\ BIP! Finder for COVID-19 - Impact-based ranking

BIP! Finder for COVID-19

This version of BIP! Finder aims to ease the exploration of COVID-19-related literature by enabling ranking articles based on various impact metrics.

Last Update: 18 - 01 - 2023 (628506 entries)

Provided impact measures:
Popularity: Citation-based measure reflecting the current impact.
Influence: Citation-based measure reflecting the total impact.
Reader Attention: The current number of Mendeley readers.
Social Media Attention: The number of recent tweets related to this article.
*More details on these impact measures can be found here.
Score interpretations:
Exceptional score (in top 0.01%).
Substantial score (in top 1%).
Average score (in bottom 99%).
Score not available.
Main data sources:
CORD-19 dataset(1) (list of papers)
LitCovid hub(2) (list of papers)
PMC & PubMed (citations)
Mendeley (number of readers)
COVID-19-TweetIDs(3) (tweets)

Use:  Impact  Relevance & Impact
TitleVenueYearImpactSource
7401Digital tools against COVID-19: taxonomy, ethical challenges and navigation aid  

Data collection and processing via digital public health technologies are being promoted worldwide by governments and private companies as strategic remedies for mitigating the COVID-19 pandemic and loosening lockdown measures. However, the ethical and legal boundaries of deploying digital tools for disease surveillance and control purposes are unclear, and a rapidly evolving debate has emerged globally around the promises and risks of mobilising digital tools for public health. To help scientists and policy makers to navigate technological and ethical uncertainty, we present a typology of the primary digital public health applications that are in use. These include proximity and contact tracing, symptom monitoring, quarantine control, and flow modelling. For each, we discuss context-specific risks, cross-sectional issues, and ethical concerns. Finally, recognising the need for practical guidance, we propose a navigation aid for policy makers and other decision makers for the ethical development and use of digital public health tools.

Lancet Digit Health2020       LitCov and CORD-19
7402Essential Role of Patient Blood Management in a Pandemic: A Call for Action  

The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), the disease caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), a pandemic. Global health care now faces unprecedented challenges with widespread and rapid human-to-human transmission of SARS-CoV-2 and high morbidity and mortality with COVID-19 worldwide. Across the world, medical care is hampered by a critical shortage of not only hand sanitizers, personal protective equipment, ventilators, and hospital beds, but also impediments to the blood supply. Blood donation centers in many areas around the globe have mostly closed. Donors, practicing social distancing, some either with illness or undergoing self-quarantine, are quickly diminishing. Drastic public health initiatives have focused on containment and “flattening the curve” while invaluable resources are being depleted. In some countries, the point has been reached at which the demand for such resources, including donor blood, outstrips the supply. Questions as to the safety of blood persist. Although it does not appear very likely that the virus can be transmitted through allogeneic blood transfusion, this still remains to be fully determined. As options dwindle, we must enact regional and national shortage plans worldwide and more vitally disseminate the knowledge of and immediately implement patient blood management (PBM). PBM is an evidence-based bundle of care to optimize medical and surgical patient outcomes by clinically managing and preserving a patient’s own blood. This multinational and diverse group of authors issue this “Call to Action” underscoring “The Essential Role of Patient Blood Management in the Management of Pandemics” and urging all stakeholders and providers to implement the practical and commonsense principles of PBM and its multiprofessional and multimodality approaches.

Anesth Analg2020       LitCov and CORD-19
7403Exploring Privilege in the Digital Divide: Implications for Theory, Policy and Practice  

N/A

Gerontologist2019       CORD-19
7404Short-term forecasting COVID-19 cumulative confirmed cases: Perspectives for Brazil  

The new Coronavirus (COVID-19) is an emerging disease responsible for infecting millions of people since the first notification until nowadays. Developing efficient short-term forecasting models allow forecasting the number of future cases. In this context, it is possible to develop strategic planning in the public health system to avoid deaths. In this paper, autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA), cubist regression (CUBIST), random forest (RF), ridge regression (RIDGE), support vector regression (SVR), and stacking-ensemble learning are evaluated in the task of time series forecasting with one, three, and six-days ahead the COVID-19 cumulative confirmed cases in ten Brazilian states with a high daily incidence. In the stacking-ensemble learning approach, the CUBIST regression, RF, RIDGE, and SVR models are adopted as base-learners and Gaussian process (GP) as meta-learner. The models’ effectiveness is evaluated based on the improvement index, mean absolute error, and symmetric mean absolute percentage error criteria. In most of the cases, the SVR and stacking-ensemble learning reach a better performance regarding adopted criteria than compared models. In general, the developed models can generate accurate forecasting, achieving errors in a range of 0.87%–3.51%, 1.02%–5.63%, and 0.95%–6.90% in one, three, and six-days-ahead, respectively. The ranking of models, from the best to the worst regarding accuracy, in all scenarios is SVR, stacking-ensemble learning, ARIMA, CUBIST, RIDGE, and RF models. The use of evaluated models is recommended to forecasting and monitor the ongoing growth of COVID-19 cases, once these models can assist the managers in the decision-making support systems.

