Disease Processes

Canberra, Australia — Researchers from The Australian National University (ANU) have identified a gene called TLR7 that, when over-activated, is responsible for causing lupus, an autoimmune disease that can be life-threatening in severe cases.   TLR7 is programmed to help the immune system guard against viral infections, but in its mutated form it can become aggressive and […]

Bochum, Germany — It is well known that co-infections with hepatitis viruses do exist. “However, the co-infection of hepatitis C and E has not yet been systematically researched,” says Thomas Burkard. “Even though the possibility always looms that a simultaneous infection with two viruses could perhaps be particularly dangerous.” A single protein suppresses infection In […]

Osaka, Japan — Liver disease negatively impacted by lifestyle changes during the first year of the pandemic, according to a new study in the journal Liver International. The retrospective study used health checkup data of 973 participants between 2018 and 2020 from MedCity21, an advanced medical centre for preventive medicine established by Osaka City University […]

Los Angeles, CA — As scientists work toward finding a cure for Parkinson’s disease, one line of research that has emerged focuses on mitochondria, the structures within cells that make energy. The health of those structures is maintained through a quality control system that balances two opposite processes: fission — one mitochondrion splitting in two […]

Augusta, GA — Deep in the brain a group of large neurons produce a hormone which prompts our bodies to hold onto more fluid and increase blood pressure. Scientists say these neurons play a critical role in enabling our bodies to maintain healthy homeostasis by using this skill set to efficiently eliminate the excessive salt […]

Huddersfield, UK — Huddersfield researchers were among the first to demonstrate how the induction of brain inflammation accounts for neurological damage in COVID19 patients and now, their findings have been published in the peer-reviewed medical journal Molecular Neurobiology. The study, led by the University of Huddersfield’s Dr. Mayo Olajide, describes how the spike protein used […]

Niigata, Japan — Monthly menstruation is a biological phenomenon in women of reproductive age that involves morphological and functional changes in the uterine endometrium followed by uterine lining shedding. The endometrial layer can regenerate after cyclic shedding in preparation for conception. The highly regenerating nature of this tissue can be a source of genetic mutations, […]

Evanston, IL — A small preliminary study from Northwestern Medicine has shown that a blood test may identify risk of stillbirth and placentitis in pregnant individuals who have had COVID-19. The finding builds on another study with similar results and could have implications in how physicians screen for and address high-risk pregnancies. Research has shown […]

Madrid, Spain — Research carried out at the Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares (CNIC) has demonstrated that mixing mitochondrial DNAs (mtDNAs) of different origins can have damaging effects over the medium and long term. mtDNA is a component of the genetic material that is transmitted exclusively from mothers to their children. The study, published in […]

Sacramento, CA — A clinical trial at UC Davis Health and six other sites showed that a cellular therapy offers promise for patients with late-stage Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), a rare genetic disorder causing muscle loss and physical impairments in young people. The therapy appears to be safe and effective in stopping the deterioration of […]

Baton Rouge, LA – While no medically recognized treatment exists for Long COVID, exercise may break the vicious cycle of inflammation that can lead to developing diabetes and depression months after a person recovers from the virus. “We know that Long COVID causes depression, and we know that it can increase blood glucose levels to […]

Los Alamos, NM — New computer models and simulations from Los Alamos National Laboratory are showing researchers how the virus that causes COVID-19 manages to use its spike protein to fuse with and infect human cells. To be presented at the March meeting of the American Physical Society, the atomistic-level imagery is highly consistent with […]