Most patients find teledermatology appointments suitable alternative to office visits

WASHINGTON (Jan. 25, 2021) – The majority of dermatology patients surveyed find telehealth appointments to be a suitable alternative to in-person office visits, according to a survey study from researchers at the George Washington University (GW) Department of Dermatology. The results are published in the Journal of Drugs in Dermatology. The COVID-19 pandemic changed many…

Biomarkers in mother’s plasma predict a type of autism in offspring with 100% accuracy

Using machine learning, researchers at the UC Davis MIND Institute have identified several patterns of maternal autoantibodies highly associated with the diagnosis and severity of autism. Their study, published Jan. 22 in Molecular Psychiatry, specifically focused on maternal autoantibody-related autism spectrum disorder (MAR ASD), a condition accounting for around 20% of all autism cases. “The…

SARS-CoV-2 reacts to antibodies of virus from 2003 SARS outbreak, new study reveals

A new study demonstrates that antibodies generated by the novel coronavirus react to other strains of coronavirus and vice versa, according to research published today by scientists from Oregon Health & Science University. However, antibodies generated by the SARS outbreak of 2003 had only limited effectiveness in neutralizing the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Antibodies are blood proteins…

Newly discovered subset of brain cells fight inflammation with instructions from the gut

Astrocytes are the most abundant type of cells within the central nervous system (CNS), but they remain poorly characterized. Researchers have long assumed that astrocytes’ primary function is to provide nutrients and support for the brain’s more closely scrutinized nerve cells; over the years, however, increasing evidence has shown that astrocytes can also actively promote…

FDA approves new cardiovascular drug based on study from Canadian VIGOUR Centre

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the drug vericiguat for use in patients with heart failure. The drug–a first-of-its-kind, once-daily oral treatment for patients with worsening chronic heart failure–was approved in part thanks to the VICTORIA (Vericiguat Global Study In Subjects With Heart Failure With Reduced Ejection Fraction) clinical study run by researchers…