Coronavirus Disease COVID 19 News and Research

Latest Coronavirus Disease COVID 19 News and Research

Nanozymes to the rescue - potential role in fighting COVID-19

Over the last few decades, researchers have developed artificial enzymes for many applications. Recently, they deployed nanomaterial-based enzyme mimetics or nanozymes in diagnosis and therapeutics. Nanozymes find applications in various biomedical applications, including antiviral agents and cancer therapy.

8 Jun 2021

Immunomodulatory therapies for nephrological autoimmune diseases may help treat severe COVID-19

Various viruses and bacteria have long been known to cause autoimmune diseases where there is such a predisposition. This phenomenon also seems to play a major role in SARS-CoV-2, especially in severe courses.

8 Jun 2021

No point vaccinating those who’ve had COVID-19: Cleveland Clinic study suggests

The study findings reveal that individuals with previous SARS-CoV-2 infection do not get additional benefits from vaccination, indicating that COVID-19 vaccines should be prioritized to individuals without prior infection. The study is currently available on the medRxiv* preprint server.

8 Jun 2021

NIH researchers identify novel small molecule inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2 variants

A team of scientists from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), USA, has recently identified six novel small molecule inhibitors of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and its variants. The study is currently available on the bioRxiv* preprint server.

8 Jun 2021

Novel COVID-19 vaccine is safe, generates immune response in healthy adults

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to disrupt and end lives around the world, and public health officials worldwide have recognized vaccines as the critical tools required for controlling the COVID-19 death toll and achieving a return to normal life.

8 Jun 2021

ACE2 functions as a gateway for COVID-19 virus

Normally, the ACE2 enzyme helps regulate our blood pressure. The enzyme sits on the surface of cells, including cells in the lungs, but in connection with COVID-19 it has been found that ACE2 also functions as a gateway for the virus.

8 Jun 2021

Fluorescence-based assay for detecting SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibodies

Researchers have developed a rapid assay to rapidly detect neutralizing antibodies against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) using an imaging technique they developed for the Ebola virus.

8 Jun 2021

Study examines how SARS CoV-2 aerosols travel through the lower lungs

When we inhale isolated coronavirus particles, more than 65% reach the deepest region of our lungs where damage to cells can lead to low blood oxygen levels, new research has discovered, and more of these aerosols reach the right lung than the left.

8 Jun 2021

Study examines perceived benefits of digital skills training among older adult learners

Older people need digital skills training to learn to use digital technology more independently, but they also seek digital training opportunities because of the social benefits they offer, according to a recent study from the University of Eastern Finland.

8 Jun 2021

Link between SARS-CoV-2 organotropism and kidney injury

It was clear at a relatively early stage of the pandemic that SARS-CoV-2 causes a wide range of symptoms; in addition to typical respiratory symptoms, patients also had neurological symptoms (starting with anosmia), gastrointestinal symptoms, elevated liver values, and renal, urinary or hematological changes, for example.

8 Jun 2021

Reduced use of convalescent plasma associated with higher COVID-19 mortality rate

A new study from researchers at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and colleagues suggests a slowdown in the use of convalescent plasma to treat hospitalized COVID-19 patients led to a higher COVID-19 mortality during a critical period during this past winter's surge.

8 Jun 2021

Using AI to fight COVID-19

A study based in Taiwan and published in the Journal of Clinical Medicine focuses on the role of AI in managing COVID-19 through digital images, clinical and laboratory analysis such as screening and diagnosis.

7 Jun 2021

France's public health measures in response to SARS-CoV-2 B.1.1.7 variant

A study undertaken by the Toulouse Institute for Infectious and Inflammatory Disease (INFINITy) in France evaluated the impact of the SARS-CoV-2 variant B.1.1.7 in France with higher positive tests found, as well as analyzing the result of health measures such as social distancing and vaccinations. The research is published in the journal Viruses.

7 Jun 2021

Distinct spike protein mutations in SARS-CoV-2 variant in Russia

Additionally, a novel variant has recently been characterized by researchers from Russia in the journal Viruses. The variant, first discovered in January 2021 in Northwest Russia, is characterized by distinct spike protein mutations.

7 Jun 2021

New research identifies protein as therapeutic anti-viral target for COVID-19

New research identified a novel interaction between the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and the galectin-3-binding protein (LGALS3BP) which could be a new therapeutic anti-viral target.

7 Jun 2021

COVID-19 can cause long-term consequences for the kidneys

The kidneys are a target organ of COVID-19 and are affected very early in the course. However, this is precisely where there is strong prognostic potential: As early as last spring, COVID-19-associated nephritis was identified as an early warning signal for severe courses of the infectious disease and studies to that effect were published.

7 Jun 2021

Repeated low-dose dose exposure to SARS-CoV-2 may protect against severe COVID-19

The Italian authors of this paper, published in the journal Viruses, have taken this hypothesis and expanded it to include viral particles suspended in the air or on inanimate objects as a possible source of T cell immunity due to the repeated low-dose exposure, potentially explaining virus immunity found in non-infected individuals.

7 Jun 2021

Novel method allows rapid, absolute quantification of viral nucleic acids

Researchers from Critical Analytics for Manufacturing Personalized-Medicine, an Interdisciplinary Research Group at the Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology, MIT's research enterprise in Singapore, have developed a new method for rapid and accurate detection of viral nucleic acids - a breakthrough that can be easily adapted to detect different DNA/RNA targets in viruses like the coronavirus.

7 Jun 2021

Natural products show promise against COVID-19 via iron chelation

Researchers at the University of Catania in Italy investigated whether natural compounds could prevent disease progression. Their study published in the Journal of Clinical Medicine found that iron chelators and protease inhibitors can counteract SARS-CoV-2 infection.

7 Jun 2021

Redhill Biopharma announces completion of enrollment for oral opaganib phase 2/3 COVID-19 study

RedHill Biopharma Ltd., a specialty biopharmaceutical company, today announced that it has completed enrollment and randomized the last patient in the global Phase 2/3 study with opaganib (Yeliva, ABC294640) in patients hospitalized with severe COVID-19 pneumonia (NCT04467840).

7 Jun 2021