Chaos Solitons Fractals2020       LitCov and CORD-19
7405Evaluation of COVID-19 RT-qPCR test in multi-sample pools  

BACKGROUND: The recent emergence of SARS-CoV-2 lead to a current pandemic of unprecedented scale. Though diagnostic tests are fundamental to the ability to detect and respond, overwhelmed healthcare systems are already experiencing shortages of reagents associated with this test, calling for a lean immediately-applicable protocol. METHODS: RNA extracts of positive samples were tested for the presence of SARS-CoV-2 using RT-qPCR, alone or in pools of different sizes (2-, 4-, 8- ,16-, 32- and 64-sample pools) with negative samples. Transport media of additional 3 positive samples were also tested when mixed with transport media of negative samples in pools of 8. RESULTS: A single positive sample can be detected in pools of up to 32 samples, using the standard kits and protocols, with an estimated false negative rate of 10%. Detection of positive samples diluted in even up to 64 samples may also be attainable, though may require additional amplification cycles. Single positive samples can be detected when pooling either after or prior to RNA extraction. CONCLUSIONS: As it uses the standard protocols, reagents and equipment, this pooling method can be applied immediately in current clinical testing laboratories. We hope that such implementation of a pool test for COVID-19 would allow expanding current screening capacities thereby enabling the expansion of detection in the community, as well as in close organic groups, such as hospital departments, army units, or factory shifts.

Clin Infect Dis2020       LitCov and CORD-19
7406Escape of SARS-CoV-2 501Y.V2 from neutralization by convalescent plasma  

N/A

Nature2021       LitCov and CORD-19
7407Structural basis for the inhibition of SARS-CoV-2 main protease by antineoplastic drug carmofur  

N/A

Nat Struct Mol Biol2020       LitCov and CORD-19
7408The Impact of Social Vulnerability on COVID-19 in the U.S.: An Analysis of Spatially Varying Relationships  

Introduction Because of their inability to access adequate medical care, transportation, and nutrition, socially vulnerable populations are at increased risk of health challenges during disasters. This study estimates the association between case counts of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection and social vulnerability in the U.S., identifying counties at increased vulnerability to the pandemic. Methods Using Social Vulnerability Index and COVID-19 case count data, an ordinary least squares regression model was fitted to assess the “global” relationship between COVID-19 case counts and social vulnerability. Local relationships were assessed using a geographically weighted regression model, which is effective in exploring spatial non-stationarity. Results As of May 12, 2020, a total of 1,320,909 people had been diagnosed with COVID-19 in the U.S. Of the counties included in this study (91.5%, 2,844/3,108), the highest case count was recorded in Trousdale, Tennessee (16,525.22 per 100,000) and the lowest in Tehama, California (1.54 per 100,000). At the “global” level, overall Social Vulnerability Index (e β=1.65, p=0.03) and minority status and language (e β=6.69, p<0.001) were associated with increased COVID-19 case counts. However, based on the “local” geographically weighted model, the association between social vulnerability and COVID-19 varied among counties. Overall, minority status and language, household composition and transportation, and housing and disability predicted COVID-19 infection. Conclusions Large-scale disasters differentially affect the health of marginalized communities. In this study, minority status and language, household composition and transportation, and housing and disability predicted COVID-19 case counts in the U.S. Addressing the social factors that create poor health is essential to reducing inequities in the health impacts of disasters.

Am J Prev Med2020       LitCov and CORD-19
7409Screening and Severity of COVID-19 in Children in Madrid, Spain  

N/A

JAMA Pediatr2020       LitCov and CORD-19
7410Human antibodies from transgenic animals  

N/A

Nat Biotechnol2005       CORD-19
7411Using effective hand hygiene practice to prevent and control infection  

N/A

Nurs Stand2020       LitCov and CORD-19
7412Associations between Changes in Health Behaviours and Body Weight during the COVID-19 Quarantine in Lithuania: The Lithuanian COVIDiet Study  

The COVID-19 quarantine has caused significant changes in everyday life. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of the quarantine on dietary, physical activity and alcohol consumption habits of Lithuanians and the association between health behaviours and weight changes. An online cross-sectional survey was carried out among individuals older than 18 years in April 2020. The self-administered questionnaire included health behaviour and weight change data. Altogether 2447 subjects participated in the survey. Almost half of the respondents (49.4%) ate more than usual, 45.1% increased snacking, and 62.1% cooked at home more often. Intake of carbonated or sugary drinks, fast food and commercial pastries decreased, while consumption of homemade pastries and fried food increased. A decrease in physical activity was reported by 60.6% of respondents. Every third (31.5%) respondent, more often those already with overweight, gained weight. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the higher odds of weight gain were associated with females, older age, increased consumption of sugary drinks, homemade pastries and fried food, eating more than usual, increased snacking, decreased physical activity and increased alcohol consumption. Our data highlighted the need for dietary and physical activity guidelines to prevent weight gain during the period of self-isolation, especially targeting those with overweight and obesity.

Nutrients2020       LitCov and CORD-19
7413COVID-19 in persons with hematological cancers  

Infection with SARS-CoV-2, the cause of coronavirus infectious disease–19 (COVID-19), has caused a pandemic with >850,000 cases worldwide and increasing. Several studies report outcomes of COVID-19 in predominately well persons. There are also some data on COVID-19 in persons with predominately solid cancer but controversy whether these persons have the same outcomes. We conducted a cohort study at two centres in Wuhan, China, of 128 hospitalised subjects with haematological cancers, 13 (10%) of whom developed COVID-19. We also studied 226 health care providers, 16 of whom developed COVID-19 and 11 of whom were hospitalised. Co-variates were compared with the 115 subjects with haematological cancers without COVID-19 and with 11 hospitalised health care providers with COVID-19. There were no significant differences in baseline co-variates between subjects with haematological cancers developing or not developing COVID-19. Case rates for COVID-19 in hospitalised subjects with haematological cancers was 10% (95% Confidence Interval [CI], 6, 17%) compared with 7% (4, 12%; P = 0.322) in health care providers. However, the 13 subjects with haematological cancers had more severe COVID-19 and more deaths compared with hospitalised health care providers with COVID-19. Case fatality rates were 62% (32, 85%) and 0 (0, 32%; P = 0.002). Hospitalised persons with haematological cancers have a similar case rate of COVID-19 compared with normal health care providers but have more severe disease and a higher case fatality rate. Because we were unable to identify specific risk factors for COVID-19 in hospitalised persons with haematological cancers, we suggest increased surveillance and possible protective isolation.

