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North A, Cloete A, Ramlagan S, Manyaapelo T, Ngobeni A, Vondo N, Sekgala D. " … [I] f I can [be] infected now that means I am going to die … ": an explorative study focusing on vulnerable, immunocompromised groups and caregivers experiences and perceptions of the Covid-19 pandemic in South Africa. SAHARA J 2023; 20:2187446. [PMID: 36942771 PMCID: PMC10035956 DOI: 10.1080/17290376.2023.2187446] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/23/2023] Open
Abstract
ABSTRACTIn this paper, we explored how vulnerable, immunocompromised groups and caregivers of the elderly experienced and perceived the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic in South Africa. Semi-structured interviews were conducted remotely between the 5th andthe 18th of April 2020 in the three South African provinces hardest hit by Covid-19, namely Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal and the Western Cape. In total, 60 qualitative key informant interviews and one focus group discussion were conducted. Study participants expressed concerns for elderly people and people with underlying health conditions because of their increased vulnerability to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). People living with HIV expressed an increased fear of infection following the advent of the Covid-19 pandemic in South Africa. The sidelining of healthcare services and stock-outs of medication proved to be an added concern in particular for vulnerable and immunocompromised groups. Overall, the data suggest that the fear of infection is ubiquitous for people who live in unstable environments such as overcrowded townships and informal settlements. Given the increased fears of infection brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic, the mental health of vulnerable communities and those caring for them becomes an added burden for people living in unstable environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alicia North
- South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI), Registry of Older Australians (ROSA), South Australia
| | | | | | | | - Amukelani Ngobeni
- HSC Division, HSRC, Pretoria, South Africa
- University of the North West, Potchefstroom, South Africa
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Predicting health crises from early warning signs in patient medical records. Sci Rep 2022; 12:19267. [PMID: 36357666 PMCID: PMC9649019 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-23900-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2022] [Accepted: 11/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 global pandemic has caused unprecedented worldwide changes in healthcare delivery. While containment and mitigation approaches have been intensified, the progressive increase in the number of cases has overwhelmed health systems globally, highlighting the need for anticipation and prediction to be the basis of an efficient response system. This study demonstrates the role of population health metrics as early warning signs of future health crises. We retrospectively collected data from the emergency department of a large academic hospital in the northeastern United States from 01/01/2019 to 08/07/2021. A total of 377,694 patient records and 303 features were included for analysis. Departing from a multivariate artificial intelligence (AI) model initially developed to predict the risk of high-flow oxygen therapy or mechanical ventilation requirement during the COVID-19 pandemic, a total of 19 original variables and eight engineered features showing to be most predictive of the outcome were selected for further analysis. The temporal trends of the selected variables before and during the pandemic were characterized to determine their potential roles as early warning signs of future health crises. Temporal analysis of the individual variables included in the high-flow oxygen model showed that at a population level, the respiratory rate, temperature, low oxygen saturation, number of diagnoses during the first encounter, heart rate, BMI, age, sex, and neutrophil percentage demonstrated observable and traceable changes eight weeks before the first COVID-19 public health emergency declaration. Additionally, the engineered rule-based features built from the original variables also exhibited a pre-pandemic surge that preceded the first pandemic wave in spring 2020. Our findings suggest that the changes in routine population health metrics may serve as early warnings of future crises. This justifies the development of patient health surveillance systems, that can continuously monitor population health features, and alarm of new approaching public health crises before they become devastating.
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The Prevalence and Impact of Coinfection and Superinfection on the Severity and Outcome of COVID-19 Infection: An Updated Literature Review. Pathogens 2022; 11:pathogens11040445. [PMID: 35456120 PMCID: PMC9027948 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens11040445] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2022] [Revised: 03/31/2022] [Accepted: 04/02/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Patients with viral illness are at higher risk of secondary infections—whether bacterial, viral, or parasitic—that usually lead to a worse prognosis. In the setting of Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-type 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection may be preceded by a prior microbial infection or has a concurrent or superinfection. Previous reports documented a significantly higher risk of microbial coinfection in SARS-CoV-2-positive patients. Initial results from the United States (U.S.) and Europe found a significantly higher risk of mortality and severe illness among hospitalized patients with SARS-CoV-2 and bacterial coinfection. However, later studies found contradictory results concerning the impact of coinfection on the outcomes of COVID-19. Thus, we conducted the present literature review to provide updated evidence regarding the prevalence of coinfection and superinfection amongst patients with SARS-CoV-2, possible mechanisms underlying the higher risk of coinfection and superinfection in SARS-CoV-2 patients, and the impact of coinfection and superinfection on the outcomes of patients with COVID-19.
