Covid-19 Sentry

Contents

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

From Preprints

• Maturation of SARS-CoV-2 Spike-specific memory B cells drives resilience to viral escape -
  Memory B cells (MBCs) generate rapid antibody responses upon secondary encounter with a pathogen. Here, we investigated the kinetics, avidity and cross-reactivity of serum antibodies and MBCs in 155 SARS-CoV-2 infected and vaccinated individuals over a 16-month timeframe. SARS-CoV-2-specific MBCs and serum antibodies reached steady-state titers with comparable kinetics in infected and vaccinated individuals. Whereas MBCs of infected individuals targeted both pre- and postfusion Spike (S), most vaccine-elicited MBCs were specific for prefusion S, consistent with the use of prefusion-stabilized S in mRNA vaccines. Furthermore, a large fraction of MBCs recognizing postfusion S cross-reacted with human betacoronaviruses. The avidity of MBC-derived and serum antibodies increased over time resulting in enhanced resilience to viral escape by SARS-CoV-2 variants, including Omicron BA.1 and BA.2 sub-lineages, albeit only partially for BA.4 and BA.5 sublineages. Overall, the maturation of high-affinity and broadly-reactive MBCs provides the basis for effective recall responses to future SARS-CoV-2 variants.
  🖺 Full Text HTML: Maturation of SARS-CoV-2 Spike-specific memory B cells drives resilience to viral escape
• The impact of a home-based personalized computerized training program on cognitive dysfunction associated with Long COVID: a before-and-after feasibility study -

  Background: Long COVID, also known as post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 or PASC,is a systemic syndrome affecting a large number of persons in the aftermath of the pandemic. Cognitive dysfunction (or brain fog) is one of its most common manifestations of PACS, and there are no effective interventions to mitigate it. Home-based personalized computerized cognitive training (CCT), which has shown effectiveness to improve other conditions, could offer hope to relieve the cognitive dysfunction in people with a previous history of COVID-19. Objective: To evaluate the feasibility and potential benefit of a personalized CCT intervention to improve cognitive function among people living with PACS. Methods: Adult individuals who self-reported cognitive dysfunction more than 3 months after a diagnosis of COVID-19 were recruited through an online platform designed for the study. Those who were eligible assessed their general cognitive function before completing as many cognitive daily training sessions as they wished during an 8-week period, using a personalized CCT application at home. The sessions included gamified tasks that tapped into five cognitive domains (attention, coordination, memory, perception and reasoning) and were tailored to the specific cognitive strengths and weaknesses detected at each point. At the end of this period, participants repeated the general cognitive function assessment. The differences between the scores at 8 weeks and baseline was the main outcome, complemented with analyses of the changes based on age, training time, self-reported health level at baseline and time since the initial COVID-19 infection. Cognitive assessment scores were also computed in terms of percentiles according to the normative database of the test, considering their corresponding age- and gender-based reference sample. Results: The participants had significant cognitive dysfunction at baseline, even though 80% of them had had the initial episode of COVID-19 more than a year before enrolling in the study. Eighty nine percent reported negative levels of self-reported health at baseline. On average, 51 training sessions (range: 10 to 251) were completed over a mean time of 435 minutes (range 78 to 2448). Most of the participants obtained higher scores after CCT in each of the domains as compared with baseline (attention: 81% of the sample; memory: 86%; coordination: 82%; perception: 88%; reasoning: 77%). The magnitude of the score increase at post-test was high across domains (attention: 31% of change; memory: 37%; coordination: 52%; perception: 42%; reasoning: 26%). Following CCT, there were also improvements in the percentile data in all the domains (attention: 14 points; memory: 18 points; coordination: 18 points; perception: 17 points; reasoning: 11 points). Conclusions: This study suggests that a self-administered CCT based on gamified cognitive tasks could be an effective way to ameliorate cognitive dysfunction in persons with PASC.

