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2.
biorxiv; 2024.
Preprint en Inglés | bioRxiv | ID: ppzbmed-10.1101.2024.03.18.585599

RESUMEN

Background: In the earliest days of COVID-19 pandemic, the collection of dried blood spots (DBS) enabled public health laboratories to undertake population-scale seroprevalence studies to estimate rates of SARS-CoV-2 exposure. With SARS-CoV-2 seropositivity levels now estimated to exceed 94% in the United States, attention has turned to using DBS to assess functional (neutralizing) antibodies within cohorts of interest. Methods: Contrived DBS eluates from convalescent, fully vaccinated and pre-COVID-19 serum samples were evaluated in SARS-CoV-2 plaque reduction neutralization titer (PRNT) assays, a SARS-CoV-2 specific 8-plex microsphere immunoassay, a cell-based pseudovirus assay, and two different spike-ACE2 inhibition assays. Results: DBS eluates from convalescent individuals were compatible with RBD-ACE2 inhibition assays, an in-house Luminex-based RBD-ACE2 inhibition assay, and commercial real-time PCR-based neutralization assay (NAB-Sure) but not cell-based pseudovirus assays or PRNT. The insensitivity of cell-based pseudovirus assays was overcome with DBS eluates from vaccinated individuals with high SARS-CoV-2 antibody titers. Conclusion: SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing titers can be derived with confidence from DBS eluates, thereby opening the door to the use of these biospecimens for the analysis of vulnerable populations and normally hard to reach communities.


Asunto(s)
COVID-19
5.
ssrn; 2024.
Preprint en Inglés | PREPRINT-SSRN | ID: ppzbmed-10.2139.ssrn.4762964

Asunto(s)
COVID-19
6.
medrxiv; 2024.
Preprint en Inglés | medRxiv | ID: ppzbmed-10.1101.2024.03.18.24304375

RESUMEN

Background Post-Covid-19 Condition (PCC) manifests in persistent, debilitating symptoms that affect multiple cognitive domains. These symptoms can negatively impact an affected individual's health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Herein, we investigate the effects of cognitive function on HRQoL in persons with PCC. Secondarily, we determine whether vortioxetine modulates cognitive function on HRQoL. Methods Participants aged 18-65 years were randomized to receive vortioxetine or placebo for 8 weeks. HRQoL was measured using the World Health organization Wellbeing Scale 5-item, cognition was measured using the Digit Symbol Substitution Test and the Trail-Making Test A/B. Generalized estimating equations were used to model the relationship of cognition to HRQoL for each treatment group. Results 147 participants, 75.5% of which were female, were included in the analysis. At baseline, there was a statistically significant positive association between WHO-5 scores and combined DSST z-scores (beta; = 0.090, 95% CI [0.051, 0.129], p < 0.001), and a statistically significant negative association with TMT-A (beta; = -0.007, 95% CI [-0.011, -0.003], p < 0.001) and -B (beta; = -0.002, 95% CI [-0.003, 0.000], p = 0.024) scores, respectively. A significant treatment, time, and combined DSST z-score interaction on changes in overall WHO-5 total score (x2 = 15.481, p = 0.004) was reported. After adjusting for the type of cognitive test, there was a significant between-group difference (mean change = 1.77, SEM = 0.868, p = 0.042) favoring vortioxetine. Conclusion Cognitive function is significantly associated with HRQoL in persons with PCC where enhanced cognitive functioning is associated with a better HRQoL. Vortioxetine is effective in improving HRQoL through enhancing cognitive function. Cognitive function in persons with PCC provides the impetus for future therapeutic targets for persons with PCC. Future studies should aim to investigate pro-cognitive therapeutic strategies.


