- COVID-19, Family Dynamics, and Perceived Mental Health Among Families in Singapore -
The COVID-19 pandemic presents a significant challenge to the lives and well-being of families with underaged children. Although previous studies have documented COVID-related deterioration in well-being and identified protective and risk factors, the mechanisms under which the pandemic leads to worsened well-being remain unclear. In addition, from a policymaker’s perspective, it is important to differentiate between the effects of government-issued infection control measures (such as lockdown) and families’ voluntary responses when facing the coronavirus (such as self-quarantine) on well-being. Using Singapore as an example, we collected retrospective self-reports on the everyday activities, stressors, and well-being of parents and other caregivers at three timepoints: before local transmission (Pre-pandemic), after local transmission but before the “circuit breaker” (Pandemic), and during the “circuit breaker” (Lockdown). We estimated the effects of the pandemic itself and families’ voluntary responses to it by contrasting Pandemic against Pre-pandemic, and we estimated the additional effects of imposed lockdown measures by contrasting Lockdown against Pandemic. Results showed significant changes in jobs and income, childcare arrangement, family dynamics, and parents’ emotional well-being throughout the three timepoints. Both mothers and fathers reported to worry most about the health and safety of family members and self. Mothers’ time spent on housework partially mediated the effect of lockdown on their emotional well-being, and parents’ conflict with other adults in the household partially mediated the effects of both pandemic and lockdown on their emotional well-being. The effects of pandemic and lockdown were also moderated by parents’ age, education level, and fathers’ authoritarian values.
- How the COVID-19 pandemic impacted the perception of climate change in the UK -
Forthcoming in American Behavioral Scientist (ABS) The COVID-19 pandemic erupted during the climate change (CC) crisis, forcing individuals to adapt abruptly to a new scenario, and triggering changes in everyone’s lifestyles. Based on a representative sample of the UK population (N= 1013) this paper investigates how the COVID-19 pandemic invited/forced individuals to reflect upon a new sustainable way of life and to (re)consider the anthropogenic impact on the environment. The results show that age and education are negatively associated with skepticism relating to the human impact on CC, while other control variables such as income, gender and employment status, have a limited impact on this attitude toward CC. Secondly, findings indicate a clear separation between those with a minimal standard of education, who support the natural origin of CC, while individuals with a higher level of education believe that CC is caused by human actions. Finally, on average, younger and more educated individuals tend to associate the COVID-19 pandemic with an opportunity to promote an eco-friendly world and to adopt an eco-sustainable approach.
- High-resolution map of the Fc-functions mediated by COVID-19 neutralizing antibodies -
A growing body of evidence shows that Fc-dependent antibody effector functions play an important role in protection from severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. To unravel the mechanisms that drive these responses, we analyzed the phagocytosis and complement deposition mediated by a panel of 482 human monoclonal antibodies (nAbs) neutralizing the original Wuhan virus, expressed as recombinant IgG1. Our study confirmed that nAbs no longer neutralizing SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variants can retain their Fc-functions. Surprisingly, we found that nAbs with the most potent Fc-function recognize the N-terminal domain, followed by those targeting Class 3 epitopes in the receptor binding domain. Interestingly, nAbs direct against the Class 1/2 epitopes in the receptor binding motif, which are the most potent in neutralizing the virus, were the weakest in Fc-functions. The divergent properties of the neutralizing and Fc-function mediating antibodies were confirmed by the use of different B cell germlines and by the observation that Fc-functions of polyclonal sera differ from the profile observed with nAbs, suggesting that not-neutralizing antibodies also contribute to Fc-functions. These data provide a high-resolution picture of the Fc-antibody response to SARS-CoV-2 and suggest that the Fc contribution should be considered for the design of improved vaccines, the selection of therapeutic antibodies and the evaluation of correlates of protection.