Leukemia2020       LitCov and CORD-19
7414Understanding the consequence of COVID-19 on undergraduate medical education: Medical students' perspective  

The coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic has significantly influenced the normal operations of all human affairs on a global scale. Indeed, the pandemic has had a considerable impact on the delivery of medical education in the UK for both pre-clinical and clinical year students. In response to the escalating case fatality rate due to the pandemic, there has been widespread termination of clinical placements, face-to-face teaching sessions, and examinations that require a physical presence by UK medical schools. It is hoped that the cancellation of the aforementioned activities will greatly reduce the exposure of medical students to the coronavirus however, the consequences of these actions may pose substantial issues for the learning experience and professional development of medical students. One such issue is the lack of regular communication between students and personal tutors which may give rise to burnout within students and impede academic performance. Furthermore, the suspension of clinical placements may result in a gradual reduction in students’ clinical skills competence. The practice of medicine is grounded upon the application of basic science which involves undertaking clinical procedures and as such, students may be at a disadvantage due to the missed opportunity to refine these essential skills. In this article, we provide an overview of the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic on medical education, specifically regarding curriculum delivery and assessment of students. We also adopt a holistic approach by considering the impact of the pandemic on the mental wellbeing of medical students during this unprecedented time. We offer pragmatic suggestions to uphold the quality of medical education such as the implementation of virtual interprofessional education sessions to solve clinical vignettes and virtual consultation skills with simulated patients. We conclude with suggested areas for future research to examine the effectiveness of a virtual interprofessional education model on both short and long-term learning as well as encouraging medical students and academic staff to trial innovative methods of teaching. Despite the resultant complications of the pandemic on medical education, these challenging times may present a serendipitous opportunity for medical students to cultivate the personal attributes expected of a doctor in the face of adversity. In light of the pandemic, there is scope to reconsider the effectiveness of current medical education and welcome innovative methods of delivering education whilst ensuring quality. The combination of recent telecommunication developments with current teaching methodologies may positively change the future landscape of medical education.

Ann Med Surg (Lond)2020       LitCov and CORD-19
7415Psychopharmacology of COVID-19  

BACKGROUND: With the rapid, global spread of SARS-CoV-2, hospitals have become inundated with patients suffering from COVID-19. Consultation-liaison psychiatrists are actively involved in managing these patients and should familiarize themselves with how the virus and its proposed treatments can affect psychotropic management. The only FDA approved drug to treat COVID-19 is remdesivir, and other off-label medications used include chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine, tocilizumab, lopinavir/ritonavir, favipiravir, convalescent plasma therapy, azithromycin, vitamin C, corticosteroids, interferon and colchicine. PURPOSE: To provide an overview of the major safety considerations relevant to clinicians who prescribe psychotropics to patients with COVID-19, both related to the illness and its proposed treatments. METHODS: In this targeted review we performed structured literature searches in PubMed to identify articles describing the impacts of COVID-19 on different organ systems, the neuropsychiatric adverse effects of treatments, and any potential drug interactions with psychotropics. The articles most relevant to this manuscript were included. RESULTS: COVID-19 impacts multiple organ systems, including gastrointestinal, renal, cardiovascular, pulmonary, immunological, and hematological systems. This may lead to pharmacokinetic changes that impact psychotropic medications and increase sensitivity to psychotropic-related adverse effects. Additionally, several proposed treatments for COVID-19 have neuropsychiatric effects and potential interactions with commonly used psychotropics. CONCLUSION: Clinicians should be aware of the need to adjust existing psychotropics or avoid using certain medications in some COVID-19 patients. They should also be familiar with neuropsychiatric effects of medications being used to treat this disease. Further research is needed to identify strategies to manage psychiatric issues in this population.

Psychosomatics2020       LitCov and CORD-19
7416US Case Reports of Cerebral Venous Sinus Thrombosis With Thrombocytopenia After Ad26.COV2.S Vaccination, March 2 to April 21, 2021  

N/A

JAMA2021       LitCov and CORD-19
7417Predictions for COVID-19 with deep learning models of LSTM, GRU and Bi-LSTM  

COVID-19, responsible of infecting billions of people and economy across the globe, requires detailed study of the trend it follows to develop adequate short-term prediction models for forecasting the number of future cases. In this perspective, it is possible to develop strategic planning in the public health system to avoid deaths as well as managing patients. In this paper, proposed forecast models comprising autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA), support vector regression (SVR), long shot term memory (LSTM), bidirectional long short term memory (Bi-LSTM) are assessed for time series prediction of confirmed cases, deaths and recoveries in ten major countries affected due to COVID-19. The performance of models is measured by mean absolute error, root mean square error and r2_score indices. In the majority of cases, Bi-LSTM model outperforms in terms of endorsed indices. Models ranking from good performance to the lowest in entire scenarios is Bi-LSTM, LSTM, GRU, SVR and ARIMA. Bi-LSTM generates lowest MAE and RMSE values of 0.0070 and 0.0077, respectively, for deaths in China. The best r2_score value is 0.9997 for recovered cases in China. On the basis of demonstrated robustness and enhanced prediction accuracy, Bi-LSTM can be exploited for pandemic prediction for better planning and management.