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Machado-Rivas F, Gallo-Bernal S, Briggs D, Pianykh O, Gee MS. Characterization of Pediatric Imaging Trends and Likelihood of Exam Cancellation in the COVID-19 Pandemic. Acad Radiol 2022; 29:508-513. [PMID: 35031152 PMCID: PMC8687757 DOI: 10.1016/j.acra.2021.12.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2021] [Revised: 12/08/2021] [Accepted: 12/14/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Rationale and Objective The COVID-19 pandemic has caused unprecedented changes in radiology practice worldwide. There is a need for a framework of pediatric radiology resource allocation for future acute resource-limited settings.The aim of this study is to quantify and analyze changes in pediatric radiology practice during the COVID-19 pandemic considering demographic and clinical characteristics. Materials and Methods We retrospectively searched our institution's electronic health record for pediatric imaging exams from 09/15/19 to 05/01/20, with 03/15/20 as the dividing date between baseline and pandemic periods. Age, modality, exam indication, need for anesthesia/sedation, and exam completion or cancellation were recorded. All exams were compared between baseline and pandemic periods using a chi-square test and a logistic regression multivariate analysis. Results 15,424 exams were included for analysis [13,715 baseline period (mean age 10±5 years; 7440 males); 1047 COVID-19 period (mean age 9±5 years; 565 males)]. A statistically significantly lower proportion of adolescent exams (45.5% vs 53.3%), radiography modality (62.4% vs 70.4%) and non-traumatic pain indication (39.1% vs 46.3%) was observed during the COVID-19 period. Conversely, we found a higher proportion of neonatal (5.8% vs 3.8%), infant (5.6% vs 4.1%) and early childhood patients (12.9% vs 9.8%), CT (7.4% vs 5.9%) and ultrasound modalities (18.3% vs 13.5%), oncologic (8.8% vs 6.5%) and congenital/development disorder indications (6% vs 3.9%), and studies performed under anesthesia (2.7% vs 1.3%). Regarding exam completion rates, the neonatal age group (OR 1.960 [95% CI 0.353 – 0.591]; p <0.020) and MRI modality (OR 1.502 [95% CI: 0.214 – 0.318]; p <0.049) had higher odds of completion during the COVID-19 pandemic, while fluoroscopy modality was associated with lower odds of completion (OR 0.524 [95% CI: 0.328 – 0.839]; p = 0.011). Conclusion The composition and completion of pediatric radiology exams changed substantially during the COVID-19 pandemic. A sub-set of exams resilient to cancellation was identified.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fedel Machado-Rivas
- Department of Radiology (F.M.R., S.G.B., D.B., O.P., M.S.G.), Massachusetts General Hospital, 55 Fruit St, Boston, Massachusetts 02114; Department of Radiology (F.M.R., S.G.B., O.P., M.S.G.), Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Sebastian Gallo-Bernal
- Department of Radiology (F.M.R., S.G.B., D.B., O.P., M.S.G.), Massachusetts General Hospital, 55 Fruit St, Boston, Massachusetts 02114; Department of Radiology (F.M.R., S.G.B., O.P., M.S.G.), Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Daniel Briggs
- Department of Radiology (F.M.R., S.G.B., D.B., O.P., M.S.G.), Massachusetts General Hospital, 55 Fruit St, Boston, Massachusetts 02114; Department of Radiology (F.M.R., S.G.B., O.P., M.S.G.), Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Oleg Pianykh
- Department of Radiology (F.M.R., S.G.B., D.B., O.P., M.S.G.), Massachusetts General Hospital, 55 Fruit St, Boston, Massachusetts 02114; Department of Radiology (F.M.R., S.G.B., O.P., M.S.G.), Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Michael S Gee
- Department of Radiology (F.M.R., S.G.B., D.B., O.P., M.S.G.), Massachusetts General Hospital, 55 Fruit St, Boston, Massachusetts 02114; Department of Radiology (F.M.R., S.G.B., O.P., M.S.G.), Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
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Impacts of short-term lockdown during COVID-19 on air quality in Egypt. THE EGYPTIAN JOURNAL OF REMOTE SENSING AND SPACE SCIENCES 2021; 24. [PMCID: PMC7577652 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejrs.2020.10.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
COVID-19 is a pandemic disease that is actively spread over the globe in a few months. Most of the Nations took the appropriate measures including lockdown to reduce the risk of spreading and safe human health and life. Egypt took the measures of partial and complete lockdown from 15th March till 30th June 2020. Such short-term lockdown has had a significant impact on the reduction of emissions from transportation, industrial and human activities. This research used multi-data sensors from space to map the changes of air quality over Egypt in the first 6 months from January to June 2020 due to the lockdown and compare with previous years of 2018 and 2019. It is clearly observed that the air quality over the whole country is improved as a result of reducing pollutants emissions, with NO2 reduced by 45.5%, CO emissions reduced by 46.23%, Ozone concentration decreased by about 61.1%, and AOD reduced by 68.5% compared to the previous 2 years. It is found that the lockdown is an effective mitigation measure against air pollution to improve air quality and reduce the air pollution that creates pressure on the human health and health system. It might be difficult to implement long lockdown, as a mitigation measure, due to its direct impact on social and economic needs. However, we recommend a complete lockdown for 2–3 days (long weekend) every at least 2-3 months, on national and/or global level, which will significantly enhance our air quality and improve the health environment of the planet.
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Martín-Sánchez FJ, Valls Carbó A, Miró Ò, Llorens P, Jiménez S, Piñera P, Burillo-Putze G, Martín A, García-Lamberechts JE, Jacob J, Alquézar A, Martínez-Valero C, Miranda JDD, López Picado A, Arrebola JP, López ME, Parviainen A, González Del Castillo J, Miró O, Jimenez S, Ferreras Amez JM, Rubio Díaz R, Gamazo Del Rio JJ, Alonso H, Herrero P, Ruiz de Lobera N, Ibero C, Mayan P, Peinado R, Navarro Bustos C, Manzanares JÁ, Román F, Piñera P, Burillo G, Jacob J, Bibiano C. Socio-Demographic Health Determinants Are Associated with Poor Prognosis in Spanish Patients Hospitalized with COVID-19. J Gen Intern Med 2021; 36:3737-3742. [PMID: 34240284 PMCID: PMC8266293 DOI: 10.1007/s11606-020-06584-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2020] [Accepted: 12/29/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Social vulnerability is a known determinant of health in respiratory diseases. Our aim was to identify whether there are socio-demographic factors among COVID-19 patients hospitalized in Spain and their potential impact on health outcomes during the hospitalization. METHODS A multicentric retrospective case series study based on administrative databases that included all COVID-19 cases admitted in 19 Spanish hospitals from 1 March to 15 April 2020. Socio-demographic data were collected. Outcomes were critical care admission and in-hospital mortality. RESULTS We included 10,110 COVID-19 patients admitted to 18 Spanish hospitals (median age 68 (IQR 54-80) years old; 44.5% female; 14.8% were not born in Spain). Among these, 779 (7.7%) cases were admitted to critical care units and 1678 (16.6%) patients died during the hospitalization. Age, male gender, being immigrant, and low hospital saturation were independently associated with being admitted to an intensive care unit. Age, male gender, being immigrant, percentile of average per capita income, and hospital experience were independently associated with in-hospital mortality. CONCLUSIONS Social determinants such as residence in low-income areas and being born in Latin American countries were associated with increased odds of being admitted to an intensive care unit and of in-hospital mortality. There was considerable variation in outcomes between different Spanish centers.
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Affiliation(s)
- F Javier Martín-Sánchez
- Department of Emergency, Hospital Clínico San Carlos, Calle Profesor Martín-Lagos s/n, 28040, Madrid, Spain.
- Faculty of de Medicine, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain.
- Institute for Health Research of Hospital San Carlos, Madrid, Spain.
