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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2651 | Current approaches used in treating COVID-19 from a molecular mechanisms and immune response perspective Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), which is caused by the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), was declared by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a global pandemic on March 11, 2020. SARS-CoV-2 targets the respiratory system, resulting in symptoms such as fever, headache, dry cough, dyspnea, and dizziness. These symptoms vary from person to person, ranging from mild to hypoxia with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and sometimes death. Although not confirmed, phylogenetic analysis suggests that SARS-CoV-2 may have originated from bats; the intermediary facilitating its transfer from bats to humans is unknown. Owing to the rapid spread of infection and high number of deaths caused by SARS-CoV-2, most countries have enacted strict curfews and the practice of social distancing while awaiting the availability of effective U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved medications and/or vaccines. This review offers an overview of the various types of coronaviruses (CoVs), their targeted hosts and cellular receptors, a timeline of their emergence, and the roles of key elements of the immune system in fighting pathogen attacks, while focusing on SARS-CoV-2 and its genomic structure and pathogenesis. Furthermore, we review drugs targeting COVID-19 that are under investigation and in clinical trials, in addition to progress using mesenchymal stem cells to treat COVID-19. We conclude by reviewing the latest updates on COVID-19 vaccine development. Understanding the molecular mechanisms of how SARS-CoV-2 interacts with host cells and stimulates the immune response is extremely important, especially as scientists look for new strategies to guide their development of specific COVID-19 therapies and vaccines. | Saudi Pharm J | 2020 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 2652 | Basic reproduction number and predicted trends of COVID-19 epidemic in the mainland of China BACKGROUND: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has caused a serious epidemic around the world, but it has been effectively controlled in the mainland of China. The Chinese government limited the migration of people almost from all walks of life. Medical workers have rushed into Hubei province to fight against the epidemic. Any activity that can increase infection is prohibited. The aim of this study was to confirm that timely lockdown, large-scale case-screening and other control measures proposed by the Chinese government were effective to contain the spread of the virus in the mainland of China. METHODS: Based on disease transmission-related parameters, this study was designed to predict the trend of COVID-19 epidemic in the mainland of China and provide theoretical basis for current prevention and control. An SEIQR epidemiological model incorporating asymptomatic transmission, short term immunity and imperfect isolation was constructed to evaluate the transmission dynamics of COVID-19 inside and outside of Hubei province. With COVID-19 cases confirmed by the National Health Commission (NHC), the optimal parameters of the model were set by calculating the minimum Chi-square value. RESULTS: Before the migration to and from Wuhan was cut off, the basic reproduction number in China was 5.6015. From 23 January to 26 January 2020, the basic reproduction number in China was 6.6037. From 27 January to 11 February 2020, the basic reproduction number outside Hubei province dropped below 1, but that in Hubei province remained 3.7732. Because of stricter controlling measures, especially after the initiation of the large-scale case-screening, the epidemic rampancy in Hubei has also been contained. The average basic reproduction number in Hubei province was 3.4094 as of 25 February 2020. We estimated the cumulative number of confirmed cases nationwide was 82 186, and 69 230 in Hubei province on 9 April 2020. CONCLUSIONS: The lockdown of Hubei province significantly reduced the basic reproduction number. The large-scale case-screening also showed the effectiveness in the epidemic control. This study provided experiences that could be replicated in other countries suffering from the epidemic. Although the epidemic is subsiding in China, the controlling efforts should not be terminated before May. | Infect Dis Poverty | 2020 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 2653 | Protein Coding and Long Noncoding RNA (lncRNA) Transcriptional Landscape in SARS-CoV-2 Infected Bronchial Epithelial Cells Highlight a Role for Interferon and Inflammatory Response The global spread of COVID-19, caused by pathogenic severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) underscores the need for an imminent response from medical research communities to better understand this rapidly spreading infection. Employing multiple bioinformatics and computational pipelines on transcriptome data from primary normal human bronchial epithelial cells (NHBE) during SARS-CoV-2 infection revealed activation of several mechanistic networks, including those involved in immunoglobulin G (IgG) and interferon lambda (IFNL) in host cells. Induction of acute inflammatory response and activation of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) was prominent in SARS-CoV-2 infected NHBE cells. Additionally, disease and functional analysis employing ingenuity pathway analysis (IPA) revealed activation of functional categories related to cell death, while those associated with viral infection and replication were suppressed. Several interferon (IFN) responsive gene targets (IRF9, IFIT1, IFIT2, IFIT3, IFITM1, MX1, OAS2, OAS3, IFI44 and IFI44L) were highly upregulated in SARS-CoV-2 infected NBHE cell, implying activation of antiviral IFN innate response. Gene ontology and functional annotation of differently expressed genes in patient lung tissues with COVID-19 revealed activation of antiviral response as the hallmark. Mechanistic network analysis in IPA identified 14 common activated, and 9 common suppressed networks in patient tissue, as well as in the NHBE cell model, suggesting a plausible role for these upstream regulator networks in the pathogenesis of COVID-19. Our data revealed expression of several viral proteins in vitro and in patient-derived tissue, while several host-derived long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) were identified. Our data highlights activation of IFN response as the main hallmark associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection in vitro and in human, and identified several differentially expressed lncRNAs during the course of infection, which could serve as disease biomarkers, while their precise role in the host response to SARS-CoV-2 remains to be investigated. | Genes (Basel) | 2020 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 2654 | A Cross-Sectional Survey on COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy Among Parents From Shandong vs. Zhejiang Introduction: With the approval of COVID-19 vaccinations for children and adolescents in China, parental vaccine hesitancy will emerge as a new challenge with regard to the administration of these vaccines. However, little is known regarding this hesitancy as well as regional differences that may exist between parents from Shandong vs. Zhejiang. Methods: To assess these issues, an online survey was conducted via a Wenjuanxing platform over the period from July 22 to August 14, 2021. Parents from Shandong and Zhejiang were recruited from Wechat groups and results from a total of 917 subjects were analyzed. Factors evaluated in this survey included socio-demographic variables, parental vaccine hesitancy, Parental Attitudes toward Childhood Vaccines (PACV) domains (behavior, safety and efficacy, general attitudes) and social support. Results: Compared with those from Shandong (N = 443), parents from Zhejiang (N = 474) showed significantly higher prevalence rates of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy (19.4 vs. 11.7%, p = 0.001). Multivariate logistic regression showed that yearly household incomes of ≥120,000 RMB (p = 0.041), medical workers (p = 0.022) and general attitudes of PACV (p = 0.004) were risk factors for vaccine hesitancy among parents from Shandong, while behavior (p = 0.004), safety and efficacy (p < 0.001) and general attitudes of PACV (p = 0.002) were risk factors for parents from Zhejiang. Among parents with vaccine hesitancy (N = 144), concerns over side effects (91.0%) and unknown effects (84.0%) of the COVID-19 vaccine were the most prevalent reasons for hesitancy. Evidence providing proof of vaccine safety (67.4%) and assurance of a low risk of being infected by COVID-19 (60.4%) were the two most effective persuasive factors. Conclusion: Parents from Zhejiang showed a higher prevalence of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy as compared with those from Shandong. Behavior, safety and efficacy, and general attitudes of PACV were the risk factors associated with this hesitancy in these parents from Zhejiang. Given the identification of the various reasons for parental vaccine hesitancy, different strategies as well as regional adjustments in these strategies will be required for an effective and convincing protocol for childhood vaccinations. | Front Public Health | 2021 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 2655 | The relationship among fear and anxiety of COVID-19, pregnancy experience and mental health disorder in pregnant women: A structural equation model INTRODUCTION: Coronavirus pandemic causes stress and anxiety for pregnant women worldwide. The present study was conducted for the path analysis of the relationship among fear and anxiety caused by coronavirus, pregnancy experience, and the mental health of pregnant women. METHODS: This cross‐sectional study was conducted on 222 pregnant women who were referred to Kamali Hospital in Alborz province in 2020. The eligible individuals entered the study through convenience sampling, and data were collected using five questionnaires including the Fear of COVID‐19 Scale, the Anxiety of COVID‐19 Scale, the pregnancy experiences Scales, Depression Anxiety Stress scale, and demographic checklist. The obtained data were then analyzed using SPSS‐16 and Amos software. RESULTS: According to results of the path analysis, the anxiety of COVID‐19 and concerns during pregnancy were variables that were positively and significantly correlated with mental health only through one path, which was direct, and anxiety of COVID‐19 had also the highest positive direct correlation among them (B = 0.32). The next variable was the happiness during pregnancy experiencing, which had a significantly negative and direct correlation with mental health disorder (B = 0.29). Moreover, fear of COVID‐19 through the mediating concerns of pregnancy experiences was shown to have a significant positive relationship with mental health through an indirect path (B = 0.05). CONCLUSION: Based on the result of this study, it is necessary to pay more attention to the mental health of pregnant women during a pandemic. In addition, it is recommended to provide a virtual training