Vaccine associated myocarditis revisited with COVID-19 mRNA vaccines
When I had reviewed the topic of vaccine associated myocarditis for an editorial in the BMH Medical Journal in 2017, most of the cases were associated with small pox vaccination [1]. There were also reports of streptococcal pneumonia vaccine and influenza vaccine associated myocarditis. Autoimmune/inflammatory syndrome induced by adjuvants (ASIA) used in the vaccine were also implicated in some cases [2,3].
While the large scale vaccination for small pox in an attempt to prepare for potential bioterrorism was the association in 2003 [4], COVID-19 mRNA vaccines are currently in the limelight for vaccine induced myocarditis...
Source: Cardiophile MD - July 22, 2021 Category: Cardiology Authors: Prof. Dr. Johnson Francis Tags: Cardiology Source Type: blogs
Saving lives, improving mothers ’ care: rapid report 2021 – learning from SARS-CoV-2-related and associated maternal deaths in the UK
This report includes lessons identified from the care of women who died between 1 June 2020 and 31 March 2021, following a positive test for SARS-CoV-2 infection, or in whom SARS-CoV-2 infection was diagnosed at autopsy, as well as from the deaths of women whose care or engagement with care was influenced by changes as a consequence of the pandemic.ReportMore detail (Source: Health Management Specialist Library)
Source: Health Management Specialist Library - July 14, 2021 Category: UK Health Authors: The King ' s Fund Library Tags: NHS performance and productivity Quality of care and clinical outcomes Source Type: blogs
Fight Aging! Newsletter, July 5th 2021
In conclusion, the findings suggest that DNAm GrimAge is a strong predictor of mortality independent of genetic influences.
Heart Failure Correlates with Increased Cancer Risk
https://www.fightaging.org/archives/2021/07/heart-failure-correlates-with-increased-cancer-risk/
Age-related disease results from the underlying cell and tissue damage that causes aging. Different people accumulate that damage at modestly different rates, the result of lifestyle choices and exposure to infectious disease. Thus the presence of a sufficient burden of damage to produce one age-related disease will be accompanied by a...
Source: Fight Aging! - July 4, 2021 Category: Research Authors: Reason Tags: Newsletters Source Type: blogs
The Ivermectin and Covid-19 conundrum
In conclusion, the above implications are basically saying there is lack of good evidence for IVM in Covid-19.
There is evidence also that IVM does not work for Covid-19. See this recent paper, highlighted by a Dobber:
Ivermectin for the treatment of COVID-19: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
This analysis concluded “…in comparison to SOC or placebo, IVM did not reduce all-cause mortality, length of stay, respiratory viral clearance, adverse events and serious adverse events in RCTs of patients with mild to moderate COVID-19. We did not find data about IVM effects on clinica...
Source: Malaysian Medical Resources - July 4, 2021 Category: International Medicine & Public Health Authors: Editor Tags: Miscellaneous covid-19 ivermectin SARS-cov-2 Source Type: blogs
Dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine-Induced Antibody Immunity
It is slowly becoming clear that the immunity induced by SARS-CoV-2 vaccination is of overall better quality than that induced by COVID-19. (Source: virology blog)
Source: virology blog - July 1, 2021 Category: Virology Authors: Gertrud U. Rey Tags: Basic virology Gertrud Rey ACE2 b cells COVID-19 β-coronaviruses monoclonal antibody N-terminal domain natural infection neutralizing antibody plasmablast polyclonal antibodies RBD SARS-CoV-2 SARS-CoV-2 variant spike protein Source Type: blogs
Face Mask Detects SARS-CoV-2
Researchers at the Harvard Wyss Institute and MIT have developed a face mask that can detect SARS-CoV-2 in a wearer’s breath. The mask employs freeze dried molecular components including CRISPR-based technology, and a lateral flow assay strip to detect the virus and alert the wearer. To initiate the test, the wearer simply presses a button on the mask, and it can provide a result within 90 minutes, with a similar level of accuracy as a standard PCR test.
“We have essentially shrunk an entire diagnostic laboratory down into a small, synthetic biology-based sensor that works with any face mask, and co...
Source: Medgadget - June 29, 2021 Category: Medical Devices Authors: Conn Hastings Tags: Diagnostics Medicine Military Medicine Public Health Source Type: blogs
Arguing for Metformin's Effects on Life Expectancy to be Due to Suppression of Excessive Inflammation
Researchers have been arguing for some years now that metformin improves life span via suppression of excessive inflammation. Metformin, it has to be said, has terrible, unreliable, very mixed animal data when it comes to slowing aging. Plus that one human study in diabetic patients in which life expectancy was very modestly increased. So it seems to me that progress in understanding what is going on under the hood is largely of academic interest at this point in time. The effect size is just not large enough to be a medical focus. If suppression of inflammation and extended healthy lives are the goals on the table, then s...
Source: Fight Aging! - June 28, 2021 Category: Research Authors: Reason Tags: Daily News Source Type: blogs
Microarray Rapidly Identifies Antibodies Against SARS-CoV-2
Researchers at the Technical University of Munich in Germany have developed a sensitive and inexpensive microarray technology that can rapidly identify antibodies against the SARS-CoV-2 virus in blood or serum samples. The test can provide a result in as little as eight minutes, but the researchers believe that this can be further reduced to just four minutes with additional development. The technology could be very helpful in confirming immunity against the virus, which will help us to identify how long the vaccines confer immunity and whether booster shots will be required.
