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<title>03 December, 2020</title>
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<title>Covid-19 Sentry</title><meta content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0" name="viewport"/><link href="styles/simple.css" rel="stylesheet"/><link href="../styles/simple.css" rel="stylesheet"/><link href="https://unpkg.com/aos@2.3.1/dist/aos.css" rel="stylesheet"/><script src="https://unpkg.com/aos@2.3.1/dist/aos.js"></script></head>
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<h1 data-aos="fade-down" id="covid-19-sentry">Covid-19 Sentry</h1>
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<h1 data-aos="fade-right" data-aos-anchor-placement="top-bottom" id="contents">Contents</h1>
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<ul>
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<li><a href="#from-preprints">From Preprints</a></li>
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<li><a href="#from-clinical-trials">From Clinical Trials</a></li>
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<li><a href="#from-pubmed">From PubMed</a></li>
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<li><a href="#from-patent-search">From Patent Search</a></li>
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</ul>
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<h1 data-aos="fade-right" id="from-preprints">From Preprints</h1>
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<li><strong>Associations between vaping and Covid-19: cross-sectional findings from the HEBECO study</strong> -
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Aims: To explore i) associations between vaping and self-reported diagnosed/suspected Covid-19; ii) changes in vaping since Covid-19 and factors associated with these changes; iii) whether Covid-19 motivated current or recent ex-vapers to quit. Methods: Cross-sectional online survey of 2791 UK adults recruited 30/04/2020-14/06/2020. Participants self-reported data on sociodemographic characteristics, diagnosed/suspected Covid-19, vaping status, changes in vaping and motivation to quit vaping since Covid-19. Results: There were no differences in diagnosed/suspected Covid-19 between never, current and ex-vapers. Bayes factors indicated there was sufficient evidence to rule out small negative (protective) associations between vaping status and diagnosed/suspected Covid-19. Among current vapers (n=397), 9.7% (95% CI 6.8-12.6%) reported vaping less than usual since Covid-19, 42.0% (37.2-46.9%) reported vaping more, and 48.3% (43.4-53.2%) reported no change. In adjusted analyses, vaping less was associated with being female (aOR=3.40, 95% CI 1.73-6.71), not living with children (aOR=4.93, 1.15-21.08) and concurrent smoking (aOR=8.77, 3.04-25.64), while vaping more was associated with being younger (aOR=5.26, 1.37-20.0), living alone (aOR=2.08, 1.14-3.85), and diagnosed/suspected Covid-19 (aOR=4.72, 2.60-8.62). Of current vapers, 32.2% (95% CI 27.5-36.8%) were motivated to quit vaping since Covid-19, partly motivated by Covid-19, and 17.4%, (9.7-26.3%) of recent ex-vapers quit vaping due to Covid-19. Conclusions: Among UK adults, self-reported diagnosed/suspected Covid-19 was not associated with vaping status. Half of current vapers changed their vaping consumption since Covid-19, with the majority reporting an increase, and a minority was motivated to quit due to Covid-19.
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<div class="article-link article-html-link">
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🖺 Full Text HTML: <a href="https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.12.01.20241760v1" target="_blank">Associations between vaping and Covid-19: cross-sectional findings from the HEBECO study</a>
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</div></li>
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<li><strong>Variants in SARS-CoV-2 Associated with Mild or Severe Outcome</strong> -
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<div>
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Abstract: Introduction: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is a global public health emergency causing a disparate burden of death and disability around the world. The molecular characteristics of the virus that predict better or worse outcome are largely still being discovered. Methods: We downloaded 155,958 severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) genomes from GISAID and evaluated whether variants improved prediction of reported severity beyond age and region. We also evaluated specific variants to determine the magnitude of association with severity and the frequency of these variants among the genomes. Results: Logistic regression models that included viral genomic variants outperformed other models (AUC=0.91 as compared with 0.68 for age and gender alone; p<0.001). Among individual variants, we found 17 single nucleotide variants in SARS-CoV-2 have more than two-fold greater odds of being associated with higher severity and 67 variants associated with ≤0.5 times the odds of severity. The median frequency of associated variants was 0.15% (interquartile range 0.09%-0.45%). Altogether 85% of genomes had at least one variant associated with patient outcome. Conclusion: Numerous SARS-CoV-2 variants have two-fold or greater association with odds of mild or severe outcome and collectively, these variants are common. In addition to comprehensive mitigation efforts, public health measures should be prioritized to control the more severe manifestations of COVID-19 and the transmission chains linked to these severe cases.
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</p>
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<div class="article-link article-html-link">
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🖺 Full Text HTML: <a href="https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.12.01.20242149v1" target="_blank">Variants in SARS-CoV-2 Associated with Mild or Severe Outcome</a>
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</div></li>
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<li><strong>Large parallel screen of saliva and nasopharyngeal swabs in a test center setting proofs utility of saliva as alternate specimen for SARS-CoV-2 detection by RT-PCR</strong> -
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Background A high volume of testing followed by rapid isolation and quarantine measures is critical to the containment of SARS-CoV-2. RT-PCR of nasopharyngeal swabs (NPS) has been established as sensitive gold standard for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Yet, additional test strategies are in demand to increase and broaden testing opportunities. As one attractive option, saliva has been discussed as an alternative to NPS as its collection is simple, non-invasive, suited for children and amenable for mass- and home-testing. Methods Here, we report on the outcome of a head-to-head comparison of SARS-CoV-2 detection by RT-PCR in saliva and nasopharyngeal swab (NPS) of 1187 adults and children reporting to outpatient test centers and an emergency unit for an initial SARS-CoV-2 screen. Results In total, 252 individuals were tested SARS-CoV-2 positive in either NPS or saliva. SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR results in the two specimens showed a high agreement (Overall Percent Agreement = 98.0%). Despite lower viral loads in saliva, we observed sensitive detection of SARS-CoV-2 in saliva up to a threshold of Ct 33 in the corresponding NPS (Positive Percent Agreement = 97.7%). In patients with Ct above 33 in NPS, agreement rate dropped but still reaches notable 55.9%. Conclusion The comprehensive parallel analysis of NPS and saliva reported here establishes saliva as a reliable specimen for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 that can be readily added to the diagnostic portfolio to increase and facilitate testing.
