Covid-19 Sentry

Contents

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

From Preprints

• A Global Experiment on Motivating Social Distancing during the COVID-19 Pandemic -
  Finding communication strategies that effectively motivate social distancing continues to be a global public health priority during the COVID-19 pandemic. This cross-country, preregistered experiment (n = 25,718 from 89 countries) tested hypotheses concerning generalizable positive and negative outcomes of social distancing messages that promoted personal agency and reflective choices (i.e., an autonomy-supportive message) or were restrictive and shaming (i.e. a controlling message) compared to no message at all. Results partially supported experimental hypotheses in that the controlling message increased controlled motivation (a poorly-internalized form of motivation relying on shame, guilt, and fear of social consequences) relative to no message. On the other hand, the autonomy-supportive message reduced feelings of defiance relative to the controlling message. Unexpectedly, messages did not influence autonomous motivation (a highly-internalized form of motivation relying on one’s core values) or behavioral intentions. Results supported hypothesized associations between people’s existing autonomous and controlled motivations and self-reported behavioral intentions to engage in social distancing: Controlled motivation was associated with more defiance and less long-term behavioral intentions to engage in social distancing, whereas autonomous motivation was associated with less defiance and more short- and long-term intentions to social distance. Overall, this work highlights the potential harm of using shaming and pressuring language in public health communication, with implications for the current and future global health challenges.
  🖺 Full Text HTML: A Global Experiment on Motivating Social Distancing during the COVID-19 Pandemic
• Air pollution and an attempt of improving situation -
  What next after Covid-19 vaccinations?
  🖺 Full Text HTML: Air pollution and an attempt of improving situation
• Factors associated with the decay of anti-SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibodies among recipients of an adenoviral vector-based AZD1222 and a whole-virion inactivated (BBV152) vaccine in Chennai, India: a cross-sectional cohort study -

  Background: The SARS-CoV-2 has caused high rates of morbidity and mortality and is spreading globally, including in populations with high rates of vaccination. The magnitude of protection conferred after recovery from natural infection or by vaccine administration, and the duration of protective immunity developed post-vaccination, remains ambiguous. Methods: We investigated the factors associated with antibody decay in 519 individuals who received treatment for COVID-19-related illness or received COVID-19 vaccination with two commercial vaccines, viz., an adenoviral vector- based (AZD1222) and a whole-virion-based inactivated (BBV152) vaccine at the State Public Health Laboratory, and the Government Corona Hospital, Chennai, India from March 2021. Blood samples were collected during regular follow-up post- infection/vaccination and tested for their levels of anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG. Blood collected were tested for their levels of anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG by a commercial automated chemiluminescent immunoassay (CLIA). Findings: Age and underlying comorbidities were the two variables that were independently associated with the development of breakthrough infection. Individuals who were >60 years of age with underlying comorbid conditions had a ~15 times and ~10 times greater risk for developing a breakthrough infection and hospitalization, respectively. The time elapsed since the first booster dose was associated with attrition in anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG, where each month passed was associated with an ebb in the neutralizing antibody levels by a coefficient of -6 units. Participants who were >60 years of age had an accelerated IgG decay rate, where each day of lapse was associated with a decrease by 23 units. Each month of lapse was associated with an increased risk of contracting a breakthrough infection and hospitalization by 0.85 and 0.85, respectively. Interpretation: Our findings advocate that the elderly with underlying comorbidities represent a high-risk group warranting more medical attention, and measures to boost anti-SARS-CoV-2 immune responses such as administering a second booster dose with both the vaccines, viz., AZD1222 and BBV152 are urgently warranted.

  🖺 Full Text HTML: Factors associated with the decay of anti-SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibodies among recipients of an adenoviral vector-based AZD1222 and a whole-virion inactivated (BBV152) vaccine in Chennai, India: a cross-sectional cohort study
• Short-term improvement of mental health after a COVID-19 vaccination -

  Abstract Importance: The role of COVID-19 vaccination on the mental health of the general population remains poorly understood. Objective: To assess the short-term change of depressive and anxiety symptoms in relation to COVID-19 vaccination among Swedish adults. Design: A prospective cohort study with monthly data collections on self-reported depressive and anxiety symptoms from December 2020 to October 2021 and COVID-19 vaccination from July to October 2021. Setting: The Omtanke2020 Study, Sweden. Participants: 7,925 participants of the Omtanke2020 study with complete data on depressive and anxiety symptoms and vaccination status. Intervention(s) or Exposure(s): Receiving the first or second dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. Main outcomes(s) and Measure(s): Binary measures of depression (PHQ-9, cut-off ≥ 10) and anxiety (GAD-7, cut-off ≥ 10) one month before the first dose, one month after the first dose, and, if applicable, one month after the second dose. For individuals not vaccinated or chose to not report vaccination status (unvaccinated individuals), we selected three monthly measures of PHQ-9 and GAD-7 with 2-month intervals in-between based on data availability. Results: 5,079 (64.1%) individuals received two doses of COVID-19 vaccine, 1,977 (24.9%) received one dose, 305 (3.9%) were not vaccinated, and 564 (7.1%) chose not to report vaccination status. There was a lower prevalence of depression and anxiety among vaccinated, compared with unvaccinated, individuals, especially after the second dose. Among individuals receiving two doses of vaccine, the prevalence of depression and anxiety was lower after both first (aRR=0.82, 95%CI 0.76-0.88 for depression; aRR=0.81, 95%CI 0.73-0.89 for anxiety) and second (aRR=0.79, 95%CI 0.73-0.85 for depression; aRR=0.73, 95%CI 0.66-0.81 for anxiety) dose, compared with before vaccination. Similar results were observed among individuals receiving only one dose (aRR=0.76, 95%CI 0.68-0.84 for depression; aRR=0.82, 95%CI 0.72-0.94 for anxiety, comparing after first dose to before vaccination). These results were independent of age, sex, recruitment type, body mass index, smoking, relationship status, history of psychiatric disorder, number of comorbidities, COVID-19 infection status, and seasonality. Conclusions and Relevance: We observed a positive short-term change in depressive and anxiety symptoms among adults receiving a COVID-19 vaccine in the current pandemic.

