Covid-19 Sentry

Contents

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

From Preprints

• Household Hardships during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Examining Household Vulnerability and Responses to Pandemic Related Shocks in Eastern Ethiopia -

  COVID-19 is associated with one of the largest disturbances to life around the world. To quell disease spread, governments implemented lockdowns that likely created hardships for households. To improve knowledge of consequences, we examine how the pandemic period was associated with household hardships and assess factors associated with these hardships. We conducted a cross-sectional study using quasi-Poisson regression to examine factors associated with household hardships. Data were collected between August and September of 2021 from a random sample of 880 households living in a Health and Demographic Surveillance System (HDSS) located in the Harari Region and the District of Kersa, both in Ethiopia. Having a head of household with no education, residing in a rural area, larger household size, lower income and/or wealth, and community responses to COVID-19 including lockdowns and travel restrictions were independently associated with experiencing household hardships. Our results identify characteristics of groups at-risk for food insecurity during the pandemic; households that were already struggling prior to the onset of the pandemic were at greatest risk of adverse consequences during the pandemic period. These findings may inform future efforts to mitigate the consequences of COVID-19 and future disease outbreaks.

  🖺 Full Text HTML: Household Hardships during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Examining Household Vulnerability and Responses to Pandemic Related Shocks in Eastern Ethiopia
• Single-cell-resolved interspecies comparison identifies a shared inflammatory axis and a dominant neutrophil-endothelial program in severe COVID-19 -
  Key issues for research of COVID-19 pathogenesis are the lack of biopsies from patients and of samples at the onset of infection. To overcome these hurdles, hamsters were shown to be useful models for studying this disease. Here, we further leveraged the model to molecularly survey the disease progression from time-resolved single-cell RNA-sequencing data collected from healthy and SARS-CoV-2-infected Syrian and Roborovski hamster lungs. We compared our data to human COVID-19 studies, including BALF, nasal swab, and post-mortem lung tissue, and identified a shared axis of inflammation dominated by macrophages, neutrophils, and endothelial cells, which we show to be transient in Syrian and terminal in Roborovski hamsters. Our data suggest that, following SARS-CoV-2 infection, commitment to a type 1 or type 3-biased immunity determines moderate versus severe COVID-19 outcomes, respectively.
  🖺 Full Text HTML: Single-cell-resolved interspecies comparison identifies a shared inflammatory axis and a dominant neutrophil-endothelial program in severe COVID-19
• Exploration of Hybrid Courses for Physical Education in Higher Education: A Case Study of Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics -
  Purpose: Against the backdrop of technological advances, educational reforms, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, hybrid courses have become increasingly popular in higher education in China. The study draws from existing theoretical knowledge and practical experiences to provide insights on the feasibility and potential benefits of using the hybrid course modality in physical education. It aims to investigate the applicability of the hybrid course modality in promoting undergraduate students’ engagement in physical education courses at Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics. Method: Literature review methods refer to the ways of searching for theoretical support related to the research topic from relevant secondary data. In this study, we extensively used this method to systematically review and analyze literature related to education and sports. Judgmental sampling was employed, where participants were deliberately selected based on specific qualities. The researcher formulated inclusion and exclusion criteria for participants and recruited students who met these criteria. Results: Hybrid courses are not widely used in China, and many students lack a fundamental understanding of them. Interviewed students displayed limited awareness of hybrid courses. The education system has experienced disruptions due to the epidemic, leading to the shift from face-to-face instruction to online distance learning. Students often confused the online and on-campus course mix due to the epidemic with the hybrid course modality. Discussion/Conclusion: The study focuses on the practical implications of the hybrid course modality to enhance physical education courses in Chinese higher education institutions. It explores how this modality can serve as a useful tool in such courses.
  🖺 Full Text HTML: Exploration of Hybrid Courses for Physical Education in Higher Education: A Case Study of Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics
• Real-time identification of epistatic interactions in SARS-CoV-2 from large genome collections -