- Proteome profiling of nasopharynx reveals pathophysiological signature of COVID-19 disease severity -
An aberrant innate immune system caused by the beta coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 is a characteristic manifestation of severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Here, we performed proteome profiling of nasopharyngeal (NP) swabs from 273 hospitalized patients with mild and severe COVID-19 symptoms, including non-survivors. We identified depletion in STAT1-mediated type I interferon response, retinol metabolism and NRF2 antioxidant system that are associated with disease severity in our patient demography. We found that the dysregulation of glucocorticoid signaling and renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) contribute to the pathophysiology of COVID-19 fatality. Hyperactivation of host innate immune system was observed in severe patients, marked by elevated proteins involved in neutrophil degranulation and platelet aggregation. Our study using high-throughput proteomics on the nasopharynx of COVID-19 patients provides additional evidence on the SARS-CoV-2-induced pathophysiological signatures of disease severity and fatality.
- Spatial and temporal clustering of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in Illinois household cats, 2021- 2023 -
In this study, we evaluated the seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in Illinois household cats from October 2021 to May 2023. Among 1,715 samples tested by serological assays, 244 samples (14%) tested positive. High-rate temporal, spatial, and space-time clusters of SARS-CoV-2 cases were assessed within 63 counties in Illinois. Three space-time clusters with higher than expected seroprevalence rates were identified in the northeastern, central-east, and southwest regions of Illinois, occurring between June and October 2022. Young cats had a higher rate of seropositivity compared to older cats, and the third quarter of the year had the highest seropositivity rate. This study provides an in-depth analysis of SARS-CoV-2 epidemiology in Illinois household cats, which will aid in COVID-19 control and prevention.
- Introducing the COVID-19 crisis Special Education Needs Coping Survey -
Individuals with special education needs have been particularly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic as they have been shown to be at high risk of losing medical and institutional support at a time when people are being asked to stay isolated, suffering increased anxiety and depression as a consequence. Their families have often found themselves under tremendous pressure to provide support, engendering financial hardship, and physical and emotional strains. In such times, it is vital that international collaborations assess the impact on the individuals and their families, affording the opportunity to make national and international comparisons of how people have coped and what needs to be done to optimize the measures taken by families, associations and governments. This paper introduces one such collaboration.
- In COVID-19 health messaging, loss framing increases anxiety with little-to-no concomitant benefits: Experimental evidence from 84 countries -
The COVID-19 pandemic (and its aftermath) highlights a critical need to communicate health information effectively to the global public. Given that subtle differences in information framing can have meaningful effects on behavior, behavioral science research highlights a pressing question: Is it more effective to frame COVID-19 health messages in terms of potential losses (e.g., “If you do not practice these steps, you can endanger yourself and others”) or potential gains (e.g., “If you practice these steps, you can protect yourself and others”)? Collecting data in 48 languages from 15,929 participants in 84 countries, we experimentally tested the effects of message framing on COVID-19-related judgments, intentions, and feelings. Loss- (vs. gain-) framed messages increased self-reported anxiety among participants cross-nationally with little-to-no impact on policy attitudes, behavioral intentions, or information seeking relevant to pandemic risks. These results were consistent across 84 countries, three variations of the message framing wording, and 560 data processing and analytic choices. Thus, results provide an empirical answer to a global communication question and highlight the emotional toll of loss-framed messages. Critically, this work demonstrates the importance of considering unintended affective consequences when evaluating nudge-style interventions.
- Can Information about Pandemics Increase Negative Attitudes toward Foreign Groups? A Case of COVID-19 Outbreak -
Pathogen threat can translate into a willingness to distance oneself from others on a psychological level. Building on this notion, we predicted that the ongoing coronavirus pandemic can affect attitudes toward foreign nationalities. We explored the intergroup consequences of the current epidemiological situation in two studies involving a total of 652 participants. In correlational Study 1, we showed a positive relationship between media exposure in the United Kingdom (UK) and in Poland, and prejudice to four foreign nationalities. Study 2 showed that negative affect toward Italians (i.e., a nation struggling with the most severe COVID-19 outbreak at the time of the study) was indirectly predicted by exposure to news about coronavirus through the increase in anxiety, but this effect was not observed when a generalized measure of prejudice was considered. Overall, our studies revealed that prejudice and anxiety are sensitive to the current epidemiological situation, and our findings suggest that the outbreak of COVID-19 may translate into severe social consequences and increased psychological distancing to nations most affected by the pandemic.
