REGENERATIVE AND PERSONALISED MEDICINE

DIGITAL HEALTHCARE

SCIENTIFIC INFORMATION ON HEALTHCARE DISRUPTION

PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2021-02-28

NIH Fauci and BARDA Disbrow: Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine proved 77% effective in preventing severe/critical COVID-19 occurring at least 14 days after vaccination and 85% effective in preventing severe/critical COVID-19 occurring at least 28 days after vaccination.

“The Janssen COVID-19 vaccine is a very welcome addition to the arsenal of COVID-19 vaccines and other prevention strategies. When tested among 45,000 volunteers, the single-injection vaccine proved 77 percent effective in preventing severe/critical COVID-19 occurring at least 14 days after vaccination and 85 percent effective in preventing severe/critical COVID-19 occurring at least 28 days

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2021-02-27

Carolina clinical trial tests effectiveness of mouthwash to kill oral SARS-CoV-2

Laboratory experiments have shown mouthwash can quickly kill coronaviruses, but there’s no evidence mouthwash can prevent the virus from infecting people. The Adams School of Dentistry is investigating how well mouthwash works to reduce the amount of SARS-CoV-2. Researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Adams School of Dentistry have launched a clinical trial to test

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2021-02-26

A paper published in NEJM shows that in Israel BNT162b2 mRNA Covid-19 Vaccine reduced cases by 94%

The Pfizer BioNTech coronavirus vaccine produces as good results in the “real world” as have been previously documented in randomised trials. A case control study, which has been peer reviewed and published in the New England Journal of Medicine, compared 596 618 people who were newly vaccinated in Israel and matched them to unvaccinated controls. Two doses

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2021-02-24

Causes of death and comorbidities in hospitalized patients with COVID-19: the majority of patients had died of COVID-19 with only contributory implications of preexisting health conditions to the mechanism of death.

Infection by the new corona virus strain SARS-CoV-2 and its related syndrome COVID-19 has been associated with more than two million deaths worldwide. Patients of higher age and with preexisting chronic health conditions are at an increased risk of fatal disease outcome. However, detailed information on causes of death and the contribution of pre-existing health

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2021-02-24

NCI study finds that people with SARS-CoV-2 antibodies may have a low risk of future infection

People who have had evidence of a prior infection with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, appear to be well protected against being reinfected with the virus, at least for a few months, according to a newly published study from the National Cancer Institute (NCI). This finding may explain why reinfection appears to be relatively rare,

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2021-02-24

FDA analysis:Janssen COVID vaccine is safe and effective also against Brazil and South Africa variant

The Food and Drug Administration’s staff released a briefing document on Wednesday endorsing Johnson & Johnson’s one-shot coronavirus vaccine as safe and effective. An FDA advisory panel will meet Friday to review the briefing document and vote on whether to recommend an emergency use authorization (EUA). The FDA could then issue the (EUA) as soon as this

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2021-02-24

B.1.351 South Africa SARS-CoV-2 Variant is immune escaping but no increase in infectivity is shown in a paper on Cell

The 501Y.V2 variants of SARS-CoV-2 containing multiple mutations in Spike are now dominant in South Africa and are rapidly spreading to other countries. In this paper, experiments with 18 pseudotyped viruses showed that the 501Y.V2 variants do not confer increased infectivity in multiple cell types except for murine ACE2-overexpressing cells, where a substantial increase in

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2021-02-24

Evidence of escape of SARS-CoV-2 variant B.1.351 (South Africa) from natural and vaccine induced sera. An analysis of AstraZeneca, Pfizer, Novavax and Janssen vaccine efficacy.

The race to produce vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 began when the first sequence was published, and this forms the basis for vaccines currently deployed globally. Independent lineages of SARS-CoV-2 have recently been reported: UK–B.1.1.7, South Africa–B.1.351 and Brazil–P.1. These variants have multiple changes in the immunodominant spike protein which facilitates viral cell entry via the Angiotensin

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2021-02-24

Chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy in multiple myeloma: a systematic review and meta-analysis of 950 patients

Despite dramatic improvements in survival, multiple myeloma (MM) remains largely incurable, and most patients develop disease that is refractory to available treatment options. A paper just published on Blood Advances by researchers of Department of Hematological Malignancies and Cellular Therapeutics, Kansas University Medical Center, Westwood, Division of Gastroenterology, University of Toledo, Division of Hematology and

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2021-02-24

Extremely potent human monoclonal antibodies from COVID-19 convalescent patients

Human monoclonal antibodies are safe, preventive and therapeutic tools, that can be rapidly developed to help restore the massive health and economic disruption caused by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. In this just published paper on Cell researchers of Fondazione Toscana Life Sciences, National Institute for Infectious Diseases Lazzaro Spallanzani, Imperial College London and

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2021-02-24

European Society Blood and Marrow Transplantation Annual Report shows the rise of CAR-T Cells in Europe during year 2019 and changes in medical practices in the field of hematopoietic cell transplantation over 30 years.

Hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) is an established procedure for many acquired or inherited disorders of the hematopoietic system, benign or neoplastic, including those of the immune system, and as enzyme replacement in metabolic disorders. The activity survey of the EBMT, describing the status of HCT, has become an instrument with which to observe trends and

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2021-02-18

Immune system protects children from severe COVID-19

Children are protected from severe COVID-19 because their innate immune system is quick to attack the virus, a new study has found. The research led by the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute (MCRI) and published in Nature Communications, found that specialised cells in a child’s immune system rapidly target the new coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2). MCRI’s Dr Melanie Neeland said the

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2021-02-13

Report of Anaphylaxis After Receipt of mRNA COVID-19 Vaccines in the US—December 14, 2020-January 18, 2021 shows 4,5 cases and 2,5 cases per million doses with Pfizer and Moderna respectively.

The cases of rash on mRNA vaccines are almost non-existent and no deaths have occurred. A research published in the medical journal JAMA, points out that the probability of developing anaphylaxis is only 0.000377%, as out of the approximately 17.5 million vaccinations, no deaths occurred, while only 66 people developed anaphylaxis to mRNA vaccines. A

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2021-02-12

Four potential COVID-19 therapeutics enter Phase 2/3 testing in NIH ACTIV-2 trial: between them Camostat mesilate, an orally administered serine protease inhibitor.

Enrollment has begun to test additional investigational drugs in the Accelerating COVID-19 Therapeutic Interventions and Vaccines (ACTIV) program. ACTIV is a public-private partnership program to create a coordinated research strategy that prioritizes and speeds development of promising COVID-19 treatments and vaccines. The new agents entering the randomized, placebo-controlled study are part of ACTIV-2, an adaptive trial designed to

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2021-02-12

Southern California COVID-19 Variant Rapidly Expands Global Reach

CAL.20C Variant, Now Found in Nearly Half of Southern California Cases, Is Detected in 19 US States, Washington, D.C., and Six Foreign Countries, Cedars-Sinai Reports A new strain of the coronavirus in Southern California, first reported last month by Cedars-Sinai, is rapidly spreading across the country and around the world as travelers apparently carry the

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2021-02-12

NIH experts discuss SARS-CoV-2 viral variants: a Dr. Fauci’s paper on JAMA

Editorial emphasizes need for global response. The rise of several significant variants of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, has attracted the attention of health and science experts worldwide. In an editorial published today in JAMA: The Journal of the American Medical Association, experts from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2021-02-12

Gene Therapy development is the result of a working team.

In drug development, scientific progression was never a solo effort. Rather, to advance new therapies, particularly cell and gene therapies, drug development is a team sport. Why is the team so important? Oftentimes when one tests novel cell and gene therapies in the clinic for the first time, one is treading completely new ground. The

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2021-02-11

IgM have a major role in the neutralizing activity of convalescent plasma against SARSCoV-2

Characterization of the humoral response to SARS-CoV-2, the etiological agent of COVID-19, is essential to help control the infection. The neutralization activity of plasma from COVID-19 patients decreases rapidly during the first weeks after recovery. However, the specific role of each immunoglobulin isotype in the overall neutralizing capacity is still not well understood. In this

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2021-02-09

Artificial intelligence yields new ways to combat the coronavirus

Countering COVID-19 mutations and designing updated vaccines could occur at lightning speeds thanks to a new, USC-developed AI framework. USC researchers have developed a new method to counter emergent mutations of the coronavirus and hasten vaccine development to stop the pathogen responsible for killing thousands of people and ruining the economy. Using artificial intelligence (AI),

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2021-02-08

A new study on Nature shows that BioNTech/Pfizer vaccine should neutralize SARS-CoV-2 spike 69/70 deletion, E484K and N501Y variants.

The Pfizer / BioNTech vaccine is effective against covid-19 variants originating in the UK and South Africa. This is the result of a study published this Monday in Nature Medicine , which showed better results in the first case, the British variant (called B.1.1.7), than in the second, the South African, or B.1.351. The differences, however, are small.

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2021-02-08

University Health Network-led study shows Peginterferon lambda speeds up clearance of COVID-19 in outpatients

A clinical study led by Dr. Jordan Feld, a liver specialist at UHN’s Toronto Centre for Liver Disease, showed an experimental antiviral drug can significantly speed up recovery for COVID-19 outpatients – patients who do not need to be hospitalized. This could become an important intervention to treat infected patients and help curb community spread,

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2021-02-08

Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL): FDA Grants Approval of 4th CAR-T Cell Therapy for Adults with Relapsed or Refractory DLBCL.

Breyanzi demonstrated a 73% overall response rate and 54% complete response (CR) rate in the largest pivotal trial in 3L+ LBCL, TRANSCEND NHL 001 trial Breyanzi demonstrated sustained responses in patients who achieved a CR with median duration of response not reached Grade ≥3 cytokine release syndrome and Grade ≥3 neurologic toxicities following Breyanzi treatment occurred in 4% and

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2021-02-08

Study highlights risk of new SARS-CoV-2 mutations emerging during chronic infection and after treatment with convalescent plasma

SARS-CoV-2 mutations similar to those in the B1.1.7 UK variant could arise in cases of chronic infection, where treatment over an extended period can provide the virus multiple opportunities to evolve, say scientists. Writing in Nature, a team led by Cambridge researchers report how they were able to observe SARS-CoV-2 mutating in the case of an

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2021-02-08

The mutation E484K, first identified in the South African SARS-CoV-2 variant, has now been identified in the UK fast-spreading variant

What do we know about the E484K mutation? The E484K mutation is not a new variant in itself, it’s a mutation which occurs in different variants and has already been found in the South African (B.1.351) and Brazilian (B.1.1.28) variants. The mutation is in the spike protein and appears to have an impact on the

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2021-02-08

ORF9b from SARS-CoV-2, upon viral infection, antagonizes IFN-β and pro-inflammatory cytokines production mediating its interaction with NEMO and interrupting the K63-linked polyubiquitination of NEMO.

COVID-19 is a current global health threat caused by the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. Emerging evidence indicates that SARS-CoV-2 elicits a dysregulated immune response and a delayed interferons (IFNs) expression in patients, which contribute largely to the viral pathogenesis and development of COVID-19. However, underlying mechanisms remain to be elucidated. In this paper, it’s reported the

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2021-02-07

A two-dose regimen of the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 (Oxford-AstraZeneca) vaccine provides minimal protection against mild-moderate COVID-19 infection from the B.1.351 coronavirus variant.

The Johannesburg Witwatersrand University Vaccines and Infectious Diseases Analytics (VIDA) Research Unit, which runs the Oxford Covid-19 vaccine trial in South Africa, has announced results. In an analysis, submitted as a pre-print prior to peer-review publication, a two-dose regimen of the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine provides minimal protection against mild-moderate COVID-19 infection from the B.1.351 coronavirus

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2021-02-07

CAR-T Therapy Ciltacabtagene Autoleucel (Cilta-cel) Accepted for Accelerated Assessment in Europe for the Treatment of Patients with Heavily Pretreated Multiple Myeloma

The Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson announced today that the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) will perform an accelerated assessment of the Marketing Authorisation Application (MAA) for the B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA)-targeted chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapy ciltacabtagene autoleucel (cilta-cel). Accelerated assessment is

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2021-02-07

A new study confirms the CDC prediction that B.1.1.7 UK variant will dominate US Covid-19 cases by March.

A more contagious variant of the coronavirus first found in Britain is spreading rapidly in the United States, doubling roughly every 10 days, according to a new study. Analyzing half a million coronavirus tests and hundreds of genomes, a team of researchers predicted that in a month this variant could become predominant in the United States,

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2021-02-07

A not peer reviewed paper by London School of Hygiene finds a 35% increase of dying risk linked to the B.1.1.7 COVID-19 UK variant.

Since B.1.1.7 was first identified in September in southern England, it has become the dominant variant in the United Kingdom and has spread to more than 30 countries. To investigate whether the lineage causes an increased risk of dying, Nicholas Davies, an epidemiologist at the LSHTM, and colleagues analysed data from more than 850,000 people

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2021-02-07

Monoclonal Antibodies for Covid-19: an update

There are several approved treatments for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in hospitalized patients but few for patients who are not sick enough to be hospitalized. Monoclonal antibodies are a new treatment for outpatients with COVID-19 who are at risk of progression to severe disease. What Is a Monoclonal Antibody? An antibody is a protein that is naturally

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2021-02-07

FDA narrows convalescent plasma Emergency Use Authorization

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) revised its emergency use authorization (EUA) for COVID-19 convalescent plasma to limit its use to high titer units and only in hospitalized patients who are in the early stages of the disease or who have impaired humoral immunity. Convalescent plasma emerged as a potential treatment for COVID-19 in the

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2021-02-06

Computers can determine which could be COVID-19 patients clinical evolution

Using patient data, artificial intelligence can make a 90 percent accurate assessment of whether a person will die from COVID-19 or not, according to new research at the University of Copenhagen. Body mass index (BMI), gender and high blood pressure are among the most heavily weighted factors. The research can be used to predict the

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2021-02-06

Investigating the modulation of the COVID-19 immune response

In a recent paper, the research team around Prof. Antonio del Sol from the University’s Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine (LCSB) describes a new method of how molecules can be identified that amplify and maintain the inflammatory response upon an infection. They use their novel method to identify these molecules in COVID-19 patients and suggest new

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2021-02-06

SARS-CoV-2 vaccines: how to communicate the current situation

How do vaccines work? Germs are all around us, both in our environment and in our bodies. When a person is susceptible and they encounter a harmful organism, it can lead to disease and death. The body has many ways of defending itself against pathogens (disease-causing organisms). Skin, mucus, and cilia (microscopic hairs that move debris away

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2021-02-05

SARS-CoV-2 directly infects human erythroid progenitors: implications for emerging erythropoiesis in severe COVID19 patients.

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to constitute a huge threat to public health worldwide and despite the efforts and advances to untangle the mechanisms of SARS-CoV-2 infection and transmission among humans, we are still blind to the overall COVID-19 pathology and its consequences. The results presented in this paper might help understand the emergent erythropoiesis and

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2021-02-03

Lack of ICU beds tied to thousands of excess COVID-19 deaths in US.

A new study by Yale researchers found a significant association between the availability of hospital resources — particularly ICU beds — and patient mortality during the early weeks of the COVID-19 pandemic. This was especially true at hospitals in the northeastern U.S. which were hardest hit by the first surge of patient cases, according to

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2021-02-03

Understanding COVID-19: how mRNA vaccines work. A Yale University video.

What is RNA? How do mRNA vaccines work, and how effective are they? What does this mean for the COVID-19 pandemic? In a short video, Yale experts Saad Omer, Onyema Ogbuagu, and Akiko Iwasaki explain the science.

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2021-02-03

Moffitt Researchers Identify Why CAR T Therapy May Fail in Some Lymphoma Patients

Chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy, or CAR T, has been a breakthrough in the treatment of blood cancers such as acute lymphoblastic leukemia and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. Clinical studies have shown overall response rates of more than 80% with an ongoing response of nearly 40% more than two years after therapy. However, the cellular

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2021-02-03

Heterologous recombinant adenovirus (rAd)-based vaccine, Gam-COVID-Vac “Sputnik V” Found 91,6% Effective Against COVID-19: a study published on The Lancet shows

A Russian vaccine against COVID-19 — Gam-COVID-Vac (dubbed “Sputnik V”) — shows 92% efficacy in interim results from a phase 3 trial reported in The Lancet. The two-dose vaccine uses replication-deficient adenoviruses to deliver a SARS-CoV-2 glycoprotein as the antigenic stimulus. Doses are administered at 21-day intervals, and the vaccine may be stored in normal freezers.

