Severe Acute Respiratory News and Research

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Disulfide-reducing agents demonstrate potential antiviral activity against SARS-CoV-2

Researchers recently demonstrated that chemical agents capable of reducing disulfide (S-S) bonds can be potentially used as antiviral drugs against SARS-CoV-2, the causative pathogen of COVID-19.

6 Jan 2021

Modified Vaccinia Ankara model vaccine prevents COVID-19 in transgenic mice study

A new study shows the effectiveness of a novel recombinant vaccinia virus that expresses modified SARS-CoV-2 spike antigen, in preventing the replication of the virus in the respiratory tract of transgenic mice, and to prevent lethal disease.

6 Jan 2021

Are SARS-CoV-2 antibodies associated with disease enhancement?

As SARS-CoV-2 continues to wreak its havoc, antibodies that neutralize the virus and protect against infection have become an important focus of research. However, there is a concern as to whether these antibodies can actually enhance the disease.

6 Jan 2021

Researchers claim SARS-CoV-2 B.1.1.7 variant likely to become globally dominant

The new variant of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) detected in England replicates more than two times faster than the earlier strains. This replication advantage promises to make it the dominant global variant very shortly. This finding comes from a startling preprint that appeared on the medRxiv* server in December 2020.

6 Jan 2021

Glycyrrhizin in licorice root neutralizes SARS-CoV-2 in vitro by inhibiting the main protease Mpro

In a recent bioRxiv* preprint paper, researchers from Germany analyzed aqueous licorice root extract for its neutralizing activity against SARS-CoV-2 in vitro. They identified glycyrrhizin, the primary active ingredient in the root, and revealed the underlying mechanism of viral neutralization.

5 Jan 2021

One-third of COVID-19 survivors manifest neurological problems

In a longitudinal study recently published on the preprint server medRxiv*, Andrea Pilotto et al. find that one-third of COVID-19 infection survivors have long-term neurological manifestations after hospitalization.

5 Jan 2021

COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in UK varies significantly between population subgroups

Researchers investigating attitudes towards vaccination against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) among the UK population have found that, overall, most people were willing to accept a vaccine.

5 Jan 2021

UC-MSC infusions reduce risk of death, quicken recovery time in severe COVID-19 cases

Dr. Camilo Ricordi, director of the Diabetes Research Institute and Cell Transplant Center at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, and his team of international collaborators are reporting the results of a groundbreaking randomized controlled trial showing umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cell (UC-MSC) infusions safely reduce risk of death and quicken time to recovery for the most severe COVID-19 patients.

5 Jan 2021

COVID-19 vaccination in UK may not lead to relaxation of control measures

Researchers have warned that early relaxation of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) control measures in the UK could lead to pronounced waves of further infection with the causative agent severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).

5 Jan 2021

SARS-CoV-2 infected alveolar type-II lung cells show senescence

Using monoclonal antibodies against the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) spike protein and senescent markers, researchers provide evidence that virus-infected lung cells acquire characteristics of cellular senescence, which also leads to expression of proinflammatory cytokines.

5 Jan 2021

Could asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 screening in dental practices help prevent silent transmission?

Researchers conducted a mass, asymptomatic screening of patients in dental surgeries across Scotland to assess illustrate its potential utility in curbing silent transmission.

5 Jan 2021

Copper surfaces can inactivate SARS-CoV-2 in as little as one minute, study finds

A new study by researchers at the University of Southampton, UK, has found that SARS-CoV-2 can inactivate on copper surfaces in as little as 1 minute. This is faster than the findings of previous studies in which it took as much as 4 hours before the virus was inactivated.

5 Jan 2021

Can interregional travel restrictions curb SARS-CoV-2 transmission?

A study led by Dr. Keisuke Kondo at the Research Institute of Economy, Trade and Industry, Japan, has recently developed a mathematical model to investigate the impacts of interregional mobility restriction on the transmission of SARS-CoV-2.

