A newly discovered drug that works against both covid-19 and cancer could prove to be a game-changer in medicine, scientists believe.Researchers at the Keck School of Medicine of USC and the Cleveland Clinic Florida Research and Innovation Centre, found a vital protein GRP78, implicated in both covid-19 and cancer, could be countered with the drug named HA15. The drug specifically binds to GRP78 and inhibits its activityThe findings of the study were published in the journal Nature Communications.GRP78 is a chaperone protein that, along with other cellular receptors, aids the entry of the SARS-COV-2 virus inside the cells, as per DrugTargetRveview. GRP78 has been implicated in the spread of other viruses as well.

The researchers, while examining infected human lung cells, found higher production of GRP78 in infected cells as the infection increased in intensity.To determine the importance of GRP78 in the spread of Covid-19 infection, researchers suppressed the production of the protein in human lung epithelial cells in cell culture. When those cells were infected with the SARS-COV-2 virus, the study found that infected cells produced a lower amount of the viral spike protein and released much less of the virus to infect other cells.”We now have direct evidence that GRP78 is a proviral protein that is essential for the virus to replicate,” co-author, Amy S. Lee, professor of biochemistry and molecular medicine at the Keck School of Medicine of USC, said, according to MedicalXpress.Next, the research team tested the drug, HA15, on the infected lung cells to assess the feasibility of targeting GRP78 to bring down the infection.”Lo and behold, we found that this drug was very effective in reducing the number and size of SARS-CoV-2 plaques produced in the infected cells, in safe doses which had no harmful effect on normal cells,” Lee commented.After encouraging results, the researchers tested the efficacy of the drug in genetically-engineered mice, which were programmed to express a human SARS-CoV-2 receptor. The mice were infected with the SARS-COV-2 virus. The result was significantly reduced viral load in the lungs.In another study, the research team at the Keck School of Medicine investigated the efficacy of HA15 in cancer, along with another GRP78 inhibitor YUM70. The study was conducted in collaboration with researchers at the University of Michigan, US.It was found in the study that both, HA15 and YUM70, suppressed the production of mutant KRAS proteins, a common mutation that resists drug treatment, and also reduced the number of such mutant-bearing cancer cells.Thus, the drugs could be used to target GRP78, which, in turn, would help fight off cancer.The next step would be to test the safety and efficacy of the drug in humans through clinical trials.

What if a single shot could protect you and your loved ones from all known flu viruses? This is what researchers are working on to ensure universal protection against the flu is at hand. A U.S. study published on Thursday detailed information on an experimental vaccine that showed early promise in providing broad protection against all 20 known influenza virus subtypes. Published in the peer-reviewed journal Science, the team behind it reported favorable results in the initial testing phase involving mice and ferrets. The researchers said this could pave the way to a universal flu shot that could prevent future pandemics. “Vaccines serve as an indispensable tool for the control and prevention of influenza, but several challenges remain. Some populations, for example, the elderly, respond poorly to vaccination. Furthermore, the highly variable nature of influenza viruses can make targeting optimal antigens difficult,” the team wrote. 

In response to the problem, the researchers developed a two-dose vaccine that employs the same messenger RNA technology found in the COVID-19 shots developed by Moderna and Pfizer with BioNTech. The shot delivers tiny lipid particles of mRNA instructions prompting cells to make replicas of hemagglutinin proteins typically found on the surfaces of all 20 known influenza A and B virus subtypes. This way, the vaccine can give protection against antigenically variable viruses by inducing antibodies against multiple antigens simultaneously. According to Reuters, this universal vaccine would not necessarily lead to the end of flu seasons worldwide. However, it could eliminate the guesswork that goes into making annual flu shots months before the flu season every year. “The idea here is to have a vaccine that will give people a baseline level of immune memory to diverse flu strains so that there will be far less disease and death when the next flu pandemic occurs,” said study leader Scott Hensley of the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. Hensley further explained that if successful in human trials, the universal flu vaccine would not prevent infections. But it will provide durable protection against severe illness and death caused by the virus. 

Scientists at the Vrije University (VU) of Amsterdam have identified rare damaging genetic variants that increase Alzheimer’s disease (AD) risk.“Our results provide additional evidence for a major role for amyloid-β precursor protein processing, amyloid-β aggregation, lipid metabolism, and microglial function in AD,” the authors wrote in a paper published in the journal Nature Genetics on Monday.Using gene-based burden analysis in place of the more common genome-wide association studies (GWAS), the researchers found a strong link between rare, damaging variants in ATP8B4 and ABCA1 with AD risk, and a signal in ADAM10, as well as rare-variant burden in the genes RIN3, CLU, ZCWPW1 and ACE, according to GenEngNews.Damaging mutations in  ATP8B4 — an ATPase enzyme — occur in 3.6% of early-onset patients, 3.1% of late-onset patients, and 2.1% of individuals without dementia, the study found.

