Pandemic News and Research

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A pandemic is a global disease outbreak. During a pandemic, transmission can be anticipated in the workplace, not only from patient to workers in health care settings, but also among co-workers in general work settings. A pandemic would cause high levels of illness, death, social disruption, and economic loss. Everyday life would be disrupted because so many people in so many places become seriously ill at the same time. Impacts could range from school and business closings to the interruption of basic services such as public transportation and food delivery.

Llama-derived nanobodies show neutralizing activity against SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern in vitro

A new study reports the development of nanoantibodies (nAbs) – also called or nanobodiesTM or single-domain antibodies – that effectively bind the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein from the ancestral Wuhan variant as well as the recently detected UK and South African variants.

19 Feb 2021

Chicken-derived antibody shows potent neutralizing capacity against SARS-CoV-2 in vitro

Researchers report on a Chicken-derived antibody against SARS-CoV-2, offering preliminary data on a potential therapeutic for COVID-19 warranting further research.

19 Feb 2021

COVID-19 and lung cancer have a common pathway, say researchers

A new preprint on the bioRxiv* server describes the common features COVID-19 shares with lung cancer.

19 Feb 2021

Juvenile inflammatory rheumatic disease associated with higher antibody responses to seasonal coronaviruses

A new study released on the bioRxiv* server compared the antibodies produced in young patients with these three conditions against the two immunodominant coronavirus antigens, the spike and the nucleocapsid antigens.

19 Feb 2021

Scientists use computer simulations to identify future targets for treatment of Covid-19

University of Warwick scientists model movements of nearly 300 protein structures in Covid-19. Scientists can use the simulations to identify potential targets to test with existing drugs, and even check effectiveness with future Covid variants.

19 Feb 2021

Domestic dogs unlikely to transmit SARS-CoV-2, say researchers

Researchers in Spain and Germany have conducted a study showing that domestic dogs are unlikely to contribute to the transmission and community spread of SARS-CoV-2 – the agent that causes COVID-19.

19 Feb 2021

Developing Biochemically Sensitive Membranes with Electrochemistry

In this interview, News-Medical Life Sciences talks to Lane Baker, Professor of Chemistry at Indiana University Bloomington about the role of electrochemistry in developing biochemically sensitive membranes as well the work ongoing at the Baker lab.

From Pittcon 19 Feb 2021

Does climate play a large role in SARS-CoV-2 transmission?

A team of researchers from the Universidade Federal de Itajuba in Brazil has reported that weather plays a vital role in determining the transmission rate of SARS-CoV-2 infection.

19 Feb 2021

Climate change may have contributed to the COVID-19 pandemic

In this interview, News-Medical speaks to Dr. Robert Beyer about his latest research that discovered that climate change may have contributed to the COVID-19 pandemic.

19 Feb 2021

How does the SARS-CoV-2 E484K mutation increase viral fitness?

How do mutations benefit SARS-CoV-2? To explore this, a team of researchers from China took a closer look at the physical interactions that occur between the proteins after viral mutation.

19 Feb 2021

Report proposes new system of universal coverage to support long-term care of older Americans

The COVID-19 pandemic's heavy toll on older Americans highlights the need to strengthen the nation's safety net for people in need of long-term services and supports, an Oregon Health & Science University researcher and co-authors argue in a new report published by Milbank Quarterly.

19 Feb 2021

Study: First influenza infection does not make people immune to future flu viruses

A child's first influenza infection shapes their immunity to future airborne flu viruses - including emerging pandemic strains.

19 Feb 2021

Study: American values and activities have changed dramatically during COVID-19

American values, attitudes, and activities have changed dramatically during COVID-19, according to a new study of online behavior.

19 Feb 2021

Levels of IgG antibodies may influence COVID-19 outcomes

COVID-19, the source of the current pandemic, may be caused by a single virus, but it has a variety of presentations that make treatment difficult. Children, for example, almost exclusively experience mild or asymptomatic COVID-19, while adults can develop severe or even fatal COVID-19.

19 Feb 2021

Cologne University professor heads new consortium on EU vaccine research network

The European Union is funding the establishment of the new vaccine research network VACCELERATE with a total of 12 million euros for three years.

18 Feb 2021

Zambia study casts doubt on the assumption that COVID-19 skipped Africa

A new study concluding out of Lusaka, Zambia last summer has found that as many as 19% (almost 1 in 5) of recently-deceased people tested positive for COVID-19.

18 Feb 2021

USDA, FDA highlight no credible evidence of COVID-19 transmission through food or food packaging

After more than a year since the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak was declared a global health emergency, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention continue to underscore that there is no credible evidence of food or food packaging associated with or as a likely source of viral transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the virus causing COVID-19.

18 Feb 2021

Changes in drinking and smoking during England’s first COVID-19 lockdown

The worldwide spread of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) that causes COVID-19 infection in early 2020 prompted many nations to close their borders and institute mandatory lockdowns. While lockdowns abruptly stopped daily life, researchers from the University College London and the University of Sheffield found drug-seeking behaviors did not.

18 Feb 2021

O-glycosylation of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein in insect and human cell lines

The mapping of O-glycosites requires instruments that can support electron transfer dissociation (ETD) fragmentation. In a new study published on the bioRxiv preprint server, researchers report their results on whether O-glycosylation patterns affect immunogens for vaccine development.

18 Feb 2021

Study: COVID-19 rates fall faster in richer countries

Richer countries were more likely to see rates of COVID-19 fall faster during the first wave of the pandemic, according to new research published in the journal Frontiers in Public Health.

18 Feb 2021

Pandemic News and Research

Further Reading

Llama-derived nanobodies show neutralizing activity against SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern in vitro

Chicken-derived antibody shows potent neutralizing capacity against SARS-CoV-2 in vitro

COVID-19 and lung cancer have a common pathway, say researchers

Juvenile inflammatory rheumatic disease associated with higher antibody responses to seasonal coronaviruses

Scientists use computer simulations to identify future targets for treatment of Covid-19

Domestic dogs unlikely to transmit SARS-CoV-2, say researchers

Developing Biochemically Sensitive Membranes with Electrochemistry

Does climate play a large role in SARS-CoV-2 transmission?

Climate change may have contributed to the COVID-19 pandemic

How does the SARS-CoV-2 E484K mutation increase viral fitness?

Report proposes new system of universal coverage to support long-term care of older Americans

Study: First influenza infection does not make people immune to future flu viruses

Study: American values and activities have changed dramatically during COVID-19

Levels of IgG antibodies may influence COVID-19 outcomes

Cologne University professor heads new consortium on EU vaccine research network

Zambia study casts doubt on the assumption that COVID-19 skipped Africa

USDA, FDA highlight no credible evidence of COVID-19 transmission through food or food packaging

Changes in drinking and smoking during England’s first COVID-19 lockdown

O-glycosylation of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein in insect and human cell lines

Study: COVID-19 rates fall faster in richer countries

Best practices - optimize qPCR processes for pathogen detection eBook

Bringing real-time analytics to downstream bioprocess monitoring

Designing fluidic architecture for scalable diagnostic platforms

Evaluating new approaches for rare disease genomics

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