Asunto(s)
COVID-19
7.
medrxiv; 2024.
Preprint en Inglés | medRxiv | ID: ppzbmed-10.1101.2024.03.19.24304303

RESUMEN

Background: Our aim was to assess the relationship between (time since) wild-type SARS-CoV-2 infection and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and fatigue as endpoints linked to Post COVID-19 condition (PCC). Methods: Participants [≥]15 years were selected from the February 2021 round of the population-based PIENTER Corona study. We investigated the association between (time since) SARS-COV-2 infection and health outcomes: HRQoL (health utility (SF-6D); physical health and mental health (both SF-12)) and fatigue (CIS-fatigue) using multivariable logistic regression analyses adjusted for age, sex, educational level, number of comorbidities, COVID-19 vaccination status, and the intensity of restrictions. For each outcome, multivariable logistic regression models were fitted at cut-off points selected based on the cumulative distribution of those uninfected. Results: Results shown correspond to the cut-off point related to the worst off 15% of each outcome. Significant differences between those uninfected (n=4,614) and cases infected [≤]4 months ago (n=368) were observed for health utility (OR [95%CI]: 1.6 [1.2-2.2]), physical health (OR [95%CI]: 1.7 [1.3-2.3]) and fatigue (OR [95%CI]: 1.6 [1.2-2.0]), but not for mental health. There were no significant differences between uninfected and cases infected >4 months ago (n=345) for all outcomes. Conclusions: In a Dutch population-based cohort of seroconverted individuals, those infected with wild-type SARS-CoV-2 [≤]4 months ago more often reported poor health utility and physical health and were more often severely fatigued compared to those uninfected (at the 15% cut-off). HRQoL and fatigue remained below the detection limit for those infected >4 months ago, suggesting a relatively low prevalence of PCC.


Asunto(s)
Fatiga , COVID-19
8.
medrxiv; 2024.
Preprint en Inglés | medRxiv | ID: ppzbmed-10.1101.2024.03.18.24304157

RESUMEN

Critically ill COVID-19 patients have a high degree of acute kidney injury which develops in up to 85% of patients. We have previously shown that circulating levels of angiopoietin-2 increased in critically ill COVID-19 patients correlated to kidney injury, coagulopathy, and mortality. Furthermore, our experiments showed a causal effect on coagulopathy from angiopoietin-2 binding and inhibition of thrombomodulin mediated anticoagulation. In the current study we hypothesize that renal microthrombi may be a mechanism for reduced renal function in critically ill COVID-19 patients, and that local dysregulation of thrombomodulin and angiopoietin-2 may be involved. To investigate our hypothesis, we utilized postmortem kidney tissue from seven COVID-19 patients treated at the intensive care unit. We evaluated kidney function, thrombosis, tubular injury, fibrosis, glomerulosclerosis, glomerular size as well as renal expression of thrombomodulin and angiopoietin-2. Proximity ligation assay was utilized to evaluate the presence of angiopoietin-2 binding to thrombomodulin. Normal kidney tissue came from the healthy part of six nephrectomies due to cancer. Our experiments show renal thrombosis in 6/7 COVID-19 patients, on average 14.7 (6.9-22.5) thrombi per mm2. Most COVID-19 kidneys had extensive kidney injury, especially tubular necrosis, but also glomerular enlargement, glomerulosclerosis, and tubulointerstitial fibrosis which in some cases most likely resulted from underlying disease. Thrombomodulin expression was reduced in glomeruli and peritubular capillaries in kidneys from COVID-19 patients, whereas no change was found for angiopoietin-2. In summary, our study describes a high degree of acute renal failure, renal microthrombosis, and loss of thrombomodulin in postmortem tissue from critically ill COVID-19 patients.


Asunto(s)
Enfermedades Renales , Lesión Renal Aguda , Glomerulonefritis , Carcinoma de Células Renales , Trastornos de la Coagulación Sanguínea , COVID-19 , Neoplasias , Enfermedad Crítica , Psitacosis , Fibrosis , Defectos Congénitos del Transporte Tubular Renal , Trombosis
9.
medrxiv; 2024.
Preprint en Inglés | medRxiv | ID: ppzbmed-10.1101.2024.03.18.24304401

