Covid-19 Sentry

Contents

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

From Preprints

• How has the emergence of the Omicron SARS-CoV-2 variant of concern influenced worry, perceived risk, and behaviour in the UK? A series of cross-sectional surveys -
  Background: The Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2 was designated as a variant of concern by the World Health Organization on 26 November 2021. In response, the UK Government reinforced guidance to help prevent the spread of infection. The aim of this study was to investigate changes in people’s beliefs and behaviours following news of the Omicron variant and associated guidance; understanding of Omicron-related guidance, and factors associated with engaging with protective behaviours. Methods: Series of four online cross-sectional surveys conducted 1 November to 8 December

2021. We investigated levels of worry and perceived risk, and levels of key behaviours (out-of-home activities, risky social mixing, wearing a face covering, and testing uptake). Using regression analyses, we investigated associations between out-of-home activities (shopping and non-essential workplace attendance), highest risk social mixing, and wearing a face covering (in shops and hospitality venues), with amount heard about Omicron, worry (about COVID-19 generally and Omicron specifically), and perceived risk (of COVID-19 generally and Omicron specifically). Results: Beliefs about worry and perceived risk of COVID-19 fluctuated over time, with worry, perceived risk to self and perceived risk to people increasing slightly around the time of the announcement about Omicron, then returning to pre- Omicron levels. In data collected 6 to 8 December 2021, 32% had not heard anything about Omicron; another 48% reported only hearing “a little” about it. 39.0% of people reported being very or extremely worried about Omicron, with 44.9% and 56.7% perceiving a major or significant risk of Omicron to themselves and people in the UK respectively. Understanding of the new rules was low, with people over-estimating the new rules. There were few changes in behaviour over time; only rates of wearing a face covering increased. There was no evidence for significant associations between out-of-home activity and worry or perceived risk (COVID-19 generally or Omicron-specific). Engaging in highest risk social mixing and always wearing a face covering in hospitality venues were associated with worry and perceived risk about COVID-19. Always wearing a face covering in shops was associated with having heard more about Omicron. Conclusions: Almost two years into the COVID-19 outbreak, the emergence of a novel variant of concern slightly influenced worry and perceived risk, and engagement with a protective behaviour (wearing a face covering). There was no change in engagement with other behaviours that were not legislated. This may be reflective of the early stage of the Omicron outbreak in England.
      🖺 Full Text HTML: How has the emergence of the Omicron SARS-CoV-2 variant of concern influenced worry, perceived risk, and behaviour in the UK? A series of cross-sectional surveys

• Examination of motivations of Generation Z and Millennial consumers with regards to alternative payment options in terms of user experience and product offerings. Literature Review. -
  Abstract With the acceleration of fintech innovations, the use of alternative payment methods has continued to increase globally. Generation Z and Y consumers are the highest adopters of these alternative payment methods, yet despite this, there is limited research examining their motivations and intentions for using alternative payment methods. This literature review aimed to address this gap through the evaluation of relevant quantitative empirical research by utilizing The Unified Theory of Technology Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) for its theoretical. The findings indicated that generation z and Y consumers adoption of alternative payment methods are driven largely by behavioural intention, wherein using the UTAUT model, finds a common positive effect across all five variables. Nevertheless, current literature fails to address how Covid-19 restrictions influenced this adoption and as such further primary research post-lockdown is recommended.
  🖺 Full Text HTML: Examination of motivations of Generation Z and Millennial consumers with regards to alternative payment options in terms of user experience and product offerings. Literature Review.
• Parent and child mental health during COVID-19 in Australia: The role of pet attachment -
  Restrictions, social isolation, and uncertainty related to the global COVID-19 pandemic have disrupted the ways that parents and children maintain family routines, health, and wellbeing. Companion animals (pets) can be a critical source of comfort during traumatic experiences, although changes to family routines, such as those caused by COVID-19, can also bring about challenges like managing undesirable pet behaviours or pet-human interactions. We aimed to examine the relationship between pet attachment and mental health for both parents and their children during the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia. A total of 1,034 parents living with a child under 18 years and a cat or dog completed an online cross-sectional survey. Path analysis using multivariate linear regression was conducted to examine associations between objective COVID-19 impacts, subjective worry about COVID-19, human-pet attachment, and mental health. After adjusting for core demographic factors, stronger pet-child attachment was associated with greater child anxiety (parent-reported, p<.001). Parent-pet attachment was not associated with self-reported psychological distress (p=.42), however, parents who reported a strong emotional closeness with their pet reported greater psychological distress (p=.002). Findings highlight the role of pets during times of change and uncertainty. It is possible that families are turning to animals as a source of comfort, during a time when traditional social supports are less accessible. Alternatively, strong pet attachment is likely to reflect high levels of empathy, which might increase vulnerability to psychological distress. Longitudinal evidence is required to delineate the mechanisms underpinning pet attachment and mental health.
  🖺 Full Text HTML: Parent and child mental health during COVID-19 in Australia: The role of pet attachment
• Tuftsin: a natural molecule against SARS-CoV-2 infection -
  Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) continuously proceeds despite the application of a variety of vaccines. It is still urgent to find effective ways to treat COVID-19. Recent studies indicate that NRP1, an important receptor of the natural peptide tuftsin, facilitates SARS-CoV-2 infection. Importantly, tuftsin is a natural human molecule released from IgG. Here, we found 91 overlapping genes between tuftsin targets and COVID-19-associated genes. Bioinformatics analyses indicated that tuftsin could also target ACE2 and exert some immune-related functions to treat COVID-19. Using surface plasmon resonance (SPR) analysis, we confirmed that tuftsin can bind ACE2 and NRP1 directly. Moreover, tuftsin effectively impairs the binding of SARS-CoV-2 S1 to ACE2. Thus, tuftsin is an attractive drug against COVID-19. And tuftsin as natural immunostimulating peptide in human, we speculate that tuftsin may has crucial roles in asymptomatic carriers or mild cases of COVID-19.
  🖺 Full Text HTML: Tuftsin: a natural molecule against SARS-CoV-2 infection
• SARS-CoV-2 infection induces soluble platelet activation markers and PAI-1 in the early moderate stage of COVID-19 -
  Introduction: Coagulation dysfunction and thromboembolism emerge as strong comorbidity factors in severe COVID-19. However, it is unclear when particularly platelet activation markers and coagulation factors dysregulated during the pathogenesis of COVID-19. Here, we sought to assess the levels of coagulation and platelet activation markers at moderate and severe stages of COVID-19 to understand the pathogenesis. Methods: To understand this, hospitalized COVID-19 patients with (severe cases that required intensive care) or without pneumonia (moderate cases) were recruited. Phenotypic and molecular characterizations were performed employing basic coagulation tests including PT, APTT, D-Dimer and TFPI. The flow cytometry-based multiplex assays were performed to assess FXI, anti-thrombin, prothrombin, fibrinogen, FXIII, P-selectin, sCD40L, plasminogen, tissue-plasminogen activator (tPA), plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) and D-Dimer. Results: The investigations revealed induction of plasma P-selectin and CD40 ligand (sCD40L) in moderate COVID-19 cases which were significantly abolished with the progression of COVID-19 severity. Moreover, a profound reduction in plasma tissue factor pathway inhibitor (TFPI) and FXIII were identified particularly in the severe COVID-19. Further analysis revealed fibrinogen induction in both moderate and severe patients. Interestingly, an elevated PAI-1 more prominently in moderate, and tPA particularly in severe COVID-19 cases were observed. Particularly, the levels of fibrinogen and tPA directly correlated with the severity of the disease. Conclusions: In summary, induction of soluble P-selectin, sCD40L, fibrinogen and PAI-1 in moderate COVID-19 cases suggests the activation of platelets and coagulation system before patients require intensive care. These findings would help in designing better thromboprophylaxis to limit the COVID-19 severity.
  🖺 Full Text HTML: SARS- CoV-2 infection induces soluble platelet activation markers and PAI-1 in the early moderate stage of COVID-19
• The Impact of State Paid Sick Leave Policies on Longitudinal Weekday Workplace Mobility During the COVID-19 Pandemic -