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</p>
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<div class="article-link article-html-link">
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🖺 Full Text HTML: <a href="https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.12.01.20241778v1" target="_blank">Large parallel screen of saliva and nasopharyngeal swabs in a test center setting proofs utility of saliva as alternate specimen for SARS-CoV-2 detection by RT-PCR</a>
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</div></li>
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<li><strong>A Novel Model for Simulating COVID-19 Dynamics Through Layered Infection States that Integrate Concepts from Epidemiology, Biophysics and Medicine: SEI3R2S-Nrec</strong> -
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<div>
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<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
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Introduction. Effectively modeling SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19 dynamics requires careful integration of population health (public health motivation) and recovery dynamics (medical interventions motivation). This manuscript proposes a minimal pandemic model, which conceptually separates complex adaptive systems (CAS) associated with social behavior and infrastructure (e.g., tractable input events modulating exposure) from idealized bio-CAS (e.g., the immune system). The proposed model structure extends the classic simple SEIR (susceptible, exposed, infected, resistant/recovered) uni-causal compartmental model, widely used in epidemiology, into an 8th-order functional network SEI<sub>3</sub>R<sub>2</sub>S-Nrec model structure, with infection partitioned into three severity states (e.g., starts in I1, mostly asymptomatic, then I2 if notable symptoms, then I3 if should be hospitalized) connecting via a lattice of paths to two flux-partitioned resistant (R) states. Here Nrec (not recovered) represents a placeholder for better tying emerging SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19 medical research findings with those from epidemiology. This is viewed as the minimal model that could be applicable to both a population (public health motivation) and to recovery dynamics (medical interventions motivation). Methods. Borrowing from fuzzy logic, a given model represents a Universe of Discourse (UoD) that is based on assumptions. Nonlinear flux rates are implemented using the classic Hill function, widely used in the biochemical and pharmaceutical fields and intuitive for inclusion within differential equations. There is support for encounter input events that modulate ongoing E (exposures) fluxes via S>I1 and other I1/2/3 encounters, partitioned into a social/group (u<sub>SG</sub>(t)) behavioral subgroup (e.g., ideally using evolving science best-practices), and a smaller u<sub>TB</sub>(t) subgroup with added spreader lifestyle and event support. In addition to signal and flux trajectories (e.g., plotted over 300 days), key cumulative output metrics are calculated (e.g., for fluxes such as I3>D deaths, I1>I2 cases and I2>I3 hospital admittances). The model is available for use; an interactive web-based version will follow. Results. Default population results are provided for the USA as a whole, for three states in which this author has lived (Arizona, Wisconsin, Oregon), and for several special hypothetical cases of idealized UoDs (e.g., nursing home; healthy low-risk mostly on I1>R1 path, demonstrating reinfections). Often known events were included (e.g., pulses for holiday weekends and election; Trump/governor-inspired summer outbreak in Arizona). Runs were mildly tuned by the author, in two stages: i) mild model-tuning (e.g., for obesity), then ii) iterative input tuning to obtain similar overall March-thru-November curve shapes and appropriate cumulative numbers for cases (lower than I1>I2 flux), hospitalizations (~I3) and deaths (I3>D flux). Both curve shapes and cumulative metrics are consistent with available data and could be further refined by groups with more resources (human, computational, data access). It is hoped that its causal predictions might prove helpful, with the starter models offered to policymakers, medical professionals, and on the ground managers of science-based interventions. Discussion and Future Directions. These include: i) the sensitivity of the model and inputs; ii) possible next steps for this SEI3R2S-Nrec framework that may include treating key compartments as dynamic sub-model clusters, to better address compartment-specific forms of population diversity (an extension that bears similarity to how biochemical reaction dynamics can occur within compartments, here for E [host-parasite biophysics], I [infection diversity], and/or R [immune diversity]); iii) the models potential utility as a framework for applying optimal/feedback control engineering to help manage the ongoing pandemic response in the context of competing subcriteria that must evolve with new tools (e.g., more testing, vaccines with temporary immunity); and iv) ways in which the Nrec medical submodel could be expanded to provide refined estimates of the types of tissue damage, impairments and dysfunction that are known byproducts of the COVID-19 disease process.
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</p>
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</div>
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<div class="article-link article-html-link">
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🖺 Full Text HTML: <a href="https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.12.01.20242263v1" target="_blank">A Novel Model for Simulating COVID-19 Dynamics Through Layered Infection States that Integrate Concepts from Epidemiology, Biophysics and Medicine: SEI3R2S-Nrec</a>
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</div></li>
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<li><strong>Implications of delayed reopening in controlling the COVID-19 surge in Southern and West-Central USA</strong> -
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In the wake of the rapid surge in the Covid-19 infected cases seen in Southern and West-Central USA in the period of June-July 2020, there is an urgent need to develop robust, data-driven models to quantify the effect which early reopening had on the infected case count increase. In particular, it is imperative to address the question: How many infected cases could have been prevented, had the worst affected states not reopened early? To address this question, we have developed a novel Covid-19 model by augmenting the classical SIR epidemiological model with a neural network module. The model decomposes the contribution of quarantine strength to the infection timeseries, allowing us to quantify the role of quarantine control and the associated reopening policies in the US states which showed a major surge in infections. We show that the upsurge in the infected cases seen in these states is strongly co-related with a drop in the quarantine/lockdown strength diagnosed by our model. Further, our results demonstrate that in the event of a stricter lockdown without early reopening, the number of active infected cases recorded on 14 July could have been reduced by more than 40% in all states considered, with the actual number of infections reduced being more than 100,000 for the states of Florida and Texas. As we continue our fight against Covid-19, our proposed model can be used as a valuable asset to simulate the effect of several reopening strategies on the infected count evolution; for any region under consideration.
