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)
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.
Exceptional score (in top 0.01%).
Substantial score (in top 1%).
Average score (in bottom 99%).
Score not available.
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)
| Title | Venue | Year | Impact | Source | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5101 | Thrombocytopenia is associated with severe COVID-19 infections: A meta-analysis BACKGROUND: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a novel infectious disease with lack of established laboratory markers available to evaluate illness severity. In this study, we investigate whether platelet count could differentiate between COVID-19 patients with or without severe disease. Additionally, we evaluate if thrombocytopenia is associated with severe COVID-19. METHODS: An electronic search in Medline, Scopus and Web of Science was performed to identify studies reporting data on platelet count in COVID-19 patients. A meta-analysis was performed, with calculation of weighted mean difference (WMD) of platelet number in COVID-19 patients with or without severe disease and odds ratio (OR) of thrombocytopenia for severe form of COVID-19. RESULTS: Nine studies with 1779 COVID-19 patients, 399 (22.4%) with severe disease, were included in the meta-analysis. The pooled analysis revealed that platelet count was significantly lower in patients with more severe COVID-19 (WMD -31×10(9)/L; 95% CI, from -35 to -29×10(9)/L). A subgroup analysis comparing patients by survival, found an even lower platelet count was observed with mortality (WMD, -48×10(9)/L; 95% CI, -57 to -39×10(9)/L. In the four studies (n=1427) which reported data on rate of thrombocytopenia, a low platelet count was associated with over fivefold enhanced risk of severe COVID-19 (OR, 5.1; 95% CI, 1.8-14.6). CONCLUSIONS: Low platelet count is associated with increased risk of severe disease and mortality in patients with COVID-19, and thus should serve as clinical indicator of worsening illness during hospitalization. | Clin Chim Acta | 2020 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 5102 | Unwillingness to engage in behaviors that protect against COVID-19: the role of conspiracy beliefs, trust and endorsement of complementary and alternative medicine BACKGROUND: We investigated if people’s response to the official recommendations during the COVID-19 pandemic is associated with conspiracy beliefs related to COVID-19, a distrust in the sources providing information on COVID-19, and an endorsement of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). METHODS: The sample consisted of 1325 Finnish adults who filled out an online survey marketed on Facebook. Structural regression analysis was used to investigate whether: 1) conspiracy beliefs, a distrust in information sources, and endorsement of CAM predict people’s response to the non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) implemented by the government during the COVID-19 pandemic, and 2) conspiracy beliefs, a distrust in information sources, and endorsement of CAM are related to people’s willingness to take a COVID-19 vaccine. RESULTS: Individuals with more conspiracy beliefs and a lower trust in information sources were less likely to have a positive response to the NPIs. Individuals with less trust in information sources and more endorsement of CAM were more unwilling to take a COVID-19 vaccine. Distrust in information sources was the strongest and most consistent predictor in all models. Our analyses also revealed that some of the people who respond negatively to the NPIs also have a lower likelihood to take the vaccine. This association was partly related to a lower trust in information sources. CONCLUSIONS: Distrusting the establishment to provide accurate information, believing in conspiracy theories, and endorsing treatments and substances that are not part of conventional medicine, are all associated with a more negative response to the official guidelines during COVID-19. How people respond to the guidelines, however, is more strongly and consistently related to the degree of trust they feel in the information sources, than to their tendency to hold conspiracy beliefs or endorse CAM. These findings highlight the need for governments and health authorities to create communication strategies that build public trust. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12889-021-10643-w. | BMC Public Health | 2021 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 5103 | Building Telemedicine Capacity for Trainees During the Novel Coronavirus Outbreak: a Case Study and Lessons Learned INTRODUCTION: Hospital and ambulatory care systems are rapidly building their virtual care capacity in response to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The use of resident trainees in telemedicine is one area of potential development and expansion. To date, however, training opportunities in this field have been limited, and residents may not be adequately prepared to provide high-quality telemedicine care. AIM: This study evaluates the impact of an adapted telemedicine Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) on telemedicine-specific training competencies of residents. SETTING: Primary Care Internal Medicine residents at a large urban academic hospital. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION: In March 2020, the New York University Grossman School of Medicine Primary Care program adapted its annual comprehensive OSCE to a telemedicine-based platform, to comply with distance learning and social distancing policies during the COVID-19 pandemic. A previously deployed in-person OSCE on the subject of a medical error was adapted to a telemedicine environment and deployed to 23 primary care residents. Both case-specific and core learning competencies were assessed, and additional observations were conducted on the impact of the telemedicine context on the encounter. PROGRAM EVALUATION: Three areas of telemedicine competency need were identified in the OSCE case: technical proficiency; virtual information gathering, including history, collateral information collection, and physical exam; and interpersonal communication skills, both verbal and nonverbal. Residents expressed enthusiasm for telemedicine training, but had concerns about their preparedness for telemedicine practice and the need for further competency and curricular development. DISCUSSION: Programs interested in building capacity among residents to perform telemedicine, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, can make significant impact in their trainees’ comfort and preparedness by addressing key issues in technical proficiency, history and exam skills, and communication. Further research and curricular development in digital professionalism and digital empathy for trainees may also be beneficial. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (10.1007/s11606-020-05979-9) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users. | J Gen Intern Med | 2020 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 5104 | The French public's attitudes to a future COVID-19 vaccine: The politicization of a public health issue As Covid-19 spreads across the world, governments turn a hopeful eye towards research and development of a vaccine against this new disease. But it is one thing to make a vaccine available, and it is quite another to convince the public to take the shot, as the precedent of the 2009 H1N1 influenza illustrated. In this paper, we present the results of four online surveys conducted in April 2020 in representative samples of the French population 18 years of age and over (N = 5018). These surveys were conducted during a period when the French population was on lockdown and the daily number of deaths attributed to the virus reached its peak. We found that if a vaccine against the new coronavirus became available, almost a quarter of respondents would not use it. We also found that attitudes to this vaccine were correlated significantly with political partisanship and engagement with the political system. Attitudes towards this future vaccine did not follow the traditional mapping of political attitudes along a Left-Right axis. The rift seems to be between people who feel close to governing parties (Centre, Left and Right) on the one hand, and, on the other, people who feel close to Far-Left and Far-Right parties as well as people who do not feel close to any party. We draw on the French sociological literature on ordinary attitudes to politics to discuss our results as well as the cultural pathways via which political beliefs can affect perceptions of vaccines during the COVID-19 pandemic. | Soc Sci Med | 2020 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 5105 | Vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 variants and future pandemics N/A | Expert Rev Vaccines | 2022 | LitCov | |
| 5106 | Surveilling COVID-19 Emotional Contagion on Twitter by Sentiment Analysis BACKGROUND: The fight against the COVID-19 pandemic seems to encompass a social media debate, possibly resulting in emotional contagion and the need for novel surveillance approaches. In the current study, we aimed to examine the flow and content of tweets, exploring the role of COVID-19 key events on the popular Twitter platform. METHODS: Using representative freely available data, we performed a focused, social media-based analysis to capture COVID-19 discussions on Twitter, considering sentiment and longitudinal trends between January 19 and March 3, 2020. Different populations of users were considered. Core discussions were explored measuring tweets’ sentiment, by both computing a polarity compound score with 95% Confidence Interval and using a transformer-based model, pretrained on a large corpus of COVID-19-related Tweets. Context-dependent meaning and emotion-specific features were considered. RESULTS: We gathered 3,308,476 tweets written in English. Since the first World Health Organization report (January 21), negative sentiment proportion of tweets gradually increased as expected, with amplifications following key events. Sentiment scores were increasingly negative among most active users. Tweets content and flow revealed an ongoing scenario in which the global emergency seems difficult to be emotionally managed, as shown by sentiment trajectories. CONCLUSIONS: Integrating social media like Twitter as essential surveillance tools in the management of the pandemic and its waves might actually represent a novel preventive approach to hinder emotional contagion, disseminating reliable information and nurturing trust. There is the need to monitor and sustain healthy behaviors as well as community supports also via social media-based preventive interventions. | Eur Psychiatry | 2021 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 5107 | Rapid implementation of SARS-CoV-2 sequencing to investigate cases of health-care associated COVID-19: a prospective genomic surveillance study BACKGROUND: The burden and influence of health-care associated severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infections is unknown. We aimed to examine the use of rapid SARS-CoV-2 sequencing combined with detailed epidemiological analysis to investigate health-care associated SARS-CoV-2 infections and inform infection control measures. METHODS: In this prospective surveillance study, we set up rapid SARS-CoV-2 nanopore sequencing from PCR-positive diagnostic samples collected from our hospital (Cambridge, UK) and a random selection from hospitals in the East of England, enabling sample-to-sequence in less than 24 h. We established a weekly review and reporting system with integration of genomic and epidemiological data to investigate suspected health-care associated COVID-19 cases. FINDINGS: Between March 13 and April 24, 2020, we collected clinical data and samples from 5613 patients with COVID-19 from across the East of England. We sequenced 1000 samples producing 747 high-quality genomes. We combined epidemiological and genomic analysis of the 299 patients from our hospital and identified 35 clusters of identical viruses involving 159 patients. 