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vqim4t6x
what is known about an mRNA vaccine for the SARS-CoV-2 virus?
SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) Vaccine Development and Production: An Ethical Way Forward The world awaits a SARS-CoV-2 virus (i.e., COVID-19 disease) vaccine to keep the populace healthy, fully reopen their economies, and return their social and healthcare systems to "normal." Vaccine safety and efficacy requires meticulous testing and oversight; this paper describes how despite grandiose public statements, the current vaccine development, testing, and production methods may prove to be ethically dubious, medically dangerous, and socially volatile. The basic moral concern is the potential danger to the health of human test subjects and, eventually, many vaccine recipients. This is further complicated by economic and political pressures to reduce government oversight on rushed vaccine testing and production, nationalistic distribution goals, and failure to plan for the widespread immunization needed to produce global herd immunity. As this paper asserts, the public must be better informed to assess promises about the novel vaccines being produced and to tolerate delays and uncertainty.
15
y518l7r0
how long can the coronavirus live outside the body
Lessons learned and unlearned in periodontal microbiology Periodontal diseases are initiated by bacterial species living in polymicrobial biofilms at or below the gingival margin and progress largely as a result of the inflammation initiated by specific subgingival species. In the past few decades, efforts to understand the microbiota of periodontal diseases have led to an exponential increase in information about biofilms associated with periodontal health and disease. In fact, the oral microbiota is one of the best characterized microbiomes that colonize the human body. Despite this increased knowledge, one has to ask if our fundamental concepts of the etiology and pathogenesis of periodontal diseases have really changed. In this chapter we will review how our comprehension of the structure and function of the subgingival microbiota evolved over the years in search of lessons learned and unlearned in periodontal microbiology. More specifically, this review focuses on: 1) how the data obtained through molecular techniques has impacted our knowledge of the etiology of periodontal infections; 2) the potential role of viruses in the etiopathogenesis of periodontal diseases; 3) how concepts of microbial ecology have expanded our understanding of host microbial interactions that might lead to periodontal diseases; 4) the role of inflammation in the pathogenesis of periodontal diseases; and 5) the impact of these evolving concepts on treatment and preventive approaches to periodontal infections. We will conclude by reviewing how novel systems biology approaches promise to unravel new details of the pathogenesis of periodontal diseases and, hopefully, lead to a better understanding of periodontal disease mechanisms.
15
fcaeoyxd
how long can the coronavirus live outside the body
Climate affects global patterns of COVID-19 early outbreak dynamics Environmental factors, including seasonal climatic variability, can strongly impact on spatio-temporal patterns of infectious disease outbreaks, but relationships between Covid-19 dynamics and climate remain controversial. We assessed the impact of temperature and humidity on the global patterns of Covid-19 early outbreak dynamics during January-March 2020. Here we show that Covid-19 growth rates peaked in temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere with mean temperature of ~5 C, and specific humidity of 4-6 g/m3 during the outbreak period, while they were lower both in warmer/wetter and colder/dryer regions. Relationships between Covid-19 and climate were robust to the potential confounding effects of air pollution and socio-economic variables, including population size, density and health expenditure. The strong relationship between local climate and Covid-19 growth rates suggests the possibility of seasonal variation in the spatial pattern of outbreaks, with temperate regions of the Southern Hemisphere becoming at particular risk of severe outbreaks during the austral autumn-winter.
2
apr9oyqa
how does the coronavirus respond to changes in the weather
The effects of natural disasters on international tourism: A global analysis Tourism is shaped by a wide range of factors and forces, including exogenous ones that have no direct link with the tourism sector. Natural disasters and unexpected events are prime examples of such determining factors, as they have profound effects on individuals and society, and as a result have the potential to affect tourism flows considerably. Several theoretical arguments exist why natural disasters and unexpected events could influence tourist destination choices. However, empirical research to confirm the nature and extent of impacts of disasters on tourism is lacking. To address this gap, this paper incorporates a dataset on natural and man-made disaster events into a model of international tourism flows to evaluate the effect of different types of disasters on international arrivals at the national level. Findings provide evidence that the occurrence of different types of event change tourist flows to varying degrees. Although in some cases a positive effect is estimated, in general the impacts are negative, resulting in reduced tourist arrivals following an event. Understanding the relationship between disaster events and tourism is helpful for destination managers who make critical decisions in relation to recovery, reconstruction and marketing.
45
ltbvpv8b
How has the COVID-19 pandemic impacted mental health?
Global Data Science Project for COVID-19 Summary Report This paper aims at providing the summary of the Global Data Science Project (GDSC) for COVID-19. as on May 31 2020. COVID-19 has largely impacted on our societies through both direct and indirect effects transmitted by the policy measures to counter the spread of viruses. We quantitatively analysed the multifaceted impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on our societies including people's mobility, health, and social behaviour changes. People's mobility has changed significantly due to the implementation of travel restriction and quarantine measurements. Indeed, the physical distance has widened at international (cross-border), national and regional level. At international level, due to the travel restrictions, the number of international flights has plunged overall at around 88 percent during March. In particular, the number of flights connecting Europe dropped drastically in mid of March after the United States announced travel restrictions to Europe and the EU and participating countries agreed to close borders, at 84 percent decline compared to March 10th. Similarly, we examined the impacts of quarantine measures in the major city: Tokyo (Japan), New York City (the United States), and Barcelona (Spain). Within all three cities, we found the significant decline in traffic volume. We also identified the increased concern for mental health through the analysis of posts on social networking services such as Twitter and Instagram. Notably, in the beginning of April 2020, the number of post with #depression on Instagram doubled, which might reflect the rise in mental health awareness among Instagram users. Besides, we identified the changes in a wide range of people's social behaviors, as well as economic impacts through the analysis of Instagram data and primary survey data.
18
q5egb5nz
what are the best masks for preventing infection by Covid-19?
Masks and closed-loop ventilators prevent environmental contamination by COVID-19 patients in negative-pressure environments Abstract Herein, we report that nosocomial infection of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) may be mitigated by using surgical masks and closed looped ventilation for both non-critical and critical patients. These preventive measures resulted in no viral contamination of surfaces in negative pressure environments.
14
szsb1oan
what evidence is there related to COVID-19 super spreaders
The deadly coronaviruses: The 2003 SARS pandemic and the 2020 novel coronavirus epidemic in China Abstract The 2019-nCoV is officially called SARS-CoV-2 and the disease is named COVID-19. This viral epidemic in China has led to the deaths of over 1800 people, mostly elderly or those with an underlying chronic disease or immunosuppressed state. This is the third serious Coronavirus outbreak in less than 20 years, following SARS in 2002–2003 and MERS in 2012. While human strains of Coronavirus are associated with about 15% of cases of the common cold, the SARS-CoV-2 may present with varying degrees of severity, from flu-like symptoms to death. It is currently believed that this deadly Coronavirus strain originated from wild animals at the Huanan market in Wuhan, a city in Hubei province. Bats, snakes and pangolins have been cited as potential carriers based on the sequence homology of CoV isolated from these animals and the viral nucleic acids of the virus isolated from SARS-CoV-2 infected patients. Extreme quarantine measures, including sealing off large cities, closing borders and confining people to their homes, were instituted in January 2020 to prevent spread of the virus, but by that time much of the damage had been done, as human-human transmission became evident. While these quarantine measures are necessary and have prevented a historical disaster along the lines of the Spanish flu, earlier recognition and earlier implementation of quarantine measures may have been even more effective. Lessons learned from SARS resulted in faster determination of the nucleic acid sequence and a more robust quarantine strategy. However, it is clear that finding an effective antiviral and developing a vaccine are still significant challenges. The costs of the epidemic are not limited to medical aspects, as the virus has led to significant sociological, psychological and economic effects globally. Unfortunately, emergence of SARS-CoV-2 has led to numerous reports of Asians being subjected to racist behavior and hate crimes across the world.
3
q7zcqk2p
will SARS-CoV2 infected people develop immunity? Is cross protection possible?
Natural mutations in the receptor binding domain of spike glycoprotein determine the reactivity of cross-neutralization between palm civet coronavirus and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus. The severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) outbreak of 2002 and 2003 occurred as a result of zoonotic transmission. Coronavirus (CoV) found in naturally infected palm civet (civet-CoV) represents the closest genetic relative to SARS-CoV, but the degree and the determinants of cross-neutralization among these viruses remain to be investigated. Studies indicate that the receptor binding domain (RBD) of the SARS-CoV spike (S) glycoprotein contains major determinants for viral entry and neutralization. We aim to characterize the impact of natural mutations within the RBDs of civet-CoVs on viral entry and cross-neutralization. In this study, the S glycoprotein genes were recovered from naturally infected civets in central China (Hubei province), extending the geographic distribution of civet-CoV beyond the southeastern province of Guangdong. Moreover, pseudoviruses generated in our laboratory with four civet S genes, each with a distinct RBD, infected cells expressing human receptor angiotensin-converting enzyme 2, but with 90 to 95% less efficiency compared to that of SARS-CoV. These four civet S genes were also constructed as DNA vaccines to immunize mice. Immunized sera elicited against most civet S glycoproteins displayed potent neutralizing activities against autologous viruses but were much less efficient (50% inhibitory concentration, 20- to 40-fold) at neutralizing SARS-CoV and vice versa. Convalescence-phase sera from humans were similarly ineffective against the dominant civet pseudovirus. Our findings suggest that the design of SARS vaccine should consider not only preventing the reemergence of SARS-CoV but also providing cross-protection, thus interrupting zoonotic transmission of a group of genetically divergent civet CoVs of broad geographic origin.
35
11emhen6
What new public datasets are available related to COVID-19?
Trends and Prediction in Daily New Cases and Deaths of COVID-19 in the United States: An Internet Search-Interest Based Model BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The daily incidence and deaths of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the USA are poorly understood. Internet search interest was found to be correlated with COVID-19 daily incidence in China, but has not yet been applied to the USA. Therefore, we examined the association of internet search-interest with COVID-19 daily incidence and deaths in the USA. METHODS: We extracted COVID-19 daily new cases and deaths in the USA from two population-based datasets, namely 1-point-3-acres.com and the Johns Hopkins COVID-19 data repository. The internet search-interest of COVID-19-related terms was obtained using Google Trends. The Pearson correlation test and general linear model were used to examine correlations and predict trends, respectively. RESULTS: There were 636,282 new cases and,325 deaths of COVID-19 in the USA from March 1 to April 15, 2020, with a crude mortality of 4.45%. The daily new cases peaked at 35,098 cases on April 10, 2020 and the daily deaths peaked at 2,494 on April 15, 2020. The search interest of COVID, "COVID pneumonia" and "COVID heart" were correlated with COVID-19 daily incidence, with 12 or 14 days of delay (Pearson's r = 0.978, 0.978 and 0.979, respectively) and deaths with 19 days of delay (Pearson's r = 0.963, 0.958 and 0.970, respectively). The 7-day follow-up with prospectively collected data showed no significant correlations of the observed data with the predicted daily new cases or daily deaths, using search interest of COVID, COVID heart, and COVID pneumonia. CONCLUSIONS: Search terms related to COVID-19 are highly correlated with the COVID-19 daily new cases and deaths in the USA.
28
kwvgj5jf
what evidence is there for the value of hydroxychloroquine in treating Covid-19?
Hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine in COVID-19: should they be used as standard therapy? The pandemic of the new coronavirus, known as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has urged the nations to an unprecedented world-wide reaction, including an accelerated exploration of therapeutic options. In the absence of a vaccine and specifically designed antivirals, the medical community has proposed the use of various previously available medications in order to reduce the number of patients requiring prolonged hospitalizations, oxygen therapy, and mechanical ventilation and to decrease mortality from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine are among the proposed drugs and are the most widely used so far, despite the lack of robust evidence on their usefulness. The objective of this article is to review and discuss the possible role of these drugs in the therapy of COVID-19.
43
71qh6yjr
How has the COVID-19 pandemic impacted violence in society, including violent crimes?
Pandemic Pulse: Unraveling and Modeling Social Signals during the COVID-19 Pandemic We present and begin to explore a collection of social data that represents part of the COVID-19 pandemic's effects on the United States. This data is collected from a range of sources and includes longitudinal trends of news topics, social distancing behaviors, community mobility changes, web searches, and more. This multimodal effort enables new opportunities for analyzing the impacts such a pandemic has on the pulse of society. Our preliminary results show that the number of COVID-19-related news articles published immediately after the World Health Organization declared the pandemic on March 11, and that since that time have steadily decreased---regardless of changes in the number of cases or public policies. Additionally, we found that politically moderate and scientifically-grounded sources have, relative to baselines measured before the beginning of the pandemic, published a lower proportion of COVID-19 news than more politically extreme sources. We suggest that further analysis of these multimodal signals could produce meaningful social insights and present an interactive dashboard to aid further exploration.
