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SARS-CoV-2 is a new, widespread virus pandemic that started in late 2019. It targets the respiratory system, especially the lungs and airways, through the spread of infected water droplets being inhaled through person-to-person transmission. Current treatments include oral antiviral pills like Paxlovid and mRNA vaccines, but these treatments have limitations in not reducing the occurrence of a common side effect of COVID-19. In this paper, we study the correlation of how SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) in intubated patients on ventilators can develop subglottic stenosis (SGS) during such treatments. When SARSCoV-2 patients are treated with these devices, their tubes can injure and possibly scar the airway epithelium, resulting in excessive scar tissue growth that blocks the airway, which is SGS. SGS arises when an injury in the airway stimulates rapid scar tissue growth to the point where the airway becomes too narrow and obstructed for breathing. It can also lead to the entire airway collapsing in severe cases. Even then, many current treatments for SGS, such as laryngotracheal reconstruction (LTR) and partial cricotracheal resection (CTR) surgeries, make the condition of the patients worse, especially with long-COVID patients with comorbidities potentially having a collapsed trachea. Thus, it is essential to find novel treatments to lower the risk of SGS in patients with such severe cases of COVID-19. Therefore, in this work, we discuss novel therapies to treat SGS cases that have been occurring from incidences of COVID-19 as a way to improve patient outcomes and save lives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Addressing the complexities of managing viral infections during pregnancy is essential for informed medical decision-making. This comprehensive review delves into the management of key viral infections impacting pregnant women, namely Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), Hepatitis B Virus/Hepatitis C Virus (HBV/HCV), Influenza, Cytomegalovirus (CMV), and SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19). We evaluate the safety and efficacy profiles of antiviral treatments for each infection, while also exploring innovative avenues such as gene vaccines and their potential in mitigating viral threats during pregnancy. Additionally, the review examines strategies to overcome challenges, encompassing prophylactic and therapeutic vaccine research, regulatory considerations, and safety protocols. Utilizing advanced methodologies, including PBPK modeling, machine learning, artificial intelligence, and causal inference, we can amplify our comprehension and decision-making capabilities in this intricate domain. This narrative review aims to shed light on diverse approaches and ongoing advancements, this review aims to foster progress in antiviral therapy for pregnant women, improving maternal and fetal health outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted lives worldwide, necessitating a fresh approach to creating safe environments to prevent disease resurgence. This study focuses on assessing the energy requirements for establishing a safe environment in a bank, a crowded indoor setting prone to disease transmission. Six cities, representing two different climates across three countries, were selected for simulation. The simulation results demonstrate that implementing mechanical ventilation at a rate of 2 air changes per hour reduces the average infection risk by 61.5 % compared to natural infiltration. This highlights the effectiveness of mechanical ventilation systems in mitigating the spread of COVID-19 in indoor spaces. Additionally, the estimated cost of maintaining this safe environment in the best-case scenario is $287.3 per year. These findings provide valuable insights for decision-makers and facility managers when considering resource allocation and mitigation strategies. Furthermore, it is notable that cities located in the cold semi-arid climate require, on average, 67.5 % more energy to create a safe environment compared to cities in the hot desert climate. This indicates the importance of tailoring safety measures to regional climatic conditions.

Background: COVID-19 vaccines are now available under Emergency Use Authorization for children ages 6 months to 5 years. We examined parents' intentions to vaccinate their children under the age of 5 years and assessed whether their confidence in making an informed decision about vaccination (decision self-efficacy) was associated with these intentions. Method: We conducted a cross-sectional online survey of U.S. parents between 23 March and 5 April 2022. We examined associations between parental intention to vaccinate their young children (

The transmission pathway of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2 also called COVID-19 disease) in indoor environments are the main area of contention between health systems and scientists. In this context, little has been investigated about the collection of airborne viral shedding. Here, we collected air samples from 24 locations inside the sole COVID-19 patient care center in Zabol, Iran, for screening SARS-CoV-2 RNA from March to May 2021. Locations included the ICU, COVID-19 wards (CWs) rooms, corridors, nearby nurses' stations, and toilets. We identified the SARS-CoV-2 RNA in breathing zone of CW, in room air, with the positivity rate of 2.5% at a concentration of 17 × 103 virus genome copies/m3 air. It also investigates the relationship between local climate conditions [i.e., temperature and relative humidity] and COVID-19 transmission with the evolution of daily official data on the number of new cases, hospitalizations, and deaths. Current data explained that the difference of temperature and humidity may affect the behavior of virus along with other factors, i.e., population density, individual viral shedding, and infectious dose of SARS-CoV-2 (both indoor and outdoor). Our data support the potential SARS-CoV-2 airborne transmission indoors suggesting the specific safety assessment of building to improve ventilation solutions besides proper using face masks and extensive public health interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Se hizo un análisis del aumento considerable de las redes sociales al estar en confinamiento, por ello fue necesario estudiar dos aspectos importantes. El primero fue sobre el uso que ya había antes de que llegara la pandemia en diferentes aspectos de la vida ya sean por ocio, trabajo o estudio, seguido de esto se comparó con el considerable aumento producido por el encierro de las personas, el estrés y la búsqueda de información. Se pudo notar que uno de los usos más frecuentes fue el de búsqueda de información referente a temas de salud y a la pandemia, en muchos casos obteniendo informaciones erradas causando problemas de estrés incluso a las personas enfermas. Muchas personas empezaron a optar por canales de información pocos verídicos por lo que hubo un aumento notable en el uso de las redes sociales provocando incluso la adicción a estos canales.

The COVID-19 pandemic, both in Poland and worldwide, has a huge impact on social, demographic and economic processes. The situation we are currently facing is particularly difficult because it is highly unpredictable. Isolation, breaking social relations, fear of infection and any other violation of everyday functioning may pose a serious threat to people maintaining abstinence. Virtual communication proved to be the only alternative to live face-to-face communication during the pandemic. Across the country, meetings of therapy groups have been suspended until further notice. This has led to an unprecedented situation where, out of necessity, GA had to move online. This begs the question of whether this form of contact can replace the traditional face-to-face meetings?

