IN THE FINAL ANALYSIS

Beyond a quote, do people really need to know anything more about last March's TMS2023 to declare it a success? One of the 4,499 attendees inflated Robinson's ego, so "Victory!" His reliably ego-deflating conscience says, "Hang on a minute Mr. Executive Director. Your self-esteem should be very low." Okay, okay. Here, he looks at some less Jim-a-ta-tive and more quantitative numbers as to how well TMS did in convening and serving the materials community in a surprisingly cool and soggy San Diego CA can do.

Predictors of long-term neutralizing antibody titers following COVID-19 vaccination by three vaccine types: the BOOST study.

As concerns related to the COVID-19 pandemic continue, it is critical to understand the impact of vaccination type on neutralizing antibody response durability as well as to identify individual difference factors related to decline in neutralization. This was a head-to-head comparison study following 498 healthy, community volunteers who received the BNT162b2 (n = 287), mRNA-1273 (n = 149), and Ad26.COV2.S (n = 62). Participants completed questionnaires and underwent blood draws prior to vaccination, 1 month, and 6 months after the vaccination series, and neutralizing antibody (nAB) titers at 1- and 6-months post vaccination were quantified using a high-throughput pseudovirus assay. Over 6 months of follow-up, nABs declined in recipients of BNT162b2 and mRNA-1273, while nABs in recipients of Ad26.COV2.S showed a significant increase. At the 6-month time point, nABs to Ad26.COV2.S were significantly higher than nABs to BNT162b2 and equivalent to mRNA-1273. Irrespective of follow-up timing, being older was associated with lower nAB for participants who received BNT162b2 and Ad26.COV2.S but not for those who received mRNA-1273. A higher baseline BMI was associated with a lower nAB for Ad26.COV2.S recipients but not for recipients of other vaccines. Women and non-smokers showed higher nAB compared to men and current smokers, respectively. The durability of neutralizing antibody responses differed by vaccine type and several sociodemographic factors that predicted response. These findings may inform booster recommendations in the future.

Stories or Directives: A Cross Cultural Comparison of Governmental Messages to Their Constituents during COVID-19.

This cross-sectional investigation examines the message strategies employed by the CDC and the NHC regarding the COVID-19 pandemic and established that messages sent by the CDC via Twitter differed significantly from the messages posted by the NHC via Weibo. Within a random sample (n = 200) of CDC and NHC messaging, six common themes emerged. They were: offering general advice, offering advice for professionals, pandemic progress, organizational efforts, knowledge popularization, and event notification. Results suggest the CDC offered advice to the general public (n = 50) more often than the NHC (n = 19). Similarly, the CDC offered more advice oriented toward professionals (n = 20) than the NHC (n = 9). The NHC, was more likely to discuss the role of government in remedying the pandemic (n = 12) than the CDC (n = 0) and more likely to employ a narrative style in their messaging (n = 35) than the CDC (n = 1).

IN THE FINAL ANALYSIS

In a few months, TMS will return to San Diego CA, as the venue for their next annual meeting and exhibition: TMS2023. The last time that TMS convened in San Diego was three years prior in 2020. TMS2020 was the event at which the Society broke its attendance record. TMS2020 also proved to be one of the last major in-person conferences held in the US before the country shifted into shutdown mode because of the spread of COVID-19. The following year's annual meeting could only be held as a virtual event;no one liked that. Next, TMS2022 was held in person but with a virtual option and to significantly reduced attendance. Now, the TMS2023 will be all in-person and will not offer virtual or hybrid options. Critically, the threat of COVID-19 has diminished significantly. Still, their collective anxiety index has not ticked down completely--they have concerns over inflation, recessionary forecasts, lingering supply chain issues, and understaffing in all businesses. The world doesn't want to have a good night's sleep just yet! Offsetting those concerns are an excellent technical program, a membership community eager to reconvene and network, and international travel that continues to unlock.

An ACE2-dependent Sarbecovirus in Russian bats is resistant to SARS-CoV-2 vaccines.

