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Fibrin immunotherapy may resolve blood clotting induced by SARS-CoV-2

A group of researchers from the United States discovered that the spike glycoprotein of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) can induce the formation of highly inflammatory blood clots amenable to neutralization by a fibrin-targeting monoclonal antibody – opening the door for a completely new strategy to reduce thrombotic inflammation in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

17 Oct 2021

Study reveals a highly effective COVID-19 screening system utilizing a live cell-based assay

A new study reports a cell-based assay that involved the isolation and quantification of SARS-CoV-2 Mpro in human cells in the absence of other proteins.

14 Oct 2021

Mutation of cysteine residues in NRP1 reduces SARS-CoV-2 spike protein entry into cells

Researchers have been investigating altered protein conformations in variants of concern to provide further insight for future therapies against COVID-19.

14 Oct 2021

Deadly "dry scooping" pre-workout powder is becoming popular on the internet, research shows

A potentially deadly new challenge called "dry scooping" is prevalent on the internet, and new research shows video demonstrations on one social media platform popular among teens amassed more than 8 million views. Dry scooping refers to the improper use of pre-workout supplements, a powder typically added to liquid and containing ingredients that are unsuitable for children.

11 Oct 2021

Role of S-acylation in SARS-CoV-2 infectivity

A new study published in Developmental Cell investigates S-acylation of the SARS-CoV-2 S protein.

10 Oct 2021

Review of COVID-19 clinical and viral characteristics, pathogenesis, and genetics

A new review article investigates the clinical and viral characteristics, pathogenesis, as well as human genetic basis associated with COVID-19.

27 Sep 2021

Metabolic and immune markers as tools for risk stratification and monitoring in COVID-19

In a new study posted to the medRxiv* server scientists from Weil Cornell University and Stony Brook University in New York attempted to identify the metabolic and immune markers associated with severe COVID-19 disease using high-throughput targeted nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and high-dimensional flow cytometry. This will facilitate risk stratification, monitoring, and therapeutic interventions in COVID-19 patients.

14 Sep 2021

Discovery of highly potent neutralizing monoclonal antibodies against SARS-CoV-2

A new study published in the journal Nature Communications has reported two neutralizing antibodies, namely, nCoVmab1 and nCoVmab2, which are potent against SARS-CoV-2.

13 Aug 2021

Study aims to ascertain body mass index cutoffs for type 2 diabetes in Xinjiang population

Oncotarget published "Appropriate body mass index cutoffs for type 2 diabetes in Xinjiang population: defining the influence of liver aminotransferase" which reported that these authors retrospective cohort study, T2DM was diagnosed when FBS ≥ 7.0 mmol/L, BMI of participants with baseline fasting < 7.0 mmol/L was divided by percentiles and by aminotransferanse .

9 Aug 2021

Monoclonal antibody could inform development of pan-coronavirus vaccines

Researchers in the United States have demonstrated the potential of a monoclonal antibody to inform the design of pan-coronavirus vaccines that could prevent the outbreak of future pandemics such as coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

4 Aug 2021

Study shows efficacy of Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 delta variant

Researchers in Singapore have conducted a study showing that the messenger RNA- (mRNA) based coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines developed by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna are highly effective at protecting against symptomatic and severe disease following infection with the rapidly spreading B.1.617.2 (delta) variant of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).

2 Aug 2021

Study offers clues for earlier diagnosis of folate deficiency

As many expectant mothers know, getting enough folate is key to avoiding neural tube defects in the baby during pregnancy. But for the individuals who carry certain genetic variants, dealing with folate deficiency can be a life-long struggle which can lead to serious neurological and heart problems and even death.

1 Jul 2021

An oral pill for COVID-19? Molnupiravir shows promise

Recently, researchers reported molnupiravir as the first oral and direct-acting antiviral that is highly effective at reducing SARS-CoV-2 levels.

27 Jun 2021

Scientists propose new strategies to find drugs that neutralize critical enzymes

Scientists from the University of Bath explore racemases and propose strategies for finding drugs that target these important enzymes.

26 May 2021

The potential therapeutic value of CDK6 inhibitors in critical COVID-19

While drug repurposing has been explored in the context of the current coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the success of this strategy has been limited so far. A new study, released as a preprint on the medRxiv* server, describes a new method of identifying a promising hit among drugs already in use.

24 May 2021

Which biomarkers can help predict adverse outcomes in COVID-19?

A team of researchers has conducted a systematic review to identify laboratory factors that can predict the risk of severe and critical COVID-19 as well as associated mortality rates. The team – from institutions in India and the USA – recently published their findings in the Journal of Clinical Medicine Research.

24 May 2021

Vegetarians may have a healthier biomarker profile than meat-eaters, indicates study

Vegetarians appear to have a healthier biomarker profile than meat-eaters, and this applies to adults of any age and weight, and is also unaffected by smoking and alcohol consumption, according to a new study in over 166,000 UK adults, being presented at this week's European Congress on Obesity (ECO), held online this year.

10 May 2021

Cleavage site recognition by SARS-CoV-2 main protease as new antiviral drug target

Many research groups have and are investigating main protease inhibitors as antiviral drugs, and in a paper recently uploaded to the bioRxiv* preprint server, a team of researchers examine the crystal structure of the protein while bound to various viral substrate peptides (P1-4). In doing so, they reveal the way in which the bound peptide sequence can direct and modulate enzyme activity, providing new templates towards antiviral drug design.

26 Apr 2021

Researchers aim to better understand clinical features associated with COVID-19 mortality

To better understand the COVID-19 clinical feaures associated with mortality, an interdisciplinary team of researchers has investigated important factors and their influence on a patient’s death.

22 Apr 2021

Zipper motif mediates SARS-CoV-2 spike trimerization within host cell membrane

A new preprint research paper posted to the bioRxiv* server describes the results of a nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) study to determine the structure of the S protein transmembrane domain (TMD) and its membrane-proximal regions.

13 Apr 2021