Covid-19 Sentry

Contents

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

From Preprints

• Rapid selection of P323L in the SARS-CoV-2 polymerase (NSP12) in humans and non-human primate models and confers a large plaque phenotype -
  The mutational landscape of SARS-CoV-2 varies at both the dominant viral genome sequence and minor genomic variant population. An early change associated with transmissibility was the D614G substitution in the spike protein. This appeared to be accompanied by a P323L substitution in the viral polymerase (NSP12), but this latter change was not under strong selective pressure. Investigation of P323L/D614G changes in the human population showed rapid emergence during the containment phase and early surge phase of wave 1 in the UK. This rapid substitution was from minor genomic variants to become part of the dominant viral genome sequence. A rapid emergence of 323L but not 614G was observed in a non- human primate model of COVID-19 using a starting virus with P323 and D614 in the dominant genome sequence and 323L and 614G in the minor variant population. In cell culture, a recombinant virus with 323L in NSP12 had a larger plaque size than the same recombinant virus with P323. These data suggest that it may be possible to predict the emergence of a new variant based on tracking the distribution and frequency of minor variant genomes at a population level, rather than just focusing on providing information on the dominant viral genome sequence e.g., consensus level reporting. The ability to predict an emerging variant of SARS-CoV-2 in the global landscape may aid in the evaluation of medical countermeasures and non-pharmaceutical interventions.
  🖺 Full Text HTML: Rapid selection of P323L in the SARS-CoV-2 polymerase (NSP12) in humans and non-human primate models and confers a large plaque phenotype
• Repurposing BCG Vaccine to Protect my Parents, Children, and my Family against COVID-19: A Real-life Experience. -
  A first global family report, how a physician & scientist safely and effectively repurposed the very safe, very old, very economic live attenuated BCG vaccine to protect against COVID-19 complications for immunocompetent children, adults and geriatric participants.
  🖺 Full Text HTML: Repurposing BCG Vaccine to Protect my Parents, Children, and my Family against COVID-19: A Real-life Experience.
• Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic on a Human Research Islet Program -
  Designated a pandemic in March 2020, the spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome virus 2 (SARS-CoV2), the virus responsible for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), led to new guidelines and restrictions being implemented for individuals, businesses, and societies in efforts to limit the impacts of COVID-19 on personal health and healthcare systems. Here we report the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on pancreas processing and islet isolation/distribution outcomes at the Alberta Diabetes Institute IsletCore, a facility specialising in the processing and distribution of human pancreatic islets for research. While the number of organs processed was significantly reduced, organ quality and the function of cellular outputs were minimally impacted during the pandemic when compared to an equivalent period immediately prior. Despite the maintained quality of isolated islets, recipient groups reported poorer feedback regarding the samples. Our findings suggest this is likely due to disrupted distribution which led to increased transit times to recipient labs, particularly those overseas. Thus, to improve overall outcomes in a climate of limited research islet supply, prioritization of tissue recipients based on likely tissue transit times may be needed.
  🖺 Full Text HTML: Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic on a Human Research Islet Program
• The Impact of Covid-19 on the Mental Wellbeing of Youth Around the World: A Statistical Analysis -
  Last year, COVID-19, a respiratory disease caused by the virus SARS-CoV-2, managed to infect more than 200 million humans, cause almost 5 million deaths, and establish itself as a prevailing matter in all facts of life (Worldometer, Coronavirus cases). While the medical details of COVID-19 have seen extensive research, relatively less attention has been paid to its mental health effects, especially in the context of children and adolescents. Our aim in this report is to discuss and analyze the various results of previous studies in this field and conduct our own analyses to bring forth new conclusions. The creation of this report was overseen by the World Health Organization’s EPI-WIN Team.