The SARS-CoV-2 non-structural protein 13 (nsp13) helicase is an essential enzyme for viral replication and has been identified as an attractive target for the development of new antiviral drugs. In detail, the helicase catalyzes the unwinding of double-stranded DNA or RNA in a 5′ to 3′ direction and acts in concert with the replication–transcription complex (nsp7/nsp8/nsp12). In this work, bioinformatics and computational tools allowed us to perform a detailed conservation analysis of the SARS-CoV-2 helicase genome and to further predict the druggable enzyme's binding pockets. Thus, a structure-based virtual screening was used to identify valuable compounds that are capable of recognizing multiple nsp13 pockets. Starting from a database of around 4000 drugs already approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), we chose 14 shared compounds capable of recognizing three out of four sites. Finally, by means of visual inspection analysis and based on their commercial availability, five promising compounds were submitted to in vitro assays. Among them, PF-03715455 was able to block both the unwinding and NTPase activities of nsp13 in a micromolar range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Infectious microbial diseases are a major public health hazard, calling for more innovative antimicrobials. Herein, polylactic acid (PLA) oligomers have been explored and reported as a bio-safe and eco-friendly functional antimicrobial agent against pathogens, such as viruses (H1N1, H3N2, and SARS-CoV-2), bacteria (E. coli, S. aureus, K. pneumoniae, MRSA), and fungi (C. albicans). The PLA oligomers were prepared by direct catalyst-free condensation polymerization of l-lactic acid monomers and characterized by FT-IR and 1H-NMR. The antiviral results demonstrate that PLA oligomers possess robust (inhibiting rate > 99%) and rapid (<20 min) antiviral activity against two pandemic ssRNA viruses, including influenza A virus (IAV) and coronavirus (CoV). Furthermore, the PLA oligomers exhibit high antibacterial activities against both Gram negative (G−) and Gram positive (G+) bacteria. The PLA oligomers also perform efficiently in killing a large amount of C. albicans as high as 105 cfu/mL down to zero at the concentration of 10 mg/mL. Thus, the broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity endowed the PLA oligomers with a promising biocidal option, except antibiotics in a wide range of applications, such as medical textiles, food preservation, water disinfection, and personal hygiene, in light of their unique biodegradability and biocompatibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The obesity is one of the high-risk factors in COVID-19 in severe illness and mortality as the pandemic progresses. The pleotropic Leptin is a polypeptide hormone and secreted by adipose tissues. It acts as a proinflammatory cytokine. Leptin is associated with severe conditions known to cause the risk of COVID-19 severity. Acute changes in calorie intake affect Leptin levels, which in turn are related to the amount of adipose tissue. Interleukin 6 (IL-6) also is a pleiotropic cytokine (184 amino acid) and initiates different inflammatory responses in tissues. The aim of study: The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of Leptin and IL-6 levels on the COVID-19 severity of an early diagnosis in obese patients infected with COVID-19. Materials and Methods: This case-control study included 60 obese subjects, divided to 30 obese without any chronic disease and not infected with COVID-19, and 30 individuals were infected with COVID-19, with the age ranged between (25-60) years. COVID-19 patients divided into three categories, (13 mild/moderate), (10 severe) and (7 dead). And thirty (20 male and 10 female) apparently healthy subjects as control group. Their age and sex were comparable to the patients. The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits used to measure serum Leptin and IL-6 levels. Results: Leptin concentration and IL-6 concentration were significantly higher in obese COVID-19 patients than the obese without COVID-19 and normal weight control group (11.80±1.38, 344.23±70.13 vs 8.64±1.21, 790.34±194.29 vs 4.09±2.15, 138.89±46.36) respectively. However, especially in dead and severe cases increased levels of IL-6 and Leptin than the mild/moderate cases of obese patients infected with COVID-19. Serum leptin level has a positive significant correlation with levels of IL-6, D-dimer, ferritin and NLR in obese COVID-19 patients group. Conclusions: High circulating IL-6 and Leptin in the obese patients might involve dysregulation of proinflammatory cytokines in obesity and may be used as a useful prognostic tool associated with COVID-19 to predict the SARS-COV-2 severity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ever-evolving and contagious nature of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) has immobilized the world around us. As the daily number of infected cases increases, the containment of the spread of this virus is proving to be an overwhelming task. Healthcare facilities around the world are overburdened with an ominous responsibility to combat an ever-worsening scenario. To aid the healthcare system, Internet of Things (IoT) technology provides a better solution—tracing, testing of COVID patients efficiently is gaining rapid pace. This study discusses the role of IoT technology in healthcare during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemics. The study overviews different research, platforms, services, products where IoT is used to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. Further, we intelligently integrate IoT and healthcare for COVID-19 related applications. Again, we focus on a wide range of IoT applications in regards to SARS-CoV-2 tracing, testing, and treatment. Finally, we effectively consider further challenges, issues, and some direction regarding IoT in order to uplift the healthcare system during COVID-19 and future pandemics.

The acute phase of COVID‐19 has been well studied, however with increasing post‐acute COVID‐19 syndrome, much is unknown about its long‐term effects. A common symptom in both the acute and post‐acute phases has been fatigue, assessed predominantly qualitatively. Here we present a case study objectively assessing neuromuscular fatiguability in a young male (27 year, 1.85 m, 78 kg) who continues to experience COVID‐19 related fatigue and cognitive dysfunction, including other symptoms, 12+ months post‐infection. Prior to infection, he was part of a neuromuscular study forming the basis of our pre‐COVID‐19 results. The study was repeated 12 months post‐COVID‐19 infection. Muscle strength, endurance, torque steadiness, voluntary activation, twitch properties, electromyography, and compound muscle action potential were obtained and compared pre‐ and post‐COVID‐19. All measurements were done using a dorsiflexion dynamometer in which the participant also was asked to produce a one‐minute fatiguing maximal voluntary contraction. Muscle strength, voluntary activation, and fatigability (slope of torque) showed no meaningful differences, suggesting intrinsic neuromuscular properties are not affected. However, torque steadiness was impaired three‐fold in the post‐ compared with pre‐COVID‐19 test. The participant also reported a higher level of perceived exertion subjectively and a continued complaint of fatigue. These findings indicate that muscle fatiguability in post‐acute COVID‐19 syndrome may not be a limitation of the muscle and its activation, but a perceptual disconnect caused by cognitive impairments relating to physical efforts. This case report suggests the potential value of larger studies designed to assess these features in post‐acute COVID‐19 syndrome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When comparing only the patients with prolonged OD, defined as >=2 months, we do see that COVID patients have lower normalized TDI scores (-2.8 vs. -2.07, I p i = 0.0238) and thus have somewhat more severe OD. However, comparing only patients with prolonged OD, defined as >=2 months, we did observe that COVID patients tended to have lower normalized TDI scores (-2.8 vs. -2.07, I p i = 0.0238) and thus have somewhat more severe OD. Keywords: olfaction; olfactory disorders; postviral olfactory dysfunction; SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19); TDI testing EN olfaction olfactory disorders postviral olfactory dysfunction SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) TDI testing 1063 1066 4 07/27/22 20220801 NES 220801 INTRODUCTION Persistent olfactory dysfunction (OD) can occur following SARS-CoV2 infection but is not necessarily unique given that postviral olfactory dysfunction (PVOD) is a well-established phenomenon.1,2 Differences between COVID-associated OD and other etiologies of PVOD remain unclear and are actively under investigation, with recent evidence indicating that they may have a similar pathophysiologic mechanism.3 In this study, we sought to compare the time course, clinical characteristics, and objective olfactory testing between patients with post-COVID OD and PVOD. [Extracted from the article]

