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UrduNew Brunswick, N.J. (March 11, 2021) – Rutgers University–New Brunswick Professor Donald W. Schaffner is available for interviews on the likelihood of becoming infected by the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus via shopping, groceries, surfaces and airborne/aerosol transmission after a year of lockdowns due to the global pandemic.…
Tag: SARS-CoV-2
Higher Pollen Levels Correlated With Increased Coronavirus Infection Rates
New Brunswick, N.J. (March 9, 2021) – Rutgers University–New Brunswick allergy specialist Leonard Bielory is available for interviews on a study he co-authored that correlates higher airborne pollen concentrations with increased SARS-CoV-2 infection rates. High-risk individuals should wear particle filter…
Rutgers University’s Resilient, Innovative Year Confronting COVID-19
The last year, which has been unlike any other in Rutgers’ 254-year history, has centered on keeping the Rutgers community safe, providing top-notch health care, developing the first saliva test for the coronavirus and helping society cope with the biggest global public health crisis since the 1918 influenza pandemic.
Science Snapshots: COVID-19, power outages, Alzheimer’s disease, and optical antennas
March Science Snapshots from Berkeley Lab
Sewage-Handling Robots Help Predict COVID-19 Outbreaks in San Diego
UC San Diego School of Medicine researchers develop an automated process to test city sewage for SARS-CoV-2, allowing them to forecast the region’s COVID-19 caseload one to two weeks ahead of clinical diagnostic reports.
More than 1,000 SARS-CoV-2 Coronavirus Protein 3D Structures Available
New Brunswick, N.J. (March 3, 2021) – The 3D structures of more than 1,000 SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus proteins are freely available from the RCSB Protein Data Bank headquartered at Rutgers University–New Brunswick. The data bank reached the milestone this week, with 1,018 proteins as…
RGF® Environmental Group Releases Industry’s First Test Evaluating Aerosolized SARS-CoV-2 Viral Reductions Directly in the Air: PHI-PKG14 PHI-CELL® Proven to Inactivate 99.96% of Airborne SARS-CoV-2 within Simulated Air-Conditioned Space
RGF® Environmental Group, Inc., a leading environmental design and manufacturing company, has released the results of a third-party test that proves the PHI-PKG14 PHI-CELL® product with Photohydroionization® technology inactivates greater than 99.96% of airborne SARS-CoV-2 virus.
Repurposed Arthritis Drug Did Not Significantly Improve Severe COVID-19 Pneumonia
A repurposed drug used to treat arthritis did not significantly improve the outcomes of patients with severe COVID-19 pneumonia. Tocilizumab did not significantly improve clinical status or mortality rate at 28 days for participants who received it compared to a placebo.
Balanced T cell response key to avoiding COVID-19 symptoms, study suggests
By analyzing blood samples from individuals infected with SARS-CoV-2, researchers in Singapore have begun to unpack the different responses by the body’s T cells that determine whether or not an individual develops COVID-19. The study, published today in the Journal of Experimental Medicine (JEM), suggests that clearing the virus without developing symptoms requires T cells to mount an efficient immune response that produces a careful balance of pro- and anti-inflammatory molecules.
NIH Awards UC San Diego $33 Million for Five COVID-19 Diagnostic Projects
UC San Diego was awarded five COVID-19 Rapid Acceleration of Diagnostics (RADx) projects by the National Institutes of Health totaling nearly $33 million, which will fund efforts that range from managing a large data center to expanding testing in disadvantaged communities.
Pulse oximeters are useful, non-invasive tools for estimating blood oxygen levels, but FDA cautions that the devices have limitations and caveats, particularly among persons of color
Pulse oximeters are devices that clip painlessly onto fingers to externally measure blood oxygen levels, based on measurements of light absorbed through tissues. Recent research suggests these devices are less accurate in persons with dark skin pigmentation. The U.S. Food…
Story Tips from Johns Hopkins Experts on COVID-19
Reports on variants of the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 have swept the news over the past few months, but what exactly is a virus variant?
