Covid-19 Sentry

Contents

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

From Preprints

• How compliance with behavioural measures during the initial phase of a pandemic develops over time: a longitudinal COVID-19 study -
  In this longitudinal research we adopt a complexity approach to examine temporal dynamics of variables related to compliance with behavioural measures during the COVID-19 pandemic. Dutch participants (N = 2,399) completed surveys with COVID-19-related variables five times over a period of 10 weeks (April 23th – June 30th 2020). With this data we estimated within-person COVID-19 attitude networks containing a broad set of psychological variables and their relations. These networks display variables’ predictive effects over time between measurements and contemporaneous effects during measurements. Results show 1) bidirectional effects between multiple variables relevant for compliance, forming potential feedback loops, and 2) a positive reinforcing structure between compliance, support for behavioural measures, involvement in the pandemic and vaccination intention. These results can explain why levels of these variables decreased throughout the course of the study. The reinforcing structure points towards potentially amplifying effects of interventions on these variables, and might inform processes of polarization. We conclude that adopting a complexity approach might contribute to understanding protective behaviour in the initial phase of pandemics by combining different theoretical models and modelling bidirectional effects between variables. Future research could build upon this research by studying causality with interventions and including additional variables in the networks.
  🖺 Full Text HTML: How compliance with behavioural measures during the initial phase of a pandemic develops over time: a longitudinal COVID-19 study
• Mindsponge-based reasoning of households’ financial resilience during the Covid-19 crisis -
  The Covid-19 crisis was remarkable because no global recession model could predict or provide early notice of when the coronavirus pandemic would happen and damage the global economy. Resilience to financial shocks is crucial for households as future crises like Covid-19 are inevitable. Therefore, the current study aims to the effects of financial literacy and accessibility to financial information on the financial resilience of Vietnamese households through the lens of an information-processing perspective. The Bayesian Mindsponge Framework (BMF) analytics was employed on a dataset of 839 samples for the investigation. We found that households of respondents with better financial knowledge and investment skills are less likely to be financially affected during the peak of the Covid-19 crisis, but the effect of investment skills is weakly reliable. Accessibility to financial information through informal sources (having a household member working in the financial sector) and formal sources (participating in a financial course) is positively associated with the respondents’ financial knowledge and investment skills. This finding suggests that the spillover effect of financial knowledge and skills among residents exists, leading to better resilience toward financial shocks. However, if the financial information is inaccurate, it might lead to misinformation, false beliefs, and poor economic decisions on a large scale.
  🖺 Full Text HTML: Mindsponge-based reasoning of households’ financial resilience during the Covid-19 crisis
• Parental contributions to language development during the COVID-19 pandemic -
  The COVID-19 pandemic caused temporary yet significant changes in young children’s learning environments around the world. In Turkey and many other countries where young children are commonly taken care of at home, a notable pandemic-related change was the increased presence of the father at home. This study utilized this unusual situation to examine the contributions of mothers and fathers in language learning. A two-part online survey was administered to the parents of an 8- to 36- month-old, and we analyzed data from 128 families at Time 1 (Mage = 21.91) and 52 families at Time 2 (Mage = 25.09). As a proxy of the parental language input, we asked the parents to write a story about a picture as if they were telling a bedtime story to their child. The number of words used in the mother’s story, but not the father’s story, predicted the vocabulary level of children. We also report socio-economic status (SES), use of digital devices, and book reading to examine the possible indirect influence of parents. Overall, our results suggest parental input is the key to healthy language development during the global crisis, but the generalizability of the finding should be tested in the future.
  🖺 Full Text HTML: Parental contributions to language development during the COVID-19 pandemic
• Psychophysiologic symptom relief therapy (PSRT) for post-acute sequelae of COVID-19: a non-randomized interventional study -

