Covid-19 Sentry

Contents

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

From Preprints

• Fifteen Years of India’s NREGA: Employer of the Last Resort? -
  For the last decade, India’s National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA, 2005) has been the world’s largest public works programme. This legal entitlement provided employment to 28 percent of rural Indian households in 2019-20. After the COVID-19 pandemic, NREGA is increasingly emerging as an invaluable employer of the last resort. However, longitudinal data of its implementation in the last fifteen years reveals distinctive trends. On the one hand, since inception NREGA has rendered greater benefit to women and marginalised communities. But on the other, since 2014, the right-wing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government has reduced NREGA coverage compared to its implementation during the previous Indian National Congress (INC)-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) coalition which had enacted the legislation. Nevertheless, in light of the pandemic and based on from international experiences, there is an urgent need for expansion of the employment guarantee.
  🖺 Full Text HTML: Fifteen Years of India’s NREGA: Employer of the Last Resort?
• Understanding change in COVID-19 vaccination intention with network analysis of longitudinal data from Dutch adults -
  Prior research into the relationship between attitudes and vaccination intention is predominantly cross sectional and therefore does not provide insight into directions of relations. During the COVID-19 vaccines development and enrollment phase, we studied the temporal dynamics of COVID-19 vaccination intention in relation to attitudes toward COVID-19 vaccines and the pandemic, vaccination in general, social norms and trust. The data are derived from a longitudinal survey study with Dutch participants from a research panel (N = 744; six measurements between December 2020 and May 2021; age 18 – 84 years [M = 53.32]) and analyzed with vector-autoregression network analyses. While cross-sectional results indicated that vaccination intention was relatively strongly related to attitudes toward the vaccines, results from temporal analyses showed that vaccination intention mainly predicted other vaccination-related variables and to a lesser extent was predicted by variables. We found a weak predictive effect from social norm to vaccination intention that was not robust. This study underlines the challenge of stimulating uptake of new vaccines developed during pandemics, and the importance of examining directions of effects in research into vaccination intention.
  🖺 Full Text HTML: Understanding change in COVID-19 vaccination intention with network analysis of longitudinal data from Dutch adults
• A psychological network approach to attitudes and preventive behaviors during pandemics: A COVID-19 study in the United Kingdom and the Netherlands -
  Preventive behaviors are crucial to prevent spread of the coronavirus causing COVID-19. We adopted a complex psychological systems approach to obtain a descriptive account of the network of attitudes and behaviors related to COVID-19. A survey study (N = 1022) was conducted with subsamples from the United Kingdom (n = 502) and the Netherlands (n = 520). The results highlight the importance of people’s support for, and perceived efficacy of, the measures and preventive behaviors. This also applies to the perceived norm of family and friends adopting these behaviors. The networks in both countries were largely similar but also showed notable differences. The interplay of psychological factors in the networks is also highlighted, resulting in our appeal to policymakers to take complexity and mutual dependence of psychological factors into account. Future research should study effects of interventions aimed at these factors, including effects on the network, to make causal inferences.
  🖺 Full Text HTML: A psychological network approach to attitudes and preventive behaviors during pandemics: A COVID-19 study in the United Kingdom and the Netherlands
• COVID-19, Seasonality and Epidemiological Risk: A Longitudinal Analysis of the Combined Impact on Public Health in Italy -
  Background. The seasonality of COVID-19 is a debated topic within the scientific community. The goal of this paper is to bring SARS-CoV-2 into the factual context in Italy, investigating the interaction with seasonal factors that can aggravate the health crisis. Methods. The study is longitudinal retrospective. The relationship between the number of deaths in the period 2015-2019 and the average monthly temperatures was investigated. The excess deaths and confirmed deaths from COVID-19 in 2020, 2021, and 2022 were examined to estimate the impact of the COVID-19 crisis and its relationships with temperatures. Results. Cold months lead to a considerable and surprising increase in epidemiological risk and mortality in Italy from 2015 to 2019 (+45,000 annual deaths, SD = 4,700, S = 21). COVID-19 crisis has further aggravated this scenario during 2020 (+115,000) and 2021 (+63,000, S > 52). Mortality was boosted by low average minimum temperatures, although the death curve rose moderately during the four warmest months (Spearman r = -0.75, 95% CI = [-0.87; -0.56], S = 23). COVID-19 deaths also showed a pronounced seasonality, although the latter was decreasing over time (Spearman r = -0.85, 95% CI = [-0.92; -0.70], S = 20). Monthly excess deaths during COVID-19 were extremely high and surprising (+4,200, IQR = [2,800; 8,000], Wilcoxon signed rank test S = 28) but didn’t show a clear seasonality during 2021 and 2022. Discrepancies between COVID-19 and excess deaths during 2021 and 2022 suggest the occurrence of seasonal estimation errors. Discussion and conclusion. Based on these findings, it can be concluded that: i) the epidemiological risk is seasonal since cold seasons lead to higher mortality, ii) COVID-19’s impact on public health is strongly influenced by both environmental/seasonal and virological factors, iii) temperatures’ increase due to climate change is able to create summer mortality peaks. Future research should investigate the interrelation between all these epidemiological variables.
  🖺 Full Text HTML: COVID-19, Seasonality and Epidemiological Risk: A Longitudinal Analysis of the Combined Impact on Public Health in Italy
• Comparative IgG responses to SARS-CoV-2 after natural infection or vaccination -

