Covid-19 Sentry

Contents

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

From Preprints

• Intellectualism and the Citizen Coproduction to Fight Against the COVID-19 Pandemic -
  Abstract: Intellectualism is necessary for humankind to overcome major public crises, such as the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. Focusing on the data of scientific literacy across 140 cities in China and by employing the ordinary least square method, we tested the effectiveness of “anti-pandemic efforts based on intellectualism.” The findings are: (1) Intellectualism works, and it can achieve results in the citizen coproduction promotion to fight against COVID-19. For every 1% increase in citizens with scientific literacy in the city, citizen coproduction increased by 14.2%. (2) The urban education level and local government ability positively moderates the effect of the citizens’ anti-pandemic efforts using intellectualism. (3) The results present a certain degree of heterogeneity at various stages, regions, and cities of different scales. This study responds to the lack of research on intellectualism and co-production; further, it provides novel ideas for improving the effectiveness of citizens’ participation in public crisis governance.
  🖺 Full Text HTML: Intellectualism and the Citizen Coproduction to Fight Against the COVID-19 Pandemic
• Logarithmic vs. Linear Visualizations of COVID-19 Cases Do Not Affect Citizens’ Support for Confinement -
  In public health crises, the media and governments routinely share statistical analyses with the public. In the COVID-19 pandemic, the tool most commonly used to convey statistical information about the spread of the virus has been time-series graphs about the cumulative number of cases. When drawing such graphs, analysts have to make design decisions which can have dramatic effects on citizens’ interpretations. Plotting the COVID-19 progression on a linear scale highlights an exponential “explosion” in the number of cases, whereas plotting the number of cases on a logarithmic scale produces a line with a modest-looking slope. Even if the two graphs display the exact same information, differences in visual design may lead people to different substantive conclusions. In this study, we measure the causal effect of different visualization design choices on Canadians’ views about the crisis. We report results from a survey experiment conducted in April 2020 with a sample of 2500 respondents. We find that no matter how the information is presented, Canadians are united in supporting drastic confinement measures and in accepting that these measures will not be removed soon.
  🖺 Full Text HTML: Logarithmic vs. Linear Visualizations of COVID-19 Cases Do Not Affect Citizens’ Support for Confinement
• Stress, Mood, and Smartphone Use in University Students: A 12-week Longitudinal Study -
  The current study used device-logged screen time records to measure week-to-week within-person associations between stress and smartphone use in undergraduate students (N = 187, Mage = 20.1) during Fall 2020, focusing on differences across types of app used and whether accumulated screen use each week predicted end-of-week mood states. Participants uploaded weekly screenshots from their “Screen Time” settings display and completed surveys measuring stress, mood, and COVID-19 experiences. Results of multilevel models showed no week-to-week change in smartphone hours of use or device pickups. Higher stress levels were not concurrently associated with heavier smartphone use, either overall or by type of app. Heavier smartphone use in a given week did not predict end-of-week mood states, but students who tended to spend more time on their phones in general reported slightly worse moods—a between-person effect potentially reflecting deficits in well-being that are present in students’ offline lives as well. Our findings contribute to a growing scholarly consensus that time spent on smartphones tells us little about young people’s well-being.
  🖺 Full Text HTML: Stress, Mood, and Smartphone Use in University Students: A 12-week Longitudinal Study
• Development of Fully Human, Bispecific Antibodies that Effectively Block Omicron Variant Pseudovirus Infections -
  The emergence of highly immune invasive and transmissible variants of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has decreased the effectiveness of existing vaccines. It is, therefore, critical to develop effective and safe therapeutics for SARS-CoV-2 infections, especially for the most vulnerable and immunocompromised patients. Neutralizing antibodies have been shown to be successful at preventing severe disease from early SARS-CoV-2 strains, although their efficacy has diminished with the emergence of new variants. Here, we aim to develop fully human and broadly neutralizing monoclonal (mAb) and bispecific (BsAb) antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 and its variants. Specifically, we first identified two antibodies from human transgenic mice that bind to the receptor binding domain (RBD) of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and are capable of neutralizing SARS-CoV-2 and variants of concern with high to moderate affinity. Two non-competing clones with the highest affinity and functional blocking of ACE2 binding were then selected to be engineered into two BsAbs, which were then demonstrated to have relatively improved affinity, ACE2 blocking ability, and pseudovirus inhibition against several variants, including Omicron (B.1.1.529). Our findings provide one mAb candidate and two bsAb candidates for consideration of further clinical development and suggest that the bispecific format may be more effective than mAbs for SARS-CoV-2 treatment.
  🖺 Full Text HTML: Development of Fully Human, Bispecific Antibodies that Effectively Block Omicron Variant Pseudovirus Infections
• The impact of COVID-19 pandemic on bronchiolitis (lower respiratory tract infection) due to respiratory syncytial virus: A systematic review and meta-analysis -

  Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the epidemiology of RSV infection which accounts for most bronchiolitis cases and viral pneumonias in infants. Aim: This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to quantitatively assess the effect of COVID-19 pandemic on respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) associated bronchiolitis among hospitalised infants globally. Methods: The study protocol was registered in the PROSPERO database (CRD42022314000) and was designed based on PRISMA guidelines updated in May 2020. An electronic search of PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus and Google Scholar was carried out for articles regarding the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on bronchiolitis or lower respiratory tract infection due to the respiratory syncytial virus in English published between January 2019 and March 2022. The meta-analysis component was modified appropriately to synthesise the pooled proportion of infants having RSV-associated bronchiolitis before the COVID-19 pandemic in 2019 and during the pandemic with 95% confidence interval (CI). Results: We screened 189 articles and systematically reviewed fifty studies reporting RSV-associated bronchiolitis cases in infants before the pandemic in 2019 and during the pandemic in 2020/2021. Eight qualified studies from Europe and China, which reported RSV-bronchiolitis both in 2019 and in 2020/21 were pooled by random-effects meta-analysis. These studies comprised 109,186 symptomatic cases of bronchiolitis before the pandemic in 2019 and 61,982 cases in 2020-2021. The quantitative analysis included laboratory-confirmed RSV infection in 7691 infants with bronchiolitis reported before the pandemic in 2019. Meanwhile, during the pandemic, 4964 bronchiolitis cases were associated with RSV infection. The pooled proportion of RSV-associated bronchiolitis cases before the pandemic in 2019 was 16.74% (95% CI 11.73, 22.43%, 95% prediction interval 0.032, 34.16). The pooled proportion of confirmed RSV cases during the pandemic in 2020/2021 was 19.20 % (95% CI 12.01, 27.59%, 95% prediction interval 0.046, 42.35). Conclusion: There was an increase in RSV activity after the relaxation of stringent public health measures during the COVID-19 pandemic.

  🖺 Full Text HTML: The impact of COVID-19 pandemic on bronchiolitis (lower respiratory tract infection) due to respiratory syncytial virus: A systematic review and meta-analysis
• Genome-scale CRISPR-Cas9 screen identifies novel host factors as potential therapeutic targets for SARS-CoV-2 infection. -
  Although many host factors important for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection have been reported, the mechanisms by which the virus interacts with host cells remain elusive. Here, we identified tripartite motif containing (TRIM) 28, TRIM33, euchromatic histone lysine methyltransferase (EHMT) 1, and EHMT2 as novel proviral factors involved in SARS-CoV-2 infection by CRISPR-Cas9 screening. We demonstrated that TRIM28 plays a role(s) in viral particle formation and that TRIM33, EHMT1, and EHMT2 are involved in viral transcription and replication using cells with suppressed gene expression. UNC0642, a compound that specifically inhibits the methyltransferase activity of EHMT1/2, strikingly suppressed SARS-CoV-2 growth in cultured cells and reduced disease severity in a hamster infection model. This study suggests that EHMT1/2 may be a novel therapeutic target for SARS-CoV-2 infection.
  🖺 Full Text HTML: Genome-scale CRISPR-Cas9 screen identifies novel host factors as potential therapeutic targets for SARS-CoV-2 infection.
• Unraveling the Interactions between Human DPP4 Receptor, SARS-CoV-2 Variants, and MERS-CoV, converged for Pulmonary Disorders Integrating through Immunoinformatics and Molecular Dynamics -
  Human coronaviruses like MERS CoV are known to utilize dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (DPP4), apart from angiotensin-converting enzyme 2(ACE2) as potential co-receptor for viral cell entry. DPP4, ubiquitous membrane-bound aminopeptidase is closely associated with elevation of disease severity in comorbidities. In SARS-CoV-2, there is inadequate evidence for combination of spike protein variants with DPP4, and underlying adversity in COVID19. To elucidate this mechanistic basis, we have investigated interaction of spike protein variants with DPP4 through molecular docking and simulation studies. The possible binding interactions between receptor binding domain (RBD) of different spike variants of SARS-CoV-2 and DPP4 have been compared with interactions observed in experimentally determined structure of complex of MERS-CoV with DPP4. Comparative binding affinity confers that Delta-CoV-2:DPP4 shows close proximity with MERS-CoV:DPP4, as depicted from accessible surface area, radius of gyration, number of hydrogen bonding and energy of interactions. Mutation in delta variant, L452R and T478K, directly participate in DPP4 interaction enhancing DPP4 binding. E484K in alpha and gamma variant of spike protein is also found to interact with DPP4. Hence, DPP4 interaction with spike protein gets more suitable due to mutation especially due to L452R, T478K and E484K. Furthermore, perturbation in the nearby residues Y495, Q474 and Y489 is evident due to L452R, T478K and E484K respectively. Virulent strains of spike protein are more susceptible to DPP4 interaction and are prone to be victimized in patients due to comorbidities. Our results will aid the rational optimization of DPP4 as a potential therapeutic target to manage COVID-19 disease severity.
  🖺 Full Text HTML: Unraveling the Interactions between Human DPP4 Receptor, SARS-CoV-2 Variants, and MERS-CoV, converged for Pulmonary Disorders Integrating through Immunoinformatics and Molecular Dynamics
• SARS-CoV-2 viral replication persists in the human lung for several weeks after onset of symptomatic severe COVID-19 and is associated with attenuated pulmonary immunity and variant-specific clinical sequalae -