• Bridging the Digital Divide in the Changing Times: Application of A5 Solutions -
  Disasters, either natural and man-made, adversely affect humanity including human lives and, the knowledge creation, as a standard of the progress of civilization. The development of education of a country depends upon the present economics, academic structure, research facilities, health issues and involvement of government ministry. The outbreak of present pandemic Coronavirus (official designation COVID-19 or 2019-nCov) has a clear negative impact on academic and research activities. It creates a global threat and people keep themselves at home to maintain social distancing for reducing the outbreak of community transmission. This COVID-19 epidemic is neither the first and confidently nor the last epidemic that will pose a threat to the conventional education system. Both the effects of education i.e. direct and indirect effects are a subject risk to such pandemic and other disaster vulnerability. Instead, efforts should be made to find measures which can ensure the continuation of the education system for posterity. This requirement of an alternate way of learning proves us for the transformation of the learning process from conventional to digital. The primary requirement of this transformation is the availability of a sophisticated and multitasking platform for online learning, which conforms A5 solutions. This A5 implies the 5A’s of access, i.e.  Availability, Adequacy, Accessibility, Affordability and Appropriateness; which bridges the digital divide by ensuring the equal access of web for all. In this paper, the authors have discussed the tool FCC (Free Conference Call), after evaluation and comparison which can use by learners and educators as an alternative solution of the physical classroom. This is a dissemination or sharing platform and most versatile and comprehensive free web-conferencing solution which can be used by academic institutions and educators for online classes. In addition, this paper also go through the comparative study of FCC and other known web conferencing tools to clarify the judgement of its acceptance.
  🖺 Full Text HTML: Bridging the Digital Divide in the Changing Times: Application of A5 Solutions
• Effect of OTR4120 on pulmonary fibrosis in mice -
  Background: Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) can be related to airway remodeling caused by pulmonary fibrosis and systemic inflammation. Etiologies of ARDS are multifaceted such as idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis or as recently the SARS-CoV-2 infection. Antifibrotic drugs may be a better approach to slow the fibrotic process but they often have poor efficacy in patients, and the mortality rate remains high, up to 40% within 5 years of diagnosis. Here, we tested the antifibrotic effect of a ReGeneTaring Agents named OTR4120 in a bleomycin-induced mouse model of pulmonary fibrosis. Methods: Swiss mice were randomly divided into four experimental groups: saline-treated control group, an OTR4120 group, a bleomycin-induced fibrosis group without OTR4120, and a bleomycin-induced fibrosis groups with OTR4120 (intravenous injections every 3 days starting at day 11 post bleomycin I.P. injection). Lungs were compared using the lung/body weight index, and the extend of interstitial injury area was graded using histopathological assessment of haematoxylin & eosin-stained lung tissue sections. Lung tissue Collagen I and Collagen III levels, and blood cytokine levels were measured using a Collagen colorimetric kit and a Cytokine colorimetric kit, respectively. Results: The group treated by OTR4120 alone were used as a control. The clincal signs in all animals resoved gradually on day 17 after bleomycin injections and 6 days after OTR4120 treatment, and disappeared almost completetly at day 24 after bleomycin injections and day 13 after OTR4120 treatment. Lung/body weight index values were significantly lower in the bleomycin-OTR4120 treated group versus the bleomycin group (7.31, 9.97 and 7.63 mg/g, p-value< 0.01; respectively). Histopathological analyses suggest that OTR4120 treatment ameliorated the increased inflammatory cell infiltration, and attenuated the reduction in interstitial thickening, associated with bleomycin-induced fibrosis. Collagen III and cytokine levels were decreased in the OTR4120 group versus the fibrotic (bleomycin only) group. OTR4120-treated animals were less affected in their behavior, did not loose weight nor appetite, and recovered overall activities within 6 days of OTR4120 treatment, while none of the vehicle-treated animals recovered to normal. Conclusion: OTR4120 is a potential candidate to reduce lung fibrosis.
  🖺 Full Text HTML: Effect of OTR4120 on pulmonary fibrosis in mice
• Scrutiny of human lung infection by SARS-CoV-2 and associated human immune responses in humanized mice -
  There is an urgent need for animal models of COVID-19 to study immunopathogenesis and test therapeutic intervenes. In this study we showed that NSG mice engrafted with human lung (HL) tissue (NSG-L mice) could be infected efficiently by SARS-CoV-2, and that live virus capable of infecting Vero cells was found in the HL grafts and multiple organs from infected NSG-L mice. RNA-seq examination identified a series of differentially expressed genes, which are enriched in viral defense responses, chemotaxis, interferon stimulation, and pulmonary fibrosis between HL grafts from infected and control NSG-L mice. Furthermore, when infecting humanized mice with human immune system (HIS) and autologous HL grafts (HISL mice), the mice had bodyweight loss and hemorrhage and immune cell infiltration in HL grafts, which were not observed in immunodeficient NSG-L mice, indicating the development of anti-viral immune responses in these mice. In support of this possibility, the infected HISL mice showed bodyweight recovery and lack of detectable live virus at the later time. These results demonstrate that NSG-L and HISL mice are susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection, offering a useful in vivo model for studying SARS-CoV-2 infection and the associated immune response and immunopathology, and testing anti-SARS-CoV-2 therapies.
  🖺 Full Text HTML: Scrutiny of human lung infection by SARS-CoV-2 and associated human immune responses in humanized mice
• Protein scaffold-based multimerization of soluble ACE2 efficiently blocks SARS-CoV-2 infection in vitro and in vivo -
  Soluble ACE2 (sACE2) decoy receptors are promising agents to inhibit SARS-CoV-2, as their efficiency is less likely to be affected by common escape mutations in viral proteins. However, their success may be limited by their relatively poor potency. To address this challenge, we developed a large decoy library of sACE2 fusion proteins, generated with several protease inhibitors or multimerization tags. Among these decoys, multimeric sACE2 consisting of SunTag or MoonTag systems, which were originally utilized for signal amplification or gene activation systems, were extremely effective in neutralizing SARS-CoV-2 in pseudoviral systems and in clinical isolates. These novel sACE2 fusion proteins exhibited greater than 100-fold SARS-CoV-2 neutralization efficiency, compared to monomeric sACE2. SunTag or MoonTag in combination with a more potent version of sACE2, which has multiple point mutations for greater binding (v1), achieved near complete neutralization at a sub-nanomolar range, comparable with clinical monoclonal antibodies. Pseudoviruses bearing mutant versions of Spike, alpha, beta, gamma or delta variants, were also neutralized efficiently with SunTag or MoonTag fused sACE2(v1). Finally, therapeutic treatment of sACE2(v1)-MoonTag provided protection against SARS-CoV-2 infection in an in vivo mouse model. Overall, we suggest that the superior activity of the sACE2-SunTag or sACE2-MoonTag fusions is due to the greater occupancy of the multimeric sACE2 receptors on Spike protein as compared to monomeric sACE2. Therefore, these highly potent multimeric sACE2 decoy receptors may offer a promising treatment approach against SARS-CoV-2 infections.
  🖺 Full Text HTML: Protein scaffold-based multimerization of soluble ACE2 efficiently blocks SARS-CoV-2 infection in vitro and in vivo
• Influence of COVID-19 Pandemic in Students’ Distribution of Time in Distant Learning -