Chaos Solitons Fractals2020       LitCov and CORD-19
7418Progress and Concept for COVID-19 Vaccine Development  

Biotechnol J2020       LitCov and CORD-19
7419Biological, clinical and epidemiological features of COVID-19, SARS and MERS and AutoDock simulation of ACE2  

BACKGROUND: The outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has caused a public catastrophe and global concern. The main symptoms of COVID-19 are fever, cough, myalgia, fatigue and lower respiratory tract infection signs. Almost all populations are susceptible to the virus, and the basic reproduction number (R(0)) is 2.8–3.9. The fight against COVID-19 should have two aspects: one is the treatment of infected patients, and the other is the mobilization of the society to avoid the spread of the virus. The treatment of patients includes supportive treatment, antiviral treatment, and oxygen therapy. For patients with severe acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) and circulatory support are recommended. Plasma therapy and traditional Chinese medicine have also achieved good outcomes. This review is intended to summarize the research on this new coronavirus, to analyze the similarities and differences between COVID-19 and previous outbreaks of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) and to provide guidance regarding new methods of prevention, diagnosis and clinical treatment based on autodock simulations. METHODS: This review compares the multifaceted characteristics of the three coronaviruses including COVID-19, SARS and MERS. Our researchers take the COVID-19, SARS, and MERS as key words and search literatures in the Pubmed database. We compare them horizontally and vertically which respectively means concluding the individual characteristics of each coronavirus and comparing the similarities and differences between the three coronaviruses. RESULTS: We searched for studies on each outbreak and their solutions and found that the main biological differences among SARS-CoV-2, SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV are in ORF1a and the sequence of gene spike coding protein-S. We also found that the types and severity of clinical symptoms vary, which means that the diagnosis and nursing measures also require differentiation. In addition to the common route of transmission including airborne transmission, these three viruses have their own unique routes of transmission such as fecal-oral route of transmission COVID-19. CONCLUSIONS: In evolutionary history, these three coronaviruses have some similar biological features as well as some different mutational characteristics. Their receptors and routes of transmission are not all the same, which makes them different in clinical features and treatments. We discovered through the autodock simulations that Met124 plays a key role in the efficiency of drugs targeting ACE2, such as remdesivir, chloroquine, ciclesonide and niclosamide, and may be a potential target in COVID-19.

Infect Dis Poverty2020       LitCov and CORD-19
7420Main Groups of Microorganisms of Relevance for Food Safety and Stability: General Aspects and Overall Description  

Microbiology is important to food safety, production, processing, preservation, and storage. Microbes such as bacteria, molds, and yeasts are employed for the foods production and food ingredients such as production of wine, beer, bakery, and dairy products. On the other hand, the growth and contamination of spoilage and pathogenic microorganisms is considered as one of the main causes to loss of foodstuff nowadays. Although technology, hygienic strategies, and traceability are important factors to prevent and delay microbial growth and contamination, food remains susceptible to spoilage and activity of pathogen microorganisms. Food loss by either spoilage or contaminated food affects food industry and consumers leading to economic losses and increased hospitalization costs. This chapter focuses on general aspects, characteristics, and importance of main microorganisms (bacteria, yeasts, molds, virus, and parasites) involved in food spoilage or contamination: known and recently discovered species; defects and alterations in foodstuff; most common food associated with each foodborne disease; resistance to thermal processing; occurrence in different countries; outbreaks; and associated symptoms.

Innovative Technologies for Fo2017       CORD-19
7421ESICM LIVES 2020  

Intensive Care Med Exp2020       CORD-19
7422An empirical study on the impact of quality antecedents on tax payers' acceptance of Internet tax-filing systems  

This study used the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) to examine taxpayers' acceptance of the Internet tax-filing system. Based on data collected from 141 experienced taxpayers in Taiwan, the acceptance and the impact of quality antecedents on taxpayers' perceived usefulness (PU) and perceived ease of use (PEOU) of the system were assessed and evaluated. The results indicated that the model of Internet tax-filing system was accepted with a reasonable goodness-of-fit. Three important findings include the following items. First, TAM proves to be a valid model to explain the taxpayers' acceptance of the Internet tax-filers' system. Meanwhile, PU has created more impact than PEOU on taxpayers' intention to use the system. Second, PU is positively influenced by such factors as information system quality (ISQ), information quality (IQ), as well as perceived credibility (PC). Third, IQ has a positive impact on PEOU. Based on the research findings, implications and limitations are then discussed for future possible research.

Gov Inf Q2005       CORD-19
7423Preeclampsia-Pathophysiology and Clinical Presentations: JACC State-of-the-Art Review  

N/A

J Am Coll Cardiol2020       CORD-19
7424Genomic medicine: a decade of successes, challenges and opportunities  

N/A

Sci Transl Med2013       CORD-19
7425Impact of COVID-19 on health and safety in the construction sector  

Construction has been significantly affected by COVID‐19 yet is critical to the post‐COVID economic recovery. Specifically, construction needs to be constantly aware of safety and risk balanced with timely project delivery. Guidance for COVID‐19 must therefore be implemented in a way that reflects working practice and pressures. There is, however, a potential knowledge gap regarding the practical feasibility and impact of applying COVID‐19 measures within construction, made more difficult by factors such as the temporary nature of projects and complex working arrangements. This article presents a commentary on safe construction during, and beyond, COVID‐19, covering the human factors challenges and practicalities of implementing COVID‐19 measures. We observe that while guidance is strong on risk management, understanding of how best to implement this guidance is not yet stable. Also, care must be taken that implementing guidance does not detract from general safety, which is also challenged by increased pressures on delivery arising from COVID‐19. There may, however, be opportunities for safer working practice arising from new awareness of health, hygiene, and safety risk. The role of safety leadership is overlooked in guidance yet is vital to ensure safe application of COVID‐19 working practices. The key message is that COVID‐19 needs to be integrated and promoted within a general risk management approach, in part because this takes account of differing priorities regarding safety risks, rather than overly focussing on COVID‐19, and also because the effectiveness of COVID‐19 mitigations can be amplified by integration with pre‐existing safety processes.

