Covid-19 Sentry

Contents

• From Preprints
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• From PubMed
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From Preprints

• Higher medical education and covid vaccination -
  The Covid-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on the world, and we all must work together to ensure our safety. Higher medical education plays a vital role in this effort by providing students with the knowledge and skills needed to help protect their communities through vaccination programs. In this article, we will explore how higher medical education can be used to support effective covid vaccination efforts across the globe. We will also discuss some of the challenges faced when implementing these initiatives and potential solutions for overcoming them.
  🖺 Full Text HTML: Higher medical education and covid vaccination
• Inequality and COVID-19 in Sweden: Relative risks of nine negative life events, along four social gradients, in pandemic vs. pre-pandemic years -
  The COVID-19 pandemic struck societies directly and indirectly, challenging not just people’s health but many aspects of life. But pandemic burdens fell more heavily on some groups than others. These different consequences of the spreading virus – and the measures to fight them – are reported and analyzed in different scientific fora, with hard-to-compare methods that largely follow disciplinary boundaries. As a result, it is hard to grasp the overall impact of the pandemic on inequality. This paper relies on individual-level, administrative data for Sweden’s entire population to describe how different social groups fared in terms of nine outcomes: three types of COVID-19 incidence, as well as six other negative life events. During 2020, the population faced severe morbidity and mortality from COVID-19 and saw higher all-cause mortality, income losses and unemployment risks, as well as reduced access to medical care. In terms of relative risks, these burdens fell disproportionately on those with low income or education, and on residents born outside of Sweden. In the pandemic, all-cause mortality, unemployment, substantial income loss, poor mental health, and reduced access to health care went up for all groups in Sweden. But relative risks across social groups were strikingly similar to those in pre-pandemic years.
  🖺 Full Text HTML: Inequality and COVID-19 in Sweden: Relative risks of nine negative life events, along four social gradients, in pandemic vs. pre-pandemic years
• Interaction quality among children, staff and parents in German ECEC centres in the COVID-19 pandemic - Results from a longitudinal study -
  Early Education and Care (ECEC) centres had implemented a variety of protective and hygiene measures during the COVID-19 pandemic. Some of these measures temporarily restricted the behaviour of pedagogical staff, children and parents, for example keeping distance from each other or wearing face masks. This may have made it difficult for staff to offer high quality interactions with a positive, sensitive attitude towards children and parents, as would be important for good pedagogical work. Long-term effects of these distance measures on the quality of daily interactions in ECEC centres are largely unexplored. Based on a panel survey among German ECEC centre leaders over a period of one and a half years, we provide a long-term assessment of the impact of specific protective measures on different levels of interactions within ECEC centres, namely on staff-child interactions, interactions of children with each other and the cooperation between staff and parents. We found child-child interaction largely unaffected by the measures, while staff-parent interaction suffered the most. Communication with parents and regular implementation of pedagogical practices have a stabilizing effect, while keeping distance from children, face masks and (pandemic-related) staff shortages worsen staff-child interactions.
  🖺 Full Text HTML: Interaction quality among children, staff and parents in German ECEC centres in the COVID-19 pandemic - Results from a longitudinal study
• Long-term changes in human mobility responses to COVID-19-related information in Japan -

  This study investigates how human mobility has changed in the long term in response to COVID-19-related information in Japan. We use publicly available daily data on each Japanese prefecture from Google on 9human mobility for retail and recreation9 and 9residential spent time9. These can be explained mainly by the number of COVID-19-infected cases, whether a state of emergency was declared, and the vaccination rate. We use the interactive effects model in estimation to control for unobservable human mobility factors that vary over time and have different loadings on a cross-sectional unit. The results show that Japanese citizens were generally fearful of an unknown virus in the first wave; however, they gradually habituated themselves to similar infection information in the subsequent waves. Nevertheless, the level of habituation decreased in view of information regarding new variants that were different from the previous ones. Furthermore, citizens showed heterogeneous responses between the increasing and decreasing phases of infection. Besides, we confirm the spatial interactions of infection information. We also find that vaccination promotion motivated people to venture out of their residences. When considering policy implementation during the pandemic, it is essential to consider information dissemination given: people9s habituation, timing, and effective vaccination promotion.

