Research Roundup: Covid; Diabetes; Parkinson’s; Alzheimer’s

ScienceDaily: Natural COVID-19 Antibodies Lasts Seven Months For Children, According To New Study 
Children previously infected with COVID-19 develop natural circulating antibodies that last for at least seven months, according to a new study. (University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, 3/18)

The Lancet: Risks And Burdens Of Incident Diabetes In Long COVID: A Cohort Study 
There is growing evidence suggesting that beyond the acute phase of SARS-CoV-2 infection, people with COVID-19 could experience a wide range of post-acute sequelae, including diabetes. However, the risks and burdens of diabetes in the post-acute phase of the disease have not yet been comprehensively characterised. To address this knowledge gap, we aimed to examine the post-acute risk and burden of incident diabetes in people who survived the first 30 days of SARS-CoV-2 infection. (Xie and Al-Aly, 3/21)

ScienceDaily: A Gene Could Prevent Parkinson's Disease
Parkinson's disease is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the destruction of a specific population of neurons: the dopaminergic neurons. A team has investigated the destruction of these dopaminergic neurons using the fruit fly as study model. The scientists identified a key protein in flies, and also in mice, which plays a protective role against this disease and could be a new therapeutic target. (Universite de Geneve, 3/17)

ScienceDaily: New Strategy Reduces Brain Damage In Alzheimer’s And Related Disorders, In Mice
Alzheimer's disease is the most common and best known of the tauopathies, a set of neurodegenerative brain diseases caused by toxic tangles of the protein tau. A study has now shown that targeting astrocytes -- an inflammatory cell in the brain -- reduces tau-related brain damage and inflammation in mice. (Washington University School of Medicine, 3/18)

ScienceDaily: When The Brain Sees A Familiar Face: The Action Of The Eye Triggers Brain Waves To Help Remember Socially Important Information 
Researchers have uncovered new information about how the area of the brain responsible for memory is triggered when the eyes come to rest on a face versus another object or image. (Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, 3/18)

ScienceDaily: Large Study On Traumatic Brain Injury Highlights Global Inequality In Causes And Treatment 
Neurosurgery experts from Cambridge have led the largest ever study examining the surgical management of traumatic brain injuries, highlighting regional inequalities in both major causes and treatment of such injuries. (University of Cambridge, 3/17)

American Academy Of Pediatrics: The Plight Of Discontinued Pediatric Clinical Trials And What We Can Do About It 
While all peer-reviewed pediatric journals look forward to receiving well-done clinical trials, the number of pediatric trials is much smaller than the number of adult clinical studies. An important reality is that many studies are not completed. This could be due to the challenge of enrolling children, the relative low prevalence for high-priority conditions, and a lack of funding. What proportion of trials registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, one of the largest international databases of clinical trials, are completed and ultimately published?  These were the questions that Brewster et al (10.1542/peds.2021-052557) explored in an interesting article being early-released this month in Pediatrics. (First, MD, MS, 3/22)

JAMA Network: Outcomes And Safety Of History-Based Screening For Medication Abortion: A Retrospective Multicenter Cohort Study 
Screening for medication abortion eligibility typically includes ultrasonography or pelvic examination. To reduce physical contact during the COVID-19 pandemic, many clinicians stopped requiring tests before medication abortion and instead screened patients for pregnancy duration and ectopic pregnancy risk by history alone. However, few US-based studies have been conducted on the outcomes and safety of this novel model of care. (Upadhyay, Phd, MPH, et al, 3/21)