  The emergence and rapid spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus has highlighted the importance of genomic epidemiology in understanding the evolution of pathogens and for guiding public health interventions. In particular, the Omicron variant underscored the role of epistasis in the evolution of lineages with both higher infectivity and immune escape, and therefore the necessity to update surveillance pipelines to detect them as soon as they emerge. In this study we applied a method based on mutual information (MI) between positions in a multiple sequence alignment (MSA), which is capable of scaling up to millions of samples. We showed how it could reliably predict known experimentally validated epistatic interactions, even when using as little as 10,000 sequences, which opens the possibility of making it a near real-time prediction system. We tested this possibility by modifying the method to account for sample collection date and applied it retrospectively to MSAs for each month between March 2020 and March 2023. We could detect a cornerstone epistatic interaction in the Spike protein between codons 498 and 501 as soon as 6 samples with a double mutation were present in the dataset, thus demonstrating the methods sensitivity. Lastly we provide examples of predicted interactions between genes, which are harder to test experimentally and therefore more likely to be overlooked. This method could become part of continuous surveillance systems tracking present and future pathogen outbreaks.
  🖺 Full Text HTML: Real-time identification of epistatic interactions in SARS-CoV-2 from large genome collections
• Tensor decomposition reveals coordinated multicellular patterns of transcriptional variation that distinguish and stratify disease individuals -
  Tissue- and organism-level biological processes often involve coordinated action of multiple distinct cell types. Current computational methods for the analysis of single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) data, however, are not designed to capture co-variation of cell states across samples, in part due to the low number of biological samples in most scRNA-seq datasets. Recent advances in sample multiplexing have enabled population-scale scRNA-seq measurements of tens to hundreds of samples. To take advantage of such datasets, here we introduce a computational approach called single-cell Interpretable Tensor Decomposition (scITD). This method extracts “multicellular gene expression patterns” that capture how sample-specific expression states of a cell type are correlated with the expression states of other cell types. Such multicellular patterns can reveal molecular mechanisms underlying coordinated changes of different cell types within the tissue, and can be used to stratify individuals in a clinically-relevant and reproducible manner. We first validated the performance of scITD using in vitro experimental data and simulations. We then applied scITD to scRNA-seq data on peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from 115 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus and 56 healthy controls. We recapitulated a well-established pan-cell-type signature of interferon-signaling that was associated with the presence of anti-dsDNA autoantibodies and a disease activity index. We further identified a novel multicellular pattern linked to nephritis, which was characterized by an expansion of activated memory B cells along with helper T cell activation. Our approach also sheds light on ligand-receptor interactions potentially mediating these multicellular patterns. As validation, we demonstrated that these expression patterns also stratified donors from a pediatric SLE dataset by the same phenotypic attributes. Lastly, we found the interferon multicellular pattern and others to be conserved in a COVID-19 dataset, pointing to the presence of both general and disease-specific patterns of inter-individual immune variation. Overall, scITD is a flexible method for exploring co-variation of cell states in multi-sample single-cell datasets, which can yield new insights into complex non-cell-autonomous dependencies that define and stratify disease.
  🖺 Full Text HTML: Tensor decomposition reveals coordinated multicellular patterns of transcriptional variation that distinguish and stratify disease individuals
• Hydroxychloroquine: balancing the needs of LMICs during the COVID-19 pandemic -
  I want to thank the Editor for bringing attention to the effect of a potential shortage of hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) on existing patients with autoimmune diseases during the current COVID-19 crisis [1]. The drug has shown some promising results against SARS-CoV-2, although more testing needs to be done. However, hydroxychloroquine is also an effective medication for patients with autoimmune disorders like systemic lupus erythematosus [2].
  🖺 Full Text HTML: Hydroxychloroquine: balancing the needs of LMICs during the COVID-19 pandemic
• Conspiracies will not pay you off -
  Using a representative sample of 1682 Slovaks, the study investigated antecedents and negative consequences for personal finances of the endorsement of conspiracy theories. As a part of the first wave of a longitudinal study monitoring social and psychological impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, participants responded to questions concerning their socio-demographic status, generic conspiracy mentality, COVID-related conspiracies, financial wellbeing, predictions about economic situation and willingness to change financial behaviour. The results show that people who experience more financial anxiety and consider their socio-economic status as lower endorse conspiracy theories more often. They are also more pessimistic about economic development in general and, unlike in models without conspiracy theories, less likely to make adaptive decisions that could alleviate precarious economic conditions they experience. By linking the endorsement of conspiracy theories with precarious economic conditions, the study offers a preliminary explanation of the uncontrollable spread of conspiracy theories in countries with high prevalence of economic insecurity such as Slovakia. The findings have far-reaching practical implications for developing tailored interventions protecting those most vulnerable from endorsing conspiracies and, consequently, from making decisions that would further perpetuate poverty and financial anxiety.
  🖺 Full Text HTML: Conspiracies will not pay you off
• RCT-based Social Return on Investment (SROI) of a home exercise programme for people with early dementia comparing in-person and blended delivery before and during the COVID-19 pandemic -

