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    Category Health/Medical

    How the Gut may help to Drive COVID-19

    September 7, 2022, Categories  Biology/Biotechnology, Health/Medical

    New findings from Flinders University have demonstrated a molecular link between COVID-19 and serotonin cells in the gut.

    The research could help provide further clues to what could be driving COVID-19 infection and disease severity and supports previous evidence that antidepressants, known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), could reduce the severity of COVID symptoms.

    COVID-19 displays an array of symptoms, which can regularly include gastrointestinal issues such as diarrhoea. Recent research has indicated that these gut symptoms in COVID-19 patients worsen with the severity of the disease, and this is linked to heightened gut-derived serotonin, released to cause gut dysfunction, increasing the body’s immune response and potentially worsening patient outcomes.

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    Having High Cholesterol and Reduced Physical Stamina and being Overweight are Long COVID Sequelae in Young Adults

    September 7, 2022, Categories  Health/Medical, Biology/Biotechnology

    Having high cholesterol and reduced physical stamina and being overweight are long COVID sequelae in young adults
    Test battery used in the Long COVID in Military Organizations study. The test battery was used to evaluate the long-term sequelae of COVID-19 in young adults. A variety of quantitative tests and standardized questionnaires were used to measure the effect on various organ systems and parameters in participants following COVID-19, asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection, or in individuals who were non-exposed to SARS-CoV-2. Anti-N=anti-SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid. Anti-S=anti-SARS-CoV-2 spike. BDI-13=Beck Depression Inventory (13 items). CFQ-11=Chalder Fatigue Scale. eGFR=estimated glomerular filtration rate. FeNO=fractional exhaled nitric oxide. FSH=follicle stimulating hormone. HbA1c=glycated hemoglobin. IES-R=Impact of Event Scale-Revised. LH=luteinising hormone...
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    Scientists Discover New Kind of Synapse in Neurons’ Tiny Hairs

    September 5, 2022, Categories  Health/Medical, Biology/Biotechnology

    20220901_synapse_illustrated450.png
    This graphic shows a model of the serotonergic axo-ciliary synapse. The serotonergic axon comes from the brainstem (blue) and contacts the primary cilia (yellow). Cilia-specific serotonin receptors constitute a distinct signaling pathway to the nucleus. Activation of this pathway modulates nuclear actin, increases histone acetylation and chromatin accessibility. Credit: Sheu et al./Cell

    Scientists at HHMI’s Janelia Research Campus have discovered a new kind of synapse in the tiny hairs on the surface of neurons.

    The commonly overlooked protrusions called primary cilia contain special junctions that act as a shortcut for sending signals quickly and directly to the cell’s nucleus, inducing changes to the cell’s chromatin that forms chromosomes.

    “This special synapse represents a wa...

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    Old Drugs Hint at New Ways to Beat Chronic Pain

    September 1, 2022, Categories  Health/Medical, Biology/Biotechnology

    Visualizing pain in mouse sensory neurons. Mouse sensory neurons are shown in magenta. BH4, the molecule driving chronic pain, is shown in green. Hence, the neurons “in pain” are seen in green/white. ©Cronin/IMBA

    A newly identified link between chronic pain and lung cancer in mice offers hope for pain management. A new study points to possible new treatments for chronic pain with a surprising link to lung cancer. Findings of the research, conducted in laboratory mouse models, open up multiple therapeutic opportunities that could allow the world to improve chronic pain management and eclipse the opioid epidemic.

    Pain is an important alarm system that alerts us to tissue damage and prompts us to withdraw from harmful situations...

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