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

BIP! Finder for COVID-19

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

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

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

Use:  Impact  Relevance & Impact
TitleVenueYearImpactSource
801The mRNA-LNP platform's lipid nanoparticle component used in preclinical vaccine studies is highly inflammatory  

Vaccines based on mRNA-containing lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) are a promising new platform used by two leading vaccines against COVID-19. Clinical trials and ongoing vaccinations present with varying degrees of protection levels and side effects. However, the drivers of the reported side effects remain poorly defined. Here we present evidence that Acuitas’ LNPs used in preclinical nucleoside-modified mRNA vaccine studies are highly inflammatory in mice. Intradermal and intramuscular injection of these LNPs led to rapid and robust inflammatory responses, characterized by massive neutrophil infiltration, activation of diverse inflammatory pathways, and production of various inflammatory cytokines and chemokines. The same dose of LNP delivered intranasally led to similar inflammatory responses in the lung and resulted in a high mortality rate, with mechanism unresolved. Thus, the mRNA-LNP platforms’ potency in supporting the induction of adaptive immune responses and the observed side effects may stem from the LNP’s highly inflammatory nature.

iScience2021       LitCov and CORD-19
802Covid-19: Trump sidelines "lying" CDC from collecting mortality data  

N/A

BMJ2020       LitCov and CORD-19
803Nicotine and smoking in the COVID-19 era  

Introduction: The knowledge regarding the demographic characteristics of patients with Covid-19 and risk factors distribution is still evolving. Considering the role of cigarette smoking in the pathogenesis of lung diseases and the effect of nicotine on expression of the entry receptor for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), it is important to determine the implications of smoking in COVID-19. Methods: In this brief report, by using the published articles in the literature, we aimed to compare the reported prevalence of smoking in patients with COVID-19 to the prevalence of smoking in the general population of the corresponding report. Binomial tests were conducted and a P value of less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Among the screened papers, we found 12 peer-reviewed articles in which epidemiological characteristics of COVID-19 patients, including smoking status, were stated. Based on the descriptive reports of characteristics of COVID-19 patients, we observed a significantly lower proportion of COVID-19 patients with smoking history compared to what is expected, given the population average for each study’s geographic area. Conclusion: This analysis of available data showed a lower prevalence of smoking in COVID-19 patients in comparison to the regional average. Considering the limitations of the study, the results should be interpreted with great caution and be viewed just as a preliminary report to motivate related basic and clinical researches.

J Cardiovasc Thorac Res2020       LitCov and CORD-19
804Can Melatonin Be a Potential "Silver Bullet" in Treating COVID-19 Patients?  

The therapeutic potential of melatonin as a chronobiotic cytoprotective agent to counteract the consequences of COVID-19 infections has been advocated. Because of its wide-ranging effects as an antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and immunomodulatory compound, melatonin could be unique in impairing the consequences of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Moreover, indirect evidence points out to a possible antiviral action of melatonin by interfering with SARS-CoV-2/angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 association. Melatonin is also an effective chronobiotic agent to reverse the circadian disruption of social isolation and to control delirium in severely affected patients. As a cytoprotector, melatonin serves to combat several comorbidities such as diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and ischemic and non-ischemic cardiovascular diseases, which aggravate COVID-19 disease. In view of evidence on the occurrence of neurological sequels in COVID-19-infected patients, another putative application of melatonin emerges based on its neuroprotective properties. Since melatonin is an effective means to control cognitive decay in minimal cognitive impairment, its therapeutic significance for the neurological sequels of SARS-CoV-2 infection should be considered. Finally, yet importantly, exogenous melatonin can be an adjuvant capable of augmenting the efficacy of anti-SARS-CoV-2 vaccines. We discuss in this review the experimental evidence suggesting that melatonin is a potential “silver bullet” in the COVID 19 pandemic.

Diseases2020       LitCov and CORD-19
805Omicron-specific mRNA vaccination alone and as a heterologous booster against SARS-CoV-2  

N/A

Nat Commun2022       LitCov
806Reverse genetic systems: Rational design of coronavirus live attenuated vaccines with immune sequelae  

Since the end of 2019, the global COVID-19 outbreak has once again made coronaviruses a hot topic. Vaccines are hoped to be an effective way to stop the spread of the virus. However, there are no clinically approved vaccines available for coronavirus infections. Reverse genetics technology can realize the operation of RNA virus genomes at the DNA level and provide new ideas and strategies for the development of new vaccines. In this review, we systematically describe the role of reverse genetics technology in studying the effects of coronavirus proteins on viral virulence and innate immunity, cell and tissue tropism and antiviral drug screening. An efficient reverse genetics platform is useful for obtaining the ideal attenuated strain to prepare an attenuated live vaccine.

Adv Virus Res2020       LitCov and CORD-19
807The implications of face masks for babies and families during the COVID-19 pandemic: A discussion paper  

COVID-19 has changed the way that newborn babies are cared for within the neonatal setting due to the introduction of social distancing and wearing of face masks to limit the spread of the infection. Potential implications exist related to the normal development of bonding and connections with others. This paper discusses the importance of face to face interactions for early attachment between babies and parents within the context of relevant underpinning developmental theory. Mask wearing can also potentially impact relational communication, requiring us to change our current ways of working. Decreasing face to face interactions and relational communication, along with key recommendations for both parents and health professionals are further highlighted to mitigate the potential negative effects of masks on long-term development related to human connection and attachment.