group to reduce anxiety caused by coronavirus and pregnancy concerns, as well as emphasizing the feeling of enjoying happiness caused by pregnancy experience during a pandemic. | Brain Behav | 2020 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 2656 | COVID-19 identification in chest X-ray images on flat and hierarchical classification scenarios Abstract Background and Objective:The COVID-19 can cause severe pneumonia and is estimated to have a high impact on the healthcare system. Early diagnosis is crucial for correct treatment in order to possibly reduce the stress in the healthcare system. The standard image diagnosis tests for pneumonia are chest X-ray (CXR) and computed tomography (CT) scan. Although CT scan is the gold standard, CXR are still useful because it is cheaper, faster and more widespread. This study aims to identify pneumonia caused by COVID-19 from other types and also healthy lungs using only CXR images. Methods:In order to achieve the objectives, we have proposed a classification schema considering the following perspectives: i) a multi-class classification; ii) hierarchical classification, since pneumonia can be structured as a hierarchy. Given the natural data imbalance in this domain, we also proposed the use of resampling algorithms in the schema in order to re-balance the classes distribution. We observed that, texture is one of the main visual attributes of CXR images, our classification schema extract features using some well-known texture descriptors and also using a pre-trained CNN model. We also explored early and late fusion techniques in the schema in order to leverage the strength of multiple texture descriptors and base classifiers at once. To evaluate the approach, we composed a database, named RYDLS-20, containing CXR images of pneumonia caused by different pathogens as well as CXR images of healthy lungs. The classes distribution follows a real-world scenario in which some pathogens are more common than others. Results:The proposed approach tested in RYDLS-20 achieved a macro-avg F1-Score of 0.65 using a multi-class approach and a F1-Score of 0.89 for the COVID-19 identification in the hierarchical classification scenario. Conclusions:As far as we know, the top identification rate obtained in this paper is the best nominal rate obtained for COVID-19 identification in an unbalanced environment with more than three classes. We must also highlight the novel proposed hierarchical classification approach for this task, which considers the types of pneumonia caused by the different pathogens and lead us to the best COVID-19 recognition rate obtained here. | Comput Methods Programs Biomed | 2020 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 2657 | Educating Anesthesiologists During the COVID-19 Pandemic and Beyond N/A | Anesth Analg | 2021 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 2658 | Social Distance in COVID-19: Drawing the line between protective behavior and stigma manifestation N/A | Psychiatriki | 2021 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 2659 | Correlation of the Commercial Anti-SARS-CoV-2 Receptor Binding Domain Antibody Test with the Chemiluminescent Reduction Neutralizing Test and Possible Detection of Antibodies to Emerging Variants Serological tests are beneficial for recognizing the immune response against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). To identify protective immunity, optimization of the chemiluminescent reduction neutralizing test (CRNT) is critical. Whether commercial antibody tests have comparable accuracy is unknown. Serum samples were obtained from COVID-19 patients (n = 74), SARS-CoV-2 PCR-negative (n = 179), and suspected healthy individuals (n = 229) before SARS-CoV-2 variants had been detected locally. The convalescent phase was defined as the period after day 10 from disease onset or the episode of close contact. The CRNT using pseudotyped viruses displaying the wild-type (WT) spike protein and a commercial anti-receptor-binding domain (RBD) antibody test were assayed. Serology for the B.1.1.7 and B.1.351 variants was also assayed. Both tests concurred for symptomatic COVID-19 patients in the convalescent phase. They clearly differentiated between patients and suspected healthy individuals (sensitivity: 95.8% and 100%, respectively; specificity: 99.1% and 100%, respectively). Anti-RBD antibody test results correlated with neutralizing titers (r = 0.31, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.22–0.38). Compared with the WT, lower CRNT values were observed for the variants. Of the samples with ≥100 U/mL by the anti-RBD antibody test, 77.8% and 88.9% showed ≥50% neutralization against the B.1.1.7 and the B.1.351 variants, respectively. Exceeding 100 U/mL in the anti-RBD antibody test was associated with neutralization of variants (P < 0.01). The CRNT and commercial anti-RBD antibody test effectively classified convalescent COVID-19 patients. Strong positive results with the anti-RBD antibody test can reflect neutralizing activity against emerging variants. IMPORTANCE This study provides a diagnostic evidence of test validity, which can lead to vaccine efficacy and proof of recovery after COVID-19. It is not easy to know neutralization against SARS-CoV-2 in the clinical laboratory because of technical and biohazard issues. The correlation of the quantitative anti-receptor-binding domain antibody test, which is widely available, with neutralizing test indicates that we can know indirectly the state of acquisition of functional immunity against wild and variant-type viruses in the clinical laboratory. | Microbiol Spectr | 2021 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 2660 | Longitudinal Monitoring of Seroconversion Status in SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR Positive Healthcare Workers N/A | Mikrobiyol Bul | 2022 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 2661 | Comparison of automated SARS-CoV-2 antigen test for COVID-19 infection with quantitative RT-PCR using 313 nasopharyngeal swabs, including from seven serially followed patients Abstract Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection is determined by reverse-transcription PCR (RT-PCR) in routine clinical practice. In the current pandemic situation, a more rapid and high-throughput method is in growing demand. Here, we validated the performance of a new antigen test (LUMIPULSE) based on the chemiluminescence enzyme immunoassay. A total of 313 nasopharyngeal swabs (82 serial samples from 7 infected patients, 231 individual samples from 4 infected patients and 215 non-infected individuals) were analyzed for SARS-CoV-2 by quantitative RT-PCR (RT-qPCR) and then subjected to LUMIPULSE. We determined the cutoff value for antigen detection using receiver operating characteristic curve analysis and compared the antigen test performance with that of RT-qPCR. Further, we compared the viral loads and antigen levels in serial samples from seven infected patients. When using RT-qPCR as the reference, the antigen test exhibited 55.2% sensitivity and 99.6% specificity with a 91.4% overall agreement rate (286/313). In specimens with > 100 viral copies and between 10 and 100 copies, the antigen test showed 100% and 85% concordance with RT-qPCR, respectively. This concordance declined with lower viral loads. In the serially followed patients, the antigen levels showed a steady decline along with viral clearance. This gradual decline was in contrast with the abrupt “positive-to-negative” and “negative-to-positive” status changes observed with RT-qPCR, particularly in the late phase of infection. In summary, the LUMIPULSE antigen test can rapidly identify SARS-CoV-2-infected individuals with moderate to high viral loads and may be helpful for monitoring viral clearance in hospitalized patients. | Int J Infect Dis | 2020 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 2662 | Mask use among pedestrians during the Covid-19 pandemic in Southwest Iran: an observational study on 10,440 people BACKGROUND: Many countries have recommended the use of face masks for general population in public places to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission. This study aims to estimate the prevalence of face mask usage and investigate about different types of face mask and their distribution among pedestrians in southwest Iran during the Covid-19 pandemic. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted in August 2020 in Ahvaz, southwest Iran. Using a multistage sampling method, a total of 10,440 pedestrians selected from 8 urban districts and 92 neighborhoods of the city. The data gathered by observation method. Percentage, mean and standard deviation were used to describe the variables. Chi-square test, fisher exact test and Chi-square for trend used to assess relationship between two categorical variables. We used unconditional logistic regression model to control confounders. RESULTS: The most common age group was 10 to 39 years and 67.9% of the participants were male. The overall prevalence of face mask usage was 45.6% (95% CI, 44.6–46.5). In general, as the age increased, the prevalence of face mask use significantly increased (p for trend < 0.001). Women used face masks significantly higher than men (60.2% vs. 38.7%, p < 0.001). Among the pedestrians who used the mask, 75.6% wore facemask correctly. The most common type of facemask used by the pedestrians were surgical (medical) masks (63.8%). In total, the prevalence of facemask usage was significantly higher during a.m. (49.4%) compared to p.m. (43.9%), (p < 0.001). Besides, in our study, 1.7 and 0.3% of Pedestrians had worn gloves and shielded respectively. Women used shields and gloves significantly higher than men (3.6% vs. 0.7%, p < 0.001). Also, women used shields more than men (0.5% vs. 0.3%, p = 0.036). CONCLUSION: We concluded that the prevalence rate of face mask use in Ahvaz was fairly low especially in men and younger people. Hence, the observed rates probably cannot protect the community against COVID-19 spread. Therefore, it is important to implement educational programs as well as to establish laws and regulations governing the use of face masks in public places. | BMC Public Health | 2021 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 2663 | School closure and management practices during coronavirus outbreaks including COVID-19: a rapid systematic review In response to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, 107 countries had implemented national school closures by March 18, 2020. It is unknown whether school measures are effective in coronavirus outbreaks (eg, due to severe acute respiratory syndrome [SARS], Middle East respiratory syndrome, or COVID-19). We undertook a systematic review by searching three electronic databases to identify what is known about the effectiveness of school closures and other school social distancing practices during coronavirus outbreaks. We included 16 of 616 identified articles. School closures were deployed rapidly across mainland China and Hong Kong for COVID-19. However, there are no data on the relative contribution of school closures to transmission control. Data from the SARS outbreak in mainland China, Hong Kong, and Singapore suggest that school closures did not contribute to the control of the epidemic. Modelling studies of SARS produced conflicting results. Recent