  🖺 Full Text HTML: The impact of a home-based personalized computerized training program on cognitive dysfunction associated with Long COVID: a before-and-after feasibility study
• Can Mental Health Apps Be Effective for Depression, Anxiety, and Stress During a Pandemic? -
  Covid-19 is poised to exacerbate the global mental health crisis as social isolation, unemployment, and economic recession are risk factors for negative mental health consequences. Since the need for social distancing can make face-to-face services less accessible, people may turn to mental health apps as an accessible and inexpensive solution. But are the claims about the efficacy of these apps supported by evidence? We identified 19 published articles on PubMed of peer-reviewed randomized clinical trials of mental health apps focused on stress, anxiety, and depression. Despite some evidence for the effectiveness of mental health apps, it remains unclear how effective these apps are compared to standard of care. Populations studied so far also lack diversity, making it difficult to generalize any benefits to racial minorities and low-income individuals—the very people who have been most negatively impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic and traditionally have higher barriers to mental health services. While apps are not a substitute for face-to-face therapy, further evidence is warranted given their potential for delivering scalable, low-cost care to patients. We call for regulatory oversight as a means to ensure mental health apps demonstrate safety and effectiveness prior to marketing.
  🖺 Full Text HTML: Can Mental Health Apps Be Effective for Depression, Anxiety, and Stress During a Pandemic?
• A Week During COVID-19: Online Social Interactions Predict Greater Connection and More Stress -
  Who thrives while socially distancing? For this descriptive, exploratory study, we polled a sample of over 500 participants from the United States on April 8, 2020—in the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic when practicing social distancing was at its peak. Above and beyond other social and nonsocial activities, living and employment arrangements, personality traits, demographics, and other variables, people who spent more time interacting with close others—either in person or online—felt more socially connected. However, only interacting with close others in person, but not online, predicted greater positive affect. In contrast, people who spent more time interacting with weak ties online experienced greater negative affect and more stress. Looking at specific interaction partners, we found that people who interacted with their relatives, romantic partners, and even coworkers/classmates felt more socially connected. Living arrangements mattered little beyond people’s social interactions, except for living with one’s children, which predicted greater stress. Certain social online activities, including playing games with close ties and group/club meetings predicted greater positive affect. Amongst nonsocial activities, active leisure like exercise emerged as a robust predictor of positive affect, whereas passive leisure like watching TV predicted greater negative affect. Even during a historic pandemic and unprecedented conditions of social distancing, then, the factors that predict well-being are much the same as those already established in the literature. Indeed, much like in-person interactions, online social interactions predict greater social connectedness. However, unlike in-person interactions, online interactions simultaneously predict more negative affect and more stress.
  🖺 Full Text HTML: A Week During COVID-19: Online Social Interactions Predict Greater Connection and More Stress
• Anxiety Talking: Does Anxiety Predict Sharing Information about COVID-19? -
  Could fear and anxiety play a functional role during the COVID-19 pandemic by driving greater information sharing about the viral threat? To explore whether anxiety may serve as a unique emotional indicator of sharing information in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we used a representative sample of the United States from the American Trends Panel (N=9,188) conducted April 20th-26th, 2020. Participants reported how they have felt in the past week, where they got their news about the outbreak from, and whether they had posted COVID-19 news on social media or discussed the pandemic with others. Even after controlling for other emotions, news sources, and a range of demographic measures, feeling anxious—more so that other negative emotions, such as feeling depressed—predicted greater information sharing on social media (𝛽 = .05, p < .001) and beyond (𝛽 = .14, p < .001). These findings are consistent with functionalist theories of emotion, which predict that fear and anxiety play a unique role in both identifying and communicating threats to oneself and to others.
  🖺 Full Text HTML: Anxiety Talking: Does Anxiety Predict Sharing Information about COVID-19?
• Demographic patterns of lockdown breakers: a worldwide study -
  Knowing who to target with certain messages is the prerequisite of efficient public health campaigns during pandemics. Using the COVID-19 pandemic situation, we explored which facets of the society - defined by age, gender, income, and education levels - are the most likely to visit social gatherings and aggravate the spread of a disease. Analyzing the reported behavior of 87,169 individuals from and 41 countries, we found that in the majority of the countries, the proportion of social gathering-goers was higher in male than female, younger than older, lower-educated than higher educated, and low-income than high-income subgroups of the populations. However, the data showed noteworthy heterogeneity between the countries warranting against generalizing from one country to another. The analysis also revealed that relative to other demographic factors, income was the strongest predictor of avoidance of social gatherings followed by age, education and gender. Although the observed strength of these associations were relatively small, we argue that incorporating demographic-based segmentation into public health campaigns can increase the efficiency of campaigns with an important caveat: the exploration of these associations need to be done on a country level before using the information to target populations in behavior change interventions.
  🖺 Full Text HTML: Demographic patterns of lockdown breakers: a worldwide study
• Incidence Rates of Medically Attended COVID-19 in Infants Less than 6 Months of Age -

