Covid-19 Sentry

Contents

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

From Preprints

• Face masks do not alter gaze cueing of attention: Evidence from the COVID-19 pandemic -
  Interacting with others wearing a face mask has become a regular worldwide practice since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the impact of face masks on cognitive mechanisms supporting social interaction is still largely unexplored. In the present work we focused on gaze cueing of attention, a phenomenon tapping the essential ability which allows individuals to orient their attentional resources in response to eye gaze signals coming from others. Participants from both a European (i.e., Italy; Experiment 1) and an Asian (i.e., China; Experiment 2) country were involved, namely two countries in which the daily use of face masks before COVID-19 pandemic was either extremely uncommon or frequently adopted, respectively. Both samples completed a task in which a peripheral target had to be discriminated while a task irrelevant averted gaze face, wearing a mask or not, acted as a central cueing stimulus. Overall, a reliable and comparable gaze cueing emerged in both experiments, independent of the mask condition. These findings suggest that gaze cueing of attention is preserved even when the person perceived is wearing a face mask.

• Perceptions of behaviour efficacy, not perceptions of threat, are drivers of COVID-19 protective behaviour in Germany -
  In the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, non-pharmaceutical protective measures taken by individuals remain pivotal. Based on existing empirical findings as well as prominent behavioural theories, a partial least squares structural equation model (PLS-SEM) of predictors for pandemic protective behaviour was estimated using a representative German sample (n = 437). The study was preregistered at OSF. The model explains 69% of the variance for behavioural intention, which is strongly correlated with behaviour (rho= .84). The most influential predictor for protective behaviour is its perceived efficacy, followed by normative beliefs and perceptions about costs for protective behaviour. Distrusting beliefs in science and scientists negatively predicted response perceptions and were also strongly and negatively correlated with behaviour. Knowledge about COVID-19 was weakly linked with perceived response efficacy, as well as with behaviour. These findings suggest that communication strategies surrounding COVID-19 should emphasise the efficacy of responses and foster a sense of responsibility.
  🖺 Full Text HTML: Perceptions of behaviour efficacy, not perceptions of threat, are drivers of COVID-19 protective behaviour in Germany
• Sub-Saharan African Countries’ COVID-19 Research: An analysis of the External and Internal Contributions, Collaboration Patterns and Funding Sources -

  This study aims at providing some evidence-based insight into Sub-Saharan Africa9s first eighteen months of COVID-19 research by evaluating its research contributions, patterns of collaboration, and funding sources. Eighteen months (2020 January 1-2021 June 30) COVID-19 publication data of 46 Sub-Saharan African countries was collected from Scopus for analysis. Country of affiliation of the authors and funding agencies data was analyzed to understand country contributions, collaboration pattern and funding sources. USA (23.08%) and the UK (19.63%), the top two external contributors, collaborated with Sub-Saharan African countries about three times more than other countries. Collaborative papers between Sub-Saharan African countries - without contributions from outside the region- made up less than five percent of the sample, whereas over 50% of the papers were written in collaboration with researchers from outside the region. Organizations that are in USA and the UK funded 45% of all the COVID-19 research from Sub-Saharan Africa. 53.44% of all the funding from Sub-Saharan African countries came from South African organizations. This study provides evidence that pan-African COVID-19 research collaboration is low, perhaps due to poor funding and lack of institutional support within Sub-Saharan Africa. This mirrors the collaborative features of science in Sub-Saharan Africa before the COVID-19 pandemic. The high volume of international collaboration during the pandemic is a good development. There is also a strong need to forge more robust pan-African research collaboration networks, through funding from Africa9s national and regional government organizations, with the specific objective of meeting local COVID-19 and other healthcare needs.

  🖺 Full Text HTML: Sub-Saharan African Countries’ COVID-19 Research: An analysis of the External and Internal Contributions, Collaboration Patterns and Funding Sources
• “The vaccination is positive; I don’t think it’s the panacea”: A qualitative study on COVID-19 vaccine attitudes among ethnically diverse healthcare workers in the United Kingdom -

  Background Globally, healthcare workers (HCWs) are prioritised for receiving vaccinations against the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19). Previous research has shown disparities in COVID-19 vaccination uptake among HCWs based on ethnicity, job role, sex, age, and deprivation. However, vaccine attitudes underpinning these variations are yet to be fully explored. Methods We conducted a qualitative study with 164 HCWs from different ethnicities, sexes, job roles, migration statuses, and regions in the United Kingdom (UK). Interviews and focus groups were conducted using Microsoft Teams or telephone, and recorded with participants9 permission. Recordings were transcribed and thematically analysed following an inductive approach. Findings We conducted an in-depth analysis of 53 randomly selected transcripts (involving 82 participants) to generate rapid evidence. Four different vaccine attitudes were identified: Active Acceptance, Passive Acceptance, Passive Decline, and Active Decline. Factors influencing vaccine acceptance include: knowledge of vaccine; risk perception; positive attitude towards other vaccines; social influences; and considerations about the future. Correspondingly, barriers to vaccine acceptance were identified as, low trust in the vaccine and historical (mis)trust, inadequate communication, and inequities in delivery and access. Opinion on mandatory vaccination was divided. Interpretation Our data show that vaccine attitudes are diverse and elements of hesitancy may remain even after vaccine acceptance. This has implications for the sustainability of the vaccine programme, particularly as new components (e.g. boosters) are being added. Based on our findings we recommend trust-building, designing inclusive and accessible information, and addressing structural inequities for improving vaccine uptake among HCWs. Funding UKRI-MRC and NIHR.