  Background: Whether vaccination or natural infection provides greater benefit regarding the development of sustained immunity against SARS-CoV-2 remains unknown. Therefore, the aim of this study was to provide a direct comparison of IgG durability in vaccinated and unvaccinated adults. Methods: This was a prospective, cross-sectional study of antibody durability in 1087 individuals with a median (IQR) age of 42 (35, 52) years who were unvaccinated and previously infected with SARS-CoV-2 (Arm 1, n=351) or vaccinated against the virus (Arm 2, n=737). Participants self-reported vaccination and infection history and provided self-collected serology samples using mailed collection kits. Results: Anti-S1 IgG seroprevalence was 15.6% higher in vaccinated versus unvaccinated, previously-infected individuals across intervals ranging from 1 to 12 months and antibody survival was sustained near 100% through 12 months in the vaccinated group. Conclusions: These findings suggest that vaccination as opposed to natural infection alone provides significant advantages in terms of sustained and effective immunity against prior variants of SARS-CoV-2. Future efforts to characterize SARS-CoV-2 immune responses should address hybrid immunity, booster status and formulation, and protection against (sub)variants of Omicron and future lineages, as well as weigh the potential impact of other immune system mechanisms.

  🖺 Full Text HTML: Comparative IgG responses to SARS-CoV-2 after natural infection or vaccination
• Reduction in circulating monocytes correlates with persistent post-COVID pulmonary fibrosis in multi-omic comparison of long-haul COVID and IPF -

  Rationale: Up to 30% of COVID-19 patients experience persistent sequelae, including dyspnea, restrictive physiology, and early radiographic signs of pulmonary fibrosis (PF). The mechanisms that provoke post-COVID progressive PF are poorly understood, and biomarkers to identify at-risk patients are urgently needed. Methods: We evaluated a cohort of 14 symptomatic COVID survivors with impaired respiratory function and imaging worrisome for developing PF, including bilateral reticulation, traction bronchiectasis and/or honeycombing, and compared these to Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF) patients and age-matched controls without respiratory disease. We performed single-cell RNA-sequencing and multiplex immunostaining on peripheral blood mononuclear cells collected at the COVID-19 patients first visit after ICU discharge. Six months later, symptoms, restriction and PF improved in some (Early-Resolving COVID PF), but persisted in others (Late-Resolving COVID PF). Results: Circulating monocytes were significantly reduced in Late-Resolving COVID PF patients compared to Early-Resolving COVID PF and non-diseased controls. Monocyte abundance correlated with pulmonary function tests FVC and DLCO. Differential expression analysis revealed MHC-II class molecules were upregulated on the CD8 T cells of Late-Resolving COVID PF patients but downregulated in monocytes. IPF patients had a similar decrease in monocyte abundance and marked decrease in monocyte HLA-DR protein expression compared to Late-Resolving COVID PF patients. Conclusion: Circulating monocyte abundance may distinguish between patients whose post-COVID PF resolves or persists. Furthermore, fibrotic progression coincided with decreases in HLA-DR expression on monocytes, a phenotype previously associated with dampened antigen stimulation and severe respiratory failure.