With vaccination campaigns in full swing in ...
Source: Medgadget - June 25, 2021 Category: Medical Devices Authors: Conn Hastings Tags: Diagnostics Medicine Public Health Source Type: blogs
Rapid Diagnosis of Infectious Disease at Point of Care: Interview with Shawn Marcel, CEO of Torus Biosystems
Torus Biosystems, a medtech startup that spun out of Harvard’s Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, has developed the Synestia system, a point of care diagnostic tool for infectious disease. The system aims to provide rapid, point-of-care identification of pathogens, and incorporates microarray and qPCR technology.
The company reports that the system allows a clinician to run multiple tests on one device to detect all the pathogens associated with a specific disease. The run-time is rapid, with the device providing results in as little as 30 minutes, and for each sample over 1000 targets can ...
Source: Medgadget - June 24, 2021 Category: Medical Devices Authors: Conn Hastings Tags: Diagnostics Exclusive Medicine Public Health torusbiosystems Source Type: blogs
Rapid Diagnosis of Infectious Disease at Point of Care: Interview with Shawn Marcell, CEO of Torus Biosystems
Torus Biosystems, a medtech startup that spun out of Harvard’s Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, has developed the Synestia system, a point of care diagnostic tool for infectious disease. The system aims to provide rapid, point-of-care identification of pathogens, and incorporates microarray and qPCR technology.
The company reports that the system allows a clinician to run multiple tests on one device to detect all the pathogens associated with a specific disease. The run-time is rapid, with the device providing results in as little as 30 minutes, and for each sample over 1000 targ...
Source: Medgadget - June 24, 2021 Category: Medical Devices Authors: Conn Hastings Tags: Diagnostics Exclusive Medicine Public Health torusbiosystems Source Type: blogs
Nanodecoys Bind SARS-CoV-2 for Destruction by Immune System
Researchers at North Carolina State University have developed a nanodecoy system that provides binding sites for the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The vesicles help to prevent the virus from binding to lung cells and lead to its eventual destruction by the immune system. The nanodecoys are derived from lung spheroid cells, and contain the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor on their surface. The ACE2 receptor is the binding site and entry point for the SARS-CoV-2 virus into lung cells, so the vesicles essentially act as fake binding sites, tricking the virus. The nanodecoys have shown promise as an inhaled treatment in rod...
Source: Medgadget - June 21, 2021 Category: Medical Devices Authors: Conn Hastings Tags: Medicine Nanomedicine Public Health Source Type: blogs
Fight Aging! Newsletter, June 21st 2021
This study showed that the leakage of this mitochondrial nucleic material may occur as a result of mitochondrial dysfunction, which may involve genetic mutations in genes encoding mitochondrial proteins or incomplete degradation of mitochondrial dsDNA in the lysosome - which is a 'degradation factory' of the cell. Upon the leakage into the cytoplasm, this undegraded dsDNA is detected by a 'foreign' DNA sensor of the cytoplasm (IFI16) which then triggers the upregulation of mRNAs encoding for inflammatory proteins."
Using a PD zebrafish model (gba mutant), the researchers demonstrated that a combination of PD-like ph...
Source: Fight Aging! - June 20, 2021 Category: Research Authors: Reason Tags: Newsletters Source Type: blogs
Graphene Sensor for Rapid COVID-19 Detection
Researchers at the University of Illinois Chicago have developed a graphene-based sensor that can rapidly detect the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The system includes graphene sheets that are coupled with an antibody against the viral spike protein. When viral particles bind to the antibodies, they change the vibrational properties of the graphene sheets, and the researchers can measure this using Raman spectroscopy. The test takes less than five minutes, and could provide another useful tool in the fight against COVID-19.
While vaccination programs are picking up speed, the global fight against COVID-19 is still a long way from ov...
Source: Medgadget - June 18, 2021 Category: Medical Devices Authors: Conn Hastings Tags: Diagnostics Materials Medicine Public Health Source Type: blogs
The remarkable diversity of bat coronaviruses
All human viruses, including SARS-CoV-2, arose from spillovers from other animals. Results of a recent study of bat samples collected in a small region of Yunnan Province, China revealed additional close relatives of SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV. After the identification of SARS-CoV-2 in early 2020, wildlife sampling and retrospective genome sequencing revealed highly related viruses in […] (Source: virology blog)
Source: virology blog - June 18, 2021 Category: Virology Authors: Vincent Racaniello Tags: Basic virology Information coronavirus COVID-19 Rhinolophus bat SARS-CoV-2 viral viruses wildlife sampling zoonosis Source Type: blogs
Senolytics Reduce Coronavirus Mortality in Old Mice
As the COVID-19 pandemic ran its course, and it became clear that mortality in the old and the obese was the result of a cytokine storm, there was some speculation that the use of senolytics to clear senescent cells from old tissues would be an appropriate treatment to reduce mortality. Here, researchers provide supporting evidence for this view, showing that senolytic treatment in old mice reduces coronavirus mortality, as well as mortality due to other viral infections.
The risk of suffering a fatal inflammatory event as the result of infection is higher in individuals with an existing high level of systemic infla...
Source: Fight Aging! - June 16, 2021 Category: Research Authors: Reason Tags: Daily News Source Type: blogs