Spillover of sarbecoviruses from animals to humans has resulted in outbreaks of severe acute respiratory syndrome SARS-CoVs and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Efforts to identify the origins of SARS-CoV-1 and -2 has resulted in the discovery of numerous animal sarbecoviruses-the majority of which are only distantly related to known human pathogens and do not infect human cells. The receptor binding domain (RBD) on sarbecoviruses engages receptor molecules on the host cell and mediates cell invasion. Here, we tested the receptor tropism and serological cross reactivity for RBDs from two sarbecoviruses found in Russian horseshoe bats. While these two viruses are in a viral lineage distinct from SARS-CoV-1 and -2, the RBD from one virus, Khosta 2, was capable of using human ACE2 to facilitate cell entry. Viral pseudotypes with a recombinant, SARS-CoV-2 spike encoding for the Khosta 2 RBD were resistant to both SARS-CoV-2 monoclonal antibodies and serum from individuals vaccinated for SARS-CoV-2. Our findings further demonstrate that sarbecoviruses circulating in wildlife outside of Asia also pose a threat to global health and ongoing vaccine campaigns against SARS-CoV-2.

Does Sleep Predict Antibody Response and Maintenance to the COVID-19 Vaccine?

Introduction There is growing evidence that insufficient sleep can negatively impact the immune system, including vaccination response. Prior laboratory studies have shown that acute sleep restriction can result in impaired antibody resposne to the hepatitis A and influenza vaccine. Similarly, prospective studies have shown that short sleep duration, measured by self-report and wrist actigraphy, is associated with muted antibody responses. These prior findings have critical implications for the COVID-19 pandemic and the efficacy and durability of the COVID-19 vaccines currently available. Whether sleep accounts for variability in response to the COVID-19 vaccination series has not been investigated. Methods We recruited 530 healthy participants (mean age= 52.4, SD=12.1, range: 18-88 years;64.1% female) who were naive to the COVID-19 vaccination series. Participants completed self-report questionaires (e.g., Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index) and morning sleep diaries for 7-consecutive days surrounding COVID-19 vaccine administrations. Additionally, 198 participants wore a sleep tracking device (Oura ring) continuously for ~2 months beginning prior to vaccination, which provides behavioral sleep data on days prior to and following the COVID-19 vaccination series. Blood samples were collected prior to vaccination, +1 month after their final vaccine shot (peak response), and +6 months after their final vaccine shot (maintenance);neutralization assays using pseudotype virus will be carried out to quantify antibody titers. Results Data collection concludes December 2021, with antibody assays to be completed February 2022. Initial baseline data indicates that most participants reported poor overall global sleep quality (PSQI mean=6.3, SD=3.6;52% PSQI>5). Linear mixed models will be conducted to test associations between habitual sleep duration (averaged over the measurement time points), sleep efficiency, and subjective sleep quality with antibody responses over time. Additionally, we will report on the relevance of sleep timing (midpoint) and vaccination timing (receiving the vaccine in the morning vs afternoon vs evening), and the role of self-reported sleep disorders (e.g., obstructive sleep apnea) and shift worker status. Covariates in these analyses will include age, gender, race, body mass index, prior COVID infection, and vaccine type (Moderna, Pfizer, Johnson and Johnson). Conclusion These analyses will provide new knowledge about the role of sleep in mounting and maintaining antibody response to the COVID-19 vaccination series. These findings may provide novel insights into when and for whom improvements in sleep may result in better vaccine efficacy. Support (If Any) R24AG048024

SARS-CoV-2 Epitopes following Infection and Vaccination Overlap Known Neutralizing Antibody Sites.

Identification of epitopes targeted following virus infection or vaccination can guide vaccine design and development of therapeutic interventions targeting functional sites, but can be laborious. Herein, we employed peptide microarrays to map linear peptide epitopes (LPEs) recognized following SARS-CoV-2 infection and vaccination. LPEs detected by nonhuman primate (NHP) and patient IgMs after SARS-CoV-2 infection extensively overlapped, localized to functionally important virus regions, and aligned with reported neutralizing antibody binding sites. Similar LPE overlap occurred after infection and vaccination, with LPE clusters specific to each stimulus, where strong and conserved LPEs mapping to sites known or likely to inhibit spike protein function. Vaccine-specific LPEs tended to map to sites known or likely to be affected by structural changes induced by the proline substitutions in the mRNA vaccine's S protein. Mapping LPEs to regions of known functional importance in this manner may accelerate vaccine evaluation and discovery of targets for site-specific therapeutic interventions.