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</p>
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<div class="article-link article-html-link">
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🖺 Full Text HTML: <a href="https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.12.01.20242172v1" target="_blank">Implications of delayed reopening in controlling the COVID-19 surge in Southern and West-Central USA</a>
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</div></li>
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<li><strong>Impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the mental health and wellbeing of adults with mental health conditions in the UK: A qualitative interview study</strong> -
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Background People with mental health conditions have been identified as particularly vulnerable to poor mental health and wellbeing during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. However, why this population have faced these adverse effects, how they have experienced them and how they have coped during the pandemic remains under-explored. Aims To explore how the COVID-19 pandemic affected the mental health of people with existing mental health conditions, and to identify protective factors and coping strategies applied to support positive mental health. Method Semi-structured qualitative interviews and thematic analysis with 22 people with pre-existing mental health conditions. Results Five pandemic related factors contributed to a deterioration in mental health: i) feeling safe but isolated at home ii) disruption to mental health services, iii) cancelled plans and changed routines iv) uncertainty and lack of control, and v) rolling media coverage. Five coping strategies and protective factors were identified for maintaining mental health: i) previous experience of adversity ii) feeling less accountable to others iii) engaging in hobbies and activities, iv) staying connected with others, and v) perceived social support. Conclusions Particular challenges were identified that were a direct result of the pandemic and people with severe mental illnesses were particularly negatively affected. However, some participants found this period a time of respite, were able to draw upon reserves of resilience and adapt their coping strategies to maintain positive wellbeing.
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<div class="article-link article-html-link">
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🖺 Full Text HTML: <a href="https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.12.01.20241067v1" target="_blank">Impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the mental health and wellbeing of adults with mental health conditions in the UK: A qualitative interview study</a>
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</div></li>
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<li><strong>Social relationships and depression during the COVID-19 lockdown: longitudinal analysis of the COVID-19 social study</strong> -
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Background The COVID-19 pandemic led to social and physical distancing measures that reduced social contact and support. We explored whether people with more frequent and supportive social contact had fewer depressive symptoms during the UK Spring 2020 lockdown, whether this applied to face-to-face and remote electronic contact, and whether people with higher empathy levels, or more frequent pre-COVID social contact with others were more protected. Methods UK dwelling participants aged 18 or older in the internet-based longitudinal COVID-19 Social Study completed up to 22 weekly questionnaires about frequency of face-to-face and phone/video social contact, perceived social support, and depressive symptoms assessed with the patient health questionnaire (PHQ-9). Mixed linear models examined associations between social contact and support, and depressive symptoms. We examined for interaction by empathic concern and perspective taking and pre-COVID social contact frequency. Results In 71,117 people with mean age 49 years (standard deviation 15) we found that daily face-to-face or phone/video contact was associated with lower PHQ-9 scores (mean difference 0.258 (95% confidence interval 0.225, 0.290) and 0.117 (0.080, 0.154) respectively) compared to having no contact. Those with high social support scored 1.836 (1.801, 1.871) PHQ-9 points lower than those with low support. The odds ratio for depression for those with daily face-to-face social contact compared to no face-to-face contact was 0.712 (0.678, 0.747). Daily compared to no phone/video contact was associated with odds ratio for depression 0.825 (0.779, 0.873). And reporting high, compared to low, social support was associated with 0.145 (95%CI 0.138, 0.152) odds ratio for depression. The negative association between social relationships and depressive symptoms was stronger for those with high empathic concern, perspective taking and usual sociability. Conclusions Those who had more face-to-face contact during lockdown had fewer depressive symptoms. Phone or video communication were beneficial but less so. People who were usually more sociable or had higher empathy were more likely to have depressive symptoms during enforced reduced social contact. Results have implications both for our management of COVID-19 and potential future pandemics, and for our understanding of the relationship between social factors and mental health.
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🖺 Full Text HTML: <a href="https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.12.01.20241950v1" target="_blank">Social relationships and depression during the COVID-19 lockdown: longitudinal analysis of the COVID-19 social study</a>
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</div></li>
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<li><strong>Effect of Vitamin D deficiency on COVID-19 status: A systematic review</strong> -
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Background: One major micronutrient known to have a possible protective effect against COVID-19 disease is vitamin D. This systematic review sought to identify and synthesis available evidence to aid the understanding of the possible effect of vitamin D deficiency on COVID-19 status and health outcomes in COVID-19 patients. Methods: Three databases PubMed, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar were searched systematically to obtain English language journal article published within 1/12/2019 and 3/11/2020. The search consisted of the terms (“Vitamin D,” OR “25‐Hydroxyvitamin D,” OR “Low Vitamin D.”) AND (“COVID-19” OR “2019-nCoV” OR “Coronavirus” OR “SARS-CoV-2”) AND (“disease severity” OR “IMV” OR “ICU admission” OR “mortality” OR “hospitalization” OR “infection”). We followed the recommended PRISMA guidelines in executing this study. After going through the screening of the articles, eleven articles were included in the review. Findings: Almost all the included studies reported a positive association between Vitamin D sufficiency and COVID-19 status and health outcomes. Vitamin D deficient patients (< 25 ng/mL) are 5.84 times [aOR=6.84, p=0.01] more likely to die from COVID-19 compared to the vitamin D sufficient people. Another study also found that Vitamin D deficiency is associated with higher risk of death with Hazard ratio (HR) 14.73, p<0.001. Vitamin D deficient (<12 ng/mL) people were 2.2 times [aOR=3.2, p=0.07] more likely to develop severe COVID-19 after adjusting for age, gender, obesity, cardiac disease, and kidney disease compared to the vitamin D sufficient people. One study found that after controlling for confounders, patients with low 25(OH)D (<30 ng/mL) level are more likely [aOR=1.45, p=<0.001] to be COVID-19 infected compared to the patients with 25(OH)D level >=30 ng/mL. Conclusion: Findings from the study included suggest Vitamin D may serve as a mitigating effect for covid-19 infection, severity and mortality. We recommend the need to encourage people to eat foods rich in vitamin D such as fish, red meat, liver and egg yolks whiles at the same time providing vitamin D supplements for individuals with COVID-19 in order to boost their immune systems.
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🖺 Full Text HTML: <a href="https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.12.01.20242313v1" target="_blank">Effect of Vitamin D deficiency on COVID-19 status: A systematic review</a>
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<li><strong>Diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 infections in times of material shortage</strong> -
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The pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 resulted in increasing demands for diagnostic tests, leading to a shortage of recommended testing materials and reagents. This study reports on the performance of self-sampled alternative swabbing material (ordinary Q-tips tested against flocked swab and rayon swab), of reagents for classical RNA extraction (phenol/guanidine-based protocol against a commercial kit), and of intercalating dye-based one-step quantitative reverse transcription real-time PCRs (RT-qPCR) compared against the gold standard hydrolysis probe-based assays for SARS-CoV-2 detection. The study found sampling with Q-tips, RNA extraction with classical protocol and intercalating dye-based RT-qPCR as a reliable and comparably sensitive strategy for detection of SARS-CoV-2 - particularly valuable in the current period with a resurgent and dramatic increase in SARS-CoV-2 infections and growing shortage of diagnostic materials as well for regions limited in resources.