92 (58%) of 159 patients had strong epidemiological links and 32 (20%) patients had plausible epidemiological links. These results were fed back to clinical, infection control, and hospital management teams, leading to infection-control interventions and informing patient safety reporting. INTERPRETATION: We established real-time genomic surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 in a UK hospital and showed the benefit of combined genomic and epidemiological analysis for the investigation of health-care associated COVID-19. This approach enabled us to detect cryptic transmission events and identify opportunities to target infection-control interventions to further reduce health-care associated infections. Our findings have important implications for national public health policy as they enable rapid tracking and investigation of infections in hospital and community settings. FUNDING: COVID-19 Genomics UK (supported by UK Research and Innovation, the National Institute of Health Research, the Wellcome Sanger Institute), the Wellcome Trust, the Academy of Medical Sciences and the Health Foundation, and the National Institute for Health Research Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre. | Lancet Infect Dis | 2020 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 5108 | Antibody response induced by the BNT162b2 mRNA COVID-19 vaccine in a cohort of health-care workers, with or without prior SARS-CoV-2 infection: a prospective study OBJECTIVES: We assessed the antibody response to BNT162b2 mRNA COVID-19 vaccine in a cohort of health care workers (HCW), comparing subjects with previous SARS-CoV-2 infection and naïve subjects. METHODS: HCW were tested at T0 (day of first dose), T1 (day of second dose), and T2 (2-3 weeks after) for IgG anti nucleocapside protein, IgM anti spike protein and IgG anti receptor binding domain (IgG-RBD-S). The antibody response was compared between 4 main groups: A) Subjects with previous infection and positive antibodies at baseline; B) subjects with same history but negative antibodies; C) subjects with no infection history but positive antibodies; D) naïve subjects. Repeated measures analysis was used to compare results over time points. RESULTS: 1,935 HCW were included. Median IgG-RBD-S titre was significantly higher for group A (232 subjects) than for group B (56 subjects) both at T1 (A: 22,763 AU/mL, IQR 14,222-37,204; B: 1,373 AU/mL, IQR 783-3,078, p=0.0003) and T2 (A: 30,765 AU/mL, IQR 19,841-42,813; B:13,171 AU/mL, IQR 2,324-22,688, p=0.0038) and for group D (1563 subjects): 796 AU/mL, IQR 379-1,510 at T1; 15,494 AU/mL, IQR 9,122-23,916 at T2, p<0.0001 both timepoints. T1 values of group A were also significantly higher than T2 values of group D (p<0.0001). Presence of symptoms, younger age and female gender were associated with stronger antibody response. HCW infected in March showed a significantly stronger response (T1: 35,324 AU/mL, IQR 22,003-44,531; T2: 37,648 AU/mL, IQR 27,088-50,451) than those infected in November (T1: 18,499 AU/mL, IQR 11,492-27,283; T2: 23,210 AU/mL, IQR 18,074-36,086): p<0.0001, both timepoints. CONCLUSIONS: Subjects with past COVID-19 infection had a strong antibody response after one single vaccine shot. A single dose might be sufficient for this group, regardless the time elapsed since infection, however the clinical correlation with antibody response needs to be studied. | Clin Microbiol Infect | 2021 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 5109 | Oral Bacteria Combined with an Intranasal Vaccine Protect from Influenza A Virus and SARS-CoV-2 Infection The gut microbiota plays a critical role in the induction of adaptive immune responses to influenza virus infection. However, the role of nasal bacteria in the induction of the virus-specific adaptive immunity is less clear. Here, we found that disruption of nasal bacteria by intranasal application of antibiotics before influenza virus infection enhanced the virus-specific antibody response in a MyD88-dependent manner. Similarly, disruption of nasal bacteria by lysozyme enhanced antibody responses to intranasally administered influenza virus hemagglutinin (HA) vaccine in a MyD88-dependent manner, suggesting that intranasal application of antibiotics or lysozyme could release bacterial pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) from disrupted nasal bacteria that act as mucosal adjuvants by activating the MyD88 signaling pathway. Since commensal bacteria in the nasal mucosal surface were significantly lower than those in the oral cavity, intranasal administration of HA vaccine alone was insufficient to induce the vaccine-specific antibody response. However, intranasal supplementation of cultured oral bacteria from a healthy human volunteer enhanced antibody responses to an intranasally administered HA vaccine. Finally, we demonstrated that oral bacteria combined with an intranasal vaccine protect from influenza virus and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. Our results reveal the role of nasal bacteria in the induction of the virus-specific adaptive immunity and provide clues for developing better intranasal vaccines. | mBio | 2021 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 5110 | Evaluation of a SARS-CoV-2 Capture IgM Antibody Assay in Convalescent Sera Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is responsible for a global pandemic with over 152 million cases and 3.19 million deaths reported by early May 2021. Understanding the serological response to SARS-CoV-2 is critical to determining the burden of infection and disease (coronavirus disease 2019 [COVID-19]) and transmission dynamics. We developed a capture IgM assay because it should have better sensitivity and specificity than the commonly used indirect assay. Here, we report the development and performance of a capture IgM enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and a companion indirect IgG ELISA for the spike (S) and nucleocapsid (N) proteins and the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of S. We found that among the IgM ELISAs, the S ELISA was positive in 76% of 55 serum samples from SARS-CoV-2 PCR-positive patients, the RBD ELISA was positive in 55% of samples, and the N ELISA was positive in 15% of samples. The companion indirect IgG ELISAs were positive for S in 89% of the 55 serum samples, RBD in 78%, and N in 85%. While the specificities for IgM RBD, S, and N ELISAs and IgG S and RBD ELISAs were 97% to 100%, the specificity of the N IgG ELISA was lower (89%). RBD-specific IgM antibodies became undetectable by 3 to 6 months, and S IgM reached low levels at 6 months. The corresponding IgG S, RBD, and N antibodies persisted with some decreases in levels over this time period. These capture IgM ELISAs and the companion indirect IgG ELISAs should enhance serologic studies of SARS-CoV-2 infections. IMPORTANCE Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has inflicted tremendous loss of lives, overwhelmed health care systems, and disrupted all aspects of life worldwide since its emergence in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. Detecting current and past infection by PCR or serology is important to understanding and controlling SARS-CoV-2. With increasing prevalence of past infection or vaccination, IgG antibodies are less helpful in diagnosing a current infection. IgM antibodies indicate a more recent infection and can supplement PCR diagnosis. We report an alternative method, capture IgM, to detect serum IgM antibodies, which should be more sensitive and specific than most currently used methods. We describe this capture IgM assay and a companion indirect IgG assay for the SARS-CoV-2 spike (S), nucleocapsid (N), and receptor-binding domain (RBD) proteins. These assays can add value to diagnostic and serologic studies of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). | Microbiol Spectr | 2021 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 5111 | Transcriptomic characteristics of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and peripheral blood mononuclear cells in COVID-19 patients Circulating in China and 158 other countries and areas, the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak has caused devastating mortality and posed a great threat to public health. However, efforts to identify effectively supportive therapeutic drugs and treatments has been hampered by our limited understanding of host immune response for this fatal disease. To characterize the transcriptional signatures of host inflammatory response to SARS-CoV-2 (HCoV-19) infection, we carried out transcriptome sequencing of the RNAs isolated from the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) specimens of COVID-19 patients. Our results reveal distinct host inflammatory cytokine profiles to SARS-CoV-2 infection in patients, and highlight the association between COVID-19 pathogenesis and excessive cytokine release such as CCL2/MCP-1, CXCL10/IP-10, CCL3/MIP-1A, and CCL4/MIP1B. Furthermore, SARS-CoV-2 induced activation of apoptosis and P53 signalling pathway in lymphocytes may be the cause of patients’ lymphopenia. The transcriptome dataset of COVID-19 patients would be a valuable resource for clinical guidance on anti-inflammatory medication and understanding the molecular mechansims of host response. | Emerg Microbes Infect | 2020 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 5112 | Development of a reverse transcription-loop-mediated isothermal amplification as a rapid early-detection method for novel SARS-CoV-2 The previous outbreaks of SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV have led researchers to study the role of diagnostics in impediment of further spread and transmission. With the recent emergence of the novel SARS-CoV-2, the availability of rapid, sensitive, and reliable diagnostic methods is essential for disease control. Hence, we have developed a reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) assay for the specific detection of SARS-CoV-2. The primer sets for RT-LAMP assay were designed to target the nucleocapsid gene of the viral RNA, and displayed a detection limit of 10(2) RNA copies close to that of qRT-PCR. Notably, the assay has exhibited a rapid detection span of 30 min combined with the colorimetric visualization. This test can detect specifically viral RNAs of the SARS-CoV-2 with no cross-reactivity to related coronaviruses, such as HCoV-229E, HCoV-NL63, HCoV-OC43, and MERS-CoV as well as human infectious influenza viruses (type B, H1N1pdm, H3N2, H5N1, H5N6, H5N8, and H7N9), and other respiratory disease-causing viruses (RSVA, RSVB, ADV, PIV, MPV, and HRV). Furthermore, the developed RT-LAMP assay has been evaluated using specimens collected from COVID-19 patients that exhibited high agreement to the qRT-PCR. Our RT-LAMP assay is simple to perform, less expensive, time-efficient, and can be used in clinical laboratories for preliminary detection of SARS-CoV-2 in suspected patients. In addition to the high sensitivity and specificity, this isothermal amplification conjugated with a single-tube colorimetric detection method may contribute to the public health responses and disease control, especially in the areas with limited laboratory capacities. | Emerg Microbes Infect | 2020 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 5113 | Transitioning from direct care to virtual clinical experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic When the COVID-19 pandemic forced university campuses and healthcare agencies to temporarily suspend both undergraduate and graduate direct care educational experiences, nursing programs had to formulate alternative plans to facilitate clinical learning. Texas Woman's University used this opportunity to assemble a faculty group tasked with creating a set of college-wide guidelines for virtual simulation use as a substitution for traditional face-to-face clinical. The process included completing a needs assessment of both undergraduate and graduate level programs across three campuses and identifying regulatory requirements and limitations for clinical experiences. The task force utilized the information gathered to develop evidence-based recommendations for simulation hour equivalence ratios and compiled a list of virtual activities and products faculty