New research provides insights into how the body can protect itself from immunopathology during flu. «One of the reasons people feel bad during flu and some people die from flu isn’t actually the virus replication itself, but it is the immune system’s attempt to control the virus that causes that damage,» said lead author Ryan…

Mice that received treatments with peanut-coated microneedles had significant increased rates of desensitization to peanut allergy compared with epicutaneous immunotherapy (EPIT), a new study found. The microneedle treatment success was achieved despite applying a dose of peanut protein 10-times lower than the dose delivered by EPIT. Researchers say the findings demonstrate the potential for peanut…

A study has found significant differences in disease risk perception and channels of information about Ebola virus disease (EVD) in rural areas and urban centers of Guinea, West Africa. Findings were established after researchers investigated residents’ opinions of the wildlife potentially posing a risk for EVD transmission to humans, wildmeat consumption before and during the…

Volunteer firefighters — who comprise more than 65 percent of the U.S. fire service — have higher levels of ‘forever chemicals,’ per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), in their bodies than the general public, according to a new study. It is the first study to evaluate volunteer firefighters’ exposure to PFAS. The study, which was published…

Today’s gold standard for COVID diagnostics is qRT-PCR, but turnaround is typically more than a day. Newer assays using CRISPR enzymes require initial amplification of RNA, requiring special equipment not available in doctors’ offices, workplaces, etc. By combining two different CRISPR-Cas enzymes — Cas13 and Csm6 — researchers have created a point of care diagnostic…

There’s been a significant breakthrough in the development of a vaccine to prevent hookworm infection — a parasite which causes serious disease in tens of millions of people globally. Trials of the vaccine candidate in mice indicate that it is more than twice as effective than existing alternatives and marks a leap forward in the…

Tendons connect muscles with bones. When injured, they are really difficult to repair, and the existing therapeutic strategies often have complications. Researchers constructed artificial tendons that were mechanically and biologically similar to normal tendons using human induced pluripotent stem cells. The tendons were successfully implanted in a mouse model of tendon rupture. These findings offer…

Influenza and pneumonia vaccinations are associated with fewer hospital deaths in patients with heart failure. That’s the result of a study in nearly 3 million Americans. One out of five individuals will develop heart failure in their lifetime. An estimated 26 million people are affected worldwide. One out of five individuals will develop heart failure…

In a new study, a team of researchers outlines the technology for a CRISPR-based test for COVID-19 that uses a smartphone camera to provide accurate results in under 30 minutes. One of the major hurdles to combating the COVID-19 pandemic and fully reopening communities across the country is the availability of mass rapid testing. Knowing…

Early in the pandemic, many people fastidiously disinfected surfaces because laboratory studies predicted that SARS-CoV-2 could be easily transmitted in this way. Now, researchers have found a possible explanation for why the predictions didn’t pan out: Sugar-decorated proteins in mucus could bind to the coronavirus on surfaces, keeping it from infecting cells. The findings could…