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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6551 | Broad-spectrum antiviral GS-5734 inhibits both epidemic and zoonotic coronaviruses N/A | Sci Transl Med | 2017 | CORD-19 | |
| 6552 | COVID-19 implications on household income and food security in Kenya and Uganda: Findings from a rapid assessment This study assessed implications of the Coronavirus Disease 19 (COVID-19) pandemic on household income and food security in two East African countries - Kenya and Uganda, using online survey data from 442 respondents. Results show that more than two-thirds of the respondents experienced income shocks due to the COVID-19 crisis. Food security and dietary quality worsened, as measured by the food insecurity experience scale and the frequency of consumption of nutritionally-rich foods. The proportion of food insecure respondents increased by 38% and 44% in Kenya and Uganda respectively, and in both countries, the regular consumption of fruits decreased by about 30% during the COVID-19 pandemic, compared to a normal period (before the pandemic). Results from probit regressions show that the income-poor households and those dependent on labour income were more vulnerable to income shock, and had poorer food consumption during the COVID-19 pandemic compared to other respondent categories. As such, they were more likely to employ food-based coping strategies compared to those pursuing alternative livelihoods, who generally relied on savings. Farmers were less likely to experience worsened food security compared to other respondent categories who depended to a great extent on market sources for food. In both countries, participation in national social security schemes was less likely to mitigate respondents’ income shock during the COVID-19 period. Conversely, membership in savings and loan groups was correlated with less likelihood of suffering income shocks and reduction in food consumption. The results suggest that ongoing and future government responses should focus on structural changes in social security by developing responsive packages to cushion members pushed into poverty by such pandemics while building strong financial institutions to support the recovery of businesses in the medium term, and ensuring the resilience of food supply chains particularly those making available nutrient-dense foods. | World Dev | 2020 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 6553 | Preventing and Mitigating SARS-CoV-2 Transmission-Four Overnight Camps, Maine, June-August 2020 The World Health Organization declared coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) a pandemic on March 11, 2020.* Shortly thereafter, closures of 124,000 U.S. public and private schools affected at least 55.1 million students through the end of the 2019-20 school year.† During the summer of 2020, approximately 82% of 8,947 U.S. overnight camps did not operate.§ In Maine, only approximately 20% of 100 overnight camps opened.¶ An overnight camp in Georgia recently reported SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, transmission among campers and staff members when nonpharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) were not strictly followed (1); however, NPIs have been successfully used to mitigate SARS-CoV-2 transmission among military basic trainees (2). During June-August 2020, four overnight camps in Maine implemented several NPIs to prevent and mitigate the transmission of SARS-CoV-2, including prearrival quarantine, pre- and postarrival testing and symptom screening, cohorting, use of face coverings, physical distancing, enhanced hygiene measures, cleaning and disinfecting, and maximal outdoor programming. During the camp sessions, testing and symptom screening enabled early and rapid identification and isolation of attendees with COVID-19. Among the 1,022 attendees (staff members and campers) from 41 states, one territory, and six international locations, 1,010 were tested before arrival; 12 attendees who had completed a period of isolation after receiving a diagnosis of COVID-19 2 months before arrival were not tested. Four (0.4%) asymptomatic attendees received positive SARS-CoV-2 test results before arrival; these persons delayed their arrival, completed 10 days of isolation at home, remained asymptomatic, and did not receive any further testing before arrival or for the duration of camp attendance. Approximately 1 week after camp arrival, all 1,006 attendees without a previous diagnosis of COVID-19 were tested, and three asymptomatic cases were identified. Following isolation of these persons and quarantine of their contacts, no secondary transmission of SARS-CoV-2 occurred. These findings can inform similar multilayered public health strategies to prevent and mitigate the introduction and transmission of SARS-CoV-2 among children, adolescents, and adults in congregate settings, such as overnight camps, residential schools, and colleges. | MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep | 2020 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 6554 | Neutralizing Antibodies Correlate with Protection from SARS-CoV-2 in Humans during a Fishery Vessel Outbreak with a High Attack Rate The development of vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 would be greatly facilitated by the identification of immunological correlates of protection in humans. However, to date, studies on protective immunity have been performed only in animal models and correlates of protection have not been established in humans. Here, we describe an outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 on a fishing vessel associated with a high attack rate. Predeparture serological and viral reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR) testing along with repeat testing after return to shore was available for 120 of the 122 persons on board over a median follow-up of 32.5 days (range, 18.8 to 50.5 days). A total of 104 individuals had an RT-PCR-positive viral test with a cycle threshold (C(T)) of <35 or seroconverted during the follow-up period, yielding an attack rate on board of 85.2% (104/122 individuals). Metagenomic sequencing of 39 viral genomes suggested that the outbreak originated largely from a single viral clade. Only three crew members tested seropositive prior to the boat’s departure in initial serological screening and also had neutralizing and spike-reactive antibodies in follow-up assays. None of the crew members with neutralizing antibody titers showed evidence of bona fide viral infection or experienced any symptoms during the viral outbreak. Therefore, the presence of neutralizing antibodies from prior infection was significantly associated with protection against reinfection (Fisher’s exact test, P = 0.002). | J Clin Microbiol | 2020 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 6555 | Epidemiological, clinical and virological characteristics of 74 cases of coronavirus-infected disease 2019 with gastrointestinal symptoms OBJECTIVE: The SARS-CoV-2-infected disease (COVID-19) outbreak is a major threat to human beings. Previous studies mainly focused on Wuhan and typical symptoms. We analysed 74 confirmed COVID-19 cases with GI symptoms in the Zhejiang province to determine epidemiological, clinical and virological characteristics. DESIGN: COVID-19 hospital patients were admitted in the Zhejiang province from 17 January 2020 to 8 February 2020. Epidemiological, demographic, clinical, laboratory, management and outcome data of patients with GI symptoms were analysed using multivariate analysis for risk of severe/critical type. Bioinformatics were used to analyse features of SARS-CoV-2 from Zhejiang province. RESULTS: Among enrolled 651 patients, 74 (11.4%) presented with at least one GI symptom (nausea, vomiting or diarrhoea), average age of 46.14 years, 4-day incubation period and 10.8% had pre-existing liver disease. Of patients with COVID-19 with GI symptoms, 17 (22.97%) and 23 (31.08%) had severe/critical types and family clustering, respectively, significantly higher than those without GI symptoms, 47 (8.14%) and 118 (20.45%). Of patients with COVID-19 with GI symptoms, 29 (39.19%), 23 (31.08%), 8 (10.81%) and 16 (21.62%) had significantly higher rates of fever >38.5°C, fatigue, shortness of breath and headache, respectively. Low-dose glucocorticoids and antibiotics were administered to 14.86% and 41.89% of patients, respectively. Sputum production and increased lactate dehydrogenase/glucose levels were risk factors for severe/critical type. Bioinformatics showed sequence mutation of SARS-CoV-2 with m(6)A methylation and changed binding capacity with ACE2. CONCLUSION: We report COVID-19 cases with GI symptoms with novel features outside Wuhan. Attention to patients with COVID-19 with non-classic symptoms should increase to protect health providers. | Gut | 2020 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 6556 | COVID-19: protecting health-care workers | Lancet | 2020 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 6557 | Successful mRNA SARS-Cov-2 vaccine rechallenge after a first episode of immune thrombocytopenic purpura N/A | Platelets | 2022 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 6558 | SARS-CoV-2 Mpro inhibitors: identification of anti-SARS-CoV-2 Mpro compounds from FDA approved drugs Recent outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome-Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) has raised serious global concern for public health. The viral main 3-chymotrypsin-like cysteine protease (M(pro)), known to control coronavirus replication and essential for viral life cycle, has been established as an essential drug discovery target for SARS-CoV-2. Herein, we employed computationally screening of Druglib database containing FDA approved drugs against active pocket of SARS-CoV-2 M(pro )using MTiopen screen web server, yields a total of 1051 FDA approved drugs with docking energy >−7 kcal/mol. The top 10 screened potential compounds against SARS-CoV-2 M(pro) were then studied by re-docking, binding affinity, intermolecular interaction, and complex stability via 100 ns all atoms molecular dynamics (MD) simulation followed by post-simulation analysis, including end point binding free energy, essential dynamics, and residual correlation analysis against native crystal structure ligand N3 inhibitor. Based on comparative molecular simulation and interaction profiling of the screened drugs with SARS-CoV-2 M(pro )revealed R428 (−10.5 kcal/mol), Teniposide (−9.8 kcal/mol), VS-5584 (−9.4 kcal/mol), and Setileuton (−8.5 kcal/mol) with stronger stability and affinity than other drugs and N3 inhibitor; and hence, these drugs are advocated for further validation using in vitro enzyme inhibition and in vivo studies against SARS-CoV-2 infection. Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma | J Biomol Struct Dyn | 2020 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 6559 | Cryo-EM structure of a SARS-CoV-2 omicron spike protein ectodomain The omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2 has been spreading rapidly across the globe. The virus-surface spike protein plays a critical role in the cell entry and immune evasion of SARS-CoV-2. Here we determined the 3.0 Å cryo-EM structure of the omicron spike protein ectodomain. In contrast to the original strain of SARS-CoV-2 where the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the spike protein takes a mixture of open (“standing up”) and closed (“lying down”) conformations, the omicron spike molecules are predominantly in the open conformation, with one upright RBD ready for receptor binding. The open conformation of the omicron spike is stabilized by enhanced inter-domain and inter-subunit packing, which involves new mutations in the omicron strain. Moreover, the omicron spike has undergone extensive mutations in RBD regions where known neutralizing antibodies target, allowing the omicron variant to escape immune surveillance aimed at the original viral strain. The stable open conformation of the omicron spike sheds light on the cell entry and immune evasion mechanisms of the omicron variant. | Nat Commun | 2022 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 6560 | Perceptions of Risk, Work and Lifestyle Changes on Mental Health of Healthcare Workers Amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic The COVID-19 outbreak is significantly affecting the mental health of healthcare workers worldwide. This study aims to investigate the mental health outcomes of healthcare workers in a health system located in southeastern US during the first peak of the pandemic and examine the association of specific factors on the mental well-being of healthcare workers. A cross-sectional survey of 388 healthcare workers was conducted. Data were collected using a 79-item questionnaire, which included the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) instrument, the 7-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7) instrument, and the 22-item Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R), to assess symptoms of depression, anxiety, and general distress, respectively. Data were analyzed using descriptive, bivariate, and multivariate statistics. Accordingly, 30.1%, 28.7%, and 39.4% of respondents reported depression, anxiety, and distress symptoms, respectively. Younger workers and females reported higher mental symptomologies. We identified significant, nontraditional factors associated with depression and anxiety symptoms among healthcare workers: healthcare procedure change, concern of exposing family to COVID-19, number of missed shifts, and access to psychological resources/services. These findings emphasize the importance of providing the proper training to reduce concerns of exposing family members and psychological interventions to promote mental health well-being for healthcare workers during the stressful COVID-19 pandemic. | Int J Environ Res Public Healt | 2022 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 6561 | COVID-19 Vaccination Coverage and Intent Among Adults Aged 18-39 Years-United States, March-May 2021 Since April 19, 2021, all persons aged ≥16 years in the United States have been eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. As of May 30, 2021, approximately one half of U.S. adults were fully vaccinated, with the lowest coverage and lowest reported intent to get vaccinated among young adults aged 18-39 years (1-4). To examine attitudes toward COVID-19 vaccination and vaccination intent among adults in this age group, CDC conducted nationally representative household panel surveys during March-May 2021. Among respondents aged 18-39 years, 34.0% reported having received a COVID-19 vaccine. A total of 51.8% were already vaccinated or definitely planned to get vaccinated, 23.2% reported that they probably were going to get vaccinated or were unsure about getting vaccinated, and 24.9% reported that they probably or definitely would not get vaccinated. Adults aged 18-24 years were least likely to report having received a COVID-19 vaccine and were most likely to report being unsure about getting vaccinated or that they were probably going to get vaccinated. Adults aged 18-39 years with lower incomes, with lower educational attainment, without health insurance, who were non-Hispanic Black, and who lived outside of metropolitan areas had the lowest reported vaccination coverage and intent to get vaccinated. Concerns about vaccine safety and effectiveness were the primary reported reasons for not getting vaccinated. Vaccination intent and acceptance among adults aged 18-39 years might be increased by improving confidence in vaccine safety and efficacy while emphasizing that vaccines are critical to prevent the spread of COVID-19 to friends and family and for resuming social activities (5). | MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep | 2021 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 6562 | Sleep disorders reveal distress among children and adolescents during the Covid-19 first wave: results of a large web-based Italian survey BACKGROUND: Measures to contain the Covid-19 pandemic led to significant lifestyle changes for children and adolescents mainly related to the closure of schools and recreational activities, reduced social interaction, and increased family concerns. METHODS: A cross-sectional online survey of 78 questions investigating social determinants of health, mood changes, symptoms of anxiety, increase in sleep disorders and unusual repetitive movements was offered to parents living in Italy with children ≤18 years; including families of children with disabilities, autism spectrum disorders, chronic diseases, and specific learning disabilities. The survey was conducted on the Qualtrics platform 6 months after the beginning of the pandemic and distributed in hospitals and paediatricians’ waiting rooms as well as through social networks. The primary outcomes were the increase in sleep disorders among children and adolescents. Possible risk factors were investigated through multivariable regression. RESULTS: Six thousand two hundred ten volunteer parents responded to the questions concerning mood changes, sleep disorders and unusual repetitive movements, and were included in the present study. The majority were female (91.8%) and Italian (97.0%). 72.7% answered that their children had become more nervous, worried, or sad (80.2% in children with learning disabilities); 77.6% reported feelings of loneliness and 69.3% more difficulties in children falling asleep, 30.2% in staying asleep, and 18.7% an increase in nightmares and/or sleep terrors. Statistical analysis identified socioeconomic status, parent’s job loss, food insecurity, family attitude toward the pandemic, and children’s mood swing, feelings of loneliness, or missing outdoor activities, as major risk factors for sleep disorders. CONCLUSION: The first Covid-19 lockdown impacted children’s and adolescents’ health through an increase in sleep disorders. In the following phases of the pandemic, this evidence may be useful to investigate and treat these disorders as well as make decisions about containment health policies concerning this age group. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13052-021-01083-8. | Ital J Pediatr | 2021 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 6563 | Clinical Performance of the Luminex NxTAG CoV Extended Panel for SARS-CoV-2 Detection in Nasopharyngeal Specimens from COVID-19 Patients in Hong Kong In December 2019, the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) was first reported in the Hubei province of China and later spread all over the world. There was an urgent need of a high-throughput molecular test for screening the COVID-19 patients in the community. The Luminex NxTAG CoV extended panel is a high-throughput FDA emergency use-authorized molecular diagnostic assay for SARS-CoV-2 detection. This system targets three genes (ORF1ab, N, and E genes) of SARS-CoV-2, the ORF1ab region of SARS-CoV, and the ORF5 region of MERS-CoV. In this study, we evaluated the diagnostic performance of this system with nasopharyngeal swab specimens of 214 suspected COVID-19 patients in Hong Kong. The results were compared with our routine COVID-19 reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR) protocol with a LightMix SarbecoV E-gene kit and an in-house RdRp/Hel RT-PCR assay. The NxTAG CoV extended panel demonstrated 97.8% sensitivity and 100% specificity to SARS-CoV-2 in nasopharyngeal specimens. On low-viral load specimens, the sensitivity of the NxTAG panel could still maintain at 85.71%. Strong agreement was observed between the NxTAG panel and the routine COVID-19 RT-PCR protocol (kappa value = 0.98). Overall, the E gene target of the NxTAG panel demonstrated the highest sensitivity among the three SARS-CoV-2 targets, while the N gene targets demonstrated the least. In conclusion, the NxTAG CoV extended panel is simple to use, and it has high diagnostic sensitivity and specificity to SARS-CoV-2 in nasopharyngeal specimens. We recommend this diagnostic system for high-throughput COVID-19 screening in the community. | J Clin Microbiol | 2020 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 6564 | Comparative pathogenesis of COVID-19, MERS