  🖺 Full Text HTML: “The vaccination is positive; I don’t think it’s the panacea”: A qualitative study on COVID-19 vaccine attitudes among ethnically diverse healthcare workers in the United Kingdom
• Loneliness Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Are Unpartnered and Childless Older Adults at Higher Risk? -
  Objectives: COVID-19 mitigation efforts had the potential to exacerbate loneliness among older adults, particularly for the unpartnered or childless, yet COVID-19 loneliness among these groups remains unstudied. Methods: Using data from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) collected before (October 2019- March 2020) and during the pandemic (June-August 2020), we examine two loneliness outcomes: 1) “have you felt lonely recently?” (both waves), and 2) “have you felt lonelier than before the pandemic?” (2020), and explore differences by partnership and parenthood status. Results: Before COVID-19, those who lacked one tie but had the other (unpartnered parents or partnered childless) were at highest loneliness risk. During COVID-19, unpartnered and childless—especially unpartnered—remain at higher risk for loneliness, entering loneliness, and not “exiting” loneliness. Discussion: We discuss these findings in light of family norms and needs in pandemic and non-pandemic times, and provide recommendations for future research.
  🖺 Full Text HTML: Loneliness Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Are Unpartnered and Childless Older Adults at Higher Risk?
• National identity predicts public health support during a global pandemic: Results from 67 nations -
  The COVID-19 pandemic is a devastating global health crisis. Until vaccines or effective medications are widely administered within nations, the best hope for mitigating virus transmission is by changing collective behavior and supporting non-pharmaceutical interventions. In a large-scale international collaboration (Study 1, N = 49,968 across 67 countries), we investigated why people reported adopting public health behaviors (e.g., spatial distancing and stricter hygiene) and endorsed public policy interventions (e.g., closing bars and restaurants) during the pandemic (April-May, 2020). Respondents who identified more strongly with their nation consistently reported greater engagement in public health behaviors and support for public health policies. Study 2 (N = 42 countries) conceptually replicates the central finding using aggregate indices of national identity (World Values Survey) and a measure of actual behavior change during the pandemic (Google mobility report). Higher levels of national identification were associated with lower mobility (r = -.40). We discuss the implications of links between national identity, leadership, and public health for managing COVID-19 and future pandemics.
  🖺 Full Text HTML: National identity predicts public health support during a global pandemic: Results from 67 nations
• Viral replication in human macrophages enhances an inflammatory cascade and interferon driven chronic COVID-19 in humanized mice. -
  Chronic COVID-19 is characterized by persistent viral RNA and sustained interferon (IFN) response which is recapitulated and required for pathology in SARS-CoV-2 infected MISTRG6-hACE2 humanized mice. As in the human disease, monocytes, and macrophages in SARS-CoV-2 infected MISTRG6-hACE2 are central to disease pathology. Here, we describe SARS-CoV-2 uptake in tissue resident human macrophages that is enhanced by virus specific antibodies. SARS-CoV-2 replicates in these human macrophages as evidenced by detection of double-stranded RNA, subgenomic viral RNA and expression of a virally encoded fluorescent reporter gene; and it is inhibited by Remdesivir, an inhibitor of viral replication. Although early IFN deficiency leads to enhanced disease, blocking either viral replication with Remdesivir or the downstream IFN stimulated cascade by injecting anti-IFNAR2 in vivo in the chronic stages of disease attenuates many aspects of the overactive immune-inflammatory response, especially the inflammatory macrophage response, and most consequentially, the chronic disease itself.
  🖺 Full Text HTML: Viral replication in human macrophages enhances an inflammatory cascade and interferon driven chronic COVID-19 in humanized mice.
• Acquired peripheral nerve injuries associated with severe COVID-19 -

  We diagnosed 63 peripheral nerve injuries in 32 patients who survived severe COVID-19. We combine our latest data with published case series re-analyzed here (106 nerve injuries; 49 patients) to provide a comprehensive accounting of lesion sites. The most common are ulnar (26.0%), common fibular (16.0%), median (10.7%), sciatic (10.7%), brachial plexus (9.5%) and radial (8.3%) nerves. Nerve injury prevention should be prioritized during acute care of COVID-19 patients. To this end, we report proof of concept data of a wearable, wireless pressure sensor to provide real time monitoring in the intensive care unit setting.

