Covid-19 Sentry

Contents

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

From Preprints

• CD4+ T-cell immunity of SARS-CoV-2 patients determine pneumonia development -
  Most humans infected with SARS-CoV-2 will recover without developing pneumonia. A few SARS-CoV-2 infected patients, however, develop pneumonia, and occasionally develop cytokine storms. In such cases, it is assumed that there is an inadequate immune response to eliminate viral infected cells and an excessive inappropriate immune response causing organ damage, but little is known about this mechanism. In this study, we used single cell RNA sequencing and mass cytometry to analyze peripheral blood T cells from patients hospitalized with proven COVID-19 infection in order to clarify the differences in host immune status among COVID-19 pneumonia cases, non-pneumonia cases, and healthy controls. The results showed that a specific CD4+ T cell cluster with chemokine receptor expression patterns, CXCR3+CCR4-CCR6+ (Th1/17), was less abundant in COVID-19 pneumonia patients. Interestingly, these CD4+ T-cell clusters were identical to those we have reported to correlate with antitumor immunity and predict programmed cell death (PD)-1 blockade treatment response in lung cancer. The Th1/17 cell percentages had biomarker performance in diagnosing pneumonia cases. In addition, CTLA-4 expression of type17 helper T cells (Th17) and regulatory T cells (Treg) was found to be significantly lower. This indicates that functional suppression of Th17 was less effective and Treg function was impaired in pneumonia cases. These results suggest that imbalance of CD4+ T-cell immunity generates excessive immunity that does not lead to viral eradication. This might be a potential therapeutic target mechanism to prevent severe viral infections.
  🖺 Full Text HTML: CD4+ T-cell immunity of SARS-CoV-2 patients determine pneumonia development
• A semi-quantitative, rapid, point of care SARS-CoV-2 serologic assay predicts neutralizing antibody levels -
  The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has caused millions of deaths and the continued emergence of new variants suggests continued circulation in the human population. In the current time of vaccine availability and new therapeutic development, including antibody-based therapies, many questions about long-term immunity and protection remain uncertain. Identification of protective antibodies in individuals is often done using highly specialized and challenging assays such as functional neutralizing assays, which are not available in the clinical setting. Therefore, there is a great need for the development of rapid, clinically available assays that correlate with neutralizing antibody assays to identify individuals who may benefit from additional vaccination or specific COVID-19 therapies. In this report, we apply a novel semi-quantitative method to an established lateral flow assay (sqLFA) and analyze its ability to detect the presence functional neutralizing antibodies from the serum of COVID-19 recovered individuals. We found that the sqLFA has a strong positive correlation with neutralizing antibody levels. At lower assay cutoffs, the sqLFA is a highly sensitive assay to identify the presence of a range of neutralizing antibody levels. At higher cutoffs, it can detect higher levels of neutralizing antibody with high specificity. This sqLFA can be used both as a screening tool to identify individuals with any level of neutralizing antibody to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), or as a more specific tool to identify those with high neutralizing antibody levels who may not benefit from antibody-based therapies or further vaccination.
  🖺 Full Text HTML: A semi-quantitative, rapid, point of care SARS-CoV-2 serologic assay predicts neutralizing antibody levels
• Universal features of Nsp1-mediated translational shutdown by coronaviruses -
  Nonstructural protein 1 (Nsp1) produced by coronaviruses shuts down host protein synthesis in infected cells. The C-terminal domain of SARS-CoV-2 Nsp1 was shown to bind to the small ribosomal subunit to inhibit translation, but it is not clear whether this mechanism is broadly used by coronaviruses, whether the N-terminal domain of Nsp1 binds the ribosome, or how Nsp1 specifically permits translation of viral mRNAs. Here, we investigated Nsp1 from three representative Betacoronaviruses - SARS-CoV-2, MERS-CoV, and Bat-Hp-CoV - using structural, biophysical, and biochemical assays. We revealed a conserved mechanism of host translational shutdown across the three coronaviruses. We further demonstrated that the N-terminal domain of Bat-Hp-CoV Nsp1 binds to the decoding center of the 40S subunit, where it would prevent mRNA and eIF1A binding. Structure-based biochemical experiments identified a conserved role of these inhibitory interactions in all three coronaviruses and showed that the same regions of Nsp1 are responsible for the preferential translation of viral mRNAs. Our results provide a mechanistic framework to understand how Betacoronaviruses overcome translational inhibition to produce viral proteins.
  🖺 Full Text HTML: Universal features of Nsp1-mediated translational shutdown by coronaviruses
• Article on ivermectin, COVID and the microbiome probed by Frontiers in Microbiology -
  Frontiers in Microbiology has published an expression of concern for an article that proposed that ivermectin protects against COVID-19 via its effects on the microbiome.
  🖺 Full Text HTML: Article on ivermectin, COVID and the microbiome probed by Frontiers in Microbiology
• Becoming A Resilient Scientist Series: An Intervention Program -