14
g7rf1cdi
what evidence is there related to COVID-19 super spreaders
Introducing the Outbreak Threshold in Epidemiology When a pathogen is rare in a host population, there is a chance that it will die out because of stochastic effects instead of causing a major epidemic. Yet no criteria exist to determine when the pathogen increases to a risky level, from which it has a large chance of dying out, to when a major outbreak is almost certain. We introduce such an outbreak threshold (T(0)), and find that for large and homogeneous host populations, in which the pathogen has a reproductive ratio R(0), on the order of 1/Log(R(0)) infected individuals are needed to prevent stochastic fade-out during the early stages of an epidemic. We also show how this threshold scales with higher heterogeneity and R(0) in the host population. These results have implications for controlling emerging and re-emerging pathogens.
36
2h2braww
What is the protein structure of the SARS-CoV-2 spike?
Liquified protein vibrations, classification and cross-paradigm de novo image generation using deep neural networks In recent work we reported the vibrational spectrum of more than 100,000 known protein structures, and a self-consistent sonification method to render the spectrum in the audible range of frequencies (Extreme Mechanics Letters, 2019). Here we present a method to transform these molecular vibrations into materialized vibrations of thin water films using acoustic actuators, leading to complex patterns of surface waves, and using the resulting macroscopic images in further processing using deep convolutional neural networks. Specifically, the patterns of water surface waves for each protein structure is used to build training sets for neural networks, aimed to classify and further process the patterns. Once trained, the neural network model is capable of discerning different proteins solely by analyzing the macroscopic surface wave patterns in the water film. Not only can the method distinguish different types of proteins (e.g. alpha-helix vs hybrids of alpha-helices and beta-sheets), but it is also capable of determining different folding states of the same protein, or the binding events of proteins to ligands. Using the DeepDream algorithm, instances of key features of the deep neural network can be made visible in a range of images, allowing us to explore the inner workings of protein surface wave patter neural networks, as well as the creation of new images by finding and highlighting features of protein molecular spectra in a range of photographic input. The integration of the water-focused realization of cymatics, combined with neural networks and especially generative methods, offer a new direction to realize materiomusical"Inceptionism"as a possible direction in nano-inspired art. The method could have applications for detecting different protein structures, the effect of mutations, or uses in medical imaging and diagnostics, with broad impact in nano-to-macro transitions.
3
bspyhs03
will SARS-CoV2 infected people develop immunity? Is cross protection possible?
Oral typhoid vaccine Ty21a elicits antigen-specific resident memory CD4(+) T cells in the human terminal ileum lamina propria and epithelial compartments BACKGROUND: Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi (S. Typhi) is a highly invasive bacterium that infects the human intestinal mucosa and causes ~ 11.9–20.6 million infections and ~ 130,000–223,000 deaths annually worldwide. Oral typhoid vaccine Ty21a confers a moderate level of long-lived protection (5–7 years) in the field. New and improved vaccines against enteric pathogens are needed but their development is hindered by a lack of the immunological correlates of protection especially at the site of infection. Tissue resident memory T (T(RM)) cells provide immediate adaptive effector immune responsiveness at the infection site. However, the mechanism(s) by which S. Typhi induces T(RM) in the intestinal mucosa are unknown. Here, we focus on the induction of S. Typhi-specific CD4+T(RM) subsets by Ty21a in the human terminal ileum lamina propria and epithelial compartments. METHODS: Terminal ileum biopsies were obtained from consenting volunteers undergoing routine colonoscopy who were either immunized orally with 4 doses of Ty21a or not. Isolated lamina propria mononuclear cells (LPMC) and intraepithelial lymphocytes (IEL) CD4+T(RM) immune responses were determined using either S. Typhi-infected or non-infected autologous EBV-B cell lines as stimulator cells. T-CMI was assessed by the production of 4 cytokines [interferon (IFN)γ, interleukin (IL)-2, IL-17A and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)α] in 36 volunteers (18 vaccinees and 18 controls volunteers). RESULTS: Although the frequencies of LPMC CD103+ CD4+T(RM) were significant decreased, both CD103+ and CD103− CD4+T(RM) subsets spontaneously produced significantly higher levels of cytokines (IFNγ and IL-17A) following Ty21a-immunization. Importantly, we observed significant increases in S. Typhi-specific LPMC CD103+ CD4+T(RM) (IFNγ and IL-17A) and CD103− CD4+T(RM) (IL-2 and IL-17A) responses following Ty21a-immunization. Further, differences in S. Typhi-specific responses between these two CD4+T(RM) subsets were observed following multifunctional analysis. In addition, we determined the effect of Ty21a-immunization on IEL and observed significant changes in the frequencies of IEL CD103+ (decrease) and CD103− CD4+T(RM) (increase) following immunization. Finally, we observed that IEL CD103− CD4+T(RM), but not CD103+ CD4+T(RM), produced increased cytokines (IFNγ, TNFα and IL-17A) to S. Typhi-specific stimulation following Ty21a-immunization. CONCLUSIONS: Oral Ty21a-immunization elicits distinct compartment specific immune responses in CD4+T(RM) (CD103+ and CD103−) subsets. This study provides novel insights in the generation of local vaccine-specific responses. Trial registration This study was approved by the Institutional Review Board and registered on ClinicalTrials.gov (identifier NCT03970304, Registered 29 May 2019—Retrospectively registered, http://www.ClinicalTrials.gov/NCT03970304)
11
f3esl3m9
what are the guidelines for triaging patients infected with coronavirus?
Combined use of the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio and CRP to predict 7-day disease severity in 84 hospitalized patients with COVID-19 pneumonia: a retrospective cohort study. Background Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has spread rapidly worldwide from Wuhan. An easy-to-use index capable of the early identification of inpatients who are at risk of becoming critically ill is urgently needed in clinical practice. Hence, the aim of this study was to explore an easy-to-use nomogram and a model to triage patients into risk categories to determine the likelihood of developing a critical illness. Methods A retrospective cohort study was conducted. We extracted data from 84 patients with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 from one designated hospital. The primary endpoint was the development of severe/critical illness within 7 days after admission. Predictive factors of this endpoint were selected by LASSO Cox regression model. A nomogram was developed based on selected variables. The predictive performance of the derived nomogram was evaluated by calibration curves and decision curves. Additionally, the predictive performances of individual and combined variables under study were evaluated by receiver operating characteristic curves. The developed model was also tested in a separate validation set with 71 laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 patients. Results None of the 84 inpatients were lost to follow-up in this retrospective study. The primary endpoint occurred in 23 inpatients (27.4%). The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and C-reactive protein (CRP) were selected as the final prognostic factors. A nomogram was developed based on the NLR and CRP. The calibration curve and decision curve indicated that the constructed nomogram model was clinically useful. The AUCs for the NLR, CRP and Combined Index in both training set and validation sets were 0.685 (95% CI: 0.574-0.783), 0.764 (95% CI: 0.659-0.850), 0.804 (95% CI: 0.702-0.883), and 0.881 (95% CI: 0.782-0.946), respectively. Conclusions Our results demonstrated that the nomogram and Combined Index calculated from the NLR and CRP are potential and reliable predictors of COVID-19 prognosis and can triage patients at the time of admission.
45
2ltfs6f6
How has the COVID-19 pandemic impacted mental health?
Impact of SARS-CoV-2 (Coronavirus) Pandemic on Public Mental Health
27
0hrmk77p
what is known about those infected with Covid-19 but are asymptomatic?
COVID-19 infection during pregnancy: A systematic review to summarize possible symptoms, treatments, and pregnancy outcomes Abstract Background: With the exponential increase in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) worldwide, an increasing proportion of pregnant women are now infected during their pregnancy. The aims of this systematic review were to summarize the possible symptoms, treatments, and pregnancy outcomes of women infected with COVID-19 during their pregnancy. Methods: Four databases (Medline, Web of Science, Scopus, and CINAHL) were searched on March 25, 2020, using the following keywords: 'COVID-19', 'nCoV-2019', and 'coronavirus'. Articles included if they reported either the symptoms, treatments for the women who had been infected with the COVID-19 during their pregnancy or pregnancy outcomes. The selected articles' results were summarized employing a narrative synthesis approach. Results: A total of nine studies were selected for this study, comprising 101 infected pregnant women. Other than the infected general population, infected pregnant women reported different symptoms; however, fever (66.7%), cough (39.4%), fatigue (15.2%), and breathing difficulties (14.1%) were common. Infected pregnant women were given different treatments than the general infected population. The C-section was a common (83.9%) mode of delivery among infected pregnant women, and a higher proportion of births were preterm births (30.4%) and low birth weight (17.9%). Conclusions: Pregnant infected women had different symptoms, and they were given dissimilar treatments than the general infected population. Healthcare providers may have appropriately informed about these symptoms and treatments. They, therefore, would be able to handle infection during pregnancy effectively, which would reduce common adverse consequences among infected pregnant women.
39
zp9dwezx
What is the mechanism of cytokine storm syndrome on the COVID-19?
A serological survey of human coronavirus in pigs of the Tohoku District of Japan. A total of 2496 swine sera from 60 farms in the Tohoku District of Japan was examined for hemagglutination inhibiting (HI) antibodies to human coronavirus (HCV), swine hemagglutinating encephalomyelitis virus (HEV) and bovine coronavirus (BCV). HI antibodies to HCV OC43 strain and HEV 67N strain were highly prevalent with positivity rates of 91.4 and 82.1%, respectively, while the BCV Kakegawa strain was 44.2% positive. Farm D in Miyagi Prefecture showed the highest antibody titers to HCV OC43 strain with geometric mean titers (GMT) of 1:200. These results suggest that pigs might be infected with HCV or an antigenetically related virus as well as HEV.
9
amo1frs2
how has COVID-19 affected Canada
Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus Antibody Reactors Among Camels in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, in 2005 We tested, using a low starting dilution, sequential serum samples from dromedary camels, sheep and horses collected in Dubai from February/April to October of 2005 and from dromedary camels for export/import testing between Canada and USA in 2000–2001. Using a standard Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) neutralization test, serial sera from three sheep and three horses were all negative while sera from 9 of 11 dromedary camels from Dubai were positive for antibodies supported by similar results in a MERS-CoV recombinant partial spike protein antibody ELISA. The two negative Dubai camels were both dromedary calves and remained negative over the 5 months studied. The six dromedary samples from USA and Canada were negative in both tests. These results support the recent findings that infection with MERS-CoV or a closely related virus is not a new occurrence in camels in the Middle East. Therefore, interactions of MERS-CoV at the human–animal interface may have been ongoing for several, perhaps many, years and by inference, a widespread pandemic may be less likely unless significant evolution of the virus allow accelerated infection and spread potential in the human population.
24
hwjkbpqp
what kinds of complications related to COVID-19 are associated with diabetes
Abstracts from the 11th International Congress of Behavioral Medicine
11
94xxzksq
what are the guidelines for triaging patients infected with coronavirus?
Epidemiological and initial clinical characteristics of patients with family aggregation of COVID-19 Abstract Background Since December 2019, a new outbreak of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Wuhan (Hubei, China) and rapidly spread throughout China, however, confirmed cases are still increasing worldwide. Objectives To investigate the epidemiological history and initial clinical characteristics of 10 patients with family aggregation of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection in Western Chongqing, China. Study design Ten patients positive for SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid detection by real time Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR), were collected from The People's Hospital of Dazu District, Chongqing. Epidemiological data and laboratory and imaging results were collected on the first day of admission, and analyzed based on the Diagnosis and Treatment Guideline for COVID-19 (5th edition, China). Results Of the 10 cases, case A had a history of a temporary stay in Wuhan and transmitted the virus to the others through family gathering, living together, and sharing vehicles. The average age was 56.5 years (± 11.16), six patients were males, and the incubation period was 2–14 days. Dry cough was the main symptom, followed by fever and fatigue. Most patients were clinically classified as ordinary-type, with three cases being severe-type. Chest computed tomography results were nonspecific, mainly with ground-glass attenuation and/or shadow images. Extensive lesion distribution was seen in severe cases. CD4+ lymphocyte counts were 61, 180, and 348 cells/uL in severe-type patients, respectively. Notably, viral nucleic acid values in nasopharyngeal swabs were lower (19, 25, and 26) than those of ordinary-type patients, suggesting a higher viral load. Neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) was also higher in severe-type patients Conclusions Initial examination results of lower CD4+ lymphocyte counts and RT-PCR-CT values coupled with higher NLR may indicate the severity of COVID-19 infection for these family clusters.
8
1mfize6h
how has lack of testing availability led to underreporting of true incidence of Covid-19?
COVID-19: Should We Test Everyone? Since the beginning of 2020, the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has spread rapidly in the city of Wuhan, P.R. China, and subsequently, across the world. The swift spread of the virus is largely attributed to its stealth transmissions in which infected patients may be asymptomatic. Undetected transmissions present a remarkable challenge for the containment of the virus and pose an appalling threat to the public. An urgent question that has been asked by the public is"Should I be tested for COVID-19 if I am sick?". While different regions established their own criteria for screening infected cases, the screening criteria have been modified based on new evidence and understanding of the virus as well as the availability of resources. The shortage of test kits and medical personnel has considerably limited our ability to do as many tests as possible. Public health officials and clinicians are facing a dilemma of balancing the limited resources and unlimited demands. On one hand, they are striving to achieve the best outcome by optimizing the usage of the scant resources. On the other hand, they are challenged by the patients' frustrations and anxieties, stemming from the concerns of not being tested for COVID-19 for not meeting the definition of PUI (person under investigation). In this paper, we evaluate the situation from the statistical viewpoint by factoring into the considerations of the uncertainty and inaccuracy of the test, an issue that is often overlooked by the general public. We aim to shed light on the tough situation by providing evidence-based reasoning from the statistical angle, and we expect this examination will help the general public understand and assess the situation rationally. Most importantly, the development offers recommendations for physicians to make sensible evaluations to optimally use the limited resources for the best medical outcome.
