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Promega launches XpressAmp™ Direct Amplification Reagents

Promega Corporation has released XpressAmp™ Direct Amplification Reagents that facilitate RNA extraction-free sample preparation that is automation-friendly.

From Promega Corporation 11 Mar 2021

Delaying second doses of COVID-19 vaccines has benefits, but longer-term results rely on robust immunity

Delaying second doses of COVID-19 vaccines should reduce case numbers in the near term.

10 Mar 2021

Researchers discover new COVID-19 variants in three South African provinces

Variants of the coronavirus are appearing in different parts of the world, many of them spreading with alarming speed.

10 Mar 2021

SARS-CoV-2 proteins are potent suppressors of innate immunity

A new study describes the strong immune-suppressing activity of SARS-CoV-2 genes, among other coronavirus genes.

5 Mar 2021

New mRNA treatment appears to stop replication of flu and Covid-19 viruses

With a relatively minor genetic change, a new treatment developed by researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University appears to stop replication of both flu viruses and the virus that causes Covid-19.

4 Mar 2021

Vaccine candidate shows promise to protect against dozen-plus flu strains

Ask Eric Weaver about pandemics, and he's quick to remind you of a fact that illustrates the fleeting nature of human memory and the proximal nature of human attention: The first pandemic of the 21st century struck not in 2019, but 2009.

3 Mar 2021

Obesity may reduce COVID-19 vaccine efficacy, say researchers

A startling indicates that obesity may reduce the immune response to the current COVID-19 vaccines, along with other factors like age and sex. This could have significant implications for vaccination strategies in obese people.

3 Mar 2021

Semaglutide drug also helps diabetic patients lose body weight, shows study

A drug approved for diabetes has now been shown to also help patients with diabetes lose on average 10 percent of their body weight, UT Southwestern reports in a landmark international study.

3 Mar 2021

New computer algorithm offers a path toward pan-influenza and coronavirus vaccine

A novel computer algorithm that could create a broadly reactive influenza vaccine for swine flu also offers a path toward a pan-influenza vaccine and possibly a pan-coronavirus vaccine as well, according to a new paper published in Nature Communications.

2 Mar 2021

Disruption of lung biological clock may explain flu risk in adults who survived premature birth

Disruptions in the circadian rhythms in lung cells may explain why adults who survived premature birth are often more at risk of severe influenza infections, suggests a study in mice published today in eLife.

2 Mar 2021

Study: Public attitude toward COVID-19 and its treatments is more “infectious” than disease itself

Public attitude toward COVID-19 and its treatments is more "infectious" than the disease itself, according to a new Northwestern Medicine study using Artificial Intelligence (AI) to analyze tweets about the virus.

2 Mar 2021

Graphene oxide-silver nanoparticles shown to rapidly neutralize RNA viruses

While the vaccines against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) are administered, and extensive research is conducted for targeted therapeutics to control the COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019), it is equally crucial to develop more novel, broad-spectrum antiviral compounds.

2 Mar 2021

Is transposable element expression affected by SARS-CoV-2 infection?

A study by researchers in Israel aims to establish whether TE expression is altered in SARS-CoV-2 infected cells, and explores the implications for host immune response.

1 Mar 2021

Time to implement measures preventing future viral zoonoses

Now, researchers at the University of Silesia in Katowice and the Poznan University of Medical Sciences in Poland recommend measures to prevent future zoonotic outbreaks. They emphasized the importance of viral surveillance and research on new viral strains as primary strategies to combat these infections.

28 Feb 2021

Microbes could predict fatal outcomes in ventilated COVID-19 patients

The study "Microbial signatures in the lower airways of mechanically ventilated COVID19 patients associated with poor clinical outcome" is available as a preprint on the medRxiv* server, while the article undergoes peer review.

25 Feb 2021

Survey finds highest ever vaccination rates during the 2020-2021 flu season

More U.S. adults reported receiving or planning to receive an influenza vaccination during the 2020-2021 flu season than ever before, according to findings from a December 2020 national survey.

24 Feb 2021

WVU researchers set to identify SARS-CoV-2 variants, mitigate strain outbreaks

West Virginia University scientists knew it was coming. When health officials confirmed the first three cases of a COVID-19 variant in West Virginia late Friday (Feb. 19), they were not surprised.

22 Feb 2021

Some nutritional supplements may help prevent or mitigate COVID-19 severity

A new study in the Journal of dietary supplements shows that nutritional supplements, including several vitamins and the mineral zinc, may be useful in preventing the infection or reducing its severity if caught.

22 Feb 2021

Interval between doses of Oxford COVID-19 vaccine can be safely extended to 3 months, suggests study

A 3-month interval between doses of the Oxford COVID-19 vaccine results in higher vaccine efficacy than a 6-week interval, with the first dose offering 76% protection in the 3 months between doses.

20 Feb 2021

Research calculates the years of life lost to COVID-19 in 81 countries

The major direct and indirect effects of covid-19 have forced the authorities to implement policies that strike a balance between minimizing the immediate health impact of the pandemic and containing the long-term damage to society arising from protective policies.

20 Feb 2021