and SARS in a nonhuman primate model The current pandemic coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, was recently identified in patients with an acute respiratory syndrome, COVID-19. To compare its pathogenesis with that of previously emerging coronaviruses, we inoculated cynomolgus macaques with SARS-CoV-2 or MERS-CoV and compared the pathology and virology with historical reports of SARS-CoV infections. In SARS-CoV-2-infected macaques, virus was excreted from nose and throat in the absence of clinical signs, and detected in type I and II pneumocytes in foci of diffuse alveolar damage and in ciliated epithelial cells of nasal, bronchial, and bronchiolar mucosae. In SARS-CoV-infection, lung lesions were typically more severe, while they were milder in MERS-CoV infection, where virus was detected mainly in type II pneumocytes. These data show that SARS-CoV-2 causes COVID-19-like disease in macaques, and provides a new model to test preventive and therapeutic strategies. | Science | 2020 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 6565 | Four Distinct Cases of Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Adults Associated With SARS-CoV-2 Infection at a Community Hospital in New Jersey Multisystem inflammatory syndrome (MIS) is a rare entity that usually presents with a constellation of symptoms such as fever, hypotension, gastrointestinal symptoms, cardiac dysfunction, or dermatological involvement, representing an inflammatory state. During the ongoing severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic, several cases of multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) have been described in the literature. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has acknowledged the increasing incidence of the same entity in adults, referred to as multisystem inflammatory syndrome in adults (MIS-A). This case series describes four patients who presented to the Monmouth Medical Center in New Jersey with symptoms suggestive of MIS-A associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection and their clinical outcomes. All patients were within the age group of 20-40 years with no underlying medical condition. The period between SARS-CoV-2 infection and the development of MIS-A varied from 10 days through a month. Presentations ranged from a mild flu-like illness to shock requiring vasopressors. A positive SARS-CoV-2 antibody test was essential for the diagnosis. Inflammatory markers, such as ferritin, D-dimer, C-reactive protein (CRP), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and interleukin-6 (IL-6), were elevated on admission. The Use of immunomodulatory agents, namely steroids and intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG), resulted in positive clinical outcomes. Inflammatory markers and imaging on admission did not appear to predict the disease course. A positive SARS-CoV-2 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) did not appear to influence the response to treatment. Given the high probability of MIS-A with negative viral testing, the use of both antibody and viral testing with the addition of inflammatory markers may be essential to diagnose this SARS-CoV-2-associated condition. | Cureus | 2021 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 6566 | Spike-antibody waning after second dose of BNT162b2 or ChAdOx1 | Lancet | 2021 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 6567 | Development of a Portable, Ultra-Rapid and Ultra-Sensitive Cell-Based Biosensor for the Direct Detection of the SARS-CoV-2 S1 Spike Protein Antigen One of the key challenges of the recent COVID-19 pandemic is the ability to accurately estimate the number of infected individuals, particularly asymptomatic and/or early-stage patients. We herewith report the proof-of-concept development of a biosensor able to detect the SARS-CoV-2 S1 spike protein expressed on the surface of the virus. The biosensor is based on membrane-engineered mammalian cells bearing the human chimeric spike S1 antibody. We demonstrate that the attachment of the protein to the membrane-bound antibodies resulted in a selective and considerable change in the cellular bioelectric properties measured by means of a Bioelectric Recognition Assay. The novel biosensor provided results in an ultra-rapid manner (3 min), with a detection limit of 1 fg/mL and a semi-linear range of response between 10 fg and 1 μg/mL. In addition, no cross-reactivity was observed against the SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein. Furthermore, the biosensor was configured as a ready-to-use platform, including a portable read-out device operated via smartphone/tablet. In this way, we demonstrate that the novel biosensor can be potentially applied for the mass screening of SARS-CoV-2 surface antigens without prior sample processing, therefore offering a possible solution for the timely monitoring and eventual control of the global coronavirus pandemic. | Sensors (Basel) | 2020 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 6568 | COVID-19 and Iranian Medical Students; A Survey on Their Related-Knowledge, Preventive Behaviors and Risk Perception N/A | Arch Iran Med | 2020 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 6569 | SOM-LWL method for identification of COVID-19 on chest X-rays The outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has had an immense impact on world health and daily life in many countries. Sturdy observing of the initial site of infection in patients is crucial to gain control in the struggle with COVID-19. The early automated detection of the recent coronavirus disease (COVID-19) will help to limit its dissemination worldwide. Many initial studies have focused on the identification of the genetic material of coronavirus and have a poor detection rate for long-term surgery. The first imaging procedure that played an important role in COVID-19 treatment was the chest X-ray. Radiological imaging is often used as a method that emphasizes the performance of chest X-rays. Recent findings indicate the presence of COVID-19 in patients with irregular findings on chest X-rays. There are many reports on this topic that include machine learning strategies for the identification of COVID-19 using chest X-rays. Other current studies have used non-public datasets and complex artificial intelligence (AI) systems. In our research, we suggested a new COVID-19 identification technique based on the locality-weighted learning and self-organization map (LWL-SOM) strategy for detecting and capturing COVID-19 cases. We first grouped images from chest X-ray datasets based on their similar features in different clusters using the SOM strategy in order to discriminate between the COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 cases. Then, we built our intelligent learning model based on the LWL algorithm to diagnose and detect COVID-19 cases. The proposed SOM-LWL model improved the correlation coefficient performance results between the Covid19, no-finding, and pneumonia cases; pneumonia and no-finding cases; Covid19 and pneumonia cases; and Covid19 and no-finding cases from 0.9613 to 0.9788, 0.6113 to 1 0.8783 to 0.9999, and 0.8894 to 1, respectively. The proposed LWL-SOM had better results for discriminating COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 patients than the current machine learning-based solutions using AI evaluation measures. | PLoS One | 2021 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 6570 | Nanomedicine for the SARS-CoV-2: State-of-the-Art and Future Prospects The newly emerged ribonucleic acid (RNA) enveloped human beta-coronavirus, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection caused the COVID-19 pandemic, severely affects the respiratory system, and may lead to death. Lacking effective diagnostics and therapies made this pandemic challenging to manage since the SARS-CoV-2 transmits via human-to-human, enters via ACE2 and TMPSSR2 receptors, and damages organs rich in host cells, spreads via symptomatic carriers and is prominent in an immune-compromised population. New SARS-CoV-2 informatics (structure, strains, like-cycles, functional sites) motivated bio-pharma experts to investigate novel therapeutic agents that act to recognize, inhibit, and knockdown combinations of drugs, vaccines, and antibodies, have been optimized to manage COVID-19. However, successful targeted delivery of these agents to avoid off-targeting and unnecessary drug ingestion is very challenging. To overcome these obstacles, this mini-review projects nanomedicine technology, a pharmacologically relevant cargo of size within 10 to 200 nm, for site-specific delivery of a therapeutic agent to recognize and eradicate the SARS-CoV-2, and improving the human immune system. Such combinational therapy based on compartmentalization controls the delivery and releases of a drug optimized based on patient genomic profile and medical history. Nanotechnology could help combat COVID-19 via various methods such as avoiding viral contamination and spraying by developing personal protective equipment (PPE) to increase the protection of healthcare workers and produce effective antiviral disinfectants surface coatings capable of inactivating and preventing the virus from spreading. To quickly recognize the infection or immunological response, design highly accurate and sensitive nano-based sensors. Development of new drugs with improved activity, reduced toxicity, and sustained release to the lungs, as well as tissue targets; and development of nano-based immunizations to improve humoral and cellular immune responses. The desired and controlled features of suggested personalized therapeutics, nanomedicine, is a potential therapy to manage COVID-19 successfully. The state-of-the-art nanomedicine, challenges, and prospects of nanomedicine are carefully and critically discussed in this report, which may serve as a key platform for scholars to investigate the role of nanomedicine for higher efficacy to manage the COVID-19 pandemic. | Int J Nanomedicine | 2021 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 6571 | Universal and Serial Laboratory Testing for