  🖺 Full Text HTML: Short-term improvement of mental health after a COVID-19 vaccination
• SARS-CoV-2 Exposures of Healthcare Workers from Primary Care, Long-Term Care Facilities and Hospitals: A Nationwide Matched Case-Control Study -

  Objectives. Healthcare workers (HCWs) are at higher risk of contracting coronavirus disease 19 (COVID 19) than the general population. This study assessed the roles of various exposures and personal protective equipment (PPE) use on that risk for HCWs working in primary care, long term care facilities (LTCFs) or hospitals. Methods. We conducted a matched case-control (1:1) study (10 April; 9 July 2021). Cases (HCWs with confirmed COVID-19) and controls (HCWs without any COVID 19 positive test or symptoms) recruited by email were invited to complete an online questionnaire on their exposures and PPE use. Questions covered the 10 days preceding symptom onset for cases (or testing if asymptomatic) or inclusion for controls. Results. A total of 4152 matched cases and controls were included. The multivariable conditional logistic regression analysis retained exposure to an infected person outside work (adjusted odds ratio, 19.9 [95% confidence intervaI, 12.4, 31.9]), an infected colleague (2.26 [1.53, 3.33]) or COVID-19 patients (2.37 [1.66, 3.40]), as independent predictors of COVID-19 in HCWs, while partial or complete immunization was protective. Eye protection (0.57 [0.37, 0.87]) and wearing a gown (0.58 [0.34, 0.97]) during COVID-19 patient care were protective, while wearing an apron slightly increased the risk of infection (1.47 [1.00, 2.18]). N95-respirator protection was comparable to that of surgical masks. Results were consistent across healthcare-facility categories. Conclusions. HCWs were more likely to get COVID-19 in their personal sphere than during occupational activities. Our results suggest that eye protection for HCWs during patient care should be actively promoted.

  🖺 Full Text HTML: SARS-CoV-2 Exposures of Healthcare Workers from Primary Care, Long-Term Care Facilities and Hospitals: A Nationwide Matched Case-Control Study
• Tracing the trajectories of SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern between December 2020 and September 2021 in the Canary Islands (Spain) -

  Several variants of concern (VOCs) explain most of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS- CoV-2) epidemic waves in Europe. We aimed to dissect the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 VOCs in the Canary Islands (Spain) between December 2020 and September 2021 at a micro-geographical level. We sequenced the viral genome of 8,224 respiratory samples collected in the archipelago. We observed that Alpha (B.1.1.7) and Delta (B.1.617.2 and sub- lineages) were ubiquitously present in the islands, while Beta (B.1.351) and Gamma (P.1/P.1.1) had a heterogeneous distribution and were responsible for fewer and more controlled outbreaks. This work represents the largest effort for viral genomic surveillance in the Canary Islands so far, helping the public health bodies in decision-making throughout the pandemic.

  🖺 Full Text HTML: Tracing the trajectories of SARS- CoV-2 variants of concern between December 2020 and September 2021 in the Canary Islands (Spain)
• Genomics of Post-Vaccination SARS-CoV-2 Infections During the Delta Dominated Second Wave of COVID-19 Pandemic, from Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), India -

  Vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 was launched in India in January 2021. Though vaccination reduced hospitalization and mortality due to COVID-19, vaccine breakthrough infections have become common. The present study was initiated in May 2021 to understand the proportion of predominant variants in post-vaccination infections during the Delta dominated second wave of COVID-19 in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) in India and to understand any mutations selected in the post-vaccination infections or showing association with any patient demographics. We collected samples (n=166) from severe/moderate/mild COVID-19 patients who were either vaccinated (COVISHIELD/COVAXIN; partial/fully vaccinated) or unvaccinated, from a city hospital and from home isolation patients in MMR. A total of 150 viral genomes were sequenced by Oxford Nanopore sequencing (using MinION) and the data of 136 viral genomes were analyzed for clade/lineage and for identifying mutations in all the genomes. The sequences belonged to three clades (21A, 21I and 21J) and their lineage was identified as either Delta (B.1.617.2) or Delta+ (B.1.617.2 + K417N) or sub-lineages of Delta variant (AY.120/AY.38/AY.99). A total of 620 mutations were identified of which 10 mutations showed an increase in trend with time (May-Oct 2021). Associations of 6 mutations (2 in spike, 3 in orf1a and 1 in nucleocapsid) were shown with milder forms of the disease and one mutation (in orf1a) with partial vaccination status. The results indicate a trend towards reduction in disease severity as the wave progressed.