| | | | - Òscar Miró
- Emergency Department, Hospital Clínic, IDIBAPS, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Pere Llorens
- Emergency Department, Hospital General de Alicante, University Miguel Hernández, Elche, Alicante, Spain
| | - Sònia Jiménez
- Emergency Department, Hospital Clínic, IDIBAPS, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Pascual Piñera
- Emergency Department, Hospital Reina Sofía, Murcia, Spain
| | | | - Alfonso Martín
- Emergency Department, Hospital Severo Ochoa, Leganés, Madrid, Spain
| | - Jorge E García-Lamberechts
- Department of Emergency, Hospital Clínico San Carlos, Calle Profesor Martín-Lagos s/n, 28040, Madrid, Spain
- Institute for Health Research of Hospital San Carlos, Madrid, Spain
| | - Javier Jacob
- Emergency Department, Hospital Universitari de Bellvitge, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Aitor Alquézar
- Emergency Department, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | | | | | | | - Juan Pedro Arrebola
- Departamento de Medicina Preventiva y Salud Pública, Universidad de Granada, Granada, Spain
- Consortium for Biomedical Research in Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria Granada, Granada, Spain
| | - Marta Esteban López
- Centro Nacional de Sanidad Ambiental, Majadahonda, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Annika Parviainen
- Instituto Andaluz de Ciencias de la Tierra, Universidad de Granada (UGR-CSIC), Granada, Spain
| | - Juan González Del Castillo
- Department of Emergency, Hospital Clínico San Carlos, Calle Profesor Martín-Lagos s/n, 28040, Madrid, Spain
- Institute for Health Research of Hospital San Carlos, Madrid, Spain
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Basu S, Ramaiah S, Anbarasu A. In-silico strategies to combat COVID-19: A comprehensive review. Biotechnol Genet Eng Rev 2021; 37:64-81. [PMID: 34470564 DOI: 10.1080/02648725.2021.1966920] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 since its emergence at Wuhan, China in December 2019 has been creating global health turmoil despite extensive containment measures and has resulted in the present pandemic COVID-19. Although the virus and its interaction with the host have been thoroughly characterized, effective treatment regimens beyond symptom-based care and repurposed therapeutics could not be identified. Various countries have successfully developed vaccines to curb the disease-transmission and prevent future outbreaks. Vaccination-drives are being conducted on a war-footing, but the process is time-consuming, especially in the densely populated regions of the world. Bioinformaticians and computational biologists have been playing an efficient role in this state of emergency to escalate clinical research and therapeutic development. However, there are not many reviews available in the literature concerning COVID-19 and its management. Hence, we have focused on designing a comprehensive review on in-silico approaches concerning COVID-19 to discuss the relevant bioinformatics and computational resources, tools, patterns of research, outcomes generated so far and their future implications to efficiently model data based on epidemiology; identify drug targets to design new drugs; predict epitopes for vaccine design and conceptualize diagnostic models. Artificial intelligence/machine learning can be employed to accelerate the research programs encompassing all the above urgent needs to counter COVID-19 and similar outbreaks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soumya Basu
- Medical & Biological Computing Laboratory, School of Bio-Sciences & Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore, India
| | - Sudha Ramaiah
- Medical & Biological Computing Laboratory, School of Bio-Sciences & Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore, India
| | - Anand Anbarasu
- Medical & Biological Computing Laboratory, School of Bio-Sciences & Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore, India
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Ur Rahman I, Jian D, Junrong L, Shafi M. Socio-economic status, resilience, and vulnerability of households under COVID-19: Case of village-level data in Sichuan province. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0249270. [PMID: 33914745 PMCID: PMC8084142 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0249270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2021] [Accepted: 03/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
This paper investigates economic impacts of COVID-19 on households based on differences in the socio-economic status (SES). We determine the household-level effects of the COVID-19 shock using income sources, types of industries, communities' resilience, household susceptibility, and relevant policy measures. For this purpose, we used primary data of 555 households collected through snowball sampling technique using an online survey questionnaire from different villages mostly located in Sichuan Province, China. Using step-wise binary logistic regression analysis, we estimated and validated the model. Results suggest the use of SES as a better measure for understanding the impacts of COVID-19 on different households. We find that households with low SES tend to depend more on farmland income and transfer payments from the government. Contrarily, high SES households focus more on business and local employment as sources of income generation. Poor households were less resilient and more likely to fall back into poverty due to COVID-19, while the opposite stands true for non-poor households with high SES. Based on the estimations, policies encouraging employment and businesses complemented with loans on lower interest rates are recommended, which may increase the SES, thus minimizing vulnerability and enhancing the households' resilience towards poverty alleviation and economic shocks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Imran Ur Rahman
- Center for Trans-Himalaya Studies, Leshan Normal University, Leshan, Sichuan, China
| | - Deng Jian
- School of Economics and Management, Leshan Normal University, Leshan, Sichuan, China
| | - Liu Junrong
- Center for Trans-Himalaya Studies, Leshan Normal University, Leshan, Sichuan, China
| | - Mohsin Shafi
- Center for Trans-Himalaya Studies, Leshan Normal University, Leshan, Sichuan, China
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Rodriguez-Manzano J, Malpartida-Cardenas K, Moser N, Pennisi I, Cavuto M, Miglietta L, Moniri A, Penn R, Satta G, Randell P, Davies F, Bolt F, Barclay W, Holmes A, Georgiou P. Handheld Point-of-Care System for Rapid Detection of SARS-CoV-2 Extracted RNA in under 20 min. ACS CENTRAL SCIENCE 2021; 7:307-317. [PMID: 33649735 PMCID: PMC7839415 DOI: 10.1021/acscentsci.0c01288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 27.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2020] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic is a global health emergency characterized by the high rate of transmission and ongoing increase of cases globally. Rapid point-of-care (PoC) diagnostics to detect the causative virus, SARS-CoV-2, are urgently needed to identify and isolate patients, contain its spread and guide clinical management. In this work, we report the development of a rapid PoC diagnostic test (<20 min) based on reverse transcriptase loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) and semiconductor technology for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 from extracted RNA samples. The developed LAMP assay was tested on a real-time benchtop instrument (RT-qLAMP) showing a lower limit of detection of 10 RNA copies per reaction. It was validated against extracted RNA from 183 clinical samples including 127 positive samples (screened by the CDC RT-qPCR assay). Results showed 91% sensitivity and 100% specificity when compared to RT-qPCR and average positive detection times of 15.45 ± 4.43 min. For validating the incorporation of the RT-LAMP assay onto our PoC platform (RT-eLAMP), a subset of samples was tested (n = 52), showing average detection times of 12.68 ± 2.56 min for positive samples (n = 34), demonstrating a comparable performance to a benchtop commercial instrument. Paired with a smartphone for results visualization and geolocalization, this portable diagnostic platform with secure cloud connectivity will enable real-time case identification and epidemiological surveillance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesus Rodriguez-Manzano
- Department
of Infectious Disease, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
- Department
of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
| | - Kenny Malpartida-Cardenas
- Department
of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
| | - Nicolas Moser
- Department
of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
| | - Ivana Pennisi
- Department
of Infectious Disease, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
- Department
of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
| | - Matthew Cavuto
- Department
of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
| | - Luca Miglietta
- Department
of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
| | - Ahmad Moniri
- Department
of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
| | - Rebecca Penn
- Department
of Infectious Disease, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
| | - Giovanni Satta
- Imperial
College Healthcare NHS Trust, Hammersmith Hospital, London W12 0HS, United Kingdom
| | - Paul Randell
- Imperial
College Healthcare NHS Trust, Hammersmith Hospital, London W12 0HS, United Kingdom
| | - Frances Davies
- Department
of Infectious Disease, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
| | - Frances Bolt
- Department
of Infectious Disease, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
| | - Wendy Barclay
- Department
of Infectious Disease, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
| | - Alison Holmes
- Department
of Infectious Disease, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
- Imperial
College Healthcare NHS Trust, Hammersmith Hospital, London W12 0HS, United Kingdom
| | - Pantelis Georgiou
- Department
of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
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Shpenik OB, Bulhakova AI, Zavilopulo AN, Erdevdi NM, Bandurin YA. Electron Impact-Induced Excitation of Valine Molecules in the Gas Phase. TECHNICAL PHYSICS LETTERS 2021; 47:889-892. [PMCID: PMC8928716 DOI: 10.1134/s1063785021070269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2021] [Revised: 04/06/2021] [Accepted: 04/20/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
We describe the method of measurements and present the results obtained by optical spectroscopy for the excitation of valine molecules in the gas phase by collisions with low-energy electrons. Emission spectra of the excited molecules were measured in a wavelength interval of 260–440 nm upon excitation with electrons in the energy range of 10–70 eV. For the most intense spectral lines, optical functions of electron impact-induced excitation were measured in an energy range of 3–90 eV.