  🖺 Full Text HTML: Acquired peripheral nerve injuries associated with severe COVID-19
• Multi-omics approach identifies novel age-, time- and treatment-related immunopathological signatures in MIS-C and pediatric COVID-19 -

  Pediatric COVID-19 (pCOVID-19) is rarely severe, however a minority of SARS-CoV-2-infected children may develop MIS-C, a multisystem inflammatory syndrome with significant morbidity. In this longitudinal multi-institutional study, we used multi-omics to identify novel time- and treatment-related immunopathological signatures in children with COVID-19 (n=105) and MIS-C (n=76). pCOVID-19 was characterized by enhanced type I IFN responses, and MIS-C by type II IFN- and NF-κB dependent responses, matrisome activation, and increased levels of Spike protein. Reduced levels of IL-33 in pCOVID-19, and of CCL22 in MIS-C suggested suppression of Th2 responses. Expansion of TRBV11-2 T-cell clonotypes in MIS-C was associated with inflammation and signatures of T-cell activation, and was reversed by glucocorticoids. The association of MIS-C with the combination of HLA A02, B35, C*04 alleles suggests genetic susceptibility. MIS-C B cells showed higher mutation load. Use of IVIG was identified as a confounding factor in the interpretation of autoantibody levels.

  🖺 Full Text HTML: Multi-omics approach identifies novel age-, time- and treatment-related immunopathological signatures in MIS-C and pediatric COVID-19
• Non-invasive Vagus Nerve Stimulation for Respiratory Symptoms of COVID-19: Results From a Randomized Controlled Trial (SAVIOR I) -

  Background: Severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is characterized, in part, by an excessive inflammatory response. Evidence from animal and human studies suggests that vagus nerve stimulation can lead to reduced levels of various pro-inflammatory cytokines. We conducted a prospective randomized controlled study (SAVIOR-I) to assess the feasibility, efficacy, and safety of non-invasive vagus nerve stimulation (nVNS) for the treatment of respiratory symptoms and inflammatory markers among patients who were hospitalized for COVID-19 (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT04368156). Methods: Participants were randomly assigned in a 1:1 allocation to receive either the standard of care (SoC) alone or nVNS therapy plus the SoC. The nVNS group received 2 consecutive 2-minute doses of nVNS 3 times daily as prophylaxis. Efficacy and safety were evaluated via the incidence of specific clinical events, inflammatory biomarker levels, and the occurrence of adverse events. Results: Of the 110 participants who were enrolled and randomly assigned, 97 (nVNS, n=47; SoC, n=50) had sufficient available data and comprised the evaluable population. C-reactive protein (CRP) levels decreased from baseline to a significantly greater degree in the nVNS group than in the SoC group at day 5 and overall (ie, all postbaseline data points collected through day 5, combined). Procalcitonin level also showed significantly greater decreases from baseline to day 5 in the nVNS group than in the SoC group. D-dimer levels were decreased from baseline for the nVNS group and increased from baseline for the SoC group at day 5 and overall, although the difference between the treatment groups did not reach statistical significance. No significant treatment differences were seen for clinical respiratory outcomes or any of the other biochemical markers evaluated. No serious nVNS-related adverse events occurred during the study. Conclusions: nVNS therapy led to significant reductions in levels of inflammatory markers, specifically CRP and procalcitonin. Because nVNS has multiple mechanisms of action that may be relevant to COVID-19, additional research into its potential to be used earlier in the course of COVID-19 and possibly mitigate some of the symptoms associated with post-acute COVID-19 syndrome is warranted.

  🖺 Full Text HTML: Non-invasive Vagus Nerve Stimulation for Respiratory Symptoms of COVID-19: Results From a Randomized Controlled Trial (SAVIOR I)
• Prediction of long-term kinetics of vaccine-elicited neutralizing antibody and time-varying vaccine-specific efficacy against the SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant by clinical endpoint -

  Evidence on vaccine-specific protection over time and boosting impact against the Delta variant across different clinical endpoints and age groups is urgently needed. To address this, we used a previously published model, combined with neutralization data for four vaccines - mRNA-1273, BNT162b2, NVX-CoV2373, and CoronaVac - to evaluate long-term dynamics of neutralizing antibody and to predict time-varying efficacy against the Delta variant by specific vaccine, age group, and clinical severity. We found that booster vaccination produces higher neutralization titers compared with titers observed following primary-series vaccination for all vaccines studied. We estimate the efficacies of mRNA-1273 and BNT162b2 against Delta variant infection to be 63.5% (95%CI: 51.4-67.3%) and 78.4% (95%CI: 72.2-83.5%), respectively, 14-30 days after the second dose, and that efficacies decreased to 36.0% (95%CI: 24.1-58.0%) and 38.5% (95%CI: 28.7-49.1%) 6-8 months later. After administration of booster doses, efficacies against the Delta variant would be 97.0% (95%CI: 96.4-98.5%) and 97.2% (95.7-98.1%). All four vaccines are predicted to provide good protection against severe illness from the Delta variant after both primary and booster vaccination. Long-term monitoring and surveillance of antibody dynamics and vaccine protection, as well as further validation of neutralizing antibody or other markers that can serve as correlates of protection against SARS-CoV-2 and its variants are needed to inform COVID-19 pandemic preparedness.