  Compared to the general population, science trainees experience significant challenges and stressors that increase negative mental health outcomes. With COVID-19, the stressors of social distancing, isolation, truncated lab time, and uncertainty about the future have all likely exacerbated the effect. Now, more than ever, practical and effective interventions are vitally needed to address the core causes of science trainee stress and to increase resilience amongst trainee populations. This paper discusses a new resilience program targeted to biomedical trainees and scientists - Becoming a Resilient Scientist Series (BRS), a 5-part workshop coupled with facilitated group discussions dedicated to increasing resilience, specifically focusing on academic and research environments. Results show that BRS increases trainee resilience (primary outcome), with reductions in perceived stress, anxiety, and work presenteeism, and increases in ability to shift and persist, self-awareness, and self-efficacy (secondary outcomes). Furthermore, participants in the program reported high level of satisfaction, would highly recommend the program to others, and perceived positive changes in their resilience skills. To our knowledge, this is the first resilience program explicitly targeted for biomedical trainees and scientists, catering to the unique professional culture and environment in which these individuals work.

  🖺 Full Text HTML: Becoming A Resilient Scientist Series: An Intervention Program
• Effect of COVID-19 vaccination on mortality by COVID-19 and on mortality by other causes, the Netherlands, January 2021- January 2022 -

  Background: We aimed to estimate vaccine effectiveness (VE) against COVID-19 mortality, and to explore whether an increased risk of non-COVID-19 mortality exists in the weeks following a COVID-19 vaccine dose. Methods: National registries of causes of death, COVID-19 vaccination, specialized health care and long-term care reimbursements were linked by a unique person identifier using data from 1 January 2021 to 31 January 2022. We used Cox regression with calendar time as underlying time scale to, firstly, estimate VE against COVID-19 mortality after primary and first booster vaccination, per month since vaccination and, secondly, estimate risk of non-COVID-19 mortality in the 5 or 8 weeks following a first, second or first booster dose, adjusting for birth year, sex, medical risk group and country of origin. Results: VE against COVID-19 mortality was >90% for all age groups two months after completion of the primary series. VE gradually decreased thereafter, to around 80% at 7-8 months post-primary series for most groups, and around 60% for elderly receiving a high level of long-term care and for people aged 90+ years. Following a first booster dose, the VE increased to >85% in all groups. The risk of non-COVID-19 mortality was lower or similar in the 5 or 8 weeks following a first dose compared to no vaccination, as well as following a second dose compared to one dose and a booster compared to two doses, for all age and long-term care groups. Conclusion: At the population level, COVID-19 vaccination greatly reduced the risk of COVID-19 mortality and no increased risk of death from other causes was observed.

  🖺 Full Text HTML: Effect of COVID-19 vaccination on mortality by COVID-19 and on mortality by other causes, the Netherlands, January 2021- January 2022
• Stroke Hospitalization Administration & Monitoring: Routine Or Covid-19 Care (SHAMROCC) -