Background & Aim: COVID-19 is the third pandemic disease with respiratory manifestations after severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS-Cov) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS-Cov). One of the problems of patients with SARS-CoV2 infection is hypoxia and hypoxemia, which is considered to be seriously life-threatening. Given that there is not sufficient consensus to causes and consequences of hypoxia/hypoxemia, therefore this study was conducted to review the causes and consequences of hypoxia/hypoxemia due to COVID-19. Methods: This narrative review study was done through a library literature review in the databases including Science direct, Scopus, EMBASE .Web of Science .PubMed, SID, WHO, CDC, Springer, Elsevier and Google Scholar search engine in Persian and English 2019 to 2022. Articles were evaluated and selected based on the inclusion and exit criteria, first duplicate articles by title review and then unrelated articles are deleted through review abstract and finally, the articles analysis and them which were not consistent with the purpose of study were excluded. Results: Out of 1275 searched articles, 42 were selected and analyzed. The results showed that lung injuries, activation of immune system and induction of inflammatory reactions, Central nervous system injuries and underlying diseases are the causes of hypoxia and hypoxemia. Brain and nerve damages, gastrointestinal disorders, heart damages and liver damage can be caused by hypoxia and hypoxemia and delirium, encephalopathy, encephalitis, seizures and kidney damage caused by hypoxia. Conclusion: Although respiratory infection is more common in patients with Covid 19, some patients suffer from hypoxia or hypoxemia and the side effects associated with both. In order to cause oxygen homeostasis, early detection and therapeutic interventions are essential that during oxygen therapy, secondary injuries of this therapeutic intervention should be considered. Investigate the level of inflammatory and immune markers, may help in early detection them in patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The acute phase of COVID‐19 has been well studied, however with increasing post‐acute COVID‐19 syndrome, much is unknown about its long‐term effects. A common symptom in both the acute and post‐acute phases has been fatigue, assessed predominantly qualitatively. Here we present a case study objectively assessing neuromuscular fatiguability in a young male (27 year, 1.85 m, 78 kg) who continues to experience COVID‐19 related fatigue and cognitive dysfunction, including other symptoms, 12+ months post‐infection. Prior to infection, he was part of a neuromuscular study forming the basis of our pre‐COVID‐19 results. The study was repeated 12 months post‐COVID‐19 infection. Muscle strength, endurance, torque steadiness, voluntary activation, twitch properties, electromyography, and compound muscle action potential were obtained and compared pre‐ and post‐COVID‐19. All measurements were done using a dorsiflexion dynamometer in which the participant also was asked to produce a one‐minute fatiguing maximal voluntary contraction. Muscle strength, voluntary activation, and fatigability (slope of torque) showed no meaningful differences, suggesting intrinsic neuromuscular properties are not affected. However, torque steadiness was impaired three‐fold in the post‐ compared with pre‐COVID‐19 test. The participant also reported a higher level of perceived exertion subjectively and a continued complaint of fatigue. These findings indicate that muscle fatiguability in post‐acute COVID‐19 syndrome may not be a limitation of the muscle and its activation, but a perceptual disconnect caused by cognitive impairments relating to physical efforts. This case report suggests the potential value of larger studies designed to assess these features in post‐acute COVID‐19 syndrome.

Galahad™ is a proanthocyanidin complexed with polysaccharides that inactivates viruses and indicates potential for an innovative approach to making protective vaccines. The polysaccharide portion of Galahad™ consists mainly of arabinan and arabinogalactan. In a seven-day toxicity study in rats, it was not toxic even when tested undiluted. Galahad™ inactivated a wide range of DNA and RNA viruses including adenoviruses, corona viruses such as SARS-CoV-2, and influenza viruses. Electron microscopy studies showed that exposure to Galahad™ caused extensive clumping of virions followed by lack of detection of virions after longer periods of exposure. Based on the viral inactivation data, the hypotheses tested is that Galahad™ inactivation of virus can be used to formulate a protective inactivated virus vaccine. To evaluate this hypothesis, infectious influenza A virus (H5N1, Duck/MN/1525/81) with a titer of 105.7 CCID50/0.1 ml was exposed for 10 min to Galahad™. This treatment caused the infectious virus titer to be reduced to below detectable limits. The Galahad™ -inactivated influenza preparation without adjuvant or preservative was given to BALB/c mice using a variety of routes of administration and dosing regimens. The most protective route of administration and dosing regimen was when mice were given the vaccine twice intranasally, the second dose coming 14 days after the primary vaccine dose. All the mice receiving this vaccine regimen survived the virus challenge while only 20% of the mice receiving placebo survived. This suggests that a Galahad™-inactivated influenza virus vaccine can elicit a protective immune response even without the use of an adjuvant. This technology should be investigated further for its potential to make effective human vaccines.

T-cells specifically bind antigens to induce adaptive immune responses using highly specific molecular recognition, and a diverse T-cell repertoire with expansion of antigen-specific clones can indicate robust immune responses after infection or vaccination. For patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), a spectrum of chronic intestinal inflammatory diseases usually requiring immunomodulatory treatment, the T-cell response has not been well characterized. Understanding the patient factors that result in strong vaccination responses is critical to guiding vaccination schedules and identifying mechanisms of T-cell responses in IBD and other immune-mediated conditions. Here we used T-cell receptor sequencing to show that T-cell responses in an IBD cohort were influenced by demographic and immune factors, relative to a control cohort of health care workers (HCWs). Subjects were sampled at the time of SARS-CoV-2 vaccination, and longitudinally afterwards; TCR Vβ gene repertoires were sequenced and analyzed for COVID-19-specific clones. We observed significant differences in the overall strength of the T-cell response by age and vaccine type. We further stratified the T-cell response into Class-I- and Class-II-specific responses, showing that Ad26.COV2.S vector vaccine induced Class-I-biased T-cell responses, whereas mRNA vaccine types led to different responses, with mRNA-1273 vaccine inducing a more Class-I-deficient T-cell response compared to BNT162b2. Finally, we showed that these T-cell patterns were consistent with antibody levels from the same patients. Our results account for the surprising success of vaccination in nominally immuno-compromised IBD patients, while suggesting that a subset of IBD patients prone to deficiencies in T-cell response may warrant enhanced booster protocols. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the fast mutating nature of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the development of novel therapeutics, vaccines, and evaluating the efficacies of existing one's against the mutated strains is critical for containing the virus. Pseudotyped SARS-CoV-2 viruses are proven to be instrumental in evaluating the efficiencies of therapeutics, owing to their ease in application and safety when compared to handling the live virus. However, a comprehensive protocol that includes selecting transfection reagents, validating different packaging systems for high-throughput screening of neutralizing antibodies, is still a requisite. To this end, we designed and synthesized amide linker-based cationic lipids with varying hydrophilic head groups from dimethyl (Lipo-DME) to methyl, ethylhydroxyl (Lipo-MeOH), and diethylhydroxyl (Lipo-DOH) keeping the hydrophobic tail, stearic acid, as constant. Among the liposomal formulations of these lipids, Lipo-DOH was found to be superior in delivering plasmids and demonstrated comparable transfection efficiencies with commercial standard Lipofectamine 3000. We further used Lipo-DOH for lentivirus and SARS-CoV-2 pseudovirion preparation. For comparing different lentivirus packaging systems, we optimized conditions using Addgene and BEI systems and found that the BEI lenti plasmid system was found to be efficient in making lentiviruses using Lipo-DOH. Using the optimized transfection reagent and the lentivirus system, we developed a robust protocol for the generation of SARS-CoV-2 pseudovirions and characterized their infectivity in human ACE2 expressing HEK-293T cells and neutralizing properties in IgG against spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 positive human sera from individuals recovered from COVID-19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Frail patients are considered at relevant risk of complications due to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection and, for this reason, are prioritized candidates for vaccination. As these patients were originally not included in the registration trials, fear related to vaccine adverse events and disease worsening was one of the reasons for vaccine hesitancy. Herein, we report the safety profile of the prospective, multicenter, national VAX4FRAIL study (NCT04848493) to evaluate vaccines in a large trans-disease cohort of patients with solid or hematological malignancies and neurological and rheumatological diseases. Methods: Between March 3 and September 2, 2021, 566 patients were evaluable for safety endpoint: 105 received the mRNA-1273 vaccine and 461 the BNT162b2 vaccine. Frail patients were defined per protocol as patients under treatment with hematological malignancies (n = 131), solid tumors (n = 191), immune-rheumatological diseases (n = 86), and neurological diseases (n = 158), including multiple sclerosis and generalized myasthenia. The impact of the vaccination on the health status of patients was assessed through a questionnaire focused on the first week after each vaccine dose. Results: The most frequently reported moderate–severe adverse events were pain at the injection site (60.3% after the first dose, 55.4% after the second), fatigue (30.1%–41.7%), bone pain (27.4%–27.2%), and headache (11.8%–18.9%). Risk factors associated with the occurrence of severe symptoms after vaccine administration were identified through a multivariate logistic regression analysis: age was associated with severe fever presentation (younger patients vs. middle-aged vs. older ones), female individuals presented a higher probability of severe pain at the injection site, fatigue, headache, and bone pain; and the mRNA-1237 vaccine was associated with a higher probability of severe pain at the injection site and fever. After the first dose, patients presenting a severe symptom were at a relevant risk of recurrence of the same severe symptom after the second one. Overall, 11 patients (1.9%) after the first dose and 7 (1.2%) after the second one required postponement or suspension of the disease-specific treatment. Finally, two fatal events occurred among our 566 patients. These two events were considered unrelated to the vaccine. Conclusions: Our study reports that mRNA-COVID-19 vaccination is safe also in frail patients; as expected, side effects were manageable and had a minimum impact on patient care path. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