RESUMEN

COVID-19 has been a significant public health concern for the last four years; however, little is known about the mechanisms that lead to severe COVID-associated kidney injury. In this multicenter study, we combined quantitative deep urinary proteomics and machine learning to predict severe acute outcomes in hospitalized COVID-19 patients. Using a 10-fold cross-validated random forest algorithm, we identified a set of urinary proteins that demonstrated predictive power for both discovery and validation set with 87% and 79% accuracy, respectively. These predictive urinary biomarkers were recapitulated in non-COVID acute kidney injury revealing overlapping injury mechanisms. We further combined orthogonal multiomics datasets to understand the mechanisms that drive severe COVID-associated kidney injury. Functional overlap and network analysis of urinary proteomics, plasma proteomics and urine sediment single-cell RNA sequencing showed that extracellular matrix and autophagy-associated pathways were uniquely impacted in severe COVID-19. Differentially abundant proteins associated with these pathways exhibited high expression in cells in the juxtamedullary nephron, endothelial cells, and podocytes, indicating that these kidney cell types could be potential targets. Further, single-cell transcriptomic analysis of kidney organoids infected with SARS-CoV-2 revealed dysregulation of extracellular matrix organization in multiple nephron segments, recapitulating the clinically observed fibrotic response across multiomics datasets. Ligand-receptor interaction analysis of the podocyte and tubule organoid clusters showed significant reduction and loss of interaction between integrins and basement membrane receptors in the infected kidney organoids. Collectively, these data suggest that extracellular matrix degradation and adhesion-associated mechanisms could be a main driver of COVID-associated kidney injury and severe outcomes.


Asunto(s)
Lesión Renal Aguda , Enfermedades Renales , COVID-19
10.
medrxiv; 2024.
Preprint en Inglés | medRxiv | ID: ppzbmed-10.1101.2024.03.18.24304464

RESUMEN

Objectives: To compare the impact of COVID-19 on clinical status and psychological condition in patients with immune-mediated rheumatic diseases (IMRD) infected by SARS-CoV-2 with IMRD controls not infected, during a 6-month follow-up. Methods: The ReumaCoV Brasil is a longitudinal study designed to follow-up IMRD patients for 6 months after COVID-19 (cases) compared with IMRD patients no COVID-19 (controls). Clinical data, disease activity measurements and current treatment regarding IMRD, and COVID-19 outcomes were evaluated in all patients. Disease activity was assessed through validated tools at inclusion and at 3 and 6 months post-COVID-19. The FACIT-F (Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy) and DASS 21 (Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale - 21 Items) questionnaires were also applied at 6 months after COVID-19 in both groups before large-scale vaccination. The significance level was set as p<0.05, with a 95% confidence interval. Results: A total of 601 patients were evaluated, being 321 cases (IMRD COVID-19+) and 280 controls (IMRD COVID-19 -), predominantly female with similar median age. No significant differences were noted in demographic data between the groups, including comorbidities, disease duration, and IMRD. Disease activity assessment over a 6-month follow-up showed no significant difference between cases and controls. While mean activity scores did not differ significantly, some patients reported worsened disease activity post-COVID-19, particularly in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) (32.2%) and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) (23.3%). Post-COVID-19 worsening in RA patients correlated with medical global assessment (MGA) and CDAI scores, with a moderate to large effect size. Diabetes mellitus showed a positive association (OR=7.15), while TNF inhibitors showed a protective effect (OR=0.51). Comparing SLEDAI pre- and post-COVID-19, a minority showed increased scores, with few requiring treatment changes. Fatigue, depression, anxiety, and stress were significantly higher in cases compared to controls. Worsening disease activity post-COVID correlated with worsened FACIT-F and DASS-21 stress scale in RA patients. No significant associations were found between COVID-19 outcomes and post-COVID-19 disease activity or psychological assessments. Conclusions: Post-COVID-19 IMRD patients show significant psychological well-being deterioration despite similar disease activity scores. The variability in reports on IMRD flares and the potential trigger of SARS-CoV-2 for autoimmune manifestations underline the need for detailed clinical assessment and a comprehensive approach to managing them.