  Objective Studies suggest infants may be at increased risk of severe COVID-19 relative to older children, but few data exist regarding the incidence of COVID-19 episodes and associated risk factors. We estimate incidence rates and describe characteristics associated with medically attended COVID-19 episodes among infants younger than 6 months of age. Methods We analyzed electronic medical record data from a cohort of infants born March 1, 2020‒February 28, 2021. Data from three health care delivery systems included demographic characteristics, maternal and infant outpatient visit and hospitalization diagnoses, and SARS-CoV-2 test results. Medically attended COVID-19 episodes were defined by positive SARS-CoV-2 clinical tests and/or COVID-19 diagnosis codes during medical care visits. Unadjusted and site-adjusted incidence rates by infant month of age, low and high SARS-CoV-2 circulation periods and maternal COVID-19 diagnosis were calculated. Results Among 18,192 infants aged <6 months whose mothers received prenatal care within the three systems, 173 (1.0%) had medically attended COVID-19 episodes. Incidence rates were highest among infants aged under 1 month (2.0 per 1,000 person-weeks) and 1 month (2.0 per 1,000 person-weeks) compared with older infants. Incidence rates were also higher for infants born to women with postpartum COVID-19 compared with women without known COVID-19 and women diagnosed with COVID-19 during pregnancy. Conclusion Most medically attended COVID-19 episodes in infants aged <6 months were outpatient care encounters. Infants of women with postpartum COVID-19 had a higher risk of medically attended COVID-19 than infants born to mothers who were diagnosed during pregnancy or never diagnosed underscoring the importance of COVID-19 prevention measures for their household members and caregivers to prevent infections in infants.

  🖺 Full Text HTML: Incidence Rates of Medically Attended COVID-19 in Infants Less than 6 Months of Age
• Modeling and leveraging intuitive theories to improve vaccine attitudes -
  Much of the richness of human thought is supported by people’s intuitive theories—mental frameworks capturing the perceived structure of the world. But intuitive theories can also contain and reinforce dangerous misconceptions. In this paper, we take up the case of misconceptions about vaccine safety that discourage vaccination. These misconceptions constitute a major public health risk that predates the coronavirus pandemic but that has become all the more dire in recent years. We argue that addressing such misconceptions requires awareness of the broader conceptual contexts in which they are embedded. To build this understanding, we examined the structure and revision of people’s intuitive theories of vaccination in five large survey studies (total N = 3196). Based on these data, we present a cognitive model of the intuitive theory surrounding people’s decisions about whether to vaccinate young children against diseases like measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR). Using this model, we were able to make accurate predictions about how people’s beliefs would be revised in light of educational interventions, design an effective new intervention encouraging vaccination, and understand how these beliefs were affected by real-world events (the measles outbreaks of 2019). In addition to presenting a promising way forward for promoting the MMR vaccine, this approach has clear implications for encouraging the uptake of COVID-19 vaccines, especially among parents of young children. At the same time, this work provides the foundation for richer understandings of intuitive theories and belief revision more broadly.
  🖺 Full Text HTML: Modeling and leveraging intuitive theories to improve vaccine attitudes
• Retrospective and prospective studies evaluating the performance of the SARS-Cov-2 “AQ+ COVID-19 Ag Rapid Test” from InTec on symptomatic and non-symptomatic patients -

