Covid-19 Sentry

Contents

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

From Preprints

• Longevity of seropositivity and neutralizing titers among SARS-CoV-2 infected individuals after 4 months from baseline: a population-based study in the province of Trento -

  Background. There are conflicting results about the duration of antibodies induced by SARS-CoV-2, but several studies show a rapid decay in a few months after infection. To evaluate antibody decline, we re-evaluated the presence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies among individuals found seropositive in a first population survey conducted 4 months before. Methods. All individuals above ten years of age resident in 5 municipalities of the Autonomous Province of Trento, northern Italy, who resulted IgG positive for anti-SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid (NC) antibodies in a serosurvey conducted on May 2020 were retested after 4 months. Anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies were detected using the Abbott SARS-CoV-2 IgG assay (Abbott Diagnostics, USA) detecting anti-NC antibodies. Samples that gave a negative result were re-tested using the same test plus Liaison SARS-CoV-2 IgG assay (DiaSorin, Italy) to assess anti-spike (S) S1/S2 IgG antibodies. Seroprevalence was calculated as the proportion of positive people on the total number of tested. A neutralizing assay was performed on a subgroup of formerly positives sera using fifty-percent tissue culture infective dose (TCID50) as endpoint dilution to produce a cytopathic effect in 50% of inoculated Vero E6 cells culture. In all the analyses a p value < 0.05 were considered statistically significant. Statistical analysis was performed by STATA version 16.1 (STATA Corp., College Station, Texas, USA). Findings. Overall, 1159 out of 1402 initially anti-NC seropositive participants were enrolled in the study. Of them, 480 (41.1%) became seronegative for anti-NC IgG antibodies. When 479 negative sera were tested for anti-S IgG, 373 samples (77.9%) resulted positives. A functional neutralization assay was performed on 106 sera showing high concordance with anti-S antibodies positivity. Interpretation. A decline of anti-NC IgG values was recorded 4 months after the first evaluation. Worth of note, a high proportion of anti-NC seronegative individuals were positive for anti-spike IgG antibodies, which appear to persist longer and to better correlate with neutralization activity.

  🖺 Full Text HTML: Longevity of seropositivity and neutralizing titers among SARS-CoV-2 infected individuals after 4 months from baseline: a population-based study in the province of Trento
• Efficacy of face masks, neck gaiters and face shields for reducing the expulsion of simulated cough-generated aerosols -

  Face masks are recommended to reduce community transmission of SARS-CoV-2. One of the primary benefits of face masks and other coverings is as source control devices to reduce the expulsion of respiratory aerosols during coughing, breathing, and speaking. Face shields and neck gaiters have been proposed as an alternative to face masks, but information about face shields and neck gaiters as source control devices is limited. We used a cough aerosol simulator with a pliable skin headform to propel small aerosol particles (0 to 7 μm) into different face coverings. An N95 respirator blocked 99% of the cough aerosol, a medical grade procedure mask blocked 59%, a 3-ply cotton cloth face mask blocked 51%, and a polyester neck gaiter blocked 47% as a single layer and 60% when folded into a double layer. In contrast, the face shield blocked 2% of the cough aerosol. Our results suggest that face masks and neck gaiters are preferable to face shields as source control devices for cough aerosols.

  🖺 Full Text HTML: Efficacy of face masks, neck gaiters and face shields for reducing the expulsion of simulated cough-generated aerosols
• County-level exposures to greenness and associations with COVID-19 incidence and mortality in the United States -

  Background: COVID-19 is an infectious disease that has killed more than 246,000 people in the US. During a time of social distancing measures and increasing social isolation, green spaces may be a crucial factor to maintain a physically and socially active lifestyle while not increasing risk of infection. Objectives: We evaluated whether greenness is related to COVID-19 incidence and mortality in the United States. Methods: We downloaded data on COVID-19 cases and deaths for each US county up through June 7, 2020, from Johns Hopkins University, Center for Systems Science and Engineering Coronavirus Resource Center. We used April-May 2020 Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) data, to represent the greenness exposure during the initial COVID-19 outbreak in the US. We fitted negative binomial mixed models to evaluate associations of NDVI with COVID-19 incidence and mortality, adjusting for potential confounders such as county-level demographics, epidemic stage, and other environmental factors. We evaluated whether the associations were modified by population density, proportion of Black residents, median home value, and issuance of stay-at-home order. Results: An increase of 0.1 in NDVI was associated with a 6% (95% Confidence Interval: 3%, 10%) decrease in COVID-19 incidence rate after adjustment for potential confounders. Associations with COVID-19 incidence were stronger in counties with high population density and in counties with stay-at-home orders. Greenness was not associated with COVID-19 mortality in all counties; however, it was protective in counties with higher population density. Discussion: Exposures to NDVI had beneficial impacts on county-level incidence of COVID-19 in the US and may have reduced county-level COVID-19 mortality rates, especially in densely populated counties.

