title: Capillary Electrophoresis Involving in High Efficiency Screening for Aptamers

text: Abstract Systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment (SELEX) is a universal technology for aptamer' screening. Accurate and efficient screening methods and strategy design are the key to success. This review briefly summarizes capillary electrophoresis (CE) involving in the efficient screening for aptamers in our group since 2007, including the application of CE in pre-screening, screening and post-screening process, classification and screening strategies against different protein targets, multiple screening modes, and screening for multi-scale targets. Finally, combined with the current progresses of aptamer screening, some remaining issues are discussed and the development prospects are proposed.


title: A genomics-based approach to biodefence preparedness

text: The anthrax letter attacks in October 2001, followed by the SARS outbreak in early 2003, dramatically illustrated our vulnerability to both deliberate and natural outbreaks of infectious disease. The availability of pathogen genome sequences and high-throughput methods for studying the biology of both pathogens and their hosts have provided new insights into the mechanisms of pathogenesis and host defence. As infectious disease research expands to include major bioterror agents, genomics-based approaches will provide one of the cornerstones of efforts to develop more accurate diagnostics, new therapeutics and vaccines, and further capabilities for microbial forensics.


title: The Impact of COVID-19 Global Pandemic on Morbidity and Mortality of Liver Transplant Recipients Children and Adults: A Systematic Review of Case Series

text: The pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) changed the surgical everyday practice overnight. Currently, the first articles reporting outcomes of liver transplant recipients infected by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) are published. The aim of the present study was to summarise the existing evidence of impact of COVID-19 global pandemic on liver transplant recipients. Electronic databases were searched in accordance with Preferred Reporting Items in Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). Five studies were selected from a pool of 12 studies with a total of 854 liver transplant recipients of whom 700 were children and the rest 154 were adults. The present evidence, based on case reports and series demonstrated lower mortality in liver transplant recipients compared to general population.


title: Controlling Ebola: what we can learn from China's 1911 battle against the pneumonic plague in Manchuria

text: Summary The pneumonic plague, which spread across Northeast China during the winter of 1910 and spring of 1911, caused numerous deaths and brought about severe social turmoil. After compulsory quarantine and other epidemic prevention measures were enforced by Dr Wu Lien-teh, the epidemic was brought to an end within 4 months. This article reviews the ways in which the plague was dealt with from a historical perspective, based on factors such as clinical manifestations, duration of illness, case fatality rate, degree of transmissibility, poverty, inadequate healthcare infrastructure, and the region's recent strife-filled history. Similarities were sought between the pneumonic plague in Northeast China in the twentieth century and the Ebola virus outbreak that is currently ravaging Africa, and an effort made to summarize the ways in which specific measures were applied successfully to fight the earlier epidemic. Our efforts highlight valuable experiences that are of potential benefit in helping to fight the current rampant Ebola epidemic in West Africa.


title: Feline immunodeficiency virus in puma: Estimation of force of infection reveals insights into transmission

text: 1. Determining parameters that govern pathogen transmission (such as the force of infection, FOI), and pathogen impacts on morbidity and mortality, is exceptionally challenging for wildlife. Vital parameters can vary, for example across host populations, between sexes and within an individual's lifetime. 2. Feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) is a lentivirus affecting domestic and wild cat species, forming species‐specific viral–host associations. FIV infection is common in populations of puma (Puma concolor), yet uncertainty remains over transmission parameters and the significance of FIV infection for puma mortality. In this study, the age‐specific FOI of FIV in pumas was estimated from prevalence data, and the evidence for disease‐associated mortality was assessed. 3. We fitted candidate models to FIV prevalence data and adopted a maximum likelihood method to estimate parameter values in each model. The models with the best fit were determined to infer the most likely FOI curves. We applied this strategy for female and male pumas from California, Colorado, and Florida. 4. When splitting the data by sex and area, our FOI modeling revealed no evidence of disease‐associated mortality in any population. Both sex and location were found to influence the FOI, which was generally higher for male pumas than for females. For female pumas at all sites, and male pumas from California and Colorado, the FOI did not vary with puma age, implying FIV transmission can happen throughout life; this result supports the idea that transmission can occur from mothers to cubs and also throughout adult life. For Florida males, the FOI was a decreasing function of puma age, indicating an increased risk of infection in the early years, and a decreased risk at older ages. 5. This research provides critical insight into pathogen transmission and impact in a secretive and solitary carnivore. Our findings shed light on the debate on whether FIV causes mortality in wild felids like puma, and our approach may be adopted for other diseases and species. The methodology we present can be used for identifying likely transmission routes of a pathogen and also estimating any disease‐associated mortality, both of which can be difficult to establish for wildlife diseases in particular.


title: The Lepidopteran endoribonuclease-U domain protein P102 displays dramatically reduced enzymatic activity and forms functional amyloids

text: Abstract Hemocytes of Heliothis virescens (F.) (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae) larvae produce a protein, P102, with a putative endoribonuclease-U domain. In previous works we have shown that P102 is involved in Lepidopteran immune response by forming amyloid fibrils, which catalyze and localize melanin deposition around non-self intruders during encapsulation, preventing harmful systemic spreading. Here we demonstrate that P102 belongs to a new class of proteins that, at least in Lepidoptera, has a diminished endoribonuclease-U activity probably due to the lack of two out of five catalytically essential residues. We show that the P102 homolog from Trichoplusia ni (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae) displays catalytic site residues identical to P102, a residual endoribonuclease-U activity and the ability to form functional amyloids. On the basis of these results as well as sequence and structural analyses, we hypothesize that all the Lepidoptera endoribonuclease-U orthologs with catalytic site residues identical to P102 form a subfamily with similar function.


title: The wobbly cat. Diagnostic and therapeutic approach to generalised ataxia

text: Practical relevance Generalised ataxia is one of the most common neurological presentations identified in cats in practice. The causes can be subdivided into three forms on the basis of the neuroanatomical diagnosis: cerebellar, vestibular and sensory (spinal or general proprioceptive) ataxia. The type of ataxia will determine the diagnostic procedures and select the differential diagnoses, and an accurate neuroanatomical diagnosis is therefore essential. The differential diagnosis list can then be further tailored on the basis of patient signalment, clinical presentation and progression. Global importance Irrespective of the world region, most of the causes of generalised ataxia in the cat are similar and many have been identified for a number of years (cerebellar hypoplasia has been recognised since the late 19th century). However, it is the advent of new technology, in particular veterinary access to magnetic resonance imaging, which has resulted in particularly rapid advances in our understanding, investigation and management of these different forms of ataxia. Audience This article introduces the classification of patients with ataxia on the basis of their clinical presentation, discusses the common differential diagnoses associated with each form, and briefly reviews the more important diseases from a clinical perspective. It is aimed at all veterinarians who treat cats.


title: Low-dose radiation therapy for COVID-19 pneumopathy: what is the evidence?

text: In the current dismal situation of the COVID-19 pandemic, effective management of patients with pneumonia and acute respiratory distress syndrome is of vital importance. Due to the current lack of effective pharmacological concepts, this situation has caused interest in (re)considering historical reports on the treatment of patients with low-dose radiation therapy for pneumonia. Although these historical reports are of low-level evidence per se, hampering recommendations for decision-making in the clinical setting, they indicate effectiveness in the dose range between 0.3 and 1 Gy, similar to more recent dose concepts in the treatment of acute and chronic inflammatory/degenerative benign diseases with, e.g., a single dose per fraction of 0.5 Gy. This concise review aims to critically review the evidence for low-dose radiation treatment of COVID-19 pneumopathy and discuss whether it is worth investigating in the present clinical situation.


title: Evaluation of Minimum Unit Pricing of Alcohol: A Mixed Method Natural Experiment in Scotland

text: In May 2018, Scotland became the first country in the world to implement minimum unit pricing (MUP) for all alcoholic drinks sold in licensed premises in Scotland. The use of a Sunset Clause in the MUP legislation was a factor in successfully resisting legal challenges by indicating that the final decision on a novel policy would depend on its impact. An overarching evaluation has been designed and the results will provide important evidence to inform the parliamentary vote on the future of MUP in Scotland. The evaluation uses a mixed methods portfolio of in-house, commissioned, and separately funded studies to assess the impact of MUP across multiple intended and unintended outcomes related to compliance, the alcoholic drinks industry, consumption, and health and social harms. Quantitative studies to measure impact use a suitable control where feasible. Qualitative studies assess impact and provide an understanding of the lived experience and mechanism of change for key sub-groups. As well as providing important evidence to inform the parliamentary vote, adding to the international evidence on impact and experience of alcohol pricing policy across a broad range of outcomes, this approach to evaluating novel policy interventions may provide guidance for future policy innovations.


title: Viral-induced suppression of self-reactive T cells: Lessons from neurotropic coronavirus-induced demyelination

text: Abstract Genetic and environmental factors, i.e. infections, have been proposed to contribute to disease induction and relapsing events in multiple sclerosis (MS), an autoimmune demyelinating disease of the central nervous system (CNS). While research has mainly focused on virus associated autoimmune activation, less is known about prevention of autoimmunity, especially following resolving infections associated with CNS tissue damage. This review discusses novel insights on control of self-reactive (SR) T cells activated during neurotropic coronavirus-induced demyelination. A new concept is introduced that SR T cells can be dampened by distinct regulatory mechanisms in the periphery and the CNS, thereby preventing autoimmune disease.


title: Effect of porcine respiratory coronavirus infection on lipopolysaccharide recognition proteins and haptoglobin levels in the lungs

text: Abstract Porcine respiratory coronavirus (PRCV) potentiates respiratory disease and proinflammatory cytokine production in the lungs upon intratracheal inoculation with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) at 1day of infection. This study aimed to quantify LPS-binding protein (LBP), CD14 and haptoglobin in the lungs throughout a PRCV infection. LBP and CD14 recognize LPS and enhance its endotoxic activity, whereas haptoglobin dampens it. Gnotobiotic pigs were inoculated intratracheally with PRCV (n =34) or saline (n =5) and euthanized 1–15days post inoculation (DPI). Virus was detected in the lungs from 1 to 9DPI. Cell-associated CD14 in lung tissue increased up to 15 times throughout the infection, due to an increase in highly CD14+ monocyte-macrophages from 1 to 12DPI and CD14+ type 2 pneumocytes from 7 to 9DPI. LBP and soluble CD14 levels in bronchoalveolar lavage fluids were elevated from 1–12DPI, with up to 35- and 4-fold increases, respectively. Haptoglobin levels increased significantly (×4.5) at 7DPI. In addition, we found that PRCV could sensitize the lungs to LPS throughout the infection, but the response to LPS appeared less enhanced at the end of infection (7DPI). The marked increases in LBP, CD14 and haptoglobin were not correlated with the extent of the LPS response.


