Zinc News and Research

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Zinc is an essential mineral that is naturally present in some foods, added to others, and available as a dietary supplement. Zinc is also found in many cold lozenges and some over-the-counter drugs sold as cold remedies.

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

New screening platform can be used to discover more effective drugs for type 1 diabetes

With nearly 2 million Americans battling type 1 diabetes, it is no surprise that clinical therapies for the disease are constantly evolving and improving.

16 Dec 2020

Researchers design new chemical tool with high configurational stability, catalytic activity

Researchers have designed and built a new chemical tool inspired by natural metal-containing enzymes in living organisms. The product, a tetrahedral "chiral zinc", maintains its shape for years, providing a new structure with exciting possibilities for manufacturing pharmaceuticals and optical electronics.

15 Dec 2020

Research provides new insights into Glioblastoma invasiveness

One of the hallmarks of Glioblastoma (GBM), the most aggressive type of brain cancer, is its high invasive capacity, which leads to its expansion into the normal brain tissue.

11 Dec 2020

Sunscreen should be worn by all to protect against skin cancer and premature aging

A team of Canadian dermatologists have reviewed the latest evidence surrounding sunscreen use to conclude key points regarding its use and efficacy.

11 Dec 2020

Researchers explore alternative devices to advance the use of micro-supercapacitors in wearable devices

A stretchable system that can harvest energy from human breathing and motion for use in wearable health-monitoring devices may be possible, according to an international team of researchers, led by Huanyu "Larry" Cheng, Dorothy Quiggle Career Development Professor in Penn State's Department of Engineering Science and Mechanics.

9 Dec 2020

Long-range allosteric influences on SARS-COV-2-ACE2 stability and detachment

The COVID-19 pandemic is caused by SARS-CoV-2, a novel beta-coronavirus which has numerous spike proteins on its membrane.

3 Dec 2020

Which dietary supplements can help prevent COVID-19?

Researchers explore dietary supplement usage during the COVID-19 pandemic.

1 Dec 2020

Mollusc-derived compounds potential medicines for COVID-19 and other respiratory diseases

A research team has reviewed the existing literature on compounds derived from molluscs used for treating respiratory diseases.

30 Nov 2020

Healthy diet plays vital role in warding off COVID-19

A researcher at the School of Human Development and Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, explored nutrition's role in boosting the immune system to combat COVID-19 infection.

29 Nov 2020

Immunonutrition may improve COVID-19 patients' recovery

Researchers duo Emma Derbyshire and Joanne Delange from the Nutritional Insight, Surrey, United Kingdom, explore the role of immunonutrition – nutrition that boosts or influences the immune system for those over 65 years of age in COVID-19. Their study titled, “COVID-19: is there a role for immunonutrition, particularly in the over 65s?,” was released in the latest issue of the BMJ Nutrition, Prevention and Health.

26 Nov 2020

New zinc oxide surface kills airborne viruses and bacteria

They burst out of toilet bubbles, swim across drinking water, spread through coughs. Tiny infectious microbes--from the virus that causes COVID-19 to waterborne bacteria--kill millions of people around the world each year.

24 Nov 2020

FDA expands approved indication for influenza treatment to include post-exposure prevention

Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration expanded the approved indication for Xofluza (baloxavir marboxil) to include post-exposure prevention of influenza (flu) for patients 12 years of age and older after contact with an individual who has the flu.

23 Nov 2020

Consumption of teff grain boosts the composition, function of stomach microbiome

The seeds of a teff plant - which look similar to wheat - are tiny in stature, but they pack a nutritional wallop.

16 Nov 2020

Zinc-embedded polyamide fabrics are effective in absorbing and inactivating SARS-CoV-2

An international team of scientists has recently demonstrated that zinc-embedded polyamine fibers can effectively absorb and inactivate human respiratory viruses, including influenza A virus and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Thus, a face mask or other personal protective equipment (PPE) made from this fiber is expected to provide better protection against viral transmission.

4 Nov 2020

Socks coated in zinc oxide nanoparticles can prevent unpleasant foot odor

New research presented at the 29th EADV Congress, EADV Virtual, shows that socks coated in zinc oxide nanoparticles can prevent bromodosis and pitted keratolysis, reducing the negative impact this embarrassing condition has on quality of life.

2 Nov 2020

Children with multiple islet autoantibodies are more likely to progress to type 1 diabetes

Children with multiple islet autoantibodies - biological markers of autoimmunity -- are more likely to progress to symptomatic type 1 diabetes (T1D) than those who remain positive for a single autoantibody.

30 Oct 2020

Structure and mechanisms of ribosomal frameshifting during SARS-CoV-2 translation

The structure of a 3’ stimulatory pseudoknot in the viral genome or by itself has been proposed recently. Researchers report the structure and mechanisms of mammalian ribosomes during translation of the -1 frameshifting of the SARS-CoV-2 viral genome in a new study published on the preprint server bioRxiv.

28 Oct 2020

Study suggests 5’UTR of SARS-CoV-2 might be of pangolin coronavirus origin

Findings from a new genomic sequencing study support the hypothesis that the pangolin was the intermediate host for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) that enabled transmission of the virus to humans.

26 Oct 2020

Nutritional status may impact susceptibility to COVID-19, study says

Now, a team of researchers at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine and the University of Oxford wanted to provide a systematic review of the latest evidence on how malnutrition across all forms, including undernutrition, obesity, and micronutrient status, may influence the susceptibility and severity of COVID-19.

22 Oct 2020