Asunto(s)
Enfermedades Reumáticas , Trastornos de Ansiedad , Artritis Reumatoide , COVID-19 , Diabetes Mellitus , Lupus Eritematoso Sistémico , Trastorno Depresivo
11.
arxiv; 2024.
Preprint en Inglés | PREPRINT-ARXIV | ID: ppzbmed-2403.12367v1

RESUMEN

Multivariate matching algorithms "pair" similar study units in an observational study to remove potential bias and confounding effects caused by the absence of randomizations. In one-to-one multivariate matching algorithms, a large number of "pairs" to be matched could mean both the information from a large sample and a large number of tasks, and therefore, to best match the pairs, such a matching algorithm with efficiency and comparatively limited auxiliary matching knowledge provided through a "training" set of paired units by domain experts, is practically intriguing. We proposed a novel one-to-one matching algorithm based on a quadratic score function $S_{\beta}(x_i,x_j)= \beta^T (x_i-x_j)(x_i-x_j)^T \beta$. The weights $\beta$, which can be interpreted as a variable importance measure, are designed to minimize the score difference between paired training units while maximizing the score difference between unpaired training units. Further, in the typical but intricate case where the training set is much smaller than the unpaired set, we propose a \underline{s}emisupervised \underline{c}ompanion \underline{o}ne-\underline{t}o-\underline{o}ne \underline{m}atching \underline{a}lgorithm (SCOTOMA) that makes the best use of the unpaired units. The proposed weight estimator is proved to be consistent when the truth matching criterion is indeed the quadratic score function. When the model assumptions are violated, we demonstrate that the proposed algorithm still outperforms some popular competing matching algorithms through a series of simulations. We applied the proposed algorithm to a real-world study to investigate the effect of in-person schooling on community Covid-19 transmission rate for policy making purpose.


Asunto(s)
COVID-19
12.
researchsquare; 2024.
Preprint en Inglés | PREPRINT-RESEARCHSQUARE | ID: ppzbmed-10.21203.rs.3.rs-4130255.v1

RESUMEN

Traffic modeling is a fundamental tool for comprehending the complex dynamics of urban mobility. It provides vital insights for transportation planning and the construction of infrastructure. This study aims to employ sophisticated machine-learning techniques to forecast the volume of vehicles at certain main intersections in Colombo, Sri Lanka. The study emphasizes the importance of traffic modeling in influencing policy development and optimizing transportation networks, based on a thorough evaluation of relevant literature. The research utilizes machine learning methods, namely random forest regression, to analyze temporal and spatial trends in traffic flows. This analysis yields valuable insights for urban planners and transportation authorities. An examination of the dataset, utilizing methodologies such as rolling statistics and time series analysis, reveals subtle variations in traffic levels over time, including the influence of external influences like as the COVID-19 pandemic. The study's results highlight the significant impact of incorporating machine learning techniques into traffic modeling, providing a solution to improve urban mobility, decrease congestion, and create more sustainable transportation systems. This research ultimately enhances the development of data-driven solutions to tackle the changing mobility requirements of Colombo and establishes the groundwork for future research in the field of urban transportation modeling.


Asunto(s)
COVID-19
13.
medrxiv; 2024.
Preprint en Inglés | medRxiv | ID: ppzbmed-10.1101.2024.03.15.24304071

RESUMEN

Introduction: The Covid-19 pandemic, caused by the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has triggered a serious global health crisis, resulting in millions of reported deaths since its initial identification in China in November 2019. The global disparities in immunization access emphasize the urgent need for ongoing research into therapeutic interventions. This study focuses on the potential use of molecular dihydrogen (H2) inhalation as an adjunctive treatment for Covid-19. H2 therapy shows promise in inhibiting intracellular signaling pathways associated with inflammation, particularly when administered early in conjunction with nasal oxygen therapy. Methods: This Phase I study, characterized by an open-label, prospective, monocentric, and single ascending dose design, seeks to assess the safety and tolerability of the procedure in individuals with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection. Employing a 3+3 design, the study includes three exposure durations (target durations): 1 day (D1), 3 days (D2), and 6 days (D3). Results: We concluded that the Maximum Tolerated Duration is at least three days. Every patient showed clinical improvement and excellent tolerance to H2 therapy. Discussion/conclusion: To the best of our knowledge, this phase 1 clinical trial is the first to establish the safety of inhaling a mixture of H2 (3.6%) and N2 (96.4%) in hospitalized Covid-19 patients. The original device and method employed ensure the absence of explosion risk. The encouraging outcomes observed in the 12 patients included in the study justify further exploration through larger, controlled clinical trials.


