The Corona epidemic - special coverage on the knowledge site

Antibodies attack the corona virus. Illustration: depositphotos.com

Not all antibodies are created equal

Critically ill, recovering or vaccinated - how do the antibodies to corona that each of the groups produces differ and what are the unique characteristics of the antibodies acquired following vaccination
Image depicting the novel lipid nanoparticles targeting the coronavirus [Courtesy: Sandro Satta, UCLA]

Researchers have developed molecular traps for the corona virus

A team of researchers succeeded in developing innovative nanoparticles that could be used as "molecular traps" targeting the corona virus while binding to the virus and thereby preventing it from acting
The most prominent corona strains. Illustration: depositphotos.com

Omicron: The viral load can be at its peak on the fifth day so there is no sense in shortening the isolation period

This is what a British medical microbiologist warns based on comprehensive studies from all over the world. She calls on the decision makers not to shorten the isolation and release into the environment people who may be infected * Her finding is also relevant to Israel
Caution: The Omicron strain of the corona virus is spreading. Illustration: depositphotos.com

Are the booster vaccines for corona effective against the Omicron strain? Everything you need to know

It seems that leumicron has the ability to bypass existing immunity, either from a vaccine or in convalescents. However, it appears to be more difficult to cause severe disease in those vaccinated with the booster shot and therefore
Pfizer corona vaccines. Illustration: depositphotos.com

Pfizer cartridges are at slightly lower risk than Moderna and Sputnik and much more than AstraZeneca and Janssen

A new study published this month by researchers from the Hebrew University rates the effectiveness of various vaccines to prevent corona
Algae from the Ulva species also known as sea lettuce. Illustration: depositphotos.com

Will sea lettuce eliminate the corona virus?

Ecological discovery against the corona virus: a natural substance extracted from marine algae prevents the infection of cells with the corona virus
Corona pandemic end party. Illustration: depositphotos.com

When will life return to normal after the epidemic?

The routine will return sooner or later, but it will be a new routine than the one we are used to until March 2020. This is according to an ongoing survey of the people of Great Britain, who were initially optimistic and thought that the epidemic would end within
A variant or omicron strain of a corona virus. Illustration: depositphotos.com

Is Omicron more contagious than Delta? A virus evolution expert explains what researchers know and don't know

The omicron variant contains many mutations in the spike protein, which facilitate the penetration of the virus into cells
Corona virus variants. Illustration: shutterstock

Researchers from South Africa explain how the new Omicron version was found and what we know so far

Hunting for variants requires a concentrated effort. South Africa and the United Kingdom were the first major countries to implement national genomic surveillance efforts for SARS-CoV-2 as early as April 2020. Scientists in South Africa are sequencing the virus and studying
Corona virus and vaccine against the background of the map of Africa. Illustration: shutterstock

The omicron species - what do we know?

In recent days, the World Health Organization has given a unique name to the strain of the corona virus, which has undergone many mutations and may bypass some of the defenses * Dr.Roey Tsezana explains the reason for the concern
A paramedic treats a cardiac patient using a defibrillator. Illustration: depositphotos.com

For the first time, five of the 29 proteins that make up the corona virus that are responsible for damaging blood vessels have been identified

"Corona patients are up to three times more likely to have a stroke or a heart attack, for example. All the evidence shows that the virus severely damages the blood vessels or the endothelial cells that line the blood vessels. But
The Corona epidemic. Illustration: depositphotos.com

Where are the medicines to treat Corona?

It seems that the rate of development of small molecules as drugs for corona lags behind the rate of development of treatments using vaccines and antibodies
Dr. Nir London, whose laboratory at the Weizmann Institute of Science is a member of the Moonshot partnership. His tweet on Twitter on March 18, 2020 started the project. Photo: Weizmann Institute spokesperson

A special grant will make it possible to promote the development of a simple and cheap pill against Corona

The international partnership for finding a cure for Corona, which was born on Twitter based on the principles of open science, is expected to reach the clinical trial stage during 2022
Blood test for corona. Illustration: depositphotos.com

Blood test to detect the development of the corona disease

A blood test that quantifies the concentration of the ACE2 protein, the cellular protein that allows the penetration of the corona viruses into the cells, as well as its segments, which are formed as a result of a reaction with the virus, could be a method
Corona vaccine in Israel. Illustration: depositphotos.com

The booster dose of the corona vaccine reduces the risk of getting sick 10 times compared to those vaccinated twice

This is according to a study by researchers from the Ministry of Health and universities and hospitals in Israel that examined data from over one million Israelis aged sixty and over who were vaccinated with two vaccines at most in March 2021. The comparison was between
Tel Aviv in one of the Corona closures. Photo: Alon Sin Moshe, Hebrew University.

Research: The quarantine imposed due to the Corona crisis significantly improved the air quality in Israel

A new study carried out by researchers from the Hebrew University on two districts with the highest air pollution in Israel, Gush Dan and Haifa, while taking meteorological conditions into account, reveals for the first time the effect of a significant reduction
Top row: cells that produce new proteins (in green) before being infected with the corona virus (in blue - the cell nuclei); Bottom line: in cells infected with the corona (red), the production of cellular proteins is impaired

Cells in a quiescent state

This is how the corona virus disrupts the cell's antiviral warning system
The effect of the corona virus on children. Illustration: depositphotos.com

From infection parties to school: how does the virus affect children?

