Covid-19 Sentry

Contents

• From Preprints
• From Clinical Trials
• From PubMed
• From Patent Search

From Preprints

• Therapeutic Potential of Selective Medicinal Plants and Their Phytoconstituents Focusing the Prevention and Cure of COVID-19 -
  The spread of pandemic coronavirus disease-2019 has become a health emergency worldwide. Since the unprecedented outbreak, attention has been raised worldwide to develop and research for control options and treatments. Although several clinical trials are ongoing, no registered drugs or vaccines are available yet. As situation warrants for the exploration of a successful antiviral, there should be a search for the remedies in nature also. Medicinal plants and their metabolites have long been used as a treatment option for various life-threatening diseases with minimal or no side effects. Thus this review aims to summarize previous outcomes concerning the role of medicinal plants in treating several life-threatening diseases. Above all, this work intends to find the constituents of five selected medicinal plants and their possible working mechanisms in the management of COVID-19. Constituents of the presented medicinal plants possess excellent pharmacological properties, including significant antiviral and antimicrobial potential. Based on the traditional uses, pharmacological properties, and previous studies, these medicinal plants mentioned in this review can be considered as a possible therapeutic option for the management and treatment of COVID-19. However, further extensive researches and trials are suggested to discover specific effects and dosage for this pathogenic outbreak.
  🖺 Full Text HTML: Therapeutic Potential of Selective Medicinal Plants and Their Phytoconstituents Focusing the Prevention and Cure of COVID-19
• Snapshots from Cryo-ET of active SARS-CoV-2 virions -
  Understanding the molecular properties of SARS-CoV-2 is crucial to tackle the continuing variant emergence as well as future outbreaks. Current structural knowledge of the trimeric spike protein is largely based on truncated recombinant proteins and inactivated full-length forms, which may suffer from overstabilization through designed mutations and chemical fixation. Here, we apply cryo-electron tomography (cryo-ET) at a Biosafety level 3 facility to study the virus structure in its native, active state. The virus particles show variable shapes with diffusible spikes. While the majority of spike proteins display typical prefusion trimer conformations, we identify atypical open-trimer prefusion states, revealing a hidden level of flexibility. The sub-tomogram averaged structure also suggests a loosely packed trimer structure. Spike dynamics reveal cryptic epitopes in conserved regions among coronaviruses that can be targeted for broadly effective vaccines. Therefore, the structural analysis of virus structures in their active forms will provide significant implications on fusion mechanism as well as vaccine and antibody/drug design.
  🖺 Full Text HTML: Snapshots from Cryo-ET of active SARS-CoV-2 virions
• No evidence that analgesic use after COVID-19 vaccination negatively impacts antibody responses -

  Vaccines against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, showed high efficacy against symptomatic illness caused by the ancestral strain. Yet recent variants such as Omicron and its sublineages substantially escape vaccine-induced neutralizing antibodies. In response, bivalent mRNA booster vaccines updated to better match the BA.4-5 lineages have been made available. Yet the reactogenicity of these vaccines might negatively impact willingness to receive the booster immunization. While serious side effects following vaccination are rare, mRNA vaccines frequently lead to mild adverse events such as injection site pain, lymphadenopathy, myalgia, and fever. Over-the-counter analgesics might mitigate some of these mild adverse events, but animal models of SARS-CoV-2 infection have shown that non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) substantially reduce antiviral antibody responses, which are the best correlates of protection against COVID-19. It remains unknown whether these same inhibitory effects are seen in humans after mRNA vaccination. We surveyed 6,010 individuals who received COVID-19 vaccines regarding analgesic use and correlated these results with Spike-specific antibody levels. We found no negative impact of analgesic use on antibody levels, and in fact observed slightly elevated concentrations of anti-Spike antibodies in individuals who used painkillers. Logistic regression analyses demonstrated a higher proportion of those experiencing fatigue and muscle aches between NSAID users and those not taking pain medication, suggesting that the elevated antibody levels were likely associated with inflammation and mild adverse events rather than analgesic use per se. Together, our results suggest no detriment to painkiller use to alleviate symptoms after vaccination against COVID-19.