  The immunopathogenesis of severe COVID-19 is incompletely understood. In contradistinction to the upper respiratory tract where replicating (culturable) SARS-CoV-2 is recoverable approximately ~ 4 to 8 days after symptom onset, there is paucity of data about the frequency or duration of replicating virus in the lower respiratory tract (the human lung). We undertook lung tissue sampling (needle biopsy), within ~2 hours of death, in 42 mechanically ventilated decedents during the Beta and Delta waves. Lung biopsy cores underwent viral culture, histopathological analysis, electron microscopy, transcriptomic profiling, immunohistochemistry and cell-based flow cytometry of deconstructed tissue. 38% (16/42) of patients had culturable virus in the lung (persisting for up to 4 weeks after symptom onset). This, hitherto, undescribed bio-phenotype of lung-specific persisting viral replication was associated with an enhanced pulmonary pro-inflammatory response and variant-specific increased rates of bacterial bronchopneumonia and accelerated death. These findings question existing paradigms and suggest that in a subset of patients, concurrent, rather than sequential active viral replication continues to drive a heightened pro-inflammatory response. Our findings have potential implications for the design of therapeutic interventional strategies and clinical management of severe COVID-19 disease.

  🖺 Full Text HTML: SARS-CoV-2 viral replication persists in the human lung for several weeks after onset of symptomatic severe COVID-19 and is associated with attenuated pulmonary immunity and variant-specific clinical sequalae
• Utility of non-invasive Saline Gargle SARS-CoV-2 genome surveillance in post-pandemic scenario and limitations of wastewater surveillance -

  Wastewater surveillance is being hailed as an indirect and non-invasive method for SARS-CoV-2 genome surveillance in post-pandemic scenarios, as it covers a large population and does not require in-person sampling. However, considering the limitations of wastewater monitoring, the situation warrants an alternative approach to ensure reliable genome surveillance in the post-pandemic scenario that can be achieved by the voluntary participation of the public. Voluntary participation of the public in disease surveillance can be encouraged by deploying user-friendly sample collection processes that can minimise the discomfort to the participants. To increase sample collection throughput and reduce patient discomfort, the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research-National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (CSIR-NEERI) developed a non-invasive, patient-friendly saline gargle sample collection method for detecting the SARS-CoV-2 virus. This method can also be deployed for other respiratory viruses. This study evaluated the suitability of saline gargle-based sample collection for genomic surveillance of SARS-CoV-2. This study included 589 SARS-CoV-2 positive samples collected using the Gargle-based sample collection method from Nagpur city in central India from March to December 2021. The viral RNA was isolated from saline gargle samples using an RNA release buffer followed by SARS-CoV-2 RTPCR. The SARS-CoV-2 positive samples were subjected to SARS-CoV-2 whole genome sequencing using the oxford nanopore technologies (ONT) next-generation sequencing platform. Out of 589 samples, 500 samples qualified for the SARS-CoV-2 WGS, and the SARS-CoV-2 WGS results revealed 8 different clades of SARS-CoV-2 encompassing 37 different Pango-lineage types. Our findings indicate that non-invasive gargle-based genomic surveillance is scalable and does not need significant changes to the existing workflow post-sample collection. This makes it advantageous for underdeveloped or remote areas as a reliable and high-throughput sample collection; and a technique of choice for surveillance in post-pandemic scenarios, which can find more user acceptance than the invasive swab-VTM sample collection method.

