The Long-term Complications of Covid-19 Infection.

As the Covid-19 pandemic continues into its 4th year, reports of long-term morbidity and mortality are now attracting attention. Recent studies suggest that Covid-19 survivors are at increased risk of common illnesses, such as myocardial infarction, diabetes mellitus and autoimmune disorders. Mortality may also be increased.

The Long-term Complications of Covid-19 Infection.

As the Covid-19 pandemic continues into its 4th year, reports of long-term morbidity and mortality are now attracting attention. Recent studies suggest that Covid-19 survivors are at increased risk of common illnesses, such as myocardial infarction, diabetes mellitus and autoimmune disorders. Mortality may also be increased.

Diabetes Following COVID-19 Infection: Is It Common?

New-onset diabetes mellitus following COVID-19 infection has been frequently reported. This article will review the evidence that supports this observation and provide an opinion about its validity and relevance to insured cohorts.

ChatGPT: How Closely Should We Be Watching?

ChatGPT is about to make major inroads into clinical medicine. This article discusses the pros and cons of its use.

Metabolic Muddle. MASLD and MASH on the Horizon.

NAFLD (non-alcoholic fatty liver disease) and NASH (non-alcoholic steatohepatitis) are time-honored acronyms, with widely popular acceptance. Experts now recommend discarding them in favor of MASLD for "metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease" and MASH for "metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis." The reasons for this change are explored and an argument about why the change is confusing, is advanced.

From Benign to Malignant: The Arrival of Pituitary Neuroendocrine Tumors (PitNETs).

Pituitary adenomas were recently reclassified as "neuroendocrine tumors," and are now considered to be cancers. The evolution and justification for this change are described. Critical illness policies, which currently provide coverage of pituitary adenomas under the "Benign Brain Tumor" provision must now be modified to reflect this new taxonomy.

Long Covid - Into the Third Year.

As the COVID-19 pandemic reaches the end of its third year, and as COVID-related mortality in North America wanes, long Covid and its disabling symptoms are attracting more attention. Some individuals report symptoms lasting more than 2 years, and a subset report continuing disability. This article will provide an update on long Covid, with a particular focus on disease prevalence, disability, symptom clustering and risk factors.

Long Covid - Into the Third Year.

As the COVID-19 pandemic reaches the end of its third year, and as COVID-related mortality in North America wanes, long Covid and its disabling symptoms are attracting more attention. Some individuals report symptoms lasting more than 2 years, and a subset report continuing disability. This article will provide an update on long Covid, with a particular focus on disease prevalence, disability, symptom clustering and risk factors.

Critical Illness at 40: Still a Thorn in the Medical Director's Side.

Critical illness insurance was introduced 40 years ago. Medical directors continue to be challenged and frustrated with the complexities that critical illness claims offer. This article provides insights into the continued issues and possible solutions.

Long COVID - One Year On.

Long COVID is now a recognized complication of acute COVID-19 infection. As the COVID-19 pandemic moves into its third year, the prevalence of Long COVID continues to increase. Many individuals report symptoms lasting longer than a year, and a subset of this group is unable to work.

Bringing bioinformatics to schools with the 4273pi project.

Over the last few decades, the nature of life sciences research has changed enormously, generating a need for a workforce with a variety of computational skills such as those required to store, manage, and analyse the large biological datasets produced by next-generation sequencing. Those with such expertise are increasingly in demand for employment in both research and industry. Despite this, bioinformatics education has failed to keep pace with advances in research.

Humanization of T cell-mediated immunity in mice.

Despite the enormous promise of T cell therapies, the isolation and study of human T cell receptors (TCRs) of dedicated specificity remains a major challenge. To overcome this limitation, we generated mice with a genetically humanized system of T cell immunity. We used VelociGene technology to replace the murine TCRαβ variable regions, along with regions encoding the extracellular domains of co-receptors CD4 and CD8, and major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I and II, with corresponding human sequences.

Using sound to understand protein sequence data: new sonification algorithms for protein sequences and multiple sequence alignments.

Background: The use of sound to represent sequence data-sonification-has great potential as an alternative and complement to visual representation, exploiting features of human psychoacoustic intuitions to convey nuance more effectively. We have created five parameter-mapping sonification algorithms that aim to improve knowledge discovery from protein sequences and small protein multiple sequence alignments. For two of these algorithms, we investigated their effectiveness at conveying information.

DNA sonification for public engagement in bioinformatics.

Objective: Visualisation methods, primarily color-coded representation of sequence data, have been a predominant means of representation of DNA data. Algorithmic conversion of DNA sequence data to sound-sonification-represents an alternative means of representation that uses a different range of human sensory perception. We propose that sonification has value for public engagement with DNA sequence information because it has potential to be entertaining as well as informative.