  🖺 Full Text HTML: No evidence that analgesic use after COVID-19 vaccination negatively impacts antibody responses
• Correcting COVID-19 Vaccine Misinformation in Ten Countries -
  What can be done to reduce misperceptions about COVID-19 vaccines? We present results from experiments conducted simultaneously on YouGov samples in 10 countries (N= 10 600), which reveal that factual corrections consistently reduce false beliefs about vaccines. With results from these 10 countries, we find that exposure to corrections increases belief accuracy by 0.16 on a 4-point scale, while exposure to misinformation decreases belief accuracy by 0.09 on the same scale. We are unable to find evidence that either misinformation or factual corrections affect intent to vaccinate or vaccine attitudes. Our findings on effect duration are less conclusive; when we recontacted participants two weeks later, we observed 39% of the initial accuracy increase, yet this result narrowly misses conventional thresholds of statistical significance ( p = 0.06). Taken together, our results illustrate both the possibilities and limitations of factual corrections. Evidence from 10 highly diverse populations shows that exposure to factual information reduces belief in falsehoods about vaccines, but has minimal influence on subsequent behaviours and attitudes.
  🖺 Full Text HTML: Correcting COVID-19 Vaccine Misinformation in Ten Countries
• Senior care reforms in India: Reimagining the Senior care paradigm. -
  Population ageing is a global phenomenon, and the number of people over 60 years has been rising rapidly across the world. With a decreasing fertility rate (less than 2.0) and increasing life expectancy (more than 70 years), India is also witnessing exponential growth in the number and proportion of elderly people, i.e., people over 60 years. The number of elderly currently comprises a little over 10% of the population, translating to about 104 million, and is projected to reach 319 million, comprising 19.5% of the total population by 2050.Despite the efforts by the government, private sector and civil society; the senior care system faces many challenges, including a lack of infrastructure and capacities to support the health and welfare of the elderly, a lack of evidence-based geriatric illness management and knowledge repository, absence of enabling frameworks and monitoring mechanisms, and inadequate emergency response infrastructure. A fragmented and narrow social support system, limited awareness, loss of social support, inaccessible physical infrastructure, and inadequate R&D activities further add to these challenges. Further, challenges associated with financial insecurities like inadequate financial security nets, deficient financial planning and increased vulnerability to financial abuse and fraud also impact seniors in a negative manner. Additionally, digital inequalities have emerged as a significant challenge for seniors, as witnessed during the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown experience.
  🖺 Full Text HTML: Senior care reforms in India: Reimagining the Senior care paradigm.
• Face masks to control the source of respiratory infections: A systematic review of the scientific literature before and after COVID-19 -

  Objective: To examine the scientific literature on mask-use as source control to protect others from respiratory infections before and after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Design: Systematic review. Methods: We examined primary research on mask usage as a means of source control to protect others by reducing the spread of respiratory diseases and contrasted the literature published before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic with that published afterward. Articles were obtained through a search of PubMed and a review of article references. March 1, 2020 was selected as the cutoff date to distinguish between the pre-COVID-19 and post-COVID-19 periods. Results: 195 articles met our inclusion criteria. The sample included 55 articles on source control published before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, and 140 articles published after the pandemic began, representing a 154.5% increase. The percentage of randomized control trials (RCT) and cluster RCTs declined by 94.9% (p<0.001), representing only 1.4% of the post-pandemic literature. The percentage of studies conducted on human subjects declined by 48.8% (p<0.001), and the percentage of studies in healthcare facilities declined by 64.5% (p=0.019). One in 5 post-pandemic studies (21.4%) were conducted in real world settings; 1 in 10 post-pandemic studies (10.0%) were done with computer modeling. Study authors were significantly more supportive of masks as source control in the post-pandemic literature. Conclusions: The quality of evidence in the published literature on masks as source control is lower after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, with notable shifts in methodologies, research subjects, setting, and author tone.