SARS-CoV-2 at a Long-Term Care Skilled Nursing Facility for Veterans-Los Angeles, California, 2020 On March 28, 2020, two residents of a long-term care skilled nursing facility (SNF) at the Veterans Affairs Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System (VAGLAHS) had positive test results for SARS-CoV-2, the cause of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) testing of nasopharyngeal specimens collected on March 26 and March 27. During March 29-April 23, all SNF residents, regardless of symptoms, underwent serial (approximately weekly) nasopharyngeal SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR testing, and positive results were communicated to the county health department. All SNF clinical and nonclinical staff members were also screened for SARS-CoV-2 by RT-PCR during March 29-April 10. Nineteen of 99 (19%) residents and eight of 136 (6%) staff members had positive test results for SARS-CoV-2 during March 28-April 10; no further resident cases were identified on subsequent testing on April 13, April 22, and April 23. Fourteen of the 19 residents with COVID-19 were asymptomatic at the time of testing. Among these residents, eight developed symptoms 1-5 days after specimen collection and were later classified as presymptomatic; one of these patients died. This report describes an outbreak of COVID-19 in an SNF, with case identification accomplished by implementing several rounds of RT-PCR testing, permitting rapid isolation of both symptomatic and asymptomatic residents with COVID-19. The outbreak was successfully contained following implementation of this strategy. | MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep | 2020 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 6572 | The SARS-CoV-2 Spike Glycoprotein Biosynthesis, Structure, Function and Antigenicity: Implications for the Design of Spike-Based Vaccine Immunogens The ongoing pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), poses a grave threat to global public health and imposes a severe burden on the entire human society. Like other coronaviruses, the SARS-CoV-2 genome encodes spike (S) glycoproteins, which protrude from the surface of mature virions. The S glycoprotein plays essential roles in virus attachment, fusion and entry into the host cell. Surface location of the S glycoprotein renders it a direct target for host immune responses, making it the main target of neutralizing antibodies. In the light of its crucial roles in viral infection and adaptive immunity, the S protein is the focus of most vaccine strategies as well as therapeutic interventions. In this review, we highlight and describe the recent progress that has been made in the biosynthesis, structure, function, and antigenicity of the SARS-CoV-2 S glycoprotein, aiming to provide valuable insights into the design and development of the S protein-based vaccines as well as therapeutics. | Front Immunol | 2020 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 6573 | Distance education during COVID-19: an Italian survey on the university teachers' perspectives and their emotional conditions BACKGROUND: Following the COVID-19 pandemic, distance education (DE) replaced traditional “face-to-face” teaching and has become the main method of teaching. The aim of this study was to 1) evaluate the impact of DE by teachers in our department during the second semester of the 2019–20 academic year following the March–May 2020 Italian national lockdown and 2) evaluate the relationship between DE and the emotional well-being of teachers during the period of home confinement. METHODS: Ninety-seven university teachers (51.5% women; most represented age group 60–69 years range, 40.2%) responded to an anonymous online cross-sectional survey between July 15 – September 30, 2020, on the advantages and disadvantages of DE, developed by one online teacher focus group. The emotional conditions were assessed by a short version of the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II). The internal consistency reliability survey and the 10-item BDI-II were measured by Cronbach’s alpha. A correlation analysis (r-Pearson) was conducted between the overall evaluation of the experience of DE and the variables included in the study. RESULTS: Teachers reported difficulties in technical aspects, and in psychological factors, as the discomfort of “speaking in the void” (64.7%). The absence of “face-to-face” eye contact with the students was complained by 81% of teachers. Significant impairments in sleep patterns and loss of energy were reported, with female teachers having greater difficulty concentrating than their male colleagues. A quarter of teachers showed depressive symptoms of varying severity. The most satisfied teachers were those most stimulated by DE (r = 0.752, p < 0.000), who showed a lower impact of depressive symptoms (r = − 0.289, p = 0.005). The teaching load in hours influenced the perception of disadvantages (r = 0.214, p = 0.035) and contributed to a lower appreciation of the challenges of DE. The more significant the manifestation of depressive symptoms during the lockdown was, the greater the subjective recovery of a good emotional condition once the domestic confinement was over (r = 0.344, p = 0.001), despite maintaining DE. CONCLUSIONS: Our study highlights the impact of technical, didactic, and psychological difficulties of DE, reported by our teachers. The appreciation of their new learning promoted by DE seemed related to better emotional well-being of university teachers accepting this “challenge” in their important role in the high-education system, influencing good learning and promoting students’ professional success. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12909-021-02780-y. | BMC Med Educ | 2021 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 6574 | Lessons Learnt From the COVID-19 Pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, caused by the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, has been characterized by unprecedented rates of spatio-temporal spread. Here, we summarize the main events in the pandemic's timeline and evaluate what has been learnt by the public health community. We also discuss the implications for future public health policy and, specifically, the practice of epidemic control. We critically analyze this ongoing pandemic's timeline and contrast it with the 2002–2003 SARS outbreak. We identify specific areas (e.g., pathogen identification and initial reporting) wherein the international community learnt valuable lessons from the SARS outbreak. However, we also identify the key areas where international public health policy failed leading to the exponential spread of the pandemic. We outline a clear agenda for improved pandemic control in the future. | Front Public Health | 2021 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 6575 | National preparedness survey of pediatric intensive care units with simulation centers during the coronavirus pandemic BACKGROUND: The coronavirus disease pandemic caught many pediatric hospitals unprepared and has forced pediatric healthcare systems to scramble as they examine and plan for the optimal allocation of medical resources for the highest priority patients. There is limited data describing pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) preparedness and their health worker protections. AIM: To describe the current coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) preparedness efforts among a set of PICUs within a simulation-based network nationwide. METHODS: A cross-sectional multi-center national survey of PICU medical director(s) from children’s hospitals across the United States. The questionnaire was developed and reviewed by physicians with expertise in pediatric critical care, disaster readiness, human factors, and survey development. Thirty-five children’s hospitals were identified for recruitment through a long-established national research network. The questions focused on six themes: (1) PICU and medical director demographics; (2) Pediatric patient flow during the pandemic; (3) Changes to the staffing models related to the pandemic; (4) Use of personal protective equipment (PPE); (5) Changes in clinical practice and innovations; and (6) Current modalities of training including simulation. RESULTS: We report on survey responses from 22 of 35 PICUs (63%). The majority of PICUs were located within children’s hospitals (87%). All PICUs cared for pediatric patients with COVID-19 at the time of the survey. The majority of PICUs (83.4%) witnessed decreases in non-COVID-19 patients, 43% had COVID-19 dedicated units, and 74.6% pivoted to accept adult COVID-19 patients. All PICUs implemented changes to their staffing models with the most common changes being changes in COVID-19 patient room assignment in 50% of surveyed PICUs and introducing remote patient monitoring in 36% of the PICU units. Ninety-five percent of PICUs conducted training for donning and doffing of enhanced PPE. Even 6 months into the pandemic, one-third of PICUs across the United States reported shortages in PPE. The most common training formats for PPE were hands-on training (73%) and video-based content (82%). The most common concerns related to COVID-19 practice were changes in clinical protocols and guidelines (50%). The majority of PICUs implemented significant changes in their airway management (82%) and cardiac arrest management protocols in COVID-19 patients (68%). Simulation-based training was the most commonly utilized training modality (82%), whereas team training (73%) and team dynamics (77%) were the most common training objectives. CONCLUSIONS: A substantial proportion of surveyed PICUs reported on large changes in their preparedness and training efforts before and during the pandemic. PICUs implemented broad strategies including modifications to staffing, PPE usage, workflow, and clinical practice, while using simulation as the preferred training modality. Further research is needed to advance the level of preparedness, support staff assuredness, and support deep learning about which preparedness actions were effective and what lessons are needed to improve PICU care and staff protection for the next COVID-19 patient waves. | World J Crit Care Med | 2020 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 6576 | Safety and antibody response to two-dose SARS-CoV-2 messenger RNA vaccination in patients with multiple myeloma BACKGROUND: Patients with multiple myeloma (MM) were excluded from the original SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccine trials, which may influence vaccine hesitancy in this population. We prospectively characterized the safety and immunogenicity of two-dose SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccination in 44 patients with MM, who underwent vaccination from 12/17/2020 to 3/18/2021. RESULTS: Rates adverse reactions were low and consistent with those documented in vaccine trials. Among those on MM therapy, 93% developed detectable anti-receptor binding domain (RBD) antibodies after dose 2, while 94% of patients not on MM therapy seroconverted. CONCLUSIONS: Two-dose SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccination is mildly reactogenic and leads to high rates of seroconversion in patients with MM. These findings can provide reassurance to MM patients who are hesitant to receive SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccines. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12885-021-09097-5. | BMC Cancer | 2021 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 6577 | Dietary and Lifestyle Changes During COVID-19 and the Subsequent Lockdowns among Polish Adults: A Cross-Sectional Online Survey PLifeCOVID-19 Study The present study aimed to identify patterns of dietary changes during the COVID-19 pandemic and their associations with sociodemographics, body mass index (BMI) before pandemic, and lifestyle changes in Polish adults and to examine the effects of lockdowns on dietary–lifestyle changes. This study used a cross-sectional online survey to collect data. The k-means algorithm was used to determine of patterns of dietary changes, and logistic regression analyses were performed. During the study period, 43% of respondents decreased physical activity (PA), 49%—increased screen time, and 34%—increased food consumption. Among the three dietary changes patterns, two opposite patterns were found: Prohealthy (28% participants) and Unhealthy (19% participants).The adherence to the Prohealthy pattern was negatively associated with age, but positively with being overweight (aOR 1.31) or obese before pandemic (aOR 1.64). Residing in a macroeconomic region with GDP > 100% decreased adherence to the Prohealthy (aOR 0.73) but increased adherence to the Unhealthy pattern (aOR 1.47). Adults over 40 years old, those living with children, unemployed, those living in a region with a higher GDP, and those not consuming homemade meals could be more exposed to unhealthy behaviors. From a public health perspective, enhancing the message “to be active” during the compulsory isolation period should be prioritized. | Nutrients | 2020 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 6578 | Dominant CD8+ T Cell Nucleocapsid Targeting in SARS-CoV-2 Infection and Broad Spike Targeting From Vaccination CD8(+) T cells have key protective roles in many viral infections. While an overall Th1-biased cellular immune response against SARS-CoV-2 has been demonstrated, most reports of anti-SARS-CoV-2 cellular immunity have evaluated bulk T cells using pools of predicted epitopes, without clear delineation of the CD8(+) subset and its magnitude and targeting. In recently infected persons (mean 29.8 days after COVID-19 symptom onset), we confirm a Th1 bias (and a novel IL-4-producing population of unclear significance) by flow cytometry, which does not correlate to antibody responses against the receptor binding domain. Evaluating isolated CD8(+) T cells in more detail by IFN-γ ELISpot assays, responses against spike, nucleocapsid, matrix, and envelope proteins average 396, 901, 296, and 0 spot-forming cells (SFC) per million, targeting 1.4, 1.5, 0.59, and 0.0 epitope regions respectively. Nucleocapsid targeting is dominant in terms of magnitude, breadth, and density of targeting. The magnitude of responses drops rapidly post-infection; nucleocapsid targeting is most sustained, and vaccination selectively boosts spike targeting. In SARS-CoV-2-naïve persons, evaluation of the anti-spike CD8(+) T cell response soon after vaccination (mean 11.3 days) yields anti-spike CD8(+) T cell responses averaging 2,463 SFC/million against 4.2 epitope regions, and targeting mirrors that seen in infected persons. These findings provide greater clarity on CD8(+) T cell anti-SARS-CoV-2 targeting, breadth, and persistence, suggesting that nucleocapsid inclusion in vaccines could broaden coverage and durability. | Front Immunol | 2022 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 6579 | Mutations and Evolution of the SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein The SARS-CoV-2 spike protein mediates target recognition, cellular entry, and ultimately the viral infection that leads to various levels of COVID-19 severities. Positive evolutionary selection of mutations within the spike protein has led to the genesis of new SARS-CoV-2 variants with greatly enhanced overall fitness. Given the trend of variants with increased fitness arising from spike protein alterations, it is critical that the scientific community understand the mechanisms by which these mutations alter viral functions. As of March 2022, five SARS-CoV-2 strains were labeled “variants of concern” by the World Health Organization: the Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta, and Omicron variants. This review summarizes the potential mechanisms by which the common mutations on the spike protein that occur within these strains enhance the overall fitness of their respective variants. In addressing these mutations within the context of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein structure, spike/receptor binding interface, spike/antibody binding, and virus neutralization, we summarize the general paradigms that can be used to estimate the effects of future mutations along SARS-CoV-2 evolution. | Viruses | 2022 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 6580 | Unexplained mortality during the US COVID-19 pandemic: retrospective analysis of death certificate data and critical assessment of excess death calculations OBJECTIVES: Cause-of-death discrepancies are common in respiratory illness-related mortality. A standard epidemiological metric, excess all-cause death, is unaffected by these discrepancies but provides no actionable policy information when increased all-cause mortality is unexplained by reported specific causes. To assess the contribution of unexplained mortality to the excess death metric, we parsed excess deaths in the COVID-19 pandemic into changes in explained versus unexplained (unreported or unspecified) causes. DESIGN: Retrospective repeated cross-sectional analysis, US death certificate data for six influenza seasons beginning October 2014, comparing population-adjusted historical benchmarks from the previous two, three and five seasons with 2019–2020. SETTING: 48 of 50 states with complete data. PARTICIPANTS: 16.3 million deaths in 312 weeks, reported in categories—all causes, top eight natural causes and respiratory causes including COVID-19. OUTCOME MEASURES: Change in population-adjusted counts of deaths from seasonal benchmarks to 2019–2020, from all causes (ie, total excess deaths) and from explained versus unexplained causes, reported for the season overall and for time periods defined a priori: pandemic awareness (19 January through 28 March); initial pandemic peak (29 March through 30 May) and pandemic post-peak (31 May through 26 September). RESULTS: Depending on seasonal benchmark, 287 957–306 267 excess deaths occurred through September 2020: 179 903 (58.7%–62.5%) attributed to COVID-19; 44 022–49 311 (15.2%–16.1%) to other reported causes; 64 032–77 054 (22.2%–25.2%) unexplained (unspecified or unreported cause). Unexplained deaths constituted 65.2%–72.5% of excess deaths from 19 January to 28 March and 14.1%–16.1% from 29 March through 30 May. CONCLUSIONS: Unexplained mortality contributed substantially to US pandemic period excess deaths. Onset of unexplained mortality in February 2020 coincided with previously reported increases in psychotropic use, suggesting possible psychiatric or injurious causes. Because underlying causes of unexplained deaths may vary by group or region, results suggest excess death calculations provide limited actionable information, supporting previous calls for improved cause-of-death data to support evidence-based policy. | BMJ Open | 2021 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 6581 | Mental Health Symptoms and Workplace Challenges among Australian Paramedics during the COVID-19 Pandemic Background: Paramedics are vital to the health system response to the COVID-19 pandemic; however, the pressures on this workforce have been intense and challenging. This study reports on mental health symptoms and the working environment among Australian paramedics during the COVID-19 pandemic and explores their experiences of work and wellbeing during this time. Methods: An anonymous, online survey of frontline healthcare workers examined work environment, psychological wellbeing, and contained four open-ended qualitative items. Using a mixed method approach, quantitative data were analysed descriptively and qualitative data were analysed using content analysis. Results: This paper reports findings from 95 paramedics who provided complete quantitative data and 85 paramedics who provided free-text responses to at least one qualitative item. Objectively measured mental health symptoms were common among paramedics, and almost two thirds of paramedics self-reported experiencing burnout. Qualitative analysis highlighted key issues of safety and risk in the workplace, uncertainty and upheaval at work and at home, and lack of crisis preparedness. Qualitative analysis revealed four themes; ‘the pervasiveness of COVID-19 disruptions across all life domains’; ‘the