COVID-19 and Mental Health: Should We Expect an Increase in Disability?

Disability due to mental health disorders has been increasing in many countries over the past years. The COVID-19 pandemic may worsen this trend because of 3 different, and at times overlapping, pathways. This article describes each pathway, and by drawing on the experience of previous coronavirus epidemics and recent recessions, attempts to estimate the likelihood that claims due to mental health disorders will increase.

Navigating a Pandemic: The Unique Role of the Medical Director.

The sudden emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020 presented a unique challenge for medical directors of life insurance companies. Company leadership required quick answers about many issues, but two in particular: 1) the magnitude of the pandemic's impact on the insured lives portfolio and 2) the underwriting of new applicants during a pandemic. This article will describe the experiences of a global team of reinsurance medical directors during a pandemic.

Long COVID - An Early Perspective.

A new syndrome called "Long COVID" has emerged amongst the survivors of acute COVID-19 infection. Its protracted and debilitating nature will almost certainly result in many short and long-term disability claims. Insurers need to understand the nature of Long COVID, including its definition, its prevalence, its natural history, and underlying risk factors.

A BCMAxCD3 bispecific T cell-engaging antibody demonstrates robust antitumor efficacy similar to that of anti-BCMA CAR T cells.

CD3-engaging bispecific antibodies (bsAbs) and chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells are potent therapeutic approaches for redirecting patient T cells to recognize and kill tumors. Here we describe a fully human bsAb (REGN5458) that binds to B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA) and CD3, and compare its antitumor activities vs those of anti-BCMA CAR T cells to identify differences in efficacy and mechanism of action. In vitro, BCMAxCD3 bsAb efficiently induced polyclonal T-cell killing of primary human plasma cells and multiple myeloma (MM) cell lines expressing a range of BCMA cell surface densities.

Do s genes or deleterious recessives control late-acting self-incompatibility in Handroanthus heptaphyllus (Bignoniaceae)? A diallel study with four full-sib progeny arrays.

Background And Aims: Genetically controlled self-incompatibility (SI) mechanisms constrain selfing and thus have contributed to the evolutionary diversity of flowering plants. In homomorphic gametophytic SI (GSI) and homomorphic sporophytic SI (SSI), genetic control is usually by the single multi-allelic locus S. Both GSI and SSI prevent self pollen tubes reaching the ovary and so are pre-zygotic in action.

Evaluating the use of gradient echo imaging for the detection of cerebral microbleeds in acute stroke cases: A retrospective data analysis in a UK stroke unit.

Introduction: Imaging in stroke, allows its classification into ischaemic stroke (IS) or intracranial haemorrhagic stroke (ICH), ensuring time-sensitive treatment to be administered. Imaging can also allow detection of cerebral microbleeds (CMBs), which may further determine pharmacological intervention in acute stroke. True gradient echo (T2∗GRE) or susceptibility weighted imaging (SWI) have high sensitivity for the detection of CMBs.

Pelvic MRI in spinal cord injury patients: incidence of muscle signal change and early heterotopic ossification.

Study Design: Prospective observational study.

Objective: To evaluate pelvic MRI muscle signal changes and their association with early heterotopic ossification (HO) in patients with spinal cord injuries.

Setting: National Spinal Injuries Unit, Stoke Mandeville, UK.

Quantification and characterization of granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor activated human peripheral blood mononuclear cells by fluorine-19 cellular MRI in an immunocompromised mouse model.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to test fluorine-19 (19F) cellular magnetic resonance (MRI) as a non-invasive imaging modality to track therapeutic cell migration as a surrogate marker of immunotherapeutic effectiveness.

Materials And Methods: Human peripheral blood mononuclear cell- (PBMC)-derived antigen presenting cell (APC) were labeled with a 19F-perfluorocarbon (PFC) and/or activated with granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF). Viability, phenotype and cell lineage characterization preceded 19F cellular MRI of PFC PBMC under both pre-clinical 9.

Conus infarction after non-guided transcoccygeal ganglion impar block using particulate steroid for chronic coccydynia.

Introduction: Ganglion impar block (GIB) is a well-recognised treatment for chronic coccydynia. Several side effects have previously been described with this procedure, including transient motor dysfunction, bowel, bladder, and sexual dysfunction, neuritis, rectal perforation, impingement of the sciatic nerve, cauda equina syndrome, and infection.

Case Presentation: We describe the first report of imaging-documented conus infarction after an unguided-GIB performed in theatre using particulate steroids for a 17-year-old patient with coccydynia.