  Objectives. To evaluate whether the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) modified the association between pre-existing state paid sick leave (PSL) and weekday workplace mobility between February 15 and July 7, 2020. Methods. The 50 US states and Washington, D.C. were divided into exposure groups based on the presence or absence of pre-existing state PSL policies. Derived from Google COVID-19 Community Mobility Reports, the outcome was measured as the daily percent change in weekday workplace mobility. Mixed-effects, interrupted time series regression was performed to evaluate weekday workplace mobility after the implementation of the FFCRA on April 1st, 2020. Results. States with pre-existing PSL policies exhibited a greater drop in mobility following the passage of the FFCRA (𝛃=-8.86,95%CI:-11.6,-6.10,P< 001). This remained significant after adjusting for state-level health, economic, and sociodemographic indicators (𝛃=-3.13,95%CI:-5.92,-0.34,P=.039). Conclusions. Pre-existing PSL policies contributed to a significant decline in weekday workplace mobility after the FFCRA, which may have influenced local health outcomes. Policy implications The presence of pre-existing state policies may differentially influence the impact of federal legislation enacted during emergencies.

  🖺 Full Text HTML: The Impact of State Paid Sick Leave Policies on Longitudinal Weekday Workplace Mobility During the COVID-19 Pandemic
• SARS-CoV-2 vaccination of convalescents boosts neutralization capacity against SARS-CoV-2 Delta and Omicron that can be predicted by anti-S antibody concentrations in serological assays -

  Background : Recent data on immune evasion of new SARS-CoV-2 variants raise concerns about antibody-based COVID-19 therapies. Therefore in this study the in-vitro neutralization capacity against SARS-CoV-2 variants Wuhan D614G, Delta and Omicron in sera of convalescent individuals with and without boost by vaccination was assessed. Methods and Findings: This in-vitro study included 66 individuals with a history of SARS-CoV-2 infection, divided into subgroups without (n=29) and with SARS-CoV-2 vaccination (n=37). We measured SARS-CoV-2 antibody concentrations by serological assays (anti-SARS-CoV-2-QuantiVac-ELISA (IgG) and Elecsys Anti-SARS-CoV-2 S) and neutralizing titers against Wuhan D614G, Delta and Omicron in a pseudovirus neutralization assay. Sera of the majority of unvaccinated convalescents did not effectively neutralize Delta and Omicron (4/29, 13.8% and 19/29, 65.5%, resp.). Neutralizing titers against Wuhan D614G, Delta and Omicron were significantly higher in vaccinated compared to unvaccinated convalescents (p<0.0001) with 11.1, 15.3 and 60-fold higher geometric mean of 50%-neutralizing titers (NT50) in vaccinated compared to unvaccinated convalescents. The increase in neutralizing titers was already achieved by one vaccination dose. Neutralizing titers were highest in the first 3 months after vaccination. Concentrations of anti-S antibodies in the serological assays anti-SARS-CoV-2 QuantiVac-ELISA (IgG) and Elecsys Anti-SARS-CoV-2 S predict neutralization capacity against Wuhan D614G, Delta and Omicron. While Wuhan D614G was neutralized in-vitro by Bamlanivimab, Casirivimab and Imdevimab, Omicron was resistant to these monoclonal antibodies. Conclusions: These findings confirm substantial immune evasion of Delta and Omicron which can be overcome by vaccination of convalescents. This informs strategies for choosing of plasma donors in COVID-19 convalescent plasma programs that shall select specifically vaccinated convalescents with very high titers of anti-S antibodies.

