Covid-19 Sentry

Contents

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

From Preprints

• A cohort of 222 anti-CD20 treated patients with multiple sclerosis followed through the COVID-19 pandemic: Attenuated humoral but robust cellular immune responses after vaccination and infection -

  Importance: Data on immune responses following SARS-CoV-2 vaccinations/infections and on detection rate of SARS- CoV-2 infections in anti-CD20 treated patients with multiple sclerosis (pwMS) are important for guiding management of pwMS during the current SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Objective: To analyze humoral and cellular immune responses to SARS-CoV-2 vaccinations/infections and to determine the detection rate of SARS-CoV-2 infections in anti-CD20 treated pwMS. Design: Prospective single-center cohort study from March 2020 to August 2021. Setting: MS referral center, Charite - Universitaetsmedizin Berlin, Germany. Participants: 222 consecutive pwMS (128 [57.7%] female, median [range] age 39 [17-81] years). 181 patients were on anti-CD20 therapy at study inclusion, 41 began anti-CD20 therapy during the study. Hospital employees (HE, n=19) served as controls. Exposures: pwMS were exposed to anti-CD20 therapy for 169.5 patient years. 51 patients under anti-CD20 treatment, 14 patients before anti-CD20 treatment, and 19 HE were vaccinated twice against SARS-CoV-2. Main outcomes: SARS-CoV-2 spike protein immunoglobulin (Ig)G (ELISA and immunofluorescence), IgA (ELISA), IgG to four recombinant SARS-CoV-2 antigens (solid phase immunoassay), neutralizing capacity of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies (plaque reduction neutralization test), SARS-CoV-2 IgG avidity (modified ELISA), and SARS-CoV-2 specific T cells (interferon-γ release assay). Results: Following two SARS-CoV-2 vaccinations, median (IQR) levels of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein IgG (OD ratio: 1.2 [0.1-5.1] vs. 9.0 [6.8-9.9] vs. 8.8 [8.0-9.4], p<0.0001), neutralizing capacity (PRNT50 Titer: 40 [0-80] vs. 640 [80-640] vs. 640 [320-640], p≤0.006), and antibody avidity (43.6% [14.8-54.6%] vs.  84.1% [53.1-86.8%] vs. 89.7 [76.8-93.4%], p≤0.003) were lower in anti-CD20 treated pwMS than in pwMS before initiation of anti-CD20 therapy and in HE. All anti-CD20 treated pwMS vaccinated twice developed SARS-CoV-2 specific T cells, whose levels did not differ from those of pwMS before initiation of anti-CD20 therapy and HE. SARS-CoV-2 IgG levels (r=0.42, p=0.002) and antibody avidity (r=0.70, p<0.001) increased with time between anti-CD20 infusion and second vaccination. The detection rate of SARS-CoV-2 infections in anti-CD20 treated pwMS (2.36/100 patient years) was similar to that of RT-PCR confirmed SARS-CoV-2 cases in the general Berlin population (3.75/100 person years) during the study period. Interpretation: These findings are relevant for treatment decisions as well as management of SARS- CoV-2 vaccinations in pwMS.