modelling studies of COVID-19 predict that school closures alone would prevent only 2–4% of deaths, much less than other social distancing interventions. Policy makers need to be aware of the equivocal evidence when considering school closures for COVID-19, and that combinations of social distancing measures should be considered. Other less disruptive social distancing interventions in schools require further consideration if restrictive social distancing policies are implemented for long periods. | Lancet Child Adolesc Health | 2020 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 2664 | Safety of third SARS-CoV-2 vaccine (booster dose) during pregnancy Background COVID-19 during pregnancy is associated with adverse outcomes for mother and fetus. SARS-CoV-2 vaccination has significantly reduced the risk of symptomatic disease. Several studies have reported the safety of SARS-CoV-2 vaccination during pregnancy, with no adverse effect on obstetric outcomes. However, obstetric outcomes following a booster dose of the SARS CoV-2 vaccination during pregnancy have yet been published. Objective To examine the association between booster dose of the SARS CoV-2 vaccination during pregnancy and obstetric outcomes. Methods A retrospective cohort study of women who delivered between July and October 2021 at a large tertiary medical center. We compared women who received the booster vaccine during pregnancy to women who were not vaccinated and to those who had only received two vaccines. Primary outcomes were the incidence of preterm labor and of small for gestational age. Secondary outcomes were other maternal and neonatal complications. A secondary analysis investigating the association between the timing from vaccination to delivery and outcomes was also performed. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to adjust for potential confounders. Results There were 6507 women who met the inclusion criteria: 294 women received three vaccines, 2,845 women received only two vaccines and 3,368 were unvaccinated. Patients receiving three vaccines were older and more likely to smoke compared to unvaccinated patients. No differences were noted between triple-vaccinated, twice-vaccinated and unvaccinated groups with regards to preterm birth and small for gestational age. Regarding secondary outcomes, women in the triple vaccine group had higher rates of PPH (9.5 vs 3.21%, P<0.001), gestational diabetes (12.2 vs. 8.3 %, p=0.02), and were less likely to have hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (0% vs 1.4%, p=0.041) compared to the unvaccinated group. Compared to twice-vaccinated patients, patients with three vaccines were more likely to experience PPH (9.5 vs. 3.5%, p<0.001), and were less likely to have a low umbilical artery pH (0.7 vs 6.1%, p<0.001). In the sensitivity analysis comparing patients delivered within 2 weeks of the third vaccination (n=53) to those delivered at least 6 weeks after vaccination (n=96), there were no differences in the rates of SGA, preterm birth, PPH, or cesarean delivery. Conclusion The booster dose of the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine during pregnancy was not associated with adverse obstetric outcomes compared to unvaccinated or twice-vaccinated women. However, higher rates of PPH were observed. Further studies on a larger scale are needed to confirm these findings. | Am J Obstet Gynecol MFM | 2022 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 2665 | SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant shows less efficient replication and fusion activity when compared with Delta variant in TMPRSS2-expressed cells The novel SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant (B.1.1.529), first found in early November 2021, has sparked considerable global concern and it has >50 mutations, many of which are known to affect transmissibility or cause immune escape. In this study, we sought to investigate the virological characteristics of the Omicron variant and compared it with the Delta variant which has dominated the world since mid-2021. Omicron variant replicated more slowly than the Delta variant in transmembrane serine protease 2 (TMPRSS2)-overexpressing VeroE6 (VeroE6/TMPRSS2) cells. Notably, the Delta variant replicated well in Calu3 cell line which has robust TMPRSS2 expression, while the Omicron variant replicated poorly in this cell line. Competition assay showed that Delta variant outcompeted Omicron variant in VeroE6/TMPRSS2 and Calu3 cells. To confirm the difference in entry pathway between the Omicron and Delta variants, we assessed the antiviral effect of bafilomycin A1, chloroquine (inhibiting endocytic pathway), and camostat (inhibiting TMPRSS2 pathway). Camostat potently inhibited the Delta variant but not the Omicron variant, while bafilomycin A1 and chloroquine could inhibit both Omicron and Delta variants. Moreover, the Omicron variant also showed weaker cell–cell fusion activity when compared with Delta variant in VeroE6/TMPRSS2 cells. Collectively, our results suggest that Omicron variant infection is not enhanced by TMPRSS2 but is largely mediated via the endocytic pathway. The difference in entry pathway between Omicron and Delta variants may have an implication on the clinical manifestations or disease severity. | Emerg Microbes Infect | 2022 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 2666 | Adherence and acceptability of telehealth appointments for high-risk obstetrical patients during the COVID-19 pandemic Background Telehealth has been successfully implemented for the delivery of obstetrical care. However, little is known regarding the attitudes and acceptability of patients and providers in high risk obstetrics and if implementation improves access to care in non-rural settings. Objective The study aims to: 1) Describe patient and provider attitudes toward telehealth for delivery of high risk obstetrical care in a large health care system with both urban and suburban settings. 2) Determine if implementation of a telehealth model improves patient adherence to scheduled appointments in this patient population. Study DesignTwo self-administered surveys were designed. The first survey was sent to all high-risk obstetrical patients who received a telehealth visit between March 1, 2020 and May 30, 2020. The second survey was designed for providers who participated in these visits. We also compared the attended, cancelled and no show visit rates before (March 1-May 30, 2019) and after (March 1-May 30, 2020) telehealth implementation, as well as telehealth versus in person visits in 2020. We reviewed scheduled high-risk prenatal care appointments, diabetes education sessions, and genetic counseling and Maternal- Fetal Medicine consultations. Results A total of 91 patient surveys and 33 provider surveys were analyzed. Overall, 86.9% of patients were satisfied with the care they received and 78.3% would recommend telehealth visits to others. 87.8% of providers reported having a positive experience using telehealth, and 90.9% believed that telehealth improved patients’ access to care. When comparing patient and provider preference regarding future obstetrical care after experiencing telehealth, 73.8% of patients desired a combination of in person and telehealth visits during their pregnancy. However, a significantly higher rate of providers preferred in-person visits (56% vs 23% respectively). When comparing visits between 2019 and 2020, there was a significantly lower rate of no-show appointments, patient-cancelled appointments, and patient same-day cancellations with the implementation of telehealth. There was also a significantly lower rate of patient-cancelled appointments, and patient same-day cancellations with those receiving telehealth visits compared to in person visits in 2020. Conclusion Implementation of telehealth in high risk obstetrics has the potential to improve access to high risk obstetrical care, by reducing the rate of missed appointments. Both patients and providers surveyed expressed a high rate of satisfaction with telehealth visits and a desire to integrate telehealth into the traditional model of high risk obstetrical care. | Am J Obstet Gynecol MFM | 2020 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 2667 | Identification of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant using spike gene target failure and genotyping assays, Gauteng, South Africa, 2021 The circulation of Omicron BA.1 led to the rapid increase in severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) cases in South Africa in November 2021, which warranted the use of more rapid detection methods. We, therefore, assessed the ability to detect Omicron BA.1 using genotyping assays to identify specific mutations in SARS‐CoV‐2 positive samples, Gauteng province, South Africa. The TaqPath™ COVID‐19 real‐time polymerase chain reaction assay was performed on all samples selected to identify spike gene target failure (SGTF). SARS‐CoV‐2 genotyping assays were used for the detection of del69/70 and K417N mutation. Whole‐genome sequencing was performed on a subset of genotyped samples to confirm these findings. Of the positive samples received, 11.0% (175/1589) were randomly selected to assess if SGTF and genotyping assays, that detect del69/70 and K417N mutations, could identify Omicron BA.1. We identified SGTF in 98.9% (173/175) of samples, of which 88.0% (154/175) had both the del69/70 and K417N mutation. The genotyped samples (45.7%; 80/175) that were sequenced confirmed Omicron BA.1 (97.5%; 78/80). Our data show that genotyping for the detection of the del69/70 and K417N coupled with SGTF is efficient to exclude Alpha and Beta variants and rapidly detect Omicron BA.1. However, we still require assays for the detection of unique mutations that will allow for the differentiation between other Omicron sublineages. Therefore, the use of genotyping assays to detect new dominant or emerging lineages of SARS‐CoV‐2 will be beneficial in limited‐resource settings. | J Med Virol | 2022 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 2668 | Well-Being and Loneliness in Swiss Older Adults During the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Role of Social Relationships BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The current COVID-19 pandemic and social distancing measures are an extreme stressor that might result in negative emotional experiences and feelings of loneliness. However, it is possible that social relationships might have a protective effect. In the present study, we examine how the COVID-19 pandemic affected older adults’ well-being and loneliness, and the role of structural and functional characteristics of social relationships. