Corporate Social Responsibility in Times of Epidemic Outbreaks: A Case Study from the Hospitality Industry in Spain

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is increasingly seen as a key aspect of business management. The rapid spatial spread of the COVID-19 outbreak led to border closures and mandatory mass quarantine. In this context, sectors such as the hospitality industry have been actively involved in various CSR activities, providing infrastructure and resources to help governments and societies cope with the pandemic. This study examines the different effects of CSR activities in the context of the COVID-19 outbreak, both from a business and institutional perspective. A qualitative research design has been chosen for this purpose, based on the analysis of in-depth qualitative interviews with the CEO and senior executives of three international hotel chains in Spain. The results reveal that CSR activities have contributed to containing the pandemic by helping to reduce the collapse of healthcare, as well as improving the organization's performance in terms of reputation and image. © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2022.

RETENTION IN CARE AMONG PERUVIAN MSM AND TGW IN A REAL-WORLD HIV PrEP PROGRAM

Background: Tenofovir-based daily oral HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (HIV PrEP) is a highly efficacious HIV prevention modality, but sustained use over time is needed for continued protection among individuals at high risk for HIV exposure. Suboptimal adherence and retention in care threaten to diminish the impact of HIV PrEP on reducing HIV burden. PrEP PERU is an ongoing, multi-site, prospective cohort study evaluating HIV PrEP implementation among adult men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender women (TGW) accessing care at non-government health centers in Peru. We sought to evaluate HIV PrEP adherence and retention in care among PrEP PERU participants prior to the onset of COVID-19 service disruptions. Method(s): We analyzed baseline and follow-up data from the PrEP PERU study through 3/15/2020, the first day of Peru's COVID-19 lockdown. MSM and TGW >=18 years of age with at least one HIV risk factor were eligible for enrollment. After the first follow-up visit at 4 weeks, TDF/FTC refills and clinic visits occur quarterly, at the discretion of the prescribing clinician. The medication is provided free of charge, but participants pay for laboratory testing plus a small service fee for clinic visits. Data is collected at baseline and quarterly follow-up visits on sexual risk behaviors and HIV PrEP use. We used bivariate analysis to evaluate the association between baseline factors and 6-month HIV PrEP retention in care. As a proxy for adherence, pharmacy dispensation records were used to calculate the proportion of days covered (PDC) by TDF/FTC. Result(s): Overall, 351 participants started TDF/FTC at four study sites in Lima from 1/23/2017 to 3/15/2020. Of this analysis population, 94% were cisgender men, 10% identified as bisexual, and median age was 31 (interquartile range [IQR], 27 - 38). Among those with at least 6 months of observation time (n=302), 91% attended >=1 follow-up visit and 77% attended >=2 follow-up visits during the 6 months after enrollment. The proportion with favorable adherence (PDC >=0.8) was 85%. There were 6 confirmed HIV seroconversions in the analysis period (1.2 per 100 person-years). Conclusion(s): In this analysis of HIV PrEP outcomes among MSM and TGW prior to COVID-19 pandemic disruptions in Peru, over 3/4 of the population remained in care and had favorable measures of adherence during the first 6 months after.

Resistin, a Multipotential Therapeutic Target

Being overweight and obese are risk factors that have increased during the COVID-19 pandemic;these factors increase the white adipose tissue (WAT) that increases the release of adipokines (adiponectin, leptin, and resistin). So, obesity provokes the expansion of adipose tissue;it induces changes in their macrophages of pro-inflammatory cytokines (M2 to M1). These changes increase the resistin levels with effects on the metabolism, inflammation process, glucose homeostasis, and insulin resistance, promote cell proliferation and migration, and even serve as a biomarker for tumorigenesis. Therefore, resistin is proposed as a multipotential therapeutic target to treat different diseases, between chronic-degenerative and some types of cancer, because resistin has characteristics that give it a high probability to be a therapeutic target to attend to and prevent various diseases. In different ways, developing new drugs by molecular docking to use molecules with pharmacological characteristics capable of interacting in the regions of resistin to hinder/block the interaction between resistin and their receptors (Δ-DCN, TLR4, and CAP-1) and by promoting health to reduce overweight and obesity, and this could generate lower plasma serum resistin values, so this review remarks the potential of resistin as multipotential therapeutic target. © 2022 by the authors.

