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Anti-phospholipid antibodies in severely ill patients not distinctive to COVID-19, says study

A new study by researchers at the University of Toronto and the University of Calgary in Canada indicates that the presence of these antibodies correlates with more severe COVID-19 symptoms and signs.

25 Feb 2021

AI-mediated analysis of vaccinated patients affirms safety of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines

A new study provides a timely answer to many of these fears, by reporting on the results of an analysis of over 31,000 vaccine recipients with respect to immediate adverse effects, reported within 21 days, of the first and/or second doses of the vaccine.

25 Feb 2021

Study of children hospitalized with COVID-19 shows 2% mortality

The COVID-19 pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 has been observed to be less serious in infants and children. However, this age group is also subject to certain complications following infection. A new study describes the findings of an observational study of children hospitalized with SARS-CoV-2 infection in several different hospitals across three countries.

25 Feb 2021

Neuroinvasiveness of SARS-CoV-2 shown by viral RNA and inflammation in the brain

A new study describes the results of a macaque study that showed the development of neurological features of inflammation, following infection by SARS-CoV-2.

25 Feb 2021

Study explores individual differences of SARS-CoV-2 infection in ACE2-expressing stem cells

The clinical phenotype of COVID-19, caused by SARS-CoV-2, is remarkable for its wide range of severity among individual patients. Genetic variations are known to mediate part of these differences. To examine these differences, researchers in a new study used human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) from different genetically diverse individuals. These cells are used to model genetic disease since they contain the donor’s genetic information. Researchers use a panel of iPSCs from over 500 individuals. The researchers preferred undifferentiated iPSCs to reduce the time required to differentiate them, especially since infection is not always reliable.

25 Feb 2021

Novel single-particle digital assay using plasmonic nanobubbles

An interdisciplinary team from the University of Texas applied DIAMOND to the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) diagnostics and demonstrated that DIAMOND is 150 times more sensitive than commercial lateral flow assays. They found that the measurements are completed within 2 minutes. The results of this study are published on the medRxiv* preprint server.

25 Feb 2021

Travel bans are effective only in the first phases of pandemic

Travel bans have been key to efforts by many countries to control the spread of COVID-19. But new research aimed at providing a decision support system to Italian policy makers, recently published in the Journal of the Royal Society Interface, suggests that reducing individual activity (i.e., social distancing, closure of non-essential business, etc.) is far superior in controlling the dissemination of Sars-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.

25 Feb 2021

High expression of ACE2 receptors in developing ovaries increases SARS-CoV-2 risk

A team of scientists from China collaborated to find if SARS-CoV-2 could also infect the ovary at different developmental stages.

25 Feb 2021

Strategy based on alternating lockdowns can help defeat COVID-19

Social distancing - from mobility restrictions to complete lockdowns -- can take many weeks, possibly even months, a potentially devastating outcome for social and economic stability.

24 Feb 2021

Is the CDC 10-day COVID-19 quarantine guideline enough?

Researchers at the University of Florida and the Florida Department of Health evaluated test positivity rates for SARS-CoV-2 infection among student contacts. The team found that nine days are not enough to ascertain that the student did not contract the virus.

24 Feb 2021

SARS-CoV-2 transmission bottleneck is of the order of one to three virions

Now, a new study, posted to the bioRxiv preprint server by the same researchers, focussing on the Austrian region, found that SARS-CoV-2 transmission bottlenecks to be much tighter than previously thought.

24 Feb 2021

Lab study of South African SARS-CoV-2 variant and Moderna vaccine: reduced neutralization, but still protective

Researchers from the US recently compared antibody binding and viral neutralization against 2 SARS-CoV-2 variants that emerged in different parts of the world. The researchers used sera from spike mRNA vaccinated and naturally infected individuals against a circulating B.1 variant and the emerging B.1.351 variant. The study is published on the preprint server bioRxiv.

24 Feb 2021

Full characterization of mammalian-produced SARS-CoV-2 receptor binding domains

A research paper recently uploaded to the preprint server bioRxiv by Dominguez-Vega et al. (23rd Feb, 2021) describes an in-depth structural analysis of the RBD of the spike protein expressed in mammalian Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells and human embryonic kidney (HEK293) cells, providing a new understanding of protein structure and function.

24 Feb 2021

Mapping the dominance of the SARS-CoV-2 UK variant in Europe

A research paper recently uploaded to the preprint server medRxiv* by Vespignani et al. (February 22nd, 2021) uses mathematical models to map the spread of this lineage across Europe, establishing that a 50% increase to the transmissibility of the variant would allow it to become dominant in major metropolitan areas by the end of March 2021.

24 Feb 2021

Complement system appears to be specifically implicated in severe COVID-19

Researchers in the United States have conducted a study showing that activation of the complement system is specifically implicated in the pathogenesis of severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), rather than being a broader indicator of critical illness.

24 Feb 2021

Disease/Infection News

Anti-phospholipid antibodies in severely ill patients not distinctive to COVID-19, says study

AI-mediated analysis of vaccinated patients affirms safety of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines

Study of children hospitalized with COVID-19 shows 2% mortality

Neuroinvasiveness of SARS-CoV-2 shown by viral RNA and inflammation in the brain

Study explores individual differences of SARS-CoV-2 infection in ACE2-expressing stem cells

Novel single-particle digital assay using plasmonic nanobubbles

Travel bans are effective only in the first phases of pandemic

High expression of ACE2 receptors in developing ovaries increases SARS-CoV-2 risk

Strategy based on alternating lockdowns can help defeat COVID-19

Is the CDC 10-day COVID-19 quarantine guideline enough?

SARS-CoV-2 transmission bottleneck is of the order of one to three virions

Lab study of South African SARS-CoV-2 variant and Moderna vaccine: reduced neutralization, but still protective

Full characterization of mammalian-produced SARS-CoV-2 receptor binding domains

Mapping the dominance of the SARS-CoV-2 UK variant in Europe

Complement system appears to be specifically implicated in severe COVID-19

Travelers to the tropics are more prone to acquiring superbacteria than previously thought

Study shows antibody responses persisting 10 months after SARS-CoV-2 infection

Study takes a closer look at the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on dental hygienists

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

A machine-learning approach to track how yellow fever mosquito moves through the environment

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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