- Survey Examination of Resilience, Psychological, and Relational Well-Being during COVID-19: A Developmental and Cross-Cultural Dataset -
The datasets include relevant psychological and demographic variables relating to people’s relationships, perceptions, and reactions to the Covid-19 pandemic. Participants were recruited from the United States (N = 396), China (N = 156), and Iran (N = 248). Participants were directed to an online survey that assessed their psychological well-being, affective states, factors related to life satisfaction, and their experiences with the Covid-19 pandemic. For the United States, participants were separated by developmental stage (e.g., young adults between 18 and 35 years old and older adults who were 55 years old or older). Participants from China and Iran were 18 years old or older. Participants from the United States also provided qualitative data in the form of a text-box response where they described their reactions to the Covid-19 pandemic. These data may be relevant for researchers who want to investigate cross-cultural or developmental differences in people’s psychological states, perceptions, and reactions in the beginning phases of the Covid-19 pandemic.
- Loss-of-function mutation in Omicron variants reduces spike protein expression and attenuates SARS-CoV-2 infection -
SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variants emerged in 2022 with >30 novel amino acid mutations in the spike protein alone. While most studies focus on receptor binding domain changes, mutations in the C-terminus of S1 (CTS1), adjacent to the furin cleavage site, have largely been ignored. In this study, we examined three Omicron mutations in CTS1: H655Y, N679K, and P681H. Generating a SARS-CoV-2 triple mutant (YKH), we found that the mutant increased spike processing, consistent with prior reports for H655Y and P681H individually. Next, we generated a single N679K mutant, finding reduced viral replication in vitro and less disease in vivo. Mechanistically, the N679K mutant had reduced spike protein in purified virions compared to wild-type; spike protein decreases were further exacerbated in infected cell lysates. Importantly, exogenous spike expression also revealed that N679K reduced overall spike protein yield independent of infection. Although a loss-of-function mutation, transmission competition demonstrated that N679K had a replication advantage in the upper airway over wild-type SARS-CoV-2 in hamsters, potentially impacting transmissibility. Together, the data show that N679K reduces overall spike protein levels during Omicron infection, which has important implications for infection, immunity, and transmission.
- A large-scale serological survey in pets from October 2020 through June 2021 in France shows significantly higher exposure to SARS-CoV-2 in cats -
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) can infect many animals, including pets such as dogs and cats. Many studies have documented infection in companion animals by bio-molecular and serological methods. However, only a few have compared seroprevalence in cats and dogs from the general population, and these studies were limited by small sample sizes and collections over short periods. Our goal was to obtain a more accurate evaluation of seroprevalence in companion animals in France and to determine whether cats and dogs differ in their exposure to SARS-CoV-2. For this purpose, we conducted an extensive SARS-CoV-2 serological survey of 2036 cats and 3577 dogs sampled by veterinarians during medical examinations in clinics throughout France. Sampling was carried out from October 2020 through June 2021, a period encompassing the second and third waves of SARS-CoV-2 infections in humans in the country. Using a microsphere immunoassay targeting receptor binding domain and trimeric spike protein, we found 7.1% seroprevalence in pets, in a subset of 308 seropositive samples, 26.3% had neutralizing antibodies. We found that cats were significantly more likely to test positive than dogs, with seropositivity rates of 9.3% and 5.9% in cats and dogs, respectively. Finally, data for both species showed that seroprevalence was lower in older animals and was not associated with the date of sampling or the sex of the animal. Our results show that cats are significantly more sensitive to SARS-CoV-2 than dogs, in line with experimental studies showing that cats are more susceptible than dogs. This study reinforces that pets are commonly infected or exposed to SARS-CoV-2, emphasizing the importance of a One-Health approach to the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic and raising the question of vaccination of companion animals in close contact with humans.