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🖺 Full Text HTML: <a href="https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.12.01.20242008v1" target="_blank">Diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 infections in times of material shortage</a>
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</div></li>
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<li><strong>How effective are face coverings in reducing transmission of COVID-19?</strong> -
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In the COVID-19 pandemic, among the more controversial issues is the use of face coverings. To address this we show that the underlying physics ensures particles with diameters (> 1 micron) are efficiently filtered out by a simple cotton or surgical mask. For particles in the submicron range the efficiency depends on the material properties of the masks, though generally the filtration efficiency in this regime varies between 30 to 60 % and multi-layered cotton masks are expected to be comparable to surgical masks. Respiratory droplets are conventionally divided into coarse droplets (> 5-10 micron) responsible for droplet transmission and aerosols (< 5-10 micron) responsible for airborne transmission. Masks are thus expected to be highly effective at preventing droplet transmission, with their effectiveness limited only by the mask fit, compliance and appropriate usage. By contrast, knowledge of the size distribution of bioaerosols and the likelihood that they contain virus is essential to understanding their effectiveness in preventing airborne transmission. We argue from literature data on SARS-CoV-2 viral loads that the finest aerosols (< 1 micron) are unlikely to contain even a single virion in the majority of cases; we thus expect masks to be effective at reducing the risk of airborne transmission in most settings.
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🖺 Full Text HTML: <a href="https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.12.01.20241992v1" target="_blank">How effective are face coverings in reducing transmission of COVID-19?</a>
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<li><strong>Sewage, Salt, Silica and SARS-CoV-2 (4S): An economical kit-free method for direct capture of SARS-CoV-2 RNA from wastewater.</strong> -
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Wastewater-based epidemiology is an emerging tool to monitor COVID-19 infection levels by measuring the concentration of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) RNA in wastewater. There remains a need to improve wastewater RNA extraction methods9 sensitivity, speed, and reduce reliance on often expensive commercial reagents to make wastewater-based epidemiology more accessible. We present a kit-free wastewater RNA extraction method, titled “Sewage, Salt, Silica and SARS-CoV-2” (4S), that employs the abundant and affordable reagents sodium chloride (NaCl), ethanol and silica RNA capture matrices to recover 6-fold more SARS-CoV-2 RNA from wastewater than an existing ultrafiltration-based method. The 4S method concurrently recovered pepper mild mottle virus (PMMoV) and human 18S ribosomal subunit rRNA, both suitable as fecal concentration controls. The SARS-CoV-2 RNA concentrations measured in three sewersheds corresponded to the relative prevalence of COVID-19 infection determined via clinical testing. Lastly, controlled experiments indicate that the 4S method prevented RNA degradation during storage of wastewater samples, was compatible with heat pasteurization, and could be performed in approximately 3 hours. Overall, the 4S method is promising for effective, economical, and accessible wastewater-based epidemiology for SARS-CoV-2, providing another tool to fight the global pandemic.
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🖺 Full Text HTML: <a href="https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.12.01.20242131v1" target="_blank">Sewage, Salt, Silica and SARS-CoV-2 (4S): An economical kit-free method for direct capture of SARS-CoV-2 RNA from wastewater.</a>
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<li><strong>No current evidence for risk of vaccine-driven virulence evolution in SARS-CoV-2</strong> -
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Vaccines that reduce clinical severity but not infection or transmission could drive the evolution of increased rates of pathogen-inflicted damage, or virulence. Preliminary evidence suggests that COVID-19 vaccines might have such differential effects, conferring greater protection in the lower respiratory tract, where viral growth most impacts severity, than in the upper respiratory tract, where infection is chiefly determined. However, the evolution of increased virulence can only occur under certain conditions, which include the existence of a positive association between transmission and severity linked to viral genetic variation. Here, we review the current evidence for these conditions, which does not point to a risk of vaccine driven virulence evolution. An evo-epidemiological model also indicates that upper respiratory tract protection can minimize or negate selection for increased virulence should these conditions be met. Despite low apparent risks, SARS-CoV-2 virulence should be monitored, and transmission-limiting characteristics should be prioritized for second-wave vaccines.
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🖺 Full Text HTML: <a href="https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.12.01.20241836v1" target="_blank">No current evidence for risk of vaccine-driven virulence evolution in SARS-CoV-2</a>
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<li><strong>Impact of social distancing regulations and epidemic risk perception on social contact and SARS-CoV-2 transmission potential in rural South Africa: analysis of repeated cross-sectional surveys</strong> -
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Background: South Africa implemented rapid and strict physical distancing regulations to minimize SARS-CoV-2 epidemic spread. Evidence on the impact of such measures on interpersonal contact in rural and lower-income settings is limited. Methods: We compared population-representative social contact surveys conducted in the same rural KwaZulu-Natal location once in 2019 and twice in mid-2020. Respondents reported characteristics of physical and conversational (9close interaction9) contacts over 24 hours. We built age-mixing matrices and estimated the proportional change in the SARS-CoV-2 reproduction number (R0). Respondents also reported counts of others present at locations visited and transport used, from which we evaluated change in potential exposure to airborne infection due to shared indoor space (9shared air9). Results: Respondents in March-December 2019 (n=1704) reported a mean of 7.4 close interaction contacts and 196 shared air person-hours beyond their homes. Respondents in June-July 2020 (n=216), as the epidemic peaked locally, reported 4.1 close interaction contacts and 21 shared air person-hours outside their home, with significant declines in others9 homes and public spaces. Adults aged over 50 had fewer close contacts with others over 50, but little change in contact with 15-29 year olds, reflecting ongoing contact within multigenerational households. We estimate potential R0 fell by 42% (95% plausible range 14-59%) between 2019 and June-July 2020. Discussion: Extra-household social contact fell substantially following imposition of Covid-19 distancing regulations in rural South Africa. Ongoing contact within intergenerational households highlighted the limitation of social distancing measures in protecting older adults.