10
1vvlzuue
has social distancing had an impact on slowing the spread of COVID-19?
Initial human transmission dynamics of the pandemic (H1N1) 2009 virus in North America Background Between 5 and 25 April 2009, pandemic (H1N1) 2009 caused a substantial, severe outbreak in Mexico, and subsequently developed into the first global pandemic in 41 years. We determined the reproduction number of pandemic (H1N1) 2009 by analyzing the dynamics of the complete case series in Mexico City during this early period. Methods We analyzed three mutually exclusive datasets from Mexico City Distrito Federal which constituted all suspect cases from 15 March to 25 April: confirmed pandemic (H1N1) 2009 infections, non‐pandemic influenza A infections and patients who tested negative for influenza. We estimated the initial reproduction number from 497 suspect cases identified prior to 20 April, using a novel contact network methodology incorporating dates of symptom onset and hospitalization, variation in contact rates, extrinsic sociological factors, and uncertainties in underreporting and disease progression. We tested the robustness of this estimate using both the subset of laboratory‐confirmed pandemic (H1N1) 2009 infections and an extended case series through 25 April, adjusted for suspected ascertainment bias. Results The initial reproduction number (95% confidence interval range) for this novel virus is 1·51 (1·32–1·71) based on suspected cases and 1·43 (1·29–1·57) based on confirmed cases before 20 April. The longer time series (through 25 April) yielded a higher estimate of 2·04 (1·84–2·25), which reduced to 1·44 (1·38–1·51) after correction for ascertainment bias. Conclusions The estimated transmission characteristics of pandemic (H1N1) 2009 suggest that pharmaceutical and non‐pharmaceutical mitigation measures may appreciably limit its spread prior the development of an effective vaccine.
43
eahx37cy
How has the COVID-19 pandemic impacted violence in society, including violent crimes?
The Conundrums of Counselling Women in Violent Intimate Partner Relationships in South Africa: Implications for Practice Little research focuses on how counsellors experience counselling encounters concerning intimate partner violence. This study reports on narrative research conducted with eight South African non-governmental organisation counsellors. Participants spoke of creating productive and caring counselling dynamics, and providing non-directive counselling. However, they also indicated providing moral guidance, particularly in cases where pregnancy or children were involved. Success was viewed rather narrowly as the women leaving the relationship, setting up 'all-or-nothing' outcomes. Such 'success' led to counsellor happiness, whilst failure in this regard led to counsellors experiencing anger and burn-out. We conclude that the conundrums evident in these data are grounded in patriarchal systems, limiting the efficacy of counselling based on a bondage and deliverance narrative. Implications for practice and training are also outlined.
24
hf3paocz
what kinds of complications related to COVID-19 are associated with diabetes
COVID-19 for the Cardiologist: A Current Review of the Virology, Clinical Epidemiology, Cardiac and Other Clinical Manifestations and Potential Therapeutic Strategies Summary The coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19), a contagious disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV2), has reached pandemic status. As it spreads across the world, it has overwhelmed healthcare systems, strangled the global economy and led to a devastating loss of life. Widespread efforts from regulators, clinicians and scientists are driving a rapid expansion of knowledge of the SARS-CoV2 virus and the COVID-19 disease. We review the most current data with a focus on our basic understanding of the mechanism(s) of disease and translation to the clinical syndrome and potential therapeutics. We discuss the basic virology, epidemiology, clinical manifestation, multi-organ consequences, and outcomes. With a focus on cardiovascular complications, we propose several mechanisms of injury. The virology and potential mechanism of injury form the basis for a discussion of potential disease-modifying therapies.
38
b7tw8fp7
What is the mechanism of inflammatory response and pathogenesis of COVID-19 cases?
Allogeneic cardiosphere-derived cells (CAP-1002) in critically ill COVID-19 patients: compassionate-use case series There are no definitive therapies for patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. Therefore, new therapeutic strategies are needed to improve clinical outcomes, particularly in patients with severe disease. This case series explores the safety and effectiveness of intravenous allogeneic cardiosphere-derived cells (CDCs), formulated as CAP-1002, in critically ill patients with confirmed coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Adverse reactions to CAP-1002, clinical status on the World Health Organization (WHO) ordinal scale, and changes in pro-inflammatory biomarkers and leukocyte counts were analyzed. All patients (n = 6; age range 19–75 years, 1 female) required ventilatory support (invasive mechanical ventilation, n = 5) with PaO(2)/FiO(2) ranging from 69 to 198. No adverse events related to CAP-1002 administration were observed. Four patients (67%) were weaned from respiratory support and discharged from the hospital. One patient remains mechanically ventilated as of April 28th, 2020; all survive. A contemporaneous control group of critically ill COVID-19 patients (n = 34) at our institution showed 18% overall mortality at a similar stage of hospitalization. Ferritin was elevated in all patients at baseline (range of all patients 605.43–2991.52 ng/ml) and decreased in 5/6 patients (range of all patients 252.89–1029.90 ng/ml). Absolute lymphocyte counts were low in 5/6 patients at baseline (range 0.26–0.82 × 10(3)/µl) but had increased in three of these five patients at last follow-up (range 0.23–1.02 × 10(3)/µl). In this series of six critically ill COVID-19 patients, intravenous infusion of CAP-1002 was well tolerated and associated with resolution of critical illness in 4 patients. This series demonstrates the apparent safety of CAP-1002 in COVID-19. While this initial experience is promising, efficacy will need to be further assessed in a randomized controlled trial.
17
fby616ap
are there any clinical trials available for the coronavirus
Comment on "Should COVID-19 Concern Nephrologists? Why and to What Extent? The Emerging Impasse of Angiotensin Blockade"
32
13jupb26
Does SARS-CoV-2 have any subtypes, and if so what are they?
Computers and viral diseases. Preliminary bioinformatics studies on the design of a synthetic vaccine and a preventative peptidomimetic antagonist against the SARS-CoV-2 (2019-nCoV, COVID-19) coronavirus Abstract This paper concerns study of the genome of the Wuhan Seafood Market isolate believed to represent the causative agent of the disease COVID-19. This is to find a short section or sections of viral protein sequence suitable for preliminary design proposal for a peptide synthetic vaccine and a peptidomimetic therapeutic, and to explore some design possibilities. The project was originally directed towards a use case for the Q-UEL language and its implementation in a knowledge management and automated inference system for medicine called the BioIngine, but focus here remains mostly on the virus itself. However, using Q-UEL systems to access relevant and emerging literature, and to interact with standard publically available bioinformatics tools on the Internet, did help quickly identify sequences of amino acids that are well conserved across many coronaviruses including 2019-nCoV. KRSFIEDLLFNKV was found to be particularly well conserved in this study and corresponds to the region around one of the known cleavage sites of the SARS virus that are believed to be required for virus activation for cell entry. This sequence motif and surrounding variations formed the basis for proposing a specific synthetic vaccine epitope and peptidomimetic agent. The work can, nonetheless, be described in traditional bioinformatics terms, and readily reproduced by others, albeit with the caveat that new data and research into 2019-nCoV is emerging and evolving at an explosive pace. Preliminary studies using molecular modeling and docking, and in that context the potential value of certain known herbal extracts, are also described.
21
t2x4yfrv
what are the mortality rates overall and in specific populations
Tracking and Predicting COVID-19 Epidemic in China Mainland By proposing a varying coefficient Susceptible-Infected-Removal model (vSIR), we track the epidemic of COVID-19 in 30 provinces in China and 15 cities in Hubei province, the epicenter of the outbreak. It is found that the spread of COVID-19 has been significantly slowing down within the two weeks from January 27 to February 10th with 87.0% and 84.3% reductions in the reproduction number R0 among the 30 provinces and 15 Hubei cities, respectively. This suggests the extreme control measures implemented since January 23, which include cutting off Wuhan and many other cities and towns, a great public awareness and high level of self isolation at home, have contributed to a substantial decline in the reproductivity of the COVID-19 in China. We predict that Hubei province will reach its peak between February 20 and 22, 2020, and if the removal rate can be increased to 0.1, the epidemic outside Hubei province will end in May 2020, and inside Hubei in early June.
14
k3f7ohzg
what evidence is there related to COVID-19 super spreaders
Characteristics of COVID-19 infection in Beijing Abstract Background Since the first case of a novel coronavirus (COVID-19) infection pneumonia was detected in Wuhan, China, a series of confirmed cases of the COVID-19 were found in Beijing. We analyzed the data of 262 confirmed cases to determine the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of COVID-19 in Beijing. Methods We collected patients who were transferred by Beijing Emergency Medical Service to the designated hospitals. The information on demographic, epidemiological, clinical, laboratory test for the COVID-19 virus, diagnostic classification, cluster case and outcome were obtained. Furthermore we compared the characteristics between severe and common confirmed cases which including mild cases, no-pneumonia cases and asymptomatic cases, and we also compared the features between COVID-19 and 2003 SARS. Findings By Feb 10, 2020, 262 patients were transferred from the hospitals across Beijing to the designated hospitals for special treatment of the COVID-19 infected by Beijing emergency medical service. Among of 262 patients, 46 (17.6%) were severe cases, 216 (82.4%) were common cases, which including 192 (73.3%) mild cases, 11(4.2%) non-pneumonia cases and 13 (5.0%) asymptomatic cases respectively. The median age of patients was 47.5 years old and 48.5% were male. 192 (73.3%) patients were residents of Beijing, 50 (26.0%) of which had been to Wuhan, 116 (60.4%) had close contact with confirmed cases, 21 (10.9%) had no contact history. The most common symptoms at the onset of illness were fever (82.1%), cough (45.8%), fatigue (26.3%), dyspnea (6.9%) and headache (6.5%). The median incubation period was 6.7 days, the interval time from between illness onset and seeing a doctor was 4.5 days. As of Feb 10, 17.2% patients have discharged and 81.7% patients remain in hospital in our study, the fatality of COVID-19 infection in Beijing was 0.9%. Interpretation On the basis of this study, we provided the ratio of the COVID-19 infection on the severe cases to the mild, asymptomatic and non-pneumonia cases in Beijing. Population was generally susceptible, and with a relatively low fatality rate. The measures to prevent transmission was very successful at early stage, the next steps on the COVID-19 infection should be focused on early isolation of patients and quarantine for close contacts in families and communities in Beijing. Funding Beijing Municipal Science and Technology Commission and Ministry of Science and Technology.
20
uqk2nrnf
are patients taking Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACE) at increased risk for COVID-19?
Mechanisms of increased morbidity and mortality of SARS-CoV-2 infection in individuals with diabetes: what this means for an effective management strategy
37
475nei28
What is the result of phylogenetic analysis of SARS-CoV-2 genome sequence?
Potential of large "first generation" human‐to‐human transmission of 2019‐nCoV To investigate the genetic diversity, time origin, and evolutionary history of the 2019‐nCoV outbreak in China and Thailand, a total of 12 genome sequences of the virus with known sampling date (24 December 2019 and 13 January 2020) and geographic location (primarily Wuhan city, Hubei Province, China, but also Bangkok, Thailand) were analyzed. Phylogenetic and likelihood‐mapping analyses of these genome sequences were performed. On the basis of our results, the star‐like signal and topology of 2019‐nCoV may be indicative of potentially large "first generation" human‐to‐human virus transmission. We estimated that 2019‐nCoV likely originated in Wuhan on 9 November 2019 (95% credible interval: 25 September 2019 and 19 December 2019), and that Wuhan is the major hub for the spread of the 2019‐nCoV outbreak in China and elsewhere. Our results could be useful for designing effective prevention strategies for 2019‐nCoV in China and beyond.
26
x21g6i3g
what are the initial symptoms of Covid-19?
Two X‐linked agammaglobulinemia patients develop pneumonia as COVID‐19 manifestation but recover BACKGROUND: The recent SARS‐CoV‐2 pandemic, which has recently affected Italy since February 21, constitutes a threat to normal subjects, as the coronavirus disease‐19 (COVID‐19) can manifest with a broad spectrum of clinical phenotypes ranging from asymptomatic cases to pneumonia or even death. There is evidence that older age and several comorbidities can affect the risk to develop severe pneumonia and possibly the need of mechanic ventilation in subjects infected with SARS‐CoV‐2. Therefore, we evaluated the outcome of SARS‐CoV‐2 infection in patients with inborn errors of immunity (IEI) such as X‐linked agammaglobulinemia (XLA). METHODS: When the SARS‐CoV‐2 epidemic has reached Italy, we have activated a surveillance protocol of patients with IEI, to perform SARS‐CoV‐2 search by nasopharyngeal swab in patients presenting with symptoms that could be a manifestation of COVID‐19, such as fever, cough, diarrhea, or vomiting. RESULTS: We describe two patients with X‐linked agammaglobulinemia (XLA) aged 34 and 26 years with complete absence of B cells from peripheral blood who developed COVID‐19, as diagnosed by SARS‐CoV‐2 detection by nasopharyngeal swab, while receiving immunoglobulin infusions. Both patients developed interstitial pneumonia characterized by fever, cough, and anorexia and associated with elevation of CRP and ferritin, but have never required oxygen ventilation or intensive care. CONCLUSION: Our report suggests that XLA patients might present with high risk to develop pneumonia after SARS‐CoV‐2 infection, but can recover from infection, suggesting that B‐cell response might be important, but is not strictly required to overcome the disease. However, there is a need for larger observational studies to extend these conclusions to other patients with similar genetic immune defects.