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Affiliation(s)
- O. B. Shpenik
- Institute of Electron Physics, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, 88017 Uzhgorod, Ukraine
| | - A. I. Bulhakova
- Institute of Electron Physics, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, 88017 Uzhgorod, Ukraine
| | - A. N. Zavilopulo
- Institute of Electron Physics, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, 88017 Uzhgorod, Ukraine
| | - N. M. Erdevdi
- Institute of Electron Physics, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, 88017 Uzhgorod, Ukraine
| | - Yu. A. Bandurin
- Institute of Electron Physics, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, 88017 Uzhgorod, Ukraine
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Jayaswal K, Palwalia DK, Kumar S. Analysis of robust control method for the flexible manipulator in reliable operation of medical robots during COVID-19 pandemic. MICROSYSTEM TECHNOLOGIES : SENSORS, ACTUATORS, SYSTEMS INTEGRATION 2021; 27:2103-2116. [PMID: 33082624 PMCID: PMC7562763 DOI: 10.1007/s00542-020-05028-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2020] [Accepted: 09/03/2020] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
A novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is transmitting throughout the globe. During this Pandemic situation, medical robots are playing an important role in protecting front line medical staff from this disease. The flexible robotic manipulator has mechanical flexibility, due to that fluctuation or oscillations can be seen either during or after the movement of a manipulator and can create uncertainty in medical operations. During this pandemic situation, reliable operations of these robots are necessary that depend upon the stability of flexible manipulators. In this article, Linear Quadratic Regulator (LQR), Pole Placement, and Proportional-Integral-Derivatives (PID) control methods have been used to investigate the robust control method for controlling the position of manipulator with flexible link in medical robots. To carry out this research, an effective variant of the flexible Link robotic manipulator has been used as a framework to analyze the robust control method. The Matlab®/Simulink result shows that the LQR control method provides better control response compared to PID and pole placement method and thus provides reliable operation to Medical Robots.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kuldeep Jayaswal
- Department of Electrical Engineering, Rajasthan Technical University, Kota, India
| | - D. K. Palwalia
- Department of Electrical Engineering, Rajasthan Technical University, Kota, India
| | - Subodh Kumar
- Department of Electrical & Electronics Engineering, The GATE Academy, Bangalore, India
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Mattioli IA, Hassan A, Oliveira ON, Crespilho FN. On the Challenges for the Diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 Based on a Review of Current Methodologies. ACS Sens 2020; 5:3655-3677. [PMID: 33267587 PMCID: PMC7724986 DOI: 10.1021/acssensors.0c01382] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2020] [Accepted: 11/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Diagnosis of COVID-19 has been challenging owing to the need for mass testing and for combining distinct types of detection to cover the different stages of the infection. In this review, we have surveyed the most used methodologies for diagnosis of COVID-19, which can be basically categorized into genetic-material detection and immunoassays. Detection of genetic material with real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and similar techniques has been achieved with high accuracy, but these methods are expensive and require time-consuming protocols which are not widely available, especially in less developed countries. Immunoassays for detecting a few antibodies, on the other hand, have been used for rapid, less expensive tests, but their accuracy in diagnosing infected individuals has been limited. We have therefore discussed the strengths and limitations of all of these methodologies, particularly in light of the required combination of tests owing to the long incubation periods. We identified the bottlenecks that prevented mass testing in many countries, and proposed strategies for further action, which are mostly associated with materials science and chemistry. Of special relevance are the methodologies which can be integrated into point-of-care (POC) devices and the use of artificial intelligence that do not require products from a well-developed biotech industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabela A. Mattioli
- São Carlos Institute of
Chemistry, University of São Paulo,
São Carlos 13560-970, São Paulo,
Brazil
| | - Ayaz Hassan
- São Carlos Institute of
Chemistry, University of São Paulo,
São Carlos 13560-970, São Paulo,
Brazil
| | - Osvaldo N. Oliveira
- São Carlos Institute of
Physics, University of São Paulo,
São Carlos 13560-590, São Paulo,
Brazil
| | - Frank N. Crespilho
- São Carlos Institute of
Chemistry, University of São Paulo,
São Carlos 13560-970, São Paulo,
Brazil
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13
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Fox A, Marino J, Amanat F, Krammer F, Hahn-Holbrook J, Zolla-Pazner S, Powell RL. Robust and Specific Secretory IgA Against SARS-CoV-2 Detected in Human Milk. iScience 2020; 23:101735. [PMID: 33134887 PMCID: PMC7586930 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2020.101735] [Citation(s) in RCA: 162] [Impact Index Per Article: 40.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2020] [Revised: 10/13/2020] [Accepted: 10/22/2020] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
The SARS-CoV-2 immune response in human milk has not yet been examined, although protecting infants and young children from COVID-19 is critical for limiting community transmission and preventing serious illness and death. Here, milk samples from eight COVID-19-recovered and seven COVID-19-suspected donors were tested for antibody (Ab) binding to the SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein. All samples exhibited significant specific IgA reactivity to the full Spike, whereas 80% exhibited significant IgA and secretory (s)Ab binding to the Receptor-Binding Domain (RBD). Additionally, 67% samples exhibited IgG and/or IgM binding to RBD. IgA and sAb titers were highly correlated, indicating most IgA to be sIgA. Overall, these data indicate that a robust sIgA-dominant SARS-CoV-2 Ab response in human milk after infection should be expected in a significant majority of individuals. Further research is highly warranted to determine Ab functionality and the potential for exploiting extracted milk sIgA for therapeutic use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alisa Fox
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, One Gustave L. Levy Place, Box 1090, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Jessica Marino
- Health Sciences Research Institute, University of California, 5200 Lake Road, Merced, CA 95343, USA
- Department of Psychology, University of California Merced, 5200 Lake Road, Merced, CA 95343, USA