J Neonatal Nurs2020       LitCov and CORD-19
808SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant replication in human bronchus and lung ex vivo  

N/A

Nature2022       LitCov and CORD-19
809SARS-COV-2 myocarditis. An update  

L’émergence du virus SARS-CoV-2 responsable de la maladie à Covid-19 a fait apparaître une nouvelle maladie dont les contours restent encore imparfaitement connus. Alors que les premières données suggéraient une infection purement respiratoire, les publications les plus récentes mettent en évidence un grand pléomorphisme de la maladie, responsable d’atteintes polyviscérales, au premier rang desquelles l’atteinte cardiaque. Cette atteinte cardiaque peut prendre la forme de myocardite aiguë. L’objectif de cette revue est de discuter le rationnel physiopathologique justifiant l’existence de myocardites à SARS-CoV-2 et d’analyser les données de la littérature concernant le diagnostic et le traitement de cette entité particulière. The outbreak of the SARS-CoV-2 virus responsible for the Covid-19 disease has given rise to a new disease whose boundaries are still to be discovered. While the first data suggested a purely respiratory infection, the most recent publications highlight a large pleomorphism of the disease, responsible for multiple organ damage, of which cardiac injury seems to be the most represented. This cardiac injury can present as acute myocarditis. Our aim was to discuss the pathophysiological rationale underlying the existence of SARS-CoV-2 myocarditis and to analyze the literature data regarding the diagnosis and treatment of this particular entity.

Ann Cardiol Angeiol (Paris)2020       LitCov and CORD-19
810NICE advises against using graded exercise therapy for patients recovering from covid-19  

N/A

BMJ2020       LitCov and CORD-19
811Acute disseminated encephalomyelitis-like presentation after an inactivated coronavirus vaccine  

Acta Neurol Belg2021       LitCov and CORD-19
812Decolonising human rights: how intellectual property laws result in unequal access to the COVID-19 vaccine  

The recent rapid development of COVID-19 vaccines offers hope in addressing the worst pandemic in a hundred years. However, many countries in the Global South face great difficulties in accessing vaccines, partly because of restrictive intellectual property law. These laws exacerbate both global and domestic inequalities and prevent countries from fully realising the right to health for all their people. Commodification of essential medicines, such as vaccines, pushes poorer countries into extreme debt and reproduces national inequalities that discriminate against marginalised groups. This article explains how a decolonial framing of human rights and public health could contribute to addressing this systemic injustice. We envisage a human rights and global health law framework based on solidarity and international cooperation that focuses funding on long-term goals and frees access to medicines from the restrictions of intellectual property law. This would increase domestic vaccine production, acquisition and distribution capabilities in the Global South.

BMJ Glob Health2021       LitCov and CORD-19
813Immunological imprinting of the antibody response in COVID-19 patients  

In addition to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), humans are also susceptible to six other coronaviruses, for which consecutive exposures to antigenically related and divergent seasonal coronaviruses are frequent. Despite the prevalence of COVID-19 pandemic and ongoing research, the nature of the antibody response against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is unclear. Here we longitudinally profile the early humoral immune response against SARS-CoV-2 in hospitalized coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients and quantify levels of pre-existing immunity to OC43, HKU1 and 229E seasonal coronaviruses, and find a strong back-boosting effect to conserved but not variable regions of OC43 and HKU1 betacoronaviruses spike protein. However, such antibody memory boost to human coronaviruses negatively correlates with the induction of IgG and IgM against SARS-CoV-2 spike and nucleocapsid protein. Our findings thus provide evidence of immunological imprinting by previous seasonal coronavirus infections that can potentially modulate the antibody profile to SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Nat Commun2021       LitCov and CORD-19
814Modeling the effect of lockdown timing as a COVID-19 control measure in countries with differing social contacts  

The application, timing, and duration of lockdown strategies during a pandemic remain poorly quantified with regards to expected public health outcomes. Previous projection models have reached conflicting conclusions about the effect of complete lockdowns on COVID-19 outcomes. We developed a stochastic continuous-time Markov chain (CTMC) model with eight states including the environment (SEAMHQRD-V), and derived a formula for the basic reproduction number, R(0), for that model. Applying the [Formula: see text] formula as a function in previously-published social contact matrices from 152 countries, we produced the distribution and four categories of possible [Formula: see text] for the 152 countries and chose one country from each quarter as a representative for four social contact categories (Canada, China, Mexico, and Niger). The model was then used to predict the effects of lockdown timing in those four categories through the representative countries. The analysis for the effect of a lockdown was performed without the influence of the other control measures, like social distancing and mask wearing, to quantify its absolute effect. Hypothetical lockdown timing was shown to be the critical parameter in ameliorating pandemic peak incidence. More importantly, we found that well-timed lockdowns can split the peak of hospitalizations into two smaller distant peaks while extending the overall pandemic duration. The timing of lockdowns reveals that a “tunneling” effect on incidence can be achieved to bypass the peak and prevent pandemic caseloads from exceeding hospital capacity.

Sci Rep2021       LitCov and CORD-19
815Role of mitochondria, oxidative stress and the response to antioxidants in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome: A possible approach to SARS-CoV-2 'long-haulers'?  

A significant number of SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic patients have developed chronic symptoms lasting weeks or months which are very similar to those described for myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome. This paper reviews the current literature and understanding of the role that mitochondria, oxidative stress and antioxidants may play in the understanding of the pathophysiology and treatment of chronic fatigue. It describes what is known about the dysfunctional pathways which can develop in mitochondria and their relationship to chronic fatigue. It also reviews what is known about oxidative stress and how this can be related to the pathophysiology of fatigue, as well as examining the potential for specific therapy directed at mitochondria for the treatment of chronic fatigue in the form of antioxidants. This review identifies areas which require urgent, further research in order to fully elucidate the clinical and therapeutic potential of these approaches.

