News From Around the System

Carrying Naloxone Can Save Lives but Newly Abstinent Opioid Users Resist

Repurposed Heart and Flu Drugs May Help Body Fight Sepsis

Higher platelet counts linked to better outcomes for patients with staph sepsis; repurposed drugs that protect platelets improve survival of septic mice

Though Risk is Minuscule, Infection after COVID-19 Vaccination is Possible

Study of vaccinated health care workers found tiny percentage tested positive, underscoring need for mitigation measures until population has achieved herd immunity through vaccination

Zea Borok, MD, Named Chair of the Department of Medicine at UC San Diego School of Medicine

Reversing Cancer’s Gluttony

Researchers report that pancreatic cancer tumors use multiple mechanisms to avoid starvation, suggesting a new target for treating a very difficult and deadly disease

Novel Coronavirus Circulated Undetected Months before First COVID-19 Cases in Wuhan, China

Study dates emergence to as early as October 2019; simulations suggest in most cases zoonotic viruses die out naturally before causing a pandemic

Therapy Sneaks into Hard Layer of Pancreatic Cancer Tumor and Destroys it From Within

In animal models, tumor-penetrating therapy allows chemotherapy drugs to be delivered deeper inside tumor tissue, increasing effectiveness

How Does Your Brain Process Emotions? Answer Could Help Address Loneliness Epidemic

Study finds specific brain regions respond opposingly to emotions related to loneliness and wisdom

Sewage-Handling Robots Help Predict COVID-19 Outbreaks in San Diego

Automated process helps test city sewage for SARS-CoV-2, allowing researchers to forecast the region’s caseload one to two weeks ahead of clinical diagnostic reports

Novel Drug Prevents Amyloid Plaques, a Hallmark of Alzheimer’s Disease

In animal models, the new compound modulated a key enzyme, reducing or eliminating production of problematic protein fragments; human clinical trials needed