  🖺 Full Text HTML: A cohort of 222 anti-CD20 treated patients with multiple sclerosis followed through the COVID-19 pandemic: Attenuated humoral but robust cellular immune responses after vaccination and infection
• Investigating factors that affect the adoption of Covid-19 contact-tracing apps. A privacy calculus perspective -
  On June 16, 2020 the German government issued a Covid-19 contact-tracing app whose privacy settings were fiercely debated in advance. Contrary, potential benefits regarding the acceleration of contact-tracing were advertised. This study investigated the relative importance of privacy concerns and perceived benefits in relation to the decision to use the app adopting a privacy calculus perspective extended by trust in app privacy and technological knowledge about the app. Results of a representative German sample (N = 952) revealed that privacy concerns were negatively related to app-usage, and perceived benefits and knowledge were positively related to actual app-adoption. Additionally, perceiving app benefits was the most important factor for (continued) usage intention while privacy concerns did not play a role anymore. Trust was strongly negatively associated with privacy concerns and strongly positively with perceived benefits. Results are discussed concerning consequences for communication strategies when launching technology whose adoption should help in mitigating dangers of pandemics.
  🖺 Full Text HTML: Investigating factors that affect the adoption of Covid-19 contact- tracing apps. A privacy calculus perspective
• Tracking changes in touch desire and touch avoidance before and after the COVID-19 outbreak -
  Touch is essential for social interactions, environmental exploration, and wellbeing. However, human touch behavior has been greatly restricted by COVID-19 prevention measures, and this is expected to impact people’s attitude toward touch. Here we examined the transition of people’s touch desire and touch avoidance before and after the COVID-19 outbreak, using data from millions of public Twitter posts over an eight-year span. We found that people’s desire for touching the human body and pet animals increased significantly after the COVID-19 outbreak and remained high afterward. In contrast, the avoidance of touching everyday objects increased immediately after the outbreak but gradually returned to the pre-COVID-19 levels. Our findings highlight the sign of “skin hunger”, a public health crisis due to social distancing, and call attention to the trend that people are becoming less aware of infection control as COVID-19 persists.
  🖺 Full Text HTML: Tracking changes in touch desire and touch avoidance before and after the COVID-19 outbreak
• Countering The Rise in Covid-19 Related Procrastination: An Intervention Study -
  The lockdown due to Covid-19 has propelled a lot of individuals to procrastinate more and deviate from their usual standards of well-being. Procrastination becomes unhealthy for the youth as it involves a harmful delay of tasks that turns into dysfunction. A total of 27 individuals in the 18-25 age group met the sampling criteria and are selected to undergo various interventions for three weeks. The underlying assumption is that the lockdown is related to an increase in procrastination due to numerous factors. The present study is a pre and post design to understand how the interventions made a difference. Lay’s General Procrastination Scale (1986) is used along with a brief qualitative interview to assess the results. The research hypothesis suggests that helpful interventions lead to a decrease in Procrastination. Results show 100% decrease in procrastination levels with significance beyond 0.001 level at the end of interventions, hence, the hypothesis is proved. The study confirms that simple interventions such as mindfulness, physical activity, meditation can be applied to effectively tackle procrastination and enhance well-being.
  🖺 Full Text HTML: Countering The Rise in Covid-19 Related Procrastination: An Intervention Study
• Understanding Burnout in Indian Housewives Amidst COVID-19 Pandemic -
  COVID-19 Pandemic has brought the world underwaters. All over the world, people were affected. The focus during this period was mostly on patients and frontline workers, with some attention also towards working adults. One cohort that has not gained much light during this pandemic is of housewives. Housewives had to manage household chores along with managing family relations – especially in India, where societal expectations lie on the female to provide family members with care and manage the household. Dealing with uncertainty, decreased availability of personal space, increased presence of and interaction with people in the household due to work from home scenarios, shifting to the online world and adapting to the change, economic disturbances, absence of domestic help, managing parental responsibility, increased stress about one’s own and family members’ health and lack of social interaction have contributed to their inconvenience. Existing evidence supports that housewives have been experiencing burnout in their homes. This qualitative study was conducted to see how the added pressure of COVID – 19 and social isolation has affected housewives mentally, leading to burnout. This narrative study includes participants of Indian origin, between the ages of 34 to 50 years. Participants were shortlisted on the basis of their scores obtained on the COVID-19 Burnout Scale, designed by Murat Yıldırım and Fatma Solmaz. The themes generated through this research study are related to understanding the impact of burnout on the mental health of housewives along the areas of physical health, financial well-being, digitization, uncertainty regarding COVID-19, parental responsibilities, social & emotional health, relationship management, and coping mechanisms. The findings of this study suggest that the mental health of housewives has significantly worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic due to constant exposure to certain stressors.
  🖺 Full Text HTML: Understanding Burnout in Indian Housewives Amidst COVID-19 Pandemic
• Psychological Distress among Employed, Partially employed and Unemployed Youths Due to Pandemic: A Comparative Study -
  Novel corona virus, COVID-19 has been declared as pandemic by the WHO (world health organization). The spread of corona virus has lead to wide spread fear which in turn has affected the daily life of every individual, more so the unemployed youths. The present study aimed to examine the level of psychological distress among employed, Partially employed and unemployed youths. The research was conducted on 101 youths in the age range of 18-35 years. The sample of the study consisted 60 unemployed and 41 employed Indian youths. Random sampling method was used in order to select the subject’s for the present study. Online survey method was adopted for the collection of data. Kessler Psychological distress Scale, (K10) was used to assess the level of psychological distress. In order to analyze the data mean, SD, “t” test and “f” test was used. The wide spread contagious outbreak has brought a halt to the fast moving modern world. Thus, this disease has affected every individual directly or indirectly. Such a change in one’s life has caused anxiety, stress and fear, though this is a natural reaction to an uncertain situation. The data reveals that there’s an alarming need to cope and manage the impact of the disease among unemployed youths to ensure good health and wellbeing.