could use to complete clinical experiences. Undergraduate and graduate student surveys were conducted to determine the effectiveness of the transition to virtual clinical experiences. Overall, the majority of survey results were positive regarding virtual simulation experiences providing students with valuable opportunities to enhance their learning. Negative comments regarding the impact of COVID-19 on a personal level included issues involving internet access and web conferencing logistics, lack of motivation to study, family difficulties, and faculty inexperience teaching in an online environment. Undergraduate pre-licensure students were provided with opportunities to successfully complete all remaining required clinical hours virtually, while graduate students were allowed to complete non-direct care hours as applicable using virtual clinical experiences. | J Prof Nurs | 2020 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 5114 | Cardiac Imaging of Acute Myocarditis Following COVID-19 mRNA Vaccination Increasing rates of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination coverage will result in more vaccine-related side effects, including acute myocarditis. In Korea, we present a 24-year-old male with acute myocarditis following COVID-19 vaccination (BNT162b2). His chest pain developed the day after vaccination and cardiac biomarkers were elevated. Echocardiography showed minimal pericardial effusion but normal myocardial contractility. Electrocardiography revealed diffuse ST elevation in lead II, and V2-5. Cardiac magnetic resonance images showed the high signal intensity of T2- short tau inversion recovery image, the high value of T2 mapping sequence, and late gadolinium enhancement in basal inferior and inferolateral wall. It was presumed that COVID-19 mRNA vaccination was probably responsible for acute myocarditis. Clinical course of the patient was favorable and he was discharged without any adverse event. | J Korean Med Sci | 2021 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 5115 | Transmission of COVID-19 virus by droplets and aerosols: A critical review on the unresolved dichotomy The practice of social distancing and wearing masks has been popular worldwide in combating the contraction of COVID-19. Undeniably, although such practices help control the COVID-19 pandemic to a greater extent, the complete control of viral-laden droplet and aerosol transmission by such practices is poorly understood. This review paper intends to outline the literature concerning the transmission of viral-laden droplets and aerosols in different environmental settings and demonstrates the behavior of droplets and aerosols resulted from a cough-jet of an infected person in various confined spaces. The case studies that have come out in different countries have, with prima facie evidence, manifested that the airborne transmission plays a profound role in contracting susceptible hosts. Interestingly, the nosocomial transmission by airborne SARS-CoV-2 viral-laden aerosols in healthcare facilities may be plausible. Hence, clearly defined, science-based administrative, clinical, and physical measures are of paramount importance to eradicate the COVID-19 pandemic from the world. | Environ Res | 2020 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 5116 | Comparison of Public Responses to Containment Measures During the Initial Outbreak and Resurgence of COVID-19 in China: Infodemiology Study BACKGROUND: COVID-19 cases resurged worldwide in the second half of 2020. Not much is known about the changes in public responses to containment measures from the initial outbreak to resurgence. Monitoring public responses is crucial to inform policy measures to prepare for COVID-19 resurgence. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to assess and compare public responses to containment measures during the initial outbreak and resurgence of COVID-19 in China. METHODS: We curated all COVID-19–related posts from Sina Weibo (China’s version of Twitter) during the initial outbreak and resurgence of COVID-19 in Beijing, China. With a Python script, we constructed subsets of Weibo posts focusing on 3 containment measures: lockdown, the test-trace-isolate strategy, and suspension of gatherings. The Baidu open-source sentiment analysis model and latent Dirichlet allocation topic modeling, a widely used machine learning algorithm, were used to assess public engagement, sentiments, and frequently discussed topics on each containment measure. RESULTS: A total of 8,985,221 Weibo posts were curated. In China, the containment measures evolved from a complete lockdown for the general population during the initial outbreak to a more targeted response strategy for high-risk populations during COVID-19 resurgence. Between the initial outbreak and resurgence, the average daily proportion of Weibo posts with negative sentiments decreased from 57% to 47% for the lockdown, 56% to 51% for the test-trace-isolate strategy, and 55% to 48% for the suspension of gatherings. Among the top 3 frequently discussed topics on lockdown measures, discussions on containment measures accounted for approximately 32% in both periods, but those on the second-most frequently discussed topic shifted from the expression of negative emotions (11%) to its impacts on daily life or work (26%). The public expressed a high level of panic (21%) during the initial outbreak but almost no panic (1%) during resurgence. The more targeted test-trace-isolate measure received the most support (60%) among all 3 containment measures in the initial outbreak, and its support rate approached 90% during resurgence. CONCLUSIONS: Compared to the initial outbreak, the public expressed less engagement and less negative sentiments on containment measures and were more supportive toward containment measures during resurgence. Targeted test-trace-isolate strategies were more acceptable to the public. Our results indicate that when COVID-19 resurges, more targeted test-trace-isolate strategies for high-risk populations should be promoted to balance pandemic control and its impact on daily life and the economy. | J Med Internet Res | 2021 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 5117 | MULTI-DEEP: A novel CAD system for coronavirus diagnosis from CT images using multiple convolution neural networks Coronavirus (COVID-19) was first observed in Wuhan, China, and quickly propagated worldwide. It is considered the supreme crisis of the present era and one of the most crucial hazards threatening worldwide health. Therefore, the early detection of COVID-19 is essential. The common way to detect COVID-19 is the reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test, although it has several drawbacks. Computed tomography (CT) scans can enable the early detection of suspected patients, however, the overlap between patterns of COVID-19 and other types of pneumonia makes it difficult for radiologists to diagnose COVID-19 accurately. On the other hand, deep learning (DL) techniques and especially the convolutional neural network (CNN) can classify COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 cases. In addition, DL techniques that use CT images can deliver an accurate diagnosis faster than the RT-PCR test, which consequently saves time for disease control and provides an efficient computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) system. The shortage of publicly available datasets of CT images, makes the CAD system’s design a challenging task. The CAD systems in the literature are based on either individual CNN or two-fused CNNs; one used for segmentation and the other for classification and diagnosis. In this article, a novel CAD system is proposed for diagnosing COVID-19 based on the fusion of multiple CNNs. First, an end-to-end classification is performed. Afterward, the deep features are extracted from each network individually and classified using a support vector machine (SVM) classifier. Next, principal component analysis is applied to each deep feature set, extracted from each network. Such feature sets are then used to train an SVM classifier individually. Afterward, a selected number of principal components from each deep feature set are fused and compared with the fusion of the deep features extracted from each CNN. The results show that the proposed system is effective and capable of detecting COVID-19 and distinguishing it from non-COVID-19 cases with an accuracy of 94.7%, AUC of 0.98 (98%), sensitivity 95.6%, and specificity of 93.7%. Moreover, the results show that the system is efficient, as fusing a selected number of principal components has reduced the computational cost of the final model by almost 32%. | PeerJ | 2020 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 5118 | Subcutaneous REGEN-COV Antibody Combination to Prevent Covid-19 BACKGROUND: REGEN-COV (previously known as REGN-COV2), a combination of the monoclonal antibodies casirivimab and imdevimab, has been shown to markedly reduce the risk of hospitalization or death among high-risk persons with coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19). Whether subcutaneous REGEN-COV prevents severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection and subsequent Covid-19 in persons at high risk for infection because of household exposure to a person with SARS-CoV-2 infection is unknown. METHODS: We randomly assigned, in a 1:1 ratio, participants (≥12 years of age) who were enrolled within 96 hours after a household contact received a diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 infection to receive a total dose of 1200 mg of REGEN-COV or matching placebo administered by means of subcutaneous injection. At the time of randomization, participants were stratified according to the results of the local diagnostic assay for SARS-CoV-2 and according to age. The primary efficacy end point was the development of symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection through day 28 in participants who did not have SARS-COV-2 infection (as measured by reverse-transcriptase–quantitative polymerase-chain-reaction assay) or previous immunity (seronegativity). RESULTS: Symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection developed in 11 of 753 participants in the REGEN-COV group (1.5%) and in 59 of 752 participants in the placebo group (7.8%) (relative risk reduction [1 minus the relative risk], 81.4%; P<0.001). In weeks 2 to 4, a total of 2 of 753 participants in the REGEN-COV group (0.3%) and 27 of 752 participants in the placebo group (3.6%) had symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection (relative risk reduction, 92.6%). REGEN-COV also prevented symptomatic and asymptomatic infections overall (relative risk reduction, 66.4%). Among symptomatic infected participants, the median time to resolution of symptoms was 2 weeks shorter with REGEN-COV than with placebo (1.2 weeks and 3.2 weeks, respectively), and the duration of a high viral load (>10(4) copies per milliliter) was shorter (0.4 weeks and 1.3 weeks, respectively). No dose-limiting toxic effects of REGEN-COV were noted. CONCLUSIONS: Subcutaneous REGEN-COV prevented symptomatic Covid-19 and asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection in previously uninfected household contacts of infected persons. Among the participants who became infected, REGEN-COV reduced the duration of symptomatic disease and the duration of a high viral load. (Funded by Regeneron Pharmaceuticals and others; ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT04452318.) | N Engl J Med | 2021 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 5119 | Evaluation of Racial, Ethnic and Socioeconomic Disparities in Initiation of Kidney Failure Treatment During the First 4 Months of the COVID-19 Pandemic IMPORTANCE: Persons with kidney failure require treatment (ie, dialysis or transplantation) for survival. The burden of the COVID-19 pandemic and pandemic-related disruptions in care have disproportionately affected racial and ethnic minority and socially disadvantaged populations, raising the importance of understanding disparities in treatment initiation for kidney failure during the pandemic. OBJECTIVE: To examine changes in the number and demographic characteristics of patients initiating treatment for incident kidney failure following the COVID-19 pandemic by race and ethnicity, county-level COVID-19 mortality rate, and neighborhood-level social disadvantage. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This cross-sectional time-trend study used data from US patients who developed kidney failure between January 1, 2018, and June 30, 2020. Data were analyzed between January and July 2021. EXPOSURES: COVID-19 pandemic. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Number of patients initiating treatment for incident kidney failure and mean estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) at treatment initiation. RESULTS: The study population included 127 149 patients with incident kidney failure between January 1, 2018, and June 30, 2020 (mean [SD] age, 62.8 [15.3] years; 53 021 [41.7%] female, 32 932 [25.9%] non-Hispanic Black, and 19 835 [15.6%] Hispanic/Latino patients). Compared with the pre–COVID-19 period, in the first 4 months of the pandemic (ie, March 1 through June 30, 2020), there were significant decreases in the proportion of patients with incident kidney failure receiving preemptive transplantation (1805 [2.1%] pre–COVID-19 vs 551 [1.4%] during COVID-19; P < .001) and initiating hemodialysis treatment with an arteriovenous fistula (2430 [15.8%] pre–COVID-19 vs 914 [13.4%] during COVID-19; P < .001). The mean (SD) eGFR at initiation declined from 9.6 (5.0) mL/min/1.73 m(2) to 9.5 (4.9) mL/min/1.73 m(2) during the pandemic (P < .001). In stratified analyses by race/ethnicity, these declines were exclusively observed among non-Hispanic Black patients (mean [SD] eGFR: 8.4 [4.6] mL/min/1.73 m(2 )pre–COVID-19 vs 8.1 [4.5] mL/min/1.73 m(2) during COVID-19; P < .001). There were significant declines in eGFR at initiation for patients residing in counties in the highest quintile of COVID-19 mortality rates (9.5 [5.0] mL/min/1.73 m(2) pre–COVID-19 vs 9.2 [5.0] mL/min/1.73 m(2) during COVID-19; P < .001), but not for patients residing in other counties. The number of patients initiating treatment for incident kidney failure was approximately 30% lower than projected in April 2020. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: In this cross-sectional study of US adults, the COVID-19 pandemic was associated with a substantially lower number of patients initiating treatment for incident kidney failure and treatment initiation at lower levels of kidney function during the first 4 months, particularly for Black patients and people living in counties with high COVID-19 mortality rates. | JAMA Netw Open | 2021 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 5120 | Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on mental health of young people and adults: a systematic review protocol of observational studies INTRODUCTION: Since the WHO declared COVID-19 as a pandemic, the spread of the new coronavirus has been the focus of attention of scientists, governments and populations. One of the main concerns is the impact of this pandemic on health outcomes, mainly on mental health. Even though there are a few empirical studies on COVID-19 and mental health, so far, there is no systematic review about the impact of COVID-19 on mental health of young people and adults yet. We aim to critically synthesise the scientific evidence about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of young people and adults. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: A systematic review will be performed through eight databases: MEDLINE (Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online), ISI-of-Knowledge, CENTRAL (Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials), EMBASE (Excerpta Medica Database), SCOPUS, LILACS (Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences Literature), PsycINFO (Psychology Information) and CNKI (Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure), from inception until 30 June 2020. No restriction regarding the publication date, setting or languages will be considered. Preliminary search strategies were carried out on 29 March 2020 and will be updated in June 2020. The primary outcomes will be the prevalence and the severity of psychological symptoms in young people and adults (>18 years old) resulting from the impact of COVID-19 pandemic. Study selection will follow the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses checklist. Pooled standardised mean differences and 95% CIs will be calculated. The risk of bias of the observational studies will be assessed through the Methodological Index for Non-Randomised Studies (MINORS). Additionally, if sufficient data are available, a meta-analysis will be conducted. Heterogeneity between the studies will be determined by the I(2) statistics. Subgroup analyses will also be performed. Publication bias will be checked with funnel plots and Egger’s test. Heterogeneity will be explored by random-effects analysis. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Ethical assessment was not required. Findings will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publication and will be presented at conferences related to this field. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42020177366. | BMJ Open | 2020 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 5121 | Structure-based identification of SARS-CoV-2 main protease inhibitors from anti-viral specific chemical libraries: an exhaustive computational screening approach ABSTRACT: Worldwide coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak is still threatening global health since its outbreak first reported in the late 2019. The causative novel virus has been designated as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Although COVID-19 emergent with significant mortality, there is no availability of definite treatment measures. It is now extremely desirable to identify potential chemical entities against SARS-CoV-2 for the treatment of COVID-19. In the present study, a state-of-art virtual screening protocol was implemented on three anti-viral specific chemical libraries against SARS-CoV-2 main protease (M(pro)). Particularly, viewing the large-scale biological role of M(pro) in the viral replication process it has been considered as a prospective anti-viral drug target. Herein, on collected 79,892 compounds, hierarchical multistep docking followed by relative binding free energy estimation has been performed. Thereafter, implying a user-defined XP-dock and MM-GBSA cut-off scores as −8.00 and −45.00 kcal/mol, chemical space has been further reduced. Exhaustive molecular binding interactions analyses and various pharmacokinetics profiles assessment suggested four compounds (ChemDiv_D658-0159, ChemDiv_F431-0433, Enamine_Z3019991843 and Asinex_LAS_51389260) as potent inhibitors/modulators of SARS-CoV-2 M(pro). In-depth protein–ligand interactions stability in the dynamic state has been evaluated by 100 ns molecular dynamics (MD) simulation studies along with MM-GBSA-based binding free energy estimations of entire simulation trajectories that have revealed strong binding affinity of all identified compounds towards M(pro). Hence, all four identified compounds might be considered as promising candidates for future drug development specifically targeting the SARS-CoV-2 M(pro); however, they also need experimental assessment for a better understanding of molecular interaction mechanisms. GRAPHIC ABSTRACT: [Image: see text] | Mol Divers | 2021 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 5122 | Misinformation About COVID-19 Vaccines on Social Media: Rapid Review N/A | J Med Internet Res | 2022 | LitCov | |
| 5123 | Severity of omicron variant of concern and effectiveness of vaccine boosters against symptomatic disease in Scotland (EAVE II): a national cohort study with nested test-negative design BACKGROUND: Since its emergence in November, 2021, in southern Africa, the SARS-CoV-2 omicron variant of concern (VOC) has rapidly spread across the world. We aimed to investigate the severity of omicron and the extent to which booster vaccines are effective in preventing symptomatic infection. METHODS: In this study, using the Scotland-wide Early Pandemic Evaluation and Enhanced Surveillance of COVID-19 (EAVE II) platform, we did a cohort analysis with a nested test-negative design incident case-control study covering the period Nov 1–Dec 19, 2021, to provide initial estimates of omicron severity and the effectiveness of vaccine boosters against symptomatic disease relative to 25 weeks or more after the second vaccine dose. Primary care data derived from 940 general practices across Scotland were linked to laboratory data and hospital admission data. We compared outcomes between infection with the delta VOC (defined as S-gene positive) and the omicron VOC (defined as S-gene negative). We assessed effectiveness against symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection, with infection confirmed through a positive RT-PCR. FINDINGS: By Dec 19, 2021, there were 23 840 S-gene-negative cases in Scotland, which were predominantly among those aged 20–39 years (11 732 [49·2%]). The proportion of S-gene-negative cases that were possible reinfections was more than ten times that of S-gene-positive cases (7·6% vs 0·7%; p<0·0001). There were 15 hospital admissions in S-gene-negative individuals, giving an adjusted observed-to-expected admissions ratio of 0·32 (95% CI 0·19–0·52). The booster vaccine dose was associated with a 57% (54–60) reduction in the risk of symptomatic S-gene-negative infection relative to individuals who tested positive 25 weeks or more after the second vaccine dose. INTERPRETATION: These early national data suggest that omicron is associated with a two-thirds reduction in the risk of COVID-19 hospitalisation compared with delta. Although offering the greatest protection against delta, the booster dose of vaccination offers substantial additional protection against the risk of symptomatic COVID-19 for omicron compared with 25 weeks or more after the second vaccine dose. FUNDING: Health Data Research UK, National Core Studies, Public Health Scotland, Scottish Government, UK Research and Innovation, and University of Edinburgh. | Lancet Infect Dis | 2022 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 5124 | Comprehensive Treatment of Hematological Patients with SARS-CoV-2 Infection Including Anti-SARS-CoV-2 Monoclonal Antibodies: A Single-Center Experience Case Series SIMPLE SUMMARY: SARS-CoV-2 causes coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and poses a global health burden. Treatment strategies remain limited and mainly consist of dexamethasone; antiviral agents, such as remdesivir and molnupiravir; and SARS-CoV-2-specific monoclonal antibodies (mABs), including bamlanivimab, casirivimab/imdevimab combination, and, most recently, sotrovimab. SARS-CoV-2 mABs target specific proteins on the viral surface. Patients with hematologic malignancies represent an especially vulnerable cohort. Evidence for the use of SARS-CoV-2 mABs in these patients is scarce, creating an imbalance between urgently needed therapeutic strategies and a lack of randomized controlled trials. In this study, we summarize the characteristics of tolerability and clinical benefits of SARS-CoV-2 mAB application in patients with COVID-19 and hematologic malignancies admitted to our university hospital in Germany. We hope to provide some evidence that may contribute to the management of patients with hematologic malignancies in a world where COVID-19 remains a risk. ABSTRACT: Patients with hematologic malignancies are at high risk of exacerbated condition and higher mortality from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Bamlanivimab, casirivimab/imdevimab combination, and sotrovimab are monoclonal antibodies (mABs) that can reduce the risk of COVID-19-related hospitalization. Clinical effectiveness of bamlanivimab and casirivimab/imdevimab combination has been shown for the Delta variant (B.1.617.2), but the effectiveness of the latter treatment against the Omicron variant (B.1.1.529) has been suggested to be reduced. However, the tolerability and clinical usage of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)-specific mABs in patients with hematologic malignancies are less specified. We present a retrospective case series analysis of all SARS-CoV-2-infected patients with hematologic malignancies who received SARS-CoV-2-specific mABs at our facility between February and mid-December 2021. A total of 13 COVID-19 patients (pts) with at least one malignant hematologic diagnosis received SARS-CoV-2-specific mABs at our facility, with 3 pts receiving bamlanivimab and 10 pts receiving casirivimab/imdevimab combination. We observed SARS-CoV-2 clearance in five cases. Furthermore, we observed a reduction in the necessity for oxygen supplementation in five cases where the application was administered off-label. To the best of our knowledge, we present the largest collection of anecdotal cases of SARS-CoV-2-specific monoclonal antibody use in patients with hematological malignancies. Potential benefit of mABs may be reduced duration and/or clearance of persistent SARS-CoV-2 infection. | Curr Oncol | 2022 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 5125 | Containment of a Large SARS-CoV-2 Outbreak Among Healthcare Workers in a Pediatric Intensive Care Unit N/A | Pediatr Infect Dis J | 2020 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 5126 | Admission rates and care pathways in patients with atrial fibrillation during the COVID-19 pandemic-insights from the German-wide Helios hospital network INTRODUCTION: Several reports indicate lower rates of emergency admissions in the cardiovascular sector and reduced admissions of patients with chronic diseases during the COVID-19 pandemic. The aim of this study was therefore to evaluate numbers of admissions in incident and prevalent atrial fibrillation and flutter (AF) and to analyze care pathways in comparison to 2019. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of claims data of 74 German Helios hospitals was performed to identify consecutive patients hospitalized with a main discharge diagnosis of AF. A study period including the start of the German national protection phase (13th March 2020 to 16th July 2020) was compared to a previous year control cohort (15th March 2019 to 18th July 2019), with further sub-division into early and late phase. Incidence rate ratios (IRR) were calculated. Numbers of admission per day (A/day) for incident and prevalent AF and care pathways including readmissions, numbers of transesophageal echocardiogram (TEE), electrical cardioversion (CV) and catheter ablation (CA) were analyzed. RESULTS: During the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a significant decrease of total AF admissions both in the early (44.4 vs. 77.5 A/day, IRR 0.57 [95% CI 0.54–0.61], p < 0.01) and late phase (59.1 vs. 63.5 A/day, IRR 0.93 [95% CI 0.90–0.96], p < 0.01), length of stay was significantly shorter (3.3 ± 3.1 nigths vs. 3.5 ± 3.6 nigths, p < 0.01), admissions were more frequently in high volume centers (77.0% vs. 75.4%, p = 0.02) and frequency of readmissions was reduced (21.7% vs. 23.6%, p < 0.01) compared to the previous year. Incident AF admission rates were significantly lower both in the early (21.9 admission per day vs. 41.1 A/day, IRR 0.53 [95% CI 0.48 − 0.58]) and late phase (35.5 vs. 39.3 A/day, IRR 0.90 [95% CI 0.86 − 0.95]), whereas prevalent admissions were only lower in the early phase (22.5 vs 36.4 A/day IRR 0.62 [95% CI 0.56 − 0.68]), but not in the late phase (23.6 vs. 24.2 A/day IRR 0.97 [95% CI 0.92 − 1.03]). Analysis of care pathways showed reduced numbers of TEE during the early phase (34.7% vs. 41.4%, OR 0.74 [95% CI 0.64 − 0.86], p < 0.01), but not during the late phase (39.9% vs. 40.2%, OR 0.96 [95% CI 0.88 − 1.03], p = 0.26). Numbers of CV were comparable during early (40.6% vs. 39.7%, OR 1.08 [95% CI 0.94 − 1.25], p = 0.27) and late phase (38.6% vs. 37.5%, OR 1.06 [95% CI 0.98 − 1.14], p = 0.17), compared to the previous year, respectively. Numbers of CA were comparable during the early phase (21.6% vs. 21.1%, OR 0.98 [95% CI 0.82 − 1.17], p = 0.82) with a distinct increase during the late phase (22.9% vs. 21.5%, OR 1.05 [95% CI 0.96–1.16], p = 0.28). CONCLUSION: During the COVID-19 pandemic, AF admission rates declined significantly, with a more pronounced reduction in incident than in prevalent AF. Overall AF care was maintained during early and late pandemic phase with only minor changes, namely less frequent use of TEE. Confirmation of these findings in other study populations as well as identification of underlying causes are required to ensure optimal therapy in patients with AF during the COVID-19 pandemic. | Eur Heart J Qual Care Clin Out | 2021 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 5127 | COVID-19 among Health Workers in Germany and Malaysia We report on the suspected case reports filed for SARS-CoV-2 infections and COVID-19 illnesses among health and social welfare workers in Germany. In addition, we report about COVID-19 in health workers in Malaysia. Claims for occupational diseases caused by SARS-CoV-2 are recorded separately in a database of the Statutory Accident Insurance and Prevention in the Health and Welfare Services (BGW). This database is analyzed according to its content as of May 22, 2020. In addition, the notifiable cases of SARS-CoV-2 infections from personnel in medical institutions (e.g., clinics and doctor’s office) and social welfare institutions (e.g., nursing homes, shelters and refugee camps) following the German Infection Protection Act are analyzed. The report from Malaysia is based on personal experience and publications of the government. In Germany at present, 4398 suspected case reports for the diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 infections among health and social workers have been filed. This figure is four times the number of all reported infections normally received per year. The majority of claims, regardless of being a confirmed infection, concerned nurses (n = 6927, 63.9%). The mortality rate for workers infected with SARS-CoV-2 is 0.2% to 0.5%. Doctors are affected by severe illness more frequently than other occupational groups (8.1% vs. 4.1%). In Malaysia, work-related infection of health workers (HW) occurred mainly when COVID-19 was not suspected in patients and no adequate personal protective equipment (PPE) was worn. Although knowledge on the spread of SARS-CoV-2 infections among workers remains limited, the impact appears to be substantial. This is supported by the mortality rate among infected workers. Occupational health check-ups carried out at the present time should be systematically analyzed in order to gain more information on the epidemiology of COVID-19 among HW. Since the supply and use of PPE improved, the infection risk of HW in Malaysia seems to have decreased. | Int J Environ Res Public Healt | 2020 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 5128 | ACE2, Much More Than Just a Receptor for SARS-COV-2 The rapidly evolving pandemic of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) infection worldwide cost many lives. The angiotensin converting enzyme-2 (ACE-2) has been identified as the receptor for the SARS-CoV-2 viral entry. As such, it is now receiving renewed attention as a potential target for anti-viral therapeutics. We review the physiological functions of ACE2 in the cardiovascular system and the lungs, and how the activation of ACE2/MAS/G protein coupled receptor contributes in reducing acute injury and inhibiting fibrogenesis of the lungs and protecting the cardiovascular system. In this perspective, we predominantly focus on the impact of SARS-CoV-2 infection on ACE2 and dysregulation of the protective effect of ACE2/MAS/G protein pathway vs. the deleterious effect of Renin/Angiotensin/Aldosterone. We discuss the potential effect of invasion of SARS-CoV-2 on the function of ACE2 and the loss of the protective effect of the ACE2/MAS pathway in alveolar epithelial cells and how this may amplify systemic deleterious effect of renin-angiotensin aldosterone system (RAS) in the host. Furthermore, we speculate the potential of exploiting the modulation of ACE2/MAS pathway as a natural protection of lung injury by modulation of ACE2/MAS axis or by developing targeted drugs to inhibit proteases required for viral entry. | Front Cell Infect Microbiol | 2020 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 5129 | Psychological Impact and Coping Strategies of Frontline Medical Staff in Hunan Between January and March 2020 During the Outbreak of COVID-19 in Hubei, China BACKGROUND: Throughout China, during the recent epidemic in Hubei province, frontline medical staff have been responsible for tracing contacts of patients infected with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). This study aimed to investigate the psychological impact and coping strategies of frontline medical staff in Hunan province, adjacent to Hubei province, during the COVID-19 outbreak between January and March 2020. MATERIAL/METHODS: A cross-sectional observational study included doctors, nurses, and other hospital staff throughout Hunan province between January and March 2020. The study questionnaire included five sections and 67 questions (scores, 0–3). The chi-squared χ(2) test was used to compare the responses between professional groups, age-groups, and gender. RESULTS: Study questionnaires were completed by 534 frontline medical staff. The responses showed that they believed they had a social and professional obligation to continue working long hours. Medical staff were anxious regarding their safety and the safety of their families and reported psychological effects from reports of mortality from COVID-19 infection. The availability of strict infection control guidelines, specialized equipment, recognition of their efforts by hospital management and the government, and reduction in reported cases of COVID-19 provided psychological benefit. CONCLUSIONS: The COVID-19 outbreak in Hubei resulted in increased stress for medical staff in adjacent Hunan province. Continued acknowledgment of the medical staff by hospital management and the government, provision of infection control guidelines, specialized equipment and facilities for the management of COVID-19 infection should be recognized as factors that may encourage medical staff to work during future epidemics. | Med Sci Monit | 2020 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 5130 | Examining Australian public perceptions and behaviors towards a future COVID-19 vaccine BACKGROUND: As immunisation program launches have previously demonstrated, it is essential that careful planning occurs now to ensure the readiness of the public for a COVID-19 vaccine. As part of that process, this study aimed to understand the public perceptions regarding a future COVID-19 vaccine in Australia. METHODS: A national cross-sectional online survey of 1420 Australian adults (18 years and older) was undertaken between 18 and 24 March 2020. The statistical analysis of the data included univariate and multivariable logistic regression model analysis. RESULTS: Respondents generally held positive views towards vaccination. Eighty percent (n = 1143) agreed with the statement that getting myself vaccinated for COVID-19 would be a good way to protect myself against infection. Females (n = 614, 83%) were more likely to agree with the statement than males (n = 529, 78%) (aOR = 1.4 (95% CI: 1.1–1.8); P = 0.03), while 91% of those aged 70 years and above agreed compared to 76% of 18–29-year-olds (aOR = 2.3 (95% CI:1.2–4.1); P = 0.008). Agreement was also higher for those with a self-reported chronic disease (aOR = 1.4 (95% CI: 1.1–2.0); P = 0.04) and among those who held private health insurance (aOR = 1.7 (95% CI: 1.3–2.3); P < 0.001). Beyond individual perceptions, 78% stated that their decision to vaccinate would be supported by family and friends. CONCLUSION: This study presents an early indication of public perceptions towards a future COVID-19 vaccine and represents a starting point for mapping vaccine perceptions. To support an effective launch of these new vaccines, governments need to use this time to understand the communities concerns and to identify the strategies that will support engagement. | BMC Infect Dis | 2021 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 5131 | Microbiome Analysis for Wastewater Surveillance during COVID-19 N/A | mBio | 2022 | LitCov | |