  Background: Regular exercise and community engagement may slow the rate of function loss for people with dementia. However, the evidence is uncertain regarding the cost-effectiveness and social return on investment (SROI) of home exercise with community referral for people with dementia. This study aimed to compare the social value generated from the in-person PrAISED programme delivered before March 2020 with a blended PrAISED programme delivered after March 2020. Methods: SROI analysis was conducted alongside a randomised controlled trial (RCT). Of 205 patient participants and their carers who completed cost data, 61 completed an in-person programme before March 2020. Due to COVID-19 pandemic restrictions, 144 patient participants completed a blended programme consisting of a combination of in-person visits, phone calls and video conferencing with multidisciplinary team (MDT) members. SROI analysis compared in-person and blended delivery formats. Five relevant and material outcomes were identified: three outcomes for patient participants (fear of falling, health-related quality of life, and social connection); one outcome for carer participants (carer strain index), and one outcome for the NHS (health service resource use). Data were collected at baseline and a 12-month follow-up. Results: The in-person PrAISED programme generated SROI ratios ranging from 0.58 Great Britain Pound (GBP) to 2.33 GBP for every 1 GBP invested. In-person PrAISED patient participants gained social value from improved health-related quality of life, social connection, and less fear of falling. In-person PrAISED carer participants acquired social value from less carer strain. The NHS gained benefit from less health care service resource use. However, the blended PrAISED programme generated lower SROI ratios ranging from a negative ratio to 0.08 GBP : 1 GBP. Conclusion: Compared with the blended programme, the PrAISED in-person programme generated higher SROI ratios for people with early dementia. During the COVID-19 pandemic and its restrictions, a blended delivery of the programme and the curtailment of community activities resulted in lower SROI ratios during this period. An in-person PrAISED intervention with community referral is likely to provide better value for money than a blended one with limited community referral, despite the greater costs of the former.

  🖺 Full Text HTML: RCT-based Social Return on Investment (SROI) of a home exercise programme for people with early dementia comparing in-person and blended delivery before and during the COVID-19 pandemic
• Risk factors for SARS-Cov-2 infection at a United Kingdom electricity-generating company: a test-negative design case-control study -

  Objectives Identify workplace risk factors for SARS-Cov-2 infection, using data collected by a United Kingdom electricity-generating company. Methods Using a test-negative design case-control study we estimated the odds ratios (OR) of infection by job category, site, test reason, sex, vaccination status, vulnerability, site outage, and site COVID-19 weekly risk rating, adjusting for age, test date and test type. Results From an original 80,077 COVID-19 tests, there were 70,646 included in the final analysis. Most exclusions were due to being visitor tests (5,030) or tests after an individual first tested positive (2,968). Women were less likely to test positive than men (OR=0.71; 95% confidence interval=0.58-0.86). Test reason was strongly associated with positivity and although not a cause of infection itself, due to differing test regimes by area it was a strong confounder for other variables. Compared to routine tests, tests due to symptoms were highest risk (94.99; 78.29-115.24), followed by close contacts (16.73; 13.80-20.29) and looser work contacts 2.66 (1.99-3.56). After adjustment, we found little difference in risk by job category, but some differences by site with three sites showing substantially lower risks, and one site showing higher risks in the final model. Conclusions Infection risk was not associated with job category. Vulnerable individuals were at slightly lower risk, tests during outages were higher risk, vaccination showed no evidence of an effect on testing positive, and site COVID-19 risk rating did not show an ordered trend in positivity rates.