  Objective: To determine if psychophysiologic symptom relief therapy (PSRT) will reduce symptom burden in patients suffering from post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC) who had mild/moderate acute COVID-19 disease without objective evidence of organ injury. Patients and Methods: Twenty-three adults under the age of 60 with PASC for at least 12 weeks following COVID-19 infection were enrolled in an interventional cohort study conducted via virtual platform between May 18, 2021 and August 7, 2022. Participants received PSRT during a 13 week (approximately 44 hour) course. Participants were administered validated questionnaires at baseline and at 4, 8, and 13 weeks. The primary outcome was change in somatic symptoms from baseline, measured using the Somatic Symptom Scale-8 (SSS-8). Results: The median duration of symptoms prior to joining the study was 267 days (IQR: 144, 460). The mean SSS-8 score of the cohort decreased from baseline by 8.5 (95% CI: 5.7-11.4), 9.4 (95% CI: 6.9-11.9), and 10.9 (95% CI: 8.3-13.5) at 4, 8, and 13 weeks respectively (all p<0.001). Participants also experienced statistically significant improvements across secondary outcomes including changes in dyspnea, fatigue, and pain (all p<0.001). Conclusion: PSRT may effectively decrease symptom burden in patients suffering from PASC without evidence of organ injury. The study was registered on clinicaltrials.gov (NCT 04854772).

  🖺 Full Text HTML: Psychophysiologic symptom relief therapy (PSRT) for post-acute sequelae of COVID-19: a non-randomized interventional study
• Gut microbial disruption in critically ill patients with COVID-19 associated pulmonary aspergillosis -
  Objectives: COVID-19 disease can be exacerbated by Aspergillus superinfection (CAPA). The causes of CAPA are not yet fully understood. Recently, alterations in the gut microbiome have been associated with a complicating course and increasing severity of COVID-19 disease, most likely via immunological mechanisms. Aim of this study was to investigate a potential association between severe CAPA and alterations in the gut and bronchial microbiota. Methods: We performed 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing of stool and bronchial samples from a total of 16 COVID-19 patients with CAPA and 26 patients without CAPA. All patients were admitted to the intensive care unit. Results were carefully tested for potential influences on the microbiome during hospitalization. Results: We found that late in COVID-19 disease, CAPA patients exhibited a trend towards reduced gut microbial diversity. Furthermore, late stage CAPA disease showed an increased presence of Staphylococcus epidermidis in the gut. This is not found in late non-CAPA cases or early disease. The analysis of bronchial samples did not show significant results. Conclusions: This is the first study showing alterations in the gut microbiome accompany severe CAPA and possibly influence the hosts immunological response. In particular, an increase of Staphylococcus epidermidis in the intestine could be of importance.
  🖺 Full Text HTML: Gut microbial disruption in critically ill patients with COVID-19 associated pulmonary aspergillosis
• GRAd-COV2 vaccine provides potent and durable immunity in a randomised placebo-controlled phase 2 trial (COVITAR) -

  Background. SARS-CoV-2 ongoing pandemic and heterologous immunization approaches implemented worldwide for booster doses call for diversified vaccines portfolio. We report safety and immunogenicity of GRAd-COV2, a novel gorilla adenovirus-based COVID-19 vaccine, in a phase 2 trial aimed at identifying the appropriate dose and schedule. Method. 917 eligible adults aged 18 years or older, including participants with co-morbidities, were randomised to receive, 21 days apart, a single vaccine administration at 2x1011 viral particles (vp) followed by placebo, or repeated vaccine administration at 1x1011 vp, or two doses of placebo. Primary endpoints were the incidence of local and systemic solicited AEs for 7 days post each dose and the post-treatment (35 days after the first dose), geometric mean titers (GMTs) and geometric mean fold rise (GMFRs) of ELISA antibody responses to Spike protein. Additional humoral and cellular immune response parameters were monitored for up to six months. Results. The safety profile of GRAd-COV2 was characterized by short-term, mild-to-moderate pain and tenderness at injection site, fatigue, headache, malaise, and myalgia. Neither related SAEs nor deaths were reported. Humoral (binding and neutralizing) Ab responses peaked at day 35 after a single administration, were boosted by a second vaccination, were sustained until day 57 to then decline at day 180. Potent, VOC cross-reactive T cell responses peaked already after first dose with high frequencies of long-lived CD8 T cells. Conclusion. GRAd-COV2 was safe, and induced robust immune responses after a single immunization; the second administration increased humoral but not cellular immune responses.