  🖺 Full Text HTML: Utility of non-invasive Saline Gargle SARS-CoV-2 genome surveillance in post-pandemic scenario and limitations of wastewater surveillance
• Psychological, endocrine and polygenic predictors of emotional well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic in a longitudinal birth cohort. -

  The COVID-19 pandemic severely affected the lives of families, and the well-being of children and their parent. Prenatal stress, dysregulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, and genetic factors might influence individuals9 well-being in the presence of a major stressor such as the COVID-19 pandemic. The present work is part of an ongoing birth cohort study and aims to investigate maternal perceived stress, early childhood HPA axis activity, and polygenic risk scores (PRSs) as predictors of emotional well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic. All participants are part of the ongoing birth cohort study POSEIDON. Emotional well-being of children (n=263) and mothers (n=241) was assessed during the COVID-19 pandemic using the CRISIS questionnaire in two waves between June 2020 and February 2021. Associations of well-being with previously assessed maternal perceived stress, children9s salivary and morning urine cortisol at 45 months, PRSs for depression, schizophrenia, loneliness were investigated. A positive association between the children9s and mothers9 emotional well-being was found. Lower emotional well-being was observed in both children and mothers during the pandemic compared to before. Children9s emotional well-being improved over the course of the pandemic. Prenatally assessed maternal perceived stress was associated with a decrease in children9s but not in the mothers9 well-being. Cortisol measures and PRSs were not significantly associated with emotional wellbeing. The present study confirms that emotional well-being of children and mothers are linked, and were negatively affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, with differences in development over time.

  🖺 Full Text HTML: Psychological, endocrine and polygenic predictors of emotional well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic in a longitudinal birth cohort.
• Use of substances to cope predicts PTSD symptom persistence: Investigating patterns of interactions between PTSD symptoms and its maintaining mechanisms -
  Objective. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) remains a growing public health challenge across the globe and is associated with negative and persistent long-term consequences. The last decades of research identified different mechanisms associated with the development and persistence of PTSD, including maladaptive coping strategies, cognitive and experiential avoidance, positive, and negative metacognitions. Despite these advances, little is known about how these different processes interact with specific PTSD symptoms, and how they influence each other over time at the within-person level. Method. Leveraging a large (N > 1,800) longitudinal dataset representative of the Norwegian population during the COVID-19 pandemic, this pre-registered study investigated these symptom-process interactions over an eight-month period. Results. Our panel graphical vector autoregressive (GVAR) network model revealed the dominating role of substance use to cope in predicting higher levels of PTSD symptoms over time and increases in PTSD symptomatology within more proximal time-windows (i.e., within six weeks). Threat monitoring was associated with increased suicidal ideation, while threat monitoring itself was increasing upon decreased avoidance behavior, greater presence of negative metacognitions, and higher use of substances to cope. Conclusions. Our findings speak to the importance of attending to different coping strategies, particularly the use of substances as a coping behavior in efforts to prevent PTSD chronicity upon symptom onset. We outline future directions for research efforts to better understand the complex interactions and temporal pathways leading up to the development and maintenance of PTSD symptomatology.
  🖺 Full Text HTML: Use of substances to cope predicts PTSD symptom persistence: Investigating patterns of interactions between PTSD symptoms and its maintaining mechanisms
• Care-full Collectives and their Care Practices -
  In my dissertation, I examine different collectives and their practices through different applied theories of care and theorize on new organizational structures and rituals. This is a study of how people came together during the first wave of Covid-19, myself included. It studies these coming-togethers through different “do-ings” and “be–ings” and juxtaposes them with different theories of care. Theories that include Annemarie Mol’s “Logic of Care”, Ella Myers’ “Worldly things”, Jenna Grant’s “Repair as Care”, Sara Ahmed’s “Fragile Connections” and Lucy Suchman’s “Relocating Innovation”. These different theories come from places like medical anthropology, STS, queer theory, and more. I give an honest account of my journey through these collectives and these theories. I also start to propose an alternate way of organizing institutions for mutual aid through two tools - archetypes and axioms.
  🖺 Full Text HTML: Care-full Collectives and their Care Practices
• Providing the Ichushi-Web Bibliographies to WHO COVID-19 Research Database: Corona-related information service during pandemic disasters. -
  Three years after we began living through an unprecedented infectious disease epidemic at the end of 2019, our world is still heavily affected by the novel coronavirus. Compared to the beginning of the epidemic, when there was no information at all, researchers and health care workers around the world have been sharing information and examining the characteristics of this virus and infection prevention and treatment measures in order to respond to this situation. Preprints are also being used as the fastest route for information distribution, and research information on novel coronaviruses, in particular, is circulating at an explosive volume and speed. New tools such as the LitCovid, the iSearch COVID-19 portfolio, and the WHO COVID-19 Research Database(WHO COVID-19 RDB), which collect and provide information specific to novel coronavirus infection, have also appeared. This article introduces the activities of providing the Ichushi-Web bibliographies to the WHO COVID-19 RDB and what I realized from these experiences, as well as an overview of this database.
  🖺 Full Text HTML: Providing the Ichushi-Web Bibliographies to WHO COVID-19 Research Database: Corona-related information service during pandemic disasters.
• Evaluating the theoretical performance of aircraft wastewater monitoring as a tool for SARS-CoV-2 surveillance -