  For the last two years, the SARS-CoV-2 virus spread all around the world and led to the COVID-19 pandemic. The need of methods to control the pandemic and to propose rapid and efficient diagnostic tools has emerged. In this perspective, SARS-CoV-2 rapid antigen detection tests (RADT) have been developed. We performed a retrospective study on 638 collected nasopharyngeal samples used for reference RT-qPCR diagnosis to compare the AQ+ COVID-19 Ag Rapid Test from InTec (AQ+ InTec test) performance with other commercially available RADT. We analysed the sensitivity and specificity of the different tests and showed a better overall performance of the AQ+ InTec test, which was confirmed on the SARS-Cov-2 Omicron variant. We then conducted a prospective study on 1428 patients, to evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of the AQ+ InTec test on nasal and nasopharyngeal samples in a point of care setting. We showed that sensitivity and specificity reach acceptable criteria regarding the official recommendations of the MDCG 2021-21 in both symptomatic and asymptomatic patients. Overall, the results of these two studies confirm that the AQ+ InTec test is a valuable tool for testing in a pandemic context with a high proportion of asymptomatic patients who are potential carriers for the SARS-CoV-2 virus and is performant on the most current circulating variant Omicron.

  🖺 Full Text HTML: Retrospective and prospective studies evaluating the performance of the SARS-Cov-2 “AQ+ COVID-19 Ag Rapid Test” from InTec on symptomatic and non-symptomatic patients
• A simple non-invasive C reactive protein-based score can predict outcome in patients with COVID-19 -

  Background. We evaluated the role of CRP and other laboratory parameters in predicting the worsening of clinical conditions during hospitalization, ICU admission and fatal outcome among patients with COVID-19. Methods. We enrolled consecutive adult inpatients with SARS-CoV-2 infection and respiratory symptoms treated in three different COVID centres. We looked for laboratory parameters collected within 48 hours from hospital admission as predictors of clinical condition. Results. Three-hundred ninety patients were included in the study. At the correlation and regression analysis, age, baseline CRP and LDH were associated with a P/F ratio<200 during hospitalization. At the multivariate analysis, male gender and CRP > 60 mg/l at admission showed to be independently associated with ICU admission. Lymphocytes<1000 cell/μL at admission were associated with worst P/F ratio. The only laboratory predictor of fatal outcome was CRP>60 mg/l at admission. Based on these results, we devised an 11-points numeric ordinary score based on age, sex, CRP and LDH at admission (ASCL score). Patients with ASCL score of 0 or 2 showed to be protected against a P/F ratio<200, while patients with ASCL score of 6, 7 and 8 showed to be at risk for P/F ratio<200. Patients with ASCL score≥7 had a significant increase to die during the hospitalization. Conclusions. Patients with CRP>60 mg/l or LDH>300 IU/l at hospital admission, as well as patients with an ASCL score>6 at hospital admission, should be prioritized for careful respiratory function monitoring and early treatment to prevent a progression of the disease.

  🖺 Full Text HTML: A simple non-invasive C reactive protein-based score can predict outcome in patients with COVID-19
• When Case Reporting Becomes Untenable: Can Sewer Networks Tell Us Where COVID-19 Transmission Occurs? -

  Monitoring SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater is a valuable approach to track COVID-19 transmission. Designing wastewater surveillance (WWS) with representative sampling sites and quantifiable results requires knowledge of the sewerage system and virus fate and transport. We developed a multi-level WWS system to track COVID-19 in Atlanta using an adaptive nested sampling strategy. From March 2021 to April 2022, 868 wastewater samples were collected from influent lines to wastewater treatment facilities and upstream community manholes. Variations in SARS-CoV-2 concentrations in influent line samples preceded similar variations in numbers of reported COVID-19 cases in the corresponding catchment areas. Community sites under nested sampling represented mutually-exclusive catchment areas. Community sites with high SARS-CoV-2 detection rates in wastewater covered high COVID-19 incidence areas, and adaptive sampling enabled identification and tracing of COVID-19 hotspots. This study demonstrates how a well-designed WWS provides actionable information including early warning of surges in cases and identification of disease hotspots.