  🖺 Full Text HTML: GRAd-COV2 vaccine provides potent and durable immunity in a randomised placebo-controlled phase 2 trial (COVITAR)
• Rehabilitation in Survivors of COVID-19 (RE2SCUE): a non-randomized, controlled and open study -

  The sequelae of coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) are another socio-economic problem of the pandemic. Fatigue and dyspnea are the most prevalent symptoms. It is not known whether exercise can be used to treat long COVID-19. This study aimed to investigate the effects of an 8-week face-to-face rehabilitation program on COVID-19 compared to a remote monitoring group. A total of 37 participants (24.3% hospitalized) were assessed before and after rehabilitation (n=22; 40.8 sd 10.0 years) or remote monitoring (n=15; 45.4 sd 10.5 years). The participants were allocated according to their preferences. Both groups showed improved fatigue and exercise capacity (Incremental Shuttle Walk Test). Participants in the face-to-face rehabilitation group showed improved dyspnea (Pulmonary Functional Status and Dyspnea Questionnaire), anxiety (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale), attention, and short-term memory (d2-R and Rey9s Auditory-Verbal Learning Test). Of the main sequelae, fatigue improves naturally, whereas dyspnea requires rehabilitation. Our results demonstrated the benefits of exercise for COVID-19 sequelae.

  🖺 Full Text HTML: Rehabilitation in Survivors of COVID-19 (RE2SCUE): a non-randomized, controlled and open study
• Incidence, risk and severity of SARS-CoV-2 reinfections in children and adolescents: a population-level study between March 2020 and July 2022 -

  IMPORTANCE During the COVID-19 pandemic children and adolescents were massively infected worldwide. In 2022 reinfections became increasingly common and they may continue to be a main feature of the endemic phase of SARS-CoV-2. It is important to understand the epidemiology and clinical impact of reinfections. OBJECTIVE To assess the incidence, risk, and severity of SARS-CoV-2 reinfection in children and adolescents. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS A population-level observational study was performed using surveillance data from the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina, Serbia between March 6, 2020 and April 30, 2022 with follow-up until July 31, 2022. The population-based sample consisted of 32 524 residents of Vojvodina <18 years of age with laboratory confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection. EXPOSURES The surveillance database of the Institute for Public Health of Vojvodina was harnessed for epidemiological data of laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infections. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Incidence rates of documented SARS-CoV-2 reinfection per 1000 person-months. Estimated risk of documented reinfection ≥90 days after laboratory confirmation of primary infection. Reinfection severity and associated hospitalizations and deaths. RESULTS A total of 964 children (3.0%) experienced documented reinfection. The incidence rate of SARS-CoV-2 documented reinfections was 3.2 (CI 3.0-3.4) cases per 1000 person- months and was highest in adolescents aged 12-17 years (3.4; CI 3.2-3.7). Most reinfections (905, 93.9%) were recorded in 2022. The reinfection risk was 1.3% at six months, 1.9% at nine months, 4.0% at 12 months, 6.7% at 15 months, 7.2% at 18 months and 7.9% after 21 months. 3 Pediatric COVID-19 cases were generally mild. The proportion of severe clinical forms decreased from 14 (1.4%) in initial episodes to 3 (0.3%) in reinfections. Reinfected children were 4.7 times more likely to suffer from severe disease during initial infection compared to reinfection (McNemar OR=4.7; 95%CI 1.3-16.2, p=0.015). Pediatric reinfections rarely led to hospitalization (0.5% vs. 1.3% during primary infections) and none resulted in death. CONCLUSION AND RELEVANCE Reinfections are becoming more frequent as the pandemic progresses, yet the risk remains substantially lower for children and adolescents compared to adults. Pediatric infections rarely had clinical consequences and reinfections were even milder than primary infections.

  🖺 Full Text HTML: Incidence, risk and severity of SARS-CoV-2 reinfections in children and adolescents: a population-level study between March 2020 and July 2022
• Health care workers’ self-perceived infection risk and COVID-19 vaccine uptake: a mixed methods study -