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2021-02-03

The timing of the booster dose is determinant for improval of immunogenicity and efficacy of ChAdOx1 (Oxford Astra Zeneca ) nCoV-19 (AZD1222) vaccine

The ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 (AZD1222) vaccine has been approved for emergency use by the UK regulatory authority, MHRA, with a regimen of two standard doses given with an interval of between 4 and 12 weeks. The planned rollout in the UK will involve vaccinating people in high risk categories with their first dose immediately, and delivering

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2021-02-02

Resurgence of COVID-19 in Manaus, Brazil, despite high seroprevalence

In one of the most puzzling and worrisome developments in the pandemic, scientists are racing to explain what’s happening in Manaus, Brazil, a city of 2.2 million at the edge of the country’s rainforest that is experiencing a second explosive outbreak, even though the first one was so bad it was thought to have produced

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2021-02-01

Covid-19: B.1.1.7 new UK variant patients present more commonly sore throat, fatigue, and myalgia for Office for National Statistics

People infected with the new variant of covid-19 discovered in the South East of England (known as B.1.1.7 or VUI 202012/01) are more likely to have a cough, sore throat, fatigue, or myalgia than those infected with other variants, the Office for National Statistics has reported. The data, published 27 January, also show that people

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2021-02-01

Arizona University Researchers Develop Smartphone-Based COVID-19 test that uses a smartphone microscope and could deliver results in about 10 minutes.

Researchers at the University of Arizona are developing a COVID-19 testing method that uses a smartphone microscope to analyze saliva samples and deliver results in about 10 minutes. The UArizona research team, led by biomedical engineering professor Jeong-Yeol Yoon, aims to combine the speed of existing nasal swab antigen tests with the high accuracy of nasal swab PCR,

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2021-02-01

33% can be the proportion of SARS-CoV-2 Infections That Are Asymptomatic for a Systematic Review

In the 14 studies with longitudinal data that reported information on the evolution of symptomatic status, nearly three quarters of persons who tested positive but had no symptoms at the time of testing remainedasymptomatic. Current data suggest that infected persons without symptoms—including both presymptomatic and asymptomatic persons—account for more than 40% of all SARS-CoV-2 transmission.

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2021-02-01

Ferric carboxymaltose for iron deficiency at discharge after acute heart failure: a multicentre, double-blind, randomised, controlled trial shows reduction risk of heart failure hospitalizations.

1. Treatment with IV ferric carboxymaltose reduced the risk of heart failure hospitalizations in patients with iron deficiency and acute heart failure with a left ventricular ejection fraction less than 50%. 2. IV ferric carboxymaltose was generally safe but had no significant effect on the risk of cardiovascular death compared to placebo. Evidence Rating Level: 1

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2021-01-31

For CDC, in-Person Schools May Reopen with Precautions as Data Shows Scant Virus Spread

U.S. schools operating in-person have experienced low transmission of the Chinese coronavirus, particularly when mitigation strategies such as masking and social distancing are in place, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Rochelle Walensky stressed on Friday, citing new findings by the health agency. Under President Joe Biden, the CDC has expressed support

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2021-01-31

SARS-CoV-2 VS vaccines and the threat of mutations

The key question in 2021 is whether the new strains of coronavirus will be able to eradicate the vaccine-induced immunity. This paper on JAMA by John P Moore and Paul A Offit of Cornell and Pennsylvania Universities has been recently published on JAMA. The protection that vaccines provide against COVID-19 infection is mediated primarily by

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2021-01-29

Who does and who doesn’t benefit from steroids for Covid-19. Results from a meta-analyses of RCTs.

Efficacy and safety of corticosteroids in patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection still are debated. Because large randomized clinical trials (RCTs) and a well-conducted meta-analysis on the use of corticosteroids, focused on patients with coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in intensive care units, recently were published, a meta-analysis of RCTs on corticosteroids therapy in patients with different disease severity

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2021-01-29

Circulating SARS-CoV-2 spike N439K variants maintain fitness while evading antibody-mediated immunity

An international team of researchers has characterized the effect and molecular mechanisms of an amino acid change in the SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein N439K. Viruses with this mutation are both common and rapidly spreading around the globe. The peer reviewed version of the study appears January 25 in the journal Cell. Investigators found that viruses carrying this

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2021-01-25

The Future of Organ Transplants: Bioprinting, Stem Cells and More. A paper of Polylactide.com

In the United States alone, over 100,000 people are on the organ transplant list. Around 17 of these people will die per day without having received the transplant. It’s clear that organs from human donors will never be adequate for everyone looking for a transplant. Thus, scientists have been researching alternatives, such as using organs made from repurposed stem

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2021-01-25

The effects of armed conflict on the health of women and children. More than 10 million deaths in children <5 years can be attributed to conflict between 1995 and 2015 globally.

Women and children bear substantial morbidity and mortality as a result of armed conflicts. This paper published in The Lancet focuses on the direct (due to violence) and indirect health effects of armed conflict on women and children (including adolescents) worldwide. It was estimate that nearly 36 million children and 16 million women were displaced

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2021-01-25

A Clalit study shows decreased infection in SARS-CoV-2 due to the Pfizer vaccine

The Clalit Research Institute is currently examining the effect of the vaccine against the coronavirus developed by Pfizer. Preliminary data show that 14 days after the injection of the first vaccine, there is a real decrease in the rate of infection in the corona . The study compared the infection data of about 200,000 people aged 60 and over who

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2021-01-25

CDC reports 2,5 Anaphylaxis Cases per million Moderna Covid-19 vaccine doses in USA.

As of January 20, 2021, a total of 24,135,690 cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and 400,306 associated deaths had been reported in the United States (https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#cases_casesper100klast7days). On December 18, 2020, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for Moderna COVID-19 vaccine administered as 2 doses, 1 month apart to

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2021-01-23

Creating a Safe CAR T-Cell Therapy to Fight Solid Tumors in Children

Scientists at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles develop newer CAR T therapy that promises to be more effective and less toxic for children with neuroblastoma. Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-cell therapy—CAR T—has revolutionized leukemia treatment. Unfortunately, the therapy has not been effective for treating solid tumors including childhood cancers such as neuroblastoma. Preclinical studies using certain CAR

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2021-01-22

11,1 cases per million doses Allergic Reactions Including Anaphylaxis After Receipt of the First Dose of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine

Following implementation of vaccination, reports of anaphylaxis after the first dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine emerged.Anaphylaxis is a life-threatening allergic reaction that occurs rarelyafter vaccination, with onset typically within minutes to hours.Notifications and reports of suspected severe allergic reactions and anaphylaxis following vaccination were captured in the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS), the

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2021-01-22

Emergence of a novel SARS-CoV-2 strain in Southern California, USA

Researchers in Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles found that the variant, originated in California, was present in more than half of samples tested last week by researchers in Los Angeles. In late December, scientists in California began searching coronavirus samples for a fast-spreading new variant that had just been identified in Britain. They found it, though in

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2021-01-22

Review of the epidemiology, susceptibility to infection, pathophysiology, immunology, complications, potential therapeutic options and response to vaccinations in people with diabetes, obesity and metabolic disorders showing mortality excess due to SARS-CoV-2 infection.

The increased prevalence of obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular risk factors in people hospitalized with severe COVID-19 illness has engendered considerable interest in the metabolic aspects of SARS-CoV-2-induced pathophysiology. In this paper published in Cell Metabolism are updated concepts informing how metabolic disorders and their comorbidities modify the susceptibility to, natural history and potential treatment of

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2021-01-22

A study shows early induction of functional SARS-CoV-2 specific T cells associates with rapid viral clearance and mild disease in COVID-19 patients

Virus-specific humoral and cellular immunity act synergistically to protect the host from viral infection. In this paper published on Cell Reports are interrogated the dynamic changes of virological and immunological parameters in 12 patients with symptomatic acute SARS-CoV-2 infection from disease onset to convalescence or death. SARS-CoV-2 viral RNA in the respiratory tract in parallel

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2021-01-21

Autoantibodies role suspected in severe Covid-19 patients

Evidence is growing that self-attacking ‘autoantibodies’ could be the key to understanding some of the worst cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection. More than a year after COVID-19 emerged, many mysteries persist about the disease: why do some people get so much sicker than others? Why does lung damage sometimes continue to worsen well after the body

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2021-01-21

New study shows that BioNTech-Pfizer SARS-CoV-2 vaccine protects against highly infectious UK variant

A new study found that antibodies in patients vaccinated against COVID-19 were able to neutralize a version of the new variant. Researchers tested 10 mutations of the B117 variant, which was first identified in the UK. The COVID-19 vaccine developed by BioNTech and Pfizer is likely to protect against the highly infectious variant of the virus, originally found

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2021-01-21

Hypothesis: Alpha-1-antitrypsin is a promising treatment option for COVID-19, due to its inhibition of neutrophil serine proteases “unfriendly fire”.

No definitive treatment for COVID-19 exists although promising results have been reported with remdesivir and glucocorticoids. Short of a truly effective preventive or curative vaccine against SARS-CoV-2, it is becoming increasingly clear that multiple pathophysiologic processes seen with COVID-19 as well as SARS-CoV-2 itself should be targeted. Because alpha-1-antitrypsin (AAT) embraces a panoply of biologic

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2021-01-20

SARS-CoV-2 501Y.V2 escapes neutralization by South African COVID-19 donor plasma

SARS-CoV-2 501Y.V2, a novel lineage of the coronavirus causing COVID-19, contains multiple mutations within two immunodominant domains of the spike protein. In a paper recently published on https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.01.18.427166v1.full.pdf it’s shown that this lineage exhibits complete escape from three classes of therapeutically relevant monoclonal antibodies. Furthermore 501Y.V2 shows substantial or complete escape from neutralizing antibodies in

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2021-01-20

B.1.1.7 SARS-CoV-2 (UK) and other variants description

At the heart of each coronavirus is its genome, a twisted strand of nearly 30,000 “letters” of RNA. These genetic instructions force infected human cells to assemble up to 29 kinds of proteins that help the coronavirus multiply and spread. As viruses replicate, small copying errors known as mutations naturally arise in their genomes. A lineage of coronaviruses will

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2021-01-19

Update on new SARS-CoV-2 emerging variants (UK, South Africa, Brazil and California)

What do we know about the new variant emerging from Brazil? This variant, known as P.1 or VOC202101/02 in the UK, was first detected in travellers from Brazil who arrived in Japan in January 2021. It involves 17 unique amino acid changes, three deletions, four synonymous mutations, and one 4nt insertion. It has several mutations

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2021-01-19

Systematic Search for SARS-CoV-2 Main Protease Inhibitors for Drug Repurposing: Ethacrynic Acid as a Potential Drug

Research conducted by the University of Bari in collaboration with the Campus Bio-Medico University of Rome The studies carried out by the research team of the University of Bari in collaboration with the Campus Bio-Medico University of Rome, formed by Luigi Leonardo Palese, Anna Maria Sardanelli, and Camilla Isgrò of the Department of Basic Medical

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2021-01-18

Could Gene Therapy Cure Sickle Cell Disease? Two New Studies Raise Hopes

A pair of new gene therapies promise a potentially lasting cure for sickle cell disease by subtly altering the genetic information in patients’ bone marrow cells, researchers report. Both therapies work by switching on a gene that promotes production of fetal hemoglobin, said Dr. Lewis Hsu, chief medical officer of the Sickle Cell Disease Association

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2021-01-17

Saliva tests may be just as good as nasopharingeal swabs for COVID-19

COVID-19 tests that use patients’ saliva to screen for the virus are just as effective as those that use swabs collected from the nose and throat, an analysis published by JAMA Internal Medicine found. Saliva-based tests correctly identified those infected with the new coronavirus 83% of the time, while nose-throat swab tests were 85% accurate, the review of

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2021-01-16

For CDC the more contagious SARS-CoV-2 B.1.1.7 variant may soon be the U.S.’s dominant strain

On December 14, 2020, the United Kingdom reported a SARS-CoV-2 variant of concern (VOC), lineage B.1.1.7, also referred to as VOC 202012/01 or 20I/501Y.V1.* The B.1.1.7 variant is estimated to have emerged in September 2020 and has quickly become the dominant circulating SARS-CoV-2 variant in England (1). B.1.1.7 has been detected in over 30 countries,

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2021-01-16

RECOVERY trial closes recruitment to convalescent plasma treatment for patients hospitalised with COVID-19, due to no convincing evidence of the effect on clinical outcomes.

The RECOVERY trial was established as a randomised clinical trial to test a range of potential treatments for COVID-19. Since May 2020, the RECOVERY trial has included a randomised comparison of convalescent plasma vs. usual care alone. Convalescent plasma has been widely used as a treatment for COVID-19 but to date there has been no

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2021-01-15

The Future of CAR T cells in multiple myeloma

Despite the significant improvement in survival outcomes of multiple myeloma (MM) over the past decade, it remains an incurable disease. Patients with triple-class refractory MM have limited treatment options and a dismal prognosis. Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy targeting B-cell maturation antigen has transformed the treatment armamentarium of relapsed/refractory MM (RRMM), with unprecedented overall

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2021-01-12

Gut microbiota composition reflects disease severity and dysfunctional immune responses in patients with COVID-19: observational study published in Gut BMJ.

Imbalances in type and volume of bacteria may also be implicated in ‘long COVID’ The variety and volume of bacteria in the gut, known as the microbiome, may influence the severity of COVID-19 as well as the magnitude of the immune system response to the infection, suggests research published online in the journal Gut. Imbalances in

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2021-01-12

EMA receives application for conditional marketing authorisation of COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca. Marketing authorisation could be issued by 29 January

EMA has received an application for conditional marketing authorisation (CMA) for a COVID-19 vaccine developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford University. The assessment of the vaccine, known as COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca, will proceed under an accelerated timeline. An opinion on the marketing authorisation could be issued by 29 January during the meeting of EMA’s scientific committee for human medicines (CHMP), provided

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2021-01-11

A CDC study published on JAMA shows that People without symptoms spread SARS-CoV-2 in more than half of cases.

A model developed by CDC researchers estimates that 59% of coronavirus cases in the United States are spread by asymptomatic carriers. Transmissions from individuals who have not yet begun to exhibit signs of infection account for 35% of that total, while transmissions from people who never develop symptoms make up the other 24%. A model

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2021-01-11

Regulatory perspectives of Exosomes as therapeutics and drug delivery vehicles

Exosomes are nano-sized extracellular vesicles secreted by all cells. Extensive research over recent years has now shown these vesicles to be important players in intercellular signalling and to have a role in tissue regeneration, immunomodulation and other biological functions. A lipid bilayer protects the exosome cargo of nucleic acids and proteins from degradation and permits

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2021-01-11

Placental Protection : Three studies examine coronavirus and antibodies during pregnancy

Pregnant women infected with SARS-CoV-2 appear to be at higher risk of developing severe cases of COVID-19 than infected women who are not pregnant. Yet newborns are mostly doing well. Reports indicate that only about 5 percent of babies born to COVID-19-infected mothers are themselves infected, and most newborns who test positive have mild or

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2021-01-11

Candida Auris Outbreak in a COVID-19 Specialty Care Unit in Florida

Dozens of people being treated for COVID-19 at a Florida hospital last summer became additionally infected with a mysterious, often deadly fungus called Candida auris, a US government study said Friday. The multidrug-resistant yeast was first identified in Japan in 2009 and has been a top priority for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2021-01-11

Study finds higher burden of acute brain dysfunction for COVID-19 ICU patients

COVID-19 patients admitted to intensive care in the early months of the pandemic were subject to a significantly higher burden of delirium and coma than is typically found in patients with acute respiratory failure. Choice of sedative medications and curbs on family visitation played a role in increasing acute brain dysfunction for these patients. That’s

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2021-01-11

For U.K. health officials, Interleukin-6 inhibitors (Tocilizumab or Sarilumab) should be prescribed to adult patients admitted to ICU with Covid-19 pneumonia.

