Drug resistance in viruses represents one of the major challenges of healthcare. As part of an effort to provide a treatment that avoids the possibility of drug resistance, we discovered a novel mechanism of action (MOA) and specific compounds to treat all nine human herpesviruses and animal herpesviruses. The novel MOA targets the pressurized genome… Continue reading Pressurized #DNA state inside #herpes capsids—A novel antiviral target
Category: Infectivology
#Cerebrovascular and Neurological Dysfunction under the Threat of #COVID-19: Is There a Comorbid Role for #Smoking and Vaping?
The recently discovered novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19 virus), has brought the whole world to standstill with critical challenges, affecting both health and economic sectors worldwide. Although initially, this pandemic was associated with causing severe pulmonary and respiratory disorders, recent case studies reported the association of cerebrovascular-neurological dysfunction in COVID-19 patients, which is also life-threatening. Several… Continue reading #Cerebrovascular and Neurological Dysfunction under the Threat of #COVID-19: Is There a Comorbid Role for #Smoking and Vaping?
#Tocilizumab for treatment of mechanically ventilated patients with #COVID-19
Severe COVID-19 can manifest in rapid decompensation and respiratory failure with elevated inflammatory markers, consistent with cytokine release syndrome for which IL-6 blockade is approved treatment We assessed effectiveness and safety of IL-6 blockade with tocilizumab in a single-center cohort of patients with COVID-19 requiring mechanical ventilation. The primary endpoint was survival probability post-intubation; secondary… Continue reading #Tocilizumab for treatment of mechanically ventilated patients with #COVID-19
#Dexamethasone in Hospitalized Patients with #Covid-19 — Preliminary Report
Coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) is associated with diffuse lung damage. Glucocorticoids may modulate inflammation-mediated lung injury and thereby reduce progression to respiratory failure and death In this controlled, open-label trial comparing a range of possible treatments in patients who were hospitalized with Covid-19, we randomly assigned patients to receive oral or intravenous dexamethasone (at a… Continue reading #Dexamethasone in Hospitalized Patients with #Covid-19 — Preliminary Report
#Probiotic Properties of #Escherichia coli Nissle in Human Intestinal Organoids
Probiotic, or beneficial, bacteria, such as E. coli Nissle, hold promise for the treatment of human disease. More study is needed to fully realize the potential of probiotics. Safety and efficacy studies are critically important; however, mice are poor models for many human intestinal diseases. We used stem cell-derived human intestinal organoid tissues to evaluate… Continue reading #Probiotic Properties of #Escherichia coli Nissle in Human Intestinal Organoids
Rapid Gel Card Agglutination Assays for Serological Analysis Following #SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Humans
High-throughput and rapid serology assays to detect the antibody response specific to severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) in human blood samples are urgently required to improve our understanding of the effects of COVID-19 across the world. Short-term applications include rapid case identification and contact tracing to limit viral spread, while population screening to determine the… Continue reading Rapid Gel Card Agglutination Assays for Serological Analysis Following #SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Humans
High-Fat Diet and Antibiotics Cooperatively Impair Mitochondrial Bioenergetics to Trigger #Dysbiosis that Exacerbates Pre-inflammatory Bowel Disease
The clinical spectra of irritable bowel syndrome (#IBS) and inflammatory bowel disease (#IBD) intersect to form a scantily defined overlap syndrome, termed pre-IBD. We show that increased Enterobacteriaceae and reduced Clostridia abundance distinguish the fecal microbiota of pre-IBD patients from IBS patients. A history of antibiotics in individuals consuming a high-fat diet was associated with… Continue reading High-Fat Diet and Antibiotics Cooperatively Impair Mitochondrial Bioenergetics to Trigger #Dysbiosis that Exacerbates Pre-inflammatory Bowel Disease
JOINT GUIDANCE ON VITAMIN D IN THE ERA OF COVID-19 FROM THE ASBMR, AACE, ENDOCRINE SOCIETY, ECTS, NOF, AND IOF
In response to the current COVID-19 global pandemic, and the attendant impact on outdoor physical activity and leisure time, the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research (ASBMR), American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE), Endocrine Society, European Calcified Tissue Society (ECTS), National Osteoporosis Foundation (NOF), and International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF) remind individuals of the importance… Continue reading JOINT GUIDANCE ON VITAMIN D IN THE ERA OF COVID-19 FROM THE ASBMR, AACE, ENDOCRINE SOCIETY, ECTS, NOF, AND IOF
Reservoirs of antimicrobial resistance genes in retail raw milk
Background It has been estimated that at least 3% of the USA population consumes unpasteurized (raw) milk from animal sources, and the demand to legalize raw milk sales continues to increase. However, consumption of raw milk can cause foodborne illness and be a source of bacteria containing transferrable antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs). To obtain a… Continue reading Reservoirs of antimicrobial resistance genes in retail raw milk