  🖺 Full Text HTML: Prediction of long-term kinetics of vaccine-elicited neutralizing antibody and time-varying vaccine-specific efficacy against the SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant by clinical endpoint
• CD19 B cell repopulation after ocrelizumab, alemtuzumab and cladribine: Implications for SARS-CoV-2 vaccinations in multiple sclerosis -

  BACKGROUND: CD20 depletion is a highly-effective treatment for relapsing multiple sclerosis that maintains B cells at low levels through six monthly dosing of 600mg ocrelizumab. This dosing schedule is associated with inhibition of seroconversion following SARS-CoV-2 vaccination, in contrast to the high levels of seroconversion following treatment with alemtuzumab and cladribine tablets. A number of emerging reports suggest that repopulation of 1-3% B cells facilitates seroconversion after CD20-depletion. The frequency of this occurring following repeated ocrelizumab treatment, after other DMT, and after treatment cessation is largely unknown. METHODS: Relapse data, lymphocyte and CD19 B cell numbers were extracted from phase II ocrelizumab extension study (NCT00676715) data supplied by the manufacturer via the Vivli Inc, trial data-request portal. Repopulation data of oral cladribine from the phase III CLARITY study (NCT00213135) was supplied by the European Medicines Agency; and the alemtuzumab phase III CARE-MS I (NCT00530348) and CARE-MS II (NCT00548405) trial data were supplied by the manufacturer via the clinicalstudydatarequest.com portal. RESULTS: Only 3-5% of people with MS exhibit 1% B cells at 6 months after the last infusion following 3-4 cycles of ocrelizumab, compared to 50-55% at 9 months, and 85-90% at 12 months. During this time relapses occurred at consistent disease breakthrough rates compared to people during standard therapy. In contrast most people (90-100%) exhibited more than 1% B cells during treatment with either cladribine or alemtuzumab. CONCLUSIONS. Few people repopulate peripheral B cells with standard ocrelizumab dosing, however an extending the dosing interval by 3-6 months may allow many more people to potentially seroconvert in the relative absence of excess relapse-activity. Most people demonstrate B cell repletion within 3 months of the last treatment of alemtuzumab and cladribine. This may help protect against severe COVID-19.

  🖺 Full Text HTML: CD19 B cell repopulation after ocrelizumab, alemtuzumab and cladribine: Implications for SARS-CoV-2 vaccinations in multiple sclerosis
• The kinetic of SARS-CoV-2 antibody (Ab) decline determines the threshold for Ab persistence up to one year -

  Twelve subjects with positive SARS-CoV-2 neutralization test (NT) titers (>1:10) identified in a seroprevalence study with 1655 working adults were followed up for one year. Here we report that 7 of these 12 individuals (58%) still had NT titers ≥1:50, S1-specific IgG concentrations ≥50 BAU/ml and ≥26% ACE2 receptor binding inhibition, measured with surrogate virus NT one year after mild COVID infection. Furthermore, NT_50 titers >1:10 and S1-specific IgG levels >60 BAU/ml present at three months post-infection persisted at detectable levels for 1 year and correlated with circulating S1-specific memory B-cells. Vaccine-induced SARS-CoV2 immune responses decline at similar rates as those after infection; thus the describes threshold of 60 BAU/ml at three months post infection might also be relevant for assessment of Ab persistence after vaccination.

  🖺 Full Text HTML: The kinetic of SARS-CoV-2 antibody (Ab) decline determines the threshold for Ab persistence up to one year
• Rapid replacement of the Beta variant by the Delta variant in South Africa -

  The Beta variant of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) emerged in South Africa in late 2020 and rapidly became the dominant variant, causing over 95% of infections in the country during and after the second epidemic wave. Here we show rapid replacement of the Beta variant by the Delta variant, a highly transmissible variant of concern (VOC) that emerged in India and subsequently spread around the world. The Delta variant was imported to South Africa primarily from India, spread rapidly in large monophyletic clusters to all provinces, and became dominant within three months of introduction. This was associated with a resurgence in community transmission, leading to a third wave which was associated with a high number of deaths. We estimated a growth advantage for the Delta variant in South Africa of 0.089 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.084-0.093) per day which corresponds to a transmission advantage of 46% (95% CI 44-48) compared to the Beta variant. These data provide additional support for the increased transmissibility of the Delta variant relative to other VOC and highlight how dynamic shifts in the distribution of variants contribute to the ongoing public health threat.