Stress, anxiety, depression and long COVID symptoms

Background: The development of depression and anxiety symptoms during long COVID may partly result from the biopsychosocial effects of COVID-19 that impact mental health, rather than from the infection alone. Aim: The present study examined the association of anxiety, depression, stress, and psychological distress levels with sociodemographic factors and symptom severity during and three months after the acute phase of COVID-19. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 119 participants with a positive SARS-CoV-2 qPCR test. Three months after the acute phase of infection, participants completed an online survey to collect clinical information and sociodemographic data, followed by completion of the Impact of Event Scale-Revised, Depression, Anxiety, and Stress scales. Results: During and after infection, fatigue was the most frequently reported symptom. After the acute phase of COVID-19, substantial numbers of participants presented moderate to severe psychological distress (28.5%), severe to extremely severe depression (26.05%), and severe to extremely severe stress (31.09%). Female patients presented higher stress scores than males, while individuals who reported having lost a loved one presented high psychological distress, anxiety, and depression. The presence of physical symptoms after COVID-19 and other factors such as being a woman, being married, having children, or living with someone who suffers from a disease increased vulnerability to depression, stress, and anxiety. Conclusions: There are psychological consequences for survivors of COVID-19 associated with sociodemographic factors. Clinical strategies are needed to provide mental health care for individuals with long COVID symptoms. © 2022 IACFS/ME.

Stress, anxiety, depression and long COVID symptoms

Background: The development of depression and anxiety symptoms during long COVID may partly result from the biopsychosocial effects of COVID-19 that impact mental health, rather than from the infection alone. Aim(s): The present study examined the association of anxiety, depression, stress, and psychological distress levels with sociodemographic factors and symptom severity during and three months after the acute phase of COVID-19. Method(s): This cross-sectional study included 119 participants with a positive SARS-CoV-2 qPCR test. Three months after the acute phase of infection, participants completed an online survey to collect clinical information and sociodemographic data, followed by completion of the Impact of Event Scale-Revised, Depression, Anxiety, and Stress scales. Result(s): During and after infection, fatigue was the most frequently reported symptom. After the acute phase of COVID-19, substantial numbers of participants presented moderate to severe psychological distress (28.5%), severe to extremely severe depression (26.05%), and severe to extremely severe stress (31.09%). Female patients presented higher stress scores than males, while individuals who reported having lost a loved one presented high psychological distress, anxiety, and depression. The presence of physical symptoms after COVID-19 and other factors such as being a woman, being married, having children, or living with someone who suffers from a disease increased vulnerability to depression, stress, and anxiety. Conclusion(s): There are psychological consequences for survivors of COVID-19 associated with sociodemographic factors. Clinical strategies are needed to provide mental health care for individuals with long COVID symptoms. Copyright © 2022 IACFS/ME.

Do proctored online University exams in Covid-19 era affect final grades respect face-to-face exams?

The Covid-19 pandemic forced universities to convert their traditional faceto-face exams to online exams with doubts as to whether student cheating or technical difficulties would affect their final grades. After taking three of these exams online, we considered comparing their grades with those of previous years on traditional exams. The average mark of the traditional exams before the pandemic was 6.95 over 10, while the average mark of the three exams carried out in the Covid-19 era is 6.64. The student's t test indicated that there are no significant differences between the two types of exams in the mean (p = 0.408), the median (p = 0.378), the range (p = 0.307), the minimum (p = 0.410) and the maximum (p = 0.072). Taking online exams did not modify the exam grades compared to previous years. There is a lot of variability in similar studies in the literature due to cheating that can be performed in online exams. A proctoring system, good question design, and limited exam time can minimize these differences.

Resistin, a Multipotential Therapeutic Target

Being overweight and obese are risk factors that have increased during the COVID-19 pandemic;these factors increase the white adipose tissue (WAT) that increases the release of adipokines (adiponectin, leptin, and resistin). So, obesity provokes the expansion of adipose tissue;it induces changes in their macrophages of pro-inflammatory cytokines (M2 to M1). These changes increase the resistin levels with effects on the metabolism, inflammation process, glucose homeostasis, and insulin resistance, promote cell proliferation and migration, and even serve as a biomarker for tumorigenesis. Therefore, resistin is proposed as a multipotential therapeutic target to treat different diseases, between chronic-degenerative and some types of cancer, because resistin has characteristics that give it a high probability to be a therapeutic target to attend to and prevent various diseases. In different ways, developing new drugs by molecular docking to use molecules with pharmacological characteristics capable of interacting in the regions of resistin to hinder/block the interaction between resistin and their receptors (Δ-DCN, TLR4, and CAP-1) and by promoting health to reduce overweight and obesity, and this could generate lower plasma serum resistin values, so this review remarks the potential of resistin as multipotential therapeutic target. © 2022 by the authors.