title: Chapter 15 Emerging Virus Diseases

text: Abstract Emerging viral diseases now represent a major concern worldwide with the appearance of a new virus, or the re-emergence of a previously recognized virus with altered epidemiology and properties, occurring almost annually. Prominent examples in the last years include the sudden crossing of H5N1 avian influenza virus into humans in 1995, the unexpected West African outbreak of Ebola virus in 2014, the appearance of the Middle East respiratory syndrome related to the SARS virus first recognized in 2003, and the more recent epidemic of Zika virus in the Americas. These are just a few examples representing the constantly evolving relationship between pathogen and host, a process of evolution accelerated by population growth, climatic changes, and human activities.


title: Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus in the last two years: Health care workers still at risk

text: BACKGROUND: An important emerging respiratory virus is the Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV). MERS-CoV had been associated with a high case fatality rate especially among severe cases. METHODS: This is a retrospective analysis of reported MERS-CoV cases between December 2016 and January 2019, as retrieved from the World Health Organization. The aim of this study is to examine the epidemiology of reported cases and quantify the percentage of health care workers (HCWs) among reported cases. RESULTS: There were 403 reported cases with a majority being men (n = 300; 74.4%). These cases were reported from Lebanon, Malaysia, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and United Arab Emirates. HCWs represented 26% and comorbidities were reported among 71% of non-HCWs and 1.9% among HCWs (P < .0001). Camel exposure and camel milk ingestion were reported in 64% each, and the majority (97.8%) of those with camel exposures had camel milk ingestion. There were 58% primary cases and 42% were secondary cases. The case fatality rate was 16% among HCWs compared with 34% among other patients (P = .001). The mean age ± SD was 47.65 ± 16.28 for HCWs versus 54.23 ± 17.34 for non-HCWs (P = .001). CONCLUSIONS: MERS-CoV infection continues to have a high case fatality rate and a large proportion of patients were HCWs. Further understanding of the disease transmission and prevention mainly in health care settings are needed.


title: Psychopharmakotherapie in Zeiten der COVID-19-Pandemie

text: In view of the current coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, patient care, including that of psychiatric patients, is facing unprecedented challenges. Treatment strategies for mental illness include psychotherapy and psychopharmacological interventions. The latter are associated with a multitude of adverse drug reactions (ADR); however, they may currently represent the preferred treatment due to restrictions regarding patient care (i.e. social distancing). Direct contact to patients may have to be reduced in favor of telephone calls or video conferences, so that new techniques in diagnosing and treating patients have to be established to guarantee patient safety. Patients should be extensively informed about relevant ADRs and physicians should actively ask patients about the timely recognition of ADRs. The use of psychotropic drugs may lead to an increased risk of developing ADRs, which are considered to be particularly unfavorable if they occur simultaneously with an acute infection or may even lead to an increased risk of infection. These include respiratory depression, agranulocytosis, intoxication by inhibition of metabolizing enzymes and venous thromboembolism, each of which may be associated with potentially fatal consequences; however, physicians should simultaneously ensure adequate efficacy of treatment, since the ongoing crisis may lead to a worsening of preexisting mental illnesses and to a surge in first onset of psychiatric disorders.


title: Postgraduate training in infectious diseases: investigating the current status in the international community

text: Summary International collaboration and understanding is becoming increasingly important as we face a soaring number of emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases. Management of these conditions calls for a cohesive international effort, with contributions from many infectious disease specialists. To optimise collaborative efforts, an international understanding of training, capabilities, and skills would be valuable. An investigation of postgraduate training programmes in the infectious disease specialties around the world was done. 33 countries contributed information. 26 of these countries had established training programmes—one of which was changing its duration and research component; three were in the process of setting up programmes, two provided specialist training that had no official recognition, and two had no specialist training. In addition to promoting international understanding and collaboration, this article should catalyse a global assessment of postgraduate training programmes within the field of infectious diseases.


title: EFFECTS OF QUARANTINE ON MENTAL HEALTH OF POPULATIONS AFFECTED BY COVID-19

text: BACKGROUND: To prevent the spread of the The novel coronavirus (2019-nCOV), some classic public health measures are being taken, such as social distancing and quarantine METHOD: Studies were identified using large-circulation international journals found in two electronic databases: Scopus and Embase. RESULTS: The prolonged confinement is evidently related to psychological damage, considering that individuals would be subjected to stressors for a longer period of time . In some cases, these psychic losses lasted for many months after the end of this confinement CONCLUSIONS: It is necessary to develop and implement actions to minimize the population psychological distress in meeting the needs of the communities affected by COVID-19 Thus, as it occurred in China, it is necessary that the other affected nations promote the publication of regulations that guide the implementation of mental health services and the allocation of resources, in order to ensure that individuals are monitored by competent professionals, thus reducing the psychological damage that can be motivated by the social isolation period during the quarantine.


title: ENHANCED ECG MONITORING OF COVID-19 PATIENTS

text: Abstract Background Many of the drugs being used in the treatment of the ongoing pandemic coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) are associated with QT prolongation. Expert guidance supports ECG monitoring to optimize patient safety. Objective To establish an enhanced process for ECG monitoring of patients being treated for COVID-19. Methods We created an SBAR (Situation Background Assessment Recommendation Tool) identifying the indication for ECGs in COVID-19 patients, and tagged these ECGs to ensure prompt over reading and identification of those with QT prolongation (QTc >470 ms for QRS < 120 ms, QTc > 500 ms for QRS > 120 ms). This triggered a phone call from the electrophysiology service to the primary team to provide management guidance and a formal consultation if requested. Results During a 2-week period we reviewed 2006 ECGs, corresponding to 524 unique patients, of whom 103 (19.7%) met SBAR defined criteria for QT prolongation. When compared to those without QT prolongation, these patients were more often in the intensive care unit (58.3% vs 35.4%) and more likely to be intubated (31.1 vs 18.1%). Fifty patients with QT prolongation (48.5%) had electrolyte abnormalities, 98 (95.1%) were on COVID-19 related QT prolonging medications, and 62 (60.2%) were on 1-4 additional non COVID-19 related QT prolonging drugs. Electrophysiology recommendations were given to limit modifiable risk factors. No patient developed torsade de pointes. Conclusion This process functioned efficiently, identified a high percentage of patients with QT prolongation, and led to relevant interventions. Arrhythmias were rare. No patient developed torsade de pointes.


title: Pathogen–host–environment interplay and disease emergence

text: Gaining insight in likely disease emergence scenarios is critical to preventing such events from happening. Recent focus has been on emerging zoonoses and on identifying common patterns and drivers of emerging diseases. However, no overarching framework exists to integrate knowledge on all emerging infectious disease events. Here, we propose such a conceptual framework based on changes in the interplay of pathogens, hosts and environment that lead to the formation of novel disease patterns and pathogen genetic adjustment. We categorize infectious disease emergence events into three groups: (i) pathogens showing up in a novel host, ranging from spill-over, including zoonoses, to complete species jumps; (ii) mutant pathogens displaying novel traits in the same host, including an increase in virulence, antimicrobial resistance and host immune escape; and (iii) disease complexes emerging in a new geographic area, either through range expansion or through long distance jumps. Each of these categories is characterized by a typical set of drivers of emergence, matching pathogen trait profiles, disease ecology and transmission dynamics. Our framework may assist in disentangling and structuring the rapidly growing amount of available information on infectious diseases. Moreover, it may contribute to a better understanding of how human action changes disease landscapes globally.


title: Polyoxometalates Active Against Tumors, Viruses, and Bacteria

text: Polyoxometalates (PMs) as discrete metal-oxide cluster anions with high solubility in water and photochemically and electrochemically active property have a wide variety of structures not only in molecular size from sub-nano to sub-micrometers with a various combination of metals but also in symmetry and highly negative charge. One of the reasons for such a structural variety originates from their conformation change (due to the condensed aggregation and the structural assembly) which strongly depends on environmental parameters such as solution pH, concentration, and coexistent foreign inorganic and/or organic substances. In the course of the application of the physicochemical properties of such PMs to the medical fields, antitumoral, antiviral, and antibacterial activities have been developed for realization of a novel inorganic medicine which provides a biologically excellent activity never replaced by other approved medicines. Several PMs as a candidate for clinical uses have been licensed toward the chemotherapy of solid tumors (such as human gastric cancer and pancreatic cancer), DNA and RNA viruses (such as HSV, HIV, influenza, and SARS), and drug-resistant bacteria (such as MRSA and VRSA) in recent years: [NH(3)Pr(i)](6)[Mo(7)O(24)]∙3H(2)O (PM-8) and [Me(3)NH](6)[H(2)Mo(V) (12)O(28)(OH)(12)(Mo(VI)O(3))(4)]∙2H(2)O (PM-17) for solid tumors; K(7)[PTi(2)W(10)O(40)]∙6H(2)O (PM-19), [Pr(i)NH(3)](6)H[PTi(2)W(10)O(38)(O(2))(2)]∙H(2)O (PM-523), and K(11)H[(VO)(3)(SbW(9)O(33))(2)]∙27H(2)O (PM-1002) for viruses; and K(6)[P(2)W(18)O(62)]∙14H(2)O (PM-27), K(4)[SiMo(12)O(40)]∙3H(2)O (SiMo(12)), and PM-19 for MRSA and VRSA. The results are discussed from a point of view of the chemotherapeutic clarification in this review.