  🖺 Full Text HTML: Risk factors for SARS-Cov-2 infection at a United Kingdom electricity-generating company: a test-negative design case-control study
• Mucosal antibody responses to SARS-CoV-2 booster vaccination and breakthrough infection -
  Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines have saved millions of lives. However, variants of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) have emerged causing large numbers of breakthrough infections. These developments necessitated the rollout of COVID-19 vaccine booster doses. It has been reported that mucosal antibody levels in the upper respiratory tract, especially for secretory IgA (sIgA), correlate with protection from infection with SARS-CoV-2. However, it is still unclear how high levels of mucosal antibodies can be induced. In this study, we measured serum IgG, saliva IgG and saliva sIgA responses in individuals who received COVID-19 mRNA booster vaccinations or who experienced breakthrough infections. We found that mRNA booster doses could induce robust serum and saliva IgG responses, especially in individuals who had not experienced infections before, but saliva sIgA responses were weak. In contrast, breakthrough infections in individuals who had received the primary mRNA vaccination series induced robust serum and saliva IgG as well as saliva sIgA responses. Individuals who had received a booster dose and then had a breakthrough infection showed low IgG induction in serum and saliva but still responded with robust saliva sIgA induction. These data suggest that upper respiratory tract exposure to antigen is an efficient way of inducing mucosal sIgA while exposure via intramuscular injection is not.
  🖺 Full Text HTML: Mucosal antibody responses to SARS-CoV-2 booster vaccination and breakthrough infection
• An After-Action Review of COVID-19 Cases and Mitigation Measures at US Mission India, March 2020-July 2021 -

  Introduction Between March 2020-June 2021, over 30 million COVID-19 cases were reported in India. We assessed the COVID-19 response across the US Mission India (US Embassy New Delhi, US Consulates – Mumbai, Hyderabad, Chennai and Kolkata) to plan future mitigation efforts and fill gaps in knowledge about COVID-19 transmission in a unique community like the US Mission. Method We described COVID-19 mitigation activities undertaken by the five US Mission India posts and conducted a secondary analysis of case investigation and contact tracing program data collected by the Health Unit from March 2020–July 2021. Results US Mission in India, in collaboration with multiple internal agencies, initiated COVID-19 mitigation activities in March 2020. Activities included educational sessions, training for infection prevention and control, health and safety assessments, and the development of standard operating procedures (SOPs). The Health Unit and US CDC India office initiated COVID-19 case investigations and conducted contact tracing. Between March 2020-July 2021, 636 COVID-19 cases (72% males), including 48 clusters (size range 2-10 cases), were reported. Overall case fatality rate was 1.5%. Of case patients, 82% (523) were Indians, and 18% (113) were Americans. On presentation, 22% (138/625) of cases were asymptomatic. The median time from symptom onset to notification to the Health Unit was three days (Interquartile range 1-5). The Health Unit identified 2,484 contacts (positivity rate 25%). Frequency of case presentation in the US Mission India closely resembled the pattern of COVID-19 waves in India. The attack rates ranged over the time period between 10-19%, the highest at 19% in Delhi. Conclusions COVID-19 mitigation strategies were implemented in collaboration with multiple agencies and helped prevent the transmission of COVID-19 and large COVID-19 clusters in the US Mission India.

  🖺 Full Text HTML: An After-Action Review of COVID-19 Cases and Mitigation Measures at US Mission India, March 2020-July 2021
• Host behaviour driven by awareness of infection risk amplifies the chance of superspreading events -

  We demonstrate that heterogeneity within host populations in the perceived risks associated with infection can amplify the chance that superspreading occurs during the crucial, early stages of an epidemic. Under our behavioural model, individuals who are less concerned about the risks of infection are more likely to be infected and to attend larger sized events. For directly communicable diseases, such as COVID-19, this leads to infections being introduced at rates above the population prevalence to events that are most conducive to superspreading, for fixed overall transmission levels. We develop a computational framework for evaluating within-event risks and derive a small-scale reproduction number to measure how introductions and transmission heterogeneities determine the number of infections resulting from an event of given duration. This generalises earlier frameworks and both quantifies and clarifies how event-scale dynamics depend on population-level characteristics. As event duration and size increase, our reproduction number converges to the widely used basic reproduction number, R0. We show that even moderate levels of heterogeneity in the perceived risks associated with infection can substantially increase the risk that disproportionately large numbers of infections are generated at larger events, as compared to assuming homogeneous perceptions of risk across the host population. Behavioural dynamics, which remain understudied in the context of epidemiological modelling, are essential to consider when assessing the risk posed by an invading pathogen in the early stages of an infectious disease epidemic.