  🖺 Full Text HTML: SARS-CoV-2 vaccination of convalescents boosts neutralization capacity against SARS-CoV-2 Delta and Omicron that can be predicted by anti-S antibody concentrations in serological assays
• Sero-Prevalence of Covid-19 among workers in Malaysia -

  From the beginning of the pandemic in Feb 2020, Malaysia has been through 4 waves of outbreak, the magnitude of each wave is several orders larger than the preceding one. By the end of the fourth wave in October 2021, Malaysia has among the highest death toll in Asia, cumulative incidence of confirmed cases has reached 7.0 percent. However it remains uncertain what is the true proportion of the population infected. We conducted a serosurvey on 1078 workers from 17 worksites in Klang Valley and Perak between July and September 2021. We tested them for SARSCoV2 specific antibodies using Ecotest, a lateral flow immunoassay. The ability of antibody testing to detect prior infection depends on the assay and seroreversion. We therefore adjusted the prevalence estimates to correct for potential misclassification bias due to the use of LFIA and seroreversion using test sensitivity and specificity results estimated from an independent validation study. The mean age of the workers was 32 years, 89 percent were male and migrant workers comprised 81 percent of all subjects, 59 percent the subjects were from Klang valley. 33 percent of workers had prior PCR confirmed Covid19 infections. We estimated 82.2 percent of workers had been infected by Covid19 by September 2021. Prevalence was 99.9 percent among migrant workers and 12.1 percent among local workers. Klang Valley, the most industrialized region in Malaysia where most migrant workers are found, had 100 percent prevalence, giving an infection to case ratio of about

3. Our seroprevalence results show that the incidence of Covid19 is extremely high among migrant workers in Malaysia, consistent with findings from other countries such as Kuwait and Singapore which also hosted large number of migrant workers.
   🖺 Full Text HTML: Sero-Prevalence of Covid-19 among workers in Malaysia

• The emergence of two distinct SARS-CoV-2 Gamma related variants during the second wave of COVID-19 in Santa Catarina, Southern Brazil and the rapid spread of P.1-like-II SARS-CoV-2 variant transmission and a regionalization in the Western region -

  COVID-19 has assumed significant and lasting proportions worldwide. Following initial cases in the Western mesoregion, the State of Santa Catarina (SC), southern Brazil, was heavily affected as a whole by the pandemic in early

2021. This study aimed to evaluate the dynamics of the SARS-CoV-2 virus spreading patterns in the SC state through March 2020 to April 2021 using genomic surveillance. During this period, 23 distinct variants, including two VOCs (Beta and Gamma) were identified, among which, the Gamma and related lineages were predominant in the second pandemic wave within SC. However, a regionalization of P.1-like-II in the Western region was observed, concomitant to the increase in cases, mortality, and case fatality rate (CFR) index. This is the first evidence of the regionalization of the SARS-CoV-2 transmission in the and highlight the importance of tracking variants, dispersion and their impact of SARS-CoV-2 on the public health system in Brazilian states.
      🖺 Full Text HTML: The emergence of two distinct SARS- CoV-2 Gamma related variants during the second wave of COVID-19 in Santa Catarina, Southern Brazil and the rapid spread of P.1-like-II SARS-CoV-2 variant transmission and a regionalization in the Western region

• Evaluation of an emergency safe supply drug and managed alcohol program in COVID-19 isolation hotel shelters for people experiencing homelessness -

  Background: During a COVID-19 outbreak in the congregate shelter system in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, a multidisciplinary health care team provided an emergency safe supply of pharmaceutical-grade medications and beverage- grade alcohol to facilitate isolation in COVID-19 hotel shelters for residents who are dependent on these substances. We aimed to evaluate (a) substances and dosages provided, and (b) effectiveness and safety of the program. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed medical records of all COVID-19 isolation hotel shelter residents during May 2021. We extracted data on medication and alcohol dosages provided each day. The primary outcome was residents prematurely leaving isolation against public health orders. Adverse events included (a) overdose; (b) intoxication; and (c) diversion, selling, or sharing of medications or alcohol. Results: Over 25 days, 77 isolation hotel residents were assessed (mean age 42 +/- 14 years; 24% women). Sixty-two (81%) residents were provided medications, alcohol, or cigarettes. Seventeen residents (22%) received opioid agonist treatment medications (methadone, buprenorphine, or slow-release oral morphine) and 27 (35%) received hydromorphone tablets. Thirty-one (40%) residents received stimulant tablets with methylphenidate (27; 35%), dextroamphetamine (8; 10%), or lisdexamfetamine (2; 3%). Six residents (8%) received benzodiazepines. Forty-two (55%) residents received alcohol, including 41 (53%) with strong beer, three (3%) with wine, and one (1%) with hard liquor. Over 14 days in isolation, mean daily dosages increased of hydromorphone (45 +/- 32 to 57 +/- 42mg), methylphenidate (51 +/- 28 to 77 +/- 37mg), dextroamphetamine (33 +/- 16 to 46 +/- 13mg), and alcohol (12.3 +/- 7.6 to 13.0 +/- 6.9 standard drinks). Six residents (8%) left isolation prematurely, but four of those residents returned. Over 1,059 person-days in isolation, there were zero overdoses. Documented concerns regarding intoxication occurred six times (0.005 events/person-day) and medication diversion or sharing three times (0.003 events/person-day). Conclusions: An emergency safe supply and managed alcohol program, paired with housing, was associated with low rates of adverse events and high rates of successful completion of the 14-day isolation period in COVID-19 isolation hotel shelters. This supports the effectiveness and safety of emergency safe supply prescribing and managed alcohol in this setting.