  🖺 Full Text HTML: County-level exposures to greenness and associations with COVID-19 incidence and mortality in the United States
• SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibody responses in rt-PCR positive cases: first report from India -

  The SARS-CoV-2 antibody responses remain poorly understood and the clinical utility of serological testing is still unclear. As it is thought to confer some degree of immunity, this study is carried out to know the relationship between demographics and ct value of confirmed rt-PCR patients. A total of 384 serum samples were collected between 4-6 weeks after confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection. IgG positivity was found to be 80.2% (95% CI, 76.2 - 84.2). The positivity increased with the decrease in the ct value, with highest of 87.6% positivity in individuals with <20 ct value. The mean ct value of the IgG Ab positives was 23.34 and in IgG negatives was 26.72. There was no significant difference found between the demographic characteristics such as age, sex, symptoms and antibody response. The current study is first of its kind wherein we have assessed the correlation of ct of RT-PCR with development of IgG against SARS-CoV-2. Our study showed that although Ct value might not have any relation with severity of the diseases but is associated with the antibody response among the SARS-CoV-2 infected individual.

  🖺 Full Text HTML: SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibody responses in rt-PCR positive cases: first report from India
• Large scale sequencing of SARS-CoV-2 genomes from one region allows detailed epidemiology and enables local outbreak management -

  The COVID-19 pandemic has spread rapidly throughout the world. In the UK, the initial peak was in April 2020; in the county of Norfolk (UK) and surrounding areas, which has a stable, low-density population, over 3,200 cases were reported between March and August 2020. As part of the activities of the national COVID-19 Genomics Consortium (COG-UK) we undertook whole genome sequencing of the SARS-CoV-2 genomes present in positive clinical samples from the Norfolk region. These samples were collected by four major hospitals, multiple minor hospitals, care facilities and community organisations within Norfolk and surrounding areas. We combined clinical metadata with the sequencing data from regional SARS-CoV-2 genomes to understand the origins, genetic variation, transmission and expansion (spread) of the virus within the region and provide context nationally. Data were fed back into the national effort for pandemic management, whilst simultaneously being used to assist local outbreak analyses. Overall, 1,565 positive samples (172 per 100,000 population) from 1,376 cases were evaluated; for 140 cases between two and six samples were available providing longitudinal data. This represented 42.6% of all positive samples identified by hospital testing in the region and encompassed those with clinical need, and health and care workers and their families. 1,035 cases had genome sequences of sufficient quality to provide phylogenetic lineages. These genomes belonged to 26 distinct global lineages, indicating that there were multiple separate introductions into the region. Furthermore, 100 genetically-distinct UK lineages were detected demonstrating local evolution, at a rate of ~2 SNPs per month, and multiple co-occurring lineages as the pandemic progressed. Our analysis: identified a sublineage associated with 6 care facilities; found no evidence of reinfection in longitudinal samples; ruled out a nosocomial outbreak; identified 16 lineages in key workers which were not in patients indicating infection control measures were effective; found the D614G spike protein mutation which is linked to increased transmissibility dominates the samples and rapidly confirmed relatedness of cases in an outbreak at a food processing facility. The large-scale genome sequencing of SARS-CoV-2-positive samples has provided valuable additional data for public health epidemiology in the Norfolk region, and will continue to help identify and untangle hidden transmission chains as the pandemic evolves.

  🖺 Full Text HTML: Large scale sequencing of SARS-CoV-2 genomes from one region allows detailed epidemiology and enables local outbreak management
• Overwhelming Evidence for Vaccine Efficacy in the Pfizer Trial: An Interim Bayesian Analysis -
  On Monday November 9th 2020, Pfizer and BioNTech issued a press release in which Pfizer CEO Dr. Albert Bourla stated: “Today is a great day for science and humanity. The first set of results from our Phase 3 COVID-19 vaccine trial provides the initial evidence of our vaccine’s ability to prevent COVID-19”. But what exactly are the initial data, and how strong is the initial evidence? Based on the available data, we conduct a Bayesian logistic regression with group membership (placebo vs. vaccine) as a predictor. Our results confirm that the Pfizer interim Phase 3 data are indeed highly promising. Even though the case numbers are relatively small, their distribution across the placebo and vaccinated group is so lopsided that (1) the evidence in favor of effectiveness is overwhelming; (2) the effect is almost certainly very large, although how large exactly is difficult to tell.
  🖺 Full Text HTML: Overwhelming Evidence for Vaccine Efficacy in the Pfizer Trial: An Interim Bayesian Analysis
• Automatic COVID-19 Detection from chest radiographic images using Convolutional Neural Network -

  The global pandemic of the novel coronavirus that started in Wuhan, China has affected more than 2 million people worldwide and caused more than 130,000 tragic deaths. To date, the COVID-19 virus is still spreading and affecting thousands of people. The main problem with testing for COVID-19 is that there are very few test kits available for a large number of affected or suspicious individuals. This leads to the need for automatic detection systems that use artificial intelligence. Deep learning is one of the most powerful AI tools available, so we recommend creating a convolutional neural network to detect COVID-19 positive patients from chest radiographs. According to previous studies, lung X-rays of COVID-19-positive patients show obvious characteristics, so this is a reliable method for testing patients because X-ray examination of suspicious patients is easier than rt-PCR. Our model has been trained with 820 chest radiographic images (excluding data augmentation) collected from 3 databases, with a classification accuracy of 99.61% (training accuracy of 99.59%), the sensitivity of 99.21%, and specificity of 99.29 %, proved that our model has become a reliable COVID-19 detector.

