Experts develop a breakthrough genetic risk score for Heart Disease in South Asia

Bengaluru: MedGenome Lab has conducted a first-ever study on Indian population that validates a novel ‘CAD-PRS’ (coronary artery disease-genome-wide polygenic risk score) to precisely predict the risk of developing a coronary artery disease/myocardial infarction (MI) using a person’s genetic makeup. MedGenome collaborated with researchers from Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard; Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston; Narayana Health, Bangalore; Eternal Hospital, Jaipur; Madras Medical Mission, Chennai; KMCH, Coimbatore and a few other institutes to conduct this first-ever research capturing the PRS of disease for South Asia populations and its findings are now published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology (JACC). Dr. Vedam Ramprasad, CEO, MedGenome Labs said “Looking at all the available scientific evidence and our study results we are convinced that there exists a good opportunity to combine both clinical and genetic risks (polygenic risk score based) and significantly improve the primary prevention of coronary artery disease (CAD)." ....read more

CMAAO Coronavirus Facts and Myth Buster: RTPCR Memory T Cells

With inputs from Dr Monica Vasudev1046: A spurt of new studies has shown that a large proportion of the population — at some places, around 20-50% of people — might carry T cells that identify the new coronavirus despite having never encountered it before. Although it’s too early to ascertain how helpful they might be, but even a slight influence on immune response could make the disease milder. While the new coronavirus was unknown until 8 months back, yet to some human immune cells, it was already something familiar. This could be a case of family resemblance. For the immune system, pathogens with common roots can look alike, such that when a similar pathogen comes to call, the body may already have a clue of its intentions. ....read more

World COVID Meter 11th August:Acute immuno-inflammatory manageable virus disease with significant post-virus phase;213 Countries Affected

Cases: 1M April 2, 2M April 15, 3M April 27, 4M May 8, 5M May 20, 6M May 30, 7M June 7, 8M June 15, 9M June 22, 10M June 29th, 11M July 4, 12M July 8, 13M July 13, 14M July 17, 15M July 23, 16M July 25, 17M July 29, 18M August 1, 19M August 6, 20M August 10 Ground Zero: Wuhan - in live animal market or cafeteria for animal pathogens: 10thJanuary; Total cases are based on RT-PCR, 67% sensitivity Coronavirus Cases: 20,246,580,Deaths: 738,695 ,Recovered: 13,107,360,ACTIVE CASES: 6,400,525 ....read more

Why Do We Say Aum Shanti Thrice?

“Trivaram satyam” - that which is said thrice comes true. In order to emphasize on a point, we repeat a thing thrice. In the court of law also, one who takes the witness stand says, "I shall speak the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth". Prayer is done to get something for which we have a strong desire, like Shanti, which means "peace" or inner happiness. There is only love in the universe. Hatred is withdrawal of love. It follows the same principle of light and darkness. There is no darkness in the universe; it is only absence of light. Similarly, there is only peace in the natural environment (both external and internal). Peace naturally exists in a place until noise is made (external or internal). ....read more

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Low positive rate in COVID 19 is a good sign

Healthcare News Monitor

Covid-19 antibodies fade rapidly, raising risk of lost immunity

HT

Recovering from Covid-19 may not offer much protection from future infections for those with only a mild case, according to a report that suggests caution regarding so-called herd immunity as well as vaccine durability. The correspondence in the New England Journal of Medicine outlined an analysis of antibodies taken from the blood of 34 patients who had recovered after suffering mainly mild symptoms that didn’t require intensive care. Just two needed supplemental oxygen and received an HIV medication, and none were on a ventilator or getting Gilead Sciences Inc.’s remdesivir. The first analysis was done on antibodies taken an average of 37 days after symptoms began, with a second after about 86 days, or less than three months. The researchers found that antibody levels fell quickly, with a half-life of about 73 days between the two time frames. The loss of antibodies occurred more quickly than with SARS, an earlier type of coronavirus infection.

Coronavirus: Latest updates on cases in India, all you need to know about COVID-19

ThePrint

So far, 45,257 people have died, while 15,83,489 have recovered since the first case was recorded in Kerala in January. One Covid-19 patient has been recorded as a migrated case, according to the Union health ministry. The government began its phased ‘unlockdown’ from 8 June, with extensive relaxations including opening of religious places, shopping malls and restaurants. Public transport, except metro services, have also resumed operations. While experimental treatments have shown some promise, the world is focused on the results of vaccine trials being conducted in several countries. In India, the ICMR is also working on a human trial for the vaccine it is developing with Bharat Biotech, called Covaxin.

Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine candidate induces immune response in early-phase clinical trial: study

The Indian Express

A COVID-19 vaccine candidate co-developed by the pharmaceutical giant Pfizer and the German biotech company BioNTech induces a “robust” immune response in healthy adults aged 18-55 years, according to an interim report of an early phase clinical trial, published in the journal Nature on Wednesday. The researchers noted that BNT162b1 is an RNA vaccine that elicits an immune response by mimicking the mRNA molecule used by the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 to build its infectious proteins. According to the study the vaccine candidate is delivered intramuscularly, and enables human cells to produce proteins part of the SARS-CoV-2 receptor-binding domain, against which the immune system is trained to produce antibodies.