Hum Factors Ergon Manuf2021       LitCov and CORD-19
7426Trust and the Coronavirus Pandemic: What are the Consequences of and for Trust? An Early Review of the Literature  

Trust between governors and the governed is seen as essential to facilitating good governance. This claim has become a prominent contention during the coronavirus pandemic. The crisis also presents a unique test of key hypotheses in the trust literature. Moreover, understanding the dynamics of trust, how it facilitates and hinders policy responses, and also the likely effects of these responses on trust are going to be fundamental questions in policy and trust research in the future. In this article, we review the early literature on the coronavirus pandemic and political and social trust, summarise their findings and highlight key challenges for future research. We show how the studies shed light on trust’s association with implementation of government measures, public compliance with them, mortality rates and the effect of government action on levels of trust. We also urge caution given the varying ways of measuring trust and operationalising the impact of the pandemic, the existence of common issues with quantitative studies and the relatively limited geographical scope of studies to date. We argue that it is going to be important to have a holistic understanding of these dynamics, using mixed-methods research as well as the quantitative studies we review here.

Polit Stud Rev2021       LitCov and CORD-19
7427Overview of Covid-19; its prevention and management in the light of Unani medicine  

Abstract Since December 2019, a respiratory pandemic, named as coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) caused by a new coronavirus named as SARS-CoV-2, has taken the world by storm. The symptoms are fever, malaise, and cough which resolve in a few days in most cases; but may progress to respiratory distress and organ failure. Transmission is through droplet infection or fomites, but other modes such as airborne transmission and oro-fecal transmission is also speculated. Research is underway to develop effective vaccines and medicines for the disease. In such a scenario, we present the measures described in Unani system of medicine for health protection during epidemics. Unani is a traditional system of medicine developed during the middle ages, which employs natural drugs of herbal, animal and mineral origin for treatment. In Unani medicine, during an epidemic, apart from isolation and quarantine, three measures are of utmost importance, (i) purification of surroundings using certain herbal drugs as fumigants or sprays, (ii) health promotion and immune-modulation, and (iii) use of health-protecting drugs and symptom-specific drugs. Drugs such as loban (Styrax benzoides W. G. Craib), sandroos (Hymenaea verrucosa Gaertn.) za'fran (Crocus sativus L.), vinegar etc. are prescribed in various forms. Scientific researches on these drugs reveal the presence of a number of pharmacologically active substances, which may provide a new insight into the management of infections and epidemics.

Sci Total Environ2020       LitCov and CORD-19
7428Achievements and needs for the climate change scenario framework  

Long-term global scenarios have underpinned research and assessment of global environmental change for four decades. Over the past ten years, the climate change research community has developed a scenario framework combining alternative futures of climate and society to facilitate integrated research and consistent assessment to inform policy. Here we assess how well this framework is working and what challenges it faces. We synthesize insights from scenario-based literature, community discussions and recent experience in assessments, concluding that the framework has been widely adopted across research communities and is largely meeting immediate needs. However, some mixed successes and a changing policy and research landscape present key challenges, and we recommend several new directions for the development and use of this framework.

Nat Clim Chang2020       CORD-19
7429Spatiotemporal transcriptomic divergence across human and macaque brain development  

N/A

Science2018       CORD-19
7430Radiopharmaceutical therapy in cancer: clinical advances and challenges  

Radiopharmaceutical therapy (RPT) is emerging as a safe and effective targeted approach to treating many types of cancer. In RPT, radiation is systemically or locally delivered using pharmaceuticals that either bind preferentially to cancer cells or accumulate by physiological mechanisms. Almost all radionuclides used in RPT emit photons that can be imaged, enabling non-invasive visualization of the biodistribution of the therapeutic agent. Compared with almost all other systemic cancer treatment options, RPT has shown efficacy with minimal toxicity. With the recent FDA approval of several RPT agents, the remarkable potential of this treatment is now being recognized. This Review covers the fundamental properties, clinical development and associated challenges of RPT.

Nat Rev Drug Discov2020       CORD-19
7431Problematic internet use among young and adult population in Bangladesh: Correlates with lifestyle and online activities during the COVID-19 pandemic  

BACKGROUND: Although internet use can boost individuals’ quality of life in various aspects, activities on the internet (e.g., gambling, video gaming, social media use, pornography use, etc.) can be used as coping strategy to deal with psychological stressors and mood states (e.g., fear, anxiety, depression) particularly during the global COVID-19 pandemic. OBJECTIVES: The present study assessed problematic internet use (PIU) among Bangladeshi youth and adults in Bangladesh and examined its correlation with lifestyle and online activities during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: An online cross-sectional survey was utilized between May and June 2020 comprising 13,525 Bangladeshi individuals (61.3% male; age range 18–50 years; mean age 23.7 years) recruited from various online platforms. The self-report survey included questions concerning socio-demographics, lifestyle, and online activities during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as psychometric scales such as the nine-item Internet Disorder Scale-Short Form (IDS9-SF). RESULTS: Utilizing hierarchical regression analysis, problematic internet use was significantly and positively associated with those who were younger, having a higher level of education, living with a nuclear family, engaging in less physical exercise, avoiding household chores, playing online videogames, social media use, and engaging in recreational online activities. CONCLUSIONS: Excessive internet use appears to have been commonplace during the COVID-19 pandemic period and young adults were most vulnerable to problematic internet use.

