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From the cancellation of a massive alcohol study to the dissolution of Theranos, 2018 was a year fraught with shutdowns. But amid all the shake-ups, the year also saw a few firsts, including approval of an artificial intelligence–based medical platform that helps clinicians diagnose strokes.
Metformin functions through a gut microbiome–bile acid–farnesoid X receptor axis to lower glucose in type 2 diabetes, revealing a new therapeutic target in this disease.
In 2018, drugs for rare conditions such as beta-thalassemia and forms of amyloidosis made it onto the approval mainstage in addition to drugs for more common diseases such as cancer. The gene-editing technology CRISPR slowly made strides into the therapeutic realm, while drugs for Alzheimer’s disease continued to falter, leaving a wide gap that is still in need of filling.
Disruption of the circadian clock has been linked to cancer and alterations in cancer metabolism and this has implications for therapeutic development.
Analysis of the UK Biobank genetic and phenotypic data demonstrate the power of including a large population and detailed phenotyping in a prospective study to identify genetic and lifestyle factors related to health and disease.
Protein-specific and shared genetic pathways influence the spread of amyloid-β and tau pathology. Hence, distinct gene expression profiles may induce regional vulnerability of the human cortex to the specific proteinopathies of Alzheimer’s disease.
Stratifying tuberculosis (TB) disease into minimal, moderate or severe disease may allow treatment duration to be tailored to disease severity. Minimal poor adherence is associated with poor treatment outcomes.
In humans, niche-specific gastrointestinal microbiomes influence the colonization success of probiotic microbes. Microbiome reconstitution following antimicrobial perturbation is most successful using preperturbation autofecal microbial transplant.