  Background: Vaccination is the most cost-effective way of preventing COVID-19 disease although there was a considerable delay in its institution in Tanzania. This study aimed to assess healthcare workers’ (HCWs) self-perceived infection risk and uptake of COVID-19 vaccines. Methods: A concurrent embedded, mixed methods research design was utilized to collect data among HCWs in seven Tanzanian regions. Quantitative data was collected using a validated, pre-piloted, interviewer administered questionnaire whereas in-depth interviews and focus group discussions gathered qualitative data. Descriptive analyses were performed, and chi-square test used to test for associations across categories. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the qualitative data. Results: A total of 1,386 HCWs responded to the quantitative tool, 26 participated in the in-depth interviews and 74 in the focus-group discussions. About half of the HCW (53.6%) reported to have been vaccinated and three quarters (75.5%) self-perceived to be at a high risk of acquiring COVID-19 infection. Participants perceived that the nature of their work and the working environment in the health facilities increases their risk to infection. Limited availability and use of personal protective equipment was reported to elevate the perceived risks to the infection. Respondents belonging in the oldest age group and from low and mid-level health care facilities had higher proportions with a high-risk perception of acquiring COVID-19 infection compared to their counterparts. Conclusions: Only about half of the HCWs reported to be vaccinated albeit the majority recounted higher perception of risk to contracting COVID-19 due to their working environment, including limited availability and use of personal protective equipment. Efforts to address heightened perceived-risks should include improving the working environment, availability of PPEs and continue updating HCWs on the benefits of COVID-19 vaccine to limit their risks to the infection and consequent transmission to their patients and public.

  🖺 Full Text HTML: Health care workers’ self-perceived infection risk and COVID-19 vaccine uptake: a mixed methods study
• Time trends of mental health indicators in Germany’s adult population before and during the COVID-19 pandemic -

  Background Times of crisis such as the COVID-19 pandemic are expected to compromise mental health. Despite a large number of studies, evidence on the development of mental health in general populations during the pandemic is inconclusive. One reason may be that representative data spanning the whole pandemic and allowing for comparisons to pre-pandemic data are scarce. Methods We analyzed representative data from telephone surveys of Germanys adults: German Health Update (GEDA) and COVID-19 vaccination rate monitoring in Germany (COVIMO). Three indicators of mental health were observed in approximately 1,000 and later 3,000 randomly sampled participants monthly until June 2022: symptoms of depression (observed since April 2019 using the PHQ-2), symptoms of anxiety (observed since March 2021 using the GAD-2) and self-rated mental health (observed since March 2021 using a single item). We produced time series graphs including estimated three-month moving means and proportions of individuals with a positive screen (PHQ/GAD-2 score ≥ 3) and of those reporting very good/excellent mental health, as well as smoothing curves. We also compared time periods between years. Analyses were stratified by sex, age, and level of education. Results While mean depressive symptom scores declined from the first wave of the pandemic to summer 2020, they increased from October 2020 and remained consistently elevated throughout 2021 with another increase between 2021 and 2022. Correspondingly, the proportion of positive screens first decreased from 11.1 % in spring/summer 2019 to 9.3 % in the same period in 2020 and then rose to 13.1 % in 2021 and to 16.9 % in 2022. While depressive symptoms increased in all subgroups at different times, developments among women, the youngest and eldest adults, and the high level of education group stand out. Furthermore, symptoms of anxiety increased while self-rated mental health decreased between 2021 and 2022. Conclusion Elevated symptom levels and reduced self-rated mental health at the end of our observation period in June 2022 call for further continuous mental health surveillance. Mental healthcare needs of the population should be monitored closely. Findings should serve to inform policymakers and clinicians of ongoing dynamics to guide health promotion, prevention, and care.

  🖺 Full Text HTML: Time trends of mental health indicators in Germany’s adult population before and during the COVID-19 pandemic
• Impact of the COVID-19 Vaccination Program on Case Incidence, Emergency Department Visits, and Hospital Admissions among Children Aged 5–17 Years during the Delta and Omicron Periods —United States, December 2020 to April 2022 -

  Background: In the United States, national ecological studies suggest a positive impact of COVID-19 vaccination coverage on outcomes in adults. However, the national impact of the vaccination program on COVID-19 in children remains unknown.  To determine the association of COVID-19 vaccination with U.S. case incidence, emergency department visits, and hospital admissions for pediatric populations during the Delta and Omicron periods. Methods: We conducted an ecological analysis among children aged 5–17 and compared incidence rate ratios (RRs) of COVID-19 cases, emergency department visits, and hospital admissions by pediatric vaccine coverage, with jurisdictions in the highest vaccine coverage quartile as the reference. Results: RRs comparing states with lowest pediatric vaccination coverage to the highest pediatric vaccination coverage were 2.00 and 0.64 for cases, 2.96 and 1.11 for emergency department visits, and 2.76 and 1.01 for hospital admissions among all children during the Delta and Omicron periods, respectively. During the 3-week peak period of the Omicron wave, only children aged 12–15 and 16–17 years in the states with the lowest versus highest coverage, had a significantly higher rate of emergency department visits (RR=1.39 and RR=1.34, respectively).  Conclusions: COVID-19 vaccines were associated with lower case incidence, emergency department visits and hospital admissions among children during the Delta period but the association was weaker during the Omicron period. Pediatric COVID-19 vaccination should be promoted as part of a program to decrease COVID-19 impact among children; however, vaccine effectiveness may be limited when available vaccines do not match circulating viral variants.

