title: The CCR5Δ32 (rs333) polymorphism is not a predisposing factor for severe pandemic influenza in the Brazilian admixed population

text: BACKGROUND: Recent studies have tried to identify host genetic variants that could explain severe cases and deaths in infection with Influenza A(H1N1)pdm09, especially among children and young adults. CCR5 is a chemokine receptor expressed on T cells, macrophages and dendritic cells, which is an important mediator of leukocyte chemotaxis during the immune response. A deletion mutation (Δ32) in this gene interferes with the response of immune cells, impairing viral clearance. We evaluated the CCR5Δ32 polymorphism (rs333) in individuals of the Brazilian admixed population with a diagnosis of Influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 infection. METHODS: A total of 330 subjects with a diagnosis of Influenza A(H1N1)pdm09, evaluated at health services in the northern and northeastern regions of Brazil between June 2009 and August 2010, were genotyped for the Δ32 deletion (rs333). The cases were classified according to the progression of infection into a group of hospitalized patients (n = 156) and a group of non-hospitalized patients (n = 174). RESULTS: No significant differences in the allele or genotype frequencies of the CCR5Δ32 polymorphism were observed between non-hospitalized and hospitalized patients (p = 0.289 and p = 0.431, respectively). CONCLUSION: The Δ32 deletion in the CCR5 gene is not associated with an unfavorable outcome in patients infected with Influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 in the Brazilian admixed population. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13104-015-1299-1) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.


title: A randomized controlled feasibility trial comparing safety and effectiveness of prehospital pacing versus conventional treatment: ‘PrePACE’()()

text: OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the feasibility of a prehospital randomized controlled trial comparing transcutaneous pacing (TCP) with dopamine for unstable bradycardia. METHODS: Unstable bradycardic patients who failed to respond to a fluid bolus and up to 3 mg atropine were enrolled. The intervention was dopamine or TCP with crossover to dopamine if TCP failed. The primary outcome was survival to discharge or 30 days. Randomization compliance, safety, follow-up rates, primary outcome, and sample size requirements were assessed. RESULTS: Of 383 patients with unstable bradycardia, 151 (39%) failed to respond to atropine or fluid and were eligible for enrolment and 82 (55%) were correctly enrolled. Fifty-five (36%) of eligible patients could not be enrolled for practical reasons; 3 had advance directives, 32 met inclusion criteria on arrival at hospital and in 20 cases, paramedics chose not to enroll based on the circumstances of the case. The remaining 13 were missed cases; 8 were missing randomization envelopes and in 5, the paramedic forgot. Randomization compliance was 95% (78/82). Forty-two (51%) patients were randomized to TCP and seven of these crossed over to dopamine. Two cases were randomized but did not receive the intervention; either due to lack of time or loss of IV access. Three adverse events occurred in each group. Survival to discharge or 30 days in hospital was 70% (28/40) and 69% (29/42) in the dopamine and TCP groups, respectively with 100% follow up. To detect a 10% relative difference in 30 days survival between treatment arms, a sample size of 690 per group would be required. CONCLUSIONS: It is feasible to conduct a prehospital randomized controlled trial of TCP for unstable bradycardia and a definitive trial would require a multi-centre study.


title: Influence of immune aging on vaccine responses

text: Impaired vaccine responses in older individuals are associated with alterations in both the quantity and quality of the T-cell compartment with age. As reviewed herein, the T-cell response to vaccination requires a fine balance between the generation of inflammatory effector T cells versus follicular helper T (TFH) cells that mediate high-affinity antibody production in tandem with the induction of long-lived memory cells for effective recall immunity. During aging, we find that this balance is tipped where T cells favor short-lived effector but not memory or TFH responses. Consistently, vaccine-induced antibodies commonly display a lower protective capacity. Mechanistically, multiple, potentially targetable, changes in T cells have been identified that contribute to these age-related defects, including posttranscription regulation, T-cell receptor signaling, and metabolic function. Although research into the induction of tissue-specific immunity by vaccines and with age is still limited, current mechanistic insights provide a framework for improved design of age-specific vaccination strategies that require further evaluation in a clinical setting.


title: Retrospective Real-World Studies of Paclitaxel and Mortality: Defining the Many Faces of Bias

text: [Figure: see text]


title: Airport sentinel surveillance and entry quarantine for dengue infections following a fever screening program in Taiwan

text: BACKGROUND: Dengue has not reached an endemic status in Taiwan; nevertheless, we have implemented a fever screening program at airports for the early detection of febrile passengers with a dengue infection. This study is intended to assess the performance of the airport screening procedures for dengue infection. METHODS: We analyzed data from the national surveillance system of the Taiwan Centers for Disease Control. We included the imported dengue cases reported by sentinel airports and clinics as well as the domestic cases from 2007–2010. RESULTS: Approximately 44.9% (95%CI: 35.73-54.13%) of the confirmed imported dengue cases with an apparent symptom (febrile) in the viremic stage were detected via the airport fever screening program, with an estimated positive predictive value of 2.36% (95% CI: 0.96- 3.75%) and a negative predictive value > 99.99%. Fluctuations in the number of the symptomatic imported dengue cases identified in the airports (X) were associated with the total number of imported dengue cases (Y) based on a regression analysis of a biweekly surveillance (i.e., n = 104, R(2)(X:Y) = 0.61, P < 0.005). Additionally, the fluctuating patterns in the cumulative numbers of the imported dengue cases (X) with a 1–2 month lead time (t) was in parallel with that of the domestic dengue cases (Y) based on a consecutive 4-year surveillance (i.e., n = 48, R(2)(X(t-1):Y) = 0.22, R(2)(X(t-2):Y) = 0.31, P < 0.001) from 2007–2010. CONCLUSIONS: A moderate sensitivity of detecting dengue at the airports examined in this study indicated some limitations of the fever screening program for the prevention of importation. The screening program could assist in the rapid triage for self-quarantine of some symptomatic dengue cases that were in the viremic stage at the borders and contribute to active sentinel surveillance; however, the blocking of viral transmission to susceptible populations (neighbors or family) from all of the viremic travelers, including those with or without symptoms, is critical to prevent dengue epidemics. Therefore, the reinforcement of mosquito bite prevention and household vector control in dengue-endemic or dengue-competent hotspots during an epidemic season is essential and highly recommended.


title: Impact of COVID-19 on Pediatric Gastroenterology Fellow Training in North America

text: BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic has drastically changed healthcare systems and training around the world. The Training Committee of the North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition sought to understand how COVID-19 has affected pediatric gastroenterology fellowship training. METHODS: A 21 question survey was distributed to all 77 pediatric gastroenterology fellowship program directors (PDs) in the North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition program director database via email on April 7. Responses collected through April 19, 2020 were analyzed using descriptive statistics. RESULTS: Fifty-one of 77 (66%) PDs from the United States, Canada, and Mexico responded to the survey. Forty-six of 51 (90%) PDs reported that they were under a “stay-at-home” order for a median of 4 weeks at the time of the survey. Two of the 51 (4%) programs had fellows participating in outpatient telehealth before COVID-19 and 39 of 51 (76%) at the time of the survey. Fellows stopped participating in outpatient clinics in 22 of 51 (43%) programs and endoscopy in 26 of 51 (52%) programs. Changes to inpatient care included reduced fellow staffing, limiting who entered patient rooms, and rounding remotely. Fellows in 3 New York programs were deployed to adult medicine units. Didactics were moved to virtual conferences in 47 of 51 (94%) programs, and fellows used various online resources. Clinical research and, disproportionately, bench research were restricted. CONCLUSIONS: This report provides early information of the impact of COVID-19 on pediatric fellowship training. Rapid adoption of telehealth and reduced clinical and research experiences were important changes. Survey information may spur communication and innovation to help educators adapt.


title: Identification and application of self-binding zipper-like sequences in SARS-CoV spike protein

text: Abstract Self-binding peptides containing zipper-like sequences, such as the Leu/Ile zipper sequence within the coiled coil regions of proteins and the cross-β spine steric zippers within the amyloid-like fibrils, could bind to the protein-of-origin through homophilic sequence-specific zipper motifs. These self-binding sequences represent opportunities for the development of biochemical tools and/or therapeutics. Here, we report on the identification of a putative self-binding β-zipper-forming peptide within the severe acute respiratory syndrome-associated coronavirus spike (S) protein and its application in viral detection. Peptide array scanning of overlapping peptides covering the entire length of S protein identified 34 putative self-binding peptides of six clusters, five of which contained octapeptide core consensus sequences. The Cluster I consensus octapeptide sequence GINITNFR was predicted by the Eisenberg’s 3D profile method to have high amyloid-like fibrillation potential through steric β-zipper formation. Peptide C6 containing the Cluster I consensus sequence was shown to oligomerize and form amyloid-like fibrils. Taking advantage of this, C6 was further applied to detect the S protein expression in vitro by fluorescence staining. Meanwhile, the coiled-coil-forming Leu/Ile heptad repeat sequences within the S protein were under-represented during peptide array scanning, in agreement with that long peptide lengths were required to attain high helix-mediated interaction avidity. The data suggest that short β-zipper-like self-binding peptides within the S protein could be identified through combining the peptide scanning and predictive methods, and could be exploited as biochemical detection reagents for viral infection.


title: Replication of human coronaviruses SARS-CoV, HCoV-NL63 and HCoV-229E is inhibited by the drug FK506

text: Abstract Recent research has shown that Coronavirus (CoV) replication depends on active immunophilin pathways. Here we demonstrate that the drug FK506 (Tacrolimus) inhibited strongly the growth of human coronaviruses SARS-CoV, HCoV-NL63 and HCoV-229E at low, non-cytotoxic concentrations in cell culture. As shown by plaque titration, qPCR, Luciferase- and green fluorescent protein (GFP) reporter gene expression, replication was diminished by several orders of magnitude. Knockdown of the cellular FK506-binding proteins FKBP1A and FKBP1B in CaCo2 cells prevented replication of HCoV-NL63, suggesting the requirement of these members of the immunophilin family for virus growth.