  Statistical analysis offers unprecedented opportunities to identify learning strategies. This fact has been boosted in the COVID-19 pandemic because of the data obtained in distant learning scenarios due to the confinement. This article deals with the identification of students’ strategies in different distant learning scenarios such as working autonomously as a support for face-to-face classes or learning autonomously in COVID-19 confinement. We have measured the influence of parameters such as the time they spent in self-evaluation, the scores obtained through this process and the distribution of time when studying autonomously. We have only detected significant results that guide to a better learning strategy when we include time parameters, such as the time between studying sessions or the time between students’ first session and their final exam. We demonstrate that students that started to study earlier and more dispersed get better success ratio (not necessarily better scores) than those that started later and do it more concentrate. The findings from this study suggest that the same amount of time spent in autonomous learning optimizes its effectiveness when it is extended in time. This learning strategy was found more often in COVID-19 confinement, where students were forced to stay at home.
  🖺 Full Text HTML: Influence of COVID-19 Pandemic in Students’ Distribution of Time in Distant Learning
• Book Review: Communication and Media in the COVID-19 Maelstorm (Critics, Challenges, and Solution) -
  This article is a review of the book “Communication and Media in the COVID-19 Malestorm”. Communication and media have been in the spotlight since the emergence of COVID-19 which has changed many aspects of the way we communicate. Communication and media in COVID-19 have caused problems that have an impact on changing people’s behavior patterns. In this situation, public opinion is divided and some of it leads to the untruth dissemination of information to the level of extreme. The research method used in this article is descriptive. Descriptive method is a method of data analysis in the form of describing the collected data. The results of this study show that some of the existence of COVID-19 makes communication and media mazy. However, this can be solved with education on communication and media, especially digital media.
  🖺 Full Text HTML: Book Review: Communication and Media in the COVID-19 Maelstorm (Critics, Challenges, and Solution)
• A subset of Memory B-derived antibody repertoire from 3-dose vaccinees is ultrapotent against diverse and highly transmissible SARS-CoV-2 variants, including Omicron -
  Omicron, the most heavily mutated SARS-CoV-2 variant so far, is highly resistant to neutralizing antibodies, raising unprecedented concerns about the effectiveness of antibody therapies and vaccines. We examined whether sera from individuals who received two or three doses of inactivated vaccine, could neutralize authentic Omicron. The seroconversion rates of neutralizing antibodies were 3.3% (2/60) and 95% (57/60) for 2- and 3-dose vaccinees, respectively. For three-dose recipients, the geometric mean neutralization antibody titer (GMT) of Omicron was 15, 16.5-fold lower than that of the ancestral virus (254). We isolated 323 human monoclonal antibodies derived from memory B cells in 3-dose vaccinees, half of which recognize the receptor binding domain (RBD) and show that a subset of them (24/163) neutralize all SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VOCs), including Omicron, potently. Therapeutic treatments with representative broadly neutralizing mAbs individually or antibody cocktails were highly protective against SARS-CoV-2 Beta infection in mice. Atomic structures of the Omicron S in complex with three types of all five VOC-reactive antibodies defined the binding and neutralizing determinants and revealed a key antibody escape site, G446S, that confers greater resistance to one major class of antibodies bound at the right shoulder of RBD through altering local conformation at the binding interface. Our results rationalize the use of 3-dose immunization regimens and suggest that the fundamental epitopes revealed by these broadly ultrapotent antibodies are a rational target for a universal sarbecovirus vaccine.
  🖺 Full Text HTML: A subset of Memory B-derived antibody repertoire from 3-dose vaccinees is ultrapotent against diverse and highly transmissible SARS-CoV-2 variants, including Omicron
• Convalescence from prototype SARS-CoV-2 protects Syrian hamsters from disease caused by the Omicron variant -
  The mutation profile of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant poses a concern for naturally acquired and vaccine-induced immunity. We investigated the ability of prior infection with an early SARS-CoV-2, 99.99% identical to Wuhan-Hu-1, to protect against disease caused by the Omicron variant. We established that infection with Omicron in naive Syrian hamsters resulted in a less severe disease than a comparable dose of prototype SARS-CoV-2 (Australia/VIC01/2020), with fewer clinical signs and less weight loss. We present data to show that these clinical observations were almost absent in convalescent hamsters challenged with the same dose of Omicron 50 days after an initial infection with Australia/VIC01/2020. The data provide evidence for immunity raised against prototype SARS-CoV-2 being protective against Omicron in the Syrian hamster model. Further investigation is required to conclusively determine whether Omicron is less pathogenic in Syrian hamsters and whether this is predictive of pathogenicity in humans.
  🖺 Full Text HTML: Convalescence from prototype SARS- CoV-2 protects Syrian hamsters from disease caused by the Omicron variant
• The omicron (B.1.1.529) SARS-CoV-2 variant of concern does not readily infect Syrian hamsters -
  The emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VoCs) has exacerbated the COVID-19 pandemic. End of November 2021, a new SARS-CoV-2 variant namely the omicron (B.1.1.529) emerged. Since this omicron variant is heavily mutated in the spike protein, WHO classified this variant as the 5th variant of concern (VoC). We previously demonstrated that the other SARS-CoV-2 VoCs replicate efficiently in Syrian hamsters, alike also the ancestral strains. We here wanted to explore the infectivity of the omicron variant in comparison to the ancestral D614G strain. Strikingly, in hamsters that had been infected with the omicron variant, a 3 log10 lower viral RNA load was detected in the lungs as compared to animals infected with D614G and no infectious virus was detectable in this organ. Moreover, histopathological examination of the lungs from omicron-infecetd hamsters revealed no signs of peri-bronchial inflammation or bronchopneumonia. Further experiments are needed to determine whether the omicron VoC replicates possibly more efficiently in the upper respiratory tract of hamsters than in their lungs.
  🖺 Full Text HTML: The omicron (B.1.1.529) SARS-CoV-2 variant of concern does not readily infect Syrian hamsters
• Two doses of mRNA vaccine elicit cross-neutralizing memory B-cells against SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant -
  SARS-CoV-2 Beta and Omicron variants have multiple mutations in the receptor-binding domain (RBD) allowing antibody evasion. Despite the resistance to circulating antibodies in those who received two doses of mRNA vaccine, the third dose prominently recalls cross-neutralizing antibodies with expanded breadth to these variants. Herein, we longitudinally profiled the cellular composition of persistent memory B-cell subsets and their antibody reactivity against these variants following the second vaccine dose. The vaccination elicited a memory B-cell subset with resting phenotype that dominated the other subsets at 4.9 months. Notably, most of the resting memory subset retained the ability to bind the Beta variant, and the memory-derived antibodies cross-neutralized the Beta and Omicron variants at frequencies of 59% and 29%, respectively. The preservation of cross-neutralizing antibody repertoires in the durable memory B-cell subset likely contributes to the prominent recall of cross-neutralizing antibodies following the third dose of the vaccine.
  🖺 Full Text HTML: Two doses of mRNA vaccine elicit cross-neutralizing memory B-cells against SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant
• Are COVID-19 data reliable? The case of the European Union -