• Mapping Molecular Gene Signatures Among Respiratory Viruses Based on Large-Scale and Genome-wide Transcriptomics Analysis -
  Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is an emerging RNA virus causing COVID-19 disease across the globe. SARS-CoV-2 infected patients exhibit acute respiratory distress syndrome which can be compounded by endemic respiratory viruses and thus highlighting the need to understand the genetic bases of clinical outcome under multiple respiratory infections. In this study, 42 individual datasets and a multi-parametric based selected list of over 12,000 genes against five medically important respiratory viruses (SARS-CoV-2, SARS-CoV-1, influenza A, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and rhinovirus were collected and analysed in an attempt to understand differentially regulated gene patterns and to cast genetic markers of individual and multiple co-infections. While a certain cohort of virus- specific genes were regulated (negatively and positively), notably results revealed a greatest correlation among gene regulation by SARS-CoV-2 and RSV. Furthermore, out of analysed genes, the MAP2K5 and NFKBIL1 were specifically and highly upregulated in SARS-CoV-2 infection in vivo or in vitro. In contrast, several genes including GPBAR1 and SC5DL were specifically downregulated in SARS-CoV-2 datasets. Additionally, we catalogued a set of genes that were conserved or differentially regulated across all the respiratory viruses. These finding provide foundational and genome-wide data to gauge the markers of respiratory viral infections individually and under co-infection.
  🖺 Full Text HTML: Mapping Molecular Gene Signatures Among Respiratory Viruses Based on Large-Scale and Genome-wide Transcriptomics Analysis
• Plant-based production of SARS-CoV-2 antigens for use in a subunit vaccine -
  The COVID-19 pandemic has brought to the forefront an urgent need for the rapid development of highly efficacious vaccines, particularly in light of the ongoing emergence of multiple variants of concern. Plant-based recombinant protein platforms are emerging as cost-effective and highly scalable alternatives to conventional protein production. Viral glycoproteins, however, are historically challenging to produce in plants. Herein, we report the production of plant-expressed wild-type glycosylated SARS-CoV-2 Spike RBD (receptor-binding domain) protein that is recognized by anti-RBD antibodies and exhibits high-affinity binding to the SARS-CoV-2 receptor ACE2 (angiotensin-converting enzyme 2). Moreover, our plant-expressed RBD was readily detected by IgM, IgA, and IgG antibodies from naturally infected convalescent, vaccinated, or convalescent and vaccinated individuals. We further demonstrate that RBD binding to the ACE2 receptor was efficiently neutralized by antibodies from sera of SARS-CoV-2 convalescent and partially and fully vaccinated individuals. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that recombinant RBD produced in planta exhibits suitable biochemical and antigenic features for use in a subunit vaccine platform.
  🖺 Full Text HTML: Plant-based production of SARS-CoV-2 antigens for use in a subunit vaccine
• Bees can be trained to identify SARS-CoV-2 infected samples. -
  The COVID19 pandemic has illustrated the need for the development of fast and reliable testing methods for novel, zoonotic, viral diseases in both humans and animals. Pathologies lead to detectable changes in the Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) profile of animals, which can be monitored, thus allowing the development of a rapid VOC-based test. In the current study, we successfully trained honeybees (Apis mellifera) to identify SARSCoV2 infected minks (Neovison vison) thanks to Pavlovian conditioning protocols. The bees can be quickly conditioned to respond specifically to infected mink odours and could therefore be part of a wider SARSCoV2 diagnostic system. We tested two different training protocols to evaluate their performance in terms of learning rate, accuracy and memory retention. We designed a non- invasive rapid test in which multiple bees are tested in parallel on the same samples. This provided reliable results regarding a subjects health status. Using the data from the training experiments, we simulated a diagnostic evaluation trial to predict the potential efficacy of our diagnostic test, which yielded a diagnostic sensitivity of 92% and specificity of 86%. We suggest that a honeybee-based diagnostics can offer a reliable and rapid test that provides a readily available, low-input addition to the currently available testing methods. A honeybee based diagnostic test might be particularly relevant for remote and developing communities that lack the resources and infrastructure required for mainstream testing methods.
  🖺 Full Text HTML: Bees can be trained to identify SARS- CoV-2 infected samples.
• Boosting of SARS-CoV-2 immunity in nonhuman primates using an oral rhabdoviral vaccine -
  An orally active vaccine capable of boosting SARS-CoV-2 immune responses in previously infected or vaccinated individuals would help efforts to achieve and sustain herd immunity. Unlike mRNA-loaded lipid nanoparticles and recombinant replication-defective adenoviruses, replicating vesicular stomatitis viruses with SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoproteins (VSV-SARS2) were poorly immunogenic after intramuscular administration in clinical trials. Here, by G protein trans-complementation, we generated VSV-SARS2(+G) virions with expanded target cell tropism. Compared to parental VSV-SARS2, G-supplemented viruses were orally active in virus-naive and vaccine-primed cynomolgus macaques, powerfully boosting SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibody titers. Clinical testing of this oral VSV-SARS2(+G) vaccine is planned.
  🖺 Full Text HTML: Boosting of SARS-CoV-2 immunity in nonhuman primates using an oral rhabdoviral vaccine
• Mitoxantrone modulates a glycosaminoglycan-spike complex to inhibit SARS-CoV-2 infection -
  Spike-mediated entry of SARS-CoV-2 into human airway epithelial cells is an attractive therapeutic target for COVID-19. In addition to protein receptors, the SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) protein also interacts with heparan sulfate, a negatively charged glycosaminoglycan (GAG) attached to certain membrane proteins on the cell surface. This interaction facilitates the engagement of spike with a downstream receptor to promote viral entry. Here, we show that Mitoxantrone, an FDA-approved topoisomerase inhibitor, targets a spike-GAG complex to compromise the fusogenic function of spike in viral entry. As a single agent, Mitoxantrone inhibits the infection of an authentic SARS-CoV-2 strain in a cell-based model and in human lung EpiAirway 3D tissues. Gene expression profiling supports the plasma membrane as a major target of Mitoxantrone but also underscores an undesired activity targeting nucleosome dynamics. We propose that Mitoxantrone analogs bearing similar GAG-binding activities but with reduced affinity for DNA topoisomerase may offer an alternative therapy to overcome breakthrough infections in the post-vaccine era.
  🖺 Full Text HTML: Mitoxantrone modulates a glycosaminoglycan-spike complex to inhibit SARS-CoV-2 infection
• Reductions in US life expectancy from COVID-19 by Race and Ethnicity: Is 2021 a repetition of 2020? -

  COVID-19 had a huge mortality impact in the US in 2020 and accounted for the majority of the 1.5-year reduction in 2020 life expectancy at birth. There were also substantial racial/ethnic disparities in the mortality impact of COVID-19 in 2020, with the Black and Latino populations experiencing reductions in life expectancy at birth over twice the reduction experienced by the White population. Despite continued vulnerability of the Black and Latino populations, the hope was that widespread distribution of effective vaccines would mitigate the overall impact and reduce racial/ethnic disparities in 2021. In this study, we use cause-deleted life table methods to estimate the impact of COVID-19 mortality on 2021 US period life expectancy. Our partial-year estimates, based on provisional COVID-19 deaths for January-early October 2021 suggest that racial/ethnic disparities have persisted and that life expectancy at birth in 2021 has already declined by 1.2 years from pre-pandemic levels. Our projected full-year estimates, based on projections of COVID-19 deaths through the end of 2021 from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, suggest a 1.8-year reduction in US life expectancy at birth from pre-pandemic levels, a steeper decline than the estimates produced for 2020. The reductions in life expectancy at birth estimated for the Black and Latino populations are 1.6-2.4 times the impact for the White population.