title: Hemagglutinin and neuraminidase matching patterns of two influenza A virus strains related to the 1918 and 2009 global pandemics

text: Abstract The current pandemic influenza A (H1N1) virus has revealed a complicated reassortment of various influenza A viruses. The biological study of these viruses, especially of the viral envelope proteins hemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA), is urgently needed for the control and prevention of H1N1 viruses. We have generated H1N1-2009 and H1N1-1918 pseudotyped particles (pp) with high infectivity. Combinations of HA1918+NA2009 and HA2009+NA1918 also formed infectious H1N1pps, among which the HA2009+NA1918 combination resulted in the most highly infectious pp. Our study demonstrated that some reassortments of H1N1 viruses may hold the potential to produce higher infectivity than do their ancestors.


title: Characterization of avian influenza viruses isolated from domestic ducks in Vietnam in 2009 and 2010

text: In the surveillance of avian influenza in Vietnam, 26 H9N2, 1 H3N2, 1 H3N8, 7 H4N6, 3 H11N3, and 1 H11N9 viruses were isolated from tracheal and cloacal swab samples of 300 domestic ducks in April 2009, and 1 H9N6 virus from 300 bird samples in March 2010. Out of the 27 H9 virus isolates, the hemagglutinins of 18 strains were genetically classified as belonging to the sublineage G1, and the other nine belonged to the Korean sublineage. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that one of the 27 H9 viruses was a reassortant in which the PB2 gene belonged to the Korean sublineage and the other seven genes belonged to the G1 sublineage. Three representative H9N2 viruses were intranasally inoculated into ducks, chickens, pigs, and mice. On the basis of experimental infection studies, it was found that each of the three viruses readily infected pigs and replicated in their upper respiratory tracts, and they infected chickens with slight replication. Viruses were recovered from the lungs of mice inoculated with two of the three isolates. The present results reveal that H9 avian influenza viruses are prevailing and genetic reassortment occurs among domestic ducks in Vietnam. It is recommended that careful surveillance of swine influenza with H9 viruses should be performed to prepare for pandemic influenza.


title: Drug repurposing: a better approach for infectious disease drug discovery?

text: The advent of publically available databases containing system-wide phenotypic data of the host response to both drugs and pathogens, in conjunction with bioinformatics and computational methods now allows for in silico predictions of FDA-approved drugs as treatments against infection diseases. This systems biology approach captures the complexity of both the pathogen and drug host response in the form of expression patterns or molecular interaction networks without having to understand the underlying mechanisms of action. These drug repurposing techniques have been successful in identifying new drug candidates for several types of cancers and were recently use to identify potential therapeutics against influenza, the newly discovered Middle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus and several parasitic diseases. These new approaches have the potential to significantly reduce both the time and cost for infectious diseases drug discovery.


title: Multivariate analyses of codon usage of SARS-CoV-2 and other betacoronaviruses

text: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a global health concern as it continues to spread within China and beyond. The causative agent of this disease, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), belongs to the genus Betacoronavirus, which also includes severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus (SARSr-CoV) and Middle East respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus (MERSr-CoV). Codon usage of viral genes are believed to be subjected to different selection pressures in different host environments. Previous studies on codon usage of influenza A viruses helped identify viral host origins and evolution trends, however, similar studies on coronaviruses are lacking. In this study, we compared the codon usage bias using global correspondence analysis (CA), within-group CA and between-group CA. We found that the bat RaTG13 virus best matched the overall codon usage pattern of SARS-CoV-2 in orf1ab, spike and nucleocapsid genes, while the pangolin P1E virus had a more similar codon usage in membrane gene. The amino acid usage pattern of SARS-CoV-2 was generally found similar to bat and human SARSr-CoVs. However, we found greater synonymous codon usage differences between SARS-CoV-2 and its phylogenetic relatives on spike and membrane genes, suggesting these two genes of SARS-CoV-2 are subjected to different evolutionary pressures.


title: The impact of corporate charitable giving on hospitality firm performance: Doing well by doing good?

text: While corporate charitable giving (CCG) may have a positive or negative effect on corporate performance (based on value enhancement theory and agency cost theory, respectively), CCG could also have no impact at all. This article tests the extent to which CCG can influence corporate performance of Taiwan's publicly traded hospitality companies. The variable of CCG is defined as the ratio of the total value of corporate giving to total sales revenue. The measures of corporate performance are profitability (return on assets and return on equity), stock performance and Tobin's Q. Panel regression test results reveal that CCG can affect all measures of corporate performance except for stock return. In particular, the impact of CCG on return on assets, return on equity and Tobin's Q is an inverted U-shape, implying that an increased CCG can enhance corporate performance, but as the level of CCG reaches its optimal point, an increase in CCG could have a negative influence on corporate performance. Empirical test results can offer valuable managerial insights for the hospitality industry.


title: Hazards

text: There are many known hazards, including natural, man-made, and intentional. The source of risk is the wide range of hazards that are faced in almost every facet of life. The global society must contend with an array of hazards that may seem limitless, but which is actually limited owing to an individual’s genetics, spatial movements, habits, activities, and geographic locations. Physical location is the primary factor dictating what natural hazards a nation faces. Economic, industrial, and sociopolitical factors dictate hazards of technological and intentional origin. Moreover, with globalization, the speed and ease of international travel, and the emergence of global climate change patterns, every nation is connected to every other nation on the planet. This chapter begins with a short description of the disaster management processes of hazard identification and hazard analysis. Following this is a listing and descriptions of many of the hazards that possess catastrophic potential—in other words, those hazards that are capable of causing a disaster. Awareness of the hazards that affect a nation or region and full understanding of the causes and consequences of that hazard “portfolio” are the first steps in the disaster reduction process known as disaster risk management.


title: Development of a reverse transcription-loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) system for a highly sensitive detection of enterovirus in the stool samples of acute flaccid paralysis cases

text: BACKGROUND: In the global eradication program for poliomyelitis, the laboratory diagnosis plays a critical role by isolating poliovirus (PV) from the stool samples of acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) cases. In this study, we developed a reverse transcription-loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) system for a rapid and highly sensitive detection of enterovirus including PV to identify stool samples positive for enterovirus including PV. METHODS: A primer set was designed for RT-LAMP to detect enterovirus preferably those with PV-like 5'NTRs of the viral genome. The sensitivity of RT-LAMP system was evaluated with prototype strains of enterovirus. Detection of enterovirus from stool extracts was examined by using RT-LAMP system. RESULTS: We detected at least 400 copies of the viral genomes of PV(Sabin) strains within 90 min by RT-LAMP with the primer set. This RT-LAMP system showed a preference for Human enterovirus species C (HEV-C) strains including PV, but exhibited less sensitivity to the prototype strains of HEV-A and HEV-B (detection limits of 7,400 to 28,000 copies). Stool extracts, from which PV, HEV-C, or HEV-A was isolated in the cell culture system, were mostly positive by RT-LAMP method (positive rates of 15/16 (= 94%), 13/14 (= 93%), and 4/4 (= 100%), respectively). The positive rate of this RT-LAMP system for stool extracts from which HEV-B was isolated was lower than that of HEV-C (positive rate of 11/21 (= 52%)). In the stool samples, which were negative for enterovirus isolation by the cell culture system, we found that two samples were positive for RT-LAMP (positive rates of 2/38 (= 5.3%)). In these samples, enterovirus 96 was identified by sequence analysis utilizing a seminested PCR system. CONCLUSIONS: RT-LAMP system developed in this study showed a high sensitivity comparable to that of the cell culture system for the detection of PV, HEV-A, and HEV-C, but less sensitivity to HEV-B. This RT-LAMP system would be useful for the direct detection of enterovirus from the stool extracts.


title: Accessibility of Internet References in Annals of Emergency Medicine: Is It Time to Require Archiving?

text: STUDY OBJECTIVE: We seek to evaluate the accessibility of all Internet references appearing in Annals of Emergency Medicine from 2000, 2003, and 2005. Secondary objectives are to determine whether the number of Internet references is increasing and to describe how Internet references are inaccessible. METHODS: We visually scanned all articles for references made in the printed version of Annals of Emergency Medicine for 2000, 2003, and 2005. We identified the Internet references and grouped them into 11 categories according to the results of entering the uniform resource locator (URL) into the Internet browser. RESULTS: We identified 15,745 references published in Annals of Emergency Medicine. The proportion of Internet references increased from 1% of the total references in 2000 to 5.4% in 2005. Internet references were not readily accessible for 40 of 51 Internet references in 2000 (78%; 95% confidence interval [CI] 65% to 88%), 161 of 286 Internet references in 2003 (56%; 95% CI 50% to 62%), and 111 of 249 Internet references in 2005 (45%; 95% CI 39% to 51%). Inaccessibility was most commonly manifested by URLs that no longer link to active Web sites (172 of 312 inaccessible Internet references [55%]; 95% CI 50% to 61%) and URLs that linked to generic home pages where the authors’ referenced material could not be found (115 of 312 inaccessible Internet references [37%]; 95% CI 32% to 42%). CONCLUSION: In Annals of Emergency Medicine, older Internet references appear to be less accessible than newer references. Internet reference archiving is one solution to preserving this information for future readers.


title: Impact of COVID-19 on an Academic Neurosurgery Department: The Johns Hopkins Experience

text: Abstract Since the initial characterization of a novel coronavirus in December 2019 (COVID-19), the globe has been gripped by a disruptive and dangerous pandemic that continues to upheave economies and test the limits of health care system capacities. The pandemic’s effect on neurosurgical practice has been detailed in timely editorials highlighting various challenges facing neurosurgeons who continue to strive to provide the best possible care to their patients, despite incredibly difficult circumstances. In this brief report, we seek to contribute to the ongoing efforts to accurately detail the impact of COVID-19 on neurosurgical practice in the United States by presenting our health care system’s unique experience.