  🖺 Full Text HTML: Reduction in circulating monocytes correlates with persistent post-COVID pulmonary fibrosis in multi-omic comparison of long-haul COVID and IPF
• Baby Bust: Births fall in Brazilian major cities during the Covid-19 pandemic -
  Since the beginning of the pandemic of the new coronavirus, Brazil is a country that has been heavily affected by this new disease, and from March 2020 this country saw its death records increased as the number of Covid-19 infected got out of control. Consequently, many studies tried to explain the influence of this illness in the number of deaths and possible reductions in life expectancy. Until now, there were few empirical attempts to comprehend the effects of pandemic on birth reductions. In this work, we sought to analyze the influence of the pandemic Covid-19 on birth numbers of six major cities of Brazil. Using data from the Ministry of Health, we compared the number of monthly births from October-December 2020 and January-March 2021 with the amount of newborns in similar months and in years previous to the pandemic. Our results show a strong decline in the number of births in all cities analyzed, and most of the reductions occurred at mothers’ age of 30 years old. Because of the uncertain scenario that the pandemic brought us, women are postponing their fertility intentions, causing a perhaps temporary baby bust in major cities of Brazil.
  🖺 Full Text HTML: Baby Bust: Births fall in Brazilian major cities during the Covid-19 pandemic
• Spatial pattern of COVID-19 deaths and infections in small areas of Brazil -
  As at mid August, 2020, Brazil is the second most affected country by the COVID-19 pandemic, with large regional and social differences. In this study, using data from Brazilian Ministry of Health, we analyze the spatial patterns of infection and mortality from Covid-19 across small areas in Brazil. We apply spatial autoregressive Bayesian models and estimate the risks of infection and mortality, taking into account age and sex composition of the population. We also perform a decomposition analysis to study how age composition impacts the differences in mortality and infection rates across regions. Our results indicate that death and infections are spatially distributed forming clusters and hotspots especially in the Northern Amazon, Northeast coast and Southeast of the country. The high mortality risks in the Southeast part of the country, which harbours the major cities can, be explained by the high proportion of elderly population. In the less developed areas of North and Northeast, there is a combination of high infection among young adults, socioeconomic and health access backwardness that results in more deaths.
  🖺 Full Text HTML: Spatial pattern of COVID-19 deaths and infections in small areas of Brazil
• COVID treatment and in-hospital length of stay inequalities between race in the US over time -

  Introduction: Demonstrated health inequalities persist in the United States. SARS-CoV-2 (COVID) has been no exception, with access to treatment and hospitalization differing across race or ethnic group. Here we aim to assess differences in treatment with remdesivir and hospital length of stay across four waves of the pandemic. Methods: Using a subset of the Truveta data we examine odds ratios (OR) of in-hospital remdesivir treatment and risk ratios (RR) of in-hospital length of stay between Black or African American (Black) to white patients. We adjusted for confounding factors such as age, sex, and comorbidity status. Results: There were statically significant lower rates of remdesivir treatment and longer in-hospital lengths of stay comparing Black patients to white patients early in the pandemic (OR for treatment: 0.88, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.80, 0.96; RR for length of stay: 1.17, CI: 1.06, 1.21). Rates became close to parity between groups as the pandemic progressed. Conclusions: While inpatient remdesivir treatment rates increased and length of stay decreased over the beginning course of the pandemic, there are still inequalities in patient care.

  🖺 Full Text HTML: COVID treatment and in-hospital length of stay inequalities between race in the US over time
• Quantification of nuclear transport inhibition by SARS-CoV-2 ORF6 using a broadly applicable live-cell dose-response pipeline -
  SARS coronavirus ORF6 inhibits the classical nuclear import pathway to antagonize host antiviral responses. Several models were proposed to explain its inhibitory function, but quantitative measurement is needed for model evaluation and refinement. We report a broadly applicable live-cell method for calibrated dose-response characterization of the nuclear transport alteration by a protein of interest. Using this method, we found that SARS-CoV-2 ORF6 is ~15 times more potent than SARS-CoV-1 ORF6 in inhibiting bidirectional nuclear transport, due to differences in the NUP98-binding C-terminal region that is required for the inhibition. The N-terminal region promotes membrane binding and was required for activity, but could be replaced by constructs which forced oligomerization in solution. Based on these data, we propose that the hydrophobic N-terminal region drives oligomerization of ORF6 to multivalently cross-link the FG domains of NUP98 at the nuclear pore complex, and this multivalent binding inhibits bidirectional transport.
  🖺 Full Text HTML: Quantification of nuclear transport inhibition by SARS-CoV-2 ORF6 using a broadly applicable live-cell dose-response pipeline
• Tixagevimab-cilgavimab as an early treatment for COVID-19 in kidney transplant recipients -

