Respiratory News and Research

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An assay capable of detecting SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in breast milk and other samples

In a recent study by US researchers (currently available on the medRxiv* preprint server), a specific immunoassay based on the spike glycoprotein’s receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is not only well suited for the detection of antibody response after infection and vaccination but may also represent a method of choice when conducting seroepidemiological studies.

19 Jul 2021

SARS-CoV-2 B.1.617 mutations L452 and E484Q do not work together to evade antibodies

A short report recently published in the Journal of Infectious Diseases demonstrates how spike mutations L452R and E484Q found in the variant B.1.617.1 of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) each confer modestly diminished sensitivity to Pfizer-BioNTech (BNT162b2) mRNA vaccine-elicited antibodies – with combined mutations having a similar impact as either one of them alone.

19 Jul 2021

Oxygen therapy may improve hypoxia-induced B cell abnormalities in COVID-19

Researchers in the United States have demonstrated early and persistent B cell abnormalities in patients with moderate or severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) that may be largely driven by hypoxia.

18 Jul 2021

Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines establish recall responses to reinfection

Researchers in the United States have conducted a study showing that the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines developed by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna generate a coordinated adaptive immune response that is capable of eliciting recall responses to future infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).

18 Jul 2021

How do immunocompromised patients respond to COVID-19 vaccines?

The COVID-19 vaccines produce a boost in antibody activity against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). However, new research suggests vaccine responses aren’t all created equal. Their findings showed that immunocompromised patients, such as transplant recipients, with no prior exposure to SARS-CoV-2 produce little to no neutralizing antibodies.

18 Jul 2021

Evaluation of a synthetic DNA SARS-CoV-2 vaccine INO-4800 using a nonhuman primate model

A new study published in Vaccine assesses the safety and efficacy of the synthetic DNA vaccine candidate INO-4800, delivered as a single or double dose regime.

18 Jul 2021

Infection fatality rate of COVID-19 in community-based elderly lower than earlier estimates

A new study discusses the results obtained from various seroprevalence studies conducted in 2020.

18 Jul 2021

A drug candidate to prevent adverse reactions due to COVID-19 infection or vaccines

A new study describes the promising results of a new drug candidate in combating the illness caused by the binding of COVID-19-specific antibodies to infected cells.

18 Jul 2021

Psychiatric patients have higher odds of hospitalization and death following COVID-19

In the largest systematic review and meta-analysis to date on COVID-19 outcomes in individuals with psychiatric disorders, the odds of dying or being hospitalized following COVID-19 infection were determined to be twice as high in comparison to persons without mental disorders.

16 Jul 2021

Study uncovers how force dynamics affect cells and living tissues

Researchers, led by Pere Roca-Cusachs at the Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC) discover how force dynamics affect cells, and living tissues. The results give an insight into the critical mechanical processes that occur in different diseases such as cancer.

16 Jul 2021

Moderna SARS-CoV-2 vaccine highly effective against alpha and beta variants

The Moderna SARS-CoV-2 vaccine was widely distributed and had a reported efficacy in clinical trials of 94.1% against the wildtype SARS-CoV-2 following the second dose administration. Therefore, Chemaitelly et al. used this as an opportunity to measure the vaccine's efficacy against these variants as reported in a recent Nature Medicine paper, finding that the vaccine has good efficacy in all aspects.

16 Jul 2021

Single-cell RNA sequencing reveals cells that could protect from fatal lung disease

Single-cell RNA sequencing has revealed a subset of cells that could provide protection from a rare, but severely debilitating and fatal, lung disease.

16 Jul 2021

Water-soluble vitamin E compounds directly inhibit SARS-CoV-2 replication and synergize with remdesivir

Researchers in the United States have shown that water-soluble derivatives of vitamin E (α-tocopherol) exhibit potent antiviral activity against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) – the agent that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

15 Jul 2021

New live cell models lay the groundwork for studies into mitochondrial diseases

The mitochondrion has garnered quite the reputation for its role as the "powerhouse of the cell." These tiny, but mighty organelles play various life-sustaining roles, from powering our own cells and organs to fueling chemical and biological processes.

15 Jul 2021

COVID-19 vaccine candidate that can be produced in yeast proves effective in macaques

Researchers in the United States have designed a modular protein subunit vaccine against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) that elicited a strong immune response in macaques and prevented the animals from developing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

15 Jul 2021

COVID-19 researchers review 184 drug repurposing candidates

New research describes the use of integrative bioinformatics analyses of transcriptomic profiles for COVID-19 therapeutics.

15 Jul 2021

About 4 in 100 COVID-19 hospitalized children may develop neurological complications, a study finds

In a recently published article in The Lancet’s Child & Adolescent Health, scientists have described in detail neurological and psychiatric manifestations of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection in children. As mentioned in the study, an estimated prevalence of infection-related neurological complications and pediatric inflammatory multisystem syndrome in hospitalized children and adolescents is about 3.8 cases per 100 patients.

15 Jul 2021

Pandemic of antibiotic resistance is shortening the lives of children in Bangladesh

Resistance to antibiotics is common and often deadly among children with pneumonia in Bangladesh, according to a new study coauthored by researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) with colleagues at the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (abbreviated as icddr,b).

15 Jul 2021

Heart problems in kids with MIS-C resolve rapidly, study shows

Heart problems in children hospitalized with multisystem inflammatory syndrome (MIS-C)--an inflammatory condition triggered by COVID--were mostly gone within a few months, a new study by researchers at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons and NewYork-Presbyterian has found.

15 Jul 2021

Potential compounds targeting SARS-COV-2 main protease (in vivo)

Now, new research published in the journal Hippokratia focuses on assisting the ongoing COVID-19 therapeutic research by developing a new method to identify active compounds that have the potential to fight against COVID-19 infection.

15 Jul 2021

Respiratory News and Research

An assay capable of detecting SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in breast milk and other samples

SARS-CoV-2 B.1.617 mutations L452 and E484Q do not work together to evade antibodies

Oxygen therapy may improve hypoxia-induced B cell abnormalities in COVID-19

Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines establish recall responses to reinfection

How do immunocompromised patients respond to COVID-19 vaccines?

Evaluation of a synthetic DNA SARS-CoV-2 vaccine INO-4800 using a nonhuman primate model

Infection fatality rate of COVID-19 in community-based elderly lower than earlier estimates

A drug candidate to prevent adverse reactions due to COVID-19 infection or vaccines

Psychiatric patients have higher odds of hospitalization and death following COVID-19

Study uncovers how force dynamics affect cells and living tissues

Moderna SARS-CoV-2 vaccine highly effective against alpha and beta variants

Single-cell RNA sequencing reveals cells that could protect from fatal lung disease

Water-soluble vitamin E compounds directly inhibit SARS-CoV-2 replication and synergize with remdesivir

New live cell models lay the groundwork for studies into mitochondrial diseases

COVID-19 vaccine candidate that can be produced in yeast proves effective in macaques

COVID-19 researchers review 184 drug repurposing candidates

About 4 in 100 COVID-19 hospitalized children may develop neurological complications, a study finds

Pandemic of antibiotic resistance is shortening the lives of children in Bangladesh

Heart problems in kids with MIS-C resolve rapidly, study shows

Potential compounds targeting SARS-COV-2 main protease (in vivo)

Achieving and maintaining ISO/IEC 27001 and BS 10012 certifications

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

Examining how pain could play a direct protective role in the gut

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