CUTANEOUS DRUG ERUPTIONS ASSOCIATED WITH COVID-19 THERAPY


title: Relational ethical approaches to the COVID-19 pandemic

text: Key ethical challenges for healthcare workers arising from the COVID-19 pandemic are identified: isolation and social distancing, duty of care and fair access to treatment. The paper argues for a relational approach to ethics which includes solidarity, relational autonomy, duty, equity, trust and reciprocity as core values. The needs of the poor and socially disadvantaged are highlighted. Relational autonomy and solidarity are explored in relation to isolation and social distancing. Reciprocity is discussed with reference to healthcare workers’ duty of care and its limits. Priority setting and access to treatment raise ethical issues of utility and equity. Difficult ethical dilemmas around triage, do not resuscitate decisions, and withholding and withdrawing treatment are discussed in the light of recently published guidelines. The paper concludes with the hope for a wider discussion of relational ethics and a glimpse of a future after the pandemic has subsided.


title: Does COVID-19 cause permanent damage to olfactory and gustatory function?

text: The objective of this study was to investigate the status of COVID-19 patients with sudden anosmia and dysgeusia using an olfactory dysfunction questionnaire highlighting recovery times. This prospective study included 75 patients who completed a patient-reported outcome questionnaire. Among these, 46 patients completed an olfactory evaluation based on the duration of anosmia and dysgeusia. The olfactory evaluation revealed that 24% (N=18) of patients had mild hyposmia, 13% (N=10) had moderate hyposmia, 30% (N=23) had severe hyposmia, 32% (N=24) had anosmia, and 100% had dysgeusia (N=75). The viral load significantly decreased throughout the 17 days following the onset of the olfactory disorder. The purpose of this study was to understand whether patients with COVID-19 can recover olfactory and gustatory function, in contrast to patients with other rhinoviruses and inflammatory diseases such as rhinosinusitis chronic and rhinosinusitis with polyps. These preliminary clinical findings indicate that the relatively rapid recovery of olfactory and gustative function can mean a resolution of viral infection in most patients. The present study suggests that coronavirus can induce olfactory dysfunction but not permanent damage. Olfactory and gustatory functional impairment has been recognized as a hallmark of COVID-19 and may be an important predictor of clinical outcome. Our study supports the need to add anosmia and dysgeusia to the list of symptoms used in screening tools for possible COVID-19 infection.


title: 3 Cyber-control in China

text: In this chapter, we propose a framework for identifying clear contexts and attendant mechanisms associated with authoritarian regimes' internet control measures. We build on the concept of the ‘field’ formed around internet control in authoritarian regimes. Viewing cyber-control as an ‘institutional field’ allows us to examine the evolution of regulative, normative and cognitive institutions. We have advanced a model that explains how an institutional field evolves. The findings are broadly consistent with existing theories on field formation. Nonetheless, this chapter has revealed unique processes and mechanisms associated with cyber-control-led field construction and reconstruction in authoritarian regimes.


title: A severe influenza season in Austria and its impact on the paediatric population: mortality and hospital admission rates, november 2017 - march 2018

text: BACKGROUND: In Austria paediatric influenza-associated hospitalisations and deaths have never been systematically monitored. We examined the influenza season 2017/18 in terms of hospitalisation and mortality in the Austrian paediatric population and put the results into perspective of the available data from the last 15 years. METHODS: Cases of influenza-associated hospitalisations and deaths for season 2017/18 in children below 18 years were retrospectively collected from 12 and 33 Austrian hospitals, respectively. Hospitalisation and mortality rates for the whole Austrian paediatric population were estimated, adjusting for the population in each catchment area. Two Austrian databases were queried for hospitalisations and deaths associated with influenza during 2002–2016. Rough estimate of the vaccination coverage was calculated from a survey on 100 inpatients. RESULTS: Influenza-related paediatric hospitalisation rate in season 2017/18 was estimated as 128 (CI: 122–135) per 100,000 children, much higher than the national average of 40 per 100,000 over the years 2002–2016. There were nine reported influenza-associated deaths among children, resulting in mortality rate of 0.67 (CI: 0.32–1.21) per 100,000 children. CONCLUSIONS: Reported influenza-associated hospitalisations and fatalities demonstrate a high burden of influenza in the Austrian paediatric population corresponding with very low vaccination coverage.


title: Wildlife parasites in a One Health world

text: One Health has gained a remarkable profile in the animal and public health communities, in part owing to the pressing issues of emerging infectious diseases of wildlife origin. Wildlife parasitology can offer insights into One Health, and likewise One Health can provide justification to study and act on wildlife parasites. But how do we decide which wildlife parasites are One Health issues? We explore toxoplasmosis in wildlife in the Canadian Arctic as an example of a parasite that poses a risk to human health, and that also has potential to adversely affect wildlife populations of conservation concern and importance for food security and cultural well-being. This One Health framework can help communities, researchers, and policymakers prioritize issues for action in a resource-limited world.


title: Manipulation or capitulation: virus interactions with autophagy

text: Autophagy is a homeostatic process that functions to balance cellular metabolism and promote cell survival during stressful conditions by delivering cytoplasmic components for lysosomal degradation and subsequent recycling. During viral infection, autophagy can act as a surveillance mechanism that delivers viral antigens to the endosomal/lysosomal compartments that are enriched in immune sensors. Additionally, activated immune sensors can signal to activate autophagy. To evade this antiviral activity, many viruses elaborate functions to block the autophagy pathway at a variety of steps. Alternatively, some viruses actively subvert autophagy for their own benefit. Manipulated autophagy has been proposed to facilitate nearly every stage of the viral lifecycle in direct and indirect ways. In this review, we synthesize the extensive literature on virus-autophagy interactions, emphasizing the role of autophagy in antiviral immunity and the mechanisms by which viruses subvert autophagy for their own benefit.


title: Pathogens in space: Advancing understanding of pathogen dynamics and disease ecology through landscape genetics

text: Landscape genetics has provided many insights into how heterogeneous landscape features drive processes influencing spatial genetic variation in free‐living organisms. This rapidly developing field has focused heavily on vertebrates, and expansion of this scope to the study of infectious diseases holds great potential for landscape geneticists and disease ecologists alike. The potential application of landscape genetics to infectious agents has garnered attention at formative stages in the development of landscape genetics, but systematic examination is lacking. We comprehensively review how landscape genetics is being used to better understand pathogen dynamics. We characterize the field and evaluate the types of questions addressed, approaches used and systems studied. We also review the now established landscape genetic methods and their realized and potential applications to disease ecology. Lastly, we identify emerging frontiers in the landscape genetic study of infectious agents, including recent phylogeographic approaches and frameworks for studying complex multihost and host‐vector systems. Our review emphasizes the expanding utility of landscape genetic methods available for elucidating key pathogen dynamics (particularly transmission and spread) and also how landscape genetic studies of pathogens can provide insight into host population dynamics. Through this review, we convey how increasing awareness of the complementarity of landscape genetics and disease ecology among practitioners of each field promises to drive important cross‐disciplinary advances.


COVID-19 pandemic: the experience of a multiple sclerosis centre in Chile


title: Neurological manifestations and neuro‐invasive mechanisms of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus type 2

text: INTRODUCTION: Infections with coronaviruses are not always confined to the respiratory tract and various neurological manifestations have been reported. The aim of this study was to perform a review to describe neurological manifestations in patients with COVID‐19 and possible neuro‐invasive mechanisms of Sars‐CoV‐2. METHODS: Pubmed, WebOfScience and Covid‐dedicated databases were searched for the combination of COVID‐19 terminology and neurology terminology up to May 10(th) 2020. Social media channels were followed‐up between March 15(th) and May 10(th) 2020 for postings with the same scope. Neurological manifestations were extracted from the identified manuscripts and combined to provide a useful summary for the neurologist in clinical practice. RESULTS: Neurological manifestations potentially related to COVID‐19 have been reported in large studies, case series and case reports and include acute cerebrovascular diseases, impaired consciousness, cranial nerve manifestations and auto‐immune disorders such as Guillain‐Barré Syndrome often present in patients with more severe COVID‐19. Cranial nerve symptoms such as olfactory and gustatory dysfunctions are highly prevalent in patients with mild‐to‐moderate COVID‐19 even without associated nasal symptoms and often present in an early stage of the disease. CONCLUSION: Physicians should be aware of the neurological manifestations in patients with COVID‐19, especially when rapid clinical deterioration occurs. The neurological symptoms in COVID‐19 patients may be due to direct viral neurological injury or indirect neuroinflammatory and autoimmune mechanisms. No antiviral treatments against the virus or vaccines for its prevention are available and the long‐term consequences of the infection on human health remain uncertain especially with regards to the neurological system.


title: Clinical characteristics of patients diagnosed with COVID-19 in Beijing

text: Abstract This study aimed to determine the clinical characteristics of patients diagnosed with the 2019 coronavirus disease, COVID-19. Clinical data of COVID-19 patients diagnosed between January 28, 2020 and February 23, 2020 at the Beijing You'an Hospital were summarized and analysed. Overall, 45 (18 men and 27 women) patients were included in this study. The average age of patients was 58 years (range, 7–94 years). Furthermore, 21 patients (47%) experienced underlying chronic diseases, with onother four patients (9%) having three or more chronic diseases simultaneously. The first symptoms appeared at the onset of illness onset include fever in 36 patients (80%), cough in 23 patients (51%), and expectoration in 15 patients (33%), respectively. Patients may experience hepatic and renal injury as well as abnormal myocardial enzymes in varying degrees. Advanced age (≥58) and accompanying chronic diseases were considered as independent predictors for developing a severe and critically ill population with increased mortality. Laboratory results regarding the NEU percentage, NLR, ALC, and C-reactive protein levels were considered significant in predicting clinically critical disease or for prognosis assessment and thus require further studies. COVID-19 may affect multiple organs of the human body. Glucocorticoid is considered effective in the treatment of patients diagnosed with severe COVID-19.


title: Four cases from a family cluster were diagnosed as COVID‐19 after 14‐day of quarantine period

text: Since December, 2019, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19), caused by SARS‐CoV‐2, has spread to a lot of countries worldwide(1,2). On Jan 30, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) had declared that the outbreak of COVID‐19 is a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. On March 11, 2020, the spread of COVID‐19 was declared a pandemic by the WHO. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.


title: A rationale for targeting the P2X7 receptor in Coronavirus disease 19 (Covid‐19)

text: Severe pneumonia which shares several of the features of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is the main cause of morbidity and mortality in Coronavirus disease 19 (Covid‐19) for which as of now there is no effective treatment. ARDS is caused and sustained by an uncontrolled inflammatory activation characterized by a massive release of cytokines (cytokine storm), diffuse lung edema, inflammatory cell infiltraton and disseminated coagulation. Macrophage and T lymphocyte dysfunction plays a central role in this syndrome. In several experimental in vitro and in vivo models, many of these pathophysiological changes are triggered by stimulation of the P2X7 receptor. We hypothesize that this receptor might be an ideal candidate to target in Covid‐19‐associated severe pneumonia.


title: Reovirus, isolated from SARS patients

text: Beijing has been severely affected by SARS, and SARS-associated coronavirus has been confirmed as its cause. However, clinical and experimental evidence implicates the possibility of co-infection. In this report, reovirus was isolated from throat swabs of SARS patients, including the first case in Beijing and her mother. Identification with the electron microscopy revealed the characteristic features of reovirus. 24 of 38 samples from other SARS cases were found to have serologic responses to the reovirus. Primers designed for reovirus have amplified several fragments of DNA, one of which was sequenced (S2 gene fragment), which indicates it as a unique reovirus (orthoreovirus). Preliminary animal experiment showed that inoculation of the reovirus in mice caused death with atypical pneumonia. Nevertheless, the association of reovirus with SARS outbreak requires to be further investigated.