title: Detection and molecular characterization of porcine group C rotaviruses in South Korea

text: Abstract Group C rotaviruses (GCRVs) cause acute diarrhea in humans and animals worldwide and the evidence for a possible zoonotic role of GCRVs has been recently provided. However, there is little evidence of porcine GCRV infections or of their genetic diversity in South Korea. We examined 137 diarrheic fecal specimens from 55 farms collected from six provinces. RT-PCR utilizing primer pairs specific for the GCRV VP6 gene detected GCRV-positive reactions in 36 (26.2%) diarrheic fecal samples. Of these, 17 samples (12.4%) tested positive for porcine GCRVs alone and 19 samples (13.8%) were also positive for other pathogens. Other enteric pathogens except for GCRV were detected in 64 feces samples (46.7%) and no enteric pathogens were evident in 37 feces samples (27.0%). Phylogenetic and sequence homology analyses of GCRV partial VP6 gene between 23 Korean and other known porcine GCRVs demonstrated that Korean strains belonged to the porcine lineage. Furthermore, one Korean porcine strain shared the highest nucleotide (89.7–89.0%) and deduced amino acid sequence (92.9–93.9%) identities with bovine GCRV strains and was placed in the bovine GCRV lineage indicative of bovine origin. In conclusion, porcine GCRV infections are widespread in piglets with diarrhea in South Korea. The infecting porcine GCRVs mostly belong to the porcine lineage with the exception of one bovine-like GCRV, which possibly originated from bovine GCRV due to interspecies transmission.


title: Feline vestibular disorders. Part II: diagnostic approach and differential diagnosis

text: Abstract Results of a neurological examination usually permit localisation of a vestibular disorder to either the central or peripheral parts of the vestibular system. Many different disorders located in the same part of the vestibular system will produce similar clinical signs. Therefore, additional diagnostic tests beyond a neurological examination are required in order to make an accurate diagnosis. The objectives of this review are to outline a diagnostic approach for disorders affecting the feline vestibular system, and to summarise the clinically important features of frequently diagnosed diseases affecting the vestibular system of cats.


title: Chronological evolution of IgM, IgA, IgG and neutralisation antibodies after infection with SARS-associated coronavirus

text: Serum levels of IgG, IgM and IgA against severe acute respiratory distress syndrome (SARS)-associated coronavirus (SARS-CoV) were detected serially with the use of immunofluorescent antibody assays in 30 patients with SARS. Seroconversion for IgG (mean 10 days) occurred simultaneously, or 1 day earlier, than that for IgM and IgA (mean 11 days for both). IgG could be detected as early as 4 days after the onset of illness. The earliest time at which these three antibodies reached peak levels was similar (mean 15 days). A high IgG level (1:800) could persist for > 3 months. The kinetics of neutralisation antibodies obtained with 100× the tissue culture infective dose (TCID(50)) of the SARS-CoV TW1 strain in five patients with SARS nearly paralleled those for IgG. There were no significant differences in the kinetics of the IgG, IgM and IgA responses between patients with or without underlying medical disease, steroid or intravenous immunoglobulin therapy, or mechanical ventilation.


title: Antibody engineering for increased potency, breadth and half-life

text: PURPOSE OF REVIEW: This review highlights recent developments in HIV-1 antibody engineering and discusses the effects of increased polyreactivity on serum half-lives of engineered antibodies. RECENT FINDINGS: Recent studies have uncovered a wealth of information about the relationship between the sequences and efficacies of anti-HIV-1 antibodies through a combination of bioinformatics, structural characterization and in vivo studies. This knowledge has stimulated efforts to enhance antibody breadth and potency for therapeutic use. Although some engineered antibodies have shown increased polyreactivity and short half-lives, promising efforts are circumventing these problems. SUMMARY: Antibodies are desirable as therapeutics due to their ability to recognize targets with both specificity and high affinity. Furthermore, the ability of antibodies to stimulate Fc-mediated effector functions can increase their utility. Thus, mAbs have become central to strategies for the treatment of various diseases. Using both targeted and library-based approaches, antibodies can be engineered to improve their therapeutic properties. This article will discuss recent antibody engineering efforts to improve the breadth and potency of anti-HIV-1 antibodies. The polyreactivity of engineered HIV-1 bNAbs and the effect on serum half-life will be explored along with strategies to overcome problems introduced by engineering antibodies. Finally, advances in creating bispecific anti-HIV-1 reagents are discussed.


title: Detection and molecular characterization of sapoviruses in dogs

text: Abstract Caliciviruses are important human and animal pathogens. Novel caliciviruses have been identified recently in dogs, raising questions about their pathogenic role and concerns regarding their zoonotic potential. By screening stool samples of young or juvenile dogs using RT-PCR assays, sapoviruses (SaVs) were found in 7/320 (2.2%) samples of animals with acute gastroenteritis while they were not detected in healthy animals (0/119). The sequence of a nearly 3kb portion at the 3′ end of the genome, encompassing the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp), the capsid region (ORF1) and the ORF2 were determined for three strains. A distinctive genetic feature in canine SaVs was a 4-nucleotide (nt) interval between the ORF1 and ORF2. Two strains (Bari/4076/07/ITA and Bari/253/07/ITA) were very closely related in the RdRp and capsid regions to the strain AN210D/09/USA (90.4–93.9% nt), while strain Bari/5020/07/ITA displayed only 71.0–72.0% nt identity to this group of canine SaVs and 76.0% to strain AN196/09/USA. Overall, these findings indicate that the canine SaVs detected in Italy may represent distinct capsid types, although all currently known SaVs segregate into the novel proposed genogroup, tentatively named as GXIII.


title: ACE2 and TMPRSS2 variants and expression as candidates to sex and country differences in COVID-19 severity in Italy

text: As the outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) progresses, prognostic markers for early identification of high-risk individuals are an urgent medical need. Italy has one of the highest numbers of SARS-CoV-2-related deaths and one of the highest mortality rates. Worldwide, a more severe course of COVID-19 is associated with older age, comorbidities, and male sex. Hence, we searched for possible genetic components of COVID-19 severity among Italians by looking at expression levels and variants in ACE2 and TMPRSS2 genes, crucial for viral infection. Exome and SNP-array data from a large Italian cohort were used to compare the rare-variants burden and polymorphisms frequency with Europeans and East Asians. Moreover, we looked into gene expression databases to check for sex-unbalanced expression. While we found no significant evidence that ACE2 is associated with disease severity/sex bias, TMPRSS2 levels and genetic variants proved to be possible candidate disease modulators, prompting for rapid experimental validations on large patient cohorts.


Dermatology patients’ knowledge and concerns regarding their immunomodulatory medication during the COVID‐19 pandemic


title: Isolation, molecular characterization and an artificial infection model for a variant porcine epidemic diarrhea virus strain from Jiangsu Province, China

text: Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) is a causative agent of porcine intestinal disease, which causes vomiting, diarrhea, and dehydration in piglets. PEDV is associated with the most severe pathogenesis in one-week-old piglets, with mortality rates reaching 100%. A PEDV strain was isolated from the intestinal tract of diarrheic piglets from a pig farm in Jiangsu Province in March 2016, termed the JS201603 isolate. The isolated virus was confirmed to be PEDV via RT-PCR, electron microscopy, a cytopathic effect assay and sequence analysis. The S and ORF3 genes of the JS201603 isolate were sequenced, revealing that the S gene was associated with a 15-base insertion at 167 nt, 176 - 186 nt, and 427 - 429 nt, as well as a six-base deletion in 487 - 492 nt, indicating that it was a current epidemic variant compared with the classical strain, CV777. No deletion occurred between 245 - 293 nt of the ORF3 gene in the JS201603 isolate compared with the vaccine isolates YY2013 and SQ2014. An experimental infection model indicated that the piglets in the challenge group successively developed diarrhea, exhibiting yellow-colored loose stools with a foul odor. The piglets in the JS201603 isolate challenge group displayed reduced food consumption, lost weight, and in severe cases even died. No abnormalities were observed in the control group. The JS201603 variant isolated in this study contributes to the evolutionary analysis of diarrhea virus. The experimental infection model has established a foundation for further studies on vaccine development.


title: Systematic Review of Interventions to Increase Stool Blood Colorectal Cancer Screening in African Americans

text: African Americans experience colorectal cancer (CRC) related disparities compared to other racial groups in the United States. African Americans are frequently diagnosed with CRC at a later stage, screening is underutilized, and mortality rates are highest in this group. This systematic review focused on intervention studies using stool blood CRC screening among African Americans in primary care and community settings. Given wide accessibility, low cost, and ease of dissemination of stool-based CRC screening tests, this review aims to determine effective interventions to improve participation rates. This systematic review included intervention studies published between January 1, 2000 and March 16, 2019. After reviewing an initial search of 650 studies, 11 studies were eventually included in this review. The included studies were studies conducted in community and clinical settings, using both inreach and outreach strategies to increase CRC screening. For each study, an unadjusted odds ratio (OR) for the CRC screening intervention compared to the control arm was calculated based on the data in each study to report effectiveness. The eleven studies together recruited a total of 3334 participants. The five studies using two-arm experimental designs ranged in effectiveness with ORs ranging from 1.1 to 13.0 using interventions such as mailed reminders, patient navigation, and tailored educational materials. Effective strategies to increase stool blood testing included mailed stool blood tests augmented by patient navigation, tailored educational materials, and follow-up calls or mailings to increase trust in the patient-provider relationship. More studies are needed on stool blood testing interventions to determine effectiveness in this population.