  🖺 Full Text HTML: When Case Reporting Becomes Untenable: Can Sewer Networks Tell Us Where COVID-19 Transmission Occurs?
• Effectiveness and Duration of Protection of a Fourth Dose of COVID-19 mRNA Vaccine among Long-Term Care Residents in Ontario, Canada -

  Background: As of December 30, 2021, Ontario long-term care (LTC) residents who received a third dose of COVID-19 vaccine ≥84 days previously were offered a fourth dose to prevent a surge in COVID-19-related morbidity and mortality due to the Omicron variant. Seven months have passed since fourth doses were implemented, allowing for the examination of fourth dose protection over time. Methods: We used a test-negative design and linked databases to estimate the marginal effectiveness (4 versus 3 doses) and vaccine effectiveness (VE; 2, 3, or 4 doses versus no doses) of mRNA vaccines among Ontario LTC residents aged ≥60 years who were tested for SARS-CoV-2 between December 30, 2021 and August 3, 2022. Outcome measures included any Omicron infection, symptomatic infection, and severe outcomes (hospitalization or death). Results: We included 21,275 Omicron cases and 273,466 test-negative controls. The marginal effectiveness of a fourth dose <84 days ago compared to a third dose received ≥84 days ago was 23% (95% Confidence Interval [CI] 17-29%), 36% (95%CI 26-44%), and 37% (95%CI 24-48%) against SARS-CoV-2 infection, symptomatic infection, and severe outcomes, respectively. Additional protection provided by a fourth dose compared to a third dose was negligible against all outcomes ≥168 days after vaccination. Compared to unvaccinated individuals, vaccine effectiveness (VE) of a fourth dose decreased from 49% (95%CI 44%-54%) to 18% (95%CI 5-28%) against infection, 69% (95%CI 62-75%) to 44% (95%CI 24-59%) against symptomatic infection, and 82% (95%CI 77-86%) to 74% (95%CI 62-82%) against severe outcomes <84 days versus ≥168 days after vaccination. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that fourth doses of mRNA COVID-19 vaccines provide additional protection against Omicron-related outcomes in LTC residents, but the protection wanes over time, with more waning seen against infection than severe outcomes.

  🖺 Full Text HTML: Effectiveness and Duration of Protection of a Fourth Dose of COVID-19 mRNA Vaccine among Long-Term Care Residents in Ontario, Canada
• Covid-19: Qualitative Change in the Behavior of the “Virus vs Human” System - From Limit Cycle to Sustained Focus -

  The high contagiousness of the latest strains of Covid-19 qualitatively changes the behavior of the “virus vs human” system. Numerical experiments with a model of the Covid-19 epidemic in Moscow have shown that a reproduction number R0 of about 4 is critical, defining a qualitative change in the dynamics of the epidemic. Below this value (observed until 2022), the long-term forecast tends to undamped oscillations; above this value, it is described by damped oscillations: amplitudes of the epidemic waves get smaller and smaller, with a constant, very high background level of morbidity (or high-intensity vaccination) that maintains the state of natural immunity at a level close to 100% (reaching 93.7% for the current R0 value of about 16). At the limit, the system tends to a stable equilibrium point. Here we consider a reduced model of epidemic dynamics. Its study (search for equilibrium solutions, analysis of their stability, construction a bifurcation diagram and a phase portrait) confirms the presence of points of qualitative change in the behavior of the “virus vs human” system (bifurcation points). Some practical results for Moscow are given. A further increase in the contagiousness of the virus does not change the picture significantly, thus more infectious strains are not to be feared. The key parameter of the study is the function of the immunity level depending on the time after the disease. The damping of omicron waves (oscillations), observed recently in many countries, is a confirmation of the correctness of the accepted hypotheses.

