The likelihood of people surviving COVID-19 in UK hospitals has been improving over time, a new study has found. Research published in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine by the ISARIC Coronavirus Clinical Characterisation Consortium found that in-hospital mortality declined from 32% at the start of the first wave (Mar-Apr 2020) to 16% at the end of the first wave (Jun-Jul 2020). In their study of 63,972 adults admitted to 247 UK hospitals the researchers found reductions in mortality were observed in all age groups, in all ethnic groups, for both sexes, and in patients with and without comorbidities. This improvement was ...

A group of Brazilian and Portuguese researchers observed a correlation between the presence of lead in the organism and a microRNA (miRNA) that could be associated with the mechanisms that regulate DNA methylation, a physiological process required to control gene expression and ensure that genes function properly. The alterations were detected in blood cells from workers in automotive battery plants, which use lead as a raw material. Curiously, lead levels in blood samples from 85 volunteers – averaging 20 micrograms per deciliter of blood (20 μg/dl) – were lower than the acceptable ceiling defined in Brazilian law (60 μg/dl). The study was supported by FAPESP and ...

A long noncoding RNA whose function was previously unknown turns out to play an important role in promoting the body's immune response against cancer and holds promise for enhancing the efficacy of anti-cancer immunotherapy. That's according to new findings reported in Nature Cell Biology by researchers at the University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center. The group dubbed the RNA they identified LIMIT -- for long noncoding RNA inducing major histocompatibility complex class I and immunogenicity of tumor. "LIMIT is easy to remember, but really it does the opposite. It stimulates immune functions against cancer," says senior study author Weiping Zou, M.D., Ph.D., the Charles B. de Nancrede Professor of Pathology, Immunology, Biology, and Surgery at U-M. Only a small part of the human ...

Researchers at the University of California, Davis, have found a link between traffic-related air pollution and an increased risk for age-related dementia, including Alzheimer's disease. Their study, based on rodent models, corroborates previous epidemiological evidence showing this association. Alzheimer's disease is the most common cause of age-related dementia and the sixth leading cause of death in the United States. More than 5 million Americans currently live with Alzheimer's disease -- a number that is expected to triple by 2050 as the population ages. ...

In patients receiving therapeutic hypothermia after suffering out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, those who were cooled below 31 degrees Celsius (about 88 degrees Fahrenheit) for 24 hours showed no difference in terms of death or poor neurological outcomes at six months compared with patients receiving guideline-recommended cooling of 34 C (about 93 F). These findings are part of a study presented at the American College of Cardiology's 70th Annual Scientific Session. Therapeutic hypothermia is a procedure in which a person's body is cooled far below normal body temperature. It has been shown to improve survival and reduce brain damage in people who have been resuscitated but remain comatose after suffering cardiac arrest (when the heart stops ...

Sperm are generally viewed as having just one action in reproduction - to fertilise the female's egg - but studies at the University of Adelaide are overturning that view. Published in Nature Research journal Communications Biology, new research shows that sperm also deliver signals directly to the female reproductive tissues to increase the chances of conception. Robinson Research Institute's Professor Sarah Robertson, who led the project, said: "This research is the first to show that the female immune response is persuaded by signals in sperm to allow the male partner ...

Marilyn Monroe famously sang that diamonds are a girl's best friend, but they are also very popular with quantum scientists - with two new research breakthroughs poised to accelerate the development of synthetic diamond-based quantum technology, improve scalability, and dramatically reduce manufacturing costs. While silicon is traditionally used for computer and mobile phone hardware, diamond has unique properties that make it particularly useful as a base for emerging quantum technologies such as quantum supercomputers, secure communications and sensors. However there are two key problems; cost, and difficulty in fabricating the single crystal diamond layer, which is smaller ...

The nanophotonics-based LiDAR technology developed by a POSTECH research team was presented as an invited paper in Nature Nanotechnology, the leading academic journal in the field of nanoscience and nanoengineering. In this paper, a POSTECH research team (led by Professor Junsuk Rho of the departments of mechanical engineering and chemical engineering, postdoctoral researcher Dr. Inki Kim of the Department of Mechanical Engineering, and Ph.D. candidate Jaehyuck Jang of the Department of Chemical Engineering) in cooperation with the French National Science Institute (CNRS-CRHEA) focused on the LiDAR device developed through studying the metamaterials based ultralight nanophotonics. In addition, the paper ...

