Applications of Multi-omics Approaches for Food and Nutritional Security

Food systems are constantly changing to accommodate the advancement of societies. Increased challenges, including the World Wars, natural disasters, and the COVID-19 pandemic, have stimulated the improvement of the economics, quantity, and quality of food around the globe. Food security was introduced to alleviate and eradicate hunger and poverty with an aim to provide access to enough food and calories to everybody all the time. In society, this was translated to an increase in food rich in carbohydrates but not specifically all the nutrients and minerals required for healthy growth and development. Agriculturally, this has resulted in a rise in large-scale production of starch and filling food that can be used as staples worldwide. While hunger is not a problem in most countries, malnutrition is rampant on many levels. There are several cohorts of people suffering from metabolic disorders related to an imbalance in nutrients, including diabetes, obesity, and anemia, amongst others. The introduction of nutritional security is to ensure that everybody has access to nutrients from all food groups;this means proteins, carbohydrates, fibers, vitamins, and minerals. Rapid development in omics research has resulted in high-throughput techniques that can profile the makeup of crops, environmental samples, food, and human biofluids. Genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics all explain how the different systems behave. Multi-omics is the assembly of all the complex data recorded to explain what is happening at a macroscale. This chapter provides an overview of the most up-to-date applications of multi-omics in food and nutrition security. © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2023.

Authentication of Tinospora cordifolia derived herbal supplements using high resolution mass spectrometry-based metabolomics approach – A pilot study

Tinospora cordifolia herbal supplements have recently gained prominence due to their promising immunomodulatory and anti-viral effects against SARS-CoV-2. Mislabelling or diluting Tinospora supplements for profit may harm public health. Thus, validating the label claim of these supplements in markets is critical. This study investigated how high resolution mass spectrometry-based metabolomics and chemometrics can be used to distinguish Tinospora cordifolia from two other closely related species (T. crispa and T. sinensis). The Orthogonal Partial Least Square Discriminant Analysis (OPLS-DA) and PLS-DA based chemometric models predicted the species identity of Tinospora with 94.44% accuracy. These classification models were trained using 54 T. cordifolia, 21 T. crispa, and 21 T. sinensis samples. We identified 7 biomarkers, including corydine, malabarolide, ecdysterone, and reticuline, which discriminated Tinospora cordifolia from the two other species. The label claim of 25 commercial Tinospora samples collected from different parts of India was verified based on the relative abundance of the biomarker compounds, of which 20 were found authentic. The relative abundance of biomarkers significantly varied in the 5 suspicious market samples. This pilot study demonstrates a robust metabolomic approach for authenticating Tinospora species, which can further be used in other herbal matrices for product authentication and securing quality. © 2023 Elsevier B.V.

Duration of Seroprevalence among Individuals Previously Infected with SARS-CoV-2 and their Household Contacts

Background. Serological tests directed against SARS-CoV-2 can provide information about the timing of infection and immunity against the virus. However, the kinetics of the host immune response to SARS-CoV-2 remain poorly understood. We established a household transmission study to analyze the serological responses within households, to determine longitudinal immune responses to infection. Methods. From April 2020 to April 2022, we prospectively enrolled 76 households with at least one RT-PCR confirmed case of COVID-19. Participants were asked to provide blood samples at three time points: at baseline within 2 weeks of the index's diagnosis of COVID-19, and at one- and three-months post-enrollment. Samples were tested for the presence of IgG antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 spike protein via an FDA EUA approved ELISA. Demographics, medical history, and symptomatology were also collected. Results. To date, we have analyzed 238 serologic samples from 135 participants, including 82 baseline samples, 89 one-month samples, and 67 three-month samples. At baseline, 67.8% (n=40/59) of all confirmed cases tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies, which increased to 86.4% (n=57/66) at the one month, and 85.1% at three months (n=40/47). Of those confirmed infected participants that failed to seroconvert at baseline, almost all reported symptoms (n=14/19, 73.7%) and did not have chronic medical conditions (n=17/19, 89.5%). Of the 19, 3 failed to seroconvert by their third visit. All individuals who were fully vaccinated at the time of each visit tested positive for antibodies at baseline (n=26), one-month (n=27), and three-months (n=20). Of those who were not fully vaccinated, 56 (41.1%) were positive for antibodies at baseline, 62 (59.7%) were positive at one -month, and 47 (63.8%) at three-months. Differences in seropositivity rates between pediatric and adult participants, as well as between index cases and household contacts, at each visit were also identified (Table 1). Conclusion. Identifying differences in seroprevalence in various demographic groups can provide insight into longitudinal immune responses post-infection. Future analyses on seropositivity among previously infected individuals who received therapeutics may be of interest.