  BACKGROUND Monitoring stroke patients in critical-care units for 24 hours after thrombolysis or endovascular thrombectomy is considered standard of care but is not evidence-based. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, our center modified its protocol in April 2021 with 24-hour critical-care monitoring no longer being guaranteed for stroke patients. We aim to compare the incidence and timing of complications over the first 24 hours post-reperfusion therapies and their association to hospital unit in 2019, 2020 and 2021. METHODS We conducted a single-center retrospective cohort study. We analyzed data from stroke patients treated with thrombolysis and/or endovascular thrombectomy at our center in 2019 (pre-Covid-19, standard of care), 2020 (during Covid-19, standard of care) and 2021 (during Covid-19, new protocol). Data extracted included demographics, the nature and timing of complications within the first 24 hours, and the unit at the time of any complication. Major complications included neurologic deterioration, symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage, recurrent stroke, myocardial infarction, systemic bleeding, rapid assessment of critical events call, and death. RESULTS Three hundred forty-nine patients were included in our study: 78 patients in 2019, 115 patients in 2020, and 156 patients in 2021. In 2021, 32% of patients experienced at least one complication within the first 24 hours compared to 34% in 2020 and 27% in 2019. In 2021, 33% of patients admitted to critical-care units had a complication compared to 31% in 2020 and 26% in 2019. In 2021, 70% of complications had occurred by hour eight compared to 49% in 2020 and 29% in 2019. CONCLUSIONS Despite the change of protocol in April 2021, the incidence and timing of complications did not significantly worsen compared to prior years and were not associated with hospital location. Further research is required to evaluate the necessity of critical care monitoring for 24 hours in this population.

  🖺 Full Text HTML: Stroke Hospitalization Administration & Monitoring: Routine Or Covid-19 Care (SHAMROCC)
• Mental Health During the First Year of the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Review and Recommendations for Moving Forward -
  COVID-19 has infected millions of people and upended the lives of most humans on the planet. Researchers from across the psychological sciences have sought to document and investigate the impact of COVID-19 in myriad ways, causing an explosion of research that is broad in scope, varied in methods, and challenging to consolidate. Because policy and practice aimed at helping people live healthier and happier lives requires insight from robust patterns of evidence, this paper provides a rapid and thorough summary of high-quality studies available through early 2021 examining the mental health consequences of living through the COVID-19 pandemic. Our review of the evidence indicates that anxiety, depression, and distress increased in the early months of the pandemic. Meanwhile, suicide rates, life satisfaction, and loneliness remained largely stable throughout the first year of the pandemic. In response to these insights, we present seven recommendations (one urgent, two short-term, and four ongoing) to support mental health during the pandemic and beyond.
  🖺 Full Text HTML: Mental Health During the First Year of the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Review and Recommendations for Moving Forward
• Prosocial behavior promotes positive emotion during the COVID-19 pandemic -
  The COVID-19 pandemic has raised concerns about humans’ physical and mental well-being. In response, there has been an urgent “call to action” for psychological interventions that enhance positive emotion and psychological resilience. Prosocial behavior has been shown to effectively promote well-being, but is this strategy effective during a pandemic when ongoing apprehension for personal safety could acutely heighten self-focused concern? In two online pre-registered experiments (N =1,623) conducted during the early stage of pandemic (April 2020), we examined this question by randomly assigning participants to engage in other- or self-beneficial action. For the first time, we manipulated whether prosocial behavior was related to the source of stress (COVID-19): participants purchased COVID-19-related (personal protective equipment, PPE) or COVID-19-unrelated items (food/writing supplies) for themselves or someone else. Consistent with pre-registered hypotheses, prosocial (vs. non-prosocial or proself) behavior led to higher levels of self-reported positive affect, empathy and social connectedness. Notably, we also found that psychological benefits were larger when generous acts were unrelated to COVID-19 (vs. related to COVID-19). When prosocial and proself spending involved identical COVID-19 PPEs items, prosocial behavior’s benefits were detectable only on empathy and social connectedness, but not on post-task positive affect. These findings suggest that while there are boundary conditions to be considered, generous action offers one strategy to bolster well-being during the pandemic.
  🖺 Full Text HTML: Prosocial behavior promotes positive emotion during the COVID-19 pandemic
• Do Virtual Environments Close the Gender Gap in Participation in Question-and-Answer Sessions at Academic Conferences? In Search of Moderation by Conference Format -
  Consistent with power and status differences between men and women in society, men tend to participate more than women do in question-and-answer (Q&A) sessions at in-person academic conferences. This gap in participation in scientific discourse may perpetuate the status quo. The current research examines whether this gender gap in participation in Q&A sessions extends to virtual conferences, which have become more prevalent during the COVID-19 pandemic. Due to shifts in conference formats to enable asynchronous, anonymous, and/or simultaneous participation, we examined whether virtual conferences are more inclusive, and mitigate the gender gap in Q&A participation. Across four virtual conferences that varied in gender representation and Q&A structured format, men continued to take a disproportionate amount of time and space in Q&A sessions. Disproportionate participation did not significantly vary between in-person and virtual formats and did not systematically vary by how the Q&A session was organized. In an all-chat virtual conference, gender differences in volubility were attenuated among higher status academics. Gendered participation and volubility were also impacted by which sub-discipline the presentation was in. Discussion considers the theoretical and practical implications of these findings for understanding the persistence of gender inequality in science. We encourage future research that attends to the cultural factors that promote or mitigate gender disparities in participation.
  🖺 Full Text HTML: Do Virtual Environments Close the Gender Gap in Participation in Question-and-Answer Sessions at Academic Conferences? In Search of Moderation by Conference Format
• Recognizing the Impact of Covid-19 on the Poor Alters Attitudes Towards Poverty and Inequality -
  The novel Coronavirus that spread around the world in early 2020 triggered a global pandemic and economic downturn that affected nearly everyone. Yet the crisis had a disproportionate impact on the poor and revealed how easily working-class individuals’ financial security can be destabilised by factors beyond personal control. In a pre-registered longitudinal study of Americans (N = 233) spanning April 2019 to May 2020, we tested whether the pandemic altered beliefs about the extent to which poverty is caused by external forces and internal dispositions and support for economic inequality. Over this timespan, participants revealed a shift in their attributions for poverty, reporting that poverty is more strongly impacted by external-situational causes and less by internal-dispositional causes. However, we did not detect an overall mean-level change in opposition to inequality or support for government intervention. Instead, only for those who most strongly recognized the negative impact of COVID-19 did changes in poverty attributions translate to decreased support for inequality, and increased support for government intervention to help the poor.
  🖺 Full Text HTML: Recognizing the Impact of Covid-19 on the Poor Alters Attitudes Towards Poverty and Inequality
• Tracing the origin of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron-like Spike sequences detected in wastewater -

