Disease/Infection News

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Antibody cocktail effectively inhibits SARS-CoV-2 in the rhesus macaque model

Researchers from the US tested the prophylactic potential of a combination of 2 mAbs administered 3 or 75 days before respiratory challenge in rhesus macaques. They used the rhesus macaque model to test the added benefit of combinatory parenteral administration of 2 high-affinity anti-SARS-CoV-2 mAbs - C144-LS and C135-LS. These mAbs were developed to neutralize the virus and tweaked to improve their pharmacokinetics.

1 Jun 2021

ALG-097111 potently inhibits SARS-CoV-2 replication in Syrian Hamster model in vivo

A team of researchers from the US and Belgium applied a structure-based approach with early monitoring of cathepsin L inhibition along with SARS-CoV-2 3CLpro inhibition. They identified a potent and selective SARS-CoV-2 3CLpro inhibitor, ALG-097111, which has proven activity against SARS-CoV-2 in SARS-CoV-2 hamster models in vivo. This study is published in the journal, Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications.

1 Jun 2021

Study offers longitudinal roadmap of immune activation and resolution in mild COVID-19

Researchers from the US recently profiled the longitudinal immune response in mild COVID-19 patients starting with early time points of 1-15 days post-infection through convalescence to over 100 days after onset of symptoms.

1 Jun 2021

New genetic resource may lead to prevention and treatment strategies for malaria

A new extensive genetic resource of rat-infecting malaria parasites may help advance the development of malaria prevention and treatment strategies.

1 Jun 2021

Weaker association between brain activity and cerebrospinal fluid flow increases the likelihood of Alzheimer's disease

New imaging research shows that brain activity during sleep was less connected with cerebrospinal fluid flow in patients with Alzheimer's disease.

1 Jun 2021

Researchers identify common epitopes across SARS-CoV-2 viral variants

While several COVID-19 vaccine candidates have been developed and deployed to arrest the spread of SARS-CoV-2, concern among scientists and public health authorities is mounting over the immunity escape potential of emerging viral variants. To address this problem, a group of scientists in Germany has undertaken research to identify molecular targets across viral variants to aid in the development of second and third-generation vaccines and novel therapeutics.

1 Jun 2021

Little-known illnesses turning up in Covid long-haulers

The day Dr. Elizabeth Dawson was diagnosed with covid-19 in October, she awoke feeling as if she had a bad hangover. Four months later she tested negative for the virus, but her symptoms have only worsened.

1 Jun 2021

Can depression increase the likelihood of rapid kidney function decline?

In a recent study, the presence of depressive symptoms in normally healthy individuals was found to correlate with rapid kidney function decline.

1 Jun 2021

FDA approves investigational monoclonal antibody therapy sotrovimab for COVID-19

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has given the green light on the investigational monoclonal antibody therapy, sotrovimab, as a coronavirus disease (COVID-19) treatment.

1 Jun 2021

Vitamin D may be ineffective in protecting against COVID-19

A study published in PLOS Medicine suggests that genetic evidence does not support vitamin D as a protective measure against COVID-19.

1 Jun 2021

Using Sotrovimab to treat COVID-19 early

A new study published on the medRxiv* preprint server hypothesized that a monoclonal antibody that has the capability to neutralize all sarbecoviruses could also be used to target a highly conserved epitope. This conserved sequence has a high probability of remaining unchanged in SARS-CoV-2 variants.

31 May 2021

SARS-CoV-2 variants have higher transmissibility and a longer infectious period

Researchers analyzed data on three variants of concern and found that viral loads were higher and infection lasted longer for the B.1.1.7 variant. They all were more infectious than the original strain, and transmissibility also depended on population demographics.

31 May 2021

Function and regeneration of dendritic cells impaired in COVID-19

A group of researchers from Germany has investigated and analyzed circulating dendritic cells and monocyte subsets in 65 hospitalized COVID-19 patients with mild to severe presentations of the infection. A variety of patients were included in their study, from those who exhibited minor signs of acute disease to convalescents, as well as healthy controls

31 May 2021

A novel multiplexed diagnostic approach for COVID-19

Researchers developed a platform for detecting the virus directly from a patient's sample as well as the immune response through antibodies such as IgG and IgM.