Clinicians should consider prescribing intravenous tocilizumab following the criteria defined below for patients in intensive care. Intravenous sarilumab could be considered as an alternative (if available).Any provider organisation treating patients with this intervention will be required to assure itself that the internal governance arrangements have been completed before either medicine is prescribed. These arrangements may

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2021-01-11

An In Vitro Study Shows Pfizer-Biontech COVID-19 Vaccine Elicits Neutralizing Antibodies against SARS-COV-2 with N501Y Mutation

Pfizer Inc. and BioNTech SE announced results from an in vitro study conducted by Pfizer and the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) that shows the antibodies from people who have received the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine effectively neutralize SARS-CoV-2 with a key mutation that is also found in two highly transmissible strains. The results were published

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2021-01-10

What we know about genetic variants of SARS-CoV-2

When we speak of variants we refer to differences in the sequence of the genome due to mutations. Strain is a variant in which changes in its biology are demonstrated (antigenicity, transmissibility, virulence,…). For now, let’s talk about variants. The evaluation of the new variants should answer these questions: Has the new variant appeared by

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2021-01-08

FDA Issues Alert Regarding SARS-CoV-2 Viral Mutation to Health Care Providers and Clinical Laboratory Staff

Impact on molecular tests remains low The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is alerting clinical laboratory staff and health care providers that the FDA is monitoring the potential impact of viral mutations, including an emerging variant from the United Kingdom known as the B.1.1.7 variant, on authorized SARS-CoV-2 molecular tests, and that false negative results

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2021-01-08

Orchard Therapeutics with research alliance partners Fondazione Telethon and Ospedale San Raffaele Milan Receives EC Approval for Libmeldy™ for the Treatment of Early-Onset Metachromatic Leukodystrophy (MLD)

First gene therapy to receive full EU marketing authorization for eligible MLD patients. One-time treatment with Libmeldy has been shown to preserve motor and cognitive function. Orchard Therapeutics, a global gene therapy leader, and its research alliance partners Fondazione Telethon and Ospedale San Raffaele, today announced that the European Commission (EC) granted full (standard) market authorization

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2021-01-08

DNA-editing method shows promise to treat mouse model of progeria

Using a recently developed DNA base-editing technique, researchers correct accelerating aging disorder. Researchers have successfully used a DNA-editing technique to extend the lifespan of mice with the genetic variation associated with progeria, a rare genetic disease that causes extreme premature aging in children and can significantly shorten their life expectancy. The study was published in the journal Nature, and was

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2021-01-07

Stem cell treatment corrects skull shape and restores brain function in mouse model of childhood disorder

Scientists regenerate parts of the skull affected by craniosynostosis, a common birth defect. Using stem cells to regenerate parts of the skull, scientists corrected skull shape and reversed learning and memory deficits in young mice with craniosynostosis, a condition estimated to affect 1 in every 2,500 infants born in the United States, according to the

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2021-01-07

ApoE isoform-dependent SARS-CoV-2 neurotropism and cellular response

ApoE4, a strong genetic risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease, has been associated with increased risk for severe COVID-19. However, it is unclear whether ApoE4 alters COVID-19 susceptibility or severity and the role of direct viral infection in brain cells remains obscure. In this paper, published in Cell Stem Cells, the Authors tested the neurotropism of

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2021-01-07

Early IgG titer greater than 1:1000 against SARS-CoV-2 spike protein Plasma Therapy to Prevent Severe Covid-19 in Older Adults

Therapies to interrupt the progression of early coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) remain elusive. Among them, convalescent plasma administered to hospitalized patients has been unsuccessful, perhaps because antibodies should be administered earlier in the course of illness. In this paper, published on NEJM, the Authors conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of convalescent plasma with high

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2021-01-06

The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio determines clinical efficacy of corticosteroid therapy in patients with COVID-19

Corticosteroid therapy is now recommended as a treatment in patients with severe COVID-19. But one key question is how to objectively identify severely ill patients who may benefit from such therapy. In a paper just published on Cell Metabolism, 12,862 COVID-19 cases from 21 hospitals in Hubei Province were equally assigned to a training and

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2021-01-05

Mutations arising in SARS-CoV-2 spike on sustained human-to-human transmission and human-to-animal passage

The proximal origins of SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV from civets and camels, respectively, are well documented. Few genetic changes in these viruses are required for the interspecies transfers to humans. While precise details and timing of the evolutionary pathways remain to be elucidated, it is also apparent that SARS-CoV-2 emerged from the Sarbecovirus subgenus of the

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2021-01-05

SARS-CoV-2 Variants

SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, has had a major impact on human health globally; infecting a large number of people; causing severe disease and associated long-term health sequelae; resulting in death and excess mortality, especially among older and vulnerable populations; interrupting routine healthcare services; disruptions to travel, trade, education and many other societal functions;

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2021-01-01

New SARS-CoV-2 variants described by researchers of University College of London and Cambridge University

Does it spread more easily? Make people sicker? Mean that treatments and vaccines won’t work? Questions are multiplying as fast as new variants of the coronavirus, especially the one moving through England and now popping up in the U.S. and other countries. Scientists say there is reason for concern and more to learn but that

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2021-01-01

Microvascular Injury in the Brains of Patients with Covid-19. The damage was not caused by a direct viral attack on the brain.

In an in-depth study of how COVID-19 affects a patient’s brain, National Institutes of Health researchers consistently spotted hallmarks of damage caused by thinning and leaky brain blood vessels in tissue samples from patients who died shortly after contracting the disease. In addition, they saw no signs of SARS-CoV-2 in the tissue samples, suggesting the

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-12-30

Oxford University/AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine approved by UK MHRA

The new vaccine has been approved today after meeting the required safety, quality and effectiveness standards. The COVID-19 vaccine developed by Oxford University/AstraZeneca has today been given regulatory approval by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) after meeting required safety, quality and effectiveness standards. Following a rigorous, detailed scientific review by the MHRA’s

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-12-29

Assessment of Neutrophil Extracellular Traps in Coronary Thrombus of a Case Series of Patients With COVID-19 and Myocardial Infarction

Severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is characterized by the intense formation of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs), leading to the occlusion of microvessels, as shown in pulmonary samples. The occurrence of ST-elevated myocardial infarction (STEMI) is a serious cardiac manifestation of COVID-19; the intrinsic mechanism of coronary thrombosis appears to still be unknown. Objective of the

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-12-29

One Year Later, How Does COVID-19 Affect Children?

Children get sick less often than adults due to Covid-19, but children are at risk. This is the key insight from a paper in the Journal of American Medical Association (JAMA), a peer-reviewed medical journal, as the year draws to an end. The paper summarizes the current understanding of how children are affected by Covid-19. So far

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-12-28

SARS-CoV-2 vaccine update

Vaccines typically require years of research and testing before reaching the clinic, but in 2020, scientists embarked on a race to produce safe and effective coronavirus vaccines in record time. Researchers are currently testing 64 vaccines in clinical trials on humans, and 19 have reached the final stages of testing. At least 85 preclinical vaccines are under active

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-12-27

D614G mutation alters SARS-CoV-2 spike conformation and enhances protease cleavage at the S1/S2 junction

The SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) protein is the target of vaccine design efforts to end the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite a low mutation rate, isolates with the D614G substitution in the S protein appeared early during the pandemic, and are now the dominant form worldwide. In this paper are explored spike conformational changes and the effects of

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-12-27

Induction of alarmin S100A8/A9 mediates activation of aberrant neutrophils in the pathogenesis of COVID-19

The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic poses an unprecedented public health crisis. Evidence suggests that SARS-CoV-2 infection causes dysregulation of the immune system. However, the unique signature of early immune responses remains elusive. In this paper the transcriptome of rhesus macaques and mice infected with SARS-CoV-2 was characterized. Alarmin S100A8 was robustly induced in SARS-CoV-2 infected animal models

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-12-20

Preliminary genomic characterisation of an emergent SARS-CoV-2 lineage in the UK defined by a novel set of spike mutations

Recently a distinct phylogenetic cluster (named lineage B.1.1.7) was detected within the COG-UK surveillance dataset. This cluster has been growing rapidly over the past 4 weeks and since been observed in other UK locations, indicating further spread. Several aspects of this cluster are noteworthy for epidemiological and biological reasons and we report preliminary findings below.

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-12-18

Which appropriate SARS-CoV-2 test to select.

There’s a growing variety and availability of tests related to SARS-CoV-2. All types of tests can help healthcare providers make more accurate diagnosis, support better management of individual patients and provide better guidance to manage population risk. Active infection is detected with RT-PCR tests detect the presence of SARS-CoV-2 based on its genetic make up (RNA). These tests

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-12-18

By October 2020 COVID-19 had become the third leading cause of death in US for persons aged 45 through 84 years and the second for those aged 85 years or older.

Adults 45 years or older were more likely to die from COVID-19 during those months than from chronic lower respiratory disease, transport accidents (eg, motor vehicle fatalities), drug overdoses, suicide, or homicide. In contrast, for individuals younger than age 45 years, other causes of death, such as drug overdoses, suicide, transport accidents, cancer, and homicide

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-12-16

Teaching youngsters about the magnificent world of Advanced Therapies. RESTORE Consortium experiences a new formation/information tool for disseminating CAR-T Cells Therapy in Haematologic diseases.

“Thanks to this technology and to the specific fighting capabilities of these cells, extraordinary results have been obtained: The therapy is a new hope for patients who no longer responded to other treatments. The therapy seems to have a long-lasting effect after a single application Unlike many other therapies, which benefit only a small portion

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-12-15

Research Could Offer Novel Way to Restore Lung Function to COVID-19 Patients

Targeting endothelial cells –cells that comprise the blood vessel wall which regulate oxygen exchange between airways and the bloodstream– may be a novel approach restoring normal lung function to Covid-19 patients with serious lung disease. This hypothesis stems from a study by researchers in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology in the Renaissance School of

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-12-15

Covid-19 fighting: New Online Resources

There are lots of useful online resources to learn about COVID-19 and some of the clinical studies taking place across the country. What’s been missing is a one-stop online information portal that pulls together the most current information for people of all groups, races, ethnicities, and backgrounds who want to get involved in fighting the

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-12-14

Data Monitoring Committee of Pluristem Phase III Critical Limb Ischemia says primary endpoint has not been reached

The CLI study is unlikely to meet its primary endpoint by the time of the final analysis Substantial low number of events in the placebo group in the CLI study decreased the statistical power of the study to meet its primary endpoint PLX-PAD was well tolerated, and no safety concerns were raised Company to terminate the CLI study to focus on different therapeutic areas in its pipeline and expects three clinical readouts within the coming calendar year

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-12-12

New Online COVID-19 Mortality Risk Calculator Could Help Determine Who Should Get Vaccines First

CALCULATOR GENERATES MORTALITY RISK ESTIMATES FOR INDIVIDUALS AND COMMUNITIES BASED ON SOCIODEMOGRAPHIC INFO AND MEDICAL HISTORY A new online calculator for estimating individual and community-level risk of dying from COVID-19 has been developed by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. The researchers who developed the calculator expect it to be useful to

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-12-12

Genes could be key to new Covid-19 treatments

Potential treatments for Covid-19 have been identified after the discovery of five genes associated with the most severe form of the disease. Genetic evidence is second only to clinical trials as a way to tell which treatments will be effective in a disease. Existing drugs that target the actions of the genes reveal which drugs

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-12-11

Evaluation of Cloth Masks and Modified Procedure Masks as Personal Protective Equipment for the Public During the COVID-19 Pandemic

During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the general public has been advised to wear masks or improvised face coverings to limit transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). However, there has been considerable confusion and disagreement regarding the degree to which masks protect thewearer from airborne particles. To evaluate the fitted filtration

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-12-11

Repurposed Antiviral Drugs for Covid-19 —Interim WHO Solidarity Trial Results confirmed none of tested drugs reduced mortality

World Health Organization expert groups recommended mortality trials of four repurposed antiviral drugs (remdesivir, hydroxychloroquine, lopinavir and interferon beta-1a) in patients hospitalized with Covid-19. Inpatients with Covid-19 were randomly assigned equally between one of the trial drug regimens that was locally available and open control (up to five options, four active and the local standard

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-12-11

FDA Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee Recommends COVID-19 Vaccine For Emergency Use

In a 17-4 vote, with one abstention, a panel of advisers to the Food and Drug Administration recommended Thursday that the COVID-19 vaccine being developed by Pfizer and BioNTech be authorized for emergency use during the coronavirus pandemic. The vote in favor of the vaccine was taken to answer the agency’s question: Do the benefits

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-12-10

Human Mesenchymal Stromal Cells Are Resistant to SARS-CoV-2 Infection under Steady-State, Inflammatory Conditions and in the Presence of SARSCoV-2-Infected Cells

Previous studies reported on the safety and applicability of mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs) to ameliorate pulmonary inflammation in acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Thus, multiple clinical trials assessing the potential of MSCs for COVID-19 treatment are underway. Yet, as SARS-inducing coronaviruses infect stem/progenitor cells, it is unclear whether MSCs could be infected by SARS-CoV-2 upon

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-12-10

COVID-19, cold, allergies and the flu: What are the differences?

COVID-19, the common cold, seasonal allergies and the flu have many similar signs and symptoms. Find out about some of the important differences between these illnesses. If you have signs or symptoms of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), it’s important that you contact your doctor or clinic right away for medical advice. But COVID-19, the common cold,

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-12-10

COVID-19’s sex bias based on a large-scale global statistical analysis: men more at risk of requiring critical care

Sex should be considered an important biological factor when designing therapies and vaccination strategies for COVID-19. Global-scale collaboration between scientists has taken on new forms in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, with connection underpinning the work. A paper investigating the role of sex in patients infected with COVID-19 is the result of a partnership between researchers

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-12-09

Researchers at Gladstone Institutes Identify Critical Molecules that Coronaviruses Hijack to Infect Human Cells

When a coronavirus—including SARS-CoV-2, which causes COVID-19—infects someone, it hijacks the person’s cells, co-opting their molecular machinery for its own survival and spread. Researchers at Gladstone Institutes and the Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, in collaboration with scientists at UC San Francisco (UCSF) and Synthego Corporation, have identified critical molecular processes in human cells that coronaviruses use

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-12-08

3D VR video on CAR-T therapy to learn more about how this innovative technology is being used to tackle MultipleMyeloma.

The Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson unveils longer-term results from the combined Phase 1b/2 CARTITUDE-1 study evaluating ciltacabtagene autoleucel (cilta-cel) for the treatment of patients with relapsed and/or refractory multiple myeloma. Cilta-cel is an experimental BCMA-directed (B cell maturation antigen) chimeric antigen receptor T cell (CAR-T) therapy. Data presented at the ongoing Annual Meeting

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-12-08

Oxford–AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine efficacy: an interim analysis of four randomised controlled trials in Brazil, South Africa and the UK published on The Lancet

2020 has been a difficult year for all, but has seen 58 vaccines against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) be developed and in clinical trials, with some vaccines reportedly having more than 90% efficacy against COVID-19 in clinical trials. This remarkable achievement is much-needed good news as COVID-19 cases are currently at their

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-12-07

New CRISPR-Based Test for COVID-19 Uses a Smartphone Camera

A team of scientists from Gladstone, UC Berkeley, and UC San Francisco outlined the technology for a rapid, one-step mobile test that could help combat the pandemic and fully reopen communities. Imagine swabbing your nostrils, putting the swab in a device, and getting a read-out on your phone in 15 to 30 minutes that tells

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-12-05

Presented CAR T ZUMA-5 phase 2 study data for non-Hodgkin lymphoma

Earlier this year, Caron Jacobson, MD, presented the interim analysis of ZUMA-5: A phase 2 study of axicabtagene ciloleucel in patients with relapsed/refractory indolent non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Results from that interim analysis showed that the vast majority of patients with follicular lymphoma or marginal zone lymphoma – two slow-growing forms of non-Hodgkin lymphoma – responded to and

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-12-04

Moderna mRNA-1273 Vaccination produced serum neutralizing antibodies detected in all the participants at day 119

Vaccine “has the potential to provide durable humoral immunity” against virus, NIAID authors argue Antibody responses to Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine candidate, mRNA-1273, remained strong for almost 4 months following vaccination, data from a phase I trial indicated. Serum neutralizing antibodies were detected in 34 healthy adult volunteers at day 119 following the first dose, and

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-12-02

Toward superhuman SARS-CoV-2 immunity?

Vaccines against covid could give “superhuman immunity”, stronger than if the disease is passedThe researchers Dennis Burton and Eric Topol have published in ‘Nature’ a correspondence in which they address the perspectives of the immunity of vaccines, comparing the available data on covid vaccines with those on vaccines against other diseases. They are optimistic that

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-12-01

Olfactory transmucosal SARS-CoV-2 invasion as a port of central nervous system entry in individuals with COVID-19

The coronavirus can reach the human brain after it is inhaled through a person’s nose and becomes trapped in the nasal mucus, a study found. It is the first known evidence that the coronavirus can infect neurons of the brain through the mucosal pathway. In the course of the pandemic, it has become clear that

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-12-01

Penn Medicine Researchers Unlock the Door to Tumor Microenvironment for CAR T Cells

PAK4 inhibitor improved T cell infiltration and shrank solid tumors in mice The labyrinth of jumbled blood vessels in the tumor microenvironment remains one of the toughest blockades for cellular therapies to penetrate and treat solid tumors. Now, in a new study published online today in Nature Cancer, Penn Medicine researchers found that combining chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-11-27

PEDSnet Report Details How COVID-19 Pandemic Has Affected Children

Analysis of 135,000+ medical records shows the novel coronavirus hits hardest among teens, children with diabetes or cancer, lower-income families, and Black, Latin and Asian groups. In the most comprehensive analysis to date of U.S. children tested and treated for COVID-19, an organization representing seven of the nation’s largest pediatric medical centers reports that some

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-11-27

Big Data Powers Design of ‘Smart’ Cell Therapies for Cancer

Combining Machine Learning with Cell Engineering, Scientists Can Design ‘Living Medicines’ that Precisely Target Tumors Finding medicines that can kill cancer cells while leaving normal tissue unscathed is a Holy Grail of oncology research. In two new papers, scientists at UC San Francisco and Princeton University present complementary strategies to crack this problem with “smart”

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-11-26

CAR T-Cell Research is surging accompanied by a diversification of development and manufacturing pathways.