  Background: The origin of divergent SARS-CoV-2 spike sequences found in wastewater, but not in clinical surveillance, remains unclear. These cryptic wastewater sequences have harbored many of the same mutations that later emerged in Omicron lineages. We first detected a cryptic lineage in municipal wastewater in Wisconsin in January 2022. Named the Wisconsin Lineage, we sought to determine the geographic origin of this virus and characterize its persistence and evolution over time. Methods: We systematically sampled maintenance holes to trace the origin of the Wisconsin Lineage. We sequenced spike RBD domains, and where possible, whole viral genomes, to characterize the evolution of this lineage over the 13 consecutive months that it was detectable. Findings: The persistence of the Wisconsin Lineage signal allowed us to trace it from a central wastewater plant to a single facility, with a high concentration of viral RNA. The viral sequences contained a combination of fixed nucleotide substitutions characteristic of Pango lineage B.1.234, which circulated in Wisconsin at low levels from October 2020 to February 2021, while mutations in the spike gene resembled those subsequently found in Omicron variants. Interpretation: We propose that prolonged detection of the Wisconsin Lineage in wastewater represents persistent shedding of SARS-CoV-2 from an infected individual, with ongoing within-host viral evolution leading to an ancestral B.1.234 virus accumulating Omicron-like mutations. Funding: The Rockefeller Foundation, Wisconsin Department of Health Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), and the Center for Research on Influenza Pathogenesis and Transmission.