  🖺 Full Text HTML: Face masks to control the source of respiratory infections: A systematic review of the scientific literature before and after COVID-19
• Social Media and Early Marriage During the Covid-19 Pandemic in Indonesia -
  The covid-19 Pandemic has had a tremendous impact on the world community. Indonesia is one of the countries that has felt the impact of the Pandemic. Activities switch to online. Social media is the primary choice for teenagers. Unfortunately, these teenagers consume much harmful content. The novelty in this research is the high number of early marriages in Bantul, Indonesia, during the Pandemic, which is caused by consuming too often social media content that is not educational. This research method is descriptive qualitative. The data collection in this research is Observation, interview, and focus group discussion. The results showed that the number of early marriages during the Pandemic increased 100 percent. One of the causes of the increasing number of early marriages is social media. In addition to social media factors, several other factors cause early marriage during the Pandemic. Lack of positive activities, lots of free time, low education, low knowledge about the purpose of marriage, family economic factors, and promiscuity have led to an increase in the number of early marriages in adolescents during the Pandemic. In addition, early marriage has an impact on the high divorce rate. Researchers conducted socialization about the purpose of marriage from various points of view, both in terms of health, religion, Marriage Law, and family economy. After the researchers conducted FGDs and socialization, the youth of Bantul, Indonesia, understood the real purpose of marriage.
  🖺 Full Text HTML: Social Media and Early Marriage During the Covid-19 Pandemic in Indonesia
• Development and Validation of the Pandemic Fatigue Scale -
  The existence and nature of pandemic fatigue––defined as a gradually emerging subjective state of weariness and exhaustion from, and a general demotivation towards, following recommended health-protective behaviors, including keeping oneself informed during a pandemic––has been debated. Herein, we introduce the Pandemic Fatigue Scale and show how pandemic fatigue evolved during the COVID-19 pandemic, using data from one panel survey and two repeated cross-sectional surveys in Denmark and Germany (overall N = 34,582). We map the correlates of pandemic fatigue and show that pandemic fatigue is negatively related to people’s self-reported adherence to recommended health-protective behaviors. Manipulating the (de)motivational aspect of pandemic fatigue in a preregistered online experiment (N = 1,584), we further show that pandemic fatigue negatively affects people’s intention to adhere to recommended health-protective behaviors. Combined, these findings provide evidence not only for the existence of pandemic fatigue, but also its psychological and behavioral associations.
  🖺 Full Text HTML: Development and Validation of the Pandemic Fatigue Scale
• Occupational resilience factors among healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic: a 2-year prospective cohort study -
  Background. Healthcare workers (HCWs) in COVID-19 pandemic hotspots were exposed to workplace stressors. Structural occupational factors that prevent stressor exposure from translating into mental health problems (i.e., resilience factors) remain poorly understood. This study identifies resilience factors actionable at the workplace and examines the role of cumulative stressor exposure for developing depressive symptoms. Methods. We prospectively followed a convenience sample of HCWs working in Spain. We used a survey to collect self-reported data on (a) sociodemographic characteristics, (b) workplace and COVID-19-related stressors, (c) potential occupational resilience factors, and (d) depression symptoms, at three time points (2020, 2021 and 2022). We operationalised resilience as low stressor reactivity (SR), quantified as individual deviations from the normative relation between exposure to stressors and depressive symptoms. We performed linear and quadratic multiple regression analyses to examine the prospective association between (a) potential resilience factors and (b) prior stressor exposure, with SR across waves. Results. Our sample consisted of 1,872, 1,560, and 431 participants at time points 1, 2, and 3, respectively (median age 42-43 years, 77-80% female). The occupational factors support from colleagues (SOCwork), trust in the workplace (TRUSTwork), and perceived ability to recover from adversity (REC) were prospectively associated with resilience and thus identified as resilience factors. Stressor exposure at baseline was inversely associated with resilience at follow-ups. Conclusions. Occupational strategies that promote key resilience factors and reduce cumulative or prolonged stressor exposure may enhance resilience in times of crisis. The observational design and the large drop in response rates warrant further studies.
  🖺 Full Text HTML: Occupational resilience factors among healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic: a 2-year prospective cohort study
• SHIFTR enables the unbiased and multiplexed identification of proteins bound to specific RNA regions in live cells -
  RNA-protein interactions determine the cellular fate of RNA and are central to regulating gene expression outcomes in health and disease. To date, no method exists that is able to identify proteins that interact with specific regions within endogenous RNAs in live cells. Here, we develop SHIFTR (Selective RNase H-mediated interactome framing for target RNA regions ), an efficient and scalable approach to identify proteins bound to selected regions within endogenous RNAs using mass spectrometry. Compared to state-of-the-art techniques, SHIFTR is superior in accuracy, captures close to zero background interactions and requires orders of magnitude lower input material. We establish SHIFTR workflows for targeting RNA classes of different length and abundance, including short and long non-coding RNAs, as well as mRNAs and demonstrate that SHIFTR is compatible with sequentially mapping interactomes for multiple target RNAs in a single experiment. Using SHIFTR, we comprehensively identify interactions of cis-regulatory elements located at the 5’ and 3’-terminal regions of the authentic SARS-CoV-2 RNA genome in infected cells and accurately recover known and novel interactions linked to the function of these viral RNA elements. SHIFTR enables the systematic mapping of region-resolved RNA interactomes for any RNA in any cell type and has the potential to revolutionize our understanding of transcriptomes and their regulation.
  🖺 Full Text HTML: SHIFTR enables the unbiased and multiplexed identification of proteins bound to specific RNA regions in live cells
• SARS-CoV-2 antibodies cross-react and enhance dengue infection -
  Dengue disease is highly prevalent in tropical and subtropical regions worldwide. However, its pathogenesis is still incompletely understood, particularly in comparison to other endemic viruses. Antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE) is a well-known phenomenon for dengue viruses. Given the recent surge in dengue cases and potential cross-reactivity with SARS-CoV-2 antibodies, this study explores the impact of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies on DENV-2 infection. The study assessed the cross-reactivity of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies with the DENV-2 Virus. Human convalescent plasma samples collected during different waves of COVID-19 and monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies raised against SARS-CoV-2 were examined for their potential to cause ADE of DENV-2 infection using cell-based assays. The study found that anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies acquired from natural infection in humans or through experimental immunization in animals were cross-reactive with DENV-2 and had the potential to enhance DENV-2 infection in K562 and U937 cells. In-silico and in-vitro studies indicated a strong interaction between SARS-CoV-2 antibodies and DENV-2 E-protein, providing a molecular basis for these findings. This study is the first to demonstrate that anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies can cross-react with DENV-2 and can enhance its infection through ADE. These findings have implications for SARS-CoV-2 vaccine development and deployment strategies in regions where dengue is endemic.
  🖺 Full Text HTML: SARS-CoV-2 antibodies cross-react and enhance dengue infection
• Surrogate virus neutralisation test based on nanoluciferase-tagged antigens to quantify inhibitory antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 and characterise Omicron-specific reactivity -

