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Study highlights how the sex differences in COVID-19 are linked to ACE2 protein

Female COVID-19 patients face less severe disease complications and a lower risk of dying than male patients thanks to hormones and chromosomes that contribute to a stronger immune response, according to new research from a University of Alberta-led team.

17 Dec 2020

How does the UK’s COVID-19 response compare to others in Europe?

Researchers modeled the health benefits and economic loss caused by coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the UK and compared them to four other western European countries. Their results suggest the British Government’s response may outweigh the economic loss incurred.

17 Dec 2020

High presence of SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid in PCR test can predict future symptomatic disease

A new study by researchers at the Karolinska University Hospital in Sweden shows that testing for the presence of SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid can help in containing the virus spread. Detecting the presence of high amounts of SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid predicts future symptomatic disease, they found.

17 Dec 2020

No added risks to radiation therapy for cancer patients with COVID-19, says study

A team of radiation oncologists at the Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell in the United States aimed to determine if COVID-19 infected cancer patients receiving radiation therapy (RT) have any different outcome than non-infected patients.

17 Dec 2020

Cholesterol in the plasma membrane is essential for SARS-CoV-2 entry and syncytia formation

A preprint indicates that SARS-CoV-2 requires cholesterol to accomplish entry into the host cells and membrane fusion.

17 Dec 2020

SARS-CoV-2 surface proteins alter the expression of key chemokines and cytokines in cell lines

Researchers from the Washington University School of Medicine, United States of America, recently demonstrated that the SARS-CoV-2 surface proteins alone triggered innate cell activity and the interferon signaling pathway.

17 Dec 2020

Gene surfing caused the SARS-CoV-2 D614G variant to rise to dominance in the US

A recent preprint that appeared on the bioRxiv* server applies a new approach to conventional birth-death lineage modeling.

17 Dec 2020

SARS-CoV-2 spike deletion ΔH69/ΔV70 shows repeated emergence and spread

Since the COVID 19 pandemic, it has been established that the causative virus, SARS-CoV-2 gains entry to the target host cell via its spike glycoprotein.

17 Dec 2020

HDL nanoparticles prevent cholesterol movement at membrane receptor to inhibit entry of SARS-CoV-2 pseudovirus in cell culture

As researchers strive to find safe therapeutics for COVID 19, a study suggests that preventing the movement of cholesterol may inhibit viral entry by up to 80%.

17 Dec 2020

Hepatitis C virus drugs synergize with remdesivir against SARS-CoV-2 in vitro

SARS-CoV-2 has infected over 71.5 million people and claimed over 1.6 million lives globally since December 2019.

17 Dec 2020

Study shows an inflammatory response in the mice brain is responsible for severe COVID-19

Researchers demonstrated that neuroinvasion and encephalitis caused by SARS-CoV-2 is associated with significant mortality in a special mouse model.

17 Dec 2020

Why are some groups more vulnerable to COVID-19?

News-Medical speaks to Dr. Jaswinder Singh about his research surrounding why some groups are more susceptible to severe cases of COVID-19.

17 Dec 2020

Slower drill rotation during dental procedures can reduce COVID-19 spread

Dental procedures can pose a high risk of viral transmission because the tools that are used often produce aerosols, which can contain high numbers SARS-CoV-2 virions, copies of the virus causing COVID-19.

17 Dec 2020

Natural changes in UV influence the spread of COVID-19, shows study

Natural variations in ultraviolet radiation influence the spread of COVID-19, but the influence is modest compared to preventive measures such as physical distancing, mask wearing, and quarantine, according to new research from Harvard University.

17 Dec 2020

Researchers find evidence that COVID-19 spread is sensitive to UV exposure

Scientists, policymakers and healthcare workers are eager to discern to what extent COVID-19 may be seasonal. Understanding this aspect of the disease could guide our response to the pandemic.

17 Dec 2020

Specific genetic target could help explain the variation in COVID-19 effects

The Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen), an affiliate of City of Hope, has identified a specific genetic target that could help explain the tremendous variation in how sick those infected with COVID-19 become.

17 Dec 2020

COVID-19 spread is linked to atmospheric pollutants exposure

The spread of SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus responsible for the current pandemic outbreak, has been speculated to be linked to short-term and long-term atmospheric pollutants exposure, mainly particulate matters (PMs).

17 Dec 2020

Researchers examine proteins involved in SARS-CoV-2 infection

Like all viruses, the novel coronavirus is dependent on help from the human host cell. Proteins are the functional units of the cell and enable the virus to enter the host cell or help the virus to replicate.

17 Dec 2020

PrEP prescription can make a positive difference in women who inject drugs

When taken daily, pre-exposure prophylaxis, or PrEP, is a highly effective way to prevent HIV transmission, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

16 Dec 2020

New study to evaluate health outcomes of SARS-CoV-2 infection in children

An observational study has launched to evaluate the short- and long-term health outcomes of SARS-CoV-2 infection in children, including multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C), and to characterize the immunologic pathways associated with different disease presentations and outcomes. SARS-CoV-2 is the virus that causes COVID-19.

16 Dec 2020