  🖺 Full Text HTML: Covid-19: Qualitative Change in the Behavior of the “Virus vs Human” System - From Limit Cycle to Sustained Focus
• The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on people experiencing homelessness (PEH): a qualitative interview study with PEH and service providers in the UK -
  People experiencing homelessness (PEH) faced unique challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic, including changes to accommodation availability, societal restrictions impacting access to essentials like food, and services moving to online and re-mote access. This in-depth qualitative research aims to add to the existing, but limited research exploring how the pandemic affected PEH. 33 semi-structured qualitative interviews (22 with PEH during the pandemic and 11 with homelessness sector service providers) were undertaken in the United Kingdom between April 2021 and January 2022. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed and analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. To ensure consistency of coding, 10% of interviews were coded by two researchers. The PEH sample was 50% female, aged 24 – 59 years, 59% white British, and included people who had lived in hostels/hotels, with friends/family, and on the streets during the COVID-19 pandemic. Providers came from varied services, including support charities, housing, and addiction services. Five key themes were identified: i) the understanding of and adherence to public health guidance and restrictions; ii) the experience of people accommodated by the ‘Everyone In’ initiative; iii) the impact of social distancing guidelines on PEH experiences in public spaces; iv) the importance of social support and connections to others; and, v) how homelessness services adapted their provision. Policy makers and public health communicators must learn from PEH to maximize the effectiveness of future public health strategies. Housing providers and support services should recognize the implications of imposing a lack of choice on people who need accommodation during a public health emergency. The loss of usual support for PEH triggered a loss of ability to rely on usual ‘survival strategies’, which negatively influenced their health. This research highlights successes and difficulties in supporting PEH during the COVID-19 pandemic and informs planning for similar public health events.
  🖺 Full Text HTML: The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on people experiencing homelessness (PEH): a qualitative interview study with PEH and service providers in the UK
• Specific pandemic-related worries predict higher attention-related errors and negative affect independent of trait anxiety in UK-based students -
  Recent surveys have revealed a rise in anxiety levels, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on cognitive-emotional models of anxiety, we predict this increase may be underpinned by pandemic-related worry (PRW), characterised by repetitive negative thinking about pandemic-specific outcomes. We also predicted that PRW would occupy limited capacity cognitive resources required for attentional control, needed for the regulation of worry. We developed a novel instrument to measure the contents of PRW, and to explore its independent relationship with cognitive functioning and negative affect. A five-factor model of PRW was identified in Study 1 (N = 255) and validated in Study 2 (N = 382). In Study 2, regression analyses revealed that worries about the declining quality of life and the probability of COVID-19 infection were the strongest predictors of attention and memory-related errors. We also found that attention-related errors partially mediated the positive relationship between PRW and negative affect. Importantly, all analyses remained significant when controlling for recalled pre-pandemic trait anxiety and worry, suggesting that the relationships reflected elevated anxiety even in those with low levels of trait anxiety. The findings suggest that to support psychological wellbeing in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, support should target specific PRWs.
  🖺 Full Text HTML: Specific pandemic-related worries predict higher attention-related errors and negative affect independent of trait anxiety in UK-based students

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

• 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

• 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

• 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, 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

• A Preliminary Exploratory Cohort Study of COVID-19 mRNA Vaccine, Bivalent in Participants Aged 18 Years and Over in China - Condition:   SARS-CoV-2
  Interventions:   Biological: COVID-19 Variant (Omicron BA.5) mRNA Vaccine Low dose;   Biological: COVID-19 Variant (Omicron BA.5) mRNA Vaccine High dose;   Drug: Placebo
  Sponsors:   AIM Vaccine Co., Ltd.;   Ningbo Rongan Biological Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd;   First Affiliated Hospital Bengbu Medical College
  Recruiting