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: We use data from 99 older adults in Switzerland who participated (a) in a three-week micro-longitudinal study on social relationships and well-being in 2019 and (b) in a weekly online survey during four weeks of the COVID-19 lockdown. RESULTS: Our findings show that the global pandemic had substantial adverse effects on older adults’ emotional well-being and loneliness. In addition, aspects of social relationships were related to loneliness both before and during the pandemic. Only one functional feature of social relationships (satisfaction with communication during the pandemic) buffered adverse effects of the major stressful event. DISCUSSION AND IMPLICATIONS: Although the social distancing measures during COVID-19 presented a major stressor for older adults’ well-being and loneliness, being able to maintain social communication to a satisfactory level during that time reduced this effect. Therefore, enabling older adults to stay in touch with their social circle based on their personal preferences might reduce the impact that any future lockdown might have on their well-being. | Gerontologist | 2020 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 2669 | The Roles of General Health and COVID-19 Proximity in Contact Tracing App Usage: Cross-sectional Survey Study BACKGROUND: Contact tracing apps are considered useful means to monitor SARS-CoV-2 infections during the off-peak stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. Their effectiveness is, however, dependent on the uptake of such COVID-19 apps. OBJECTIVE: We examined the role of individuals’ general health status in their willingness to use a COVID-19 tracing app as well as the roles of socioeconomic characteristics and COVID-19 proximity. METHODS: We drew data from the WageIndicator Foundation Living and Working in Coronavirus Times survey. The survey collected data on labor market status as well as the potential confounders of the relationship between general health and COVID-19 tracing app usage, such as sociodemographics and regular smartphone usage data. The survey also contained information that allowed us to examine the role of COVID-19 proximity, such as whether an individual has contracted SARS-CoV-2, whether an individual has family members and colleagues with COVID-19, and whether an individual exhibits COVID-19 pandemic–induced depressive and anxiety symptoms. We selected data that were collected in Spain, Italy, Germany, and the Netherlands from individuals aged between 18 and 70 years (N=4504). Logistic regressions were used to measure individuals’ willingness to use a COVID-19 tracing app. RESULTS: We found that the influence that socioeconomic factors have on COVID-19 tracing app usage varied dramatically between the four countries, although individuals experiencing forms of not being employed (ie, recent job loss and inactivity) consistently had a lower willingness to use a contact tracing app (effect size: 24.6%) compared to that of employees (effect size: 33.4%; P<.001). Among the selected COVID-19 proximity indicators, having a close family member with SARS-CoV-2 infection was associated with higher contact tracing app usage (effect size: 36.3% vs 27.1%; P<.001). After accounting for these proximity factors and the country-based variations therein, we found that having a poorer general health status was significantly associated with a much higher likelihood of contact tracing app usage; compared to a self-reported “very good” health status (estimated probability of contact tracing app use: 29.6%), the “good” (estimated probability: +4.6%; 95% CI 1.2%-8.1%) and “fair or bad” (estimated probability: +6.3%; 95% CI 2.3%-10.3%) health statuses were associated with a markedly higher willingness to use a COVID-19 tracing app. CONCLUSIONS: Current public health policies aim to promote the use of smartphone-based contact tracing apps during the off-peak periods of the COVID-19 pandemic. Campaigns that emphasize the health benefits of COVID-19 tracing apps may contribute the most to the uptake of such apps. Public health campaigns that rely on digital platforms would also benefit from seriously considering the country-specific distribution of privacy concerns. | JMIR Public Health Surveill | 2021 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 2670 | Biflavonoids from Rhus succedanea as probable natural inhibitors against SARS-CoV-2: a molecular docking and molecular dynamics approach The recent outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 has quickly become a worldwide pandemic and generated panic threats for both the human population and the global economy. The unavailability of effective vaccines or drugs has enforced researchers to hunt for a potential drug to combat this virus. Plant-derived phytocompounds are of applicable interest in the search for novel drugs. Bioflavonoids from Rhus succedanea are already reported to exert antiviral activity against RNA viruses. SARS-CoV-2 Mpro protease plays a vital role in viral replication and therefore can be considered as a promising target for drug development. A computational approach has been employed to search for promising potent bioflavonoids from Rhus succedanea against SARS-CoV-2 Mpro protease. Binding affinities and binding modes between the biflavonoids and Mpro enzyme suggest that all six biflavonoids exhibit possible interaction with the Mpro catalytic site (−19.47 to −27.04 kcal/mol). However, Amentoflavone (−27.04 kcal/mol) and Agathisflavone (−25.87 kcal/mol) interact strongly with the catalytic residues. Molecular dynamic simulations (100 ns) further revealed that these two biflavonoids complexes with the Mpro enzyme are highly stable and are of less conformational fluctuations. Also, the hydrophobic and hydrophilic surface mapping on the Mpro structure as well as biflavonoids were utilized for the further lead optimization process. Altogether, our findings showed that these natural biflavonoids can be utilized as promising SARS-CoV-2 Mpro inhibitors and thus, the computational approach provides an initial footstep towards experimental studies in in vitro and in vivo, which is necessary for the therapeutic development of novel and safe drugs to control SARS-CoV-2. Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS: 1. Rhus succedanea biflavonoids have antiviral activity. 2. The molecular interactions and molecular dynamics displayed that all six biflavonoids bound with a good affinity to the same catalytic site of Mpro. 3. The compound Amentoflavone has a strong binding affinity (−27.0441 kcal/mol) towards Mpro. 4. The binding site properties of SARS-CoV-2-Mpro can be utilized in a novel discovery and lead optimization of the SARS-CoV-2-Mpro inhibitor. | J Biomol Struct Dyn | 2020 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 2671 | The psychological impact of COVID-19 pandemic on Healthcare workers in a MERS-CoV endemic country BACKGROUND: The global pandemic of coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) has led to unprecedented psychological stress on health workers (HCWs). We aimed to assess the psychological impact of COVID-19 on HCWs in comparison to the stress brought on by the Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) epidemic in Saudi Arabia. METHOD: Between February 5th and 16th, 2020, 811 health-care workers (HCWs) of a tertiary care teaching hospital were invited to fill a questionnaire regarding concerns and worries about the novel coronavirus pandemic, along with Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7) Anxiety Severity screening tool. RESULTS: Out of 582 HCWs who completed the survey questionnaire (response rate of 71.8%), about 40% were exposed previously to MERS-CoV infected or suspected patients during a previous hospital outbreak. While there were no COVID-19 cases reported yet in Saudi Arabia at the time of data collection, still, the anxiety level from COVID-19 was significantly higher than that from MERS-CoV or seasonal influenza: 41.1% were more worried about COVID-19, 41.4% were similarly worried about both MERS-CoV and COVID-19, and 17.5% were more stressed by the previous MERS-CoV hospital outbreak. The most frequent concern was transmitting the infection to family and friends (2.71/5) than to themselves only (2.57/5). CONCLUSION: Pandemic and epidemic infectious diseases such as COVID-19 or MERS-CoV impose a significant level of anxiety and stress on healthcare workers who are caring of infected patients, with their main concern being the risk of transmitting the infection to their families or to acquire it themselves. Therefore, optimizing the compliance of healthcare workers with the proper infection prevention and control measures is paramount during the infectious disease outbreak, to ensure their safety, to decrease the likelihood of getting infected or transmitting the infection to others, and consequently to alleviate their psychological stress and anxiety. | J Infect Public Health | 2020 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 2672 | Psychosocial effects of the quarantine during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic on the residents of the island of Brač BACKGROUND: An unprecedented health and economic crisis in small island communities during the COVID-19 pandemic indicated the importance of studying its harmful effects on residents’ mental health. OBJECTIVES: To examine the differences in negative affectivity, perceived stressors, and social support both on the quarantined and not quarantined islands. METHODS: A web-based survey and correlational cross-sectional research design were used, based on a nonprobabilistic convenience sampling method to select 613 Croatian islands’ residents during May 2020. The participants completed the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21) and the General Information Questionnaire, data on their exposures to stressors during the COVID-19 pandemic and the perceived social support. RESULTS: Compared with the nonquarantined residents of other islands, the island of Brač residents scored significantly higher on the symptoms of depression (M = 11.61; t = 2.13, P < 0.05) and stress (M = 13.06; t = 3.21, P = 0.001) subscales, receiving more support from religious communities (t = 2.34, P = 0.02) and less from the physicians (t = −2.68, P = 0.01). Lower sociodemographic status was associated with higher levels of depression, anxiety, and stress. CONCLUSION: The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the urgent need to protect mental health in isolated island areas specially for singles and people of low socioeconomic status. | Fam Pract | 2021 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 2673 | COVID-19 vaccines and thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome N/A | Expert Rev Vaccines | 2021 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 2674 | Effectiveness of the BNT162b2 Covid-19 Vaccine against the B.1.1.7 and B.1.351 Variants | N Engl J Med | 2021 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 2675 | Dietary Behaviors in the Post-Lockdown Period and Its Effects on Dietary Diversity: The Second Stage of a Nutrition Survey in a Longitudinal Chinese Study in the COVID-19 Era Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has imposed enormous challenges on people’s lifestyles. People in China have gradually returned to normal life; however, in the protracted pandemic, people may still follow certain dietary behaviors to cope with COVID-19. This study was the second stage of a longitudinal nutritional survey conducted in post-lockdown China that was aimed at exploring post-lockdown dietary behaviors and their effects on dietary diversity. In line with the first stage of the survey, the current dietary behaviors used to cope with COVID-19 and ways of purchasing food were determined. In addition, changes in dietary behavior compared to the same period in 2019 and those behaviors recommended to ensure food safety were also investigated. The Household