Asunto(s)
Infecciones por Coronavirus , Inflamación , COVID-19
14.
medrxiv; 2024.
Preprint en Inglés | medRxiv | ID: ppzbmed-10.1101.2024.03.12.24304127

RESUMEN

Importance The United States Food and Drug Administration noted a potential safety concern for seizure in children aged 2-5 years receiving the ancestral monovalent COVID-19 mRNA vaccines. Objective To evaluate febrile seizure risk following monovalent COVID-19 mRNA vaccination among children aged 2-5 years. Design, Setting, and Participants The primary analysis evaluated children who had a febrile seizure outcome in the 0-1 days following COVID-19 vaccination. A self-controlled case series analysis was performed in three commercial insurance databases to compare the risk of seizure in the risk interval (0-1 days) to a control interval (8-63 days). Exposure Receipt of dose 1 and/or dose 2 of monovalent COVID-19 mRNA vaccinations. Main Outcomes and Measures The primary outcome was febrile seizure (0-1 day risk interval). Analysis A conditional Poisson regression model was used to compare outcome rates in risk and control intervals and estimate incidence rate ratios (IRR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Meta-analyses were used to pool results across databases. Results The primary meta-analysis found a statistically significant increased incidence of febrile seizure, in the 0-1 days following mRNA-1273 vaccination compared to the control interval (IRR: 2.52, 95% CI: 1.35 to 4.69, risk difference (RD)/100,000 doses = 3.22 (95%CI -0.31 to 6.75)). For the BNT162b2 vaccination, the IRR was elevated but not statistically significant (IRR: 1.41, 95%CI: 0.48 to 4.11, RD/100,000 doses = -0.25 (95%CI -2.75 to 2.24). Conclusions and Relevance Among children aged 2-5 years, the analysis showed a small elevated incidence rate ratio of febrile seizures in the 0-1 days following the mRNA-1273 vaccination. Based on the current body of scientific evidence, the safety profile of the monovalent mRNA vaccines remains favorable for use in young children.


Asunto(s)
Convulsiones , COVID-19 , Convulsiones Febriles
15.
preprints.org; 2024.
Preprint en Inglés | PREPRINT-PREPRINTS.ORG | ID: ppzbmed-10.20944.preprints202403.0973.v1

RESUMEN

Objective: To evaluate the variables influencing the length of stay (LoS) for COVID-19 ICU patients at Tygerberg Hospital (Cape Town) and to identify the covariates that significantly influenced it and any potential risk factors associated with LoS. Methods and Results: Poisson, negative binomial (NB), Hurdle–Poisson, and Hurdle–NB regression models were used to model the LoS in this prospective cohort study. The fitted models were compared using the Akaike information criterion (AIC), Vuong’s test criteria, and Rootograms. Based on the chosen performance criteria, the NB model provided the best fit outperforming other candidate models. The baseline LoS count was 8 days. On average, antibiotics reduced LoS by 0.74-fold (95% CI 0.62-0.89) compared to not taking antibiotics. The second wave had a significant effect on the average LoS, which decreased by 0.36-fold (95% CI 0.14-0.93) compared to the first wave. Average LoS increased by 1.01-fold (95% CI 1.01-1.02) for every one-year increase in the age of the patient and by 1.02-fold (95% CI 1.01-1.03) for every 1 unit increase in neutrophils. A 1 ng/L increase in log (TropT) levels decreased the average LoS by 0.87-fold (95% CI 0.81-0.93) similarly, a unit increase in the PF ratio decreased the average LoS by 0.998-fold (95% CI 0.997-0.999) respectively. Conclusion: The study identified common clinical characteristics associated with length of stay in ICU for COVID-19 patients, including age at admission, PF ratio, neutrophils, TropT, Wave, and antibiotic use. These results can aid in identifying risk factors for increased length of stay, assist in healthcare systems planning, and aid in evaluating different models for analysing this type of data.