title: A field indoor air measurement of SARS-CoV-2 in the patient rooms of the largest hospital in Iran

text: Abstract The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) emerged in Wuhan city, China, in late 2019 and has rapidly spread throughout the world. The major route of transmission of SARS-CoV-2 is in contention, with the airborne route a likely transmission pathway for carrying the virus within indoor environments. Until now, there has been no evidence for detection of airborne severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and this may have implication for the potential spread of the COVID-19. We investigated the air of patient rooms with confirmed COVID-19 in the largest hospital in Iran, on March 17, 2020. To collect the SARS-CoV-2 particles, ten air samples were collected into the sterile standard midget impingers containing 20 mL DMEM with 100 μg/mL streptomycin, 100 U/mL penicillin and 1% antifoam reagent for 1 h. Besides, indoor particle number concentrations, CO2, relative humidity and temperature were recorded throughout the sampling duration. Viral RNA was extracted from samples taken from the impingers and Reverse-Transcription PCR (RT-PCR) was applied to confirm the positivity of collected samples based on the virus genome sequence. Fortunately, in this study all air samples which were collected 2 to 5 m from the patients' beds with confirmed COVID-19 were negative. Despite we indicated that all air samples were negative, however, we suggest further in vivo experiments should be conducted using actual patient cough, sneeze and breath aerosols in order to show the possibility of generation of the airborne size carrier aerosols and the viability fraction of the embedded virus in those carrier aerosols.


title: Immunoinformatics‐aided identification of T cell and B cell epitopes in the surface glycoprotein of 2019‐nCoV

text: The 2019 novel coronavirus (2019‐nCoV) outbreak has caused a large number of deaths with thousands of confirmed cases worldwide, especially in East Asia. This study took an immunoinformatics approach to identify significant cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) and B cell epitopes in the 2019‐nCoV surface glycoprotein. Also, interactions between identified CTL epitopes and their corresponding major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I supertype representatives prevalent in China were studied by molecular dynamics simulations. We identified five CTL epitopes, three sequential B cell epitopes and five discontinuous B cell epitopes in the viral surface glycoprotein. Also, during simulations, the CTL epitopes were observed to be binding MHC class I peptide‐binding grooves via multiple contacts, with continuous hydrogen bonds and salt bridge anchors, indicating their potential in generating immune responses. Some of these identified epitopes can be potential candidates for the development of 2019‐nCoV vaccines.


title: Eco-epidemiology of the Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus in bats of Córdoba and Sucre, Colombia

text: Abstract Alphavirus infection associated encephalitis is an emerging infectious disease with a high impact on public health in Latin America. Objective To study the eco-epidemiology of alphaviruses in bats of departments of Córdoba and Sucre, Colombia. Methodology A prospective descriptive cross-sectional study with a non-probabilistic sampling, in 12 localities of Córdoba and Sucre was carried out. Using mist nets capture of the specimens was carried out. The size of the sample was 286 bats, each specimen captured was taxonomically classified. The bats were immobilized with anesthetic and analgesic treatment according to the ethics committee of the University of Córdoba, morphometric measurements and blood samples were taken, later they were necropsied in the field to obtain a collection of tissues which were preserved in liquid N2 −190 °C. The averages of the climatic conditions of the sampling sites were extracted from the WorldClim database (http://www.worldclim.org/). The open source software QGIS (Quantum GIS Development Team.2015) was used to map and visualize bioclimatic regions of Córdoba. We used descriptive and retrospective information about the equine population and reports of foci of equine encephalitis. Results In Córdoba and Sucre, 286 bats were captured and 23 species were classified, Artibeus and Phyllostomus discolor were the most frequent captured genus. The geographic ranges of the captured species were variable, some had a wide distribution and others were restricted to some areas. Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus RNA was detected in Artibeus planirostris and Sturnira lilium (2/286 = 0.70%) from Cordoba – Colombia. The univariate descriptive analysis showed no significant association for any of the analyzed variables climatic. Conclusions Frugivorous bats from the Caribbean area of Colombia may be involved in the Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus enzootic cycle.


title: Coronavirus Disease 2019: In-Home Isolation Room Construction

text: Patient care duties will expose health care workers to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Many are concerned about subsequent household exposure to their families, particularly those family members with high risk of complications or mortality, potentiating additional community spread. Herein is described a temporary isolation room that can be created within a home, thereby decreasing bioburden exposure to family members. The design is simple, expedient, and can be built with locally sourced inexpensive supplies. A viewing and access window facilitates safe family interaction and decreases the emotional costs of isolation while providing a route to pass items as necessary.


title: Acute Kidney Injury in Critically Ill Patients Infected With 2009 Pandemic Influenza A(H1N1): Report From a Canadian Province

text: Background 2009 pandemic influenza A(H1N1) has led to a global increase in severe respiratory illness. Little is known about kidney outcomes and dialytic requirements in critically ill patients infected with pandemic H1N1. Study Design Prospective observational study. Setting & Participants 50 patients with pandemic H1N1 admitted to any of 7 intensive care units in Manitoba, Canada, were prospectively followed. Outcome & Measurements Outcomes were kidney injury and kidney failure defined using RIFLE (risk, injury, failure, loss, end-stage disease) criteria or need for dialysis therapy. Results The pandemic H1N1 group was composed of 50 critically ill patients with pandemic H1N1 with severe respiratory syndrome (47 confirmed cases, 3 probable). Kidney injury, kidney failure, and need for dialysis occurred in 66.7%, 66%, and 11% of patients, respectively. Mortality was 16%. Kidney failure was associated with increased death (OR, 11.29; 95% CI, 1.29-98.9), whereas the need for dialysis was associated with an increase in length of stay (RR, 2.38; 95% CI, 2.13-25.75). Limitations Small population studied from single Canadian province; thus, limited generalizability. Conclusions In critically ill patients with pandemic H1N1, kidney injury, kidney failure, and the need for dialysis are common and associated with an increase in mortality and length of intensive care unit stay.


title: Bismuth: Environmental Pollution and Health Effects☆

text: Abstract Although it has been used for centuries, bismuth remains one of the least understood elements in the periodic table. Metallic bismuth and bismuth compounds have been widely used in the manufacture of alloys, pigments, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals. As a “green” heavy metal, the substitution of lead with bismuth in some industries may partially resolve the environmental problems related to heavy metal pollution. In health care, as bismuth has low toxicity to humans, bismuth-based drugs such as colloidal bismuth subcitrate (CBS), ranitidine bismuth citrate (RBC), bismuth subsalicylate (BSS), bismuth iodoform and radioactive bismuth (212Bi/213Bi) complexes have been developed and used in clinics to treat various diseases. In most cases, bismuth therapies exhibit high therapeutic efficacies and little side effects; nevertheless, there are still reported cases of bismuth toxicity caused by bismuth over-dosage.


Back to the Future: Multiparent Populations Provide the Key to Unlocking the Genetic Basis of Complex Traits


title: Outcome of strict implementation of infection prevention control measures during an outbreak of Middle East respiratory syndrome

text: BACKGROUND: The objective of this retrospective cohort study was to assess the impact of implementation of different levels of infection prevention and control (IPC) measures during an outbreak of Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) in a large tertiary hospital in Saudi Arabia. The setting was an emergency room (ER) in a large tertiary hospital and included primary and secondary MERS patients. METHODS: Rapid response teams conducted repeated assessments of IPC and monitored implementation of corrective measures using a detailed structured checklist. We ascertained the epidemiologic link between patients and calculated the secondary attack rate per 10,000 patients visiting the ER (SAR/10,000) in 3 phases of the outbreak. RESULTS: In phase I, 6 primary cases gave rise to 48 secondary cases over 4 generations, including a case that resulted in 9 cases in the first generation of secondary cases and 21 cases over a chain of 4 generations. During the second and third phases, the number of secondary cases sharply dropped to 18 cases and 1 case, respectively, from a comparable number of primary cases. The SAR/10,000 dropped from 75 (95% confidence interval [CI], 55-99) in phase I to 29 (95% CI, 17-46) and 3 (95% CI, 0-17) in phases II and III, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The study demonstrated salient evidence that proper institution of IPC measures during management of an outbreak of MERS could remarkably change the course of the outbreak.


title: First detection of SARS-CoV-2 in untreated wastewaters in Italy

text: Abstract Several studies have demonstrated the advantages of environmental surveillance through the monitoring of sewage for the assessment of viruses circulating in a given community (wastewater-based epidemiology, WBE). During the COVID-19 public health emergency, many reports have described the presence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in stools from COVID-19 patients, and a few studies reported the occurrence of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewaters worldwide. Italy is among the world's worst-affected countries in the COVID-19 pandemic, but so far there are no studies assessing the presence of SARS-CoV-2 in Italian wastewaters. To this aim, twelve influent sewage samples, collected between February and April 2020 from Wastewater Treatment Plants in Milan and Rome, were tested adapting, for concentration, the standard WHO procedure for Poliovirus surveillance. Molecular analysis was undertaken with three nested protocols, including a newly designed SARS-CoV-2 specific primer set. SARS-CoV-2 RNA detection was accomplished in volumes of 250 mL of wastewaters collected in areas of high (Milan) and low (Rome) epidemic circulation, according to clinical data. Overall, 6 out of 12 samples were positive. One of the positive results was obtained in a Milan wastewater sample collected a few days after the first notified Italian case of autochthonous SARS-CoV-2. The study confirms that WBE has the potential to be applied to SARS-CoV-2 as a sensitive tool to study spatial and temporal trends of virus circulation in the population.


title: Fgl2: link between hepatitis B and SARS?

text: A new clotting factor protein, FGL2/fibroleukin, has been found to be important in viral infection, including hepatitis B. A greater understanding of this protein could offer a novel method for intervention and treatment for patients with viral hepatitis.


