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Ribonucleic acid (RNA) is a biologically important type of molecule that consists of a long chain of nucleotide units. Each nucleotide consists of a nitrogenous base, a ribose sugar, and a phosphate.

How stable are mRNA vaccines under continuous movement?

Researchers tested reconstituted COVID-19 mRNA vaccines under different movement conditions and found that a moderate continuous movement does not damage the mRNA, which may increase the possibility of transporting reconstituted vaccine over a few hundred kilometers.

17 Jun 2021

Novel ferritin nanoparticle vaccine candidate effective against SARS-CoV-2 variants in preclinical trials

A team of scientists from the United States has recently evaluated the efficacy of a ferritin nanoparticle-formulated, SARS-CoV-2 spike-based vaccine against newly emerged Variants of Concern (VOCs).

17 Jun 2021

Could type III interferons be used as a SARS-CoV-2 therapeutic?

Researchers have found that both type I and type III interferons can inhibit SARS-CoV-2 infection in human intestinal cells, but type III interferons can act faster and for a longer period, making them suitable for potential therapeutics.

17 Jun 2021

How the common cold can provide protection against COVID-19

In a recent study, researchers found that prior infection with the rhinovirus can provide a more effective immune response against SARS-CoV-2 infection.

17 Jun 2021

New noninvasive biomarker can be used in the diagnosis of NAFLD

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common liver disease worldwide and can progress to liver cirrhosis, liver failure or cancer. Currently, nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) diagnosis requires an invasive liver biopsy which can lead to procedural complications.

17 Jun 2021

Myocarditis after SARS-CoV-2 vaccine

A group of Italian researchers has published a study in the Canadian Journal of Cardiology (CJC), that explores a rare case of progressive dyspnea and constrictive retrosternal pain after a SARS-CoV-2 vaccine.

17 Jun 2021

Study reveals potentially druggable process of SARS-Cov-2 assembly and replication

Of all the proteins of the SARS-CoV-2 virus (the pathogen that causes COVID-19), the spike protein is the one that gets the most attention.

17 Jun 2021

A comprehensive review on diagnostics of COVID-19

Clinical research on COVID-19 has boomed in the 18 months since the disease first appeared. Countless papers have looked at the topic from almost every possible angle, including methods of detection.

16 Jun 2021

Researchers explore potential exposure to microbial agents in-utero

The human fetal immune system begins to develop early during gestation, however, factors responsible for fetal immune-priming remain elusive.

16 Jun 2021

New computational topology strategy to identify existing medicines for treating COVID-19

Researchers from the ESI International Chair of the CEU Cardenal Herrera University (CEU UCH) and ESI Group have just published in scientific journal Pharmaceutics a new computational topology strategy to identify existing medicines that could be applied to treat COVID-19 without waiting for the research and clinical trial phases required to develop a new medicine.

16 Jun 2021

Scientists reveal the mechanism of liquid-liquid phase separation of SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid

A team of scientists from the United States has recently revealed how interactions between the SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein and the double-stranded RNA motifs impart distinct droplet properties that can support multiple viral functions. The study is currently available on the bioRxiv* preprint server.

16 Jun 2021

Researchers demonstrate a potentially powerful strategy for treating cystic fibrosis

UNC School of Medicine scientists led a collaboration of researchers to demonstrate a potentially powerful new strategy for treating cystic fibrosis (CF) and potentially a wide range of other diseases.

16 Jun 2021

COVID-e-Vax DNA vaccine candidate elicits robust immune responses in preclinical trials

A new study, released as a preprint on the bioRxiv* server, describes the late-stage clinical trial efficacy of a new vaccine candidate based on a deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) plasmid platform expressing the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. Among different constructs of the vaccine plasmid, the RBD was found to produce the most potent and broad immune response.

16 Jun 2021

Anti-viral treatment can stop the spread of lab modeled SARS-CoV-2 by 99.5%

A new approach focusing on cellular repair may be an effective strategy to address the pandemic.

16 Jun 2021

Anti-viral treatment can stop the spread of lab modeled SARS-CoV-2 by 99.5%

A new approach focusing on cellular repair may be an effective strategy to address the pandemic.

16 Jun 2021

Increased viral replication and shedding in nonhuman primates carrying SARS-CoV-2 B.1.1.7 variant

A team of researchers from the US and UK used the AGM intranasal model of SARS-CoV-2 infection to determine differences between a contemporary SARS-CoV-2 D614G variant circulating in summer 2020 and the B.1.1.7 UK variant of concern that emerged in late 2020.

16 Jun 2021

Cissampelos pareira (velvetleaf) exhibits anti-SARS-CoV-2 potential

Cissampelos pareira (Cipa), also known as velvetleaf, is a widely used hormone modulator used to treat reproductive disorders and fever. Research has shown that it can inhibit three serotypes of Dengue virus (DENV) and affect various hormones.

16 Jun 2021

A study on SARS-CoV-2 proteins for the development of COVID-19 drugs

The authors of the review have grouped the virus proteins into three categories, (a) host-entry, (b) self-acting, and (c) host-interacting. Additionally, individual SARS-CoV-2 proteins are evaluated to be either directly targeted by drugs or block virus-host interactions.

16 Jun 2021

Rapidly evolving SARS-Cov-2 strains may give rise to escape variants

The number of COVID-19 variants is growing rapidly, so much that the scale and scope of mutation may pose a threat to the continuing successful use of the current vaccines and therapies.

16 Jun 2021

CDC study looks at SARS-CoV-2 testing among returning cruise ship travelers

In a recent study published on the preprint server medRxiv*, a group of researchers discusses the RT-PCR results and symptoms experienced by the travelers to illustrate the viral dynamics during asymptomatic or mild COVID-19 infection.

15 Jun 2021