  Previous studies have used Benford9s distribution to assess whether there is misreporting of COVID-19 cases and deaths. Data inaccuracies provide false information to the media, undermine global response and hinder the preventive measures taken by countries worldwide. In this study, we analyze daily new cases and deaths from all the countries of the European Union and estimate the conformance to Benford9s distribution. For each country, two statistical tests and two measures of deviations are calculated to determine whether the reported statistics comply with the expected distribution. Four country-level developmental indexes are also included, the GDP per capita, health expenditures, the Universal Health Coverage index, and full vaccination rate. Regression analysis is implemented to show whether the deviation from Benford9s distribution is affected by the aforementioned indexes. The findings indicate that only three countries were in line with the expected distribution, Bulgaria, Croatia, and Romania. For daily cases, Denmark, Greece, and Ireland, showed the greatest deviation from Benford9s distribution, and for deaths, Malta, Cyprus, Greece, Italy, and Luxemburg had the highest deviation from Benford9s law. Furthermore, it was found that the vaccination rate is positively associated with deviation from Benford9s distribution. These results suggest that overall official data provided by authorities are not confirming Benford9s law, yet this approach acts as a preliminary tool for data verification. More extensive studies should be made with a more thorough investigation of countries that showed the greatest deviation.

  🖺 Full Text HTML: Are COVID-19 data reliable? The case of the European Union

From Clinical Trials

• A Double-blind Randomized Controlled Trial of Ivermectin With Favipiravir in Mild-to-moderate COVID-19 Patients - Condition:   COVID-19
  Interventions:   Drug: Ivermectin Tablets;   Other: Placebo
  Sponsors:   Mahidol University;   Prince of Songkla University
  Not yet recruiting