Dietary Diversity Score (HDDS) was used to assess dietary diversity; this was also used in the first stage of the survey. Linear regression was used to model the associations between the HDDS, participants’ characteristics, and dietary behaviors. The data of 1994 participants were included in the analysis. The overall mean HDDS was 9.2 ± 2.0. Compared to the same period in 2019, a substantial proportion of participants self-reported that they had recently decreased eating in restaurants (61.6%) and reduced intakes of seafood (53.1%), imported frozen food (57.1%), and raw food (60.5%), while 64.8% of participants reported increased cooking at home. People with an increased consumption of seafood (adjusted OR (95%CI) = 0.56 (0.07, 1.04)) and raw food (adjusted OR (95%CI) = 0.74 (0.27, 1.21)) had a significantly higher HDDS. Participants who changed their consumption of imported frozen food (both increased and decreased) had a higher HDDS (adjusted OR (95%CI) = 0.56 (0.07, 1.04) and 0.27 (0.09, 0.44), respectively). People who depended more on purchasing food online had a significantly higher HDDS (adjusted OR (95%CI) = 0.29 (0.02, 0.55)). Compared to the data from stage 1, the proportion of people choosing healthy products to cope with COVID-19 did not greatly change and those people had a higher HDDS (adjusted OR (95%CI) = 0.31 (0.19, 0.42)). Although this study found that the proportion of people who chose to use alcohol or vinegar to prevent COVID-19 had decreased substantially compared to during lockdown, there were still 5.3% and 9.8% who followed these irrational behaviors. Regarding the dietary behavior regarding food safety, except for cooking food fully, fewer than half of participants followed the recommended dietary behaviors, including individual food servings (44.2%), using serving chopsticks and spoons (44.8%), and preparing raw and cooked food separately (43.3%). People who followed these behaviors had a better dietary diversity. In conclusion, during the post-lockdown period, people still followed certain dietary behaviors to cope with COVID-19. While some dietary behaviors were adopted to help prevent infection, irrational dietary behaviors were still followed. These behaviors were associated with the dietary diversity in Chinese adults. | Nutrients | 2020 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 2676 | Understanding the Community Risk Perceptions of the COVID-19 Outbreak in South Korea: Infodemiology Study BACKGROUND: South Korea is among the best-performing countries in tackling the coronavirus pandemic by using mass drive-through testing, face mask use, and extensive social distancing. However, understanding the patterns of risk perception could also facilitate effective risk communication to minimize the impacts of disease spread during this crisis. OBJECTIVE: We attempt to explore patterns of community health risk perceptions of COVID-19 in South Korea using internet search data. METHODS: Google Trends (GT) and NAVER relative search volumes (RSVs) data were collected using COVID-19–related terms in the Korean language and were retrieved according to time, gender, age groups, types of device, and location. Online queries were compared to the number of daily new COVID-19 cases and tests reported in the Kaggle open-access data set for the time period of December 5, 2019, to May 31, 2020. Time-lag correlations calculated by Spearman rank correlation coefficients were employed to assess whether correlations between new COVID-19 cases and internet searches were affected by time. We also constructed a prediction model of new COVID-19 cases using the number of COVID-19 cases, tests, and GT and NAVER RSVs in lag periods (of 1-3 days). Single and multiple regressions were employed using backward elimination and a variance inflation factor of <5. RESULTS: The numbers of COVID-19–related queries in South Korea increased during local events including local transmission, approval of coronavirus test kits, implementation of coronavirus drive-through tests, a face mask shortage, and a widespread campaign for social distancing as well as during international events such as the announcement of a Public Health Emergency of International Concern by the World Health Organization. Online queries were also stronger in women (r=0.763-0.823; P<.001) and age groups ≤29 years (r=0.726-0.821; P<.001), 30-44 years (r=0.701-0.826; P<.001), and ≥50 years (r=0.706-0.725; P<.001). In terms of spatial distribution, internet search data were higher in affected areas. Moreover, greater correlations were found in mobile searches (r=0.704-0.804; P<.001) compared to those of desktop searches (r=0.705-0.717; P<.001), indicating changing behaviors in searching for online health information during the outbreak. These varied internet searches related to COVID-19 represented community health risk perceptions. In addition, as a country with a high number of coronavirus tests, results showed that adults perceived coronavirus test–related information as being more important than disease-related knowledge. Meanwhile, younger, and older age groups had different perceptions. Moreover, NAVER RSVs can potentially be used for health risk perception assessments and disease predictions. Adding COVID-19–related searches provided by NAVER could increase the performance of the model compared to that of the COVID-19 case–based model and potentially be used to predict epidemic curves. CONCLUSIONS: The use of both GT and NAVER RSVs to explore patterns of community health risk perceptions could be beneficial for targeting risk communication from several perspectives, including time, population characteristics, and location. | J Med Internet Res | 2020 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 2677 | Evaluating the Association of Clinical Characteristics With Neutralizing Antibody Levels in Patients Who Have Recovered From Mild COVID-19 in Shanghai, China N/A | JAMA Intern Med | 2020 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 2678 | Willingness to Receive SARS-CoV-2 Vaccination and Associated Factors among Chinese Adults: A Cross Sectional Survey Vaccination is a key strategy to prevent the pandemic caused by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). This study aims to investigate the willingness of Chinese adults to be vaccinated against COVID-19 and further explore the factors that may affect their willingness. We used a self-design anonymous questionnaire to conduct an online survey via the Sojump. A total of 1009 valid questionnaires were analyzed. The age of the participants ranged from 18 to 74. Among them, 609 (60.4%, 95%CI: 57.4–63.4%) were willing to receive the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) vaccine. Logistic regression analysis results showed that the age of 30–49 (OR = 2.042, 95%CI: 1.098–3.799), universities and colleges education (OR = 1.873, 95% CI = 1.016–3.451), master degree or above education (OR = 1.885, 95%CI = 1.367–2.599), previous influenza vaccination history (OR = 2.176, 95%CI: 1.474–3.211), trust in the effectiveness of the vaccine (OR = 6.419, 95%CI: 3.717–11.086), and close attention to the latest news of the vaccine (OR = 1.601, 95%CI: 1.046–2.449) were facilitative factors that affected their willingness to be vaccinated. More than half of the adults in China would be willing to receive a SARS-CoV-2 vaccine. Middle-aged people with higher education, those who had been vaccinated against influenza, and those who believed that COVID-19 vaccine was effective and paid close attention to it were more willing to be vaccinated. Our findings can provide reference for the implementation of vaccination and the prevention of COVID-19 in China. More studies are needed after the vaccine is launched. | Int J Environ Res Public Healt | 2021 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 2679 | Leveraging epidemiological principles to evaluate Sweden's COVID-19 response | Ann Epidemiol | 2020 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 2680 | Patient Experience with In-Person and Telehealth Visits Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic at a Large Integrated Health System in the United States BACKGROUND: Information about telehealth versus in-office visits and how patient experience before compared to during the COVID-19 pandemic is important for healthcare planning. OBJECTIVE: To compare patient experience by visit type and before and during the pandemic. DESIGN: Survey of patients assessing ambulatory care before and during the pandemic. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 58,500 adult patients (13,928 primary care and 44,581 specialty physician visits) at a large integrated health system with 197 clinics on the west coast of the United States. The majority were female (59%), 55 or older (65%), and non-Hispanic White (55%), and had an in-office visit (87%) while 10% had a tele-video and 3% a phone visit. MAIN MEASURES: Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS®) Survey 3.0 doctor communication, care coordination, access, and office staff composites; an overall rating of the doctor; and whether the patient would recommend the doctor to family and friends. KEY RESULTS: Patient experience with telehealth visits was as positive as or more positive than that with traditional office-based visits. Doctor communication on tele-video visits was viewed as slightly more positive than that of in-office or phone visits. Tele-video visits were also slightly more positive than in-office visits for care coordination, overall rating of the doctor, and willingness to recommend to family and friends. Office staff were viewed less positively on the phone than tele-video or in-office visits. Patient experience was similar before and during the COVID-19 pandemic (e.g., on a 0–100 possible range with a higher score being better, doctor communication was 94.4 before and 94.9 during). CONCLUSIONS: The positive experiences with telehealth, especially tele-video, may be due to patient appreciation of efforts made to maintain access, the focused nature of telehealth visits, and help by staff for navigation technical issues. Lessons learned about delivering responsive telehealth care can be used to ensure high-quality care after the pandemic. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11606-021-07196-4. | J Gen Intern Med | 2022 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 2681 | SARS Control and Psychological Effects of Quarantine, Toronto, Canada As a transmissible infectious disease, severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) was successfully contained globally by instituting widespread quarantine measures. Although these measures were successful in terminating the outbreak in all areas of the world, the adverse effects of quarantine have not previously been determined in a systematic manner. In this hypothesis-generating study supported by a convenience sample drawn in close temporal proximity to the period of quarantine, we examined the psychological effects of quarantine on persons in Toronto, Canada. The 129 quarantined persons who responded to a Web-based survey exhibited a high prevalence of psychological distress. Symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression were observed in 28.9% and 31.2% of respondents, respectively. Longer durations of quarantine were associated with an increased prevalence of PTSD symptoms. Acquaintance with or direct exposure to someone with a diagnosis of SARS was also associated with PTSD and depressive symptoms. | Emerg Infect Dis | 2004 | CORD-19 | |