  🖺 Full Text HTML: Evaluation of an emergency safe supply drug and managed alcohol program in COVID-19 isolation hotel shelters for people experiencing homelessness
• EFCAB4B (CRACR2A) genetic variants associated with COVID-19 fatality -

  The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has resulted in more than 235 million cases worldwide and 4.8 million deaths (October 2021). Severe COVID-19 is characterised in part by vascular thrombosis and cytokine storms due to increased plasma concentrations of factors secreted from endothelial and T-cells. Here, using patient data recorded in the UK Biobank, we demonstrate the importance of variations in Rab46 (CRACR2A) and clinical outcomes. Using logistic regression analysis, we determined that three single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the gene EFCAB4B cause missense variations in Rab46, which are associated with COVID-19 fatality independently of risk factors. All three SNPs cause changes in amino acid residues that are highly conserved across species, indicating their importance in protein structure and function. Two SNPs, rs17836273 (A98T) and rs36030417 (H212Q), cause amino acid changes in important functional domains: the EF-hand and coiled-coil domain respectively. By using molecular modelling, we suggest that the substitution of threonine at position 98 causes structural changes in the EF-hand calcium binding domain. Rab46 is a Rab GTPase that plays regulates both regulating endothelial cell secretion and T-cell cytokine signalling and this study supports the hypothesis that genetic variations in Rab46 plays a role in COVID-19 severity.

  🖺 Full Text HTML: EFCAB4B (CRACR2A) genetic variants associated with COVID-19 fatality
• Phylodynamic analysis of SARS-CoV-2 spread in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, highlights how metropolitan areas act as dispersal hubs for new variants. -

  During the first semester of 2021, all of Brazil has suffered an intense wave of COVID-19 associated with the Gamma variant. In July, the first cases of Delta variant were detected in the state of Rio de Janeiro. In this work, we have employed phylodynamic methods to analyze more than 1,600 genomic sequences of Delta variant collected until September in Rio de Janeiro to reconstruct how this variant has surpassed Gamma and dispersed throughout the state. After the introduction of Delta, it has initially spread mostly in the homonymous city of Rio de Janeiro, the most populous of the state. In a second stage, dispersal occurred to mid- and long-range cities, which acted as new close- range hubs for spread. We observed that the substitution of Gamma by Delta was possibly caused by its higher viral load, a proxy for transmissibility. This variant turnover prompted a new surge in cases, but with lower lethality than was observed during the peak caused by Gamma. We reason that high vaccination rates in the state of Rio de Janeiro were possibly what prevented a higher number of deaths.

  🖺 Full Text HTML: Phylodynamic analysis of SARS-CoV-2 spread in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, highlights how metropolitan areas act as dispersal hubs for new variants.
• Real-world monitoring of BNT162b2 vaccine-induced SARS-CoV-2 B and T cell immunity in naive healthcare workers: a prospective single center study -

  Background: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the cause of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. To prevent the massive COVID-19 burden, several vaccination campaigns were initiated. We performed a single center observational trial to evaluate adaptive immunity in naive healthcare workers upon BNT162b2 vaccination. Methods: Serological analysis was performed through conventional immunoassays. Antibody functionality was analyzed via in vitro neutralization assays. Circulating receptor-binding domain (RBD) specific B cells were assessed via flowcytometry. The induction of SARS-CoV-2 specific T cells was investigated through interferon-γ release assay combined with flowcytometric profiling of activated CD4 and CD8 T cells. Results: Three months after vaccination, all but one of the subjects (N = 31) displayed vaccine-induced neutralizing antibodies. In 10 out of 31 subjects, circulating RBD specific B cells were found of which the rate showed moderate correlation to serological parameters. Specific interferon-γ release was present in all subjects and correlated with the significant upregulation of CD69 on CD4+ and CD8+ T cells and CD40L on CD4+ T cells. Interestingly, no relation was found between B and T cell parameters. In addition, one symptomatic breakthrough infection with the SARS-CoV-2 alpha variant of concern was reported. Conclusion: Three months post vaccination, both humoral and cellular immune responses are detectable in all but one participant. No correlation was found between the magnitude of both B and T cell responses.

  🖺 Full Text HTML: Real-world monitoring of BNT162b2 vaccine-induced SARS-CoV-2 B and T cell immunity in naive healthcare workers: a prospective single center study
• Chronic loneliness: neurocognitive mechanisms and interventions -
  Loneliness has been associated with detrimental effects on mental and physical health and is increasingly recognized as a critical public health issue which may be further exacerbated by societal challenges such as increasing urbanization, an aging society as well as the COVID-19 pandemic. We here review recent findings on the neurocognitive mechanisms and brain alterations that underpin social disconnectedness, therapeutic approaches for chronic loneliness and how these lines of research can be integrated to improve the efficacy of loneliness interventions in healthy individuals and patients with mental disorders.
  🖺 Full Text HTML: Chronic loneliness: neurocognitive mechanisms and interventions
• Attitudes towards vaccines, intent to vaccinate and the relationship with COVID-19 vaccination rates in individuals with schizophrenia -