Potential Compounds Interacting in a Specific Potential Site in SARS-CoV-2 Variants, Selected by Molecular Docking

The SARS-CoV-2 virus continues developing variants, and different ways of treatments have been proposed during this COVID-19 pandemic. This study proposes compounds to develop a drug against SARS-CoV-2 variants, by molecular docking using a library of compounds (502530 compounds) directed to interact in the region between the amino acids (Ser477, Lys478, Pro479, Cys480, Asn481, Gly482, Val483, Lys484, Gly485, Phe486, Asn487, Cys488, and Tyr489) in the RBD in S-Protein of SARS-CoV-2, this is a specific potential site in SARS-CoV-2 variants. We propose ten compounds selected by molecular docking, with a high probability to interact in the specific region in the RBD of SARS-CoV-2 variants (amino acids between 478 and 484), to reduce the interaction between S-protein and ACE2. Also, these compounds have a high probability to be safe in humans, validated by web servers of prediction of ADME and toxicity (PreADMET) to develop a new specific adjuvant antiviral against SARS-CoV-2 variants. © 2022, Sociedad Química de México.

USEFULNESS of AN ELECTRONIC CONSULTATION SYSTEM between PRIMARY CARE HEALTH CENTERS and RHEUMATOLOGY DEPARTMENT of A TERTIARY HOSPITAL

Background: The EPISER study is the frst Spanish epidemiological study that has confrmed the great burden of rheumatic diseases in the general population: they consume a large quantity of health resources (doctor visits, medical products) and imply a high social impact in terms of work absenteeism. Rheumatic diseases represent almost 30% of Primary Care medical consultations in Spain1,2. Electronic consultation could be an alternative response to the increase of this demand, both to make an early diagnosis and derivation and to improve communication with Primary Care physicians3,4. Objectives: To analyze the demand of Primary Care and its resolution through the electronic consultation system of the Rheumatology Department of a tertiary hospital. Methods: Retrospective descriptive study of the data collected in the request and information system (Sistema de Peticiones Electrónicas, SIPE) that supports electronic consultation between primary care physicians of the health area and the Rheumatology Department of a tertiary hospital, between July 2020 and May 2021.The following variables were collected: age, sex, reason for consultation, response time in days and destination (primary care/outpatient follow-up). Descriptive statistics were used to present the results. Results: The last 500 consecutive electronic consultations registered in the system, referring to 496 patients, were collected. Mean age was 59.5±17.7 years;74.2% women. Mean response time was 2 days, median response time 1 day and range 0-45. The reasons for consultation (see Graph 1) were: osteoporosis assessment 55 (11%), treatment adjustment 50 (10%), appointment request 49 (9.8%), loss to follow-up 43 (8.6%), local-regional pathology assessment 39 (7.8%), infltration request 28 (5, 6%), suspected rheumatoid arthritis 19 (3.8%), fare 18 (3.6%), suspected polymyalgia rheumatica or giant cell arteri-tis 16 (3.2%), COVID vaccine consultation 14 (2.8%), Raynaud's phenomenon 13 (2.6%), monoarthritis assessment 12 (2.4%), assessment of polyarthritis 11 (2.2%), adverse effects of treatment 11 (2.2%), suspected spondyloarthritis 11 (2.2%), suspected psoriatic arthritis 8 (1, 6%), generalized pain 7 (1.4%), suspected Sjögren's syndrome 5 (1%), suspected systemic lupus erythematosus 1 (0.2%), suspected other systemic autoimmune diseases 9 (1.8%), others 81 (16.2%). Fifty-seven and four % (287) of the patients required an appointment at the Rheumatology outpatient clinic and in 42.6% of the patients (213) the electronic consultation was successful, so it was not necessary to refer the patient to the hospital. Conclusion: Forty-two and six percent of the queries were resolved thanks to the electronic consultation system in an average of two days, otherwise that patients would have been referred to specialized care. The main reasons for consultation were osteoporosis assessment and clarifcation of doubts about the treatment of patients who were already being followed up by the Rheumatology Department.