  🖺 Full Text HTML: Tracing the origin of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron-like Spike sequences detected in wastewater
• Navigating Digital Inequality: Examining Factors Affecting Rural Customers’ Internet Banking Adoption in Post-COVID Bangladesh -
  As the world continues to navigate the new normal brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, one issue that has come to the forefront is digital inequality. In Bangladesh, where a significant portion of the population resides in rural areas, the adoption of internet banking has been hindered by various factors. However, understanding these factors is crucial, especially now that digital transactions have become more important. This study aims to understand the factors influencing the adoption of internet banking services among rural customers in Bangladesh. To acquire data, a questionnaire was administered to 443 rural bank customers in the district of Barisal. The Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) revealed three primary factors: trust compatibility, service benefit, and access to consumer education. In addition, the research sought to determine if the identified factors, particularly access to consumer education, varied according to the occupation and income level of rural consumers. Using exhaustive Chi-squared Automatic Interaction Detection (CHAID) analysis, the findings revealed that access to consumer education differs significantly by occupation level, with business and service holders being more likely than farmers to have access to consumer education. This research contributes to the literature by providing insights into the adoption of internet banking by rural customers and informing policymakers about the special needs of this demographic.
  🖺 Full Text HTML: Navigating Digital Inequality: Examining Factors Affecting Rural Customers’ Internet Banking Adoption in Post-COVID Bangladesh
• Bivalent mRNA-1273.214 vaccine effectiveness against SARS-CoV-2 omicron XBB* infections -

  Qatar introduced COVID-19 bivalent vaccination for persons ≥12 years old using the 50-μg mRNA-1273.214 vaccine combining SARS-CoV-2 ancestral and omicron BA.1 strains. We estimated effectiveness of this bivalent vaccine against SARS-CoV-2 infection using a matched, retrospective, cohort study. Matched cohorts included 11,482 persons in the bivalent cohort and 56,806 persons in the no-recent-vaccination cohort. During follow-up, 65 infections were recorded in the bivalent cohort and 406 were recorded in the no-recent-vaccination cohort. None progressed to severe, critical, or fatal COVID-19. Cumulative incidence of infection was 0.80% (95% CI: 0.61-1.07%) in the bivalent cohort and 1.00% (95% CI: 0.89-1.11%) in the no-recent-vaccination cohort, 150 days after the start of follow-up. Incidence during follow-up was dominated by omicron XBB* subvariants including XBB, XBB.1, XBB.1.5, XBB.1.9.1, XBB.1.9.2, XBB.1.16, and XBB.2.3. The adjusted hazard ratio comparing incidence of infection in the bivalent cohort to that in the no-recent-vaccination cohort was 0.75 (95% CI: 0.57-0.97). Bivalent vaccine effectiveness against infection was 25.2% (95% CI: 2.6-42.6%). Effectiveness was 21.5% (95% CI: -8.2-43.5%) among persons with no prior infection and 33.3% (95% CI: -4.6-57.6%) among persons with prior infection. mRNA-1273.214 reduced incidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection, but the protection was modest at only 25%. The modest protection may have risen because of XBB* immune evasion or immune imprinting effects, or combination of both.

  🖺 Full Text HTML: Bivalent mRNA-1273.214 vaccine effectiveness against SARS-CoV-2 omicron XBB* infections
• Hybrid use of Raman spectroscopy and artificial neural networks to discriminate Mycobacterium bovis BCG and members of the order Mycobacteriales -
  Even in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, Tuberculosis (TB) continues to be a major public health problem and the 2nd biggest infectious cause of death worldwide. There is, therefore, an urgent need to develop effective TB diagnostic methods, which are cheap, portable, sensitive and specific. Raman spectroscopy is a potential spectroscopic technique for this purpose, however, so far, research efforts have focused primarily on the characterisation of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and other Mycobacteria, neglecting bacteria within the microbiome and thus, failing to consider the bigger picture. It is paramount to characterise relevant Mycobacteriales and develop suitable analytical tools to discriminate them from each other. Herein, through the combined use of Raman spectroscopy and the self-optimising Kohonen index network and further multivariate tools, we have successfully undertaken the spectral analysis of Mycobacterium bovis BCG, Corynebacterium glutamicum and Rhodoccocus erythropolis. This has led to development of a useful tool set, which can readily discern spectral differences between these three closely related bacteria as well as generate a unique spectral barcode for each species. Further optimisation and refinement of the developed method will enable its application to other bacteria. inhabiting the microbiome and ultimately lead to advanced diagnostic technologies, which can save many lives.
  🖺 Full Text HTML: Hybrid use of Raman spectroscopy and artificial neural networks to discriminate Mycobacterium bovis BCG and members of the order Mycobacteriales

