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Commercial assays detect mRNA-1273 and BNT162b2 vaccine-induced SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in most vaccinated participants

A recent study by researchers from Canada aimed to examine the ability of commercial assays to detect vaccine-induced antibodies and recognize the vaccination response.

12 Apr 2021

GACVS COVID-19 reviews rare cases of blood clots following AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccination

The COVID-19 subcommittee of the WHO Global Advisory Committee on Vaccine Safety (GACVS) has reviewed reports of rare cases of blood clots with low platelets following vaccination with the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine (including Covishield) since their onset a few weeks ago.

12 Apr 2021

More than 100 economies receive life-saving COVID-19 vaccines from COVAX

More than one hundred economies have received life-saving COVID-19 vaccines from COVAX, the global mechanism for equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines. The milestone comes 42 days after the first COVAX doses were shipped and delivered internationally, to Ghana on 24 February 2021.

12 Apr 2021

The role and ancestry of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein glycan shield

In a research paper recently uploaded to the preprint server bioRxiv by Harbison et al. (April 1st 2021) a set of multi-microsecond long molecular dynamics simulations study the effects of altering glycosylation at sites N234, N165, N343, and the newly identified ancestral site N370, uncovering the influence of these sites on infectivity.

12 Apr 2021

Global fundraising campaign to provide resources to health facilities treating COVID-19 patients

Champion goalkeeper Alisson Becker, World Health Organization (WHO) Goodwill ambassador for health promotion, is kickstarting a new global fundraising campaign, titled "Give a Breath for Health," driven by the WHO Foundation and WHO.

12 Apr 2021

CD40 drug before surgery can benefit patients with early-stage pancreatic cancer

Giving early-stage pancreatic cancer patients a CD40 immune-stimulating drug helped jumpstart a T cell attack to the notoriously stubborn tumor microenvironment before surgery and other treatments, according to a new study from researchers in the Abramson Cancer Center (ACC) at the University of Pennsylvania.

12 Apr 2021

Lung microbiome predicts COVID-19 disease severity

A new preprint research paper posted to the medRxiv* server found changes to the lung microbiome during severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection influence COVID-19 disease severity.

12 Apr 2021

Study reveals new insights into the effects of chemotherapy on tumor microenvironment

Research from Queen Mary University of London has revealed novel insights into the effects of chemotherapy on the tumor microenvironment (TME).

12 Apr 2021

Mutant KRAS and P53 promote growth and metastasis of pancreatic cancer

Researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center have discovered that mutant KRAS and p53, the most frequently mutated genes in pancreatic cancer, interact through the CREB1 protein to promote metastasis and tumor growth.

12 Apr 2021

Aneuploidy testing can be key in determining optimal treatment for lung cancer patients

Patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) whose cancer cells have low levels of aneuploidy - an abnormal number of chromosomes - tend to respond better to immune checkpoint inhibitor drugs than patients with higher levels, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute researchers will report at the virtual AACR Annual Meeting 2021.

12 Apr 2021

mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy provides passive SARS-CoV-2 immunity to neonates 16 days after first dose

Recently, a group of researchers analyzed 122 pregnant women and their neonates at the time of birth. All the women studied received 1 or both doses of a messenger RNA (mRNA)-based vaccine for COVID-19. Of the 122 women part of the study, 55 had received only the first dose of the vaccine while 67 women had received both doses of the mRNA vaccine by the time they gave birth; 85 women had received the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, and 37 women received the Moderna vaccine. The study is published on the preprint server, bioRxiv.

11 Apr 2021

Researchers unveil new SARS-CoV-2 inhibitor that targets viral immune evasion

In a recent quest for an effective antiviral compound, UK researchers have purified a specific enzyme of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) known as nsp15 and optimized fluorescent biochemical endoribonuclease assays to screen a custom chemical library with over 5,000 commercial compounds. The study is currently available on the bioRxiv* preprint server.