Hundreds of trials are under way, 3 CAR T-cell therapies for hematologic malignancies are on the market, and 2 new products may receive FDA approval in the next several months, including a BCMA–directed therapy that is poised to help transform treatment of multiple myeloma Research on chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapies has exploded since

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-11-26

A Randomized Trial of Convalescent Plasma in Covid-19 Severe Pneumonia fails to shows significant clinical benefit as compared with placebo.

Convalescent plasma is frequently administered to patients with Covid-19 and has been reported, largely on the basis of observational data, to improve clinical outcomes. Minimal data are available from adequately powered randomized, controlled trials. In this paper researchers of the Clinical Pharmacology Section, Hospital Italiano de Buenos Aires, Juan D. Perón, Buenos Aires, Argentina as

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-11-25

Drug guides stem cells to desired location, improving their ability to heal

Discovery represents a major milestone for regenerative medicine that could help more people benefit from stem cell therapy. Scientists at Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute have created a drug that can lure stem cells to damaged tissue and improve treatment efficacy—a scientific first and a major advance for the field of regenerative medicine. The

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-11-25

Most Americans are still vulnerable to SARS-CoV-2 virus. Seroprevalence over 4 collection periods ranged from less than 1% to 23%

As of September, the vast majority of Americans did not have coronavirus antibodies, according to a new study published in JAMA Internal Medicine. These data matter as the coronavirus spreads rapidly throughout most of the country, most people remain vulnerable to it. Across the U.S., the portion of states’ populations with detectable antibodies ranged from less

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-11-24

Insulin treatment is associated with increased mortality in patients with COVID-19

COVID-19 caused by SARS-COV2 infection can lead to multi-organ injuries and significant mortality in severe and critical patients, especially among those individuals with type 2 diabetes (T2D) as a comorbidity. While attenuated mortality was observed with aggressive glucose control, it was unclear whether therapeutic regiments including insulin treatment was beneficial for patients with COVID-19 and

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-11-24

Antibodies capable of neutralising SARS-CoV-2 persist for at least 3 months in most Covid-19 patients, even those who had mild disease.

The SARS-CoV-2 virus is causing a global pandemic and cases continue to rise. Most infected individuals experience mildly symptomatic coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), but it is unknown whether this can induce persistent immune memory that could contribute to immunity. In this paper, published on Cell, it’s performed a longitudinal assessment of individuals recovered from mild

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-11-22

Thromboembolism risk of COVID-19 is high and associated with a higher risk of mortality: A systematic review and meta-analysis published on EClinicalMedicine.

Early reports indicated that in COVID-19 may be associated with coagulation dysfunction. Studies have reported varying rates of thromboembolism. In this paper, the Authors searched PubMed, Cochrane and Embase for systematic reviews and meta-analyses evaluating thromboembolism rates in COVID-19 published until June 12, 2020. The search terms were “COVID-19”, “SARS-CoV-2” or “novel coronavirus” and “venous

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-11-20

Oxford coronavirus vaccine produces strong immune response in older adults as published in The Lancet

The ChAdOx1 nCov-2019 coronavirus vaccine, developed by teams at the University of Oxford, has been shown to trigger a robust immune response in healthy adults aged 56-69 and those over 70 years of age. The data, published in The Lancet, suggest that one of the groups most vulnerable to serious illness, and death from COVID-19, could build

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-11-20

The Most Logical Approach to Improve CAR T Cell Therapy: a preview on Cell Systems

Combinational antigen recognition is the most logical way to improve the safety of cancer therapy. CAR T cells therapy, combined with synthetic biology, protein engineering, and bioinformatics, can perform advanced computations to enhance tumor targeting specificity. Immunotherapy, including biologic and cellular approaches, is a critical area of focus for cancer therapeutics. Of the methodologies used

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-11-20

Baricitinib treatment linked to reduced mortality in COVID-19 patients

The rheumatoid arthritis drug baricitinib can block viral entry and reduce mortality in patients with moderate to severe COVID-19, according to translational research by an international team coordinated by researchers from Karolinska Institutet in Sweden. The findings, published in the journal Science Advances, support the continuation of ongoing randomized clinical trials. “We are pleased to

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-11-20

Macrophage expression and prognostic significance of the long pentraxin PTX3 in COVID-19

As of 20 November 2020, the number of COVID-19 cases was reported to be more than 57 million, leading to more than 1.361,000 deaths worldwide . Elevated levels of CRP, cytokine and chemokines, together with low lymphocyte and eosinophil counts, characterize patients with severe disease. However, a reliable biomarker of poor outcome in COVID-19 is

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-11-19

In the lab, St. Jude scientists redefine cytokine storm and identify possible COVID-19 treatment

Immunologists have determined the process driving life-threatening inflammation, lung damage and organ failure in patients with COVID-19, sepsis and other inflammatory disorders suggesting possible treatment using existing drugs. The COVID-19 pandemic continues to cause significant illness and death while treatment options remain limited.St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital scientists have discovered a potential strategy to prevent life-threatening

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-11-18

Pfizer and BioNTech conclude Phase 3 study of Covid-19 Vaccine candidate, meeting all primary efficacy endpoints

Primary efficacy analysis demonstrates BNT162b2 to be 95% effective against COVID-19 beginning 28 days after the first dose;170 confirmed cases of COVID-19 were evaluated, with 162 observed in the placebo group versus 8 in the vaccine group Efficacy was consistent across age, gender, race and ethnicity demographics; observed efficacy in adults over 65 years of

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-11-17

Data released by the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Children’s Hospital Association find that more than 1 million kids have now been diagnosed with Covid-19.

State-level reports are the best publicly available data on child COVID-19 cases in the United States. The American Academy of Pediatrics and the Children’s Hospital Association are collaborating to collect and share all publicly available data from states on child COVID-19 cases (definition of “child” case is based on varying age ranges reported across states;

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-11-17

For an Oxford University research, videogaming is positively correlated with well-being. RESTORE consortium videogame “Fragments of Life” helps to enter into CAR-T Cells breakthrough therapy in Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia.

Conventional wisdom has it that too many cooks spoil the broth. But such judiciousness is not usually considered the basis for scientific pronouncements or international rulings on the need to limit the number of people in kitchens. But, when it comes to video games, conventional wisdom, not science, forms the basis for our thinking and

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-11-16

CAR-T cell therapy as a “game changer” therapy in paediatric acute lymphoblastic leukaemia: past, present and future. A review of the British Society for Haematology.

Over the last decade, chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cell therapy has emerged as a promising treatment modality for relapsed/refractory B-cell malignancies in both children and adults. As an adoptive immune therapy, CAR-T cells have the potential to overcome disease that is resistant to chemoand radiotherapy as well as represent a viable option for those who

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-11-16

Clinical Trial of NIH-Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine: Positive Interim Results

An independent data and safety monitoring board (DSMB) overseeing the Phase 3 trial of the investigational COVID-19 vaccine known as mRNA-1273 reviewed trial data and shared its interim analysis with the trial oversight group on Nov. 15, 2020. This interim review of the data suggests that the vaccine is safe and effective at preventing symptomatic

2 comments InCovid-19

PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-11-15

Dissecting the immune characteristics of severe COVID-19 responses: Increased IL-10-producing regulatory T cells are characteristic of severe cases of COVID-19

Key points: Researchers have analysed immune cell types and numbers from the blood of healthy volunteers, COVID-19 patients experiencing mild-to-moderate effects and patients classified as severe to understand whether particular characteristics of their immune system response can identify treatment targets or indicate disease severity. After comparing the T cell immune response, the researchers noted the

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-11-15

Expression of SARS-CoV-2 Entry Factors in the Pancreas of Normal Organ Donors and Individuals with COVID-19. SARS-CoV-2 infection of pancreatic endocrine cells, via ACE2, is an unlikely central pathogenic feature.

Diabetes is associated with increased mortality from Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). Given literature suggesting a potential association between SARS-CoV-2 infection and diabetes induction, it was examined pancreatic expression of angiotensin-converting enzyme-2 (ACE2), the key entry factor for SARS-CoV-2 infection. Specifically, in this paper published on Cell Metabolism, were analyzed five public scRNA-seq pancreas

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-11-15

A clade of SARS-CoV-2 viruses associated with lower viral loads in patient upper airways: an investigation on the phylogenetic characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 infections in Chicago.

The rapid spread of SARS-CoV-2, the causative agent of Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), has been accompanied by the emergence of distinct viral clades, though their clinical significance remains unclear. In this paper it’s investigated the phylogenetic characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 infections in Chicago, Illinois, and assessed their relationship to clinical parameters. Whole-genome sequencing of SARS-CoV-2 isolates

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-11-14

A Series of Disappointing Results of Immune-Based Therapies for COVID-19

It’s been a tough couple of weeks for immune-based therapies for COVID-19. We know that immune modulation in this disease, especially in its most severe manifestations, can improve outcomes. Favorable results from the RECOVERY study of dexamethasone have made it the standard of care for most hospitalized patients who require oxygen. And we also know that our own immune

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-11-14

Treatments for People with Early COVID-19 Infection is an Urgent Research Focus, according to a JAMA Viewpoint article by NIAID Director Anthony S. Fauci, M.D., and colleagues.

Effective, Early Interventions would Benefit Individual Patients and Healthcare System COVID-19 treatments for people with early infection are needed urgently, according to a JAMA Viewpoint article by NIAID Director Anthony S. Fauci, M.D., and colleagues. Treating people early in the course of infection with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, would speed their recovery, reduce

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-11-14

Real-time Conformational Dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 Spikes on Virus Particles with four distinct FRET efficiency states, enhanced by proteolysis. Convalescent plasma antibodies exert a double action.

SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) mediates viral entry into cells and is critical for vaccine development against COVID-19. Structural studies have revealed distinct conformations of S, but real-time information that connects these structures, is lacking. In this paper it’s applied single-molecule Fluorescence (Förster) Resonance Energy Transfer (smFRET) imaging to observe conformational dynamics of S on virus particles.

6 comments InCovid-19

PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-11-13

Inhaled nebulised Interferon beta-1a may help Covid-19 patients, in a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase two trial.

An inhaled form of interferon — a drug commonly used to treat multiple sclerosis by injection — may help protect hospitalized Covid-19 patients from getting worse, according to a British drugmaker. Results were first released in July, but were published Thursday as a peer-reviewed study in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine. The body naturally releases interferon when

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-11-12

Fluvoxamine vs Placebo and Clinical Deterioration in Outpatients With Symptomatic COVID-19. A Randomized Clinical Trial

An obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) drug may help improve the conditions of coronavirus patients, a new study suggests. Fluvoxamine, sold under the brand name Luvox, is a medication that scientists believe has anti-inflammatory properties, which can help control the immune system’s overreaction to the virus. No patient who was given the drug suffered from shortness of breath

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-11-11

Speed, Evidence, and Safety Characteristics of Vaccine Approvals by the US FDA

To understand the usual approval process followed by the FDA, researchers of the Yale University School of Medicine have systematically evaluated all novel vaccines approved by the FDA over the last decade, characterizing the premarket development and regulatory review times, the clinical evidenceon which approval was based, and the size and follow-up duration of the

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-11-10

FDA issues EUA for Bamlanivimab Monoclonal Antibody for Treatment of mild-to-moderate COVID-19

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued an emergency use authorization (EUA) for the investigational monoclonal antibody therapy bamlanivimab for the treatment of mild-to-moderate COVID-19 in adult and pediatric patients. Bamlanivimab is authorized for patients with positive results of direct SARS-CoV-2 viral testing who are 12 years of age and older weighing at least 40 kilograms (about

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-11-10

Baricitinib treatment resolves lower airway macrophage inflammation and neutrophil recruitment in SARS-CoV-2-infected rhesus macaques. Running NIH clinical trial in association with remdesivir.

SARS-CoV-2 induced hypercytokinemia and inflammation are critically associated with COVID19 disease severity. Baricitinib, a clinically approved JAK1/2 inhibitor, is currently being investigated in COVID-19 clinical trials. In this paper published on Cell, are investigated the immunologic and virologic efficacy of baricitinib in a rhesus macaque model of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Viral shedding measured from nasal and

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-11-09

Hydroxychloroquine does not benefit adults hospitalized with COVID-19

A National Institutes of Health clinical trial evaluating the safety and effectiveness of hydroxychloroquine for the treatment of adults with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has formally concluded that the drug provides no clinical benefit to hospitalized patients. Though found not to cause harm, early findings in June when the trial was stopped indicated that the

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-11-09

Final report of the NIAID Adaptive COVID-19 Treatment Trial (ACTT-1) confirms remdesivir benefits for COVID-19

Remdesivir is an antiviral medication that targets a range of viruses. It was originally developed over a decade ago to treat hepatitis C and a cold-like virus called respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Remdesivir wasn’t an effective treatment for either disease. But it showed promise against other viruses. Researchers tested remdesivir in clinical trials during the

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-11-09

Gene therapy technique to regenerate the optic nerve offers hope for future glaucoma treatment

Scientists at University of Cambridge have used gene therapy to regenerate damaged nerve fibres in the eye, in a discovery that could aid the development of new treatments for glaucoma, one of the leading causes of blindness worldwide. Axons – nerve fibres – in the adult central nervous system (CNS) do not normally regenerate after

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-11-06

COVID-19 lung damage caused by persistence of ‘abnormal cells’

Investigations of deceased COVID-19 patients have shed light on possible lung damage caused by the virus. The study, published today in The Lancet’s eBioMedicine, by King’s in collaboration with University of Trieste and the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biology in Italy, shows the unique characteristics to the SARS-CoV-2 virus and may explain why

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-11-03

New Cause of COVID-19 Blood Clots Identified. Half of the patients with severe COVID-19 exhibits a combination of high levels of antiphospholipids antibodies and NET’s: dipyridamole potential therapy.

A new study reveals the virus triggers production of antibodies circulating through the blood, causing clots in people hospitalized with the disease. Blood clots continue to wreak havoc for patients with severe COVID-19 infection, and a new study explains what may spark them in up to half of patients. The culprit: an autoimmune antibody that’s

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-11-02

Coagulopathy as a Prodrome of Cytokine Storm in COVID-19-Infected Patients

Integrated analysis revealed a positive correlation of coagulopathy withcytokine storm in COVID-19-infected patients; the D-dimer rises early, which indicates that coagulopathy acts as a prodrome of cytokine storm. Coagulopathy can be used to monitor early cytokine storm in COVID-19-infected patients. Coagulopathy appeared around a few days in advance of a cytokine storm. It was also

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-11-02

New Landmark Study at UM School of Medicine Finds Aspirin Use Reduces Risk of Death in Hospitalized COVID-19 Patients

Hospitalized Patients Who Were Taking Daily Aspirin Had Lower Risk of ICU Admission, Ventilation, and Dying from the Virus Hospitalized COVID-19 patients who were taking a daily low-dose aspirin to protect against cardiovascular disease had a significantly lower risk of complications and death compared to those who were not taking aspirin, according to a new

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-11-02

NIH researchers discover that β-Coronaviruses use lysosomes for egress instead of the biosynthetic secretory pathway

Targeting cells’ ‘trash compactor’ could lead to new antiviral strategy to fight COVID-19. Researchers at the National Institutes of Health have discovered a biological pathway that the novel coronavirus appears to use to hijack and exit cells as it spreads through the body. A better understanding of this important pathway may provide vital insight in

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-11-01

What to make of “re-positive” SARS-CoV-2 molecular test results

In a Commentary on EBioMedicine researchers of Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York try to solve the enigma between dead viral particles testing or real clinical reinfection. Nine months after the first reports describing a novel corona virus (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus 2, SARS-CoV-2) causing severe disease in humans (coronavirus Disease

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-11-01

New York University researchers using leukemia-on-a-chip dissect the chemoresistance mechanisms in B cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia bone marrow niche. A new opportunity for CAR-T cells therapy improving.

B cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) blasts hijack the bone marrow (BM) microenvironment to form chemoprotective leukemic BM “niches,” facilitating chemoresistance and, ultimately, disease relapse. However, the ability to dissect these evolving, heterogeneous interactions among distinct B-ALL subtypes and their varying BM niches is limited with current in vivo methods. In this paper , New

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-10-31

Aprotinin Inhibits SARS-CoV-2 Replication and is identified as a potential drug candidate for Covid-19 treatment. Can human plasma have the same effect?

