Medicine

For that which is relating or is of the topic of Medicine

SARS-CoV-2 is not the only virus living among us

Figure 1: The human gut is home to a rich ecosystem of microbes. Recent research has highlighted the extent of viral diversification within the gut microbiome that has wide potential implications for human health Source: Pixabay Despite the intense focus on SARS-CoV-2, the ubiquity and diversity of viruses is extraordinary; after all they are the …

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Exploring the Gut-Microbiota Hypothesis of Neurodegenerative Disease Pathogenesis

Exploring the Gut-Microbiota Hypothesis of Neurodegenerative Disease Pathogenesis

First Author: Jillian Troth1 Co-Authors [Alphabetical Order]: Caroline Conway1, Allison Kifer2, Vincent Lai4, Grace Lee3, Varun Lindagal1, Callie Moody1, and Melanie Prakash1 Dartmouth College1, University of California San Diego2, Williams College3, Rice University4 Figure 1: Fluorescent microscope imaging of neuroinflammation in wild-type mice, AD-model mice, and AD patient. Aggregation of amyloid precursor protein (red) indicates …

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Bispecific Antibody Recruits Vγ9+ γδ T cells for Leukemia Treatment

Bispecific Antibody Recruits Vγ9+ γδ T cells for Leukemia Treatment

Figure 1: The image is taken from an elderly woman who has a type of acute myeloid leukemia in which the accumulation of immature blood-forming cells (purple) interferes with the production of normal white blood cells (pink) Source: Wikimedia Commons Leukemia is a type of blood cancer generally characterized by the suppression of proper function …

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A Spoonful of (Modified) Sugar as an Antiviral Medicine

A Spoonful of (Modified) Sugar as an Antiviral Medicine

Figure 1: A negative stain transmission electron micrograph of Influenza virions Source: Wikimedia Commons Researchers at the University of Manchester have developed a new sugar-based virucidal medicine that is effective against a broad array of viruses (Jones et al., 2020). Cyclodextrins (also called CDs) are non-toxic cyclic glucose oligosaccharides produced as a result of starch …

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PANDAS––A Self-Destruction of the Mind

PANDAS––A Self-Destruction of the Mind

Figure 1: PANDAS, characterized by acute neurological and neuropsychiatric symptoms, was systematically reviewed by Sigra et al (2018) in hopes of encouraging further investigation towards the etiology and treatments associated with PANDAS and related disorders Source: Flickr Pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders associated with streptococcal infections (PANDAS), pediatric acute-onset neuropsychiatric syndrome (PANS), childhood acute neuropsychiatric symptoms …

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The Next Source of Antibiotics: Viruses

The Next Source of Antibiotics: Viruses

Figure 1: A computer-generated image of a bacteriophage called a levivirus along with its mapped genome. The Lysis gene is also known as sgi and produces antibiotic proteins Source: Wikimedia Commons We have a crisis on our hands: bacteria are developing resistance to our most effective antibiotics. Many of these are inhibitors of proteins that …

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Defective Mitochondria Lead to Exhausted T Cells in the Tumor Microenvironment

Defective Mitochondria Lead to Exhausted T Cells in the Tumor Microenvironment

Figure 1: T cells (green, blue, and red) surround and prepare to kill a cancer cell (green and blue). Vesicles (shown in red) in the T cells contain perforin and granzymes, proteins that orchestrate the killing of target cells. This process of targeted cell destruction is compromised when mitochondria are rendered defective by excessive antigen …

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Why Young Investigators Should Consider Prehospital Care Research

Why Young Investigators Should Consider Prehospital Care Research

Figure 1: The author (14 hours and 10 patients into a 16-hour shift) killing time until his next resuscitation with an issue of Prehospital Emergency Care A car drifts across a double yellow line and slams into an oncoming tractor trailer.  A man collapses on the floor of a supermarket aisle after his heart suddenly …

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New Gene Therapy Strategy With the Potential to Delay Ageing

New Gene Therapy Strategy With the Potential to Delay Ageing

Figure 1: Age-related diseases are devastating for the people affected and the family members supporting them. Finding new and better treatments for these diseases is a top medical priority Source: Unsplash Ageing is a mysterious, albeit inevitable, part of life for which the science is hardly understood. Only in the 1980’s was it determined that …

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N501Y COVID-19 Variants -- Should We Be Worried?

N501Y COVID-19 Variants – Should We Be Worried?

Figure 1: 3D printed models of the SARS-CoV-2 virion (the blue sphere in the background) decorated with spike proteins and a larger model of the spike protein (the multi-colored shape in the foreground; the Receptor Binding Domain is the green section of the model) Source: Wikimedia Commons The so-called “UK”, “Brazil”, and “South Africa” variants …

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