  Background Air travel plays an import role in the cross-border spread of infectious diseases. During the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic many countries introduced strict border testing protocols to monitor the incursion of the virus. However, the high implementation cost and significant inconvenience to passengers has led public health authorities to consider alternative methods of disease surveillance at borders. Aircraft wastewater monitoring has been proposed as one such alternative. In this paper we assess the theoretical limits of aircraft wastewater monitoring and compare its performance to post-arrival border screening approaches. Methods We use an infectious disease model to simulate an unmitigated SARS-CoV-2 epidemic in a seed country. Seeding of the epidemic into the United Kingdom (UK) is simulated through daily flights between the two countries. We use a probabilistic approach to estimate the time of first detection of the disease in the UK in both aircraft wastewater and respiratory swab screening at the border. Results For simulations across a broad range of model parameters, our analysis indicates that the median time between the first incursion of a pathogen and its detection in wastewater would be approximately 17 days (IQR: 7 - 28 days), resulting in a median of 25 cumulative cases (IQR: 6 - 84 cases) in the UK at the point of detection. Comparisons to respiratory swab screening suggest that aircraft wastewater monitoring is as effective as screening of 20% of passengers at the border, using a test with 95% sensitivity. For testing regimes with sensitivity of 85% or less, the required coverage to outperform wastewater monitoring increases to 30%. These results demonstrate the potential use cases of aircraft wastewater monitoring and its utility in a wider system of public health surveillance.

  🖺 Full Text HTML: Evaluating the theoretical performance of aircraft wastewater monitoring as a tool for SARS-CoV-2 surveillance
• Giving a voice to adults with COVID-19: An analysis of open-ended comments from smell longhaulers and non-longhaulers -

  Smell disorders are commonly reported with COVID-19 infection. Some patients show prolonged smell-related issues, even after the respiratory symptoms are resolved. To explore the concerns of patients, and to provide an overview for each specific smell disorder, we explored the longitudinal survey that was conducted by 1, and contained self-reports on the changes of smell that participants experienced at two time points. People who still suffered from smell disorders at the second time point, hence named longhaulers, were compared to those who were not, hence named non-longhaulers. Specifically, three aims were pursued in this study. First, to classify smell disorders based on the participants self-reports. Second, to classify the sentiment of each self-report using a machine learning approach, and third, to find specific keywords that best describe the smell dysfunction in those self-reports. We found that the prevalence of parosmia and hyposmia was higher in longhaulers than in non-longhaulers. Furthermore, the results suggest that longhaulers stated self-reports with more negative sentiment than non-longhaulers. Finally, we found specific keywords that were more typical for either longhaulers compared to non-longhaulers. Taken together, our work shows consistent findings with previous studies, while at the same time, provides new insights for future studies investigating smell disorders.