From Clinical Trials

• Extracorporeal Photopheresis as a Possible Therapeutic Approach to Adults With Severe and Critical COVID-19 - Condition:   COVID-19
  Intervention:   Procedure: Extracorporeal photopheresis
  Sponsor:   Del-Pest Central Hospital - National Institute of Hematology and Infectious Diseases
  Recruiting

• Investigation of the Effect on Cognitive Skills of COVID-19 Survivors - Condition:   COVID-19
  Intervention:   Other: green walking and intelligence gam
  Sponsors:   Bayburt University;   Karadeniz Technical University
  Completed

• Evaluation of Safety, Tolerability, Reactogenicity, Immunogenicity of Baiya SARS-CoV-2 Vax 2 as a Booster for COVID-19 - Conditions:   COVID-19 Vaccine;   COVID-19
  Interventions:   Biological: 50 μg Baiya SARS-CoV-2 Vax 2;   Other: Placebo
  Sponsor:   Baiya Phytopharm Co., Ltd.
  Not yet recruiting

• The Effect of Special Discharge Training in the COVID-19 - Condition:   COVID-19 Pneumonia
  Intervention:   Other: COVID-19 Discharge Education
  Sponsor:   Kilis 7 Aralik University
  Completed

• Physiotherapy in Mutated COVID-19 Patients - Condition:   COVID-19 Pandemic
  Intervention:   Behavioral: Physiotherapy
  Sponsor:   Giresun University
  Completed

• To Explore the Regulatory Effect of Combined Capsule FMT on the Levels of Inflammatory Factors in Peripheral Blood of Patients With COVID-19 During Treatment. - Conditions:   Fecal Microbiota Transplantation;   COVID-19 Infection
  Intervention:   Procedure: Fecal microbiota transplantation
  Sponsor:   Shanghai 10th People’s Hospital
  Completed

• Telerehabilitation Program and Detraining in Patients With Post-COVID-19 Sequelae - Condition:   COVID-19 Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome
  Intervention:   Other: Telerehabilitation program
  Sponsor:   Campus docent Sant Joan de Déu-Universitat de Barcelona
  Completed

• Phase 3 Study of Novavax Vaccine(s) as Booster Dose After mRNA Vaccines - Condition:   COVID-19
  Interventions:   Biological: NVX-CoV2373;   Biological: SARS-CoV-2 rS antigen/Matrix-M Adjuvant
  Sponsor:   Novavax
  Active, not recruiting

• COVID-19 Vaccine Uptake Amongst Underserved Populations in East London - Conditions:   COVID-19;   Influenza;   Vaccination Refusal
  Intervention:   Device: Patient Engagement tool
  Sponsors:   Queen Mary University of London;   Social Action for Health
  Not yet recruiting

• Anti-SARS-CoV-2 Monoclonal Antibodies for Long COVID (COVID-19) - Conditions:   Long COVID;   Post-Acute Sequela of COVID-19;   Post-Acute COVID-19
  Interventions:   Drug: AER002;   Other: Placebo
  Sponsors:   Michael Peluso, MD;   Aerium Therapeutics
  Not yet recruiting

• Dose Exploration Intramuscular/Intravenous Prophylaxis Pharmacokinetic Exposure Response Study - Condition:   COVID-19
  Interventions:   Drug: AZD3152;   Other: Placebo
  Sponsor:   AstraZeneca
  Recruiting

• Study to Assess Safety, Reactogenicity and Immunogenicity of the repRNA(QTP104) Vaccine Against SARS-CoV-2(COVID-19) - Conditions:   COVID-19;   SARS-CoV-2
  Interventions:   Biological: QTP104 1ug;   Biological: QTP104 5ug;   Biological: QTP104 25ug
  Sponsor:   Quratis Inc.
  Active, not recruiting

• Effects of Individual Tailored Physical Exercise in Patients With POTS After COVID-19 - a Randomized Controlled Study - Conditions:   Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome;   COVID-19;   Post COVID-19 Condition;   Post-Acute COVID-19 Syndrome
  Intervention:   Other: Individual tailored exercise
  Sponsors:   Karolinska Institutet;   Karolinska University Hospital
  Enrolling by invitation