  🖺 Full Text HTML: Automatic COVID-19 Detection from chest radiographic images using Convolutional Neural Network
• A variational model for computing the effective reproduction number of SARS-CoV-2 -

  We propose a variational model for computing the temporal effective reproduction number, R(t), of SARS-CoV-2 from the daily count of incident cases and the serial interval. The R(t) estimate is made through the minimization of a functional that enforces: (i) the ability to reproduce the incidence curve from R(t) through a renewal equation, (ii) the regularity of R(t) and (iii) the adjustment of the initial value to an initial estimate of R₀ obtained from the initial exponential growth of the epidemic. The model does not assume any statistical distribution for R(t) and does not require truncating the serial interval when its distribution contains negative days. A comparative study of the solution is carried out with the standard EpiEstim method. For a particular choice of the parameters of the variational model, a good agreement is found between the estimate provided by the variational model and an estimate obtained by EpiEstim shiftef backward more than 8 days. This backward shift suggests that our model finds values for R(t) that are more than 8 days closer to present. We also examine how to extrapolate R(t) and the form of the incidence curve i(t) in the short term. An implementation and comparison of both methods, applied every day on each country, is available at www.ipol.im/ern.

  🖺 Full Text HTML: A variational model for computing the effective reproduction number of SARS-CoV-2
• Risk Attitudes and Human Mobility during the COVID-19 Pandemic -
  Behavioral responses to pandemics are less shaped by actual mortality or hospitalization risks than they are by risk attitudes. We explore human mobility patterns as a measure of behavioral responses during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our results indicate that risk-taking attitude is a critical factor in predicting reduction in human mobility and increase social confinement around the globe. We find that the sharp decline in movement after the WHO (World Health Organization) declared COVID-19 to be a pandemic can be attributed to risk attitudes. Our results suggest that regions with risk-averse attitudes are more likely to adjust their behavioral activity in response to the declaration of a pandemic even before most official government lockdowns. Further understanding of the basis of responses to epidemics, e.g., precautionary behavior, will help improve the containment of the spread of the virus.
  🖺 Full Text HTML: Risk Attitudes and Human Mobility during the COVID-19 Pandemic
• A higher ratio of green spaces means a lower racial disparity in severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection rates: A nationwide study of the United States -

  There is striking racial disparity in the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection rates in the United States. We hypothesize that the disparity is significantly smaller in areas with a higher ratio of green spaces at the county level. This study used the 135 most urbanized counties across the United States as sample sites. County level data on the SARS-CoV-2 infection rates of black and white individuals in each county were collected. The ratio of green spaces by land-cover type at the county level was calculated from satellite imagery. An ecological hierarchical regression analysis measured cross-sectional associations between racial disparity in infection rates and green spaces, after controlling for socioeconomic, demographic, pre-existing chronic disease, and built-up area factors. We found significantly higher infection rate among black individuals compared to white individuals. More importantly, a higher ratio of green spaces at the county level is significantly associated with a lower racial disparity in the SARS-CoV-2 infection rate. Further, we identified four green space factors that have significant negative associations with the racial disparity in SARS-CoV-2 infection rates, including open space in developed areas, forest, shrub and scrub, and grassland and herbaceous. We suggest that green spaces are an equalizing salutogenic factor, modifying infection exposure.

  🖺 Full Text HTML: A higher ratio of green spaces means a lower racial disparity in severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection rates: A nationwide study of the United States
• Predicting the number of people infected with SARS-COV-2 in a population using statistical models based on wastewater viral load -

  The quantification of the SARS-CoV-2 RNA load in wastewater has emerged as a useful tool to monitor COVID-19 outbreaks in the community. This approach was implemented in the metropolitan area of A Coruna (NW Spain), where wastewater from a treatment plant was analyzed to track the epidemic dynamics in a population of 369,098 inhabitants. Statistical regression models from the viral load detected in the wastewater and the epidemiological data from A Coruna health system that allowed us to estimate the number of infected people, including symptomatic and asymptomatic individuals, with reliability close to 90%, were developed. These models can help to understand the real magnitude of the epidemic in a population at any given time and can be used as an effective early warning tool for predicting outbreaks. The methodology of the present work could be used to develop a similar wastewater-based epidemiological model to track the evolution of the COVID-19 epidemic anywhere in the world.