Development of a Chatbot with NLP for the Prefecture of Los Rios in Ecuador

The coronavirus has prevented face-to-face consultations of procedures in the entities, so Ecuadorian companies have opted to use technological tools to provide smooth service to their customers. Among them is the Chatbot, which allows users to receive personalized attention through a computer. This paper presents the development of a chatbot for the Prefecture of Los Rios in Ecuador. The main objective is to present the development of a chatbot for the attention and management of services offered to citizens of the Prefecture of Los Rios. Direct research for collecting the necessary information and a qualitative approach study for the development of this project involved interviews in learning about the needs and requirements of citizens. The Chatbot Prefectura Los Ríos uses frameworks for natural language processing developed from a Dialog flow tool, resulting in users' acceptance. © 2022 IEEE Computer Society. All rights reserved.

SARS-CoV-2 vaccine (COVID-19) and chronic kidney disease

The most recent evidence indicates that chronic kidney disease is the comorbidity with the highest risk of developing severe disease due to SARS-CoV-2, coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19). Many scientific societies have advocated for vaccination of patients with chronic kidney disease as a priority, due to this high vulnerability. In Spain, the fifth update of the COVID-19 vaccination strategy published by the Interterritorial Health Council included CKD patients in group 7 (people with very high-risk conditions). This manuscript describes the types of vaccines according to mechanism of action, the vaccines currently approved by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and information related to the vaccination process (preparation, administration and follow-up), as well as aspects to be taken into account in patients with CKD. © 2021, Sociedad Espanola de Enfermeria Nefrologica. All rights reserved.

ESTUDIO ESTADÍSTICO SOBRE LA RELACIÓN ENTRE LAS HABILIDADES DIGITALES E INVESTIGATIVAS EN ESTUDIANTES DE PEDAGOGÍA DE LA UNIVERSIDAD NACIONAL DE HUANCAVELICA-PERU

This paper contains the results of an investigation carried out in the National University of Huancavelica, Peru, where the authors intended to determine how both digital and investigative skills are related each other in students of magisterial formation of this university in times of COVID-19. In moments where the in-person classes do not exist due to this pandemic and when this situation has been extended in the time for more than one year, it is necessary that university students in general and in particular those that have magisterial formation in this university, to have the enough abilities in the use of the new technologies of internet and also the basic research abilities that is part of what is requested in a competent professional of the pedagogic careers. Therefore, the authors use tools of the statistical inference to carry out this study. The obtained results are important for the managers, professors and students of the university, because it will allow us identifying the strengths and weaknesses with which the students of these disciplines count in these aspects. Thus, the managers will be able to trace politics to reinforce the strengths and to rectify the weaknesses, with the purpose of improving the educational work in this university. To the authors' knowledge this is the first time that it is carried out a study of this type in this center of higher education under these circumstances. © 2022 Universidad de La Habana. All rights reserved.

NEGATIVE EXTERNALITIES AND RIGHT TO COMPENSATION FOR OBJECTIVE CIVIL LIABILITY AS A CONSEQUENCE OF COVID-19 IN LATIN AMERICAN HOSPITALS

The purpose of the study was to reveal a knowledge of the implications assumed by the States in the face of the lack of health policies in Latin America, which become Externalities and Civil Liability, resulting from poor management of COVID-19. MATERIALS AND METHODS:A situational narrative review of qualitative design made it possible to categorize and estimate the references of the open structured and in-depth interviews. For information processing, the Atlas ti9 computer program was used. Analytical Induction and Abduction were used as methods. Analysis: As a technique, the Documentary Analysis was used, as well as the triangulation of interviews applied to experts, which allowed us to know the importance of the regulations that require the State as a guarantor to protect the life and health of people, as an applicator of measures to manage the actions of prevention, control, diagnosis and treatment of COVID-19. Results: The triangulation of the documentary analysis made it possible to synthesize all the information found in the review of documents, authors, and case studies. Conclusion: The conclusions of the study rescue the praiseworthy medical work in times of health emergency, the ethical obligations of health centers towards patients, matters of civil medical liability in the legal context, the principles of responsibility, claims for damages that violate the human right to health, as well as government responsibility for the management of COVID-19 in Latin America. © 2021, MUK Publications and Distribution. All rights reserved.