Gestión clínica en el área cardiovascular. Medir para mejorar


title: Changes in Head and Neck Oncologic Practice During the COVID‐19 Pandemic

text: INTRODUCTION: The COVID‐19 pandemic has raised controversies regarding safe and effective care of head and neck cancer patients. It is unknown how much the pandemic has changed surgeon practice. METHODS: A questionnaire was distributed to head and neck surgeons assessing opinions related to treatment and concerns for the safety of patients, self, family, and staff. RESULTS: A total of 67 head and neck surgeons responded during the study period. Surgeons continued to recommend primary surgical treatment for oral cavity cancers. Respondents were more likely to consider non‐surgical therapy for patients with early glottic cancers and HPV‐mediated oropharynx cancer. Surgeons were least likely to be concerned for their own health and safety and had the greatest concern for their resident trainees. CONCLUSIONS: This study highlights differences in the willingness of head and neck surgeons to delay surgery or alter plans during times when hospital resources are scarce and risk is high. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.


title: Prevalence and molecular typing of attaching and effacing Escherichia coli among calf populations in Belgium

text: Abstract Attaching and effacing Escherichia coli are involved in diarrhea in 2 to 8-week old calves. The virulence factors of these bacteria include: (i) the secretion of proteins (i.e. EspB) involved in microvilli effacement, (ii) the production of the intimin, a 94kDa outer membrane protein encoded by the eaeA gene and involved in the intimate attachment of bacteria to epithelial cell and (iii) the production of verotoxins: VT1 and/or VT2. We investigated the presence and the pathotype of these strains in several calf populations by colony hybridization or by genetic amplification. Using the colony hybridization method we showed first that only 5% of calves who died from diarrhea presented EaeA+ E. coli strains and secondly that 19% of healthy calves showed an asymptomatic carriage. However, using colony hybridization and genetic amplification, we identified EaeA+ strains in 91% of calves living in farms with recurrent diarrhea problems. In 66% of the calves, there was a correlation between the presence of AEEC and diarrhea. At the pathotype level, most of the EaeA+ isolates were negative for VT probes. In VT+ bacteria, the majority were VT1+. The number of VT positive bacteria was significantly higher in calves who died from diarrhea than in healthy or sick calves. This underlined the aggravating role of verotoxins in the disease. Moreover, only 25% of the bovine AEEC were positive with the EaeB probe. Surprisingly, the proportion of EaeB+ strains was significantly higher in healthy calves than in other populations.


title: Chapter 1 Molecular architecture and therapeutic potential of lectin mimics

text: Abstract Lectins are proteins of non-immune origin that bind specific carbohydrates without chemical modification. Coupled with the emerging biological and pathological significance of carbohydrates, lectins have become extensively used as research tools in glycobiology. However, lectin-based drug development has been impeded by high manufacturing costs, low chemical stability, and the potential risk of initiating an unfavorable immune response. As alternatives to lectins, non-protein small molecules having carbohydrate-binding properties (lectin mimics) are currently attracting a great deal of attention because of their ease of preparation and chemical modification. Lectin mimics of synthetic origin are divided roughly into two groups, boronic acid-dependent and boronic acid-independent lectin mimics. This article outlines their representative architectures and carbohydrate-binding properties, and discusses their therapeutic potential by reviewing recent attempts to develop antiviral and antimicrobial agents using their architectures. We also focus on the naturally occurring lectin mimics, pradimicins and benanomicins. They are the only class of non-protein natural products having a C-type lectin-like ability to recognize d-mannopyranosides in the presence of Ca2+ ions. Their molecular basis of carbohydrate recognition and therapeutic potential are also discussed.


title: Two cases of primary human parechovirus pneumonia in adults

text: Human parechoviruses (HPeV) are mainly isolated from upper respiratory tract infection and gastroenteritis in children. HPeV has not been screened for in the past studies of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in adults, and its association with CAP is unknown. We present two cases that HPeV was detected by multiplex polymerase chain reaction for respiratory viruses using bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and diagnosed as pneumonia caused by HPeV.


Perspectivas Internacionales en Salud Mental ante la pandemia por el nuevo coronavirus SARS-CoV-2


title: Microarray analysis of long non-coding RNA expression profiles uncovers a Toxoplasma-induced negative regulation of host immune signaling

text: BACKGROUND: Toxoplasma gondii is an obligate intracellular protozoan parasite that can infect mammalian cells and thereby regulate host gene expression. The long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been demonstrated to be an important class of RNA molecules that regulate many biological processes, including host-pathogen interactions. However, the role of host lncRNAs in the response to T. gondii infection remains largely unknown. METHODS: We applied a microarray approach to determine the differential expression profiles of both lncRNAs and mRNAs in the human foreskin fibroblast (HFF) cells after T. gondii infection. The Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analyses were performed to reveal the potential functions of T. gondii-induced genes. Based on the co-expression networks of lncRNAs and immune-related genes, the role of NONSHAT022487 on the regulation of UNC93B1 related immune signaling was investigated by the knockdown and over-expression of lncRNA in human macrophage derived from the PMA-induced promonocytic cell line THP-1. RESULTS: Our data showed that 996 lncRNAs and 109 mRNAs in HFF cells were significantly and differentially expressed following T. gondii infection (fold change ≥ 5, P < 0.05). The results from the GO and KEGG pathway analyses indicated that the mRNAs with differential expression were mainly involved in the host immune response. Remarkably, we identified a novel lncRNA, NONSHAT022487, which suppresses the expression of the immune-related molecule UNC93B1. After T. gondii infection, NONSHAT022487 impaired the secretion of the cytokines IL-12, TNF-α, IL-1β and IFN-γ by downregulating UNC93B1 expression in human macrophage cells. CONCLUSIONS: Our study identified infection-induced lncRNA expression as a novel mechanism by which the Toxoplasma parasite regulates host immune signaling, which advances our understanding of the interaction of T. gondii parasites and host cells. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (10.1186/s13071-018-2697-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.


title: The Ocular Manifestations and Transmission of COVID-19; Recommendations for Prevention

text: Abstract Background Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19), caused by a novel coronavirus termed severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), has been linked to ocular signs and symptoms in several case reports. Research has demonstrated that SARS-CoV-2 is spread primarily through close contact via respiratory droplets, but there is the possibility for ocular transmission with the conjunctiva as a conduit as well as a source of infection. Discussion Ocular manifestations of SARS-CoV-2 include follicular conjunctivitis and have been repeatedly noted as an initial or subsequent symptom of COVID-19 positive patients. Particularly in patients with ocular manifestations, there is evidence that the virus may present in tears based on the detection of SARS-CoV-2 in conjunctival swab samples via reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The virus may therefore be transmittable from the ocular surface to a new host via contact with the ocular mucosa, tears, or subsequent fomites. Conclusions All healthcare professionals should ask patients about ocular symptoms consistent with SARS-CoV-2, use eye protection such as goggles or face shields as part of the standard personal protective equipment (PPE) for high-risk patients in addition to wearing of masks both by the patient and provider, and should consider tears to be potentially infectious.


title: Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices towards Infectious Diseases Related to Travel of Community Pharmacists in Italy

text: Pharmacists should be educated about travel medicine, since they could influence their own choices and those of the individuals they encounter. This study aims to investigate the knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors towards infectious diseases related to travel among community pharmacists in Italy. The data was collected from September 2018 to September 2019 using semi-structured telephone interviews. Only 1.8% answered correctly to all seven questions regarding the infectious diseases related to travel. Community pharmacists who had heard about travel medicine and those who had received information were more likely to have good knowledge. More than two-thirds of the respondents believed that it is important to provide information to the public about travel medicine. Pharmacists who worked a higher number of hours per week, were more knowledgeable about the more frequent infectious diseases related to travel, believed that travel medicine was a pharmacist competency, believed that they could give advice to the public, and had received information from scientific journals and educational activities were more likely to have this positive attitude. More than two-thirds often/always informed the public about the importance of having travel health center counseling. Pharmacists who had heard about travel medicine and those who believed that they could give advice to the public were more likely to inform. Interventions are needed to improve knowledge in order that community pharmacists can play an active role in counseling the public.