  🖺 Full Text HTML: Long-term changes in human mobility responses to COVID-19-related information in Japan
• Epidemiological Risk in Italy Increases During the Cold Season and Heatwaves: Considerations for Health Policies During COVID-19 and Future Crises. -
  Objectives. This paper aims to investigate the interaction between SARS-CoV-2 and historical seasonal and environmental mortality factors to assess its real impact on public health in Italy. Study design. The study is longitudinal retrospective. Methods. The relationship between the number of deaths in the period 2015-2019 and the average monthly temperatures was investigated. The excess deaths and confirmed deaths from COVID-19 in 2020, 2021, and 2022 were examined to estimate the impact of the COVID-19 crisis and its relationships with temperatures. Parametric and non-parametric tests were used for the scope based on the distributive nature of the data. Effect size and statistical surprise (measured by S-values) were evaluated separately. Results. Cold months lead to a considerable and surprising increase in epidemiological risk and mortality in Italy from 2015 to 2019 (+45,000 annual deaths, SD = 4,700, S = 21). COVID-19 crisis has further aggravated this scenario during 2020 (+115,000) and 2021 (+63,000, S > 52). Mortality was boosted by low average minimum temperatures, although the death curve rose moderately during the four warmest months (Spearman r = -0.75, 95% CI = [-0.87; -0.56], S = 23). COVID-19 deaths also showed a pronounced seasonality, although the latter was decreasing over time (Spearman r = -0.85, 95% CI = [-0.92; -0.70], S = 20). Monthly excess deaths during COVID-19 were extremely high and surprising (+4,200, IQR = [2,800; 8,000], Wilcoxon signed rank test S = 28) but didn’t show a clear seasonality during 2021 and 2022. Overall COVID-19 mortality was strongly and surprisingly correlated with regional latitude (Spearman r = 0.86, 95% CI = [0.68; 0.94], S = 20). Discrepancies between COVID-19 and excess deaths during 2021 and 2022 suggest seasonal estimation errors and/or unexpected interactions between epidemiological variables, including coinfections (e.g., COVID-19 and seasonal flu), comorbidities, cold-induced risk factors but also reduced risk factors (e.g., due to pandemic-related health countermeasures), summer heat waves, and decreases in the most exposed population. Conclusions. Based on these findings, it can be concluded that: i) the epidemiological risk in Italy is seasonal and geographically dependent since cold seasons and low temperatures lead to higher mortality, ii) COVID-19’s impact on public health is strongly influenced by both environmental/seasonal and virological factors, iii) temperatures’ increase due to climate change is able to create summer mortality peaks. Future research should investigate the interrelation between all these epidemiological variables at the causal level. Keywords. COVID-19, epidemiology, Italy, mortality, public health, risk factors, seasonality, temperature.
  🖺 Full Text HTML: Epidemiological Risk in Italy Increases During the Cold Season and Heatwaves: Considerations for Health Policies During COVID-19 and Future Crises.
• Contact-number-driven virus evolution: a multi-level modeling framework for the evolution of acute or persistent RNA virus infection -
  Viruses evolve in infected host populations, and host population dynamics affect viral evolution. RNA viruses with a short duration of infection and a high peak viral load, such as and SARS-CoV-2, are maintained in human populations. By contrast, RNA viruses characterized by a long infection duration and a low peak viral load (e.g., borna disease virus) can be maintained in nonhuman populations, and why the persistent viruses evolved has been rarely explored. Here, using a multi-level modeling approach including both individual-level virus infection dynamics and population-scale transmission, we consider virus evolution based on the host environment, specifically, the effect of the contact history of infected hosts. We found that, with a highly dense contact history, viruses with a high virus production rate but low accuracy are likely to be optimal, resulting in a short infectious period with a high peak viral load. In contrast, with a low-density contact history, viral evolution is toward low virus production but high accuracy, resulting in long infection durations with low peak viral load. Our study sheds light on the origin of persistent viruses and why acute viral infections but not persistent virus infection tends to prevail in human society.
  🖺 Full Text HTML: Contact-number-driven virus evolution: a multi-level modeling framework for the evolution of acute or persistent RNA virus infection
• Evaluation of Covid-19 antigen rapid diagnostic tests for self-testing in Lesotho and Zambia -

