Uncovering the danger

The mobile app developed by the Chinese company Coyote Bioscience allows for obtaining the results of the COVID-19 PCR test in just 30 minutes after taking a biomaterial sample. It is several times faster than in the standard laboratory.

The FlashDetect technology applied in Coyote devices allows testing a sample of a patient's biomaterial using the quantitative PCR platform, which works in real-time and is a golden standard for COVID-19 diagnosis today. The high speed is achieved by cutting the 8-stage cycle to just two stages and excluding the complex procedure for sample preparation, which is required for traditional quantitative PCR tests.

The developers of the technology say that their device is not only fast but also reliable. From February 2020 to July 2020, more than 500,000 tests in China were administered with the Coyote device. Their results have coincided with the results received with standard PCR lab tests by 97 %. The mobile devices were checked with existing COVID-19 strains, including the Indian and Brazilian strains.

The Coyote company has developed several versions of the device, which differ in size and performance. Today, they are already used in Chinese hospitals and airports. They are also certified by the European Union, China, and Australia.

Destroying the danger

Israeli scientists have developed means to treat COVID-19 with a technology known as MesenCure, which provides relief for patients with severe lung damage. The first stage of tests has shown good results: the participants of the tests who had a severe form of lung damage did not need to go on a ventilator and were discharged from the hospital. The patients are now preparing for the second stage of the tests.

The virus triggers the disorder, which causes a strong immune reaction. MesenCure represents a sample of lab-grown human cells, which is delivered to patients by intravenous injections. The cells get into the lungs and suppress local inflammation through modified and enhanced properties. The developers of the medicine believe that it can be effective in combating cytokine storms caused by other infections.

The drug attacks the virus and decreases the degree of inflammation. It has demonstrated impressive results: the patients with a serious case of COVID-19 and were close to being put on a ventilator have recovered. "They said that it felt like a miracle, and their doctors were saying just the same," said Shadi Hamoud, the chief physician of the therapeutic department and the research lab.

Evaluating the risks

British scientists have discovered that when AI analyzes the results of a heart ultrasound test, it is much more effective than doctors in identifying patients who will have severe complications from COVID-19 and have increased mortality risk.

The algorithms developed by the Ultromics company from Oxford University can evaluate the functioning of the heart muscle and identify the signs of damage from COVID-19 related to increased mortality risk in the hospital as well as during several months after treatment.

Additionally, results of the research presented at the annual scientific session of the American College of Cardiologists have demonstrated that changes in the form of the left and right ventricles as well as the age of the patients, lung health, and medical history can provide an objective prognosis of the likelihood of severe form of COVID-19 and the mortality risk in hospital.

Sources: http://www.coyotebio.com/ https://www.fiercebiotech.com/medtech/acc-2021-cardiac-ultrasound-ai-outperforms-doctors-at-predicting-covid-19-death-risks https://www.bonusbiogroup.com/index.php/products/mesencure-coronavirus-therapy

31 July 2021