• Trial to Evaluate Nitazoxanide for Treatment of Mild COVID-19 in Subjects Not at High Risk of Severe Illness - Condition:   COVID-19
  Interventions:   Drug: Nitazoxanide;   Drug: Placebo;   Dietary Supplement: Vitamin Super-B Complex
  Sponsor:   Romark Laboratories L.C.
  Not yet recruiting

• Trial to Evaluate Nitazoxanide for Treatment of Mild or Moderate COVID-19 in Subjects at High Risk of Severe Illness - Condition:   COVID-19
  Interventions:   Drug: Nitazoxanide;   Dietary Supplement: Vitamin Super-B Complex;   Drug: Placebo;   Other: Standard of Care
  Sponsor:  
  Romark Laboratories L.C.
  Not yet recruiting

• A Safety, Tolerability, and Efficacy Study of IBI314 in Ambulatory Patients With COVID-19 - Condition:   COVID-19
  Interventions:   Biological: IBI314;   Other: Placebo
  Sponsor:   Innovent Biologics (Suzhou) Co. Ltd.
  Not yet recruiting

• Clinical Trial for Oral Formula of Vanillin and Wheat Germ Oil for Treatment of Mild and Moderate COVID-19 Viral Disease - Condition:   Mild-to-moderate COVID-19
  Intervention:   Drug: Oral Capsule
  Sponsors:  
  Alexandria University;   Assoc. Prof. Ayman Baeis;   Dr. Noha Alaa Eldine Hassan Hamdy;   Ph. Hanya Hesham Sweilam
  Recruiting

• Adrecizumab (HAM8101) to Improve Prognosis and Outcomes in COVID-19 Trial - Condition:   COVID-19
  Interventions:   Biological: Adrecizumab (HAM 8101);   Drug: Placebo
  Sponsor:   Universitätsklinikum Hamburg-Eppendorf
  Not yet recruiting

• A Study Evaluating Tocilizumab in Pediatric Patients Hospitalized With COVID-19 - Condition:   COVID-19
  Intervention:   Drug: Tocilizumab
  Sponsor:   Hoffmann- La Roche
  Not yet recruiting

• Safety, Tolerability, and Treatment Effect of Belnacasan in Patients With COVID-19 - Condition:   COVID-19
  Interventions:   Drug: Belnacasan;   Drug: Placebo
  Sponsor:  
  MedStar Health
  Recruiting

• A Study to Evaluate Efficacy and Safety of the Combination of SCTA01 & SCTA01C in Outpatients With COVID-19 - Condition:   COVID-19
  Interventions:   Drug: SCTA01 and SCTA01C;   Drug: Placebo
  Sponsor:   Sinocelltech Ltd.
  Not yet recruiting

• Efficacy,Immunogenicity and Safety of COVID-19 Vaccine , Inactivated Booster Dose in Adults Aged 18 Years and Above - Condition:   COVID-19
  Interventions:   Biological: Medium-dosage COVID-19 Vaccine,Inactivated;   Biological: High-dosage COVID-19 Vaccine,Inactivated;   Biological: Placebo-comparator group
  Sponsor:  
  Sinovac Research and Development Co., Ltd.
  Not yet recruiting

• Safety and Immunogenicity Study of Booster Vaccination in Different Doses of COVID-19 Vaccine (Vero Cell),Inactivated for Prevention of COVID-19 - Condition:   COVID-19
  Interventions:   Biological: High-dosage of COVID-19 vaccine (Vero cell), Inactivated;   Biological: Medium-dose COVID-19 Vaccine(Vero Cell),Inactivated
  Sponsor:  
  Sinovac Research and Development Co., Ltd.
  Active, not recruiting

• Safety and Immunogenicity Study of Booster Vaccination With COVID-19 Vaccine (Vero Cell),Inactivated From Different Manufactures for Prevention of COVID-19 - Condition:   COVID-19
  Interventions:   Biological: Experimental vaccine 1;   Biological: Experimental vaccine 2;   Biological: Experimental vaccine 3
  Sponsor:  
  Sinovac Research and Development Co., Ltd.
  Not yet recruiting

• Combination Assessment Trial of COVID-19 Vaccines (COMBAT-COVID) - Condition:   COVID 19 Vaccine
  Interventions:   Biological: BIBP (CNBG, Sinopharm) WIV;   Biological: CanSinoBIO;   Biological: AstraZeneca ChAdOx
  Sponsors:  
  Aga Khan University Hospital, Pakistan;   Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations;   University of Oxford;   International Vaccine Institute;   Harvard Medical School (HMS and HSDM);   Chughtai Lab;   National Institute of Health, Pakistan
  Not yet recruiting