  🖺 Full Text HTML: Reductions in US life expectancy from COVID-19 by Race and Ethnicity: Is 2021 a repetition of 2020?
• Comparative assessment of methods for short-term forecasts of COVID-19 admissions in England at the local level -

  Background: Forecasting healthcare demand is essential in epidemic settings, both to inform situational awareness and facilitate resource planning. Ideally, forecasts should be robust across time and locations. During the COVID-19 pandemic in England, it is an ongoing concern that demand for hospital care for COVID-19 patients in England will exceed available resources. Methods: We made weekly forecasts of daily COVID-19 hospital admissions for National Health Service (NHS) Trusts in England between August 2020 and April 2021 using three disease-agnostic forecasting models: a mean ensemble of autoregressive time series models, a linear regression model with 7-day-lagged local cases as a predictor, and a scaled convolution of local cases and a delay distribution. We compared their point and probabilistic accuracy to a mean-ensemble of them all, and to a simple baseline model of no change from the last day of admissions. We measured predictive performance using the Weighted Interval Score (WIS) and considered how this changed in different scenarios (the length of the predictive horizon, the date on which the forecast was made, and by location), as well as how much admissions forecasts improved when future cases were known. Results: All models outperformed the baseline in the majority of scenarios. Forecasting accuracy varied by forecast date and location, depending on the trajectory of the outbreak, and all individual models had instances where they were the top- or bottom-ranked model. Forecasts produced by the mean-ensemble were both the most accurate and most consistently accurate forecasts amongst all the models considered. Forecasting accuracy was improved when using future observed, rather than forecast, cases, especially at longer forecast horizons. Conclusions: Assuming no change in current admissions is rarely better than including at least a trend. Using confirmed COVID-19 cases as a predictor can improve admissions forecasts in some scenarios, but this is variable and depends on the ability to make consistently good case forecasts. However, ensemble forecasts can make forecasts that make consistently more accurate forecasts across time and locations. Given minimal requirements on data and computation, our admissions forecasting ensemble could be used to anticipate healthcare needs in future epidemic or pandemic settings.

  🖺 Full Text HTML: Comparative assessment of methods for short-term forecasts of COVID-19 admissions in England at the local level
• Reduced seroconversion in children compared to adults with mild COVID-19 -

  Importance: The immune response in children with SARS-CoV-2 infection is not well understood. Objective: To compare seroconversion in children and adults with non-hospitalized (mild) SARS-CoV-2 infection and to understand the factors that influence this. Design: Participants were part of a household cohort study of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Weekly nasopharyngeal/throat swabs and blood samples were collected during the acute and convalescent period following PCR diagnosis for analysis. Setting: Participants were recruited at the Royal Childrens Hospital, Melbourne, Australia between May and October 2020. Participants: Those who had a SARS-CoV-2 PCR-positive nasal/throat swab. Main outcomes and measures: SARS-CoV-2 antibody and cellular responses in children and adults. Seroconversion was defined by seropositivity in all three serological assays. Results: Among 108 SARS-CoV-2 PCR-positive participants, 57 were children (median age: 4, IQR 2-10) and 51 were adults (median age: 37, IQR 34-45). Using three established serological assays, a lower proportion of children seroconverted compared with adults [20/54 69 (37.0%) vs 32/42 (76.2%); (p<0.001)]. This was not related to viral load, which was similar in children and adults [mean Ct 28.58 (SD: 6.83) vs 24.14 (SD: 8.47)]. Age and sex also did not influence seroconversion or the magnitude of antibody response within children or adults. Notably, in adults (but not children) symptomatic adults had three-fold higher antibody levels than asymptomatic adults (median 227.5 IU/mL, IQR 133.7-521.6 vs median 75.3 IU/mL, IQR 36.9-113.6). Evidence of cellular immunity was observed in adults who seroconverted but not in children who seroconverted. Conclusion and Relevance: In this non-hospitalized cohort with mild COVID-19, children were less likely to seroconvert than adults despite similar viral loads. This has implications for future protection following COVID-19 infection in children and for interpretation of serosurveys that involve children. Further research to understand why children are less likely to seroconvert and develop symptoms following SARS-CoV-2 infection, and comparison with vaccine responses may be of clinical and scientific importance.

  🖺 Full Text HTML: Reduced seroconversion in children compared to adults with mild COVID-19
• Meta-analysis of coagulation disbalances in COVID-19: 41 studies and 17601 patients -

