Author: healthadmin
Myofibrillar myopathy type 6 (MFM6) is a rare genetic muscle disease that causes severe muscle weakness and a significantly shortened lifespan due to disruption of muscle protein regulation. Researchers at the University Hospital Bonn (UKB) and the University of Bonn have developed a mouse model of the disease and were able to show that disruption of cell recycling, technically known as autophagy, is the main trigger of the disease. Their findings were published in the journal Nature Communications. Myofibrillar myopathy type 6 (MFM6) destroys sarcomeres, the smallest units in muscle fibers that control muscle movement and tension. This is caused…
Background and purpose Tenofovir alafenamide (TAF) demonstrated comparable efficacy and improved renal and bone safety to tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) in Chinese participants with chronic hepatitis B in two phase 3 trials. This study aimed to evaluate the long-term virological efficacy, serological and biochemical responses, tolerance, renal and bone safety of TAF over an 8-year period in this population. method Participants who completed the 3-year double-blind phase were eligible to receive open-label TAF 25 mg/day for up to an additional 5 years (8 years total). Analysis of viral suppression (HBV DNA < 29 IU/mL), alanine aminotransferase normalization, serological responses, resistance…
A new study shows that the influenza D virus, which has been flying around inconspicuously since it was detected in animals in 2011, may be actively making copies of itself in human cells and lung tissue samples, researchers said. The findings suggest there is a strong potential for influenza D to spread to humans, the scientists said. Some people who work with cattle, which are thought to be the main host for this virus, have been found to have influenza D antibodies in their blood, but no active infection in humans has been found to date. The results showed that…
Weill Cornell Medicine researchers have demonstrated for the first time that Hodgkin lymphoma cancer cells taken from patient samples are immune cells undergoing an “identity crisis.” Normally, B cells mature into plasma cells that produce antibodies to fight infection, but in this case, the cells are caught mid-migration. These switch off key functions of B cells but never fully mature into functional plasma cells, instead surviving as malignant Hodgkin lymphoma cells, also called Reed-Sternberg cells. Hodgkin lymphoma is the most common cancer in young people between the ages of 15 and 19, but it also affects people over the age…
The atmosphere plays a major role in dispersing microplastics around the planet, transporting these tiny particles to the most remote regions. People and animals can inhale them, raising concerns about possible health effects. Once airborne, microplastics can fall to Earth and increase pollution of oceans and soil around the world. A new study from the Department of Meteorology and Geophysics at the University of Vienna provides a clearer picture of where these airborne microplastics come from. Researchers use global measurements and computer models to estimate emissions from both land and ocean sources. Their key finding was surprising: land releases 20…
New research published in Journal of social and personal relationships This provides evidence that confidence in how a person feels about their romantic partner plays an important role in their overall relationship satisfaction. The findings suggest that when people have strong beliefs about their positive feelings toward their significant other, they tend to experience greater relationship happiness and better mental health. This study highlights the importance of metacognition, the psychological process of thinking about your thoughts and feelings. Social psychology has studied the concept of attitude for decades. An attitude is essentially a basic evaluation, positive or negative, of a…
The FDA has issued two manufacturing-related Complete Response Letters (CRLs), putting the brakes on promising treatments from AbbVie and Grace Therapeutics. Chicago drug company AbbVie was looking to strengthen its industry-leading beauty product portfolio with Trenibotulinumtoxin E (TrenibotE), a fast-acting follow-up to its blockbuster Botox franchise. TrenibotE is a first-in-class botulinum neurotoxin serotype E and may represent a new option for those looking to treat moderate to severe glabellar wrinkles with short-term aesthetic results. AbbVie’s experimental injection is expected to last two to three weeks, compared to Botox’s standard duration of several months. However, the FDA is now requesting more…
After a series of regulatory and clinical setbacks for Sanofi’s trebrutinib, the French drugmaker has scored a victory with its multiple sclerosis (MS) candidate. On Thursday, Europe’s Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) recommended approval for patients with secondary progressive MS (SPMS) who have not had a relapse in the past two years. The CHMP cited benefits of trebrutinib including a 31% reduction in disability progression and a 38% reduction in new or expanding lesions per year compared to patients who received a placebo. In Europe, the drug will be sold under the brand name Cenrifki. Sanofi announced…
Scientists studying ancient Antarctic ice are uncovering new details about how Earth’s climate has changed over the past three million years. By analyzing both the ice and the small pockets of air trapped within it, researchers are building a longer-term, more complete record of past climate conditions. Two new studies have been published in the journal nature Unexpected patterns emerge. During this time, the Earth gradually cooled, but the levels of heat-trapping greenhouse gases in the atmosphere decreased only slightly. A long-standing climate mystery For more than a century, scientists have known that the Earth was significantly warmer about 3…
Researchers at Sweden’s Lund University have conducted the most detailed mapping to date of the epigenome of cells that regulate the body’s blood sugar levels. This research natural metabolismshows how chemical changes to DNA affect both insulin-producing beta cells and glucagon-producing alpha cells, and how these patterns change in type 2 diabetes. All cells in the body have the same set of genes, but use different genes to develop into different types of cells. The epigenome controls this process by activating and deactivating cell type-specific genes. Insulin and glucagon, the hormones that regulate blood sugar, are produced by cells in…