- Assessing the Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Vulnerable Populations in Bangladesh -
COVID-19 has affected all classes of people over the world in many ways. In major cases, the impact of COVID-19 on vulnerable group of people is overlooked though they are the major part of the society. Thus, this paper aims at investigating the impacts of COVID-19 on vulnerable people in Bangladesh intensively. Using literature review and case studies, this paper finds some interesting findings. The daily income of poor classes of people like day laborers, Rickshaw pullers, transport workers and so on reduced by 64.37 percent during COVID-19 situation. On the other hand, about 3.7 million new poor emerged amid this pandemic. Amid this pandemic, about 50 percent of women-led enterprises are laying off 76-100 percent of their workers while about 2.14 million garment workers were laid off. More effective policies should be taken to tackle the adverse impacts of COVID-19 pandemic on vulnerable populations than what is already taken by the government and NGOs.
- Unreviewed science in the news: The evolution of preprint media coverage from 2014-2021 -
It has been argued that preprint coverage during the COVID-19 pandemic constituted a paradigm shift in journalism norms and practices. This study examines whether, in what ways, and to what extent this is the case using a sample of 11,538 preprints posted on four preprint servers—bioRxiv, medRxiv, arXiv, and SSRN—that received coverage in 94 English-language media outlets between 2014–2021. We compared mentions of these preprints with mentions of a comparison sample of 397,446 peer reviewed research articles indexed in the Web of Science to identify changes in the share of media coverage that mentioned preprints before and during the pandemic. We found that preprint media coverage increased at a slow but steady rate pre-pandemic, then spiked dramatically. This increase applied only to COVID-19-related preprints, with minimal or no change in coverage of preprints on other topics. In addition, the rise in preprint coverage was most pronounced among health and medicine-focused media outlets, which barely covered preprints before the pandemic but mentioned more COVID-19 preprints than outlets focused on any other topic. These results suggest that the growth in coverage of preprints seen during the pandemic period may imply a shift in journalistic norms, including a changing outlook on reporting preliminary, unvetted research.
- Different paths to COVID-19’s conspiratorial beliefs for the religious and spiritual: The roles of analytic and open-minded thinking -
With the threat of COVID-19, conspiratorial beliefs have proliferated, and people’s religiosity has risen. However, religiosity may only capture a narrow range of people’s meta-physical beliefs, spirituality may capture other aspects, and both of which may be associated with conspiratorial beliefs differently. To better understand the distinction between these traits, in a community sample of 662 Poles, we examined the correlations between them and misperceptions about COVID-19 (i.e., conspiracy and false factual beliefs) and the mediating role of analytic thinking and a tendency to be open-minded about evidence. Religiosity and spirituality were associated with misperceptions—directly and indirectly—but the associations were positive in the former and negative in the latter. The research points to the importance of studying both religiosity and spirituality in the context of cognition and misperceptions.
- Economic geography of contagion: A study on Covid-19 outbreak in India -
We propose a mechanism based on regional inequality in economic activity to explain the heterogeneity in the spread of Covid-19 and test it using data from India. The contagion is expected to spread at a higher rate in regions characterized by greater movements of goods and service. We argue that mobility will be higher in regions with greater degree of intra-regional inequality in economic activity. Such regions are usually characterized by core-periphery economic structure in which the periphery remains dependent on the core for the supply of jobs, goods, and services. Such dependence leads to greater degree of mobility between the core and periphery which in turn leads to higher rate of contagion. Using nightlights data to measure regional inequality, we find evidence in support of our hypothesis. Using mobility data, we provide direct evidence in support of our proposed channel; the positive relationship between regional inequality and Covid-19 infection is driven by mobility. Our findings suggest that policy responses to contain Covid-19 contagion needs to be heterogeneous across India where the priority areas can be chosen ex ante based on a regional inequality-based criterion.
Homologous Booster Study of COVID-19 Protein Subunit Recombinant Vaccine - Condition: COVID-19
Intervention: Biological: SARS-CoV-2 Subunit Recombinant Protein Vaccine
Sponsor: PT Bio Farma
Not yet recruiting
Role of Ivermectin and Colchicine in Treatment of COVID-19: Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial - Condition: COVID-19
Interventions: Drug: Ivermectin Tablets; Drug: Colchicine 0.5 MG; Drug: Standared managment
Sponsor: Ain Shams University
Completed
A Study to Evaluate the Immunogenicity and Safety of A Recombinant Protein COVID-19 Vaccine as Booster Vaccines - Conditions: COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2 Infection
Interventions: Biological: SCTV01E-2; Biological: SCTV01E
Sponsor: Sinocelltech Ltd.