| | - Fatima Amanat
- Department of Microbiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, One Gustave L. Levy Place, Box 1090, New York, NY 10029, USA
- Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, One Gustave L. Levy Place, Box 1090, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Florian Krammer
- Department of Microbiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, One Gustave L. Levy Place, Box 1090, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Jennifer Hahn-Holbrook
- Health Sciences Research Institute, University of California, 5200 Lake Road, Merced, CA 95343, USA
- Department of Psychology, University of California Merced, 5200 Lake Road, Merced, CA 95343, USA
| | - Susan Zolla-Pazner
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, One Gustave L. Levy Place, Box 1090, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Rebecca L. Powell
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, One Gustave L. Levy Place, Box 1090, New York, NY 10029, USA
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14
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Soremekun OS, Omolabi KF, Adewumi AT, Soliman MES. Exploring the effect of ritonavir and TMC-310911 on SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV main proteases: potential from a molecular perspective. Future Sci OA 2020; 7:FSO640. [PMID: 33432269 PMCID: PMC7651988 DOI: 10.2144/fsoa-2020-0079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2020] [Accepted: 08/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
AIM As coronavirus (CoV) disease 2019-associated pneumonia spreads globally, there has been an urgent need to combat the spread and develop vaccines. MATERIALS & METHODS We used an integrated computational algorithm to explore the binding mechanism of TMC-310911/ritonavir (RVT) with SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV main proteases. RESULTS RVT and TMC-310911 had favorable interactions with the proteases, and these high interactions are facilitated by some significant residues such as Asn133, Gly195 and Gln192. Our study further implicated two important rings in the structure of RVT as a possible chemical culprit in its therapeutic activity. CONCLUSION Although there are conflicting clinical results on the therapeutic potency of RVT in the treatment of coronavirus disease 2019, our findings provided molecular insight into the binding mechanism of TMC-310911 and RVT with SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV main proteases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Opeyemi S Soremekun
- Molecular Bio-computation & Drug Design Laboratory, School of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville Campus, Durban 4001, Kwa-Zulu Natal, South Africa
| | - Kehinde F Omolabi
- Molecular Bio-computation & Drug Design Laboratory, School of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville Campus, Durban 4001, Kwa-Zulu Natal, South Africa
| | - Adeniyi T Adewumi
- Molecular Bio-computation & Drug Design Laboratory, School of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville Campus, Durban 4001, Kwa-Zulu Natal, South Africa
| | - Mahmoud ES Soliman
- Molecular Bio-computation & Drug Design Laboratory, School of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville Campus, Durban 4001, Kwa-Zulu Natal, South Africa
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15
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Di Paola L, Hadi-Alijanvand H, Song X, Hu G, Giuliani A. The Discovery of a Putative Allosteric Site in the SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein Using an Integrated Structural/Dynamic Approach. J Proteome Res 2020; 19:4576-4586. [PMID: 32551648 PMCID: PMC7331933 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jproteome.0c00273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 has caused the largest pandemic of the twenty-first century (COVID-19), threatening the life and economy of all countries in the world. The identification of novel therapies and vaccines that can mitigate or control this global health threat is among the most important challenges facing biomedical sciences. To construct a long-term strategy to fight both SARS-CoV-2 and other possible future threats from coronaviruses, it is critical to understand the molecular mechanisms underlying the virus action. The viral entry and associated infectivity stems from the formation of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein complex with angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). The detection of putative allosteric sites on the viral spike protein molecule can be used to elucidate the molecular pathways that can be targeted with allosteric drugs to weaken the spike-ACE2 interaction and, thus, reduce viral infectivity. In this study, we present the results of the application of different computational methods aimed at detecting allosteric sites on the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. The adopted tools consisted of the protein contact networks (PCNs), SEPAS (Affinity by Flexibility), and perturbation response scanning (PRS) based on elastic network modes. All of these methods were applied to the ACE2 complex with both the SARS-CoV2 and SARS-CoV spike proteins. All of the adopted analyses converged toward a specific region (allosteric modulation region [AMR]), present in both complexes and predicted to act as an allosteric site modulating the binding of the spike protein with ACE2. Preliminary results on hepcidin (a molecule with strong structural and sequence with AMR) indicated an inhibitory effect on the binding affinity of the spike protein toward the ACE2 protein.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luisa Di Paola
- Unit of Chemical-Physics Fundamentals
in Chemical Engineering, Department of Engineering,
Università Campus Bio-Medico di
Roma, via Álvaro del Portillo 21, 00128
Rome, Italy
| | - Hamid Hadi-Alijanvand
- Department of Biological Sciences,
Institute for Advanced Studies in Basic Sciences
(IASBS), Zanjan, 45137-66731,
Iran
| | - Xingyu Song
- Center for Systems Biology, Department
of Bioinformatics, School of Biology and Basic Medical Sciences,
Soochow University, Suzhou 215123,
China
| | - Guang Hu
- Center for Systems Biology, Department
of Bioinformatics, School of Biology and Basic Medical Sciences,
Soochow University, Suzhou 215123,
China
| | - Alessandro Giuliani
- Environmental and Health Department,
Istituto Superiore di Sanità,
00161 Rome, Italy
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16
