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Delaying second dose of Pfizer-BioNTech SARS-CoV-2 vaccine may be feasible in some cases

Researchers in Spain have conducted the most extensive study to date investigating the effectiveness of vaccinating healthcare workers with a single dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine to protect against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

11 Mar 2021

Study addresses glycosylation concerns in SARS-CoV-2 vaccine design

An international team of researchers has found that glycosylation patterns are conserved across the native spike protein of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) – the agent that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) – and the recombinant spike proteins made in laboratories for use in vaccines.

11 Mar 2021

VEXAS syndrome in men is more common than previously thought

A rare disease first identified in 2020 is much more common than first thought, say researchers at the University of Leeds investigating its origins.

11 Mar 2021

People previously infected with SARS-CoV-2 may achieve immunity after one mRNA vaccine dose, finds study

A team of researchers led by Thomas W. McDade of Northwestern University suggests people who were previously infected with SARS-CoV-2, the causative agent of COVID-19, may require only one dose of the mRNA vaccine to obtain immunity.

11 Mar 2021

Study finds limited association between vitamin D and improved COVID-19 outcomes

New research shows a lack of an association between Vitamin D deficiency and the number of COVID-19 cases, recoveries, or mortality rates in European countries.

11 Mar 2021

SARS-CoV-2 can infect blood monocytes and trigger inflammation, finds study

Researchers found about 10% of blood monocytes in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients are infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). These monocytes then die, leading to the release of cytokines – a feature associated with severe and critical COVID-19.

11 Mar 2021

Could an “ACE2 Triple Decoy” be an alternative approach to neutralizing SARS-CoV-2?

A team of scientists from the USA recently developed a recombinant “Angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) Triple Decoy” that can trap SARS-CoV-2 and prevent its propagation inside the host cell.

11 Mar 2021

Probiotic supplements increase the diversity of intestinal bacteria in extremely preterm infants

Extremely preterm infants can suffer from a life-threatening inflammation of the gut. A new clinical study has shown that supplements of a lactic acid bacterium may have positive effects by increasing the diversity of intestinal bacteria in these infants.

11 Mar 2021

Researchers develop assay for qualitative assessment of SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibodies

To address the need for a high-quality neutralization assay against SARS-CoV-2, researchers from the NIAID modified and optimized a previously established fluorescence reduction neutralization assay (FRNA) to provide a quantitative assessment of a large number of infected cells through the use of a high-content imaging system.

11 Mar 2021

Nanobody works against all SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern in animal model

Researchers based in Belgium have developed a new antibody drug that is highly successful at neutralizing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Syrian hamsters. The new biologic was administered to the rodents and was found to be equally successful at neutralizing the original severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) strain, and also the new mutant variants, such as the South African and UK strains.

11 Mar 2021

Study investigates the prevalence of eye disease in adults with Down syndrome

Drs. Dimitrios Karamichos and Melissa Petersen at The University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth, are teaming with DownSyndrome Achieves (DSA) Biobank in Ohio to find clues about Keratoconus Dystrophy.

11 Mar 2021

Brazil COVID variant 2.5 times more transmissible than ancestral strain

In early January 2021, a new variant of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) was identified from travelers returning from Brazil. This variant, referred to as “P.1”, likely emerged in early-to-late November 2020, and subsequently spread throughout Manaus, the state capital of Amazonas, Brazil, over the following December.

11 Mar 2021

Whole genome sequencing may guide blood cancer treatment

For certain blood cancers, such as acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), deciding whether patients need an aggressive treatment typically hinges on a set of lab tests to identify genetic changes.

11 Mar 2021

SARS-CoV-2 spike S1 subunit induces hypercoagulability

The vascular complications of the condition include a range of various coagulopathies that cause bleeding and thrombocytopenia or a hypercoagulable state. A new preprint research paper posted to the medRxiv server describes the role of a fibrinogen-related protein in inducing these clinical features of COVID-19.

10 Mar 2021

TraCK study says schoolchildren unlikely to transmit SARS-CoV-2

An interesting new preprint research paper posted to the medRxiv* server reports there is little evidence to suggest the rapid transmission of the virus among school children while attending school.

10 Mar 2021

Danish study on the efficacy of Pfizer/BioNTech SARS-CoV-2 vaccine after first and second dose

As the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) continues, many countries have rolled out vaccines against the virus. In an encouraging preprint research paper posted to the medRxiv* server, scientists report on the vaccine efficacy in the Danish vaccination program.

10 Mar 2021

South African SARS-CoV-2 variant most problematic for BNT-162b2 vaccine

Researchers from Germany and the US investigated the efficacy of neutralizing antibodies against newer variants using serum and saliva samples obtained from groups of infected, vaccinated (with Pfizer BNT-162b2), and uninfected individuals. The researchers started this study to uncover vaccine-induced immune response and show the efficiency of antibody binding and neutralization in SARS-CoV-2 variants.

10 Mar 2021

Study confirms COVID-19 vaccine rollout decreasing disease incidence across USA

By comparing vaccination rates in 580 counties across the United States with the corresponding coronavirus disease (COVID-19) incidence rates, a recent study currently available on the medRxiv preprint server finds that cumulative county-level vaccination rates are significantly associated with a concomitant fall in the incidence of COVID-19.

10 Mar 2021

Newly-discovered bat coronavirus 94.5% identical to SARS-CoV-2

Researchers in China and Australia have reported the discovery of novel bat coronaviruses that further reveal the diversity and complex evolutionary history of these viruses.

10 Mar 2021

Genome-wide covariation analysis sheds light on the evolution of SARS-CoV-2

Researchers in the United States have computed genome-wide covariation within severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) to investigate interactions that could be of considerable importance in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

10 Mar 2021