COVID-19 in Children Following Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation: A Multinational Study of the European Bone Marrow Transplantation Society (EBMT) and the Spanish Group of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation (GETH)

Introduction COVID-19 is usually a mild disease in immunocompetent children, with ~1% requiring intensive care unit (ICU) admission and <0.1% mortality. Data on its course in children following hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) is limited. Methods Data on children following HCT who developed COVID-19 (diagnosed by positive SARS-CoV-2 PCR on respiratory tract samples) during 3.2020-4.2021 were prospectively collected by EBMT and GETH, including demography, HCT data, COVID-related manifestations, ICU admission and mortality. Factors associated with worse outcomes (ICU admission or mortality) were characterized. Results Sixty-two children (34 boys;median age 9;min-max;0.7-17 years) were reported from 27 centers, 16 countries;57 (92%) following allogeneic and 5 (8%) following autologous HCT. Underlying diseases were acute leukemia (23;37%), inherited disorders (9;15%), hemoglobinopathies (7;11%), solid tumor (6;10%), bone marrow failure (5;8%), other malignant (8;13%) and non-malignant (4;6%) diseases. Five (8%) children had high blood pressure;6 (10%) had underlying lung pathology. The median time from the most recent HCT to COVID was 5 months (min-max;0-169). The stem cell source was bone marrow (33);peripheral (22) or cord blood (1). Among the patients with information available, 34 (62%) underwent in-vivo T cell depletion, 20 (33%) received corticosteroids, and 36 (60%) other immunosuppressant drugs(s) within two months prior to and after the COVID-19 episode. The presence of acute grade 2-4 or chronic graft versus host disease (GVHD) was reported in 12/54 (23%) and 8/51 (16%) children, respectively. Clinical presentation (n=57) included fever (28;49%), cough (18;32%), diarrhea (8;14%), upper respiratory tract disease (as rhinorrhea, sinusitis, otitis, or pharyngitis;12;21%);six (10%) required oxygen to maintain oxygen saturation above 92%;20 children (35%) were asymptomatic. The median time from symptoms onset to COVID diagnosis was 1 day (-43-40). Sixty-three percent of patients were hospitalized;43% due to COVID. The proportion of children with neutropenia or lymphocytopenia (<500 cells/mm 3) was 75% and 73%, respectively. Sixteen children (26%) had evidence of viral (n=10), bacterial (n=6) or fungal (n=2) coinfections. The median time from COVID diagnosis to the last follow-up in alive patients was 69 days (min-max;2 - 294). Six (10%) children who developed COVID at a median 6.5 (min-max;2- 16) months following allo-HCT (median age 6 years;5 boys) required ICU care within a median 6 (min-max;-5-15) days after diagnosis. All of them were neutropenic, received steroids, and other immunosuppressive drugs at COVID diagnosis;5 had undergone in-vivo T cell depletion;5 were lymphocytopenic, 5 had GVHD (2 acute and 3 chronic);3 received non-invasive and 2 invasive ventilation. Three children had viral or bacterial coinfections. Three children died. Six (10%) children (5 boys, median age 10.5 years;min-max;4-13) who developed COVID at median 2 (min-max;0-147) months following allo-HCT died within median 35 days (min-max;5-54) after diagnosis. One had high blood pressure, and none suffered from underlying lung pathology. At the time of COVID, 3 were neutropenic, 2 lymphocytopenic;4 had GVHD (2 acute, 2 chronic);3 received steroids and 4 immunosuppressive drugs. Two had viral or bacterial coinfections. Five had positive SARS-CoV-2 PCR at the time of death. In 3, COVID was the primary cause of death. We compared nine children with the worse outcomes to 53 children with benign course. Among patients alive at 100-day post HCT, the probability of worse outcomes was higher in patients with vs. without chronic GVHD (Figure). No other significant differences were observed in demographic, underlying disease, and HCT-related characteristics. Compared to adults following HCT (Ljungman, Leukemia 2021), children had: - Shorter median time from HCT to COVID diagnosis, 5 vs 18 months;- Higher proportion of asymptomatic infections, 35% vs 9%;- Lower proportion of those who required oxygen, 10% vs 35%;- Lower all-cause mortality, 10% vs 29%. Conclusions Children following HCT with COVID-19 have a higher risk of ICU admission and mortality compared to immune competent children. The presence of chronic GVHD at COVID diagnosis was associated with worse outcomes. COVID course following HCT is milder in children compared to adults. [Formula presented] Disclosures: Averbuch: Takeda: Consultancy;Pfizer: Consultancy;GSK: Speakers Bureau. De La Camara: Roche: Consultancy;IQONE: Consultancy. Corbacioglu: Gentium/Jazz Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy, Honoraria. Mikulska: Pfizer: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau;Gilead: Speakers Bureau;MSD: Speakers Bureau;Janssen: Speakers Bureau;Biotest: Speakers Bureau. Kulagin: Roche: Speakers Bureau;Sanofi: Speakers Bureau;Generium: Speakers Bureau;Biocad: Research Funding;Apellis: Research Funding;Alexion: Research Funding;X4 Pharmaceuticals: Research Funding;Novartis: Speakers Bureau;Johnson & Johnson: Speakers Bureau;Pfizer: Speakers Bureau. Cesaro: Sobi: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees;Gilead: Speakers Bureau. Lawson: Alexion: Honoraria. Kroeger: Neovii: Honoraria, Research Funding;Sanofi: Honoraria;Jazz: Honoraria, Research Funding;Celgene: Honoraria, Research Funding;Riemser: Honoraria, Research Funding;Gilead/Kite: Honoraria;AOP Pharma: Honoraria;Novartis: Honoraria. Styczynski: MSD, Pfizer, Giled, TEVA, Jazz, Novartis: Honoraria, Speakers Bureau. Ljungman: Takeda: Consultancy, Other: Endpoint committee, speaker;Enanta: Other: DSMB;Janssen: Other: Investigator;OctaPharma: Other: DSMB;Merck: Other: Investigator, speaker;AiCuris: Consultancy.

