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Researchers create multi-functional nano-vaccine to prevent toxoplasmosis

Fighting clever parasites requires smart vaccines that can trigger critical immune responses. A University of Chicago-based research team has found a novel way to do that.

14 Oct 2020

AncestryDNA modeling study of 500,000 Americans sheds light on COVID-19 risk factors

Now, a new study by researchers at AncestryDNA, a company that provides DNA testing services that use modern autosomal testing technology, shows that some people are more susceptible to COVID-19 infection, and they may experience more severe outcomes, including males, the elderly, and those with comorbidities.

14 Oct 2020

First confirmed US case of SARS-CoV-2 reinfection

Of the cases of reinfections worldwide, a particular case has been reported by scientists at the Nevada Institute of Personalized Medicine, University of Nevada. A 25-year-old man from Washoe County in the United States, the hardest-hit country globally, has more than 7.85 million cases.

14 Oct 2020

D614G mutation in SARS-CoV-2 increases viral fitness and infectivity

Researchers from the Duke Human Vaccine Institute and Duke University, Durham NC, USA, recently analyzed the D614G mutation in SARS-CoV-2 in the context of a soluble S ectodomain construct. Their study has been published in the preprint server bioRxiv.

14 Oct 2020

Children and teens can spread SARS-CoV-2 in their households

A team of researchers from the Georgia Department of Public Health and the U.S Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) aimed to determine the secondary attack rates (SAR) among household contacts of children and adolescents who contracted SARS-CoV-2 during an outbreak at an overnight camp in June.

13 Oct 2020

Pre-existing immunity to other coronaviruses may be poor

Brenda M. Westerhuis et al., in a recent medRxiv* preprint paper, investigate the antibody cross-reactivity - to explain the severe disease. COVID-19 is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).

13 Oct 2020

Artificial intelligence-based tool can predict COVID-19 outbreaks at football events

Recent outbreaks of COVID-19 have been detected following football events in the United States, and games have the potential to become "superspreader" events.

13 Oct 2020

Salivary samples highly effective in detecting SARS-CoV-2

A team of scientists from the United States has found that oral salivary samples are less sensitive than nasal-oropharyngeal swabs for the detection of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) RNA

13 Oct 2020

Using pooled wastewater testing to detect COVID-19 cases

A pilot study testing wastewater from buildings as a surveillance method for COVID-19 found it to be a feasible method for detecting positive cases in highly occupied settings like dormitories.

13 Oct 2020

Mothers transmit passive protection against SARS-CoV-2 to their newborns

A recent study published on the preprint server medRxiv in October 2020 shows that newborns may be protected from acquiring severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection by antibodies in the mother’s blood that travels through the placenta.

13 Oct 2020

Drug derived from a natural human protein could stop lethal lung damage from the flu

The raging lung inflammation that can contribute to death from the flu can be stopped in its tracks by a drug derived from a naturally occurring human protein, a new animal study suggests.

13 Oct 2020

Are antibiotics being over prescribed in COVID-19?

A new study published on the preprint server medRxiv in October 2020 shows that the baseline levels of inflammatory markers and C-reactive protein (CRP) in relation to antibiotic administration can rule out bacterial co-infections and help reduce the unnecessary use of antibiotics.

13 Oct 2020

PPE may account for low SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence in healthcare workers

A recent study published on the preprint server medRxiv in October 2020 shows that among healthcare workers, and especially among first responders, less than 1% and just over 5%, respectively, had antibodies to the virus.

13 Oct 2020

Empathy can be used actively to combat the COVID-19 pandemic

Empathy for vulnerable people in risk groups motivates us to use face masks and keep our distance, so that we help to prevent the spread of COVID-19, according to the study, which has just been published in the journal Psychological Science.

13 Oct 2020

Sleep disorders common during COVID-19 pandemic

A recent study published on the preprint server medRxiv* in October 2020 reveals the significant prevalence of sleep abnormalities among the population in areas affected by COVID-19. This is likely to cause a heavy toll on mental and physical health if sustained over the long run.

13 Oct 2020

New computational approach improves characterization of cellular diversity

Researchers in the United States have developed a computational method called “weighted-nearest neighbor” (WNN) analysis that can significantly improve the ability to define cellular states across various biological contexts and data types.

13 Oct 2020

How SARS-CoV-2's spike protein highjacks the host cell trafficking machinery

Researchers at The Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology have conducted a study showing how the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) spike protein interacts with host cell factors in ways that promote the formation of syncytia.

13 Oct 2020