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🖺 Full Text HTML: <a href="https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.12.01.20241877v1" target="_blank">Impact of social distancing regulations and epidemic risk perception on social contact and SARS-CoV-2 transmission potential in rural South Africa: analysis of repeated cross-sectional surveys</a>
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<li><strong>Accuracy of automated computer aided-risk scoring systems to estimate the risk of COVID-19 and in-hospital mortality: a retrospective cohort study</strong> -
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Objectives: Although a set of computer-aided risk scoring systems (CARSS), that use the National Early Warning Score and routine blood tests results, have been validated for predicting in-hospital mortality and sepsis in unplanned admission to hospital, little is known about their performance for COVID-19 patients. We compare the performance of CARSS in unplanned admissions with COVID-19 during the first phase of the pandemic. Design: a retrospective cross-sectional study Setting: Two acute hospitals (Scarborough and York) are combined into a single dataset and analysed collectively. Participants: Adult (>=18 years) non-elective admissions discharged between 11-March-2020 to 13-June-2020 with an index NEWS electronically recorded within 24 hours. We assessed the performance of all four risk score (for sepsis: CARS_N, CARS_NB; for mortality: CARM_N, CARM_NB) according to discrimination (c-statistic) and calibration (graphically) in predicting the risk of COVID-19 and in-hospital mortality. Results: The risk of in-hospital mortality following emergency medical admission was 8.4% (500/6444) and 9.6% (620/6444) had a diagnosis of COVID-19. For predicting COVID-19 admissions, the CARS_N model had the highest discrimination 0.73 (0.71 to 0.75) and calibration slope 0.81 (0.72 to 0.89). For predicting in-hospital mortality, the CARM_NB model had the highest discrimination 0.84 (0.82 to 0.75) and calibration slope 0.89 (0.81 to 0.98). Conclusions: Two of the computer-aided risk scores (CARS_N and CARM_NB) are reasonably accurate for predicting the risk of COVID-19 and in-hospital mortality, respectively. They may be clinically useful as an early warning system at the time of admission especially to triage large numbers of unplanned hospital admissions because they are automated and require no additional data collection.
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🖺 Full Text HTML: <a href="https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.12.01.20241828v1" target="_blank">Accuracy of automated computer aided-risk scoring systems to estimate the risk of COVID-19 and in-hospital mortality: a retrospective cohort study</a>
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<li><strong>Is the end near? When the different countries will surmount COVID-19 pandemic: new approach applying physical, mathematical and game theory models.</strong> -
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In the year 2020 COVID-19 pandemic was a global issue that changed mankind9s lifestyle. Since then, when we will control the pandemic and recover our normal life has become the paramount question to be answered, and it needs to be solved. One problem is that there are wealthy countries, with very good health care systems and scientific resources while others barely dedicate 100 US $ per citizen per year, rich countries could cooperate at different levels with poorer ones. In such a diverse context classic epidemiology models, excellent for predicting short term evolution of the pandemic at a local level are not as suitable for long term predictions at a global scale specially if the data they use are of questionable accuracy. Alternatively, big data and AI approaches have been tried. There is an option that can be more effective. Physics applies predictive models about the duration of an event based on analysing the dynamics of the time evolution of the event itself. These models can be used alongside with probabilistic and game theory models that consider different degrees of cooperation. By means of the physics Delta-t argument and a game theory model (cooperate versus defector) we calculate when different countries may control COVID-19 pandemic. In a non-cooperate model, those countries with more resources and best manage the pandemic will have it under control between May and September 2021, whereas those with no resources will suffer the pandemic until at least October 2023. On the other hand, a strong cooperative model will allow that the majority could control the COVID-19 pandemic between October 2021 and November 2022.
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🖺 Full Text HTML: <a href="https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.12.01.20242099v1" target="_blank">Is the end near? When the different countries will surmount COVID-19 pandemic: new approach applying physical, mathematical and game theory models.</a>
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<h1 data-aos="fade-right" id="from-clinical-trials">From Clinical Trials</h1>
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<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Convalescent Plasma for Treatment of COVID-19: An Open Randomised Controlled Trial</strong> - <b>Condition</b>: Covid19<br/><b>Interventions</b>: Biological: SARS-CoV-2 convalescent plasma; Other: Standard of care<br/><b>Sponsors</b>: Joakim Dillner; Karolinska Institutet; Danderyd Hospital; Falu Hospital<br/><b>Not yet recruiting</b></p></li>
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<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Ivermectin for Severe COVID-19 Management</strong> - <b>Condition</b>: COVID-19<br/><b>Intervention</b>: Drug: Ivermectin<br/><b>Sponsors</b>: Afyonkarahisar Health Sciences University; NeuTec Pharma<br/><b>Completed</b></p></li>
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<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>IFN-beta 1b and Remdesivir for COVID19</strong> - <b>Condition</b>: Covid19<br/><b>Interventions</b>: Drug: Interferon beta-1b; Drug: Remdesivir<br/><b>Sponsor</b>: The University of Hong Kong<br/><b>Recruiting</b></p></li>
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<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>A Phase Ⅱ Clinical Trial of Recombinant Corona Virus Disease-19 (COVID-19) Vaccine (Sf9 Cells)</strong> - <b>Condition</b>: COVID-19<br/><b>Interventions</b>: Biological: Low-dose Recombinant COVID-19 vaccine (Sf9 cells) (18-59 years) & Two dose regimen; Biological: Low-dose Recombinant COVID-19 vaccine (Sf9 cells) (18-59 years) & Three dose regimen; Biological: High-dose Recombinant COVID-19 vaccine (Sf9 cells) (18-59 years) & Two dose regimen; Biological: High-dose Recombinant COVID-19 vaccine (Sf9 cells) (18-59 years) & Three dose regimen; Biological: Low-dose Recombinant COVID-19 vaccine (Sf9 cells) (60-85 years) & Two dose regimen; Biological: Low-dose Recombinant COVID-19 vaccine (Sf9 cells) (60-85 years) & Three dose regimen; Biological: High-dose Recombinant COVID-19 vaccine (Sf9 cells) (60-85 years) & Two dose regimen; Biological: High-dose Recombinant COVID-19 vaccine (Sf9 cells) (60-85 years) & Three dose regimen; Biological: Low-dose placebo (18-59 years) & Two dose regimen; Biological: Low-dose placebo (18-59 years) & Three dose regimen; Biological: High-dose placebo (18-59 years) & Two dose regimen; Biological: High-dose placebo (18-59 years) & Three dose regimen; Biological: Low-dose placebo (60-85 years) & Two dose regimen; Biological: Low-dose placebo (60-85 years) & Three dose regimen; Biological: High-dose placebo (60-85 years) & Two dose regimen; Biological: High-dose placebo (60-85 years) & Three dose regimen<br/><b>Sponsors</b>: Jiangsu Province Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; West China Hospital<br/><b>Recruiting</b></p></li>