  🖺 Full Text HTML: Genomics of Post- Vaccination SARS-CoV-2 Infections During the Delta Dominated Second Wave of COVID-19 Pandemic, from Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), India
• Multicenter international assessment of a SARS-CoV-2 RT-LAMP test for point of care clinical application -

  Continued waves, new variants, and limited vaccine deployment mean that SARS-CoV-2 tests remain vital to constrain the COVID-19 pandemic. Affordable, point-of-care (PoC) tests allow rapid screening in non-medical settings. Reverse-transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) is an appealing approach. A crucial step is to optimize testing in low/medium resource settings. Here, we optimized RT-LAMP for SARS-CoV-2 and human β actin, and tested clinical samples in multiple countries. TTTT linker primers did not improve performance, and while guanidine hydrochloride, betaine and/or Igepal-CA-630 enhanced detection of synthetic RNA, only the latter two improved direct assays on nasopharygeal samples. With extracted clinical RNA, a 20 min RT-LAMP assay was essentially as sensitive as RT- PCR. With raw Canadian nasopharygeal samples, sensitivity was 100% (95% CI: 67.6% - 100%) for those with RT-qPCR Ct values ≤ 25, and 80% (95% CI: 58.4% - 91.9%) for those with 25 > Ct ≤ 27.2. Highly infectious, high titer cases were also detected in Colombian and Ecuadorian labs. We further demonstrate the utility of replacing thermocyclers with a portable PoC device (FluoroPLUM). These combined PoC molecular and hardware tools may help to limit community transmission of SARS-CoV-2.

  🖺 Full Text HTML: Multicenter international assessment of a SARS-CoV-2 RT-LAMP test for point of care clinical application
• Impact of COVID-19 induced lockdown on the OPD patients of Diabetes, Hypertension, Stroke (CVA), Acute Heart Disease, Mental Illness, Epilepsy, Ophthalmic, Dental and oncology in India- A Cross-Sectional Research Study -
  Abstract - The First global covid-19 patient was reported from Wuhan city in China (Hubei Province) during December

2019. India’s first suspected patient of SARS-CoV-2 infection was reported on 27th of January 2020, from Kerala state, which had a travel history of Wuhan city in china. This suspected case was tested and reported as the first covid-19 positive case by the (NIV) National Institute of Virology, Pune, on January 30, 2020. The government of India like other global countries responded to this novel disease by enforcing complete nationwide lockdown starting on 25/03/2020 and ending on 31/05/2020. In this cross-sectional research study, I had done assessment of the impact of covid-19 induced lockdown on OPD patients of few non communicable diseases (NCD). The data for different quantitative variables were collected for 12 months before and after lockdown, observed, analysed for the years 2019, 2020, 2021. The complete lockdown period of April-May 2020 is compared with the previous 12 months of lockdown (including period of March 2020 which had only last 7 days of complete lockdown) as well as later 12 months. Also the lockdown months (April-May-2020) were compared to previous (April-May-2019) as well as next (April-May-2021) year same months. Here the researcher would like to emphasize that different months of years may have different numbers of patients due to seasonal and geographical variations in prevalence of diseases. The researcher had included the month of March 2020 in order to show the trends of OPD numbers to closest timeline before the lockdown. The OPD (outpatient Department) services for the patients of significant NCD burden such as Diabetes, Hypertension, Stroke (CVA), Acute Heart Disease, Mental Illness, Epilepsy, Ophthalmic, Dental and oncology were selected for this study-analysis to assess the difference between pre and post intervention (lockdown). The author previous preprints on this research study are mentioned in note and acknowledgement. This research study revealed that COVID-19 induced lockdown period have negative impact on NCD (non-communicable disease) - OPD health services utilization. Non-communicable diseases are the major burden of disease in India as well as at global levels. The researcher had done this study to draw the attention of policy makers and governments to give more attention on emphasis and priority for NCDs care in any situations of emergency like pandemic and natural calamities, lockdowns etc which usually disrupt routine healthcare. Routine healthcare is very essential and significant in context of chronic diseases which can be converted to acute emergency conditions like CVA due to lack of care and proper-timely treatments.
      🖺 Full Text HTML: Impact of COVID-19 induced lockdown on the OPD patients of Diabetes, Hypertension, Stroke (CVA), Acute Heart Disease, Mental Illness, Epilepsy, Ophthalmic, Dental and oncology in India- A Cross-Sectional Research Study

• Human coronaviruses disassemble processing bodies -
  A dysregulated proinflammatory cytokine response is characteristic of severe coronavirus infections caused by SARS- CoV-2, yet our understanding of the underlying mechanism responsible for this imbalanced immune response remains incomplete. Processing bodies (PBs) are cytoplasmic membraneless ribonucleoprotein granules that control innate immune responses by mediating the constitutive decay or suppression of mRNA transcripts, including many that encode proinflammatory cytokines. PB formation promotes turnover or suppression of cytokine RNAs, whereas PB disassembly corresponds with the increased stability and/or translation of these cytokine RNAs. Many viruses cause PB disassembly, an event that can be viewed as a switch that rapidly relieves cytokine RNA repression and permits the infected cell to respond to viral infection. Prior to this report, no information was known about how human coronaviruses (hu CoVs) impacted PBs. Here, we show SARS-CoV-2 and the common cold hu CoVs, OC43 and 229E, induced PB loss. We screened a SARS- CoV-2 gene library and identified that expression of the viral nucleocapsid (N) protein from SARS-CoV-2 was sufficient to mediate PB disassembly. RNA fluorescent in situ hybridization revealed that N protein-mediated PB loss correlated with elevated RNA for PB-localized transcripts encoding TNF and IL-6. Ectopic expression of the N proteins from five other human coronaviruses (OC43, MERS, 229E, NL63 and SARS-CoV-1) did not cause significant PB disassembly, suggesting that this feature is unique to SARS-CoV-2 N protein. These data suggest that SARS-CoV-2-mediated PB disassembly contributes to enhanced proinflammatory cytokine production observed during severe SARS-CoV-2 infection.
  🖺 Full Text HTML: Human coronaviruses disassemble processing bodies
• Impact of Omicron variant on the response to SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccination in multiple myeloma and monoclonal gammopathies -

