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India’s COVID-19-related hygiene promotion campaign shows some positive results

A new study explores the results of such hygiene promotion campaigns on handwashing practices in rural Odisha, India.

1 Feb 2021

U.S. public divided over COVID-19 “immunity passports” idea

A nationally representative survey conducted in the U.S. suggests that the public is fairly evenly divided in its support of immunity certificates or “passports” to enable the selective lifting of restrictions placed on people during the COVID-19 pandemic.

29 Jan 2021

Researchers develop ‘next-generation vaccine platform’ against SARS-CoV-2

Researchers have designed a subunit vaccine based on the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein co-administered with CpG (Oligodeoxyribonucleotides) adjuvant.

29 Jan 2021

CDC researchers back U.S. school re-openings but with strict COVID-19 regulations

As the U.S. continues to grapple with surging cases and the complex logistics of mass vaccination, is the country in a position to fully re-open its schools for in-person learning? Researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) think so – notwithstanding a few very important caveats.

27 Jan 2021

Study shows several peridomestic mammal species are potential spreaders of SARS-CoV-2

Researchers from the US and Australia show that several common peridomestic species (including deer mice, striped skunks and bushy-tailed woodrats) are amenable to infection with SARS-CoV-2.

26 Jan 2021

New UK SARS-CoV-2 variant circulating in US since November, says study

A new study by researchers at the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Arizona, showed that the new variant has circulated in the US since November.

26 Jan 2021

Novel neutralizing antibodies targeting SARS-CoV-2 N-terminal domain discovered

A new study by US-based researchers shows the presence of protective antibodies that target the N-terminal domain (NTD) of the spike instead of the spike receptor-binding domain (RBD).

22 Jan 2021

Study identifies a host of agents with anti-SARS-CoV-2 potential

A team of researchers at the Genomics Research Center, Academia Sinica, in Taiwan, evaluated the efficacy of 2,855 agents against SARS-CoV-2.

22 Jan 2021

Blood group associated with cardiovascular events in COVID-19 patients

An illuminating new study by scientists at Harvard Medical School, USA, describes the correlation of such conditions with the ABO blood group. The team's findings may help assess the risk of COVID-19 patients for such complications, promoting early diagnosis and underscoring potential needs for preventive and therapeutic care where possible.

21 Jan 2021

Severe COVID-19 linked to genetic make-up of both host and virus, say researchers

A recent study conducted by a team of international scientists has revealed that the infectivity and pathogenicity of SARS-CoV-2 strongly depend on the genetic background of both the virus and the host.

15 Jan 2021

Study suggests SARS-CoV-2 could affect aquatic wildlife

Researchers have found that oxidative stress and neurotoxicity biomarkers increased in tadpoles exposed to synthetic SARS-CoV-2 spike protein peptides.

14 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

Can interregional travel restrictions curb SARS-CoV-2 transmission?

A study led by Dr. Keisuke Kondo at the Research Institute of Economy, Trade and Industry, Japan, has recently developed a mathematical model to investigate the impacts of interregional mobility restriction on the transmission of SARS-CoV-2.

5 Jan 2021

Understanding systemic risks from different perspectives

Systemic risks like climate change, cybersecurity and pandemics are characterised by high complexity, uncertainty, ambiguity, and effects beyond the system in which they originate.

18 Dec 2020

COVID-19 pandemic underscores racial inequalities in US: a Michigan case study

A team of researchers has explored how the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has disproportionately affected Black Americans.

6 Dec 2020

New and sudden headaches may be a symptom of COVID-19

Researchers report a case of a young male patient who came in with a headache to an emergency room. He had increased intracranial pressure and tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, suggesting new headaches during the pandemic should not be ignored.

2 Dec 2020

2018 anthrax outbreak in Uganda tied to infected cow meat, study finds

On April 18, 2018, 7 suspected human anthrax cases were reported from the Kween District Health Office in Kween District, Uganda. Ugandan researchers from the Uganda Public Health Fellowship Program, Kampala, Uganda, have now published their findings on the outbreak's source in the latest issue of the CDC's (Centre for Disease Prevention and Control) Emerging Infectious Diseases.

1 Dec 2020

Mollusc-derived compounds potential medicines for COVID-19 and other respiratory diseases

A research team has reviewed the existing literature on compounds derived from molluscs used for treating respiratory diseases.

30 Nov 2020

Study shows lower light pollution during COVID-19 lockdown in Granada

A novel study reports a favorable change in light pollution during the lockdown in Granada, Spain, from March to May 2020, and has traced it back to several different causes related to COVID-19 lockdown measures.

26 Nov 2020

Researchers develop nanopowder to help remove toxic metal ions

A team of researchers at Osaka University has developed a nanopowder shaped like seaweed for a water filter to help remove toxic metal ions. Made of layered sodium titanate, the randomly oriented nanofibers increase the efficacy of cobalt-II (Co2+) ion capture.

20 Nov 2020