Author Archives: Karely Vega, MD

New Trial Highlights Incremental Progress Towards a Cure for HIV-1

Antiretroviral therapies (ART) stop HIV replication in its tracks, allowing people with HIV to live relatively normal lives. However, despite these treatments, some HIV still lingers inside cells in a dormant state known as “latency.” If ART is discontinued, HIV will awaken from its dormant state, begin to replicate, and cause acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). […]

Salt Substitutes for Blood Pressure Control

The replacement of regular salt with a salt substitute can reduce incidence of hypertension, or high blood pressure, in older adults without increasing their risk of low blood pressure episodes, according to a recent study in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. People who used a salt substitute had a 40% lower incidence […]

New Study Reveals Dynamic Impact of Nicotine on Brain Regions Responsible for Reward and Aversion

A new study led by researchers at the Marshall University Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine sheds light on the intricate interplay of brain regions involved in nicotine’s effects on the human brain. The research, published in eNeuro, an open-access, peer-reviewed scientific journal published by the Society for Neuroscience, explores how nicotine influences key areas […]

Nutrients Direct Intestinal Stem Cell Function and Affect Aging

The capacity of intestinal stem cells to maintain cellular balance in the gut decreases upon ageing. Researchers at the University of Helsinki have discovered a new mechanism of action between the nutrient adaptation of intestinal stem cells and ageing. The finding may make a difference when seeking ways to maintain the functional capacity of the […]

Nanofiber Bandages Speed Healing

Cornell University researchers have identified a new way to harness the antioxidant and antibacterial properties of a botanical compound to make nanofiber-coated cotton bandages that fight infection and help wounds heal more quickly. The findings are especially important given the increasing prevalence of multidrug-resistant bacteria. Cotton gauze is one of the most common wound dressings; […]

Aggression in People With Dementia

Immigrants living with dementia were more likely to present with agitation and aggression compared with their non-immigrant counterparts, a new study by Edith Cowan University (ECU) in collaboration with The Dementia Centre, HammondCare, found. Researchers from ECU’s Centre for Research in Aged Care and HammondCare’s The Dementia Centre noted that behaviours and psychological symptoms of […]

Effective Long-Term Lupus Treatment?

Australian researchers have worked out how to fix a defect that causes lupus, and hope their world-first discovery will offer effective long-term treatment. Published in Nature Communications, the Monash University-led study found a way to reprogram the defective cells of lupus patients with protective molecules from healthy people. Using human cells, the new treatment restores […]

Cell Therapy Shows Promise for ARDS

Promising trial results indicate that a new type of cell therapy could imrove the prognosis of those who are critically ill with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) resulting from severe Covid-19. Published in the journal Nature Communications, Professor Justin Stebbing of Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) is the joint senior author of the new study investigating […]

Common Food Preservative Has Unexpected Effects on the Gut Microbiome

Food manufacturers often add preservatives to food products to keep them fresh. A primary purpose of these preservatives is to kill microbes that could break down and otherwise spoil the food.  Common additives like sugar, salt, vinegar and alcohol have been used as preservatives for centuries, but modern-day food labels now reveal more unfamiliar ingredients […]

Lighting Up Alzheimer’s-Related Proteins to Allow for Earlier Disease Detection

Many neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, are difficult to diagnose before symptoms begin to appear. However, disease-related biomarkers such as aggregated proteins called amyloids could provide important insight much earlier, if they can be readily detected.  Researchers publishing in ACS Sensors have developed one such method using an array of sensor molecules that can […]