  Abstract Background: People with schizophrenia are at high risk for developing severe COVID-19 outcomes but recent evidence suggests that this population have lower vaccination rates than the general population. This gap in vaccination rates could be explained by attitudinal and structural barriers. Aims: This study explored the role of potential attitudinal barriers by comparing schizophrenia patients with participants from the general population regarding COVID-19 vaccination rates, general attitudes towards vaccines, and willingness to take a COVID-19 vaccine. Method: We conducted a cross-sectional study between April 2021 and October 2021. 100 schizophrenia patients and 72 controls were recruited. Attitudes towards vaccines were assessed with the Vaccination Attitudes Examination Scale. COVID-19 vaccination rates, sociodemographic, clinical and health-related variables were also assessed. Results: In our study, the proportion of individuals with schizophrenia were under-vaccinated despite similar general attitudes towards vaccination and higher willingness to be vaccinated against COVID-19 compared to the participants from the general population. In patients, negative attitudes toward vaccines was related to higher level of negative psychotic symptoms and higher level of paranoid ideation. As a whole, participants with more negative attitudes towards vaccines were less likely to be vaccinated against COVID-19 and had lower levels of trust in institutions. Conclusions: Vaccine hesitancy does not appear to be a major barrier for COVID-19 vaccine uptake amongst people with schizophrenia. This study suggests that disparities in COVID-19 vaccination rates in schizophrenia do not seem related to attitudinal but rather structural barriers.

  🖺 Full Text HTML: Attitudes towards vaccines, intent to vaccinate and the relationship with COVID-19 vaccination rates in individuals with schizophrenia

From Clinical Trials

• Quantifying Viral Load in Respiratory Particles That Are Generated by Children and Adults With COVID-19 Infection - Condition:   COVID-19
  Intervention:   Device: COVID-19 Aerosol Collection
  Sponsor:  
  Massachusetts General Hospital
  Recruiting

• Evaluation of Safety & Efficacy of MIR 19 ® Inhalation Solution in Patients With Moderate COVID-19 - Condition:   COVID-19
  Interventions:   Drug: MIR 19 ®;   Combination Product: Standard COVID-19 therapy
  Sponsors:   National Research Center - Institute of Immunology Federal Medical-Biological Agency of Russia;   St. Petersburg Research Institute of Vaccines and Sera
  Completed

• A Telemedicine Brief Mindfulness Intervention in Post-COVID-19 - Condition:   Post COVID-19
  Intervention:   Other: Mindfulness
  Sponsors:  
  Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi Onlus;   Catholic University of the Sacred Heart
  Recruiting

• Immunogenicity and Safety of a Booster Dose of the SpikoGen COVID-19 Vaccine - Condition:   COVID-19
  Interventions:   Biological: SARS-CoV-2 recombinant spike protein + Advax-SM adjuvant;   Biological: Saline placebo
  Sponsors:   Cinnagen;   Vaxine Pty Ltd
  Active, not recruiting

• Plasma Exchange in Covid-19 Patients With Anti-interferon Autoantibodies - Condition:   COVID-19
  Intervention:   Drug: Therapeutic plasma exchange
  Sponsor:  
  Centre Hospitalier St Anne
  Recruiting

• Randomized Multicenter Study on the Efficacy and Safety of Favipiravir for Parenteral Administration Compared to Standard of Care in Hospitalized Patients With COVID-19 - Condition:   COVID-19
  Interventions:   Drug: Favipiravir;   Drug: Remdesivir
  Sponsors:   Promomed, LLC;   Solyur Pharmaceuticals Group
  Completed

• Inhaled Heparin for Hospitalised Patients With Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) - Condition:   COVID-19
  Intervention:   Drug: unfractionated Heparin
  Sponsors:  
  Australian National University;   The George Institute;   St George Hospital, Australia;   St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne;   John Hunter Hospital;   Royal North Shore Hospital
  Not yet recruiting

• PTX-COVID19-B, an mRNA Humoral Vaccine, Intended for Prevention of COVID-19 in a General Population. This Study is Designed to Demonstrate the Safety, Tolerability, and Immunogenicity of PTX-COVID19-B in Comparison to the Pfizer- BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine. - Condition:   Covid19 Vaccine
  Interventions:   Biological: PTX-COVID19-B;   Biological: Pfizer- BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine;   Biological: Placebo
  Sponsor:   Providence Therapeutics Holdings Inc.
  Recruiting

• Immunogenicity and Safety Study of a SCB-2019 Vaccine Booster Dose to Adults Who Previously Received Primary Series of Selected COVID-19 Vaccines - Condition:   COVID-19
  Intervention:   Biological: Candidate vaccine, SCB-2019
  Sponsor:   Clover Biopharmaceuticals AUS Pty Ltd
  Not yet recruiting

• COVID-19 Messaging for Vaccination - Conditions:   Vaccination Refusal;   COVID-19 Pandemic
  Interventions:   Behavioral: Doctor Videos;   Behavioral: Sharing Videos;   Behavioral: Sharing Videos (Influencers);   Behavioral: Vaccine Ambassador;   Behavioral: Video framing;   Behavioral: Video order
  Sponsors:   Massachusetts Institute of Technology;   Facebook, Inc.;   Code3;   Stanford University;   Harvard University;   Yale University;   Johns Hopkins University;   Massachusetts General Hospital;   Ludwig-Maximilians - University of Munich;   National Institutes of Health (NIH)
  Recruiting

• Respiratory Physiotherapy and Neurorehabilitation in Patients With Post-covid19 Sequelae. - Condition:   COVID-19 Pandemic
  Intervention:   Other: respiratory treatment
  Sponsor:   Universidad Católica de Ávila
  Not yet recruiting