  🖺 Full Text HTML: Rapid replacement of the Beta variant by the Delta variant in South Africa
• Diagnostic Yield of Screening for SARS-CoV-2 among Patients Admitted for Alternate Diagnoses -

  Objectives: To determine the diagnostic yield of screening patients for SARS-CoV-2 who were admitted with a diagnosis unrelated to COVID-19, and identify risk factors for positive tests. Design: Cohort from the Canadian COVID-19 Emergency Department Rapid Response Network (CCEDRRN) registry Setting: 30 acute care hospitals across Canada Participants: Patients hospitalized for non-COVID-19 related diagnoses who were tested for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) between March 1, and December 29, 2020 Main outcome: Positive nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT) for SARS-CoV-2 Outcome measure: Diagnostic yield Results: We enrolled 15,690 consecutive eligible adults who were admitted to hospital without clinically suspected COVID-19. Among these patients, 122 tested positive for COVID-19, resulting in a diagnostic yield of 0.8% (95% CI 0.64% - 0.92%). Factors associated with a positive test included presence of a fever, being a healthcare worker, having a positive household contact or institutional exposure, and living in an area with higher 7-day average incident COVID-19 cases. Conclusions: Universal screening of hospitalized patients for COVID-19 across two pandemic waves had a low diagnostic yield and should be informed by individual-level risk assessment in addition to regional COVID-19 prevalence.

  🖺 Full Text HTML: Diagnostic Yield of Screening for SARS-CoV-2 among Patients Admitted for Alternate Diagnoses

From Clinical Trials

• Safety and Immunogenicity Study of AdCLD-CoV19-1: A COVID-19 Preventive Vaccine in Healthy Volunteers - Condition:   Covid19
  Intervention:   Biological: AdCLD-CoV19-1
  Sponsor:  
  Cellid Co., Ltd.
  Recruiting

• A Post-Exposure Prophylaxis Study of PF-07321332/Ritonavir in Adult Household Contacts of an Individual With Symptomatic COVID-19 - Condition:   COVID-19
  Interventions:   Drug: PF-07321332;   Drug: Placebo for PF-07321332;   Drug: Placebo for Ritonavir;   Drug: Ritonavir
  Sponsor:   Pfizer
  Recruiting

• A Study of AZD1222, a Vaccine for the Prevention of COVID-19 in Immunocompromised Adults - Condition:   COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2
  Intervention:   Biological: AZD1222
  Sponsor:  
  AstraZeneca
  Not yet recruiting

• Factors Influencing the COVID-19 Vaccine Immune Response According to Age and Presence or Not of a Past History of COVID-19 - Condition:   Covid19
  Interventions:   Biological: COVID-19 vaccine Pfizer (2 doses);   Biological: COVID-19 vaccine Pfizer (1 dose);   Biological: COVID-19 mRNA Vaccine Moderna (2 doses);   Biological: COVID-19 mRNA Vaccine Moderna (1 dose)
  Sponsors:   Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Saint Etienne;   Sanofi Pasteur, a Sanofi Company;   Bioaster
  Not yet recruiting

• TThe Safety and Efficacy of SCTV01C in Population Aged ≥18 Years Previously Vaccinated With Inactivated COVID-19 Vaccine.Healthy Population Aged ≥18 Years Previously Vaccinated With Inactivated COVID-19 Vaccine. - Conditions:   COVID-19;   SARS-CoV-2 Infection
  Interventions:   Biological: SCTV01C;   Other: Placebo
  Sponsor:   Sinocelltech Ltd.
  Not yet recruiting

• The Safety and Efficacy of SCTV01C in Population Aged ≥18 Years Previously Vaccinated With Inactivated COVID-19 Vaccine.Healthy Population Aged ≥18 Years Previously Vaccinated With Adenovirus Vectored or mRNA COVID-19 Vaccine. - Conditions:   COVID-19;   SARS-CoV-2 Infection
  Interventions:   Biological: SCTV01C;   Other: Placebo
  Sponsor:   Sinocelltech Ltd.
  Not yet recruiting

• Heterologous Prime-boost Immunization With an Aerosolised Adenovirus Type-5 Vector-based COVID-19 Vaccine (Ad5-nCoV) After Priming With an Inactivated SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine - Condition:   COVID-19
  Interventions:   Biological: inactive SARS-CoV-2 vaccine (Vero cell);   Biological: Low dose aerosolized Ad5-nCoV;   Biological: High dose aerosolized Ad5-nCoV
  Sponsor:   Jiangsu Province Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
  Recruiting

• Relate to the Virus That Causes COVID-19, Known as Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) - Condition:   Covid19
  Intervention:   Other: Rapid antigen testing kit
  Sponsors:  
  Mahidol University;   Yuvabadhana foundation;   Zero COVID Thailand
  Not yet recruiting

• Test to Stay in School: COVID-19 Testing Following Exposure in School Communities - Condition:   Covid19
  Intervention:   Other: COVID-19 Testing
  Sponsor:  
  Duke University
  Not yet recruiting

• Efficacy and Safety of Baricitinib in Patients With Moderate and Severe COVID-19 - Condition:   Covid19
  Interventions:   Drug: Baricitinib;   Drug: Placebo
  Sponsor:  
  Incepta Pharmaceuticals Ltd
  Not yet recruiting