| 2682 | Human genetic factors associated with susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19 disease severity ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: The emergence of the novel coronavirus in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, in December 2019 marked the synchronization of the world to a peculiar clock that is counting infected cases and deaths instead of hours and minutes. The pandemic, highly transmissible severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has indeed caused considerable morbidity and mortality and drastically changed our everyday lives. As we continue to become acquainted with the seventh coronavirus known to infect our species, a number of its characteristics keep surprising us. Among those is the wide spectrum of clinical manifestations of the resulting coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), which ranges from asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic infections to severe pneumonia, respiratory failure, and death. MAIN BODY: Data, now from patient populations, are beginning to accumulate on human genetic factors that may contribute to the observed diversified disease severity. Therefore, we deemed it prudent to review the associations between specific human genetic variants and clinical disease severity or susceptibility to infection that have been reported in the literature to date (at the time of writing this article in early August 2020 with updates in mid-September). With this work, we hope (i) to assist the fast-paced biomedical research efforts to combat the virus by critically summarizing current knowledge on the potential role of host genetics, and (ii) to help guide current genetics and genomics research towards candidate gene variants that warrant further investigation in larger studies. We found that determinants of differing severity of COVID-19 predominantly include components of the immune response to the virus, while determinants of differing susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 mostly entail genes related to the initial stages of infection (i.e., binding of the cell surface receptor and entry). CONCLUSION: Elucidating the genetic determinants of COVID-19 severity and susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 infection would allow for the stratification of individuals according to risk so that those at high risk would be prioritized for immunization, for example, if or when safe and effective vaccines are developed. Our enhanced understanding of the underlying biological mechanisms could also guide personalized therapeutics. Such knowledge is already beginning to provide clues that help explain, at least in part, current epidemiologic observations regarding the typically more severe or benign disease course in older males and children, respectively. | Hum Genomics | 2020 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 2683 | Host Response to SARS-CoV-2 and Emerging Variants in Pre-Existing Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases BACKGROUND: Novel coronavirus SARS-CoV2 is evolving continuously with emergence of several variants of increasing transmission capabilities and pandemic potential. Generation of variants occurs through accumulation of mutations due to the RNA nature of viral genome, which is further enhanced by variable selection pressures of this ongoing pandemic. COVID-19 presentations of SARS-CoV2 are mainly pulmonary manifestations with or without mild gastrointestinal (GI) and hepatic symptoms. However, the virus has evolved beyond pulmonary manifestations to multisystem disorder due to systemic inflammation and cytokine storm. Definitive cause of acute or late onset of inflammation, infection in various organs, and host response to emerging variants lacks clarity and needs elucidation. Several studies have reported underlying diseases including diabetes, hypertension, obesity, cardio- and cerebrovascular disorders, and immunocompromised conditions as significant risk factors for severe form of COVID-19. Pre-existing liver and GI diseases are also highly predominant in the population, which can alter COVID-19 outcome due to altered immune status and host response. We aim to review the emerging variants of SARS-CoV2 and host response in patients with pre-existing liver and GI diseases. METHODS: In this review, we have elucidated the emergence and characteristic features of new SARS-CoV2 variants, mechanisms of infection and host immune response, GI and hepatic manifestation with radiologic features of COVID-19, and outcomes in pre-existing liver and GI diseases. KEY FINDINGS: Emerging variants of concern (VOC) have shown increased transmissibility and virulence with severe COVID-19 presentation and mortality. There is a drastic swift of variants from the first wave to the next wave of infections with predominated major VOC including alpha (B.1.1.7, UK), beta (B.1.351, South Africa), gamma (B.1.1.28.1, Brazil), and delta (B1.1.617, India) variants. The mutations in the spike protein of VOC are implicated for increased receptor binding (N501Y, P681R) and immune escape (L452R, E484K/Q, T478K/R) to host response. Pre-existing liver and GI diseases not only have altered tissue expression and distribution of viral entry ACE2 receptor but also host protease TMPRSS2, which is required for both spike protein binding and cleavage to initiate infection. Altered immune status due to pre-existing conditions results in delayed virus clearance or prolonged viremia. Even though GI and hepatic manifestations of SARS-CoV2 are less severe, the detection of virus in patient’s stool indicates GI tropism, replication, and shedding from the GI tract. COVID-19-induced liver injury, acute hepatic decompensation, and incidences of acute-on-chronic liver failure may change the disease outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: The changes in the spike protein of emerging variants, immunomodulation by viral proteins, and altered expression of host viral entry receptor in pre-existing diseases are the key determinants of host response to SARS-CoV2 and its disease outcome. | Front Cell Infect Microbiol | 2021 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 2684 | Psychological impact of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic in children with neurodevelopmental disorders and their families: evaluation before and during covid-19 outbreak among an Italian sample N/A | Riv Psichiatr | 2021 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 2685 | Sequencing Using a Two-Step Strategy Reveals High Genetic Diversity in the S Gene of SARS-CoV-2 after a High-Transmission Period in Tunis, Tunisia Recent efforts have reported numerous variants that influence severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) viral characteristics, including pathogenicity, transmission rate, and detectability by molecular tests. Whole-genome sequencing based on next-generation sequencing technologies is the method of choice to identify all viral variants; however, the resources needed to use these techniques for a representative number of specimens remain limited in many low- and middle-income countries. To decrease sequencing costs, we developed a primer set allowing partial sequences to be generated in the viral S gene, enabling rapid detection of numerous variants of concern (VOCs) and variants of interest (VOIs); whole-genome sequencing is then performed on a selection of viruses based on partial sequencing results. Two hundred one nasopharyngeal specimens collected during the decreasing phase of a high-transmission COVID-19 wave in Tunisia were analyzed. The results reveal high genetic variability within the sequenced fragment and allow the detection of first introductions in the country of already-known VOCs and VOIs, as well as other variants that have interesting genomic mutations and need to be kept under surveillance. IMPORTANCE The method of choice for SARS-CoV-2 variant detection is whole-genome sequencing using next-generation sequencing (NGS) technologies. Resources for this technology remain limited in many low- and middle-income countries, where it is not possible to perform whole-genome sequencing for representative numbers of SARS-CoV-2-positive cases. In the present work, we developed a novel strategy based on a first partial Sanger screening in the S gene, which includes key mutations of the already known VOCs and VOIs, for rapid identification of these VOCs and VOIs and to help better select specimens that need to be sequenced by NGS technologies. The second step consists of whole-genome sequencing to allow a holistic view of all variants within the selected viral strains and confirm the initial classification of the strains based on partial S gene sequencing. | Microbiol Spectr | 2021 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 2686 | Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children and COVID-19 are distinct presentations of SARS-CoV-2 N/A | J Clin Invest | 2020 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 2687 | Obstetrical outcomes and maternal morbidities associated with COVID-19 in pregnant women in France: A national retrospective cohort study BACKGROUND: To the best of our knowledge, no study has exhaustively evaluated the association between maternal morbidities and Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) during the first wave of the pandemic in pregnant women. We investigated, in natural conceptions and assisted reproductive technique (ART) pregnancies, whether maternal morbidities were more frequent in pregnant women with COVID-19 diagnosis compared to pregnant women without COVID-19 diagnosis during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS AND FINDINGS: We conducted a retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data in a national cohort of all hospitalizations for births ≥22 weeks of gestation in France from January to June 2020 using the French national hospitalization database (PMSI). Pregnant women with COVID-19 were identified if they had been recorded in the database using the ICD-10 (International Classification of Disease) code for presence of a hospitalization for COVID-19. A total of 244,645 births were included, of which 874 (0.36%) in the COVID-19 group. Maternal morbidities and adverse obstetrical outcomes among those with or without COVID-19 were analyzed with a multivariable logistic regression model adjusted on patient characteristics. Among pregnant women, older age (31.1 (±5.9) years old versus 30.5 (±5.4) years old, respectively, p < 0.001), obesity (0.7% versus 0.3%, respectively, p < 0.001), multiple pregnancy (0.7% versus 0.4%, respectively, p < 0.001), and history of hypertension (0.9% versus 0.3%, respectively, p < 0.001) were more frequent with COVID-19 diagnosis. Active smoking (0.2% versus 0.4%, respectively, p < 0.001) and primiparity (0.3% versus 0.4%, respectively, p < 0.03) were less frequent with COVID-19 diagnosis. Frequency of ART conception was not different between those with and without COVID-19 diagnosis (p = 0.28). When compared to the non-COVID-19 group, women in the COVID-19 group had a higher frequency of admission to