Syndrome News and Research

RSS

How antibodies neutralize SARS-CoV-2 in convalescent patients

A new study by researchers from the United Kingdom and Taiwan and published on the preprint server bioRxiv in June 2020 describes the structural basis for the neutralizing effect of the SARS-CoV-2 antibody on the virus. This also indicates a possible therapeutic molecule by identifying its binding epitope as possibly a major neutralizing site.

16 Jun 2020

Cancer results from interaction between individual’s genetics and exposure to carcinogens

A new study led by the University of Hawai?i Cancer Center looks into how and why certain individuals develop cancer and others do not.

16 Jun 2020

Scientists evaluate SARS-CoV-2 infection risks in livestock, poultry, pets and wildlife

A large-scale single-cell screening endeavor on a wide variety of animals showed that cells targeted by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) are most abundant in cats, but are also found in other animals – unveiling a valuable resource for controlling the ongoing disruptive coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.

16 Jun 2020

Severity of COVID-19 linked to heparanase activity and heparan sulfate levels

Researchers at Radboud University Medical Center in the Netherlands reported an increase of heparanase activity and heparan sulfate levels in the plasma of patients with coronavirus disease (COVID-19), which was also associated with the severity of the condition – suggesting, in turn, potential treatment utility of low molecular weight heparins. The paper is currently available on the medRxiv* preprint server.

16 Jun 2020

Persistent DNA damage in the placenta can affect embryonic growth

Scientists at the Stowers Institute for Medical Research have shown that a dysfunctional placenta can play a previously unrecognized role during the earliest stages of development in mouse models of Cornelia de Lange syndrome.

16 Jun 2020

Exposure to certain e-cig cartridges may cause fatal lung damage

Researchers at the University of Rochester Medical Center, New York, have shown that long-term exposure to certain electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) may cause lung toxicity and injury among vapers.

16 Jun 2020

Study highlights vulnerability of people in refugee camps to COVID-19

A COVID-19 outbreak in a refugee settlement will likely overwhelm the available healthcare capacity and infrastructure and spread through nearly the entire settlement population if left unchecked, according to a new study published June 16 in PLOS Medicine by Paul Spiegel of Johns Hopkins University, United States, and colleagues.

16 Jun 2020

How novel coronavirus affects children

New insights into the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of pediatric patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) could facilitate early identification and intervention in suspected patients, according to a study publishing on June 16, 2020 in the open-access journal PLOS Medicine by Xihui Zhou of the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, China and colleagues.

16 Jun 2020

Antidepressant fluoxetine (Prozac) suppresses replication of SARS-CoV-2

A study conducted by researchers at Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg has shown that the antidepressant agent fluoxetine may be an effective drug for the early treatment of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) among at-risk groups.

16 Jun 2020

Exercise has profound protective effect in mouse models of Friedreich's ataxia

A top exercise researcher at the University of Virginia School of Medicine is urging clinical trials of exercise in patients with Friedreich's ataxia after finding that physical activity has a "profound" protective effect in mouse models of the debilitating genetic disease.

16 Jun 2020

Yale researchers discover the cause for sudden onset of OCD in children

Yale scientists may have found a cause for the sudden onset of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) in some children, they report.

16 Jun 2020

Many Americans face high out-of-pocket medical costs for COVID-19 hospitalizations

If past hospitalizations for pneumonia and other respiratory illnesses are any guide, many Americans could face high out-of-pocket medical costs for COVID-19 hospitalizations despite the fact that many insurers have waived their cost-sharing requirements, a study from researchers at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health suggests.

16 Jun 2020

Study reports structure of enzyme activator for high pathogenic avian influenza

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), causing the current pandemic of COVID-19, is the focus of many investigators seeking to find an effective vaccine or therapeutic. Among the potential targets are various protease enzymes suspected of allowing the virus to gain entry to host cells and establish a successful infection.

16 Jun 2020

SARS-CoV-2 mutation reduces S1 shedding, increases infective potential

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the seventh coronavirus known to infect humans. SARS-CoV-2 emerged in the last month of 2019 in Wuhan, China, sparking off the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. This virus enters the host cells through receptor binding and membrane fusion between the viral and host cell membrane.

16 Jun 2020

Testing reveals 11 percent of people in Geneva infected with SARS-CoV-2

Now, a team of researchers at Geneva University Hospitals has found that less than 11 percent of the population in Geneva has contracted the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Their research is published in the journal The Lancet.

15 Jun 2020

Controlling SARS-CoV-2 upon resumption of the Spanish football league

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic first emerged in Wuhan City, China, in December 2019. Since then, it has spread throughout the world, infecting more than 8 million people. Social distancing measures were imposed in most countries, isolating people in their homes, banning congregations, including schools, parties, and even sports events.

15 Jun 2020

Human antibodies provide powerful protection against SARS-CoV-2 in animal tests

A team led by Scripps Research has discovered antibodies in the blood of recovered COVID-19 patients that provide powerful protection against SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus that causes the disease, when tested in animals and human cell cultures.

15 Jun 2020

Tracing coronavirus habitats with genomics

Now, a new study by researchers at the University of Ottawa and published on the preprint server bioRxiv in June 2020 reports the differences in genomes of viruses that are exposed to antiviral proteins vs. those that are not. This host-derived pressure on the virus to adapt may help devise newer ways to build an effective vaccine.

15 Jun 2020

Inhaled steroids reduce ACE2 expression in COPD lungs

A new study by scientists at Imperial College London, University of Newcastle and Prokarium, and published on the preprint server bioRxiv* in June 2020 examines the role played by inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) in the risk of acquisition of COVID-19 infection by COPD patients.

15 Jun 2020

Genetic marker may predispose African Americans to cardiac complications from COVID-19

Nearly one out of every 10 African Americans has a genetic variant that puts them inherently at an increased risk for ventricular arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death.

15 Jun 2020