T-cells specifically bind antigens to induce adaptive immune responses using highly specific molecular recognition, and a diverse T-cell repertoire with expansion of antigen-specific clones can indicate robust immune responses after infection or vaccination. For patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), a spectrum of chronic intestinal inflammatory diseases usually requiring immunomodulatory treatment, the T-cell response has not been well characterized. Understanding the patient factors that result in strong vaccination responses is critical to guiding vaccination schedules and identifying mechanisms of T-cell responses in IBD and other immune-mediated conditions. Here we used T-cell receptor sequencing to show that T-cell responses in an IBD cohort were influenced by demographic and immune factors, relative to a control cohort of health care workers (HCWs). Subjects were sampled at the time of SARS-CoV-2 vaccination, and longitudinally afterwards; TCR Vβ gene repertoires were sequenced and analyzed for COVID-19-specific clones. We observed significant differences in the overall strength of the T-cell response by age and vaccine type. We further stratified the T-cell response into Class-I- and Class-II-specific responses, showing that Ad26.COV2.S vector vaccine induced Class-I-biased T-cell responses, whereas mRNA vaccine types led to different responses, with mRNA-1273 vaccine inducing a more Class-I-deficient T-cell response compared to BNT162b2. Finally, we showed that these T-cell patterns were consistent with antibody levels from the same patients. Our results account for the surprising success of vaccination in nominally immuno-compromised IBD patients, while suggesting that a subset of IBD patients prone to deficiencies in T-cell response may warrant enhanced booster protocols.

BackgroundFrail patients are considered at relevant risk of complications due to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection and, for this reason, are prioritized candidates for vaccination. As these patients were originally not included in the registration trials, fear related to vaccine adverse events and disease worsening was one of the reasons for vaccine hesitancy. Herein, we report the safety profile of the prospective, multicenter, national VAX4FRAIL study (NCT04848493) to evaluate vaccines in a large trans-disease cohort of patients with solid or hematological malignancies and neurological and rheumatological diseases.MethodsBetween March 3 and September 2, 2021, 566 patients were evaluable for safety endpoint: 105 received the mRNA-1273 vaccine and 461 the BNT162b2 vaccine. Frail patients were defined per protocol as patients under treatment with hematological malignancies (n = 131), solid tumors (n = 191), immune-rheumatological diseases (n = 86), and neurological diseases (n = 158), including multiple sclerosis and generalized myasthenia. The impact of the vaccination on the health status of patients was assessed through a questionnaire focused on the first week after each vaccine dose.ResultsThe most frequently reported moderate–severe adverse events were pain at the injection site (60.3% after the first dose, 55.4% after the second), fatigue (30.1%–41.7%), bone pain (27.4%–27.2%), and headache (11.8%–18.9%). Risk factors associated with the occurrence of severe symptoms after vaccine administration were identified through a multivariate logistic regression analysis: age was associated with severe fever presentation (younger patients vs. middle-aged vs. older ones), female individuals presented a higher probability of severe pain at the injection site, fatigue, headache, and bone pain; and the mRNA-1237 vaccine was associated with a higher probability of severe pain at the injection site and fever. After the first dose, patients presenting a severe symptom were at a relevant risk of recurrence of the same severe symptom after the second one. Overall, 11 patients (1.9%) after the first dose and 7 (1.2%) after the second one required postponement or suspension of the disease-specific treatment. Finally, two fatal events occurred among our 566 patients. These two events were considered unrelated to the vaccine.ConclusionsOur study reports that mRNA-COVID-19 vaccination is safe also in frail patients; as expected, side effects were manageable and had a minimum impact on patient care path.

Due to the fast mutating nature of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the development of novel therapeutics, vaccines, and evaluating the efficacies of existing one’s against the mutated strains is critical for containing the virus. Pseudotyped SARS-CoV-2 viruses are proven to be instrumental in evaluating the efficiencies of therapeutics, owing to their ease in application and safety when compared to handling the live virus. However, a comprehensive protocol that includes selecting transfection reagents, validating different packaging systems for high-throughput screening of neutralizing antibodies, is still a requisite. To this end, we designed and synthesized amide linker-based cationic lipids with varying hydrophilic head groups from dimethyl (Lipo-DME) to methyl, ethylhydroxyl (Lipo-MeOH), and diethylhydroxyl (Lipo-DOH) keeping the hydrophobic tail, stearic acid, as constant. Among the liposomal formulations of these lipids, Lipo-DOH was found to be superior in delivering plasmids and demonstrated comparable transfection efficiencies with commercial standard Lipofectamine 3000. We further used Lipo-DOH for lentivirus and SARS-CoV-2 pseudovirion preparation. For comparing different lentivirus packaging systems, we optimized conditions using Addgene and BEI systems and found that the BEI lenti plasmid system was found to be efficient in making lentiviruses using Lipo-DOH. Using the optimized transfection reagent and the lentivirus system, we developed a robust protocol for the generation of SARS-CoV-2 pseudovirions and characterized their infectivity in human ACE2 expressing HEK-293T cells and neutralizing properties in IgG against spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 positive human sera from individuals recovered from COVID-19.