ICU (5.9% versus 0.1%, p < 0.001), mortality (0.2% versus 0.005%, p < 0.001), preeclampsia/eclampsia (4.8% versus 2.2%, p < 0.001), gestational hypertension (2.3% versus 1.3%, p < 0.03), postpartum hemorrhage (10.0% versus 5.7%, p < 0.001), preterm birth at <37 weeks of gestation (16.7% versus 7.1%, p < 0.001), <32 weeks of gestation (2.2% versus 0.8%, p < 0.001), <28 weeks of gestation (2.4% versus 0.8%, p < 0.001), induced preterm birth (5.4% versus 1.4%, p < 0.001), spontaneous preterm birth (11.3% versus 5.7%, p < 0.001), fetal distress (33.0% versus 26.0%, p < 0.001), and cesarean section (33.0% versus 20.2%, p < 0.001). Rates of pregnancy terminations ≥22 weeks of gestation, stillbirths, gestational diabetes, placenta praevia, and placenta abruption were not significantly different between the COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 groups. The number of venous thromboembolic events was too low to perform statistical analysis. A limitation of this study relies in the possibility that asymptomatic infected women were not systematically detected. CONCLUSIONS: We observed an increased frequency of pregnant women with maternal morbidities and diagnosis of COVID-19 compared to pregnant women without COVID-19. It appears essential to be aware of this, notably in populations at known risk of developing a more severe form of infection or obstetrical morbidities and in order for obstetrical units to better inform pregnant women and provide the best care. Although causality cannot be determined from these associations, these results may be in line with recent recommendations in favor of vaccination for pregnant women. | PLoS Med | 2021 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 2688 | Association of COVID-19 vaccines ChAdOx1 and BNT162b2 with major venous, arterial, or thrombocytopenic events: A population-based cohort study of 46 million adults in England BACKGROUND: Thromboses in unusual locations after the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine ChAdOx1-S have been reported, although their frequency with vaccines of different types is uncertain at a population level. The aim of this study was to estimate the population-level risks of hospitalised thrombocytopenia and major arterial and venous thromboses after COVID-19 vaccination. METHODS AND FINDINGS: In this whole-population cohort study, we analysed linked electronic health records from adults living in England, from 8 December 2020 to 18 March 2021. We estimated incidence rates and hazard ratios (HRs) for major arterial, venous, and thrombocytopenic outcomes 1 to 28 and >28 days after first vaccination dose for ChAdOx1-S and BNT162b2 vaccines. Analyses were performed separately for ages <70 and ≥70 years and adjusted for age, age(2), sex, ethnicity, and deprivation. We also prespecified adjustment for anticoagulant medication, combined oral contraceptive medication, hormone replacement therapy medication, history of pulmonary embolism or deep vein thrombosis, and history of coronavirus infection in analyses of venous thrombosis; and diabetes, hypertension, smoking, antiplatelet medication, blood pressure lowering medication, lipid lowering medication, anticoagulant medication, history of stroke, and history of myocardial infarction in analyses of arterial thromboses. We selected further covariates with backward selection. Of 46 million adults, 23 million (51%) were women; 39 million (84%) were <70; and 3.7 million (8.1%) Asian or Asian British, 1.6 million (3.5%) Black or Black British, 36 million (79%) White, 0.7 million (1.5%) mixed ethnicity, and 1.5 million (3.2%) were of another ethnicity. Approximately 21 million (46%) adults had their first vaccination between 8 December 2020 and 18 March 2021. The crude incidence rates (per 100,000 person-years) of all venous events were as follows: prevaccination, 140 [95% confidence interval (CI): 138 to 142]; ≤28 days post-ChAdOx1-S, 294 (281 to 307); >28 days post-ChAdOx1-S, 359 (338 to 382), ≤28 days post-BNT162b2-S, 241 (229 to 253); >28 days post-BNT162b2-S 277 (263 to 291). The crude incidence rates (per 100,000 person-years) of all arterial events were as follows: prevaccination, 546 (95% CI: 541 to 555); ≤28 days post-ChAdOx1-S, 1,211 (1,185 to 1,237); >28 days post-ChAdOx1-S, 1678 (1,630 to 1,726), ≤28 days post-BNT162b2-S, 1,242 (1,214 to 1,269); >28 days post-BNT162b2-S, 1,539 (1,507 to 1,572). Adjusted HRs (aHRs) 1 to 28 days after ChAdOx1-S, compared with unvaccinated rates, at ages <70 and ≥70 years, respectively, were 0.97 (95% CI: 0.90 to 1.05) and 0.58 (0.53 to 0.63) for venous thromboses, and 0.90 (0.86 to 0.95) and 0.76 (0.73 to 0.79) for arterial thromboses. Corresponding aHRs for BNT162b2 were 0.81 (0.74 to 0.88) and 0.57 (0.53 to 0.62) for venous thromboses, and 0.94 (0.90 to 0.99) and 0.72 (0.70 to 0.75) for arterial thromboses. aHRs for thrombotic events were higher at younger ages for venous thromboses after ChAdOx1-S, and for arterial thromboses after both vaccines. Rates of intracranial venous thrombosis (ICVT) and of thrombocytopenia in adults aged <70 years were higher 1 to 28 days after ChAdOx1-S (aHRs 2.27, 95% CI: 1.33 to 3.88 and 1.71, 1.35 to 2.16, respectively), but not after BNT162b2 (0.59, 0.24 to 1.45 and 1.00, 0.75 to 1.34) compared with unvaccinated. The corresponding absolute excess risks of ICVT 1 to 28 days after ChAdOx1-S were 0.9 to 3 per million, varying by age and sex. The main limitations of the study are as follows: (i) it relies on the accuracy of coded healthcare data to identify exposures, covariates, and outcomes; (ii) the use of primary reason for hospital admission to measure outcome, which improves the positive predictive value but may lead to an underestimation of incidence; and (iii) potential unmeasured confounding. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, we observed increases in rates of ICVT and thrombocytopenia after ChAdOx1-S vaccination in adults aged <70 years that were small compared with its effect in reducing COVID-19 morbidity and mortality, although more precise estimates for adults aged <40 years are needed. For people aged ≥70 years, rates of arterial or venous thrombotic events were generally lower after either vaccine compared with unvaccinated, suggesting that either vaccine is suitable in this age group. | PLoS Med | 2022 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 2689 | Resistance of SARS-CoV-2 variants to neutralization by monoclonal and serum-derived polyclonal antibodies N/A | Nat Med | 2021 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 2690 | A SARS-CoV-2 surrogate virus neutralization test based on antibody-mediated blockage of ACE2-spike protein-protein interaction N/A | Nat Biotechnol | 2020 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 2691 | The 2022 World Health Organization (WHO) Priority Recommendations and Response to the Omicron Variant (B.1.1.529) of SARS-CoV-2 The omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2, B.1.1.529, was included in the World Health Organization (WHO) list of variants of concerns (VOC) on 26 November 2021. Within only three months, omicron has spread rapidly to become the dominant variant in many countries. Studies have begun to evaluate the virulence, transmissibility, and degree of immune protection from current SARS-CoV-2 vaccines or previous of infection with the omicron variant. On 21 January 2022, the WHO published its seventh technical update and recommendations for priority actions in response to the omicron SARS-CoV-2 variant and cautioned that the overall risk from omicron remains high. At the start of this third year of the global COVID-19 pandemic, this editorial aims to summarize the evidence that supports the current priority recommendations and response from the WHO regarding the omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2, B.1.1.529. | Med Sci Monit | 2022 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 2692 | SARS-CoV-2 Delta-variant breakthrough infections in nursing home residents at midterm after Comirnaty COVID-19 vaccination Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) Delta variant breakthrough infections in nursing home residents following vaccination with Comirnaty® COVID‐19 vaccine were characterized. In total, 201 participants (median age, 87 years; range, 64–100; 133 female) from two nursing homes in the Valencian community (Spain) were included. SARS‐CoV‐2‐Spike (S) antibody responses were determined by a lateral flow immunocromatography (LFIC) assay and by quantitative electrochemiluminescent assay in LFIC‐negative participants. SARS‐CoV‐2‐S‐IFNγ T cells were enumerated by flow cytometry in 10 participants. Nasopharyngeal SARS‐CoV‐2 RNA loads were quantified by real‐time polymerase chain reaction assays. Vaccine breakthrough COVID‐19 due to the Delta variant occurred in 39 residents (median age, 87 years; range, 69–96; 31 female) at a median of 6.5 months after vaccination (nine requiring hospitalization). Breakthrough infections occurred at a higher rate (p < 0.0001) in residents who had not been previously infected with SARS‐CoV‐2 (naïve) (33/108; 18%) than in those with prior diagnosis of SARS‐CoV‐2 infection (experienced) (6/93; 6.4%), and were more likely (p < 0.0001) to develop in residents who tested negative by LFIC (20/49) at 3 months after vaccination as compared to their LFIC‐positive counterparts (19/142). Among LFIC‐negative residents, a trend towards lower plasma anti‐RBD antibody levels was noticed in those developing breakthrough infection (p = 0.16). SARS‐CoV‐2 RNA loads in nasopharyngeal specimens were lower in SARS‐CoV‐2‐experienced residents (p < 0.001) and in those testing positive by LFIC (p = 0.13). The frequency of SARS‐CoV‐2‐S‐reactive T cells at 3 months was similar in LFIC‐negative residents with (n = 7) or without (n = 3) breakthrough infection. Prior history of SARS‐CoV‐2 infection and detection of S‐reactive antibodies by LFIC at 3 months is associated with a lower risk of Delta‐variant breakthrough infection in nursing home residents at midterm after Comirnaty® COVID‐19 vaccination. | J Med Virol | 2022 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 2693 | Acute Myocarditis Following COVID-19 mRNA Vaccination in Adults Aged 18 Years or Older N/A | JAMA Intern Med | 2021 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 2694 | Anxiety, Depression and Resilience of Healthcare Workers in Japan During the COVID-19 Outbreak OBJECTIVE: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is spreading around the world. The aim of this study was to assess the degree of anxiety, depression, resilience, and other psychiatric symptoms among healthcare workers in Japan during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: This survey involved medical healthcare workers at the Japanese Red Cross Medical Center (Tokyo, Japan) between April 22 and May 15, 2020. The degree of symptoms of anxiety, depression, and resilience was assessed using the Japanese versions of the 7-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD-7), Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D), and 10-item Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale. Furthermore, we added original questionnaires comprising three factors: (i) anxiety and fear of infection and death; (ii) isolation and unreasonable treatment; and (iii) motivation and