Chronic Dis Transl Med2020       LitCov and CORD-19
816Herpes simplex encephalitis following ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccination: a case report and review of the literature  

BACKGROUND: Ever since the administration of early doses of COVID-19 vaccines, instances of adverse effects have been reported. Viral infections, specifically herpes simplex reinfection and coinfections, have been reported following administration of different types of vaccines. To our knowledge, there have not been any reports of herpes simplex encephalitis following administration of any type of COVID-19 vaccine to date. CASE PRESENTATION: In this article intends to report a case of herpes simplex encephalitis in a 27-year-old male patient who was vaccinated with the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine. CONCLUSIONS: Our study suggests a possible but very rare side effect of ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine, which requires immediate medical attention and can lead to devastating consequences if left undiagnosed and untreated.

BMC Infect Dis2022       LitCov and CORD-19
817Post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 in a non-hospitalized cohort: Results from the Arizona CoVHORT  

Clinical presentation, outcomes, and duration of COVID-19 has ranged dramatically. While some individuals recover quickly, others suffer from persistent symptoms, collectively known as long COVID, or post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 (PASC). Most PASC research has focused on hospitalized COVID-19 patients with moderate to severe disease. We used data from a diverse population-based cohort of Arizonans to estimate prevalence of PASC, defined as experiencing at least one symptom 30 days or longer, and prevalence of individual symptoms. There were 303 non-hospitalized individuals with a positive lab-confirmed COVID-19 test who were followed for a median of 61 days (range 30–250). COVID-19 positive participants were mostly female (70%), non-Hispanic white (68%), and on average 44 years old. Prevalence of PASC at 30 days post-infection was 68.7% (95% confidence interval: 63.4, 73.9). The most common symptoms were fatigue (37.5%), shortness-of-breath (37.5%), brain fog (30.8%), and stress/anxiety (30.8%). The median number of symptoms was 3 (range 1–20). Amongst 157 participants with longer follow-up (≥60 days), PASC prevalence was 77.1%.

PLoS One2021       LitCov and CORD-19
818COVID-19 and the renin-angiotensin system (RAS): A spark that sets the forest alight?  

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has increased exponentially in numbers with more than 20 million people infected around the globe. It is clear that COVID-19 is not a simple viral pneumonia, but presents with unusual pathophysiological effects. Of special interest is that SARS-CoV-2 utilises the angiotensin-converting enzyme-2 (ACE-2) for cell entry and therefore has a direct effect on the renin angiotensin system (RAS). The RAS is primarily responsible for blood pressure control via the classic pathway. Recently numerous other pathological processes have been described due to stimulation of this classic pathway. There is also a protective RAS pathway medicated by ACE2 which may be suppressed in COVID-19. This leads to overstimulation of the classic pathway with adverse cardiovascular and respiratory effects, hypercoagulation, endothelial dysfunction, inflammation and insulin resistance. We hypothesize that overreaction of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone may account for the myriad of unusual biochemical and clinical abnormalities noted in patients infected with SARS-CoV-2.

Med Hypotheses2020       LitCov and CORD-19
819Thyroid disease is associated with severe COVID-19 infection  

Diabetes Metab Syndr2020       LitCov and CORD-19
820A case of trigeminal neuralgia developing after a COVID-19 vaccination  

In this case, we report a patient who developed acute trigeminal neuritis after using a Pfizer-BioNtech vaccination against SARS-CoV-2. The patient was completely recovered with steroid treatment.

J Neurovirol2021       LitCov and CORD-19
821De Novo Immunoglobulin A Vasculitis Following Exposure to SARS-CoV-2 Immunization  

Background: Immunizations have been previously described as potential triggering events for the development of certain glomerular diseases. However, glomerular disease occurrences are being reported after exposure to a severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) vaccine. Case Report: A 50-year-old male presented to a nephrology clinic for evaluation of persistent proteinuria. Six weeks prior to evaluation, the patient had reported developing a rash 2 weeks after receiving the first dose of a SARS-CoV-2 vaccine (BNT162b2 mRNA, Pfizer, Inc). His primary care provider treated the rash with corticosteroids, leading to partial improvement of the skin lesions. Three weeks after the first vaccine injection, the patient received his scheduled second vaccine injection. Within 2 days, the rash reappeared. This time, the lesions were more severe in nature. Skin biopsy revealed immunoglobulin A (IgA)-dominant leukocytoclastic vasculitis. After the patient completed 2 weeks of oral corticosteroids, urinalysis revealed proteinuria, and consultation with nephrology was requested. On examination, healing papules were noted on his legs. Serum creatinine 2 weeks after the second dose of vaccine was 0.9 mg/dL. Microscopic examination of the urinary sediment revealed acanthocytes. Urine protein to creatinine ratio 3 weeks after the second dose of vaccine was 1.1 g/day. Serum complements were normal, and all pertinent serology was negative. Kidney biopsy findings were consistent with IgA nephropathy. Conclusion: The clinical presentation and pathologic findings in this case strongly suggest that the Pfizer SARS-CoV-2 vaccine can trigger a clinical syndrome compatible with Henoch-Schönlein purpura. The recurrence of the rash following the second dose argues for a definite causal association by the Naranjo criteria.

