًا متحولًا يستطيع تنشيط مادة في الحيوانات، هذا الجزيء المتحول له القدرة على علاج أضرار الاضطرابات العصبية مثل التصلب المتعدد. الأبحاث الأولية على النماذج الحيوانية تبشر بإمكانية تطوير علاج اعتمدته إدارة الغذاء والدواء الأمريكية سابقًا، وكذلك قد تقود إلى أساليب جديدة في علاج أمراض الجهاز العصبي المركزي.
تزيد تكلفة أشكال الأنسولين الأكثر استخدامًا في الولايات المتحدة بمقدار 10 مرات عن أي دولة من الدول المتقدمة الأخرى، وفقًا لتعليق في مجلة Mayo Clinic Proceedings. وبسبب هذه التكلفة الباهظة، يلجأ بعض مرضى السكري من النوع الأول في الولايات المتحدة إلى الاقتصاد في كمية الأنسولين التي يستخدمونها، الأمر الذي له تداعيات تهدد حياتهم.
Medication controls seizures in many people with epilepsy. The drugs are not a cure, but seizures don't always last a lifetime. After years without seizures, is it safe for some people to gradually come off their medications?
A collaboration between scientists at Rutgers University and The Scripps Research Institute led to the discovery of a small molecule that may slow down or stop the progression of Parkinson's Disease.
University of Colorado Cancer Center study presented at the 2020 Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium shows patients with locally advanced rectal cancer receiving lower-than-recommended doses of neoadjuvant chemotherapy in fact saw their tumors shrink more than patients receiving the full dose.
UC San Diego Health launches pilot project using drones to move medical samples, supplies and documents between Jacobs Medical Center, Moores Cancer Center and the Center for Advanced Laboratory Medicine, speeding delivery of services and patient care currently managed through ground transport.
The Society for Laboratory Automation and Screening (SLAS) announced the winners of its annual New Product Awards Monday afternoon at the 9th Annual SLAS International Conference and Exhibition in San Diego, CA, USA.
University of Wisconsin–Madison researchers have developed nanoparticles that, in the lab, can activate immune responses to cancer cells. If they are shown to work as well in the body as they do in the lab, the nanoparticles might provide an effective and more affordable way to fight cancer.
The American Society for Cell Biology (ASCB) offers two, week-long, hand-on courses to help current or recent PhDs transition into biotechnology, medical technology, or pharmaceutical careers.
Traditional Chinese medicine used an herb, Stemona sessilifolia, as a remedy for parasitic infections. Researchers reporting in ACS’ Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry identified 10 compounds responsible for it's success.
Following up on their landmark 2016 study, researchers at NYU Grossman School of Medicine found that a one-time, single-dose treatment of psilocybin, a compound found in psychedelic mushrooms, combined with psychotherapy appears to be associated with significant improvements in emotional and existential distress in cancer patients.
Promising intracellular protein-based therapeutics have been of limited use due to the difficulty of delivery into diseased cells. Now bioengineers have developed nanoparticles that can deliver these therapeutics to their targets—avoiding degradation and toxic interactions with healthy tissues.
Researchers at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) have found that orthostatic hypotension was not associated with higher risk of cardiovascular events, falls, or fainting among participants in The Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial. In a study published in the journal Hypertension, the scientists showed that hypertension treatment had no impact on the link between OH and cardiovascular outcomes or other adverse events.
A new study led by physician-researchers at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) reports that the antihypertensive drug amlodipine lowered long-term gout risk compared to two other drugs commonly prescribed to lower blood pressure. The findings are published in the Journal of Hypertension.
In an article published recently in Microgravity, a Nature Journal, researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute demonstrate a unique method for studying the mechanisms behind the formation of amyloid fibrils associated with diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.
The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) Oncology Research Program (ORP) announces plans to evaluate futibatinib (TAS-120), an inhibitor of the fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR).
A new drug that could make it easier for doctors to diagnose multiple sclerosis (MS) in its earlier stages has been approved for its first human trials by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Infectious diseases could be detected, prevented and controlled thanks to a new £4m grant from the NIHR to the University of Warwick. Researchers will work with partners to develop the use of cutting edge genomics to protect public health.
At a glance:
Research using heart cells from squirrels, mice and people identifies an evolutionary mechanism critical for heart muscle function
Gene defect that affects a protein found in the heart muscle interferes with this mechanism to cause hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a potentially fatal heart condition
Imbalance in the ratio of active and inactive protein disrupts heart muscle’s ability to contract and relax normally, interferes with heart muscle’s energy consumption
Treatment with a small-molecule drug restores proper contraction, energy consumption in human and rodent heart cells
If affirmed in subsequent studies, the results can inform therapies that could halt disease progression, help prevent common complications, including arrhythmias and heart failure