Articles related to MEDICAL UNIVERSITY PRESS

Advancing kidney health. Nanoscience. Bioanalytics. Biomaterials. Fighting pediatric leukemias. What’s the common thread? They describe the areas of research focus for four electees to AAAS this year.

The new transistor technology could solve the problem that electrochemical signaling is typically too weak to monitor effectively. Current sensors have such low signal strength that it is impossible to monitor tissue responses in real time. Instead, blood samples or biopsies are used. The new technology lays a foundation for real time noninvasive, highly sensitive monitoring.

Older adults using digital communications technology like email and video calls had higher levels of depression and anxiety about COVID-19. One explanation is that those who experiencing feelings of depression and anxiety were more likely to use digital tools. But another plausible explanation is that the digital technologies used were not well suited to older adults, possibly fueling their depression and anxiety.

A recent study by researchers at SUNY suggests that reading may contribute to myopia progression. The study found that the images formed by our eyes during reading lack the diversity of contrasts and visual motion needed to activate major visual pathways that are important for visual development. Factors such as low light, low contrast, and the lack of self-motion make reading less effective at stimulating these pathways compared to activities like walking. The study’s findings suggest that reducing near work, such as reading, may be an effective strategy to prevent myopia progression.

Bispecific antibodies are molecules that are designed to engage or bind to two distinct targets, bringing two distinct cells together. The majority of those that have received regulatory approval are T-cell-engaging bispecific antibodies. Blinatumomab (Blincyto) for ALL, teclistamab (Tecvayli) for multiple myeloma, and mosunetuzumab-axgb (Lunsumio) for follicular lymphoma are some examples of FDA-approved treatments. Glofitamab, another bispecific antibody, is currently under FDA Priority Review for the treatment of R/R DLBCL. Another type of immunotherapy is chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy, but bispecific antibodies provide the same spectrum of side effects with much less toxicity and are showing promise in solid tumors as well.

A blood test focusing on a set of eight autoantibody markers was 97% effective in detecting the presence of Alzheimer’s disease-related pathology up to 10 years before onset of clinical symptoms. According to the investigators, “this is the first blood test to accurately detect Alzheimer’s-related pathology several years before either clinical symptoms or more expensive and invasive tests can identify the disease.”