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Teixeira Júnior AAL, Neves PDMDM, Lages JS, Cunha KDA, Muniz MPR, Brito DJDA, Watanabe A, Watanabe EH, Onuchic LF, Nunes LLA, Coutinho Filho AF, Barcelos FL, Gatto GC, Monteiro A, Polido DDA, Motta DRMDS, Leite TDO, Guedes FL, Gomes OV, Valente LM, Israel KCSP, Ladchumananandasivam FR, de Farias LCL, Marques IDB, Uliano GL, Maramaldo CEC, Neto LGL, Luchi WM, Wanderley DC, Araújo SDA, Salgado Filho N, Silva GEB. Brazilian Consortium for the Study on Renal Diseases Associated With COVID-19: A Multicentric Effort to Understand SARS-CoV-2-Related Nephropathy. Front Med (Lausanne) 2020; 7:584235. [PMID: 33195337 PMCID: PMC7663765 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2020.584235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2020] [Accepted: 09/08/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Kidney involvement appears to be frequent in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Despite this, information concerning renal involvement in COVID-19 is still scarce. Several mechanisms appear to be involved in the complex relationship between the virus and the kidney. Also, different morphological patterns have been described in the kidneys of patients with COVID-19. For some authors, however, this association may be just a coincidence. To investigate this issue, we propose assessing renal morphology associated with COVID-19 at the renal pathology reference center of federal university hospitals in Brazil. Data will come from a consortium involving 17 federal university hospitals belonging to Empresa Brasileira de Serviços Hospitalares (EBSERH) network, as well as some state hospitals and an autopsy center. All biopsies will be sent to the referral center for renal pathology of the EBSERH network. The data will include patients who had coronavirus disease, both alive and deceased, with or without pre-existing kidney disease. Kidney biopsies will be analyzed by light, fluorescence, and electron microscopy. Furthermore, immunohistochemical (IHC) staining for various inflammatory cells (i.e., cells expressing CD3, CD20, CD4, CD8, CD138, CD68, and CD57) as well as angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) will be performed on paraffinized tissue sections. In addition to ultrastructural assays, in situ hybridization (ISH), IHC and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) will be used to detect Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) in renal tissue. For the patients diagnosed with Collapsing Glomerulopathy, peripheral blood will be collected for apolipoprotein L-1 (APOL1) genotyping. For patients with thrombotic microangiopathy, thrombospondin type 1 motif, member 13 (ADAMTS13), antiphospholipid, and complement panel will be performed. The setting of this study is Brazil, which is second behind the United States in highest confirmed cases and deaths. With this complete approach, we hope to help define the spectrum and impact, whether immediate or long-term, of kidney injury caused by SARS-CoV-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio Augusto Lima Teixeira Júnior
- Postgraduate Program in Genetics, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo (PGGEN-FMRP-USP), Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
- University Hospital, Federal University of Maranhão (HU-UFMA), São Luís, Brazil
- Clinical Research Center (CEPEC), University Hospital, Federal University of Maranhão (HU-UFMA), São Luís, Brazil
| | - Precil Diego Miranda de Menezes Neves
- Nephrology Division, Medical School, University of São Paulo (FM-USP), São Paulo, Brazil
- Molecular Medicine Discipline, Medical School, University of São Paulo (FM-USP), São Paulo, Brazil
- Nephrology and Dialysis Center, Oswaldo Cruz German Hospital, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Joyce Santos Lages
- University Hospital, Federal University of Maranhão (HU-UFMA), São Luís, Brazil
| | - Kaile de Araújo Cunha
- University Hospital, Federal University of Maranhão (HU-UFMA), São Luís, Brazil
- Nephrology Service, University Hospital, Federal University of Maranhão (HU-UFMA), São Luís, Brazil
| | - Monique Pereira Rêgo Muniz
- University Hospital, Federal University of Maranhão (HU-UFMA), São Luís, Brazil
- Nephrology Service, University Hospital, Federal University of Maranhão (HU-UFMA), São Luís, Brazil
| | - Dyego José de Araújo Brito
- University Hospital, Federal University of Maranhão (HU-UFMA), São Luís, Brazil
- Nephrology Service, University Hospital, Federal University of Maranhão (HU-UFMA), São Luís, Brazil
| | - Andréia Watanabe
- Nephrology Division, Medical School, University of São Paulo (FM-USP), São Paulo, Brazil
- Molecular Medicine Discipline, Medical School, University of São Paulo (FM-USP), São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Elieser Hitoshi Watanabe
- Nephrology Division, Medical School, University of São Paulo (FM-USP), São Paulo, Brazil
- Molecular Medicine Discipline, Medical School, University of São Paulo (FM-USP), São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Luiz Fernando Onuchic
- Nephrology Division, Medical School, University of São Paulo (FM-USP), São Paulo, Brazil
- Molecular Medicine Discipline, Medical School, University of São Paulo (FM-USP), São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Lucas Lobato Acatauassu Nunes
- University Hospital Complex, João de Barros Barreto University Hospital, Federal University of Pará (HUJBB – UFPA), Belém, Brazil
| | | | - Flávia Lara Barcelos
- Nephrology Service, University Hospital of Brasilia, University of Brasília (HUB – UNB), Brasília, Brazil
| | - Giuseppe Cesare Gatto
- Nephrology Service, University Hospital of Brasilia, University of Brasília (HUB – UNB), Brasília, Brazil
| | - Antonio Monteiro
- Maria Aparecida Pedrossian University Hospital, Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul (HUMAP – UFMS), Campo Grande, Brazil
| | | | | | - Thaísa de Oliveira Leite
- Nephrology Service, University Hospital of Lizard, Federal University of Sergipe (HUL - UFS), Lagarto, Brazil
| | - Felipe Leite Guedes
- Nephrology Service, Onofre Lopes University Hospital, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (HUOL-UFRN), Natal, Brazil
| | - Orlando Vieira Gomes
- University Hospital, Federal University of Vale do São Francisco (HU-UNIVASF), Petrolina, Brazil
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Carlos Eduardo Campos Maramaldo
- Laboratory of Immunology and Microbiology of Respiratory Infections (LIMIR), Maranhão University Center (CEUMA), São Luís, Brazil
| | - Lídio Gonçalves Lima Neto
- Laboratory of Immunology and Microbiology of Respiratory Infections (LIMIR), Maranhão University Center (CEUMA), São Luís, Brazil
| | - Weverton Machado Luchi
- Nephrology Service, Cassiano Antonio Moraes University Hospital, Federal University of Espírito Santo (HUCAM-UFES), Vitória, Brazil
| | - David Campos Wanderley
- Nephropathology Institute, Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | | | - Natalino Salgado Filho
- University Hospital, Federal University of Maranhão (HU-UFMA), São Luís, Brazil
- Nephrology Service, University Hospital, Federal University of Maranhão (HU-UFMA), São Luís, Brazil
| | - Gyl Eanes Barros Silva
- University Hospital, Federal University of Maranhão (HU-UFMA), São Luís, Brazil
- Nephrology Service, University Hospital, Federal University of Maranhão (HU-UFMA), São Luís, Brazil
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17