  Objective: This single-center retrospective study evaluated the use of tixagevimab-cilgavimab as an early treatment for COVID-19 in kidney transplant recipients (KTRs) during the omicron wave. Methods: KTRs were deemed at high risk for moderate-to-severe COVID-19 in presence of at least one comorbidity (age >60 years, diabetes, obesity, or cardiovascular disease) associated with a weak humoral response (<264 BAU/mL). All other KTRs were considered at low risk. The two groups were stratified according to the administration of tixagevimab-cilgavimab and compared in terms of COVID-19-related hospitalization, oxygen need, ICU admission, and mortality. Results: Of the 61 KTRs at high risk, 26 received tixagevimab-cilgavimab. COVID-19-related hospitalizations (3.8% versus 34%, p=0.006) and oxygen need (3.8% versus 23%, p=0.04) were significantly less frequent in patients who received tixagevimab-cilgavimab. In addition, non-significant trends towards a lower number of ICU admissions (3.8% versus 14.3% p=0.17) and deaths (0 versus 3, p=0.13) were observed after administration of tixagevimab-cilgavimab. Ten of the 73 low-risk KTRs received tixagevimab-cilgavimab, and no significant clinical benefit was observed in this subgroup. Conclusion: Early administration of tixagevimab-cilgavimab may be clinically useful in high-risk KTRs with COVID-19; however, no major benefit was observed for low-risk patients.

  🖺 Full Text HTML: Tixagevimab-cilgavimab as an early treatment for COVID-19 in kidney transplant recipients
• COVID-19 vaccine antibody response is associated with side-effects, chronic health conditions, and vaccine type in a large Northern California cohort -

  As vaccines have become available for COVID-19, it is important to understand factors that may impact response. The objective of this study is to describe vaccine response in a well-characterized Northern California cohort, including differences in side-effects and antibody response by vaccine type, sex, and age, as well as describe responses in subjects with pre-existing health conditions that are known risk factors for more severe COVID-19 infection. From July 2020 to March 2021, ~5,500 adults from the East Bay Area in Northern California were followed as part of a longitudinal cohort study. Comprehensive questionnaire data and biospecimens for COVID-19 antibody testing were collected at multiple time-points. All subjects were at least 18 years of age and members of the East-Bay COVID-19 cohort who answered questionnaires related to vaccination status and side-effects at two time-points. Three vaccines, Moderna (2 doses), Pfizer-BioNTech (2 doses), and Johnson & Johnson (single dose), were examined as exposures. Additionally, pre-existing health conditions were assessed. The main outcomes of interest were anti-SARS-CoV-2 Spike antibody response (measured by S/C ratio in the Ortho VITROS assay) and self-reporting of 11 potential vaccine side effects. When comparing both doses of the Moderna vaccine to respective doses of Pfizer-BioNTech, participants receiving the Moderna vaccine had higher odds of many reported side-effects. The same was true comparing the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine to dose 2 of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. The antibody S/C ratio also increased with each additional side-effect after the second dose. S/C ratios after vaccination were lower in participants aged 65 and older, and higher in females. At all vaccination timepoints, Moderna vaccine recipients had a higher S/C ratio. Individuals who were fully vaccinated with Pfizer-BioNTech had a 72.4% lower S/C ratio compared to those who were fully vaccinated with Moderna. Subjects with asthma, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease all demonstrated more than a 20% decrease in S/C ratio. In support of previous findings, we show that antibody response to the Moderna vaccine is higher than the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. We also observed that antibody response was associated with side-effects, and participants with a history of asthma, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease had lower antibody responses. This information is important to consider as further vaccines are recommended.

  🖺 Full Text HTML: COVID-19 vaccine antibody response is associated with side-effects, chronic health conditions, and vaccine type in a large Northern California cohort
• Is there a role for RDTs as we live with COVID? An assessment of different strategies -