Human Lung and Brain Organoids Respond Differently to SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Lab Tests
UC San Diego School of Medicine researchers are using stem cell-derived organoids to study how SARS-CoV-2 interacts with various organ systems. Their findings may help explain the wide variety in COVID-19 symptoms and aid the search for therapies.
Genetics May Play Role in Determining Immunity to COVID-19
UC San Diego researchers report that individual immune response to SARS-CoV-2 may be limited by a set of variable genes that code for cell surface proteins essential for the adaptive immune system. The finding may help explain why COVID-19 immunity varies by individual.
Targeting Nsp1 Protein Could Be A Pathway For COVID-19 Therapy
DALLAS – Feb. 16, 2021 – A study that identifies how a coronavirus protein called Nsp1 blocks the activity of genes that promote viral replication provides hope for new COVID-19 treatments.
A Cheap, Potent Pathway to Pandemic Therapeutics
By capitalizing on a convergence of chemical, biological and artificial intelligence advances, scientists have developed an unusually fast and efficient method for discovering tiny antibody fragments with big potential for development into therapeutics against deadly diseases.
COVID-19: A ‘Stress Test’ for the Heart
In a Q&A, UC San Diego Health cardiologist describes how COVID-19 is a as a “stress test” for the body, which could explain why individuals with underlying heart conditions are more at risk for severe COVID-19 infections.
At least 50% of COVID-19 infections come from people who aren’t showing symptoms
A new study out of the University of Chicago has found that during the initial wave of the COVID-19 outbreak in New York City, only 1 in 5 to 1 in 7 cases of the virus was symptomatic. The research team found that non-symptomatic cases substantially contribute to community transmission, making up at least 50% of the driving force of SARS-CoV-2 infection.
COVID-19 Early Detection System Tested in Schools by UC San Diego and San Diego County
In an effort to help schools reduce the risk of COVID-19 outbreaks as they resume in-person instruction, UC San Diego and the County of San Diego are testing the Safer at School Early Alert system to detect SARS-CoV-2 at schools and child care centers.
Tip Sheet: COVID-19 vaccines, SARS-CoV-2 mutations, shedding pandemic pounds – and nematode nerve cells
SEATTLE —Feb. 4, 2021 —Below are summaries of recent Fred Hutch research findings and other news with links for additional background and media contacts.We are looking forward to the Transplantation & Cellular Therapy Meetings, to be held online Feb. 8-12. Read highlights of Fred Hutch research to be presented, including on COVID-19 and cancer and new insights on treating graft-vs.
Wayne State research team developing AI model to aid in early detection of SARS-CoV2 in children
Currently, there are no methods to discern the spectrum of COVID-19’s severity and predict which children with SARS-CoV-2 exposure will develop severe illness, including MIS-C. Because of this, there is an urgent need to develop a diagnostic modality to distinguish the varying phenotypes of disease and risk stratify disease.
How SARS-CoV-2 Mutates to Escape Antibody Binding
A scientific detective story starting with a single patient in Pittsburgh unearths how the SARS-CoV-2 virus mutates to create new variants, including the UK strain B.1.1.7, and escapes neutralizing antibodies.
Retrained generic antibodies can recognize SARS-CoV-2
An alternative approach to train the immunity response is offered by researchers at the University of Illinois Chicago and California State University at Sacramento who have developed a novel strategy that redirects antibodies for other diseases existing in humans to the spike proteins of SARS-CoV-2.
Twelve pharmaceutical leaders and chief scientists present efficacy data and status reports on their vaccines against SARS-CoV-2; Anthony Facui and Moncef Slaoui deliver keynotes
A remarkable number of pharmaceutical company leaders and chief scientists will come together at a two-day symposium to present efficacy data and updates on twelve vaccines and vaccines candidates. This includes the Moderna and Pfizer mRNA vaccines that have been approved in the US for emergency use. Other topics will include: the clinical epidemiology of COVID-19; the virology, immunology, and genetics of SARS-CoV-2; and research on COVID-19 vaccines in in the elderly.
Ultra-absorptive nanofiber swabs could improve SARS-CoV-2 test sensitivity
Researchers reporting in ACS’ Nano Letters have developed ultra-absorptive nanofiber swabs that could reduce the number of false-negative SARS-CoV-2 tests by improving sample collection and test sensitivity.