Fostering compassion and reducing burnout: How can health system leaders respond in the Covid-19 pandemic and beyond?


title: The relationship between the structure and toxicity of aminoglycoside antibiotics

text: Abstract Aminoglycoside antibiotics, used to treat persistent gram-negative infections, tuberculosis, and life-threatening infections in neonates and patients with cystic fibrosis, can infer acute kidney injury and irreversible hearing loss. The full repertoire of cellular targets and processes leading to the toxicity of aminoglycosides is not fully resolved, making it challenging to devise rational directions to circumvent their adverse effects. As a result, there has been very limited effort to rationally address the issue of aminoglycoside-induced toxicity. Here we provide an overview of the reported effects of aminoglycosides on cells of the inner ear and on kidney tubular epithelial cells. We describe selected examples for structure–toxicity relationships established by evaluation of both natural and semisynthetic aminoglycosides. The various assays and models used to evaluate these antibiotics and recent progress in development of safer aminoglycoside antibiotics are discussed.


title: Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome: Lessons from Singapore

text: An outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) occurred in Singapore in March 2003. To illustrate the problems in diagnosing and containing SARS in the hospital, we describe a case series and highlight changes in triage and infection control practices that resulted. By implementing these changes, we have stopped the nosocomial transmission of the virus.


title: Detection of Chlamydophila Pneumoniae and Typical Bacteria in Patients with Chronic Cough

text: The aim of research was to analyze the results of microbiological tests for typical and atypical bacteria in patients with symptoms of chronic cough. A total of 214 outpatients aged from 2 to 94 years (110 women, 64 men, and 40 children) with chronic cough were studied. Four hundred twenty eight throat swabs were examined for atypical bacteria antigen (Chlamydophila pneumoniae) (n = 214) and typical pathogens (n = 214). Chl. pneumoniae detection was performed using indirect immunofluorescence test. Classical microbiological culture was used for typical bacteria detection. Chl. pneumoniae antigen was detected in 55/214 (26.0 %) patients with chronic cough (in 31 (28.2 %) women, 14 (21.9 %) men, and 10 (25.0 %) children). Positive culture for typical pathogens was observed in 30 (27.3 %) women, 22 (34.4 %) men, and 21 (52.5 %) children. Simultaneous occurrence of Chl. pneumoniae and typical pathogens (Staphylococcus aureus strain MSSA, Streptococcus pyogenes, or Moraxella catarrhalis) was found in 16 (7.5 %) patients. The findings show that in patients with chronic cough Chl. pneumoniae infection, although less than that with typical pathogens, is rather frequent. Further, the performance of test for Chl. pneumoniae in throat swabs from patients with chronic cough is good and provides an efficient way to diagnose the infection and implement appropriate therapy.


title: A Ten‐Year Molecular Survey on Parvoviruses Infecting Carnivores in Bulgaria

text: Parvoviruses represent the most important infectious agents that are responsible for severe to fatal disease in carnivores. This study reports the results of a 10‐year molecular survey conducted on carnivores in Bulgaria (n = 344), including 262 dogs and 19 cats with gastroenteritis, and 57 hunted wild carnivores. Real‐time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), followed by virus characterization by minor groove binder (MGB) probe assays, detected 216 parvovirus positive dogs with a predominance of canine parvovirus type 2a (CPV‐2a, 79.17%) over CPV‐2b (18.52%) and CPV‐2c (2.31%). Rottweilers and German shepherds were the most frequent breeds among CPV‐positive pedigree dogs (n = 96). Eighteen cats were found to shed parvoviruses in their faeces, with most strains being characterized as FPLV (n = 17), although a single specimen tested positive for CPV‐2a. Only two wild carnivores were parvovirus positive, a wolf (Canis lupus) and a red fox (Vulpes vulpes), both being infected by CPV‐2a strains.


title: Interplay between environment, agriculture and infectious diseases of poverty: Case studies in China

text: Abstract Changes in the natural environment and agricultural systems induced by economic and industrial development, including population dynamics (growth, urbanization, migration), are major causes resulting in the persistence, emergence and re-emergence of infectious diseases in developing countries. In the face of rapid demographic, economic and social transformations, the People's Republic of China (P.R. China) is undergoing unprecedented environmental and agricultural change. We review emerging and re-emerging diseases such as schistosomiasis, dengue, avian influenza, angiostrongyliasis and soil-transmitted helminthiasis that have occurred in P.R. China due to environmental and agricultural change. This commentary highlights the research priorities and the response strategies, namely mitigation and adaptation, undertaken to eliminate the resurgence of those infectious diseases.


title: Locked Nucleic Acid: High-Affinity Targeting of Complementary RNA for RNomics

text: Locked nucleic acid (LNA) is a nucleic acid analog containing one or more LNA nucleotide monomers with a bicyclic furanose unit locked in an RNA-mimicking sugar conformation. This conformational restriction is translated into unprecedented hybridization affinity towards complementary single-stranded RNA molecules. That makes fully modified LNAs, LNA/DNA mixmers, or LNA/RNA mixmers uniquely suited for mimicking RNA structures and for RNA targeting in vitro or in vivo. The focus of this chapter is on LNA antisense, LNA-modified DNAzymes (LNAzymes), LNA-modified small interfering (si)RNA (siLNA), LNA-enhanced expression profiling by real-time RT-PCR and detection and analysis of microRNAs by LNA-modified probes.


title: The C-Terminal Effector Domain of Non-Structural Protein 1 of Influenza A Virus Blocks IFN-β Production by Targeting TNF Receptor-Associated Factor 3

text: Influenza A virus non-structural protein 1 (NS1) antagonizes interferon response through diverse strategies, particularly by inhibiting the activation of interferon regulatory factor 3 (IRF3) and IFN-β transcription. However, the underlying mechanisms used by the NS1 C-terminal effector domain (ED) to inhibit the activation of IFN-β pathway are not well understood. In this study, we used influenza virus subtype of H5N1 to demonstrate that the NS1 C-terminal ED but not the N-terminal RNA-binding domain, binds TNF receptor-associated factor 3 (TRAF3). This results in an attenuation of the type I IFN signaling pathway. We found that the NS1 C-terminal ED (named NS1/126-225) inhibits the active caspase activation and recruitment domain-containing form of RIG-I [RIG-I(N)]-induced IFN-β reporter activity, the phosphorylation of IRF3, and the induction of IFN-β. Further analysis showed that NS1/126-225 binds to TRAF3 through the TRAF domain, subsequently decreasing TRAF3 K63-linked ubiquitination. NS1/126-225 binding also disrupted the formation of the mitochondrial antiviral signaling (MAVS)–TRAF3 complex, increasing the recruitment of IKKε to MAVS; ultimately shutting down the RIG-I(N)-mediated signal transduction and cellular antiviral responses. This attenuation of cellular antiviral responses leads to evasion of the innate immune response. Taken together, our findings offer an important insight into the interplay between the influenza virus and host innate immunity.


title: VIRsiRNAdb: a curated database of experimentally validated viral siRNA/shRNA

text: RNAi technology has been emerging as a potential modality to inhibit viruses during past decade. In literature a few siRNA databases have been reported that focus on targeting human and mammalian genes but experimentally validated viral siRNA databases are lacking. We have developed VIRsiRNAdb, a manually curated database having comprehensive details of 1358 siRNA/shRNA targeting viral genome regions. Further, wherever available, information regarding alternative efficacies of above 300 siRNAs derived from different assays has also been incorporated. Important fields included in the database are siRNA sequence, virus subtype, target genome region, cell type, target object, experimental assay, efficacy, off-target and siRNA matching with reference viral sequences. Database also provides the users with facilities of advance search, browsing, data submission, linking to external databases and useful siRNA analysis tools especially siTarAlign which align the siRNA with reference viral genomes or user defined sequences. VIRsiRNAdb contains extensive details of siRNA/shRNA targeting 42 important human viruses including influenza virus, hepatitis B virus, HPV and SARS Corona virus. VIRsiRNAdb would prove useful for researchers in picking up the best viral siRNA for antiviral therapeutics development and also for developing better viral siRNA design tools. The database is freely available at http://crdd.osdd.net/servers/virsirnadb.


title: Pneumonia in Hospitalized Children

text: Pneumonia is one of the most common infections in the pediatric age group and one of the leading diagnoses that results in overnight hospital admission for children. Various micro-organisms can cause pneumonia, and etiologies differ by age. Clinical manifestations vary, and diagnostic testing is frequently not standardized. Hospital management should emphasize timely diagnosis and prompt initiation of antimicrobial therapy when appropriate. Issues of particular relevance to inpatient management are emphasized in this article.


title: Emerging infections: a perpetual challenge

text: Emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases, and their determinants, have recently attracted substantial scientific and popular attention. HIV/AIDS, severe acute respiratory syndrome, H5N1 avian influenza, and many other emerging diseases have either proved fatal or caused international alarm. Common and interactive co-determinants of disease emergence, including population growth, travel, and environmental disruption, have been increasingly documented and studied. Are emerging infections a new phenomenon related to modern life, or do more basic determinants, transcending time, place, and human progress, govern disease generation? By examining a number of historically notable epidemics, we suggest that emerging diseases, similar in their novelty, impact, and elicitation of control responses, have occurred throughout recorded history. Fundamental determinants, typically acting in concert, seem to underlie their emergence, and infections such as these are likely to continue to remain challenges to human survival.


Fatal hemorrhagic pneumonia caused by human metapneumovirus in an immunocompetent child


title: Comparative dynamic aerosol efficiencies of three emergent coronaviruses and the unusual persistence of SARS-CoV-2 in aerosol suspensions

text: The emergent coronavirus, designated severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), is a zoonotic pathogen that has demonstrated remarkable transmissibility in the human population and is the etiological agent of a current global pandemic called COVID-19. We measured the dynamic (short-term) aerosol efficiencies of SARS-CoV-2 and compared the efficiencies with two other emerging coronaviruses, SARS-CoV (emerged in 2002) and Middle Eastern respiratory syndrome CoV (MERS-CoV; emerged starting in 2012). We also quantified the long-term persistence of SARS-CoV-2 and its ability to maintain infectivity when suspended in aerosols for up to 16 hours.


title: An improved procedure for the generation of recombinant single-chain Fv antibody fragments reacting with human CD13 on intact cells

text: Abstract A procedure was developed to generate recombinant single chain Fv (scFv) antibody fragments reacting with the extracellular domain of human cell surface antigen CD13 (hCD13; aminopeptidase N) on intact cells. Membrane fractions prepared from a stably transfected hCD13-positive murine NIH/3T3 cell line were used to immunize BALB/c mice, with the intention that hCD13 would be the major immunogenic molecule recognized by the immune system. Spleen RNA from the immunized mice served to generate a combinatorial scFv phage display library. The library was adsorbed against non-transfected NIH/3T3 or Sf21 insect cells to eliminate nonrelevant binders. The supernatant was then used for panning with either hCD13-transfected Sf21 insect cells or a hCD13-expressing human leukemia-derived cell line. Therefore, the key concepts of the procedure were the presentation of hCD13 as the sole human antigen on murine NIH/3T3 cells and a screening strategy where hCD13 was the major common antigen of the material used for immunization and panning. Two different hCD13-reactive phages were isolated and the soluble scFvs were expressed in E. coli and purified. The two scFvs, anti-hCD13-1 and anti-hCD13-3, differed at four amino acid positions in their VH regions and both had high affinities for hCD13 as determined by surface plasmon resonance (K D=7 and 33×10−10 M, respectively). Both efficiently recognized hCD13 on intact cells. Therefore, the procedure allowed the production of high affinity scFvs reacting with a desired antigen in its native conformation without requiring extensive purification of the antigen and should be useful for the preparation of scFvs against other conformation-sensitive cell-surface antigens.