This article provides an overview of the history of the Japanese Society of Biofeedback Research (JSBR) and presents some of its recent advances. Most of the research papers published in the JSBR journal (Biofeedback Kenkyu) have been written in Japanese, and therefore have had very few opportunities to reach global readers. We would like to present some of important findings previously published there. First, we present the history of the JSBR. Secondly, we will focus on paced breathing, which is instrumental in achieving relaxation in heart rate variability biofeedback (HRV-BF). We will look back on the origin of slow-paced breathing in Japan, that could be attributed to the concept of Tanden breathing (abdominal paced breathing) practiced in Zen meditation. Thirdly, we will introduce some of the current research progresses of JSBR, especially focusing on the development of a non-contact sensing technology and relaxation device. Finally, we will explain about a very recent trial, the "Suu-Haa" Relaxation Technique, which we hope may be useful for helping people cope with the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) crisis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Proteins interact with other proteins, DNA, and other molecules, forming large-scale protein interaction networks and for easy analysis, clustering methods are needed. Regularized Markov clustering algorithm is an improvement of MCL where operations on expansion are replaced by new operations that update the flow distributions of each node. But to reduce the weaknesses of the RMCL optimization, Pigeon Inspired Optimization Algorithm (PIO) is used to replace the inflation parameters. The simulation results of IPC SARS-Cov-2 (COVID-19) inflation parameters get the result of 42 proteins as the center of the cluster and 8 protein pairs interacting with each other. Proteins of COVID-19 that interact with 20 or more proteins are ORF8, NSP13, NSP7, M, N, ORF9C, NSP8, and NSP1. Their interactions might be used as a target for drug research.

Background: COVID-19 vaccines are now available under Emergency Use Authorization for children ages 6 months to 5 years. We examined parents’ intentions to vaccinate their children under the age of 5 years and assessed whether their confidence in making an informed decision about vaccination (decision self-efficacy) was associated with these intentions. Method: We conducted a cross-sectional online survey of U.S. parents between 23 March and 5 April 2022. We examined associations between parental intention to vaccinate their young children (

The COVID-19 pandemic, both in Poland and worldwide, has a huge impact on social, demographic and economic processes. The situation we are currently facing is particularly difficult because it is highly unpredictable. Isolation, breaking social relations, fear of infection and any other violation of everyday functioning may pose a serious threat to people maintaining abstinence. Virtual communication proved to be the only alternative to live face-to-face communication during the pandemic. Across the country, meetings of therapy groups have been suspended until further notice. This has led to an unprecedented situation where, out of necessity, GA had to move online. This begs the question of whether this form of contact can replace the traditional face-to-face meetings? [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current scenario of a global pandemic caused by the virus SARS-CoV-2 (COVID19), highlights the importance of water studies in sewage systems. In Brazil, about 35 million Brazilians still do not have treated water and more than 100 million do not have basic sanitation. These people, already exposed to a range of diseases, are among the most vulnerable to COVID-19. According to studies, places that have poor sanitation allow the proliferation of the coronavirus, been observed a greater number of infected people being found in these regions. This social problem is strongly related to the lack of effective management of water resources, since they are the sources for the population's water supply and the recipients of effluents stemming from sanitation services (household effluents, urban drainage and solid waste). In this context, studies are needed to develop technologies and methodologies to improve the management of water resources. The application of tools such as artificial intelligence and hydrometeorological models are emerging as a promising alternative to meet the world's needs in water resources planning, assessment of environmental impacts on a region's hydrology, risk prediction and mitigation. The main model of this type, WRF-Hydro Weather Research and Forecasting Model), represents the state of the art regarding water resources, as well as being the object of study of small and medium-sized river basins that tend to have less water availability. hydrometeorological data and analysis. Thus, this article aims to analyze the feasibility of a web tool for greater software usability and computational cost use, making it possible to use the WRF-Hydro model integrated with Artificial Intelligence tools for short and medium term, optimizing the time of simulations with reduced computational cost, so that it is able to monitor and generate a predictive analysis of water bodies in the MATOPIBA region (Maranhão-Tocantins-Piauí-Bahia), constituting an instrument for water resources management. The results obtained show that the WRF-Hydro model proves to be an efficient computational tool in hydrometeorological simulation, with great potential for operational, research and technological development purposes, being considered viable to implement the web tool for analysis and management of water resources and consequently, assist in monitoring and mitigating the number of cases related to the current COVID-19 pandemic. This research are in development and represents a preliminary results with future perspectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The nationwide lockdown inflicted by the global COVID-19 disease epidemic and imposed during 57 days in France was not immune to fluctuations in atmospheric pollutant concentrations. A whole range of human activities has been suspended Monday 17 March 2020 in all French regions. Since then experiments are progressing to reflect the effectiveness of reduced emissions. In this paper, we looked at variations of pollutants prior to, during and after containment period. In a first step, we proved through experiments on eight air pollutants, how all daily maximum pollutants concentration have decreased during containment phase, apart from the ozone pollutant O3. This Ozone pollutant has indeed increased by 27.19% during lockdown period and kept growing by 21.35% as well right after deconfinement. Indeed, the maximum daily concentrations detected in different regions of France, have decreased by 18.18%, 37.14%, 20.36%, 9.28%, 44.38%, 5.1% and 44.38%, respectively, for the pollutants SO2, NO2, CO, C6H6, NOX, PM2.5 and PM10. Declining levels of other pollutants, however, were not sustained after deconfinement for NO2, NOX and PM10. We have reinforced these findings by classifying each pollutant according to the ATMO and AQI indexes, to better visualize their criticality throughout the three lockdown phases (Pre/During/Post). The family of air pollutant variables with their associated geographical sources was thereafter exploited to justify their approximate contribution to the daily mortality rates associated to COVID-19 across all French regions. However, more thorough study is still in progress to validate this finding. Finally, coming up to the abrupt changes in airborne pollutants experienced in this period, a question about future climate crisis was raised again. Whereby a weighting study has shown the current and very short-term French scenario (Status-Quo) in view of its current environmental path, the political responses made towards future climate change crisis and French investments done in this sense. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT: The COVID-19 pandemic has massively impacted the health of many people worldwide and poses significant challenges for our social, economic, and political life. Global vaccination should help the world overcome the pandemic and return to a “normal” life. In Germany, the Federal Ministry of Health presented its “National Vaccination Strategy COVID-19”, which describes the primary actors, elements, and activities required for the immunization of the German population. However, the implementation is challenging due to the federal organization of the German state in sixteen federal states. While essential processes such as vaccination rate monitoring and surveillance are planned centrally, the sixteen federal states are responsible for implementing the vaccination strategy in a decentralized manner. Furthermore, the European General Data Protection Regulation (EU-GDPR) imposes strict rules for processing and exchanging personal data. However, Germany is only a case in point. Governmental decisions always need to be implemented by regional and/or local actors, the number of which varies greatly depending on the country. This work addresses these challenges by proposing the COVID-19-Vacc Platform—an open and decentralized digital platform focused on vaccinations as a matter of example. The proposed platform model connects various actors and enables them to involve, conduct, and track the vaccination process while meeting all necessary data protection and security requirements defined by EU-GDPR. Using the DMS Reference Model as the theoretical framework, the blueprint of the COVID-19-Vacc Platform is developed, outlining the platform’s ecosystem structure, its interactions process model, and the service stack, defining how the proposed platform works on the operational level. Our COVID-19-Vacc Platform may help facilitate a fast and EU-GDPR compliant implementation of COVID-19 vaccination strategies. Beyond that, the proposed open and decentralized platform model might facilitate international interconnectivity and therefore the management of emerging global pandemics or other global health-related crisis.