So who is right? Those who intentionally infect or fear infection in schools? What are the effects of the virus on children? What do we know after a year and a half of illness, and a few more months of infection with the strain
Protection against corona. Illustration: shutterstock

The first clinical trial of the drug TriCor shows effectiveness in the treatment of severe corona patients

Prof. Yaakov Nahmias from the Hebrew University proved in a clinical trial conducted at Barzilai Hospital that the drug designed to lower blood lipids reduced the inflammation caused by the corona virus within 48 hours in corona patients
The corona epidemic hits Iran. Illustration: depositphotos.com

Research: the number of dead in Iran from Corona - 2 times higher than officially reported

Ariel Karlinski of the Hebrew University, one of the initiators of a research work on the global mortality data from the virus, clarifies: "In Iran we know that the difference is due to deliberate concealment. Also, 54 of the 105 countries studied in the research work I carried out
Corona virus. Illustration: depositphotos.com

Significant progress in research on the way to finding a cure against the corona including the variants

"Unfortunately, if we rely on one channel, the vaccine channel, we may be in a situation where new variants will appear that will hit us square on the hip. The variants are a warning sign" says researcher Prof. Shay Arkin
Lung of a tuberculosis patient. Illustration: depositphotos.com

The BCG vaccine is effective not only against tuberculosis and corona but also against Alzheimer's and Parkinson's

About a year ago, a fascinating study was published, carried out by researchers from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and Ben Gurion University of the Negev, which strengthened the connection between the BCG vaccine and protection against the corona virus * Now it turns out that the protection
Social polarization - Black Lives Matters. Illustration: depositphotos.com

The anxiety as a result of the corona has exacerbated the socio-political polarization in Israel and the United States

Dr. Mittal Balmes, the leader of the study: "The plague has implications beyond health and economics. The levels of anxiety in the population and mental morbidity also affect social morbidity"
The triple strategy of the corona: 1. A general decrease in the translation products in the cell; 2. Breakdown of messenger RNA molecules of the cell; 3. Preventing the exit of messenger RNA molecules from the nucleus

The triple of the corona

The scientists of the Weizmann Institute of Science, in partnership with the scientists of the Biological Institute in Nes Ziona, revealed how a unique combination of three mechanisms allows the corona virus to escape the immune system
The ChipEx conference in the pre-corona era is returning now as well. Photo: Niv Kantor

The corona is over, CHIPEX is returning to a physical conference on 21/6 and a virtual one the next day

This year we put emphasis on the hot areas in the industry including quantum computing, artificial intelligence, data security in hardware, EDGE Computing, TinyML as well as advanced methods for designing and manufacturing chips
The Corona epidemic. Image: depositphotos.com

A huge international study strengthens the connection between Corona and stroke in young people who have fallen ill

In the study, in which researchers from Israel, the USA, Canada, Australia, Egypt, Iran, Lebanon and the United Arab Emirates participated, blockages of large blood vessels were mainly found in the brains of the young subjects
Taking blood from a horse. Photo courtesy of Dr. Gili Schwartz, Faculty of Agriculture of the Hebrew University

A virus from the corona family that affects horses was diagnosed for the first time in Israel

The equine corona virus is a close relative of the corona virus which has caused widespread morbidity in the world in the last year (COVID-19). In this family, called beta-coronaviruses, there are also animal and human coronaviruses
The order of priorities - reduction at the source, reuse and only if there is no other option - recycling. Image: depositphotos.com

Following the corona crisis, many want to recycle more and consume less

Researchers conducted a survey among 400 respondents who are residents of Israel, which examined patterns of sustainable behavior - such as frequency of recycling, reducing consumption and a consumer strategy that leads to reducing environmental impacts - before the outbreak of the Corona crisis, during
Illustration: shutterstock

Not only Corona: Israel's medical problems - in numbers

An alternative report on the state of health of Israelis: Who gets more cancer - men or women? Where are more affected by diabetes - in the north or in the center? What are the most common surgeries?
Corona virus in the bloodstream. Image: depositphotos.com

What happens when the level of antibodies to the corona virus in the blood decreases?

The new claim that has recently been circulating on social media is that among the vaccinated, the level of antibodies in the blood drops in a short time - and thus people find themselves exposed to the virus a second time. We checked if this is true (in a tenth
Graphic summary of Corona mutation research. Illustration, Ben Gurion University

Israeli research: Pfizer's corona vaccine is less effective against the South African strain

Scientists from Ben-Gurion University found that the effectiveness of the Pfizer company's vaccine against the corona virus decreases in the case of the South African strain. However, the vaccine highly effectively neutralizes the infection by the original virus,
Dr. Karin Yaniv in the laboratory of Prof. Ariel Kushmaro. Photo: Danny Machlis, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev

Rapid detection of the British and South African corona mutations

Researchers from Ben Gurion University of the Negev have developed a method to identify British and South African corona mutations within hours instead of several days
Insulin and human cell. Image: depositphotos.com

New data on corona patients with diabetes: 20% die within 28 days of entering the hospital

In May 2020 preliminary results from CORONADO with a smaller sample showed that 10% of patients with diabetes and corona died within 7 days of hospital admission.
"This is a study that is an opportunity to arouse the public's attention to animals - and especially to urban nature." Photo: 0kper

Has nature really recovered during the corona?

Fight on Facebook about the corona vaccine. Illustration: depositphotos.com

Conspiracy theories don't make sense but they fulfill a basic human need that needs to be addressed

And while experts can't always provide the uncompromising certainty people crave, friendly, accessible scientific communication can help educate conspiracy theorists and satisfy the human desire for knowledge and understanding.
US President Donald Trump downplays the importance of scientific findings regarding global warming in the event of withdrawing from the Paris Agreement. Screenshot from YOUTUBE

Nature: Some of the damage Trump has done to science is irreversible

The journal Nature conducted a comprehensive investigation on the damage that Trump has caused to science in the four years of his presidency, and on the eve of the 2020 election
Searching for a cure for Corona. Illustration: shutterstock

In the time of the corona, science must be counted 

Solutions to the climate crisis. Illustration: shutterstock

The time of the Corona, the age of the climate crisis