From PubMed

• NLRP3-inflammasome activation in male reproductive system diseases - The nucleotide-binding domain, leucine-rich containing family, pyrin domain-containing-3 (NLRP3) inflammasome, a multiprotein complex belonging to the innate immune system, plays a key role in the chronic inflammatory response, through the production of proinflammatory cytokines, IL-1β and IL-18, which can elicit their effects through receptor activation, both locally and systemically. Furthermore, it has been demonstrated the interaction of NLRP3 inflammasome components with redox signaling,…

• Receptor-binding domain-anchored peptides block binding of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 spike proteins with cell surface angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 - CONCLUSION: Using PhD methodology, two peptides were generated bearing potentials to interfere with S protein-ACE2 interaction, which might be further exploited to produce peptidomimetics that block the attachment of SARS-CoV-2 virus onto host cells, hence diminishing the pathogenesis of COVID-19.

• SARS-CoV-2 Nsp14 protein associates with IMPDH2 and activates NF-κB signaling - Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection leads to NF-κB activation and induction of pro-inflammatory cytokines, though the underlying mechanism for this activation is not fully understood. Our results reveal that the SARS-CoV-2 Nsp14 protein contributes to the viral activation of NF-κB signaling. Nsp14 caused the nuclear translocation of NF-κB p65. Nsp14 induced the upregulation of IL-6 and IL-8, which also occurred in SARS-CoV-2 infected cells. IL-8 upregulation…

• The regulation of ISG20 expression on SARS-CoV-2 infection in cancer patients and healthy individuals - ISG20 inhibits viruses such as SARS-CoV-2 invasion; however, details of its expression and regulation with viral susceptibility remain to be elucidated. The present study analyzed ISG20 expression, isoform information, survival rate, methylation patterns, immune cell infiltration, and COVID-19 outcomes in healthy and cancerous individuals. Cordycepin (CD) and N6, N6-dimethyladenosine (m⁶ (2)A) were used to treat cancer cells for ISG20 expression. We revealed that ISG20 mRNA expression was…

• Targeted protein S-nitrosylation of ACE2 inhibits SARS-CoV-2 infection - Prevention of infection and propagation of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a high priority in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Here we describe S-nitrosylation of multiple proteins involved in SARS-CoV-2 infection, including angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), the receptor for viral entry. This reaction prevents binding of ACE2 to the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, thereby inhibiting viral entry, infectivity and cytotoxicity. Aminoadamantane…

• SARS-CoV-2 infects adipose tissue in a fat depot- and viral lineage-dependent manner - Visceral adiposity is a risk factor for severe COVID-19, and a link between adipose tissue infection and disease progression has been proposed. Here we demonstrate that SARS-CoV-2 infects human adipose tissue and undergoes productive infection in fat cells. However, susceptibility to infection and the cellular response depends on the anatomical origin of the cells and the viral lineage. Visceral fat cells express more ACE2 and are more susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection than their subcutaneous…

• Novel Regioselective Approach to Cyclize Phage-Displayed Peptides in Combination with Epitope-Directed Selection to Identify a Potent Neutralizing Macrocyclic Peptide for SARS-CoV-2 - Using the regioselective cyanobenzothiazole condensation reaction with an N-terminal cysteine and the chloroacetamide reaction with an internal cysteine, a phage-displayed macrocyclic 12-mer peptide library was constructed and subsequently validated. Using this library in combination with iterative selections against two epitopes from the receptor binding domain (RBD) of the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Spike protein, macrocyclic peptides that strongly inhibit the…

• Interaction of HDAC2 with SARS-CoV-2 NSP5 and IRF3 Is Not Required for NSP5-Mediated Inhibition of Type I Interferon Signaling Pathway - Over the last 2 years, several global virus-host interactome studies have been published with SARS-CoV-2 proteins with the purpose of better understanding how specific viral proteins can subvert or utilize different cellular processes to promote viral infection and pathogenesis. However, most of the virus-host protein interactions have not yet been confirmed experimentally, and their biological significance is largely unknown. The goal of this study was to verify the interaction of NSP5, the…

• A New Complex Design of Fe (II) Isoleucine Dithiocarbamate as a Novel Anticancer and Antivirus against SARSCOV-2 (COVID-19) - CONCLUSION: Cytotoxic test of Fe(II) isoleucine dithiocarbamate showed moderate anticancer activity on MCF-7 cancer cells and showed antiviral activity against SARSCOV-2 by interfering with spike glycoprotein -ACE2 receptors, and inhibiting major proteases and 3Clpro.