escape behavior at work. RESULTS: In total, 848 healthcare workers participated in this survey: 104 doctors, 461 nurses, 184 other co-medical staff, and 99 office workers. Among all participants, 85 (10.0%) developed moderate-to-severe anxiety disorder, and 237 (27.9%) developed depression. Problems with anxiety and fear of infection and death, isolation and unreasonable treatment, and motivation and escape from work were higher in the depression group than in the non-depression group (total CES-D score ≥ 16 points). Being a nurse and high total GAD-7 scores were risk factors of depression. Older workers and those with higher resilience were less likely to develop depression than others. CONCLUSION: During the COVID-19 epidemic, many healthcare workers suffered from psychiatric symptoms. Psychological support and interventions for protecting the mental health of them are needed. | Intern Med | 2020 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 2695 | SARS-CoV-2 variants B.1.351 and P.1 escape from neutralizing antibodies The global spread of SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19 is devastating health systems and economies worldwide. Recombinant or vaccine-induced neutralizing antibodies are used to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the recently emerged SARS-CoV-2 variants B.1.1.7 (UK), B.1.351 (South Africa) and P.1 (Brazil) harbor mutations in the viral spike (S) protein that may alter virus-host cell interactions and confer resistance to inhibitors and antibodies. Here, using pseudoparticles, we show that entry of all variants into human cells is susceptible to blockade by the entry inhibitors soluble ACE2, Camostat, EK-1 and EK-1-C4. In contrast, entry of the B.1.351 and P.1 variant was partially (Casirivimab) or fully (Bamlanivimab) resistant to antibodies used for COVID-19 treatment. Moreover, entry of these variants was less efficiently inhibited by plasma from convalescent COVID-19 patients and sera from BNT162b2 vaccinated individuals. These results suggest that SARS-CoV-2 may escape neutralizing antibody responses, which has important implications for efforts to contain the pandemic. | Cell | 2021 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 2696 | A highly conserved cryptic epitope in the receptor binding domains of SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV The outbreak of COVID-19 caused by SARS-CoV-2 virus has now become a pandemic, but there is currently very little understanding of the antigenicity of the virus. We therefore determined the crystal structure of CR3022, a neutralizing antibody previously isolated from a convalescent SARS patient, in complex with the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) protein to 3.1 Å. CR3022 targets a highly conserved epitope, distal from the receptor-binding site, that enables cross-reactive binding between SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV. Structural modeling further demonstrates that the binding epitope can only be accessed by CR3022 when at least two RBD on the trimeric S protein are in the “up” conformation and slightly rotated. Overall, this study provides molecular insights into antibody recognition of SARS-CoV-2. | Science | 2020 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 2697 | COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy in Canada: Content Analysis of Tweets Using the Theoretical Domains Framework BACKGROUND: With the approval of two COVID-19 vaccines in Canada, many people feel a sense of relief, as hope is on the horizon. However, only about 75% of people in Canada plan to receive one of the vaccines. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to determine the reasons why people in Canada feel hesitant toward receiving a COVID-19 vaccine. METHODS: We screened 3915 tweets from public Twitter profiles in Canada by using the search words “vaccine” and “COVID.” The tweets that met the inclusion criteria (ie, those about COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy) were coded via content analysis. Codes were then organized into themes and interpreted by using the Theoretical Domains Framework. RESULTS: Overall, 605 tweets were identified as those about COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy. Vaccine hesitancy stemmed from the following themes: concerns over safety, suspicion about political or economic forces driving the COVID-19 pandemic or vaccine development, a lack of knowledge about the vaccine, antivaccine or confusing messages from authority figures, and a lack of legal liability from vaccine companies. This study also examined mistrust toward the medical industry not due to hesitancy, but due to the legacy of communities marginalized by health care institutions. These themes were categorized into the following five Theoretical Domains Framework constructs: knowledge, beliefs about consequences, environmental context and resources, social influence, and emotion. CONCLUSIONS: With the World Health Organization stating that one of the worst threats to global health is vaccine hesitancy, it is important to have a comprehensive understanding of the reasons behind this reluctance. By using a behavioral science framework, this study adds to the emerging knowledge about vaccine hesitancy in relation to COVID-19 vaccines by analyzing public discourse in tweets in real time. Health care leaders and clinicians may use this knowledge to develop public health interventions that are responsive to the concerns of people who are hesitant to receive vaccines. | J Med Internet Res | 2021 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 2698 | Single-cell RNA-seq data analysis on the receptor ACE2 expression reveals the potential risk of different human organs vulnerable to 2019-nCoV infection It has been known that, the novel Coronavirus, 2019-nCoV, which is considered similar to SARS-CoV and originated from Wuhan (China), invades human cells via the receptor angiotensin converting enzyme II (ACE2). Moreover, lung cells that have ACE2 expression may be the main target cells during 2019-nCoV infection. However, some patients also exhibit non-respiratory symptoms, such as kidney failure, implying that 2019-nCoV could also invade other organs. To construct a risk map of different human organs, we analyzed the single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) datasets derived from major human physiological systems, including the respiratory, cardiovascular, digestive, and urinary systems. Through scRNA-seq data analyses, we identified the organs at risk, such as lung, heart, esophagus, kidney, bladder, and ileum, and located specific cell types (i.e., type II alveolar cells (AT2), myocardial cells, proximal tubule cells of the kidney, ileum and esophagus epithelial cells, and bladder urothelial cells), which are vulnerable to 2019-nCoV infection. Based on the findings, we constructed a risk map indicating the vulnerability of different organs to 2019-nCoV infection. This study may provide potential clues for further investigation of the pathogenesis and route of 2019-nCoV infection. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: Supplementary material is available for this article at 10.1007/s11684-020-0754-0 and is accessible for authorized users. | Front Med | 2020 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 2699 | Persistence and decay of human antibody responses to the receptor binding domain of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein in COVID-19 patients We measured plasma and/or serum antibody responses to the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the spike (S) protein of SARS-CoV-2 in 343 North American patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 (of which 93% required hospitalization) up to 122 days after symptom onset and compared them to responses in 1548 individuals whose blood samples were obtained prior to the pandemic. After setting seropositivity thresholds for perfect specificity (100%), we estimated sensitivities of 95% for IgG, 90% for IgA, and 81% for IgM for detecting infected individuals between 15 and 28 days after symptom onset. While the median time to seroconversion was nearly 12 days across all three isotypes tested, IgA and IgM antibodies against RBD were short-lived with median times to seroreversion of 71 and 49 days after symptom onset. In contrast, anti-RBD IgG responses decayed slowly through 90 days with only 3 seropositive individuals seroreverting within this time period. IgG antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 RBD were strongly correlated with anti-S neutralizing antibody titers, which demonstrated little to no decrease over 75 days since symptom onset. We observed no cross-reactivity of the SARS-CoV-2 RBD-targeted antibodies with other widely circulating coronaviruses (HKU1, 229 E, OC43, NL63). These data suggest that RBD-targeted antibodies are excellent markers of previous and recent infection, that differential isotype measurements can help distinguish between recent and older infections, and that IgG responses persist over the first few months after infection and are highly correlated with neutralizing antibodies. | Sci Immunol | 2020 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 2700 | Factors Influencing Pre-service Teachers' Intention to Use Digital Learning Materials: A Study Conducted During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Germany The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated an abrupt change in university teacher education, in that most face-to-face courses were replaced by online education, which had a profound impact on students. Pandemic distance learning required students to possess a high degree of self-regulation concerning their learning environment and to find new ways of communicating with their peers and instructors. At the same time, the novel situation offered opportunities to experience new educational applications. To learn more about the possible benefits of distance learning, this study examines how the first online semester during the pandemic contributed to pre-service teachers' intentions to use digital learning materials in the future. Pre-service teachers enrolled in a German university (n = 348) answered an online questionnaire at the end of the summer term of 2020. Findings from structural equation modeling showed that the perceived quality of teacher training during the online semester and self-reported improvements in digital skills predicted significantly students' intentions to use digital learning materials for future teaching. Moreover, results revealed that attentional regulation predicted perceived quality of teacher training and self-reported improvements in digital skills during distance learning. Thus, attentional regulation had a significant indirect effect on pre-service teachers' behavioral intentions. The indirect effects of other resource management strategies (effort and time management) and intrinsic motivation were not significant. Our results show that the quality of online instruction was an important factor in student teachers' learning processes during the pandemic. Based on our results, we discuss implications for the promotion of pre-service teachers' intentions to use digital learning materials for teaching in schools. | Front Psychol | 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.