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Researchers develop a low-cost, saliva-optimized RT-LAMP assay for faster detection of SARS-CoV-2

SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has highlighted the shortcomings in emergency response globally and has driven a massive demand for in vitro diagnostic testing technologies. In order to address these issues, researchers from the US recently used the new pH dye LAMPShade Violet (LSV) in RT-LAMP. LSV has better visual contrast between high and low pH and a stronger inflection point, both of which enable easy interpretation of results and reduces ambiguity.

8 Jan 2021

Study: Initial COVID-19 severity is not linked to later poor respiratory problems

A new study published online in the Annals of the American Thoracic Society examines the recovery of lung function and overall wellness in individuals who had varying degrees of COVID-19 severity.

8 Jan 2021

Study explores real-time personal and employee safety experiences during COVID-19 pandemic

A new study in the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, published by Elsevier, explores real-time personal and employee safety experiences and perspectives of school nutrition professionals ranging from frontline staff to state leadership across the United States during the early weeks of the coronavirus pandemic.

8 Jan 2021

Patients taking immunosuppressive drugs did not have worse COVID-19 outcomes

People taking immunosuppressive drugs to prevent organ transplant rejection or to treat inflammatory or autoimmune diseases do not fare worse than others on average when they are hospitalized with COVID-19, according to a study from researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

7 Jan 2021

Link between fever, diarrhea, severe COVID-19, and persistent anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies

A new preprint research paper appearing on the medRxiv server describes a link between the persistence of neutralizing antibodies against the virus, disease severity, and specific COVID-19 symptoms.

7 Jan 2021

Gut and oral microbiomes predict COVID-19 severity

One question that continues to remain unanswered during the ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has been why is there a distinctive hit-and-miss pattern when it comes to severe disease? An interesting new study that appears on the medRxiv* preprint server pinpoints one highly relevant risk factor: the state of the oral and gut microbiomes.

7 Jan 2021

High-affinity SARS-CoV-2 RBD drives mutation spread, forms basis of new COVID-19 inhibitor

Now, an intriguing recent study appeared on the bioRxiv * preprint server describes the use of in vitro evolution to elicit affinity maturation of the viral receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the spike protein to bind the host cell angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) with greater affinity.

7 Jan 2021

Potential role of chitinase 3-like-1 in severity of COVID-19

Now, an intriguing preprint research paper on the bioRxiv server reports the identification of an enzyme called chitinase 3-like-1 (CHI3L1) that mediates this age-dependent impact of the virus and could serve as a powerful therapeutic approach in mitigating the severity of COVID-19 in this high-risk group.

7 Jan 2021

Antibodies and inflammatory markers are pervasive in colostrum of SARS-CoV-2 infected women

A recent study, currently available on the medRxiv* preprint server, is among the first to reveal the presence of antibodies against the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in colostrum and to demonstrate elevated cytokine levels in colostrum from women exposed to the virus.

7 Jan 2021

Study reveals racial-ethnic inequities among people with type 1 diabetes and COVID-19

Black and Hispanic people with COVID-19 and diabetes are more likely than Caucasians to die or have serious complications, according to a new study published in the Endocrine Society's Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.

7 Jan 2021

Potential treatment approach to new COVID-19 variant

Researchers in the United States have demonstrated a potential new approach to treating infection with the new variant of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) – the agent that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

7 Jan 2021

Facemasks significantly reduce simulated SARS-CoV-2 transmission in classroom setting

Researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison have conducted a study showing that wearing facemasks in the classroom setting can be highly effective at reducing the aerosol transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) – the agent that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

7 Jan 2021

How has the COVID-19 pandemic affected the mental health of older adults? A UK case study

A team of researchers at University College London, UK, recently explored how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the mental health of older adults across Britain.

7 Jan 2021

SARS-CoV-2 viral load in saliva may be linked to COVID-19 disease severity

Researchers at Yale University School of Medicine found that SARS-CoV-2 viral loads in saliva are higher for patients with associated risk factors and underlying conditions that lead to severe COVID-19 and death. Thus, saliva viral loads could be used to predict disease severity.

7 Jan 2021

Males at higher risk of severe COVID-19 and mortality in Indian case study

A new US-based study by researchers at Dartmouth College, the Development Data Lab, IDFC Institute, Johns Hopkins University, and the University of Chicago shows that the infection fatality rate (IFR) could be twice as high for men compared to women and increases much less at older ages compared to high-income countries.

7 Jan 2021

Which strain should SARS-CoV-2 vaccine candidates target?

A researcher at Clemson University, USA, has recently explored how governments might effectively combat the pandemic through strategic vaccination as new variants and strains of the virus emerge. The study suggests that vaccine candidates should target the fast-spreading variant, even when the initial prevalence is much lower.

7 Jan 2021

In Los Angeles and beyond, oxygen is the latest covid bottleneck

As Los Angeles hospitals give record numbers of covid patients oxygen, the systems and equipment needed to deliver the life-sustaining gas are faltering.

7 Jan 2021

Covid-19 project receives government funding to expand globally

Supercomputing facilities set up to track the spread and evolution of the COVID-19 pandemic have received £1.2M in government funding to expand globally.

7 Jan 2021

Severe COVID-19 recovered patients do not display long-lasting adaptive immune responses, finds study

A team of scientists from the University of Valencia and INCLIVA Health Research Institute, Spain, has recently investigated the durability of immune responses specifically developed against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the causative pathogen of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

7 Jan 2021

Researchers use nanotechnology to develop new coronavirus mask model

A US-based research team designed and fabricated electrospun nanofibrous air filters that hold promise for applications in personal protective equipment and indoor environments. The team compared the filtration efficiency of coronavirus and NaCl aerosols to a broad spectrum of electrospun air filters and face masks.

7 Jan 2021

Disease/Infection News

Researchers develop a low-cost, saliva-optimized RT-LAMP assay for faster detection of SARS-CoV-2

Study: Initial COVID-19 severity is not linked to later poor respiratory problems

Study explores real-time personal and employee safety experiences during COVID-19 pandemic

Patients taking immunosuppressive drugs did not have worse COVID-19 outcomes

Link between fever, diarrhea, severe COVID-19, and persistent anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies

Gut and oral microbiomes predict COVID-19 severity

High-affinity SARS-CoV-2 RBD drives mutation spread, forms basis of new COVID-19 inhibitor

Potential role of chitinase 3-like-1 in severity of COVID-19

Antibodies and inflammatory markers are pervasive in colostrum of SARS-CoV-2 infected women

Study reveals racial-ethnic inequities among people with type 1 diabetes and COVID-19

Potential treatment approach to new COVID-19 variant

Facemasks significantly reduce simulated SARS-CoV-2 transmission in classroom setting

How has the COVID-19 pandemic affected the mental health of older adults? A UK case study

SARS-CoV-2 viral load in saliva may be linked to COVID-19 disease severity

Males at higher risk of severe COVID-19 and mortality in Indian case study

Which strain should SARS-CoV-2 vaccine candidates target?

In Los Angeles and beyond, oxygen is the latest covid bottleneck

Covid-19 project receives government funding to expand globally

Severe COVID-19 recovered patients do not display long-lasting adaptive immune responses, finds study

Researchers use nanotechnology to develop new coronavirus mask model

Leveraging the power of automation to boost research

Automating research - solutions and best practices

How can microdialysis benefit drug development

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