| 5132 | Molecular Diagnosis of a Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) Causing an Outbreak of Pneumonia BACKGROUND: A novel coronavirus of zoonotic origin (2019-nCoV) has recently been identified in patients with acute respiratory disease. This virus is genetically similar to SARS coronavirus and bat SARS-like coronaviruses. The outbreak was initially detected in Wuhan, a major city of China, but has subsequently been detected in other provinces of China. Travel-associated cases have also been reported in a few other countries. Outbreaks in health care workers indicate human-to-human transmission. Molecular tests for rapid detection of this virus are urgently needed for early identification of infected patients. METHODS: We developed two 1-step quantitative real-time reverse-transcription PCR assays to detect two different regions (ORF1b and N) of the viral genome. The primer and probe sets were designed to react with this novel coronavirus and its closely related viruses, such as SARS coronavirus. These assays were evaluated using a panel of positive and negative controls. In addition, respiratory specimens from two 2019-nCoV-infected patients were tested. RESULTS: Using RNA extracted from cells infected by SARS coronavirus as a positive control, these assays were shown to have a dynamic range of at least seven orders of magnitude (2x10(−4)-2000 TCID(50)/reaction). Using DNA plasmids as positive standards, the detection limits of these assays were found to be below 10 copies per reaction. All negative control samples were negative in the assays. Samples from two 2019-nCoV-infected patients were positive in the tests. CONCLUSIONS: The established assays can achieve a rapid detection of 2019n-CoV in human samples, thereby allowing early identification of patients. | Clin Chem | 2020 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 5133 | Children and parents' perspectives of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Ontario children's physical activity, play and sport behaviours BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic and associated public health measures have resulted in the closure of many physical activity-supporting facilities. This study examined Ontario parents’ and children’s perspectives of COVID-19’s impact on children’s physical activity behaviours, return to play/sport during COVID-19, as well as barriers/facilitators to getting active amid extended closures of physical activity venues. METHODS: Parents/guardians of children aged 12 years and under living in Ontario, Canada were invited to participate in an interview. 12 parent/guardian and 9 child interviews were conducted via Zoom between December 2020 – January 2021, were audio-recorded, and transcribed verbatim. Thematic content analysis was undertaken to identify pronounced themes. RESULTS: Themes for both parent and child interviews fell into one of three categories: 1) barriers and facilitators for getting children active amid COVID-19 closures of physical activity-supporting facilities; 2) changes in children’s activity levels; and, 3) perspectives on return to play/sport during and post-pandemic. Various subthemes were identified and varied between parents and children. The most common facilitator for dealing with children’s inactivity voiced by parents/guardians was getting active outdoors. Parents/guardians noted their willingness to have their children return to play/sport in the community once deemed safe by public health guidelines, and children’s willingness to return stemmed primarily from missing their friends and other important authority figures (e.g., coaches) and sporting events (e.g., tournaments). CONCLUSIONS: Findings from this study could inform families of feasible and realistic strategies for increasing children’s physical activity during community closures, while also providing public health experts with information regarding what supports, or infrastructure might be needed during future lockdown periods and/or pandemics. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12889-021-12344-w. | BMC Public Health | 2021 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 5134 | Barriers to COVID-19 vaccination among medical students in Kazakhstan: development, validation and use of a new COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy Scale N/A | Hum Vaccin Immunother | 2021 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 5135 | Guillain-Barré syndrome during SARS-CoV-2 pandemic: A case report and review of recent literature Acute demyelinating inflammatory polyneuropathy (AIDP) is the most common type of Guillain‐Barré syndrome (GBS) in Europe, following several viral and bacterial infections. Data on AIDP‐patients associated with SARS‐CoV‐2 (coronavirus‐2) infection are scarce. We describe the case of a 54‐years‐old Caucasian female patient with typical clinical and electrophysiological manifestations of AIDP, who was reported positive with PCR for SARS‐CoV‐2, 3 weeks prior to onset of the neurological symptoms. She did not experience a preceding fever or respiratory symptoms, but a transient loss of smell and taste. At the admission to our neurological department, a progressive proximally pronounced paraparesis, areflexia, and sensory loss with tingling of all extremities were found, which began 10 days before. The modified Erasmus Giullain‐Barré Syndrome outcome score (mEGOS) was 3/9 at admission and 1/12 at day 7 of hospitalization. The electrophysiological assessment proved a segmental demyelinating polyneuropathy and cerebrospinal fluid examination showed an albuminocytologic dissociation. The neurological symptoms improved significantly during treatment with immunoglobulins. Our case draws attention to the occurrence of GBS also in patients with COVID‐19 (coronavirus disease 2019), who did not experience respiratory or general symptoms. It emphasizes that SARS‐CoV‐2 induces immunological processes, regardless from the lack of prodromic symptoms. However, it is likely that there is a connection between the severity of the respiratory syndrome and further neurological consequences. | J Peripher Nerv Syst | 2020 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 5136 | Technology supported learning and pedagogy in times of crisis: the case of COVID-19 pandemic Online teaching within disciplines such as Engineering require experiential learning that equip future graduates with highly intellectual and professional skills to meet the demands of employers and the industry. The outbreak of COVID-19 however, has shifted the academic community into new landscapes that require educators and students to adapt and manage their expectations. Although literature reports on research attempts to study the implications of Covid-19 on the Higher Education curricular, little has been reported on its impact on Engineering Education. This paper therefore uses the theory of Emergency Management Life Cycle (mitigation, preparedness, response, and recover) as a lens to examine the challenges faced by students and academics and coping mechanism during the COVID period. This study adopts a mixed method approach using a case study from the College of Engineering at a Higher Education Institution in the UAE due to the sudden migration to online teaching amid COVID-19. Data is collected through interviews and surveys with both students and instructors on challenges, strategies and online delivery good practices that enhanced students’ learning experience. The results show that, Technology Supported Learning tools are capable of enhancing students’ experiential learning and associated competencies, however there were a number of pedagogical, technological and psychological challenges that faced students and instructors as a result of the sudden migration online, which are likely to play a role in the impediment of the students’ learning cycle, due to the lack of preparedness in response to the state of emergency created by Covid-19. Despite these challenges, the study found that instructors with effective communication skills and teaching style, competent use of technology, flexible, friendly and supportive attitude towards teaching, played a positive role in mitigating for the lack of preparedness in response to sudden migration online. The study also reveals that by overcoming some of the technical challenges such as slow internet connection and interruptions, lessons learnt from the sudden migration to online delivery amid COVID-19, will help create new opportunities for the use of blended learning approaches to meet the needs of the on-going COVID and future online deliveries. | Educ Inf Technol (Dordr) | 2021 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 5137 | Social Contacts and Mixing Patterns Relevant to the Spread of Infectious Diseases BACKGROUND: Mathematical modelling of infectious diseases transmitted by the respiratory or close-contact route (e.g., pandemic influenza) is increasingly being used to determine the impact of possible interventions. Although mixing patterns are known to be crucial determinants for model outcome, researchers often rely on a priori contact assumptions with little or no empirical basis. We conducted a population-based prospective survey of mixing patterns in eight European countries using a common paper-diary methodology. METHODS AND FINDINGS: 7,290 participants recorded characteristics of 97,904 contacts with different individuals during one day, including age, sex, location, duration, frequency, and occurrence of physical contact. We found that mixing patterns and contact characteristics were remarkably similar across different European countries. Contact patterns were highly assortative with age: schoolchildren and young adults in particular tended to mix with people of the same age. Contacts lasting at least one hour or occurring on a daily basis mostly involved physical contact, while short duration and infrequent contacts tended to be nonphysical. Contacts at home, school, or leisure were more likely to be physical than contacts at the workplace or while travelling. Preliminary modelling indicates that 5- to 19-year-olds are expected to suffer the highest incidence during the initial epidemic phase of an emerging infection transmitted through social contacts measured here when the population is completely susceptible. CONCLUSIONS: To our knowledge, our study provides the first large-scale quantitative approach to contact patterns relevant for infections transmitted by the respiratory or close-contact route, and the results should lead to improved parameterisation of mathematical models used to design control strategies. | PLoS Med | 2008 | CORD-19 | |