• Efficacy of KOVIR Hard Capsule in the Combination Regimen With Background Treatment in COVID-19 Patients - Condition:   COVID-19
  Intervention:   Dietary Supplement: KOVIR hard capsule combined with background treatment
  Sponsors:   Sunstar Joint Stock Company;   Big Leap Clinical Research Joint Stock Company
  Not yet recruiting

• Study to Investigate the Treatment Benefits of Probiotic Streptococcus Salivarius K12 for Mild-to-moderate COVID-19 - Condition:   Covid19
  Interventions:   Drug: Standard of care;   Dietary Supplement: BLIS K12
  Sponsor:   King Edward Medical University
  Recruiting

• The Development of a COVID19 Oral Vaccine Consisting of Bacillus Subtilis Spores - Condition:   COVID-19 Pneumonia
  Intervention:   Biological: Bacillus subtilis
  Sponsor:   DreamTec Research Limited
  Recruiting

• Randomized Trial of COVID-19 Booster Vaccinations (Cobovax Study) - Condition:   COVID-19 Vaccination
  Interventions:   Biological: BNT162b2;   Biological: CoronaVac
  Sponsor:   The University of Hong Kong
  Not yet recruiting

• Combined Antihistaminics Therapy in COVID 19 Patients - Condition:   Covid19
  Interventions:   Drug: Loratadine;   Drug: Famotidine
  Sponsors:   Ain Shams University;   Nasr City Insurance Hospital
  Not yet recruiting

From PubMed

• Mechanism of Microbial Metabolite Leupeptin in the Treatment of COVID-19 by Traditional Chinese Medicine Herbs - Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has caused huge deaths and economic losses worldwide in the current pandemic. The main protease (M^(pro)) of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is thought to be an ideal drug target for treating COVID-19. Leupeptin, a broad-spectrum covalent inhibitor of serine, cysteine, and threonine proteases, showed inhibitory activity against M^(pro), with a 50% inhibitory concentration (IC(50)) value of 127.2 μM in vitro in our study here. In…

• Increased Risk of Urticaria/Angioedema after BNT162b2 mRNA COVID-19 Vaccine in Health Care Workers Taking ACE Inhibitors - Urticarial eruptions and angioedema are the most common cutaneous reactions in patients undergoing mRNA COVID-19 vaccinations. The vasoactive peptide bradykinin has long been known to be involved in angioedema and recently also in urticaria. Bradykinin is mainly catabolized by angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE), which is inhibited by ACE inhibitors, a commonly employed class of antihypertensive drugs. We evaluated the risk of developing urticaria/angioedema after inoculation with the BNT162b2…

• Myocardial Damage by SARS-CoV-2: Emerging Mechanisms and Therapies - Evidence is emerging that severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) can infect various organs of the body, including cardiomyocytes and cardiac endothelial cells in the heart. This review focuses on the effects of SARS- CoV-2 in the heart after direct infection that can lead to myocarditis and an outline of potential treatment options. The main points are: (1) Viral entry: SARS-CoV-2 uses specific receptors and proteases for docking and priming in cardiac cells. Thus, different…

• Hypericin Inhibit Alpha-Coronavirus Replication by Targeting 3CL Protease - The porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) is an Alphacoronavirus (α-CoV) that causes high mortality in infected piglets, resulting in serious economic losses in the farming industry. Hypericin is a dianthrone compound that has been shown as an antiviral activity on several viruses. Here, we first evaluated the antiviral effect of hypericin in PEDV and found the viral replication and egression were significantly reduced with hypericin post-treatment. As hypericin has been shown in SARS-CoV-2…

• Doxycycline Inhibition of a Pseudotyped Virus Transduction Does Not Translate to Inhibition of SARS-CoV-2 Infectivity - The rapid spread of the pandemic caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus has created an unusual situation, with rapid searches for compounds to interfere with the biological processes exploited by the virus. Doxycycline, with its pleiotropic effects, including anti-viral activity, has been proposed as a therapeutic candidate for COVID-19 and about twenty clinical trials have started since the beginning of the pandemic. To gain information on the activity of doxycycline against SARS-CoV-2 infection and…

• Evaluation of Inhibitory Activity In Silico of In-House Thiomorpholine Compounds between the ACE2 Receptor and S1 Subunit of SARS-CoV-2 Spike - At the end of 2019, the world was struck by the COVID-19 pandemic, which resulted in dire repercussions of unimaginable proportions. From the beginning, the international scientific community employed several strategies to tackle the spread of this disease. Most notably, these consisted of the development of a COVID-19 vaccine and the discovery of antiviral agents through the repositioning of already known drugs with methods such as de novo design. Previously, methylthiomorphic compounds,…

