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A new test quickly detects SARS-CoV-2 (spheres) through binding to antibodies (Y-shapes) on a field-effect transistor. Image credit: Seo et al, doi: 10.1021/acsnano.0c02823.

New Biosensor Rapidly Detects SARS-CoV-2 Coronavirus in Nasopharyngeal Swabs

Apr 21, 2020 by News Staff

A team of researchers in the Republic of Korea has successfully fabricated a promising transistor-based biosensor that detects SARS-CoV-2, a novel coronavirus...

This rendering depicts the secretion of cytokines, the tiny pink bits, from a cell. Image credit: Scientificanimations.com / CC BY-SA 4.0.

Antibody-Like Proteins May Halt COVID-19 Cytokine Storm

Apr 21, 2020 by News Staff

Cytokines are signaling proteins that stimulate inflammation and other immune responses. ‘Cytokine storm,’ or cytokine release syndrome, plays a critical...

The structure of a coronavirus. Image credit: Scientificanimations.com / CC BY-SA 4.0.

Scientists Propose New Approach to Analyze Genetic Sequences of SARS-CoV-2 Coronavirus

Apr 20, 2020 by News Staff

Researchers at the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) have developed a new visualization platform, underpinned by bioinformatics...

Colorized scanning electron micrograph of an apoptotic cell (green) heavily infected with SARS-COV-2 virus particles (yellow), isolated from a patient sample. Image credit: NIAID.

Genetic Variability in Immune System May Affect Susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2

Apr 20, 2020 by News Staff

Genetic variability in the human immune system may affect susceptibility to and severity of infection by SARS-CoV-2, a novel coronavirus which causes the...

Neutrophils forming NETs in cell culture. Note the expelled DNA strings (arrows). Scanning electron microscopy of neutrophils 3 h after plating and coculturing with 4T1 breast cancer cells. Scale bar - 25 µm. Image credit: Barnes et al, doi: 10.1084/jem.20200652.

Study Links Neutrophil Infiltration in Lungs to COVID-19 Symptoms

Apr 17, 2020 by News Staff

A little known yet powerful function of overactive white blood cells known as neutrophils — the ability to form neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs)...

The Mediterranean diet emphasizes consumption of whole fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, legumes, fish, and olive oil, as well as reduced consumption of red meat and alcohol. Image credit: Julia Pastel100.

Mediterranean Diet May Help Preserve Cognitive Function

Apr 15, 2020 by News Staff

Adherence to the Mediterranean diet correlates with higher cognitive function, according to a new study led by the National Eye Institute (NEI), part of...

Clarke et al demonstrate the capacity to simultaneously ventilate two test lungs of different compliances, and using only standard hospital equipment, modify the delivered pressure, flow, and volume in each test lung. Image credit: Monash University.

Coping with COVID-19: Australian Scientists Successfully Test Ventilator Splitting in Simulated Setting

Apr 14, 2020 by News Staff

A team of researchers from the Royal Women’s Hospital, Monash University and the Alfred Hospital has successfully tested, in a simulated environment,...

Intracortical grafts of human long-term self-renewing neuroepithelial-like stem (lt-NES) cell-derived cortical neurons project extensively in stroke-injured rat brain: (A) location of illustrated areas; (B-D) fibers immunoreactive for human cytoplasmic marker STEM121 in the transplant core (B), corpus callosum (C), and peri-infarct area (D). Scale bar - 200 μm. Image credit: Palma-Tortosa et al, doi: 10.1073/pnas.2000690117.

Scientists Restore Mobility and Sensation of Touch in Stroke-Injured Rats

Apr 13, 2020 by News Staff

In a new experiment on rats, a team of researchers at Lund University has shown that by transplanting human induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cell-derived...

Active cigarette smoking and COPD up-regulate ACE2 expression in lower airways, which in part may explain the increased risk of severe COVID-19 in these populations. Image credit: Leung et al, doi: 10.1183/13993003.00688-2020.

Smokers, COPD Patients Have High Levels of Coronavirus ‘Entry Point’ Enzyme in Their Lungs

Apr 13, 2020 by News Staff

According to a new study published in the European Respiratory Journal, smokers and individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) have...