“We find that missense mutations [in  ATP8B4 ] associate with a higher increased risk (1.6-fold increased risk in early-onset AD cases compared to non-carriers) compared to truncating mutations (1.2-fold), which suggests that the deleterious effects may be due to gain-of-function missense mutations.” senior author, Henne Holstege, an assistant professor of clinical genetics at VU said, reported GenEngNews.Coming to gene variation in ABCA1, the study found that mutations in the gene occur in 1.5% of early-onset patients, 1.1% of late-onset patients, and 0.52% of individuals without dementia.“Here, truncating mutations associate with a higher risk of AD (4.7-fold increase) compared to missense mutations (2.7-fold), which suggests that damaging or losing protein function underlies the observed increased risk,” Holstege noted.As for variants in ADAM10, the results showed that the mutations occur in only 0.23% of early-onset patients, 0.05% of late-onset patients, and 0.02% of individuals without dementia.“Carrying a damaging variant is associated with a 9-fold increased risk of AD,” Holstege commented. “These variants include protein truncating and missense variants, suggesting that losing protein function or protein impairment underlies the increased risk.”Numerous studies in favor notwithstanding, the β-amyloid theory of AD is hotly debated on account of the lack of effectiveness of AD drugs that target β-amyloid deposition or degradation.However, the recent success of amyloid-clearing agents such as Aducanumab or Lecanemab might change the views.“Early treatment with Aducanumab or Lecanemab may be very important for effectivity,” Holstege suggested. “Additionally, the field needs to focus on generating treatments that ‘correct’ or support the endogenous mechanisms involved in protein processing and clearance. When applied to at-risk individuals before the onset of disease such agents may prevent a load of amyloid or other aggregating proteins to accumulate to disease-associated levels.”Holstege believes that larger studies with international collaborations will help uncover more genes associated with the high risk of AD.Nevertheless, the findings of this study will help open up opportunities to better understand and treat AD in patients.

There’s more reason to believe that vaping is bad for dental health. A new study published in the Journal of the American Dental Association found that people who vape are at a higher risk of developing tooth decay and periodontal disease. “Evidence on the potential oral health effects of vaping is scarce and there are limited data on possible links to both caries and periodontal disease. The authors assessed the association between electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) or vape use and caries risk level,” read the background of the study.The researchers conducted a cross-sectional study using patient records from 13,098 individuals who attended the dental school clinics from Jan. 1, 2019, through Jan. 1, 2022. Most of them did not vape (99.3%), while only a few (0.69%) admitted using e-cigarettes. Among the users, 79% had a significant risk for cavities. 

The team established an association between the use of vapes or e-cigarettes and the caries risk level of the patients. They found that those who vaped had a higher risk of developing dental caries. Based on a 2022 survey by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), around 2.55 million middle and high school students in the country use e-cigarettes. The findings of the study suggest that they are at risk of suffering from tooth decay and periodontal disease. Since vaping seemingly promotes cavities, users are at risk of tooth loss if left untreated. Some lab studies also found that the vapor from e-cigarettes could promote bad bacteria growth in the month, according to U.S. News & World Report. “If you are vaping, be aware that there are potentially some detrimental oral health effects. If you do vape, make sure to mention this to your dentist because it may be important to make sure we customize your preventive routine to be a bit more aggressive than we would do for the average patient,” lead researcher Dr. Karina Irusa told the outlet. The assistant professor of comprehensive care at Tufts University School of Dental Medicine in Boston further explained that the dental bacteria that causes decay appears to become more virulent and aggressive when exposed to the vapor produced by e-cigarettes. Jennifer Genuardi, MD, an internist and pediatrician at Urban Health Plan in New York City, reacted to the study, saying the findings were unsurprising. Genuardi, who was not part of the research team, told Medscape that the ingredients found in e-cigarettes contribute to the overgrowth of cavity-causing bacteria in the mouth. “We are learning daily more and more about the dangers of vaping. There’s a focus of today’s research on the effect of actions on our microbiome and the subsequent effects on our health,” Genuardi noted. 

Pregnant women are often embarrassed by their forgetfulness and loss of focus, but perhaps they need not be. A new study has found the “pregnancy brain” is real and it happens due to changes in the brain structure in expecting women.The brain fog experienced during pregnancy is probably part of a bigger plan to bond the mother with the baby, the study, published in the journal Nature Communications, found.The researchers found a strong association between increased levels of pregnancy hormones and changes to the neural architecture in specific areas of the brain.Often known as “baby brain,” “momnesia” or “mommy brain,” the phenomenon is very common. However, measuring its effects has proved to be a scientific hurdle.