title: IFN-λ receptor 1 expression is induced in chronic hepatitis C and correlates with the IFN-λ3 genotype and with nonresponsiveness to IFN-α therapies

text: The molecular mechanisms that link IFN-λ3 genotypes to differential induction of interferon (IFN)-stimulated genes (ISGs) in the liver of patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC) are not known. We measured the expression of IFN-λ and of the specific IFN-λ receptor chain (IFN-λR1) in 122 liver biopsies of patients with CHC and 53 control samples. The IFN-λ3 genotype was not associated with differential expression of IFN-λ, but rather IFN-λR1. In a series of 30 primary human hepatocyte (PHH) samples, IFN-λR1 expression was low but could be induced with IFN-α. IFN-α–induced IFN-λR1 expression was significantly stronger in PHHs carrying the minor IFN-λ3 allele. The analysis of liver biopsies of patients with CHC revealed a strong association of high IFN-λR1 expression with elevated ISG expression, with IFN-λ3 minor alleles, and with nonresponse to pegylated IFN-α and ribavirin. The findings provide a missing link between the IFN-λ3 genotype and the associated phenotype of treatment nonresponse.


title: Scientific Publications During the COVID-19 Pandemic

text: • COVID-19 pandemics has shocked our world in a few months, not only by attacking individual health, but also public health and economic systems, the way people relate to each other, but has also changed scientific and editorial practices.


title: Detection of human coronavirus 229E in nasal washings using RNA:RNA hybridization

text: A method is described for the detection of human coronavirus 229E (HCV 229E) in nasal washings using RNA:RNA filter hybridization. Volunteers were inoculated with HCV 229E, and daily nasal washings were collected. These washings were then examined for the presence of viral RNA using a single‐stranded RNA probe. Nucleic acid hybridization is shown to be a sensitive technique for the diagnosis of HCV 229E infections.


title: Host genetic background influences diverse neurological responses to viral infection in mice

text: Infection by Theiler’s murine encephalomyelitis virus (TMEV) is a model for neurological outcomes caused by virus infection because it leads to diverse neurological conditions in mice, depending on the strain infected. To extend knowledge on the heterogeneous neurological outcomes caused by TMEV and identify new models of human neurological diseases associated with antecedent infections, we analyzed the phenotypic consequences of TMEV infection in the Collaborative Cross (CC) mouse population. We evaluated 5 different CC strains for outcomes of long-term infection (3 months) and acute vs. early chronic infection (7 vs. 28 days post-infection), using neurological and behavioral phenotyping tests and histology. We correlated phenotypic observations with haplotypes of genomic regions previously linked to TMEV susceptibility to test the hypothesis that genomic diversity within CC mice results in variable disease phenotypes in response to TMEV. None of the 5 strains analyzed had a response identical to that of any other CC strain or inbred strain for which prior data are available, indicating that strains of the CC can produce novel models of neurological disease. Thus, CC strains can be a powerful resource for studying how viral infection can cause different neurological outcomes depending on host genetic background.


title: Survival of Enveloped and Non-Enveloped Viruses on Inanimate Surfaces

text: In the present study, we evaluated the viability of non-enveloped viruses, minute virus of mice (MVM) and coxsackievirus B4 (CVB4), and enveloped-viruses, influenza A virus (H1N1) and herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1), on surfaces. We also investigated the impact of the initial concentration of proteins and sodium chloride on the persistence of infectious CVB4 on surfaces. Viral suspensions (>10(4.5) TCID(50)) were applied to petri dish lids and dried under the air flow of a biosafety cabinet. The recovered viral preparations were titered on appropriate cell lines. Enveloped viruses persisted for less than 5 days while CVB4 and MVM persisted for weeks. However, repetitive cycles of drying and resuspension had a stronger virucidal effect on CVB4 than on H1N1 and HSV-1. These repetitive cycles had no effect on the infectious titer of MVM. When exposed to drying, the initial concentrations of bovine serum albumin (from 0 to 90 mg mL(−1)), fetal calf serum (from 0 to 100%), and sodium chloride (from 0 to 300 mg mL(−1)) affected the viability of CVB4. CVB4 was more likely to be inactivated by drying in a protein-rich medium, whereas the impact of drying was reduced in the presence of sodium chloride. The results of the present study demonstrated that the resistance of viruses to drying, as suggested by iterative drying, was not due to the heterogeneity of viral subpopulations, but was influenced by media compositions and component concentrations, as illustrated in the model of CVB4.


title: How Right-Leaning Media Coverage of COVID-19 Facilitated the Spread of Misinformation in the Early Stages of the Pandemic in the U.S.

text: We have yet to know the ultimate global impact of the novel coronavirus pandemic. However, we do know that delays, denials and misinformation about COVID-19 have exacerbated its spread and slowed pandemic response, particularly in the U.S. (e.g., Abutaleb et al., 2020).


title: Impact of decreasing cerebrospinal fluid enterovirus PCR turnaround time on costs and management of children with suspected enterovirus meningitis

text: To estimate the impact of implementing in-hospital enterovirus (EV) polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) with same-day turn-around-time (TAT) on length-of-stay (LOS), antibiotic use and on cost per patient with suspected EV meningitis, compared with testing at an outside reference laboratory. A model-based analysis using a retrospective cohort of all hospitalized children with CSF EV PCR testing done between November 2013 and 2017. The primary outcome measured was the potential date of discharge if the EV PCR result had been available on the same day. Patients with positive EV PCR were considered for potential earlier discharge once clinically stable with no reason for hospitalization other than intravenous antibiotics. Descriptive statistics and cost-sensitivity analyses were performed. CSF EV PCR testing was done on 153 patients, of which 44 (29%) had a positive result. Median test TAT was 5.3 days (IQR 3.9–7.6). Median hospital LOS was 5 days (IQR 3–12). Most (86%) patients received intravenous antibiotics with mean duration of 5.72 ± 6.51 days. No patients with positive EV PCR had a serious bacterial infection. We found that same-day test TAT would reduce LOS and duration of intravenous antibiotics by 0.50 days (95%CI 0.33–0.68) and 0.67 days (95%CI 0.42–0.91), respectively. Same-day test TAT was associated with a cost reduction of 342.83CAD (95%CI 178.14–517.00) per patient with suspected EV meningitis. Compared with sending specimens to a reference laboratory, performing CSF EV PCR in-hospital with same-day TAT was associated with decreased LOS, antibiotic therapy, and cost per patient.


title: Origin, Evolution, and Genotyping of Emergent Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Virus Strains in the United States

text: Coronaviruses are known to infect humans and other animals and cause respiratory and gastrointestinal diseases. Here we report the emergence of porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) in the United States and determination of its origin, evolution, and genotypes based on temporal and geographical evidence. Histological lesions in small intestine sections of affected pigs and the complete genomic sequences of three emergent strains of PEDV isolated from outbreaks in Minnesota and Iowa were characterized. Genetic and phylogenetic analyses of the three U.S. strains revealed a close relationship with Chinese PEDV strains and their likely Chinese origin. The U.S. PEDV strains underwent evolutionary divergence, which can be classified into two sublineages. The three emergent U.S. strains are most closely related to a strain isolated in 2012 from Anhui Province in China, which might be the result of multiple recombination events between different genetic lineages or sublineages of PEDV. Molecular clock analysis of the divergent time based on the complete genomic sequences is consistent with the actual time difference, approximately 2 to 3 years, of the PED outbreaks between China (December 2010) and the United States (May 2013). The finding that the emergent U.S. PEDV strains share unique genetic features at the 5′-untranslated region with a bat coronavirus provided further support of the evolutionary origin of PEDV from bats and potential cross-species transmission. The data from this study have important implications for understanding the ongoing PEDV outbreaks in the United States and will guide future efforts to develop effective preventive and control measures against PEDV.


title: SARS Proteomics Reveals Viral Secrets

text: Worldwide cooperative efforts to understand the biology of the SARS coronavirus have already born significant fruit. In a further advance, the X-ray structure of a domain of nonstructural protein 3 is reported by Saikatendu et al. (2005) in this issue of Structure.


title: Use of chiral-pool approach into epi-thieno analogues of the scarce bioactive phenanthroquinolizidine alkaloids

text: The stereoselective synthesis of epi-thieno analogues of the phenanthroquinolizidine bioactive alkaloids (−)-Cryptopleurine and (−)-(15R)-Hydroxycryptopleurine was achieved in five steps starting from easily available enantiopure (S)-2-aminoadipic acid used as chiral pool and nitrogen atom source. During these investigations, both π-cationic cyclization of chiral N-thienylmethyl-6-oxopipecolinic acids into pure (S)-keto-lactams and theirs regioselective and diastereoselective reduction, considered as key steps of this sequence, were studied. Of particular interest, the Friedel–Crafts cyclization using (CF(3)CO)(2)O/BF(3)·Et(2)O show that near the expected keto-lactams, enamides and enamidones containing trifluoromethyl residue were isolated. A mechanism leading to the latter products with high synthetic potential was discussed.


title: Probiotics in respiratory virus infections

text: Viral respiratory infections are the most common diseases in humans. A large range of etiologic agents challenge the development of efficient therapies. Research suggests that probiotics are able to decrease the risk or duration of respiratory infection symptoms. However, the antiviral mechanisms of probiotics are unclear. The purpose of this paper is to review the current knowledge on the effects of probiotics on respiratory virus infections and to provide insights on the possible antiviral mechanisms of probiotics. A PubMed and Scopus database search was performed up to January 2014 using appropriate search terms on probiotic and respiratory virus infections in cell models, in animal models, and in humans, and reviewed for their relevance. Altogether, thirty-three clinical trials were reviewed. The studies varied highly in study design, outcome measures, probiotics, dose, and matrices used. Twenty-eight trials reported that probiotics had beneficial effects in the outcome of respiratory tract infections (RTIs) and five showed no clear benefit. Only eight studies reported investigating viral etiology from the respiratory tract, and one of these reported a significant decrease in viral load. Based on experimental studies, probiotics may exert antiviral effects directly in probiotic–virus interaction or via stimulation of the immune system. Although probiotics seem to be beneficial in respiratory illnesses, the role of probiotics on specific viruses has not been investigated sufficiently. Due to the lack of confirmatory studies and varied data available, more randomized, double-blind, and placebo-controlled trials in different age populations investigating probiotic dose response, comparing probiotic strains/genera, and elucidating the antiviral effect mechanisms are necessary.


