Tag Archives: benefits

Treatment with interferon speeds up recovery of COVID-19 patients

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Treatment with antivirals such as interferons may significantly clear virus and reduce levels of inflammatory proteins in COVID-19 patients, said a new study conducted by researchers in Toronto.
Researchers conducting an exploratory study on some confirmed COVID-19 cases in Wuhan found that treatment with interferon (IFN)-α2b significantly reduced the duration of detectable virus in the upper respiratory tract and reduced blood levels of interleukin(IL)-6 and C-reactive protein (CRP), two inflammatory proteins found in the human body.
The findings, published in the journal Frontiers in Immunology show potential for the development of an effective antiviral drug COVID-19 global pandemic caused by the novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, said researchers.

“Interferons are our first line of defence against any and all viruses – but viruses such as corona-viruses have co-evolved to very specifically block an interferon response”, said lead author Dr Eleanor Fish of the Toronto General Hospital Research Institute & University of Toronto’s Department of Immunology. “This informs us of the importance of interferons for the clearance of virus infections. Treatment with interferon will override the inhibitory effects of the virus,” he noted.

Earlier study on SARS helped

Fish and his team of doctors considered IFN-α therapy for COVID-19 based on their earlier findings during the 2003 SARS outbreak. “My group conducted a clinical study in Toronto to evaluate the therapeutic potential of IFN-α against SARS. Our findings were that interferon treatment sped up the resolution of lung abnormalities in patients treated with interferon compared with those not treated with interferon” said Fish.

The authors examined the course of disease in a group of 77 individuals with confirmed COVID-19 and admitted to Union Hospital, Tongii Medical College, Wuhan in China, between January 16 and February 20, 2020. The individuals were in their preliminary stage of disease and required no intensive care or oxygen supplementation or intubation.

Patients were either treated with IFN-α2b, arbidol (ARB), which is a broad-spectrum antiviral, or a combination of IFN-α2b plus ARB, and viral clearance was defined as two consecutive negative tests for virus at least 24 hours apart, from throat swab samples.

The researchers found treatment with IFN-α2b, whether alone or in combination with ARB, accelerated viral clearance when compared to ARB treatment alone. IFN treatment was able to significantly reduce circulating levels of IL-6 and CRP, whether alone or in combination with ARB. Noticeably, age and sex did not negate the effects of IFN treatment on viral clearance times or on the reduction in the inflammatory proteins IL-6 and CRP, they said.

Clinical trial next

Despite the study being a small and non-randomised cohort, the work provides new insights into COVID-19 disease, notably accelerated viral clearance from the upper respiratory tract and reduced circulating inflammatory biomarkers, hinting at functional connections between viral infection and host end organ damage by limiting the subsequent inflammatory response in the lungs of patients.

In defense of the treatment method, Fish argues, “Rather then developing a virus-specific antiviral for each new virus outbreak, I would argue that we should consider interferons as the ‘first responders’ in terms of treatment. Interferons have been approved for clinical use for many years, so the strategy would be to ‘repurpose’ them for severe acute virus infections.”

Fish says a randomized clinical trial is a crucial next step but for now, the current findings suggest therapeutic efficacy of IFN-α2b as an available antiviral intervention for COVID-19, which may also benefit public health measures by shortening the duration of viral clearance and therefore slowing the tide of the pandemic.

Trends, benefits, and costs of working remotely

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A new assessment indicates that working remotely is a growing trend, and while it is associated with higher organisational commitment, job satisfaction, and job-related well-being, these benefits come at the cost of work intensification and a greater inability to switch off. The findings are published in New Technology, Work and Employment.

“Work is gradually being detached from traditional places such as the office, factory, or shop. Our study also shows that employers benefit from increased effort as workers strive to show that working remotely is not a slacker’s charter,” said Prof. Alan Felstead, co-author of the analysis. “However, remote workers find greater difficulty in redrawing the boundaries between work and non-work life.

Flax Seeds Help Women Most: Study

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Flaxseed is the new sought-after supplement in faily diet owing to its component lignans which help women to get regular menstrual cycle and also reduce the risk of breast cancer, show recent research findings.

According to the American Institute for Cancer Research, flax seed contains lignans, also called phytoestrogens, bearing a chemical structure similar to estrogen but unlike estrogen that increases the risk of breast cancer, these brown seeds do not increase cancer risk but be more protective.

In studies conducted on animals, it was shown that lignans isolated from flaxseed help women during the menstrual period and post-menopausal period by lowering the risk of breast cancer. It was also observed that flaxseed did not interfere with the effectiveness of the anti-estrogen medication tamoxifen, said the AICR study. The higher blood levels of lignans show prominent cancer-protective features, said the study.

“For people who wish to consume flaxseed as a source of omega-3 fat or dietary fiber, studies do not support fears that flaxseed could increase incidence or recurrence of breast cancer,” says Karen Collins. However, more research is to be done before recommending it as a medication for breast cancer, said Collins in the paper.

In a previous study conducted from 2002 to 2005, the German Cancer Research Center (Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum, DKFZ) researchers used the MARIE study to take blood samples of 1,140 women who had been diagnosed with postmenopausal breast cancer. After a mean observation time of six years, they related enterolactone levels to clinical disease progression.

Compared to the study subjects with the lowest enterolactone levels, the women with the highest blood levels of this biomarker had an approximately 40 percent lower mortality risk. When the scientists additionally took account of the incidence of metastasis and secondary tumors, they obtained a similar result: Women with the highest enterolactone levels also had a lower risk for such an unfavorable disease progression.

“We now have first clear evidence showing that lignans lower not only the risk of developing postmenopausal breast cancer, but also the mortality risk,” said Jenny Chang-Claude.

There had been prior studies to determine the lignan intake by means of dietary surveys. But the results of such surveys are often unreliable and, in addition, there are big differences in the way individuals actually process the plant substances into effective metabolic products. Therefore, the Heidelberg team chose the more reliable measurement of biomarkers.

Otherwise, flax seeds have other potential medicinal properties, besides preventing growth of harmful cancer cells, even for prostate cancer. Since these seeds are found to catalyze insulin secretion in the body to regulate blood-sugar levels, diabetics are often advised to make it part of their daily diet.

In menopausal women, flaxseeds help them fight complications by maintaining balance in body hormones and reducing the risk of osteoporosis. It is also helpful in lowering bad cholesterol due to its rich nutrients.

The flipside of flaxseeds is that they are rich in calorie levels, 150 grams in four tablespoons.

India ‘Reactivates’ Its Association Status with IEA

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India has reactivated its association status with the world energy body International Energy Association and said both will work in the areas of mutual interests, including capacity building to meet supply side disruptions.

Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan met Dr Fatih Birol, Executive Director of IEA on Thursday jointly with Minister of State for Power, Coal & New and Renewable Energy and Mines Piyush Goyal. Dr Birol is visiting India to jointly announce the Activation of ‘Association Status’ of India with IEA.

During the meeting, Pradhan welcomed the elevation of India’s relationship with IEA from Partnership Status (2013) to Association Status and vowed to work towards balancing the global Energy Dynamics reflecting today’s global realities.

India and IEA have an MoU since 2011 under which both are working on capacity building to respond to an oil emergency situation. With the Association Status in place, both India and IEA will work in the areas of mutual interests pertaining to Oil and Gas sector, including capacity building to meet supply side disruptions.

IEA is a Paris based autonomous organisation established in 1974 to ensure reliable, affordable and clean energy for its 29 member countries by coordinating collective response to major disruptions in oil supply through release of oil stocks into the global markets.