challenges of widespread disruption at work’; ‘risk, uncertainty and feeling unsafe at work’, and ‘the challenges of pandemic (un)preparedness across the health system’. Conclusions: The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in considerable occupational disruption for paramedics and was associated with significant negative impacts on mental health. Findings emphasise the need for more adaptive working conditions, mental health support for paramedics, and enhanced crisis preparedness across the health system for future crises. | Int J Environ Res Public Healt | 2022 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 6582 | Older Adults in the United States and COVID-19: A Qualitative Study of Perceptions, Finances, Coping and Emotions Introduction: Older adults have the poorest coronavirus (COVID-19) prognosis with the highest risk of death due to complications, making their COVID-19 experiences particularly important. Guided by the stress-appraisal-coping theoretical model, we sought to understand COVID-related perceptions and behaviors of older adults residing in the United States. Materials and Methods: We used convenience sampling to recruit persons with the following inclusion criteria: Aged ≥ 65 years, English fluency, and U.S. residency. Semi structured in-depth interviews were conducted remotely and audio recorded between April 25, 2020 and May 7, 2020. Interviews were professionally transcribed with a final study sample of 43. A low-inference qualitative descriptive design was used to provide a situated understanding of participants' life experiences using their naturalistic expressions. Results: The mean age of participants was 72.4 ± 6.7. Slightly over half were female (55.8%), 90.6% were White, and 18.6% lived alone. The largest percentages of participants resided in a rural area (27.9%) or small city (25.6%). We identified four themes, including (1) risk perception, (2) financial impact, (3) coping, and (4) emotions. Most participants were aware of their greater risk for poor COVID-19 outcomes but many did not believe in their increased risk. Financial circumstances because of the pandemic varied with largely no financial impacts, while others reported negative impacts and a few reported positive impacts. Coping was problem- and emotion-focused. Problem-focused coping included precautionary efforts and emotion-focused coping included creating daily structure, pursuing new and/or creative activities, connecting with others in new ways, and minimizing news media exposure. Overall, emotional health was negatively affected by the pandemic although some participants reported positive emotional experiences. Conclusions: Perceiving themselves as high risk for COVID-19 complications, older adults used precautionary measures to protect themselves from contracting the virus. The precautionary measures included social isolation, which can negatively affect mental health. Older adults will need to be resourceful and draw on existing resources to cope, such as engaging in creative activities and new strategies to connect with others. Our findings underscore the importance of the preservation of mental health during extended periods of isolation by taking advantage of low-to-no-cost existing resources. | Front Public Health | 2021 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 6583 | Public Perception of SARS-CoV-2 Vaccinations on Social Media: Questionnaire and Sentiment Analysis Vaccine hesitancy is an ongoing concern, presenting a major threat to global health. SARS-CoV-2 COVID-19 vaccinations are no exception as misinformation began to circulate on social media early in their development. Twitter’s Application Programming Interface (API) for Python was used to collect 137,781 tweets between 1 July 2021 and 21 July 2021 using 43 search terms relating to COVID-19 vaccines. Tweets were analysed for sentiment using Microsoft Azure (a machine learning approach) and the VADER sentiment analysis model (a lexicon-based approach), where the Natural Language Processing Toolkit (NLTK) assessed whether tweets represented positive, negative or neutral opinions. The majority of tweets were found to be negative in sentiment (53,899), followed by positive (53,071) and neutral (30,811). The negative tweets displayed a higher intensity of sentiment than positive tweets. A questionnaire was distributed and analysis found that individuals with full vaccination histories were less concerned about receiving and were more likely to accept the vaccine. Overall, we determined that this sentiment-based approach is useful to establish levels of vaccine hesitancy in the general public and, alongside the questionnaire, suggests strategies to combat specific concerns and misinformation. | Int J Environ Res Public Healt | 2021 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 6584 | Willingness of children and adolescents to have a COVID-19 vaccination: Results of a large whole schools survey in England BACKGROUND: Vaccine hesitancy has affected COVID-19 adult vaccination programs in many countries. Data on hesitancy amongst child and adolescent populations is largely confined to parent opinion. We investigated the characteristics of vaccine hesitant children and adolescents using results from a large, school-based self-report survey of the willingness to have a COVID-19 vaccination in students aged 9 –18 years in England. METHODS: Data from the OxWell Student Survey on mental health, life experiences and behaviours were used, collected from four counties across England. Local authority partners recruited schools. The vaccine hesitancy question gave six response options and were clustered to inform delivery: eager and willing were categorised as vaccination ‘opt-in’, don't know and not bothered categorised as ‘undecided’, and unwilling and anti-vaccination categorised as ‘opt-out’. We conducted a multinomial regression to determine associations between vaccine hesitancy and sociodemographic, health behaviour and social connection variables. FINDINGS: 27,910 students from 180 schools answered the vaccine hesitancy question between 14th May and 21st July 2021, of whom 13984 (50.1%) would opt-in to take a vaccination, 10322 (37.0%) were undecided, and 3604 (12.9%) would opt-out. A lower percentage of younger students reported that they would opt-in to vaccination, for example, 35.7% of 9-year-olds and 51.3% of 13-year-olds compared to 77.8% of 17-year-olds would opt-in to take a vaccination. Students who were ‘opt-out’ or ‘undecided’ (a combined ‘vaccine hesitant’ group) were more likely to come from deprived socioeconomic contexts with higher rates of home rental versus home ownership and their school locations were more likely to be in areas of greater deprivation. They were more likely to smoke or vape, spend longer on social media, feel that they did not belong in their school community but had lower levels of anxiety and depression. The vaccine hesitant students- the undecided and opt-out groups- were similar in profile, although the opt-out students had higher reported confirmed or probable previous COVID-19 infection than the opt-in group, whereas those undecided, did not. INTERPRETATION: If government vaccination strategies move towards vaccinating younger school-aged students, efforts to increase vaccination uptake may be necessary. Compared with students who would opt-in, those who were vaccine hesitant had greater indicators of social deprivation and felt a lack of community cohesion by not feeling a sense of belonging at their school. There were indications that those students who would opt-out had higher levels of marginalisation and mistrust. If programmes are rolled out, focus on hesitant younger students will be important, targeting more marginalised and deprived young people with information from trusted sources utilising social media; improving access to vaccination centres with provision both in and outside school; and addressing fears and worries about the effects of the vaccine. The main limitation of this study is that the participant group may not be wholly representative of England or the UK, which may bias population-level estimates of willingness to be vaccinated. FUNDING: The Westminster Foundation, the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Applied Research Collaboration Oxford and Thames Valley at Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust and the NIHR Oxford Health Biomedical Research Centre. | EClinicalMedicine | 2021 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 6585 | Galectin-9, a Player in Cytokine Release Syndrome and a Surrogate Diagnostic Biomarker in SARS-CoV-2 Infection The outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 infection has enormously impacted our lives. Clinical evidence has implicated the emergence of cytokine release syndrome as the prominent cause of mortality in COVID-19 patients. In this study, we observed massive elevation of plasma Galectin-9 (Gal-9) in COVID-19 patients compared to healthy controls (HCs). By using the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, we found that a baseline of 2,042 pg/ml plasma Gal-9 can differentiate SARS-CoV-2-infected from noninfected individuals with high specificity/sensitivity (95%). Analysis of 30 cytokines and chemokines detected a positive correlation of the plasma Gal-9 with C-reactive protein (CRP) and proinflammatory cytokines/chemokines such as interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), IP-10, MIP-1α, and MCP-1 but an inverse correlation with transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) in COVID-19 patients. In agreement, we found enhanced production of IL-6 and TNF-α by monocytes and NK cells of COVID-19 patients once treated with the recombinant human Gal-9 in vitro. Also, we observed that although the cell-membrane expression of Gal-9 on monocytes does not change in COVID-19 patients, those with higher Gal-9 expression exhibit an activated phenotype. Furthermore, we noted significant downregulation of surface Gal-9 in neutrophils from COVID-19 patients compared to HCs. Our further investigations indicated that immune activation following SARS-CoV-2 