25
pnx82f6w
which biomarkers predict the severe clinical course of 2019-nCOV infection?
Looking beyond the coronavirus: lessons and principles.
14
dqxnc5o0
what evidence is there related to COVID-19 super spreaders
ORBiT: Oak Ridge biosurveillance toolkit for public health dynamics BACKGROUND: The digitization of health-related information through electronic health records (EHR) and electronic healthcare reimbursement claims and the continued growth of self-reported health information through social media provides both tremendous opportunities and challenges in developing effective biosurveillance tools. With novel emerging infectious diseases being reported across different parts of the world, there is a need to build systems that can track, monitor and report such events in a timely manner. Further, it is also important to identify susceptible geographic regions and populations where emerging diseases may have a significant impact. METHODS: In this paper, we present an overview of Oak Ridge Biosurveillance Toolkit (ORBiT), which we have developed specifically to address data analytic challenges in the realm of public health surveillance. In particular, ORBiT provides an extensible environment to pull together diverse, large-scale datasets and analyze them to identify spatial and temporal patterns for various biosurveillance-related tasks. RESULTS: We demonstrate the utility of ORBiT in automatically extracting a small number of spatial and temporal patterns during the 2009-2010 pandemic H1N1 flu season using claims data. These patterns provide quantitative insights into the dynamics of how the pandemic flu spread across different parts of the country. We discovered that the claims data exhibits multi-scale patterns from which we could identify a small number of states in the United States (US) that act as "bridge regions" contributing to one or more specific influenza spread patterns. Similar to previous studies, the patterns show that the south-eastern regions of the US were widely affected by the H1N1 flu pandemic. Several of these south-eastern states act as bridge regions, which connect the north-east and central US in terms of flu occurrences. CONCLUSIONS: These quantitative insights show how the claims data combined with novel analytical techniques can provide important information to decision makers when an epidemic spreads throughout the country. Taken together ORBiT provides a scalable and extensible platform for public health surveillance.
26
gt3v8km1
what are the initial symptoms of Covid-19?
Functional Limitations of Plasmacytoid Dendritic Cells Limit Type I Interferon, T Cell Responses and Virus Control in Early Life Infant mortality from viral infection remains a major global health concern: viruses causing acute infections in immunologically mature hosts often follow a more severe course in early life, with prolonged or persistent viral replication. Similarly, the WE strain of lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV-WE) causes acute self-limiting infection in adult mice but follows a protracted course in infant animals, in which LCMV-specific CD8(+) T cells fail to expand and control infection. By disrupting type I IFNs signaling in adult mice or providing IFN-α supplementation to infant mice, we show here that the impaired early life T cell responses and viral control result from limited early type I IFN responses. We postulated that plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDC), which have been identified as one major source of immediate-early IFN-I, may not exert adult-like function in vivo in the early life microenvironment. We tested this hypothesis by studying pDC functions in vivo during LCMV infection and identified a coordinated downregulation of infant pDC maturation, activation and function: despite an adult-like in vitro activation capacity of infant pDCs, the expression of the E2-2 pDC master regulator (and of critical downstream antiviral genes such as MyD88, TLR7/TLR9, NF-κB, IRF7 and IRF8) is downregulated in vivo at baseline and during LCMV infection. A similar pattern was observed in response to ssRNA polyU, a model ligand of the TLR7 viral sensor. This suggests that the limited T cell-mediated defense against early life viral infections is largely attributable to / regulated by infant pDC responses and provides incentives for novel strategies to supplement or stimulate immediate-early IFN-α responses.
33
icp5iuwb
What vaccine candidates are being tested for Covid-19?
Low serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels are associated with increased risk of viral coinfections in wheezing children
15
b8gi4m3k
how long can the coronavirus live outside the body
Chapter 17 Family Coronaviridae Abstract Members of the family Coronaviridae are large, enveloped, single-stranded RNA viruses. They are the largest known RNA viruses, with genomes ranging from 25 to 32kb and virions of 118–140nm in diameter. The family is divided into two subfamilies, the Coronavirinae and the Torovirinae. They can be distinguished on the basis of their nucleocapsids as the toroviruses have unique doughnut-shaped nucleocapsids. Virions are roughly spherical and are notable for the large spike (S) glycoprotein that extends from the virus envelope. Current taxonomy places the family in the order Nidovirales. Within the subfamily Coronavirinae are four genera, the alpha-, beta-, gamma-, and deltacoronaviruses. All family members share the same unique strategy for mRNA synthesis whereby the polymerase complex jumps or moves from one region of the template to a more distant region. The need for the polymerase complex to dissociate from the template may explain the high rate of RNA recombination that occurs during genome replication. Both the coronaviruses and toroviruses are enteric and respiratory tract pathogens, usually associated with only mild disease (or inapparent infection). However the human severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) coronavirus and the Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) coronavirus cause severe respiratory diseases.
29
7aulcwfa
which SARS-CoV-2 proteins-human proteins interactions indicate potential for drug targets. Are there approved drugs that can be repurposed based on this information?
Potential Inhibitors for Novel Coronavirus Protease Identified by Virtual Screening of 606 Million Compounds The rapid outbreak of the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in China followed by its spread around the world poses a serious global concern for public health. To this date, no specific drugs or vaccines are available to treat SARS-CoV-2 despite its close relation to the SARS-CoV virus that caused a similar epidemic in 2003. Thus, there remains an urgent need for the identification and development of specific antiviral therapeutics against SARS-CoV-2. To conquer viral infections, the inhibition of proteases essential for proteolytic processing of viral polyproteins is a conventional therapeutic strategy. In order to find novel inhibitors, we computationally screened a compound library of over 606 million compounds for binding at the recently solved crystal structure of the main protease (M(pro)) of SARS-CoV-2. A screening of such a vast chemical space for SARS-CoV-2 M(pro) inhibitors has not been reported before. After shape screening, two docking protocols were applied followed by the determination of molecular descriptors relevant for pharmacokinetics to narrow down the number of initial hits. Next, molecular dynamics simulations were conducted to validate the stability of docked binding modes and comprehensively quantify ligand binding energies. After evaluation of potential off-target binding, we report a list of 12 purchasable compounds, with binding affinity to the target protease that is predicted to be more favorable than that of the cocrystallized peptidomimetic compound. In order to quickly advise ongoing therapeutic intervention for patients, we evaluated approved antiviral drugs and other protease inhibitors to provide a list of nine compounds for drug repurposing. Furthermore, we identified the natural compounds (−)-taxifolin and rhamnetin as potential inhibitors of M(pro). Rhamnetin is already commercially available in pharmacies.
45
4ucua8y2
How has the COVID-19 pandemic impacted mental health?
Impact of severe acute respiratory syndrome care on the general health status of healthcare workers in taiwan. BACKGROUND The impact of the outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) was enormous, but few studies have focused on the infectious and general health status of healthcare workers (HCWs) who treated patients with SARS. DESIGN We prospectively evaluated the general health status of HCWs during the SARS epidemic. The Medical Outcome Study Short-Form 36 Survey was given to all HCWs immediately after caring for patients with SARS and 4 weeks after self-quarantine and off-duty shifts. Tests for detection of SARS coronavirus antibody were performed for HCWs at these 2 time points and for control subjects during the SARS epidemic. SETTING Tertiary care referral center in Taipei, Taiwan. SUBJECTS Ninety SARS-care task force members (SARS HCWs) and 82 control subjects. RESULTS All serum specimens tested negative for SARS antibody. Survey scores for SARS HCWs immediately after care were significantly lower than those for the control group (P<.05 by the t test) in 6 categories. Vitality, social functioning, and mental health immediately after care and vitality and mental health after self-quarantine and off-duty shifts were among the worst subscales. The social functioning, role emotional, and role physical subscales significantly improved after self-quarantine and off-duty shifts (P<.05, by paired t test). The length of contact time (mean number of contact-hours per day) with patients with SARS was associated with some subscales (role emotional, role physical, and mental health) to a mild extent. The total number of contact-hours with symptomatic patients with SARS was a borderline predictor (adjusted R2=0.069; P=.038) of mental health score. CONCLUSIONS The impact of the SARS outbreak on SARS HCWs was significant in many dimensions of general health. The vitality and mental health status of SARS HCWs 1 month after self-quarantine and off-duty shifts remained inferior to those of the control group.
25
kp70peo4
which biomarkers predict the severe clinical course of 2019-nCOV infection?
The values of coagulation function in COVID-19 patients Objective: To investigate the blood coagulation function in COVID-19 patients, and the correlation between coagulopathy and disease severity. Methods: We retrospectively collected 147 clinically diagnosed COVID-19 patients at Wuhan Leishenshan Hospital of Hubei, China. We analyzed the coagulation function in COVID-19 patients through the data including thrombin-antithrombin complex (TAT), 2-plasmininhibitor-plasmin Complex (PIC), thrombomodulin (TM), t-PA/PAI-1 Complex (t-PAIC), prothrombin time (PT), international normalized ratio (INR), activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), fibrinogen (FIB), thrombin time (TT), D-Dimer (DD), and platelet (PLT). Result: The levels of TAT, PIC, TM, t-PAIC, PT, INR, FIB, and DD in COVID-19 patients were higher than health controls (p<0.05), and also higher in the patients with thrombotic disease than without thrombotic disease (p<0.05). What's more, the patients with thrombotic disease had a higher case-fatality (p<0.05). TAT, PIC, TM, t-PAIC, PT, INR, APTT, FIB, DD, and PLT were also found correlated with disease severity. Meanwhile, we found that there were significant difference in TAT, TM, t-PAIC, PT, INR, APTT, DD, and PLT in the death and survival group. Further using univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis also found that t-PAIC and DD were independent risk factors for death in patients and are excellent predicting the mortality risk of COVID-19. Conclusion: The coagulation systems in COVID-19 patients are inordinate, and dynamic monitoring of them, might be a key in the control of COVID-19 death.
31
h8ahn8fw
How does the coronavirus differ from seasonal flu?
Origin and Evolution of the 2019 Novel Coronavirus
46
bmahwxbn
what evidence is there for dexamethasone as a treatment for COVID-19?
Letter To the Editor: [Our Response to COVID-19 as Endocrinologists and Diabetologists]
22
fv79igih
are cardiac complications likely in patients with COVID-19?
The Role of the American Heart Association in the Global COVID-19 Pandemic
38
bqvn3ceq
What is the mechanism of inflammatory response and pathogenesis of COVID-19 cases?
Immunophenotyping of COVID-19 and influenza highlights the role of type I interferons in development of severe COVID-19. Although most SARS-CoV-2-infected individuals experience mild coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), some patients suffer from severe COVID-19, which is accompanied by acute respiratory distress syndrome and systemic inflammation. To identify factors driving severe progression of COVID-19, we performed single-cell RNA-seq using peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) obtained from healthy donors, patients with mild or severe COVID-19, and patients with severe influenza. Patients with COVID-19 exhibited hyper-inflammatory signatures across all types of cells among PBMCs, particularly up-regulation of the TNF/IL-1β-driven inflammatory response as compared to severe influenza. In classical monocytes from patients with severe COVID-19, type I IFN response co-existed with the TNF/IL-1β-driven inflammation, and this was not seen in patients with milder COVID-19. Interestingly, we documented type I IFN-driven inflammatory features in patients with severe influenza as well. Based on this, we propose that the type I IFN response plays a pivotal role in exacerbating inflammation in severe COVID-19.
14
77mhgade
what evidence is there related to COVID-19 super spreaders
Can we perform like SUPER-CRIPPLES during these crazy times of coronavirus pandemic?