The lead author, Leiden University neuroscientist Elseline Hoekzema, has worked on this aspect in her previous studies.In a 2016 study, Hoekzema found that there was a significant loss of gray matter during pregnancy.”During pregnancy, a woman is exposed to an unparalleled flood of hormones,”  Hoekzema said in 2020. The researcher received a €1.5 million European Research Council grant for continuing research into this field that year.”Animal studies have shown that these hormones trigger far-reaching changes in the maternal brain and behavior. In previous studies, we discovered that pregnancy renders long-lasting changes in human brain structure,” Hoekzema further said, reported ScienceAlert.In the latest study, Hoekzema and her colleagues used MRI scans to map the brains of 40 women. The scans were taken before pregnancy, and also before and after birth, including a year after the baby’s delivery.The scans were then compared to 40 women who were not pregnant at that time.Additionally, urine samples were collected every two to four weeks from the pregnant group to assess hormone levels.The study was further supported by surveys and questionnaires to analyze nesting behaviors, sleep patterns and levels of psychological distress.The results, based on the 28 participants who completed the study, provided evidence that pregnancy changes the brain networking pattern. The change was most significant in the Default Mode Network, an area associated with contemplation and daydreaming, according to the outlet.”These findings suggest that the neural changes of pregnancy may render a blueprint that facilitates the subsequent development of the mother-infant relationship, which could then potentially be further reinforced by the interaction with the infant,” the authors wrote in the paper.Admittedly, finding a clear link in these studies is difficult, making these findings speculative in nature. However, more studies with larger sample sizes and better analytical tools will help in understanding these changes at the cellular level.One thing is for sure, pregnant women should be cut some slack the next time they zone out. After all, they have no control over it.

A successful experiment has demonstrated the efficacy of newly developed mind-control wheelchairs in helping paralysis patients navigate through obstacles.The study, published in the journal iScience, found the non-invasive wheelchair control allowed paralyzed patients to guide themselves through an obstacle course.The quadriplegic participants were put on an electrode cap that allowed them to control the wheelchair. Once the cap was on, the patients had to focus on moving certain body parts they no longer controlled like the hands and legs.”This intent will be translated into the actual commands for the motors of the wheelchair that will make the wheels move at different speeds so that if one is faster than the other, then it will turn into that in the opposite direction,” senior researcher, José del R. Millán, a professor of neurology and chair of electrical and computer engineering at the University of Texas at Austin, said, reported USNews. “So, if the right is faster than the left, it will automatically turn toward the left and the other way around.”

Two of the three volunteers were able to mind-control the wheelchair with increasing accuracy as the training progressed. To move toward the right, volunteers had to think about moving both legs, while to move the wheelchair toward the left, volunteers had to think about moving both hands.Currently, patients have to undergo an operation to gain mind control of a wheelchair. This new non-invasive method, which requires no such surgery, can prove revolutionary.”This is probably the first small study to achieve quite good success without having to enter the brain,” Abbey Sawyer, a postdoctoral researcher in the Abilities Research Center at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City, told USNews.”There are much more invasive approaches which are entering safety and feasibility stages of human trials at this point, but this is one of the first and probably one of the most successful of a noninvasive approach,” Sawyer, who was not part of the study, added.The three participants were trained three times a week for two to five months. Over the course of the training, two participants showed exceptional progress, with accuracy increasing to 95% and 98% individually from the initial 43%-55%.“The main point of the paper is that if we train people sufficiently long, they can achieve a certain level of control of a sophisticated device like these brain-controlled wheelchairs,” Millán noted.However, commercial use of such mind-controlled wheelchairs is still a long way from materializing.“There’s no pragmatic, adaptive way for people to do this themselves, and the training is quite intensive, so I don’t think it’s quite ready for prime time,” Dr. Anthony Ritaccio, a professor of neurology at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Fla, said. “People are still working to make it easy and applicable, because otherwise, why would it take decades? It would have been on the market already.”

COVID-19 reinfection poses a greater threat than the first infection, according to a new study. Researchers found that the risks of death, hospitalization and serious health issues are greater when one is reinfected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus. “Reinfection with COVID-19 increases the risk of both acute outcomes and long COVID,” Dr. Ziyad Al-Aly of Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis said, as per VOA. In his new study with his colleagues, Al-Aly pursued to find out whether reinfection adds to risks incurred after the first infection. They found that while the risks were most pronounced in the acute phase, they persisted in the post-acute phase. 