Ochsner J2021       LitCov and CORD-19
822Immunotoxic role of organophosphates: An unseen risk escalating SARS-CoV-2 pathogenicity  

Consistent gathering of immunotoxic-substances on earth is a serious global-issue affecting people under pathogenic-stress. Organophosphates are among such hazardous-compounds that are ubiquitous in nature. They fuel oxidative-stress to impair antiviral immune-response in living-entities. Aside, organophosphate ignites cytokine-burst and pyroptosis in broncho-alveolar chambers leading to severe respiratory-ailments. At present, we witness COVID-19 outbreak caused by SARS-CoV-2. Infection triggers cytokine-storm coupled with inflammatory-manifestations and pulmonary-disorders in patients. Since organophosphate-exposure promotes necroinflammation and respiratory-troubles hence during current pandemic-situation, additional exposure to such chemicals can exacerbate inflammatory-outcome and pulmonary-maladies in patients, or pre-exposure to organophosphates might turn-out to be a risk-factor for compromised-immunity. Fortunately, antioxidants alleviate organophosphate-induced immunosuppression and hence under co-exposure circumstances, dietary-intake of antioxidants would be beneficial to boost immunity against SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Food Chem Toxicol2021       LitCov and CORD-19
823Controversies in CO2 Insufflation and COVID-19  

Tech Coloproctol2020       LitCov and CORD-19
824Recurrence of Myopericarditis Following mRNA COVID-19 Vaccination in a Male Adolescent  

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). It has spread worldwide, resulting in health and economic crises. Vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 infection is considered a valid prevention measure to control this pandemic. There have been reports of cases of myopericarditis following mRNA COVID-19 vaccination. We present a case of a 20-year-old man with recurrent myopericarditis following an initial episode of influenza virus-induced myopericarditis and after receiving a second dose of the mRNA-1273 Moderna COVID-19 vaccine. Careful attention should be paid to patients with a history of myocarditis following COVID-19 vaccination.

CJC Open2021       LitCov and CORD-19
825Aseptic meningitis after vaccination of the BNT162b2 mRNA COVID-19 vaccine  

Neurol Sci2021       LitCov and CORD-19
826Comparative systematic review and meta-analysis of reactogenicity, immunogenicity and efficacy of vaccines against SARS-CoV-2  

As SARS-CoV-2 vaccines are deployed worldwide, a comparative evaluation is important to underpin decision-making. We here report a systematic literature review and meta-analysis of Phase I/II/III human trials and non-human primates (NHP) studies, comparing reactogenicity, immunogenicity and efficacy across different vaccine platforms for comparative evaluation (updated to March 22, 2021). Twenty-three NHP and 32 human studies are included. Vaccines result in mostly mild, self-limiting adverse events. Highest spike neutralizing antibody (nAb) responses are identified for the mRNA-1273-SARS-CoV and adjuvanted NVX-CoV2373-SARS-CoV-2 vaccines. ChAdOx-SARS-CoV-2 produces the highest T cell ELISpot responses. Pre-existing nAb against vaccine viral vector are identified following AdH-5-SARS-CoV-2 vaccination, halving immunogenicity. The mRNA vaccines depend on boosting to achieve optimal immunogenicity especially in the elderly. BNT162b2, and mRNA-1273 achieve >94%, rAd26/5 > 91% and ChAdOx-SARS-CoV-2 > 66.7% efficacy. Across different vaccine platforms there are trade-offs between antibody binding, functional nAb titers, T cell frequency, reactogenicity and efficacy. Emergence of variants makes rapid mass rollout of high efficacy vaccines essential to reduce any selective advantage.

NPJ Vaccines2021       LitCov and CORD-19
827Natural history of a recurrent feline coronavirus infection and the role of cellular immunity in survival and disease  

N/A

J Virol2005       CORD-19
828Dizziness and COVID-19  

Ear Nose Throat J2020       LitCov and CORD-19
829Adenoviral Vector DNA- and SARS-CoV-2 mRNA-Based Covid-19 Vaccines: Possible Integration into the Human Genome-Are Adenoviral Genes Expressed in Vector-based Vaccines?  

Vigorous vaccination programs against SARS-CoV-2-causing Covid-19 are the major chance to fight this dreadful pandemic. The currently administered vaccines depend on adenovirus DNA vectors or on SARS-CoV-2 mRNA that might become reverse transcribed into DNA, however infrequently. In some societies, people have become sensitized against the potential short- or long-term side effects of foreign DNA being injected into humans. In my laboratory, the fate of foreign DNA in mammalian (human) cells and organisms has been investigated for many years. In this review, a summary of the results obtained will be presented. This synopsis has been put in the evolutionary context of retrotransposon insertions into pre-human genomes millions of years ago. In addition, studies on adenovirus vector-based DNA, on the fate of food-ingested DNA as well as the long-term persistence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA/DNA will be described. Actual integration of viral DNA molecules and of adenovirus vector DNA will likely be chance events whose frequency and epigenetic consequences cannot with certainty be assessed. The review also addresses problems of remaining adenoviral gene expression in adenoviral-based vectors and their role in side effects of vaccines. Eventually, it will come down to weighing the possible risks of genomic insertions of vaccine-associated foreign DNA and unknown levels of vector-carried adenoviral gene expression versus protection against the dangers of Covid-19. A decision in favor of vaccination against life-threatening disease appears prudent. Informing the public about the complexities of biology will be a reliable guide when having to reach personal decisions about vaccinations.