Not yet recruiting
COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy Counseling Intervention for Pharmacists - Condition: COVID-19
Interventions: Behavioral: Standard implementation webinar and online training; Behavioral: Virtual facilitation
Sponsors: University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill; University of Arkansas; University of South Carolina; National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD)
Not yet recruiting
Developing an Effective Intervention to Address Post-Corona-Virus-Disease-2019 Balance Disorders, Weakness and Muscle Fatigue in Individuals Aged 65+ - Condition: COVID-19
Intervention: Device: Resistance Training
Sponsor: Józef Piłsudski University of Physical Education
Recruiting
LUSZ Treatment Efficacy in Hospitalized COVID-19 Patients - Conditions: COVID-19; Hospitalized COVID-19 Patients
Interventions: Drug: Lopinavir / Ritonavir; Drug: Remdesivir (RDV); Drug: Tocilizumab; Other: Corticosteroid Therapy-enhanced Standard Care (CTSC)
Sponsors: Lebanese University; Hospital Saydet Zgharta University Medical Center
Recruiting
Multimodal Long Covid19 - Condition: Long COVID-19 Syndrome
Intervention: Other: Multimodal intervention in Long Covid19
Sponsors: Universidad de Magallanes; Teaching Assistance and Research Center of the University of Magallanes CADI-UMAG; Clinical Hospital Dr. Lautaro Navarro Avaria
Active, not recruiting
Comprehensive Imaging Exam of Convalesced COVID-19 Patients - Conditions: COVID-19; COVID Long-Haul
Interventions: Other: Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Other: Ultra-High Resolution Computed Tomography (CT) Scan
Sponsors: Johns Hopkins University; Canon Medical Systems, USA
Enrolling by invitation
Immunogenicity and Safety Study of SCB-2023 Vaccine as a Booster in Adults - Condition: COVID-19
Interventions: Biological: SCB-2023 vaccine (trivalent), a recombinant SARS-CoV-2 trimeric S-protein subunit vaccine for COVID-19; intramuscular injection; Biological: SCB-2019 (monovalent), a recombinant SARS-CoV-2 trimeric S-protein subunit vaccine for COVID-19; intramuscular injection
Sponsor: Clover Biopharmaceuticals AUS Pty Ltd
Not yet recruiting
The Safety and Immunogenicity Following a Heterologous Booster Dose of Recombinant SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine LYB002 - Condition: COVID-19
Interventions: Biological: LYB002V14; Biological: LYB002V14A; Biological: LYB002CA
Sponsors: Guangzhou Patronus Biotech Co., Ltd.; Yantai Patronus Biotech Co., Ltd.; Affiliated Hospital of North Sichuan Medical College
Active, not recruiting
Phase 2/3 Heterologous Boosting Study With Different Dose Levels of Monovalent SARS-CoV-2 rS Vaccines - Condition: COVID-19
Interventions: Biological: NVX-CoV2373 (5μg); Biological: NVX-CoV2601 (5μg); Biological: NVX-CoV2601(5μg); Biological: NVX-CoV2601 (35μg); Biological: NVX-CoV2601(35μg); Biological: NVX-CoV2601(50μg); Biological: Bivalent BA.4/5
Sponsor: Novavax
Not yet recruiting
Efficiency and Safety of Paxlovid for COVID-19 Patients With Severe Chronic Kidney Disease - Conditions: COVID-19; Renal Insufficiency, Chronic
Intervention: Drug: Nirmatrelvir/ritonavir
Sponsor: Chinese PLA General Hospital
Recruiting
The Immunogenicity and Safety Following a Heterologous Booster Dose of Recombinant SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine LYB001 - Conditions: COVID-19; Vaccine Reaction
Interventions: Biological: LYB001; Biological: CoronaVac
Sponsors: Guangzhou Patronus Biotech Co., Ltd.; Yantai Patronus Biotech Co., Ltd.; Affiliated Hospital of North Sichuan Medical College
Active, not recruiting
Safety and Efficacy of Anakinra Treatment for Patients With Post Acute Covid Syndrome - Condition: Post-Acute COVID-19 Syndrome
Interventions: Drug: Placebo; Drug: Anakinra 149 MG/ML Prefilled Syringe [Kineret]
Sponsor: Hellenic Institute for the Study of Sepsis
Not yet recruiting
The Effect of Smart Sensor Combined With APP for Individualized Precise Exercise Training in Long Covid-19 - Conditions: Coronavirus Disease; COVID-19; Long Covid-19; Telerehabilitation
Interventions: Device: KNEESUP smart knee assistive device + KNEESUP care APP; Device: KNEESUP care APP; Behavioral: Healthy consulation
Sponsor: Shang-Lin Chiang
Recruiting