  🖺 Full Text HTML: Host behaviour driven by awareness of infection risk amplifies the chance of superspreading events
• Protection conferred by COVID-19 vaccination, prior SARS-CoV-2 infection, or hybrid immunity against Omicron-associated severe outcomes among community-dwelling adults -

  Introduction: We assessed protection conferred by COVID-19 vaccines and/or prior SARS-CoV-2 infection against Omicron-associated severe outcomes during successive sublineage-predominant periods. Methods: We used a test-negative design to estimate protection by vaccines and/or prior infection against hospitalization/death among community-dwelling, PCR-tested adults aged >50 years in Ontario, Canada between January 2, 2022 and June 30, 2023. Multivariable logistic regression was used to estimate the relative change in the odds of hospitalization/death with each vaccine dose (2-5) and/or prior PCR-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection (compared with unvaccinated, uninfected subjects) up to 15 months since the last vaccination or infection. Results: We included 18,526 cases with Omicron-associated severe outcomes and 90,778 test-negative controls. Vaccine protection was high during BA.1/BA.2 predominance, but was generally <50% during periods of BA.4/BA.5 and BQ/XBB predominance without boosters. A third/fourth dose transiently increased protection during BA.4/BA.5 predominance (third-dose, 6-month: 68%, 95%CI 63%-72%; fourth-dose, 6-month: 80%, 95%CI 77%-83%), but was lower and waned quickly during BQ/XBB predominance (third-dose, 6-month: 59%, 95%CI 48%-67%; 12-month: 49%, 95%CI 41%-56%; fourth-dose, 6-month: 62%, 95%CI 56%-68%, 12-months: 51%, 95%CI 41%-56%). Hybrid immunity conferred nearly 90% protection throughout BA.1/BA.2 and BA.4/BA.5 predominance, but was reduced during BQ/XBB predominance (third-dose, 6-month: 60%, 95%CI 36%-75%; fourth-dose, 6-month: 63%, 95%CI 42%-76%). Protection was restored with a fifth dose (bivalent; 6-month: 91%, 95%CI 79%-96%). Prior infection alone did not confer lasting protection. Conclusion: Protection from COVID-19 vaccines and/or prior SARS-CoV-2 infections against severe outcomes is reduced when immune-evasive variants/subvariants emerge and may also wane over time. Our findings support a variant-adapted booster vaccination strategy with periodic review.

  🖺 Full Text HTML: Protection conferred by COVID-19 vaccination, prior SARS-CoV-2 infection, or hybrid immunity against Omicron-associated severe outcomes among community-dwelling adults
• Should Health Communication During the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic Emphasize Self- or Other-Focused Impacts of Mitigation Behaviors? Insights from Two Message Matching Studies -
  Mask-wearing, social distancing, and vaccination remain effective ways to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. Yet, many hesitate to enact some or all these preventive behaviors. We created three persuasive messages—framed to promote benefits to either 1) oneself, 2) close-others, or 3) distant-others—to determine whether the effectiveness of these messages varied based on personality differences (specifically independent/interdependent self-construal and chronic construal level). In two online experiments (N = 862), we measured individual differences and showed participants one of the three messages. Consistent interactions between interdependent self-construal and message conditions showed that those high in interdependent self-construal responded most positively to the self-focused messages promoting mask-wearing, social distancing, and COVID-19 vaccination. Those low in interdependent self-construal responded most negatively to the self-focused messages. Although no interaction effect was observed for independent self-construal, and inconsistent evidence emerged for construal level, other-focused messages performed either better or equally well to the self-focused messages for most participants and may thus be promising for future public health communication efforts.
  🖺 Full Text HTML: Should Health Communication During the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic Emphasize Self- or Other-Focused Impacts of Mitigation Behaviors? Insights from Two Message Matching Studies
• Respiratory symptoms after coalmine fire and pandemic: a longitudinal analysis of the Hazelwood Health Study adult cohort -

  Background Extreme but discrete fine particle <2.5μm (PM_2.5) exposure is associated with higher prevalence of respiratory symptoms. It is unknown whether these effects abate, persist, or worsen over time, nor whether COVID-19 exacerbates PM_2.5 effects. Methods We analysed longitudinal survey data from a cohort residing near a 2014 coalmine fire in regional Australia. A 2016/2017 survey included n=4,056 participants, of whom n=612 were followed-up in 2022. Items include questions about 7 respiratory symptoms, history of COVID-19, and time-location diaries that were combined with geospatial models of fire-related PM_2.5. Associations were examined using logistic and mixed-effects logistic regressions. Results PM_2.5 exposure predicted higher prevalence of chronic cough and current wheeze 2-3 years post-fire. At the 2022 follow-up, PM_2.5 exposure was associated with worsening prevalence of chronic cough and possibly current wheeze. While were no detectable interaction effects between PM_2.5 and COVID-19, participants with a history of COVID-19 exhibited more significant associations between PM_2.5 exposure and respiratory symptoms. Discussion Short-term but extreme PM_2.5 may increase the long-term prevalence of chronic cough, while COVID-19 may exacerbate the effect on other respiratory symptoms.