5 Jan 2021

A paper-based sensor for detecting COVID-19

News-Medical talks to Dipanjan Pan about the development of a paper-based electrochemical sensor that can detect COVID-19 in less than five minutes.

5 Jan 2021

Researchers develop detailed map of protein-protein interactions between SARS-CoV-2 and the host

By conducting a state-of-the-art interactome study between SARS-CoV-2 and host cells, researchers from the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston identified 437 human proteins as the high-confidence interacting proteins – with substantial implications for understanding coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pathology and potential treatments.

5 Jan 2021

SARS-CoV-2 spike-antibody binding strength and hydrogen bond numbers are temperature dependent, study finds

A new preprint on the bioRxiv* server describes the interactions between the binding spike protein of the SARS-CoV-2 virus with the antibodies. Earlier studies have addressed the similarity in the 3D structures of the spike protein in the two SARS viruses as seen on cryo-EM.

24 Dec 2020

Could engineered red blood cells be an effective antiviral against SARS-CoV-2?

In a new study, released on the bioRxiv* preprint server, a team of researchers explores the antiviral potential of red blood cells against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the causative pathogen of COVID-19.

24 Dec 2020

Animal study suggests palmitoylation inhibitor reduces virulence of SARS-CoV-2

A new study preprint on the bioRxiv* server demonstrates the ability of a fatty acid synthase inhibitor to improve the survival of mice infected with murine hepatitis virus. In so doing, it adds to the sum of knowledge about the relationship of SARS-CoV-2 with cholesterol metabolism in the host cell.

24 Dec 2020

Anti-SARS-CoV-2 NTD-directed antibodies are protective against lethal infection

As the world struggles to contain the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), responsible for over 1.6 million deaths and 76 million infections globally, researchers are trying to pin down the determinants of lethality, of infectivity and of protection. Such data would help contain its spread and develop preventive and therapeutic antivirals and vaccines. A new preprint that appeared recently on the bioRxiv* server describes the high degree of protection afforded by antibodies that target the N-terminal domain (NTD) of the virus.

24 Dec 2020

Immunologic modeling of COVID-19 severity and chronicity

In a new study by researchers at Universidad de Costa Rica and other institutions, a bioinformatics approach is used to determine whether Chronic COVID-19 (CC) might have a distinct immunologic signature compared to the mild to moderate (MM) or the severe/critical COVID-19.

24 Dec 2020

Severe Acute Respiratory News and Research

Disulfide-reducing agents demonstrate potential antiviral activity against SARS-CoV-2

Modified Vaccinia Ankara model vaccine prevents COVID-19 in transgenic mice study

Are SARS-CoV-2 antibodies associated with disease enhancement?

Researchers claim SARS-CoV-2 B.1.1.7 variant likely to become globally dominant

Glycyrrhizin in licorice root neutralizes SARS-CoV-2 in vitro by inhibiting the main protease Mpro

One-third of COVID-19 survivors manifest neurological problems

COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in UK varies significantly between population subgroups

UC-MSC infusions reduce risk of death, quicken recovery time in severe COVID-19 cases

COVID-19 vaccination in UK may not lead to relaxation of control measures

SARS-CoV-2 infected alveolar type-II lung cells show senescence

Could asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 screening in dental practices help prevent silent transmission?

Copper surfaces can inactivate SARS-CoV-2 in as little as one minute, study finds

Can interregional travel restrictions curb SARS-CoV-2 transmission?

A paper-based sensor for detecting COVID-19

Researchers develop detailed map of protein-protein interactions between SARS-CoV-2 and the host

SARS-CoV-2 spike-antibody binding strength and hydrogen bond numbers are temperature dependent, study finds

Could engineered red blood cells be an effective antiviral against SARS-CoV-2?

Animal study suggests palmitoylation inhibitor reduces virulence of SARS-CoV-2

Anti-SARS-CoV-2 NTD-directed antibodies are protective against lethal infection

Immunologic modeling of COVID-19 severity and chronicity

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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