  Multiple myeloma (MM) patients may have a reduced response to vaccination due to immunodeficiency. The humoral and cellular response to SARS-CoV-2 mRNA full vaccination and booster dose as well as the impact of spike variants, including the emerging Omicron one, are still unclear and have been investigated in this study in a cohort of MM patients and those with pre-malignant monoclonal gammopathies. Firstly, we have shown that MM patients with relapsed- refractory disease (MMR) had a reduced spike-specific antibody levels and neutralizing titers after SARS-CoV-2 mRNA full vaccination. Interestingly, all the analyzed variants, remarkably Omicron, had a significant negative impact on the neutralizing ability of the vaccine-induced antibodies in all patients with MM and in smoldering MM too. Moreover, lower spike-specific IL-2-producing CD4+ T cells and reduced cytotoxic spike-specific IFN-γ and TNF-α-producing-CD8+ T cells were found in MM patients as compared to MGUS. Finally, we found that booster immunization improved SARS-CoV-2 spike humoral and cellular responses in newly diagnosed MM (MMD) patients and in most, but not all, MMR patients. After the booster dose, a significant increase of the neutralizing antibody titers against almost all the analyzed variants was achieved in MMD. On the other hand, in MMR patients, Omicron retain a negative impact on neutralizing ability, suggesting these patients need to be considered still at risk of Omicron SARS-CoV-2 infection with a clinically relevant disease.

  🖺 Full Text HTML: Impact of Omicron variant on the response to SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccination in multiple myeloma and monoclonal gammopathies
• Proteomic analysis of human milk reveals nutritional and immune benefits in the colostrum from mothers with COVID-19 -
  The range of benefits breastfeeding provides neonates and infants include nutrition, improved neonatal survival, and reduced morbidity from certain diseases. It also aids maternal health by speeding postpartum recovery. However, due to concern about the risk of SARS-CoV-2 transmission and the lack of evidence of breastmilk’s protective effects against the virus, whether mothers with COVID-19 should be encouraged to breastfeed is under debate. Here, we present the results of proteomic and glycoproteomic studies of breast milk (colostrum and mature milk) from mothers with confirmed COVID-19. All colostrum samples exhibited significantly upregulated immune-related proteins, especially whey proteins with antiviral properties against SARS-CoV-2, and increased glycosylation levels and heterogeneity at those proteins. Such adaptive differences in milk from COVID-19 mothers tend to fade in mature milk from the same mothers one month postpartum. These results suggest the immune benefits of colostrum from mothers with COVID-19 and provide molecular- level insights that aid breastmilk feeding decisions in cases of active infection.
  🖺 Full Text HTML: Proteomic analysis of human milk reveals nutritional and immune benefits in the colostrum from mothers with COVID-19
• Protection of Hamsters Challenged with SARS-CoV-2 after Two Doses of MVC-COV1901 Vaccine Followed by a Single Intranasal Booster with Nanoemulsion Adjuvanted S-2P Vaccine -
  Intramuscular vaccines have greatly reduced hospitalization and death due to severe COVID-19. However, most countries are experiencing a resurgence of infection driven predominantly by the Delta and Omicron variants of SARS- CoV-2. In response, booster dosing of COVID-19 vaccines has been implemented in many countries to address waning immunity and reduced protection against the variants. However, intramuscular boosting fails to elicit mucosal immunity and therefore does not solve the problem of persistent viral carriage and transmission, even in patients protected from severe disease. In this study, two doses of stabilized prefusion SARS-CoV-2 spike (S-2P)-based intramuscular vaccine adjuvanted with Alum/CpG1018, MVC-COV1901, were used as a primary vaccination series, followed by an intranasal booster vaccination with nanoemulsion (NE01)-adjuvanted S-2P vaccine in a hamster model to demonstrate immunogenicity and protection from viral challenge. Here we report that this vaccination regimen resulted not only in the induction of robust immunity and protection against weight loss and lung pathology following challenge with SARS-CoV-2, but also led to increased viral clearance from both upper and lower respiratory tracts. Our findings showed that intramuscular MVC- COV1901 vaccine followed by a booster with intranasal NE01-adjuvanted vaccine promotes protective immunity against both viral infection and disease, suggesting that this immunization protocol may offer a solution in addressing a significant, unmet medical need for both the COVID-19 and future pandemics.
  🖺 Full Text HTML: Protection of Hamsters Challenged with SARS-CoV-2 after Two Doses of MVC-COV1901 Vaccine Followed by a Single Intranasal Booster with Nanoemulsion Adjuvanted S-2P Vaccine
• Shifting mutational constraints in the SARS-CoV-2 receptor-binding domain during viral evolution -
  SARS-CoV-2 has evolved variants with substitutions in the spike receptor-binding domain (RBD) that impact its affinity for ACE2 receptor and recognition by antibodies. These substitutions could also shape future evolution by modulating the effects of mutations at other sites–a phenomenon called epistasis. To investigate this possibility, we performed deep mutational scans to measure the effects on ACE2 binding of all single amino-acid mutations in the Wuhan- Hu-1, Alpha, Beta, Delta, and Eta variant RBDs. Some substitutions, most prominently N501Y, cause epistatic shifts in the effects of mutations at other sites, thereby shaping subsequent evolutionary change. These epistatic shifts occur despite high conservation of the overall RBD structure. Our data shed light on RBD sequence-function relationships and facilitate interpretation of ongoing SARS-CoV-2 evolution.
  🖺 Full Text HTML: Shifting mutational constraints in the SARS-CoV-2 receptor-binding domain during viral evolution
• A structural dynamic explanation for observed escape of SARS-CoV-2 BA.2 variant mutation S371L/F -
  Upon emergence, the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron sub-variant BA, was identified to have increased transmissibility and immune evasion and has since become the dominant variant worldwide. Subsequently, the Omicron sub-variant BA.2 was observed to have a growth advantage as compared to BA.13. In response to the rise of BA.1 and BA.2, scientists worldwide have raced to computationally and experimentally characterize the decreased efficacy of current vaccines and therapeutic antibodies that were designed to target the wild-type Wuhan SARS-COV-2 strain. Specifically, two recent studies by Liu et al. and Iketani et al. provide a detailed analysis of loss of potency by evaluating vaccine/convalescent sera and therapeutic antibodies against pseudotyped viruses with D614G spike proteins harboring single point mutations from the variants of concern (VOCs). This characterization of individual variant mutations improves our mechanistic understanding of RBD antigenic space, facilitating next-generation antibody and vaccine design and interpretation of future variant phenotypes.
  🖺 Full Text HTML: A structural dynamic explanation for observed escape of SARS-CoV-2 BA.2 variant mutation S371L/F