  Background The use of antigen rapid tests (Ag-RDTs) for self-testing is an important element of the COVID-19 control strategy and has been widely supported. However, scale-up of self-testing for COVID-19 in sub-Saharan Africa is still insufficient and there is limited evidence on the acceptability of self-testing and agreement between Ag-RDT self-testing and Ag-RDT testing by professional users. A joint collaboration (BRCCH-EDCTP COVID-19 Initiative) was established between Lesotho and Zambia to address these gaps in relation to Ag-RDT self-testing and contribute to increasing its use in the region.  Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted with qualitative and quantitative data analysis. Firstly, 11 in-depth cognitive interviews (5 in Zambia and 9 in Lesotho) were performed to assess the participants’ understanding of the instructions for use (IFU) for self-testing. In a second step, evaluation of test agreement between Ag-RDT self-testing and Ag-RDT testing by professional user using SD Biosensor STANDARD Q COVID-19 Ag-RDT was performed. In Zambia, usability and acceptability of self-testing were also assessed. Results Cognitive interviews in Lesotho and Zambia showed overall good understanding of IFU. In Zambia, acceptability of self-testing was high, though some participants had difficulties in conducting certain steps in the IFU correctly. Agreement between Ag-RDT self-test and Ag-RDT by professional users in Lesotho (428 participants) and Zambia (1136 participants) was high, 97.6% (404/414, 95% CI: 95.6-99.8) and 99.8% (1116/1118, 95% CI: 99.4-100) respectively. Conclusion Findings from this study support the use of Ag-RDT self-testing within COVID-19 control strategies in sub-Saharan Africa, contributing to increase the testing capacity and access in hard-to reach settings.

  🖺 Full Text HTML: Evaluation of Covid-19 antigen rapid diagnostic tests for self-testing in Lesotho and Zambia
• Enhanced neutralization escape to therapeutic monoclonal antibodies by SARS-CoV-2 Omicron sub-lineages -
  The landscape of SARS-CoV-2 variants dramatically diversified with the simultaneous appearance of multiple sub-variants originating from BA.2, BA.4 and BA.5 Omicron sub-lineages. They harbor a specific set of mutations in the spike that can make them more evasive to therapeutic monoclonal antibodies. In this study, we compared the neutralizing potential of monoclonal antibodies against the Omicron BA.2.75.2, BQ.1, BQ.1.1 and XBB variants, with a pre-Omicron Delta variant as a reference. Sotrovimab retains some activity against BA.2.75.2, BQ.1 and XBB as it did against BA.2/BA.5, but is less active against BQ.1.1. Within the Evusheld/AZD7442 cocktail, Cilgavimab lost all activity against all subvariants studied, resulting in loss of Evusheld activity. Finally, Bebtelovimab, while still active against BA.2.75, also lost all neutralizing activity against BQ.1, BQ.1.1 and XBB variants.
  🖺 Full Text HTML: Enhanced neutralization escape to therapeutic monoclonal antibodies by SARS-CoV-2 Omicron sub-lineages
• Calculation and meaning of “excess mortality”: A comparison of Covid- and pre-Covid mortality data in 31 Eurostat countries from 1965 to 2021. -

  Determining ″excess mortality″ makes it possible to compare the burden of disasters between countries and over time, and thus also to evaluate the success of mitigation measures. However, the debate on Covid-19 has exposed that calculations of excess mortalities vary considerably depending on the method and its specification. Moreover, it is often unclear what exactly is meant by ″excess mortality″. We define excess mortality as the excess over the number of deaths that would have been expected counter-factually, i.e. without the catastrophic event in question. That is, we include all normally occurring flu and heat waves, which are excluded by some authors with the consequence that they almost always record low expected values and correspondingly high excess mortality rates. Based on this definition, we use a very parsimonious calculation method that is easy to understand even for laypersons, namely the linear extrapolation of death figures from previous years to determine the excess mortality during the Covid-19 pandemic. But unlike other literature on this topic, we first evaluated and optimised the specification of our method using a larger historical data set in order to identify and minimise estimation errors and biases. The result shows that the excess mortality rates continuously published by international statistical offices — OECD and Eurostat — are often inflated and would have exhibited considerable excess mortalities in many countries and periods before Covid-19, if this value had already been of public interest at that time. It also reveals that mortality rates already fluctuated strongly in the past and that in a third of the countries studied, individual values from the past exceed the current fluctuations due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Three conclusions can be drawn from this study and its findings: 1) All calculation methods for current figures should first be evaluated against past figures. 2) The definition of excess mortality used should be made explicit. 3) Statistical offices should provide more realistic estimates.