ISS bacteria are just trying to survive. Image credit: Arek Socha.

Study Sheds New Light on Antimicrobial Activity of Silver

Apr 9, 2020 by News Staff

As ‘superbug’ bacteria resistant to commonly prescribed antibiotics have become a global threat to public health in recent years, noble metals, such...

Colorized scanning electron micrograph of an apoptotic cell (greenish brown) heavily infected with SARS-COV-2 virus particles (pink), isolated from a patient sample. Image credit: NIAID.

Genetic Study Identifies Three Variants of SARS-CoV-2 Coronavirus

Apr 9, 2020 by News Staff

In a phylogenetic network analysis of the first 160 complete genomes of SARS-CoV-2 to be sequenced from human patients, an international team of scientists...

Colorized scanning electron micrograph of a VERO E6 cell (blue) heavily infected with SARS-COV-2 virus particles (orange), isolated from a patient sample. Image credit: NIAID.

Experimental Drug Has Broad Spectrum Antiviral Activity against Multiple Coronaviruses

Apr 9, 2020 by News Staff

An orally bioavailable prodrug called EIDD-2801 (β-D-N4-hydroxycytidine-5’-isopropyl ester) has broad spectrum antiviral activity against SARS-CoV-2,...

Common Human Coronaviruses are Sharply Seasonal, Study Says

Apr 8, 2020 by News Staff

Four types of human coronaviruses (OC43, 229E, HKU1 and NL63) are highly seasonal and appear to transmit similarly to influenza A (H3N2) in the same population,...

Surgical face masks could prevent transmission of human coronaviruses and influenza viruses from symptomatic individuals. Image credit: Mohamed Hassan.

Surgical Face Masks Could Prevent Transmission of Coronaviruses from Symptomatic Individuals

Apr 8, 2020 by News Staff

In new laboratory experiments conducted by researchers from the University of Maryland, the University of Hong Kong and Harvard School of Public Health,...

The Surviving Sepsis Campaign COVID-19 panel issued recommendations to help support healthcare workers caring for critically ill ICU patients with COVID-19. Image credit: Rosario ‘Charo’ Gutierrez, U.S. Air Force.

Study: Only 6% of Actual COVID-19 Cases Detected Worldwide

Apr 7, 2020 by News Staff

According to a report by University of Göttingen researchers Christian Bommer and Sebastian Vollmer, the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases officially...

Suffering from skin damage from face masks? Gefen et al offer remedies to health staff and the general public. Image credit: Leo2014.

COVID-19: Suffering from Skin Damage from Protective Masks? Researchers Offer Remedies to Heal

Apr 7, 2020 by News Staff

Healthcare professionals on the COVID-19 frontline are spending many hours a day wearing face masks, and many members of the general public are doing the...

The paper device is folded and unfolded in steps to filter the nucleic acids of pathogens from wastewater samples, then a biochemical reaction with preloaded reagents detects whether the nucleic acid of SARS-CoV-2 infection is present; the results are visible to the naked eye: a green circle indicating positive and a blue circle negative. Image credit: Cranfield University.

Paper-Based Device Could Detect SARS-CoV-2 Coronavirus in Wastewater

Apr 6, 2020 by News Staff

An approach called the wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE), which is already recognized as an effective way to trace illicit drugs and obtain information...

Colorized scanning electron micrograph of an apoptotic cell (blue) infected with SARS-COV-2 virus particles (red), isolated from a patient sample. Image credit: NIAID.

Anti-Parasitic Drug Inhibits Replication of SARS-CoV-2 Coronavirus in Cell Cultures

Apr 6, 2020 by News Staff

A team of scientists from the Biomedicine Discovery Institute at Monash University and the Peter Doherty Institute of Infection and Immunity (Doherty Institute)...

In cell cultures analyzed in the study, APN01 inhibited the coronavirus load by a factor of 1,000-5,000. Image credit: Tibor Kulcsar / IMBA.

Experimental Drug Blocks Growth of SARS-CoV-2 Coronavirus in Cell Cultures and Organoids

Apr 3, 2020 by News Staff

A trial drug called APN01 or human recombinant soluble ACE2 (hrsACE2) can significantly block early stages of SARS-CoV-2 infections, according to a paper...