• IMPACT OF THERAPEUTIC PLASMA EXCHANGE ON ACQUIRED VACCINAL ANTI-SARS-CoV-2 ANTIBODIES. - Condition:   COVID-19
  Intervention:   Diagnostic Test: Evolution of antibodies titre
  Sponsor:   Cliniques universitaires Saint-Luc- Université Catholique de Louvain
  Recruiting

• Spa Rehabilitation, Antioxidant and Bioenergetic Supportive Treatment of Patients With Post-Covid-19 Syndrome - Condition:   COVID-19 Respiratory Infection
  Interventions:   Dietary Supplement: ubiquinol (reduced coenzyme Q10);   Other: mountain spa rehabilitation;   Diagnostic Test: 2x14 ml of peripheral blood collected in a tube with anticoagulant
  Sponsors:   Comenius University;   Sanatórium of Dr. Guhr, n.o.
  Completed

• The Effect of Dietary Intervation on Endothelial Glycocalyx in COVID-19 Patients. - Conditions:   COVID-19;   Endothelial Dysfunction
  Interventions:  
  Dietary Supplement: Food supplement Endocalyx;   Dietary Supplement: Placebo
  Sponsor:  
  University of Athens
  Not yet recruiting

• Public Support for COVID-19 Test Allocation - Conditions:   Health Equity;   COVID-19
  Interventions:   Behavioral: First Come, First Served;   Behavioral: Random;   Behavioral: Disadvantaged Priority & Random
  Sponsor:   University of Pennsylvania
  Completed

From PubMed

• Factors associated with insomnia among frontline nurses during COVID-19: a cross-sectional survey study - CONCLUSION: The present study’s findings help to explain how pandemic consequences can be associated with insomnia. Additionally, the findings make a significant contribution to better understanding the role of neuroticism, emotion dysregulation, beliefs, and psychopathology vulnerability in the development of insomnia among nurses. The findings suggest the potential influence of cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) and transdiagnostic integrated therapies that could be incorporated…

• Acyl-Coenzyme A Synthetase Long-Chain Family Member 4 Is Involved in Viral Replication Organelle Formation and Facilitates Virus Replication via Ferroptosis - Enterovirus infections can cause severe complications, such as poliomyelitis, encephalitis, myocarditis, meningitis, neurological pulmonary edema, and even death. Here, we used genome-wide CRISPR screens to gain new insight into the mechanism by which enteroviruses co-opt host pathways to potentiate replication and propagation. We found that acyl- coenzyme A synthetase long-chain family member 4 (ACSL4) is involved in viral replication organelle formation. ACSL4 is a key component of ferroptosis,…

• JIB-04 Has Broad-Spectrum Antiviral Activity and Inhibits SARS-CoV-2 Replication and Coronavirus Pathogenesis - Pathogenic coronaviruses are a major threat to global public health. Here, using a recombinant reporter virus-based compound screening approach, we identified small-molecule inhibitors that potently block the replication of severe acute respiratory syndrome virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Among them, JIB-04 inhibited SARS-CoV-2 replication in Vero E6 cells with a 50% effective concentration of 695 nM, with a specificity index of greater than 1,000. JIB-04 showed in vitro antiviral activity in multiple…

• Expression and immunogenicity of nsp10 protein of porcine epidemic diarrhea virus - Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV), a swine enteropathogenic coronavirus, causes lethal watery diarrhea to the piglets, which poses significant economic losses and public health concerns. The nsp10 protein of PEDV is essential regulatory subunits that are critical for virus replication. Since PEDV nsp10 is a crucial regulator of viral RNA synthesis, it is promising that nsp10 might become anti-virus drugs target or candidate for rapid diagnosis of PEDV infection. In this study, the PEDV…

• ACE2 internalization induced by a SARS-CoV-2 recombinant protein is modulated by angiotensin II type 1 and bradykinin 2 receptors - AIMS: Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) is a key regulator of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) recently identified as the membrane receptor for the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Here we aim to study whether two receptors from RAS, the angiotensin receptor type 1 (AT1R) and the bradykinin 2 receptor (B2R) modulate ACE2 internalization induced by a recombinant receptor binding domain (RBD) of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. Also, we investigated the impact of ACE2…

• Evaluation of adult patients with atopic dermatitis treated with dupilumab: a single-center real-life experience - Adult atopic dermatitis (AD), especially adult-onset type appears to have different clinical manifestations. Dupilumab is an IL-4 receptor antagonist used in patients with moderate and severe atopic dermatitis, aged 12 years and older and it works by inhibiting the IL-4 and IL-13 signaling pathway. The purpose of our study is to retrospectively investigate the side effect profile and drug efficacy of thirteen adult patients who received dupilumab treatment and to evaluate the drug use status and…

• Molecular modelling and structure-activity relationship of a natural derivative of o-hydroxybenzoate as a potent inhibitor of dual NSP3 and NSP12 of SARS-CoV-2: in silico study - The nsp3 macrodomain and nsp12 (RdRp) enzymes are strongly implicated in the virulent regulation of the host immune response and viral replication of SARS-CoV-2, making them plausible therapeutic targets for mitigating infectivity. Remdesivir remains the only FDA-approved small-molecule inhibitor of the nsp12 in clinical conditions while none has been approved yet for the nsp3 macrodomain. In this study, 69,067 natural compounds from the IBScreen database were screened for efficacious potentials…