  🖺 Full Text HTML: Respiratory symptoms after coalmine fire and pandemic: a longitudinal analysis of the Hazelwood Health Study adult cohort

From Clinical Trials

• THE EFFECT OF ARGININE AND GLUTAMINE ON COVID-19 PATIENTS OUTCOME: A RANDOMIZED CLINICAL TRIAL - Condition:   COVID-19
  Intervention:   Dietary Supplement: Neomune
  Sponsors:   Universitas Sriwijaya;   M. Djamil General Hospital
  Completed

• Study of Obeldesivir in Children and Adolescents With COVID-19 - Condition:   COVID-19
  Intervention:   Drug: Obeldesivir
  Sponsor:   Gilead Sciences
  Not yet recruiting

• KAND567 Versus Placebo in Subjects Hospitalized With COVID-19 - Condition:   Covid19
  Interventions:   Drug: KAND567;   Drug: Microcrystalline cellulose
  Sponsor:   Kancera AB
  Terminated

• Immunogenicity and Safety of AdCLD-CoV19-1 OMI as a Booster: A COVID-19 Preventive Vaccine in Healthy Volunteers - Conditions:   COVID-19;   Vaccines
  Interventions:   Biological: AdCLD-CoV19-1 OMI;   Biological: Comirnaty Bivalent 0.1mg/mL (tozinameran and riltozinameran)
  Sponsor:   Cellid Co., Ltd.
  Not yet recruiting

• A Pilot Clinical Evaluation of Astepro® Nasal Spray for Management of Early SARS-CoV-2 Infection - Condition:   COVID-19
  Interventions:   Drug: Experimental: Primary Cohort;   Other: Placebo Comparator: Primary Cohort - Placebo
  Sponsor:   University of Chicago
  Active, not recruiting

• Using Text Messages to Boost COVID-19 Vaccine Booking Rate - Conditions:   Vaccination Hesitancy;   COVID-19
  Interventions:   Behavioral: Behavioural science-informed text messages;   Behavioral: Control
  Sponsors:   The Behavioural Insights Team;   Public Health England;   Department of Health and Social Care;   NHS England and NHS Improvement
  Completed

• Digital Health Literacy on COVID-19 for All: Co-creation and Evaluation of Interventions for Ethnic Minorities and Chinese People With Chronic Illnesses in Hong Kong - Conditions:   Digital Health Literacy;   COVID-19
  Intervention:   Behavioral: Digital health literacy intervention
  Sponsor:   The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
  Not yet recruiting

• Ivermectin to Prevent SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) Hospitalisation in Subjects Over 50 - Conditions:   COVID-19;   SARS-CoV-2
  Interventions:   Drug: Ivermectin;   Drug: Placebo
  Sponsor:   Insud Pharma
  Terminated

• Methylprednisolone in Patients With Cognitive Deficits in Post-COVID-19 Syndrome (PCS) - Condition:   Post-COVID-19 Syndrome
  Intervention:   Drug: Methylprednisolone
  Sponsor:   Charite University, Berlin, Germany
  Not yet recruiting

• COVID-19 Vaccination Hesitancy in Adults With Sickle Cell Disease - Conditions:   Sickle Cell Disease;   COVID-19 Vaccine;   Vaccine Hesitancy
  Intervention:   Behavioral: SCD-specific COVID-19 vaccination information (SCVI) video
  Sponsors:   Duke University;   American Society of Hematology
  Not yet recruiting

• Leveraging Community Health Workers to Combat COVID-19 and Mental Health Misinformation in Haiti, Malawi, and Rwanda - Conditions:   Mental Health;   COVID-19;   Misinformation
  Interventions:   Behavioral: Card-Sorting Activity (Pre-intervention design);   Behavioral: SMS Crafting (Pre-intervention design);   Behavioral: SMS Messaging
  Sponsors:   Harvard Medical School (HMS and HSDM);   Partners in Health
  Active, not recruiting

• Effect of Pulmonary Rehabilitation Among Post-COVID-19 Patients in a Tertiary Care Hospital in Bangladesh - Condition:   Pulmonary Pathology
  Intervention:   Behavioral: Pulmonary Rehabilitation
  Sponsor:   Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, Dhaka, Bangladesh
  Active, not recruiting

