Zinc News and Research

RSS

Zinc is an essential mineral that is naturally present in some foods, added to others, and available as a dietary supplement. Zinc is also found in many cold lozenges and some over-the-counter drugs sold as cold remedies.

SARS-CoV-2 genome variants in India

A new study published online on the preprint server bioRxiv in June 2020 surveys the genetic diversity of SARS-CoV-2 strains in India.

7 Jun 2020

Zinc-finger antiviral protein makes SARS-CoV-2 highly susceptible to interferons

By looking into zinc-finger antiviral proteins (ZAP), a new study from Germany and the United Kingdom (UK) and available on the preprint server bioRxiv suggests that zoonotic transmission of a coronavirus with a specific genetic make-up facilitated the pandemic spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), but also its sensitivity to interferons.

7 Jun 2020

Hydroxychloroquine not able to prevent development of COVID-19, UMN trial shows

Today, University of Minnesota Medical School researchers published the results from the first randomized clinical trial testing hydroxychloroquine for the post-exposure prevention of COVID-19.

4 Jun 2020

Base Genomics launches and raises $11 million USD to progress development of its TAPS technology

Epigenetics company Base Genomics has launched with a team of leading scientists and clinicians to set a new gold standard in DNA methylation detection.

4 Jun 2020

Findings indicate potential therapeutic interventions for Alzheimer’s and other diseases

A team of scientists from Japan recently achieved more efficient degradation of the human serum albumin protein - an important protein in the blood - via high-intensity infrared irradiation, by attaching a zinc metal complex to the protein.

1 Jun 2020

Comprehensive review of clioquinol drug gives valuable insights

CQ is an old drug that was commonly used to treat fungal/protozoal infections of the gastrointestinal tract. Patients in Japan taking it developed subacute myelo-optic neuropathy which resulted in CQ being discontinued for oral use. Recently, extensive research has been done in regards to CQ's use for cancer treatment.

21 May 2020

New biodegradable food packaging prolongs food shelf life

Plastic pollution and disposal of single use plastic packaging is a huge sustainability issue in need of innovative solutions: latest results from the EU-funded project YPACK show that an innovative formulation of active ingredients could allow this biodegradable food packaging to prolong the shelf life of foods and therefore reduce food waste.

19 May 2020

Does vitamin D deficiency increase COVID-19 risk?

A new paper published on the preprint server medRxiv* in May 2020 reports the first evidence that vitamin D deficiency and inadequate treatment could increase the chances of testing positive for COVID-19. This could shape the way for screening individuals at risk for vitamin D deficiency.

14 May 2020

New initiative to deliver immune support saves lives of frontline NHS staff

The new Frontline Immune Support Team has been founded to provide quality, free immune support to frontline NHS staff risking their lives in the struggle to combat the Covid-19 pandemic.

11 May 2020

Different types of white fat may play distinct roles in metabolic diseases

Excess white fat causes obesity, which in turn can drive diabetes and many other metabolic diseases that are growing at epidemic rates around the world.

5 May 2020

Innovative crystal has many promising applications

Spinels are oxides with chemical formulas of the type AB2O4, where A is a divalent metal cation (positive ion), B is a trivalent metal cation, and O is oxygen.

5 May 2020

Antioxidant-rich foods can lower risk of infection in children with leukemia

While encouraging children to eat their fruits and veggies is a common refrain for most parents, new research led by a pediatric oncology expert from Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center underscores that diets high in antioxidant-rich foods can have particular benefits for young cancer patients.

2 May 2020

Dietary supplements are effective and low-cost means to fight COVID-19

Supplements containing vitamins C and D and other micronutrients, sometimes in amounts exceeding the federally recommended levels, are a safe, effective and low-cost means of helping your immune system fight off COVID-19 and other acute respiratory tract diseases, an Oregon State University researcher says.

24 Apr 2020

100th COVID-19 patient discharged from St. Luke’s Anderson Campus

St. Luke’s Anderson Campus discharged its 100th COVID-19 patient Wednesday. The Anderson Campus in Bethlehem Township is one of the Network’s 11 hospitals.

17 Apr 2020

New technique for imaging proteins in 3D

A team of scientists including researchers at the National Synchrotron Light Source II (NSLS-II)--a U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science User Facility at DOE's Brookhaven National Laboratory--have demonstrated a new technique for imaging proteins in 3-D with nanoscale resolution.

13 Apr 2020

How to boost your immune system to fight coronavirus

As the world struggles with the coronavirus pandemic, more and more people are trying to protect themselves against the virus by all means possible. There are currently no vaccines against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), so boosting the immune system by way of diet, regular exercise, and sleep are sensible measures.

31 Mar 2020

Mount Sinai researchers reveal innovative mechanisms to predict and prevent Crohn's disease

In a series of four studies published today in Gastroenterology, a journal of the American Gastroenterological Association, Mount Sinai inflammatory bowel disease researchers, describe the identification of predictive tools and a new understanding of environmental factors that trigger IBD.

26 Mar 2020