• Modifying Adiposity Through Behavioral Strategies to Improve COVID-19 Rehabilitation - Conditions:   Post-COVID Conditions;   Obesity
  Interventions:   Behavioral: 12-weeks of Weight Loss;   Behavioral: 12-weeks of Weight Stability
  Sponsors:   VA Office of Research and Development;   South Texas Veterans Health Care System;   Baltimore Veterans Affairs Medical Center
  Not yet recruiting

• Fluvoxamine for Long COVID-19 - Condition:   Long COVID
  Intervention:   Drug: Fluvoxamine
  Sponsors:   Washington University School of Medicine;   Balvi COVID Fund
  Recruiting

From PubMed

• In Silico Screening of Drugs That Target Different Forms of E Protein for Potential Treatment of COVID-19 - Recently the E protein of SARS-CoV-2 has become a very important target in the potential treatment of COVID-19 since it is known to regulate different stages of the viral cycle. There is biochemical evidence that E protein exists in two forms, as monomer and homopentamer. An in silico screening analysis was carried out employing 5852 ligands (from Zinc databases), and performing an ADMET analysis, remaining a set of 2155 compounds. Furthermore, docking analysis was performed on specific sites…

• Combination Therapy for the Treatment of Shingles with an Immunostimulatory Vaccine Virus and Acyclovir - Practically the entire global population is infected by herpesviruses that establish lifelong latency and can be reactivated. Alpha-herpesviruses, herpes simplex viruses 1 and 2 (HSV-1/HSV-2) and varicella zoster virus (VZV), establish latency in sensory neurons and then reactivate to infect epithelial cells in the mucosa or skin, resulting in a vesicular rash. Licensed antivirals inhibit virus replication, but do not affect latency. On reactivation, VZV causes herpes zoster, also known as…

• Discovery of Polyphenolic Natural Products as SARS-CoV-2 M^pro Inhibitors for COVID-19 - The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has forced the development of direct-acting antiviral drugs due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The main protease of SARS-CoV-2 is a crucial enzyme that breaks down polyproteins synthesized from the viral RNA, making it a validated target for the development of SARS-CoV-2 therapeutics. New chemical phenotypes are frequently discovered in natural goods. In the current study, we used a fluorogenic assay to test a…

• Neutralizing antibody levels and epidemiological information of patients with breakthrough COVID-19 infection in Toyama, Japan - Breakthrough infection (BI) after coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination has exploded owing to the emergence of various SARS-CoV-2 variants and has become a major problem at present. In this study, we analyzed the epidemiological information and possession status of neutralizing antibodies in patients with BI using SARS-CoV-2 pseudotyped viruses (SARS-CoV-2pv). Analysis of 44 specimens diagnosed with COVID-19 after two or more vaccinations showed high inhibition of infection by 90% or…

• Circulating ACE2 level and zinc/albumin ratio as potential biomarkers for a precision medicine approach to COVID-19 - Highly mutable influenza is successfully countered based on individual susceptibility and similar precision-like medicine approach should be effective against SARS-COV-2. Among predictive markers to bring precision medicine to COVID-19, circulating ACE2 has potential features being upregulated in both severe COVID-19 and predisposing comorbidities. Spike SARS-CoVs were shown to induce ADAM17-mediated shedding of enzymatic active ACE2, thus accounting for its increased activity that has also been…

• Discovery of quinazolin-4-one-based non-covalent inhibitors targeting the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 main protease (SARS-CoV-2 M^pro) - The COVID-19 pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 continues to pose a great threat to public health while various vaccines are available worldwide. Main protease (M^(pro)) has been validated as an effective anti-COVID-19 drug target. Using medicinal chemistry and rational drug design strategies, we identified a quinazolin-4-one series of nonpeptidic, noncovalent SARS-CoV-2 M^(pro) inhibitors based on baicalein, 5,6,7-trihydroxy-2-phenyl-4H-chromen-4-one. In particular, compound C7 exhibits superior…

• Aurones: A Promising Scaffold to Inhibit SARS-CoV-2 Replication - Aurones are a small subgroup of flavonoids in which the basic C(6)-C(3)-C(6) skeleton is arranged as (Z)-2-benzylidenebenzofuran-3(2H)-one. These compounds are structural isomers of flavones and flavonols, natural products reported as potent inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2 replication. Herein, we report the design, synthesis, and anti-SARS-CoV-2 activity of a series of 25 aurones bearing different oxygenated groups (OH, OCH(3), OCH(2)OCH(3), OCH(2)O, OCF(2)H, and OCH(2)C(6)H(4)R) at the A- and/or…