From Clinical Trials

• Pulmonary Rehabilitation Implemented With VR for Post-COVID-19 Patients - Condition:   COVID-19
  Intervention:   Procedure: Pulmonary Rehabilitation Program
  Sponsor:   The Opole University of Technology
  Recruiting

• Pulmonary Rehabilitation Implemented With Virtual Reality for Post-COVID-19 Patients - Condition:   COVID-19
  Intervention:   Procedure: Pulmonary rehabilitation
  Sponsor:  
  The Opole University of Technology
  Not yet recruiting

• Anti-inflammatory Drug Algorithm for COVID-19 Home Treatment - Condition:   COVID-19
  Interventions:   Drug: Recommended treatment schedule;   Drug: Usual care
  Sponsors:   Mario Negri Institute for Pharmacological Research;   Family physicians
  Not yet recruiting

• Transcranial Direct Stimulation for Persistent Fatigue Treatment Post-COVID-19 - Condition:   COVID-19
  Interventions:   Device: Active tDCS;   Device: Sham tDCS
  Sponsor:   Hospital San Carlos, Madrid
  Not yet recruiting

• Effect of Combined Use of Ivermectin and Colchicine in COVID-19 Patients - Condition:   COVID-19
  Interventions:   Drug: Ivermectin + colchicine;   Drug: Colchicine
  Sponsor:   Ain Shams University
  Recruiting

• COVID19 Oral Vaccine Consisting of Bacillus Subtilis Spores - Condition:   COVID-19 Pneumonia
  Intervention:   Biological: Bacillus subtilis
  Sponsors:   DreamTec Research Limited;   Middle East Cell and Gene Therapy;   National Institute of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology
  Completed

• A Phase III, Randomised, Double-blind, Placebo-controlled Study to Evaluate the Safety and Efficacy of TD0069 Capsule as a Combination Regimen With Standard Treatment for Patients With Mild to Moderate COVID-19 - Condition:   COVID-19
  Interventions:   Drug: TD0069 hard capsule;   Drug: TD0069 Placebo
  Sponsors:   Sao Thai Duong Joint Stock Company;   Clinical Training Company
  Recruiting

• A Phase II Study of the Immunogenicity and Safety of SCTV01C in Population Aged ≥12 Years and Previously Vaccinated With Inactivated COVID-19 Vaccine - Conditions:   COVID-19;   SARS-CoV2 Infection
  Interventions:   Biological: SCTV01C;   Biological: Comirnaty
  Sponsor:   Sinocelltech Ltd.
  Not yet recruiting

• A Phase II Clinical Trial to Evaluate the Immunogenicity and Safety of SCTV01E in Population Aged ≥18 Years Previously Fully Vaccinated With mRNA COVID-19 Vaccine - Conditions:   COVID-19;   Sars-CoV-2 Infection
  Interventions:   Biological: SCTV01E;   Biological: Comirnaty
  Sponsor:   Sinocelltech Ltd.
  Not yet recruiting

• A Phase II Clinical Trial to Evaluate the Immunogenicity and Safety of SCTV01C and SCTV01E in Population Aged ≥12 Years Previously Fully Vaccinated With Inactivated COVID-19 Vaccine - Conditions:   COVID-19;   SARS-CoV-2 Infection
  Interventions:   Biological: SCTV01C;   Biological: SCTV01E;   Biological: Sinopharm inactivated COVID-19 vaccine
  Sponsor:   Sinocelltech Ltd.
  Not yet recruiting

• A Phase II Clinical Trial to Evaluate the Immunogenicity and Safety of SCTV01C in Population Aged ≥18 Years and Previously Fully Vaccinated With Either Inactivated or mRNA COVID-19 Vaccine or Previously Diagnosed With COVID-19 - Conditions:   COVID-19;   SARS-CoV-2 Infection
  Interventions:   Biological: SCTV01C;   Biological: Sinopharm inactivated COVID-19 vaccine;   Biological: Comirnaty
  Sponsor:   Sinocelltech Ltd.
  Not yet recruiting

• Nebulised Heparin in Patients With COVID-19 Pneumonia - Condition:   COVID-19 Pneumonia
  Intervention:   Drug: Unfractionated heparin
  Sponsor:   Lady Reading Hospital, Pakistan
  Not yet recruiting