title: Light whole genome sequence for SNP discovery across domestic cat breeds

text: BACKGROUND: The domestic cat has offered enormous genomic potential in the veterinary description of over 250 hereditary disease models as well as the occurrence of several deadly feline viruses (feline leukemia virus -- FeLV, feline coronavirus -- FECV, feline immunodeficiency virus - FIV) that are homologues to human scourges (cancer, SARS, and AIDS respectively). However, to realize this bio-medical potential, a high density single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) map is required in order to accomplish disease and phenotype association discovery. DESCRIPTION: To remedy this, we generated 3,178,297 paired fosmid-end Sanger sequence reads from seven cats, and combined these data with the publicly available 2X cat whole genome sequence. All sequence reads were assembled together to form a 3X whole genome assembly allowing the discovery of over three million SNPs. To reduce potential false positive SNPs due to the low coverage assembly, a low upper-limit was placed on sequence coverage and a high lower-limit on the quality of the discrepant bases at a potential variant site. In all domestic cats of different breeds: female Abyssinian, female American shorthair, male Cornish Rex, female European Burmese, female Persian, female Siamese, a male Ragdoll and a female African wildcat were sequenced lightly. We report a total of 964 k common SNPs suitable for a domestic cat SNP genotyping array and an additional 900 k SNPs detected between African wildcat and domestic cats breeds. An empirical sampling of 94 discovered SNPs were tested in the sequenced cats resulting in a SNP validation rate of 99%. CONCLUSIONS: These data provide a large collection of mapped feline SNPs across the cat genome that will allow for the development of SNP genotyping platforms for mapping feline diseases.


title: DNA Aptamers in the Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Diseases

text: Aptamers have a promising role in the field of life science and have been extensively researched for application as analytical tools, therapeutic agents and as vehicles for targeted drug delivery. Compared with RNA aptamers, DNA aptamers have inherent advantages in stability and facility of generation and synthesis. To better understand the specific potential of DNA aptamers, an overview of the progress in the generation and application of DNA aptamers in human disease diagnosis and therapy are presented in this review. Special attention is given to researches that are relatively close to practical application. DNA aptamers are expected to have great potential in the diagnosis and treatment of human diseases.


title: Adhesion molecules in acute myeloid leukemia

text: Abstract That adhesion molecules play a major role in the regulation of normal hematopoiesis is suggested by the abundance of these molecules present on early bone marrow progenitor cells and their differential pattern of expression at discrete stages of differentiation along the various cell lineages. In particular, precursor cell matrix/endothelial interactions determine retainment or release of hematopoietic cells from the bone marrow microenvironment. Consequently, changes in the affinity or quantitative expression of adhesion molecules on either the bone marrow stroma or the blood cell precursor component —during normal development or due to activation or a malignant process —will affect cell attachment. Adhesion molecules, therefore, are modulator molecules which alter the biological behavior of normal or leukemic hematopoietic cells, primarily in terms of migration and localization properties, although they also participate in many other cell functions such as cytotoxicity, antigen presentation and binding of viruses or cancer cells. Several membrane-bound adhesion molecules and, in some instances, their soluble counterparts which may be biologically active, have been described in acute myeloid leukemia. The potential diagnostic or physiological significance of leukocyte antigens with adhesive properties will be addressed in this comment.


title: China's adaptation to climate & urban climatic changes: A critical review

text: Abstract Since the conclusion of the 2014 Climate Summit in New York and the 21st Conference of the Parties (COP21) in Paris, China has been actively advancing its national policies on climate change mitigation and adaptation since more unpredictable extreme weather events are expected, which may incur a heavy cost in terms of economics and public health. Since China is still in the process of urbanisation, the greatest challenge it faces is finding a balance between economic growth and keeping carbon dioxide and greenhouse gas emission rates at a manageable level. Cities in China play a key role in the implementation of the central policies and make concrete actions in response to climate change. With reference to a series of recent policy papers and action plans as the background, this paper attempts to provide a critical overview of China's climate change action plans from the national to the city and urban level. It seeks to understand whether the proposed responses to climate change and strategies for actions on greening and air corridors for cities and urban areas are appropriate. It is found that for China to advance its urban climatic adaptation strategy there is a need for (1) urban data, (2) a cross-disciplinary impact assessment, and (3) the development of a market and policy transformation mechanism.


title: Acute exacerbation of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis: a clinical review

text: Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic and progressive fibrotic disease limited to the lung, with high variability in the course of disease from one patient to another. Patients with IPF may experience acute respiratory deteriorations; many of these acute declines are idiopathic and are termed acute exacerbations (AE) of IPF. In these cases, the exclusion of alternative causes of rapid deterioration, including heart failure, bilateral pneumonia or pulmonary embolism, is a challenging goal. AE may occur at any time during the course of IPF, although they are more common in patients with more progressive disease and gastroesophageal reflux. Surgical lung biopsy or even surgical procedures in organs other than the lungs may also trigger AE, mainly in rapidly progressive or advanced IPF. Current diagnostic criteria include the presence of new-onset ground glass opacities or airspace consolidation superimposed on an underlying usual interstitial pneumonia pattern seen on high-resolution computed tomography. The outcome is poor with a short-term mortality in excess of 50 % despite therapy. Currently, there is no treatment with demonstrated efficacy for AE-IPF: empirical high-dose corticosteroid therapy is generally used, with or without immunosuppressive agents, with limited evidence. On the other hand, there is hope that new treatments to slow down progression of IPF will translate into a reduction of AE-IPF’s occurrence. In conclusion, although significant progress in assessing disease severity in IPF has been made, AEs remain unpredictable and are associated with a high risk of death. Improvements in our understanding of the etiology, risk factors, clinical predictors and epidemiology are needed. It is the goal of clinical researchers in the field to provide respiratory physicians with evidence-based guidance to identify patients who may benefit from therapy for preventing or treating AE-IPF.


title: A Structure-Function Diversity Survey of the RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerases From the Positive-Strand RNA Viruses

text: The RNA-dependent RNA polymerases (RdRPs) encoded by the RNA viruses are a unique class of nucleic acid polymerases. Each viral RdRP contains a 500–600 residue catalytic module with palm, fingers, and thumb domains forming an encircled human right hand architecture. Seven polymerase catalytic motifs are located in the RdRP palm and fingers domains, comprising the most conserved parts of the RdRP and are responsible for the RNA-only specificity in catalysis. Functional regions are often found fused to the RdRP catalytic module, resulting in a high level of diversity in RdRP global structure and regulatory mechanism. In this review, we surveyed all 46 RdRP-sequence available virus families of the positive-strand RNA viruses listed in the 2018b collection of the International Committee on Virus Taxonomy (ICTV) and chose a total of 49 RdRPs as representatives. By locating hallmark residues in RdRP catalytic motifs and by referencing structural and functional information in the literature, we were able to estimate the N- and C-terminal boundaries of the catalytic module in these RdRPs, which in turn serve as reference points to predict additional functional regions beyond the catalytic module. Interestingly, a large number of virus families may have additional regions fused to the RdRP N-terminus, while only a few of them have such regions on the C-terminal side of the RdRP. The current knowledge on these additional regions, either in three-dimensional (3D) structure or in function, is quite limited. In the five RdRP-structure available virus families in the positive-strand RNA viruses, only the Flaviviridae family has the 3D structural information resolved for such regions. Hence, future efforts to solve full-length RdRP structures containing these regions and to dissect the functional contribution of them are necessary to improve the overall understanding of the RdRP proteins as an evolutionarily integrated group, and our analyses here may serve as a guideline for selecting representative RdRP systems in these studies.


title: CodSeqGen: A tool for generating synonymous coding sequences with desired GC-contents

text: Abstract Identification of regulatory elements is essential for understanding the mechanism behind regulating gene expression. These regulatory elements—located in or near gene—bind to proteins called transcription factors to initiate the transcription process. Their occurrences are influenced by the GC-content or nucleotide composition. For generating synthetic coding sequences with pre-specified amino acid sequence and desired GC-content, there exist two stochastic methods, multinomial and maximum entropy. Both methods rely on the probability of choosing the codon synonymous for usage in regard to a specific amino acid. In spite the latter exhibited unbiased manner, the produced sequences are not exactly obeying the GC-content constraint. In this paper, we present an algorithmic solution to produce coding sequences that follow exactly a primary amino acid sequence and a desired GC-content. The proposed tool, namely CodSeqGen, depends on random selection for smaller subsets to be traversed using the backtracking approach.


title: A CRISPR screen identifies IFI6 as an ER-resident interferon effector that blocks flavivirus replication

text: The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is an architecturally diverse organelle that serves as a membrane source for the replication of multiple viruses. Flaviviruses, including yellow fever virus, West Nile virus, dengue virus and Zika virus, induce unique single-membrane ER invaginations that house the viral replication machinery1. Whether this virus-induced ER remodelling is vulnerable to antiviral pathways is unknown. Here, we show that flavivirus replication at the ER is targeted by the interferon (IFN) response. Through genome-scale CRISPR screening, we uncovered an antiviral mechanism mediated by a functional gene pairing between IFI6 (encoding IFN-α-inducible protein 6), an IFN-stimulated gene cloned over 30 years ago2, and HSPA5, which encodes the ER-resident heat shock protein 70 chaperone BiP. We reveal that IFI6 is an ER-localized integral membrane effector that is stabilized through interactions with BiP. Mechanistically, IFI6 prophylactically protects uninfected cells by preventing the formation of virus-induced ER membrane invaginations. Notably, IFI6 has little effect on other mammalian RNA viruses, including the related Flaviviridae family member hepatitis C virus, which replicates in double-membrane vesicles that protrude outwards from the ER. These findings support a model in which the IFN response is armed with a membrane-targeted effector that discriminately blocks the establishment of virus-specific ER microenvironments that are required for replication.