11 Apr 2021

L452R and Y453F SARS-CoV-2 mutations increase transmission and evade immunity

Mutations from the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) have created multiple variants. Some variants, such as those found in South Africa and Brazil, have caused concern for their potential to evade the immune response. While vaccination efforts are underway, the world is racing against the viruses’ ability to evolve under selective pressure.

11 Apr 2021

Pregnant women transmit SARS-CoV-2 and vaccine-induced antibodies to fetus

Pregnant women are at high risk for severe COVID-19 infection and death. Yet, insufficient safety data on babies has led many guidelines to leave the decision-making and potential threats to future mothers. While the vaccine trials did not directly test pregnant women, more real-world data suggests the vaccine may provide immunity benefits to newborns through breastmilk.

11 Apr 2021

Previously approved drugs starting points for COVID-19 therapeutics

Researchers in the United States have identified several clinically approved compounds that could be repurposed for the treatment and prevention of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

11 Apr 2021

New polypeptide could provide universal protection against coronaviruses

Researchers in the United States have developed an inhibitor of the spike protein found on the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) that limits its formation in host human cells that would otherwise be the source of newly generated virions.

11 Apr 2021

Job and social strain associated with higher risk of coronary heart disease in women

Psychosocial stress - typically resulting from difficulty coping with challenging environments - may work synergistically to put women at significantly higher risk of developing coronary heart disease, according to a study by researchers at Drexel University's Dornsife School of Public Health, recently published in the Journal of the American Heart Association.

9 Apr 2021

Broadly neutralizing antibodies show promise in preventing tick-borne encephalitis in mice

Tick-borne encephalitis is a disease just as nasty as it sounds. Once bitten by an infected tick, some people develop flu-like symptoms that resolve quietly but leave behind rampant neurological disease--brain swelling, memory loss, and cognitive decline.

9 Apr 2021

Sleep apnea treatment linked to lower risk of Alzheimer's and other dementias

A new study finds older adults who received positive airway pressure therapy prescribed for obstructive sleep apnea may be less likely to develop Alzheimer's disease and other kinds of dementia.

9 Apr 2021

SFU mathematics professor to lead new infectious disease modeling network

Simon Fraser University mathematics professor Caroline Colijn will lead a new, national infectious disease modeling network that will inform decisions related to public health threats and better prepare Canada for future pandemics.

9 Apr 2021

Medical News

Commercial assays detect mRNA-1273 and BNT162b2 vaccine-induced SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in most vaccinated participants

GACVS COVID-19 reviews rare cases of blood clots following AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccination

More than 100 economies receive life-saving COVID-19 vaccines from COVAX

The role and ancestry of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein glycan shield

Global fundraising campaign to provide resources to health facilities treating COVID-19 patients

CD40 drug before surgery can benefit patients with early-stage pancreatic cancer

Lung microbiome predicts COVID-19 disease severity

Study reveals new insights into the effects of chemotherapy on tumor microenvironment

Mutant KRAS and P53 promote growth and metastasis of pancreatic cancer

Aneuploidy testing can be key in determining optimal treatment for lung cancer patients

mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy provides passive SARS-CoV-2 immunity to neonates 16 days after first dose

Researchers unveil new SARS-CoV-2 inhibitor that targets viral immune evasion

L452R and Y453F SARS-CoV-2 mutations increase transmission and evade immunity

Pregnant women transmit SARS-CoV-2 and vaccine-induced antibodies to fetus

Previously approved drugs starting points for COVID-19 therapeutics

New polypeptide could provide universal protection against coronaviruses

Job and social strain associated with higher risk of coronary heart disease in women

Broadly neutralizing antibodies show promise in preventing tick-borne encephalitis in mice

Sleep apnea treatment linked to lower risk of Alzheimer's and other dementias

SFU mathematics professor to lead new infectious disease modeling network

Advancing Neuroscience Research Through Collaboration and Patient-Centered Innovation

The impact of vibration on microscopy

How Omics Technologies Are Transforming Biological Research and Drug Discovery

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