Based on the number of infections, cumulative risks and burdens of repeat infection increased, suggesting that the risks of death, hospitalization and serious health problems were greater in reinfections. Al-Aly noted that the risks were evident in “unvaccinated, vaccinated, and boosted people.” Thus, regardless of vaccination, everyone is at greater risk when reinfected. For the study, the lead researcher, Al-Aly, and his colleagues examined U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs data from March 1, 2020, through April 6, 2022. Data from 443,588 patients with one COVID-19-reported infection and 40,947 patients with two or more reinfections were collected. Data from 5.3 million uninfected individuals were also used for the study. “Even if one had prior infection and was vaccinated — meaning they had double immunity from prior infection plus vaccines — they are still susceptible to adverse outcomes upon reinfection,” Al-Aly explained. Due to their findings published in Nature Medicine, the team urged the medical community to come up with strategies for reinfection prevention to reduce the overall burden of death and severe disease due to the virus. Ahead of the holiday season, when many people would be traveling and attending indoor gatherings, Al-Aly said everyone should be aware of the serious repercussions of reinfections to avoid repeated transmissions. The precautionary measures are still the same as when the pandemic started. Al-Aly just wanted to remind everyone that it’s best to mask up when traveling and staying indoors with other people. 

Researchers at the University of Houston have created a vaccine that may mitigate the opioid epidemic in the U.S. The vaccine can counter the adverse effects of fentanyl, a synthetic opioid that authorities say is 50-100 times stronger than morphine.Professor Colin Haile, the lead researcher, said that the vaccine was developed keeping in mind the people who are addicted to the drug and wish to quit. “If the drug does not get into the brain, there are no effects,” Haile said.”There are no euphoric effects, and there are no lethal effects as well,” he said, according to ABC News. The vaccine will allow the fentanyl to be eliminated from the body via the kidneys.The newly developed vaccine still requires approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for human trials. Toxicology studies of the vaccine are still pending, Haile explained.

If approved, the vaccine is expected to be available in the next three to four years, the outlet reported. “We are close, but every time I think about it, I get even more motivated,” Haile said.The University of Houston said on its website that the vaccine may act as a “relapse prevention agent” for people trying to quit the dangerous drug. “While research reveals Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) is treatable, an estimated 80% of those dependent on the drug suffer a relapse,” it added.The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) says that fentanyl was originally approved for pharmaceutical usage for cancer patients. It was majorly used for pain relief and was later “diverted for abuse.””Fentanyl is added to heroin to increase its potency, or be disguised as highly potent heroin,” the DEA website says. “Many users believe that they are purchasing heroin and actually don’t know that they are purchasing fentanyl – which often results in overdose deaths,” it adds.According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, deaths involving synthetic opioids have been on the rise. “Death rates increased by over 56% from 2019 to 2020 and accounted for over 82% of all opioid-involved deaths in 2020,” the agency said.

Thanks to extensive research in the anti-aging field and funding by billionaires, a number of scientific startups are on the cusp of delivering age-reversal solutions.The newest entrant in the biotech world is Altos Labs. Launched earlier this year, it boasts four Nobel prize winners as its board members. With a funding of $3bn, Altos Labs has some high-profile investors like Amazon founder Jeff Bezos.”Ageing is not the same as rust accumulating on a car, it’s not just breakdown,” Prof Horvath, one of the reputed academics at Altos labs, told SkyNews. “Rather, there are processes that can be manipulated, you can tweak it. In certain ways, I interpret aging as a software error.”Unbelievably, the oldest human to have ever lived was Jeanne Calment, who died aged 122 in France in 1997.

“There are no hard limits imposed by biology or by physics that says that we can’t live better longer,” Kristen Fortney, CEO of San Francisco-based BioAge Labs, told the outlet. Focused on discerning the markers of aging, BioAge Labs is using large amounts of biobank blood and tissue samples to do so.The company has already found a drug target that slows aging-linked muscle loss in mice.”There is a protein called apelin that circulates in the blood, and we saw that middle-aged people with higher levels of apelin in their blood were living longer, with better muscle function and better cognitive function as they age,” Fortney said, according to Express.”So, we gave this drug to really old mice and we showed that it could improve their muscle function. It helped them run faster in their wheels, it increased their muscle size, it improved their grip strength,” the BioAge Labs CEO added.All that’s left is to mimic the same results in older humans, and a trial is underway to this end.Another participant against the race of time is Salk Institute for Biological Studies, a scientific research institute in California. Scientists at the institute reversed the aging in middle-aged and elderly mice through their experiments and a method called cell rejuvenation therapy. The process involved the use of reprogramming molecules that turned back the cells to a younger state.”We are elated that we can use this approach across the lifespan to slow down aging in normal animals. The technique is both safe and effective in mice,” Juan Carlos, professor at Salk’s Gene Expression Laboratory, said.The traction anti-aging is receiving is only going to grow. According to a report by P&S Intelligence, the global anti-aging market is expected to see an astronomical rise from the current $191.5 billion to a mind-blowing $421.4 billion by 2030, as per Express.