Airway management equipment and practice: time to optimise institutional, team and personal preparedness


title: IMAGING DIAGNOSIS—MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING FINDINGS IN A CAT WITH SYSTEMIC REACTIVE ANGIOENDOTHELIOMATOSIS

text: A 10‐year‐old, castrated male domestic short‐haired cat was presented with an acute history of seizures, lethargy, anorexia, vomiting, and dyspnea. Magnetic resonance imaging of the brain showed multifocal areas of gray matter T2‐weighted hyperintensity. The lesions did not enhance with intravenous contrast. The cat was diagnosed at necropsy with feline systemic reactive angioendotheliomatosis, a rare vascular proliferative disorder for which a treatment has not yet been identified. This report is the first to describe associated magnetic resonance imaging changes for this disease.


Réponse à « Stratégie pour la pratique de la chirurgie digestive oncologique en situation d’épidémie de COVID-19 »


title: Characterisation of a recent virulent transmissible gastroenteritis virus from Britain with a deleted ORF 3a

text: Analyses of transmissible gastroenteritis virus (TGEV) and porcine respiratory coronavirus (PRCV) isolates have suggested that tropism and pathogenicity are influenced by the spike protein and ORF 3. In general, enteric viruses (TGEV) have been shown to contain intact spike and ORF 3 genes, whilst respiratory isolates (PRCV) have major deletions within both regions. Virulence has been correlated to a functional ORF 3. Here, sequence analysis of a recent isolate of virulent TGEV, revealed a variant with an intact spike gene, but a large deletion in ORF 3a. This suggests that ORF 3a is not essential for enteric virulence.


title: An intelligent Chatbot using deep learning with Bidirectional RNN and attention model

text: This paper shows the modeling and performance in deep learning computation for an Assistant Conversational Agent (Chatbot). The utilization of Tensorflow software library, particularly Neural Machine Translation (NMT) model. Acquiring knowledge for modeling is one of the most important task and quite difficult to preprocess it. The Bidirectional Recurrent Neural Networks (BRNN) containing attention layers is used, so that input sentence with large number of tokens (or sentences with more than 20–40 words) can be replied with more appropriate conversation. The dataset used in the paper for training of model is used from Reddit. The model is developed to perform English to English translation. The main purpose of this work is to increase the perplexity and learning rate of the model and find Bleu Score for translation in same language. The experiments are conducted using Tensorflow using python 3.6. The perplexity, leaning rate, Bleu score and Average time per 1000 steps are 56.10, 0.0001, 30.16 and 4.5 respectively. One epoch is completed at 23,000 steps. The paper also study MacBook Air as a system for neural network and deep learning.


title: Development of infectious cDNA clones of Salmonid alphavirus subtype 3

text: BACKGROUND: Salmonid alphavirus (SAV) is a widespread pathogen in European aquaculture of salmonid fish. Distinct viral subtypes have been suggested based on sequence comparisons and some of these have different geographical distributions. In Norway, only SAV subtype 3 have so far been identified. Little is known about viral mechanisms important for pathogenesis and transmission. Tools for detailed exploration of SAV genomes are therefore needed. RESULTS: Infectious cDNA clones in which a genome of subtype 3 SAV is under the control of a CMV promoter were constructed. The clones were designed to express proteins that are putatively identical to those previously reported for the SAVH20/03 strain. A polyclonal antiserum was raised against a part of the E2 glycoprotein in order to detect expression of the subgenomic open reading frame (ORF) encoding structural viral proteins. Transfection of the cDNA clone revealed the expression of the E2 protein by IFAT, and in serial passages of the supernatant the presence of infectious recombinant virus was confirmed through RT-PCR, IFAT and the development of a cytopathic effect similar to that seen during infection with wild type SAV. Confirmation that the recovered virus originated from the infectious plasmid was done by sequence identification of an introduced genetic tag. The recombinant virus was infectious also when an additional ORF encoding an EGFP reporter gene under the control of a second subgenomic alphavirus promoter was added. Finally, we used the system to study the effect of selected point mutations on infectivity in Chinook salmon embryo cells. While introduced mutations in nsP2(197), nsP3(263 )and nsP3(323 )severely reduced infectivity, a serine to proline mutation in E2(206 )appeared to enhance the virus titer production. CONCLUSION: We have constructed infectious clones for SAV based on a subtype 3 genome. The clones may serve as a platform for further functional studies.


title: The 17th International Congress on Infectious Diseases workshop on developing infection prevention and control resources for low- and middle-income countries

text: Summary Hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) are a major concern to healthcare systems around the world. They are associated with significant morbidity and mortality, in addition to increased hospitalization costs. Recent outbreaks, including those caused by the Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus and Ebola virus, have highlighted the importance of infection control. Moreover, HAIs, especially those caused by multidrug-resistant Gram-negative rods, have become a top global priority. Although adequate approaches and guidelines have been in existence for many years and have often proven effective in some countries, the implementation of such approaches in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) is often restricted due to limited resources and underdeveloped infrastructure. While evidence-based infection prevention and control (IPC) principles and practices are universal, studies are needed to evaluate simplified approaches that can be better adapted to LMIC needs, in order to guide IPC in practice. A group of experts from around the world attended a workshop held at the 17th International Congress on Infectious Diseases in Hyderabad, India in March 2016, to discuss the existing IPC practices in LMICs, and how best these can be improved within the local context.


title: Murine norovirus inhibits B cell development in the bone marrow of STAT1-deficient mice

text: Abstract Noroviruses are a leading cause of gastroenteritis in humans and it was recently revealed that noroviruses can infect B cells. We demonstrate that murine norovirus (MNV) infection can significantly impair B cell development in the bone marrow in a signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 (STAT1) dependent, but interferon signaling independent manner. We also show that MNV replication is more pronounced in the absence of STAT1 in ex vivo cultured B cells. Interestingly, using bone marrow transplantation studies, we found that impaired B cell development requires Stat1 -/- hematopoietic cells and Stat1 -/- stromal cells, and that the presence of wild-type hematopoietic or stromal cells was sufficient to restore normal development of Stat1 -/- B cells. These results suggest that B cells normally restrain norovirus replication in a cell autonomous manner, and that wild-type STAT1 is required to protect B cell development during infection.


title: Coping With COVID-19: Learning From Past Pandemics to Avoid Pitfalls and Panic

text: It is imperative to concur on the main transmission routes of COVID-19 to explain risk and determine the most effective means to reduce illness and mortality. We must avoid generating irrational fear and maintain a broader perspective in the pandemic response, including assessing the possibility for substantial unintended consequences.


title: What we have learnt from the SARS epdemics in mainland China?

text: Abstract This article provides an overview of the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) epidemics in mainland China and of what we have learned since the outbreak. The epidemics spanned a large geographical extent but clustered in two regions: first in Guangdong Province, and about 3 months later in Beijing and its surrounding areas. The resulting case fatality ratio of 6.4% was less than half of that in other SARS-affected countries and regions, partly due to younger-aged patients and a higher proportion of community-acquired infections. Strong political commitment and a centrally coordinated response were most important for controlling SARS. The long-term economic consequence of the epidemic was limited. Many recovered patients suffered from avascular osteonecrosis, as a consequence of corticosteroid usage during their infection. The SARS epidemic provided valuable experience and lessons relevant in controlling outbreaks of emerging infectious diseases, and has led to fundamental reforms of the Chinese health system. Additionally, the epidemic has substantially improved infrastructures, surveillance systems, and capacity to response to health emergencies. In particular, a comprehensive nationwide internet-based disease reporting system was established.


Treatment Strategies for Cancer Patients in Post-Peak of the Novel Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Period in China


title: Siaα2-3Galβ1- Receptor Genetic Variants Are Associated with Influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 Severity

text: Different host genetic variants may be related to the virulence and transmissibility of pandemic Influenza A(H1N1)pdm09, influencing events such as binding of the virus to the entry receptor on the cell of infected individuals and the host immune response. In the present study, two genetic variants of the ST3GAL1 gene, which encodes the Siaα2-3Galβ1- receptor to which influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 virus binds for entry into the host cell, were investigated in an admixed Brazilian population. First, the six exons encoding the ST3GAL1 gene were sequenced in 68 patients infected with strain A(H1N1)pdm09. In a second phase of the study, the rs113350588 and rs1048479 polymorphisms identified in this sample were genotyped in a sample of 356 subjects from the northern and northeastern regions of Brazil with a diagnosis of pandemic influenza. Functional analysis of the polymorphisms was performed in silico and the influence of these variants on the severity of infection was evaluated. The results suggest that rs113350588 and rs1048479 may alter the function of ST3GAL1 either directly through splicing regulation alteration and/or indirectly through LD with SNP with regulatory function. In the study the rs113350588 and rs1048479 polymorphisms were in linkage disequilibrium in the population studied (D’ = 0.65). The GC haplotype was associated with an increased risk of death in subjects with influenza (OR = 4.632, 95% CI = 2.10;1.21). The AT haplotype was associated with an increased risk of severe disease and death (OR = 1.993, 95% CI = 1.09;3.61 and OR 4.476, 95% CI = 2.37;8.44, respectively). This study demonstrated for the first time the association of ST3GAL1 gene haplotypes on the risk of more severe disease and death in patients infected with Influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 virus.


title: Salmonella enterica I 4,[5],12:i:- Associated with Lesions Typical of Swine Enteric Salmonellosis

text: Salmonella enterica serotype I 4,[5],12:i:- has been increasingly isolated from swine. However, its pathogenic potential is not well characterized. Analysis of swine cases confirmed a strong positive association between isolation of I 4,[5],12:i:- and lesions of enteric salmonellosis and suggested a similar pathogenic potential as that for Salmonella Typhimurium.