  🖺 Full Text HTML: Impact of the COVID-19 Vaccination Program on Case Incidence, Emergency Department Visits, and Hospital Admissions among Children Aged 5–17 Years during the Delta and Omicron Periods —United States, December 2020 to April 2022
• Sensitivity of endemic behaviour of Covid-19 under a multi-dose vaccination regime, to various biological parameters and control variables -

  For an infectious disease such as Covid-19, we present a new four-stage vaccination model (un-vaccinated, dose 1+2, booster, repeated boosters), which examines the impact of vaccination coverage, vaccination rate, generation interval, control reproduction number, vaccine efficacies, and rates of waning immunity, upon the dynamics of infection. We derive a single equation that allows computation of equilibrium prevalence and incidence of infection, given knowledge about these parameter and variable values. Based upon a 20 compartment model, we develop a numerical simulation of the associated differential equations. The model is not a forecasting or even predictive one, given the uncertainty about several biological parameter values. Rather, it is intended to aid qualitative understanding of how equilibrium levels of infection may be impacted upon, by the parameters of the system. We examine one at a time sensitivity analysis around a base case scenario. The key finding which should be of interest to policy makers, is that while factors such as improved vaccine efficacy, increased vaccination rates, lower waning rates, and more stringent non- pharmaceutical interventions might be thought to improve equilibrium levels of infection, this might only be done to good effect, if vaccination coverage on a recurrent basis, is sufficiently high.

  🖺 Full Text HTML: Sensitivity of endemic behaviour of Covid-19 under a multi-dose vaccination regime, to various biological parameters and control variables
• Associations Between Reported Post-COVID-19 Symptoms and Subjective Well-Being, Israel, July 2021 -April 2022 -

  The impact of individual symptoms reported post-COVID-19 on subjective well-being (SWB) is unknown. We described associations between SWB and selected reported symptoms following SARS-CoV-2 infection. We analysed reported symptoms and subjective well being from 2295 participants (of which 576 reporting previous infection) in an ongoing longitudinal cohort study taking place in Israel. We estimated changes in SWB associated with reported selected symptoms at three follow-up time points (3-6, 6-12, and 12-18 months post infection) among participants reporting previous SARS-CoV-2 infection, adjusted for key demographic variables, using linear regression. Our results suggest that the biggest and most sustained changes in SWB stems from non-specific symptoms (fatigue -7.7 percentage points (pp), confusion/ lack of concentration -10.7 pp, and sleep disorders -11.5pp, p<0.005), whereas the effect of system-specific symptoms, such as musculoskeletal symptoms (weakness in muscles and muscle pain) on SWB, are less profound and more transient. Taking a similar approach for other symptoms and following individuals over time to describe trends in SWB changes attributable to specific symptoms will help understand the post-acute phase of COVID-19 and how it should be defined and better managed.

  🖺 Full Text HTML: Associations Between Reported Post-COVID-19 Symptoms and Subjective Well-Being, Israel, July 2021 -April 2022
• Pre-pandemic humoral immunity to SARS-CoV-2 in Africa: systematic review and meta-analysis -