  Virus-specific antibodies are important determinants of protective immunity against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). While regarded as the gold standard for detecting functional antibodies, conventional virus neutralisation tests (VNT) or pseudotyped virus neutralisation tests (pVNT) require biosafety level 2 or 3 facilities. Alternatively, the virus-free surrogate virus neutralisation test (sVNT) quantifies inhibitory antibodies that prevent the spike protein from binding to its receptor, human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (hACE2). We evaluated secreted nanoluciferase (NLuc)-tagged spike (S) protein fragments as diagnostic antigens in the sVNT in the framework of a vaccination study. First, spike fragments of different lengths were tested for their suitability as diagnostic antigens in a capture enzyme immunoassay (EIA) using unprocessed culture supernatants of transfected cells, identifying the receptor binding domain (RBD) of S as the optimal construct. The sensitivity of the in-house sVNT relying on the NLuc-labelled RBD equalled or surpassed a commercial sVNT (cPass, GenScript Diagnostics) and an in-house pVNT four weeks after the first vaccination (98% vs. 94% and 72%, respectively), reaching 100% in all assays four weeks after the second and third vaccinations. Additionally, serum reactivity with spike constructs of Omicron BA.1 was tested. Compared with a capture EIA, the in-house sVNT and pVNT displayed superior discrimination between wild-type- and variant-specific reactivity of sera. Differences in reactivity were most pronounced after the first and second vaccinations, whereas the third vaccination resulted in robust, cross-reactive detection of Omicron constructs. In conclusion, assays utilising NLuc-labelled protein fragments permit the quantification and functional assessment of SARS-CoV-2-specific antibodies and the detection of variant-specific differences in reactivity. Potential applications include monitoring therapy and vaccine efficacy and follow-up of prolonged disease courses in high-risk groups. Designed as straightforward, highly flexible modular systems, these tests can be readily adapted to further emerging viral variants.

