Inactivated vaccine-elicited potent antibodies can broadly neutralize SARS-CoV-2 circulating variants.

A full understanding of the inactivated COVID-19 vaccine-mediated antibody responses to SARS-CoV-2 circulating variants will inform vaccine effectiveness and vaccination development strategies. Here, we offer insights into the inactivated vaccine-induced antibody responses after prime-boost vaccination at both the polyclonal and monoclonal levels. We characterized the VDJ sequence of 118 monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) and found that 20 neutralizing mAbs showed varied potency and breadth against a range of variants including XBB.1.5, BQ.1.1, and BN.1. Bispecific antibodies (bsAbs) based on nonoverlapping mAbs exhibited enhanced neutralizing potency and breadth against the most antibody-evasive strains, such as XBB.1.5, BQ.1.1, and BN.1. The passive transfer of mAbs or their bsAb effectively protected female hACE2 transgenic mice from challenge with an infectious Delta or Omicron BA.2 variant. The neutralization mechanisms of these antibodies were determined by structural characterization. Overall, a broad spectrum of potent and distinct neutralizing antibodies can be induced in individuals immunized with the SARS-CoV-2 inactivated vaccine BBIBP-CorV, suggesting the application potential of inactivated vaccines and these antibodies for preventing infection by SARS-CoV-2 circulating variants.

The impact of distance education on nursing students course performance in a sino-foreign cooperative program during the onset of COVID-19: a quasi-experimental study.

BACKGROUND: The outbreak of COVID-19 changed many studies' teaching mode in higher education profoundly, including nursing. This study evaluated the impact of distance education on the course performance of nursing students in a nursing fundamentals course during the epidemic of COVID-19. METHODS: This is a comparative prospective and retrospective quasi-experimental study. Nursing students in a Sino-foreign cooperative program were allocated to either an intervention group (distance education, n = 48) or control group (face-to-face teaching, n = 36). A self-efficacy questionnaire, an academic engagement scale and grades of the final written examination were used to evaluate the students' self-efficacy, academic engagement and academic performance, respectively. The data in this study were analyzed by two independent sample t-tests and the Chi-square test. Students experiencing distance teaching had worse academic performance (p = 0.001) and lower levels of learning behavior self-efficacy (p<0.05). The total score of academic engagement (p = 0.04) for students experiencing distance teaching were significantly lower than the scores of those students in the control group. CONCLUSIONS: In the context of COVID-19, nursing students conducted using distance education had poor course performance.

Hepatitis of unknown etiology in children: Current evidence and association.

Two years after the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, acute hepatitis of unknown etiology in children (AHUCD) began to be reported worldwide. The novel coronavirus and adenovirus were found in pathogen and antibody tests in AHUCD cases reported by the World Health Organization. Children are not exposed to the viruses that children are generally exposed to owing to COVID-19 infection preventive measures such as isolation and wearing masks; therefore, some researchers have speculated that this disease is related to reduced exposure to pathogens. Some scientists have also speculated that the disease is related to liver injury and adenoviral hepatitis, which are the sequelae of COVID-19. Some evidence also suggests a weak association between the disease and COVID-19 vaccination. Therefore, further research and investigation of the pathogenesis, preventive measures, and early treatment of hepatitis of unknown etiology are required. This study aimed to synthesize available evidence to further elucidate this disease in order to treat and prevent it effectively.

Nab-paclitaxel plus S-1 versus oxaliplatin plus S-1 as first-line treatment in advanced gastric cancer: results of a multicenter, randomized, phase III trial (GAPSO study).