  Introduction. Coagulation parameters are important determinants for COVID-19 infection. We conducted meta- analysis to assess the early hemostatic parameters in retrospective studies in association with severity of infection. Methods. Ovid, PubMed, Web of Sciences, and Google Scholar were searched for research articles that addressed clinical characteristics of COVID-19 patients and disease severity. Results were filtered using exclusion and inclusion criteria and then pooled into a meta-analysis to estimate the standardized mean difference with 95% CI for each of five coagulation parameters (D-dimers, fibrinogen, prothrombin time, platelets count, activated partial thromboplastin time). Two authors independently extracted data and assessed study quality. To explore the heterogeneity and robustness of our fundings, sensitivity and subgroup analyses were conducted. Publication bias was assessed with contour-enhanced funnel plots and Egger test by linear regression. Results. Overall, 41 original studies (17601 patients) on SARS-CoV2 were included. For the two groups of patients, stratified by severity, we identified that D-dimers, fibrinogen, activated partial thromboplastin time, and prothrombin time were significantly higher in the severe group (SMD 0.6985 with 95%CI [0.5155; 0.8815]); SMD 0.661with 95%CI [0.3387; 0.9833]; SMD 0.2683 with 95%CI [0.1357; 0.4009]; SMD 0.284 with 95%CI [0.1472; 0.4208]). In contrast, PLT was significantly lower in patients with more severe cases of COVID-19 (SMD -0.1684 with 95%CI [-0.2826; -0.0542]). Neither the analysis by the leave-one-out method nor the influence diagnostic have identified studies that solely cause significant change in the effect size estimates. Subgroup analysis showed no significant difference between articles originated from different countries but revealed that severity assessment criteria might have influence over estimated effect sizes for platelets and D-dimers. Contour-enhanced funnel plots and the Egger test for D-dimers and fibrinogen revealed significant asymmetry that might be a sign of publication bias. Conclusions. The standard coagulation laboratory parameters with exception of platelets counts are significantly elevated in patients with severe COVID-19. However, fibrinolysis shutdown requires evaluation outside conventional coagulation tests and analysis of additional specific markers related to clotting formation and PLT characteristics. We hypothesize that a proportion and parameters of immature reticulated platelets may serve as additional biomarkers for prediction of adverse events.

  🖺 Full Text HTML: Meta-analysis of coagulation disbalances in COVID-19: 41 studies and 17601 patients

From Clinical Trials

• Randomized Study to Evaluate Intranasal Dose of STI-2099 (COVI-DROPS™) in Outpatient Adults With Mild COVID-19 Infection - Condition:   COVID-19
  Interventions:   Biological: COVI-DROPS;   Drug: Placebo
  Sponsor:   Sorrento Therapeutics, Inc.
  Not yet recruiting

• Lymphatic Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine to Enhance Coronavirus (COVID-19) Vaccination Efficacy - Condition:   COVID-19
  Interventions:   Other: Lymphatic OMM;   Other: Light Touch
  Sponsor:   Rowan University
  Not yet recruiting

• Tocilizumab Versus Baricitinib in Patients With Severe COVID-19 - Condition:   COVID-19
  Interventions:   Drug: Tocilizumab;   Drug: Baricitinib
  Sponsor:   University Hospital of Patras
  Recruiting

• Efficacy and Safety of Ergoferon for COVID-19 Prevention During Vaccination Against SARS-CoV-2 - Condition:   Immunization Against COVID-19
  Interventions:   Drug: Ergoferon;   Drug: Placebo
  Sponsor:   Materia Medica Holding
  Recruiting

• A Ph 2 Trial With an Oral Tableted COVID-19 Vaccine - Condition:   COVID-19
  Interventions:   Drug: VXA-CoV2-1.1-S;   Other: Placebo Tablets
  Sponsor:   Vaxart
  Recruiting

• Pulmonary Function in Patients Recovering From COVID19 Infection : a Pilot Study - Condition:   COVID-19
  Intervention:   Diagnostic Test: diaphragm ultrasonography
  Sponsor:   University Hospital, Limoges
  Not yet recruiting

• Evaluation of the Efficacy of Probiotics to Reduce the Occurrence of Long COVID - Condition:   COVID-19
  Interventions:   Dietary Supplement: Probiotics;   Dietary Supplement: Placebo
  Sponsors:   Centre de recherche du Centre hospitalier universitaire de Sherbrooke;   Lallemand Health Solutions
  Not yet recruiting

• Impact of Nudges on Downloads of COVID-19 Exposure Notification Smartphone Apps: A Randomized Trial - Condition:   COVID-19
  Interventions:   Behavioral: Self-Benefit/Social Norm;   Behavioral: Self- Benefit/No Social Norm;   Behavioral: Other Benefit/Social Norm;   Behavioral: Other Benefit/No Social Norm
  Sponsors:   University of Pennsylvania;   Pennsylvania Department of Health
  Completed

• Cardiovascular Assessment in Patient Recovered From COVID-19 and Recovery of Autonomic Nervous System in Association With the Severity of the Disease - Condition:   COVID-19
  Intervention:   Other: Non invasive cardiovascular monitoring with CNAP device of arterial pressure, ECG and respiratory activity
  Sponsor:   IRCCS Policlinico S. Donato
  Recruiting

• Safety and Efficacy of KOVIR (TD0068) in the Combination Regimen With Background Treatment in COVID-19 Patients (KOVIR) - Condition:   COVID-19
  Interventions:   Dietary Supplement: KOVIR (TD0068) oral capsule;   Dietary Supplement: Placebo oral capsule
  Sponsors:   Sunstar Joint Stock Company;   Vietstar Biomedical Research
  Recruiting

• A Safety and Tolerability Study of BDB-001 in Mild, Moderate COVID-19 Patients - Condition:   COVID-19
  Intervention:   Drug: BDB-001 injection
  Sponsors:  
  Staidson (Beijing) Biopharmaceuticals Co., Ltd;   Beijing Defengrui Biotechnology Co. Ltd
  Completed