Virus Res2021       LitCov and CORD-19
830Post-COVID-19 vaccine acute hyperactive encephalopathy with dramatic response to methylprednisolone: A case report  

BACKGROUND: Since introducing the SARS-CoV-2 vaccination, different adverse effects and complications have been linked to the vaccine. Variable neurological complications have been reported after receiving the COVID-19 vaccine, such as acute encephalopathy. CASE PRESENTATION: In this report, we describe a 32-year-old previously healthy man who developed acute confusion, memory disturbances, and auditory hallucination within 24 hours from getting his first dose of the COVID-19 Moderna vaccine.EEG showed features of encephalopathy, CSF investigations were nonspecific, and MRI head did not depict any abnormality. He received five days of ceftriaxone and acyclovir without any benefit. DISCUSSION: Extensive workup for different causes of acute encephalopathy, including autoimmune encephalitis, was negative. Also, Our patient improved dramatically after receiving methylprednisolone, supporting an immune-mediated mechanism behind his acute presentation. Accordingly, we think the COVID-19 vaccine is the only possible cause of our patient presentation, giving the temporal relationship and the absence of other risk factors for encephalopathy. CONCLUSION: the clinician should be aware of the possible neurological complications of the different COVID-19 vaccines. Further research is needed to clarify the pathophysiology of such complications.

Ann Med Surg (Lond)2021       LitCov and CORD-19
831Autoimmune hepatitis after SARS-CoV-2 vaccine: New-onset or flare-up?  

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection has been reported to trigger several autoimmune diseases. There are also recent reports of autoimmune diseases that develop after SARS-CoV-2 vaccines. Autoimmune hepatitis is a polygenic multifactorial disease, which is diagnosed using a scoring system. A 61-year-old woman presented with malaise, fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea and yellow eyes. She had a Pfizer/BioNTech BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine a month ago. Her physical examination revealed jaundice all over the body, especially in the sclera. The laboratory tests showed elevated liver enzymes and bilirubin levels. Antinuclear antibody and anti-smooth muscle antibody were positive and immunoglobulin G was markedly elevated. The liver biopsy revealed histopathological findings consistent with autoimmune hepatitis (AIH). The patient was diagnosed with AIH and initiated on steroid therapy. She rapidly responded to steroid therapy. A few cases of AIH have been reported after the COVID-19 vaccine so far. Although the exact cause of autoimmune reactions is unknown, an abnormal immune response and bystander activation induced by molecular mimicry is considered a potential mechanism, especially in susceptible individuals. As intensive vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 continues, we would like to emphasize that clinicians should be cautious and consider AIH in patients presenting with similar signs and symptoms.

J Autoimmun2021       LitCov and CORD-19
832"A piece of paper is not the same as having someone to talk to": accessing post-diagnostic dementia care before and since COVID-19 and associated inequalities  

BACKGROUND: Social support services such as day care centres are important in post-diagnostic dementia care to enable people living with dementia stay at home for longer. Little research has addressed potential inequalities in access, with no research on variations before and since COVID-19. The aim of this study was to explore inequalities in social support service usage before and since the pandemic. METHODS: Unpaid carers and people living with dementia were interviewed over the phone about their experiences of accessing social support services before and since the COVID-19 pandemic. Transcripts were analysed for key themes using inductive and deductive thematic analysis. RESULTS: Fifty participants (42 unpaid carers; eight people living with dementia) were interviewed, and five themes identified: (1) Service issues; (2) Access issues; (3) Relying on own initiative; (4) New inequalities due to COVID-19; and (5) Missing out on the benefits of support services. Participants reported transport, finances, and location as factors reducing their ability to access support service pre-COVID, with inequalities remaining and at times exacerbated since. Carers and people living with dementia also reported struggling with accessing basic necessities during COVID, including food and medicines. CONCLUSIONS: Considering the benefits of accessing support services, resourced procedures and facilities are needed to maintain access to support services with more accessible remote support provision, enabling people from all backgrounds to access the care they need.

Int J Equity Health2021       LitCov and CORD-19
833A case of severe cutaneous adverse reaction following administration of the Janssen Ad26.COV2.S COVID-19 vaccine  

JAAD Case Rep2021       LitCov and CORD-19
834Emerging concepts in the science of vaccine adjuvants  

Adjuvants are vaccine components that enhance the magnitude, breadth and durability of the immune response. Following its introduction in the 1920s, alum remained the only adjuvant licensed for human use for the next 70 years. Since the 1990s, a further five adjuvants have been included in licensed vaccines, but the molecular mechanisms by which these adjuvants work remain only partially understood. However, a revolution in our understanding of the activation of the innate immune system through pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) is improving the mechanistic understanding of adjuvants, and recent conceptual advances highlight the notion that tissue damage, different forms of cell death, and metabolic and nutrient sensors can all modulate the innate immune system to activate adaptive immunity. Furthermore, recent advances in the use of systems biology to probe the molecular networks driving immune response to vaccines (‘systems vaccinology’) are revealing mechanistic insights and providing a new paradigm for the vaccine discovery and development process. Here, we review the ‘known knowns’ and ‘known unknowns’ of adjuvants, discuss these emerging concepts and highlight how our expanding knowledge about innate immunity and systems vaccinology are revitalizing the science and development of novel adjuvants for use in vaccines against COVID-19 and future pandemics.