  🖺 Full Text HTML: Calculation and meaning of “excess mortality”: A comparison of Covid- and pre-Covid mortality data in 31 Eurostat countries from 1965 to 2021.
• Unbiased single cell spatial analysis localises inflammatory clusters of immature neutrophils-CD8 T cells to alveolar progenitor cells in fatal COVID-19 lungs -

  Single cell spatial interrogation of the immune-structural interactions in COVID -19 lungs is challenging, mainly because of the marked cellular infiltrate and architecturally distorted microstructure. To address this, we developed a suite of mathematical tools to search for statistically significant co-locations amongst immune and structural cells identified using 37-plex imaging mass cytometry. This unbiased method revealed a cellular map interleaved with an inflammatory network of immature neutrophils, cytotoxic CD8 T cells, megakaryocytes and monocytes co-located with regenerating alveolar progenitors and endothelium. Of note, a highly active cluster of immature neutrophils and cytotoxic CD8 T cells, was found spatially linked with alveolar progenitor cells, and temporally with the diffuse alveolar damage stage. These findings provide new insights into how immune cells interact in the lungs of severe COVID-19 disease. We provide our pipeline [Spatial Omics Oxford Pipeline (SpOOx)] and visual-analytical tool, Multi-Dimensional Viewer (MDV) software, as a resource for spatial analysis.

  🖺 Full Text HTML: Unbiased single cell spatial analysis localises inflammatory clusters of immature neutrophils-CD8 T cells to alveolar progenitor cells in fatal COVID-19 lungs
• How to Run Behavioural Experiments Online: Best Practice Suggestions for Cognitive Psychology and Neuroscience -
  The combination of a replication crisis, global COVID-19 pandemic, and recent technological advances have accelerated the on-going transition of research in cognitive psychology and neuroscience to the online realm. When participants cannot be tested in-person, data of acceptable quality can still be collected online. While online research offers many advantages, numerous pitfalls may hinder researchers in addressing their questions appropriately, potentially resulting in unusable data and misleading conclusions. Here, we present a cost-benefit analysis of conducting online studies in cognitive psychology and neuroscience, coupled with detailed best practice suggestions that span the range from initial study design to the final interpretation of data. These suggestions offer a critical look at issues regarding recruitment of typical and (sub)clinical samples, their comparison, and the importance of context- dependency in each part of a study. We illustrate our suggestions by means of a recent online experiment investigating cognitive working memory skills in adults with the learning disorder dyslexia.
  🖺 Full Text HTML: How to Run Behavioural Experiments Online: Best Practice Suggestions for Cognitive Psychology and Neuroscience
• Implications OF ORAL Health Policy consequent Covid19 -
  COVID 19 virus rearrange the priorities of the global society regarding oral health to systemic health . Oral Health Policy and Epidemiology (OHPE) is the connection of dentistry, medicine, and public health which increase the perspective and impact of global and community health practice and policy through education, research, and leadership. Dental faculties and students, with community stakeholders and oral health professionals, drive collaborative, interdisciplinary, and innovative approaches to achieve oral health equity and wellbeing for all. Global vision for oral health policy is fully integrated in general health and based on primary health care, with emphasis on promotion on oral health and prevention of oral disease . This policy is a framework contribute to a program strategy of public health to guarantee the access to fundamental rights .
  🖺 Full Text HTML: Implications OF ORAL Health Policy consequent Covid19
• Monkeypox Post COVID19: Knowledge, Worrying, and Vaccine Adoption of the Arabic General Population -

