MedPage Today’s Update on ME/CFS Research Plans MedPage Today reposted Shannon Firth’s earlier article on ME/CFS in their 2015 recap and also published an in-depth update by the author. The new article goes in-depth on Ron Davis’ plans for the Big Data study and also includes an interview with Jen Brea and information from the
Yesterday, journalist and public health expert Dr. David Tuller published on Virology Blog a list of 68 questions for the authors of the controversial PACE trial. The trial studied the effects of graded exercise and cognitive therapy on chronic fatigue syndrome. Dr. Tuller has, he said, been seeking answers from the PACE researchers for more
Ron Davis’ Plea for his Son’s Life Ron Davis recently posted a heart-felt plea for more research “before his son, and others like him, die from this horrific disease.” He has given us permission to share his post in order to reach as many people as possible with Whitney’s story. Here is Dr Davis’ plea:
Yesterday four scientists, led by world-famous geneticist Professor Ronald Davis, added to the pressure for scientific transparency on the PACE trial by making a request for raw data under the Freedom of Information Act. Davis was accompanied in his request by biostatistician Professor Bruce Levin and immunologist Professor Vincent Racaniello, both of Columbia University, and Dr.
PLOS One today published a statement that its staff were evaluating Professor James Coyne’s request for data from a PACE trial paper published in the journal in 2012. Professor Coyne said on social media that the move “represents progress”. King’s College London had denied Professor Coyne’s request on behalf of the study authors and had
Professor James Coyne’s request for the dataset used for a paper about the PACE trial in the journal PLOS ONE was rejected on Friday as “vexatious”. King’s College London (KCL), acting for the PACE authors, wrote to Professor Coyne that they considered that there was “a lack of value or serious purpose to [his] request”,
A new study has found that two human herpesviruses: Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and Kaposi’s sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV), previously only proven to infect B cells, can also infect neurons. For years there has been indirect evidence that gammaherpesviruses like EBV and KSHV could infect nervous tissue. For example, EBV viruses have been found in the cerebrospinal fluid and brain tissue
Norwegian researchers say patients with ME have more severe symptoms than those with chronic fatigue syndrome, but better mental health.
Researchers analysed 100 blood samples from the Solve ME/CFS Biobank of patients and results included finding 3 clusters. The cluster of Interleukin-16 (IL-16), IL-7 and VEGF-A was both significantly downregulated and tightly correlated with each other. IL-16 is a pro-inflammatory cytokine and the reduction shown may indicate immunodeficiency. IL-7 is indispensable for the creation and survival of immune cells (T cells, B cells, NK cells). VEGF-A: stimulates new blood vessel and muscle growth.
