Monkeypox virus (MPXV) is an enveloped double-stranded DNA virus that belongs to the Orthopoxvirus genus of the Poxviridae family. There are two distinct genetic clades of the MPXV: the Central African (Congo Basin) clade and the West African clade. Monkeypox (MPX) is a viral zoonosis (a virus transmitted to humans from animals) with symptoms similar… Continue reading Monkeypox outbreak predominantly affecting men who have sex with men, Madrid, Spain, 26 April to 16 June 2022
Cardiovascular Effects of the BNT162b2 mRNA COVID-19 Vaccine in Adolescents
This study focuses on cardiovascular effects, particularly myocarditis and pericarditis events, after BNT162b2 mRNA COVID-19 vaccine injection in Thai adolescents. This prospective cohort study enrolled students from two schools aged 13–18 years who received the second dose of the BNT162b2 mRNA COVID-19 vaccine. Data including demographics, symptoms, vital signs, ECG, echocardiography and cardiac enzymes were… Continue reading Cardiovascular Effects of the BNT162b2 mRNA COVID-19 Vaccine in Adolescents
Covid-19: Regulators warn that rare Guillain-Barré cases may link to J&J and AstraZeneca vaccines
Rapid Response:Autoimmune damage to the nerves following Covid vaccines: EMA issued warning to patients and healthcare professionalsDear EditorEMA recently investigated the cases of Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) following Covid vaccine AstraZeneca (AZ) and have issued a warning to raise awareness of healthcare professionals and the public about GBS cases following Covid vaccinations and recommended revising the… Continue reading Covid-19: Regulators warn that rare Guillain-Barré cases may link to J&J and AstraZeneca vaccines
Joint ECDC-WHO Regional Office for Europe Monkeypox Surveillance Bulletin: 3 August 2022
Bioresorbable Nanostructured Chemical Sensor for Monitoring of pH Level In Vivo
Here, the authors report on the manufacturing and in vivo assessment of a bioresorbable nanostructured pH sensor. The sensor consists of a micrometer-thick porous silica membrane conformably coated layer-by-layer with a nanometer-thick multilayer stack of two polyelectrolytes labeled with a pH-insensitive fluorophore. The sensor fluorescence changes linearly with the pH value in the range 4… Continue reading Bioresorbable Nanostructured Chemical Sensor for Monitoring of pH Level In Vivo
High-dose Vitamin B6 supplementation reduces anxiety and strengthens visual surround suppression
ObjectiveVitamins B6 and B12 are involved in metabolic processes that decrease neural excitation and increase inhibition. This double-blind study investigated the effects of supplementation for 1 month with a high-dose of B6 or B12, compared to placebo, on a range of behavioural outcome measures connected to the balance between neural inhibition and excitation.Methods478 young adults… Continue reading High-dose Vitamin B6 supplementation reduces anxiety and strengthens visual surround suppression
Are Lockdowns Effective in Managing Pandemics?
The present coronavirus crisis caused a major worldwide disruption which has not been experienced for decades. The lockdown-based crisis management was implemented by nearly all the countries, and studies confirming lockdown effectiveness can be found alongside the studies questioning it. In this work, we performed a narrative review of the works studying the above effectiveness,… Continue reading Are Lockdowns Effective in Managing Pandemics?
Immune boosting by B.1.1.529 (Omicron) depends on previous SARS-CoV-2 exposure
Importance of infection historyA long-term study of healthcare workers in the United Kingdom has allowed their history of infection and vaccination to be traced precisely. Reynolds et al. found some unexpected immune-damping effects caused by infection with a heterologous variant to the latest wave of infection by the Omicron/Pango lineage B.1.1.529. The authors found that… Continue reading Immune boosting by B.1.1.529 (Omicron) depends on previous SARS-CoV-2 exposure
The Incidence of Myocarditis and Pericarditis in Post COVID-19 Unvaccinated Patients—A Large Population-Based Study
Myocarditis and pericarditis are potential post-acute cardiac sequelae of COVID-19 infection, arising from adaptive immune responses. We aimed to study the incidence of post-acute COVID-19 myocarditis and pericarditis. Retrospective cohort study of 196,992 adults after COVID-19 infection in Clalit Health Services members in Israel between March 2020 and January 2021. Inpatient myocarditis and pericarditis diagnoses… Continue reading The Incidence of Myocarditis and Pericarditis in Post COVID-19 Unvaccinated Patients—A Large Population-Based Study