  Abstract: Background: The outbreak of monkeypox was designated a global public health emergency by the World Health Organization on July 23, 2022. There have been more reported 60000 cases worldwide, most of which are in places where monkeypox has never been seen due to the travel of people who have the virus. This research aims to evaluate the Arabic general population on monkeypox disease, fears, and vaccine adoption after the WHO proclaimed a monkeypox epidemic and to compare these attitudes to those of the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed in some Arabic countries (Syria, Egypt, Qatar, Yemen, Jordan, Sudan, Algeria, and Iraq) between August 18 and September 7, 2022 to examine the Arabic people perspectives on monkeypox disease, fears, and vaccine adoption and to compare these attitudes to those of the COVID-19 pandemic. The inclusion criteria were the general public residing in Arabic nations and older than 18. This questionnaire has 32 questions separated into three sections: sociodemographic variables, prior COVID-19 exposure, and COVID-19 vaccination history. The second portion assesses knowledge and anxieties about monkeypox, while the third section includes the generalized anxiety disorder (GAD7) scale. Logistic regression analysis were performed to compute the adjusted odds ratios (aOR), and their confidence intervals (95%CI) using STATA (version 17.0) Results: A total of 3665 respondents from 17 Arabic countries were involved in this study. Almost two third (n= 2427, 66.2%) of participants expressed more worried about COVID -19 than monkeypox diseases. Regarding the major cause for concern about monkeypox, 39.5% of participants attributed their anxiety they or a member of their family may contract the illness, while 38.4% were concerned about another worldwide pandemic of monkeypox. According to the GAD 7 score, 71.7% of respondents showed very low anxiety toward monkeypox. 43.8% of the participants scored poor levels of knowledge about monkeypox disease. Participants with previous COVID-19 infection showed greater acceptance to receive the monkeypox vaccine 1.206 times than those with no previous infection. A higher concern for the monkeypox than COVID-19 was shown by the participants who perceived monkeypox as dangerous and virulent 3.097 times than those who didn’t. Participants who have a chronic disease (aOR: 1.32; 95%CI: 1.09-1.60); participants worried about monkeypox (aOR: 1.21; 95%CI: 1.04-1.40); and perceived monkeypox as a dangerous and virulent disease (aOR: 2.25; 95%CI: 1.92-2.65); and excellent knowledge level (aOR: 2.28; 95%CI: 1.79-2.90) have emerged as significant predictors. Conclusion: Our study reported that three fourth of the participants were more concerned about COVID-19 than monkeypox disease. As well, most of the participants have inadequate levels of knowledge regarding monkeypox disease. Hence immediate action should be taken to address this problem. Consequently, it is crucial to learn about monkeypox and spread information about its prevention.

  🖺 Full Text HTML: Monkeypox Post COVID19: Knowledge, Worrying, and Vaccine Adoption of the Arabic General Population
• Glyco-engineered pentameric SARS-CoV-2 IgMs show superior activities compared to IgG1 orthologues -
  Immunoglobulin M (IgM) is the largest antibody isotype with unique features like extensive glycosylation and oligomerization. Major hurdles in characterizing its properties are difficulties in the production of well-defined multimers. Here we report the expression of two SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing monoclonal antibodies in glycoengineered plants. Isotype switch from IgG1 to IgM resulted in the production of pentameric IgMs, comprising of correctly assembled 21 human protein subunits. All four recombinant monoclonal antibodies carried a highly reproducible human-type N-glycosylation profile, with a single dominant N-glycan species at each glycosite. Both pentameric IgMs exhibited increased antigen binding and virus neutralization potency, up to 390-fold, compared to the parental IgG1. Collectively, the results may impact on the future design of vaccines, diagnostics and antibody-based therapies and emphasize the versatile use of plants for the expression of highly complex human proteins with targeted posttranslational modifications.
  🖺 Full Text HTML: Glyco-engineered pentameric SARS-CoV-2 IgMs show superior activities compared to IgG1 orthologues
• Stay away, Santa: Children’s beliefs about the impact of COVID-19 on real and fictional beings -
  The COVID-19 pandemic has forced children to reckon with the causal relations underlying disease transmission. What are children’s theories of how COVID-19 is transmitted? And how do they understand the relation between COVID-19 susceptibility and the need for disease-mitigating behavior? We explored these questions in the context of children’s beliefs about supernatural beings, like Santa and the Tooth Fairy. Because these beings cannot be observed, children’s beliefs about the impact of COVID-19 on them must be based on their underlying theories of disease transmission and prevention rather than on experience. In Summer of 2020, N = 218 U.S. children between the ages of 3 and 10 (M = 81.2 months) were asked to rate supernatural beings’ susceptibility to COVID-19, and the extent to which these beings should engage in disease-mitigating behaviors, such as social distancing and mask wearing. Many children believed supernatural beings were susceptible to COVID-19. However, children rated the need for supernatural beings to engage in disease-mitigating behaviors as higher than the beings’ disease susceptibility, indicating a disconnect between their conceptions of the causal relations between disease-mitigating behavior and disease prevention. Children’s belief that a particular supernatural being could be impacted by COVID-19 was best predicted by the number of human-like properties they attributed to it, regardless of the child’s age. Together, these findings suggest that although young children fail to appreciate specific pathways of disease transmission, they nonetheless understand disease as a bodily affliction, even for beings whose bodies have never been observed.
  🖺 Full Text HTML: Stay away, Santa: Children’s beliefs about the impact of COVID-19 on real and fictional beings