• Transplantation of Deceased Donors With COVID-19 Into COVID-19 Negative Recipients Utilizing Casirivimab and Imdevimab Antibody Cocktail - Conditions:   COVID-19;   Organ Transplant
  Intervention:  
  Drug: Casirivimab and Imdevimab Antibody Cocktail
  Sponsors:   Northwell Health;   Regeneron Pharmaceuticals
  Not yet recruiting

• Use of Low-frequency Magnetic Fields in the Hybrid Treatment of COVID-19 Patients - Conditions:   COVID-19;   COVID-19 Respiratory Infection;   COVID-19 Pneumonia
  Intervention:  
  Other: magnetostimulation
  Sponsor:   Medical University of Lodz
  Active, not recruiting

From PubMed

• Efficient incorporation and template-dependent polymerase inhibition are major determinants for the broad-spectrum antiviral activity of remdesivir - Remdesivir (RDV) is a direct-acting antiviral agent that is approved in several countries for the treatment of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). RDV exhibits broad-spectrum antiviral activity against positive-sense RNA viruses, e.g., SARS-CoV-2 and hepatitis C virus (HCV), and non-segmented negative-sense RNA viruses, e.g., Nipah virus (NiV), while segmented negative-sense RNA viruses such as influenza (Flu) virus or…

• mTOR kinase is a therapeutic target for respiratory syncytial virus and coronaviruses - Therapeutic interventions targeting viral infections remain a significant challenge for both the medical and scientific communities. While specific antiviral agents have shown success as therapeutics, viral resistance inevitably develops, making many of these approaches ineffective. This inescapable obstacle warrants alternative approaches, such as the targeting of host cellular factors. Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), the major respiratory pathogen of infants and children worldwide, causes…

• Adsorption of benzalkonium chlorides onto polyethylene microplastics: Mechanism and toxicity evaluation - Usage of disposable plastic products and disinfectants has been skyrocketing due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The random disposal of plastic products may result in greater microplastic pollution. Benzalkonium chloride is known as one of the most common ingredients of disinfectants. In this study, the adsorption behavior of benzalkonium chlorides (BAC(12), BAC(14), BAC(16)) on polyethylene microplastics (PE-MPs) and the combined toxic effects were investigated using batch adsorption experiment and…

• The JAK inhibitor ruxolitinib abrogates immune hepatitis instigated by concanavalin A in mice - Therapeutics that impair the innate immune responses of the liver during the inflammatory cytokine storm like that occurring in COVID-19 are greatly needed. Much interest is currently directed toward Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors as potential candidates to mitigate this life-threatening complication. Accordingly, this study investigated the influence of the novel JAK inhibitor ruxolitinib (RXB) on concanavalin A (Con A)-induced hepatitis and systemic hyperinflammation in mice to simulate the…

• Anti-CD20 monoclonal antibodies inhibit seropositive response to Covid-19 vaccination in Non-Hodgkin lymphoma patients within six months after treatment - The Covid-19 pandemic caused millions of death worldwide. Vaccines have been developed but patients on immunosuppressive therapy are less likely to respond. This study aimed to investigate the efficacy of Covid-19 vaccine (Pfizer-BioNTech) in patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma, treated with anti-CD20 monoclonal antibodies. Only one of 28 lymphoma patients (3.6%) developed a seropositive response compared to 100% (28 of 28) of the healthy volunteers. The low levels of CD19+ lymphocytes among the…

• SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant shows less efficient replication and fusion activity when compared with delta variant in TMPRSS2-expressed cells - The novel SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant (B.1.1.529), first found in early November 2021, has sparked considerable global concern and it has >50 mutations, many of which are known to affect transmissibility or cause immune escape. In this study, we sought to investigate the virological characteristics of Omicron variant and compared it with the Delta variant which has dominated the world since mid-2021. Omicron variant replicated more slowly than the Delta variant in transmembrane serine protease 2…

• Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Membrane (M) and Spike (S) Proteins Antagonize Host Type I Interferon Response - Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has spread worldwide and has infected more than 250 million people. A typical feature of COVID-19 is the lack of type I interferon (IFN-I)-mediated antiviral immunity in patients. However, the detailed molecular mechanisms by which SARS-CoV-2 evades the IFN-I-mediated antiviral response remain elusive. Here, we performed a comprehensive screening and identified a set of SARS-CoV-2…

• Impairment of T cells’ antiviral and anti-inflammation immunities may be critical to death from COVID-19 - Clarifying dominant factors determining the immune heterogeneity from non-survivors to survivors is crucial for developing therapeutics and vaccines against COVID-19. The main difficulty is quantitatively analysing the multi-level clinical data, including viral dynamics, immune response and tissue damages. Here, we adopt a top-down modelling approach to quantify key functional aspects and their dynamical interplay in the battle between the virus and the immune system, yielding an accurate…