  🖺 Full Text HTML: Giving a voice to adults with COVID-19: An analysis of open-ended comments from smell longhaulers and non-longhaulers

From Clinical Trials

• Exercise Training Six-Months After Discharge in Post-COVID-19 Syndrome - Condition:   COVID-19 Pneumonia
  Intervention:   Other: Aerobic exercise and strength training
  Sponsor:   Ukbe Sirayder
  Completed

• Effect of Selected Types of Breathing Exercises on Different Outcome Measures in Covid-19 Patients - Condition:   COVID-19
  Intervention:   Other: breathing exercise
  Sponsor:   Basma Mosaad Abd-elrahman Abushady
  Completed

• A Specific miRNA Encoded by SARS-CoV-2 as a Diagnostic Tool to Predict Disease Severity in COVID-19 Patients - Condition:   COVID-19
  Intervention:   Diagnostic Test: miRNA analysis in plasma
  Sponsor:   Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS
  Completed

• A Phase 3 Study to Evaluate the Efficacy and Safety of QLS1128 Orally in Symptomatic Participants With Mild to Moderate COVID-19 - Condition:   COVID-19
  Interventions:   Drug: QLS1128;   Drug: Placebo
  Sponsor:   Qilu Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.
  Not yet recruiting

• Telerehabilitation in the Post-COVID-19 Patient (TRIALS) - Condition:   Post-COVID-19 Syndrome
  Intervention:   Other: Telerehabilitation program
  Sponsor:   Istituto Auxologico Italiano
  Recruiting

• Application and Research of Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Alleviating Severe Development of COVID-19 Infection - Condition:   COVID-19
  Interventions:   Biological: Umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells implantation;   Other: Comparator
  Sponsor:   Hebei Medical University
  Recruiting

• Immunogenicity and Reactogenicity of the Beta-variant Recombinant Protein Booster Vaccine (VidPrevtyn Beta, Sanofi) Compared to a Bivalent mRNA Vaccine (Comirnaty Original/Omicron BA.4-5, BioNTech-Pfizer) in Adults Previously Vaccinated With at Least 3 Doses of COVID-19 mRNA Vaccine - Conditions:   Vaccine Reaction;   COVID-19
  Interventions:   Biological: Comirnaty® BNT162b2 /Omicron BA.4-5 vaccine (Pfizer-BioNTech);   Biological: VidPrevtyn® Beta vaccine (Sanofi/GSK)
  Sponsors:   Assistance Publique - Hôpitaux de Paris;   IREIVAC/COVIREIVAC Network
  Not yet recruiting

• Study of WPV01 Compared With Placebo in Patients With Mild/Moderate COVID-19 Infection - Condition:   COVID-19 Infection
  Interventions:   Drug: WPV01;   Drug: Placebo
  Sponsor:   Westlake Pharmaceuticals (Hangzhou) Co., Ltd.
  Not yet recruiting

• ARVAC-A New Recombinant Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) - Condition:   COVID-19 Vaccine
  Interventions:   Biological: Gamma Variant RBD-based ARVAC-CG vaccine;   Biological: Omicron Variant RBD-based ARVAC-CG vaccine;   Biological: Bivalent RBD-based ARVAC-CG vaccine;   Other: Placebo
  Sponsors:   Mónica Edith Lombardo;   Universidad Nacional de San Martín (UNSAM);   National Council of Scientific and Technical Research, Argentina;   Laboratorio Pablo Cassará S.R.L.
  Recruiting

• A Study of HH-120 Nasal Spray in Close Contacts of Those Diagnosed With COVID-19 - Conditions:   COVID-19;   SARS-CoV-2 Infection
  Intervention:   Drug: HH-120 Nasal Spray
  Sponsor:   Beijing Ditan Hospital
  Completed

• Mitigating Mental and Social Health Outcomes of COVID-19: A Counseling Approach - Conditions:   Social Determinants of Health;   Mental Health Issue;   COVID-19
  Interventions:   Other: Individual Counseling;   Other: Group Counseling;   Other: Resources
  Sponsors:   New Mexico State University;   National Institutes of Health (NIH)
  Not yet recruiting

• Oxygen Atomizing Inhalation of EGCG in the Treatment COVID-19 Pneumonia in Cancer Patients - Conditions:   COVID-19 Pneumonia;   Neoplasms Malignant
  Interventions:   Drug: EGCG;   Drug: Placebo
  Sponsor:   Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute
  Recruiting

• A Phase 1/2 Study to Assess the Safety and Immunogenicity of JCXH-221, an mRNA-based Broadly Protective COVID-19 Vaccine - Conditions:   COVID-19;   Infectious Disease
  Interventions:   Biological: JCXH-221;   Biological: Active Comparator;   Other: Placebo
  Sponsors:   Immorna Biotherapeutics, Inc.;   ICON plc
  Not yet recruiting