  🖺 Full Text HTML: Predicting the number of people infected with SARS-COV-2 in a population using statistical models based on wastewater viral load
• The nexus impacts of the Covid-19: A qualitative perspective -
  The world has been highly impacted by the COVID-19 as the virus has spread to all continents – about 200 countries in total. The latest update claims about 4,000,000 confirmed cases and about 300,000 confirmed deaths owing to the COVID-19 pandemic. This probably makes the COVID-19 as the most dangerous contagious disease in the era 2000s. Apart from massive publications on this topic, there is no available qualitative analysis that describes the dynamic spreads of the COVID-19 and its impacts on healthcare and the economy. Through the system archetypes analysis, this paper explains that the dynamic spread of the COVID-19 consists of the limits to growth and the success to successful structures. The limits to growth elucidates that more symptomatic and asymptomatic patients owing to infected droplets may be bounded by self-healing and isolated treatments. The success to successful structure explains that once the COVID-19 affects the economy through the lockdown, there will be a limited fund to support the government aids and the aggregate demand. In overall, this paper gives readers simplified holistic insights into understanding the dynamic spread of the COVID-19.
  🖺 Full Text HTML: The nexus impacts of the Covid-19: A qualitative perspective
• SARS-CoV-2 receptor ACE2 is expressed in human conjunctival tissue, especially in diseased conjunctival tissue -

  COVID-19 virus has currently caused major outbreaks worldwide. ACE2 is a major cellular-entry receptor for the COVID-19 virus. Although ACE2 is known to be expressed in many organs, whether it is expressed by the conjunctival tissue is largely unknown. Human conjunctival tissues from 68 subjects were obtained, which included 10 subjects with conjunctival nevi, 20 subjects with conjunctivitis, 9 subjects with conjunctival papilloma, 16 subjects with conjunctival cyst, 7 subjects with conjunctival polyps, and 6 ocular traumas as normal subjects. Expression of ACE2 was evaluated by immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence, reverse transcriptase-quantitative polymerase chain reaction, and western blot assay. We observed the expression of ACE2 by conjunctival tissues, expecially in conjunctival epithelial cells. ACE2 was significantly (p<0.001) overexpressed in conjunctival cells obtained from subjects with conjunctivitis, conjunctival nevi, conjunctival papilloma, conjunctival cyst, and conjunctival polyps epithelial cells when compared to that in conjunctival epithelial cells obtained from control subjects. Collectively, clinical features of reported COVID-19 patients combined with our results indicate that COVID-19 is likely to be transmitted through the conjunctiva.

  🖺 Full Text HTML: SARS-CoV-2 receptor ACE2 is expressed in human conjunctival tissue, especially in diseased conjunctival tissue
• Factors influencing mental health among American youth in the time of the Covid-19 pandemic -
  Objective: The article aims to show the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on mental health of American youth. It also aims to identify factors that have an impact on the mental health maintenance of young Americans. The conducted analyses are an attempt at explaining the influence of high psycho-social stress on the mental health of young people. Methods: Secondary data from representative research conducted among the inhabitants of the United States of America on the sample of 10,139 respondents has been used in the analysis. Data is derived from the Pew Research Center, American Trends Panel. Results: The data analysis indicates that among all the age categories the highest levels of mental discomfort have been observed among the youngest Americans aged 18-29. The majority of respondents experienced anxiety and depression. The results of analyses of the youngest respondents (sample n=1083) have shown that there are a few factors which have impact on mental health of the young generation. Males, people living in relationships, practising religion more often, having a better financial situation, conservative beliefs and being devoid of citizenship had a better mental condition. Owned social, economic and cultural resources protect young Americans against the Covid-19 pandemic. Conclusions: The conducted research confirms the hypothesis that younger generations cope with the Covid-19 pandemic and related difficulties the worst. Due to the conducted analyses, the variables responsible for the deterioration of mental health in younger generations may be indicated.
  🖺 Full Text HTML: Factors influencing mental health among American youth in the time of the Covid-19 pandemic
• Antecedents and consequences of COVID-19 conspiracy theories: a rapid review of the evidence -
  COVID-19 conspiracy theories emerged almost immediately after the beginning of the pandemic, and the number of believers does not appear to decline. Believing in these theories can negatively affect adherence to safety guidelines and vaccination intentions, potentially endangering the lives of many. Thus, one part in successfully fighting the pandemic is to understand the antecedents and consequences of COVID-19 conspiracy beliefs, which are here presented in a rapid review summarizing research from more than 28 countries. We evaluate the contribution of individual difference variables (demographic variables, personality traits, coping with threat and uncertainty), beliefs, biases, and attitudes (epistemically suspect beliefs, thinking styles and cognitive biases, attitudes towards science), and social factors (group identities, trust in authorities, social media) to COVID-19 conspiracy theories. We discuss the consequences of COVID-19 conspiracy beliefs in regard to safeguarding behaviours (hygiene, distancing, and mask-wearing), self-centred (hoarding) and misguided behaviours (pseudoscientific practices), vaccination intentions, mental health and negative social consequences (e.g., discrimination and violence). Differences between countries as well as various conspiracy theories are considered. Summarising, we suggest that belief in COVID-19 conspiracy theories is boosted by low levels of trust in a context of threat and low levels of comprehensive, accessible information in a context of uncertainty and unknowns. We conclude that research is urgently needed to address potential interventions to (re-)establish trust and provide accessible information about COVID-19.
  🖺 Full Text HTML: Antecedents and consequences of COVID-19 conspiracy theories: a rapid review of the evidence