The SARS-CoV-2 non-structural protein 13 (nsp13) helicase is an essential enzyme for viral replication and has been identified as an attractive target for the development of new antiviral drugs. In detail, the helicase catalyzes the unwinding of double-stranded DNA or RNA in a 5′ to 3′ direction and acts in concert with the replication–transcription complex (nsp7/nsp8/nsp12). In this work, bioinformatics and computational tools allowed us to perform a detailed conservation analysis of the SARS-CoV-2 helicase genome and to further predict the druggable enzyme’s binding pockets. Thus, a structure-based virtual screening was used to identify valuable compounds that are capable of recognizing multiple nsp13 pockets. Starting from a database of around 4000 drugs already approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), we chose 14 shared compounds capable of recognizing three out of four sites. Finally, by means of visual inspection analysis and based on their commercial availability, five promising compounds were submitted to in vitro assays. Among them, PF-03715455 was able to block both the unwinding and NTPase activities of nsp13 in a micromolar range.

Infectious microbial diseases are a major public health hazard, calling for more innovative antimicrobials. Herein, polylactic acid (PLA) oligomers have been explored and reported as a bio-safe and eco-friendly functional antimicrobial agent against pathogens, such as viruses (H1N1, H3N2, and SARS-CoV-2), bacteria (E. coli, S. aureus, K. pneumoniae, MRSA), and fungi (C. albicans). The PLA oligomers were prepared by direct catalyst-free condensation polymerization of l-lactic acid monomers and characterized by FT-IR and 1H-NMR. The antiviral results demonstrate that PLA oligomers possess robust (inhibiting rate > 99%) and rapid (−) and Gram positive (G+) bacteria. The PLA oligomers also perform efficiently in killing a large amount of C. albicans as high as 105 cfu/mL down to zero at the concentration of 10 mg/mL. Thus, the broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity endowed the PLA oligomers with a promising biocidal option, except antibiotics in a wide range of applications, such as medical textiles, food preservation, water disinfection, and personal hygiene, in light of their unique biodegradability and biocompatibility.

The SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) infection affected about 106 million people worldwide and the total amount of casualties now sits at a staggering 2 millions. Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) emerged as the first risk factor in worst patients, not considering old age. Kidney disease and acute kidney injury have been correlated with a higher chance of death. This combination of CKD and higher Covid-19 related mortality requires immediate response from a prevention point of view at first and then from a therapeutic one. There is not a clear relation between Covid-19 and ADPKD. What can be inferred is the following: Covid uses the ACE2 receptors on cell membranes to “lock on” its target. It is well-established in fact that the RAAS is more active in ADPKD patients and it may represent an additional risk factor for these patients. At the moment three Covid-19 vaccines have been approved, and two of them have been already administered, such as Pfizer BioNTech and Moderna, sharing the same mechanism. AstraZeneca released a third option. All of them are completely safe and reliable, each one with its own feature. Therefore, considering how delicate ADPKD patients are, vaccination is strongly recommended.

We describe a 7-year-old child with multisystemic inflammatory syndrome that was temporarily associated with the novel coronavirus disease which evolved into serious illness, with coronary aneurysm, using human immunoglobulin and acetylsalicylic acid, in which clinical manifestations including hepatitis, convulsions, and coma were aggravated with Reye's syndrome. To date, there has been no report of the association of multisystemic inflammatory syndrome that is temporarily associated with the novel coronavirus disease and Reye's syndrome.

Aims: This study aimed to describe how the first phase of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic affected older persons from the general Finnish population who are at risk of developing or have cognitive impairment, specifically, to describe whether participants experienced a change in risk factors that are relevant for the prevention of cognitive decline including diet, physical activity, access to medical care, socially and cognitively stimulating activities, and emotional health and well-being.Method: A postal survey was sent in June 2020 to 859 participants from the Finnish Geriatric Intervention Study to Prevent Cognitive Impairment and Disability (FINGER), an ongoing longitudinal study. The survey was developed to assess the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic and related infection-control measures on daily life, specifically commitment to distancing measures, access to health care and social services, daily activities, and changes in cognitive and social activities.Results: By September 2020, 613 (71%) participants responded (mean age = 77.7 years, 32% lived alone, and 80% had at least one chronic condition). Three quarters adopted some distancing practices during the first months of the pandemic. Older participants were more likely to practice total isolation than younger ones (29 vs. 19%; p = 0.003). Non-acute health-care visits were canceled for 5% of the participants who needed appointments, but cancellations in dental health care (43%), home aid (30%), and rehabilitative services (53%) were more common. Pandemic-related changes were reported in social engagements, for example, less contact with friends (55%) and family (31%), or less frequent attendance in cultural events (38%) or associations (25%), although remote contact with others increased for 40%. Feelings of loneliness increased for 21%, particularly those who were older (p = 0.023) or living alone (p < 0.001). Physical activity reduced for 34%, but dietary habits remained stable or improved. Pandemic-related changes in lifestyle and activities were more evident among those living alone.Conclusions: Finnish older persons generally reported less negative changes in lifestyles and behaviors during the pandemic than expected. Older people and those living alone seemed more susceptible to negative changes. It is important to compare how coping strategies may compare with other European countries to identify factors that may help older individuals to maintain healthy lifestyles during future waves of COVID-19.

The rapid spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) - coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has raised a severe global public health issue and creates a pandemic situation. The present work aims to study the molecular -docking and dynamic of three pertinent medicinal plants i.e. Eurycoma harmandiana, Sophora flavescens and Andrographis paniculata phyto-compounds against SARS-COV-2 papain-like protease (PLpro) and main protease (Mpro)/3-chymotrypsin-like protease (3CLpro). The interaction of protein targets and ligands was performed through AutoDock-Vina visualized using PyMOL and BIOVIA-Discovery Studio 2020. Molecular docking with canthin-6-one 9-O-beta-glucopyranoside showed highest binding affinity and less binding energy with both PLpro and Mpro/3CLpro proteases and was subjected to molecular dynamic (MD) simulations for a period of 100ns. Stability of the protein-ligand complexes was evaluated by different analyses. The binding free energy calculated using MM-PBSA and the results showed that the molecule must have stable interactions with the protein binding site. ADMET analysis of the compounds suggested that it is having drug-like properties like high gastrointestinal (GI) absorption, no blood-brain barrier permeability and high lipophilicity. The outcome revealed that canthin-6-one 9-O-beta-glucopyranoside can be used as a potential natural drug against COVID-19 protease.