• Indian Herb-Derived Phytoconstituent-Based Antiviral, Antimicrobial and Antifungal Formulation: An Oral Rinse Candidate for Oral Hygiene and the Potential Prevention of COVID-19 Outbreaks - Outbreaks of emerging infectious diseases continue to challenge human health. Novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) has triggered a global coronavirus pandemic, known as COVID-19. Multiple variants of SARS- CoV-2 virus are circulating, thus raising questions with respect to the effectiveness of different lines of treatment, such as vaccines and antiviral drugs. To find the appropriate prevention/treatment, 21 plant-based ingredients (Glycyrrhizin, Withanone,…

• In Silico Prediction of Novel Inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2 Main Protease through Structure-Based Virtual Screening and Molecular Dynamic Simulation - The unprecedented pandemic of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is threatening global health. SARS-CoV-2 has caused severe disease with significant mortality since December 2019. The enzyme chymotrypsin-like protease (3CLpro) or main protease (M^(pro)) of the virus is considered to be a promising drug target due to its crucial role in viral replication and its genomic dissimilarity to human proteases. In this study, we implemented a structure- based virtual screening…

• Sub-Micromolar Inhibition of SARS-CoV-2 3CLpro by Natural Compounds - Inhibiting the main protease 3CLpro is the most common strategy in the search for antiviral drugs to fight the infection from SARS-CoV-2. We report that the natural compound eugenol is able to hamper in vitro the enzymatic activity of 3CLpro, the SARS-CoV-2 main protease, with an inhibition constant in the sub-micromolar range (K(i) = 0.81 μM). Two phenylpropene analogs were also tested: the same effect was observed for estragole with a lower potency (K(i) = 4.1 μM), whereas anethole was less…

• The Se-S Bond Formation in the Covalent Inhibition Mechanism of SARS-CoV-2 Main Protease by Ebselen-like Inhibitors: A Computational Study - The inhibition mechanism of the main protease (M^(pro)) of SARS-CoV-2 by ebselen (EBS) and its analog with a hydroxyl group at position 2 of the benzisoselenazol-3(2H)-one ring (EBS-OH) was studied by using a density functional level of theory. Preliminary molecular dynamics simulations on the apo form of M^(pro) were performed taking into account both the hydrogen donor and acceptor natures of the Nδ and Nε of His41, a member of the catalytic dyad. The potential energy surfaces for the…

• Evaluating the Role of the Interleukin-23/17 Axis in Critically Ill COVID-19 Patients - Studies have hypothesized a potential role of the interleukin (IL)-23/17 axis in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). However, to date, levels of IL-23 and 17 have not been compared between critically ill COVID-19 patients and critically ill non-COVID-19 patients. IL-23 and 17 were measured on admission to the intensive care unit (ICU) in critically ill COVID-19 (N = 38) and critically ill non-COVID-19 (N = 34) patients with an equal critical illness severity. Critically ill non-COVID-19…

• Ways to Address Perinatal Mast Cell Activation and Focal Brain Inflammation, including Response to SARS-CoV-2, in Autism Spectrum Disorder - The prevalence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) continues to increase, but no distinct pathogenesis or effective treatment are known yet. The presence of many comorbidities further complicates matters, making a personalized approach necessary. An increasing number of reports indicate that inflammation of the brain leads to neurodegenerative changes, especially during perinatal life, “short-circuiting the electrical system” in the amygdala that is essential for our ability to feel emotions, but…

• Consumption of Phenolic-Rich Food and Dietary Supplements as a Key Tool in SARS-CoV-19 Infection - The first cases of COVID-19, which is caused by the SARS-CoV-2, were reported in December 2019. The vertiginous worldwide expansion of SARS-CoV-2 caused the collapse of health systems in several countries due to the high severity of the COVID-19. In addition to the vaccines, the search for active compounds capable of preventing and/or fighting the infection has been the main direction of research. Since the beginning of this pandemic, some evidence has highlighted the importance of a…

• Resveratrol as an Adjunctive Therapy for Excessive Oxidative Stress in Aging COVID-19 Patients - The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic continues to burden healthcare systems worldwide. COVID-19 symptoms are highly heterogeneous, and the patient may be asymptomatic or may present with mild to severe or fatal symptoms. Factors, such as age, sex, and comorbidities, are key determinants of illness severity and progression. Aging is accompanied by multiple deficiencies in interferon production by dendritic cells or macrophages in response to viral infections, resulting in…

• Bioguided Isolation of Cyclopenin Analogues as Potential SARS-CoV-2 M(pro) Inhibitors from Penicillium citrinum TDPEF34 - SARS-CoV-2 virus mutations might increase its virulence, and thus the severity and duration of the ongoing pandemic. Global drug discovery campaigns have successfully developed several vaccines to reduce the number of infections by the virus. However, finding a small molecule pharmaceutical that is effective in inhibiting SARS-CoV-2 remains a challenge. Natural products are the origin of many currently used pharmaceuticals and, for this reason, a library of in-house fungal extracts were screened…