Researchers from the University of Kent, the Goethe-University in Frankfurt am Main (Germany), and the Hannover Medical School (Germany) have identified a drug with the potential to provide a treatment for COVID-19. The international team led by Professor Martin Michaelis, Dr. Mark Wass (both School of Biosciences, University of Kent), and Professor Jindrich Cinatl (Institute

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-10-31

A new report of London Imperial College shows COVID-19 fatality ratio estimated from seroprevalence is about 1%

The COVID infection fatality ratio is around 1% in high-income countries, but substantially lower in low-income countries with younger populations. These are the findings of a new report from the Imperial College London COVID-19 Response Team. The report reveals that: In high income countries, the estimated overall infection fatality ratio (IFR) is 1.15% (95% prediction interval

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-10-31

A direct drive parallel plane piezoelectric needle positioning robot for MRI guided intraspinal injection

Lower back pain caused by degenerative disc disorder affects approximately 40% of the population over 40 and though many of us may never experience adverse effects from the disorder, it is the cause of chronic back pain for numerous Americans. Recent imaging diagnostics and cellular based direct-injection therapeutics for degenerative disc and spinal cord injuries

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-10-30

Early results from DETECT study suggest fitness trackers and smartwatches can predict COVID-19 infection

Sensor data from wearable devices can complement virus testing and conventional screening to signal new infections. Examining data from the first six weeks of their landmark DETECT study, a team of scientists from the Scripps Research Translational Institute sees encouraging signs that wearable fitness devices can improve public health efforts to control COVID-19. The DETECT study, launched

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-10-29

COVID-19 Immune Response Study of the ISB-Swedish COVID-19 Immune Response Study Could Lead to More Effective Treatments

The ISB-Swedish COVID-19 Immune Response Study has revealed new findings that suggest that treatments aimed at arresting the infection at the stage of moderate severity may be most effective. The symptoms of COVID-19 vary widely, from very mild to severe conditions requiring ICU care. Researchers comprehensively studied a large number of patients during the week

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-10-28

New inflammatory disorder called vacuoles, E1 enzyme, X-linked, autoinflammatory and somatic syndrome (VEXAS) discovered by NIH researchers

Researchers from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) have discovered a new inflammatory disorder called vacuoles, E1 enzyme, X-linked, autoinflammatory and somatic syndrome (VEXAS), which is caused by mutations in the UBA1 gene. VEXAS causes symptoms that included blood clots in veins, recurrent fevers, pulmonary abnormalities and vacuoles (unusual cavity-like structures) in myeloid cells. The scientists reported

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-10-27

Use of mesenchymal stem cells in COVID-19 mediated acute respiratory failure: a review published on npj regenerative medicine.

In patients with critical manifestations of COVID-19, life-threatening complications such as ARDS and multiple organ dysfunction are mediated by extensive inflammation, neutrophils recruitment, cytokine storm syndrome and dysregulated immune innate responses. MSCs because of their immunomodulatory, regenerative, and antimicrobial properties could render several therapeutic effects in the setting of COVID-19. While data from countless clinical

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-10-26

FDA Clearance of IND Application for First-in-Class Allogeneic CAR Gamma-Delta T Cell Therapy in non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.

Phase 1 Clinical Study will Evaluate ADI-001 Safety and Efficacy in Patients with B-cell non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma Adicet Bio, Inc., a biotechnology company discovering and developing allogeneic gamma delta T cell therapies for cancer and other diseases, today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has cleared the Company’s Investigational New Drug (IND) application for ADI-001,

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-10-25

COVID-19 and Lombardy: TESTing the impact of the first wave of the pandemic. Seroprevalence in the Bergamo area is 38.5%.

The emergence of a novel Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) caused a major disease outbreak that posed a threat to public health worldwide. Among the western countries, Italy was the first to experience a vast Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak and the province of Bergamo experienced the deadliest COVID-19 outbreak in theworld. Due

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-10-24

Researchers of NEI use gene therapy and a novel light-sensing protein to restore vision in mice

NIH-funded therapy will now be tested in humans A newly developed light-sensing protein called the MCO1 opsin restores vision in blind mice when attached to retina bipolar cells using gene therapy. The National Eye Institute, part of the National Institutes of Health, provided a Small Business Innovation Research grant to Nanoscope, LLC for development of

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-10-24

Masks could cut COVID-19 deaths in the US by 130,000: IHME COVID-19 Forecasting Team study shows

Even if state-level governments in the United States reimpose limited social distancing measures to halt the spread of COVID-19, the death toll could more than double by the end of February 2021 to 511,000, according to projections released Friday. Near-universal mask wearing over the coming months could reduce that grim tally by nearly 130,000, researchers

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-10-24

Neutrophils express non-canonical functions, including vascular repair and hematopoietic homeostasis.

Scientists at the Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares (CNIC) have discovered that neutrophils, the most abundant cells of the innate immune system, have many more functions in the body than previously thought. This finding suggests possible new treatments for many diseases, including cancer. In a study published in the journal Cell, the research team demonstrates that

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-10-23

Neuropilin-1 facilitates SARS-CoV-2 cell entry and infectivity

Researchers have identified a second receptor that might be important in SARS-CoV-2 infectivity, according to a new report published in Science on October 20. This cofactor helps facilitate virus-host cell interactions in cells with low levels of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), the primary receptor on host cells, and might explain the increased pathogenicity of SARS-CoV-2. Why is

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-10-23

In an open label phase II multicentre randomised controlled trial (PLACID Trial) convalescent plasma isn’t associated with a reduction in disease progression or all cause mortality in moderate Covid-19.

Convalescent plasma may not prevent progression to severe disease or reduce mortality risk in hospitalized patients with moderate COVID-19, based on a phase 2 trial involving more than 400 patients in India. The PLACID trial offers real-world data with “high generalizability,” according to lead author Anup Agarwal, MD, of the Indian Council of Medical Research,

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-10-14

SARS-CoV-2 infects the brain choroid plexus and disrupts the blood-CSF-barrier in human brain organoids.

Coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19), caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, leads to respiratory symptoms that can be fatal. However, neurological symptoms have also been observed in some patients. The cause of these complications is currently unknown. In this paper, were use human pluripotent stem cell-derived brain organoids to examine SARS-CoV-2 neurotropism. Was found expression of viral receptor

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-10-13

NIH launched the ACTIV-5/BET study, a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial testing risankizumab or lenzilumab +remdesivir in Covid-19 treatment.

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health, today launched a study designed to determine whether certain approved therapies or investigational drugs in late-stage clinical development show promise against COVID-19 and merit advancement into larger clinical trials. The ACTIV-5 Big Effect Trial, which will enroll adult volunteers hospitalized

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-10-13

Therapeutic Management of Patients with COVID-19. Updated Treatment Guidelines released by NIH.

A number of investigational agents and drugs that are approved for other indications are currently being studied in clinical trials for the treatment of COVID-19 and associated complications. Data from randomized controlled trials, prospective and retrospective observational cohorts, and case series studies are rapidly emerging. The COVID-19 Treatment Guidelines Panel (the Panel) continues to review

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-10-13

For NIH updated treatment guidelines, insufficient data from well-controlled, adequately powered, randomized clinical trials to evaluate the efficacy and safety of convalescent plasma for the treatment of COVID-19.

Last Updated: October 9, 2020 Plasma from donors who have recovered from COVID-19 may contain antibodies to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) that may help suppress the virus and modify the inflammatory response.1 Recommendation There are insufficient data for the COVID-19 Treatment Guidelines Panel (the Panel) to recommend either for or against the

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-10-13

Antiviral monotherapy for hospitalised patients with COVID-19 is not enough. Lopinavir-Ritonavir no benefit in patients admitted.

No reductions seen in 28-day mortality or duration of hospital stay in COVID-19 with lopinavir-ritonavir. Lopinavir-ritonavir is not associated with reductions in 28-day mortality or duration of hospital stay among patients admitted to the hospital with COVID-19, according to a study published online Oct. 5 in The Lancet. Peter W. Horby, M.D., Ph.D., and colleagues on

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-10-12

COVID-19 and Excess All-Cause Mortality in the US and 18 Comparison Countries. Research letter on JAMA.

Was compared the US to Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries with populations exceeding 5million and greater than $25 000 per capita gross domestic product. For each country, was calculated the COVID-19 per capita mortality rate and grouped countries by mortality: (1) low (COVID-19 deaths, <5/100 000), (2) moderate (5-25/ 100 000), and (3)

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-10-12

Clinical Development of Gene Therapies: The First Three Decades and Counting.

In the past three decades the field of gene therapy has made remarkable progress surging from mere laboratory experiments to FDA-approved products which bring significant reduction in disease burden to patients who previously had no therapeutic options for their serious conditions. In this paper it’s reviewed the evolution of the gene therapy clinical research landscape

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-10-11

Thromboprophylaxis with enoxaparin is associated with a lower death rate in patients hospitalized with SARS-CoV-2 infection. A cohort study published on EClinicalMedicine

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome CoronaVirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection is associated with hypercoagulability caused by direct invasion of endothelial cells and\or proinflammatory cytokine release. Thromboprophylaxis with enoxaparin is recommended by current guidelines, but evidence is still weak. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of thromboprophylaxis with enoxaparin on hospital mortality in patients

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-10-11

RESTORE community has released new position paper on advanced therapies.

The RESTORE position paper represents the cumulative efforts of the RESTORE community, and the steering committee since the start of the RESTORE initiative in 2019. It outlines, in depth, the RESTORE view on why Europe should invest in Advanced Therapies, the roadblocks in Advanced Therapy development and implementation into patient care, and makes recommendations about

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-10-11

The role for the metagenome and the influence of microbiota on immune processes in the pathogenesis of COVID-19 infection.

A new paper published on EBioMedicine analyzes metagenome contribution to Covid-19 response variability. A key question concerning COVID-19 is why most infected persons do not develop severe disease, while others become critically ill. This dichotomy is related to age, gender, immunosuppression and comorbidities, but many persons who are young succumb to the virus. A significant

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-10-10

Neutrophil proteolytic enzymes storm triggers vascular disease and thrombosis in SARS-CoV-2 infected Rhesus Macaques

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to extensive morbidity and mortality throughout the world. Clinical features that drive SARS-CoV-2 pathogenesis in humans include inflammation and thrombosis, but the mechanistic details underlying these processes remain to be determined. In this study, was demonstrated endothelial disruption and vascular thrombosis in histopathologic sections of lungs from both humans and

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-10-08

SARS-CoV-2 disrupts splicing, translation, and protein trafficking to suppress host interferons

SARS-CoV-2 is a recently identified coronavirus that causes the respiratory disease known as COVID-19. Despite the urgent need, it’s not fully understood the molecular basis of SARS-CoV-2 pathogenesis. In this paper, are comprehensively defined the interactions between SARS-CoV-2 proteins and human RNAs. NSP16 binds to the mRNA recognition domains of the U1 and U2 splicing

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-10-08

A large-scale Multi-omic Analysis shows neutrophil degranulation, vessel damage, platelet activation and degranulation, blood coagulation and complement activation are responsible for COVID-19 Severity

RNA-Seq and high-resolution mass spectrometry on 128 blood samples from COVID-19 positive and negative patients with diverse disease severities and outcomes were performed and published on Cell Systems Quantified transcripts, proteins, metabolites, and lipids were associated with clinical outcomes in a curated relational database, uniquely enabling systems analysis and cross-ome correlations to molecules and patient

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-10-07

Sarilumab use in severe SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia. IL-6 blockade inhibits neutrophil recruitment and innate immune response harm.

Interleukin-6 signal blockade showed preliminary beneficial effects in treating inflammatory response against SARS-CoV-2 leading to severe respiratory distress. In this paper, published on EClinicalMedicine are described the outcomes of off-label intravenous use of Sarilumab in severe SARS-CoV-2-related pneumonia. 53 patients with SARS-CoV-2 severe pneumonia received intravenous Sarilumab; pulmonary function improvement or Intensive Care Unit (ICU)

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-10-06

Imbalance of regulatory and cytotoxic SARS-CoV-2-reactive CD4+ T cells in COVID-19

The contribution of CD4 + T cells to protective or pathogenic immune responses to SARS-CoV-2 infection remains unknown. In this paper it’s presented single-cell transcriptomic analysis of >100,000 viral antigen-reactive CD4 + T cells from 40 COVID-19 patients. In hospitalized patients compared to non-hospitalized patients, were found increased proportions of cytotoxic follicular helper (T FH

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-10-01

COVID-19 and Heart Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction

The more common manifestation in the COVID-19 era may be HFpEF related primarily to the unmasking of subclinical HFpEF and secondarily to the development of new HFpEF following infection with SARS-CoV-2. Patients with preexisting cardiovascular disease (CVD) who develop coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) have worse outcomes than patients without CVD.Infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-10-01

Fewer than 10% of the US adult population formed antibodies against SARS-CoV-2, and fewer than 10% of those with antibodies were diagnosed.

Fewer than 10 percent of the U.S. adult population formed antibodies against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) during the first wave of the pandemic, according to a study published online Sept. 25 in The Lancet. Shuchi Anand, M.D., from the Stanford University School of Medicine in Palo Alto, California, and colleagues conducted a cross-sectional

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-10-01

New randomized clinical trial suggests Hydroxychloroquine failure even as a COVID19 preventative in healthcare workers

In this randomized clinical trial, although limited by early termination, there was no clinical benefit of hydroxychloroquine administered daily for 8 weeks as pre-exposure prophylaxis in hospital-based HCWs exposed to patients with COVID-19. Despite promising early reports and strong in vitro performance, Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) has become the major therapeutic disappointment of the COVID pandemic. Research

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-09-28

An English study shows people infected with Covid-19 and flu have higher risk of death.

Research in England shows a dangerous relationship between the viruses that cause both diseases; for those in the ICU with co-infection, the risk of death is 6.33 times higher. People infected at the same time by the new coronavirus and the flu virus are twice as likely to die than those infected by Sars-Cov-2 alone . This is the

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-09-28

This week’s Offline column by The Lancet Editor-in-Chief defines Covid-19 Syndemic not Pandemic.

Two categories of disease are interacting within specific populations—infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and an array of non-communicable diseases (NCDs). These conditions are clustering within social groups according to patterns of inequality deeply embedded in our societies. The aggregation of these diseases on a background of social and economic disparity exacerbates

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-09-27

A multicenter cardiovascular pathology study shows various features of COVID-19-associated myocardial injury

Early in the pandemic, other clinicians noted that even some patients who didn’t have preexisting heart conditions experienced cardiovascular damage while fighting COVID-19 infections, pointing to a possible causative link. Researchers had found, for example, that 8–12 percent of hospitalized COVID-19 patients had elevated levels of muscle contraction–regulating proteins called troponins—a sign of heart damage—and that these

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-09-27

Convalescent Plasma for the Treatment of COVID-19: Perspectives of the National Institutes of Health COVID-19 Treatment Guidelines Panel

Currently, no Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved therapeutics exist for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). In this context, the pandemic has put considerable pressure on health care providers to prescribe treatments despite limited information about their safety and efficacy. This pressure has exacerbated the tension between the importance of practicing evidence-based medicine and the urgency of

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-09-26

Scientists discover 13,5% cases of severe Covid-19 present genetic and immunologic underpinnings inducing type I Interferon lacking

New findings by scientists at the National Institutes of Health and their collaborators help explain why some people with COVID-19 develop severe disease. The findings also may provide the first molecular explanation for why more men than women die from COVID-19. The researchers found that more than 10% of people who develop severe COVID-19 have

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-09-26

Susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 Infection Among Children and Adolescents Compared With Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Children were less likely than adults to acquire a COVID-19 infection from an index case, a meta-analysis found. Across 32 contact tracing or population testing studies comparing SARS-CoV-2 prevalence in children and adults, children younger than 14 were less likely to be infected from an index case overall (odds ratio 0.56, 95% CI 0.37-0.85), and

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-09-25

Gastrointestinal Complications in Critically Ill Patients With and Without COVID-19

COVID-19 appears to have significant extrapulmonary complications affecting multiple organ systems. Critically ill patients with COVID-19 oftendevelop gastrointestinal complications during their hospital stay, including bowel ischemia, transaminitis, gastrointestinal bleeding, pancreatitis, Ogilvie syndrome, and severe ileus. Whether the high incidence of gastrointestinal complications is a manifestation of critical illness in general or is specific to COVID-19

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-09-23

Toward an Optimized Process for Clinical Manufacturing of CAR-Treg Cell Therapy

Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) technology and its application to regulatory T cells (Tregs) has garnered interest among researchers in the field of cell and gene therapy. Merging the benefits of CAR technology with Tregs offers a novel and promising therapeutic option for durable reshaping of undesired immune responses following solid organ or hematopoietic stem cell

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-09-23

People with asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection have an upper respiratory viral load as those with mild symptoms

They are relatively common so may act as important driver of viral spread, warn researchers People with ‘silent’ COVID-19 infection have as much coronavirus in their noses and throats as those with symptoms, reveals research published online in the journal Thorax. Given how many of these people there are—a fifth of those infected, the study findings show–they may

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-09-21

Modulating endothelial adhesion and migration impacts stem cell therapies efficacy

Despite the first clinical studies reporting on a correlation betweenthe migration potential of transplanted stem cells and their therapeutic efficacy, it is unclear if effective stem cell therapies requirereliable and sufficient delivery of the cells to the desired anatomiclocations, as well as survival of the cellular graft. Moreover, the many complex processes involved in stem

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-09-17

FDA Approves Study to Investigate the Use of Cell Therapy to Treat COVID-19 Related Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C)

First-of-its kind study to be supported by the Cura Foundation, The Marcus Foundation, Sanford Health and Alliance for Cell Therapy Now The Cura Foundation in collaboration with The Marcus Foundation, Sanford Health and Alliance for Cell Therapy Now, is supporting a clinical trial of human cord tissue mesenchymal stromal cells (hCT-MSC) to treat children with

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-09-16

Frequency of Children vs Adults Carrying Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Asymptomatically

The frequency of children carrying asymptomatic severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection has been suggested to be higher than among adults. It is also suggested that asymptomatic children enhance viral spread. A research letter by published in the journal JAMA Pediatrics in September 2020 explores the truth of this common belief. Earlier Research Earlier studies

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-09-16

Efficacy of convalescent plasma against COVID19 requires early therapy with high titer plasma. RCTs need to be designed on this basis.

