‘Vampire Facials’ at Spa Linked to HIV Infections
DENVER — Five cases of HIV infection associated with cosmetic platelet-rich plasma (PRP) microneedling, known as a “vampire facial,” were linked to one spa in New Mexico, according to a report from CDC investigators. From 2018 to 2023, four former clients of the spa and one sexual partner of a client were diagnosed with HIV, […]
Alzheimer’s Blood Test Predicts Who Might Benefit Most From Anti-Amyloid Drugs
Plasma phosphorylated tau 217 (p-tau217) outperformed p-tau181, p-tau231, and other blood-based biomarkers to identify which patients might benefit most from anti-amyloid Alzheimer’s drugs, a cohort study showed. Plasma p-tau217 helped rule out two groups who would not likely benefit: those who were amyloid-negative, and those who were amyloid-positive but had a high tau burden, reported […]
Proteins Predict Signs of Alzheimer’s Disease
Protein indicators of subclinical peripheral heath in plasma were linked with markers of Alzheimer’s disease and neurodegeneration, cross-sectional proteomic analyses showed. Greater protein-based risk for cardiovascular disease, heart failure mortality, and kidney disease was associated with plasma biomarkers of amyloid-beta, phosphorylated tau181 (p-tau181), neurofilament light (NfL, a measure of neuronal injury), and glial fibrillary acidic […]
Convalescent Plasma Improves Survival in COVID Patients with ARDS, New Trial Shows
Convalescent plasma reduced mortality in COVID-19 patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) when provided within 5 days of invasive mechanical ventilation, the randomized open-label CONFIDENT trial showed. Mortality at 28 days was 35.4% among patients who received donated convalescent plasma with at least 1:160 neutralizing antibody titer, compared with 45% in patients who received […]
‘Yellow’ Blood Products Come With VTE Risk, Study Finds
SAN FRANCISCO — Surgeons should be extremely judicious in ordering fresh frozen plasma (FFP) as part of perioperative blood transfusions, suggested a nationwide analysis reported here. Post-operative rates of both venous thromboembolism (VTE) and mortality were significantly higher in patients receiving FFP along with red blood cells, relative to those transfused only with red cells, […]
Platelet-Rich Plasma Injections Flop for Erectile Dysfunction in U.S. Study
CHICAGO — Intracavernosal platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections were no better than placebo for treating mild-to-moderate erectile dysfunction, a randomized, single-center trial found. At 1 month after the second round of injections, no significant difference was seen between the PRP and placebo groups for the study’s primary endpoint, the percentage of men attaining a minimum clinically […]
FDA Panel Supports Tofersen for Rare Genetic ALS
A panel of FDA advisors voted unanimously that plasma neurofilament light chain (NfL), a biomarker of neurodegeneration, is a reasonable surrogate endpoint in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) associated with a mutation in the SOD1 gene (SOD1-ALS). In a 9-0 vote on Wednesday, the agency’s Peripheral and Central Nervous System Drugs Advisory Committee said the available […]
Smaller, stronger magnets could improve devices that harness the fusion power of the sun and stars
Researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL) have found a way to build powerful magnets smaller than before, aiding the design and construction of machines that could help the world harness the power of the sun to create electricity without producing greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change. The […]
Predicting equatorial plasma bubbles with SWARM
Changes in atmospheric density after sunset can cause hot pockets of gas called ‘plasma bubbles’ to form over the Earth’s equator, resulting in communication disruptions between satellites and the Earth. New AI models are now helping scientists to predict plasma bubble events and create a forecast. The work was presented this week at the National […]