From Clinical Trials

• A Study Evaluating the Efficacy and Safety of CKD-314 in Hospitalized Adult Patients Diagnosed With COVID-19 Pneumonia - Condition:   COVID-19
  Intervention:   Drug: Nafamostat Mesilate
  Sponsor:   Chong Kun Dang Pharmaceutical
  Not yet recruiting

• Phase III Double-blind, Placebo-controlled Study of AZD7442 for Post- Exposure Prophylaxis of COVID-19 in Adults - Condition:   COVID-19
  Interventions:   Drug: AZD7442;   Drug: Placebo
  Sponsors:   AstraZeneca;   QuintilesIMS
  Not yet recruiting

• Phase III Double-blind, Placebo-controlled Study of AZD7442 for Pre-exposure Prophylaxis of COVID-19 in Adult. - Condition:   COVID-19
  Interventions:   Drug: AZD7442;   Drug: Placebo
  Sponsors:   AstraZeneca;   QuintilesIMS
  Not yet recruiting

• Effectiveness and Safety of Rhea Health Tone® as add-on Therapy for COVID-19 in Hospitalized Adults in Indonesia - Condition:   Covid19
  Intervention:   Dietary Supplement: Rhea Health Tone®
  Sponsors:   Universitas Padjadjaran;   PT. Rhea Pharmaceutical Sciences Indonesia;   Prodia Diacro Laboratories P.T.
  Not yet recruiting

• Ultramicronized Palmitoylethanolamide (PEA) Treatment in Hospitalized Participants With COVID-19 - Condition:   COVID-19
  Interventions:   Drug: FSD201;   Drug: Placebo
  Sponsor:   FSD Pharma, Inc.
  Not yet recruiting

• Hyperimmune Plasma for Patients With COVID-19 - Condition:   Covid19
  Intervention:   Other: treated with hyperimmune plasma
  Sponsor:   ANNA FALANGA
  Recruiting

• Intravenous Infusion of CAP-1002 in Patients With COVID-19 - Condition:   Covid19
  Interventions:   Biological: CAP-1002;   Biological: Placebo
  Sponsor:   Capricor Inc.
  Recruiting

• Clarithromycin Versus Azithromycin in Treatment of Mild COVID-19 Infection - Condition:   Covid19
  Interventions:   Drug: Clarithromycin 500mg;   Drug: Azithromycin;   Drug: Placebo
  Sponsor:   South Valley University
  Completed

• Efficacy of Probiotics in Reducing Duration and Symptoms of COVID-19 (PROVID-19) - Condition:   COVID-19
  Interventions:   Dietary Supplement: Probiotics (2 strains 10x10^9 UFC);   Dietary Supplement: Placebo (potato starch and magnesium stearate)
  Sponsors:   Centre de recherche du Centre hospitalier universitaire de Sherbrooke;   Lallemand Health Solutions
  Not yet recruiting

• Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Patients Diagnosed With COVID-19 - Condition:   Covid19
  Interventions:   Biological: MSC;   Drug: Control
  Sponsors:   Hospital Reg. Lic. Adolfo Lopez Mateos;   Instituto de Terapia Celular: ITC
  Recruiting

• Safety and Immunogenicity of COVI-VAC, a Live Attenuated Vaccine Against COVID-19 - Condition:   COVID-19
  Interventions:   Biological: COVI-VAC;   Other: Placebo
  Sponsor:   Codagenix, Inc
  Not yet recruiting

• plasmApuane CoV-2 : Efficacy and Safety of Immune Covid-19 Plasma in Covid-19 Pneumonia in Non ITU Patients - Condition:   Covid-19 Pneumonia
  Intervention:   Biological: immune plasma
  Sponsor:   Azienda USL Toscana Nord Ovest
  Recruiting

• Prevention With Chloroquine in Health Personnel Exposed to Infection With Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) (TS-COVID) - Condition:   Covid19
  Intervention:   Drug: Chloroquine
  Sponsor:   Fundacion Clinica Valle del Lili
  Active, not recruiting