In a paper published on EClinicalMedicine, has been assessed outcome of patients with moderate and severe COVID-19 following treatment with convalescent plasma (CP) and the association with IgG levels in transfused CP. A prospective cohort study. Primary outcome was improvement at day 14 defined as alive, not on mechanical ventilation, and moderate, mild, or recovered

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-09-15

Structural and Functional Analysis of the D614G SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein Variant

The SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) protein variant D614G supplanted the ancestral D614 virus worldwide, reaching near fixation in a matter of months. In this paper on Cell it’s shown that D614G was more infectious than the ancestral form on human lung cells, colon cells, and on cells rendered permissive by ectopic expression of human ACE2 or

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-09-15

Neuroinvasion of SARS-CoV-2 in human and mouse brain

The coronavirus that causes COVID-19 can sometimes hijack brain cells, using the cells’ internal machinery to copy itself, according to a new study. The research, posted Sept. 8 to the preprint database bioRxiv, has not yet been published in a peer-reviewed journal, but it provides evidence that SARS-CoV-2 can directly infect brain cells called neurons. Although

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-09-15

Assessment of the immune response in kids with MIS-C, identifying candidate autoantibodies resembling antibody response to convalescent Covid.

Initially, children were thought to be spared from disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). However, a month into the epidemic, a novel multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) emerged. In thi paper on Cell, are reported the immune profiles of nine MIS-C cases. All MIS-C patients had evidence of prior SARS-CoV-2

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-09-15

SARS-CoV-2 Infection Depends on Cellular Heparan Sulfate and ACE2

In this paper on Cell it’s shown that SARS-CoV-2 spike protein interacts with both cellular heparan sulfate and angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) through its Receptor Binding Domain (RBD). Docking studies suggest a heparin/heparan sulfate-binding site adjacent to the ACE2 binding site. Both ACE2 and heparin can bind independently to spike protein in vitro and

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-09-12

Racial/Ethnic Variation in Nasal Gene Expression of Transmembrane Serine Protease 2 (TMPRSS2)

In a study published in JAMA today, Mount Sinai researchers report findings that shed some light on the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on Blacks, who have experienced rates of infection and death that are much greater, in some areas twice and three times more, than their proportion of the population. Our study suggests one factor that may

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-09-12

COVID-19 and the Path to Immunity

The emergence of adaptive immunity in response to the new Betacoronavirus, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), occurs within the first 7 to 10 days of infection. Understanding the key features and the B-cell evolution – and T-cell-mediated adaptive immunity to SARS-CoV-2 is essential to predict the outcomes of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-09-12

Human Mesenchymal Stromal Cells are resistant to SARS-CoV-2 Infection

Mesenchymal stem/stromal cells are not infected by SARS-CoV-2 and retain their immunomodulatory potential as published by Institute for Transfusion Medicine and Immunohaematology, German Red Cross Blood Donor Service in Frankfurt am Main on Stem Cells Report. Previous studies reported safety and applicability of Mesenchymal Stem/Stromal Cells (MSC) to ameliorate pulmonary inflammation in ARDS. Thus, multiple

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-09-11

Rare hyperinflammatory syndrome in children with COVID-19 described

Researchers at Karolinska Institutet and Science for Life Laboratory in Sweden and Tor Vergata University of Rome in Italy have mapped the immune response in children affected by a rare but life-threatening inflammatory syndrome associated with COVID-19. The study, which is published in the scientific journal Cell, reveals that the inflammatory response differs from that

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-09-10

Post-COVID syndrome severely damages children’s hearts — systematic review

Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C), believed to be linked to COVID-19, damages the heart to such an extent that some children will need lifelong monitoring and interventions, said the senior author of a medical literature review. Case studies also show MIS-C can strike seemingly healthy children without warning three or four weeks after asymptomatic

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-09-10

Obesity, diabetes and hypertension greatest risk factors for young adults with COVID-19

Young adults with underlying conditions such as morbid obesity, diabetes and hypertension are at the highest risk of being placed on a ventilator or dying from COVID-19, according to a study of 3,000 hospitalized patients aged 18 to 34. The analysis, published Wednesday in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine, focused on patients hospitalized between April and

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-09-10

Facial Masking for Covid-19 could expose wearers to just enough of the virus that it helps trigger immunity.

SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, is entirely new to infectious disease researchers and other public health scientists. To combat it, scientists have sifted through centuries of literature about how the world coped with past pandemics. A new opinion paper assesses one way in which we might be able to learn from our encounters with

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-09-10

Covid-19 risk tool helps guide treatment

People who are admitted to hospital with Covid-19 can be divided into four distinct groups, according to data from the world’s largest study of patients with the disease. Researchers identified the groups using clinical information and tests carried out upon arrival at hospital to predict the patients’ risk of death – ranging from low to

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-09-10

Convalescent plasma fails to improve outcome of COVID-19 in PLACID trial. Limits of the study.

The COVID-19 pandemic is still raging in India, with over 4.5 million cases, 75.000 deaths and more than 90,000 new cases a day. At present there are few effective therapeutic options, which means that healthcare providers are faced with ongoing challenges in managing the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). A new study based

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-09-05

Cytokine storm may not be characteristic of severe Covid-19

The strong pro-inflammatory response known as cytokine storm is said to play an important role in the pathophysiology of a severe variant of covid-19. But researchers at Radboudumc University (Matthijs Kox et al.) doubt that. In a small-scale study published in JAMA, they argue that many studies look at different cytokines and do not make a

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-09-05

SARS-CoV-2 ORF3b is a potent interferon antagonist and its activity is increased by a naturally occurring elongation variant

One of the features distinguishing SARS-CoV-2 from its more pathogenic counterpart SARS-CoV is the presence of premature stop codons in its ORF3b gene. In this paper it’s shown that SARS-CoV-2 ORF3b is a potent interferon antagonist, suppressing the induction of type I interferon more efficiently than its SARS-CoV ortholog. Phylogenetic analyses and functional assays reveal

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-09-03

SARS-CoV-2 Infection of Airway Cells and Virions production

Source: The New England Journal of Medicine In a laboratory setting, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) was inoculated into human bronchial epithelial cells. This inoculation, which was performed in a biosafety level 3 facility, had a multiplicity of infection (indicating the ratio of virus particles to targeted airway cells) of 3:1. These cells

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-09-03

U.S. Hospitals Withstand FDA’s Directive on COVID Convalescent Plasma

Dozens of major hospitals across the U.S. are grappling with whether to ignore a federal decision allowing broader emergency use of blood plasma from recovered COVID patients to treat the disease in favor of dedicating their resources to a gold-standard clinical trial that could help settle the science for good. As many as 45 hospitals

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-09-02

Association Between Administration of Systemic Corticosteroids and Mortality Among Critically Ill Patients With COVID-19. Results of a WHO Meta-analysis

Treating critically ill COVID-19 patients with corticosteroid drugs reduces the risk of death by 20 percent, an analysis of seven international trials found on Wednesday, prompting the World Health Organization to update its advice on treatment. The analysis — which pooled data from separate trials of low dose hydrocortisone, dexamethasone and methylprednisolone — found that steroids improve survival

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-08-31

COVID-19 vaccine trials should seek worthwhile efficacy to avoid pandemic worsening

The rush to immunise populations against Covid-19 could lead to the rollout of a vaccine that is not very effective and risk worsening the pandemic, leading scientists have said. Experts, members of the WHO’s Solidarity Vaccines Trial Expert Group, which is made up of leading scientists around the world who are advising on the establishment

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-08-31

Patients with COVID-19 having a reduction in respiratory system compliance together with increased D-dimer concentrations have high mortality rates.

The study has been done in seven Italian Hospitals and published on The Lancet Respiratory Medicine The study confirms the role of microthrombosis in severe Covid-19, but do not explain which is the pathophysiology of the proteolytic cascades activation. For Dr. Fornasari, REGENHEALTHSOLUTIONS Director, “This study very important study shows that unhinibited proteolytic cascades activation

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-08-29

Children with no COVID-19 symptoms may shed virus for weeks: a new study confirms.

New research suggests that children can shed SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, even if they never develop symptoms or for long after symptoms have cleared. But many questions remain about the significance of the pediatric population as vectors for this sometimes deadly disease, according to an invited commentary by Children’s National Hospital doctors that accompanies this

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-08-29

UK-wide study shows children with gastrointestinal symptoms should be included in COVID-19 testing

Over 1,000 children from Northern Ireland, Scotland, England and Wales, known as ‘COVID Warriors’ have had their antibodies measured in the UK-wide trial called ‘Seroprevalence of SARS-Cov-2 infection in healthy children’. The findings have been published yesterday (Friday 28 August) as a pre-print on the server medRxiv. The study is led by Queen’s University Belfast, in

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-08-28

Mount Sinai Team Offers Additional Data on Efficacy of Blood Anticoagulation for COVID-19 and Insight on Best Potential Regimens

Study is the basis of a new international clinical trial Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, Mount Sinai researchers were among the first to show that anticoagulation therapy was associated with improved survival among hospitalized COVID-19 patients. But many questions remained—about the size of the potential benefit, and about what dosage of this therapy might be

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-08-27

A study confirms: with 95% masking, 57% of Covid-19 deaths could be prevented by fall.

A new Covid-19 prediction model makes another compelling case for wearing masks and cloth face coverings. If practically everyone in America wears masks while out in public, it could prevent tens of thousands of Covid-19 infections and deaths by the fall, according to researchers at the University of Washington’s Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME). “It is hard

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-08-26

To Stop COVID-19 Spread in Schools, Start with Local Data and Do the Math

Infection in General Population Mirrors Pediatric Prevalence, UCSF Study Shows Source UCSF As schools across the country continue to wrestle with configurations of online and in-classroom learning, a new study from UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals shows that public data and a simple equation may be all that is required to estimate the number of infected

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-08-25

Consistent mask- wearing could save close to 70,000 lives in the months to come in USA for NIH.

Source NIH “Masks save lives” isn’t just sound advice, it’s a scientific fact. Wearing one in public can help to slow the spread of SARS-CoV-2. Wear a mask outside home, doesn’t necessarily protect myself, but protect others. If by chance I’ve been exposed to the virus and am currently incubating it, I wouldn’t want to

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-08-25

Mayo Clinic Driven Expanded Access Program for Convalescent Plasma discontinues enrollment as FDA authorizes its emergency use

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorized emergency use of convalescent plasma and the national Expanded Access Program (EAP) for convalescent plasma led by Mayo Clinic announced its intention to discontinue enrollment. The five-month program served 2,780 hospital and acute care facilities, with nearly 14,000 physicians enrolling 101,000 patients and reports of 71,000 infused so far. Eligible patients who

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-08-25

Kidney involvement by SARS-CoV-2 increases the risk of mortality and acute kidney failure.

The research presented early in the course of Corona pandemic found that Covid-19 not as initially suspected a classic viral lung disease. Rather, the whole body is affected . A team from the University Hospital Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE) has now proven that the new coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 can also multiply in the kidneys . The novel corona virus can also multiply outside of the lungs, for example in the kidneys. Researchers at the University Medical Center

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-08-24

Not only antibodies: the role of B cells and T cells in mediating immunity to COVID-19

Recent reports that antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 are not maintained in the serum following recovery from the virus have caused alarm. However, the absence of specific antibodies in the serum does not necessarily mean an absence of immune memory. University of Bergen researchers have just published a paper on Nature Reviews Immunology. Immunity after infection with

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-08-24

FDA Covid-19 Convalescent Plasma Emergency Use Authorisation: Truth beyond Fictions

Source FDA Yesterday 08/23/2020 FDA has issued guidance to provide recommendations to health care providers and investigators on the administration and study of investigational convalescent plasma collected from individuals who have recovered from COVID-19 (COVID-19 convalescent plasma) during the public health emergency. The guidance provides recommendations on the following: pathways for use of investigational COVID-19 convalescent plasma

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-08-23

Risk of stroke in hospitalized SARS-CoV-2 infected patients. Results of a multinational study

There is an increased attention to stroke following SARS-CoV-2. The goal of this study was to better depict the short-term risk of stroke and its associated factors among SARS-CoV-2 hospitalized patients. This multicentre, multinational observational study includes hospitalized SARS-CoV-2 patients from North and South America (United States, Canada, and Brazil), Europe (Greece, Italy, Finland, and

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-08-22

An uncontrolled and placebo group lacking study on 35.000 patients suggests convalescent plasma shows a 3% reduced mortality in Covid-19 patients.

Infusing hospitalized Covid-19 patients with blood plasma from people who recovered from the disease appeared to show a benefit in a nationwide study, but the study’s lack of a placebo group left several experts struggling to interpret the data. The study, which enrolled more than 35,000 patients, found that quickly administering so-called convalescent plasma had

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-08-21

Study analyzes how SARS-CoV-2 undermines immune defenses

A new research study used whole-genome sequencing to analyze the genetic profile of patients with the SARS-CoV-2 virus to gain more insight into how it turns the body’s own immune system against itself. The findings could help researchers develop drugs to target the virus, according to an August 3 report in Nature Medicine. Researchers focused on

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-08-21

Mild coronavirus infections due to SARS-CoV-2 mutation

A mutant SARS-CoV-2 variant that has appeared in East Asia appears to cause milder infections than the form without this mutation. Overall, there are initial indications that the coronavirus could weaken. As early as January and February 2020, researchers from Singapore identified a SARS-CoV-2 variant in a cluster of Covid-19 patients that had a 382 base

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-08-21

Triad of molecules could predict severity of COVID-19

In a new study, published in Nature Medicine, researchers at the Francis Crick Institute, King’s College London and Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, have found a common immune signature in the blood of patients with COVID-19, which could be used to predict how severely ill a patient will become, thereby aiding patient management. The team analysed blood samples

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-08-20

Effects of COVID-19 on the nervous system: a review published on Cell

Neurological complications have emerged as a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Beside respiratory insufficiency, many hospitalized patients exhibit neurological manifestations, ranging from headache and loss of smell, to confusion and disabling strokes. COVID-19 is also anticipated to take a toll on the nervous system in the long term. In

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-08-20

Cytokine storm in COVID-19 patients may induce loss of transitional and follicular B cells

The release of massive amounts of proteins called cytokines can lead to some of the most severe symptoms of COVID-19. When large numbers of immune cells release cytokines, this increases inflammation and creates a feedback loop in which more immune cells are activated and this is sometimes called a cytokine storm. An August 19 study

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-08-17

Two existing drugs point to a potential new target against COVID-19

New lab-based studies show that two existing drugs, including one developed by a researcher at Harvard Medical School and Boston Children’s Hospital, inhibit SARS-CoV-2 — the virus that causes COVID-19 — from infecting human cells in a dish. Both drugs, vacuolin-1 and apilimod, originally developed years ago, target a large enzyme called PIKfyve kinase. Before

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-08-17

The six strains of SARS-CoV-2

The virus causing the COVID-19 pandemic, SARS-CoV-2, presents at least six strains. Despite its mutations, the virus shows little variability, and this is good news for the researchers working on a viable vaccine. These are the results of the most extensive study ever carried out on SARS-CoV-2 sequencing. Researchers at the University of Bologna drew

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-08-17

New study on JAMA Pediatrics: young kids may spread COVID-19 more efficiently than adults

A new study is challenging the idea that younger children are somehow less susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection. Children under the age of five have been found to carry just as much, if not more, coronavirus in their noses and throats than older kids or adults. The results, published Thursday (July 30) in JAMA Pediatrics, tested 145

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-08-17

What we know and don’t about Covid-19

It’s only been about seven months since the world learned a new and dangerous coronavirus was in our midst. In the time since Chinese scientists confirmed the rapidly spreading disease in Wuhan was caused by a new coronavirus and posted its genetic sequence on line, an extraordinary amount has been learned about the virus, SARS-CoV-2,

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-08-17

Quick and affordable saliva-based COVID-19 test developed by Yale scientists receives FDA Emergency Use Authorization

A saliva-based laboratory diagnostic test developed by researchers at the Yale School of Public Health to determine whether someone is infected with the novel coronavirus has been granted an emergency use authorization by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The method, called SalivaDirect, is being further validated as a test for asymptomatic individuals through

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-08-17

Regenerative Medicine & Advanced Therapies Sector Thriving Despite COVID-19 following a new report by ARM

In the early days of COVID-19, the Alliance for Regenerative Medicine (ARM) was unsure how the pandemic and its accompanying economic downturn would affect the cell and gene therapy space. “It was a really specific time when the world and the markets were clearly reeling from the first appreciation for the seriousness of COVID-19,” Janet

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-08-16

Pharmacological activation of NRF2 could be a way to combat Acute respiratory distress syndrome caused by SARSCoV2.

Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) caused by SARS-CoV-2 is largely the result of a dysregulated host response, followed by damage to alveolar cells and lung fibrosis. Exacerbated proinflammatory cytokines release (cytokine storm) and loss of T lymphocytes (lymphopenia) characterize the most aggressive presentation. A multifaceted anti-inflammatory strategy, based on pharmacological activation of nuclear factor erythroid

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-08-16

Important paper published on Cell by Morens and Fauci on Emerging Pandemic Diseases: How We Got To COVID-19

Infectious diseases prevalent in humans and animals are caused by pathogens that once emerged from other animal hosts. In addition to these established infections, new infectious diseases periodically emerge. In extreme cases they may cause pandemics such as COVID-19; in other cases, dead end infections or smaller epidemics result. Established diseases may also re-emerge, for

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-08-16

Defined the role of neutrophil extracellular traps in COVID-19 vascular occlusion. Efficacy of desamethasone, heparin and convalescent plasma.

Two papers recently published on EBioMedicine confirm that the excessive NET formation drives immunopathology in severe COVID-19 associated disseminated pulmonary intravascular coagulopathy. Coronavirus induced disease 2019 (COVID-19) can be complicated by severe organ damage leading to dysfunction of the lungs and other organs. The processes that trigger organ damage in COVID-19 are incompletely understood. Samples

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-08-15

Robust T cell immunity in convalescent individuals with asymptomatic or mild COVID-19

Important study on T cells in SARSCoV2 published in Cell from Marcus Buggert et al. CIM Sweden Karolinska Institute. SARS-CoV-2-specific memory T cells will likely prove critical for long-term immune protection against COVID-19. In this paper are systematically mapped the functional and phenotypic landscape of SARS-CoV-2-specific T cell responses in unexposed individuals, exposed family members,

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-08-05

NIH will test synthetic monoclonal antibodies and other experimental therapeutics for mild and moderate COVID-19

Initial clinical trial to determine if monoclonal antibodies can shorten severity of COVID-19 in outpatients. Source NIH A Phase 2 clinical trial will evaluate the safety and efficacy of potential new therapeutics for COVID-19, including an investigational therapeutic based on synthetic monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) to treat the disease. Researchers sponsored by the National Institute of

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-07-28

Singapore scientists uncover SARS-CoV-2-specific T cell immunity in recovered COVID-19 & SARS patients, and in uninfected individuals

Singapore study shows that SARS-CoV-2-specific T cells are present in all recovered COVID-19 patients. These T cells were also found in all subjects who recovered from SARS 17 years ago, and in over 50% of both SARS-CoV-1 and SARS-CoV-2 uninfected individuals tested, suggesting that a level of pre-existing SARS-CoV-2 immunity is present in the general

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-07-25

Researchers of UT Health San Antonio found SARS-Cov-2 makes itself unrecognizable to cells

With an alarm code, we can enter a building without bells going off. It turns out that the SARS coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has the same advantage entering cells. It possesses the code to waltz right in. On July 24 in Nature Communications, researchers at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (UT Health

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-07-25

Ineffectiveness of Hydroxychloroquine with or without Azithromycin in Mild-to-Moderate Covid-19

Hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin have been used to treat patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19). However, evidence on the safety and efficacy ofthese therapies is limited. A multicenter, randomized, open-label, three-group, controlled trial was conducted involving hospitalized patients with suspected or confirmed Covid-19 who were receiving either no supplemental oxygen or a maximum of 4 liters

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-07-25

Rare TLR7 Variants Implicated in COVID-19 Severity in Case Study of Affected Brothers

Rare genetic alterations in the TLR7 gene may have predisposed two sets of brothers to falling severely ill with COVID-19, a new research has found. People infected with SARS-CoV-2 exhibit a range of symptoms, and while age, sex, and comorbidities such as diabetes and obesity may predispose patients to more severe disease, there is emerging

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-07-23

High-dose glucocorticoids and IL-6 receptor inhibition reduce COVID-19-associated cytokine storm mortality

The Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases, the journal of the European League Against Rheumatism, EULAR, has published findings of an observational study on the treatment of patients with COVID-19-associated Cytokine storm syndrome (CSS). The study demonstrates that a treatment strategy combining intensive immunosuppression (using glucocorticoids and an IL-6 inhibitor) as well as close monitoring dramatically improves

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-07-22

Six symptom clusters in Covid19: A potential clinical prediction tool from the COVID Symptom study app

An analysis of data obtained from a symptom tracker app has shown that there are six distinct “types” of covid-19, each distinguished by a cluster of symptoms. The researchers said that these types could be used to predict the need for respiratory support in severe covid-19. The study is available online as a preprint and

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-07-21

Rapid Decay of Anti–SARS-CoV-2 Antibodies in Persons with Mild Covid-19

A recent article suggested the rapid decay of anti–SARS-CoV-2 IgG in early infection, but the rate was not described in detail. In this correspondence just published on The New England Journal a total of 31 of the 34 participants had two serial measurements of IgG levels and the remaining 3 participants had three serial measurements.

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-07-21

International Society Thrombosis and Hemostasis Experts Explain New Blood Clotting Phenomenon in Hospitalized COVID-19 Patients

As the world continues to learn more about COVID-19, emerging data reveals that hospitalized patients with COVID-19 have an increased risk for blood clots. In a new Illustrated Review published in Research and Practice in Thrombosis and Haemostasis (RPTH) , leading thrombosis experts Prof. Beverley Hunt, OBE, and Prof. Marcel Levi, explain a clotting phenomenon found in most hospitalized

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-07-20

Korean study shows teenagers may transmit COVID-19 as much as adults do

Since the early days of the coronavirus pandemic, scientists and health authorities have often observed that children do not appear to contract and transmit the virus to the same extent as adults. While the mechanisms behind this reduced vulnerability have remained somewhat mysterious and speculative, new evidence from South Korea shows that the age of children is also a vital factor to

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-07-20

Covid-19 and convalescent plasma treatment potential: the NIH position

Recommendation There are insufficient data for the COVID-19 Treatment Guidelines Panel (the Panel) to recommend either for or against the use of COVID-19 convalescent plasma for the treatment of COVID-19. Rationale for Recommendation Thousands of patients in the United States have received COVID-19 convalescent plasma through clinical trials, expanded access treatment trials, and single-patient Emergency Investigational New

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-07-19

A synergistic role of convalescent plasma and mesenchymal stem cells in the treatment of severely ill COVID-19 patients: a clinical case report

Acute respiratory distress syndrome virus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) responsible for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection, which causes global public health emergencies, has sped widely for more than 5 months and has the risk of long-term transmission. No effective treatment has been discovered to date. In the cases reported, the patient continued to deteriorate even after administration of

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-07-19

Haematological characteristics and risk factors in the classification and prognosis evaluation of COVID-19: a retrospective cohort study

COVID-19 is an ongoing global pandemic. Changes in haematological characteristics in patients with COVID-19 are emerging as important features of the disease. The authors aimed to explore the haematological characteristics and related risk factors in patients with COVID-19. This retrospective cohort study included patients with COVID-19 admitted to three designated sites of Wuhan Union Hospital

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-07-16

In severe Covid-19 deaths, autopsies point the finger at immune response

An autopsy-based study of 11 people who died from COVID-19 shows a mismatch between viral hotspots in the body and sites of inflammation and organ damage. This suggests that immune responses, rather than the virus itself, are responsible for death. The survey of 37 anatomical sites, including lungs, found that some tissues harboured the virus

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-07-16

Study identifies factors associated with death in critically ill COVID-19 USA patients

More than 3,5 million people in the United States have been infected with COVID-19 and more than 138,000 have died. More people have died of COVID-19 in the U.S. than in any other country, but few studies offer national data on the factors that may contribute to outcomes for critically ill patients. To address this

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-07-16

Risk Factors Associated With Mortality Among Patients With COVID-19 in Intensive Care Units in Lombardy, Italy

This study, published on JAMA, evaluates the independent risk factors associated with mortality of patients with COVID-19 requiring treatment in ICUs in the Lombardy region of Italy. This retrospective, observational cohort study includes 3988 consecutive critically ill patients with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 referred forICU admission to the coordinating center of the COVID-19 Lombardy ICU Network from

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-07-15

Fragments of Life: CAR-T cells, a success in the frontier of medicine become a video game

RESTORE, a pan-European initiative that aims to accelerate the availability of Advanced Therapies for the benefit of patients and society, is working on a video game to raise awareness of the field of Advanced Therapies. One room, 60 photographs, a whole life. Ready to relive Ella’s story? Available within the next few weeks for free

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-07-15

Prognostic factors associated with mortality risk and disease progression in 639 critically ill patients with COVID-19 in Europe: Initial report of the international RISC-19-ICU prospective observational cohort

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is associated with a high disease burden with 10% of confirmed cases progressing towards critical illness. Nevertheless, the disease course and predictors of mortality in critically ill patients are poorly understood. Following the critical developments in ICUs in regions experiencing early inception of the pandemic, the European-based, international RIsk Stratification in

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-06-26

Myocarditis in a 16-year-old boy positive for SARS-CoV-2

A team of University of Pavia, Italy presents on Lancet the case of 16-year-old boy admitted to emergency department, complaining of intense chest pain started 1 h earlier. The day before he had a fever of 38·3°C thatdecreased after 100 mg of nimesulide. He reported no other symptoms, no medical history, and no contact with

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-06-24

Covid-19:RECOVERY trial publishes preprint on dexamethasone use in ventilated patients

University of Oxford’s RECOVERY trial published its much anticipated preprint paper on the drug’s effect on Covid-19. The paper states that the drug cuts deaths in ventilated patients by one third and deaths in other admitted patients receiving oxygen by only one fifth. The headline findings of the trial were reported by the investigators on 16

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-06-22

Mayo Clinic finds convalescent plasma safe for diverse patients with COVID-19

Mayo Clinic researchers and collaborators have found investigational convalescent plasma to be safe following transfusion in a diverse group of 20,000 patients. The findings — from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Expanded Access Program for COVID-19 — are reported in Mayo Clinic Proceedings. The safety report assessed the seven days following transfusion for hospitalized patients between April

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-06-18

Is severe Covid-19 risk tied to Genes and Blood Type ?

Many people who contract COVID-19 have only a mild illness, or sometimes no symptoms at all. But others develop respiratory failure that requires oxygen support or even a ventilator to help them recover [1]. It’s clear that this happens more often in men than in women, as well as in people who are older or

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-06-13

In JAMA Patient Page an information on Convalescent Plasma and Covid-19

Donated convalescent plasma may be beneficial to patients with severecoronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) to boost their ability to fight the virus. What Is Convalescent Plasma?Most people who recover from COVID-19 develop antibodies (proteins that the immune system produces in response to infection) to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARSCoV-2). Antibodies are found in plasma,

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-06-10

MSC Therapy for Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome; It’s Time to Accelerate Clinical Trials for COVID-19 Patients in Need

A new systematic review and meta-analysis of clinical studies using mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) led by a team at the Mayo Clinic, and including researchers from Emory, Duke, Case-Western, and the University of Miami, shows a trend toward improved outcomes and reduced mortality for patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS)—a major complication for patients with COVID-19.

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-06-06

Microglia in the olfactory bulb have a nose for protecting the brain from infection

Source NIH Researchers at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), a part of the National Institutes of Health, have identified a specific, front-line defense that limits the infection to the olfactory bulb and protects the neurons of the olfactory bulb from damage due to the infection. Neurons in the nose respond to

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-06-06

TEG test can identify undetected blood clots in COVID-19 ICU patients

Researchers at Baylor College of Medicine are recommending that all COVID-19 patients admitted to the ICU undergo a thromboelastography (TEG) to test for the risk of forming blood clots. This recommendation comes after they found that more than half of the patients tested under these same conditions developed clinically significant blood clots that went undetected using routine

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-06-06

Study identifies inhibition of Bruton tyrosine kinase as potential approach to treat severe respiratory distress in patients with COVID-19

Early data from a clinical study suggest that blocking the Bruton tyrosine kinase (BTK) protein provided clinical benefit to a small group of patients with severe COVID-19. Researchers observed that the off-label use of the cancer drug acalabrutinib, a BTK inhibitor that is approved to treat several blood cancers, was associated with reduced respiratory distress

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-06-04

A published trial on Convalescent Plasma in Covid-19 doesn’t show conclusive results but severely ill patients recovered five days faster

Infusions of antibody-rich blood plasma from people who have recovered from the coronavirus, so-called convalescent plasma, failed to make a difference in a study of hospitalized patients in China, researchers reported on Wednesday in the Journal of the American Medical Association. In a randomized trial involving 103 COVID-19 patients, convalescent plasma made no difference in

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-06-02

APPA: New effective treatment for harmful effects of neutrophils in inflammatory diseases found at the Liverpool University

New research conducted by the University of Liverpool and AKL Research and Development Ltd (AKLRD), published in Inflammopharmacology, highlights the potential benefits of a new drug treatment on the human body’s immune response in inflammation. In a number of inflammatory conditions, such as osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and, more recently, COVID-19, major complications and extensive tissue damage can occur

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-05-29

Lymphopenia, neutrophilia and cytokines in severe Covid-19 patients

The dynamic changes of lymphocyte subsets, neutrophils and cytokines profiles of patients with novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and their correlation with the disease severity has been studied in a paper recently published on EBioMedicine https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ebiom.2020.102763. Of the 40 COVID-19 patients enrolled, 13 severe cases showed significant and sustained decreases in lymphocyte counts, but increases in

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-05-29

Early Indicators: Investigational convalescent plasma is safe for patients with COVID-19

The first safety study communications overview, Early Safety Indicators of COVID-19 Convalescent Plasma in 5,000 Patients, for the national expanded access program for convalescent plasma has been published https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.05.12.20099879v1 The report tells us: Mayo Clinic and collaborators reported safety data on the first 5,000 hospitalized patients transfused with investigational convalescent plasma as part of the

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-05-29

Face masks essential in combating spread of SARS-CoV-2 aerosols and droplets

SARS-CoV-2 spread occurs through the transmission of droplets and aerosols from infected people through speaking, breathing, coughing, and sneezing. Wearing masks can reduce the airborne transmission of the novel coronavirus, a new study finds. The research is published in the journal Science. The team of researchers at the University of California San Diego and the National Sun Yat-sen

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-05-28

Neutrophil Extracellular Traps are involved in Severe COVID-19 proteolytic storm

Neutrophil released NETs to control microbial/viral infections, could serve as a therapeutic target in coronavirus infections. In March this year, Dr. Knight and Kanthy of Michigan University observed a striking similarity between an autoimmune disease known as antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) and COVID-19. Both conditions appeared to involve blood clots in arteries, veins, and the microvasculature.

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-05-28

Type I and Type III Interferons – Induction, Signaling, Evasion, and Application to Combat COVID-19

In this review, published in Cell Host & Microbe, it’s described the recent progress in understanding of both type I and type III IFN-mediated innate antiviral responses against human coronaviruses and discussed the potential use of IFNs as a treatment strategy for COVID-19. Type I and type III IFNs establish the cellular state of viral

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-05-27

In Covid-19 neutrophils induce an imbalanced “proteolytic storm”, fighted by human plasma transfusion proteolytic cascades balancing.

In a recent Comment published on EBioMedicine entitled “COVID-19 as a STING disorder with delayed oversecretion of Interferon-beta”, Berthelot and Lioté suggests that SARS-CoV-2 firstly inhibits interferon release but the NETs self-DNA induces delayed activation of STING with“cytokine storm”, causing the combination of interstitial lung disease and inflammatory vasculopathy. The assumption that SARS-CoV-2 had no

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-05-23

Covid-19 critical conditions are due to neutrophils unfriendly fire inducing “proteolytic storm” and human plasma can be a fire hose.