Story Tips from Johns Hopkins Experts on COVID-19
Vaccines take time to work. After getting a COVID-19 vaccine, it takes a while for the immune system to fully respond and provide protection from the virus. For the Moderna and Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines, it takes up to two weeks after the second shot to become appropriately protected.
UNC Charlotte Bioinformatics professor and noted expert Dan Janies is researching how variants of SARS-CoV-2 transmit and respond to treatment.
Dan Janies has advised on the animal origins and spread of SARS-CoV-1, MERS, SARS-CoV-2, other coronavirus strains, and variations within strains. Currently, he is working on the new variants of concern of SARS-CoV-2. Variant SARS-CoV-2 contain mutations that change how…
Houston Methodist study finds males of all ages more affected by COVID-19 than females
A new Houston Methodist study found males are more likely to test positive for COVID-19, have complications and die from the virus than females, independent of age. The peer-reviewed observational study appears in PLOS ONE, a multidisciplinary journal published by the Public Library of Science.
New promising antibodies against SARS-CoV-2
Antibodies are an important weapon in the immune system’s defense against infections.
Scientists identify “immune cop” that detects SARS-CoV-2
Scientists at Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute have identified the sensor in human lungs that detects SARS-CoV-2 and signals that it’s time to mount an antiviral response.
SARS-CoV-2 can infect neurons and damage brain tissue, study indicates
Using both mouse and human brain tissue, researchers at Yale School of Medicine have discovered that SARS-CoV-2 can directly infect the central nervous system and have begun to unravel some of the virus’s effects on brain cells. The study, published today in the Journal of Experimental Medicine (JEM), may help researchers develop treatments for the various neurological symptoms associated with COVID-19.
Secondary Bloodstream Infections Associated with Severe COVID-19
People with severe COVID-19 and a secondary blood infection were significantly sicker upon hospital admission, had longer hospital stays and poorer outcomes, according to a Rutgers study.
Royalty Pharma Donates $1,000,000 To Support Mount Sinai’s COVID-19 Patient Care and Clinical Research
Royalty Pharma today announced a charitable contribution by Royalty Pharma in the amount of $1,000,000 to Mount Sinai Health System.
SARS-CoV-2-like particles very sensitive to temperature
Moderate temperature increases broke down SARS-CoV-2 virus-like particles structure on glass surfaces, suggesting that virus particles on surfaces will remain infectious longer. The findings agree with observations of other coronaviruses that appear to infect more people during the winter.
Biostatistics expert on JAMA article: Don’t let thousands of daily COVID-19 deaths become ‘new normal’
Virginia Tech biostatistician Ron Fricker, an expert on disease surveillance, shares the following thoughts to accompany a new research article by Virginia Commonwealth University scientists in the Journal of the American Medical Association, noting that COVID-19 has again become the leading cause of…
Story Tips from Johns Hopkins Experts on Covid-19
Vaccines that prevent infection by SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, are being rolled out around the world. Below are five things about vaccine science of which you may be unaware. Additionally, here is a video about how vaccines are determined safe.
GenScript Granted Authorization for cPass™ SARS-CoV-2 Neutralization Antibody Detection Test in Brazil
GenScript USA Inc., the world’s leading research reagent provider, announced today that Brazil’s National Health Surveillance Agency (ANVISA) (Agência Nacional de Vigilância Sanitária) has authorized the use of the cPass™ SARS-CoV-2 Neutralization Antibody Detection Kit for detecting neutralizing antibodies. The cPass test is the first and only ANVISA authorized test for detecting neutralizing antibodies to SARS-CoV-2. Neutralizing antibodies specifically block the ability of a virus to infect a cell and are well-recognized to confer immunity.
Two New Tests Could Lower the Coronavirus Mortality Rate by Improving Treatment for Severely Ill COVID-19 Patients
A new study shows that a first-of-its-kind rapid test could identify which COVID-19 patients are responding to drug treatments and which patients are still deteriorating and need higher doses of medication. Findings on this method and on a second test that could predict COVID-19 severity were presented today at the virtual 2020 AACC Annual Scientific Meeting & Clinical Lab Expo.