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<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Resolving Inflammatory Storm in COVID-19 Patients by Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids -</strong> - <b>Condition</b>: COVID-19<br/><b>Interventions</b>: Drug: Omegaven®; Drug: Sodium chloride<br/><b>Sponsor</b>: Karolinska University Hospital<br/><b>Recruiting</b></p></li>
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<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Adaptive COVID-19 Treatment Trial 4 (ACTT-4)</strong> - <b>Condition</b>: COVID-19<br/><b>Interventions</b>: Drug: Baricitinib; Drug: Dexamethasone; Other: Placebo; Drug: Remdesivir<br/><b>Sponsor</b>: National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)<br/><b>Recruiting</b></p></li>
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<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Phase I Trial of a Recombinant COVID-19 Vaccine (CHO Cell)</strong> - <b>Condition</b>: COVID-19<br/><b>Interventions</b>: Biological: Two doses of middle-dose recombinant SARS-CoV-2 vaccine (CHO Cell) at the schedule of day 0, 14; Biological: Three doses of middle-dose recombinant SARS-CoV-2 vaccine (CHO Cell) at the schedule of day 0, 14, 28; Biological: Two doses of high-dose recombinant SARS-CoV-2 vaccine (CHO Cell) at the schedule of day 0, 14; Biological: Three doses of high-dose recombinant SARS-CoV-2 vaccine (CHO Cell) at the schedule of day 0, 14, 28; Biological: Two doses of placebo at the schedule of day 0, 14 #middle-dose group#; Biological: Three doses of placebo at the schedule of day 0, 14, 28 #middle-dose group#; Biological: Two doses of placebo at the schedule of day 0, 14 #High-dose group#; Biological: Three doses of placebo at the schedule of day 0, 14, 28 #High-dose group#<br/><b>Sponsors</b>: Jiangsu Province Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Academy of Military Medical Sciences，Academy of Military Sciences，PLA; ZHONGYIANKE Biotech Co, Ltd.; LIAONINGMAOKANGYUAN Biotech Co, Ltd<br/><b>Recruiting</b></p></li>
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<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Vitamin D and Zinc Supplementation for Improving Treatment Outcomes Among COVID-19 Patients in India</strong> - <b>Condition</b>: COVID-19<br/><b>Interventions</b>: Dietary Supplement: Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol); Dietary Supplement: Zinc (zinc gluconate); Dietary Supplement: Zinc (zinc gluconate) & Vitamin D (cholecalciferol); Other: Placebo<br/><b>Sponsors</b>: Harvard School of Public Health; Foundation for Medical Research; University Health Network, Toronto<br/><b>Not yet recruiting</b></p></li>
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<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>WHO COVID-19 Solidarity Trial for COVID-19 Treatments</strong> - <b>Condition</b>: Covid19<br/><b>Interventions</b>: Drug: Remdesivir; Drug: Acalabrutinib; Drug: Interferon beta-1a; Other: Standard of Care<br/><b>Sponsor</b>: The University of The West Indies<br/><b>Not yet recruiting</b></p></li>
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<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>COVID-19 Thrombosis Prevention Trials: Post-hospital Thromboprophylaxis</strong> - <b>Condition</b>: Covid19<br/><b>Interventions</b>: Drug: Apixaban 2.5 MG; Drug: Placebo<br/><b>Sponsors</b>: Thomas Ortel, M.D., Ph.D.; National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)<br/><b>Not yet recruiting</b></p></li>
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<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Inhaled Heparin for Hospitalised COVID-19 Patients</strong> - <b>Condition</b>: Covid19<br/><b>Intervention</b>: Drug: Unfractionated heparin<br/><b>Sponsors</b>: Australian National University; Helwan University; Clinica San Camilo, Argentina<br/><b>Recruiting</b></p></li>
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<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Effect of Vitamin D on Hospitalized Adults With COVID-19 Infection</strong> - <b>Condition</b>: Covid19<br/><b>Interventions</b>: Drug: Cholecalciferol; Other: Placebo<br/><b>Sponsors</b>: University of Liege; Laboratoires SMB S.A.<br/><b>Recruiting</b></p></li>
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<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Efficacy and Safety of Ovotransferrin in COVID-19 Patients</strong> - <b>Condition</b>: Covid19<br/><b>Intervention</b>: Dietary Supplement: Ovotransferrin<br/><b>Sponsor</b>: Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Policlinico Paolo Giaccone Palermo<br/><b>Not yet recruiting</b></p></li>
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<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Using Travelan to Boost Immune Response in Vitro to COVID-19</strong> - <b>Condition</b>: Covid19<br/><b>Intervention</b>: Other: Travelan OTC<br/><b>Sponsor</b>: Hadassah Medical Organization<br/><b>Active, not recruiting</b></p></li>
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<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>The Efficacy and Safety of SCTA01 in Hospitalized Patients With Severe COVID-19</strong> - <b>Condition</b>: Covid19<br/><b>Interventions</b>: Drug: SCTA01; Other: Placebo<br/><b>Sponsor</b>: Sinocelltech Ltd.<br/><b>Not yet recruiting</b></p></li>
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</ul>
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<h1 data-aos="fade-right" id="from-pubmed">From PubMed</h1>
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<ul>
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<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>A monoclonal antibody against staphylococcal enterotoxin B superantigen inhibits SARS-CoV-2 entry in vitro</strong> - We recently discovered a superantigen-like motif, similar to Staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB), near the S1/S2 cleavage site of SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein, which might explain the multisystem-inflammatory syndrome (MIS-C) observed in children and cytokine storm in severe COVID-19 patients. We show here that an anti-SEB monoclonal antibody (mAb), 6D3, can bind this viral motif, and in particular its PRRA insert, to inhibit infection by blocking the access of host cell proteases, TMPRSS2 or furin,…</p></li>
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<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>A Neutralizing Antibody-Conjugated Photothermal Nanoparticle Captures and Inactivates SARS-CoV-2</strong> - The outbreak of 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has resulted in a global pandemic. Despite intensive research including several clinical trials, currently there are no completely safe or effective therapeutics to cure the disease. Here we report a strategy incorporating neutralizing antibodies conjugated on the surface of a photothermal nanoparticle to actively capture and inactivate SARS-CoV-2. The photothermal…</p></li>
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<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Ipomoeassin-F inhibits the in vitro biogenesis of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and its host cell membrane receptor</strong> - In order to produce proteins essential for their propagation, many pathogenic human viruses, including SARS-CoV-2 the causative agent of COVID-19 respiratory disease, commandeer host biosynthetic machineries and mechanisms. Three major structural proteins, the spike, envelope and membrane proteins, are amongst several SARS-CoV-2 components synthesised at the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) of infected human cells prior to the assembly of new viral particles. Hence, the inhibition of membrane protein…</p></li>