  🖺 Full Text HTML: Surrogate virus neutralisation test based on nanoluciferase-tagged antigens to quantify inhibitory antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 and characterise Omicron-specific reactivity
• Scaling COVID-19 rates with population size in the United States -

  We assessed Urban Scaling Theory using time-series data by quantifying allometric scaling relationships of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases, deaths, and demographic cohorts within and across three major variant waves of the pandemic (first, delta, omicron). Results indicate that with county-level population size in the United States, the burden of cases disproportionately impacted larger-sized counties. In contrast, the burden of deaths disproportionately impacted smaller counties, which may be partially due to a higher proportion of older adults who live in smaller counties. Future infectious disease burden across populations might be attenuated by applying Urban Scaling Theory to epidemiological efforts through identifying disease allometry and concomitant allocation of medical interventions.

  🖺 Full Text HTML: Scaling COVID-19 rates with population size in the United States
• The impact of depression and childhood maltreatment experiences on psychological adaptation from lockdown to relaxation periods during the COVID-19 pandemic -

  The COVID-19 pandemic has presented a significant challenge to societal mental health. Yet, it remains unknown which factors influence the mental adaptation from lockdown to subsequent relaxation periods, particularly for vulnerable groups. This study used smartphone-based monitoring to explore how 74 individuals with major depression (MDD) and 77 healthy controls (HCs) responded to the transition from lockdown to relaxation during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic (March 21 to November 01, 2020) regarding interpersonal interactions, COVID-19-related fear (fear of participants9 own health, the health of close relatives, and the pandemics9 economic impact), and the feeling of isolation. Furthermore, we investigated the effect of a diagnosis of MDD and the experience of childhood maltreatment (CM) on adaptive functioning. During the transition from lockdown to relaxation, we observed an increase in direct contacts and a decrease in indirect contacts and self-perceived isolation in the study population. The diagnosis of MDD and the experience of CM moderated a maintenance of COVID-19-related fear: HCs and participants without the experience of CM showed a decrease in fear, while fear of participants with MDD and with an experience of CM did not change significantly. The finding that elevated COVID-19-related fear was sustained in vulnerable groups after lockdown measures were lifted could help guide psychosocial prevention efforts in future pandemic emergencies.

  🖺 Full Text HTML: The impact of depression and childhood maltreatment experiences on psychological adaptation from lockdown to relaxation periods during the COVID-19 pandemic
• Perceptions of access to harm reduction services during the COVID-19 pandemic among people who inject drugs in Chicago -

  Background The COVID-19 pandemic amplified the risk environment for people who inject drugs (PWID), making continued access to harm reduction services imperative. Research has shown that some harm reduction service providers were able to continue to provide services throughout the pandemic. Most of these studies, however, focused on staff perspectives, not those of PWID. Our study examines changes in perceptions of access to harm reduction services among PWID participating in a longitudinal study conducted through the University of Illinois-Chicago9s Community Outreach Intervention Project field sites during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods Responses to a COVID-19 module added to the parent study survey that assessed the impact of COVID-19 on PWID participating in an ongoing longitudinal study were analyzed to understand how study participants’ self-reported access to harm reduction services changed throughout the pandemic. Mixed effects logistic regression was used to examine difficulty in syringe access as an outcome of COVID-19 phase. Results Most participants reported that access to syringes and naloxone remained the same as prior to the pandemic. Participants had significantly higher odds of reporting difficulty in accessing syringes earlier in the pandemic. Conclusions The lack of perceived changes in harm reduction access by PWID and the decrease in those reporting difficulty accessing syringes as the pandemic progressed suggests the efficacy of adaptations to harm reduction service provision (e.g., window and mobile service) during the pandemic. Further research is needed to understand how the COVID-19 pandemic may have impacted PWIDs’ engagement with harm reduction services.

  🖺 Full Text HTML: Perceptions of access to harm reduction services during the COVID-19 pandemic among people who inject drugs in Chicago

From Clinical Trials

• Pharmacist Management of Paxlovid eVisits - Conditions: COVID-19; Quality of Care
  Interventions: Other: Pharmacist Care; Other: AFM Pool Care
  Sponsors: Kaiser Permanente
  Not yet recruiting

• Equity Evaluation of Fact Boxes on Informed COVID-19 and Influenza Vaccination Decisions - Study Protocol - Conditions: COVID-19; Influenza
  Interventions: Other: Fact box
  Sponsors: Harding Center for Risk Literacy
  Not yet recruiting