Risk of COVID-19 Disease in the Elderly Population and Physiotherapy


title: Explicaciones a la guía para las intervenciones de acupuntura y moxibustión en COVID-19 (segunda edición) elaborada por la CAAM*

text: Resumen En la actualidad, la situación de la lucha mundial contra COVID-19 es grave. Este trabajo confirma plenamente el éxito del “modelo de China” contra el COVID-19 realizado en la misión conjunta de China con la OMS (Organización Mundial de la Salud). Es evidente que el “modelo de China” presenta un poder particular que es el uso de la acupuntura y la moxibustión de la medicina tradicional china. Esta guía para las intervenciones de acupuntura y moxibustión en COVID-19, elaborada por la Asociación China de Acupuntura-Moxibustión, se realiza para poder aplicar de la mejor forma posible las “medidas no farmacéuticas” recomendadas frente a COVID-19, entre las que se encuentran algunas técnicas externas de la medicina tradicional china, destacando al final la importancia de la selección del dispositivo de moxibustión y la duración de su aplicación. Abstract At present, the situation of global fight against COVID-19 is serious. WHO (World Health Organization)-China Joint Mission fully confirms the success of “China's model” against COVID-19 in the report. In fact, one particular power in “China's model” is acupuncture and moxibustion of traditional Chinese medicine. To better apply “non-pharmaceutic measures” —the external technique of tradicional Chinese medicine, in the article, the main content of Guidance for acupuncture and moxibustion interventions on COVID-19 (Second edition) issued by China Association of Acupuncture-Moxibution is introduced and the discussion is stressed on the selection of moxibustion device and the duration of its exertion.


title: Interactions between antihyperglycemic drugs and the renin-angiotensin system: Putative roles in COVID-19. A mini-review

text: Abstract Background and aims: Diabetes mellitus is associated with a more severe course of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) utilizes angiotensin-converting enzyme II (ACE2) receptor for host cell entry. We aimed to assess the interactions between antihyperglycemic drugs and the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) and their putative roles in COVID-19. Methods A literature search was performed using Pubmed to review the interrelationships between hyperglycemia, RAS and COVID-19, and the effects of antihyperglycemic medications. Results The RAS has an essential role in glucose homeostasis and may have a role in COVID-19-induced lung injury. Some antihyperglycemic medications modulate RAS and might hypothetically alleviate the deleterious effect of angiotensin II on lung injury. Furthermore, most antihyperglycemic medications showed anti-inflammatory effects in animal models of lung injury. Conclusions Some antihyperglycemic medications might have protective effects against COVID-19-induced lung injury. Early insulin therapy seems very promising in alleviating lung injury.


title: Community Transmission of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2, Shenzhen, China, 2020

text: Since early January 2020, after the outbreak of coronavirus infection in Wuhan, China, ≈365 confirmed cases have been reported in Shenzhen, China. The mode of community and intrafamily transmission is threatening residents in Shenzhen. Strategies to strengthen prevention and interruption of these transmissions should be urgently addressed.


Viral vigilance. New surveillance strategies and methods help to identify dangerous pathogens earlier: a prerequisite for efficient countermeasures


title: The state of one health research across disciplines and sectors – a bibliometric analysis

text: There is a growing interest in One Health, reflected by the rising number of publications relating to One Health literature, but also through zoonotic disease outbreaks becoming more frequent, such as Ebola, Zika virus and COVID-19. This paper uses bibliometric analysis to explore the state of One Health in academic literature, to visualise the characteristics and trends within the field through a network analysis of citation patterns and bibliographic links. The analysis focuses on publication trends, co-citation network of scientific journals, co-citation network of authors, and co-occurrence of keywords. The bibliometric analysis showed an increasing interest for One Health in academic research. However, it revealed some thematic and disciplinary shortcomings, in particular with respect to the inclusion of environmental themes and social science insights pertaining to the implementation of One Health policies. The analysis indicated that there is a need for more applicable approaches to strengthen intersectoral collaboration and knowledge sharing. Silos between the disciplines of human medicine, veterinary medicine and environment still persist. Engaging researchers with different expertise and disciplinary backgrounds will facilitate a more comprehensive perspective where the human-animal-environment interface is not researched as separate entities but as a coherent whole. Further, journals dedicated to One Health or interdisciplinary research provide scholars the possibility to publish multifaceted research. These journals are uniquely positioned to bridge between fields, strengthen interdisciplinary research and create room for social science approaches alongside of medical and natural sciences.


Strengthening health systems for universal health coverage and sustainable development


title: Critical combination of initial markers for predicting refractory Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia in children: a case control study

text: BACKGROUND: It is unclear whether the responses of refractory and common Mycoplasma pneumoniae (MP) pneumonia to macrolides differ. Hence, this study aimed to identify biomarkers that may be used to distinguish refractory and common pneumonias caused by MP in children at hospital admission. METHODS: The study included 123 children divided into five groups according to infection agent and treatment protocol: Group I included those with MP infection without documented viral infection, treated with only macrolides; Group II included those with MP infection without documented viral infection, treated with a combination of macrolides and methylprednisolone; Group III included those with MP infection and documented viral infection, treated with only macrolides; Group IV included those with viral pneumonia without documented MP infection; Group V was the control group composed of admitted children without MP or a documented viral infection. These five groups were further subdivided into Groups A (including Groups I, III, IV, and V) and B (Group II) according to the responses to macrolide treatment. Concentrations of cytokines interleukin 6, interleukin 17, interleukin 18, and tumor necrosis factor-α, and lactate dehydrogenase, and ferritin of all children were evaluated, and these levels were compared among the groups. Statistical comparisons were made using Kruskal Wallis test and Mann-Whitney U test. RESULTS: Serum lactate dehydrogenase, interleukin 18, and ferritin concentrations were significantly higher in Group II than in Groups I, III, IV, and V and were significantly higher in Group B than in Group A. When the serum lactate dehydrogenase concentration was 350 IU/L or higher, the sensitivity and specificity for diagnosing refractory MP pneumonia were 73 and 80%, respectively. When the interleukin 18 level was 360 pg/mL or higher, the sensitivity and specificity for diagnosing refractory MP pneumonia were 93 and 70%, respectively. When the ferritin level was 230 pg/mL or higher, the sensitivity and specificity for diagnosing refractory MP pneumonia were 67 and 67%, respectively. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that serum lactate dehydrogenase, interleukin 18, and ferritin constitute the critical combination of biomarkers useful for predicting refractory MP pneumonia in children at hospital admission.


title: Clinical Questions and Answers on Gastrointestinal Endoscopy during the Novel COVID‐19 Pandemic

text: Some situations may require endoscopy during the COVID‐19 (Coronavirus Disease 2019) pandemic. Here, we describe the necessary precautions in the form of clinical questions and answers (Q&A) regarding the safe deployment of gastrointestinal endoscopy in such situations while protecting endoscopy staff and patients from infection. Non‐urgent endoscopy should be postponed. The risk of infection in patients should be evaluated in advance by questionnaire and body temperature. The health of staff must be checked every day. Decisions to employ endoscopy should be based on the institutional conditions and aims of endoscopy. All endoscopic staffs need to wear appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE). The endoscope and other devices should be cleaned and disinfected after procedures in accordance with relevant guidelines. Optimal management of the endoscopy unit is required. Endoscopy for infected patients or those with suspected infection demands exceptional caution. When a patient who undergoes endoscopy is later found to have COVID‐19, the members of staff involved are considered exposed to the virus and must not work for at least 14 days if their PPE is considered insufficient. When PPE resources are limited, some equipment may be used continuously throughout a shift as long as it is not contaminated. Details of the aforementioned protective measures are described.


title: Global COVID-19: Warnings and suggestions based on experience of China

text: BACKGROUND: Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is spreading around the world currently, seriously threatening people’s health and global security as an international public health emergency. The objective of this study is to summarize China’s countermeasures and experience in response to the COVID-19 emergence in order to serve as a warning for the global COVID-19 prevention and control, and further provide some suggestions for global fighting to COVID-19. METHODS: Content analysis, expert consultation, and high frequency word analysis were applied in this study. Relevant data and information were collected from official websites, the experience accumulated in China during the fighting to the novel coronavirus, and suggestions from some experts. RESULTS: As of March 29, 2020, China had accumulated 82 419 confirmed diagnoses, and the mortality rate was 4.01%; in the mean time, the global had accumulated 596 042 confirmed diagnoses, and the mortality rate was 4.76%. Although the mortality of COVID-19 was not so high, its harmfulness couldn’t be ignored. Ten facts during COVID-19 epidemic in China were summarized in the study, including: the COVID-19 is highly contagious and can be spread through many channels; although elderly people and people with underlying diseases are susceptible, young people can also be victims; isolation is the most effective way to reduce the risk of COVID-19, and secondary disasters induced by COVID-19 should be emphasized in advance. High frequent words of experts’ suggestions mainly includes: material, prevention and control, pathogeny, propaganda, education, hygiene, technology, medical care, overall planning, policy, panic, etc. The main concerns of experts are from four aspects: publicity and education, various subjects, medical materials and law construction. CONCLUSIONS: COVID-19 is a new infectious disease worldwide, and its infectious source, transmission route, susceptible population, and therapy are not clear. In the face of the COVID-19 epidemic, no country can stand alone to maintain its own safety. People from all over the world should put aside their difference in ideology, religious belief, politics, economy, and culture, and only by global cooperation and globally unified actions, can we successfully overcome COVID-19 in the end.


title: Review of Emerging Pharmacotherapy for the Treatment of Coronavirus Disease 2019

text: The outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) has evolved into an emergent global pandemic. Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) can manifest on a spectrum of illness from mild disease to severe respiratory failure requiring intensive care unit admission. As the incidence continues to rise at a rapid pace, critical care teams are faced with challenging treatment decisions. There is currently no widely accepted standard of care in the pharmacologic management of patients with COVID‐19. Urgent identification of potential treatment strategies is a priority. Therapies include novel agents available in clinical trials or through compassionate use, and other drugs, repurposed antiviral and immunomodulating therapies. Many have demonstrated in vitro or in vivo potential against other viruses that are similar to SARS‐CoV‐2. Critically ill patients with COVID‐19 have additional considerations related to adjustments for organ impairment and renal replacement therapies, complex lists of concurrent medications, limitations with drug administration and compatibility, and unique toxicities that should be evaluated when utilizing these therapies. The purpose of this review is to summarize practical considerations for pharmacotherapy in patients with COVID‐19, with the intent of serving as a resource for health care providers at the forefront of clinical care during this pandemic.


title: First report of isolation of Aeromonas taiwanensis from India

text: Genus Aeromonas consists of facultative anaerobic, Gram negative Bacilli which are primary environmental inhabitants worldwide. A recently reported strain of the genus, Aeromonas taiwanensis, was found while studying the presence of infectious marine microbes in a lacustrine wetland in India, making this the first isolation report from the country.