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<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Research progress in nervous system damage caused by SARS-CoV-2</strong> - The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has become a major outbreak in the world. SARS-CoV-2 infection can not only involve in the respiratory system, but also cause severe nervous system damage. Studies have shown that SRAS-CoV-2 can invade the nervous system through hematogenous and transneuronal pathways, and may cause nervous system damage in patients with COVID-19 by inhibiting cellular immunity, hypoxemia, inflammation,…</p></li>
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<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>The viral protein NSP1 acts as a ribosome gatekeeper for shutting down host translation and fostering SARS-CoV-2 translation</strong> - SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus is responsible for Covid-19 pandemic. In the early phase of infection, the single-strand positive RNA genome is translated into non-structural proteins (NSP). One of the first proteins produced during viral infection, NSP1, binds to the host ribosome and blocks the mRNA entry channel. This triggers translation inhibition of cellular translation. In spite of the presence of NSP1 on the ribosome, viral translation proceeds however. The molecular mechanism of the so-called…</p></li>
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<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Recovering coronavirus from large volumes of water</strong> - The need for monitoring tools to better control the ongoing coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic is extremely urgent and the contamination of water resources by excreted viral particles poses alarming questions to be answered. As a first step to overcome technical limitations in monitoring SARS-CoV-2 along the water cycle, we assessed the analytical performance of a dead end hollow fiber ultrafiltration coupled to different options for secondary concentrations to concentrate viral particles…</p></li>
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<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Remdesivir (GS-5734) in COVID-19 Therapy: The Fourth Chance</strong> - CONCLUSION: In this mini-review, we provide an overview of remdesivir’s journey, mechanism of action, pharmacokinetics, used in patients with COVID-19 under compassionate use principle and clinical trials to understand the effect of remdesivir in the treatment of patients with COVID-19.</p></li>
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<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>SARS-CoV-2 Inhibition by Sulfonated Compounds</strong> - Severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) depends on angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) for cellular entry, but it might also rely on attachment receptors such as heparan sulfates. Several groups have recently demonstrated an affinity of the SARS-CoV2 spike protein for heparan sulfates and a reduced binding to cells in the presence of heparin or heparinase treatment. Here, we investigated the inhibitory activity of several sulfated and sulfonated molecules, which…</p></li>
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<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Remdesivir Strongly Binds to Both RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase and Main Protease of SARS-CoV-2: Evidence from Molecular Simulations</strong> - The outbreak of a new coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus 2) has caused a global COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic, resulting in millions of infections and thousands of deaths around the world. There is currently no drug or vaccine for COVID-19, but it has been revealed that some commercially available drugs are promising, at least for treating symptoms. Among them, remdesivir, which can block the activity of RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) in old…</p></li>
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<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Alert to US physicians: DHEA, widely used as an OTC androgen supplement, may exacerbate COVID-19</strong> - Androgens play a fundamental role in the morbidity and mortality of COVID-19, inducing both the ACE-2 receptor to which SARS-CoV-2 binds to gain entry into the cell, and TMPRS22, the transmembrane protease that primes the viral spike protein for efficient infection. The United States stands alone among developed nations in permitting one androgen, oral dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), to be freely available OTC and online as a “dietary supplement.” DHEA is widely used by males in the US to offset…</p></li>
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<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Interleukin-6 signaling blockade treatment for cytokine release syndrome in COVID-19 (Review)</strong> - A severe immune response in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) can cause a potentially lethal unconstrained inflammatory cytokine storm, known as cytokine release syndrome (CRS). The present study provides an overview of the biology underlying CRS and how targeted inhibition of interleukin (IL)-6 signaling may improve outcomes and the survival of patients suffering from COVID-19. Preliminary clinical results have indicated that antagonism of the IL-6 receptor (IL-6R), including…</p></li>
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<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Antiviral Effects of Oleandrin</strong> - Over the past 15 years, investigators have reported on the utility and safety of cardiac glycosides for numerous health benefits including those as treatments for malignant disease, stroke-mediated ischemic injury and certain neurodegenerative diseases. In addition to those, there is a growing body of evidence for novel antiviral effects of selected cardiac glycoside molecules. One unique cardiac glycoside, oleandrin derived from Nerium oleander, has been reported to have antiviral activity…</p></li>
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<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Dalbavancin binds ACE2 to block its interaction with SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and is effective in inhibiting SARS-CoV-2 infection in animal models</strong> - Infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has caused a pandemic worldwide. Currently, however, no effective drug or vaccine is available to treat or prevent the resulting coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Here, we report our discovery of a promising anti-COVID-19 drug candidate, the lipoglycopeptide antibiotic dalbavancin, based on virtual screening of the FDA-approved peptide drug library combined with in vitro and in vivo functional antiviral assays. Our…</p></li>
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<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Computational drug discovery and repurposing for the treatment of COVID-19: A systematic review</strong> - CONCLUSIONS: The present systematic review provides a list of existing drugs that have the potential to influence SARS-CoV2 through different mechanisms of action. For the majority of these drugs, direct clinical evidence on their efficacy for the treatment of COVID-19 is lacking. Future clinical studies examining these drugs might come to conclude, which can be more useful to inhibit COVID-19 progression.</p></li>