• tDCS in the Management of Post-COVID Disorders - Conditions: Long COVID
  Interventions: Device: Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS); Behavioral: Motor Training; Behavioral: Cognitive Training
  Sponsors: Universidade Federal de Pernambuco; São Paulo State University
  Recruiting

• Early Awake Alterning Prone Positioning Combined With Non-invasive Oxygen Therapy in Patients With COVID-19. - Conditions: COVID-19 Pneumonia
  Interventions: Other: Prone position; Other: Standard treatment
  Sponsors: Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Medicas y Nutricion Salvador Zubiran
  Terminated

• Effects of a Home-Based Exercise Intervention in Subjects With Long COVID - Conditions: Long COVID-19; Post-COVID-19 Syndrome
  Interventions: Other: home-based concurrent exercise
  Sponsors: University of Vienna
  Recruiting

• ACTIVATE in Public Housing - Conditions: Pneumonia; Influenza; Varicella Zoster; Meningitis; COVID-19; Vaccine Hesitancy
  Interventions: Behavioral: Increasing Willingness and Uptake of Influenza, Pneumonia, Meningitis, HZV, and COVID-19 Vaccination
  Sponsors: Charles Drew University of Medicine and Science
  Not yet recruiting

• Study of the Vector Vaccine GamCovidVac-M (Altered Antigenic Composition) - Conditions: COVID-19
  Interventions: Biological: GamCovidVac-M vector vaccine for the prevention of COVID-19 with altered antigenic composition
  Sponsors: Gamaleya Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology, Health Ministry of the Russian Federation
  Not yet recruiting

• Study of the Vector Vaccine GamCovidVac for the Prevention of COVID-19 With Altered Antigenic Profile With Participation of Adult Volunteers - Conditions: COVID-19
  Interventions: Biological: GamCovidVac vector vaccine for the prevention of COVID-19 (with altered antigenic profile)
  Sponsors: Gamaleya Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology, Health Ministry of the Russian Federation
  Not yet recruiting

• Effects of Cacao FLAvonoids in LOng Covid Patients (FLALOC) - Conditions: Long Covid19; Fatigue Syndrome, Chronic
  Interventions: Dietary Supplement: Flavonoids
  Sponsors: Guillermo Ceballos Reyes; Instituto de Seguridad y Servicios Sociales de los Trabajadores del Estado
  Recruiting

• Exercise Interventions in Post-acute Sequelae of Covid-19 - Conditions: COVID-19
  Interventions: Behavioral: Exercise
  Sponsors: University of Virginia
  Not yet recruiting

• The Efficacy of the 2023-2024 Updated COVID-19 Vaccines Against COVID-19 Infection - Conditions: COVID-19; Vaccine-Preventable Diseases; SARS CoV 2 Infection; Upper Respiratory Tract Infection; Upper Respiratory Disease
  Interventions: Biological: Novavax COVID-19 vaccine (2023-2024 formula XBB containing); Biological: Pfizer COVID-19 mRNA vaccine (2023-2024 formula XBB containing)
  Sponsors: Sarang K. Yoon, DO, MOH; Westat; Novavax
  Not yet recruiting

• Clinical Trial to Evaluate the Safety of RQ-01 in SARS-CoV-2 Positive Subjects - Conditions: COVID-19; Infectious Disease; Symptomatic COVID-19 Infection Laboratory-Confirmed; SARS CoV 2 Infection
  Interventions: Combination Product: RQ-001; Other: Placebo
  Sponsors: Red Queen Therapeutics, Inc.; PPD
  Recruiting

• Motivational Interviewing for Vaccine Uptake in Latinx Adults - Conditions: Vaccine Hesitancy
  Interventions: Other: EHR alert; Behavioral: Motivational Interviewing; Behavioral: Warm hand off to nurse
  Sponsors: Boston College; East Boston Neighborhood Health Center; Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH); Boston Children’s Hospital; National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR)
  Not yet recruiting

• Study of “Sputnik Lite” for the Prevention of COVID-19 With Altered Antigenic Composition. - Conditions: COVID-19
  Interventions: Biological: “Sputnik Lite” vaccine for the prevention of COVID-19 with altered antigenic composition
  Sponsors: Gamaleya Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology, Health Ministry of the Russian Federation
  Not yet recruiting

