Molecular basis for alkaline taste: Working with fruit flies, research informs how other species might detect and avoid high-pH or alkaline foods
The sense of taste is among the first to come into contact with food before we ingest it, but whether animals can taste basic or alkaline food and how they do it remained unclear until now. A research group led by Yali Zhang, PhD, Principal Investigator at the Monell Chemical Senses Center, recently addressed this […]
First Treatment Approved for Rare Genetic Neurologic Disorder
The FDA approved trofinetide (Daybue), the first drug to treat adult and pediatric patients age 2 and older with Rett syndrome, drugmaker Acadia Pharmaceuticals announced Friday. “Now, for the first time after decades of clinical research, healthcare providers finally have a treatment option to address a range of core behavioral, communication, and physical symptoms for […]
Fast-Acting Nasal Spray for Migraine Snags FDA Approval
The FDA approved intranasal zavegepant (Zavzpret) for acute migraine, making it the first calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) receptor antagonist nasal spray with this indication, drugmaker Pfizer announced on Friday. Zavegepant is indicated for the treatment of migraine with or without aura, and is not indicated for preventing migraine. The pathophysiology of migraines is related to […]
These Surgeries Made the Sharpest Turns to Outpatient Setting After COVID
Some common general surgeries had the biggest migrations to the outpatient setting during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, a retrospective cohort study confirmed. Compared with the previous few years, calendar year 2020 saw disproportionately more outpatient cases of mastectomy for cancer, minimally invasive adrenalectomy, thyroid lobectomy, breast lumpectomy, minimally invasive ventral hernia repair, […]
FDA Authorizes First At-Home Test That Can Detect Flu And COVID-19
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorized the first over-the-counter at-home test to detect and differentiate influenza (commonly known as the flu) and COVID-19. The test, made by California-based Lucira Health, works similarly to standard at-home COVID tests where users swirl a self-collected nasal swab in a vial and place it in a test unit. […]
FDA Authorizes At-Home Test for Both Flu and COVID
The FDA has authorized the first over-the-counter (OTC) home test to detect both influenza A and B and COVID-19, the agency announced Friday. The Lucira COVID-19 & Flu Test is a single-use at-home test kit that provides results in about 30 minutes. The test is designed for those with symptoms of a respiratory tract infection. […]
FDA Approves First Treatment for Geographic Atrophy Secondary to AMD
The FDA approved pegcetacoplan injection (Syfovre) as the first treatment for geographic atrophy (GA) secondary to age-related macular degeneration (AMD), according to a statement from Apellis Pharmaceuticals. Primary support for the approval came from the randomized, sham-controlled DERBY and OAKS trials, which showed a 22% overall reduction in growth of GA with pegcetacoplan over 24 […]
New discovery to bulk up gluten-free fiber supplement
Scientists have for the first time constructed the reference genome for the source of the popular fibre supplement, psyllium husk, which could boost supplies of the versatile plant-derived product. University of Adelaide experts conducted research on psyllium, also known as Plantago ovata. “We extracted and sequenced the deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) from leaf tissue to construct […]
Opinion | ‘I Thought I Had Woken Up to an Earthquake’: What We Heard This Week
“The first time I experienced it, I thought I had woken up to an earthquake.” — Nassim Zecavati, MD, of Children’s Hospital of Richmond in Virginia, discussing her personal experience with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo. “It’s like giving the full sandwich rather than giving bread, salami, and tomato, and a little mustard and mayo separately. […]
Here’s A Quick Guide To Understanding Pompe Disease
First thing’s first: What is Pompe disease? Pompe disease is a rare, degenerative muscle disorder that can impact an individual’s ability to move and breathe. How does Pompe disease affect the body? Pompe disease is an inherited disorder caused by a change in the acid alpha-glucosidase (GAA) gene. The change of the gene leads to […]