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<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Emetine Is Not Ipecac: Considerations for Its Use as Treatment for SARS-CoV2</strong> - Emetine is a potent antiviral that acts on many viruses in the low-nM range, with several studies in animals and humans demonstrating antiviral activity. Historically, emetine was used to treat patients with Spanish influenza, in the last stages of the pandemic in the early 1900s. Some of these patients were “black” with cyanosis. Emetine rapidly reversed the cyanosis and other symptoms of this disease in 12-24 h. However, emetine also has been shown to have anti-inflammatory properties and it…</p></li>
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</ul>
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<h1 data-aos="fade-right" id="from-patent-search">From Patent Search</h1>
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<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>AN EFFICIENT METHODOLOGY TO MANAGE THE ADMISSIONS IN HOSPITALS DURING THE PANDEMICS SUCH AS COVID 19</strong> -</p></li>
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<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Antiinfektive Arzneiform zur Herstellung einer Nasenspülung gegen COVID-19</strong> -</p>
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<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
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</p><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">Einzeldosierte, wasserlösliche oder wassermischbare Arzneiform, umfassend mindestens einen antiinfektiven Arzneistoff, zur Herstellung einer Nasenspülung und/oder zur Verwendung in der lokalen Behandlung des menschlichen Nasenraums.</p>
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<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"></p></li>
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<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Antiinfektive Arzneiform zur Herstellung einer Nasenspülung gegen COVID-19</strong> -</p>
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<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
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</p><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">Einzeldosierte, wasserlösliche oder wassermischbare Arzneiform, umfassend mindestens einen antiinfektiven Arzneistoff, zur Herstellung einer Nasenspülung und/oder zur Verwendung in der lokalen Behandlung des menschlichen Nasenraums.</p>
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<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>A medicine for treating coronavirus-2 infection</strong> - The invention discloses a medicine for treating coronavirus-2 infection. The invention finds that T cells in COVID-19 patients is reduced and depleted finally, indicating that cytokines such as IL-10, IL-6, TNF-a may directly mediate reduction of T cells. Therefore, ICU patients need new treatment measures, and may even high-risk patients with low T cells count require early preventive treatment.</p></li>
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<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>疫情趋势预测方法、装置、电子设备及存储介质</strong> - 本申请实施例提供了一种疫情趋势预测方法、装置、电子设备及存储介质，应用于医疗科技领域，该电子设备包括处理器和存储器，存储器用于存储计算机程序，计算机程序包括程序指令，处理器被配置用于调用程序指令，执行以下步骤：获取目标地区的疫情序列数据；根据疫情序列数据构建疫情序列数据对应的目标特征矩阵；调用预训练的时间序列模型以根据目标特征矩阵进行疫情趋势预测，得到第一疫情趋势预测结果，第一疫情趋势预测结果包括预测的第二预设日期范围内各日期的新增病例的数量和/或新增死亡的人数。采用本申请，可以结合多维度特征来进行疫情趋势预测，可参考性更高。本申请涉及区块链技术，如可将第一疫情趋势预测结果写入区块链中。</p></li>
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<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>SARS-CoV-2 예방을 위한 mRNA기반 항원보강제 혼합물 합성 방법</strong> - 본 발명은 SARS-CoV-2(코로나 바이러스) 예방을 위한 mRNA 항원보강제에 관한 것으로 코로나 바이러스에 대한 백신으로서 상기의 항원에 대한 예방을 목적으로 하고 있다. 아이디어에는 보강제에 해당하는 완전프로인트항원보강제(CFA)와 불완전프로인트항원보강제(IFA), 번역과 안정성의 최적화가 된 mRNA, mRNA 운반체, 양이온성 지질 나노입자(lipid nanoparticles)로 구성되며 기존의 백신에 비해 효율성과 안정성의 측면에서 더 향상된 효과를 가지고 있다.</p></li>
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<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>A PRIMER COMBINATION FOR DETECTING 2019NCOV BY LOOP-MEDIATED ISOTHERMAL AMPLIFICATION</strong> - The invention provides a primer combination for detecting 2019nCoV by loop mediated isothermal amplification. The primer combination comprises a forward external primer NCP-F3-2 shown in SEQ ID NO.1, a reverse external primer NCP-B3 2 shown in SEQ ID NO.2, a forward inner primer NCP-FIP-2 shown in SEQ ID NO.3, a reverse inner primer NCP-BIP-2 shown in SEQ ID NO.4 and a loop primer NCP-LB 2 shown in SEQ ID No.5. The method has the advantages of short detection time, high sensitivity and strong specificity for 2019nCoV, and the detection result can be observed by naked eyes, thereby greatly improving the detection efficiency of 2019nCoV.</p></li>
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<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Mittel zur Stärkung der Abwehrkräfte und Erhöhung der Immunität</strong> -</p>
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<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
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</p><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">Mittel zur Stärkung der Abwehrkräfte und Erhöhung der Immunität, insbesondere gegen eine Covid19-Infektion aufgrund des Sars-CoV-2-Virus, mit folgender Wirkstoffkombination:</p></li>
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<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">Plasma oder Serum, gewonnen aus dem Blut eines an Covid19 erkrankten und genesenen Menschens oder Tieres,</p></li>
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<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">zumindest einem zugelassenen Medikament oder einer Kombination von zugelassenen Medikamenten und</p></li>
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<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">zugelassenen Vitaminen und Mineralstoffe.</p>
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<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Vorrichtung zum Reinigen und/oder Desinfizieren von Objekten</strong> -</p>
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</p><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">Vorrichtung (1) zum Desinfizieren von Objekten mit einer Basiseinheit (2), mit einem Aufnahmebehälter (4) für Wasser, welcher an der Basiseinheit (2) montierbar und von der Basiseinheit demontierbar ist, mit einer Objekthalterung (6) zum Halten und/oder Stützen der Objekte (10), wobei diese Objekthalterung (6) in dem Aufnahmebehälter montierbar ist und mit einer elektrisch betriebenen Reinigungseinrichtung (8), welche in dem Wasser befindliche Objekte zumindest mittelbar reinigt oder desinfiziert, wobei diese Reinigungseinrichtung in der Basiseinheit befindliche Erzeugungsmittel zum Erzeugen einer elektrischen Spannung aufweist sowie einen Plasmagenerator und/oder eine Ultraschallerzeugungseinheit.</p></li>
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<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Methods for treating Arenaviridae and Coronaviridae virus infections</strong> - Provided are methods for treating Arenaviridae and Coronaviridae virus infections by administering nucleosides and prodrugs thereof, of Formula I:</li>
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<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">wherein the ’ position of the nucleoside sugar is substituted. The compounds, compositions, and methods provided are particularly useful for the treatment of Lassa virus and Junin virus infections.</p>
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