Vaccines tidbits

AstraZeneca: Canada and Germany have both restricted it to patients over 55, because those rare blood clots tended to happen in younger patients. (Yes, the EMA said it was safe, but Germany is ignoring that advice, and Canada hasn’t been in Europe for 175 million years.)

Pfizer: It’s 100 percent effective in 12- to 15-year-olds.

Get ready for the sequels: The Covid-19 vaccine might only last a year. And with too many people refusing to get it, variants will circulate, and rather than ending Covid, we’ll just have to deal with it again and again. At least we’ll know who to thank.

Ditch the nail clippers

Researchers at Iowa State University have finished the phase 2 human trials of a drug (with the memorable name “ApFl21-04”) that can regulate or even stop human toenail growth. Even better, the length of the nails can be adjusted simply by altering the dosage. Even better better, it only needs to be taken four times a year.

It turns out that toenail growth is regulated by a pair of proteins — one actually produces the nail tissue, while the other signals the nail to grow. A careful molecular balance can effectively send a signal, “Grow 12mm and stop.”

“We were originally looking at the proteins involved in bone healing,” said team leader Robert April, “but we realized we had a much more interesting phenomenon, and something that could be of use to more people.”

Reefer news

Goofus and Gallant: When one twin uses more marijuana than the other, that twin “is less likely to wind up in a highly skilled occupation with better pay,” at least according to a researcher at the University of Minnesota’s Institute of Child Development.

Those teens had a lower GPA, on average, less academic motivation and more discipline problems, and were more likely to hang out with antisocial peers.

Although it was pointed out that it wasn’t clear whether the issue was the effect of the drug itself, or its legality. If illegal, users were more likely to have been arrested, and to avoid applying for jobs that require drug testing.

Addicted youth: The Bloomberg headline reads, “Cannabis almost as addictive as opioids among teens, study finds.” Scary, right? Until you read the details. The point of the study was not that marijuana is as addictive as opioids, but that teens are more likely to get addicted to substances than adults are.

Recalls

Zydus Pharmaceuticals is recalling four lots of Acyclovir Sodium Injection 50mg/mL because of crystallization.

Alembic Pharmaceuticals is recalling one lot of telmisartan tablets 20mg because of incorrect product-strength labeling.

Beetroot juice for the brain (and no, this is not an April Fools joke)

If you want a healthy brain, you need a healthy mix of mouth bacteria. How do you get the right mix? Beetroot juice, of course.

Drinking beetroot juice promotes a mix of mouth bacteria associated with healthier blood vessels and brain function, according to a new study of people aged 70-80.

And it’s even good for hypertension: “Systolic blood pressure dropped on average by five points (mmHg) after drinking the beetroot juice.”

Not terribly surprising

It’s not anecdotal: There really has been a significant drop in other viruses since the pandemic began.

[A]cross 44 children’s hospitals the number of pediatric patients hospitalized for respiratory illnesses is down 62%. The number of kids in the U.S. who have died of the flu this season remains in the single digits. Deaths have dropped dramatically, too, compared with the past 10 years.

Masks and distancing are a part of it, but there’s the social aspect: “It’s become a serious societal faux pas to go anywhere with a fever.”

Easy there, tough guy

The manlier the man, the more sensitive his skin. Oxford University oncology researchers determined that the higher a man’s testosterone levels, the greater his risk of melanoma.

“This is the first time a link between testosterone and skin cancer has been seen. We already knew men diagnosed with melanoma have a higher risk of developing prostate cancer and vice versa, which was a clue that there may be a common biological or behavioural cause. And it looks like this link might be the hormone, testosterone.

The latest about moderate drinking

It’s good for you. It’s bad for you. It depends. Now the latest answer to the question, “Is it okay to drink in moderation?” is … yes, but only wine, because it can reduce your risk of getting cataracts.

The most significant reduction in risk was linked to drinking wine rather than beer or spirits, with people who drank wine five or more times per week up to 23% less likely than non-drinkers to undergo cataract surgery.

Sorry, folks, “people who drank a lot of beer, cider, or spirits had no significantly reduced risk.”

The Mucus Chronicles

It’s a question we all ask ourselves: “What gives mucus its antibacterial properties?” Fear not — MIT researchers are on the case.

The Long Read: Side Effects edition

Business Insider was kind enough to run the numbers and break down the various Covid-19 vaccine side effects by age and gender. Enjoy!