Nat Rev Drug Discov2021       LitCov and CORD-19
835Minor to Moderate Side Effects of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine Among Saudi Residents: A Retrospective Cross-Sectional Study  

BACKGROUND: The Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine has recently received emergency approval from the US FDA. The mRNA technology was used to manufacture the Pfizer vaccine; however, as a pioneering technology that has never been used in the manufacture of vaccines, many people have concerns about the vaccine’s side effects. Thus, the current study aimed to track the short-term side effects of the vaccine. METHODS: The information in this study was gathered by a Google Form-questionnaire (online survey). The results included the responses of 455 individuals, all of whom are Saudi Arabia inhabitants. Adverse effects of the vaccine were reported after the first and the second doses. RESULTS: The most common symptoms were injection site pain, headaches, flu-like symptoms, fever, and tiredness. Less common side effects were a fast heartbeat, whole body aches, difficulty breathing, joint pain, chills, and drowsiness. Rare side effects include Bell’s palsy and lymph nodes swelling and tenderness. Flu-like symptoms were more common among those under 60 years of age, while injection site pain was more frequent among recipients who were 60 years and older. The study revealed a significant increase in the number of females who suffered from the vaccine side effects compared to males. Difficulty of breathing was more reported among recipients who had been previously infected with the coronavirus compared to those who had not been previously infected. CONCLUSION: Most of the side effects reported in this study were consistent with Pfizer’s fact sheet for recipients and caregivers. Further studies are required to determine the long-term side effects.

Int J Gen Med2021       LitCov and CORD-19
836Food products as potential carriers of SARS-CoV-2  

At present, humanity is confronting with a novel life-threatening challenge from the COVID-19 pandemic infectious disease caused by the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. To date, the various transmission modes of SARS-CoV-2 have not been completely determined. Food products might be carriers for SARS-CoV-2. The COVID-19 pandemic not only can spread through the respiratory tract like SARS and MERS but also the presence of the SARS-CoV-2 RNA in feces of several patients, shows the possibility of their fecal-oral route spread. Besides, people with gastric problems, including gastric intestinal metaplasia and atrophic gastritis, may be susceptible to this kind of COVID-19 infection. Accordingly, food may act as a potential vehicle of SARS-CoV-2 due to whether carry-through or carry-over contaminations. Considering carry-over, SARS-CoV-2 spread from personnel to food products or food surfaces is feasible. Beyond that, some shreds of evidence showed that pigs and rabbits can be infected by SARS-CoV-2. Thus, viral transmission through meat products may be conceivable, indicating carry-through contamination. As the spread rate of SARS-CoV-2 is high and its stability in different environments, especially food processing surfaces, is also remarkable, it may enter foods in whether industrialized processing or the traditional one. Therefore, established precautious acts is suggested to be applied in food processing units. The present review elucidates the risk of various staple food products, including meat and meat products, dairy products, bread, fruits, vegetables, and ready-to-eat foods as potential carriers for transmission of SARS-CoV-2.

Food Control2020       LitCov and CORD-19
837Guillain-Barré syndrome following ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 COVID-19 vaccination: A case series  

ChAdOx1 nCoV‐19 is an effective and well‐tolerated coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) vaccine. Rare cases of serious adverse events have been reported with this vaccine. We report three patients who developed Guillain‐Barré syndrome following ChAdOx1 nCoV‐19 vaccination, who did not have active or prior COVID‐19 infection. The neurological illness in all patients had an onset of 11‐13 days after the first dose of vaccine. All were characterized by sensorimotor weakness of the upper and lower limbs, with facial diplegia in one and dysautonomia in the other. Nerve conduction studies were consistent with demyelination in two and axonopathy in one. Cerebrospinal fluid analysis showed albuminocytological dissociation in two patients. All patients had moderate‐to‐severe disability. They were treated with intravenous immunoglobulin, with stabilization of the disease. Proper monitoring and prompt reporting of such cases is required to ensure safety of the vaccine.

Neurol Clin Neurosci2021       LitCov and CORD-19
838Medical Licensure: It Is Time to Eliminate Practice Borders Within the United States  

Am J Med2020       LitCov and CORD-19
839First dose ChAdOx1 and BNT162b2 COVID-19 vaccinations and cerebral venous sinus thrombosis: A pooled self-controlled case series study of 11.6 million individuals in England, Scotland and Wales  

BACKGROUND: Several countries restricted the administration of ChAdOx1 to older age groups in 2021 over safety concerns following case reports and observed versus expected analyses suggesting a possible association with cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST). Large datasets are required to precisely estimate the association between Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination and CVST due to the extreme rarity of this event. We aimed to accomplish this by combining national data from England, Scotland, and Wales. METHODS AND FINDINGS: We created data platforms consisting of linked primary care, secondary care, mortality, and virological testing data in each of England, Scotland, and Wales, with a combined cohort of 11,637,157 people and 6,808,293 person years of follow-up. The cohort start date was December 8, 2020, and the end date was June 30, 2021. The outcome measure we examined was incident CVST events recorded in either primary or secondary care records. We carried out a self-controlled case series (SCCS) analysis of this outcome following first dose vaccination with ChAdOx1 and BNT162b2. The observation period consisted of an initial 90-day reference period, followed by a 2-week prerisk period directly prior to vaccination, and a 4-week risk period following vaccination. Counts of CVST cases from each country were tallied, then expanded into a full dataset with 1 row for each individual and observation time period. There was a combined total of 201 incident CVST events in the cohorts (29.5 per million person years). There were 81 CVST events in the observation period among those who a received first dose of ChAdOx1 (approximately 16.34 per million doses) and 40 for those who received a first dose of BNT162b2 (approximately 12.60 per million doses). We fitted conditional Poisson models to estimate incidence rate ratios (IRRs). Vaccination with ChAdOx1 was associated with an elevated risk of incident CVST events in the 28 days following vaccination, IRR = 1.93 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.20 to 3.11). We did not find an association between BNT162b2 and CVST in the 28 days following vaccination, IRR = 0.78 (95% CI 0.34 to 1.77). Our study had some limitations. The SCCS study design implicitly controls for variables that are constant over the observation period, but also assumes that outcome events are independent of exposure. This assumption may not be satisfied in the case of CVST, firstly because it is a serious adverse event, and secondly because the vaccination programme in the United Kingdom prioritised the clinically extremely vulnerable and those with underlying health conditions, which may have caused a selection effect for individuals more prone to CVST. Although we pooled data from several large datasets, there was still a low number of events, which may have caused imprecision in our estimates. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, we observed a small elevated risk of CVST events following vaccination with ChAdOx1, but not BNT162b2. Our analysis pooled information from large datasets from England, Scotland, and Wales. This evidence may be useful in risk–benefit analyses of vaccine policies and in providing quantification of risks associated with vaccination to the general public.