• Acupuncture for Post COVID-19 Fatigue - Conditions:   Acupuncture;   Post COVID-19 Condition;   Fatigue
  Interventions:   Device: Acupuncture;   Device: Sham Acupuncture
  Sponsor:   Guang’anmen Hospital of China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences
  Not yet recruiting

• Evaluation of Telemedicine Practices for Contraceptive Counseling During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Randomized Controlled Trial - Conditions:   Family Planning Services;   Telemedicine;   Pregnant Women;   Women’s Health;   COVID-19 Pandemic
  Intervention:   Behavioral: Video call sessions
  Sponsor:   Fenerbahce University
  Completed

From PubMed

• Bioinspired Antimicrobial PLA with Nanocones on the Surface for Rapid Deactivation of Omicron SARS-CoV-2 - Bioinspired bactericidal surfaces are artificial surfaces that mimic the nanotopography of insect wings and are capable of inhibiting microbial growth by a physicomechanical mechanism. The scientific community has considered them an alternative method to design polymers with surfaces that inhibit bacterial biofilm formation, suitable for self-disinfectant medical devices. In this contribution, poly(lactic acid) (PLA) with nanocone patterns was successfully produced by a novel two-step procedure…

• Inhibitory activity of a sulfated oligo-porphyran from Pyropia yezoensis against SARS-CoV-2 - COVID-19 caused by SARS-CoV-2 has spread around the world at an unprecedented rate. A more homogeneous oligo-porphyran with mean molecular weight of 2.1 kD, named OP145, was separated from Pyropia yezoensis. NMR analysis showed OP145 was mainly composed of →3)-β-d-Gal-(1 → 4)-α-l-Gal (6S) repeating units with few replacement of 3,6-anhydride, and the molar ratio was 1:0.85:0.11. MALDI-TOF MS revealed OP145 contained mainly tetrasulfate-oligogalactan with Dp range from 4 to 10 and with no more…

• The diverse role of heparan sulfate and other GAGs in SARS-CoV-2 infections and therapeutics - In December 2019, the global coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic began in Wuhan, China. COVID-19 is caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which infects host cells primarily through the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor. In addition to ACE2, several studies have shown the importance of heparan sulfate (HS) on the host cell surface as a co-receptor for SARS-CoV-2-binding. This insight has driven research into antiviral therapies, aimed…

• Work-related experiences of consultant psychiatrists during the COVID-19 response: qualitative analysis - CONCLUSIONS: The challenges of leading mental health services were evident in the increased complexity involved in caring for vulnerable patients during the pandemic, contributing to uncertainty, loss of control and moral distress among participants. These dynamics worked synergistically with pre-existing system-level failures, eroding capacity to mount an effective response. The longer-term psychological well-being of consultant psychiatrists - as well as the pandemic preparedness of healthcare…

• Vitamin C promotes ACE2 degradation and protects against SARS-CoV-2 infection - ACE2 is a major receptor for cellular entry of SARS-CoV-2. Despite advances in targeting ACE2 to inhibit SARS-CoV-2 binding, strategies to flexibly and sufficiently reduce ACE2 levels for the prevention of SARS-CoV-2 infection have not been explored. Here, we reveal vitamin C (VitC) administration as a potent strategy to prevent SARS-CoV-2 infection. VitC reduces ACE2 protein levels in a dose-dependent manner, while even a partial reduction in ACE2 levels can greatly inhibit SARS-CoV-2…

• Low hanging fruit for combatting SARS-CoV-2? - Entry of SARS-CoV-2 into human respiratory cells, mediated by the spike protein, is absolutely dependent on the cellular receptor ACE2 (angiotensin-converting enzyme-2). This makes ACE2 an attractive target for therapeutic intervention in COVID-19. In this issue, Zuo et al. discover that vitamin C, an essential nutrient and common dietary supplement, can target ACE2 for ubiquitin-dependent degradation, resulting in the inhibition of SARS-CoV-2 infection (Zuo et al, 2023). The study identifies…

• Comparison of Anakinra and Tocilizumab in Anticytokine Therapy in the Treatment of Coronavirus Disease-2019 - CONCLUSION: We observed the positive effects of the use of tocilizumab on clinical improvement in the early period; mechanical ventilation requirement was delayed and at a lower rate. Anakinra treatment did not change mortality and PaO(2)/FiO(2) rates. Mechanical ventilation requirements occurred earlier in the patients who were not receiving any anticytokine therapy. Studies with larger patient populations are needed to demonstrate the potential efficacy of anticytokine therapy.