• A Study to Learn About New COVD-19 RNA Vaccine Candidates for New Varients in Healthy Individuals - Conditions:   SARS-CoV-2 Infection;   COVID-19
  Intervention:   Biological: BNT162b2 (Omi XBB.1.5)
  Sponsors:   BioNTech SE;   Pfizer
  Not yet recruiting

• Pulmonary Artery Pressure in COVID-19 Survivors - Condition:   Pulmonary Hypertension Secondary
  Intervention:   Diagnostic Test: right heart catheterization (RHC).
  Sponsor:   Mansoura University Hospital
  Enrolling by invitation

• Preliminary Efficacy of a Technology-based Physical Activity Intervention for Older Korean Adults During the COVID-19 Pandemic - Conditions:   Cardiovascular Health;   Physical Function
  Intervention:   Behavioral: Golden Circle
  Sponsor:   University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
  Completed

From PubMed

• Customizably designed multibodies neutralize SARS-CoV-2 in a variant-insensitive manner - The COVID-19 pandemic evolves constantly, requiring adaptable solutions to combat emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants. To address this, we created a pentameric scaffold based on a mammalian protein, which can be customized with up to 10 protein binding modules. This molecular scaffold spans roughly 20 nm and can simultaneously neutralize SARS-CoV-2 Spike proteins from one or multiple viral particles. Using only two different modules targeting the Spike’s RBD domain, this construct outcompetes human…

• Drug-induced phospholipidosis is not correlated with the inhibition of SARS-CoV-2 - inhibition of SARS-CoV-2 is cell line-specific - Recently, Tummino et al. reported that 34 compounds, including Chloroquine and Fluoxetine, inhibit SARS-CoV-2 replication by inducing phospholipidosis, although Chloroquine failed to suppress viral replication in Calu-3 cells and patients. In contrast, Fluoxetine represses viral replication in human precision-cut lung slices (PCLS) and Calu-3 cells. Thus, it is unlikely that these compounds have similar mechanisms of action. Here, we analysed a subset of these compounds in the viral replication…

• Investigation of the Host Kinome Response to Coronavirus Infection Reveals PI3K/mTOR Inhibitors as Betacoronavirus Antivirals - Host kinases play essential roles in the host cell cycle, innate immune signaling, the stress response to viral infection, and inflammation. Previous work has demonstrated that coronaviruses specifically target kinase cascades to subvert host cell responses to infection and rely upon host kinase activity to phosphorylate viral proteins to enhance replication. Given the number of kinase inhibitors that are already FDA approved to treat cancers, fibrosis, and other human disease, they represent an…

• Azvudine and mortality in patients with coronavirus disease 2019: A retrospective cohort study - CONCLUSION: Our results reveal that in patients with COVID-19, FNC administration was associated with a significantly reduced 28-day mortality.

• Hexamethylene Amiloride Binds the SARS-CoV-2 Envelope Protein at the Protein-Lipid Interface - The SARS-CoV-2 envelope (E) protein forms a five-helix bundle in lipid bilayers whose cation-conducting activity is associated with the inflammatory response and respiratory distress symptoms of COVID-19. E channel activity is inhibited by the drug 5-(N,N-hexamethylene) amiloride (HMA). However, the binding site of HMA in E has not been determined. Here we use solid-state NMR to measure distances between HMA and the E transmembrane domain (ETM) in lipid bilayers. ^(13) C, ^(15) N-labeled HMA is…

• Effectiveness of Bivalent Omicron-Containing Booster Vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 Omicron Variant among Individuals with and without Prior SARS-CoV-2 Infection - In this study, we evaluated the effectiveness of the bivalent mRNA COVID-19 vaccines against the Omicron variant in individuals with or without prior SARS-CoV-2 infection history. We assessed the SARS-CoV-2-specific neutralizing antibody in serum samples by surrogate virus neutralizing assay (sVNT) and determined the serum’s neutralizing capacity against the Omicron BA.5 by a plaque reduction neutralizing test (PRNT50). The results of the sVNT assay demonstrate a higher percentage of inhibition…

• Evaluation of Nafamostat as Chemoprophylaxis for SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Hamsters - The successful development of a chemoprophylaxis against SARS-CoV-2 could provide a tool for infection prevention that is implementable alongside vaccination programmes. Nafamostat is a serine protease inhibitor that inhibits SARS-CoV-2 entry in vitro, but it has not been characterised for chemoprophylaxis in animal models. Clinically, nafamostat is limited to intravenous delivery and has an extremely short plasma half-life. This study sought to determine whether intranasal dosing of nafamostat…

