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COVID-19 mRNA vaccines offer protection against Omicron variant in pregnancy

A new study provides insights into the persistence of extra-neutralizing properties of mRNA vaccine-induced antibodies resulting in protection against the Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2.

5 Jan 2022

Efficacy of COVID-19 convalescent plasma therapy in patients with hematological malignancies and COVID-19

Scientists recently demonstrated the efficacy of COVID-19 convalescent plasma therapy in improving the survival rate among patients with B-cell lymphoid malignancy and COVID-19.

5 Jan 2022

Study highlights opioid use disorder treatment access disparities based on Medicaid prevalence

Researchers report that in communities where Medicaid is a more common source of insurance, providers of buprenorphine, an effective treatment for opioid use disorder (OUD), are much less likely to discriminate between Medicaid and privately insured prospective patients, but patients with either type of coverage still face many barriers to obtaining an initial appointment for treatment.

5 Jan 2022

Oral bacteria-based SARS-CoV-2 vaccine platform

In a new study, researchers engineered the bacterial strain, Salmonella, to express differently-sized antigens to serve as vaccine platforms.

5 Jan 2022

Drugs that block mineralocorticoid receptor may help protect bone cells during aging

Drugs we take like prednisone can weaken our bones and so can aging, and scientists working to prevent both have some of the first evidence that the best target may not be the logical one.

5 Jan 2022

COVID-19 mitigation behaviors and vaccination status prediction via delay discounting and future orientation

New data imply that cognitive characteristics such as future-oriented thinking, evaluative processing, and behavioral control are linked to the likelihood of being fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and predict more consistent mitigation behavior implementation.

5 Jan 2022

Nucleocapsid protein preferentially binds to structured and longer RNA to deliver viral proteins in host circulation

Results from a new study could be crucial in studying the molecular and biochemical basis of SARS-CoV-2 infection at a more granular level and help in strategizing therapeutic solutions to treat and manage COVID-19 effectively.

5 Jan 2022

Researchers compare survival rates of AML patients treated with two forms of transplantation methods

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a common type of blood cancer that has a relatively low survival rate. It is particularly deadly for patients suffering from refractory and relapsed AML (R/R AML), meaning their cancer has stopped responding to treatment and has returned after a period of remission.

5 Jan 2022

Can the COVID-19 delta variant evade vaccine-induced immunity?

Can the COVID-19 delta variant evade vaccine-induced immunity? We spoke to Professor Brian J. Willett from the University of Glasgow to find out.

5 Jan 2022

Basic health beliefs and demographics associated with risk factors for cardiovascular disease

Minnesota has the lowest age-adjusted heart disease mortality in the U.S.; yet, African American adults 35 to 63 have nearly double the rate of death from cardiovascular disease, compared to their white counterparts.

5 Jan 2022

mRNA booster vaccine confers strong protection against SARS-CoV-2 Omicron in cancer patients

A new preprint research paper posted to the medRxiv* server reports the induction of high neutralizing activity in these patients against the Omicron VOC with a booster dose.

5 Jan 2022

Scientists provide a structural framework for Omicron immune evasion and ACE2 receptor recognition

An interesting preprint research paper describes structural changes resulting from the multiple mutations found in the recent Omicron variant of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). SARS-CoV-2 is the causative agent behind the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. In addition, the research describes the consequent effects of these changes on Omicron’s infectivity and immune evasion capabilities.

5 Jan 2022

Transplant recipients benefit from a COVID-19 vaccine booster

A new preprint research paper posted to the medRxiv* server describes the reduction in humoral immunity in SOTR following vaccination, as well as the improvement with an additional dose of the vaccine.

4 Jan 2022

Time since COVID vaccination is a key driver of breakthrough Omicron infections

Published on the preprint medRxiv* server and awaiting peer review, the findings showed that the significant factor behind breakthrough Omicron infections is the timing from vaccination. The time between vaccination and breakthrough infections induced effective or cross-reactive neutralizing antibodies that neutralize Omicron after Alpha or Delta breakthrough infections.