• Study Will Assess the Safety, Neutralizing Activity and Efficacy of AZD3152 in Adults With Conditions Increasing Risk of Inadequate Protective Immune Response After Vaccination and Thus Are at High Risk of Developing Severe COVID-19 - Conditions: COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2
  Interventions: Biological: Biological: AZD3152; Biological: Biological: Placebo
  Sponsors: AstraZeneca
  Not yet recruiting

From PubMed

• Exploration of phenolic acid derivatives as inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2 main protease and receptor binding domain: potential candidates for anti-SARS-CoV-2 therapy - Severe acute respiratory Syndrome-Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the etiological virus of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) which has been a public health concern due to its high morbidity and high mortality. Hence, the search for drugs that incapacitate the virus via inhibition of vital proteins in its life cycle is ongoing due to the paucity of drugs in clinical use against the virus. Consequently, this study was aimed at evaluating the potentials of natural phenolics against the Main…

• The Apolipoprotein E neutralizing antibody inhibits SARS-CoV-2 infection by blocking cellular entry of lipoviral particles - Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the causal agent for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Although vaccines have helped to prevent uncontrolled viral spreading, our understanding of the fundamental biology of SARS-CoV-2 infection remains insufficient, which hinders effective therapeutic development. Here, we found that Apolipoprotein E (ApoE), a lipid binding protein, is hijacked by SARS-CoV-2 for infection. Preincubation of SARS-CoV-2 with a neutralizing antibody…

• Unnatural Endotype B PPAPs as Novel Compounds with Activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis - Pre-SARS-CoV-2, tuberculosis was the leading cause of death by a single pathogen. Repetitive exposure of Mycobacterium tuberculosis(Mtb) supported the development of multidrug- and extensively drug-resistant strains, demanding novel drugs. Hyperforin, a natural type A polyprenylated polycyclic acylphloroglucinol from St. John’s wort, exhibits antidepressant and antibacterial effects also against Mtb. Yet, Hyperforin’s instability limits the utility in clinical practice. Here, we present photo-…

• In vitro reconstitution of SARS-CoV-2 Nsp1-induced mRNA cleavage reveals the key roles of the N-terminal domain of Nsp1 and the RRM domain of eIF3g - SARS CoV-2 nonstructural protein 1 (Nsp1) is the major pathogenesis factor that inhibits host translation using a dual strategy of impairing initiation and inducing endonucleolytic cleavage of cellular mRNAs. To investigate the mechanism of cleavage, we reconstituted it in vitro on β-globin, EMCV IRES, and CrPV IRES mRNAs that use unrelated initiation mechanisms. In all instances, cleavage required Nsp1 and only canonical translational components (40S subunits and initiation factors), arguing…

• Lipid droplets in Zika neuroinfection: Potential targets for intervention? - Lipid droplets (LD) are evolutionarily conserved lipid-enriched organelles with a diverse array of cell- and stimulus-regulated proteins. Accumulating evidence demonstrates that intracellular pathogens exploit LD as energy sources, replication sites, and part of the mechanisms of immune evasion. Nevertheless, LD can also favor the host as part of the immune and inflammatory response to pathogens. The functions of LD in the central nervous system have gained great interest due to their presence…

• Tetherin antagonism by SARS-CoV-2 ORF3a and spike protein enhances virus release - The antiviral restriction factor, tetherin, blocks the release of several different families of enveloped viruses, including the Coronaviridae. Tetherin is an interferon-induced protein that forms parallel homodimers between the host cell and viral particles, linking viruses to the surface of infected cells and inhibiting their release. We demonstrate that SARS-CoV-2 infection causes tetherin downregulation and that tetherin depletion from cells enhances SARS-CoV-2 viral titres. We investigate…

• Characterization of pre-existing anti-PEG and anti-AGAL antibodies towards PRX-102 in patients with Fabry disease - Polyethylene glycol (PEG)ylated drugs are used for medical treatment, since PEGylation either decreases drug clearance or/and shields the protein from undesirable immunogenicity. PEGylation was implemented in a new enzyme replacement therapy for Fabry disease (FD), pegunigalsidase-alfa (PRX-102). However, exposure to PEG via life-style products and vaccination can result in the formation of anti-PEG antibodies. We demonstrate the de novo formation of functional anti-PEG antibodies in a healthy…