Background: This study aimed to investigate the superiority of nab-paclitaxel plus S-1 (AS) over oxaliplatin plus S-1 (SOX) in patients with advanced gastric cancer (AGC). Methods: In this multicenter, randomized, phase III superiority trial, eligible patients with unresectable, locally advanced gastric adenocarcinoma were recruited and randomly assigned (1:1) to receive AS (nab-paclitaxel 260 mg/m2 on day 1 or 130 mg/m2 on days 1 and 8; oral S-1 40-60 mg twice daily for 14 days) or SOX (130 mg/m2 oxaliplatin on day 1; oral S-1 40-60 mg twice daily for 14 days) every 3 weeks for up to six cycles. The primary endpoint was progression-free survival (PFS), and the secondary endpoints were overall survival, objective response rate, and safety. Results: Owing to slow enrolment, an unplanned interim analysis was performed, resulting in the early termination of the study on 31 December 2021 (data cutoff). Between March 2019 and March 2021, 97 patients (AS, n = 48; SOX, n = 49) were treated and evaluated for efficacy and safety of AS and SOX. As of the data cutoff, the median follow-up was 23.13 months [95% confidence interval (CI), 13.39-32.87]. The median PFS was 9.03 months (95% CI, 6.50-11.56) in the AS group and 5.07 months (95% CI, 4.33-5.81) in the SOX group, demonstrating a better PFS tendency following AS treatment than SOX treatment (hazard ratio = 0.59; 95% CI, 0.37-0.94; p = 0.03). The most common grade 3 or worse adverse events were anemia, neutropenia, and leukopenia in both groups, with a higher incidence of thrombocytopenia in the SOX group. Conclusion: Although this study was terminated early, the results demonstrated a better PFS tendency in patients with AGC who were treated with AS than in those treated with SOX, with controllable toxicities. Trial registration: Clinical Trials.gov identifiers: NCT03801668. Registered January 11, 2019.

Psychological Impact and Compliance with Staying at Home of the Public to COVID-19 Outbreak during Chinese Spring Festival.

In December 2019, COVID-19 was reported in Wuhan, China. Most of the studies related to the psychological impact and compliance with staying at home due to COVID-19 focused on ten days or one month after the initial "stay-at-home" phase of the COVID-19 pandemic. The early psychological impact and behavior change to COVID-19 during the Chinese Spring Festival (the start time for recommendations to stay at home) is uncertain. In this study, people from 23 provinces in China were recruited to participate in an online survey, using Credamo. Psychological impact and compliance with staying at home were evaluated by a self-designed and validated questionnaire. The results indicated that anxiety was the most often reported feeling (mean: 3.69), followed by sadness (mean: 3.63). Participants employed in foreign-owned companies were most likely to express anxiety and sadness. Overall, 61.8% of participants reported hardly going out, whereas 2.4% said they frequently went out during the initial "stay-at-home" phase of the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants with higher levels of anxiety and sadness were most likely to stay at home against the spread of COVID-19, as were female gender. This survey is an important study of the first reaction to staying at home during the initial "stay-at-home" phase coinciding with Chinese Spring Festival. Our findings identified factors associated with higher level of psychological impact and better compliance with staying at home recommendations during Chinese Spring Festival. The findings can be used to formulate precaution interventions to improve the mental health of vulnerable groups and high uptake of policy during the COVID-19 epidemic.

Stapled Peptides Targeting SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein HR1 Inhibit the Fusion of Virus to Its Cell Receptor.

The pandemic of acute respiratory disease in 2019 caused by highly pathogenic and infectious SARS-CoV-2 has seriously endangered human public safety. The 6-HB (HR1-HR2 complex) formation occurring in the process of spike protein-mediated membrane fusion could serve as a conserved and potential target for the design of fusion inhibitors. Based on the HR2 domain of 6-HB, we designed and synthesized 32 stapled peptides using an all-hydrocarbon peptide stapling strategy. Owing to the improved proteolytic stability and higher helical contents, the optimized stapled peptides termed SCH2-1-20 and SCH2-1-27 showed better inhibitory activities against pseudo and authentic SARS-CoV-2 compared to the linear counterpart. Of note, SCH2-1-20 and SCH2-1-27 were proved to interfere with S protein-mediated membrane fusion. Structural modeling indicated similar binding modes between SCH2-1-20 and the linear peptide. These optimized stapled peptides could serve as potent fusion inhibitors in treating and preventing SARS-CoV-2, and the corresponding SAR could facilitate further optimization.

The Comparison of the Effects between Continuous and Intermittent Energy Restriction in Short-Term Bodyweight Loss for Sedentary Population: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Controlled Trial.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the effects of continuous energy restriction (CER) and intermittent energy restriction (IER) in bodyweight loss plan in sedentary individuals with normal bodyweight and explore the influence factors of effect and individual retention. METHODS: 26 participants were recruited in this randomized controlled and double-blinded trial and allocated to CER and IER groups. Bodyweight (BW), body mass index (BMI), and resting metabolic rate (RMR) would be collected before and after a 4-week (28 days) plan which included energy restriction (CER or IER) and moderate-intensity exercise. Daily intake of three major nutrients (protein, carbohydrate, fat) and calories were recorded. RESULTS: A significant decrease in BW and BMI were reported within each group. No statistically significant difference in the change of RMR in CERG. No statistically significant difference was reported in the effect between groups, neither as well the intake of total calories, three major nutrients, and individual plan retention. The influence factors of IER and CER are different. CONCLUSION: Both CER and IER are effective and safe energy restriction strategies in the short term. Daily energy intake and physical exercise are important to both IER and CER.

SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein phase separates with G3BPs to disassemble stress granules and facilitate viral production.

A key to tackling the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is to understand how severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) manages to outsmart host antiviral defense mechanisms. Stress granules (SGs), which are assembled during viral infection and function to sequester host and viral mRNAs and proteins, are part of the antiviral responses. Here, we show that the SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid (N) protein, an RNA binding protein essential for viral production, interacted with Ras-GTPase-activating protein SH3-domain-binding protein (G3BP) and disrupted SG assembly, both of which require intrinsically disordered region1 (IDR1) in N protein. The N protein partitioned into SGs through liquid-liquid phase separation with G3BP, and blocked the interaction of G3BP1 with other SG-related proteins. Moreover, the N protein domains important for phase separation with G3BP and SG disassembly were required for SARS-CoV-2 viral production. We propose that N protein-mediated SG disassembly is crucial for SARS-CoV-2 production.

Online teaching practice and experience of Nutritional immunology public elective course under novel coronavirus pneumonia outbreak

Nutritional immunology is a public elective course for entire undergraduate in our school, whose aim is spread of immunology and nutrition knowledge to improve health quality and scientific literacy of students. Due to cause of novel coronavirus pneumonia in the first half of this year, online teaching had to be used to finish teaching task of nutritional immunology public course. Preliminary summary and thinking of online teaching was made from teaching design and preparation, specific implementation, and feedback of teaching effect in nutritional immunology course, which would be to provide help for carrying out network teaching better and to improve effect of public course teaching.

[Mechanism of Qingfei Paidu decoction for treatment of COVID-19: analysis based on network pharmacology and molecular docking technology].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the target, signaling pathways and their biological functions of Qingfei Paidu Decoction in the treatment of COVID-19 based on network pharmacology and molecular docking technology. METHODS: The active components and target proteins in 21 drugs such as Ephedrae Herba and Pinelliae Rhizoma in Qingfei Paidu decoction were analyzed, and the signaling pathways and biological functions of the target proteins common with COVID-19 were screened by using TCMSP, Swiss Target Prediction, CooLGeN, GeneCards, DAVID and other databases. The network diagram of Qingfei Paidu decoction was constructed using Gephi software. RESULTS: We identified 163 active ingredients, including MOL004798, MOL000519, MOL004824, MOL000554, MOL010428, and MOL013443, from 18 drugs in Qingfei Paidu decoction (such as Ephedrae Herba, Pinelliae Rhizoma, Glycyrrhizae Radix Et Rhiizoma, Farfarae Flos, Asteris Radix Et Rhizoma and Aurantii Fructus Immaturus). These ingredients activate renin-angiotensin system signaling pathway and apoptosis signaling pathway by regulating 10 protein targets (ACE, ACE2, AGTR1, FURIN, TNF, CASP3, CASP6, DPP4, MCL1 and POLD1) to execute 42 biological functions such as renin-angiotensin regulation of blood volume and systemic arterial blood pressure to treat COVID-19. The results of preliminary molecular docking showed that MOL000519 (from Pinelliae Rhizoma), MOL000554 (from Farfarae Flos), MOL004798 (from Ephedrae Herba), MOL004824 (from Glycyrrhizae Radix Et Rhiizoma), MOL010428 (from Asteris Radix Et Rhizoma), and MOL013443 (from Aurantii Fructus Immaturus) had good affinity with SARS-CoV-2 3CL hydrolase to form complexes with stable conformations and high binding activity (binding energy ≤- 5 kJ/mol). CONCLUSIONS: Qingfei Paidu decoction can treat COVID-19 through its multiple medicinal ingredients that have multiple targets and involve multiple signaling pathways for different biological functions. Our finding provides reference for further investigation into the pharmacological mechanism of Qingfei Paidu decoction in treating COVID-19.