October 2020 - Page 3 of 6 - BioMedWire (BMW)

TuesdayOct 20, 2020 12:00 pm

Loss of Interest May Be a Sign of Dementia

According to a study that was published in the online issue of Neurology on October 14, older adults who show no interest in normal activities or have severe apathy have a larger chance of developing dementia as compared to people with fewer apathy symptoms. Meredith Bock, from the University of California and the author of the study says that apathy is distressing to family members, especially when people do not want to meet up with friends or family or they are no longer interested in what they used to like. She adds that while more research needs to be carried…

TuesdayOct 20, 2020 10:00 am

Researchers Develop Portable Device for Testing Cancer Biomarkers

Researchers at Brock and McMaster universities have developed a prototype for a tool which will allow patients to use a blood sample to test for the presence of cancer biomarkers. This technology has specifically been designed to assess the levels of prostate-specific antigens (“PSA”), but it can be tweaked to test for other cancers as well. According to the researchers, the device operates in just the same way that hand-held glucose monitors work. A patient just mixes a tiny drop of blood in a vial which contains a reactive fluid, and then a sample from this mixture is placed on…

MondayOct 19, 2020 12:00 pm

The Body’s Endocannabinoids Can Fight Intestinal Infections

A study led by researchers at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center suggests that native chemicals (endocannabinoids), which are similar to the cannabinoids produced by marijuana plants, have the potential to inhibit the virulence of intestinal bacteria. The team found that our endocannabinoids can shut down the genes which are required for some intestinal pathogens to colonize and cause disease. This study sheds some light on why marijuana has for long been used to alleviate different gastrointestinal infections. The researchers sought to establish whether endocannabinoids can lessen one’s susceptibility to the different pathogenic bacteria which cause gastrointestinal infections. To…

MondayOct 19, 2020 10:00 am

Electromagnetic Fields Show Potential in Treating Diabetes in Animal Models

Researchers seem to have discovered a new way to manage diabetes without using needles or any other invasive means. The University of Iowa team found that when diabetic mice were exposed to a combination of magnetic fields and static electricity fields for a few hours on a daily basis, it caused them to have normal insulin and blood sugar levels. This unexpected discovery opens the door to a novel way of managing diabetes in humans more easily and safely. According to the findings which appeared in the journal Cell Metabolism on October 6, the initial discovery which led to this…

FridayOct 16, 2020 3:00 pm

4 Factors Behind the Rapid Spread of COVID-19 in the US

A lot can be said about what should or shouldn’t have been done to stem the spread of the novel coronavirus across the U.S. at the beginning of this year, but the truth is that the U.S. has unique factors that have influenced the trajectory of this pandemic. We analyze some of those crucial driving factors. A Large Population The U.S. is undeniably the third most populous country in the world, and that huge population provides a large sample space for the virus to get willing or unwilling hosts. When global COVID-19 cases are analyzed, the most affected countries also…

FridayOct 16, 2020 11:45 am

How to Fix Continued Medical Supply Shortages

It is hard to believe that the medical supply shortages which manifested a few weeks into the COVID-19 pandemic persist and have gotten worse in some cases. Ventilators, PPE and testing reagents are just a few of the critically needed medical supplies that the U.S. appears to be unable to get hold of in sufficient quantities. But why is this so? In 2004, the administration of the day created the Strategic National Stockpile (“SNS”) with the aim of having a safety net during short-term emergencies, such as terrorist attacks. While this entity wasn’t designed or even equipped to handle an…

FridayOct 16, 2020 10:57 am

180 Life Sciences Corp. Expands IP Portfolio with EU, U.S., and Chinese Patents

The company’s patent portfolio includes its own intellectual property and exclusive worldwide licenses, including in the U.S., Canada, Europe, Australia, Hong Kong, and China 180 Life Sciences is in the final stages of its merger process with KBL Merger Corp. IV, with the resulting entity to list on NASDAQ under the ticker “ATNF” The company is devoting its clinical-stage biotechnology research to producing solutions that will help battle inflammation. Its primary focus is to treat fibrosis and inflammation using anti-TNF therapy The estimated annual market size for anti-inflammatory therapeutics is projected to grow to an estimated $106.1 billion in 2020.…

ThursdayOct 15, 2020 3:31 pm

Can China Deliver the COVID-19 Vaccine as Promised?

China is currently conducting COVID-19 vaccine trials in a number of countries which include Argentina, Peru and the United Arab Emirates. While China’s four out of the current dozen global vaccine candidates undergoing clinical trials haven’t been proved to be safe or even effective, the country has promised to avail millions of vaccine doses to several countries, including those in which the trials are being conducted and a host of low income countries with which it shares cordial relationships. As China makes those bold promises, questions remain regarding its capacity to supply all those vaccine doses, and even whether the…

ThursdayOct 15, 2020 12:25 pm

AzurRx BioPharma Inc. (NASDAQ: AZRX) is “One to Watch”

AzurRx BioPharma’s lead therapeutic, MS1819, is a recombinant lipase treatment for exocrine pancreatic insufficiency and is currently targeting patients with cystic fibrosis and chronic pancreatitis – an established global market of more than $2 billion The company is currently pursuing parallel monotherapy and combination therapy trials, which are anticipated to produce topline data in Q1 2021 and Q2 2021, respectively Previously completed clinical trials of MS1819 showed primary and secondary endpoint efficacy, with a positive safety profile To fully finance its ongoing Phase 2 trials and being preparations for a pivotal Phase 3 study in 2021, as well as to…

ThursdayOct 15, 2020 11:45 am

Why Depression Often Makes You Feel Tired

People who suffer from depression usually report that they feel so fatigued that even mundane tasks, such as leaving their beds, are very difficult to manage. According to research, approximately 90% of all the people with major depressive disorder suffer from fatigue. Here are some of the reasons why you may feel fatigued if you suffer from depression. Sleep Problems Sleep is essential because it allows the body to replenish its energy supplies and to recover from any damage sustained during the waking hours. If you are depressed, you are likely to have difficulties falling asleep or even staying asleep.…