Hepatitis E is a common disease worldwide, but it often remains undetected. “There’s no precise data on how often the infection affects the neurological system,” says Michelle Jagst. What is known is that up to 11 percent of patients with certain neurological conditions such as Guillain-Barré syndrome and neuralgic amyotrophy either have HEV antibodies or are infected with the virus. Cells are infected directly In order to find out more, the research group is using a cell model that was…
Clinical trial targeted recurrence of hard-to-treat triple-negative breast cancer. A small clinical trial shows promising results for patients with triple-negative breast cancer who received an investigational vaccine designed to prevent recurrence of tumors. Conducted at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis with a therapy designed by WashU Medicine researchers, the trial is the first to report results for this type of vaccine — known as a neoantigen DNA vaccine — for breast cancer patients. The study, which found…
Research from the College of Medicine offers hope for delaying Alzheimer’s disease progression by years after initial diagnosis. A new therapy may delay Alzheimer’s disease progression by years, according to a study by researchers at Texas A&M University College of Medicine. Published in the Journal of Extracellular Vesicles, the research aims to explore treatment options for Alzheimer’s, which constitutes the most common form of dementia and is a leading cause of death among those aged 65 or older, afflicting nearly 7 million…
A wide variety of COVID-19 symptoms exist, ranging from mild to severe, and while current strains of the virus generally cause milder symptoms, those with co-morbidities are still at an exponentially greater risk of severe disease. Now, new research from Emory University is providing a more precise prediction of COVID-19 severity that can be found by looking at autoantibodies in the nasal cavity, leading to more personalized treatment plans. For high-risk individuals, this could provide critical information to inform immediate…
The hepatitis E virus affects the liver. But infected liver cells secrete a viral protein that reacts with antibodies in the blood and may form complexes that can damage the filter structure of the kidneys, as researchers from the University of Zurich and the University Hospital Zurich have proven for the first time. The hepatitis E virus infects some 70 million people every year. “This infection is the most common form of acute hepatitis and a major global health problem,”…
Researchers from Bonn uncover how tiny eye movements and the density of our photoreceptors aid in sharp vision Our ability to see starts with the light-sensitive photoreceptor cells in our eyes. A specific region of the retina, termed fovea, is responsible for sharp vision. Here, the color-sensitive cone photoreceptors allow us to detect even the smallest details. The density of these cells varies from person to person. Additionally, when we fixate on an object, our eyes make subtle, continuous movements,…
A large multicenter study led by the Department of Neurology at MHH confirms deficits in word fluency and visual information processing. MOGAD is a rare autoimmune disease of the central nervous system. According to estimates, one to three in 100,000 people are affected. They may suffer from visual disturbances, paralysis, incontinence and pain. But do they also have cognitive impairments? Smaller scientific studies have so far provided contradictory findings. A team of researchers led by the Department of Neurology with…
Air pollution is often viewed as an outdoor hazard and a threat to respiratory health. Emerging research shows that air pollution may also affect our brain health. Fine particulate matter (PM2.5), is a complex mixture of many chemicals that can be inhaled deep into the lungs. While PM2.5 exposure has long been linked to tissue damage and inflammation in the lung, its role in cognitive decline is only now gaining attention. Researchers from the universities of Rostock, Bonn and Luxembourg…
On around one in three trips someone falls ill, with gastrointestinal and respiratory complaints among the most common symptoms. These are the findings of a new study based on data from a travel app developed by researchers at the University of Zurich. The app could be used in the future to help detect outbreaks of contagious diseases at an early stage. Travelers sometimes pick up more than just memories when they go abroad. Unfortunately, they may also experience health issues…
In Germany, around 17,000 people are diagnosed with gastric cancer every year. The disease is one of the leading causes of tumour-related deaths. This is due to late diagnosis and the rapid spread of tumour cells throughout the body. In two international clinical trials, a team of scientists involving the University of Leipzig Medical Center have investigated a drug that can prolong patients’ survival. Thanks to the recently published data, zolbetuximab has now been approved as a drug in Europe….
Dysfunctional mitochondria disrupt the gut microbiome. Disruptions of mitochondrial functions have a fundamental influence on Crohn’s disease. This connection has now been demonstrated by researchers at the Technical University of Munich (TUM). They showed that defective mitochondria in mice trigger symptoms of chronic intestinal inflammation and influence the microbiome. Typical symptoms of Crohn’s disease include chronic diarrhea, abdominal pain and fever. Although the causes of Crohn’s disease are not yet fully understood, it has been known for some years that…
Fluorescein angiography capable of assessing neural blood flow in chronic nerve compression neuropathy. In modern office life, avoiding the onset of carpal tunnel syndrome might be a daily struggle. The worst case could mean needing surgery to alleviate compression of the nerves or to repair damaged nerves. Helping surgeons visually check the areas where neural blood flow has decreased due to chronic nerve compression can lead to improvements in diagnostic accuracy, severity assessments, and outcome predictions. With this in mind,…
Department of Defense-funded research may lead to breakthroughs for Parkinson’s symptom management. Parkinson’s disease is most known for its movement-related symptoms: tremors and rigidity, slowness and falls, caused by the loss of the brain’s dopamine-producing neurons. However, about half of Parkinson’s patients also experience neuropsychiatric problems, including cognitive and sleep issues, depression, anxiety, even psychosis, according to Binghamton University Psychology Professor Christopher R. Bishop. Bishop is part of a collaborative research team that recently received a four-year grant from the…
The Hannover Medical School (MHH) is one of the first institutions in Germany to be allowed to perform a new innovative treatment for hemophilia A and B. Cell and gene therapies are on the rise. This is a new ray of hope for people with previously untreatable or hardly treatable diseases. Another novel therapeutic method is now being added: gene therapy for hemophilia. The Hemophilia Center at the Hannover Medical School (MHH) is one of the first in Germany to…
Bonn researchers reclassify leading gene variants, a large proportion of them as benign. The genetic confirmation of a suspected diagnosis of “hereditary colorectal cancer” is of great importance for the medical care of affected families. However, many of the variants identified in the known genes cannot yet be reliably classified in terms of their causal role in tumor formation. Under the leadership of the University Hospital Bonn (UKB) and the University of Bonn, an international team of researchers has reassessed…
Biontech vaccine activated for booster vaccination against the current Corona variant JN.1 Production of adapted antibodies. The autumn wave of coronavirus is sweeping across Germany. Those affected mainly suffer from coughs, colds, sore throats and fever, but also from headaches, aching limbs, general weakness and shortness of breath. Because new SARS-CoV-2 variants and subtypes are constantly emerging, coronavirus vaccines must be constantly adapted, similar to influenza viruses. Currently, the virus variant Omikron JN.1 and its sub-lineages KP.2 and KP.3 are…
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