Disease/Infection News

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Masks, good ventilation are more important than social distancing for reducing COVID spread

A new study from the University of Central Florida suggests that masks and a good ventilation system are more important than social distancing for reducing the airborne spread of COVID-19 in classrooms.

5 Apr 2021

Phase 1 clinical study of unique vaccine to protect against COVID-19 begins

A unique vaccine to protect against COVID-19 begins clinical testing Tuesday, 6 April, at the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR), part of the U.S. Army Medical Research and Development Command.

5 Apr 2021

Can universal vaccines and treatments against future SARS-CoV-2 variants be developed?

A team of researchers from Saudi Arabia and Spain recently quantified the rapid evolution of SARS-CoV-2 by tracking the mutations of the virus globally, focusing on the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the virus’s spike protein, which determines its infectivity.

5 Apr 2021

Researchers Identify potent small molecule inhibitors against SARS-CoV-2

A team of scientists from the USA and Sweden has recently screened 8 million small molecule inhibitors against SARS-CoV-2.

5 Apr 2021

SARS-CoV-2 cryptic transmission modeling shows emergence of first wave in US and Europe

To analyze this cryptic transmission phase and the first wave of the pandemic that ensued, researchers from Italy, UK, and the US used a data-driven, spatial, stochastic, and age-structured epidemic model. They developed a mechanistic understanding of the evolution of the epidemic and estimated the time required for local transmission in various states and countries. The model developed by the team offers a statistical idea of SARS-CoV-2 introductions across European countries and many states in the US.

5 Apr 2021

The use of mammalian cell surface display for rapid characterization of SARS-CoV-2 variants

A research group from the U.S. demonstrated the practicality of a spike display system in order to accelerate vaccine design, but also to swiftly appraise the effects of mutations in emerging strains of the SARS-CoV-2.

5 Apr 2021

RNA-binding cylinders inhibit SARS-CoV-2 replication in vitro

Research led by Michael J. Hannon from the University of Birmingham, UK, finds metallo-supramolecular helicates (cylinders) binding to untranslated regions of SARS-CoV-2 suppresses viral replication. The untranslated regions (UTR) of the viral genome could serve as drug targets for antiviral treatment.

5 Apr 2021

Research surveys hygiene practices in food supply chains during COVID-19 pandemic

Researchers survey hygiene procedures in food supply chains implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic.

5 Apr 2021

New approach to CAR T gene therapy yields efficient and longer-lasting response against HIV

A UCLA research team has shown that using a truncated form of the CD4 molecule as part of a gene therapy to combat HIV yielded superior and longer-lasting results in mouse models than previous similar therapies using the CD4 molecule.

3 Apr 2021

Study identifies three clinical COVID-19 phenotypes

In a new study, researchers identify three clinical COVID-19 phenotypes, reflecting patient populations with different comorbidities, complications and clinical outcomes.

3 Apr 2021

Prioritization of COVID-19 vaccines saves lives, reduces spread of infection

Waiting for your turn can be frustrating, especially when it comes to COVID-19 vaccinations. But prioritizing who receives the limited supply of vaccines available saves lives and reduces spread of infection, according to a study published today in the journal PNAS from the University of California, Davis.

2 Apr 2021

Higher B.1.1.7 transmission in households than other SARS-CoV-2 variants

Contact tracing data from a new preprint study on the medRxiv* preprint server provides further evidence that the B.1.1.7 variant — first reported in the United Kingdom — has a high transmission rate. The research, led by Birgitte Freiseleben de Blasio from the Norwegian Institute of Public Health and the University of Oslo in Norway, estimates B.1.1.7 has a 60% greater transmission within households than other severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants of concern.

2 Apr 2021

Study finds CD8+ T cell responses detect all major SARS-CoV-2 variants

There have been concerns that several SARS-CoV-2 variants have mutations that allow them to evade the immune system. A new study published in the Open Forum Infectious Diseases suggests otherwise. Led by Aaron AR Tobian of Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, results showed that except for one from the B.1.351 variant, CD8+ T cells showed a broad response to all SARS-CoV-2 variants.