  Introduction: By 2022, high levels of past COVID-19 infections, combined with substantial levels of vaccination and the development of Omicron have shifted country strategies toward burden reduction policies. SARS-CoV-2 rapid antigen tests (RDTs) could contribute to these policies by helping rapidly detect, isolate and/or treat infections in different settings. However, the evidence to inform RDT policy choices in LMICs is limited. Method: We provide an overview of the potential impact of several RDT use cases (surveillance; testing, tracing and isolation without and with surveillance; hospital-based screening to reduce nosocomial COVID; and testing to enable earlier/expanded treatment) for a range of country settings. We use conceptual models and literature review to identify which use cases are likely to bring benefits and how these may change with outbreak characteristics. Impacts are measured through multiple outcomes related to gaining time, reducing the burden on the health system, and reducing deaths. Results: In an optimal scenario in terms of resources and capacity and with baseline parameters, we find marginal time gains of at least a week through surveillance and testing tracing and isolation with surveillance, a reduction in peak ICU or ICU admissions by 6% or more (hospital-based screening; testing, tracing and isolation), and reductions in COVID deaths by over 6% (hospital-based screening; test and treat). Time gains may be used to strengthen ICU capacity and/or boost vulnerable individuals, though only a small minority of at-risk individuals could be reached in the time available. The impact of RDTs declines with lower country resources and capacity, more transmissible or immune-escaping variants and reduced test sensitivity. Conclusion: RDTs alone are unlikely to dramatically reduce the burden of COVID-19 in LMICs, though they may have an important role alongside other interventions such as vaccination, therapeutic drugs, improved healthcare capacity and non-pharmaceutical measures.

  🖺 Full Text HTML: Is there a role for RDTs as we live with COVID? An assessment of different strategies
• Perspectives and use of telemedicine by doctors in India: A cross-sectional study -

  Objectives: India has committed to formulating a roadmap for realising a resilient health system, with digital health being an important element of this. Following the successful implementation of a free telemedicine service, eSanjeevani, India published the Telemedicine Practice Guidelines in 2020 to further scale telemedicine use in India. The main objective of the current study was to understand the perspective and use of telemedicine by medical doctors in India after the release of its telemedicine policy. Methods: Data were acquired through an anonymous, cross-sectional, internet-based survey of medical doctors (n = 444) at a pan-India level. Replies were subjected to statistical analysis. Results: Telemedicine was used for various non-mutually exclusive reasons, with the top two reasons being live audio or video consultations (60.4%) and online payments (19.1%) and smartphones were the most frequently used device type (60.6%). The telemedicine benefit that the greatest proportion of respondents (93%) recognised was its potential to reduce COVID-19 infection risk for healthcare professionals. Interestingly, nearly 45% of respondents felt that limited and fragmented insurance coverage was an important limitation to the practice of telemedicine in India and 49% believed reduced patient fees for teleconsultations could help incentivise telemedicine use. Conclusions: This study helps to appraise the use of telemedicine in India after the publication of telemedicine guidelines in 2020. Furthermore, the findings can inform the development of telemedicine platforms, policies and incentives to improve the design and implementation of effective telemedicine in India. Public Interest Summary: India has committed to formulating a roadmap for realising a resilient health system, with digital health being an important element of this. In 2020, India published its Telemedicine Practice Guidelines to scale telemedicine use in India. The main objective of the current study was to survey medical doctors in India to understand their perspectives on and use of telemedicine after the release of Indias telemedicine policy. Our findings revealed that the top two reasons doctors used telemedicine were for live audio or video consultations and online payments. Interestingly, a large proportion of respondents felt that limited and fragmented insurance coverage was an important limitation to the practice of telemedicine in India. This study helps to appraise the use of telemedicine in India after the publication of its telemedicine guidelines and can inform the development of telemedicine platforms, policies and incentives to improve the design and implementation of telemedicine in India.

  🖺 Full Text HTML: Perspectives and use of telemedicine by doctors in India: A cross-sectional study
• Mental Health During the First Year of the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Review and Recommendations for Moving Forward -
  COVID-19 has infected millions of people and upended the lives of most humans on the planet. Researchers from across the psychological sciences have sought to document and investigate the impact of COVID-19 in myriad ways, causing an explosion of research that is broad in scope, varied in methods, and challenging to consolidate. Because policy and practice aimed at helping people live healthier and happier lives requires insight from robust patterns of evidence, this paper provides a rapid and thorough summary of high-quality studies available through early 2021 examining the mental health consequences of living through the COVID-19 pandemic. Our review of the evidence indicates that anxiety, depression, and distress increased in the early months of the pandemic. Meanwhile, suicide rates, life satisfaction, and loneliness remained largely stable throughout the first year of the pandemic. In response to these insights, we present seven recommendations (one urgent, two short-term, and four ongoing) to support mental health during the pandemic and beyond.
  🖺 Full Text HTML: Mental Health During the First Year of the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Review and Recommendations for Moving Forward

From Clinical Trials

• The Efficacy and Safety of TADIOS as an Adjuvant Therapy in Patients Diagnosed With Mild to Moderate COVID-19 - Condition:   COVID-19
  Interventions:   Drug: TADIOS;   Drug: Placebo
  Sponsor:   Helixmith Co., Ltd.
  Completed