| 5138 | Public Interest in Immunity and the Justification for Intervention in the Early Stages of the COVID-19 Pandemic: Analysis of Google Trends Data BACKGROUND: The use of social big data is an important emerging concern in public health. Internet search volumes are useful data that can sensitively detect trends of the public's attention during a pandemic outbreak situation. OBJECTIVE: Our study aimed to analyze the public’s interest in COVID-19 proliferation, identify the correlation between the proliferation of COVID-19 and interest in immunity and products that have been reported to confer an enhancement of immunity, and suggest measures for interventions that should be implemented from a health and medical point of view. METHODS: To assess the level of public interest in infectious diseases during the initial days of the COVID-19 outbreak, we extracted Google search data from January 20, 2020, onward and compared them to data from March 15, 2020, which was approximately 2 months after the COVID-19 outbreak began. In order to determine whether the public became interested in the immune system, we selected coronavirus, immune, and vitamin as our final search terms. RESULTS: The increase in the cumulative number of confirmed COVID-19 cases that occurred after January 20, 2020, had a strong positive correlation with the search volumes for the terms coronavirus (R=0.786; P<.001), immune (R=0.745; P<.001), and vitamin (R=0.778; P<.001), and the correlations between variables were all mutually statistically significant. Moreover, these correlations were confirmed on a country basis when we restricted our analyses to the United States, the United Kingdom, Italy, and Korea. Our findings revealed that increases in search volumes for the terms coronavirus and immune preceded the actual occurrences of confirmed cases. CONCLUSIONS: Our study shows that during the initial phase of the COVID-19 crisis, the public’s desire and actions of strengthening their own immune systems were enhanced. Further, in the early stage of a pandemic, social media platforms have a high potential for informing the public about potentially helpful measures to prevent the spread of an infectious disease and provide relevant information about immunity, thereby increasing the public’s knowledge. | J Med Internet Res | 2021 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 5139 | Adapting an Outpatient Psychiatric Clinic to Telehealth During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Practice Perspective As the demand for telepsychiatry increases during the COVID-19 pandemic, the strengths and challenges of telepsychiatry implementation must be articulated to improve clinical practices in the long term. Currently, observations within US contexts are lacking; therefore, we report on the rapid implementation of telepsychiatry and workflow experiences in a psychiatric practice based within a large health care system in southeast Texas with a national catchment area. We discuss the logistics of the implementation, including modes of communication, scheduling, coordination, and capacity; the psychological effects of web-based services, including both the loss of the physical therapeutic environment and the unique interpersonal dynamics experienced in the virtual environment; and postadoption patterns of engagement with our services and with other clinical functions affected by the rapid adaptation to telemedicine. Our art therapy group programming serves as an applied case study, demonstrating the value of a well-managed web-based program (eg, patients were receptive and well-engaged, and they appreciated the continuity of accessible service) as well as the challenges (eg, the need for backup plans and technological fallbacks, managing interruptions and telecommunication learning curves, and working around the difference in resources for art and music therapy between a well-stocked clinical setting versus clients’ home spaces). We conclude from our experience that the overall strengths of telepsychiatry include receptive and well-engaged responses from patients as well as the expansion of boundaries, which provides a directly contextualized view into patients’ home lives. Challenges and corresponding recommendations include the need for more careful safety planning for high-risk patients; maintaining professional boundaries in the newly informal virtual setting; designing the physical space to both frame the patient encounter and maintain work-life balance for the therapist; allowing for delays and interruptions (including an initial acclimation session); and preserving interprofessional care team collaboration when the physical locations that normally facilitate such encounters are not accessible. We believe that careful observations of the strengths and challenges of telepsychiatry during this pandemic will better inform practices that are considering telepsychiatry adoption both within pandemic contexts and more broadly thereafter. | J Med Internet Res | 2020 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 5140 | The Effect of COVID-19 on Youth Mental Health The purposes of this study was to assess the youth mental health after the coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) occurred in China two weeks later, and to investigate factors of mental health among youth groups. A cross-sectional study was conducted two weeks after the occurrence of COVID-19 in China. A total of 584 youth enrolled in this study and completed the question about cognitive status of COVID-19, the General Health Questionnaire(GHQ-12), the PTSD Checklist-Civilian Version (PCL-C) and the Negative coping styles scale. Univariate analysis and univariate logistic regression were used to evaluate the effect of COVID-19 on youth mental health. The results of this cross-sectional study suggest that nearly 40.4% the sampled youth were found to be prone to psychological problems and 14.4% the sampled youth with Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. Univariate logistic regression revealed that youth mental health was significantly related to being less educated (OR = 8.71, 95%CI:1.97–38.43), being the enterprise employee (OR = 2.36, 95%CI:1.09–5.09), suffering from the PTSD symptom (OR = 1.05, 95%CI:1.03–1.07) and using negative coping styles (OR = 1.03, 95%CI:1.00–1.07). Results of this study suggest that nearly 40.4% of the youth group had a tendency to have psychological problems. Thus, this was a remarkable evidence that infectious diseases, such as COVID-19, may have an immense influence on youth mental health. Therefor, local governments should develop effective psychological interventions for youth groups, moreover, it is important to consider the educational level and occupation of the youth during the interventions. | Psychiatr Q | 2020 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 5141 | Clustering and longitudinal change in SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence in school children in the canton of Zurich, Switzerland: prospective cohort study of 55 schools OBJECTIVES: To examine longitudinal changes in severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) seroprevalence and to determine the clustering of children who were seropositive within school classes in the canton of Zurich, Switzerland from June to November 2020. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. SETTING: Switzerland had one of the highest second waves of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic in Europe in autumn 2020. Keeping schools open provided a moderate to high exposure environment to study SARS-CoV-2 infections. Children from randomly selected schools and classes, stratified by district, were invited for serological testing of SARS-CoV-2. Parents completed questionnaires on sociodemographic and health related questions. PARTICIPANTS: 275 classes in 55 schools; 2603 children participated in June-July 2020 and 2552 in October-November 2020 (age range 6-16 years). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Serology of SARS-CoV-2 in June-July and October-November 2020, clustering of children who were seropositive within classes, and symptoms in children. RESULTS: In June-July, 74 of 2496 children with serological results were seropositive; in October-November, the number had increased to 173 of 2503. Overall SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence was 2.4% (95% credible interval 1.4% to 3.6%) in the summer and 4.5% (3.2% to 6.0%) in late autumn in children who were not previously seropositive, leading to an estimated 7.8% (6.2% to 9.5%) of children who were ever seropositive. Seroprevalence varied across districts (in the autumn, 1.7-15.0%). No significant differences were found among lower, middle, and upper school levels (children aged 6-9 years, 9-13 years, and 12-16 years, respectively). Among the 2223 children who had serology tests at both testing rounds, 28/70 (40%) who were previously seropositive became seronegative, and 109/2153 (5%) who were previously seronegative became seropositive. Symptoms were reported for 22% of children who were seronegative and 29% of children who were newly seropositive since the summer. Between July and November 2020, the ratio of children diagnosed with SARS-CoV-2 infection to those who were seropositive was 1 to 8. At least one child who was newly seropositive was detected in 47 of 55 schools and in 90 of 275 classes. Among 130 classes with a high participation rate, no children who were seropositive were found in 73 (56%) classes, one or two children were seropositive in 50 (38%) classes, and at least three children were seropositive in 7 (5%) classes. Class level explained 24% and school level 8% of variance in seropositivity in the multilevel logistic regression models. CONCLUSIONS: With schools open since August 2020 and some preventive measures in place, clustering of children who were seropositive occurred in only a few classes despite an increase in overall seroprevalence during a period of moderate to high transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in the community. Uncertainty remains as to whether these findings will change with the new variants of SARS-CoV-2 and dynamic levels of community transmission. TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT04448717 | BMJ | 2021 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 5142 | Virtual Interviews for the Independent Plastic Surgery Match: A Modern Convenience or a Modern Misrepresentation? OBJECTIVE: The virtual interview for residency and fellowship applicants has previously been utilized preliminarily in their respective processes. The COVID-19 pandemic forced many programs to switch to a virtual interview process on short notice. In the independent plastic surgery process, which was underway when the pandemic started, applicants had a heterogeneous experience of in-person and virtual interviews. The purpose of this study was to assess if applicants prefer a virtual interview experience to an in-person interview as well as determine if virtual interview applicants had a different opinion of a program compared to the in-person interview applicants. DESIGN/SETTING/PARTICIPANTS: The 2019 to 2020 applicants who interviewed at the Indiana University Independent Plastic Surgery program were administered an anonymous online survey about their interview experience at our program. RESULTS: Our survey response was 60% (18/30). The in-person interview group (n = 10) rated their overall interview experience higher than the virtual interview group (n = 8) 8.8 vs 7.5 (p = 0.0314). The in-person interview group felt they became more acquainted with the program, the faculty, and the residents more than the virtual group (4.7 vs 3.25, p < 0.0001) (4.3 vs 3.25, p = 0.0194) (4.3 vs 2.75, p < 0.0001). The majority of applicants favored in-person interviews (16/18, 88.9%). The in-person interview group spent significantly more money on their interview at our program compared to the virtual interview group ($587 vs $0, p < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: Our study demonstrated that the virtual interview process was an efficient process for applicants from both a financial and time perspective. However, the virtual interview process left applicants less satisfied with their interview experience. The applicants felt they did not become as acquainted with the program as their in-person counterparts. The virtual interview process may play a large role in residency and fellowship applications in the future, and programs should spend time on how to improve the process. | J Surg Educ | 2020 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 5143 | The impact of COVID-19 on healthcare delivery for people who use opioids: a scoping review RESEARCH OBJECTIVE: The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted healthcare delivery worldwide with likely negative effects on people who use opioids (PWUO). This scoping review of the original research literature describes the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on healthcare delivery for PWUO and identifies gaps in the literature. METHODS: This scoping review of the original research literature maps the available knowledge regarding the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on healthcare delivery for PWUO. We utilized the methodology developed by the Joanna Briggs Institute for scoping reviews, and content analyses methodology to characterize the current state of the literature. RESULTS: Of the 14 included studies, administrative database (n = 11), cross-sectional (n = 1) or qualitative (n = 2) studies demonstrated service gaps (n = 7), patient/provider experiences (n = 3), and patient outcomes for PWUO (n = 4). In March 2020, healthcare