Asunto(s)
Neoplasias de la Mama Triple Negativas , COVID-19
16.
preprints.org; 2024.
Preprint en Inglés | PREPRINT-PREPRINTS.ORG | ID: ppzbmed-10.20944.preprints202403.0978.v1

RESUMEN

This brief report discusses the ongoing real-world practice using nitazxoanide, NSAIDs and/or azithromycin (Kelleni’s protocol) to manage the evolving manifestations of SARS CoV-2 Omicron EG.5.1, its descendant HV.1 as well as BA.2.86 and its descendant JN.1 subvariants in Egypt. These subvariants are well-known for their highly evolved immune-evasive properties and the manifestations include some peculiar manifestations as persistent cough besides high fever in young children as well as persistent severe cough, high fever, change of voice and marked bone aches in high risk groups of adults. It’s suggested that the ongoing SARS CoV-2 evolution is continuing to mostly affect the high risk groups of patients, to some of whom we’ve also successfully prescribed nitazoxanide and/or NSAIDs for post-exposure prophylaxis of all household contacts. We also continue to recommend starting the immune-modulatory antiviral Kelleni’s protocol as soon as possible in the course of infection and adjusting it in a personalized manner to be more aggressive from the beginning for the high risk patients, at least until the currently encountered surge of infections subsides.


Asunto(s)
Dolor
17.
medrxiv; 2024.
Preprint en Inglés | medRxiv | ID: ppzbmed-10.1101.2024.03.17.24304450

RESUMEN

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic, which has impacted over 222 countries resulting in incalculable losses, has necessitated innovative solutions via machine learning (ML) to tackle the problem of overburdened healthcare systems. This study consolidates research employing ML models for COVID-19 prognosis, evaluates prevalent models and performance, and provides an overview of suitable models and features while offering recommendations for experimental protocols, reproducibility and integration of ML algorithms in clinical settings. Methods: We conducted a review following the PRISMA framework, examining ML utilisation for COVID-19 prediction. Five databases were searched for relevant studies up to 24 January 2023, resulting in 1,824 unique articles. Rigorous selection criteria led to 204 included studies. Top-performing features and models were extracted, with the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) evaluation metric used for performance assessment. Results: This systematic review investigated 204 studies on ML models for COVID-19 prognosis across automated diagnosis (18.1%), severity classification (31.9%), and outcome prediction (50%). We identified thirty-four unique features in five categories and twenty-one distinct ML models in six categories. The most prevalent features were chest CT, chest radiographs, and advanced age, while the most frequently employed models were CNN, XGB, and RF. Top-performing models included neural networks (ANN, MLP, DNN), distance-based methods (kNN), ensemble methods (XGB), and regression models (PLS-DA), all exhibiting high AUC values. Conclusion: Machine learning models have shown considerable promise in improving COVID-19 diagnostic accuracy, risk stratification, and outcome prediction. Advancements in ML techniques and their integration with complementary technologies will be essential for expediting decision-making and informing clinical decisions, with long-lasting implications for healthcare systems globally.


Asunto(s)
Discapacidades para el Aprendizaje , COVID-19
18.
authorea preprints; 2024.
Preprint en Inglés | PREPRINT-AUTHOREA PREPRINTS | ID: ppzbmed-10.22541.au.171066542.24869714.v1

RESUMEN

Background: The newly emerged SARS-CoV-2 possesses shared antigenic epitopes with other human coronaviruses. We investigated if COVID-19 vaccination or SARS-CoV-2 infection may boost cross-reactive antibodies to other human coronaviruses. Methods Pre- and post-vaccination sera from SARS-CoV-2 naïve healthy subjects who received three doses of the mRNA vaccine (BioNTech, BNT) or the inactivated vaccine (CoronaVac, CV) were used to monitor the level of cross-reactive antibodies raised against other human coronaviruses by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. In comparison, convalescent sera from COVID-19 patients with or without prior vaccination history were also tested. Pseudoparticle neutralization assay was performed to detect neutralization antibody against MERS-CoV. Results Among SARS-CoV-2 infection naïve subjects, BNT or CV significantly increased the anti-S2 antibodies against Betacoronaviruses (OC43 and MERS-CoV) but not Alphacoronaviruses (229E). The pre-vaccination antibody response to the common cold human coronaviruses did not negatively impact the post-vaccination antibody response to SARS-CoV-2. Cross-reactive antibodies that binds to the S2 protein of MERS-CoV were similarly detected from the convalescent sera of COVID-19 patients with or without vaccination history. However, these anti-S2 antibodies do not possess neutralizing activity in MERS-CoV pseudoparticle neutralisation tests. Conclusions Our results suggest that SARS-CoV-2 infection or vaccination may potentially modulate population immune landscape against previously exposed or novel human coronaviruses. The findings have implications for future sero-epidemiological studies on MERS-CoV.