Addict Behav Rep2020       LitCov and CORD-19
7432An outbreak of COVID-19 caused by a new coronavirus: what we know so far  

Med J Aust2020       LitCov and CORD-19
7433Compensation of ACE2 Function for Possible Clinical Management of 2019-nCoV induced Acute Lung Injury  

Virol Sin2020       LitCov and CORD-19
7434Diagnosis and treatment of COVID-19: Laboratory, PCR and chest CT imaging findings  

Since December 2019, more than 3 million cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and about 200,000 deaths have been reported worldwide. The outbreak of this novel disease has become a global health emergency and continues to rapidly spread around the world. Based on the clinical data, approved cases are divided into four classes including mild, moderate, severe, and critical. About 5% of cases were considered critically ill and 14% were considered to have the severe classification of the disease. In China, the fatality rate of this infection was about 4%. This review focuses on currently available information on the etiology, clinical symptoms, diagnosis, and mechanism of action of COVID-19. Furthermore, we present an overview of diagnostic approaches and treatment of this disease according to available findings. This review paper will help the physician to diagnose and successfully treat COVID-19.

Int J Surg2020       LitCov and CORD-19
7435Myth Busters: Dietary Supplements and COVID-19  

News and social media platforms have implicated dietary supplements in the treatment and prevention of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). During this pandemic when information quickly evolves in the presence of contradicting messages and misinformation, the role of the pharmacist is essential. Here, we review theoretical mechanisms and evidence related to efficacy and safety of select supplements in the setting of COVID-19, including vitamin C, vitamin D, zinc, elderberry, and silver. Evidence evaluating these supplements in COVID-19 patients is lacking, and providers and patients should not rely on dietary supplements to prevent or treat COVID-19. Rather, reference to evidence-based guidelines should guide treatment decisions.

Ann Pharmacother2020       LitCov and CORD-19
7436Modeling Impact of Word of Mouth and E-Government on Online Social Presence during COVID-19 Outbreak: A Multi-Mediation Approach  

Although social presence plays an essential role under general conditions, its role becomes significant for societal protection during the quarantine period in epidemic outbreak. In this study, we attempted to identify the role of E-government and COVID-19 word of mouth in terms of their direct impact on online social presence during the outbreak as well as their impacts mediated by epidemic protection and attitudes toward epidemic outbreaks. For this purpose, a unique multi-mediation model is proposed to provide a new direction for research in the field of epidemic outbreaks and their control. Through random sampling, an online survey was conducted and data from 683participants were analyzed. Partial least squares structural equation modeling was used to test the relationships between the variables of interest. The study results revealed that the roles of E-government and COVID-19 word of mouth are positively related to online social presence during the outbreak. Epidemic protection and attitude toward epidemic outbreak were found to positively moderate the impact of the role of E-government and COVID-19 word of mouth on online social presence during the outbreak. The key findings of this study have both practical and academic implications.

Int J Environ Res Public Healt2020       LitCov and CORD-19
7437The increase in domestic violence during the social isolation: what does it reveals?  

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Rev Bras Epidemiol2020       LitCov and CORD-19
7438Optimisation of Vitamin D Status for Enhanced Immuno-protection Against Covid-19  

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Ir Med J2020       LitCov and CORD-19
7439Efficacy of glutathione therapy in relieving dyspnea associated with COVID-19 pneumonia: A report of 2 cases  

PURPOSE: Infection with COVID-19 potentially can result in severe outcomes and death from “cytokine storm syndrome”, resulting in novel coronavirus pneumonia (NCP) with severe dyspnea, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), fulminant myocarditis and multiorgan dysfunction with or without disseminated intravascular coagulation. No published treatment to date has been shown to adequately control the inflammation and respiratory symptoms associated with COVID-19, apart from oxygen therapy and assisted ventilation. We evaluated the effects of using high dose oral and/or IV glutathione in the treatment of 2 patients with dyspnea secondary to COVID-19 pneumonia. METHODS: Two patients living in New York City (NYC) with a history of Lyme and tick-borne co-infections experienced a cough and dyspnea and demonstrated radiological findings consistent with novel coronavirus pneumonia (NCP). A trial of 2 g of PO or IV glutathione was used in both patients and improved their dyspnea within 1 h of use. Repeated use of both 2000 mg of PO and IV glutathione was effective in further relieving respiratory symptoms. CONCLUSION: Oral and IV glutathione, glutathione precursors (N-acetyl-cysteine) and alpha lipoic acid may represent a novel treatment approach for blocking NF-κB and addressing “cytokine storm syndrome” and respiratory distress in patients with COVID-19 pneumonia.

Respir Med Case Rep2020       LitCov and CORD-19
7440Clinical presentation of patients with Ebola virus disease in Conakry, Guinea  

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N Engl J Med2015       CORD-19
7441Limiting spread of COVID-19 in Ghana: Compliance audit of selected transportation stations in the Greater Accra region of Ghana  

Globally, little evidence exists on transmission patterns of COVID-19. Recommendations to prevent infection include appropriate and frequent handwashing plus physical and social distancing. We conducted an exploratory observational study to assess compliance with these recommendations in selected transportation stations in Ghana. A one-hour audit of 45 public transport stations in the Greater Accra region was carried out between 27(th) and 29(th) March 2020. Using an adapted World Health Organization (WHO) hand hygiene assessment scale, the availability and use of handwashing facilities, social distancing, and ongoing public education on COVID-19 prevention measures were assessed, weighted and scored to determine the level of compliance of stations. Compliance with recommendations was categorized as “inadequate” “basic”, “intermediate” and “advanced”, based on the overall score. Majority (80%) of stations in Accra have at least one Veronica Bucket with flowing water and soap, but the number of washing places at each station is not adequate. Only a small minority (18%) of stations were communicating the need to wash hands frequently and appropriately, and to practice social/physical distancing while at the station. In most stations (95%), hand washing practice was either not observed, or only infrequently. Almost all stations (93%) did not have alcohol-based hand sanitizers available for public use, while social distancing was rarely practiced (only 2%). In over 90% of the stations, face masks were either not worn or only worn by a few passengers. Compliance with COVID-19 prevention measures was inadequate in 13 stations, basic in 16 stations, intermediate in 7 stations, and advanced in 9 stations. Compliance with COVID-19 prevention measures in public transportation stations in the Greater Accra region remains a challenge. Awareness creation should aim to elevate COVID-19 risk perception of transportation operators and clients. Transport operators and stations need support and guidance to enforce hand washing and social distancing.