• Interchangeability of the Assays Used to Assess the Activity of Anti-SARS-CoV-2 Monoclonal Antibodies - The recent global COVID-19 pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 lasted for over three years. A key measure in combatting this pandemic involved the measurement of the monoclonal antibody (mAb)-mediated inhibition of binding between the spike receptor-binding domain (RBD) and hACE2 receptor. Potency assessments of therapeutic anti-SARS-CoV-2 mAbs typically include binding or cell-based neutralization assays. We assessed the inhibitory activity of five anti-SARS-CoV-2 mAbs using ELISA, surface plasmon…

• Phenothiazines Inhibit SARS-CoV-2 Entry through Targeting Spike Protein - Novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), a respiratory disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has brought an unprecedented public health crisis and continues to threaten humanity due to the persistent emergence of new variants. Therefore, developing more effective and broad-spectrum therapeutic and prophylactic drugs against infection by SARS-CoV-2 and its variants, as well as future emerging CoVs, is urgently needed. In this study, we screened several…

• Clinical Utility of SARS-CoV-2 Antibody Titer Multiplied by Binding Avidity of Receptor-Binding Domain (RBD) in Monitoring Protective Immunity and Clinical Severity - Conventional serum antibody titer, which expresses antibody level, does not provide antigen binding avidity of the variable region of the antibody, which is essential for the defense response to infection. Here, we quantified anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibody binding avidity to the receptor-binding domain (RBD) by competitive binding-inhibition activity (IC50) between SARS-CoV-2 S1 antigen immobilized on the DCP microarray and various RBD doses added to serum and expressed as 1/IC50 nM. The binding…

• Airway Epithelial-Derived Immune Mediators in COVID-19 - The airway epithelium, which lines the conducting airways, is central to the defense of the lungs against inhaled particulate matter and pathogens such as SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. Recognition of pathogens results in the activation of an innate and intermediate immune response which involves the release of cytokines and chemokines by the airway epithelium. This response can inhibit further viral invasion and influence adaptive immunity. However, severe COVID-19 is characterized…

• Lavandula austroapennina: Assessment of the Antiviral Activity of Lipophilic Extracts from Its Organs - In a framework aimed at the recovery and enhancement of medicinal plants endemic to the territory of the Cilento and Vallo di Diano National Park, Lavandula austroapennina N.G. Passal., Tundis and Upson has aroused interest. An insight into the chemical composition of the corolla, calyx, leaf, stem, and root organs was carried out following ultrasound-assisted maceration in n-hexane. The obtained lipophilic extracts were explored using ultra-high-performance chromatography coupled to…

• Antiviral Effect of Candies Containing Persimmon-Derived Tannin against SARS-CoV-2 Delta Strain - Inactivation of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in the mouth has the potential to reduce the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), due to the virus being readily transmitted by dispersed saliva. Persimmon-derived tannin has strong antioxidant and antimicrobial activity owing to its strong adhesion to proteins, and it also exhibited antiviral effects against non-variant and Alpha-variant SARS-CoV-2 in our previous study. In this study, we first demonstrated…

• Immunogenicity of Mix-and-Match CoronaVac/BNT162b2 Regimen versus Homologous CoronaVac/CoronaVac Vaccination: A Single-Blinded, Randomized, Parallel Group Superiority Trial - (1) Background: This study aimed to compare the immunogenicity of the mix-and-match CoronaVac/BNT162b2 vaccination to the homologous CoronaVac/CoronaVac regimen. (2) Methods: We conducted a simple-blinded randomized superiority trial to measure SARS-CoV-2 neutralization antibodies and anti-spike receptor binding domain (RBD) IgG concentrations in blood samples of participants who had received the first dose of CoronaVac vaccine followed by a dose of BNT162b2 or CoronaVac vaccine. The primary…

• New Imidazolium Alkaloids with Broad Spectrum of Action from the Marine Bacterium Shewanella aquimarina - The continuous outbreak of drug-resistant bacterial and viral infections imposes the need to search for new drug candidates. Natural products from marine bacteria still inspire the design of pharmaceuticals. Indeed, marine bacteria have unique metabolic flexibility to inhabit each ecological niche, thus expanding their biosynthetic ability to assemble unprecedented molecules. The One-Strain-Many-Compounds approach and tandem mass spectrometry allowed the discovery of a Shewanella aquimarina…

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