title: Lessons From Influenza Pandemics of the Last 100 Years

text: Seasonal influenza is an annual occurrence, but it is the threat of pandemics that produces universal concern. Recurring reports of avian influenza viruses severely affecting humans have served as constant reminders of the potential for another pandemic. Review of features of the 1918 influenza pandemic and subsequent ones helps in identifying areas where attention in planning is critical. Key among such issues are likely risk groups and which interventions to employ. Past pandemics have repeatedly underscored, for example, the vulnerability of groups such as pregnant women and taught other lessons valuable for future preparedness. While a fundamental difficulty in planning for the next pandemic remains their unpredictability and infrequency, this uncertainty can be mitigated, in part, by optimizing the handling of the much more predictable occurrence of seasonal influenza. Improvements in antivirals and novel vaccine formulations are critical in lessening the impact of both pandemic and seasonal influenza.


title: Transcriptome Analysis of Feline Infectious Peritonitis Virus Infection

text: Feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) is a lethal systemic disease caused by FIP virus (FIPV). There are no effective vaccines or treatment available, and the virus virulence determinants and pathogenesis are not fully understood. Here, we describe the sequencing of RNA extracted from Crandell Rees Feline Kidney (CRFK) cells infected with FIPV using the Illumina next-generation sequencing approach. Bioinformatics analysis, based on Felis catus 2X annotated shotgun reference genome, using CLC bio Genome Workbench is used to map both control and infected cells. Kal’s Z test statistical analysis is used to analyze the differentially expressed genes from the infected CRFK cells. In addition, RT-qPCR analysis is used for further transcriptional profiling of selected genes in infected CRFK cells and Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells (PBMCs) from healthy and FIP-diagnosed cats.


title: Web-Based Self-Triage of Influenza-Like Illness During the 2009 H1N1 Influenza Pandemic

text: The sudden emergence of 2009 H1N1 influenza in the spring of that year sparked a surge in visits to emergency departments in New York City and other communities. A larger, second wave of cases was anticipated the following autumn. To reduce a potential surge of health system utilization without denying needed care, we enlisted the input of experts from medicine, public health, nursing, information technology, and other disciplines to design, test, and deploy clinical algorithms to help minimally trained health care workers and laypeople make informed decisions about care-seeking for influenza-like illness. The product of this collaboration, named Strategy for Off-Site Rapid Triage (SORT) was disseminated in 2 forms. Static algorithms, posted on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Web site, offered guidance to clinicians and telephone call centers on how to manage adults and children with influenza-like illness. In addition, 2 interactive Web sites, http://www.Flu.gov and http://www.H1N1ResponseCenter.com, were created to help adults self-assess their condition and make an informed decision about their need for treatment. Although SORT was anchored in a previously validated clinical decision rule, incorporated the input of expert clinicians, and was subject to small-scale formative evaluations during rapid standup, prospective evaluation is lacking. If its utility and safety are confirmed, SORT may prove to be a useful tool to blunt health system surge and rapidly collect epidemiologic data on future disease outbreaks.


title: Interhospital Transport System for Critically Ill Patients: Mobile Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation without a Ventilator

text: BACKGROUND: Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) has been successfully used as a method for the interhospital transportation of critically ill patients. In South Korea, a well-established ECMO interhospital transport system is lacking due to limited resources. We developed a simplified ECMO transport system without mechanical ventilation for use by public emergency medical services. METHODS: Eighteen patients utilized our ECMO transport system from December 2011 to September 2015. We retrospectively analyzed the indications for ECMO, the patient status during transport, and the patient outcomes. RESULTS: All transport was conducted on the ground by ambulance. The distances covered ranged from 26 to 408 km (mean, 65.9±88.1 km) and the average transport time was 56.1±57.3 minutes (range, 30 to 280 minutes). All patients were transported without adverse events. After transport, 4 patients (22.2%) underwent lung transplantation because of interstitial lung disease. Eight patients who had severe acute respiratory distress syndrome showed recovery of heart and lung function after ECMO therapy. A total of 13 patients (70.6%) were successfully taken off ECMO, and 11 patients (61.1%) survived. CONCLUSION: Our ECMO transport system without mechanical ventilation can be considered a safe and useful method for interhospital transport and could be a good alternative option for ECMO transport in Korean hospitals with limited resources.


title: The α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor agonist, GTS-21, attenuates hyperoxia-induced acute inflammatory lung injury by alleviating the accumulation of HMGB1 in the airways and the circulation

text: BACKGROUND: Oxygen therapy, using supraphysiological concentrations of oxygen (hyperoxia), is routinely administered to patients who require respiratory support including mechanical ventilation (MV). However, prolonged exposure to hyperoxia results in acute lung injury (ALI) and accumulation of high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) in the airways. We previously showed that airway HMGB1 mediates hyperoxia-induced lung injury in a mouse model of ALI. Cholinergic signaling through the α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (α7nAChR) attenuates several inflammatory conditions. The aim of this study was to determine whether 3–(2,4 dimethoxy-benzylidene)-anabaseine dihydrochloride, GTS-21, an α7nAChR partial agonist, inhibits hyperoxia-induced HMGB1 accumulation in the airways and circulation, and consequently attenuates inflammatory lung injury. METHODS: Mice were exposed to hyperoxia (≥99% O(2)) for 3 days and treated concurrently with GTS-21 (0.04, 0.4 and 4 mg/kg, i.p.) or the control vehicle, saline. RESULTS: The systemic administration of GTS-21 (4 mg/kg) significantly decreased levels of HMGB1 in the airways and the serum. Moreover, GTS-21 (4 mg/kg) significantly reduced hyperoxia-induced acute inflammatory lung injury, as indicated by the decreased total protein content in the airways, reduced infiltration of inflammatory monocytes/macrophages and neutrophils into the lung tissue and airways, and improved lung injury histopathology. CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that GTS-21 can attenuate hyperoxia-induced ALI by inhibiting extracellular HMGB1-mediated inflammatory responses. This suggests that the α7nAChR represents a potential pharmacological target for the treatment regimen of oxidative inflammatory lung injury in patients receiving oxygen therapy.


title: Does a Modified Adhesive Respirator Improve the Face Seal for Health Care Workers Who Previously Failed a Fit Test?: A Pilot Study During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic

text: Approximately 30% of health care workers (HCWs) fail the respirator fit test. Evidence suggests that addressing face leaks in the 3M respirator enhances its fit and improves its efficacy. Between March 31 and April 9, 2020, HCWs who failed fit tests for 3M 1860 and 1860S respirators were invited to retest with an adhesive modification of the 3M respirator. Sixty-eight percent of HCWs who failed the fit test with their first-choice respirator passed with a modified adhesive respirator. To increase the efficacy and safety of 3M respirators, ineffective face seals need substantial improvement in design.


title: The need for COVID-19 research in low- and middle-income countries

text: In the early months of the pandemic, most reported cases and deaths due to COVID-19 occurred in high-income countries. However, insufficient testing could have led to an underestimation of true infections in many low- and middle-income countries. As confirmed cases increase, the ultimate impact of the pandemic on individuals and communities in low- and middle-income countries is uncertain. We therefore propose research in three broad areas as urgently needed to inform responses in low- and middle-income countries: transmission patterns of SARS-CoV-2, the clinical characteristics of the disease, and the impact of pandemic prevention and response measures. Answering these questions will require a multidisciplinary approach led by local investigators and in some cases additional resources. Targeted research activities should be done to help mitigate the potential burden of COVID-19 in low- and middle-income countries without diverting the limited human resources, funding, or medical supplies from response activities.


title: Curcumin Nanoparticles Ameliorate ICAM-1 Expression in TNF-α-Treated Lung Epithelial Cells through p47 (phox) and MAPKs/AP-1 Pathways

text: Upregulation of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) involves adhesions between both circulating and resident leukocytes and the human lung epithelial cells during lung inflammatory reactions. We have previously demonstrated that curcumin-loaded polyvinylpyrrolidone nanoparticles (CURN) improve the anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative properties of curcumin in hepatocytes. In this study, we focused on the effects of CURN on the expression of ICAM-1 in TNF-α-treated lung epithelial cells and compared these to the effects of curcumin water preparation (CURH). TNF-αinduced ICAM-1 expression, ROS production, and cell-cell adhesion were significantly attenuated by the pretreatment with antioxidants (DPI, APO, or NAC) and CURN, but not by CURH, as revealed by western blot analysis, RT-PCR, promoter assay, and ROS detection and adhesion assay. In addition, treatment of TNF-α-treated cells with CURN and antioxidants also resulted in an inhibition of activation of p47 (phox) and phosphorylation of MAPKs, as compared to that using CURH. Our findings also suggest that phosphorylation of MAPKs may eventually lead to the activation of transcription factors. We also observed that the effects of TNF-α treatment for 30 min, which includes a significant increase in the binding activity of AP-1 and phosphorylation of c-jun and c-fos genes, were reduced by CURN treatment. In vivo studies have revealed that CURN improved the anti-inflammation activities of CURH in the lung epithelial cells of TNF-α-treated mice. Our results indicate that curcumin-loaded polyvinylpyrrolidone nanoparticles may potentially serve as an anti-inflammatory drug for the treatment of respiratory diseases.