PLoS Med2022       LitCov and CORD-19
840Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in an adult following the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine (MIS-V)  

SARS-CoV-2 vaccine roll-out has been successful in the UK and other parts of the world; however, there are increasing concerns about adverse events. A 44-year-old woman presented to a UK hospital with left upper arm pain at the vaccine site a couple of days after receiving the Pfizer-BioNTech mRNA vaccine, which progressed to fever, diarrhoea and abdominal pain over the next few days. She had an erythematous rash on the chest with subcutaneous oedema. Her C reactive protein was 539 mg/L, white cell count of 17×10(9)/L (1.8–7.5), troponin-T of 1013 ng/L and creatine kinase of 572 u/L. She developed an unprovoked pulmonary embolism with acute kidney injury. After administration of intravenous methylprednisolone, the muscle oedema, skin rashes and acute kidney injury resolved. Although multisystem inflammatory syndrome (MIS) is described in children (MIS-C) and adults (MIS-A) following SARS-CoV-2 infection, we highlight the first reported MIS-V case after the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine.

BMJ Case Rep2021       LitCov and CORD-19
841Why lockdown and distance learning during the COVID-19 pandemic are likely to increase the social class achievement gap  

N/A

Nat Hum Behav2021       LitCov and CORD-19
842Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus in children  

The Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) is a new human disease caused by a novel coronavirus (CoV). The disease is reported mainly in adults. Data in children are scarce. The disease caused by MERS-CoV in children presents with a wide range of clinical manifestations, and it is associated with a lower mortality rate compared with adults. Poor outcome is observed mainly in admitted patients with medical comorbidities. We report a new case of MERS-CoV infection in a 9-month-old child complicated by severe respiratory symptoms, multi-organ dysfunction, and death. We reviewed the literature in an attempt to characterize the mode of presentation, the risk factors, and outcome of MERS-CoV infection in the pediatric population.

Saudi Med J2015       CORD-19
843SARS-CoV-2 spike protein-mediated cell signaling in lung vascular cells  

Currently, the world is suffering from the pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) that uses angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) as a receptor to enter the host cells. So far, 30 million people have been infected with SARS-CoV-2, and nearly 1 million people have died because of COVID-19 worldwide, causing serious health, economical, and sociological problems. However, the mechanism of the effect of SARS-CoV-2 on human host cells has not been defined. The present study reports that the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein alone without the rest of the viral components is sufficient to elicit cell signaling in lung vascular cells. The treatment of human pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells or human pulmonary artery endothelial cells with recombinant SARS-CoV-2 spike protein S1 subunit (Val16 – Gln690) at 10 ng/ml (0.13 nM) caused an activation of MEK phosphorylation. The activation kinetics was transient with a peak at 10 min. The recombinant protein that contains only the ACE2 receptor-binding domain of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein S1 subunit (Arg319 – Phe541), on the other hand, did not cause this activation. Consistent with the activation of cell growth signaling in lung vascular cells by SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, pulmonary vascular walls were found to be thickened in COVID-19 patients. Thus, SARS-CoV-2 spike protein-mediated cell growth signaling may participate in adverse cardiovascular/pulmonary outcomes, and this mechanism may provide new therapeutic targets to combat COVID-19.

Vascul Pharmacol2020       LitCov and CORD-19
844Effectiveness of Face Mask or Respirator Use in Indoor Public Settings for Prevention of SARS-CoV-2 Infection-California, February-December 2021  

The use of face masks or respirators (N95/KN95) is recommended to reduce transmission of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19 (1). Well-fitting face masks and respirators effectively filter virus-sized particles in laboratory conditions (2,3), though few studies have assessed their real-world effectiveness in preventing acquisition of SARS-CoV-2 infection (4). A test-negative design case-control study enrolled randomly selected California residents who had received a test result for SARS-CoV-2 during February 18-December 1, 2021. Face mask or respirator use was assessed among 652 case-participants (residents who had received positive test results for SARS-CoV-2) and 1,176 matched control-participants (residents who had received negative test results for SARS-CoV-2) who self-reported being in indoor public settings during the 2 weeks preceding testing and who reported no known contact with anyone with confirmed or suspected SARS-CoV-2 infection during this time. Always using a face mask or respirator in indoor public settings was associated with lower adjusted odds of a positive test result compared with never wearing a face mask or respirator in these settings (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 0.44;95% CI = 0.24-0.82). Among 534 participants who specified the type of face covering they typically used, wearing N95/KN95 respirators (aOR = 0.17;95% CI = 0.05-0.64) or surgical masks (aOR = 0.34;95% CI = 0.13-0.90) was associated with significantly lower adjusted odds of a positive test result compared with not wearing any face mask or respirator. These findings reinforce that in addition to being up to date with recommended COVID-19 vaccinations, consistently wearing a face mask or respirator in indoor public settings reduces the risk of acquiring SARS-CoV-2 infection. Using a respirator offers the highest level of personal protection against acquiring infection, although it is most important to wear a mask or respirator that is comfortable and can be used consistently.

MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep2022       LitCov and CORD-19
845The role of facemasks and hand hygiene in the prevention of influenza transmission in households: results from a cluster randomised trial; Berlin, Germany, 2009-2011  

BACKGROUND: Previous controlled studies on the effect of non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPI) - namely the use of facemasks and intensified hand hygiene - in preventing household transmission of influenza have not produced definitive results. We aimed to investigate efficacy, acceptability, and tolerability of NPI in households with influenza index patients. METHODS: We conducted a cluster randomized controlled trial during the pandemic season 2009/10 and the ensuing influenza season 2010/11. We included households with an influenza positive index case in the absence of further respiratory illness within the preceding 14 days. Study arms were wearing a facemask and practicing intensified hand hygiene (MH group), wearing facemasks only (M group) and none of the two (control group). Main outcome measure was laboratory confirmed influenza infection in a household contact. We used daily questionnaires to examine adherence and tolerability of the interventions. RESULTS: We recruited 84 households (30 control, 26 M and 28 MH households) with 82, 69 and 67 household contacts, respectively. In 2009/10 all 41 index cases had a influenza A (H1N1) pdm09 infection, in 2010/11 24 had an A (H1N1) pdm09 and 20 had a B infection. The total secondary attack rate was 16% (35/218). In intention-to-treat analysis there was no statistically significant effect of the M and MH interventions on secondary infections. When analysing only households where intervention was implemented within 36 h after symptom onset of the index case, secondary infection in the pooled M and MH groups was significantly lower compared to the control group (adjusted odds ratio 0.16, 95% CI, 0.03-0.92). In a per-protocol analysis odds ratios were significantly reduced among participants of the M group (adjusted odds ratio, 0.30, 95% CI, 0.10-0.94). With the exception of MH index cases in 2010/11 adherence was good for adults and children, contacts and index cases. CONCLUSIONS: Results suggest that household transmission of influenza can be reduced by the use of NPI, such as facemasks and intensified hand hygiene, when implemented early and used diligently. Concerns about acceptability and tolerability of the interventions should not be a reason against their recommendation. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The study was registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (Identifier NCT00833885).

BMC Infect Dis2012       CORD-19
846The furin cleavage site in the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein is required for transmission in ferrets  

N/A

Nat Microbiol2021       LitCov and CORD-19
847Acute cardiac side effects after COVID-19 mRNA vaccination: a case series  

N/A

Eur J Med Res2022       LitCov
848Multivalent nanoparticle-based vaccines protect hamsters against SARS-CoV-2 after a single immunization  

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to wreak havoc as worldwide SARS-CoV-2 infection, hospitalization, and death rates climb unabated. Effective vaccines remain the most promising approach to counter SARS-CoV-2. Yet, while promising results are emerging from COVID-19 vaccine trials, the need for multiple doses and the challenges associated with the widespread distribution and administration of vaccines remain concerns. Here, we engineered the coat protein of the MS2 bacteriophage and generated nanoparticles displaying multiple copies of the SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) protein. The use of these nanoparticles as vaccines generated high neutralizing antibody titers and protected Syrian hamsters from a challenge with SARS-CoV-2 after a single immunization with no infectious virus detected in the lungs. This nanoparticle-based vaccine platform thus provides protection after a single immunization and may be broadly applicable for protecting against SARS-CoV-2 and future pathogens with pandemic potential.

Commun Biol2021       LitCov and CORD-19
849COVID-19 and neurological disorders: are neurodegenerative or neuroimmunological diseases more vulnerable?  

Neurological disorders and coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic are two conditions with a recent well-documented association. Intriguing evidences showed that COVID-19 infection can modify clinical spectrum of manifested neurological disorders but also it plays a crucial role in the development of future diseases as long-tem consequences. In this viewpoint review, we aimed to assess the vulnerability to SARS-CoV-2 infection and development of COVID-19 among neurological disorders. With this in mind, we tested the hypothesis that age rather than neuropathology itself could be decisive in neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s disease, whereas neuropathology rather than age may be critical in neuroimmunological diseases such as Multiple Sclerosis. Highlighting the role of potential susceptibility or protection factors from this disastrous infection, we also stratify the risk for future neurodegeneration.

J Neurol2020       LitCov and CORD-19
850Online teaching self-efficacy during COVID-19: Changes, its associated factors and moderators  

Online teaching transition during COVID-19 school lockdown elicited challenges for teachers and schools across the globe. The existing literature on the impact of COVID-19 in the education sector is predominantly descriptive and focused on the difficulties faced by teachers during the process of transferring into online teaching, mainly in the higher education sector. This study adopted a mixed-method design to examine online teaching self-efficacy (TSE) during COVID-19, its associated factors and moderators. A sample of 351 Chinese school teachers retrospectively reported their online TSE at the beginning and end of COVID-19 school lockdown, out of which six were followed up for an in-depth interview. TSE for online instruction did not significantly increase (β = .014, p > 0.05) whereas that for technology application increased significantly (β = .231, p < 0.01). Lack of experience in online teaching, separation of teachers from students, school administrative process and unsatisfactory student academic performance were identified as the major associated factors. A moderation effect of adaptability and teacher burnout on the change in online TSE were examined, of which passion burnout was the only significant moderator toward the change in online TSE. The study thus concluded that teachers’ online TSE for technology application increased among Chinese teachers during COVID-19 school lockdown. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10639-021-10486-3.

Educ Inf Technol (Dordr)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.

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