14
blv0wesk
what evidence is there related to COVID-19 super spreaders
More effective strategies are required to strengthen public awareness of COVID-19: Evidence from Google Trends BACKGROUND: The outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has posed stress on the health and well-being of both Chinese people and the public worldwide. Global public interest in this new issue largely reflects people's attention to COVID-19 and their willingness to take precautionary actions. This study aimed to examine global public awareness of COVID-19 using Google Trends. METHODS: Using Google Trends, we retrieved public query data for terms of "2019-nCoV + SARS-CoV-2 + novel coronavirus + new coronavirus + COVID-19 + Corona Virus Disease 2019" between the 31(st) December 2019 and the 24(th) February 2020 in six major English-speaking countries, including the USA, the UK, Canada, Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand. Dynamic series analysis demonstrates the overall change trend of relative search volume (RSV) for the topic on COVID-19. We compared the top-ranking related queries and sub-regions distribution of RSV about COVID-19 across different countries. The correlation between daily search volumes on the topic related to COVID-19 and the daily number of people infected with SARS-CoV-2 was analyzed. RESULTS: The overall search trend of RSV regarding COVID-19 increased during the early period of observing time and reached the first apex on 31(st) January 2020. A shorter response time and a longer duration of public attention to COVID-19 was observed in public from the USA, the UK, Australia, and Canada, than that in Ireland and New Zealand. A slightly positive correlation between daily RSV about COVID-19 and the daily number of confirmed cases was observed (P < 0.05). People across countries presented a various interest to the RSV on COVID-19, and public awareness of COVID-19 was different in various sub-regions within countries. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that public response time to COVID-19 was different across countries, and the overall duration of public attention was short. The current study reminds us that governments should strengthen the publicity of COVID-19 nationally, strengthen the public's vigilance and sensitivity to COVID-19, inform public the importance of protecting themselves with enough precautionary measures, and finally control the spread of COVID-19 globally.
24
gy1trcj3
what kinds of complications related to COVID-19 are associated with diabetes
Expert recommendations for diabetes with or without COVID-19 management in communities/ 中华内分泌代谢杂志 Since December 2019, the outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has occurred in China. Higher risk of COVID-19 infection and worse prognosis were observed among patients with diabetes. There are rigorous challenges existing in terms of diabetes prevention and glycemic control in primary medical care during period of COVID-19. Here, expert recommendations were developed by Chinese diabetologists, healthcare providers, and public health administrators to improve the ability of primary health facilities and provide standardized basic public health and medical services throughout country. The main contents include basic requirements for management, workflow of health management, referral, treatment, and long-term follow-up.
6
6lxgl8y0
what types of rapid testing for Covid-19 have been developed?
Outbreak of a new coronavirus: what anaesthetists should know
24
kbo8bc8m
what kinds of complications related to COVID-19 are associated with diabetes
Euglycemic diabetic ketoacidosis in a patient with type 1 diabetes and SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia: case report and review of the literature. OBJECTIVE Recent publications on Coronavirus Disease-2019 (COVID-19) report that diabetic people with or without co-morbidities are at higher risk of developing severe and/or fatal illnesses. METHOD AND RESULT We report the first case of a 60-year-old man with a 27-year history of type 1 diabetes mellitus, infected by SARS-CoV-2 presenting with an euglycaemic ketoacidosis and an acute respiratory distress syndrome. CONCLUSION This case report reminds us of the importance of adjusting more recent glucose-lowering drugs, including sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors, in the overall management of type 1 diabetic individuals during the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak. ABBREVIATIONS COVID-19: Coronavirus disease 2019 (SARS-CoV-2) virus, T1DM: Type 1 diabetes mellitus, T2DM: Type 2 diabetes mellitus, SGLT2i: Sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitor, DKA: diabetic ketoacidosis, euDKA: euglycaemic diabetic ketoacidosis.
5
e5frjae8
what drugs have been active against SARS-CoV or SARS-CoV-2 in animal studies?
Respiratory Viruses Respiratory viruses are the most frequent causative agents of disease in humans, with significant impact on morbidity and mortality worldwide. Common respiratory agents from several virus families are well adapted to efficient person-to-person transmission and circulate in a global scale, and community-based studies conducted over the past five decades or so confirm that these viruses are the predominant etiological agents of acute respiratory infections (ARIs). The respiratory viruses that most commonly circulate in all continents as endemic or epidemic agents are influenza virus, respiratory syncytial virus, parainfluenza viruses, metapneumovirus, rhinovirus, coronaviruses, adenoviruses, and bocaviruses. Although vaccines and effective antiviral drugs are not yet available for most of these viruses, much progress has been made in the understanding of their biology and fundamental issues of host–parasite relationship. This article is a summary of the current knowledge about these viruses.
20
mswmkgl4
are patients taking Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACE) at increased risk for COVID-19?
Protein structure analysis of the interactions between SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and the human ACE2 receptor: from conformational changes to novel neutralizing antibodies The recent severe acute respiratory syndrome, known as Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) has spread so much rapidly and severely to induce World Health Organization (WHO) to declare state of emergency over the new coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. While several countries have chosen the almost complete lock-down for slowing down SARS-CoV-2 spread, scientific community is called to respond to the devastating outbreak by identifying new tools for diagnosis and treatment of the dangerous COVID-19. With this aim we performed an in silico comparative modeling analysis, which allows to gain new insights about the main conformational changes occurring in the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, at the level of the receptor binding domain (RBD), along interactions with human cells angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor, that favour human cell invasion. Furthermore, our analysis provides i) an ideal pipeline to identify already characterized antibodies that might target SARS-CoV-2 spike RBD, for preventing interactions with the human ACE2, and ii) instructions for building new possible neutralizing antibodies, according to chemical/physical space restraints and complementary determining regions (CDR) mutagenesis of the identified existing antibodies. The proposed antibodies show in silico a high affinity for SARS-CoV-2 spike RBD and can be used as reference antibodies also for building new high affinity antibodies against present and future coronavirus able to invade human cells through interactions of their spike proteins with the human ACE2. More in general, our analysis provides indications for the set-up of the right biological molecular context for investigating spike RBD-ACE2 interactions for the development of new vaccines, diagnosis kits and other treatments based on the usage or the targeting of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein.
7
o7mfgehj
are there serological tests that detect antibodies to coronavirus?
Immunity to infection
19
y9ezh49z
what type of hand sanitizer is needed to destroy Covid-19?
High Environmental Stability of Hepatitis B Virus and Inactivation Requirements for Chemical Biocides Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is considered a major public health problem worldwide, and a significant number of reports on nosocomial and occupational outbreaks have been reported. This systematic investigation of HBV stability and susceptibility to different antiseptics revealed that HBV infectivity was very stable, with a half-life of >22 days at 37°C. At 4°C, infectivity was barely reduced for up to 9 months. Different alcohols and commercially available hand antiseptics had a virucidal effect against HBV. We propose that very strict compliance with established hygienic guidelines should be mandatory to avoid and prevent HBV infections.
8
ig9o06y3
how has lack of testing availability led to underreporting of true incidence of Covid-19?
An Overview of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome–Coronavirus (SARS-CoV) 3CL Protease Inhibitors: Peptidomimetics and Small Molecule Chemotherapy [Image: see text] Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) is caused by a newly emerged coronavirus that infected more than 8000 individuals and resulted in more than 800 (10–15%) fatalities in 2003. The causative agent of SARS has been identified as a novel human coronavirus (SARS-CoV), and its viral protease, SARS-CoV 3CL(pro), has been shown to be essential for replication and has hence been recognized as a potent drug target for SARS infection. Currently, there is no effective treatment for this epidemic despite the intensive research that has been undertaken since 2003 (over 3500 publications). This perspective focuses on the status of various efficacious anti-SARS-CoV 3CL(pro) chemotherapies discovered during the last 12 years (2003–2015) from all sources, including laboratory synthetic methods, natural products, and virtual screening. We describe here mainly peptidomimetic and small molecule inhibitors of SARS-CoV 3CL(pro). Attempts have been made to provide a complete description of the structural features and binding modes of these inhibitors under many conditions.
22
di3lzbpz
are cardiac complications likely in patients with COVID-19?
Consequences of the coronavirus pandemic for global health research and practice
5
6nh28ntv
what drugs have been active against SARS-CoV or SARS-CoV-2 in animal studies?
Structure Basis for Inhibition of SARS-CoV-2 by the Feline Drug GC376 The pandemic of SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) caused by SARS-COV-2 continues to ravage many countries in the world. Mpro is an indispensable protein for viral translation in SARS-CoV-2 and a potential target in high-specificity anti-SARS-CoV-2 drug screening. In this study, to explore potential drugs for treating COVID-19, we elucidated the structure of SARS-CoV-2 Mpro and explored the interaction between Mpro and GC376, an antiviral drug used to treat a range of coronaviruses in Feline via inhibiting Mpro. The availability and safety of GC376 were proved by biochemical and cell experiments in vitro. We determined the structure of an important protein, Mpro, in SARS-CoV-2, and revealed the interaction of GC376 with the viral substrate and inhibition of the catalytic site of SARS-CoV-2 Mpro.
8
bgdcm1i1
how has lack of testing availability led to underreporting of true incidence of Covid-19?
Recombination and lineage-specific mutations led to the emergence of SARS-CoV-2 The recent outbreak of a new coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) in Wuhan, China, underscores the need for understanding the evolutionary processes that drive the emergence and adaptation of zoonotic viruses in humans. Here, we show that recombination in betacoronaviruses, including human-infecting viruses like SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV, frequently encompasses the Receptor Binding Domain (RBD) in the Spike gene. We find that this common process likely led to a recombination event at least 11 years ago in an ancestor of the SARS-CoV-2 involving the RBD. As a result of this recombination event, SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2 share a similar genotype in RBD, including two insertions (positions 432-436 and 460-472), and alleles 427N and 436Y. Both 427N and 436Y belong to a helix that interacts with the human ACE2 receptor. Ancestral state analyses revealed that SARS-CoV-2 differentiated from its most recent common ancestor with RaTG13 by accumulating a significant number of amino acid changes in the RBD. In sum, we propose a two-hit scenario in the emergence of the SARS-CoV-2 virus whereby the SARS-CoV-2 ancestors in bats first acquired genetic characteristics of SARS-CoV by incorporation of a SARS-like RBD through recombination before 2009, and subsequently, the lineage that led to SARS-CoV-2 accumulated further, unique changes specifically in the RBD.
13
61ta81iy
what are the transmission routes of coronavirus?
COVID-19 pandemic: Impact of lockdown, contact and non-contact transmissions on infection dynamics COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic has virtually locked down the entire world of human population, and through its rapid and unstoppable spread COVID-19 has essentially compartmentalised the population merely into susceptible, exposed, infected and recovered classes. Adapting the classical epidemic modelling framework, two distinct routes of COVID-19 transmission are incorporated into a model: (a) direct person-to-person contact transmission, and (b) indirect airborne and fomites-driven transmission. The indirect non-contact transmission route needs to explored in models of COVID-19 spread, because evidences show that this route of transmission is entirely viable with hugely uncertain level of relative contribution. This theoretical study based on model simulations demonstrates the following: (1) Not incorporating indirect transmission route in the model leads to underestimation of the basic reproduction number, and hence will impact on the COVID-19 mitigation decisions; (2) Lockdown measures can suppress the primary infection peak, but will lead to a secondary peak whose relative strength and time of occurrence depend on the success and duration of the lockdown measures; (3) To make lockdown effective, a considerable level of reduction in both contact and non-contact transmission rates over a long period is required; (4) To bring down the infection cases below any hypothetical health-care capacity, reduction of non-contact transmission rate is key, and hence active measures should be taken to reduce non-contact transmission (e.g., extensive uses of areal and aerosol disinfectant in public spaces to improve contaminated surfaces and air); (5) Any premature withdrawal of lockdown following the sign of a brief retracement in the infection cases can backfire, and can lead to a quicker, sharper and higher secondary peak, due to reactivation of the two transmission routes. Based on these results, this study recommends that any exit policy from lockdown, should take into account the level of transmission reduction in both routes, the absolute scale of which will vary among countries depending on their health-service capacity, but should be computed using accurate time-series data on infection cases and transmission rates.
34
rckzi8vz
What are the longer-term complications of those who recover from COVID-19?
Hepatic complications of COVID‐19 and its treatment COVID‐19 is highly contagious and has a variety of clinical manifestations, it can affect a number of other organs in addition to the lungs, and liver injury may occur. SARS‐CoV‐2 can cause liver injury through systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS), cytokine storms, ischemia‐reperfusion injury, side effects of treatment drugs, and underlying liver disease and can attack liver cells directly via ACE2. Clinical studies have found that liver injury in COVID‐19 patients mainly manifests as abnormal liver biochemical indicators, but there have been no reports of liver failure caused by this disease. The number of COVID‐19 patients with liver injury is increasing, and the incidence of liver injury in COVID‐19 patients with severe disease are higher than in patients with mild disease. Liver injury may be a risk factor for progresses and worsens in patients with COVID‐19, and it is necessary to pay attention to the occurrence of liver injury in the diagnosis and treatment of COVID‐19. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
39
doi8buyw
What is the mechanism of cytokine storm syndrome on the COVID-19?