• Characterization of the SARS-CoV-2 ExoN (nsp14ExoN-nsp10) complex: implications for its role in viral genome stability and inhibitor identification - The SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus is the causal agent of the current global pandemic. SARS-CoV-2 belongs to an order, Nidovirales, with very large RNA genomes. It is proposed that the fidelity of coronavirus (CoV) genome replication is aided by an RNA nuclease complex, comprising the non-structural proteins 14 and 10 (nsp14-nsp10), an attractive target for antiviral inhibition. Our results validate reports that the SARS-CoV-2 nsp14-nsp10 complex has RNase activity. Detailed functional characterization…

• I(2)-Catalyzed Carbonylation of alpha-Methylene Ketones to Synthesize 1,2-Diaryl Diketones and Antiviral Quinoxalines in One Pot - An efficient approach for the synthesis of 1,2-diaryl diketones was developed from readily available α-methylene ketones by catalysis of I(2). In the same oxidation system, a novel one-pot procedure was established for the construction of antiviral and anticancer quinoxalines. The reactions proceeded well with a wide variety of substrates and good functional group tolerance, affording desired compounds in moderate to excellent yields. Quinoxalines 4ca and 4ad inhibited viral entry of SARS-CoV-2…

• Inhibition of SARS-CoV-2 infection in human iPSC-derived cardiomyocytes by targeting the Sigma-1 receptor disrupts cytoarchitecture and beating - SARS-CoV-2 infects cardiac cells and causes heart dysfunction. Conditions such as myocarditis and arrhythmia have been reported in COVID-19 patients. The Sigma-1 receptor (S1R) is a ubiquitously expressed chaperone that plays a central role in cardiomyocyte function. S1R has been proposed as a therapeutic target because it may affect SARS-CoV-2 replication; however, the impact of the inhibition of S1R in human cardiomyocytes remains to be described. In this study, we investigated the…

• Impact of Warhead Modulations on the Covalent Inhibition of SARS-CoV-2 M(pro) Explored by QM/MM Simulations - The COVID-19 pandemic, caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2, SARS-CoV-2, shows the need for effective antiviral treatments. Here, we present a simulation study of the inhibition of the SARS-CoV-2 main protease (M^(pro)), a cysteine hydrolase essential for the life cycle of the virus. The free energy landscape for the mechanism of the inhibition process is explored by QM/MM umbrella sampling and free energy perturbation simulations at the M06-2X/MM level of theory for two…

• Validation of a Saliva-Based Test for the Molecular Diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 Infection - CONCLUSIONS: RT-PCR assays conducted on a stored saliva sample achieved similar performance to those on NP swabs, and this may provide a very effective tool for population screening and diagnosis. Collection of saliva in a stabilizing solution makes the test more convenient and widely available; furthermore, the denaturing properties of the solution reduce the infective risks belonging to sample manipulation.

• Sustained generation of peroxide from the air by carbon nano onion under visible light to combat RNA virus - Carbon nano onion (CNO) from dried grass has been synthesized by carbonization in the size range, 20 to 100 nm. This shows catalytic property to transform aerial oxygen under visible light to generate reactive oxygen species (ROS). A concept has been presented herein to show that this CNO even under room light generates hydrogen peroxide which inhibits WSN influenza virus (H1N1). The advantage of introducing CNO, synthesized from a cheap source to cater to the global need, is to sterilize…

• Local practices and production confer resilience to rural Pacific food systems during the COVID-19 pandemic - Resilience of food systems is key to ensuring food security through crisis. The COVID-19 pandemic presents an unprecedented shock that reveals varying levels of resilience of increasingly interconnected food systems across the globe. We contribute to the ongoing debate about whether increased connectivity reduces or enhances resilience in the context of rural Pacific food systems, while examining how communities have adapted to the global shocks associated with the pandemic to ensure food…

• Potential of phytocompounds from Brassica oleracea targeting S2-domain of SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoproteins: Structural and molecular insights - By 24th Sep. 2021, there are more than 229 million COVID-19 cases worldwide, the researchers are tirelessly working to discover and develop an efficient drug molecule against this devastative viral infection. This study aims to evaluate the inhibitory efficiency of the organic acids and phenolic compounds present in Brassica oleracea (Tronchuda Cabbage) against spike glycoprotein in SARS-CoV-2. Thirty-seven phytocompounds are screened on the basis of their molecular weight (<500 g/mol) and 14…

From Patent Search

• IDENTIFICATION AND ALARM SYSTEM FOR FACIAL CORONA MASK USING CNN BASED IMAGE PROCESSING - tThe covid-19 epidemic is the world’s largest wake-up call for people to pay attention to their own and society’s health. One thing to keep in mind is that there is a segment of the population that has been exposed to the covid-19 virus and has generated antibodies without developing any significant illnesses and is continuing to be healthy. This indicates that a significant section of the population, even excluding the elderly, lacks the necessary bodily immunity to combat a Viral infection. As terrible as covid-19 is on a global scale, developing personal health standards and preventative measures for any pathogenic virus as a community would have spared many lives. In’this work, a camera is combined with an image processing system to recognise facial masks, which may be improved in a variety of ways. First and foremost, this method is meant to identify masks on a single person’s face. While this method is efficient in identifying someone has a mask, it does not ensure that they will wear it all of the time. The most effective update for this task is to install a camera with a wide field of view so that many individuals can be seen in the frame, and the faces of those who aren’t wearing markings can be identified, as well as the number of people and the timing. - link

• ANTIMICROBIAL SANITIZING FORMULATION - An antimicrobial sanitizing formulation, comprising, i) isopropyl alcohol in the range of 0.1%- 80% w/w, ii) an emollient in the range of 0.1%-15% w/w, iii) hydrogen peroxide in the range of 0.1 0.13% w/w, iv) citric acid in the range of 0.1% to 2.0% w/w, v) silver nitrate in the range of 0.1% to 0.5% w/w, and vi) a fragrance imparting agent in the range of 0.1% to 2.0% w/w. - link