• Safety and Immunogenicity Study of Booster Vaccination With Medium-dosage or High-dosage SARS-CoV-2 Inactivated Vaccine for Prevention of COVID-19 - Condition:   COVID-19
  Interventions:   Biological: High-dosage SARS-CoV-2 vaccine;   Biological: Medium-dosage SARS-CoV-2 vaccine
  Sponsor:   Sinovac Biotech Co., Ltd
  Not yet recruiting

• Evaluating Safety, Tolerability, and Potential Efficacy of Intranasal AD17002 in Adults With Mild COVID-19 - Condition:   Covid19
  Interventions:   Biological: AD17002;   Biological: Placebo (Formulation buffer)
  Sponsor:   Advagene Biopharma Co. Ltd.
  Not yet recruiting

• Efficacy of Home Inspiratory Muscle Training in Post-covid-19 Patients: a Randomized Clinical Trial - Condition:   Covid19
  Intervention:   Device: Inspiratory muscle training
  Sponsor:  
  Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte
  Recruiting

• Reducing Hypoxia in Patients With COVID-19 Using Topotecan With Standard of Care - Condition:   COVID-19 Respiratory Infection
  Intervention:   Drug: Topotecan
  Sponsors:   National University Hospital, Singapore;   Christian Medical College, Vellore, India
  Recruiting

From PubMed

• Preclinical characterization of an intravenous coronavirus 3CL protease inhibitor for the potential treatment of COVID19 - COVID-19 caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus has become a global pandemic. 3CL protease is a virally encoded protein that is essential across a broad spectrum of coronaviruses with no close human analogs. PF-00835231, a 3CL protease inhibitor, has exhibited potent in vitro antiviral activity against SARS-CoV-2 as a single agent. Here we report, the design and characterization of a phosphate prodrug PF-07304814 to enable the delivery and projected sustained systemic exposure in human of PF-00835231 to…

• Proton-pump inhibitor use is not associated with severe COVID-19-related outcomes: a propensity score-weighted analysis of a national veteran cohort - No abstract

• The therapeutic promises of Lianhuaqingke in the mice model of coronavirus pneumonia (HCoV-229E and SARS-CoV-2) - CONCLUSIONS: Our results demonstrate that LHQK exerts therapeutic effects on pneumonia caused by HCoVs (HCoV-229E and SARS-CoV-2) in mice, and that the anti-HCoV effects might depend on its immunomodulatory capacities. All these results suggest that LHQK serves as a potential adjuvant for anti-HCoV therapies.

• Resistance of SARS-CoV-2 Beta and Gamma variants to plasma collected from Canadian blood donors during the Spring of 2020 - CONCLUSIONS: This preliminary data can be used as a justification for limiting the use of first wave plasma products in upcoming clinical trials but cannot be used to speculate on general trends in the immunity of Canadian blood donors to SARS-CoV-2. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

• Electrophysiological and Proarrhythmic Effects of Hydroxychloroquine Challenge in Guinea-Pig Hearts - Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ), clinically established in antimalarial and autoimmune therapy, recently raised cardiac arrhythmogenic concerns when used alone or with azithromycin (HCQ+AZM) in Covid-19. We report complementary, experimental, studies of its electrophysiological effects. In patch clamped HEK293 cells expressing human cardiac ion channels, HCQ inhibited I(Kr) and I(K1) at a therapeutic concentrations (IC(50)s: 10 ± 0.6 and 34 ± 5.0 μM). I(Na) and I(CaL) showed higher IC(50)s; I(to) and…

• Complement inhibition for the treatment of COVID-19 triggered thrombotic microangiopathy with cardiac failure: a case report - CONCLUSION: The aetiology of cardiogenic shock observed in this patient cannot simply be explained by his focal and chronic coronary findings. Although viral myocarditis was not formally excluded, both the clinical features of TMA and the rapid resolution of all clinical signs and symptoms after pharmacological complement inhibition suggest a SARS- CoV-2-driven microangiopathic origin of heart failure.

• Search for RNA aptamers against non-structural protein of SARS-CoV-2: Design using molecular dynamics approach - CONCLUSIONS: The study identifies the potential aptamer candidate against less investigated but significant antiviral target i.e., NSP10/NSP16 interface complex.

• Computational guided identification of potential leads from Acacia pennata (L.) Willd. as inhibitors for cellular entry and viral replication of SARS-CoV-2 - CONCLUSION: The present study found isovitexin as the most promising phytocompound to potentially inhibit the cellular entry and viral replication of SARS-CoV-2. We also conclude that compounds having oxygen atom at position 18 (C-ring), -OH group at position 19 (A-ring), and 6-C-glucoside attached to the A-ring at position 3 on a C(6)-C(3)-C(6) flavonoid scaffold could offer the best alternative to develop new leads against SARS-CoV-2.

• Delta variant of COVID-19: A simple explanation - Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, the virus that causes coronavirus disease (COVID-19), has undergone numerous mutations since its initial identification, leading to challenges in controlling the pandemic. Till date, several variants of concern have been identified. However, currently, the Delta variant (B.1.617.2) is the most dreaded one owing to its enhanced transmissibility and increased virulence. In addition, this variant can potentially facilitate fusion of the spike protein…

• Antiviral Effect of Hyunggaeyungyo-Tang on A549 Cells Infected with Human Coronavirus - CONCLUSION: Through the reduction of the amount of coronavirus RNA, our research indicates that HGYGT has antiviral effects. The reduction of IKK and iNOS mRNA levels indicate that HGYGT reduces coronavirus RNA expression and may inhibit the replication of coronavirus by acting on NF-kB/Rel pathways to protect oxidative injury. In addition, decreases in mRNA expression levels of proinflammatory cytokines indicate that the HGYGT may relieve the symptoms of coronavirus infections.