• Evaluation of the Efficacy of Xylitol Nasal Spray Against SARS-CoV-2 - Condition:   Covid19
  Intervention:   Drug: Nasal Spray
  Sponsors:   Larkin Community Hospital;   Ferrer Medical Innovations;   Xlear
  Recruiting

• Use Acetyl L-Carnitine in Patients With Covid-19 Pneumonia - Condition:   Covid19
  Intervention:   Dietary Supplement: Acetyl L-Carnitine
  Sponsor:   Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Policlinico Paolo Giaccone Palermo
  Not yet recruiting

From PubMed

• Phytogenic Products and Phytochemicals as a Candidate Strategy to Improve Tolerance to Coronavirus - Coronaviruses are the causative agents of many infectious diseases in human and animals. These included severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), avian infectious bronchitis (IBV) in poultry, Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS), and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in humans. These results had considerable death burdens and negative influences on social-economic life. Since the appearance of the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, continuous investigations have been carried out by…

• IL-6 Inhibition in Critically Ill COVID-19 Patients Is Associated With Increased Secondary Infections - Background: Anti-inflammatory therapies such as IL-6 inhibition have been proposed for COVID-19 in a vacuum of evidence-based treatment. However, abrogating the inflammatory response in infectious diseases may impair a desired host response and pre-dispose to secondary infections. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical record of critically ill COVID-19 patients during an 8-week span and compared the prevalence of secondary infection and outcomes in patients who did and did not receive…

• Tocilizumab: The Key to Stop Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)-Induced Cytokine Release Syndrome (CRS)? - The COVID-19 disease is an unprecedented international public health emergency and considerably impacts the global economy and health service system. While awaiting the development of an effective vaccine, searching for the therapy for severe or critical COVID-19 patients is essential for reducing the mortality and alleviating the tension of the health service system. Cytokine release syndrome (CRS) induced by elevated interleukin-6 was recognized to underscore the pathology of severe COVID-19…

• Identification of a New Potential SARS-COV-2 RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase Inhibitor via Combining Fragment-Based Drug Design, Docking, Molecular Dynamics, and MM-PBSA Calculations - The world has recently been struck by the SARS-Cov-2 pandemic, a situation that people have never before experienced. Infections are increasing without reaching a peak. The WHO has reported more than 25 million infections and nearly 857,766 confirmed deaths. Safety measures are insufficient and there are still no approved drugs for the COVID-19 disease. Thus, it is an urgent necessity to develop a specific inhibitor for COVID-19. One of the most attractive targets in the virus life cycle is the…

• Hijacking SARS-CoV-2/ACE2 Receptor Interaction by Natural and Semi-synthetic Steroidal Agents Acting on Functional Pockets on the Receptor Binding Domain - The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a respiratory tract infection caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS)-CoV-2. In light of the urgent need to identify novel approaches to be used in the emergency phase, we have embarked on an exploratory campaign aimed at repurposing natural substances and clinically available drugs as potential anti-SARS-CoV2-2 agents by targeting viral proteins. Here we report on a strategy based on the virtual screening of druggable pockets…

• Innate Immunity and Influenza A Virus Pathogenesis: Lessons for COVID-19 - There is abundant evidence that the innate immune response to influenza A virus (IAV) is highly complex and plays a key role in protection against IAV induced infection and illness. Unfortunately it also clear that aspects of innate immunity can lead to severe morbidity or mortality from IAV, including inflammatory lung injury, bacterial superinfection, and exacerbation of reactive airways disease. We review broadly the virus and host factors that result in adverse outcomes from IAV and show…

• Integrative Network Analysis of Predicted miRNA-Targets Regulating Expression of Immune Response Genes in Bovine Coronavirus Infection - Bovine coronavirus (BCoV) infection that causes disease outbreaks among farm animals, resulting in significant economic losses particularly in the cattle industry, has the potential to become zoonotic. miRNAs, which are short non-coding segments of RNA that inhibits the expression of their target genes, have been identified as potential biomarkers and drug targets, though this potential in BCoV remains largely unknown. We hypothesize that certain miRNAs could simultaneously target multiple…

• Commentary: GSK-3 Inhibition as a Therapeutic Approach Against SARs CoV2: Dual Benefit of Inhibiting Viral Replication While Potentiating the Immune Response - No abstract

• SOCS, Intrinsic Virulence Factors, and Treatment of COVID-19 - The suppressor of cytokine signaling (SOCS) family of intracellular checkpoint inhibitors has received little recognition compared to other checkpoint inhibitors. Two members of this family, SOCS1 and SOCS3, are indispensable, since SOCS1 knockout in mice results in neonatal death due to interferon gamma (IFNγ) induced inflammatory disease, and SOCS3 knockout leads to embryonic lethality. We have shown that SOCS1 and SOCS3 (SOCS1/3) function as virus induced intrinsic virulence factors for…