• COVID-19 iCura SARS-CoV-2 Ag OTC: Clinical Evaluation - Conditions:   SARS-CoV-2 Infection;   COVID-19
  Interventions:   Device: iCura COVID-19 Antigen Rapid Home Test;   Diagnostic Test: RT-PCR Test
  Sponsors:   EDP Biotech;   Paragon Rx Clinical, Inc.;   iCura Diagnostics, LLC
  Recruiting

• FMT for Post-acute COVID-19 Syndrome - Conditions:   Post-Acute COVID19 Syndrome;   COVID-19
  Intervention:   Procedure: Faecal Microbiota Transplantation
  Sponsor:   Chinese University of Hong Kong
  Recruiting

• Multicenter, Double-blind, Randomized, Placebo-controlled Study Evaluating Diltiazem in Combination With Standard Treatment in the Management of Patients Hospitalized With COVID-19 Pneumonia - Condition:   COVID-19
  Intervention:   Drug: DILTIAZEM TEVA 60 mg or placebo
  Sponsors:   Hospices Civils de Lyon;   Signia Therapeutics
  Not yet recruiting

• Research on Community Based ATK Test Study to Control Spread of COVID-19 in Migrant Community - Condition:   COVID-19 Pandemic
  Intervention:   Device: STANDARD Q COVID-19 Ag Test
  Sponsor:   University of Oxford
  Active, not recruiting

• Safety and Immunogenicity of COVID-19 Vaccine in Population Aged 18 Years and Above - Condition:   COVID-19
  Interventions:   Biological: low-dose LYB001;   Biological: Recombinant COVID-19 Vaccine (CHO Cell);   Biological: high-dose LYB001
  Sponsors:   Guangzhou Patronus Biotech Co., Ltd.;   Yantai Patronus Biotech Co., Ltd.
  Recruiting

• The Efficacy and Safety of BioBlock® Intranasally Administered Virus-Neutralizing Bovine Colostrum Nasal Spray in Preventing of COVID-19 (Coronavirus Disease-19) Infection in Healthy Volunteer Individuals - Condition:   SARS CoV 2 Infection
  Intervention:   Biological: BioBlock® antiviral nasal spray
  Sponsor:   Chemi-Pharm AS
  Recruiting

• Safety and Immunogenicity of Inactivated Heterologous Booster Vaccination - Condition:   COVID-19
  Intervention:   Biological: VLA 2001
  Sponsor:   Centro de Estudios en Infectogía Pediatrica
  Not yet recruiting

• Safety, Tolerability, and Immunogenicity of Trivalent Coronavirus Vaccine Candidate VBI-2901a - Conditions:   COVID-19;   Coronavirus Infections
  Intervention:   Biological: VBI-2901a
  Sponsor:   VBI Vaccines Inc.
  Not yet recruiting

• 3EO Health SARS-CoV-2 OTC At Home Test - Condition:   COVID-19 Pandemic
  Intervention:   Diagnostic Test: In Vitro
  Sponsor:   3EO Health
  Not yet recruiting

• A Study to Learn About the Medicine Called Nirmatrelvir Used in Combination With Ritonavir in People With Weakened Immune Systems or at Increased Risk for Poor Outcomes Who Are Hospitalized Due to Severe COVID-19 - Conditions:   Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2);   Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19);   Immunocompromised;   Hospitalization;   Child, Hospitalized
  Interventions:   Drug: Nirmatrelvir;   Drug: Ritonavir;   Drug: Placebo for nirmatrelvir
  Sponsor:   Pfizer
  Not yet recruiting

• Bringing Optimised COVID-19 Vaccine Schedules To ImmunoCompromised Populations (BOOST-IC): an Adaptive Randomised Controlled Clinical Trial - Conditions:   HIV;   Organ Transplantation;   Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin;   Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia;   Multiple Myeloma;   COVID-19 Vaccines
  Interventions:   Biological: BNT162b2;   Biological: mRNA-1273;   Biological: NVX-COV2373
  Sponsors:   Bayside Health;   Monash University
  Not yet recruiting

• PAPR: PAP + MBSR for Front-line Healthcare Provider COVID-19 Related Burnout - Conditions:   Depression;   Burnout, Professional
  Interventions:   Drug: Psilocybin;   Behavioral: Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR)
  Sponsors:   University of Utah;   Heffter Research Institute;   Usona Institute
  Not yet recruiting