From Patent Search

• MACHINE LEARNING TECHNIQUE TO ANALYSE THE CONDITION OF COVID-19 PATIENTS BASED ON THEIR SATURATION LEVELS - - link

• A HERB BASED COMPOSITION ANTI VIRAL MEDICINE FOR TREATMENT OF SARS COV 2 AND A METHOD FOR TREATING A PERSON INFECTED BY THE SARS COV 2 VIRUS - A Herbal composition, viz., PONNU MARUNTHU essentially comprising of ALLUIUM CEPA extract. [concentrated to 30%] 75%, SAPINDUS MUKOROSSI - extract [Optimised] 10%, CITRUS X LIMON - extract in its natural form 05 TRACYSPERMUM AMMI (L) – extract 07%,ROSA HYBRIDA - extract 03%, PONNU MARUNTHU solution 50 ml, or as a capsulated PONNU MARUNTHU can be given to SARS cov2 positive Patients, three times a day that is ½ an hour before food; continued for 3 days to 5 days and further taking it for 2 days if need be there; It will completely cure a person. When the SARS cov2 test shows negative this medicine can be discontinued. This indigenous medicine and method for treating a person inflicted with SARS COV 2 viral infection is quite effective in achieving of much needed remedy for the patients and saving precious lives from the pangs of death and ensuring better health of people. - link

• 治疗或预防新冠病毒的靶点 - 本发明提供一种蛋白片段，是如下至少一种：A1)氨基酸酸序列如SEQ ID NO.1所示；A2）氨基酸序列如SEQ ID NO.1第12位‑34位所示；A3）将A1)的蛋白片段的第18、19、28和29位中的任意一个或几个氨基酸残基经过一个或几个氨基酸残基的取代、缺失、添加得到的与A1)所示的蛋白片段具有90％以上的同一性的蛋白片段；A4）氨基酸酸序列如SEQ ID NO.2所示；A5）氨基酸序列如SEQ ID NO.2第32‑41位所示；A6）将A4)的蛋白片段的第35和36位中的任意1个或2个氨基酸残基经过一个或几个氨基酸残基的取代、缺失、添加得到的与A4)所示的蛋白片段具有90％以上的同一性的蛋白片段。 - link

• Anti-Sars-Cov-2 Neutralizing Antibodies - - link

• Expression Vector for Anti-Sars-Cov-2 Neutralizing Antibodies - - link

• DEVELOPMENT OF CNN SCHEME FOR COVID-19 DISEASE DETECTION USING CHEST RADIOGRAPH - - link

• 一种S1F-AXL复合物、试剂盒和检测该复合物的方法及应用 - 本发明公开了一种S1F‑AXL复合物、试剂盒和检测该复合物的方法及应用。所述试剂盒包含S1F多肽和AXL多肽，以S1F多肽、AXL多肽中的一种作为包被底物；所述S1F多肽和所述AXL多肽中至少一种为具有缀合标签的糖基化多肽，还包括具有微孔的微量滴定板、标记底物标记的抗标签特异性抗体、HRP偶联的二抗、洗涤缓冲液、标记底物反应液、反应终止液。所述检测S1F‑AXL复合物的试剂盒，通过测量标记的信号特征，检测S1F‑AXL复合物的结合亲和力，还可以用于检测来自怀疑感染了SARS‑CoV‑2(Covid‑19)的受试者的生物样品中的病毒。 - link

• 一种检测新型冠状病毒的引物探针组合及其应用 - 本发明提供了一种检测新型冠状病毒的引物探针组合及其应用，所述检测新型冠状病毒的引物探针组合包括特异性扩增并检测2019‑nCoV的ORF1ab基因、核壳蛋白N基因和刺突蛋白S基因N501Y突变位点的特异性引物对和探针。本发明还提供了一种检测新型冠状病毒的试剂盒及其以非疾病诊断和/或治疗为目的的使用方法。本发明所述检测新型冠状病毒的引物探针组合具有良好的特异性与灵敏度，配合优化后的检测体系，可以对待测样本进行快速准确的检测，并可以对整个实验流程进行监控，降低假阳性以及假阴性检测结果的出现概率，具有重要的意义。 - link

• SARS-COV-2 BINDING PROTEINS - - link

• COVID-19胸部CT图像识别方法、装置及电子设备 - 本申请涉及一种COVID‑19胸部CT图像识别方法、装置及电子设备。所述方法获取COVID‑19的胸部CT图像，并针对胸部CT图像的特点，构建新冠肺炎CT识别网络，对该网络进行训练得到COVID‑19胸部CT图像识别模型，并利用该模型对待测CT图像进行分类。采用空洞卷积、深度卷积以及点卷积算子，减少冗余参数；采用并行结构连接方式，实现多尺度特征融合、降低模型复杂度；采用下采样方式，使用最大模糊池化以减少锯齿效应，保持信号的平移不变性；采用通道混洗操作，减少参数量与计算量，提高分类准确率，引入坐标注意力机制，使空间坐标信息与通道信息被关注，抑制不重要的信息，以解决资源匹配问题。 - link