From Clinical Trials

• A Study for Immunocompromised Patients for Pre Exposure Prophylaxis of COVID-19 With AZD5156. - Condition:   COVID 19
  Interventions:   Biological: Placebo;   Biological: AZD5156;   Biological: AZD7442 (EVUSHELD™)
  Sponsor:   AstraZeneca
  Not yet recruiting

• 101-PGC-005 for the Treatment of COVID-19 - Condition:   COVID-19
  Interventions:   Drug: 101-PGC-005;   Drug: Dexamethasone
  Sponsor:   101 Therapeutics
  Recruiting

• A Clinical Study to Assess Preliminary Efficacy, Safety and Tolerability of HH-120 Nasal Spray in COVID-19 Patients - Condition:   Coronavirus Disease 2019(COVID-19)
  Intervention:   Biological: HH-120 Nasal Spray
  Sponsor:   Beijing Ditan Hospital
  Recruiting

• COVID-19 Booster Study in Healthy Adults in Australia - Condition:   COVID-19
  Interventions:   Biological: Bivalent Moderna;   Biological: Novavax
  Sponsors:   Murdoch Childrens Research Institute;   Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations;   The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity
  Not yet recruiting

• Effect of N-Acetylcysteine on Neutrophil Lymphocyte Ratio And Length of Stay In COVID-19 Patients - Condition:   COVID-19
  Intervention:   Drug: N-acetyl cysteine
  Sponsor:   Universitas Sebelas Maret
  Completed

• Baldachin: Ceiling HEPA-filtration to Prevent Nosocomial Transmission of COVID-19 - Condition:   COVID-19
  Intervention:   Device: Baldachin
  Sponsor:   University Hospital Inselspital, Berne
  Not yet recruiting

• Efficacy and Safety of Ambervin® and Standard Therapy in Hospitalized Patients With COVID-19 - Condition:   COVID-19
  Interventions:   Drug: Tyrosyl-D-alanyl-glycyl-phenylalanyl-leucyl-arginine succinate intramuscularly;   Drug: Tyrosyl-D-alanyl-glycyl-phenylalanyl-leucyl-arginine succinate inhaled;   Drug: Standard of care
  Sponsor:   Promomed, LLC
  Completed

• Immunogenicity and Safety of COVID-19 Vaccine in Population Aged 18 Years and Above（Negative Antibody Against COVID-19） - Condition:   COVID-19
  Interventions:   Biological: One dose group;   Biological: Two doses group;   Biological: Aged 18-59 years;   Biological: Aged 60 years old and above
  Sponsors:   Guangzhou Patronus Biotech Co., Ltd.;   Yantai Patronus Biotech Co., Ltd.
  Not yet recruiting

• Study of GST-HG171/Ritonavir Compared With Placebo in Patients With Mild to Moderate COVID-19 - Condition:   COVID-19 Pneumonia
  Interventions:   Drug: GST-HG171/Ritonavir;   Drug: Placebo
  Sponsor:   Fujian Akeylink Biotechnology Co., Ltd.
  Not yet recruiting

• A PhaseⅡ Study to Evaluate the Safety & Immunogenicity of SARS-CoV-2 Alpha/Beta/Delta/Omicron Variants COVID-19 Vaccine - Condition:   COVID-19 Pandemic
  Interventions:   Biological: SCTV01E;   Biological: Placebo (normal saline)
  Sponsor:   Sinocelltech Ltd.
  Not yet recruiting

• The COPE Study: Pilot Intervention to Improve Symptom Self-management and Coping in Adults With Post COVID-19 - Conditions:   Post COVID-19 Condition;   Post-COVID-19 Syndrome
  Intervention:   Behavioral: 6-Week Self-Management Group
  Sponsor:   University of Washington
  Not yet recruiting

• ICBT for Psychological Symptoms Related to the COVID-19 Pandemic Remaining After Societal Opening - Condition:   Depression and Anxiety Symptoms Related to the COVID-19 Pandemic
  Intervention:   Behavioral: Internet-based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
  Sponsor:   Linkoeping University
  Not yet recruiting

• Effectiveness of Supportive Psychotherapy Through Internet-Based Teleconsultation on Psychological and Somatic Symptoms, Neutrophil-Lymphocyte Ratio, and Heart Rate Variability in Post Covid-19 Syndrome Patients - Condition:   Post-COVID-19 Syndrome
  Intervention:   Behavioral: Supportive Psychotherapy
  Sponsor:   Indonesia University
  Not yet recruiting