• Scaling Well-Being for Educators During COVID-19 - Conditions:   Anxiety;   Depression
  Intervention:   Behavioral: Healthy Minds Program Foundations Training
  Sponsors:   University of Wisconsin, Madison;   Chan Zuckerberg Initiative
  Not yet recruiting

• A Cohort Study of COVID-19 mRNA Vaccine, Bivalent in Participants in China - Condition:   SARS-CoV-2
  Interventions:   Biological: SARS-CoV-2 mRNA Vaccine, Bivalent Low dose;   Biological: SARS-CoV-2 mRNA Vaccine, Bivalent High dose;   Drug: Placebo
  Sponsors:   AIM Vaccine Co., Ltd.;   Ningbo Rongan Biological Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd;   First Affiliated Hospital Bengbu Medical College
  Not yet recruiting

From PubMed

• IL-4 receptor blockade is a global repressor of naïve B cell development and responses in a dupilumab-treated patient - Here, we report a case of atopic dermatitis (AD) in a patient who received biweekly doses of dupilumab, an antibody against the IL-4 receptor α chain (IL-4Rα). Single cell RNA-sequencing showed that naïve B cells expressed the highest levels of IL4R compared to other B cell subpopulations. Compared to controls, the dupilumab-treated patient exhibited diminished percentages of IL4R+IGHD+ naïve B cells and down-regulation of IL4R, FCER2 (CD23), and IGHD. Dupilumab treatment resulted in…

• Immunogenicity profiling and distinct immune response in liver transplant recipients vaccinated with SARS-CoV-2 inactivated vaccines - SARS-CoV-2 vaccination has been recommended for liver transplant (LT) recipients. However, our understanding of inactivated vaccine stimulation of the immune system in regulating humoral and cellular immunity among LT recipients is inadequate. Forty-six LT recipients who received two-dose inactivated vaccines according to the national vaccination schedule were enrolled. The clinical characteristics, antibody responses, single-cell peripheral immune profiling, and plasma cytokine/chemokine/growth…

• Case report: Refractory intestinal Behçet’s syndrome successfully treated with tofacitinib: A report of four cases - Behçet’s syndrome (BS) is a chronic form of relapsing multisystem vasculitis, characterized by recurrent oral and genital ulcers. Intestinal BS is a special type of BS. Volcano-shaped ulcers in the ileocecum are a typical finding of intestinal BS, and punched-out ulcers can be observed in the intestine or esophagus. At present, there is no recognized radical treatment for intestinal BS. Glucocorticoids and immunosuppressants are currently the main drugs used to improve the condition. Although it…

• Searching for potential inhibitors of SARS-COV-2 main protease using supervised learning and perturbation calculations - Inhibiting the biological activity of SARS-CoV-2 Mpro can prevent viral replication. In this context, a hybrid approach using knowledge- and physics-based methods was proposed to characterize potential inhibitors for SARS-CoV-2 Mpro. Initially, supervised machine learning (ML) models were trained to predict a ligand-binding affinity of ca. 2 million compounds with the correlation on a test set of R = 0.748 ± 0.044 . Atomistic simulations were then used to refine the outcome of the ML model….

• Emotions and Incivility in Vaccine Mandate Discourse: Natural Language Processing Insights - CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that our multidimensional approach to incivility is a promising alternative to understanding and intervening in the psychological processes underlying uncivil vaccine discourse. Understanding specific emotions that can increase or decrease incivility such as anxiety, anger, and sadness can enable researchers and public health professionals to develop effective interventions against uncivil vaccine discourse. Given the need for real-time monitoring and automated…

• Potent Virustatic Polymer-Lipid Nanomimics Block Viral Entry and Inhibit Malaria Parasites In Vivo - Infectious diseases continue to pose a substantial burden on global populations, requiring innovative broad-spectrum prophylactic and treatment alternatives. Here, we have designed modular synthetic polymer nanoparticles that mimic functional components of host cell membranes, yielding multivalent nanomimics that act by directly binding to varied pathogens. Nanomimic blood circulation time was prolonged by reformulating polymer-lipid hybrids. Femtomolar concentrations of the polymer nanomimics…

• A genetically encoded BRET-based SARS-CoV-2 M^pro protease activity sensor - The main protease, M^(pro), is critical for SARS-CoV-2 replication and an appealing target for designing anti-SARS-CoV-2 agents. Therefore, there is a demand for the development of improved sensors to monitor its activity. Here, we report a pair of genetically encoded, bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (BRET)-based sensors for detecting M^(pro) proteolytic activity in live cells as well as in vitro. The sensors were generated by sandwiching peptides containing the M^(pro) N-terminal…