title: Viral Replication in the Nasopharynx Is Associated with Diarrhea in Patients with Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome

text: The role of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) coronavirus as an enteric pathogen was investigated in a cohort of 142 patients with SARS who were treated with a standard treatment protocol. Data from daily hematological, biochemical, radiological, and microbiological investigations were prospectively collected, and the correlation of these findings with diarrhea was retrospectively analyzed. Sixty-nine patients (48.6%) developed diarrhea at a mean (± standard deviation [SD]) of 7.6 ± 2.6 days after the onset of symptoms. The diarrhea was most severe at a mean (±SD) of 8.8 ± 2.4 days after onset, with a maximum frequency of 24 episodes per day (median, 5 episodes; range, 3–24 episodes). A higher mean virus load in nasopharyngeal specimens obtained on day 10 after the onset of symptoms was significantly associated with the occurrence of diarrhea (3.1 log(10) vs. 1.8 log(10) copies/mL; P = .01) and mortality (6.2 vs. 1.7 log(10) copies/mL; P < .01). However, diarrhea was not associated with mortality. The lung and the gastrointestinal tract may react differently to SARS coronavirus infection. Additional investigation of the role of SARS coronavirus in the pathogenesis of diarrhea in patients with SARS should be conducted.


title: Impact of home confinement during the COVID‐19 pandemic on medication use and disease activity in spondyloarthritis patients

text: Home confinement, imposed as part of the social distancing measures in the fight against the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19), poses several problems for patients with spondyloarthritis (SpA), including the lack of physical activity, psychological factors, and the confusion related to the prescriptions of NSAIDs. We investigated the impact of confinement on the medication intake and disease activity in SpA patients in a questionnaire‐based survey.


title: A case report of SARS-CoV-2 confirmed in saliva specimens up to 37 days after onset: Proposal of saliva specimens for COVID-19 diagnosis and virus monitoring

text: Abstract We present the case of a 71-year-old man who, despite becoming asymptomatic after having some mild symptoms of COVID-19, had SARS-CoV-2 RNA detected for 37 days after onset, from his concentrated and purified saliva specimens using sugar chain-immobilized gold nanoparticles. It was suggested that the early morning saliva specimens were more likely to show positive results than those obtained later in the day.


title: When domestic cat (Felis silvestris catus) population structures interact with their viruses

text: Abstract Many theoretical studies have proposed different causal mechanisms by which the structure of a host population could have important implications for life history traits of pathogens. However, little information is available from real systems to test these hypotheses. The domestic cat, Felis silvestris catus, whose populations exhibit a great variability in social and spatial structure, represent an ideal case study to assess this question. In the present article, we show how cat population structure may have influenced the evolution of feline viruses and, in return, how these viruses may have modified the genetic structure of cat populations. To cite this article: D. Pontier et al., C. R. Biologies 332 (2009).


Abstract 36. In vivo and in vitro models of demyelinating disease: factors influencing the disease process caused by coronavirus infection of the rat


We Asked the Experts: Covid-19 Outbreak: Is There Still a Place for Scheduled Surgery? “Reflection from Pathophysiological Data”


title: The molecular tweezer CLR01 inhibits Ebola and Zika virus infection

text: Abstract Ebola (EBOV) and Zika viruses (ZIKV) are responsible for recent global health threats. As no preventive vaccines or antiviral drugs against these two re-emerging pathogens are available, we evaluated whether the molecular tweezer CLR01 may inhibit EBOV and ZIKV infection. This small molecule has previously been shown to inactivate HIV-1 and herpes viruses through a selective interaction with lipid-raft-rich regions in the viral envelope, which results in membrane disruption and loss of infectivity. We found that CLR01 indeed blocked infection of EBOV and ZIKV in a dose-dependent manner. The tweezer inhibited infection of epidemic ZIKV strains in cells derived from the anogenital tract and the central nervous system, and remained antivirally active in the presence of semen, saliva, urine and cerebrospinal fluid. Our findings show that CLR01 is a broad-spectrum inhibitor of enveloped viruses with prospects as a preventative microbicide or antiviral agent.


title: Catalytic inactivation of SARS coronavirus, Escherichia coli and yeast on solid surface

text: Catalytic oxidation is a potential way to disinfect air through a air-condition system. We find that the SARS coronavirus, bacteria and yeast are completely inactivated in 5 min on Ag catalyst surface and in 20 min on Cu catalyst surface at room temperature in air. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images show that the yeast cells are dramatically destructed on the Ag/Al(2)O(3) and Cu/Al(2)O(3) surfaces, which indicates that the inactivation is caused by catalytic oxidation rather than by toxicity of heavy metals.


title: Diagnosis of Allergy and Asthma in Childhood

text: Childhood asthma is a widespread health problem because of its epidemic prevalence, as asthma affects more than 300 million people worldwide. Results from cross-sectional and cohort studies show that asthma starts in childhood in a large proportion of cases. A proper diagnosis is easier to make in adults and school-age children, as permanent changes in lung development, the strong impact of environmental factors on the airways, the immunologic maturity process, and the use of some diagnostic tools make asthma more difficult to diagnose in preschool children. This period of a child’s life is an interesting challenge for pediatricians and specialists. The aim of the present review is to analyze the current knowledge regarding making an early and accurate asthma diagnosis and therefore deciding on the correct treatment to gain control over asthma symptoms and minimize health risks.


title: Hepatitis E Virus–Associated Meningoencephalitis in a Lung Transplant Recipient Diagnosed by Clinical Metagenomic Sequencing

text: Hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection uncommonly causes chronic hepatitis and neurologic disease. We describe a case of genotype 3a HEV meningoencephalitis diagnosed by metagenomic next-generation sequencing, illustrating the power of an unbiased molecular approach to microbial testing and the first reported case of HEV infection presumably acquired through lung transplantation.


LIBYA: Virus Lockdown


title: An Environmental and Health Perspective for COVID-19 Outbreak: Meteorology and Air Quality Influence, Sewage Epidemiology Indicator, Hospitals Disinfection, Drug Therapies and Recommendations

text: Abstract This Opinion Paper wishes to provide a summary of recent findings and solutions for a better understanding of the environmental and health problems associated with COVID-19. The list of topics covered is large: meteorology and air quality factors with correlation number of infections, sewage waters as a way to reveal the scale of COVID-19 outbreak, current hospital disinfection procedures and new eco-friendly technologies and list of drug therapies recommend waiting for the desired vaccine to come. During the last two months we did notice an increase in the scientific literature regarding COVID-19 with a partial vision of this problem. The current Opinion Paper is one of the first attempts, to my understanding, to summarize and integrate environmental and human health aspects related to the monitoring, fate and treatment solutions for COVID-19. That being said I believe that this Opinion Paper can serve as multipurpose document, not only for scientists of different disciplines but for social media and citizens in general.


title: The dengue virus non-structural protein 1 (NS1) is secreted from mosquito cells in association with the intracellular cholesterol transporter chaperone caveolin complex

text: Dengue virus (DENV) is a mosquito-borne virus of the family Flaviviridae. The RNA viral genome encodes for a polyprotein that is co-translationally processed into three structural proteins and seven non-structural proteins. The non-structural protein 1 (NS1) is a multifunctional viral protein actively secreted in vertebrate and mosquito cells during DENV infection. In mosquito cells, NS1 is secreted in a caveolin-1 (CAV-1) dependent manner by an unconventional pathway. The caveolin chaperone complex (CCC) is a cytoplasmic complex formed by caveolin-1 and the chaperones FKBP52, Cy40 and CyA which is responsible for cholesterol traffic inside the cell. In this work, we demonstrate that in infected mosquito cells, DENV NS1 is secreted by an early and unconventional route that bypasses the Golgi apparatus in close association with the CCC. Treatment of mosquito cells with classic secretion inhibitors such as brefeldin A, golgicide A and Fli-06 showed no effect on NS1 secretion, but significant reductions in recombinant luciferase secretion and virion release. Silencing the expression of CAV1, FKBP52 with siRNAs or the inhibition of CyA by cyclosporine A resulted in significant decrease in NS1 secretion without affecting virion release. Using co-localization, co-inmunoprecipitation and proximity ligation assays, NS1 was found to co-localize and interact with all the protein components of the CCC in mosquito infected cells. In addition, CAV-1 and FKBP52 expression was found augmented in DENV infected cells. Finally, the treatment of ZIKV infected mosquito cells with brefeldin A and golgicide A showed no effect on NS1 secretion, while affecting virion release. ZIKV NS1 was also found to co-localize with CAV-1 in infected mosquito cells. These results suggest that in mosquito cells, ZIKV NS1 follows the same secretory pathway observed for DENV NS1. The association of NS1 with the cholesterol transporter CCC agrees with the lipoprotein nature of secreted hexameric NS1. AUTHOR SUMMARY Dengue protein NS1 is secreted in infected mosquito and vertebrate cells. In humans, secreted NS1 have been associated with pathogenesis. In mosquito cells, NS1 follows an unconventional secretion pathway that is dependent on Caveolin-1. This work shows that in mosquito cells, NS1 secretion is associated to the chaperone caveolin complex, a complex formed by caveolin-1 and several chaperones, in charge of cholesterol transport within the cells. Reduction of the expression or the activity of chaperone caveolin complex in mosquito infected cells, diminished the secretion of NS1 without affecting virion release. Direct interaction between NS1 and the chaperone caveolin complex proteins was demonstrated by several assays. Moreover, increased expression of the caveolin-1 and co-chaperone FKBP52 during dengue infection was found, presumably in response to the higher requirements of these proteins during dengue virus infection. Results obtained with ZIKV infected mosquito cells suggest that also ZIKV NS1 is released following an unconventional secretory route in association with the chaperone caveolin complex. The functions of secreted NS1 within mosquito are unclear. However, giving the importance of the soluble NS1 in the vertebrate host, manipulation of the NS1 secretory route may prove a valuable strategy for dengue mosquito control and patient treatment.