Interleukin-1 blockade with high-dose anakinra in patients with COVID-19, acute respiratory distress syndrome, and hyperinflammation: a retrospective cohort study BACKGROUND: Mortality of patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), and systemic inflammation is high. In areas of pandemic outbreak, the number of patients can exceed maximum capacity of intensive care units (ICUs), and, thus, these individuals often receive non-invasive ventilation outside of the ICU. Effective treatments for this population are needed urgently. Anakinra is a recombinant interleukin-1 receptor antagonist that might be beneficial in this patient population. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study at the San Raffaele Hospital in Milan, Italy. We included consecutive patients (aged ≥18 years) with COVID-19, moderate-to-severe ARDS, and hyperinflammation (defined as serum C-reactive protein ≥100 mg/L, ferritin ≥900 ng/mL, or both) who were managed with non-invasive ventilation outside of the ICU and who received standard treatment of 200 mg hydroxychloroquine twice a day orally and 400 mg lopinavir with 100 mg ritonavir twice a day orally. We compared survival, mechanical ventilation-free survival, changes in C-reactive protein, respiratory function, and clinical status in a cohort of patients who received additional treatment with anakinra (either 5 mg/kg twice a day intravenously [high dose] or 100 mg twice a day subcutaneously [low dose]) with a retrospective cohort of patients who did not receive anakinra (referred to as the standard treatment group). All outcomes were assessed at 21 days. This study is part of the COVID-19 Biobank study, which is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04318366. FINDINGS: Between March 17 and March 27, 2020, 29 patients received high-dose intravenous anakinra, non-invasive ventilation, and standard treatment. Between March 10 and March 17, 2020, 16 patients received non-invasive ventilation and standard treatment only and comprised the comparison group for this study. A further seven patients received low-dose subcutaneous anakinra in addition to non-invasive ventilation and standard treatment; however, anakinra treatment was interrupted after 7 days because of a paucity of effects on serum C-reactive protein and clinical status. At 21 days, treatment with high-dose anakinra was associated with reductions in serum C-reactive protein and progressive improvements in respiratory function in 21 (72%) of 29 patients; five (17%) patients were on mechanical ventilation and three (10%) died. In the standard treatment group, eight (50%) of 16 patients showed respiratory improvement at 21 days; one (6%) patient was on mechanical ventilation and seven (44%) died. At 21 days, survival was 90% in the high-dose anakinra group and 56% in the standard treatment group (p=0·009). Mechanical ventilation-free survival was 72% in the anakinra group versus 50% in the standard treatment group (p=0·15). Bacteraemia occurred in four (14%) of 29 patients receiving high-dose anakinra and two (13%) of 16 patients receiving standard treatment. Discontinuation of anakinra was not followed by inflammatory relapses. INTERPRETATION: In this retrospective cohort study of patients with COVID-19 and ARDS managed with non-invasive ventilation outside of the ICU, treatment with high-dose anakinra was safe and associated with clinical improvement in 72% of patients. Confirmation of efficacy will require controlled trials. FUNDING: None.
14
172tl3fb
what evidence is there related to COVID-19 super spreaders
Epidemiological and clinical features of the 2019 novel coronavirus outbreak in China Our manuscript was based on surveillance cases of COVID-19 identified before January 26, 2020. As of February 20, 2020, the total number of confirmed cases in mainland China has reached 18 times of the number in our manuscript. While the methods and the main conclusions in our original analyses remain solid, we decided to withdraw this preprint for the time being, and will replace it with a more up-to-date version shortly. Should you have any comments or suggestions, please feel free to contact the corresponding author.
17
20hk99h4
are there any clinical trials available for the coronavirus
Bayesian Adaptive Clinical Trials for Anti-Infective Therapeutics during Epidemic Outbreaks In the midst of epidemics such as COVID-19, therapeutic candidates are unlikely to be able to complete the usual multi-year clinical trial and regulatory approval process within the course of an outbreak. We apply a Bayesian adaptive patient-centered model---which minimizes the expected harm of false positives and false negatives---to optimize the clinical trial development path during such outbreaks. When the epidemic is more infectious and fatal, the Bayesian-optimal sample size in the clinical trial is lower and the optimal statistical significance level is higher. For COVID-19 (assuming a static R0=2 and initial infection percentage of 0.1%), the optimal significance level is 7.1% for a clinical trial of a non-vaccine anti-infective therapeutic clinical trial and 13.6% for that of a vaccine. For a dynamic R0 ranging from 2 to 4, the corresponding values are 14.4% and 26.4%, respectively. Our results illustrate the importance of adapting the clinical trial design and the regulatory approval process to the specific parameters and stage of the epidemic.
26
gez2lawv
what are the initial symptoms of Covid-19?
Clinical Course and Outcomes of Patients with Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Infection: a Preliminary Report of the First 28 Patients from the Korean Cohort Study on COVID-19 BACKGROUND: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)-infected pneumonia emerged in Wuhan, China in December 2019. In this retrospective multicenter study, we investigated the clinical course and outcomes of novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) from early cases in Republic of Korea. METHODS: All of the cases confirmed by real time polymerase chain reaction were enrolled from the 1st to the 28th patient nationwide. Clinical data were collected and analyzed for changes in clinical severity including laboratory, radiological, and virologic dynamics during the progression of illness. RESULTS: The median age was 40 years (range, 20-73 years) and 15 (53.6%) patients were male. The most common symptoms were cough (28.6%) and sore throat (28.6%), followed by fever (25.0%). Diarrhea was not common (10.7%). Two patients had no symptoms. Initial chest X-ray (CXR) showed infiltration in 46.4% of the patients, but computed tomography scan confirmed pneumonia in 88.9% (16/18) of the patients. Six patients (21.4%) required supplemental oxygen therapy, but no one needed mechanical ventilation. Lymphopenia was more common in severe cases. Higher level of C-reactive protein and worsening of chest radiographic score was observed during the 5-7 day period after symptom onset. Viral shedding was high from day 1 of illness, especially from the upper respiratory tract (URT). CONCLUSION: The prodromal symptoms of COVID-19 were mild and most patients did not have limitations of daily activity. Viral shedding from URT was high from the prodromal phase. Radiological pneumonia was common from the early days of illness, but it was frequently not evident in simple CXR. These findings could be plausible explanations for the easy and rapid spread of SARS-CoV-2 in the community.
29
nc6tqv9v
which SARS-CoV-2 proteins-human proteins interactions indicate potential for drug targets. Are there approved drugs that can be repurposed based on this information?
Meeting the Potential Emergency Global Drug Supply Challenge of Hydroxychloroquine for COVID-19 Abstract This paper provides an overview of the current global market and manufacturing landscape for hydroxychloroquine (HCQ). The capacity and capabilities of global producers to meet the potential demand for treating patients inflicted with COVID-19 by the novel corona virus SARS-CoV-2, should HCQ's efficacy be established by more definitive clinical trials, is also assessed. Given the large existing manufacturing base and abundance of raw materials for HCQ, the supply challenge can be met with considerable efforts and international cooperation. Preemptive and coordinated emergency efforts among global governments, regulatory agencies, chemical and pharmaceutical industries are imperative for meeting the surge in demand.
13
n8ek9fw3
what are the transmission routes of coronavirus?
Prevention is Better than Cure: An Application of Big Data and Geospatial Technology in Mitigating Pandemic COVID-19 has been a severe threat to city's dense ecosystem and has collapsed the urban life. These spread has raised question on urban health infrastructure and coping capacity. To maintain social distance and providing community with essentials is a challenging task for government and city planners in dense urban area. Spatial mapping of resources, patients, medical infrastructure, potential open space, places which can be turned to quarantine centers, etc. has been done using GIS for city of Surat. Larger open spaces within the urban fabric are identified to implement emergency services and evacuation protocols. This tool will defiantly be helpful to the city administration in maintaining the cluster, quarantine tracking of the infected community and flow of daily essential, supply chain in cities with restriction in the infected cluster. Even having better technology to fight against any pandemic, geospatial technology will help to prevent the pandemic to spread further and hence, it is known as prevention is better then cure.
32
yd7tu7u4
Does SARS-CoV-2 have any subtypes, and if so what are they?
Potential inhibitors for 2019-nCoV coronavirus M protease from clinically approved medicines Starting from December 2019, a novel coronavirus, named 2019-nCoV, was found to cause Severe Acute Respiratory (SARI) symptoms and rapid pandemic in China. With the hope to identify candidate drugs for 2019-nCoV, we adopted a computational approach to screen for available commercial medicines which may function as inhibitors for the Mpro of 2019-nCoV. Up to 10 commercial medicines that may form hydrogen bounds to key residues within the binding pocket of 2019-nCoV Mpro were identified, which may have higher mutation tolerance than lopinavir/ritonavir and may also function as inhibitors for other coronaviruses with similar Mpro binding sites and pocket structures.
34
aqezkcyc
What are the longer-term complications of those who recover from COVID-19?
An efficient microwave-assisted synthesis and biological properties of polysubstituted pyrimidinyl- and 1,3,5-triazinylphosphonic acids Abstract Polysubstituted pyrimidinylphosphonic and 1,3,5-triazinylphosphonic acids with potential biological properties were prepared in high yields by the microwave-assisted Michaelis–Arbuzov reaction of trialkyl phosphite with the corresponding halopyrimidines and halo-1,3,5-triazines, respectively, followed by the standard deprotection of the phosphonate group using TMSBr in acetonitrile. 4,6-Diamino-5-chloropyrimidin-2-ylphosphonic acid (7a) was found to exhibit a weak to moderate anti-influenza activity (28–50 μM) and may represent a novel hit for further SAR studies and antiviral improvement.
13
lnvarztl
what are the transmission routes of coronavirus?
Bearing the brunt of covid-19: older people in low and middle income countries.
19
xr04k8it
what type of hand sanitizer is needed to destroy Covid-19?
Inactivation of influenza A virus by gentian violet (GV) and GV-dyed cotton cloth, and bactericidal activities of these agents Abstract Recently we have heard warnings of an outbreak of a highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (H5N1). Although, to prevent such infections we must prepare anti-viral drugs and type-specific vaccines against influenza, we need various simple and effective protection methods, such as the use of face masks for public health. Also, in any consideration of bacterial infections, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), vancomycin-resistant Enterococci (VRE), and multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa (MDRP) also pose serious concerns which must be addressed. I examined the antiviral activity of gentian violet (GV) and GV-dyed cloth against the influenza A (H1N1) virus. Time-kill studies were carried out, and the virus titer was determined based on the 50% tissue culture infective dose (TCID50). The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of GV against bacteria were also determined, and the killing activities of the GV-dyed cloth were judged from viable cell counts. GV immediately killed the influenza A virus and this was confirmed by electron microscopy. Moreover, cloth dyed with a combination of GV and copper showed not only excellent antiviral activity but also prominent bactericidal activities.
33
5f95gve3
What vaccine candidates are being tested for Covid-19?
Identification of antiviral drug candidates against SARS-CoV-2 from FDA-approved drugs COVID-19 is an emerging infectious disease and was recently declared as a pandemic by WHO. Currently, there is no vaccine or therapeutic available for this disease. Drug repositioning represents the only feasible option to address this global challenge and a panel of 48 FDA-approved drugs that have been pre-selected by an assay of SARS-CoV was screened to identify potential antiviral drug candidates against SARS-CoV-2 infection. We found a total of 24 drugs which exhibited antiviral efficacy (0.1 μM < IC50 < 10 μM) against SARS-CoV-2. In particular, two FDA-approved drugs - niclosamide and ciclesonide – were notable in some respects. These drugs will be tested in an appropriate animal model for their antiviral activities. In near future, these already FDA-approved drugs could be further developed following clinical trials in order to provide additional therapeutic options for patients with COVID-19.
21
xectb16w
what are the mortality rates overall and in specific populations
Clinical features and outcomes of 197 adult discharged patients with COVID-19 in Yichang, Hubei Purpose To investigate the epidemiology and clinical features of discharged adult patients with COVID-19 in Yichang. Method The retrospective study recruited 197 cases of COVID-19 discharged from Yichang Central People's Hospital and Yichang Third People's Hospital from Jan 17 to Feb 26, 2020. All cases were confirmed by real-time RT-PCR or chest computer tomography (CT).The survivors were followed up until March 4,2020. Clinical data, including demographic characteristic, presentation, exposure history, laboratory examination, radiology and prognosis were enrolled and analyzed by SPSS 19.0 software. Results There were 197 adult discharged patients with COVID-19 in this study. Statistical analysis indicated that the average age was 55.94 years, and female patients were 50.3%. Those patients mainly resided in urban with exposure history in 2 weeks. Fever, cough and weakness were the common symptoms. Leucocytes were mainly normal or decreased in 185 patents, both lymphocytes and eosinophils reduced, the ratios were 56.9% and 50.3%, respectively. On the contrary, lactate dehydrogenases raised in 65 patients. C-reactive protein elevated in the most of patients. The sensitivity of RT-PCR was 63.5%. Chest CT indicated that bilateral patchy shadows were the most common imaging manifestations.169 patients recovered and transferred to a designated hospital for observation, and the others turned worst and died of acute respiratory failure. Conclusion COIVD-19 infection have become a life-threaten public health problem, the sensitivity of RT-PCR was limited. Chest CT scan was recommended for the suspected patients. Moreover, lymphocytopenia and eosinophils declining without leukocytes increasing may be considered as a useful evidence for the diagnosis.