Aims: This study aimed to describe how the first phase of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic affected older persons from the general Finnish population who are at risk of developing or have cognitive impairment, specifically, to describe whether participants experienced a change in risk factors that are relevant for the prevention of cognitive decline including diet, physical activity, access to medical care, socially and cognitively stimulating activities, and emotional health and well-being. Method: A postal survey was sent in June 2020 to 859 participants from the Finnish Geriatric Intervention Study to Prevent Cognitive Impairment and Disability (FINGER), an ongoing longitudinal study. The survey was developed to assess the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic and related infection-control measures on daily life, specifically commitment to distancing measures, access to health care and social services, daily activities, and changes in cognitive and social activities. Results: By September 2020, 613 (71%) participants responded (mean age = 77.7 years, 32% lived alone, and 80% had at least one chronic condition). Three quarters adopted some distancing practices during the first months of the pandemic. Older participants were more likely to practice total isolation than younger ones (29 vs. 19%; p = 0.003). Non-acute health-care visits were canceled for 5% of the participants who needed appointments, but cancellations in dental health care (43%), home aid (30%), and rehabilitative services (53%) were more common. Pandemic-related changes were reported in social engagements, for example, less contact with friends (55%) and family (31%), or less frequent attendance in cultural events (38%) or associations (25%), although remote contact with others increased for 40%. Feelings of loneliness increased for 21%, particularly those who were older (p = 0.023) or living alone (p < 0.001). Physical activity reduced for 34%, but dietary habits remained stable or improved. Pandemic-related changes in lifestyle and activities were more evident among those living alone. Conclusions: Finnish older persons generally reported less negative changes in lifestyles and behaviors during the pandemic than expected. Older people and those living alone seemed more susceptible to negative changes. It is important to compare how coping strategies may compare with other European countries to identify factors that may help older individuals to maintain healthy lifestyles during future waves of COVID-19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The pandemic of SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19), which began in December 2019, spread mostly from person to person through respiratory droplets. A recommendation was issued to postpone all elective surgical practices. However, some confirmed or suspected COVID-19 patients required life-saving emergent surgeries. Methods: To facilitate emergent surgical interventions for these patients, we have reviewed the current literature and established an algorithm of precautions to be taken by operating room team members during the COVID-19 pandemic. Results: The initial algorithm of preparation for surgical intervention during the COVID-19 pandemic was relatively simple. However, the abrupt increase of confirmed COVID-19 cases due to returned overseas travelers since mid-March 2020 disrupted the routine hospital clinical service. Due to the large number of febrile patients, the algorithm was therefore revised according to travel history, occupation, contact and cluster history (TOCC), unexplained fever/symptoms, and emergent/nonemergent surgery. TOCC (+) patients presenting with otherwise unexplained fever/symptoms would be regarded as belonging to the fifth category of "severe special infectious pneumonia." If the patient requires emergent surgery to relieve the non-life-threatening disorders, two times of negative COVID-19 tests are necessary before the operation is approved. For life-threatening situations without two negative results of COVID-19 tests, the operation schedule should be approved by the Chairman of Surgery Management Committee. Conclusion: The application of a clear and integrated algorithm for operating room team members aids in effective personal protective equipment facilitation to keep both healthcare providers and patients safe as well as to prevent hospital-based transmission of COVID-19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over three years since the World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19 a pandemic, it is still a global burden. Vaccines against COVID-19, caused by SARS-CoV-2, are available and effective for preventing disease. However, their protective effects are not 100%. Currently, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has only approved a limited number of inpatient treatments for COVID-19, such as remdesivir, baricitinib, and tocilizumab. These medications have indications and contraindications applicable to a select patient population. Finding additional effective therapies that are widely available with limited risk could be vital in optimizing treatment strategies for this viral illness. Some vitamins and supplements have been identified as potential options for managing COVID-19. Vitamin D (VD) deficiency has been associated with respiratory tract infections. Moreover, alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) is a powerful antioxidant and helps reduce inflammatory responses in many pathologic conditions. This review aims to analyze the current evidence regarding the effectiveness of VD and alpha-lipoic acid in COVID-19 infection in both outpatient and hospitalized patients. Relevant randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were identified via the PubMed database from January 1, 2021, to December 31, 2023. Inclusion criteria were as follows: the study design was a randomized controlled trial (RCT), the usage of a constant dose during the intervention period without any additional boluses, and a research ethics committee approved it. Exclusion criteria included a lack of an outcome or apparent intervention, additional boluses, or a single-dose regimen in all the interventional groups. There were 11 studies with a total sample size of 35,717 patients that met the criteria for this review. A total of 10 RCTs examined the efficacy of VD, and one RCT that reviewed the efficacy of ALA was identified. All of the articles investigated the use of VD or ALA during the treatment of COVID-19. The endpoints of each study varied, including length of stay in hospital, viral load, SARS-CoV-2 infection rate, mechanical ventilation, inflammatory markers, clinical symptoms, Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score, and mortality. In 8/10 VD supplementation trials, significant differences were identified between the interventional and placebo groups in the aforementioned parameters. In 2/10 VD supplementation trials, no significant differences were identified. The ALA supplementation RCT found no differences between the interventional and placebo groups in the SOFA score and 30-day all-cause mortality rate. The current literature suggests that VD can potentially reduce the SARS-CoV-2 infection rate, oxygen requirements, inflammatory markers, clinical symptoms, and mortality. Regarding ALA, although there was a suggestion of benefit, it was not statistically significant. Common limitations among the different studies included relatively small sample sizes, different geographical patient locations among studies, and differences in dosages. Trials investigating the effects of higher doses of VD supplementation on SARS-CoV-2 infection should be conducted. More research is needed to define best practices and optimal dosing protocols for the use of VD in COVID-19., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright © 2024, Nguyen et al.)

Introduction: In the quarantine situation due to SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19), the stressful nature of this experience and its negative effects on the emotional stability and mental health of university students have been recognized; For this reason, it is important to recognize the impact on psychological wellbeing in this population and the role of sociodemographic characteristics in it. Objective: To analyze the relationships between psychological well-being and sociodemographic characteristics in university students during the initial moment of preventive confinement due to the SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) pandemic. Methods: The sample consisted of 1631 university students of both sexes, who were characterized sociodemographically and evaluated with the Ryff Psychological Well-being Scale (EBP), during the initial period of strict quarantine. Results: The highest levels of Psychological Well-being were associated with the female sex (81.7%), single people (75%) and the high socioeconomic stratum. A significant association was found between having psychiatric treatment and psychological well-being. Most of the students showed medium levels of Psychological a lower Well-being, with better levels in Life Purpose, Personal Growth and Self-acceptance. Conclusion: The results show that in the initial isolation due to the pandemic, Psychological Well-being was not negatively affected in the university students in the study, with medium levels of well-being predominating, which could have been contributing to a better coping with the situation. However, this does not rule out that it could be negatively affected later, after a longer confinement time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The SARS-CoV-2 virus continues to spread rapidly across the globe afflicting many with Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). As the infection rates rise, a growing number of SARS-CoV-2 positive individuals have been reported to complain of olfactory disturbances at an alarming rate. Postviral olfactory dysfunction (PVOD) is a well-known phenomenon that may explain the olfactory dysfunction reported by SARS-CoV-2 infected individuals. Methods: A scoping literature review was performed to identify studies that investigated the mechanisms of postviral olfactory dysfunction. Studies demonstrating pathophysiological, histological, immunochemical, and epidemiological outcomes of PVOD were included. Results: Fourteen studies were included in addition to one international news article. Three studies reported destruction of the olfactory epithelium following intranasal inoculation of various viral strains in mice. Three studies isolated pathogenic, anosmia inciting viruses (Parainfluenza virus, Human Coronavirus, Rhinovirus) through nucleic acid amplification. Eleven studies demonstrated female predilection in patients with PVOD and COVID-19 associated olfactory dysfunction, of which the majority were over 50 years old. Conclusions: PVOD and COVID-19 associated olfactory dysfunction demonstrates considerable similarities in epidemiological trends and disease sequela of other viruses to suggest identical pathophysiological mechanisms. Further studies such as intranasal inoculation and histological biopsies are needed to support our hypothesis.