• Emerging Molecular Prospective of SARS-CoV-2: Feasible Nanotechnology Based Detection and Inhibition - The rapid dissemination of SARS-CoV-2 demonstrates how vulnerable it can make communities and is why it has attained the status of global pandemic. According to the estimation from Worldometer, the SARS-CoV-2 affected cases and deaths are exponentially increasing worldwide, marking the mortality rate as ∼3.8% with no probability of its cessation till now. Despite massive attempts and races among scientific communities in search of proper therapeutic options, the termination of this breakneck…

• Renin-angiotensin system inhibition and risk of infection and mortality in COVID-19: a systematic review and meta-analysis - CONCLUSION: Use of ACEI or ARB was not associated with a heightened susceptibility for a positive diagnosis of COVID-19. Furthermore, they were not associated with increased illness severity or mortality due to COVID-19. Randomised controlled trials are needed to address definitively the potential benefits or harms of RAS inhibitors in patients with COVID-19.

• Protease targeted COVID-19 drug discovery and its challenges: Insight into viral main protease (Mpro) and papain-like protease (PLpro) inhibitors - Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) brutally perils physical and mental health worldwide. Unavailability of effective anti-viral drug rendering global threat of COVID-19 caused by SARS-CoV-2. In this scenario, viral protease enzymes are crucial targets for drug discovery. This extensive study meticulously focused on two viral proteases such as main protease (Mpro) and papain-like protease (PLpro), those are essential for viral replication. This review provides a detail…

• Porcine haemagglutinating encephalomyelitis virus deactivates transcription factor IRF3 and limits type I interferon production - Porcine haemagglutinating encephalomyelitis virus (PHEV) is a member of coronavirus that causes acute infectious disease and high mortality in piglets. The transcription factor IRF3 is a central regulator of type I interferon (IFN) innate immune signalling. Here, we report that PHEV infection of RAW264.7 cells results in strong suppression of IFN-β production in the early stage. A comparative analysis of the upstream effector of IFN-β transcription demonstrated that deactivation of IRF3, but not…

• Revealing the Inhibition Mechanism of RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase (RdRp) of SARS-CoV-2 by Remdesivir and Nucleotide Analogues: A Molecular Dynamics Simulation Study - Antiviral drug therapy against SARS-CoV-2 is not yet established and posing a serious global health issue. Remdesivir is the first antiviral compound approved by the US FDA for the SARS-CoV-2 treatment for emergency use, targeting RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) enzyme. In this work, we have examined the action of remdesivir and other two ligands screened from the library of nucleotide analogues using docking and molecular dynamics (MD) simulation studies. The MD simulations have been…

• The key role of Warburg effect in SARS-CoV-2 replication and associated inflammatory response - Current mortality due to the Covid-19 pandemic (approximately 1.2 million by November 2020) demonstrates the lack of an effective treatment. As replication of many viruses - including MERS-CoV - is supported by enhanced aerobic glycolysis, we hypothesized that SARS-CoV-2 replication in host cells (especially airway cells). This metabolism is similar to the Warburg effect well studied in cancer. Counteracting two main pathways (PI3K/AKT and MAPK/ERK signaling) sustaining aerobic glycolysis…

From Patent Search

• AN EFFICIENT METHODOLOGY TO MANAGE THE ADMISSIONS IN HOSPITALS DURING THE PANDEMICS SUCH AS COVID 19 -

• SARS-CoV-2 예방을 위한 mRNA기반 항원보강제 혼합물 합성 방법 - 본 발명은 SARS-CoV-2(코로나 바이러스) 예방을 위한 mRNA 항원보강제에 관한 것으로 코로나 바이러스에 대한 백신으로서 상기의 항원에 대한 예방을 목적으로 하고 있다. 아이디어에는 보강제에 해당하는 완전프로인트항원보강제(CFA)와 불완전프로인트항원보강제(IFA), 번역과 안정성의 최적화가 된 mRNA, mRNA 운반체, 양이온성 지질 나노입자(lipid nanoparticles)로 구성되며 기존의 백신에 비해 효율성과 안정성의 측면에서 더 향상된 효과를 가지고 있다.

• Vorrichtung zum Reinigen und/oder Desinfizieren von Objekten -

  Vorrichtung (1) zum Desinfizieren von Objekten mit einer Basiseinheit (2), mit einem Aufnahmebehälter (4) für Wasser, welcher an der Basiseinheit (2) montierbar und von der Basiseinheit demontierbar ist, mit einer Objekthalterung (6) zum Halten und/oder Stützen der Objekte (10), wobei diese Objekthalterung (6) in dem Aufnahmebehälter montierbar ist und mit einer elektrisch betriebenen Reinigungseinrichtung (8), welche in dem Wasser befindliche Objekte zumindest mittelbar reinigt oder desinfiziert, wobei diese Reinigungseinrichtung in der Basiseinheit befindliche Erzeugungsmittel zum Erzeugen einer elektrischen Spannung aufweist sowie einen Plasmagenerator und/oder eine Ultraschallerzeugungseinheit.

