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Researchers have discovered that a protein called phosphorylated -synuclein, which is associated with several neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's disease and Lewy body dementia, is also involved in the normal processes of how neurons communicate with each other in a healthy brain. (NIH/National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, 1/9)

A team of scientists, led by Duke-NUS Medical School, has discovered a potential intranasal vaccine candidate that provides improved, longer-lasting immunity against SARS-CoV-2 viruses compared to when given as an injection. By triggering an immune response directly at the point of entry, the intranasal vaccine candidate enhanced long-term immune memory of the virus, which could translate to a reduced need for booster shots. (Yu, 1/9)

New research from the University of Michigan shows that patients with sickle-cell disease completed the initial COVID-19 vaccination series at just over half the rate of others, despite the former group being more at risk for severe outcomes with COVID-19. (Soucheray, 1/10)

A new study from Canadian researchers shows the Modified Vaccinia Ankara – Bavarian Nordic vaccine (MVA-BN), a smallpox vaccine that provides protection against other orthopoxviruses, was safe when used among people in Toronto and Vancouver at high risk for contracting mpox. (Soucheray, 1/10)

The findings from a randomized clinical trial in Spain support de-escalation of antibiotic therapy in patients with bacteremia caused by Enterobacterales, researchers reported yesterday in The Lancet Infectious Diseases. Although empiric treatment with antipseudomonal beta-lactams is often necessary with severe infections to ensure that the causative organism is covered, these drugs can exert selection pressure for resistance mechanisms and increase the risk of Clostridioides difficile, which is why de-escalation to a narrower-spectrum drug is recommended once the infecting pathogen has been identified. But the dearth of evidence on the safety and efficacy of de-escalation in specific clinical situations has been a barrier to wider acceptance of the practice. (Dall, 1/10)