4 Jan 2022

New gene therapy addresses primary cellular deficit associated with limb-girdle muscular dystrophy 2B

Children's National Hospital experts developed a new pre-clinical gene therapy for a rare disorder, known as limb-girdle muscular dystrophy (LGMD) 2B, that addresses the primary cellular deficit associated with this disease.

4 Jan 2022

New study on NAbs against SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant after vaccination or infection

A recent study suggests neutralizing antibody responses against variants of concern, including Omicron, differs significantly between vaccinated and naturally infected individuals. The research, posted to the medRxiv* preprint server, focused on vaccinated individuals who are pregnant — an understudied group in COVID-19 research.

4 Jan 2022

Lottery-based incentives are of limited value in increasing COVID-19 vaccine uptake

Will lottery prizes convince people to take the COVID-19 vaccine? It appears not, according to Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) researchers.

4 Jan 2022

Novel insight into the immune characteristics of bats

Many studies have indicated that bats are significant reservoirs of innumerable viruses, such as influenza, coronaviruses, and rabies. These studies have also reported that bats predominantly remain asymptomatic or develop mild diseases during viral infections caused by henipaviruses, Ebola virus, coronaviruses, etc.

4 Jan 2022

Birth during the pandemic associated with slightly lower scores in infants' motor and social skills

Columbia researchers found that babies born during the pandemic's first year scored lower on a developmental screening test of social and motor skills at 6 months - regardless of whether their mothers had COVID during pregnancy - compared to babies born just before the pandemic.

4 Jan 2022

BNT162b2 provides low vaccine responders adequate anti-spike and neutralizing antibodies to prevent SARS-CoV-2

A new study, published on the medRxiv* preprint server, investigated the changes in SARS-CoV-2 antibody levels among HCWs after SARS-CoV-2 vaccination. The study also assessed whether low responders produced sufficient SARS-CoV-2 anti-spike and neutralizing antibodies.

4 Jan 2022

Medical Research News

COVID-19 mRNA vaccines offer protection against Omicron variant in pregnancy

Efficacy of COVID-19 convalescent plasma therapy in patients with hematological malignancies and COVID-19

Study highlights opioid use disorder treatment access disparities based on Medicaid prevalence

Oral bacteria-based SARS-CoV-2 vaccine platform

Drugs that block mineralocorticoid receptor may help protect bone cells during aging

COVID-19 mitigation behaviors and vaccination status prediction via delay discounting and future orientation

Nucleocapsid protein preferentially binds to structured and longer RNA to deliver viral proteins in host circulation

Researchers compare survival rates of AML patients treated with two forms of transplantation methods

Can the COVID-19 delta variant evade vaccine-induced immunity?

Basic health beliefs and demographics associated with risk factors for cardiovascular disease

mRNA booster vaccine confers strong protection against SARS-CoV-2 Omicron in cancer patients

Scientists provide a structural framework for Omicron immune evasion and ACE2 receptor recognition

Transplant recipients benefit from a COVID-19 vaccine booster

Time since COVID vaccination is a key driver of breakthrough Omicron infections

New gene therapy addresses primary cellular deficit associated with limb-girdle muscular dystrophy 2B

New study on NAbs against SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant after vaccination or infection

Lottery-based incentives are of limited value in increasing COVID-19 vaccine uptake

Novel insight into the immune characteristics of bats

Birth during the pandemic associated with slightly lower scores in infants' motor and social skills

BNT162b2 provides low vaccine responders adequate anti-spike and neutralizing antibodies to prevent SARS-CoV-2

Membrane proteins in focus: Turning high-risk targets into routine workflows

How metabolic phenotyping can detect viral infections in minutes

Directed enzyme evolution and the Nobel Prize: Making enzymes evolve in the lab

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