Mitochondria of lung venular capillaries mediate lung-liver crosstalk in pneumonia - Failure of the lung’s endothelial barrier underlies lung injury, which causes the high mortality Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS). Multiple organ failure predisposes to the mortality, but mechanisms are poorly understood. Here, we show that mitochondrial Uncoupling Protein 2 (UCP2), a component of the mitochondrial inner membrane, plays a role in the barrier failure. Subsequent lung-liver crosstalk mediated by neutrophil activation causes liver congestion. We intranasally instilled…
Cereals as a Source of Bioactive Compounds with Anti-Hypertensive Activity and Their Intake in Times of COVID-19 - Cereals have phytochemical compounds that can diminish the incidence of chronic diseases such as hypertension. The angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) participates in the modulation of blood pressure and is the principal receptor of the virus SARS-CoV-2. The inhibitors of the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) and the block receptors of angiotensin II regulate the expression of ACE2; thus, they could be useful in the treatment of patients infected with SARS-CoV-2. The inferior peptides from…
Recent advances in cholinergic mechanisms as reactions to toxicity, stress, and neuroimmune insults - This review presents recent studies of the chemical and molecular regulators of acetylcholine (ACh) signaling and the complexity of the small molecule and RNA regulators of those mechanisms that control cholinergic functioning in health and disease. The underlying structural, neurochemical, and transcriptomic concepts, including basic and translational research and clinical studies, shed new light on how these processes inter-change under acute states, age, sex, and COVID-19 infection; all of…
Identification of alpha-linolenic acid as a broad-spectrum antiviral against zika, dengue, herpes simplex, influenza virus and SARS-CoV-2 infection - Zika virus (ZIKV) has garnered global attention due to its association with severe congenital defects including microcephaly. However, there are no licensed vaccines or drugs against ZIKV infection. Pregnant women have the greatest need for treatment, making drug safety crucial. Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), a polyunsaturated ω-3 fatty acid, has been used as a health-care product and dietary supplement due to its potential medicinal properties. Here, we demonstrated that ALA inhibits ZIKV…
Mechanism of the Covalent Inhibition of Human Transmembrane Protease Serine 2 as an Original Antiviral Strategy - The Transmembrane Protease Serine 2 (TMPRSS2) is a human enzyme which is involved in the maturation and post-translation of different proteins. In addition to being overexpressed in cancer cells, TMPRSS2 plays a further fundamental role in favoring viral infections by allowing the fusion of the virus envelope with the cellular membrane, notably in SARS-CoV-2. In this contribution, we resort to multiscale molecular modeling to unravel the structural and dynamical features of TMPRSS2 and its…
Smoke and Spike: Benzo[a]pyrene Enhances SARS-CoV-2 Infection by Boosting NR4A2-Induced ACE2 and TMPRSS2 Expression - Cigarette smoke aggravates severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. However, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Here, they show that benzo[a]pyrene in cigarette smoke extract facilitates SARS-CoV-2 infection via upregulating angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) and transmembrane protease serine 2 (TMPRSS2). Benzo[a]pyrene trans-activates the promoters of ACE2 and TMPRSS2 by upregulating nuclear receptor subfamily 4 A number 2 (NR4A2) and promoting its…
Garbage in, garbage out: how reliable training data improved a virtual screening approach against SARS-CoV-2 MPro - Introduction: The identification of chemical compounds that interfere with SARS-CoV-2 replication continues to be a priority in several academic and pharmaceutical laboratories. Computational tools and approaches have the power to integrate, process and analyze multiple data in a short time. However, these initiatives may yield unrealistic results if the applied models are not inferred from reliable data and the resulting predictions are not confirmed by experimental evidence. Methods: We…