• Nutrition and LOComotoric Rehabilitation in Long COVID-19 - Condition:   COVID-19
  Intervention:   Other: Intervention group
  Sponsors:  
  Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel;   Vrije Universiteit Brussel
  Not yet recruiting

• Vale+ Tu Salud: Corner-Based Randomized Trial to Test a Latino Day Laborer Program Adapted to Prevent COVID 19 - Condition:   COVID-19
  Interventions:   Behavioral: COVID-19 Group Problem Solving;   Behavioral: Control Group-standard of care
  Sponsors:   The University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston;   National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD)
  Not yet recruiting

• BetaShield: A Phase II, Randomized Trial to Test the Effect of Povidone-iodine 0.5% as Mouthwash/Gargle on SARS- CoV-2 Load (COVID 19) as an Adjuvant Infection Control Measure in Dental Practice - Condition:   COVID-19
  Intervention:   Drug: Mouth rinse
  Sponsors:  
  University of Pennsylvania;   Purdue Pharma LP
  Recruiting

From PubMed

• Assessment on anti-SARS-CoV-2 receptor-binding domain antibodies among CoronaVac-vaccinated Indonesian adults - The immunogenicity of CoronaVac among Indonesian adults at the academic premises was investigated. Two doses of CoronaVac vaccine induced a complete seroconversion on severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) naïve adults with titers of anti-SARS-CoV-2 receptor-binding domain (RBD) antibodies ranging from 9.1 to 151.9 U/mL. The median value was lower than the one observed in recovered adults with mild coronavirus disease 2019 (38.7 vs. 114.5 U/mL). Nonetheless, 93.6% of the…

• FNC: An Advanced Anticancer Therapeutic or Just an Underdog? - Azvudine (FNC) is a novel cytidine analogue that has both antiviral and anticancer activities. This minireview focuses on its underlying molecular mechanisms of suppressing viral life cycle and cancer cell growth and discusses applications of this nucleoside drug for advanced therapy of tumors and malignant blood diseases. FNC inhibits positive-stand RNA viruses, like HCV, EV, SARS-COV-2, HBV, and retroviruses, including HIV, by suppressing their RNA-dependent polymerase enzymes. It may also…

• Identification of Hypericin as a Candidate Repurposed Therapeutic Agent for COVID-19 and Its Potential Anti-SARS- CoV-2 Activity - The COVID-19 pandemic has had an unprecedented impact on the global economy and public health. Its etiologic agent, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is highly transmissible, pathogenic and has a rapid global spread. Currently, the increase in the number of new confirmed cases has been slowed down due to the increase of vaccination in some regions of the world. Still, the rise of new variants has influenced the detection of additional waves of rising cases that…

• Effectiveness of Antiviral Therapy in Highly-Transmissible Variants of SARS-CoV-2: A Modeling and Simulation Study - As of October 2021, neither established agents (e.g., hydroxychloroquine) nor experimental drugs have lived up to their initial promise as antiviral treatment against SARS-CoV-2 infection. While vaccines are being globally deployed, variants of concern (VOCs) are emerging with the potential for vaccine escape. VOCs are characterized by a higher within-host transmissibility, and this may alter their susceptibility to antiviral treatment. Here we describe a model to understand the effect of…

• Can COVID-19 vaccines relieve severe tension-type headache and migraine? - Chronic headache is a frequent disorder that can cause a significant deterioration in the quality of life of the affected person. The COVID-19 pandemic is compelling all countries to develop a complete vaccination protocol for the entire population. In this article, we present 8 clinical cases of patients suffering chronic headache which resolved completely or partially after vaccination. Five patients had migraine, 2 had a post-viral headache typical of COVID-19, and one had a headache induced…

• Primary Cilium by Polyinosinic:Polycytidylic Acid Regulates the Regenerative Migration of Beas-2B Bronchial Epithelial Cells - The airway epithelium is equipped with the ability to resist respiratory disease development and airway damage, including the migration of airway epithelial cells and the activation of TLR3, which recognizes double-stranded (ds) RNA. Primary cilia on airway epithelial cells are involved in the cell cycle and cell differentiation and repair. In this study, we used Beas-2B human bronchial epithelial cells to investigate the effects of the TLR3 agonist polyinosinic:polycytidylic acid [Poly(I:C)] on…

• COVID-19-Associated Endothelial Dysfunction and Microvascular Injury: From Pathophysiology to Clinical Manifestations - Coronavirus-19 disease (COVID-19) affects more people than previous coronavirus infections and has a higher mortality. Higher incidence and mortality can probably be explained by COVID-19 causative agent’s greater affinity (about 10-20 times) for angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor compared with other coronaviruses. Here, the authors first summarize clinical manifestations, then present symptoms of COVID-19 and the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying specific organ/system…

• Evaluating the in vitro efficacy of bovine lactoferrin products against SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern - Bovine lactoferrin (bLF), a naturally occurring glycoprotein found in milk, has bioactive characteristics against many microbes, viruses, and other pathogens. Bovine lactoferrin strongly inhibits SARS-CoV-2 infection in vitro through direct entry inhibition and immunomodulatory mechanisms. This study reports on the anti-SARS-CoV-2 efficacy of commercially available bLF and common dairy ingredients in the human lung cell line H1437 using a custom high-content imaging and analysis pipeline. We…