• Transcriptome and metabolome profiling unveils the mechanisms of naphthalene acetic acid in promoting cordycepin synthesis in Cordyceps militaris - Cordycepin, an important active substance in Cordyceps militaris, possesses antiviral and other beneficial activities. In addition, it has been reported to effectively promote the comprehensive treatment of COVID-19 and thus has become a research hotspot. The addition of naphthalene acetic acid (NAA) is known to significantly improve the yield of cordycepin; however, its related molecular mechanism remains unclear. We conducted a preliminary study on C. militaris with different concentrations of…

• Determining the Optimal SARS-CoV-2 mRNA Vaccine Dosing Interval for Maximum Immunogenicity - CONCLUSION: Increased mRNA vaccine dosing intervals longer than 38 days result in higher levels of anti-spike antibodies and ACE-2 inhibition when assessed six months after the first COVID-19 vaccine.

• In vitro metabolic characterization of the SARS-CoV-2 papain-like protease inhibitors GRL0617 and HY-17542 - The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic requires a new therapeutic target for viral infection, and papain-like protease (Plpro) has been suggested as a druggable target. This in-vitro study was conducted to examine the drug metabolism of the GRL0617 and HY-17542, Plpro inhibitors. Metabolism of these inhibitors was studied to predict the pharmacokinetics in human liver microsomes. The hepatic cytochrome P450 (CYP) isoforms responsible for their metabolism were identified using recombinant enzymes. The drug-drug…

• Polypropylene Modified with Ag-Based Semiconductors as a Potential Material against SARS-CoV-2 and Other Pathogens - The worldwide outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) and other emerging infections are difficult and sometimes impossible to treat, making them one of the major public health problems of our time. It is noteworthy that Ag-based semiconductors can help orchestrate several strategies to fight this serious societal issue. In this work, we present the synthesis of α-Ag(2)WO(4), β-Ag(2)MoO(4), and Ag(2)CrO(4) and their immobilization in polypropylene in the amounts of 0.5, 1.0, and 3.0 wt %,…

• Hemolytic uremic syndrome in the setting of COVID-19 successfully treated with complement inhibition therapy: An instructive case report of a previously healthy toddler and review of literature - CONCLUSION: Although reports of HUS in the setting of COVID-19 continue to pour in, the questions of exact mechanism and similarities to MIS-C remain. Our case for the first time accentuates the use of complement blockade as a valuable treatment option in this scenario. We sincerely believe that reporting on HUS as a complication of COVID-19 in children will give rise to improved diagnosis and treatment, as well as better understanding of both of these intricating diseases.

• Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics of Imatinib for Optimal Drug Repurposing from Cancer to COVID-19 - CONCLUSION: COVID-19 patients exhibit higher total imatinib exposure compared to cancer patients, attributed to differences in plasma protein concentrations. Higher imatinib exposure in COVID-19 patients did not associate with improved clinical outcomes. Total C(trough) and AUC(ave) inversely associated with some PD-outcomes, which may be biased by disease course, variability in metabolic rate and protein binding. Therefore, additional PKPD analyses into unbound imatinib and its main metabolite…

• Establishment of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 and cluster of differentiation 147 dual target cell membrane chromatography based on SNAP-tag technology for screening anti severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 active components - Patients have different responses to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infections and these may be life-threatening for critically ill patients. Screening components that act on host cell receptors, especially multi-receptor components, is challenging. The in-line combination of dual-targeted cell membrane chromatography and a liquid chromatography-mass spectroscopy (LC-MS) system for analyzing angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) and cluster of differentiation 147…

• Design and characterization of novel SARS-CoV-2 fusion inhibitors with N-terminally extended HR2 peptides - Development of potent and broad-spectrum antivirals against SARS-CoV-2 remains one of top priorities, especially in the case of that current vaccines cannot effectively prevent viral transmission. We previously generated a group of fusion-inhibitory lipopeptides, with one formulation being evaluated under clinical trials. In this study, we dedicated to characterize the extended N-terminal motif (residues 1161-1168) of the so-called spike (S) heptad repeat 2 (HR2) region. Alanine scanning…

From Patent Search