• A HEALTH BAND WITH A BIOMETRIC MODULE AND WORKING METHOD THEREOF - The present invention discloses a health band with a biometric module and method thereof. The assembly includes, but not limited to, a plurality of sensors configured to gather health data associated with a predefined symptom of a medical condition of a user; a memory unit configured to store the data and an interface, which is configured to determine the medical condition using the data;a processing unit configured to execute the application; and a notification facility configured to provide a notification upon receiving from the interface an instruction associated with the notification, wherein the notification is associated with a drug reminder and the like. - link

• RNA 검출 방법 - 본 발명은 RNA의 분석 및 검출 방법에 관한 것이다. 특히, 본 발명은 특히, 본 발명은 짧은 염기서열의 RNA까지 분석이 가능하면서도 높은 민감도 및 정확도로 정량적 검출까지 가능하여 감염증, 암 등 여러 질환의 진단 용도로도 널리 활용될 수 있다. - link

• REUNION OF PHOTOTHERMAL THERAPY WITH MXENE ADSORBED UREMIC TOXINS AND CYTOKINES: A SHILED FOR COVID-19 PATENTS - The COVID-19 pandemic has created havoc throughout the world. The disease has proved to be more fatalfor patients having comorbidities like diabetics, lungs and kidney infections, etc. In the case of COVID-19 patientsI having kidney injury, the. removal of uremic toxins from the blood is hindered and there is a rapid surge in the levelj of cytokine hormone resulting in the death of the patient in a short interval of time. To resolve this issue,iI; researchers have examined that the immediate removal of these toxins can improve the condition of the patient to a |greater extent. Studies have also found the presence of SARS CoV-2 viral RNAs in the blood of COVID-19patients, which risks their life as well as impacts the blood transfusion process, especially in the case ofasymptomatic patients. Hence it is required to control the surge of cytokines and uremic toxins as well as disinfectthe blood of the patient from the virus. MXenes, having a foam-like porous structure and hydrophilic negativesurface functionalization have greater adsorption efficiency as well as superior photothermal activity. Utilizingthese properties of MXenes, the MXene membranes can be used in the dialyzer that can help in the efficient andBiuick removal of the uremic toxins, cytokines, and other impurities from the blood. Along with this the greaterTJAdsorption efficiency of MXenes to amino acids result in the trapping of the SARS CoV-2 viruses on the surface J)3>f the MXene. Many researchers as well as the WHO have proved the efficient reduction of the viral copy numbersjjvith the increase of temperature. Hence, followed by the trapping of the viruses, the implementation of"Zphotothermal Therapy can result in the inactivation and denaturation of the viruses and their respective viral RNAsBJlby the produced heat. The same process can be repeated several times to get better results. This whole process canr>oQ-esult in impurity-free and infection-free blood, that can be returned back to the body of the patient or can be!— I Sitilized for the blood transfusion process without any risk of infection.IM - link

• REDUCING AND STOPPING OXYGEN WASTAGE IN HOSPITAL - In an aspect, the present invention discloses a system (200) for prevention and reduction of oxygen wastage from oxygen mask (202). The system (200) includes the oxygen mask (202) having straps; a tension sensor (204), the tension sensor being sensitive towards tension produced in the straps as the oxygen gets leakage through sides of the mask (202); a processor configured in alignment with the tension sensor (204); and a buzzer (206) in alignment with processor. - link

• Hung Thanh Phan COVID-19 NEW SOLUTION - - link

• A METHOD TO REVEAL MOTIF PATTERNS OF COVID-19 USING MULTIPLE SEQUENCE ALIGNMENT - This present invention consists of different levels of computation and work in a pipeline manner i.e., input of one will be output of another and it is sequential process. Input data given in form of nucleotide sequence (DNA) of different COVID-19 patients (1). Using these nucleotide sequence perform mutation if possible and arrange them in a sequential order (2). Arrange number of nucleotide sequences of different patients in row wise and also compute number of characters in each row. (3). Compute frequency of occurrence of character in column wise and create a matrix having 4 rows and maximum sequence length will be the column size (4). Find the character like A, T, C, and G which one has maximum score and similarly find for each column to produce a final sequence (5). - link

• REUSABILITY OF ANTIMICROBIAL MULTILAYER NANOFIBER MASK WITH HIGH PROTECTIVE - According to the present Invention, an antimicrobial multi-layer protective mask has a body section including at least first and second fabric layers having random fiber configuration; a middle layer including nanofiber membrane; and third and fourth fabric layers. There are two layers of fabric sandwiched between the nanofiber membrane and the third fabric layer. Fabric layers 1 through 4 each include a synergistic mixture of at least two metal oxide powders that exhibit synergistic antibacterial capabilities, such as the first metal’s mixed-oxidation state oxide and a second metal’s single-oxidation-state oxide. - link

• 用于检测新型冠状病毒的引物、探针及其应用 - 本发明属于医学检测领域，具体涉及用于检测新型冠状病毒的引物、探针及其应用。本发明设计了四组引物探针，采用常用的TaqMan‑MGB探针法对新型冠状病毒进行检测，可用于检测新型冠状病毒野生型、新型冠状病毒变异株、新型冠状病毒B.1.617亚型变异株以及新型冠状病毒B.1.617.2亚型变异株。假病毒测试结果表明，试剂灵敏度可达到500copies/mL。10份健康志愿者和4份常见其他呼吸道病原体检测均没有非特异性扩增，引物探针组合及试剂特异性较好。 - link