• Inhibitory mechanism of clioquinol and its derivatives at the exopeptidase site of human angiotensin-converting enzyme-2 and receptor binding domain of SARS-CoV-2 viral spike - The outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 infections around the world has prompted scientists to explore different approaches to develop therapeutics against COVID-19. This study focused on investigating the mechanism of inhibition of clioquinol (CLQ) and its derivatives (7-bromo-5-chloro-8-hydroxyquinoline (CLBQ), 5, 7-Dichloro-8-hydroxyquinoline (CLCQ)) against the viral glycoprotein, and human angiotensin-converting enzyme-2 (hACE-2) involved in SARS-CoV-2 entry. The drugs were docked at the exopeptidase…

• Single-walled silicon nanotube as an exceptional candidate to eliminate SARS-CoV-2: a theoretical study - In this work, computational chemistry methods were used to study a silicon nanotube (Si(192)H(16)) as possible virucidal activity against SARS-CoV-2. This virus is responsible for the COVID-19 disease. DFT calculations showed that the structural parameters of the Si(192)H(16) nanotube are in agreement with the theoretical/experimental parameters reported in the literature. The low energy gap value (0.29 eV) shows that this nanotube is a semiconductor and exhibits high reactivity. For…

• Design of SARS-CoV-2 Mpro, PLpro dual-target inhibitors based on deep reinforcement learning and virtual screening - Background: Since December 2019, SARS-CoV-2 has continued to spread rapidly around the world. The effective drugs may provide a long-term strategy to combat this virus. The main protease (Mpro) and papain-like protease (PLpro) are two important targets for the inhibition of SARS-CoV-2 virus replication and proliferation. Materials & methods: In this study, deep reinforcement learning, covalent docking and molecular dynamics simulations were used to identify novel compounds that have the…

• Azadirachta indica A. Juss bark extract and its Nimbin isomers restrict β-coronaviral infection and replication - Emerging mutations in the SARS-CoV-2 genome pose a challenge for vaccine development and antiviral therapy. The antiviral efficacy of Azadirachta indica bark extract (NBE) was assessed against SARS-CoV-2 and m-CoV-RSA59 infection. Effects of in vivo intranasal or oral NBE administration on viral load, inflammatory response, and histopathological changes were assessed in m-CoV-RSA59-infection. NBE administered inhibits SARS-CoV-2 and m-CoV-RSA59 infection and replication in vitro, reducing…

• Imparting reusable and SARS-CoV-2 inhibition properties to standard masks through metal-organic nanocoatings - Face masks are effective response to address this havoc pandemic caused by respiratory infection virus, but they are lack of reusable, antibacterial, and antiviral abilities due to their simple filtration mechanism, bringing to a supply shortage and severe plastic pollution globally. Herein, we designed reusable, antiviral, and antibacterial masks (referred to as R2A masks) that transformed from commonly-used standard masks and household fabrics based on the polyphenol-based surface…

• The spike-ACE2 binding assay: An in vitro platform for evaluating vaccination efficacy and for screening SARS-CoV-2 inhibitors and neutralizing antibodies - Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). COVID-19 has become a worldwide pandemic, and there is a pressing need for the rapid development of novel therapeutic strategies. SARS-CoV-2 viral entry is mediated by interaction between the receptor binding domain (RBD) of the SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein and host cellular receptor, human angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). The lack of a high throughput screening (HTS) platform for…

• Identification of SARS-CoV-2 inhibitors targeting Mpro and PLpro using in-cell-protease assay - SARS-CoV-2 proteases Mpro and PLpro are promising targets for antiviral drug development. In this study, we present an antiviral screening strategy involving a novel in-cell protease assay, antiviral and biochemical activity assessments, as well as structural determinations for rapid identification of protease inhibitors with low cytotoxicity. We identified eight compounds with anti-SARS-CoV-2 activity from a library of 64 repurposed drugs and modeled at protease active sites by in silico…

From Patent Search

• A METHOD FOR THE TREATMENT OF COVID-19 INFECTIONS WITH PALMITOYLETHANOLAMIDE - - link

• SOCIAL NAVIGATION SYSTEM FOR MOBILE ROBOTS IN THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT TECHNOLOGY - The emergency department (ED) is a safety-critical environment in which healthcare workers (HCWs) are overburdened, overworked, and have limited resources, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. One way to address this problem is to explore the use of robots that can support clinical teams, e.g., to deliver materials or restock supplies. However, due to EDs being overcrowded, and the cognitive overload HCWs experience, robots need to understand various levels of patient acuity so they avoid disrupting care delivery. In this invention, we introduce the Safety-Critical Deep Q-Network (SafeDQN) system, a new acuity-aware navigation system for mobile robots. SafeDQN is based on two insights about care in EDs: high-acuity patients tend to have more HCWs in attendance and those HCWs tend to move more quickly. We compared SafeDQN to three classic navigation methods, and show that it generates the safest, quickest path for mobile robots when navigating in a simulated ED environment. We hope this work encourages future exploration of social robots that work in safety-critical, human-centered environments, and ultimately help to improve patient outcomes and save lives. Figure 1. - link

• A SYSTEM BASED ON DEEP LEARNING FOR ANALYZING DELAYED ENHANCEMENT MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING TO IDENTIFY COVID 19 AND METHOD THEREOF - The present invention discloses a system based on deep learning for analyzing delayed enhancement magnetic resonance imaging to identify COVID 19 and method thereof. The method and system include, but not limited to, a processing unit adapted to process the data based on deep learning data modelling in the magnetic resonance imaging associated with the digital image scanning system for diagnosis COVID 19 with the spatial resolution that each frame is deposited is 256 * 256, and being creating that level and vertical resolution respectively are 256 pixels (pixel), the read/write address that the read/write address of each image element, which is controlled by processing unit and forms circuit and finishes; And the data that will be stored in memory are input to a real-time microcontroller, it is characterized in that: analyze and compare by the Multi-source Information Fusion analytical system by using the real-time microcontroller to deliver the D/A changer then, digital signal is become analogue signal output. - link

