Virus News and Research

Latest Virus News and Research

Shark vNAR antibodies inhibit SARS-CoV-2 variants in vitro

Researchers in the UK and Austria have identified a novel class of antibodies that is highly effective at neutralizing the original strain of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS-CoV-2) and maintaining blocking activity against certain viral variants that have emerged.

10 Jun 2021

Compound may block COVID-19 virus from entering lung cells, study reports

Research conducted at LSU Health New Orleans Neuroscience Center of Excellence reports that Elovanoids, bioactive chemical messengers made from omega-3 very-long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids discovered by the Bazan lab in 2017, may block the virus that causes COVID-19 from entering cells and protect the air cells (alveoli) of the lung.

10 Jun 2021

Researchers develop new method to make CRISPR gene editing more precise

CRISPR Researchers from Aarhus University and University of Copenhagen have developed a new method, which makes CRISPR gene editing more precise than conventional methods.

10 Jun 2021

ACTG launches phase 1 HIV cure study evaluating two promising therapies

The AIDS Clinical Trials Group, the largest global HIV research network, today announced the launch of A5386, a phase 1 HIV cure study evaluating two promising therapies.

10 Jun 2021

Elimination of HIV transmission by 2030 might be within reach among MSM in England

The annual number of new HIV infections among men who have sex with men (MSM) in England is likely to have fallen dramatically, from 2,770 in 2013 to 854 in 2018, showing elimination of HIV transmission by 2030 to be within reach - suggests work by researchers from the MRC Biostatistics Unit at the University of Cambridge and Public Health England (PHE), published in The Lancet HIV.

10 Jun 2021

The longevity of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies and their cross-neutralization against variants of concern

In a new study by researchers in the UK, the activity of neutralizing antibodies collected from the sera of individuals that contracted COVID-19 during the first wave of the pandemic is tested against variants of concern the B.1.1.7 (or UK) variant and the B.1.351 (or South African) variant, demonstrating somewhat reduced potency of neutralization towards these strains.

10 Jun 2021

Is B.1.617.2 more transmissible than earlier SARS-CoV-2 variants?

A new study, released as a preprint on the medRxiv* server, reports that the B.1.617.2 variant is possibly more transmissible than earlier variants, based on the discovery that the serial intervals were not prolonged with this strain.

10 Jun 2021

Are pre-existing Vitamin D deficiencies linked to COVID-19 severity and mortality?

Even as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to spread and new variants of SARS-CoV-2 emerge, much remains to be known about why severity varies so unpredictably between individuals. A new study, released as a preprint on the medRxiv* server, elucidates the relationship between Vitamin D and COVID-19 severity.

10 Jun 2021

Could the COVID-19 vaccination rollout protect against future coronavirus outbreaks?

A new study suggests that the rollout of vaccines against the COVID-19 pandemic may be significant not only in preventing infections by SARS-CoV-2 but other endemic and pandemic-potential coronaviruses (CoVs) as well.

10 Jun 2021

Study highlights the dynamic role of social media in epidemics

Researchers from York University and the University of British Columbia have found social media use to be one of the factors related to the spread of COVID-19 within dozens of countries during the early stages of the pandemic.

10 Jun 2021

SARS-CoV-2 detection associates with viral RNA prevalence in patients and hospital environment

Watching what was happening around the world in early 2020, University of California San Diego School of Medicine researchers knew their region would likely soon be hit with a wave of patients with COVID-19, the infection caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2.

10 Jun 2021

Normal breathing without mask can transport saliva droplets to more than 7 feet

The World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control recommend keeping a certain distance between people to prevent the spread of COVID-19. These social distancing recommendations are estimated from a variety of studies, but further research about the precise mechanism of virus transport from one person to another is still needed.

10 Jun 2021

Local anesthetic procaine inhibits SARS-CoV-2 in vitro

Research has shown that procaine and procaine-hydrochloride can reduce replication of SARS-CoV-2 and influenza A viruses in infected cells and reduce the production of cytokines by the viruses, making them potentially useful for treating COVID-19.