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Batiha O, Al‐Deeb T, Al‐zoubi E, Alsharu E. Impact of COVID-19 and other viruses on reproductive health. Andrologia 2020; 52:e13791. [PMID: 32790205 PMCID: PMC7435575 DOI: 10.1111/and.13791] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2020] [Revised: 07/07/2020] [Accepted: 07/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Male infertility is linked to some viral infections including human papillomavirus (HPV), herpes simplex viruses (HSV) and human immunodeficiency viruses (HIVs). Almost nothing is known about severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) effect on fertility. The possible risk factors of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection on fertility comes from the abundance of angiotensin-Converting Enzyme-2 (ACE2), receptor entry of the virus, on testes, a reduction in important sex hormone ratios and COVID-19-associated fever. Recent studies have shown a gender difference for COVID-19 rates and comorbidity. In this review, we will discuss the potential effect of COVID-19 on male fertility and talk about what needs to be done by the scientific community to tackle our limited understanding of the disease. On the other side, we will focus on what is known so far about the risk of COVID-19 on pregnancy, neonatal health and the vertical transfer of the virus between mothers and their neonates. Finally, because reproduction is a human right and infertility is considered a health disease, we will discuss how assisted reproductive clinics can cope with the pandemic and what guidelines they should follow to minimise the risk of viral transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Osamah Batiha
- Department of Biotechnology and Genetic EngineeringJordan University of Science and TechnologyIrbidJordan
| | - Taghleb Al‐Deeb
- Department of Biological SciencesAl al‐Bayt UniversityMafraqJordan
| | - Esra’a Al‐zoubi
- Department of Biotechnology and Genetic EngineeringJordan University of Science and TechnologyIrbidJordan
| | - Emad Alsharu
- Reproductive Endocrinology and IVF UnitKing Hussein Medical CenterAmmanJordan
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18
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Zou G, Liu Y, Gao H. EML webinar overview: Simulation-assisted discovery of membrane targeting nanomedicine. EXTREME MECHANICS LETTERS 2020; 39:100817. [PMID: 32537481 PMCID: PMC7278653 DOI: 10.1016/j.eml.2020.100817] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2020] [Accepted: 06/05/2020] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought infectious diseases again to the forefront of global public health concerns. In this EML webinar (Gao, 2020), we discuss some recent work on simulation-assisted discovery of membrane targeting nanomedicine to counter increasing antimicrobial resistance and potential application of similar ideas to the current pandemic. A recent report led by the world health organization (WHO) warned that 10 million people worldwide could die of bacterial infections each year by 2050. To avert the crisis, membrane targeting antibiotics are drawing increasing attention due to their intrinsic advantage of low resistance development. In collaboration with a number of experimental groups, we show examples of simulation-assisted discovery of molecular agents capable of selectively penetrating and aggregating in bacterial lipid membranes, causing membrane permeability/rupture. Through systematic all-atom molecular dynamics simulations and free energy analysis, we demonstrate that the membrane activity of the molecular agents correlates with their ability to enter, perturb and permeabilize the lipid bilayers. Further study on different cell membranes demonstrates that the selectivity results from the presence of cholesterol in mammalian but not in bacterial membranes, as the cholesterol can condense the hydrophobic region of membrane, preventing the penetration of the molecular agents. Following the molecular penetration, we establish a continuum theory and derive the energetic driving force for the domain aggregation and pore growth on lipid membrane. We show that the energy barrier to membrane pore formation can be significantly lowered through molecular aggregation on a large domain with intrinsic curvature and a sharp interface. The theory is consistent with experimental observations and validated with coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations of molecular domain aggregation leading to pore formation in a lipid membrane. The mechanistic modelling and simulation provide some fundamental principles on how molecular antimicrobials interact with bacterial membranes and damage them through domain aggregation and pore formation. For treating viral infections and cancer therapy, we discuss potential size- and lipid-type-based selectivity principles for developing membrane active nanomedicine. These studies suggest a general simulation-assisted platform to accelerate discovery and innovation in nanomedicine against infectious diseases. EML Webinar speakers are updated at https://imechanica.org/node/24132.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guijin Zou
- Institute of High Performance Computing, A*STAR, Singapore 138632, Singapore
| | - Yue Liu
- School of Engineering, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA
| | - Huajian Gao
- Institute of High Performance Computing, A*STAR, Singapore 138632, Singapore
- School of Engineering, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA
- School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, College of Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 70 Nanyang Drive, Singapore 639798, Singapore
- Corresponding author.
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19
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Gomes DS, Andrade LA, Ribeiro CJN, Peixoto MVS, Lima SVMA, Duque AM, Cirilo TM, Góes MAO, Lima AGCF, Santos MB, Araújo KCGM, Santos AD. Risk clusters of COVID-19 transmission in northeastern Brazil: prospective space-time modelling. Epidemiol Infect 2020; 148:e188. [PMID: 32829732 PMCID: PMC7468689 DOI: 10.1017/s0950268820001843] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2020] [Revised: 08/11/2020] [Accepted: 08/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
This study aimed to analyse the trend and spatial-temporal clusters of risk of transmission of COVID-19 in northeastern Brazil. We conducted an ecological study using spatial and temporal trend analysis. All confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the Northeast region of Brazil were included, from 7 March to 22 May 2020. We used the segmented log-linear regression model to assess time trends, and the local empirical Bayesian estimator, the global and local Moran indexes for spatial analysis. The prospective space-time scan statistic was performed using the Poisson probability distribution model. There were 113 951 confirmed cases of COVID-19. The average incidence rate was 199.73 cases/100 000 inhabitants. We observed an increasing trend in the incidence rate in all states. Spatial autocorrelation was reported in metropolitan areas, and 178 municipalities were considered a priority, especially in the states of Ceará and Maranhão. We identified 11 spatiotemporal clusters of COVID-19 cases; the primary cluster included 70 municipalities from Ceará state. COVID-19 epidemic is increasing rapidly throughout the Northeast region of Brazil, with dispersion towards countryside. It was identified high risk clusters for COVID-19, especially in the coastal side.