• W254 in furin functions as a molecular gate promoting anti-viral drug binding: Elucidation of putative drug tunneling and docking by non-equilibrium molecular dynamics - Furins are serine endoproteases that process precursor proteins into their biologically active forms, and they play essential roles in normal metabolism and disease presentation, including promoting expression of bacterial virulence factors and viral pathogenesis. Thus, furins represent vital targets for development of antimicrobial and antiviral therapeutics. Recent experimental evidence indicated that dichlorophenyl (DCP)-pyridine “BOS” drugs (e.g., BOS-318) competitively inhibit human furin…

• The N-terminal peptide of the main protease of SARS-CoV-2, targeting dimer interface, inhibits its proteolytic activity - The main protease (Mpro) of SARS-CoV-2 cleaves 11 sites of viral polypeptide chains and generates essential non-structural proteins for viral replication. Mpro is an important drug target against COVID-19. In this study, we developed a real-time fluorometric turn-on assay system to evaluate Mpro proteolytic activity for a substrate peptide between NSP4 and NSP5. It produced reproducible and reliable results suitable for HTS inhibitor assays. Thus far, most inhibitors against Mpro target the…

• Antcin-B, a phytosterol-like compound from Taiwanofungus camphoratus inhibits SARS-CoV-2 3-chymotrypsin-like protease (3CL^Pro) activity in silico and in vitro - Despite the remarkable development of highly effective vaccines, including mRNA-based vaccines, within a limited timeframe, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is not been entirely eradicated. Thus, it is crucial to identify new effective anti-3CL^(Pro) compounds, pivotal for the replication of SARS-CoV-2. Here, we identified an antcin-B phytosterol-like compound from Taiwanofungus camphoratus that targets 3CL^(Pro) activity….

• Designing peptides predicted to bind to the omicron variant better than ACE2 via computational protein design and molecular dynamics - Brought about by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has resulted in large numbers of worldwide deaths and cases. Several SARS-CoV-2 variants have evolved, and Omicron (B.1.1.529) was one of the important variants of concern. It gets inside human cells by using its S1 subunit’s receptor-binding domain (SARS-CoV-2-RBD) to bind to Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 receptor’s peptidase domain (ACE2-PD). Using peptides to inhibit…

• Porcine deltacoronavirus accessory protein NS6 harnesses VPS35-mediated retrograde trafficking to facilitate efficient viral infection - Porcine deltacoronavirus (PDCoV) is an emerging swine enteropathogenic coronavirus with the potential to infect humans. Accessory protein NS6, encoded by PDCoV, is a key factor required for optimal viral replication. However, the precise mechanism(s) used by PDCoV NS6 to function remains largely unclear. The retromer is an evolutionarily highly conserved protein complex that plays an important role in normal cellular biological processes and viral replication. In this study, we identified VPS35,…

• Natto extract inhibits infection caused by the Aujeszky’s disease virus in mice - Aujeszky’s disease virus (ADV), also known as Suid alphaherpesvirus 1, which mainly infects swine, causes life-threatening neurological disorders. This disease is a serious global risk factor for economic losses in the swine industry. The development of new anti-ADV drugs is highly anticipated and required. Natto, a traditional Japanese fermented food made from soybeans, is a well-known health food. In our previous study, we confirmed that natto has the potential to inhibit viral infections by…

• Molecular docking analysis of novel quercetin derivatives for combating SARS-CoV-2 - Quercetin belongs to the flavonoid family, which is one of the most frequent types of plant phenolics. This flavonoid compound is a natural substance having a number of pharmacological effects, including anticancer and antioxidant capabilities, as well as being a strong inhibitor of various toxicologically important enzymes. We discuss the potential of newly recently synthesized quercetin-based derivatives to inhibit SARS-CoV-2 protein. ADMET analysis indicated that all of the studied compounds…

• Native SEC and Reversed-Phase LC-MS Reveal Impact of Fab Glycosylation of Anti-SARS-COV-2 Antibodies on Binding to the Receptor Binding Domain - The binding affinity of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) for their intended therapeutic targets is often affected by chemical and post-translational modifications in the antigen binding (Fab) domains. A new two-dimensional analytical approach is described here utilizing native size exclusion chromatography (SEC) to separate populations of antibodies and bound antibody-antigen complexes for subsequent characterization of these modifications by reversed-phase (RP) liquid chromatography-mass…

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