Respiratory News and Research

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In-silico prediction of effective drug combinations for the treatment of SARS-CoV-2 infection

A new study published on the bioRxiv preprint server has developed the first computational model, i.e., a signaling network model, that can predict effective repurposed drug combinations to treat different phases of COVID-19 disease. This study has focused on identifying drugs for the treatment of early- and late-stage severe disease.

30 Jul 2021

Scientists suspect Lambda SARS-CoV-2 variant most dangerous

A new study published on the bioRxiv* preprint server used molecular phylogenetic analysis to study the evolutionary trait of the Lambda variant.

30 Jul 2021

SARS-CoV-2 interacts with sialic acid cell surface glycans

In a paper recently uploaded to the journal Frontiers in Chemistry by Li et al. (July 22nd, 2021) the interaction between the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and N-acetylneuraminic acid (NANA), the most commonly found sialic acid in humans, is investigated, finding that the molecule may act as a secondary or supplementary receptor to the virus.

30 Jul 2021

Phase 1/2 trial results for Nanocovax, protein subunit SARS-CoV-2 vaccine from Vietnam

Nanocovax is a protein subunit vaccine that contains the full-length spike stabilized by the addition of two prolines

29 Jul 2021

Study explains how SARS-CoV-2 variants differ in binding to ACE2 receptor

The current study explored ACE2-RBD interactions with four VoCs including the Alpha, Beta, Gamma, and Delta variants.

29 Jul 2021

Streptococcus pneumoniae modulates host immunity to SARS-CoV-2

Scientists from the UK and US have recently investigated immunological consequences of secondary Streptococcus pneumoniae (S. pneumoniae) infection in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients.

29 Jul 2021

Study reveals cellular basis of antigen-specific response to Pfizer-BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine

Researchers in the United States have provided important insights into the antigen-specific cellular response and evolving humoral (antibody) response to messenger RNA- (mRNA) based vaccination against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) – the agent that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

29 Jul 2021

Research finds associations between COVID-19 and persistent cognitive deficits

Much has been learned about SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes the novel coronavirus, since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, questions remain about the long-term impact of the virus on our bodies and brains.

29 Jul 2021

Covid renews interest in radiation, but docs caution against pilgrimages to radon-filled mines

Twice a year, Brian Tichenor makes the 1,200-mile drive each way from his home in Kansas to a defunct uranium mine in Montana, where he takes an elevator 85 feet below the surface to sit amid radioactive radon gas to ease the pain from his chronic eye condition.

29 Jul 2021

Healthy eating during pregnancy is fundamental for mother and child

Healthy and balanced nutrition during pregnancy and early infancy is important for mother and child. However, despite some recent progress in Europe, there is still a long way to achieve the nutrition targets set by the WHO to improve maternal, infant and young child nutrition.

29 Jul 2021

Is it possible to identify pre-symptomatic and asymptomatic COVID-19 clinically?

The COVID-19 pandemic has severely impacted morbidity and mortality in nursing home residents across the world. Earlier detection of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) may help better mitigate the risk of viral transmission. As both pre-symptomatic and asymptomatic transmission is common in these outbreaks, screening for threshold temperatures of 38°C or higher could miss timely detection in most infected people.

29 Jul 2021

World's most sophisticated COVID-19 sequencing system

In response to the ongoing SARS-CoV-2 infections in the United Kingdom, the COVID-19 Genomics UK (COG-UK) consortium was formed to rapidly sequence SARS-CoV-2 genomes as part of a national-scale genomic surveillance strategy.

29 Jul 2021

99% of COVID-19 deaths in Italy occur among those not fully vaccinated

In a new report out of Italy, health officials reported that almost 99 percent of people who have died from COVID-19 since February 2021 were not fully vaccinated. The report released by the National Health Institute (ISS) showed that the few fully vaccinated people who died of COVID-19 were also older than those who died without complete COVID-19 vaccine doses.

29 Jul 2021

Prior SARS-CoV-2 infection enhances effectiveness of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine

A study conducted by researchers in Qatar has found that Pfizer-BioNTech’s coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine was more protective against infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) among individuals who had previously been infected with the virus than among those who had not.

29 Jul 2021