Image fusion is a process that can enhance the clinical value of medical images, improving the accuracy of medical diagnoses and the quality of patient care. Researchers at the College of Data Science Software Engineering at China's Qingdao University, have developed a new 'multi-modal' image fusion method based on supervised deep learning that enhances image clarity, reduces redundant image features and supports batch processing. Their END ...

ATS 2021, New York, NY - The COVID-19 pandemic has, and will continue to have, a tremendous impact on ICU nurses' mental health and willingness to continue in the critical care work force, according to research presented at the ATS 2021 International Conference. Jill Guttormson, PhD, RN, associate dean for Academic Affairs and associate professor, College of Nursing, Marquette University, and colleagues sought to describe the impact of COVID-19 on ICU nurses through a survey using valid and reliable measures of burnout, moral distress, depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress symptoms. The researchers recruited a national sample of nurses who have worked in the ICU during the COVID-19 pandemic between October and ...

The cover for issue 7 of Oncotarget features Figure 14, "A hypothetical model of how a specific remodeling of cellular metabolism by CR slows down yeast chronological aging," published in "Caloric restriction creates a metabolic pattern of chronological aging delay that in budding yeast differs from the metabolic design established by two other geroprotectors" by Mohammad, et al. which reported that caloric restriction and the tor1Δ mutation are robust geroprotectors in yeast and other eukaryotes. The authors demonstrate that caloric restriction generates a unique metabolic pattern. Unlike the tor1Δ mutation or lithocholic acid, it slows down the metabolic pathway ...

A team of McMaster University researchers who studied heart patients found that stair-climbing routines, whether vigorous or moderate, provide significant cardiovascular and muscular benefits. The findings, published in closely related studies in the journals Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise and Frontiers, address the most frequently cited barriers to exercise: time, equipment and access to gym facilities. "Brief, vigorous stair-climbing and traditional moderate intensity exercise both changed fitness, which is a key predictor of mortality after a cardiac event," says Maureen MacDonald, one of the lead researchers on both studies and a professor in McMaster's Department ...

Oncotarget published "The cancer testis antigens CABYR-a/b and CABYR-c are expressed in a subset of colorectal cancers and hold promise as targets for specific immunotherapy" which reported that Calcium-binding tyrosine phosphorylation-regulated protein is expressed in the human germ line but not in adult human tissues, thus, it is considered a cancer testis protein. The aim of this study is to evaluate the CABYR isoforms: a/b and c mRNA expression in colorectal cancer and to determine if these proteins hold promise as vaccine targets. CABYR mRNA expression in a set of normal human tissues, including the testis, were determined ...

A rare syndrome has been observed in people following vaccination against Covid-19. This involves thrombosis at unusual sites in the body, associated with a low thrombocyte (blood platelet) count and a clotting disorder. In medical jargon, this syndrome is referred to as VITT (vaccine-induced thrombotic thrombocytopenia). Doctors at the Department of Medicine I of MedUni Vienna and Vienna General Hospital (Division of Hematology and Hemastaseology) have now successfully treated an acute instance of this syndrome. VITT is most probably caused by a defective immune response, whereby thrombocyte-activating antibodies are produced resulting ...

An international team of researchers from Japan, the US and the UK has analyzed the function of the histone demethylase KDM5A in multiple myeloma, one of the three major hematological cancers, and clarified the mechanism by which it promotes myeloma cell proliferation. They also developed a novel KDM5 inhibitor and showed that it inhibits cancer cell growth in a myeloma mouse model. The researchers expect that new therapies targeting KDM5A will be developed in the future. The prognosis for multiple myeloma is improving every year with the introduction of new ...

A new study led by KAIST researchers using fruit flies reveals how protein deficiency in the diet triggers cross talk between the gut and brain to induce a desire to eat foods rich in proteins or essential amino acids. This finding reported in the May 5 issue of Nature can lead to a better understanding of malnutrition in humans. "All organisms require a balanced intake of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats for their well being," explained KAIST neuroscientist and professor Greg Seong-Bae Suh. "Taking in sufficient calories alone won't do the job, as it can still lead to severe forms of malnutrition including kwashiorkor, if the diet does not include enough proteins," he added. Scientists already knew that inadequate ...

