COVID-19 antibodies preferentially target a different part of the virus in mild cases of COVID-19 than they do in severe cases, and wane significantly within several months of infection, according to a new study by researchers at Stanford Medicine. The findings identify new links between the course of the disease and a patient’s immune response.…
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BOSTON — In a perspective published in the Journal of Hospital Medicine, experts from the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) Department of Medicine, Office of Equity and Inclusion and Center for Diversity and Inclusion call for a more inclusive and culturally competent ap-proach to clinical care based on best practices developed during the COVID-19 surge in…
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December 23, 2020 — When patients have a do-not-resuscitate (DNR) order, it means they have chosen not to receive cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). But hospital nurses report significant variations in the way DNR orders are perceived or acted on in clinical practice, reports a survey study in the January issue of the American Journal of Nursing…
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Alexandria, Va., USA — Since the onset of COVID-19 the potential risk of dental procedure spray emissions for SARS-CoV-2 transmission has challenged care providers and policy makers alike. The study, «Mechanisms of atomization from rotary dental instruments and its mitigation,» published in the Journal of Dental Research (JDR), found that there are multiple mechanisms for…
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HERSHEY, Pa. — Even people who consider themselves to be casual cigarette smokers may be addicted, according to current diagnostic criteria. Researchers at Penn State College of Medicine and Duke University found that many light smokers — those who smoke one to four cigarettes per day or fewer — meet the criteria for nicotine addiction…
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SETD2 is a protein well known as a chromatin remodeler, one that helps turn genes on or off by modifying histone proteins in the nucleus of the cell. When researchers discovered that SETD2 is mutated or lost in several cancer types, most commonly a type of kidney cancer called clear-cell renal cell carcinoma, all eyes…
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Serotonin is a neurochemical that plays a critical role in the way the brain controls our thoughts and feelings. For example, many antidepressants are designed to alter serotonin signals sent between neurons. In an article in Cell, National Institutes of Health-funded researchers described how they used advanced genetic engineering techniques to transform a bacterial protein…
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(Washington, DC) — Research presentations on topics as diverse as the history and development of African American Language, the linguistic nature of keysmashes, and the «myth» of Standard German dominance are among the highlights of the upcoming Annual Meeting of the Linguistic Society of America (LSA), to be held virtually from January 7-10, 2021. The…
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December 23, 2020 — For patients receiving spinal cord stimulation (SCS) for chronic pain, integration with an immersive virtual reality (VR) system — allowing patients to see as well as feel the effects of electrical stimulation on a virtual image of their own body — can enhance the pain-relieving effectiveness of SCS, reports a study…
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BOSTON — Recent analyses indicate that pregnant women and newborns may face elevated risks of developing more severe cases of COVID-19 following SARS-CoV-2 infection. New research led by investigators at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and published in Cell reveals lower than expected transfer of protective SARS-CoV-2 antibodies via the placenta from mothers who are infected…
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