Background and Aim: The global pandemic of COVID-19 has posed an enormous threat to the economy and people's lives across various countries. Patients with COVID-19 most commonly present with respiratory symptoms. However, gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms can also occur. We aimed to study the relationship between GI symptoms and disease prognosis in patients with COVID-19.Methods: In a single-center and retrospective cohort study, the outcomes in COVID-19 patients with or without GI symptoms were compared. The propensity score is a conditional probability of having a particular exposure (COVID-19 patients with GI symptoms vs. without GI symptoms) given a set of baseline measured covariates. Survival was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method, and any differences in survival were evaluated with a stratified log-rank-test. To explore the GI symptoms associated with ARDS, non-invasive ventilator treatment, tracheal intubation, tracheotomy, and CRRT, univariable and multivariable COX regression models were used.Results: Among 1,113 eligible patients, 359 patients with GI symptoms and 718 without GI symptoms had similar propensity scores and were included in the analyses. Patients with GI symptoms, as compared with those without GI symptoms, were associated with a similar risk of death, but with higher risks of ARDS, non-invasive mechanical ventilation in COVID-19 patients, respectively.Conclusions: The presence of GI symptoms was associated with a high risk of ARDS, non-invasive mechanical ventilation and tracheal intubation in patients with COVID-19 but not mortality.

The term cytokine storm refers to an uncontrolled overproduction of soluble inflammatory markers known as cytokines and chemokines. Autoimmune destruction of the lungs triggered by the release of these inflammatory markers often induces acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). ARDS is an emergency condition with a high mortality rate in COVID-19 patients. Dexamethasone is the first repurposed corticosteroid with life-saving efficacy in patients with severe SARS-CoV-2 infection. Dexamethasone has traditionally been known to suppress the production of inflammatory markers at the transcriptional level, but its role as a direct therapeutic to neutralize cytokines, chemokines, their receptors, and functionally critical SARS-CoV-2 proteins has not yet been explored. Herein, we demonstrated that dexamethasone binds with high affinity to interlukin-1 (IL-1), IL-6, IL-8, IL-12, IL-21, INF2, TGFβ-1, INF-γ, CXCL8, some of the receptors, IL-1R, IL-21R, IFNGR, INFAR, IL-6αR-gp130, ST2 and the SARS-CoV-2 protein NSP macro X, and 3CLpro, forming stable drug–protein complexes. Our work implied that dexamethasone has the potential to directly neutralize inflammatory markers, further supporting its life-saving potential in patients with severe manifestations of COVID-19.

Coronavirus disease 2019, caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus‐2 (SARS‐CoV‐2), leads to a series of clinical symptoms of respiratory and pulmonary inflammatory reactions via unknown pathologic mechanisms related to the viral infection process in tracheal or bronchial epithelial cells. Investigation of this viral infection in the human bronchial epithelial cell line (16HBE) suggests that SARS‐CoV‐2 can enter these cells through interaction between its membrane‐localized S protein with the angiotensin‐converting enzyme 2 molecule on the host cell membrane. Further observation indicates distinct viral replication with a dynamic and moderate increase, whereby viral replication does not lead to a specific cytopathic effect but maintains a continuous release of progeny virions from infected cells. Although messenger RNA expression of various innate immune signaling molecules is altered in the cells, transcription of interferons‐α (IFN‐α), IFN‐β, and IFN‐γ is unchanged. Furthermore, expression of some interleukins (IL) related to inflammatory reactions, such as IL‐6, IL‐2, and IL‐8, is maintained at low levels, whereas that of ILs involved in immune regulation is upregulated. Interestingly, IL‐22, an IL that functions mainly in tissue repair, shows very high expression. Collectively, these data suggest a distinct infection process for this virus in respiratory epithelial cells, which may be linked to its clinicopathological mechanism. Highlights: SARS‐CoV‐2 does not lead to a specific cytopathic effect in 16HBE cells, but maintains continuous release of progeny virions from infected cells. During infection, IL‐22, an interleukin that functions mainly in tissue repair, showed very high expression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

After emerging in Wuhan city in December 2019, the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) rapidly spread throughout China. Although high rates of hospitalization are seen with COVID-19, no specific treatment has been reported, and the choice of antiviral therapies is limited. Favipiravir, approved in Japan for influenza, is one of the drugs that targets RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRP). It significantly decreases the duration of fever, cough dyspnea, and the need of oxygen therapy or noninvasive mechanical ventilation, especially in moderate COVID-19 cases. In the current paper we presented four cases with worsening clinical conditions and the development of hypoxia who were treated with Favipiravir before being admitted to the intensive care unit, and who recovered from the disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim of this paper is to remind the risk of ototoxicity when using chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine, in particular as prophylactic agents against SARS-CoV-2, during the pandemic. Healthy subjects taking chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine as prophylactic agents against SARS-CoV-2, during the pandemic, should be screened periodically, at least by Otoacoustic Emissions (OAEs) in order to detect early manifestations of possible cochlear ototoxic damages.

Background: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the virus responsible for the coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) that emerged in December 2019 in Wuhan, China, and rapidly spread worldwide, with a daily increase in confirmed cases and infection-related deaths. The World Health Organization declared a pandemic on the 11th of March 2020. COVID-19 presents flu-like symptoms that become severe in high-risk medically compromised subjects. The aim of this study was to perform an updated overview of the treatments and adjuvant protocols for COVID-19. Methods: A systematic literature search of databases was performed (MEDLINE PubMed, Google Scholar, UpToDate, Embase, and Web of Science) using the keywords: “COVID-19”, “2019-nCoV”, “coronavirus” and “SARS-CoV-2” (date range: 1 January 2019 to 31st October 2020), focused on clinical features and treatments. Results: The main treatments retrieved were antivirals, antimalarials, convalescent plasma, immunomodulators, corticosteroids, anticoagulants, and mesenchymal stem cells. Most of the described treatments may provide benefits to COVID-19 subjects, but no one protocol has definitively proven its efficacy. Conclusions: While many efforts are being spent worldwide in research aimed at identifying early diagnostic methods and evidence-based effective treatments, mass vaccination is thought to be the best option against this disease in the near future.