title: Frequency of respiratory viruses among patients admitted to 26 Intensive Care Units in seven consecutive winter-spring seasons (2009–2016) in Northern Italy

text: Abstract Background The role of respiratory viruses in the etiology of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is still debated. The advent of molecular assays has improved the identification of viruses in patients with CAP and according to published studies, viruses account for 11-55% of adult CAP cases. Objectives and study design In the present study, the frequency of respiratory viruses was evaluated in respiratory samples collected from 414 patients with CAP admitted to 26 ICUs in the Lombardy Region (10 million inhabitants) during seven winter-spring seasons (2009–2016). Results In 226 (54.6%) patients one or more respiratory viruses were identified, while 188 (45.4%) patients were negative. A single virus infection was observed in 214/226 (94.7%) patients; while, in 12/226 (5.3%) at least two respiratory viruses were detected. Influenza A was the most common virus in 140/226 patients (61.9%) followed by rhinoviruses (33/226, 14.6%), respiratory syncytial virus (13/226, 5.8%), influenza B virus (9/226, 4.0%), human coronaviruses (9/226, 4.0%), cytomegalovirus (9/226, 4.0%) and human metapneumovirus (1/226, 0.4%). Conclusions Viral infections are present in a consistent proportion of patients admitted to the ICU for CAP. Influenza A and rhinovirus accounted for three-quarters of all CAP in ICU patients. The use of lower respiratory instead of upper respiratory samples might be useful in the diagnosis of viral CAP.


title: Human matriptase/ST 14 proteolytically cleaves H7N9 hemagglutinin and facilitates the activation of influenza A/Shanghai/2/2013 virus in cell culture

text: BACKGROUND: Influenza is a zoonotic disease that infects millions of people each year resulting in hundreds of thousands of deaths, and in turn devastating pandemics. Influenza is caused by influenza viruses, including influenza A virus (IAV). There are many subtypes of IAV but only a few seem to be able to adapt to humans and to cause disease. In 2013, an H7N9 IAV subtype emerged in China that does not cause clinical symptoms in its chicken host but leads to severe infections when transmitted into humans. Since 2013, there have been six epidemic waves of H7N9 with 1567 laboratory‐confirmed human infections and 615 deaths. Pathogenicity of IAV is complex, but a crucial feature contributing to virulence is the activation of the hemagglutinin (HA) fusion protein by host proteases that triggers membrane fusion and leads to subsequent virus propagation. METHODS: 293T, VERO, and MDCK cells were used to conduct Western blot analysis, immunofluorescence assays, and pseudoparticle and live virus infections, and to evaluate H7N9 HA cleavage‐activation. RESULTS/CONCLUSIONS: We show that human matriptase/ST 14 is able to cleave H7N9 HA. Cleavage of H7N9 HA expressed in cell culture results in fusogenic HA and syncytia formation. In infection studies with viral pseudoparticles carrying matriptase/ST 14‐activated H7N9 HA, we observed a high infectivity of cells. Finally, human matriptase/ST 14 also activated H7N9 live virus which resulted in high infectivity. Our data demonstrate that human matriptase/ST 14 is a likely candidate protease to promote H7N9 infections in humans.


title: Why do RNA viruses recombine?

text: Recombination occurs in many RNA viruses and can be of major evolutionary significance. However, rates of recombination vary dramatically among RNA viruses, which can range from clonal to highly recombinogenic. Here, we review the factors that might explain this variation in recombination frequency and show that there is little evidence that recombination is favoured by natural selection to create advantageous genotypes or purge deleterious mutations, as predicted if recombination functions as a form of sexual reproduction. Rather, recombination rates seemingly reflect larger-scale patterns of viral genome organization, such that recombination may be a mechanistic by-product of the evolutionary pressures acting on other aspects of virus biology.


title: Flexible employment relationships and careers in times of the COVID-19 pandemic

text: Abstract The COVID-19 pandemic represents a crisis that affects several aspects of people's lives around the globe. Most of the affected countries took several measures, like lockdowns, business shutdowns, hygiene regulations, social distancing, school and university closings, or mobility tracking as a means of slowing down the distribution of COVID-19. These measures are expected to show short-term and long-term effects on people's working lives. However, most media reports focused on the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on changes in work arrangements (e.g., short-time work, flexible location and hours) for workers in a regular employment relationship. We here focus on workers in flexible employment relationships (e.g. temporary agency work and other forms of subcontracted labor, as well as new forms of working, such as in the gig economy). Specifically, we will discuss (a) how the work and careers of individuals in flexible employment relationships might get affected by the COVID-19 pandemic; (b) outline ideas how to examine period effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the work and careers of those individuals, and (c) outline how the pandemic can contribute to the ramification of flexible employment relationships.


title: Using a Pan-Viral Microarray Assay (Virochip) to Screen Clinical Samples for Viral Pathogens

text: The diagnosis of viral causes of many infectious diseases is difficult due to the inherent sequence diversity of viruses as well as the ongoing emergence of novel viral pathogens, such as SARS coronavirus and 2009 pandemic H1N1 influenza virus, that are not detectable by traditional methods. To address these challenges, we have previously developed and validated a pan-viral microarray platform called the Virochip with the capacity to detect all known viruses as well as novel variants on the basis of conserved sequence homology(1). Using the Virochip, we have identified the full spectrum of viruses associated with respiratory infections, including cases of unexplained critical illness in hospitalized patients, with a sensitivity equivalent to or superior to conventional clinical testing(2-5). The Virochip has also been used to identify novel viruses, including the SARS coronavirus(6,7), a novel rhinovirus clade(5), XMRV (a retrovirus linked to prostate cancer)(8), avian bornavirus (the cause of a wasting disease in parrots)(9), and a novel cardiovirus in children with respiratory and diarrheal illness(10). The current version of the Virochip has been ported to an Agilent microarray platform and consists of ~36,000 probes derived from over ~1,500 viruses in GenBank as of December of 2009. Here we demonstrate the steps involved in processing a Virochip assay from start to finish (~24 hour turnaround time), including sample nucleic acid extraction, PCR amplification using random primers, fluorescent dye incorporation, and microarray hybridization, scanning, and analysis.


title: Balancing Health Privacy, Health Information Exchange and Research in the Context of the COVID-19 Pandemic

text: The novel coronavirus COVID-19 infection poses serious challenges to the healthcare system that are being addressed through the creation of new unique and advanced systems of care with disjointed care processes (telehealth screening, drive-through specimen collection, remote testing, telehealth management, etc.) However, our current regulations on the flows of information for clinical care and research are antiquated and often conflict at the state and federal level. This paper discusses proposed changes to privacy regulations such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability act (HIPAA) designed to let health information seamlessly and frictionlessly flow between the health entities that need to collaborate on treatment of patients and, also, allow it to flow to researchers trying to understand how to limit its impacts.


title: An Alumina Ceramic Total Talar Prosthesis for Avascular Necrosis of the Talus

text: Avascular necrosis tends to occur in the talus because of poor blood supply caused by the extended coverage to the articular cartilage on its surface. Treatment is conservative in the earlier stage of this disease; however, surgical treatment is usually indicated in the advanced stage. Nonunion, leg length discrepancy, or hindfoot instability may occur in patients treated with ankle or tibio-talo-calcaneal fusion. Arthroplasty using a customized total talar prosthesis designed using the computed tomography image of contralateral talus has the potential advantages of weightbearing in the earlier postoperative phase, prevention of lower extremity discrepancy, and maintenance of joint function.


title: A comparison of the governance of tourism planning in the two Special Administrative Regions (SARs) of China – Hong Kong and Macao

text: This study compares the governance of tourism planning between Hong Kong and Macao – the two Special Administrative Regions (SARs) of China. Through using the qualitative research method, the two SARs' institutional frameworks of tourism planning are investigated. The political economy framework is also applied to explain how the wider political–economic conditions of each society shape the governance. The results reveal that despite governance under similar Basic Law and sharing the same culture, the two SARs have very different forms of power relations resulting from their unique political–economic circumstances. Both have a centralized mode of governance but Macao's is more centralized and fragmentary than that of Hong Kong. Through this comparative research, a better understanding of the two societies and their structures and institutions can be gained and useful lessons learnt about the two SARs.


title: Online Book Shopping in Vietnam: The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic Situation

text: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic will have a large impact on the publishing industry. This research aims to investigate the influences of the COVID-19 pandemic situation, utilitarian and hedonic motivations on consumer intention to buy books online. It conceptualizes the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic as situational influences, which involve the closure of physical bookstores, health risks associated with visiting such stores, online shopping trend and additional marketing efforts from online bookstores during the pandemic. Data were collected from 275 Vietnamese consumers using an online survey. Multivariate data analysis reveals that the COVID-19 pandemic situation has a positive and significant impact on consumer intention toward online book shopping. Furthermore, while utilitarian motivation exerts a strong effect on consumer intention to purchase books online, the relationship between hedonic motivation and online purchase intention is positive but insignificant. These findings would assist key stakeholders such as publishers and online bookstores to improve the quality of their websites as well as develop their marketing campaigns.


title: Mental Health Treatment for Front-Line Clinicians During and After the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic: A Plea to the Medical Community

text: The COVID-19 pandemic has placed front-line health care professionals—who were already at higher risk for negative effects of chronic stress before the pandemic—at even greater risk for depression and anxiety. This article reminds us of the importance of mutual support and caring for our own mental health, including seeking help from our mental health colleagues when needed.


title: A review of factors that impact on the capacity of beef cattle females to conceive, maintain a pregnancy and wean a calf—Implications for reproductive efficiency in northern Australia

text: Abstract A review of factors that may impact on the capacity of beef cattle females, grazing semi-extensive to extensive pastures in northern Australia, to conceive, maintain a pregnancy and wean a calf was conducted. Pregnancy and weaning rates have generally been used to measure the reproductive performance of herds. However, this review recognises that reproductive efficiency and the general measures associated with it more effectively describe the economic performance of beef cattle enterprises. More specifically, reproductive efficiency is influenced by (1) pregnancy rate which is influenced by (i) age at puberty; (ii) duration of post-partum anoestrus; (iii) fertilisation failure and (iv) embryo survival; while (2) weight by number of calves per breeding female retained for mating is influenced by (i) cow survival; (ii) foetal survival; and (iii) calf survival; and (3) overall lifetime calf weight weaned per mating. These measures of reproductive efficiency are discussed in depth. Further, a range of infectious and non-infectious factors, namely, environmental, physiological, breed and genetic factors and their impact on these stages of the reproductive cycle are investigated and implications for the northern Australian beef industry are discussed. Finally, conclusions and recommendations to minimise reproductive inefficiencies based on current knowledge are presented.