• Graphene Photothermal Adjuvant Therapy for Mild Corona Virus Disease 2019: A Prospective Randomized Controlled Trial - Condition:   COVID-19
  Intervention:   Device: Graphene spectrum light wave therapy room
  Sponsors:   Southeast University, China;   Hohhot First Hospital
  Recruiting

• ARVAC - A New Recombinant Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Vaccine - Condition:   COVID-19 Vaccine
  Intervention:   Biological: ARVAC-CG vaccine (recombinant protein vaccine against SARS-CoV-2)
  Sponsors:   Laboratorio Pablo Cassara S.R.L.;   Universidad Nacional de San Martín (UNSAM);   National Council of Scientific and Technical Research, Argentina
  Active, not recruiting

From PubMed

• Tripterin liposome relieves severe acute respiratory syndrome as a potent COVID-19 treatment - For coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), 15-30% of patients are likely to develop COVID-19-related acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). There are still few effective and well-understood therapies available. Novel variants and short-lasting immunity are posing challenges to vaccine efficacy, so finding antiviral and antiinflammatory treatments remains crucial. Here, tripterin (TP), a traditional Chinese medicine, was…

• Anti-C5a antibody vilobelimab treatment and the effect on biomarkers of inflammation and coagulation in patients with severe COVID-19: a substudy of the  phase 2 PANAMO trial - We recently reported in the phase 3 PANAMO trial that selectively blocking complement 5a (C5a) with vilobelimab led to improved survival in critically ill COVID-19 patients. C5a is an important contributor to the innate immune system and can also activate the coagulation system. High C5a levels have been reported in severely ill COVID-19 patients and correlate with disease severity and mortality. Previously, we assessed the potential benefit and safety of vilobelimab in severe COVID-19 patients….

• Development of a robust and convenient dual-reporter high-throughput screening assay for SARS-CoV-2 antiviral drug discovery - Massive efforts on both vaccine development and antiviral research were launched to combat the new severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). We contributed, amongst others, by the development of a high-throughput screening (HTS) antiviral assay against SARS-CoV-2 using a fully automated, high-containment robot system. Here, we describe the development of this novel, convenient and phenotypic dual-reporter virus-cell-based high-content imaging assay using the…

• Control of SARS-CoV-2 infection by MT1-MMP-mediated shedding of ACE2 - Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has caused a global pandemic. Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) is an entry receptor for SARS-CoV-2. The full-length membrane form of ACE2 (memACE2) undergoes ectodomain shedding to generate a shed soluble form (solACE2) that mediates SARS-CoV-2 entry via receptor-mediated endocytosis. Currently, it is not known how the physiological regulation of ACE2 shedding contributes to the etiology of COVID-19 in vivo. The present study…

• Cyclophilin D-mediated angiotensin II-induced NADPH oxidase 4 activation in endothelial mitochondrial dysfunction that can be rescued by gallic acid - Vascular endothelial dysfunction plays a central role in the most dreadful human diseases, including stroke, tumor metastasis, and the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Strong evidence suggests that angiotensin II (Ang II)-induced mitochondrial dysfunction is essential for endothelial dysfunction pathogenesis. However, the precise molecular mechanisms remain obscure. Here, polymerase-interacting protein 2 (Poldip 2) was found in the endothelial mitochondrial matrix and no effects on Poldip 2…

• An epithelial-immune circuit amplifies inflammasome and IL-6 responses to SARS-CoV-2 - Elevated levels of cytokines IL-1β and IL-6 are associated with severe COVID-19. Investigating the underlying mechanisms, we find that while primary human airway epithelia (HAE) have functional inflammasomes and support SARS-CoV-2 replication, they are not the source of IL-1β released upon infection. In leukocytes, the SARS-CoV-2 E protein upregulates inflammasome gene transcription via TLR2 to prime, but not activate, inflammasomes. SARS-CoV-2-infected HAE supply a second signal, which includes…

• The D614G mutation redirects SARS-CoV-2 spike to lysosomes and suppresses deleterious traits of the furin cleavage site insertion mutation - Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) egress occurs by lysosomal exocytosis. We show that the Spike D614G mutation enhances Spike trafficking to lysosomes, drives Spike-mediated reprogramming of lysosomes, and reduces cell surface Spike expression by ~3-fold. D614G is not a human-specific adaptation. Rather, it is an adaptation to the earlier furin cleavage site insertion (FCSI) mutation that occurred at the genesis of SARS-CoV-2. While advantageous to the virus, furin…

