News by Subject Medicine & Health

University of Minnesota Medical School researchers found that taking hydroxychloroquine once or twice weekly did not prevent the development of COVID-19 in health care workers better than the placebo.

Two MSK-led studies published in the journal Nature support the idea of using immunotherapy drugs to treat the environment surrounding a tumor as an indirect way to combat cancer.

Researchers have found that a class of commonly-used heart drugs may also improve patients' responses to anti-cancer immunotherapies called PD(L)1 inhibitors, according to preliminary findings to be presented at the 32th EORTC-NCI-AACR Symposium on Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics, which is taking place online.

New studies in mice show how an inability to metabolize tryptophan may be related to celiac disease, according to Bruno Lamas and colleagues.

A preclinical study led by University of South Florida Health neuroscientists indicates that an antigen-presenting dendritic vaccine with a specific antibody response to oligomeric Aβ may be safer and offer clinical benefit in treating Alzheimer's disease. The vaccine uses immune cells known as dendritic cells loaded with a modified Aβ peptide as the antigen.

New Nature Medicine study highlights potential global hesitancy to accept a COVID-19 vaccine. Based on data collected with the previously validated COVID-SCORE survey of a sample of over 13,400 individuals from 19 countries that have been hard-hit by the virus, the investigators found that 72 % of participants would likely take the vaccine. Of the remaining 28 %, 14% would refuse, while 14% would hesitate, which translates into tens of millions of potential vaccine avoiders.

Patients with psoriasis who are taking drugs that affect their immune system have high rates of survival from COVID-19. According to the first findings from a global registry of psoriasis and COVID-19 patients, led by Guy's and St Thomas' clinicians, over 90% survive.

Can edible insects trigger allergies? In September 2020, the BfR launched a new joint research project to protect consumers from potential allergic reactions: Allergen-Pro. The aim: to establish methods for the in-depth analysis of allergens in food and to describe their im-pact on those with allergies. Seven partners from Switzerland and Germany are involved in developing suitable and reproducible detection methods for insect components in food products.

The coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 is known to infect cells via the receptor ACE2. An international research team under German-Finnish coordination has now identified neuropilin-1 as a factor that can facilitate SARS-CoV-2 entry into the cells' interior. Neuropilin-1 is localized in the respiratory and olfactory epithelia. Experts from the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Technical University of Munich, University Medical Center Goettingen, University of Helsinki and other research institutions now published their findings in the journal "Science".