17
30dhqh0g
are there any clinical trials available for the coronavirus
Will the coronavirus help mRNA and DNA vaccines prove their worth? Biotech companies, pharma firms, universities, and government agencies are all rushing to start clinical trials of newly created gene-based vaccines for COVID-19 Developer;Technology;Phase I clinical trial Moderna and National Institutes of Health;mRNA vaccine;Began in March 2020 CanSino Biologics;Adenoviral vector vaccine;Began in March 2020 BioNTech, Shanghai Fosun Pharmaceutical, and Pfizer;mRNA vaccine;April 2020 Inovio Pharmaceuticals and Wistar Institute;DNA vaccine;April 2020 University of Oxford;Adenoviral vector vaccine;April 2020 CureVac;mRNA vaccine;By early summer Imperial College London;mRNA vaccine;Early summer Arcturus Therapeutics and Duke-NUS Medical School;mRNA vaccine;Second half of 2020 Johnson & Johnson and Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority;Adenoviral vector vaccine;By September Altimmune;Adenoviral vector vaccine;Q3 2020 Translate Bio and Sanofi Pasteur;mRNA vaccine;By end of 2020 eTheRNA Immunotherapies;mRNA vaccine;2021 Karolinska Institute;DNA vaccine;2021 University of Pennsylvania and Duke Human Vaccine Institute;mRNA vaccine;Unknown
1
kw7mon2o
what is the origin of COVID-19
Newly emerged porcine enteric alphacoronavirus in southern China: Identification, origin and evolutionary history analysis Abstract Coronaviruses have a wide host range and can cause a variety of diseases with varying severity in different animals. Several enteric coronaviruses have been identified that are associated with diarrhea in swine and that have caused substantial economic losses. In this study, a newly emerged porcine enteric alphacoronavirus (PEAV), PEAV-GD-CH/2017, was identified from suckling piglets with diarrhea in southern China, and a full-length genome sequence of PEAV was obtained for systematic analysis. The novel PEAV sequence was most identical to that of bat-HKU2, and the differences between them were comprehensively compared, especially the uniform features of the S protein, which was shown to have a close relationship with betacoronaviruses and to perhaps represent unrecognized betacoronaviruses. In addition, Bayesian analysis was conducted to address the origin of PEAV, and the divergence time between PEAV and bat-HKU2 was estimated at 1926, which indicates that PEAV is not newly emerged and may have circulated in swine herds for several decades since the interspecies transmission of this coronavirus from bat to swine. The evolutionary rate of coronaviruses was estimated to be 1.93 × 10−4 substitutions per site per year for the RdRp gene in our analysis. For the origin of PEAV, we suspect that it is the result of the interspecies transmission of bat-HKU2 from bat to swine. Our results provide valuable information about the uniform features, origin and evolution of the novel PEAV, which will facilitate further investigations of this newly emerged pathogen.
17
lxi6bi6a
are there any clinical trials available for the coronavirus
Why We (Probably) Must Deliberately Infect In the grip of a pandemic of proportions that have not been seen for generations, some have proposed conducting "human challenge" vaccine trials in which healthy volunteers are deliberately infected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19. Such trials might substantially speed up the search for a safe and effective vaccine and save many thousands of lives. I argue that such trials are not only permissible, but given reasonable assumptions, they are morally required, subject to some important caveats.
12
tb3yyq44
what are best practices in hospitals and at home in maintaining quarantine?
Social and administrative issues related to the COVID-19 pandemic in Pakistan: better late than never The study critically reviewed Pakistan's provincial updates of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and discussed the current challenges faced by the government in a given context. The coronavirus-associated death tolls have been increasing rapidly in a country. The provincial status of confirmed cases of coronavirus is higher in Punjab, followed by the Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK), and Balochistan. The case fatality ratio shows that KPK has a higher ratio, i.e., 5.11%, followed by the Punjab, i.e., 1.82%; Sindh, i.e., 1.80%; Balochistan, i.e., 1.28%; Gilgit-Baltistan, i.e., 0.71%; and Federal territory, i.e., 0.66%. The country has a less testing capacity to identify more suspected coronavirus patients. The study calculated that if we increase five times our testing capacity from the current date, the total registered cases will be reached to 137,370 and death tolls will increase up to 3090. It is highly needed to increase testing capacity across Pakistan in order to minimize the outbreak of coronavirus. The provincial government should follow the Federal Government instructions to contain coronavirus by increasing testing capacities, tracing suspected patients, smart lockdowns, emergency relief to the poor, and vigilant monitoring system.
45
a845az43
How has the COVID-19 pandemic impacted mental health?
Clinically Significant Fear and Anxiety of COVID-19: A Psychometric Examination of the Coronavirus Anxiety Scale The present study examined the psychometric properties of the Coronavirus Anxiety Scale (CAS) using an online survey of 398 adult Amazon MTurk workers in the U.S. Confirmatory factor analyses demonstrated that the CAS measures a reliable (α = .92), unidimensional construct with a structure that was shown to be invariant across gender, race, and age. Construct validity was demonstrated with correlations between CAS scores and demographics, coronavirus diagnosis, history of anxiety, coronavirus fear, functional impairment, alcohol/drug coping, religious coping, hopelessness, suicidal ideation, as well as social attitudes (e.g., satisfaction with President Trump). The CAS also demonstrated solid discrimination ability for functional impairment (AUC =.88), while the original cut score of ≥ 9 (76% sensitivity and 90% specificity) showed the strongest diagnostic effectiveness among scores. Overall, these findings are largely consistent with the results of the first CAS investigation and support the validity of this mental health screener for COVID-19 related research and practice.
14
hfv7ce3f
what evidence is there related to COVID-19 super spreaders
Comment to Döhla et al., Rapid point-of-care testing for SARS-CoV- 2 in a community screening setting shows low sensitivity
25
mmcszoxb
which biomarkers predict the severe clinical course of 2019-nCOV infection?
Rapid implementation of mobile technology for real-time epidemiology of COVID-19 The rapid pace of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic (COVID-19) presents challenges to the robust collection of population-scale data to address this global health crisis. We established the COronavirus Pandemic Epidemiology (COPE) consortium to bring together scientists with expertise in big data research and epidemiology to develop a COVID-19 Symptom Tracker mobile application that we launched in the UK on March 24, 2020 and the US on March 29, 2020 garnering more than 2.25 million users to date. This mobile application offers data on risk factors, herald symptoms, clinical outcomes, and geographical hot spots. This initiative offers critical proof-of-concept for the repurposing of existing approaches to enable rapidly scalable epidemiologic data collection and analysis which is critical for a data-driven response to this public health challenge.
47
sfevsrnf
what are the health outcomes for children who contract COVID-19?
COVID-19 and routine childhood immunization in Africa: leveraging systems thinking and implementation science to improve immunization system performance One of the routine health services that is being disrupted by coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Africa is childhood immunization. This is because the immunization system relies on functioning health facilities and stable communities to be effective. Its disruption increases the risk of epidemics of vaccine-preventable diseases which can increase child mortality. Therefore, policymakers must quickly identify robust and context-specific strategies to rapidly scale-up routine immunization in order to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on their national immunization performance. To achieve this, we propose a paradigm shift towards systems thinking and use of implementation science in immunization decision making. Systems thinking can inform a more nuanced and holistic understanding of the interrelationship that between COVID-19, its control strategies and childhood immunization. Tools like causal loop diagrams can be used to explicitly illustrate the systems structure by identifying the feedback loops. Once mapped and leverage points for interventions have been identified, implementation science can be used to guide the rapid uptake and utilization of multifaceted evidence-based innovations in complex practice settings. As Africa re-strategize for the post-2020 era, these emerging fields can contribute significantly in accelerating progress towards universal access to vaccines for all children on the continent despite COVID-19.
7
d7xq7x5g
are there serological tests that detect antibodies to coronavirus?
Assay Techniques and Test Development for COVID-19 Diagnosis An ongoing theme of the COVID-19 pandemic is the need for widespread availability of accurate and efficient diagnostic testing for detection of SARS-CoV-2 and antiviral antibodies in infected individuals. This report describes various assay techniques and tests for COVID-19 diagnosis. Most tests for early detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA rely on the reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, but isothermal nucleic acid amplification assays, including transcription-mediated amplification and CRISPR-based methodologies, are promising alternatives. Identification of individuals who have developed antibodies to the SARS-CoV-2 virus requires serological tests, including enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and lateral flow immunoassay. This report also provides an overview of current development in COVID-19 diagnostic techniques and products to facilitate future improvement and innovation.
20
c7j2eoz0
are patients taking Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACE) at increased risk for COVID-19?
Predicting the receptor-binding domain usage of the coronavirus based on kmer frequency on spike protein
3
m9t76jjf
will SARS-CoV2 infected people develop immunity? Is cross protection possible?
The spread of novel coronavirus has created an alarming situation worldwide
19
0flhrr5f
what type of hand sanitizer is needed to destroy Covid-19?
Estimating the germicidal effect of upper-room UVGI system on exhaled air of patients based on ventilation efficiency Abstract Upper room (UR)-ultraviolet germicidal (UVGI) systems, one of several disinfection applications of UV, target airborne infectious diseases in rooms of buildings such as healthcare facilities. Previous studies have introduced many experiments showing the germicidal effect of UR-UVGI systems. In this study, a novel numerical method of estimating the germicidal effect of UR-UVGI systems for air exhaled by ward patients was introduced. The method adopts and modifies the concept of ventilation efficiency because the germicidal effect depends upon how the air containing airborne infectious particles flows and stays within UV-radiated area. A case study based on a four-patient ward showed that UV doses were correlated with the age of the air exhaled by a source patient, as expected. Moreover, the UV doses were considerably affected by the position of the UR-UVGI system. Inactivation rates of the influenza virus estimated using the UV doses, were in the range of 48–74%, and those of Mycobacterium tuberculosis were 68–90% in the breathing area of a neighboring patient. The results indicate not directly the decreased concentration of airborne infectious particles, but the possibility of inactivation caused by the UR-UVGI system, which is useful for system optimization.
5
aiyg061l
what drugs have been active against SARS-CoV or SARS-CoV-2 in animal studies?
More than efficacy revealed by single-cell analysis of antiviral therapeutics Development of antiviral therapeutics emphasizes minimization of the effective dose and maximization of the toxic dose, first in cell culture and later in animal models. Long-term success of an antiviral therapeutic is determined not only by its efficacy but also by the duration of time required for drug-resistance to evolve. We have developed a microfluidic device comprised of ~6000 wells, with each well containing a microstructure to capture single cells. We have used this device to characterize enterovirus inhibitors with distinct mechanisms of action. In contrast to population methods, single-cell analysis reveals that each class of inhibitor interferes with the viral infection cycle in a manner that can be distinguished by principal component analysis. Single-cell analysis of antiviral candidates reveals not only efficacy but also properties of the members of the viral population most sensitive to the drug, the stage of the lifecycle most affected by the drug, and perhaps even if the drug targets an interaction of the virus with its host.
32
dqxfcwyu
Does SARS-CoV-2 have any subtypes, and if so what are they?
Spike protein binding prediction with neutralizing antibodies of SARS-CoV-2 Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a new emerging human infectious disease caused by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2, also previously known as 2019-nCoV), originated in Wuhan seafood and animal market, China. Since December 2019, more than 69,000 cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed in China and quickly spreads to other counties. Currently, researchers put their best efforts to identify effective drugs for COVID-19. The neutralizing antibody, which binds to viral capsid in a manner that inhibits cellular entry of virus and uncoating of the genome, is the specific defense against viral invaders. In this study, we investigate to identify neutralizing antibodies that can bind to SARS-CoV-2 Sipke (S) protein and interfere with the interaction between viral S protein and a host receptor by bioinformatic methods. The sequence analysis of S protein showed two major differences in the RBD region of the SARS-CoV-2 S protein compared to SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV related bat viruses (btSARS-CoV). The insertion regions were close to interacting residues with the human ACE2 receptor. Epitope analysis of neutralizing antibodies revealed that SARS-CoV neutralizing antibodies used conformational epitopes, whereas MERS-CoV neutralizing antibodies used a common linear epitope region, which contributes to form the β-sheet structure in MERS-CoV S protein and deleted in SARS-CoV-2 S protein. To identify effective neutralizing antibodies for SARS-CoV-2, the binding affinities of neutralizing antibodies with SARS-CoV-2 S protein were predicted and compared by antibody-antigen docking simulation. The result showed that CR3022 neutralizing antibody from human may have higher binding affinity with SARS-CoV-2 S protein than SARS-CoV S protein. We also found that F26G19 and D12 mouse antibodies could bind to SARS-CoV S protein with high affinity. Our findings provide crucial clues towards the development of antigen diagnosis, therapeutic antibody, and the vaccine against SARS-CoV-2.
5
2fv7pl11
what drugs have been active against SARS-CoV or SARS-CoV-2 in animal studies?
Clinical features and dynamics of viral load in imported and non-imported patients with COVID-19 OBJECTIVES: To compare the clinical characteristics and the dynamics of viral load between imported and non-imported patients with COVID-19. DESIGN AND METHODS: Data from 51 laboratory-confirmed patients were retrospectively analyzed. RESULTS: The incubation period in the tertiary group was longer than that in the imported and secondary groups (both p < 0.05). Fever was the most common symptom at the onset of illness (73.33%, 58.82%, and 68.42%, respectively), and half of the patients had a low-grade temperature (<38.0 °C) with a short duration of fever (<7 days). CT scans showed that most patients in the three groups had bilateral pneumonia (80.00%, 76.47%, and 73.68%, respectively). Ct values detected in the tertiary patients were similar to those for the imported and secondary groups at the time of admission (both p > 0.05). For the tertiary group, the viral load was undetectable in half of the patients (52.63%) on day 7, and in all patients on day 14. For one third of the patients in the imported and secondary groups, the viral load remained positive on day 14 after the admission. CONCLUSIONS: COVID-19 can present as pneumonia with a low onset of symptoms, and the infectivity of SARS-CoV2 may gradually decrease in tertiary patients.