Virtual teaching in times of pandemic: Study in public universities of Peru

The new normality product of COVID-19, leads to the virtualization of pedagogical processes, which are supported by academic platforms as a critical factor for the operation of educational institutions. This research analyzes the virtual teaching modality in a Public University of Peru, considering the fulfillment of the capacities of virtual teaching for the School of Electronic Engineering at the National University José Faustino Sánchez Carrión, Lima, Peru. The study group is represented by a random stratified sample made up of 220 students enrolled in the academic period 2020 - I. It was a quantitative, non-experimental descriptive, ex-post facto study. An online questionnaire was designed and validated to collect data on virtual teaching capabilities. The results show a significantly positive relationship between virtual teaching skills and student performance. It is concluded that although the students allege problems of virtual teaching, it always contributes to the success of the students' learning. The university's teacher training processes with respect to digital tools should be strengthened and permanent consultancies for the stakeholders involved should be carried out. © 2021. All Rights Reserved.

Avoiding the interaction between S-protein of SARS-CoV-2 and ACE2, to develop an adjuvant antiviral by molecular docking

The COVID-19 pandemic continues today without specific treatment;different treatments have been proposed during this pandemic. This study proposes to develop a new drug by molecular docking, using a library of compounds, almost 500,000 compounds directed to interact in the region between the amino acids (Lys417, Tyr453, Gly496, Gln498, Thr500, Gly502, and Tyr505) in the RBD in S-protein of SARS-CoV-2, to develop a new adjuvant antiviral against COVID-19. It selected ten compounds by molecular docking with a high probability to interact in the specific region in the RBD of SARS-CoV-2 (Lys417, Tyr453, Gly496, Gln498, Thr500, Gly502, and Tyr505), to reduce the interaction with the ACE2. Also, these compounds have a high probability of being safe in humans, validated by web servers of prediction of ADME and toxicity (PreADMET) to develop a new specific adjuvant antiviral against COVID-19. © 2021 by the authors.