2 Apr 2021

First general selection criteria for lung transplantation in Covid-19 patients

In May 2020, a team led by thoracic surgeon Konrad Hoetzenecker of the Department of Surgery of MedUni Vienna and Vienna General Hospital performed a lung transplant on a 44-year-old patient who had been seriously ill with Covid-19, making her the first patient in Europe to receive a lung transplant for this indication.

2 Apr 2021

Muscle strength and mass may predict hospital stay duration in COVID-19 patients

Researchers found that COVID-19 patients with good muscle strength and higher muscle mass had a shorter stay in the hospital.

2 Apr 2021

Long-COVID-19 is a significant risk in recovered patients post-hospitalization

A new study, which appeared in the British Medical Journal, reports on a retrospective study to examine the incidence and risk factors for ‘long COVID-19’, the term used to describe the long-term effects of COVID-19 on affected individuals.

2 Apr 2021

Proper choice of control group nullifies most observed genetic markers for severe COVID-19, study suggests

A new study deals with the genetic contribution to severe disease following infection with this virus, showing that the association of severity with specific human genes described in an earlier study is not obvious.

2 Apr 2021

Researchers offer large-scale screening of potential broad-spectrum SARS-CoV-2 antivirals

A new study describes the identification of new compounds from a library, with inhibitory activity against several coronaviruses. This study shows the utility of this method, besides identifying compounds that not only inhibit viral shedding in SARS-CoV-2 cultures, but have an immunomodulatory effect that may be useful in mitigating the damaging cytokine storm typical of severe or critical COVID-19.

2 Apr 2021

Comparative study of SARS, MERS, BAT‐SARS, and SARS-CoV-2

Even though a comparative study on the genomic sequences of SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV, and SARS-CoV-2 is available, there is a gap in the research in regards to the comparison between four types of coronaviruses, namely, SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV, BAT-CoV, and SARS-CoV-2. A new study, which deals with the genomic comparison between the sequence of the above-stated four types of coronaviruses, has been published in the Journal of Medical Virology.

2 Apr 2021

Researchers use new approach to detect high-risk Human Papilloma Virus

A study led by Queen Mary University of London researchers has compared the performance and acceptability of a urine test and four different vaginal self-sampling collection devices to detect high risk Human Papilloma Virus (HPV).

2 Apr 2021

Disease/Infection News

Masks, good ventilation are more important than social distancing for reducing COVID spread

Phase 1 clinical study of unique vaccine to protect against COVID-19 begins

Can universal vaccines and treatments against future SARS-CoV-2 variants be developed?

Researchers Identify potent small molecule inhibitors against SARS-CoV-2

SARS-CoV-2 cryptic transmission modeling shows emergence of first wave in US and Europe

The use of mammalian cell surface display for rapid characterization of SARS-CoV-2 variants

RNA-binding cylinders inhibit SARS-CoV-2 replication in vitro

Research surveys hygiene practices in food supply chains during COVID-19 pandemic

New approach to CAR T gene therapy yields efficient and longer-lasting response against HIV

Study identifies three clinical COVID-19 phenotypes

Prioritization of COVID-19 vaccines saves lives, reduces spread of infection

Higher B.1.1.7 transmission in households than other SARS-CoV-2 variants

Study finds CD8+ T cell responses detect all major SARS-CoV-2 variants

First general selection criteria for lung transplantation in Covid-19 patients

Muscle strength and mass may predict hospital stay duration in COVID-19 patients

Long-COVID-19 is a significant risk in recovered patients post-hospitalization

Proper choice of control group nullifies most observed genetic markers for severe COVID-19, study suggests

Researchers offer large-scale screening of potential broad-spectrum SARS-CoV-2 antivirals

Comparative study of SARS, MERS, BAT‐SARS, and SARS-CoV-2

Researchers use new approach to detect high-risk Human Papilloma Virus

Deciphering the Microbiome with The Microsetta Initiative

Leveraging the power of automation to boost research

Automating research - solutions and best practices

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