  Background: Low numbers of recorded COVID-19 deaths in Africa may be due to undercounting and/or protection due to demographic and/or other factors, including pre-existing immunity. Several studies have assessed pre-pandemic samples for anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies with heterogeneous results. Methods: We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies evaluating pre-pandemic African samples for anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibody activity using pre-set assay-specific thresholds for seropositivity. Data where assay thresholds were calibrated on African populations were excluded. Searches used PubMed (September 13, 2022), reference lists of retrieved papers and citing articles (Google Scholar). Data were extracted independently by two authors on study and assay characteristics, and number of positive and tested samples. Datasets were classified according to malaria, dengue, and HIV burden. Proportions of seropositivity were combined with random effects meta-analysis. Results: 22 articles with 117 datasets were eligible, including 2,971 positives among 21,988 measurements (13.5%) with large between-dataset heterogeneity. Positivity was higher for anti-S1 (25%) and lower for anti-RBD antibodies (8%). Positivity was non-significantly higher for IgM than for IgG antibodies. Positivity was seen prominently in countries where malaria transmission occurs throughout and in datasets enriched in malaria cases (17%, 95% CI, 15-19%) versus 1%, 95% CI 0-2% in other datasets). There were modest differences according to dengue burden (15% versus 11%). Substantial SARS-CoV-2 reactivity was seen in high malaria burden with or without high dengue burden (seropositivity 19% and 12%, respectively), and not without high malaria burden (seropositivity 2% and 0% with and without high dengue burden, respectively). There were modestly lower proportions of positivity in datasets with >10% of HIV-infected participants (8% versus 15% in others), but no association according to HIV serostatus in individual samples (summary odds ratio 0.97, 95% CI, 0.55-1.70). Interpretation: Pre-pandemic samples from Africa show high levels of anti-SARS-CoV-2 seropositivity that tracks especially with malaria.

  🖺 Full Text HTML: Pre-pandemic humoral immunity to SARS-CoV-2 in Africa: systematic review and meta-analysis
• Short-sighted decision-making by those not vaccinated against COVID-19 -
  Widespread vaccination is necessary to minimize or halt the effects of many infectious diseases, including COVID-19. Stagnating vaccine uptake can prolong pandemics, raising the question of how we might predict, prevent, and correct vaccine hesitancy and unwillingness. In a multinational sample (N=4,452) recruited from 13 countries that varied in pandemic severity and vaccine uptake (July 2021), we examined whether short-sighted decision-making as exemplified by steep delay discounting—choosing smaller immediate rewards over larger delayed rewards—predicts COVID-19 vaccination status. Delay discounting was steeper in unvaccinated individuals and predicted vaccination status over and above demographics or mental health. The results suggest that delay discounting, a personal characteristic known to be modifiable through cognitive interventions, is a contributing cause of differences in vaccine compliance.
  🖺 Full Text HTML: Short-sighted decision-making by those not vaccinated against COVID-19

From Clinical Trials

• A Study to Learn About a Repeat 5-Day Treatment With the Study Medicines (Called Nirmatrelvir/Ritonavir) in People 12 Years Old or Older With Return of COVID-19 Symptoms and SARS-CoV-2 Positivity After Finishing Treatment With Nirmatrelvir/Ritonavir - Condition:   COVID-19
  Interventions:   Drug: nirmatrelvir;   Drug: ritonavir;   Drug: placebo for nirmatrelvir
  Sponsor:   Pfizer
  Not yet recruiting

• A Phase III Study to Evaluate Immunogenicity and Safety of COVID-19 Vaccine EuCorVac-19 in Healthy Adults - Condition:   COVID-19
  Interventions:   Biological: EuCorVac-19;   Biological: ChAdOx1
  Sponsor:   EuBiologics Co.,Ltd
  Recruiting

• 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

• 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

• COVID-19 Booster Dose Reminder/Recall for Adolescents - Condition:   COVID-19 Vaccines
  Intervention:   Behavioral: Reminder/Recall Sent Via Preferred Method of Communication
  Sponsor:   Marshfield Clinic Research Foundation
  Active, not recruiting

• VAX-MOM COVID-19: Increasing Maternal COVID-19 Vaccination - Conditions:   Immunization; Infection;   Pregnancy Related;   COVID-19
  Interventions:   Behavioral: VAX-MOM COVID-19 Intervention;   Other: Standard of Care
  Sponsors:   University of Rochester;   Centers for Disease Control and Prevention;   University of California, Los Angeles
  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

• Personalized Computerized Training Program for Cognitive Dysfunction After COVID-19 - Conditions:   Post-Acute COVID-19;   Long COVID
  Intervention:   Device: CogniFit’s CCT Post COVID-19
  Sponsor:   Universidad Antonio de Nebrija
  Completed

• Understanding the Impact of Death Conditions Linked to the COVID-19 Crisis on the Grieving Process in Bereaved Families - Condition:   Psychological Disorder
  Intervention:   Other: Qualitative research interview
  Sponsor:   Assistance Publique - Hôpitaux de Paris
  Not yet recruiting

• Sequential Enhanced Safety Study of a Novel Coronavirus Messenger RNA (mRNA) Vaccine in Adults Aged 18 Years and Older. - Condition:   Corona Virus Disease 2019(COVID-19)
  Intervention:   Biological: 0.3ml of mRNA vaccine
  Sponsor:   Yu Qin
  Enrolling by invitation

