Polymerase News and Research

RSS

Activated mast cell disorders potentially linked to SARS-CoV-2 immunity

An intriguing new study reports a year-long study in patients with cMCADs from all over France.

7 Sep 2021

High COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness in Israeli HCP

A study aimed to evaluate the VE against SARS-CoV-2 infection by carrying out a prospective cohort study that included healthcare personnel (HCP) in six hospitals in Israel.

7 Sep 2021

Multiplexed electrochemical sensor platform enables simultaneous detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA and host antibodies

Scientists from the UK and USA have developed an antifouling nanocomposite-coated multiplexed electrochemical sensor platform that can simultaneously detect severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) RNA and virus-specific antibodies. The platform has shown 100% accuracy in detecting viral RNA and IgG-specific anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. The study is currently available on the medRxiv* preprint server.

6 Sep 2021

Implications of persistent SARS-CoV-2 infection in patients with lymphoid malignancies

In a recent study, scientists attempt to understand persistent COVID-19 and its implications in patients with hematologic malignancies.

6 Sep 2021

Characterization of SARS-CoV-2 viral trajectory

In a study available on the preprint server medRxiv* researchers aimed to characterize early viral shedding in patients with incident infection. Read more here.

6 Sep 2021

Israeli study on viral load, Delta infections, vaccinations and boosters

Scientists from Israel have recently explored the effectiveness of two-dose and three-dose regimens of the BNT162b2 coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine (Pfizer/BioNTech) to reduce viral load in breakthrough infections caused by the delta variant of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).

6 Sep 2021

Scientists identify a critical checkpoint in transcription elongation

Northwestern Medicine scientists have identified a critical checkpoint in transcription elongation, the process of synthesizing RNA from a DNA template, according to findings published in Molecular Cell.

4 Sep 2021

Third vaccine dose reduces transmission and severe COVID-19 nationwide in Israel

A new preprint investigates the efficacy of a booster vaccine on a nationwide scale in reducing viral spread and the number of severe COVID-19 cases.

3 Sep 2021

An assessment of post-vaccination immune response to SARS-CoV-2 Delta in elderly and health care workers

A new cohort study comparing immune responses among vaccinated elderly persons and healthcare workers has been conducted.

2 Sep 2021

Have SARS-CoV-2 symptoms changed in the UK population over time?

A new paper compares changes in the symptoms due to COVID-19 over the course of the pandemic.

29 Aug 2021

Rice lab receives NIH grant to unravel DNA’s secrets

The poor bacteriophages in Yang Gao's lab are about to have a lot of bad days.

28 Aug 2021

COVID-19 pandemic illuminates the importance of airborne transmission of respiratory viruses

SARS-CoV-2, the virus behind today's global coronavirus pandemic, spreads primarily by inhalation of virus-laden aerosols at both short and long ranges - and a comprehensive new assessment of respiratory viruses finds that many others probably do as well.

27 Aug 2021

What Missouri learned the hard way about rapid covid testing in schools

Early in the tumultuous 2020-21 school year, Missouri officials made a big gamble: set aside roughly 1 million rapid covid tests for the state's K-12 schools in hopes of quickly identifying sick students or staff members.

26 Aug 2021

Two mRNA vaccines are effective even without post-shot symptoms or prior SARS-CoV-2 infection

Vaccination with the two messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, yields a robust antibody response, even if a person did not develop significant symptoms following vaccination or did not have a prior SARS-CoV-2 infection.

26 Aug 2021

Study examines impact of COVID pandemic on birth outcomes in Wales

Researchers in the UK have looked at the impact of the COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic on the population birth outcomes in 2020, detailing the experiences of the expectant mothers from immunization rates for babies to self-reported levels of stress and anxiety in the mothers, compared to pre-COVID years.

25 Aug 2021

Glycyrrhizic acid as a drug candidate for COVID-19

A new study presents the benefits of licorice, an age-old herbal remedy, to treat COVID-19 at all stages.

24 Aug 2021

Synthetic SARS-CoV-2 vs. SARS-CoV-2

Though vaccination efforts are underway in most countries, there are still limited options for treating COVID-19. Now, researchers at Penn State designed a new COVID-19 therapy that uses a defective synthetic version of the SARS-CoV-2 virus to interfere with the actual virus's replication.

23 Aug 2021