10 Jun 2021

New article explains the pros and cons of nasal vaccines

Vaccines are mostly synonymous with needles, an efficient and effective way to provide immunity to myriad infections. As COVID-19 vaccination efforts roll out across the U.S. and the world, some experts believe that a vaccine administered through the nose could be just as effective and easier to administer.

10 Jun 2021

Eldelumab and Fenofibrate show potential for COVID-19

In a new study posted to the medRxiv* preprint server, researchers from the University of Pittsburgh and Barrow Neurological Institute report the results of their analysis of several RNA-Seq studies and used computational approaches to discover potential drugs against COVID-19.

10 Jun 2021

Trained dogs can accurately identify COVID-19 by scent

An interesting new medRxiv* preprint reveals that with careful training, the exquisite scent sensitivity of dogs may be exploited to rule out the presence of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in human beings in real-time.

9 Jun 2021

Warmer conditions are not enough to prevent COVID-19 transmission, research shows

New research shows transmission of the virus behind COVID-19 varies seasonally, but warmer conditions are not enough to prevent transmission.

9 Jun 2021

DNA on-off switches for SARS-CoV-2 host receptor as potential therapeutic targets

Researchers in the United States and Canada have identified DNA on/off “switches” within the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) gene that may control the expression of this host cell receptor before, during and after infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).

9 Jun 2021

Cold winter temperatures may accelerate spread of SARS-CoV-2

Writing in the journal Frontiers in Public Health, the team from Weifang Medical University said: “We believe that the low-temperature environment in winter may accelerate the spread of the outbreak and that new outbreaks may occur.”

9 Jun 2021

Smoking and vaping increase ACE2 levels and virus spike binding in airway epithelium

A new bioRxiv preprint attempts to make some sense of why certain people experience more severe forms of COVID-19 as compared to others by pointing to the increase in virus binding that occurs in the presence of smoking or vaping.

9 Jun 2021

Virus News and Research

Latest Virus News and Research

Shark vNAR antibodies inhibit SARS-CoV-2 variants in vitro

Compound may block COVID-19 virus from entering lung cells, study reports

Researchers develop new method to make CRISPR gene editing more precise

ACTG launches phase 1 HIV cure study evaluating two promising therapies

Elimination of HIV transmission by 2030 might be within reach among MSM in England

The longevity of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies and their cross-neutralization against variants of concern

Is B.1.617.2 more transmissible than earlier SARS-CoV-2 variants?

Are pre-existing Vitamin D deficiencies linked to COVID-19 severity and mortality?

Could the COVID-19 vaccination rollout protect against future coronavirus outbreaks?

Study highlights the dynamic role of social media in epidemics

SARS-CoV-2 detection associates with viral RNA prevalence in patients and hospital environment

Normal breathing without mask can transport saliva droplets to more than 7 feet

Local anesthetic procaine inhibits SARS-CoV-2 in vitro

New article explains the pros and cons of nasal vaccines

Eldelumab and Fenofibrate show potential for COVID-19

Trained dogs can accurately identify COVID-19 by scent

Warmer conditions are not enough to prevent COVID-19 transmission, research shows

DNA on-off switches for SARS-CoV-2 host receptor as potential therapeutic targets

Cold winter temperatures may accelerate spread of SARS-CoV-2

Smoking and vaping increase ACE2 levels and virus spike binding in airway epithelium

A new way of characterising biomolecules eBook

Redefining control and consistency in anaerobic microbiome workflows

AI in Healthcare: How generative tools are transforming clinical practice

The future of automation: Machine learning–driven hepatocyte and organoid counting

Virus News and Research

Latest Virus News and Research

A new way of characterising biomolecules eBook

Redefining control and consistency in anaerobic microbiome workflows

AI in Healthcare: How generative tools are transforming clinical practice

The future of automation: Machine learning–driven hepatocyte and organoid counting

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