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Scientists identify new gene differences in severe COVID patients

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3 years ago

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  • The scientists said their discoveries, could help prioritise the likely treatments that could work against the disease.
  • The information could even help predict which patients were likely to become severely ill.
  • The new findings could help guide scientists in their search for existing drugs that might be useful for treating COVID-19.

Scientists have pinpointed 16 new genetic variants in people who developed severe COVID-19 in a large study published on Monday that could help researchers develop treatments for very sick patients.

The results suggest that people with severe COVID have genes that predispose them to one of two problems: failure to limit the ability of the virus to make copies of itself, or excessive inflammation and blood clotting.

The scientists said their discoveries, published in the journal Nature, could help prioritise the likely treatments that could work against the disease.

Eventually, the information could even help predict which patients were likely to become severely ill.

“It is potentially possible in future that we will be able to make predictions about patients based on their genome at the point of presenting (for) critical care,” said Kenneth Baillie, consultant in critical care medicine at the University of Edinburgh and one of the study authors, told reporters.

The genetic analysis of nearly 56,000 samples from people in Britain showed differences in 23 genes in COVID-19 patients who became critically ill, when compared with the DNA of other groups included in the study, including 16 differences that had not been previously identified.

The new findings could help guide scientists in their search for existing drugs that might be useful for treating COVID-19.

For example, the researchers found changes in key genes that regulate the level of factor VIII, a protein involved in forming blood clots.

“Blood clotting is one of the main reasons why patients with COVID develop a shortage of oxygen. So that’s potentially targetable to prevent those clots from forming,” Baillie said.

But “we can’t know if these medicines will work until we try them in people”.

One of the previously discovered genes, TYK2, is targeted by Eli Lilly’s arthritis drug baricitinib, now being studied as a treatment for COVID-19.

The drug was shown last week to cut the risk of death and hospitalisation in COVID-19 patients by 13% in a trial.

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Enhancing Pakistan-Bahrain Collaboration: Tarar Highlights Fortifying Media Connections Between Pakistan and Bahrain

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2 days ago

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Attaullah Tarar, the Minister of Information and Broadcasting, has underlined the importance of strengthening cooperation between Bahrain’s and Pakistan’s official media organizations.
He proposed news sharing between the Bahrain News Agency (BNA) and the associated Press of Pakistan (app) during a meeting with Bahrain’s Minister for Information, Ramadan Bin Abdullah Al-Noaimi, in Riyadh. Attaullah Tarar stated that media delegation exchanges are essential to enhancing media cooperation.
According to the information minister, Pakistan and Bahrain have very close fraternal ties that are founded on shared history, religion, and culture.
Pakistan’s economy is heading in the right direction, according to Attaullah Tarar.
Additionally, he stated that Pakistan offers great prospects for foreign investors to make investments.
According to Bahrain’s Information Minister, the country cherishes its relationship with Pakistan.
He reaffirmed Bahrain’s determination to further strengthen media cooperation.

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Mandi Bahauddin District Jail: MNA Launches Improvement Initiatives at Jail

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2 days ago

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During his visit to District Jail Mandi Bahauddin, Member of the National Assembly Chaudhry Nasir Iqbal Bosaal officially opened a number of development projects, including the recently built jail building.
Chaudhry Nasir Iqbal Bosaal mna was welcomed at the District Jail by Superintendent Jail Haq Nawaz, Deputy Superintendent Sheikh Arif Nisar, Shahzad Aslam Jaja, and other jail staff. The Jail’s cadre saluted and presented a guard of honor.
He treated sick inmates admitted to the hospital, established other development projects, including the recently built jail facility, and toured several barracks, mills, anchorage, juvenile ward, and jail hospital.
at addition to planting a sapling at the jail as part of the tree plantation campaign, Chaudhry Nasir Iqbal Bosal MNA expressed gratitude for Superintendent Jail Haq Nawaz’s efforts and offered prayers for the nation’s growth and prosperity.

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Under the auspices of Ombudsman Punjab, an awareness seminar was held at the Government Mc High School in Nakana Sahib.

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The ombudsman Punjab Nankana Sahib Region held an awareness seminar at Government Captain Hassan Nawaz Shaheed MC High School.
The CEO of the District Education Authority, Shazia Bano, chaired the seminar. Advisor Malik Muhammad Aslam and District Education Officer Secondary Dr. Saima Zafar were among the educators, students, and education officers that attended the session.
In his speech to the seminar, Malik Muhammad Aslam stated that people are aware of their rights and that our goal is to eradicate institutional corruption and poor management.Everyone must do their share to improve institutions. The provincial ombudsman’s awareness campaign was deemed beneficial by civil society representatives, educators, and students, who said it provided them with information about the institution’s significance and what to do in the event of a complaint.Teachers and students reaffirmed their commitment to playing their part in raising public knowledge of the ombudsman.

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