PLoS One2020       LitCov and CORD-19
7442ACE2 and TMPRSS2 variants and expression as candidates to sex and country differences in COVID-19 severity in Italy  

As the outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) progresses, prognostic markers for early identification of high-risk individuals are an urgent medical need. Italy has one of the highest numbers of SARS-CoV-2-related deaths and one of the highest mortality rates. Worldwide, a more severe course of COVID-19 is associated with older age, comorbidities, and male sex. Hence, we searched for possible genetic components of COVID-19 severity among Italians by looking at expression levels and variants in ACE2 and TMPRSS2 genes, crucial for viral infection. Exome and SNP-array data from a large Italian cohort were used to compare the rare-variants burden and polymorphisms frequency with Europeans and East Asians. Moreover, we looked into gene expression databases to check for sex-unbalanced expression. While we found no significant evidence that ACE2 is associated with disease severity/sex bias, TMPRSS2 levels and genetic variants proved to be possible candidate disease modulators, prompting for rapid experimental validations on large patient cohorts.

Aging (Albany NY)2020       LitCov and CORD-19
7443Covid-19 vaccine acceptance, hesitancy and refusal among Canadian healthcare workers: A multicenter survey  

BACKGROUND: : Determinants of COVID-19 vaccine acceptance among healthcare workers (HCW) remains poorly understood. We assessed HCWs’ willingness to be vaccinated and reasons underlying hesitancy. METHODS: : Cross-sectional survey across 17 healthcare institutions. HCWs eligible for vaccination (Pfizer-BioNTech mRNA) in December 2020 were invited to receive immunization. Multivariate logistic regression was performed to identify predictors of acceptance. Reasons for refusal among those who never intended to be vaccinated (i.e. firm refusers) and those who preferred delaying vaccination (i.e. vaccine hesitants) were assessed. RESULTS: : Among 2761 respondents (72% female, average age, 44), 2233 (80.9%) accepted the vaccine. Physicians, environmental services workers and healthcare managers were more likely to accept vaccination compared to nurses. Male sex, age over 50, rehabilitation center workers, and occupational COVID-19 exposure were independently associated with vaccine acceptance by multivariate analysis. Factors for refusal included vaccine novelty, wanting others to receive it first, and insufficient time for decision-making. Among those who declined, 74% reported they may accept future vaccination. Vaccine firm refusers were more likely than vaccine hesitants to distrust pharmaceutical companies and to prefer developing a natural immunity by getting COVID-19. CONCLUSIONS: : Vaccine hesitancy exists among HCWs. Our findings provide useful information to plan future interventions and improve acceptance.

Am J Infect Control2021       LitCov and CORD-19
7444Association between periodontitis and severity of COVID-19 infection: A case-control study  

AIM: COVID‐19 is associated with an exacerbated inflammatory response that can result in fatal outcomes. Systemic inflammation is also a main characteristic of periodontitis. Therefore, we investigated the association of periodontitis with COVID‐19 complications. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A case–control study was performed using the national electronic health records of the State of Qatar between February and July 2020. Cases were defined as patients who suffered COVID‐19 complications (death, ICU admissions or assisted ventilation), and controls were COVID‐19 patients discharged without major complications. Periodontal conditions were assessed using dental radiographs from the same database. Associations between periodontitis and COVID 19 complications were analysed using logistic regression models adjusted for demographic, medical and behaviour factors. RESULTS: In total, 568 patients were included. After adjusting for potential confounders, periodontitis was associated with COVID‐19 complication including death (OR = 8.81, 95% CI 1.00–77.7), ICU admission (OR = 3.54, 95% CI 1.39–9.05) and need for assisted ventilation (OR = 4.57, 95% CI 1.19–17.4). Similarly, blood levels of white blood cells, D‐dimer and C Reactive Protein were significantly higher in COVID‐19 patients with periodontitis. CONCLUSION: Periodontitis was associated with higher risk of ICU admission, need for assisted ventilation and death of COVID‐19 patients, and with increased blood levels of biomarkers linked to worse disease outcomes.

J Clin Periodontol2021       LitCov and CORD-19
7445Saliva sample as a non-invasive specimen for the diagnosis of COVID-19: a cross-sectional study  

OBJECTIVES: Amid the increasing number of pandemic coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases, there is a need for a quick and easy method to obtain a non-invasive sample for the detection of this novel coronavirus 2019 (SARS-CoV-2). We aimed to investigate the potential use of saliva samples as a non-invasive tool for the diagnosis of COVID-19. METHODS: From 27 March to 4 April, 2020, we prospectively collected saliva samples and a standard nasopharyngeal and throat swab in persons seeking care at an acute respiratory infection clinic in a university hospital during the outbreak of COVID-19. Real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was performed, and the results of the two specimens were compared. RESULTS: Two-hundred pairs of the samples were collected. Sixty-nine (34.5%) patients were male, and the median (interquartile) age was 36 (28-48) years. Using nasopharyngeal and throat swab RT-PCR as the reference standard, the prevalence of COVID-19 diagnosed by nasopharyngeal and throat swab RT-PCR was 9.5%. The sensitivity and specificity of the saliva sample RT-PCR were 84.2% [95% confidence interval (CI) 60.4%-96.6%], and 98.9% (95% CI 96.1%-99.9%), respectively. An analysis of the agreement between the two specimens demonstrated 97.5% observed agreement (kappa coefficient 0.851, 95% CI 0.723-0.979; p <0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Saliva might be an alternative specimen for the diagnosis of COVID-19. The collection is non-invasive, and non-aerosol generating. This method could facilitate the diagnosis of the disease, given the simplicity of specimen collection and good diagnostic performance.