In a paper just published on Preprints, REGENHEALTHSOLUTIONS Research Team shows that, in Covid-19 critically ill patients, serine proteases released by recruited neutrophils are responsible for endothelitis, NETosis, platelet activation, ULVWF multimers release, thrombi formation and MOF for viral sepsis. Based on Chinese CDCP report on COVID-19, 14% of patients presented severe disease and 5%

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-05-22

Covid-19: Cases of inflammatory syndrome in children surge after urgent alert

There has been a surge in cases of an inflammatory syndrome in children, believed to be linked to covid-19, following an alert to doctors in the UK at the end of April. The syndrome, which in the UK is referred to as the “paediatric inflammatory multisystem syndrome which is temporarily associated with SARS-CoV-2,” has also

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-05-10

Newly discovered cell type plays crucial role in immune response to respiratory infections and explains how Covid-19 convalescent plasma helps to boost immune responses in virus-infected patients.

With a discovery that could rewrite the immunology textbooks, an international group of scientists, including the teams of Bart Lambrecht, Martin Guilliams, Hamida Hammad, and Charlotte Scott (all from the VIB-UGent Center for Inflammation Research) identified a new type of antigen-presenting immune cell. These cells, that are part of an expanding family of dendritic cells,

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-05-10

Convalescent antibodies are getting first-choice for Covid-19 treatment

Antibodies from blood donated by people who recovered from the illness and hyper-immunoglobulins are becoming treatments of choice for COVID-19, with recombinant polyclonal antibody approaches to follow. A group of US academic researchers has sparked a nationwide effort to encourage people who have recovered from COVID-19 to donate plasma, which will be used to treat patients across

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-05-09

Observational Study of Hydroxychloroquine in Hospitalized Patients with Covid-19

In a paper recently published by a team of New York researchers Hydroxychloroquine administration was not associated with either a greatly lowered or an increased risk of the composite end point of intubation or death. Hydroxychloroquine has been widely administered to patients with Covid-19 without robust evidence supporting its use. The association between hydroxychloroquine use

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-05-09

Covid-19 Treatment with a Triple combination of interferon beta-1b, lopinavir–ritonavir, and ribavirin

Effective antiviral therapy is important for tackling the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. In this paper published on The Lancet the efficacy and safety of combined interferon beta-1b, lopinavir–ritonavir, and ribavirin for treating patients with COVID-19 was assessed. Methods This was a multicentre, prospective, open-label, randomised, phase 2 trial in adults with COVID-19 who were

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-05-09

Can COVID-19 Cause Sepsis? Explaining the Relationship Between the Coronavirus Disease and Sepsis

The rapid global spread of the novel coronavirus SARS–CoV–2 has caused societal, economic, and medical upheaval not seen since the 1918 influenza pandemic. As of May 9th, cases were confirmed in 203 countries, areas or territories, with over 3.9 million confirmed cases and over 275,000 deaths. Further, many experts believe these numbers to be a

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-05-07

Cytokine storm may cause T-cell exhaustion in COVID-19 patients

Cytokine storms may impact the severity of COVID-19 cases by lowering T-cell populations, according to a study published in Frontiers in Immunology on May 1. The immune response against virus-infected cells often requires activation of cytotoxic T cells to clear infection. Therefore, a boost in number and function of T cells — a specialized type of white

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-05-06

FDA Recommendations for Investigational COVID-19 Convalescent Plasma

FDA has issued guidance to provide recommendations to health care providers and investigators on the administration and study of investigational convalescent plasma collected from individuals who have recovered from COVID-19 (COVID-19 convalescent plasma) during the public health emergency. The guidance provides recommendations on the following: pathways for use of investigational COVID-19 convalescent plasma patient eligibility collection of

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-05-06

COVID-19 Convalescent Plasma Transfusion: European Commission support a study

EU CCP Database – Covid-19 convalescent plasma collection and transfusion in the EU The European Commission is working together with Member States, the European Blood Alliance (EBA), the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and other health professionals to support a study of convalescent plasma as a treatment for COVID-19 patients. The study complements the guidance issued

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-05-05

Confirmation of the high cumulative incidence of thrombotic complications in critically ill ICU patients with COVID-19: An updated analysis

A high cumulative incidence of thrombotic complications was reported in critically ill patients with COVID-19 admitted to the intensive care units (ICUs) of three Dutch hospitals. The incidence was re-evaluated of the composite outcome of symptomatic acute pulmonary embolism (PE), deep-vein thrombosis, ischemic stroke, myocardial infarction and/or systemic arterial embolism in all COVID-19 patients admitted

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-05-04

Convalescent plasma can become first-choice treatment for Covid-19

Antibodies from blood donated by people who recovered from the illness and hyper-immunoglobulins are becoming treatments of choice for COVID-19, with recombinant polyclonal antibody approaches to follow. A group of US academic researchers has sparked a nationwide effort to encourage people who have recovered from COVID-19 to donate plasma, which will be used to treat patients across

No Comments InCovid-19

PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-05-04

Interactions between neutrophil extracellular traps and activated platelets enhance procoagulant activity. Possible role in Covid-19 complications

NETs played a pivotal role in the hypercoagulability of stroke patients. Strategies that prevent NET formation may offer a potential therapeutic strategy for thromboembolism interventions in Covid-19 patients. Sivelestat, anti-MMP9 antibody, and APC inhibit the cytotoxic effects of NET to protect ECs and decrease PCA, suggesting their critical role in preventing thrombotic complications in atherosclerosis

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-05-01

EMA warns against using unproven cell-based therapies

EMA’s Committee for Advanced Therapies (CAT) is advising patients and the general public against using unregulated cell-based therapies which may not be safe or effective. The CAT’s advice is in response to individuals, companies and hospitals promoting unproven cell-based therapies as cures for a broad range of conditions including cancer, cardiovascular diseases, autism,cerebral palsy, muscular

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-05-01

Overview of convalescent plasma therapeutic use in Covid-19

An extensive overview of convalescent plasma therapeutic use in Covid-19 has just been published on JAMA 30 April. The analysed points are the following: need of randomised controlled trials: Without randomized controlled trials, researchers can’t be sure whether patients recovered because of an experimental therapy or in spite of it. Yet virtually everything that’s known

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-04-30

A SARS-CoV-2 protein interaction map reveals targets for drug repurposing

The novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, the causative agent of COVID-19 respiratorydisease, has infected over 2.3 million people, killed over 160,000, and causedworldwide social and economic disruption.There are currently no antiviral drugs with proven clinical efficacy, nor are there vaccines for its prevention, and these efforts are hampered by limited knowledge of the molecular details of SARS-CoV-2

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-04-30

In Covid-19 recovered patients, South Korean KCDC experts found false positives, not reinfections

South Korea’s infectious disease experts said Thursday that dead virus fragments were the likely cause of over 260 people here testing positive again for the novel coronavirus days and even weeks after marking full recoveries. Oh Myoung-don, who leads the central clinical committee for emerging disease control, said the committee members found little reason to

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-04-29

Covid-19: concerns grow over inflammatory syndrome emerging in children

Doctors in the UK have been warned over a rising number of children presenting with a multisystem inflammatory state and needing intensive care. In an urgent alert shared by North Central London Clinical Commissioning Group and the Paediatric Intensive Care Society, doctors were told that while the unspecified number of cases may be connected to the

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-04-25

Higher Levels of NETs in Blood Associated with More Severe COVID-19

New study explores the connection between levels of a type of white blood cell, known as a neutrophil, with the severity of COVID-19. New research finds a connection between destructive white blood cells and a more severe disease course in patients with COVID-19. “We found that patients with COVID-19 infection have higher blood levels of

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-04-21

Convalescent plasma for the prevention and treatment of COVID-19. Why to use and When ?

Data from rigorously controlled clinical trials of convalescent plasma are few, underscoring the need to evaluate its use objectively for a range of indications (e.g., prevention vs treatment) and patient populations (e.g., age, comorbid disease). An overview of convalescent plasma, from evidence of benefit, regulatory considerations, logistical work flow and proposed clinical trials have been

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-04-18

DARPA-funded microchip technology optimizes convalescent plasma therapy for COVID-19 patients

A consortium of California scientists from government, academia and business today published an initial manuscript describing a novel approach to prepare convalescent plasma for COVID-19 patients in BioRxiv. In the paper, senior author Saahir Khan, MD, PhD, from the University of California, Irvine Department of Medicine, reports the use of a new and more accurate way

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-04-17

Remdesivir: how does it work and what we know on its activity against Covid-19

Over the past several weeks, a mind-boggling array of possible therapies have been considered. None have yet been proven to be effective in rigorously controlled trials, but for one of them, it’s been a busy week. Source NIH So let’s focus on an experimental anti-viral drug, called remdesivir, that was originally developed for the deadly

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-04-12

New clinical trial launches to test efficacy of cell therapy for severe COVID-19 cases

After a lightening round of proposals and reviews, an international team of scientists led by Dr. Camillo Ricordi was granted immediate FDA authorization for a 24-patient clinical trial to test the safety and exploratory efficacy of umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells (UC-MSCs) to block the life-threatening lung inflammation that accompanies severe cases of COVID-19. We are very

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-04-07

Chinese scientists seeking potential COVID-19 treatment find ‘effective’ antibodies in convalescent plasma

A team of Chinese scientists has isolated several antibodies that it says are “extremely effective” at blocking the ability of the new coronavirus to enter cells, which eventually could be helpful in treating or preventing COVID-19. There is currently no proven effective treatment for the disease, which originated in China and is spreading across the

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-04-02

Renin–Angiotensin–Aldosterone System Inhibitors in Patients with Covid-19

With so much information swirling around these days about the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, it would be easy to miss one of the most interesting and significant basic science reports of the past few weeks. Source NIH It’s a paper published in the journal Science that presents an atomic-scale snapshot showing the 3D structure of

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-04-02

Controlling Covid-19 using a mobile app to trace close proximity contacts

A team of medical researchers and bioethicists at Oxford University has published results in Science that furthers understanding of Covid-19 transmission. The evidence is enabling several international partners, including the Norwegian Institute of Public Health (FHI) and NHSX, a joint unit comprised of teams from NHS England and the UK’s Department of Health & Social Care, to assess the

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-04-02

Testing Individuals for Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). A contribution for patients in JAMA

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection can be diagnosed using a test called polymerase chain reaction (PCR). What Is the PCR Test for COVID-19 Infection? Samples are taken from places likely to have the virus that causes COVID-19, like the back of the nose or mouth or deep inside the lungs. After a sample is collected,

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-03-27

Relaxing Wuhan Covid-19 lockdown too soon will fuel second wave, study warns

Relaxing social distancing rules and lifting coronavirus closures in Wuhan, China — where the outbreak emerged — too soon could fuel a second wave of infections, according to a new study, published in the Lancet Public Health journal, suggesting that things should not go back to normal in Wuhan before April. In December, 2019, severe

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-03-27

Tech workers from Apple, Amazon and Google build Covid-19 tracker

COVID Near You was built by a group of tech volunteers to help the public easily report COVID-19 symptoms or testing activity. Using these reports, the tracker maps this information to provide local and national views of the illness. The site is a sister tool of Flu Near You, a brainchild of Ending Pandemics and Boston Children’s

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-03-26

Can convalescent plasma help saving severe Covid-19 patients life ?

Wuhan researchers have published a non peer-reviewed anedoctical clinical paper on a pilot study using convalescent plasma in 10 critical Covid-19 patients In this study, ten severe patients confirmed by real-time viral RNA test were enrolled prospectively. One dose of 200 mL convalescent plasma (CP) derived from recently recovered donors with the neutralizing antibody titers

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-03-13

COVID-19 and Italy: what next? A new modelling study published on Lancet

Coronavirus statistics: is Italy the new China? After several weeks of fighting the epidemic, the situation in China finally seems to come back under control. But can we say that even in our country we will see similar results? How are they similar and how do their situations differ? We therefore report the statistics on

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2020-01-24

A validated composite model to predict risk of curve progression in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis

A newly published study on @EClinicalMed by @CUHKofficial aims to formulate a composite model composed of clinical parameters and circulating markers in the prediction of curve progression. In adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS), the continuous search for effective prognostication of significant curve progression at the initial clinical consultation to inform decision for timely treatment and to

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2019-12-27

Hematopoietic stem cell marker: A key player in the ontogeny of hematopoiesis

A group of researchers at Osaka University revealed that endothelial cell-selective adhesion molecule (ESAM), a surface marker for hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) and vascular endothelial cells (ECs), played an important role in the ontogeny of hematopoiesis in mice, particularly in the development of adult-type erythropoiesis. Their research results were published in Stem Cell Reports. In hematopoiesis,

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2019-12-27

Current Immunotherapy: Progress With Adoptive Cellular Therapies and Combinations

Source Targeted Oncology The clinical development and application of cancer immunotherapy over the past decade has translated the long-standing knowledge of the close relationship between cancerous tissues and lymphoid immune cells, dating back to the late 19th century.1,2 Today, cancer immunotherapies, all of which recruit the body’s own immune system to target and eliminate cancer cells,

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2019-12-27

Engineered 3D Polymer and Hydrogel Microenvironments for Cell Culture Applications

In the recently published ‘Engineered 3D Polymer and Hydrogel Microenvironments for Cell Culture Applications,’ authors Daniel Fan, Urs Staufer, and Angelo Accardo explore the world of bioengineering and microenvironments, reviewing the best types of methods, materials, and challenges that must be met. Material properties are one of the most highly discussed topics today in 3D

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2019-12-19

Production and Quality Requirements of Human Platelet Lysate: A Position Statement from the Working Party on Cellular Therapies of the International Society of Blood Transfusion

Human platelet lysate (HPL), rich in growth factors, is an efficient alternative supplement to fetal bovine serum (FBS) for ex vivo propagation of stromal cell-based medicinal products. Since 2014, HPL has been a focus of the Working Party for Cellular Therapies of the International Society of Blood Transfusion (ISBT). Currently, as several Good Manufacturing Practice

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2019-11-01

The Alliance for Regenerative Medicine Outlines Recommendations for Increasing the Number of European-Based ATMP Clinical Trials

Europe has become less competitive than other regions in attracting new ATMP clinical trials. Faster and more streamlined review processes for clinical trials by regulatory authorities are fundamental to increase clinical research and development in Europe. There is considerable country-to-country variability within Europe: the UK has the highest absolute number of new ATMP clinical trials,

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2019-10-23

NIH launches new collaboration with Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to develop gene-based cures for sickle cell disease and HIV on global scale

Source NIH Initial investment aims to advance accessible and scalable candidate interventions into clinical trials within 10 years. The National Institutes of Health plans to invest at least $100 million over the next four years toward an audacious goal: develop affordable, gene-based cures for sickle cell disease (SCD) and HIV. The Bill & Melinda Gates

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2019-10-02

NIH researchers create new viral vector for improved gene therapy in sickle cell disease

Source NIH ‘Forward-oriented’ design might boost treatment effectiveness and broaden use. Researchers at the National Institutes of Health have developed a new and improved viral vector—a virus-based vehicle that delivers therapeutic genes—for use in gene therapy for sickle cell disease. In advanced lab tests using animal models, the new vector was up to 10 times

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2019-10-02

RESTORE Large Scale Research Initiative community presents 1st Advanced Therapies Science Meeting (1st ATSM) in Berlin, 25-26 November 2019

What are the research challenges slowing development of curative treatments and what are the roadblocks for the wider adoption of Advanced Therapies in clinical routine? Join the conversation at the1st Advanced Therapies Science Meeting (1st ATSM)in Berlin, 25-26 November 2019 to explore the latest trends in the field and to discuss the Advanced Therapies Roadmap 2030 that

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2019-09-20

Future and Emerging Technologies Flagships and Large Research Initiatives

European Commission, Digital Single Market has published a new Factsheet/Infographic on FET Flagships and Large Research Initiative. These visionary, long-term, large-scale research initiatives address major science and technology challenges in Europe. They involve hundreds of research teams with the aim of boosting the EU’s scientific and industrial landscape.

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2019-09-09

A 3D printer to produce human organs in space? Discover the experiments taking place in zero-gravity

Source Euronews Euronews space correspondent and European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut Luca Parmitano has been in space for a month now. His first mission was to “catch a Dragon” – a cargo vehicle which brings payloads for astronauts onboard the International Space Station (ISS). Once the dragon was “captured”, Luca and his team received new scientific equipment to start working on

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PIER MARIA FORNASARI
2019-09-06

Health Technology Assessment of Gene Therapies in Europe and the USA: Analysis and Future Considerations

Gene therapies constitute a new concept of transformative therapies, administered once in a lifetime. The value assessment of these innovative therapies constitutes a challenge for health technology assessment (HTA) bodies. The HTA reports for all seven gene therapies that have to date been granted a market authorization in the European Union (EU) and/or the United

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