• Methods for treating Arenaviridae and Coronaviridae virus infections - Provided are methods for treating Arenaviridae and Coronaviridae virus infections by administering nucleosides and prodrugs thereof, of Formula I:

wherein the ’ position of the nucleoside sugar is substituted. The compounds, compositions, and methods provided are particularly useful for the treatment of Lassa virus and Junin virus infections.

• Atemschutz-Baukastensystem -

  Atemschutz-Baukastensystem, das aufweist:

• eine auf zumindest Mund und Nase einer Person aufsetzbare Maske (1), die einen Eingang (11) und einen Ausgang (12) aufweist, und
• mindestens einen Schlauch (3, 31, 32),
• wobei sämtliche Komponenten des Atemschutz-Baukastensystems modular ausgebildet und über Steckverbindungen oder Schraubverbindungen (115, 125, 155, 165, 175, 215, 315, 75, 915) miteinander verbindbar sind, um der Maske (1) Luft über deren Eingang (11) zuzuführen und/oder ausgeatmete Luft vom Ausgang (12) der Maske (1) wegzuführen.

• Vorrichtung zur Übergabe und Dekontamination von mit Krankheitserregern kontaminierten Gegenständen oder Erzeugnissen -

  Vorrichtung zur Übergabe von mit Krankheitserregern kontaminierten Gegenständen oder Erzeugnissen nach einer Dekontamination, umfassend eine Einrichtung zur Dekontamination der mit Krankheitserregern kontaminierten Gegenstände oder Erzeugnisse mit mindestens einer UV-Strahlungsquelle (24), eine Durchzugseinrichtung mit Ein- und/oder Ausgabebereichen für die kontaminierten bzw. dekontaminierten Gegenstände oder Erzeugnisse, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die Durchzugseinrichtung im Eingang bzw. im Ausgang zum Ein- und/oder Ausgabebereich angeordnete sich paarweise gegenüberliegende Walzen (17) und Räder (4) umfasst, die zum Einzug bzw. zur Ausgabe der kontaminierten bzw. dekontaminierten Gegenstände oder Erzeugnisse vorgesehen sind, wobei die Walzen (17) und die Räder (4) durch im Ein- und/oder Ausgabebereich angeordnete Sensoren (23) und einer elektronische Kontrolleinheit (27) in Bewegung bringbar sind, wobei die Gegenstände oder Erzeugnisse in den Bereich der Einrichtung zur Dekontamination förderbar sind, der zwischen den paarweise angeordneten Walzen (17) und Rädern (4) vorgesehen ist, welcher sich gegenüberliegende Platten (25) aus Quarzglas oder einem UV-transparenten Polymermaterial, wie Graphen oder Kunstglas umfasst, über bzw. unter welchen die UV-Strahlungsquelle (24) angeordnet ist, welche als UVC-LED-Leiste und/oder Modul mit mindestens einer LED-Lampe ausgebildet ist.

• 제2형 중증급성호흡기증후군 코로나바이러스 감염 질환의 예방 또는 치료용 조성물 - 본 발명은 화학식 1로 표시되는 화합물, 또는 이의 약학적으로 허용가능한 염을 유효성분으로 포함하는 제2형 중증급성호흡기증후군 코로나바이러스 감염 질환 예방 또는 치료용 약학적 조성물을 제공한다. [화학식 1] .

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• 新型冠状病毒中和性抗体滴度检测ELISA试剂盒 - 本发明提供一种新型冠状病毒中和性抗体滴度检测ELISA试剂盒，其中包括：包被有生物素‑链霉亲和素标记的人ACE2蛋白的酶标板、辣根过氧化酶标记的新型冠状病毒RBD蛋白、新型冠状病毒中和性抗体阳性对照、包被液、洗涤液、稀释液、封闭液、显色液和终止液等。该试剂盒具有成本低，操作简单，高灵敏度、高特异性、高准确度的特点，可用于新型冠状病毒中和抗体的批量、快速检测。

• Reagenzien und Verwendungen zur Diagnose einer SARS-CoV-2-Infektion -

  Diagnostisch nützlicher Träger umfassend ein Polypeptid umfassend SEQ ID NO1 oder eine Variante davon, die an einen Antikörper gegen SEQ ID NO1 aus einer Probe von einem Patienten binden kann, der an einer SARS-CoV-2-Infektion leidet, wobei das Polypeptid bevorzugt auf der Festphase des Trägers immobilisiert ist.

• Reagenzien und Verwendungen zur Diagnose einer SARS-CoV-2-Infektion -

  Verwendung eines Polypeptides umfassend SEQ ID NO1 oder eine Variante davon, die an einen Antikörper gegen SED ID NO1 aus einer Probe von einem Patienten binden kann, zur Herstellung eines diagnostischen Kits.