31 May 2021

Report on the effectiveness of mRNA-1273 and BNT162b2 COVID-19 vaccines in Canada

The report has recently been published on the preprint server medRxiv* by Kwong et al. (May 28th, 2021) and focused on the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccines, confirming the supposed greater efficacy in preventing infection or severe outcomes following the administration of two doses.

31 May 2021

SARS-CoV-2 variant B.1.617 may be more transmissible and pathogenic due to spike cleavage

In a new research paper currently available on the bioRxiv* preprint server, a research group from the United Kingdom (UK) provides experimental evidence that B.1.617 lineage of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‑CoV‑2) – also known as the Indian variant of concern – shows enhanced cleavage of spike glycoprotein by furin, which can enhance its transmissibility and pathogenic traits.

31 May 2021

COVID-19 had claimed more than 3 million lives worldwide in 2020

By the end of 2020, COVID-19 had claimed the lives of more than three million people worldwide, representing 1.2 million more deaths than officially reported earlier, says a newly released report by the World Health Organization (WHO).

31 May 2021

AI models look for shortcuts that could lead to errors in diagnosis of COVID-19

Artificial intelligence promises to be a powerful tool for improving the speed and accuracy of medical decision-making to improve patient outcomes.

31 May 2021

Researchers repurpose pre-existing anti-SARS-CoV antibody to develop potent neutralizing antibody against SARS-CoV-2

A team of scientists from the United States has recently engineered a pre-existing anti-severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) neutralizing antibody to increase its binding affinity for the spike receptor-binding domain (RBD) of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The engineered antibody demonstrates high potency in neutralizing SARS-CoV-2 and preventing infection in animals.

31 May 2021

Could a mathematical application of information theory identify and predict SARS-CoV-2 mutations?

An interesting new study by researchers at the University of Portsmouth, UK, describes the use of a mathematical method to sequence genomes based on information theory. The method offers an alternative to clinical techniques, allowing mutations to be detected and possibly even predicted. In this way, it opens new research opportunities in bioinformatics and genetics.

31 May 2021

Disease/Infection News

Antibody cocktail effectively inhibits SARS-CoV-2 in the rhesus macaque model

ALG-097111 potently inhibits SARS-CoV-2 replication in Syrian Hamster model in vivo

Study offers longitudinal roadmap of immune activation and resolution in mild COVID-19

New genetic resource may lead to prevention and treatment strategies for malaria

Weaker association between brain activity and cerebrospinal fluid flow increases the likelihood of Alzheimer's disease

Researchers identify common epitopes across SARS-CoV-2 viral variants

Little-known illnesses turning up in Covid long-haulers

Can depression increase the likelihood of rapid kidney function decline?

FDA approves investigational monoclonal antibody therapy sotrovimab for COVID-19

Vitamin D may be ineffective in protecting against COVID-19

Using Sotrovimab to treat COVID-19 early

SARS-CoV-2 variants have higher transmissibility and a longer infectious period

Function and regeneration of dendritic cells impaired in COVID-19

A novel multiplexed diagnostic approach for COVID-19

Report on the effectiveness of mRNA-1273 and BNT162b2 COVID-19 vaccines in Canada

SARS-CoV-2 variant B.1.617 may be more transmissible and pathogenic due to spike cleavage

COVID-19 had claimed more than 3 million lives worldwide in 2020

AI models look for shortcuts that could lead to errors in diagnosis of COVID-19

Researchers repurpose pre-existing anti-SARS-CoV antibody to develop potent neutralizing antibody against SARS-CoV-2

Could a mathematical application of information theory identify and predict SARS-CoV-2 mutations?

Synthetic Psychedelics: A Growing Public Health Concern

How the Vutara VXL simplifies single-molecule imaging

How cohesin mechanics and nanotracker tech are redefining DNA research

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