• Mechanism of Blood-Heart-Barrier Leakage: Implications for COVID-19 Induced Cardiovascular Injury - Although blood-heart-barrier (BHB) leakage is the hallmark of congestive (cardio-pulmonary) heart failure (CHF), the primary cause of death in elderly, and during viral myocarditis resulting from the novel coronavirus variants such as the severe acute respiratory syndrome novel corona virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) known as COVID-19, the mechanism is unclear. The goal of this project is to determine the mechanism of the BHB in CHF. Endocardial endothelium (EE) is the BHB against leakage of blood from…

• Polyethylene Films Containing Plant Extracts in the Polymer Matrix as Antibacterial and Antiviral Materials - Low density polyethylene (LDPE) films covered with active coatings containing mixtures of rosemary, raspberry, and pomegranate CO(2) extracts were found to be active against selected bacterial strains that may extend the shelf life of food products. The coatings also offer antiviral activity, due to their influence on the activity of Φ6 bacteriophage, selected as a surrogate for SARS-CoV-2 particles. The mixture of these extracts could be incorporated into a polymer matrix to obtain a foil with…

• Iota-Carrageenan Inhibits Replication of SARS-CoV-2 and the Respective Variants of Concern Alpha, Beta, Gamma and Delta - The COVID-19 pandemic continues to spread around the world and remains a major public health threat. Vaccine inefficiency, vaccination breakthroughs and lack of supply, especially in developing countries, as well as the fact that a non-negligible part of the population either refuse vaccination or cannot be vaccinated due to age, pre-existing illness or non-response to existing vaccines intensify this issue. This might also contribute to the emergence of new variants, being more efficiently…

• Coronavirus Infection-Associated Cell Death Signaling and Potential Therapeutic Targets - COVID-19 is the name of the disease caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection that occurred in 2019. The virus-host-specific interactions, molecular targets on host cell deaths, and the involved signaling are crucial issues, which become potential targets for treatment. Spike protein, angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), cathepsin L-cysteine peptidase, transmembrane protease serine 2 (TMPRSS2), nonstructural protein 1 (Nsp1), open reading frame 7a…

• Polyphenols as Potential Inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2 RNA Dependent RNA Polymerase (RdRp) - An increasing number of studies have demonstrated the antiviral nature of polyphenols, and many polyphenols have been proposed to inhibit SARS-CoV or SARS-CoV-2. Our previous study revealed the inhibitory mechanisms of polyphenols against DNA polymerase α and HIV reverse transcriptase to show that polyphenols can block DNA elongation by competing with the incoming NTPs. Here we applied computational approaches to examine if some polyphenols can also inhibit RNA polymerase (RdRp) in SARS-CoV-2,…

• Hydroxyzine Use and Mortality in Patients Hospitalized for COVID-19: A Multicenter Observational Study - (1) Background: Based on its antiviral activity, anti-inflammatory properties, and functional inhibition effects on the acid sphingomyelinase/ceramide system (FIASMA), we sought to examine the potential usefulness of the H1 antihistamine hydroxyzine in patients hospitalized for COVID-19. (2) Methods: In a multicenter observational study, we included 15,103 adults hospitalized for COVID-19, of which 164 (1.1%) received hydroxyzine within the first 48 h of hospitalization, administered orally at a…

• Angiotensin System Modulations in Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats and Consequences on Erythrocyte Properties; Action of MLN-4760 and Zofenopril - Various pathologies (COVID-19 including) are associated with abnormalities in erythrocyte properties. Hypertension represents an unfavorable condition for erythrocyte quality and is the most prevalent risk factor in COVID-19 patients. ACE2 downregulation that is typical of these patients can further deteriorate cardiovascular health; however, its consequences on erythrocyte properties are not known yet. The aim was to investigate the effect of ACE2 inhibition and the potential beneficial effect…

From Patent Search

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

• METHODS OF TREATING SARS-COV-2 INFECTION - - link

• REAL-TIME REST BREAK MANAGEMENT SYSTEM FOR WORKPLACE - The present invention relates to a real-time rest break management system for workplace that comprises of a work desk, wherein first portion is incorporated with a biometric unit 4 for authenticating first user, and a second portion with a telescopic panel 2 associated with a weight sensor 6 and timer unit 7 calculating weight of head/hand manifesting user presence and their resting time period is mounted with an inflated cushion 5, an interactive primary display unit 1 attached over desk enables user to set first/second threshold time for sleeping/taking break, further linked with a tracking interface keeping track of activities and a vibrating unit crafted inside the cushion 5 which is linked to a secondary display unit 8 of second user, giving them access to actuate vibrating unit generating impulses to wake first user when threshold time period is exceeded by the first user. - link

• P2P 네트워크를 이용한 내장된 화상회의 시스템 - 본 발명은 P2P 네트워크를 이용한 내장된 화상회의 시스템에 관한 것으로, 상태표시부(1), 영상송출부(2), 제어부(3), 광고부(4), 입력부(5)를 포함한다. - link