7
kqvvr9g0
are there serological tests that detect antibodies to coronavirus?
Enzyme‐Linked lmmunosorbent assay: A rapid reproducible test for the measurement of rabies antibody An enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was developed for detecting IgG antibodies to the Pitman Moore strain of rabies virus in sera from subjects immunised with HDCS vaccine. End‐point titres of antibody were determined using a pocket calculator preprogrammed to analyse absorbence values of test sera and negative controls. The assay was highly reproducible, and very close agreement was achieved when the results were compared with those of the mouse neutralization test. Rabies enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay is easy to perform, the results are obtained within 48 hours, and because it employs inactivated virus, the test can be used safely without special containment facilities.
41
0oxy9b1p
What are the impacts of COVID-19 among African-Americans that differ from the rest of the U.S. population?
Vitamin D concentrations and COVID-19 infection in UK Biobank Abstract Background and aims COVID-19 and low levels of vitamin D appear to disproportionately affect black and minority ethnic individuals. We aimed to establish whether blood 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) concentration was associated with COVID-19 risk, and whether it explained the higher incidence of COVID-19 in black and South Asian people. Methods UK Biobank recruited 502,624 participants aged 37–73 years between 2006 and 2010. Baseline exposure data, including 25(OH)D concentration and ethnicity, were linked to COVID-19 test results. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed for the association between 25(OH)D and confirmed COVID-19, and the association between ethnicity and both 25(OH)D and COVID-19. Results Complete data were available for 348,598 UK Biobank participants. Of these, 449 had confirmed COVID-19 infection. Vitamin D was associated with COVID-19 infection univariably (OR = 0.99; 95% CI 0.99–0.999; p = 0.013), but not after adjustment for confounders (OR = 1.00; 95% CI = 0.998–1.01; p = 0.208). Ethnicity was associated with COVID-19 infection univariably (blacks versus whites OR = 5.32, 95% CI = 3.68–7.70, p-value<0.001; South Asians versus whites OR = 2.65, 95% CI = 1.65–4.25, p-value<0.001). Adjustment for 25(OH)D concentration made little difference to the magnitude of the association. Conclusions Our findings do not support a potential link between vitamin D concentrations and risk of COVID-19 infection, nor that vitamin D concentration may explain ethnic differences in COVID-19 infection.
29
zgdbvfi4
which SARS-CoV-2 proteins-human proteins interactions indicate potential for drug targets. Are there approved drugs that can be repurposed based on this information?
Nelfinavir was predicted to be a potential inhibitor of 2019-nCov main protease by an integrative approach combining homology modelling, molecular docking and binding free energy calculation 2019-nCov has caused more than 80 deaths as of 27 January 2020 in China, and infection cases have been reported in more than 10 countries. However, there is no approved drug to treat the disease. 2019-nCov Mpro is a potential drug target to combat the virus. We built homology models based on SARS Mpro structures, and docked 1903 small molecule drugs to the models. Based on the docking score and the 3D similarity of the binding mode to the known Mpro ligands, 4 drugs were selected for binding free energy calculations. Both MM/GBSA and SIE methods voted for nelfinavir, with the binding free energy of −24.69±0.52 kcal/mol and −9.42±0.04 kcal/mol, respectively. Therefore, we suggested that nelfinavir might be a potential inhibitor against 2019-nCov Mpro.
20
d7n1zy0b
are patients taking Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACE) at increased risk for COVID-19?
Anti-HCV, nucleotide inhibitors, repurposing against COVID-19 Abstract Aims A newly emerged Human Coronavirus (HCoV) is reported two months ago in Wuhan, China (COVID-19). Until today >2700 deaths from the 80,000 confirmed cases reported mainly in China and 40 other countries. Human to human transmission is confirmed for COVID-19 by China a month ago. Based on the World Health Organization (WHO) reports, SARS HCoV is responsible for >8000 cases with confirmed 774 deaths. Additionally, MERS HCoV is responsible for 858 deaths out of about 2500 reported cases. The current study aims to test anti-HCV drugs against COVID-19 RNA dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp). Materials and methods In this study, sequence analysis, modeling, and docking are used to build a model for Wuhan COVID-19 RdRp. Additionally, the newly emerged Wuhan HCoV RdRp model is targeted by anti-polymerase drugs, including the approved drugs Sofosbuvir and Ribavirin. Key findings The results suggest the effectiveness of Sofosbuvir, IDX-184, Ribavirin, and Remidisvir as potent drugs against the newly emerged HCoV disease. Significance The present study presents a perfect model for COVID-19 RdRp enabling its testing in silico against anti-polymerase drugs. Besides, the study presents some drugs that previously proved its efficiency against the newly emerged viral infection.
41
nbcjv47q
What are the impacts of COVID-19 among African-Americans that differ from the rest of the U.S. population?
Glucose 6 Phosphate Dehydrogenase Deficiency: An Actionable Risk Factor for Patients with COVID-19? Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency is a common X-linked mutation that is more prevalent in African, Asian, Latin American and Mediterranean populations. Although most individuals are asymptomatic, exposure to certain food, drugs, or infections can trigger acute hemolytic anemia. Given the potential for coronavirus to trigger oxidative stress, unrecognized G6PD deficiency in the presence of the COVID-19 viral infection may cause hemolytic crisis and worse outcome in affected individuals. Further, since certain drugs that may be used to treat COVID-19 infection may cause hemolytic crisis in individuals with G6PD deficiency, it may be warranted to recommend adding G6PD deficiency to the list of screening elements in a COVID-19 workup for those patients where there is a high suspicion for this genetic mutation.
9
yh907o3a
how has COVID-19 affected Canada
Effects of a DPP-4 inhibitor and RAS blockade on clinical outcomes of patients with diabetes and COVID-19 Background: Dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitor (DPP-4i) and renin-angiotensin system (RAS) blockade are reported to affect the clinical course of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM). However, the effectiveness of these drugs in large populations is unclear. Subjects and Methods: As of May 2020, data analysis was conducted on all subjects who could confirm their history of claims related to COVID-19 in the National Health Review and Assessment Service database in Korea. Using the COVID-19 and claims data of the past 5 years, we compared the short-term prognosis of COVID-19 infection according to the use of DPP-4i and RAS blockade. Results: Totally, data of 67850 subjects were accessible. Of these, 5080 were confirmed COVID-19. Among these, 832 subjects with DM were selected for analysis in this study. Among the subjects, 263 (31.6%) and 327 (39.3%) were DPP-4i and RAS blockade users, respectively. Thirty-four subjects (4.09%) received intensive care or died. The adjusted odds ratio for severe treatment among DPP-4i users was 0.362 [95% confidence interval (CI), 0.135-0.971], and that for RAS blockade users was 0.599 (95% CI, 0.251-1.431). No synergy was observed for subjects using both drugs. Conclusion: This population-based study suggests that DPP-4i is significantly associated with a better clinical outcome of patients with COVID-19. However, the effect of RAS blockade is not significant.
37
sprvon1t
What is the result of phylogenetic analysis of SARS-CoV-2 genome sequence?
Detection of Group 1 Coronaviruses in Bats in North America The epidemic of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) was caused by a newly emerged coronavirus (SARS-CoV). Bats of several species in southern People's Republic of China harbor SARS-like CoVs and may be reservoir hosts for them. To determine whether bats in North America also harbor coronaviruses, we used reverse transcription–PCR to detect coronavirus RNA in bats. We found coronavirus RNA in 6 of 28 fecal specimens from bats of 2 of 7 species tested. The prevalence of viral RNA shedding was high: 17% in Eptesicus fuscus and 50% in Myotis occultus. Sequence analysis of a 440-bp amplicon in gene 1b showed that these Rocky Mountain bat coronaviruses formed 3 clusters in phylogenetic group 1 that were distinct from group 1 coronaviruses of Asian bats. Because of the potential for bat coronaviruses to cause disease in humans and animals, further surveillance and characterization of bat coronaviruses in North America are needed.
36
88gn3ehd
What is the protein structure of the SARS-CoV-2 spike?
Ten things we learned about COVID-19
10
ghcbttba
has social distancing had an impact on slowing the spread of COVID-19?
What does "crisis" education look like?
9
11pcdnlw
how has COVID-19 affected Canada
The effect of ambient temperature on worldwide COVID-19 cases and deaths - an epidemiological study Background The role of ambient temperature in the spread of SARS-CoV-2 infections and subsequent deaths due to COVID-19 remains contentious. Coronaviruses such as the 2003 SARS-CoV showed an increased risk of transmission during cooler days. We sought to analyse the effects of ambient temperature on SARS-COV-2 transmission and deaths related to the virus. Methods The world population of COVID-19 cases and attributable deaths from the 23rd January 2020 to 11th April 2020 were analysed. Temperature 5 days before cases and 23 days prior to deaths (to account for the time lag of incubation period and time from symptoms to death) was compared to the average temperature experienced by the world population. Results The total number of cases during this period was 1,605,788 and total number of deaths was 103,471. The median temperature at the time of COVID-19 infection was 9.12C (10-90th percentile 4.29-17.97C) whilst the median temperature of the world population for the same period was 9.61C warmer at 18.73C (10-90th percentile 4.09-28.49C) with a notional p-value = 5.1 x10-11. The median temperature at the time of a COVID-19 death was 9.72C (10-90th percentile 5.39-14.11C) whilst the median temperature of the world population was 7.55C warmer at 17.27C (10-90th percentile 2.57C-27.76C) with a notional p-value = 1.1 x10-10. 80% of all COVID-19 related cases and deaths occurred between 4.29C and 17.97C. Conclusion A definitive association between infection rate and death from COVID-19 and ambient temperature exists, with the highest risk occurring around 9C. Governments should maintain vigilance with containment strategies when the ambient temperatures correspond to this highest risk.
27
thftzde3
what is known about those infected with Covid-19 but are asymptomatic?
Viral dynamics in asymptomatic patients with COVID-19 Data are limited on the viral load, viral shedding patterns, and potential infectivity of asymptomatic patients (APs) with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). This study included 31 adult patients who were virologically confirmed to have COVID-19 but were asymptomatic on admission. Among these 31 patients, 22 presented symptoms after admission and were defined as asymptomatic patients in the incubation period (APIs); the other nine patients remained asymptomatic during hospitalization and were defined as asymptomatic patients (APs). The median cycle threshold (Ct) value of APs (39.0, interquartile range (IQR) 37.5-39.5) was significantly higher than that of APIs (34.5, IQR 32.2-37.0), indicating a lower viral load in APs. However, the duration of viral shedding remained similar in the two groups (7 days, IQR 5-14 days vs. 8 days, IQR 5-16 days). The study findings demonstrated that although APs with COVID-19 have a lower viral load, they still have certain period of viral shedding, which suggests the possibility of transmission during their asymptomatic period. Further longitudinal surveillance of these asymptomatic cases via virus nucleic acid testing are warranted.
6
p1idx9lz
what types of rapid testing for Covid-19 have been developed?
Recombinant infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) H120 vaccine strain expressing the hemagglutinin-neuraminidase (HN) protein of Newcastle disease virus (NDV) protects chickens against IBV and NDV challenge Infectious bronchitis (IB) and Newcastle disease (ND) are common viral diseases of chickens, which are caused by infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) and Newcastle disease virus (NDV), respectively. Vaccination with live attenuated strains of IBV-H120 and NDV-LaSota are important for the control of IB and ND. However, conventional live attenuated vaccines are expensive and result in the inability to differentiate between infected and vaccinated chickens. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop new efficacious vaccines. In this study, using a previously established reverse genetics system, we generated a recombinant IBV virus based on the IBV H120 vaccine strain expressing the haemagglutinin-neuraminidase (HN) protein of NDV. The recombinant virus, R-H120-HN/5a, exhibited growth dynamics, pathogenicity and viral titers that were similar to those of the parental IBV H120, but it had acquired hemagglutination activity from NDV. Vaccination of SPF chickens with the R-H120-HN/5a virus induced a humoral response at a level comparable to that of the LaSota/H120 commercial bivalent vaccine and provided significant protection against challenge with virulent IBV and NDV. In summary, the results of this study indicate that the IBV H120 strain could serve as an effective tool for designing vaccines against IB and other infectious diseases, and the generation of IBV R-H120-HN/5a provides a solid foundation for the development of an effective bivalent vaccine against IBV and NDV.
15
lu7sql9s
how long can the coronavirus live outside the body
Transportation: Travel by Air, Car, and Train This chapter deals with issues of transportation and how they interact with the world of tourism security. The chapter examines such issues as air transportation security and safety, issues of fire at airport terminals, and issues of health and international travel, both from the perspective of the traveler and from the perspective of the host community. The chapter also examines some of the issues dealing with both train travel and motor coach travel and develops a template for how tourism security professionals need to deal with these issues.