• Effectiveness of Remdesivir in Comparison with Five Approved Antiviral Drugs for Inhibition of RdRp in Combat with SARS-CoV-2 - The treatment of COVID-19 disease has been one of the most critical essential concerns of researchers in recent years. One of the most exciting and potential therapeutic targets for SARS-CoV-2 therapy progression is RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRP), a viral enzyme for viral RNA replication throughout host cells. According to some research, Remdesivir suppresses RdRp. The nucleoside medication remdesivir has been authorized under an Emergency Use Authorization to treat COVID-19. Given the role…

• Design and lyophilization of lipid nanoparticles for mRNA vaccine and its robust immune response in mice and nonhuman primates - mRNA and lipid nanoparticles have emerged as powerful systems for the preparation of vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 infection. The emergence of novel variants or the necessity of cold chain logistics for approved mRNA vaccines undermines the investigation of next-generation systems that could preserve both potency and stability. However, the correlation between lipid nanoparticle composition and activity is not fully explored. Here, we screened a panel of ionizable lipids in vivo and identified…

• Integrated network pharmacology analysis, molecular docking, LC-MS analysis and bioassays revealed the potential active ingredients and underlying mechanism of Scutellariae radix for COVID-19 - Scutellariae radix (“Huang-Qin” in Chinese) is a well-known traditional herbal medicine and popular dietary supplement in the world, extensively used in prescriptions of TCMs as adjuvant treatments for coronavirus pneumonia 2019 (COVID-19) patients in China. According to the differences in its appearance, Scutellariae radix can be classified into two kinds: ZiQin (1∼3 year-old Scutellariae baicalensis with hard roots) and KuQin (more than 3 year-old S. baicalensis with withered pithy roots). In…

• Cytokine nanosponges suppressing overactive macrophages and dampening systematic cytokine storm for the treatment of hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis - Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) is a highly fatal condition with the positive feedback loop between continued immune cell activation and cytokine storm as the core mechanism to mediate multiple organ dysfunction. Inspired by macrophage membranes harbor the receptors with special high affinity for proinflammation cytokines, lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated macrophage membrane-coated nanoparticles (LMNP) were developed to show strong sponge ability to both IFN-γ and IL-6 and suppressed…

• Amikacin-loaded niosome nanoparticles improve amikacin activity against antibiotic-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae strains - Amikacin is an aminoglycoside antibiotic used in drug-resistant bacterial infections. The spread of bacterial infections has become a severe concern for the treatment system because of the simultaneous drug resistance bacteria and SARS-CoV-2 hospitalized patients. One of the most common bacteria in the development of drug resistance is Klebsiella strains, which is a severe threat due to the possibility of biofilm production. In this regard, recent nanotechnology studies have proposed using…

• Effects of the 5’-Triphosphate Metabolites of Ribavirin, Sofosbuvir, Vidarabine, and Molnupiravir on CTP Synthase. Implications for Repurposing Antiviral Agents Against SARS-CoV-2 - Repurposing of antiviral drugs affords a rapid and effective strategy to develop therapies to counter pandemics such as COVID-19. SARS-CoV-2 replication is closely linked to the metabolism of cytosine-containing nucleotides, especially cytidine-5’ -triphosphate (CTP), such that the integrity of the viral genome is highly sensitive to intracellular CTP levels. CTP synthase (CTPS) catalyzes the rate-limiting step for the de novo biosynthesis of CTP. Hence, it is of interest to know the effects of…

• Dihydroceramide Δ4-Desaturase 1 Is Not Involved in SARS-CoV-2 Infection - Dihydroceramide Δ4-desaturase 1 (DEGS1) enzymatic activity is inhibited with N-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-retinamide (4-HPR). We reported previously that 4-HPR suppresses severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) entry through a DEGS1-independent mechanism. However, it remains unclear whether DEGS1 is involved in other SARS-CoV-2 infection processes, such as virus replication and release. Here we established DEGS1 knockout (KO) in VeroE6^(TMPRSS2) cells. No significant difference was…

• Jinhua Qinggan granules attenuates acute lung injury by promotion of neutrophil apoptosis and inhibition of TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB pathway - CONCLUSION: JHQG reduced pulmonary inflammation and protected mice from LPS-induced ALI by promoting neutrophil apoptosis and inhibition of TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB pathway, suggesting that JHQG may be a promising drug for treatment of ALI.

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