• Mild and Asymptomatic COVID-19 Convalescents Present Long-Term Endotype of Immunosuppression Associated With Neutrophil Subsets Possessing Regulatory Functions - The SARS-CoV-2 infection [coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)] is associated with severe lymphopenia and impaired immune response, including expansion of myeloid cells with regulatory functions, e.g., so-called low-density neutrophils, containing granulocytic myeloid-derived suppressor cells (LDNs/PMN-MDSCs). These cells have been described in both infections and cancer and are known for their immunosuppressive activity. In the case of COVID-19, long-term complications have been frequently…

• Coronavirus Nsp1: Immune Response Suppression and Protein Expression Inhibition - Coronaviruses have brought severe challenges to public health all over the world in the past 20years. SARS-CoV-2, the causative agent of the COVID-19 pandemic that has led to millions of deaths, belongs to the genus beta-coronavirus. Alpha- and beta-coronaviruses encode a unique protein, nonstructural protein 1 (Nsp1) that both suppresses host immune responses and reduces global gene expression levels in the host cells. As a key pathogenicity factor of coronaviruses, Nsp1 redirects the host…

• Synthesis, crystal structure, computational study and anti-virus effect of mixed ligand copper (II) complex with ONS donor Schiff base and 1, 10-phenanthroline - This work deals with the synthesis, crystal structure, computational study and antiviral potential of mixed ligand copper(II) complex Cu(L)(phen), (where, H(2)L = (Z)-N’-((E)-2-hydroxy-3,5-diiodobenzylidene)-N,N-dimethylcarbamohydrazonothioic acid, phen = 1,10-phenanthroline). The Schiff base ligand (H(2)L) is coordinated with Cu(II) ion in O, N, S-tridentate mode. The copper complex (1) crystallized in the monoclinic system of the space group P21/c with eight molecules in the unit cell and…

• Antiviral Potential of the Antimicrobial Drug Atovaquone against SARS-CoV-2 and Emerging Variants of Concern - The antimicrobial medication malarone (atovaquone/proguanil) is used as a fixed-dose combination for treating children and adults with uncomplicated malaria or as chemoprophylaxis for preventing malaria in travelers. It is an inexpensive, efficacious, and safe drug frequently prescribed around the world. Following anecdotal evidence from 17 patients in the provinces of Quebec and Ontario, Canada, suggesting that malarone/atovaquone may present some benefits in protecting against COVID-19, we…

• The role of toll-like receptors in peptic ulcer disease - Helicobacter pylori (HP) is the primary etiologic factor that induces events in the immune system that lead to peptic ulcers. Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are an important part of the innate immune system, as they play pivotal roles in pathogen-associated molecular pattern (PAMP) recognition of HP as well host-associated damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs). Recent advancements such as COX-2 production, LPS recognition through TLR2, CagL, and CagY protein of HP activating TLR5, TLR9…

From Patent Search

• 휴대용 자화 육각수물 발생기 - 본인의 발명은, 사람의 신체에서 육각수물 생성에는 한계가 있으며, 동맥혈관, 정맥혈관 내부 혈액은 수분이 약 90% 이며, 건강한 성인이면, 육각수 물은 약 62% 이며, COVID-19 환자, 사고의 부상, 17만개의 질병, 질환으로 조직세포가 손상되면 자기 신체수복을 위해서 육각수 물을 평소보다 많이 흡수 하면서 동반 산소부족 상태가 되며, 육각수물 보충 없이 산소 호흡기를 사용하면 심각한 후유증이 발병 할 수 있다.

육각수물 부족 상태를 해결하기 위해서, 객관적인 과학적으로 네오디뮴(원자번호 = 60) 3.000 가우스의 자기장을 이용하여서 육각수 물을 62% ~ 80% 이상, 상시 유지 시켜주는 제조 방법이며, 휴대용으로 항시 착용 가능하다. 결론은 COVID-19, 질병, 질환의 근본적인 원인은, 육각수물 부족 상태가 되면 동반 산소 부족 상태가 되면서, 염증 -> 통증 -> 극심한 통증 -> 석회화, 섬유화, 암 까지 발병 한다. - link

• 휴대용 자화 육각수물 발생기 - 본인의 발명은, 사람의 신체에서 육각수 생성에는 한계가 있으며, 동맥혈관, 정맥혈관 내부 혈액은 수분이 90% 이며, 육각수물은 약 62% 이며, COVID-19, 사고 부상, 질병, 질환으로 조직세포가 손상되면 자기 신체수복을 위해서 육각수물을 평소보다 많이 흡수하면서 산소부족 상태가 되며, 육각수 보충 없이 산소호흡기를 사용하면 심각한 후유증이 발병 할 수 있다 육각수물 부족 상태를 해결하기 위해서, 객관적인 과학적으로 네오디뮴(원자번호 = 60) 3.000 가우스의 자기장을 이용하여서 육각수물을 62% ~ 80% 상시 유지 시켜주는 제조 방법이며, 휴대용으로 항시 착용 가능하다. 결론은 COVID-19, 질병, 질환의 근본적인 원인은, 육각수물 부족 상태가 되면 동반 산소 부족 상태가 되면서, 염증 -> 통증 -> 극심한 통증 -> 석회화, 섬유화, 암 까지 발병 한다. - link