Clin Microbiol Infect2020       LitCov and CORD-19
7446COVID-19 pandemic and the skin: what should dermatologists know?  

The World has changed dramatically since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Together with our social, occupational, and personal life, the new corona virus poses novel challenges for all physicians, including dermatologists. Despite the virus not being dermatotropic, several skin conditions have emerged, mainly as a result of prolonged contact to personal protective equipment and excessive personal hygiene. Pressure injury, contact dermatitis, itch, pressure urticaria, and exacerbation of pre-existing skin diseases, including seborrheic dermatitis and acne, have been described. We have focused on the dermatologic aspects of COVID-19 infection, so that dermatologist may be aware of the skin complications and the preventive measures to be taken in the COVID-19 pandemic.

Clin Dermatol2020       LitCov and CORD-19
7447Diagnostic performance between CT and initial real-time RT-PCR for clinically suspected 2019 coronavirus disease patients outside Wuhan, China  

Abstract Introduction Chest CT is thought to be sensitive but less specific in diagnosing the 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19). The diagnostic value of CT is unclear. We aimed to compare the performance of CT and initial RT-PCR for clinically suspected COVID-19 patients outside the epicentre—Wuhan, China. Materials and methods Patients clinically suspected of COVID-19 infection who underwent initial RT-PCR and chest CT at the same time were retrospectively enrolled. Two radiologists with specific training reviewed the CT images independently and final diagnoses of the presence or absence of COVID-19 was reached by consensus. With serial RT-PCR as reference standard, the performance of initial RT-PCR and chest CT was analysed. A strategy of combining initial RT-PCR and chest CT was analysed to study the additional benefit. Results 82 patients admitted to hospital between Jan 10, 2020 to Feb 28, 2020 were enrolled. 34 COVID-19 and 48 non-COVID-19 patients were identified by serial RT-PCR. The sensitivity, specificity was 79% (27/34) and 100% (48/48) for initial RT-PCR and 77% (26/34) and 96% (46/48) for chest CT. The image readers had a good interobserver agreement with Cohen's kappa of 0.69. No statistical difference was found in the diagnostic performance between initial RT-PCR and chest CT. The comprehensive strategy had a higher sensitivity of 94% (32/34). Conclusions Initial RT-PCR and chest CT had comparable diagnostic performance in identification of suspected COVID-19 patients outside the epidemic center. To compensate potential risk of false-negative PCR, chest CT should be applied for clinically suspected patients with negative initial RT-PCR.

Respir Med2020       LitCov and CORD-19
7448Household transmission of SARS-CoV-2  

BACKGROUND: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has caused an epidemic in China and many other countries. Many infected clusters have been found within familial households, but the data about secondary transmission among household contacts is limited. METHODS: In this retrospective case series, we enrolled 85 patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 and their household members in Wuhan. Patients were confirmed infected with SARS-CoV-2 by real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assays on throat swabs. Epidemiological, clinical and laboratory data of the household members were collected. RESULTS: There were 155 close contacts in total. 104 contacts received RT-PCR assays, with 47 (30%) positive cases and 57 (37%) negative cases. 51 (33%) cases did not received RT-PCR tests for they showed no symptoms of pneumonia during the 2 weeks of quarantine. The infection rate of close contacts was 38% for households with 1 contact, 50% for households with 2 contacts, and 31% for households with 3 contacts. CONCLUSIONS: The rate of secondary transmission among household contacts of patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection was 30%. Our data provide insight into the rate of secondary transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in home.

J Infect2020       LitCov and CORD-19
7449Emergence of a novel human coronavirus threatening human health  

In late December 2019, a cluster of patients with ‘atypical pneumonia’ of unknown etiology was reported in Wuhan, China. A novel human coronavirus, now provisionally called ‘SARS-CoV-2’, was identified as the cause of this disease, now named ‘COVID-19’.

Nat Med2020       LitCov and CORD-19
7450Inflammasomes are activated in response to SARS-CoV-2 infection and are associated with COVID-19 severity in patients  

Severe cases of COVID-19 are characterized by a strong inflammatory process that may ultimately lead to organ failure and patient death. The NLRP3 inflammasome is a molecular platform that promotes inflammation via cleavage and activation of key inflammatory molecules including active caspase-1 (Casp1p20), IL-1β, and IL-18. Although participation of the inflammasome in COVID-19 has been highly speculated, the inflammasome activation and participation in the outcome of the disease are unknown. Here we demonstrate that the NLRP3 inflammasome is activated in response to SARS-CoV-2 infection and is active in COVID-19 patients. Studying moderate and severe COVID-19 patients, we found active NLRP3 inflammasome in PBMCs and tissues of postmortem patients upon autopsy. Inflammasome-derived products such as Casp1p20 and IL-18 in the sera correlated with the markers of COVID-19 severity, including IL-6 and LDH. Moreover, higher levels of IL-18 and Casp1p20 are associated with disease severity and poor clinical outcome. Our results suggest that inflammasomes participate in the pathophysiology of the disease, indicating that these platforms might be a marker of disease severity and a potential therapeutic target for COVID-19.

J Exp Med2020       LitCov and CORD-19

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(3) Currently tweets of June 23rd to June 29th 2022 have been considered.

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