Asunto(s)
Infecciones por Coronavirus , COVID-19
19.
biorxiv; 2024.
Preprint en Inglés | bioRxiv | ID: ppzbmed-10.1101.2024.03.16.584842

RESUMEN

The human airway mucociliary epithelium can be recapitulated in vitro using primary cells cultured in an Air-Liquid Interface (ALI), a reliable surrogate to perform pathophysiological studies. As tremendous variations exist between media used for ALI-cultured human airway epithelial cells, our study aimed to evaluate the impact of several media (BEGM, PneumaCult, "Half&Half" and "Clancy") on cell type distribution using single-cell RNA sequencing and imaging. Our work revealed the impact of these media on cell composition, gene expression profile, cell signaling or epithelial morphology. We found higher proportions of multiciliated cells in PneumaCult-ALI and Half&Half, stronger EGF signaling from basal cells in BEGM-ALI, differential expression of the SARS-CoV-2 entry factor ACE2, and distinct secretome transcripts depending on media used. We also established that proliferation in PneumaCult-Ex Plus favored secretory cell fate, showing the key influence of proliferation media on late differentiation epithelial characteristics. Altogether, our data offer a comprehensive repertoire for evaluating the effects of culture conditions on airway epithelial differentiation and will help to choose the most relevant medium according to the processes to be investigated such as cilia, mucus biology or viral infection. We detail useful parameters that should be explored to document airway epithelial cell fate and morphology.


Asunto(s)
Virosis
20.
researchsquare; 2024.
Preprint en Inglés | PREPRINT-RESEARCHSQUARE | ID: ppzbmed-10.21203.rs.3.rs-4116556.v1

RESUMEN

Background The COVID-19 pandemic has posed emotional challenges for dentists. This study aimed to evaluate the concerns, risk perceptions, and compliance with infection control practices among Thai dentists during and shortly after the COVID-19 pandemic. Insights from this assessment are intended to offer practical strategies to enhance dentists’ readiness for future outbreaks.Methods A questionnaire evaluating dentists’ perceptions of COVID-19 infection and precautionary measures was generated via Google Forms™ and distributed to Thai dentists during the late pandemic period (June-September 2022).Results Of the 467 respondents, 44.3% reported the highest concern level for infection risk when treating emergency patients potentially exposed to COVID-19. Regarding the infection risk in dental practice, 30.6% perceived the highest contracting risk, while 24.6% perceived the highest transmission risk. Notably, 49.7% expressed high confidence in the ability of the vaccine to reduce COVID-19 severity. Eighty-eight percent of the patients supported the continuation of pandemic-era precautionary measures even in the absence of disease. N95 mask usage in dental settings markedly increased during the outbreak. Many dental procedures were not adequately adapted to COVID-19 infection control measures, and personal protective equipment was insufficient. Factors influencing COVID-19 risk perception in dental treatment included gender, involvement in aerosol-generating procedures, and availability of protective equipment.Conclusion Thai dentists expressed significant concerns about the risk of contracting COVID-19 in their practice. The participants had strong confidence in the effectiveness of the vaccines in reducing symptom severity. The majority of the participants supported the continued implementation of pandemic-initiated precautionary measures. Sex, aerosol-generating procedures, and protective equipment availability were key factors influencing dentists’ risk perception. These insights underscore the need for improved infection control measures and resources in dental settings, both to address current concerns and to enhance preparedness for future health crises.


Asunto(s)
COVID-19
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