• 小分子化合物肌醇六磷酸酯钠水合物在制备抗SARS-CoV-2药物中的应用 - 本发明公开了小分子化合物肌醇六磷酸酯钠水合物在制备抗严重急性呼吸综合征冠状病毒2(SARS‑CoV‑2)药物中的应用，所述抗SARS‑CoV‑2药物是以肌醇六磷酸酯钠水合物为唯一的活性成份，或包含肌醇六磷酸酯钠水合物的药物组合物，所述抗SARS‑CoV‑2药物是指预防或治疗SARS‑CoV‑2感染的药物。本发明利用SARS‑CoV‑2的易感细胞系，包括非洲绿猴肾细胞Vero

E6以及人肺腺癌细胞Calu‑3，检测肌醇六磷酸酯钠水合物的抗SARS‑CoV‑2活性。实验结果显示，肌醇六磷酸酯钠水合物能有效抑制SARS‑CoV‑2对上述易感细胞的感染，且细胞毒性较小，有希望作为有效抗SARS‑CoV‑2感染的药物，具有应用前景。 - link

• A DOORBELL SYSTEM FOR MONITORING AND RECORDING A PHYSIOLOGICAL DATA OF A PERSON - AbstractTitle: A doorbell system for monitoring and recording a physiological data of a person The present invention provides a doorbell system 500 for monitoring and recording a physiological data of a person. The doorbell system 500 having a transmitter module 100 and a receiving module 200. The transmitter module 100 is having a TOF sensor module 110, an ultrasound detector 120, and an infrared detector 130. Further, a speech recognition system 150, a facial recognition system 160, and a temperature detector 190 are provided for recognizing speech, face, and temperature of the person by comparing pre-stored data. A controlling module 180 is set with a predefined commands for communicating with the transmitter module 100 and receiving module 200. The collected facial and speech data is compared and matched with the pre-stored data then the temperature detector 190 triggers and the door opens when the captured body temperature of the person is matched within the predefined range of temperature.Figure 1 - link

• Schnelltestsystem -

  Schnelltestsystem, aufweisend: eine Testkassette (11), die ein Testfeld (111) und einen einem bestimmten Benutzer entsprechenden Identifikationsstrichcode (113) aufweist, wobei das Testfeld (111) eine Probe (115) empfängt, um eine Testreaktion (R) zu bewirken, wodurch sich ein der Testreaktion (R) entsprechendes Muster (G) ergibt; und ein tragbares elektronisches Gerät (13), das eine Bildaufnahmeeinheit (131) aufweist, wobei die Bildaufnahmeeinheit (131) das Muster

7. und den Identifikationsstrichcode (113) liest und anschließend an einen Server (15) sendet.

• link

• A study of contemporary trends in investing patterns, household savings, and economic investment. - Because household savings and household investments are intertwined and interdependent, they are discussed briefly in this paper. Household savings account for more than half of a country’s capital formation, which fluctuates due to a variety of economic factors such as inflation and interest rates. Households should gradually shift their savings and investments from physical assets to financial assets to avoid a sudden change in wealth. They should also save and invest using a variety of platforms. Trends in investing and saving will be easier to track and measure this way. This year’s domestic saving rate in India is 2.3 percent lower than last year’s and 1.2 percent lower than the year before. Since 2011, general domestic savings have been steadily declining, with the trend continuing into the following year. According to official data, the GDP in 2020 shrank by 23.9%, the least in previous years and the least since the Covid-19 pandemic in previous years. As a result, the information presented in this paper is drawn from and evaluated from other sources - link

• 靶向刺激体液免疫和细胞免疫的新冠病毒mRNA疫苗 - 本发明公开了一种靶向刺激体液免疫和细胞免疫的新冠病毒mRNA疫苗。本申请的第一方面提供一种分离的DNA分子组合，该DNA分子组合包括第一DNA分子和第二DNA分子和第三DNA分子中的至少一种。通过第一DNA分子以及第二DNA分子和/或第三DNA分子的组合，利用第一DNA分子最终合成的mRNA诱导高滴度的交叉中和抗体，利用第二DNA分子和/或第三DNA分子最终合成的mRNA诱导新冠病毒特异性的细胞毒性T淋巴细胞，从而高效地同时激活相对独立的体液免疫应答和细胞免疫应答，应对新冠病毒在流行传播过程中产生的突变毒株所引发的突破性感染。 - link

• 跨膜丝氨酸蛋白酶2抑制剂在制备治疗和/或预防冠状病毒感染药物中的用途 - 本发明公开了跨膜丝氨酸蛋白酶2抑制剂在制备治疗和/或预防冠状病毒感染药物中的用途。本发明通过亲和垂钓及活性导向分离获得3种化合物，证实该类化合物可以直接地与跨膜丝氨酸蛋白酶2结合，KD<13μM，且能够显著抑制跨膜丝氨酸蛋白酶2的催化活性。在细胞水平上可以有效的抑制新型冠状病毒SARS‑CoV‑2假病毒入侵，表明该类化合物对于制备治疗和/或预防病毒感染药物具有非常积极的作用。化合物1 化合物2 化合物3。 - link