CHOP Researchers Find Elevated Biomarker Related to Blood Vessel Damage in All Children with SARS-CoV-2 Regardless of Disease Severity
Researchers at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) have found elevated levels of a biomarker related to blood vessel damage in children with SARS-CoV-2 infection, even if the children had minimal or no symptoms of COVID-19. They also found that a high proportion of children with SARS-CoV-2 infection met clinical and diagnostic criteria for thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA). TMA is a syndrome that involves clotting in the small blood vessels and has been identified as a potential cause for severe manifestations of COVID-19 in adults.
UC San Diego Health Supports Statewide Rollout of CA Notify Exposure Notification System
The California governor’s office today announced a statewide expansion to make CA Notify available to all Californians starting Thursday, December 10 in partnership with UC San Diego Health.
SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater solids could help monitor COVID-19 spread
Researchers reporting in ACS’ Environmental Science & Technology have discovered that measuring SARS-CoV-2 in settled solids from sewage treatment plants could be a more sensitive approach than measuring the virus in wastewater flowing into the facilities.
Researchers determine how the SARS-CoV-2 virus hijacks and rapidly causes damage to human lung cells
In a multi-group collaborative involving the National Emerging Infectious Disease Laboratories (NEIDL), the Center for Regenerative Medicine (CReM), and the Center for Network Systems Biology (CNSB), scientists have reported the first map of the molecular responses of human lung cells to infection by SARS-CoV-2.
COVID-19 Story Ideas From Johns Hopkins Medicine
Johns Hopkins Medicine, together with 100 of the nation’s other top health care systems, representing thousands of hospitals in communities across the U.S., have come together with an urgent plea for all Americans: mask up, because wearing a face mask is one of the best ways to slow the surging COVID-19 pandemic.
Coronavirus Infection in Carotid Artery Cells May Explain Silent Hypoxemia
New research published in the journal Function suggests that SARS-CoV-2 infection in the carotid body—a cluster of chemoreceptors and specialized cells in the neck’s carotid artery—may contribute to “silent hypoxemia” in people with COVID-19. Silent hypoxemia is the state of…
Q&A with Clinical Trial Investigator at UC San Diego Health on How a Century-old Treatment May Prevent COVID-19 in Persons After Exposure
Most media and public attention during the pandemic has focused upon efforts to develop an effective vaccine to prevent COVID-19, which is caused by the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. Some attention has been paid to investigational therapeutics for treating infected patients,…
Study: COVID-19 Infection Combined with Blood Clots Worsen Patient Outcomes
While respiratory issues continue to be the most common symptom of a COVID-19 infection, new research indicates the disease could also be associated with an increased tendency of the blood to clot, leading to a higher risk of death from COVID-19.
Rutgers Expert Available to Discuss Science and Benefits of Handwashing in COVID-19 Era
New Brunswick, N.J. (Nov. 23, 2020) – Rutgers University–New Brunswick Professor Donald W. Schaffner, a food microbiologist who has also studied handwashing for more than 20 years, is available for interviews on the science and benefits of handwashing during the COVID-19 pandemic and overall.…
Gordon Bell Special Prize for COVID-19 Research Announced
A research team, including scientists from UC San Diego, Argonne National Laboratory and Oak Ridge National Laboratory, wins the Gordon Bell Special Prize for High Performance Computing-Based COVID-19 Research, presented during the SC20 virtual conference.
Testing Wastewater for COVID-19
UNLV researcher Edwin Oh and colleagues have implemented wastewater surveillance programs to screen samples for the presence of COVID-19 and to extract the RNA from the SARS-COV-2 virus to find targets that make vaccines more effective.
Scientists investigate solutions for building cell membrane defense against COVID-19
Researchers from Virginia Tech and Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) are using neutron scattering at ORNL’s Spallation Neutron Source to investigate how cell membranes and the COVID-19 virus impact each other and what therapeutic candidates could make cell membranes more resistant to viral entry.