• 抗KL-6双特异性抗体及基因、重组载体、药物、试剂盒 - 本发明公开了抗KL‑6双特异性抗体或其变体、或其功能性片段，所述抗KL‑6双特异性抗体或其变体、或其功能性片段包括抗PTS域和抗SEA域，所述抗PTS域的重链可变区的CDR1、CDR2和CDR3分别具有SEQ ID NO.1~3所示的氨基酸序列。本发明还提供了基因、重组载体、药物、试剂盒。本发明的抗KL‑6双特异性抗体或其变体、或其功能性片段用于与KL‑6蛋白特异性结合，基因、重组载体用于抗KL‑6双特异性抗体的制备，药物用于治疗KL‑6蛋白引起的相关疾病，试剂盒用于KL‑6蛋白的定量检测。 - link

• 病毒中和抗体与非中和抗体联合检测方法、检测卡及应用 - 一种病毒中和抗体与非中和抗体联合检测方法、检测卡及其应用，通过病毒受体结合蛋白夹心法原理检测中和抗体，其为通过提前设置病毒受体结合蛋白和能阻断中和抗体与其结合的作为配体的蛋白所形成的复合物，将靶向受体蛋白的非中和抗体提前捕获，保证后续通过夹心法检测中和抗体的特异性。解决了现有技术中中和抗体检测灵敏度低、特异性差以及不能区分中和抗体与非中和抗体的问题，提供了一种简便、快速、灵敏度高、特异性高的病毒中和抗体与非中和抗体联合检测方法、检测卡及其应用。 - link

• 广谱抗冠状病毒和流感病毒及口腔致病菌复合IgY及其制剂 - 本发明提供一种广谱抗冠状病毒IgY和广谱抗流感病毒IgY以及抗口腔致病菌IgY及其组合抗体和制剂。本发明提供制备广谱抗冠状病毒IgY和广谱抗流感病毒IgY以及抗口腔致病菌IgY及其组合抗体和制剂的方法。广谱抗冠状病毒IgY和广谱抗流感病毒IgY可结合保守的抗原表位，达到广谱中和效果，解决新冠病毒和流感病毒变异的问题。本发明将广谱抗新冠病毒IgY和广谱抗流感病毒IgY以及抗口腔致病菌IgY及其组合抗体制成系列制剂，包括牙膏和口含片以及潄口水和其它日用品、口鼻喷雾剂、消毒剂、洗手液、粉剂、片剂、糖果、滴鼻剂、滴眼剂、口服剂、胶囊剂，应用于防治新冠和流感以及口腔疾病的药物、消毒产品、保健品和医疗器械中。 - link

• 스몰 RNA 검출 방법 - 본 발명은 스몰(small) RNA의 분석 및 검출 방법에 관한 것이다. 특히, 본 발명은 짧은 염기서열의 RNA까지 분석이 가능하면서도 높은 민감도 및 정확도로 정량적 검출까지 가능하여 감염증, 암 등 여러 질환의 진단 용도로도 널리 활용될 수 있다. - link

• 健康智能检测方法、装置、电子设备及可读存储介质 - 本申请公开了一种健康智能检测方法、装置、电子设备及可读存储介质，其方法包括获取音频信号，并对所述音频信号进行预处理，得到检测信号；将所述检测信号转化为矩阵数字矩阵；将得到的矩阵数字矩阵作为检测样本，输入健康智能检测模型中，以获取检测结果；其中，所述健康智能检测模型是采用迁移学习和卷积神经网络对训练样本进行训练得到的。本申请由于卷积神经网络各组件或部分组件基于迁移学习进行了重新训练，显著提升了对人们健康检测的准确度；且本申请中的健康智能检测模型为分类模型，计算量小，可将其部署于人们的移动终端中，使用方便，极大程度上提升了用户的使用感受。 - link

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

• 单克隆抗体32C7及其制备方法和用途 - 本发明公开了单克隆抗体32C7及其制备方法和用途。本发明通过制备针对于新冠病毒RBD结构域的中和抗体32C7，在体外通过表面等离子共振检测抗体32C7可以有效地与新冠病毒的S蛋白的RBD结构域结合，通过转基因小鼠感染模型验证了抗体32C7的中和能力，测定了中和抗体32C7对于新冠感染后的肺部病毒滴度和相关炎症因子的抑制效果，结果显示该中和抗体能够明显的抑制病毒在体内的复制并降低炎症因子的产生和肺部炎症浸润。单克隆中和抗体32C7抑制新冠病毒的进入宿主细胞，达到新冠病毒中和抗体的治疗作用，可有效用于治疗或者预防新冠病毒感染引起的呼吸系统损伤。 - link

• 单克隆抗体35B5及其制备方法和用途 - 本发明公开了单克隆抗体35B5及其制备方法和用途。本发明通过制备针对于新冠病毒RBD结构域的中和抗体35B5，在体外通过表面等离子共振检测抗体35B5可以有效地与新冠病毒的S蛋白的RBD结构域结合，通过转基因小鼠感染模型验证了抗体35B5的中和能力，测定了中和抗体35B5对于新冠感染后的肺部病毒滴度和相关炎症因子的抑制效果，结果显示该中和抗体能够明显的抑制病毒在体内的复制并降低炎症因子的产生和肺部炎症浸润。单克隆中和抗体35B5抑制新冠病毒的进入宿主细胞，达到新冠病毒中和抗体的治疗作用，可有效用于治疗或者预防新冠病毒感染引起的呼吸系统损伤。 - link