Suppressing MDM4, a mechanosensitive protein produced by myofibroblasts — the main drivers of pulmonary fibrosis (PF) — promoted the death and clearance of myofibroblasts and reversed persistent lung scarring in a mouse model, a study shows. Notably, these benefits were associated with a reduced stiffness of the extracellular matrix (ECM),…
I have mixed feelings about getting the COVID-19 vaccine. It’s not what you might expect, though. I am not conflicted about whether I should get it. I am not afraid or suspicious of it. I don’t think the vaccine’s fast creation makes it unreliable or unpredictable — merely unprecedented.
Tiny particles, or nanoparticles, coated with a peptide called GSE4 prevented some features of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and eased others in a rat model of this disease, scientists report. No harmful effects were associated with the use of these GSE4-loaded nanoparticles in the animals, the team added, suggesting they should…
Spending a month in San Francisco is a good way to get out of your head. Some people come to the mountains, where I live, to clear their minds. I like to go where the action is in the city to fill my head with things besides my…
Exposure to certain work- and environment-related elements may be the cause of some idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) cases, a recent meta-analysis shows. In particular, exposure to pesticides and agricultural work seem to be factors associated with an increased risk of a person developing IPF. Additionally, exposure to metal dust…
Many diseases have their own awareness color — breast cancer is pink, muscular dystrophy is green, and AIDS is red, for example — but what’s the significance of pink, green, blue, and purple lights side-by-side? These are the colors most often used to represent Rare Disease Day. This…
Respiratory viral and bacterial infections are common in people with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and might play a role in the development of the disease, a study reported. The study, “The role of viral and bacterial infections in the pathogenesis of IPF: a systematic review and…
People should be reimbursed for costs of using Ofev (nintedanib) to treat progressive fibrosing interstitial lung diseases (PF-ILD), two agencies that help to guide health policy in Canada — the Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health (CADTH) and the Institut national d’excellence en santé et services sociaux…
The first lung transplant using LUNGguard, a cold storage device for transporting donor lungs, was performed in a person with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), Paragonix Technologies, the device’s developer, announced. The first device of its kind to be cleared by the FDA, it became commercially available…
Last Saturday, Bionews, the parent company of this website, celebrated Rare Disease Day with a virtual event. We planned the event for about 300 participants from the rare disease community who would get together and discuss mental health and chronic illness. They included patients, caregivers, researchers, and…
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