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Background and aims: SARS-CoV2 infection may increase stroke risk. The biological mechanisms underlying ischemic stroke occurrence during COVID-19 remains unclear. Methods: A Genome-Wide Association Study (GWAS) from MEGASTROKE was used to generate Polygenic risk scores (PRSs) across four p-value thresholds (p=0.05-p=5e-8) using PRSice-2. For all ischemic stroke (AIS) we used 34217 cases and 406111 controls, large-artery atherosclerosis (LAA) 4373 cases 297290 controls, cardioembolic (CE) 7193 cases 355468 controls and small-vessel occlusion (SVO) 5386 cases 343560 controls. For undetermined stroke etiology (UND) 984 cases and 5590 controls from a Spanish stroke cohort were used. PRSs were tested in 54 patients with an ischemic stroke that occurred after COVID-19 hospitalization (<8 days)(IS-COV). IS-COV cases were genotyped with Axiom Spain Biobank Array (11 UND, 6 CE, 6 LAA, 5 SVO, 2 infrequent cause and 24 unknown etiology). 726 population controls were also genotyped. Results: We found significant associations of IS-COV with PRSAIS (threshold= 5e-5, p= 0.04;R2= 0.01, number of SNPs= 60), PRSCE (threshold= 5e-8, p= 0.02, R2= 0.01, SNPs= 4;threshold= 0.05, p= 5.9e-4, R2= 0.03, SNPs=19308), PRSLAA (threshold= 5e-5, p= 6.5e-3, R2= 0.02, SNPs= 81;threshold= 1e-4, p= 0.02, R2= 0.01, SNPs= 146;threshold= 0.05, p =1.3e-3, R2= 0.03, SNPs= 20722) and PRSUND (threshold= 1e-4, p= 0.04, R2= 0.01, SNPs=10;threshold= 0.05, p =1.5e-6, R2= 0.06, SNPs= 3416). We did not find any association between PRSSVO and IS-COV. Conclusions: CE, LAA and UND shared genetic mechanisms with ischemic stroke cases due to COVID-19. We found no association between SVO and IS-COV.
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BACKGROUND: The Covid-19 pandemic has changed children's eating and physical activity behaviours. These changes have been positive for some households and negative for others, revealing health inequalities that have ramifications for childhood obesity. This study investigates the pandemic's impact on families of children aged 2-6 years with overweight or obesity. METHODS: Drawing on interviews conducted as part of a randomised controlled trial (RCT) for childhood obesity, thematic analysis was used to examine how parents of pre-schoolers perceived changes in their eating, screentime and physical activity behaviours between the first and second waves of Covid-19. Parents (n = 70, representing 68 families) were interviewed twice during a period of 6 months in three countries with markedly different pandemic policies - Sweden, Romania, and Spain. The analysis is informed by Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems theory, which embeds home- and school-based influences within societal and policy contexts. RESULTS: The findings show that, although all participants were recruited from an RCT for families of children with excess weight, they reported different responses to the pandemic's second wave, with some children engaging in healthier eating and physical activity, and others engaging in comfort eating and a more sedentary lifestyle. Differences in children's obesity-related behaviours were closely related to differences in parents' practices, which were, in turn, linked to their emotional and social wellbeing. Notably, across all sites, parents' feeding and physical activity facilitation practices, as well as their emotional and social wellbeing, were embedded in household resilience. In resilient households, where parents had secure housing and employment, they were better able to adapt to the challenges posed by the pandemic, whereas parents who experienced household insecurity found it more difficult to cope. CONCLUSIONS: As the Covid-19 pandemic is turning into a long-term public health challenge, studies that address household resilience are crucial for developing effective prevention and treatment responses to childhood obesity.
Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Pediatric Obesity , COVID-19/epidemiology , Child , Child Rearing , Humans , Overweight/epidemiology , Parents/psychology , Pediatric Obesity/epidemiologyABSTRACT
Background. Global surveillance has identified emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VOC) associated with increased transmissibility, disease severity, and resistance to neutralization by current vaccines under emergency use authorization (EUA). Here we assessed cross-immune responses of INO-4800 vaccinated subjects against SARS-CoV-2 VOCs. Methods. We used a SARS-CoV-2 IgG ELISA and a pseudo neutralization assay to assess humoral responses, and an IFNγ ELISpot to measure cellular responses against SARS-CoV-2 VOC in subjects immunized with the DNA vaccine, INO-4800. Results. IgG binding titers were not impacted between wild-type (WT) and B.1.1.7 or B.1.351 variants. An average 1.9-fold reduction was observed for the P.1 variant in subjects tested at week 8 after receiving two doses of INO-4800 (Figure 1a). We performed a SARS-CoV-2 pseudovirus neutralization assay using sera collected from 13 subjects two weeks after administration of a third dose of either 0.5 mg, 1 mg, or 2 mg of INO-4800. Neutralization was detected against WT and the emerging variants in all samples tested. The mean ID50 titers for the WT, B.1.1.7, B.1.351 and P.1. were 643 (range: 70-729), 295 (range: 46-886), 105 (range: 25-309), and 664 (range: 25-2087), respectively. Compared to WT, there was a 2.1 and 6.9-fold reduction for B.1.1.7 and B.1.351, respectively, while there was no difference between WT and the P.1 variant (Figure 1b). Next, we compared cellular immune responses to WT and SARS-CoV-2 Spike variants elicited by INO-4800 vaccination. We observed similar cellular responses to WT (median = 82.2 IQR = 58.9-205.3), B.1.1.7 (79.4, IQR = 38.9- 179.7), B.1.351 (80, IQR = 40.0-208.6) and P.1 (78.3, IQR = 53.1-177.8) Spike peptides (Figure 2). Conclusion. INO-4800 vaccination induced neutralizing antibodies against all variants tested, with reduced levels detected against B.1.351. IFNγ T cell responses were fully maintained against all variants tested.