• Phytochemicals and micronutrients in suppressing infectivity caused by SARS-CoV-2 virions and seasonal coronavirus HCoV-229E in vivo - SARS-CoV-2 infection still poses health threats especially to older and immunocompromised individuals. New emerging variants of SARS-CoV-2, including Omicron and Arcturus, have been challenging the effectiveness of humoral immunity resulting from repeated vaccination and infection. With recent study implying a wave of new mutants in vaccinated people making them more susceptible to the newest variants and fueling a rapid viral evolution, there is a need for alternative or adjunct approaches…

• Impact of disposable mask microplastics pollution on the aquatic environment and microalgae growth - The COVID-19 pandemic has mandated people to use medical masks to protect the public. However the improper management of disposable mask waste has led to the increase of marine pollution, in terms of water quality, and the decline in aquatic microorganisms. The aim of this research was to investigate the impact of disposable mask waste on fresh water and microalgae biomass quality. Disposable masks (untreated or treated with Enterococcus faecalis) were placed in 10-L glass reactors containing…

• Olmesartan alleviates SARS-CoV-2 envelope protein induced renal fibrosis by regulating HMGB1 release and autophagic degradation of TGF-β1 - Background and aims: Renal damage in severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is highly associated with mortality. Finding relevant therapeutic candidates that can alleviate it is crucial. Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) and angiotensin-receptor blockers (ARBs) have been shown to be harmless to COVID-19 patients, but it remains elusive whether ACEIs/ARBs have protective benefits to them. We wished to determine if ACEIs/ARBs had a protective effect on the renal damage…

• Relationship between antidepressants and severity of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron infection: a retrospective cohort study using real-world data - BACKGROUND: Few studies have used real-world data to evaluate the impact of antidepressant use on the risk of developing severe outcomes after SARS-CoV-2 Omicron infection.

• Activation of the NLRP1 Inflammasome and Its Role in Transmissible Gastroenteritis Coronavirus Infection - The inflammasome pathway is a critical early response mechanism of the host that detects pathogens, initiates the production of inflammatory cytokines, and recruits effector cells to the infection site. Nonetheless, the mechanism of inflammasome activation in coronavirus infection and its biological functions in host defense remain unclear. Transmissible gastroenteritis virus (TGEV), a member of the genus Alphacoronavirus, is a significant pathogen that mainly infects piglets and causes…

• Inhibitory effects of 190 compounds against SARS-CoV-2 M^{pr o} protein: Molecular docking interactions - COVID-19 has caused many deaths since the first outbreak in 2019. The burden on healthcare systems around the world has been reduced by the success of vaccines. However, population adherence and the occurrence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants are still challenging tasks to be affronted. In addition, the newly approved drug presents some limitations in terms of side effects and drug interference, highlighting the importance of searching for new antiviral…

• Multi-omic and comparative analyses revealed monocyte-derived alpha-defensin-1 correlated with COVID-19 severity and inhibited SARS-CoV-2 infection - Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the etiological pathogen of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), a highly contagious disease, spreading quickly and threatening global public health. The symptoms of COVID-19 vary from mild reactions to severe respiratory distress or even fatal outcomes probably due to the different status of host immunity against the virus. Here in the study, we unveiled plasma proteomic signatures and transcriptional patterns of peripheral blood…

• Design, synthesis and biological evaluation of peptidomimetic benzothiazolyl ketones as 3CL^pro inhibitors against SARS-CoV-2 - A series of peptidomimetic compounds containing benzothiazolyl ketone and [2.2.1] azabicyclic ring was designed, synthesized and evaluated in the hope of obtaining potent oral 3CL^(pro) inhibitors with improved pharmacokinetic properties. Among the target compounds, 11b had the best enzymatic potency (IC(50) = 0.110 μM) and 11e had the best microsomal stability (t(1/2) > 120 min) and good enzyme activity (IC(50) = 0.868 μM). Therefore, compounds 11b and 11e were chosen for further evaluation of…

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