Scientists from Hokkaido University have used species survey and climate data to identify two marine biodiversity refugia in the Eastern Bering Sea - regions where species richness, community stability and climate stability are high. Marine biodiversity, the diversity of life in the seas and oceans, supports ecosystem services of immense societal benefits. However, climate change and human activities have been adversely affecting marine biodiversity for many decades, resulting in population decline, community shifts, and species loss and extinction. Developing effective means to mitigate ...

A research group from Kumamoto University, Japan has discovered that cysteinylated albumin (oxidized albumin) in serum can be used as an early diagnostic marker for diabetic kidney disease. Compared with urinary albumin, serum oxidized albumin not only reflects renal pathology at an earlier stage, but can also predict the progression of renal pathology by its degree of elevation. The researchers believe that it can be used as a new diagnostic marker for early diagnosis of diabetic kidney disease. Diabetic kidney disease is one of three major complications of diabetes. Its prognosis is difficult to improve as it progresses so diagnosing it as early as possible and providing appropriate therapeutic intervention ...

Tsukuba, Japan--Researchers at the University of Tsukuba found that, despite only covering about one-third of the distance in HIIT compared with that covered in endurance training, similar improvements in exercise capacity and brain function were observed for both forms of exercise. "We investigated how rats' muscles and brains--specifically, the region of the brain involved in spatial learning called the hippocampus--adapted to these types of exercise, and how the rats consequently learned and remembered navigating mazes," explains Professor Hideaki Soya, the principal investigator. In the experiment, rats were assigned to 1 of 3 groups--resting, endurance running, or alternating intervals ...

Researchers at the University of Adelaide have found several grape varieties native to Cyprus, which tolerate drought conditions better than some international varieties popular in Australia, contain chemical compounds responsible for flavours preferred by Australian consumers. The study published in OENO One follows earlier research with Cypriot grape varieties Maratheftiko and Xynisteri in particular, which showed they are well adapted to a hot climate and continue to perform well as the climate becomes hotter. Lead author and PhD student Alexander Copper, from the University of ...

ATLANTA - Yerkes National Primate Research Center researchers in collaboration with Institut Pasteur have determined a combination immunotherapy of Interleukin-21 (IL-21) and interferon alpha (IFN?) when added to antiviral therapy (ART) is effective in generating highly functional natural killer (NK) cells that can help control and reduce simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) in animal models. This finding, published online today in Nature Communications, is key for developing additional treatment options to control HIV/AIDS, which impacts 38 million people worldwide. ART is the current leading treatment for HIV/AIDS. It is capable of reducing the virus to undetectable levels, but is ...

The way in which banks react to climate risks and uncertainty could impact financial stability as well as the world's transition to a low-carbon economy. A new study by researchers from IIASA and the Vienna University of Economics and Business explored the role that banks' expectations about climate-related risks will play in fostering or hindering an orderly low-carbon transition. According to the study published in a special issue on climate risks and financial stability of the Journal of Financial Stability, banks and their expectations about climate-related risks - and especially ...

Scientists at Skoltech Center for Energy Science and Technology have developed an enriched and scalable approach for increasing the capacity of a broad range of metal-ion battery cathode materials. These findings, published in Journal of Materials Chemistry A, can be useful for developing a new generation of advanced rechargeable energy storage devices. Creation of modern lithium-ion batteries became possible owing to several scientific breakthroughs. One of them, made by a Nobel laureate John B. Goodenough, was the development of cathode materials that contain reversibly extractable lithium ions. Implementation ...

Devices that deliver nicotine without smoke inhalation have potential to help smokers who cannot or do not want to stop using nicotine to reduce dramatically the risk of smoking-related disease and death. However, for smokers to switch to these alternatives, the products need to provide what smokers expect from cigarettes. The newest study from Queen Mary University of London evaluates safety and effects of these products and has focused on the most popular "heat not burn" product, IQOS. The researchers compared nicotine delivery and user ratings of IQOS with those of cigarettes, Juul (the US version of a 'pod' based e-cigarette with high nicotine content), and refillable e-cigarettes. IQOS delivered less nicotine than cigarettes. ...

Heavy precipitation can cause large economic, ecological, and human life losses. Both its frequency and intensity have increased due to climate change influences. Therefore, it is becoming increasingly critical to accurately model and predict heavy precipitation events. However, current global climate models (GCMs) struggle to correctly model tropical precipitation, particularly heavy rainfall. Atmospheric scientists are working to identify and minimize model biases that arise when attempting to model large-scale and convective precipitation. "Unrealistic ...