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Background. First-generation COVID-19 vaccines are matched to spike protein of the Wuhan-H1 (WT) strain. Convalescent and vaccinee samples show reduced neutralization of SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VOC). Next generation DNA vaccines could be matched to single variants or synthetically designed for broader coverage of multiple VOCs. Methods. The synthetic consensus (SynCon®) sequence for INO-4802 SARSCoV-2 spike with focused RBD changes and dual proline mutations was codon-optimized (Figure 1). Sequences for wild-type (pWT) and B.1.351 (pB.1.351) were similarly optimized. Immunogenicity was evaluated in BALB/c mice. Pre-clinical efficacy was assessed in the Syrian Hamster model. Figure 1. Design Strategy for INO-4802 Results. INO-4802 induced potent neutralizing antibody responses against WT, B.1.1.7, P.1, and B.1.351 VOC in a murine model. pWT vaccinated animals showed a 3-fold reduction in mean neutralizing ID50 for the B.1.351 pseudotyped virus. INO-4802 immunized animals had significantly higher (p = 0.0408) neutralizing capacity (mean ID50 816.16). ID50 of pB.1.351 serum was reduced 7-fold for B.1.1.7 and significantly lower (p = 0.0068) than INO-4802 (317.44). INO-4802 neutralized WT (548.28) comparable to pWT. INO-4802 also neutralized P.1 (1026.6) (Figure 2). pWT, pB.1.351 or INO-4802 induced similar T-cell responses against all variants. INO-4802 skewed towards a TH1-response. All hamsters vaccinated with INO-4802 or pB.1.351 were protected from weight loss after B.1.351 live virus challenge. 4/6 pWT immunized hamsters were completely protected. pWT immunized hamsters neutralized WT (1090) but not B.1.351 (39.16). INO-4802 neutralized both WT (672.2) and B.1.351 (1121) (Figure 3). We observed higher increase of binding titers following heterologous boost with INO-4802 (3.6 - 4.4 log2-fold change) than homologous boost with pWT (2.0 - 2.4 log2 fold change) (Figure 4). Conclusion. Vaccines matching single VOCs, like pB.1.351 and pWT, elicit responses against the matched antigen but have reduced cross-reactivity. Presenting a pan-SARS-CoV-2 approach, INO-4802 may offer substantial advantages in terms of cross-strain protection, reduced susceptibility to escape mutants and non-restricted geographical use.
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The Annual Congress of Rheumatology is the biggest rheumatology conference in Europe organized by the European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR). The previous edition of EULAR was marked by the unprecedented challenges imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic and, like many other conferences, had to adapt and switch to a virtual event. This 22nd edition aimed to replicate the successful online format of the previous year, with more than 1,800 abstracts covering a wide range of topics in clinical, translational and basic research in rheumatology. This report highlights the most relevant poster and oral presentations given throughout the congress.
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Following 2 highly successful editions and a cancellation in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the European Association for Cancer Research (EACR) resumes its 'Defense is the Best Attack: Immuno-Oncology Breakthroughs' conference in 2021 with its third edition as a worldwide virtual event. The meeting covered the latest advances in the field of immuno-oncology, ranging from preclinical research to pre- and postmarketing studies. The covered topics included identification of new actionable targets, use of precision medicine as a tool to improve response rates to current treatments, and modulation of the tumor microenvironment to promote anticancer immune responses. Copyright © 2021 Clarivate Analytics.
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Background: The lockout of borders, lockdown of the population and social isolation are key measures adopted in many countries to contain the COVID-19 pandemic. This study describes changes in eating habits and other lifestyles during confinement in a population group in Spain. Methods: A cross-sectional, observational study was conducted on a convenience sample of people aged 18 yr. and over, recruited online between April 21 and May 8, 2020 (weeks 6-8 of lockdown) in Spain (n = 1036). The protocol considered sociodemographic data, characteristics of confinement, usual food consumption and physical activity, and changes during confinement. Results: Most frequently reported changes in dietary habits are increased consumption of fruit (27%), eggs (25.4%), legumes (22.5%), vegetables (21%) and fish (20%) and reduced consumption of processed meats (35.5%), lamb or rabbit (32%), pizza (32.6%), distilled alcoholic beverages (44.2%), sugary drinks (32.8%) or chocolate (25.8%). Some differences were observed depending on age and adequacy of the usual diet. Some 14.1% who do not usually cook do so during this period;15% do not do physical exercise, 24.6% sit more than 9 hours a day and 30.7% of smokers (14.7%) report increased tobacco use. 37% reported not sleeping well. Conclusions: Participants in this study report dietary changes during lockdown in Spain with a trend towards greater consumption of healthier foods, less consumption of foods of poor nutritional interest and an increase in the practice of cooking at home. © 2020 Sociedad Espanola de Nutricion Comunitaria. All rights reserved.
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The Annual European Congress of Rheumatology is the biggest rheumatology conference in Europe organized by the European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR). In its 21st edition, the congress, which was originally planned to take place in Frankfurt, Germany, was replaced with an online format due to the unprecedented changes imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic. The virtual conference started June 3, 2020, and continued offering an excellent experience comparable to that of previous editions, with over 3,600 abstracts covering a wide range of topics in clinical, translational and basic research in rheumatology. This report will provide highlights from some of the most interesting poster and oral presentations related to treatments for autoimmune/inflammatory diseases.