• 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

• Physiology of Long COVID and the Impact of Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation on Quality-of-Life and Functional Capacity - Condition:   Post-acute Sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 Infection
  Intervention:   Behavioral: Exercise
  Sponsor:   University of Colorado, Denver
  Not yet recruiting

• Phase 3 Study to Evaluate Immunogenicity and Safety of BBV154 Booster Dose - Condition:   COVID-19 Respiratory Infection
  Interventions:   Biological: BBV154 Intranasal Vaccine;   Biological: Intramuscular vaccine COVAXIN;   Biological: Covishield
  Sponsor:   Bharat Biotech International Limited
  Completed

• 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

From PubMed

• A First in man study to Evaluate the Safety, Pharmacokinetics, and Pharmacodynamics of RP7214, a Dihydroorotate Dehydrogenase (DHODH) inhibitor in Healthy Subjects - Dihydroorotate dehydrogenase (DHODH) is a mitochondrial enzyme that is essential for pyrimidine de-novo synthesis. Rapidly growing cancer cells and replicating viruses are dependent on host cell nucleotides, the precursors of which are provided by DHODH. Hence DHODH becomes an ideal target for pharmacological intervention. RP7214 is a potent and selective inhibitor of human DHODH and has shown anti-viral and anti-leukemic activity in preclinical studies. This paper describes the Phase I study…

• Face masks inhibit facial cues for approachability and trustworthiness: an eyetracking study - Wearing face masks during the Covid-19 pandemic has undeniable benefits from our health perspective. However, the interpersonal costs on social interactions may have been underappreciated. Because masks obscure critical facial regions signaling approach/avoidance intent and social trust, this implies that facial inference of approachability and trustworthiness may be severely discounted. Here, in our eyetracking experiment, we show that people judged masked faces as less approachable and…

• Rapid Generation of Circulating and Mucosal Decoy Human ACE2 using mRNA Nanotherapeutics for the Potential Treatment of SARS-CoV-2 - Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) can cause lethal pulmonary damage in humans. It contains spike proteins on its envelope that bind to human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (hACE2) expressed on airway cells, enabling entry of the virus, and causing infection. The soluble form of hACE2 binds SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, prevents viral entry into target cells, and ameliorates lung injury; however, its short half-life limits therapeutic utilities. Here, synthetic mRNA is…

• Therapeutic potential of kaempferol on Streptococcus pneumoniae infection - Co-infections with pathogens and secondary bacterial infections play significant roles during the pandemic coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pathogenetic process, caused by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Notably, co-infections with Streptococcus pneumoniae (S. pneumoniae), as a major Gram-positive pathogen causing pneumonia or meningitis, severely threaten the diagnosis, therapy, and prognosis of COVID-19 worldwide. Accumulating evidences have emerged indicating…

• Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on changes in temperature-sensitive cardiovascular and respiratory disease mortality in Japan - Some cardiovascular and respiratory diseases are triggered by changes in ambient temperature or extremes of temperature. This study aimed to clarify the changes in mortality associated with temperature-sensitive diseases in Japan during the COVID-19 pandemic. We used data from three major cities (Sapporo City, Tokyo 23 wards, and Osaka City) from 2010 to 2019 to determine disease mortality rates and monthly mean temperatures from April to December. If the pandemic had not occurred in 2020, the…

• Immunogenicity to SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant among school-aged children with 2-dose of inactivated SARS-CoV-2 vaccines followed by BNT162b2 booster - CONCLUSION: A regimen of 2-dose of inactivated vaccine followed by BNT162b2 booster dose elicited high neutralizing antibody against the Omicron variants in healthy school-aged children.

