Synthetic elements developed to inactivate SARS-CoV-2 virus

A new class of synthetic elements has been developed that not only block the entry of SARS-CoV-2 virus into body cells, but also clump the virus particles together, thereby reducing their ability to spread infection. This novel approach can provide an alternative mechanism to render viruses like Corona inactive.

The rapid emergence of new strains of SARS-CoV-2 virus has diminished the protection offered by various Covid-19 vaccines. This mandated a fresh approach to check infection by this virus and the new class of peptides, which is a form of amino acid produced by the body, appears to be promising antivirals.

It is an established fact that protein-protein interaction is often like that of a lock and a key. This interaction can be hampered by synthetic peptide that mimics, competes with and prevents the key from binding to the lock and vice versa.

Scientists at the Institute of Microbial Technology, Chandigarh, in collaboration with researchers from the Indian Institute of Science, have exploited this approach to design peptides that can bind to and block the spike protein on the surface of SARS-CoV-2 virus. This binding was further characterised extensively by various biophysical methods. The researchers tested the peptide for toxicity in mammalian cells in the laboratory and found it to be safe.

When hamsters were administered doses of the peptide and exposed to a high dose of SARS-CoV-2 virus, they showed decreased viral load and much lower cell damage in the lungs as compared to hamsters exposed only to the virus, the statement added.

Strains reduced vax protection

The rapid emergence of new strains of SARS-CoV-2 virus, which has caused havoc across the globe over the past two-and-a-half years, has diminished the protection offered by various Covid-19 vaccines.

 

This is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.   

https://gscrochetdesigns.blogspot.com. one can see my crochet creations  
https://gseasyrecipes.blogspot.com. feel free to view for easy, simple and healthy recipes    
https://kneereplacement-stickclub.blogspot.com. for info on knee replacement

 

 

 

These 3 Mistakes Can Render Hand Sanitizer Ineffective

The use of hand sanitizer has increased greatly in recent months, as it is the best way to keep our hands clean on the go when soap and water are not readily available. Keeping the hands clean is key in the protection against the novel coronavirus, and having a bottle of alcohol-based hand sanitizer is great. However, squirting some on your hands and giving them a quick wipe may not be enough. For the sanitizer to be as effective as possible, it is important to make sure it’s up to the CDC standard (contains at least 60% alcohol), isn’t expired, and that you avoid the following mistakes when using it.

1. Not using enough

According to the CDC, the proper amount of hand sanitizer should cover the entire surface of your hands. Not putting enough sanitizer on your palm is the most common mistake people make. If you’re worried about using too much, you can rest assured it doesn’t hold any risks. According to health experts, using too much is better than using too little. Make sure you get both sides of your fingertips, between the fingers and the outsides of your thumbs. For your convenience, there is an infographic with the proper instructions at the bottom of the page.

 

2. Not waiting for the sanitizer to dry

The time that the sanitizer is on your hands before it dries is the time it’s working to inactivate certain bacteria and viruses. The CDC says you should rub your hands together for about 20 seconds until they feel dry. If you don’t do so, you can end up wiping the sanitizer off on something you touch, and thus prevent it from doing its job and render it ineffective.

3. You rely solely on hand sanitizer

As mentioned earlier, hand sanitizer is a great resource when water and soap are inaccessible. If possible, washing your hands is proven to be the most effective way to annihilate germs. Moreover, if there is grease or dirt on your hands from handling food or playing sports, for example, hand sanitizer simply will not do the trick. “If there is dirt covering part of your hand, hand sanitizer cannot really effectively get to the surface of your hand,” said Dr. Zeke J. McKinney in a statement to Huffington Post. “People think hand sanitizer is a reasonable replacement for washing your hands, but it definitely is not”. 

 

Recognize that using hand sanitizer properly is an effective way to slow the potential spread of the coronavirus, but it should not be the only preventative measure you are taking. 

 

Step by step guide to applying hand sanitizer correctly:

This is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.     

https://gscrochetdesigns.blogspot.com. one can see my crochet creations  
https://gseasyrecipes.blogspot.com. feel free to view for easy, simple and healthy recipes    
https://kneereplacement-stickclub.blogspot.com. for info on knee replacement

Cold plasma can kill 99.9 per cent of airborne viruses

Dangerous airborne viruses can be rendered harmless on-the-fly when exposed to 'cold plasma' -- a stream of energetic, charged fragments of air molecules, scientists have found. The team hopes to one day harness this capability to replace the surgical mask.

The researchers have measured the virus-killing speed and effectiveness of nonthermal plasmas -- the ionised, or charged, particles that form around electrical discharges such as sparks. A nonthermal plasma reactor was able to inactivate or remove from the airstream 99.9 per cent of a test virus, with the vast majority due to inactivation.

Achieving these results in a fraction of a second within a stream of air holds promise for many applications where sterile air supplies are needed.

"The most difficult disease transmission route to guard against is airborne because we have relatively little to protect us when we breathe," said a research associate .

To gauge nonthermal plasmas' effectiveness, researchers pumped a model virus -- harmless to humans -- into flowing air as it entered a reactor. Inside the reactor, borosilicate glass beads are packed into a cylindrical shape, or bed. The viruses in the air flow through the spaces between the beads and that is where they are inactivated.

"By passing through the packed bed, pathogens in the air stream are oxidised by unstable atoms called radicals. What's left is a virus that has diminished ability to infect cells," he said in a statement. 

During the tests researchers also tracked the amount of viral genome that was present in the air. In this way, researchers were able to determine that more than 99 per cent of the air sterilising effect was due to inactivating the virus that was present, with the remainder of the effect due to filtering the virus from the air stream.

This parallel approach -- combining filtration and inactivation of airborne pathogens -- could provide a more efficient way of providing sterile air than technologies used today, such as filtration and ultraviolet light.  Traditional masks operate using only filtration for protection. Ultraviolet irradiation can't sterilise as quickly, as thoroughly or as compactly has nonthermal plasma.

The team has begun testing their reactor on ventilation air streams at a livestock farm. Animal agriculture and its vulnerability to contagious livestock diseases such as avian influenza has a demonstrated near-term need for such technologies.

THIS IS ONLY FOR INFORMATION, ALWAYS CONSULT YOU PHYSICIAN BEFORE HAVING ANY PARTICULAR FOOD/ MEDICATION/EXERCISE/OTHER REMEDIES.                                    PS- THOSE INTERESTED IN RECIPES ARE FREE TO  VIEW MY BLOG-                                                                                           https://gseasyrecipes.blogspot.com/                                                                                                                                                         FOR INFO ABOUT KNEE REPLACEMENT, YOU CAN VIEW MY BLOG-                                                  https:// kneereplacement-stickclub.blogspot.com/           

                   FOR CROCHET DESIGNS                                                                                                                                                                                                  https://gscrochetdesigns.blogspot.com