• Biogenic nanosilver-fabricated endotracheal tube to prevent microbial colonization in a veterinary hospital - COVID-19 patients have often required prolonged endotracheal intubation, increasing the risk of developing ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP). A preventive strategy is proposed based on an endotracheal tube (ETT) modified by the in situ deposition of eucalyptus-mediated synthesized silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). The surfaces of the modified ETT were embedded with AgNPs of approximately 28 nm and presented a nanoscale roughness. Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy confirmed the presence of…

• Visualization of early RNA replication kinetics of SARS-CoV-2 by using single molecule RNA-FISH - SARS-CoV-2 infection has caused a major global burden. Despite intensive research, the mechanism and dynamics of early viral replication are not completely understood including the kinetics of formation of plus stranded genomic and subgenomic RNAs (gRNA and sgRNA) starting from the RNA from the first virus that enters the cell. We employed single-molecule RNA-fluorescence in situ hybridization (smRNA-FISH) to simultaneously detect viral gRNA and sgRNA in infected cells and carried out a time…

• Development of Fluorescence-Tagged SARS-CoV-2 Virus-like Particles by a Tri-Cistronic Vector Expression System for Investigating the Cellular Entry of SARS-CoV-2 - Severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) has caused the pandemic that began late December 2019. The co-expression of SARS-CoV-2 structural proteins in cells could assemble into several types of virus-like particles (VLPs) without a viral RNA genome. VLPs containing S proteins with the structural and functional properties of authentic virions are safe materials to exploit for virus-cell entry and vaccine development. In this study, to generate SARS-CoV-2 VLPs…

• T Cell Transcriptional Signatures of Influenza A/H3N2 Antibody Response to High Dose Influenza and Adjuvanted Influenza Vaccine in Older Adults - Older adults experience declining influenza vaccine-induced immunity and are at higher risk of influenza and its complications. For this reason, high dose (e.g., Fluzone) and adjuvanted (e.g., Fluad) vaccines are preferentially recommended for people age 65 years and older. However, T cell transcriptional activity shaping the humoral immune responses to Fluzone and Fluad vaccines in older adults is still poorly understood. We designed a study of 234 older adults (≥65 years old) who were randomly…

• Nisoldipine Inhibits Influenza A Virus Infection by Interfering with Virus Internalization Process - Influenza virus infections and the continuing spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) are global public health concerns. As there are limited therapeutic options available in clinical practice, the rapid development of safe, effective and globally available antiviral drugs is crucial. Drug repurposing is a therapeutic strategy used in treatments for newly emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases. It has recently been shown that the voltage-dependent Ca^(2+)…

• Structural Characteristics of Heparin Binding to SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein RBD of Omicron Sub-Lineages BA.2.12.1, BA.4 and BA.5 - The now prevalent Omicron variant and its subvariants/sub-lineages have led to a significant increase in COVID-19 cases and raised serious concerns about increased risk of infectivity, immune evasion, and reinfection. Heparan sulfate (HS), located on the surface of host cells, plays an important role as a co-receptor for virus-host cell interaction. The ability of heparin and HS to compete for binding of the SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) protein to cell surface HS illustrates the therapeutic potential of…

• Heparin Inhibits SARS-CoV-2 Replication in Human Nasal Epithelial Cells - SARS-CoV-2 is the causative agent of the COVID-19 pandemic. Vaccination, supported by social and public health measures, has proven efficacious for reducing disease severity and virus spread. However, the emergence of highly transmissible viral variants that escape prior immunity highlights the need for additional mitigation approaches. Heparin binds the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and can inhibit virus entry and replication in susceptible human cell lines and bronchial epithelial cells. Primary…

• Neutralizing Antibody and T-Cell Responses against SARS-CoV-2 Wild-Type and Variants of Concern in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Subjects after ChAdOx-1/ChAdOx-1 Homologous Vaccination: A Preliminary Study - Data on immunogenicity of adenovirus-vectored vaccine in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients is limited. Therefore, we aimed to determine the humoral and cellular immune responses after homologous ChAdOx-1 vaccination in subjects with COPD. COPD subjects and age- and sex-matched healthy elderly receiving ChAdOx-1 homologous vaccination were included. The levels of neutralizing antibodies (NAb) and specific CD4 and CD8 T-cell responses against SARS-CoV-2 wild-type (WT) and…

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