utilization dropped quickly, sharply increasing only for reasons of opioid overdose by May 2020. Service gaps existed in accessing treatment for new patients during the pandemic due to capacity and infrastructure limits. Physicians reported difficulty referring patients to begin an outpatient opioid treatment program due to increased restrictions in capacity and infrastructure. Patients also reported uncertainty about accessing outpatient treatment, but that telehealth initiation of buprenorphine increased access to treatment from home. Disproportionate increases in overdose rates among African Americans were reported in two studies, with differences by race and gender not examined in most studies. Fatal overdoses increased 60% in African Americans during the pandemic, while fatal overdoses in Non-Hispanic White individuals decreased. CONCLUSIONS: In summary, this beginning evidence demonstrates that despite early reluctance to use the healthcare system, opioid overdose-related use of healthcare increased throughout the pandemic. Service delivery for medications to treat OUD remained at or above pre-pandemic levels, indicating the ability of telehealth to meet demand. Yet, racial disparities that existed pre-pandemic for PWUO are intensifying, and targeted intervention for high-risk groups is warranted to prevent further mortality. As the pandemic progresses, future research must focus on identifying and supporting subgroups of PWUO who are at heightened risk for experiencing negative outcomes and lack of access to care. | Subst Abuse Treat Prev Policy | 2021 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 5144 | Gut microbiota and Covid-19- possible link and implications Covid-19 is a major pandemic facing the world today caused by SARS-CoV-2 which has implications on our understanding of infectious diseases. Although, SARS-Cov-2 primarily causes lung infection through binding of ACE2 receptors present on the alveolar epithelial cells, yet it was recently reported that SARS-CoV-2 RNA was found in the faeces of infected patients. Interestingly, the intestinal epithelial cells particularly the enterocytes of the small intestine also express ACE2 receptors. Role of the gut microbiota in influencing lung diseases has been well articulated. It is also known that respiratory virus infection causes perturbations in the gut microbiota. Diet, environmental factors and genetics play an important role in shaping gut microbiota which can influence immunity. Gut microbiota diversity is decreased in old age and Covid-19 has been mainly fatal in elderly patients which again points to the role the gut microbiota may play in this disease. Improving gut microbiota profile by personalized nutrition and supplementation known to improve immunity can be one of the prophylactic ways by which the impact of this disease can be minimized in old people and immune-compromised patients. More trials may be initiated to see the effect of co-supplementation of personalized functional food including prebiotics/probiotics along with current therapies. | Virus Res | 2020 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 5145 | Performance Characteristics of the Abbott Architect SARS-CoV-2 IgG Assay and Seroprevalence in Boise, Idaho Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), the novel respiratory illness caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), is associated with severe morbidity and mortality. The rollout of diagnostic testing in the United States was slow, leading to numerous cases that were not tested for SARS-CoV-2 in February and March 2020 and necessitating the use of serological testing to determine past infections. Here, we evaluated the Abbott SARS-CoV-2 IgG test for detection of anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies by testing 3 distinct patient populations. We tested 1,020 serum specimens collected prior to SARS-CoV-2 circulation in the United States and found one false positive, indicating a specificity of 99.90%. We tested 125 patients who tested reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR) positive for SARS-CoV-2 for whom 689 excess serum specimens were available and found that sensitivity reached 100% at day 17 after symptom onset and day 13 after PCR positivity. Alternative index value thresholds for positivity resulted in 100% sensitivity and 100% specificity in this cohort. We tested specimens from 4,856 individuals from Boise, ID, collected over 1 week in April 2020 as part of the Crush the Curve initiative and detected 87 positives for a positivity rate of 1.79%. These data demonstrate excellent analytical performance of the Abbott SARS-CoV-2 IgG test as well as the limited circulation of the virus in the western United States. We expect that the availability of high-quality serological testing will be a key tool in the fight against SARS-CoV-2. | J Clin Microbiol | 2020 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 5146 | Pulmonary Arterial Thrombosis in COVID-19 With Fatal Outcome: Results From a Prospective, Single-Center, Clinicopathologic Case Series BACKGROUND: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has rapidly become pandemic, with substantial mortality. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the pathologic changes of organ systems and the clinicopathologic basis for severe and fatal outcomes. DESIGN: Prospective autopsy study. SETTING: Single pathology department. PARTICIPANTS: 11 deceased patients with COVID-19 (10 of whom were selected at random for autopsy). MEASUREMENTS: Systematic macroscopic, histopathologic, and viral analysis (SARS-CoV-2 on real-time polymerase chain reaction assay), with correlation of pathologic and clinical features, including comorbidities, comedication, and laboratory values. RESULTS: Patients' age ranged from 66 to 91 years (mean, 80.5 years; 8 men, 3 women). Ten of the 11 patients received prophylactic anticoagulant therapy; venous thromboembolism was not clinically suspected antemortem in any of the patients. Both lungs showed various stages of diffuse alveolar damage (DAD), including edema, hyaline membranes, and proliferation of pneumocytes and fibroblasts. Thrombosis of small and mid-sized pulmonary arteries was found in various degrees in all 11 patients and was associated with infarction in 8 patients and bronchopneumonia in 6 patients. Kupffer cell proliferation was seen in all patients, and chronic hepatic congestion in 8 patients. Other changes in the liver included hepatic steatosis, portal fibrosis, lymphocytic infiltrates and ductular proliferation, lobular cholestasis, and acute liver cell necrosis, together with central vein thrombosis. Additional frequent findings included renal proximal tubular injury, focal pancreatitis, adrenocortical hyperplasia, and lymphocyte depletion of spleen and lymph nodes. Viral RNA was detectable in pharyngeal, bronchial, and colonic mucosa but not bile. LIMITATION: The sample was small. CONCLUSION: COVID-19 predominantly involves the lungs, causing DAD and leading to acute respiratory insufficiency. Death may be caused by the thrombosis observed in segmental and subsegmental pulmonary arterial vessels despite the use of prophylactic anticoagulation. Studies are needed to further understand the thrombotic complications of COVID-19, together with the roles for strict thrombosis prophylaxis, laboratory, and imaging studies and early anticoagulant therapy for suspected pulmonary arterial thrombosis or thromboembolism. PRIMARY FUNDING SOURCE: None. | Ann Intern Med | 2020 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 5147 | COVID-19-neutralizing antibodies predict disease severity and survival Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) exhibits variable symptom severity ranging from asymptomatic to life-threatening, yet the relationship between severity and the humoral immune response is poorly understood. We examined antibody responses in 113 COVID-19 patients and found that severe cases resulting in intubation or death exhibited increased inflammatory markers, lymphopenia, pro-inflammatory cytokines, and high anti-receptor binding domain (RBD) antibody levels. Although anti-RBD immunoglobulin G (IgG) levels generally correlated with neutralization titer, quantitation of neutralization potency revealed that high potency was a predictor of survival. In addition to neutralization of wild-type SARS-CoV-2, patient sera were also able to neutralize the recently emerged SARS-CoV-2 mutant D614G, suggesting cross-protection from reinfection by either strain. However, SARS-CoV-2 sera generally lacked cross-neutralization to a highly homologous pre-emergent bat coronavirus, WIV1-CoV, which has not yet crossed the species barrier. These results highlight the importance of neutralizing humoral immunity on disease progression and the need to develop broadly protective interventions to prevent future coronavirus pandemics. | Cell | 2020 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 5148 | Drug Repurposing for Candidate SARS-CoV-2 Main Protease Inhibitors by a Novel In Silico Method The SARS-CoV-2 outbreak caused an unprecedented global public health threat, having a high transmission rate with currently no drugs or vaccines approved. An alternative powerful additional approach to counteract COVID-19 is in silico drug repurposing. The SARS-CoV-2 main protease is essential for viral replication and an attractive drug target. In this study, we used the virtual screening protocol with both long-range and short-range interactions to select candidate SARS-CoV-2 main protease inhibitors. First, the Informational spectrum method applied for small molecules was used for searching the Drugbank database and further followed by molecular docking. After in silico screening of drug space, we identified 57 drugs as potential SARS-CoV-2 main protease inhibitors that we propose for further experimental testing. | Molecules | 2020 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 5149 | Standardised neutralising antibody assays are needed for evaluating COVID-19 vaccines | EBioMedicine | 2021 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 5150 | Dynamic Changes of Antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 in COVID-19 Patients at Early Stage of Outbreak The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by SARS-CoV-2, has spread around the world with high mortality. To diagnose promptly and accurately is the vital step to effectively control its pandemic. Dynamic characteristics of SARS-CoV-2-specific antibodies which are important for diagnosis of infection have not been fully demonstrated. In this retrospective, single-center, observational study, we enrolled the initial 131 confirmed cases of COVID-19 at Jin-Yin-Tan Hospital who had at least one-time antibody tested during their hospitalization. The dynamic changes of IgM and IgG antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein in 226 serum samples were detected by ELISA. The sensitivities of IgM and IgG ELISA detection were analyzed. Result showed that the sensitivity of the IgG ELISA detection (92.5%) was significantly higher than that of the IgM (70.8%) (P < 0.001). The meantimes of seroconversion for IgM and IgG were 6 days and 3 days, respectively. The IgM and IgG antibody levels peaked at around 18 days and 23 days, and then IgM fell to below the baseline level at about day 36, whereas IgG maintained at a relatively high level. In conclusion, antibodies should be detected to aid in diagnosis of COVID-19 infection. IgG could be a sensitive indicator for retrospective diagnosis and contact tracing, while IgM could be an indicator of early infection. | Virol Sin | 2020 | LitCov and CORD-19 |
(1) COVID-19 Open Research Dataset (CORD-19). 2020. Version 2022-06-02. Retrieved from https://ai2-semanticscholar-cord-19.s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/historical_releases.html. Accessed 2022-06-05. doi:10.5281/zenodo.3715506
(2) Chen Q, Allot A, & Lu Z. (2020) Keep up with the latest coronavirus research, Nature 579:193 and Chen Q, Allot A, Lu Z. LitCovid: an open database of COVID-19 literature. Nucleic Acids Research. 2020. (version 2023-01-10)
(3) Currently tweets of June 23rd to June 29th 2022 have been considered.