infection results in Gal-9 shedding from neutrophils. The strong correlation of Gal-9 with proinflammatory mediators suggests that inhibition of Gal-9 may severe as a therapeutic approach in COVID-19 infection. Besides, the plasma Gal-9 measurement may be used as a surrogate diagnostic biomarker in COVID-19 patients. | mBio | 2021 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 6586 | Evaluation of the QIAstat-Dx Respiratory SARS-CoV-2 Panel, the First Rapid Multiplex PCR Commercial Assay for SARS-CoV-2 Detection In the race to contain severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), efficient detection and triage of infected patients must rely on rapid and reliable testing. In this work, we performed the first evaluation of the QIAstat-Dx respiratory SARS-CoV-2 panel (QIAstat-SARS) for SARS-CoV-2 detection. This assay is the first rapid multiplex PCR (mPCR) assay, including SARS-CoV-2 detection, and is fully compatible with a non-PCR-trained laboratory or point-of-care (PoC) testing. This evaluation was performed using 69 primary clinical samples (66 nasopharyngeal swabs [NPS], 1 bronchoalveolar lavage fluid sample [BAL], 1 tracheal aspirate sample, and 1 bronchial aspirate sample) comparing SARS-CoV-2 detection with the currently WHO-recommended reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR) (WHO-RT-PCR) workflow. Additionally, a comparative limit of detection (LoD) assessment was performed for QIAstat-SARS and WHO-RT-PCR using a quantified clinical sample. Compatibility of sample pretreatment for viral neutralization or viscous samples with the QIAstat-SARS system were also tested. The QIAstat-Dx respiratory SARS-CoV-2 panel demonstrated a sensitivity comparable to that of the WHO-recommended assay with a limit of detection at 1,000 copies/ml. The overall percent agreement between QIAstat-Dx SARS and WHO-RT-PCR on 69 clinical samples was 97% with a sensitivity of 100% (40/40) and specificity at 93% (27/29). No cross-reaction was encountered for any other respiratory viruses or bacteria included in the panel. The QIAstat-SARS rapid multiplex PCR panel provides a highly sensitive, robust, and accurate assay for rapid detection of SARS-CoV-2. This assay allows rapid decisions even in non-PCR-trained laboratory or point-of-care testing, allowing innovative organization. | J Clin Microbiol | 2020 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 6587 | Evolution of Altered Sense of Smell or Taste in Patients With Mildly Symptomatic COVID-19 N/A | JAMA Otolaryngol Head Neck Sur | 2020 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 6588 | COVID-19-Related Symptoms during the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron (B.1.1.529) Variant Surge in Japan N/A | Tohoku J Exp Med | 2022 | LitCov | |
| 6589 | How is Brazil facing the crisis of Food and Nutrition Security during the COVID-19 pandemic? The goal of this commentary is to expose the situation of Food and Nutrition Security (FNS) in Brazil in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic by providing a critical analysis of this scenario and suggesting ways to move forward. When COVID-19 arrived in Brazil, a crisis scenario that incorporated economic, social and political aspects became highly visible. This scenario fostered unemployment, poverty and hunger. Besides that, it exposed multiple vulnerabilities that were getting worse over the past few years prior to the pandemic. In this context, COVID-19 found in Brazil a fertile ground for its dissemination and community transmission. The impacts of the suspension of many commercial activities and other economic sectors due to the pandemic were quickly felt socially and economically in Brazil. Some of the actions carried out by the Brazilian government included the emergency aid payment and exemption from payment of energy bills for vulnerable individuals, release of funds for programmes for the direct purchase of food from family farmers, delivery of school food kits directly to students despite the closure of schools and publication of sanitary rules for the operation of restaurants. However, these actions are still insufficient, slow and not sufficiently coordinated to contain the progress of the food and nutritional insecurity crisis in Brazil. The COVID-19 pandemic highlights the urgency for the Brazilian government to again prioritise the FNS agenda. This includes implementing mechanisms to ensure the Human Right to Adequate Food and expanding existing FNS programmes. | Public Health Nutr | 2020 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 6590 | Predictors of Mortality in Critically Ill COVID-19 Patients Demanding High Oxygen Flow: A Thin Line between Inflammation, Cytokine Storm and Coagulopathy INTRODUCTION: Mortality among critically ill COVID-19 patients remains relatively high despite different potential therapeutic modalities being introduced recently. The treatment of critically ill patients is a challenging task, without identified credible predictors of mortality. METHODS: We performed an analysis of 160 consecutive patients with confirmed COVID-19 infection admitted to the Respiratory Intensive Care Unit between June 23, 2020, and October 2, 2020, in University Hospital Center Bezanijska kosa, Belgrade, Serbia. Patients on invasive, noninvasive ventilation and high flow oxygen therapy with moderate to severe ARDS, according to the Berlin definition of ARDS, were selected for the study. Demographic data, past medical history, laboratory values, and CT severity score were analyzed to identify predictors of mortality. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression models were used to assess potential predictors of mortality in critically ill COVID-19 patients. RESULTS: The mean patient age was 65.6 years (range, 29–92 years), predominantly men, 68.8%. 107 (66.9%) patients were on invasive mechanical ventilation, 31 (19.3%) on noninvasive, and 22 (13.8%) on high flow oxygen therapy machine. The median total number of ICU days was 10 (25(th) to 75(th) percentile: 6–18), while the median total number of hospital stay was 18 (25(th) to 75(th) percentile: 12–28). The mortality rate was 60% (96/160). Univariate logistic regression analysis confirmed the significance of age, CRP, and lymphocytes at admission to hospital, serum albumin, D-dimer, and IL-6 at admission to ICU, and CT score. Serum albumin, D-dimer, and IL-6 at admission to ICU were independently associated with mortality in the final multivariate analysis. CONCLUSION: In the present study of 160 consecutive critically ill COVID-19 patients with moderate to severe ARDS, IL-6, serum albumin, and D-dimer at admission to ICU, accompanied by chest CT severity score, were marked as independent predictors of mortality. | Oxid Med Cell Longev | 2021 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 6591 | Antimicrobial stewardship in the UK during the COVID-19 pandemic: a population-based cohort study and interrupted time-series analysis BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic has altered the context for antimicrobial stewardship in primary care. AIM: To assess the effect of the pandemic on antibiotic prescribing, accounting for changes in consultations for respiratory and urinary tract infections (RTIs/UTIs). DESIGN AND SETTING: Population-based cohort study using the UK Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD) GOLD database from January 2017 to September 2020. METHOD: Interrupted time-series analysis evaluated changes in antibiotic prescribing and RTI/UTI consultations adjusting for age, sex, season, and secular trends. The authors assessed the proportion of COVID-19 episodes associated with antibiotic prescribing. RESULTS: There were 253 655 registered patients in 2017 and 232 218 in 2020, with 559 461 antibiotic prescriptions, 216 110 RTI consultations, and 36 402 UTI consultations. Compared with prepandemic months, March 2020 was associated with higher antibiotic prescribing (adjusted rate ratio [ARR] 1.13; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.11 to 1.16). Antibiotic prescribing fell below predicted rates between April and August 2020, reaching a minimum in May (ARR 0.73; 95% CI = 0.71 to 0.75). Pandemic months were associated with lower rates of RTI/UTI consultations, particularly in April for RTIs (ARR 0.23; 95% CI = 0.22 to 0.25). There were small reductions in the proportion of RTI consultations with antibiotic prescribed and no reduction for UTIs. Among 25 889 COVID-19 patients, 2942 (11%) had antibiotics within a COVID-19 episode. CONCLUSION: Pandemic months were initially associated with increased antibiotic prescribing, which then fell below expected levels during the national lockdown. Findings are reassuring that antibiotic stewardship priorities have not been neglected because of COVID-19. Research is required into the effects of reduced RTI/UTI consultations on incidence of serious bacterial infections. | Br J Gen Pract | 2021 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 6592 | Maternal SARS-CoV-2 Infection, its Vertical Transmission and Impact on Overall Perinatal Outcomes: A Narrative Review N/A | Curr Pediatr Rev | 2022 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 6593 | Infodemic, Institutional Trust and COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy: A Cross-National Survey N/A | Int J Environ Res Public Healt | 2022 | LitCov | |
