Support grows for a controversial ‘human challenge’ vaccine study — but no trial is yet planned.Momentum is building to speed the development of coronavirus vaccines by intentionally infecting healthy, young volunteers with the virus. A grass-roots effort has attracted nearly 1,500 potential volunteers for the controversial approach, known as a human-challenge trial.
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Despite the large and rapidly rising number of cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) and resulting deaths,1 there are limited data about the clinical characteristics of pregnant women with the disease.2,3 We extracted information regarding epidemiologic, clinical, laboratory, and radiologic characteristics, treatment, and outcomes of pregnant women with Covid-19 through the epidemic reporting system of the National Health Commission of China, which stores the medical records o...

Researchers at MIT; the Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT, and Harvard; and the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard; along with colleagues from around the world have identified specific types of cells that appear to be targets of the coronavirus that is causing the Covid-19 pandemic.

Using existing data on the RNA found in different types of cells, the researchers were able to search for cells that express the two proteins that help the SARS-CoV-2 virus enter human cells. They found subsets o...

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has launched a real-time world map that shows the number of clinical studies concerning the novel coronavirus that have been carried out in each region. In this map, studies with no locations are not included in the counts or on the map, and studies with multiple locations are included in each region containing locations.

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NIBIB's current response to COVID-19 takes the form of multiple Notices of Special Interest. This includes: administrative supplements and emergency competitive revisions funding for current grantees; small business innovation research/small business technology transfer (SBIR/STTR) opportunities; and investigator-initiated research opportunities to address this crisis. Click here for reference

Free mContain app for Greater Memphis area also provides crowding alerts for physical distancing. Researchers at the University of Memphis-based Center of Excellence for Mobile Sensor Data-to-Knowledge (MD2K) have introduced a new mobile app that may support physical distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic. MD2K is supported by NIH with a grant administered by the National Institute for Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB). 
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A drug called auranofin, approved for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, effectively inhibits severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) in laboratory conditions, as described in a new study by Georgia State University researchers.

Auranofin is a chemical compound that contains gold particles. Therefore it is also known as a gold-salt compound. Such gold-containing drugs have known anti-inflammatory properties, and this specific triethyl phosphine can reduce cyt...

Abstract

AIM: Current pricing of commercial mechanical ventilators in low/middleincome countries (LMICs) markedly restricts their availability, and consequently a considerable number of patients with acute/chronic respiratory failure cannot be adequately treated. Our aim was to design and test an affordable and easy-to-build noninvasive bilevel pressure ventilator to allow reducing the serious shortage of ventilators in LMICs. METHODS: The ventilator was built using off-the-shelf ma...

As part of its continued effort to garner the innovation of the additive manufacturing (AM)industry to deliver safe and effective solutions to front line workers across the country, America Makes is announcing two challenges – the Fit to Face – Mask Design Challenge in collaboration with the Department of Veterans Affairs; and the COVID-19 Maker Challenge, a joint event by Challenge America and the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Innovation Ecosystem. 
America Makes Innovation Sprint:...

CT has a leading place in the management of patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Mediastinal lymph node enlargement is not considered a typical CT feature of COVID-19, and only 6% of patients admitted to hospital for COVID-19 had lymphadenopathy. This observation is concordant with previous studies in Chinese populations. However, the experience in critically ill patients with COVID-19 in France seems to be different.

Lymphadenopathy was more common in French coho...

Who are Corti?Corti.ai is a European company based in Copenhagen, Denmark, that develops state-of-the-art artificial intelligence software. Their software seeks to analyze patient health, and help support healthcare personnel when triaging patients, in order to reduce over- and under-triaging.
Curbing transmission with A.I.They have built an artificial intelligence that is capable of analyzing patient interviews in text, video, or audio formats, and detecting whether there is a high risk o...

A pandemic—especially one caused by a mysterious or newly discovered infectious agent—engenders a stark reminder that supporting fundamental research has been a prudent investment of public funds. Fundamental molecular research plays an essential role in the clinic to decipher infectious processes, develop therapeutic strategies, and guide physicians, nurses, and other hospital employees in implementing the most effective application of new knowledge. As the world begins the process of healin...