IN THE FINAL ANALYSIS

Robinson talks about the TMS Annual Meeting & Exhibition. The success of the annual event is a year-in-year-out expectation by volunteers, registrants, host facilities, and staff. The TMS2020 was held in San Diego just days before COVID-19 fully manifested its deplorable self and with many attendees from Asia being unable to attend. TMS2020 was nonetheless the best-attended meeting to date, and the reviews were quite good. Then, the world turned upside down. The pandemic pushed us into the unknown territory of virtual event management in the form of TMS2021 Virtual. The pandemic continued to impact TMS2022, and we held a blended event: in person in Anaheim but with some virtual elements. Attendees were delighted with the in-person experience although the virtual elements didn't click with anywhere near the same levels of enthusiasm. For TMS2023, three years after having the last "normal" meeting in San Diego, we are heading back to that southern California city that has so-often welcomed TMS and enchanted event participants. As with TMS2020, TMS2023 is focused on the in-person experience.

Social media and health

In this chapter, we discuss social media in the context of (a) health information and health services, (b) supportive communication, (c) crisis communication, (d) health campaigns, (e) psychological well-being and mental health, and (f) research methodology in health communication. After that, we summarize positive and negative roles of social media in health communication and discuss directions for future research. Most of the research addressed in the chapter is from a social scientific perspective. It is important to keep in mind that although we cite the most recent data available in the chapter, many things may well have changed since the data were published, given the constantly changing nature of social media and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

IN THE FINAL ANALYSIS

Robinson discusses the TMS2022 program. Rounding. TMS2022 had 2,600 in-person registrants and 1,000 virtual-only registrants, so 3,600 total registrants. The all-virtual TMS2021 Virtual had 3,000 registrants. The all-in-person TMS2020 attracted 4,500 registrants. The pre-pandemic 10-year average is roughly 4.200 attendees. Pre-COVID-19, they reliably attracted 50% US and 50% international attendees. The 2022 blend was 80% US and 20% international. If the international participation had been as traditional, he conjecture that TMS2022 would have had in the neighborhood of 4,200 in-person registrants.

ACE2-IgG1 fusions with improved in vitro and in vivo activity against SARS-CoV-2.

SARS-CoV-2, the etiologic agent of COVID-19, uses ACE2 as a cell entry receptor. Soluble ACE2 has been shown to have neutralizing antiviral activity but has a short half-life and no active transport mechanism from the circulation into the alveolar spaces of the lung. To overcome this, we constructed an ACE2-human IgG1 fusion protein with mutations in the catalytic domain of ACE2. A mutation in the catalytic domain of ACE2, MDR504, significantly increased binding to SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, as well as to a spike variant, in vitro with more potent viral neutralization in plaque assays. Parental administration of the protein showed stable serum concentrations with excellent bioavailability in the epithelial lining fluid of the lung, and ameliorated lung SARS-CoV-2 infection in vivo. These data support that the MDR504 hACE2-Fc is an excellent candidate for treatment or prophylaxis of COVID-19 and potentially emerging variants.

Increased Incidence of Injury Among Runners With COVID-19.

BACKGROUND: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) affects multiple organ systems. Whether and how COVID-19 affects the musculoskeletal system remains unknown. We aim to assess the association between COVID-19 and risk of injury. HYPOTHESIS: Runners who report having COVID-19 also report a higher incidence of injury. STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level 4. METHODS: An electronic survey was distributed from July through September 2020, by New York Road Runners, ASICS North America, race medical directors, and through social media. Inclusion criteria were runners 18 years or older who had participated in ≥1 race (running or triathlon) in 2019. RESULTS: A total of 1947 runners participated and met inclusion criteria. Average age was 45.0 (SD, 12.2) years and 56.5% were women. A total of 123 (6.3%) runners self-reported having COVID-19; 100 (81%) reported their diagnosis was from a laboratory test (polymerase chain reaction or antibody) and 23 reported being diagnosed by a medical professional without confirmatory laboratory testing. Since March 2020, 427 (21.9%) reported an injury that prevented running for at least 1 week, including 38 of 123 (30.9%) who self-reported having COVID-19 and 389 of 1435 (21.3%) who did not report having COVID-19 (P = 0.01). After adjusting for age, sex, the number of races in 2019, and running patterns before March 2020, runners who self-reported a diagnosis of COVID-19 had a higher incidence of injury compared with those who did not (odds ratio, 1.66; 95% CI, 1.11-2.48; P = 0.01). CONCLUSION: Injuries were more often self-reported by runners with laboratory-confirmed or clinically diagnosed COVID-19 compared with those who did not report COVID-19. Given the limitations of the study, any direct role of COVID-19 in the pathophysiology of injuries among runners remains unclear. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Direct and indirect musculoskeletal sequelae of COVID-19 should be further investigated, including the risk of exercise- and sports-related injury after COVID-19.