| 6594 | SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence in healthcare workers of a teaching hospital in a highly endemic region in the Netherlands after the first wave: a cross-sectional study OBJECTIVE: To study the SARS-CoV-2 infection rate among hospital healthcare workers after the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, and provide more knowledge in the understanding of the relationship between infection, symptomatology and source of infection. DESIGN: A cross-sectional study in healthcare workers. SETTING: Northern Limburg, the Netherlands. PARTICIPANTS: All employees of VieCuri Medical Center (n=3300) were invited to enrol in current study. In total 2507 healthcare workers participated. INTERVENTION: Between 22 June 2020 and 3 July 2020, participants provided venous blood samples voluntarily, which were tested for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies with the Wantai SARS-CoV-2 Ig total ELISA test. Work characteristics, exposure risks and prior symptoms consistent with COVID-19 were gathered through a survey. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Proportion of healthcare workers with positive SARS-CoV-2 serology. RESULTS: The overall seroprevalence was 21.1% (n=530/2507). Healthcare workers between 17 and 30 years were more likely to have SARS-CoV-2 antibodies compared with participants >30 years. The probability of having SARS-CoV-2 antibodies was comparable for healthcare workers with and without direct patient (OR 1.42, 95% CI 0.86 to 2.34) and COVID-19 patient contact (OR 1.62, 95% CI 0.80 to 3.33). On the contrary, exposure to COVID-19 positive coworkers (OR 1.83, 95% CI 1.15 to 2.93) and household members (OR 6.09, 95% CI 2.23 to 16.64) was associated with seropositivity. Of those healthcare workers with SARS-CoV-2 antibodies, 16% (n=85/530) had not experienced any prior COVID-19-related symptoms. Only fever and anosmia were associated with seropositivity (OR 1.90, 95% CI 1.42 to 2.55 and OR 10.51, 95% CI 7.86 to 14.07). CONCLUSIONS: Healthcare workers caring for hospitalised COVID-19 patients were not at an increased risk of infection, most likely as a result of taking standard infection control measures into consideration. These data show that compliance with infection control measures is essential to control secondary transmission and constrain the spread of the virus. | BMJ Open | 2021 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 6595 | Hospitalization Rates and Characteristics of Children Aged <18 Years Hospitalized with Laboratory-Confirmed COVID-19-COVID-NET, 14 States, March 1-July 25, 2020 Most reported cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in children aged <18 years appear to be asymptomatic or mild (1). Less is known about severe COVID-19 illness requiring hospitalization in children. During March 1-July 25, 2020, 576 pediatric COVID-19 cases were reported to the COVID-19-Associated Hospitalization Surveillance Network (COVID-NET), a population-based surveillance system that collects data on laboratory-confirmed COVID-19-associated hospitalizations in 14 states (2,3). Based on these data, the cumulative COVID-19-associated hospitalization rate among children aged <18 years during March 1-July 25, 2020, was 8.0 per 100,000 population, with the highest rate among children aged <2 years (24.8). During March 21-July 25, weekly hospitalization rates steadily increased among children (from 0.1 to 0.4 per 100,000, with a weekly high of 0.7 per 100,000). Overall, Hispanic or Latino (Hispanic) and non-Hispanic black (black) children had higher cumulative rates of COVID-19-associated hospitalizations (16.4 and 10.5 per 100,000, respectively) than did non-Hispanic white (white) children (2.1). Among 208 (36.1%) hospitalized children with complete medical chart reviews, 69 (33.2%) were admitted to an intensive care unit (ICU); 12 of 207 (5.8%) required invasive mechanical ventilation, and one patient died during hospitalization. Although the cumulative rate of pediatric COVID-19-associated hospitalization remains low (8.0 per 100,000 population) compared with that among adults (164.5),* weekly rates increased during the surveillance period, and one in three hospitalized children were admitted to the ICU, similar to the proportion among adults. Continued tracking of SARS-CoV-2 infections among children is important to characterize morbidity and mortality. Reinforcement of prevention efforts is essential in congregate settings that serve children, including childcare centers and schools. | MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep | 2020 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 6596 | Retinal Vascular Events after mRNA and Adenoviral-Vectored COVID-19 Vaccines-A Case Series Background: To describe cases of retinal vascular events shortly after administration of mRNA or adenoviral-vectored COVID-19 vaccines. Design: Retrospective, multicenter case series. Methods: Six cases of retinal vascular events shortly after receiving COVID-19 vaccines. Results: A 38-year-old, otherwise healthy male patient presented with branch retinal arterial occlusion four days after receiving his second dose of SARS-CoV-2 vaccination with Comirnaty(®) (BioNTech(®), Mainz, Germany; Pfizer(®), New York City, NY, USA). An 81-year-old female patient developed visual symptoms twelve days after the second dose of SARS-CoV-2 vaccination with Comirnaty(®) and was diagnosed with a combined arterial and venous occlusion in her right eye. A 40-year-old male patient noticed blurry vision five days after his first dose of SARS-CoV-2 vaccination with Comirnaty(®) and was diagnosed with venous stasis retinopathy in his left eye. A 67-year-old male was diagnosed with non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy in his right eye four days after receiving the first dose of Vaxzevria(®) (AstraZeneca(®), Cambridge, UK). A 32-year-old man presented with a sudden onset of a scotoma two days after receiving the second dose of SARS-CoV-2 vaccination with Spikevax(®) (Moderna, Cambridge, UK) and was diagnosed with a circumscribed nerve fiber infarction. A 21-year-old female patient developed an acute bilateral acute macular neuroretinopathy three days after receiving the first dose of SARS-CoV2-vaccine Vaxzevria(®) (AstraZeneca(®), Cambridge, UK). Conclusion: This case series describes six cases of retinal vascular events shortly after receiving mRNA or adenoviral-vectored COVID-19 vaccines. The short time span between received vaccination and occurrence of the observed retinal vascular events raises the question of a direct correlation. Our case series adds to further reports of possible side effects with potential serious post-immunization complications of COVID-19 vaccinations. | Vaccines (Basel) | 2021 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 6597 | Animal models for COVID-19 N/A | Nature | 2020 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 6598 | Guillain-Barré Syndrome Associated With SARS-CoV-2 Detection and COVID-19 in a Child Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is caused by infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Physicians in China reported what is believed to be the first adult case of a SARS-CoV-2 infection associated with acute Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS), followed by 5 adult Italian patients and another case in the United States. In the current report, we present one of the first descriptions of an association of GBS and SARS-CoV-2 infection in a child. In our facility, an 11-year-old boy presented with typical features of GBS and, after 5 days, a morbilliform skin rash over the palms of both hands. Three weeks before the start of the neurological symptoms, the boy had experienced an episode of mild febrile illness with mild respiratory manifestations and a persistent cough. The diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 infection was confirmed by oropharyngeal swab on reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction assay. The disease course of our patient strongly suggests a possible relationship between the development of GBS and SARS-CoV-2 infection. The case is discussed in view of previous case reports regarding the association of GBS and COVID-19. | J Pediatric Infect Dis Soc | 2020 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 6599 | Vaccination status, acceptance and knowledge toward a COVID-19 vaccine among healthcare workers: a cross-sectional survey in China N/A | Hum Vaccin Immunother | 2021 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 6600 | Public Discourse Against Masks in the COVID-19 Era: Infodemiology Study of Twitter Data BACKGROUND: Despite scientific evidence supporting the importance of wearing masks to curtail the spread of COVID-19, wearing masks has stirred up a significant debate particularly on social media. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the topics associated with the public discourse against wearing masks in the United States. We also studied the relationship between the anti-mask discourse on social media and the number of new COVID-19 cases. METHODS: We collected a total of 51,170 English tweets between January 1, 2020, and October 27, 2020, by searching for hashtags against wearing masks. We used machine learning techniques to analyze the data collected. We investigated the relationship between the volume of tweets against mask-wearing and the daily volume of new COVID-19 cases using a Pearson correlation analysis between the two-time series. RESULTS: The results and analysis showed that social media could help identify important insights related to wearing masks. The results of topic mining identified 10 categories or themes of user concerns dominated by (1) constitutional rights and freedom of choice; (2) conspiracy theory, population control, and big pharma; and (3) fake news, fake numbers, and fake pandemic. Altogether, these three categories represent almost 65% of the volume of tweets against wearing masks. The relationship between the volume of tweets against wearing masks and newly reported COVID-19 cases depicted a strong correlation wherein the rise in the volume of negative tweets led the rise in the number of new cases by 9 days. CONCLUSIONS: These findings demonstrated the potential of mining social media for understanding the public discourse about public health issues such as wearing masks during the COVID-19 pandemic. The results emphasized the relationship between the discourse on social media and the potential impact on real events such as changing the course of the pandemic. Policy makers are advised to proactively address public perception and work on shaping this perception through raising awareness, debunking negative sentiments, and prioritizing early policy intervention toward the most prevalent topics. | JMIR Public Health Surveill | 2021 | 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.