Triosephosphate isomerase from mycobacterium tuberculosis as potential target to develop a new anti-TB drug

Tuberculosis (TB) is possibly the most prevalent infectious disease in the world, reports from the World Health Organization (WHO) indicate that TB is one of the top 10 causes of death and an estimated 10 million people worldwide, in addition, there are increasing the TB resistant to conventional antibiotics, multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) and extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis (XDR-TB). Lastly, TB has become more important and requires more attention since it has been proposed as a risk factor for the severity of COVID-19. Therefore, the need to develop new anti-TB drugs. In this study, we propose to use the glycolytic enzyme triosephosphate isomerase from Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MtTIM) as a therapeutic target against TB. The triosephosphate isomerase (TIM) is a target used in different proposals to develop new drugs against different organisms. The MtTIM is an extremely attractive drug target due to the characteristics of its amino acids sequence. In addition, it has been determined that this enzyme (MtTIM) is necessary for the viability of in vitro and in vivo cultures of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. In this way, using the MtTIM as a therapeutic target, we propose potential compounds against MtTIM by molecular docking. © 2021 by the authors.

Improving the inhibition of tmprss2 by molecular docking, to decrease the process infection of sars-cov-2

COVID-19 pandemic continues with several works focused on the repositioning of drugs, vaccines, and antibodies against COVID-19, as well as new therapeutic targets on the cellular membrane (ACE2, NRP1, and TMPRSS2) that interacting with SARS-CoV-2 S-protein. This study proposes ten compounds (T1-T10) selected by molecular docking using a library of nearly 500,000 compounds, these ten compounds have better interaction than Daclatasvir, Ombitasvir, Camostat, Edoxaban, NCGC00386477, Nafamostat, NCGC00386945, Otamixaban, Darexaban, Gabexate, Letaxaban, Argatroban, Sivelestat, NCGC00385043, and Bromhexine, and all of them have an inhibitory effect reported at TMPRSS2. The T1-T10 compounds were selected by molecular docking in the catalytic site of TMPRSS2, which could hinder/block the interaction with the S-protein and ACE2. Therefore the initial/early stage of COVID-19 could be avoided or decreased by hindering the fusion between SARS-CoV-2 and the cell membrane and this way to develop a new adjuvant treatment against COVID-19. © 2021 by the authors.

Safety and efficacy of anakinra in severe SARS-CoV2 infection (covid19) at a tertiary hospital

Background: SARS-CoV-2 virus is a novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19 disease, which in its most severe form produces life-threatening atypical pneumonia and ARDS. Coronaviruses induce dysregulation of the immune system resulting in a cytokine storm syndrome with activation of the macrophage mediated mainly by IL-1 and IL-6. Although there is no specific treatment to date, researchers have explored novel approaches through targeting both IL-6 and IL-1. Anakinra is a recombinant human IL-1 receptor antagonist that prevents IL-1β and IL-1α binding and therefore blocks signal transduction. Its high bioavailability, rapid action, relatively short half-life and good safety profile make it a promising drug. Objectives: Analyse the experience of administering Anakinra for severe forms of COVID19 in patients hospitalised at a tertiary hospital. Methods: Retrospective single-center study in which all patients admitted for COVID-19 and treated with Anakinra from April 1st to the end of the 1st wave (July 2020) were included. Medical records were reviewed to collect demographic, clinical and lab test data, using Brescia-COVID respiratory severity scale, SaFi, CRP, Ferritin, LDH and lymphocytes. Variables were assessed at baseline, 72h and 7 days after treatment initiation. Descriptive statistical analysis was performed, including a sub-analysis of patients who received anakinra as the only biological treatment. Results: 54 patients were included, of which 37 male (68.5%) with a median age of 69.5 years (36-94). Comorbidities were lung disease 14 pts (25.9%), cardiovascular disease 39 pts (72.2%), Diabetes Mellitus 11 pts (20.4%), kidney disease and rheumatic disease each in 6 pts (11.1%), and immunosuppression 13 pts (24.1%). Each patient received a mean of 4.85 doses of anakinra (± 3.96). Other therapies included low-dose steroids (70.3%);high-dose steroids: 1mg/kg (87%), bolus (24%), Tocilizumab (57.4%), Infliximab (24.1%), Lopinavir/Ritonavir (48%), Hydroxychloroquine (94.4%), and Azithromycin (79.6%). Mortality was 22% overall, 75% due to COVID19, 8.3% due to infectious complications and 16.7% due to non-infectious complications. In the group receiving Anakinra as only biological drug, mortality accounted for 17.9% of patients, 75% due to COVID19 and 25% to non-infectious complications. No adverse effects related to anakinra were observed Conclusion: Anakinra in severe SARS-CoV-2 infection offers respiratory improvement and partial lab tests improvement. No adverse effects were observed.