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Antihypertensive drugs may reduce COVID-19 mortality in at-risk patients

A new multicenter study that recently appeared on the medRxiv* preprint server in November 2020 has found a lower or equal risk of fatal COVID-19 in hypertensive patients, depending on the type of medication they are on.

26 Nov 2020

Phycobilins found to inhibit SARS-CoV-2 enzymes in vitro

Researchers have released an interesting new study that describes the broad-spectrum of antiviral activity that phycobilins can have. Phycobilins, which are bioactive plant compounds, were found to inhibit two coronavirus enzymes.

26 Nov 2020

Specific SARS-CoV-2 genomic variations are associated with higher COVID-19 deaths

A team of scientists from South Korea and the United States has conducted an interesting study to investigate whether mutations in the genome of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) can affect the severity of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The study findings reveal that mutations in the viral spike protein and RNA polymerase complex can increase the risk of COVID-19 mortality.

25 Nov 2020

Why employers find it so hard to test for COVID

Brandon Hudgins works the main floor at Fleet Feet, a running-shoe store chain, for more than 30 hours a week. He chats with customers, measuring their feet and dashing in and out of the storage area to locate right-sized shoes. Sometimes, clients drag their masks down while speaking. Others refuse to wear masks at all.

25 Nov 2020

SARS-CoV-2 spike protein antibodies can persist up to 200 days after symptom onset

Researchers report SARS-CoV-2 antibodies to the spike protein (S protein) can persist 200 days after symptom onset, but that antibodies to the nucleoprotein (N protein) can reduce much more rapidly.

25 Nov 2020

Robust antibody response to SARS-CoV-2 can persist for eight months, study finds

A study conducted by researchers based in Italy suggests that SARS-CoV-2 induces durable and strong immunity in patients who had moderate to severe COVID-19.

25 Nov 2020

Digital warm-start CRISPR assay enables sensitive quantitative detection of SARS-CoV-2 in clinical samples

In a recent medRxiv* preprint paper, researchers from the University of Connecticut Health Center in the United States unveil their digital warm-start CRISPR (WS-CRISPR) method for stringent and sensitive quantitative detection of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in clinical samples of patients with coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

24 Nov 2020

Biosensor assay SARS-CoV-2 antibody test may predict COVID-19 severity in patients

Researchers in New York, USA, have found an association of mortality with an early humoral response to SARS-CoV-2 infection within the first few days after onset of symptoms (DAOS), using a highly sensitive and automated testing-on-a-probe (TOP) biosensor assays for SARS-CoV-2.

24 Nov 2020

Early high-titer convalescent plasma prevents 75% of severe COVID-19 in elderly

A promising new clinical study published on the preprint server medRxiv reports that if convalescent plasma with a high titer of antibodies is given early in the course of COVID-19 in elderly patients, the risk of severe illness is reduced by 73%.

24 Nov 2020

New CDC report describes COVID-19 in NYC in early spring

The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in its Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR), has published an update on the outbreak in New York City. The report is titled, "COVID-19 Outbreak — New York City, February 29–June 1, 2020".

23 Nov 2020

Mildly symptomatic COVID-19 patients may be contagious for longer than previously thought

Researchers in Brazil have reported two cases of people with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) shedding infectious virus for a significantly longer period than has previously been reported.

23 Nov 2020

Repeat infection following COVID-19 recovery may not pose risk to close contacts

Researchers in China have conducted a study suggesting that people who have recovered from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) may not pose a risk to close contacts if they become reinfected with the causative agent severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2).

23 Nov 2020

SARS-CoV-2 spike deletion mutations may evade current vaccine candidates, study finds

A thought-provoking new study reports that the anti-severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) spike antibodies elicited by natural infection may not be able to neutralize emerging strains that display deletion mutations in their genomic RNA.

23 Nov 2020

Study suggests neutralizing SARS-CoV-2 antibodies offer protection against reinfection

A new study published in November 2020 on the preprint server medRxiv* indicates that the chances of symptomatic infection are indeed much lower among the population with antibodies to the virus.

22 Nov 2020

Inexpensive, rapid-turnaround COVID-19 tests could eliminate the virus within weeks

Testing half the population weekly with inexpensive, rapid-turnaround COVID-19 tests would drive the virus toward elimination within weeks-- even if those tests are significantly less sensitive than gold-standard clinical tests, according to a new study published today by University of Colorado Boulder and Harvard University researchers.

20 Nov 2020

SARS-CoV-2 suppresses ACE2 activity in COVID-19 patients

A recent study conducted by a team of international scientists has revealed that severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the causative pathogen of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), suppresses the expression and function of human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) and induces the expression of interferon-stimulated genes at the initial phase of infection. The study is currently available on the bioRxiv* preprint server.

20 Nov 2020

Polymerase News and Research

Antihypertensive drugs may reduce COVID-19 mortality in at-risk patients

Phycobilins found to inhibit SARS-CoV-2 enzymes in vitro

Specific SARS-CoV-2 genomic variations are associated with higher COVID-19 deaths

Why employers find it so hard to test for COVID

SARS-CoV-2 spike protein antibodies can persist up to 200 days after symptom onset

Robust antibody response to SARS-CoV-2 can persist for eight months, study finds

Digital warm-start CRISPR assay enables sensitive quantitative detection of SARS-CoV-2 in clinical samples

Biosensor assay SARS-CoV-2 antibody test may predict COVID-19 severity in patients

Early high-titer convalescent plasma prevents 75% of severe COVID-19 in elderly

New CDC report describes COVID-19 in NYC in early spring

Mildly symptomatic COVID-19 patients may be contagious for longer than previously thought

Repeat infection following COVID-19 recovery may not pose risk to close contacts

SARS-CoV-2 spike deletion mutations may evade current vaccine candidates, study finds

Study suggests neutralizing SARS-CoV-2 antibodies offer protection against reinfection

Inexpensive, rapid-turnaround COVID-19 tests could eliminate the virus within weeks

SARS-CoV-2 suppresses ACE2 activity in COVID-19 patients

Scientists explain potential reasons for SARS-CoV-2 re-infection

Texas Heart Institute to participate in a study to treat ARDS in hospitalized COVID-19 patients

Seroprevalence meta-analysis predicts 643 million already infected by SARS-CoV-2 globally

SARS-CoV-2 is not associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes

Why use light scattering to analyze proteins and viral vectors?

Changing the landscape of R&D to build clinical success from the ground up

Sensing a Healthier Future

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