Virtual high-throughput screening: Potential inhibitors targeting aminopeptidase N (CD13) and PIKfyve for SARS-CoV-2 - Since the outbreak of the novel coronavirus nearly 3 years ago, the world’s public health has been under constant threat. At the same time, people’s travel and social interaction have also been greatly affected. The study focused on the potential host targets of SARS-CoV-2, CD13, and PIKfyve, which may be involved in viral infection and the viral/cell membrane fusion stage of SARS-CoV-2 in humans. In this study, electronic virtual high-throughput screening for CD13 and PIKfyve was conducted…
Investigation of oxidative, inflammatory and apoptotic effects of favipiravir use alone and combined with vitamin C on brain tissue of elderly rats - Favipiravir is a nucleoside analogue antiviral drug and inhibits the replication of many RNA viruses, especially influenza viruses. Favipiravir has also been used to treat patients with mild to moderate COVID-19 disease. However, various side effects, including neurological side effects, have been reported related to the use of favipiravir. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to investigate the possible effects of favipiravir alone or in combination with vitamin C on aged rats’ brain tissue and…
In silico identification of D449-0032 compound as a putative SARS-CoV-2 Mpro inhibitor - The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic originated the urgency in developing therapeutic resources for the treatment of COVID-19. Despite the current availability of vaccines and some antivirals, the occurence of severe cases of the disease and the risk of the emergence of new virus variants still motivate research in this field. In this context, this study aimed at the computational prospection of likely inhibitors of the main protease (M^(pro)) of SARS-CoV-2 since inhibiting this enzyme leads to disruption of…
Synthesis of multivalent sialyllactose-conjugated PAMAM dendrimers: Binding to SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and influenza hemagglutinin - Severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) and influenza viruses have spread around the world at an unprecedented rate. Despite multiple vaccines, new variants of SARS-CoV-2 and influenza have caused a remarkable level of pathogenesis. The development of effective antiviral drugs to treat SARS-CoV-2 and influenza remains a high priority. Inhibiting viral cell surface attachment represents an early and efficient means to block virus infection. Sialyl glycoconjugates, on…
Nanobodies with cross-neutralizing activity provide prominent therapeutic efficacy in mild and severe COVID-19 rodent models - The weakened protective efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines and antibodies caused by SARS-CoV-2 variants presents a global health emergency, which underscores the urgent need for universal therapeutic antibody intervention for clinical patients. Here, we screened three alpacas-derived nanobodies (Nbs) with neutralizing activity from twenty RBD-specific Nbs. The three Nbs were fused with the Fc domain of human IgG, namely aVHH-11-Fc, aVHH-13-Fc and aVHH-14-Fc, which could specifically bind RBD protein…
Janus kinase inhibition in juvenile idiopathic arthritis - No abstract
Patch-clamp studies and cell viability assays suggest a distinct site for viroporin inhibitors on the E protein of SARS-CoV-2 - CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates direct inhibition of the SARS-CoV-2 E protein by classical viroporin inhibitors. Ivermectin and milbemycin inhibit the E protein channel but their cytotoxicity argues against clinical application.
Structural basis for the inhibition of coronaviral main proteases by ensitrelvir - Main protease (M^(pro)) is a highly conserved cysteine protease that plays a vital role in the replication of coronaviruses, making it an attractive pan-coronaviral therapeutic target. Ensitrelvir (S-217622), developed by Shionogi, is the first orally active non-covalent, non-peptidic SARS-CoV-2 M^(pro) inhibitor, which also displays antiviral efficacy against other human coronaviruses as well as SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VOCs) and variants of interest (VOIs). Here, we report the crystal…