• A photoelectrochemical immunosensor based on magnetic all-solid-state Z-scheme heterojunction for SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein detection - Rapid, convenient and accurate detection of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is urgently needed to timely diagnosis of coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) and control of the epidemic. In this study, a signal-off photoelectrochemical (PEC) immunosensor was constructed for SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid (N) protein detection based on a magnetic all-solid-state Z-scheme heterojunction (Fe(3)O(4)@SiO(2)@TiO(2)@CdS/Au, FSTCA). Integrating the advantages of magnetic materials and…

• Chemical screen uncovers novel structural classes of inhibitors of the papain-like protease of coronaviruses - The papain-like protease (PLpro) of coronaviruses is an attractive antiviral target to inhibit both viral replication and interference of the host immune response. We have identified and characterized three novel classes of small molecules, thiophene, cyanofuran, and triazoloquinazoline, as PLpro inhibitors Thiophene inhibited the PLpro of two major coronaviruses, Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) including…

• Impact of SARS-CoV-2-specific memory B cells on the immune response after mRNA-based Comirnaty vaccine in seronegative health care workers - CONCLUSION: IgG^(-)MBC(-) individuals showed the worst humoral and cellular responses, both in frequency and magnitude, after vaccination. Individuals whose antibodies wane and become undetectable after a given period of time post vaccination and show no specific MBCs are less protected and hence are good candidates for boosting vaccine. On the other hand, seronegative individuals with specific MBC showed faster and higher responses compared to the IgG^(-)MBC(-) group.

• Synthesis, spectroscopic, topological, hirshfeld surface analysis, and anti-covid-19 molecular docking investigation of isopropyl 1-benzoyl-4-(benzoyloxy)-2,6-diphenyl-1,2,5,6-tetrahydropyridine-3-carboxylate - Isopropyl 1-benzoyl-4-(benzoyloxy)-2,6-diphenyl-1,2,5,6-tetrahydropyridine-3-carboxylate (IDPC) was synthesized and characterized via spectroscopic (FT-IR and NMR) techniques. Hirshfeld surface and topological analyses were conducted to study structural and molecular properties. The energy gap (E(g)), frontier orbital energies (E(HOMO), E(LUMO)) and reactivity parameters (like chemical hardness and global hardness) were calculated using density functional theory with B3LYP/6-311++G (d,p) level…

• Effects of immunophilin inhibitors and non-immunosuppressive analogs on coronavirus replication in human infection models - CONCLUSION: The immunophilin inhibitors CsA and ALV display robust anti-coronaviral properties in multiple infection models, including phBECs, reflecting a primary site of HCoV infection. In contrast, FK506 displayed cell-type specific effects, strongly affecting CoV replication in Huh7.5 and HEK293, but inconsistently and less pronounced in phBECs.

• The potential molecular implications of adiponectin in the evolution of SARS-CoV-2: Inbuilt tendency - Adiponectin (APN) is an adipokine concerned in the regulation of glucose metabolism, insulin sensitivity and fatty acid oxidation. APN plays a critical role in viral infections by regulating the immune response through its anti-inflammatory/pro-inflammatory axis. Reduction of APN may augment the severity of viral infections because APN inhibits immune cells’ response via suppression of inflammatory signaling pathways and stimulation of adenosine monophosphate protein kinase (AMPK). Moreover, APN…

• Pathophysiology of Post-COVID syndromes: a new perspective - Most COVID-19 patients recovered with low mortality; however, some patients experienced long-term symptoms described as “long-COVID” or “Post-COVID syndrome” (PCS). Patients may have persisting symptoms for weeks after acute SARS-CoV-2 infection, including dyspnea, fatigue, myalgia, insomnia, cognitive and olfactory disorders. These symptoms may last for months in some patients. PCS may progress in association with the development of mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS), which is a distinct kind…

• Combination therapy with nirmatrelvir and molnupiravir improves the survival of SARS-CoV-2 infected mice - As the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic remains uncontrolled owing to the continuous emergence of variants of concern, there is an immediate need to implement the most effective antiviral treatment strategies, especially for risk groups. Here, we evaluated the therapeutic potency of nirmatrelvir, remdesivir, and molnupiravir and their combinations in SARS-CoV-2-infected K18-hACE2 transgenic mice. Systemic treatment of mice with each drug (20 mg/kg) resulted in slightly enhanced antiviral efficacy and yielded…

• Investigating the possible mechanisms of pirfenidone to be targeted as a promising anti-inflammatory, anti-fibrotic, anti-oxidant, anti-apoptotic, anti-tumor, and/or anti-SARS-CoV-2 - Pirfenidone (PFD) is a non-peptide synthetic chemical that inhibits the production of transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-β1), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), Interleukin 1 beta (IL-1β), and collagen 1 (COL1A1), all of which have been linked to the prevention or removal of excessive scar tissue deposition in many organs. PFD has been demonstrated to decrease apoptosis, downregulate angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) receptor expression, reduce…

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