• IL-10 suppresses T cell expansion while promoting tissue-resident memory cell formation during SARS-CoV-2 infection in rhesus macaques - The pro- and anti-inflammatory pathways that determine the balance of inflammation and viral control during SARS-CoV-2 infection are not well understood. Here we examine the roles of IFNγ and IL-10 in regulating inflammation, immune cell responses and viral replication during SARS-CoV-2 infection of rhesus macaques. IFNγ blockade tended to decrease lung inflammation based on ^(18) FDG-PET/CT imaging but had no major impact on innate lymphocytes, neutralizing antibodies, or antigen-specific T…

• Flap structure within receptor binding domain of SARS-CoV-2 spike periodically obstructs hACE2 Binding subdomain bearing similarities to HIV-1 protease flap - The SARS-CoV-2 prefusion spike protein is characterized by a high degree of flexibility and temporal transformations associated with its multifunctional behavior. In this study, we have examined the dynamics of the Receptor Binding Domain (RBD) of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein in detail. Its primary, binding subdomain with human Angiotensin Covering Enzyme II includes a highly conspicuous flap or loop that is part of a beta hairpin loop structural motif. Dynamic details of the RBD obtained…

• Targeting SARS-CoV-2 Main Protease for Treatment of COVID-19: Covalent Inhibitors Structure-Activity Relationship Insights and Evolution Perspectives - The viral main protease is one of the most attractive targets among all key enzymes involved in the SARS-CoV-2 life cycle. Covalent inhibition of the cysteine^(145) of SARS-CoV-2 M^(PRO) with selective antiviral drugs will arrest the replication process of the virus without affecting human catalytic pathways. In this Perspective, we analyzed the in silico, in vitro, and in vivo data of the most representative examples of covalent SARS-CoV-2 M^(PRO) inhibitors reported in the literature to date….

• Porcine epidemic diarrhoea virus (PEDV) infection activates AMPK and JNK through TAK1 to induce autophagy and enhance virus replication - Autophagy plays an important role in defending against invading microbes. However, numerous viruses can subvert autophagy to benefit their replication. Porcine epidemic diarrhoea virus (PEDV) is an aetiological agent that causes severe porcine epidemic diarrhoea. How PEDV infection regulates autophagy and its role in PEDV replication are inadequately understood. Herein, we report that PEDV induced complete autophagy in Vero and IPEC-DQ cells, as evidenced by increased LC3 lipidation, p62…

• The inhibition of MDM2 slows cell proliferation and activates apoptosis in ADPKD cell lines - CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that several inflammatory proteins remain aberrantly dysregulated in COVID-19 survivors and CXCL10 might serve as a potential biomarker to typify COV-LH. Further characterization of these signature inflammatory molecules might improve the understanding of the long-term impacts of COVID-19 and provide new targets for the diagnosis and treatment of COVID-19 survivors with PASC.

• Coronavirus Lung Infection Impairs Host Immunity against Secondary Bacterial Infection by Promoting Lysosomal Dysfunction - Postviral bacterial infections are a major health care challenge in coronavirus infections, including COVID-19; however, the coronavirus-specific mechanisms of increased host susceptibility to secondary infections remain unknown. In humans, coronaviruses, including SARS-CoV-2, infect lung immune cells, including alveolar macrophages, a phenotype poorly replicated in mouse models of SARS-CoV-2. To overcome this, we used a mouse model of native murine β-coronavirus that infects both immune and…

From Patent Search