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Affiliation(s)
- D. S. Gomes
- Universidade Federal de Sergipe, Programa de Pós-graduação em Biologia Parasitária, Aracaju, Sergipe, Brazil
- Universidade Federal de Sergipe, Núcleo de Investigação em Saúde Coletiva, Aracaju, Sergipe, Brazil
| | - L. A. Andrade
- Universidade Federal de Sergipe, Núcleo de Investigação em Saúde Coletiva, Aracaju, Sergipe, Brazil
- Universidade Federal de Sergipe, Programa de Pós-graduação em Enfermagem, Aracaju, Sergipe, Brazil
| | - C. J. N. Ribeiro
- Universidade Federal de Sergipe, Núcleo de Investigação em Saúde Coletiva, Aracaju, Sergipe, Brazil
- Instituto Federal de Educação, Ciência e Tecnologia de Sergipe, São Cristóvão, Sergipe, Brazil
| | - M. V. S. Peixoto
- Universidade Federal de Sergipe, Núcleo de Investigação em Saúde Coletiva, Aracaju, Sergipe, Brazil
- Departamento de Fonoaudiologia, Universidade Federal de Sergipe, Aracaju, Sergipe, Brazil
| | - S. V. M. A. Lima
- Universidade Federal de Sergipe, Núcleo de Investigação em Saúde Coletiva, Aracaju, Sergipe, Brazil
- Departamento de Enfermagem, Universidade Federal de Sergipe, Lagarto, Sergipe, Brazil
| | - A. M. Duque
- Universidade Federal de Sergipe, Núcleo de Investigação em Saúde Coletiva, Aracaju, Sergipe, Brazil
- Departamento de Terapia Ocupacional, Universidade Federal de Sergipe, Lagarto, Sergipe, Brazil
| | - T. M. Cirilo
- Universidade Federal de Sergipe, Programa de Pós-graduação em Biologia Parasitária, Aracaju, Sergipe, Brazil
| | - M. A. O. Góes
- Universidade Federal de Sergipe, Núcleo de Investigação em Saúde Coletiva, Aracaju, Sergipe, Brazil
- Secretaria Estadual de Saúde de Sergipe, Aracaju, Sergipe, Brazil
- Departamento de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Sergipe, Aracaju, Sergipe, Brazil
| | - A. G. C. F. Lima
- Secretaria Estadual de Saúde de Sergipe, Aracaju, Sergipe, Brazil
| | - M. B. Santos
- Departamento de Morfologia, Universidade Federal de Sergipe, Aracaju, Sergipe, Brazil
| | - K. C. G. M. Araújo
- Universidade Federal de Sergipe, Núcleo de Investigação em Saúde Coletiva, Aracaju, Sergipe, Brazil
- Departamento de Morfologia, Universidade Federal de Sergipe, Aracaju, Sergipe, Brazil
| | - A. D. Santos
- Universidade Federal de Sergipe, Núcleo de Investigação em Saúde Coletiva, Aracaju, Sergipe, Brazil
- Universidade Federal de Sergipe, Programa de Pós-graduação em Enfermagem, Aracaju, Sergipe, Brazil
- Departamento de Enfermagem, Universidade Federal de Sergipe, Lagarto, Sergipe, Brazil
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20
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Zeouk I, Bekhti K, Lorenzo-Morales J. From Wuhan to COVID-19 Pandemic: An Up-to-Date Review of Its Pathogenesis, Potential Therapeutics, and Recent Advances. Microorganisms 2020; 8:E850. [PMID: 32512950 PMCID: PMC7355460 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms8060850] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2020] [Revised: 05/20/2020] [Accepted: 06/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The emergence of a novel human coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) causing severe contagious respiratory tract infections presents a serious threat to public health worldwide. To date, there are no specific antiviral agents available for this disease, currently known as COVID-19. Therefore, genomic sequencing and therapeutic clinical trials are being conducted to develop effective antiviral agents. Several reports have investigated FDA-approved drugs as well as in silico virtual screening approaches such as molecular docking and modeling to find novel antiviral agents. Until now, antiparasitic drugs such as chloroquine have shown the most relevant results. Furthermore, there is an urgent need to understand the pathogenesis of this novel coronavirus, its transmission routes, surface survival and evolution in the environment. So far, the scientific community has indicated a possible transmission of COVID-19 via blood transfusion which is challenging in the case of asymptomatic individuals. Protocols for pathogen inactivation are also needed. In this paper, we reviewed recent findings about this life-threatening pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ikrame Zeouk
- Instituto Universitario De Enfermedades Tropicales y Salud Pública de Canarias, Universidad de La Laguna, Avda. Astrofísico Fco. Sánchez, S/N, La Laguna, Tenerife, 38203 Islas Canarias, Spain
- Faculty of Sciences and Techniques, Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University, PB 2202, Fez 30000, Morocco;
| | - Khadija Bekhti
- Faculty of Sciences and Techniques, Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University, PB 2202, Fez 30000, Morocco;
| | - Jacob Lorenzo-Morales
- Instituto Universitario De Enfermedades Tropicales y Salud Pública de Canarias, Universidad de La Laguna, Avda. Astrofísico Fco. Sánchez, S/N, La Laguna, Tenerife, 38203 Islas Canarias, Spain
- Departamento de Obstetricia, Ginecología, Pediatría, Medicina Preventiva y Salud Pública, Toxicología, Medicina Legal y Forense y Parasitología, Universidad De La Laguna, La Laguna, Tenerife, 38203 Islas Canarias, Spain
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21
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Bilkhu R, Billè A. Elective lung cancer surgery in the COVID-19 era: how do we do it? TUMORI JOURNAL 2020; 106:300891620931568. [PMID: 32462984 DOI: 10.1177/0300891620931568] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
The coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has caused significant mortality around the world and the focus has been on reducing the number of infections. In order not to compromise treatment of oncology patients, reducing the number of patients with COVID-19 undergoing treatment is mandatory. We reviewed the experience of the National Institute of Cancer in Milan and compared it with our experience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rajdeep Bilkhu
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Guy's Hospital, London, UK
| | - Andrea Billè
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Guy's Hospital, London, UK
- Division of Cancer Studies, King's College London, Guy's Hospital, London, UK
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22
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Durotoye I, Odunola R, Adeyemi O, Akanmu A, Bolarinwa O, Adeboye M, Abdullahi A, Bolajoko Z, Durosinmi W, Adebisi G, Aduloju V. Pertinent roles of African higher institutions in the COVID-19 pandemic response: The University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria; An African Model. Int J Health Plann Manage 2020; 35:1257-1259. [PMID: 32452084 PMCID: PMC7280693 DOI: 10.1002/hpm.2984] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2020] [Accepted: 04/29/2020] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Idayat Durotoye
- The COVID-19 Prevention Committee, Office of The Vice Chancellor, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria.,Department of Haematology, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria
| | - Rasheed Odunola
- The COVID-19 Prevention Committee, Office of The Vice Chancellor, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria.,Health Services, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria
| | - Oluwapelumi Adeyemi
- The COVID-19 Prevention Committee, Office of The Vice Chancellor, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria.,Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria
| | - Alex Akanmu
- The COVID-19 Prevention Committee, Office of The Vice Chancellor, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria.,Department of Science Education, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria
| | - Oladimeji Bolarinwa
- The COVID-19 Prevention Committee, Office of The Vice Chancellor, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria.,Department of Epidemiology and Community Health, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria
| | - Muhammed Adeboye
- The COVID-19 Prevention Committee, Office of The Vice Chancellor, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria.,Department of Paediatrics, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria
| | - Ali Abdullahi
- The COVID-19 Prevention Committee, Office of The Vice Chancellor, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria.,Department of Sociology, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria
| | - Zulkarnain Bolajoko
- The COVID-19 Prevention Committee, Office of The Vice Chancellor, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria.,Department of Works, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria
| | - Wasiu Durosinmi
- The COVID-19 Prevention Committee, Office of The Vice Chancellor, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria.,Department of Estate Management, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria
| | - George Adebisi
- The COVID-19 Prevention Committee, Office of The Vice Chancellor, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria
| | - Veronica Aduloju
- The COVID-19 Prevention Committee, Office of The Vice Chancellor, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria
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