• 用于体外诊断的新型冠状病毒核衣壳蛋白抗体 - 本发明提供了一种用于体外诊断的新型冠状病毒核衣壳蛋白抗体或抗原结合片段。所提供的抗体包括重链可变区和轻链可变区，重链可变区包括SEQ ID NO:11、12和13所示的CDR序列，轻链可变区包括SEQ ID NO:14、15和16所示的CDR序列。所提供的抗体用于新型冠状病毒的体外检测，具有极高的灵敏度和特异性。 - link

• 用于体外诊断的新型冠状病毒核衣壳蛋白抗体 - 本发明提供了一种用于体外诊断的新型冠状病毒核衣壳蛋白抗体或抗原结合片段。所提供的抗体包括重链可变区和轻链可变区，重链可变区包括SEQ ID NO:1、2和3所示的CDR序列，轻链可变区包括SEQ ID NO:4、5和6所示的CDR序列。所提供的抗体用于新型冠状病毒的体外检测，具有极高的灵敏度和特异性。 - link

• 新型冠状病毒抗原检测的方法和试剂盒 - 本发明提供了一种新型冠状病毒抗原检测的方法和试剂盒。试剂盒包括试剂条，试剂条包括底板，以及位于底板上的沿样品层析的方向依次相连的样品垫、胶体金垫、硝酸纤维素膜和吸水纸；胶体金垫上附着有胶体金标记的质控标记物和第二新型冠状病毒核衣壳蛋白抗体；硝酸纤维素膜上设有T线和C线，T线含有第一新型冠状病毒核衣壳蛋白抗体，C线包含与胶体金标记的质控标记物特异结合的配体；第一新型冠状病毒核衣壳蛋白抗体具有包含SEQ ID NO:1、2和3所示CDR序列的第一重链可变区和SEQ ID NO:4、5和6所示CDR序列的第一轻链可变区。所提供的试剂盒用于新型冠状病毒的体外检测，具有极高的灵敏度和特异性。 - link

• 一种特异性结合新型冠状病毒S蛋白的抗体及其应用 - 本发明涉及一种特异性结合新型冠状病毒S蛋白的抗体及其应用，属于生物技术领域。本发明提供了一种抗原，所述抗原包括氨基酸序列如SEQ ID NO.1所示的多肽，氨基酸序列如SEQ ID NO.2所示的多肽，与SEQ ID NO.1所示氨基酸序列具有80%以上同源性，且具有诱发针对SARS‑CoV‑2 S蛋白免疫反应功能的衍生多肽，和/或，与SEQ ID NO.2所示氨基酸序列具有80%以上同源性，且具有诱发针对SARS‑CoV‑2 S蛋白免疫反应功能的衍生多肽；使用所述抗原对动物进行免疫可获得能够与SARS‑CoV‑2 S蛋白特异性结合的多克隆抗体。 - link

• 检测SARS-CoV-2变异株的组合物、试剂盒、方法及其用途 - 本发明属于分子生物学检测领域；涉及SARS‑CoV‑2奥密克戎（Omicron）变异株的检测。本发明提供了包含所述组合物的试剂盒，所述组合物的用途，以及用于检测SARS‑CoV‑2变异株并分型的方法。通过检测SARS‑CoV‑2变异株S基因上的4个不同的特征功能变异位点，对奥密克戎变异株进行分型，从而在单管反应体系中同时实现SARS‑CoV‑2病毒及奥密克戎变异株分型的检测。本发明的组合物，结合荧光探针熔解曲线法，其成本低，通量高。并且操作简便，结果读取过程通过熔解峰Tm值即可以判定。检测全过程均在单管封闭条件下进行，避免了由于样本间交叉引起的假阳性和环境污染。 - link

• 一种用于检测病毒的试剂盒 - 本发明提供了一种用于检测病毒的试剂盒，包括裂解病毒的试剂和病毒的免疫层析检测装置，通过在试纸条上设置连接标记区域和检测区域的缓冲过渡区域，以及在卡壳盖上设置三条压住试纸条的压条，减缓样本的流速，提高样本在试纸条上的层析和过滤效果，并搭配裂解病毒的试剂，暴露出更多的抗原或者抗原位点，从而大幅提高待测物的检测灵敏度，特别是针对新型冠状病毒的裂解，可以明显提高样本中的病毒抗原浓度，从而采用特定结构的免疫荧光测试条，提高检测的最低阀值，防止漏检。 - link

• 一种用于检测病毒的试剂和试剂盒 - 本发明提供了一种用于检测病毒的试剂和试剂盒，包括裂解病毒的试剂和试纸条，通过在试纸条上设置连接标记区域和检测区域的缓冲过渡区域，减缓样本的流速，提高样本在试纸条上的层析和过滤效果，并搭配裂解病毒的试剂裂解病毒，暴露出更多的抗原或者抗原位点，从而提高检测的灵敏度。在样本中病毒量特别低的时候，希望能够获得阳性结果，就希望获得更多的抗原片段或者病毒片段，采用本发明提供的裂解液对样本进行裂解，可以明显提高样本中的病毒抗原浓度，从而采用免疫荧光测试条，提高检测的最低阀值，防止漏检，特别适用于针对新型冠状病毒的裂解。 - link