Cross-Reactive Antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 and MERS-CoV in Pre-COVID-19 Blood Samples from Sierra Leoneans.

Many countries in sub-Saharan Africa have experienced lower COVID-19 caseloads and fewer deaths than countries in other regions worldwide. Under-reporting of cases and a younger population could partly account for these differences, but pre-existing immunity to coronaviruses is another potential factor. Blood samples from Sierra Leonean Lassa fever and Ebola survivors and their contacts collected before the first reported COVID-19 cases were assessed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays for the presence of antibodies binding to proteins of coronaviruses that infect humans. Results were compared to COVID-19 subjects and healthy blood donors from the United States. Prior to the pandemic, Sierra Leoneans had more frequent exposures than Americans to coronaviruses with epitopes that cross-react with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), SARS-CoV, and Middle Eastern respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV). The percentage of Sierra Leoneans with antibodies reacting to seasonal coronaviruses was also higher than for American blood donors. Serological responses to coronaviruses by Sierra Leoneans did not differ by age or sex. Approximately a quarter of Sierra Leonian pre-pandemic blood samples had neutralizing antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 pseudovirus, while about a third neutralized MERS-CoV pseudovirus. Prior exposures to coronaviruses that induce cross-protective immunity may contribute to reduced COVID-19 cases and deaths in Sierra Leone.

Running races during the COVID-19 pandemic: a 2020 survey of the running community.

OBJECTIVES: To survey runners and triathletes about their willingness to resume in-person racing during the COVID-19 pandemic, health concerns related to mass races and changes in running patterns since the start of the pandemic. DESIGN: An electronic survey was distributed from 15 July to 1 September 2020 to runners and triathletes by New York Road Runners, ASICS North America, and race medical directors, and through social media. PARTICIPANTS: Runners and triathletes 18 years of age or older who participated in at least one race in 2019. RESULTS: A total of 2278 surveys were received. Not all participants answered every question; the denominator represents the number of responses to each question. Most participants were from the USA (1620/1940, 83.5%), of which over half were from New York (812/1475, 55.1%). Regarding when respondents would feel comfortable returning to in-person racing, the most frequent response was 'Whenever local laws allow, but only if there are sufficient precautions' (954/2173, 43.9%), followed by 'Not until there is a vaccine' (540/2173, 24.9%). The most common concerns about in-person races were crowded starting corrals (1802/2084, 86.5%), the number of COVID-19 cases in the race location (1585/2084, 76.1%) and the number of participants (1517/2084, 72.8%). Comparing running patterns before the pandemic to Summer 2020, the mean weekly mileage decreased from 25.5 (SD 15.4) miles to 22.7 (16.2) miles (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: Most runners are willing to return to racing when local laws allow, though as of Summer 2020, many desired certain precautions to feel comfortable.

FORGING AHEAD IN A CHALLENGING YEAR 2020 TMS ANNUAL REPORT

More than 4,600 scientists, engineers, and students from around the worLd attended TMS2020, making it the best-attended annuaL meeting in TMS history-and also the Last in-person event that TMS wouLd hoLd for the remainder of the year. In coLLaboration with our PubLic & Government Affairs Committee and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee, TMS developed a statement to the membership decrying aLL forms of racism and discrimination. NEW TMS STUDY Accelerating the Broad Implementation of Verification & Validation in Computational Models of the Mechanics of Materials and Structures Organized by TMS on behaLf of the NationaL Science Foundation, this science and technoLogy acceLerator study report was pubLished in October 2020 and is now avaiLabLe for free downLoad at www.tms.org/Studies. 2020 MEETINGS, EVENTS, AND WEBINARS WhiLe a number of events had to be canceLed or postponed in 2020, the foLLowing events were heLd either in person (TMS2020) or virtuaLLy (aLL other events).

SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence rates of children seeking medical care in Louisiana during the state stay at home order.

Serologic testing of residual blood samples from 812 children from a hospital in New Orleans, LA, between March and May 2020, demonstrated a SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence of 6.8% based on S and N protein IgG; Black and Hispanic children, and children living in zip codes with lower household incomes were over-represented.

in the final analysis

After a year and a half of COVID-19, many of our definitions of what is scary have changed. If the pandemic was a book, it would be a tragically bad one--mishandled beginning, chaotic midsection, and indeterminate and clumsy ending. Yet, within that dreadful book would be many lessons for apt pupils. Here, Robinson shares the lessons he learned from the pandemic.