Refractive changes in children in the Chicagoland area during the COVID-19 pandemic

Introduction: The increasing prevalence of myopia is a global epidemic predicted to worsen. The COVID-19 pandemic has led to increased near work and decreased time spent outdoors, which are associated with myopic progression. In this study we aim to investigate the association between recent behavioral changes and myopic shift in a racially diverse pediatric population in Chicagoland. Method(s): All patients (ages 2-19) seen at a single tertiary children's hospital with a cycloplegic refraction in January-March in the years 2019, 2020, or 2021 were retrospectively reviewed. Patients with aphakia, pseudophakia, and connective tissue diseases (eg, Marfan syndrome, Stickler syndrome) were excluded. Result(s): 2,063 patients were included in this study. The overall mean spherical equivalent (SE) was 0.12 +/- 3.70 D in 2019, -0.07 +/- 3.95 D in 2020, and -0.49 +/- 3.85 D in 2021. The 6-9 year old age group displayed the greatest increase in myopia prevalence from 0.29 to 0.39 between 2020-2021, respectively. 109 patients returned in 2019, 2020, and 2021. Mean SE in return patients was 0.66 +/- 3.40 D in 2019, 0.51 +/- 3.58 D in 2020, and 0.22 +/- 3.72 D in 2021. Repeated measures ANOVA demonstrated significant difference in myopic shift between years (F-ratio = 14.4;P < 0.00001), and post hoc testing with Bonferroni correction demonstrated significant decrease from 2020-2021 (P = 0.00008), but not 2019-2020. Conclusion/Relevance: These results demonstrate an increase in myopic progression in a pediatric population during COVID-19. The mean myopic shift in cycloplegic SE was significantly greater in 2020-2021 compared to 2019-2020. This may be explained by the behavioral changes during the COVID-19 pandemic. Copyright © 2022

Importance of ventilation and occupancy to Mycobacterium tuberculosis transmission rates in congregate settings.

BACKGROUND: Ventilation rates are a key determinant of the transmission rate of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and other airborne infections. Targeting infection prevention and control (IPC) interventions at locations where ventilation rates are low and occupancy high could be a highly effective intervention strategy. Despite this, few data are available on ventilation rates and occupancy in congregate locations in high tuberculosis burden settings. METHODS: We collected carbon dioxide concentration and occupancy data in congregate locations and public transport on 88 occasions, in Cape Town, South Africa. For each location, we estimated ventilation rates and the relative rate of infection, accounting for ventilation rates and occupancy. RESULTS: We show that the estimated potential transmission rate in congregate settings and public transport varies greatly between different settings. Overall, in the community we studied, estimated infection risk was higher in minibus taxis and trains than in salons, bars, and shops. Despite good levels of ventilation, infection risk could be high in the clinic due to high occupancy levels. CONCLUSION: Public transport in particular may be promising targets for infection prevention and control interventions in this setting, both to reduce Mtb transmission, but also to reduce the transmission of other airborne pathogens such as measles and SARS-CoV-2.

Feasibility of Specimen Self-collection in Young Children Undergoing SARSCoV-2 Surveillance for In-person Learning

Background. While pediatric cases of COVID-19 are at low risk for adverse events, schoolchildren should be considered for surveillance as they can become infected at school and serve as sources of household or community transmission. Our team assessed the feasibility of young children self-collecting SARS-CoV-2 samples for surveillance testing in an educational setting. Methods. Students at a K-8 school were tested weekly for SARS-CoV-2 from September 2020 - June 2021. Error rates were collected from September 2020 -January 2021. Clinical staff provided all students with instructions for anterior nares specimen self-collection and then observed them to ensure proper technique. Instructions included holding the sterile swab while making sure not to touch the tip, inserting the swab into their nostril until they start to feel resistance, and rubbing the swab in four circles before repeating the process in their other nostril. An independent observer timed random sample self-collections from April - June 2021. Results. 2,590 samples were collected from 209 students during the study period when data on error rates were collected. Errors occurred in 3.3% of all student encounters (n=87). Error rates over time are shown in Figure 1, with the highest rate occurring on the first day of testing (n=20/197, 10.2%) and the lowest in January 2021 (n=1/202, 0.5%). 2,574 visits for sample self-collection occurred during the study period when independent timing data was collected (April - June 2021). Of those visits, 7.5% (n=193) were timed. The average duration of each visit was 70 seconds. Conclusion. Pediatric self-collected lower nasal swabs are a viable and easily tolerated specimen collection method for SARS-CoV-2 surveillance in school settings, as evidenced by the low error rate and short time window of sample self-collection during testing. School administrators should expect errors to drop quickly after implementing testing.

Natural History of Shedding and Household Transmission of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Using Intensive High-Resolution Sampling

Background. In order to mitigate the spread of SARS-CoV-2 and the COVID-19 pandemic, public health officials have recommended self-isolation, self-quarantine of exposed household contacts (HHC), and mask use to limit viral spread within households and communities. While household transmission of SARS-CoV-2 is common, risk factors for HHC transmission are poorly understood. Methods. In this prospective cohort study, we enrolled 37 households with at least one reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction-confirmed (RT-PCR) COVID-19 index case from March 2020 - March 2021, in order to calculate secondary attack rates (SAR) and define risk factors for secondary infections. Participants were tested daily for SARS-CoV-2 via RT-PCR, using self-collected lower nasal samples. Households were followed until all members tested negative for seven consecutive days. We collected demographics, medical conditions, relationship to index case, and socioeconomic indicators. Subgroup data analysis was conducted and stratified by positivity status. Results. Of 99 enrolled participants, 37 were index cases and 62 were household contacts (HHC), of whom 25 HHC were infected (40.3%). Secondary attack rate (SAR) was highest among adults caring for a parent (n=4/4, 100%) and parents of index cases (5/10, 50%). Households whose income came from service work had greater risk of transmission compared to households whose primary income was technology (n=5/7;71.4% vs 3/8;37.5% respectively). Pediatric contacts were at lower risk of infection when compared to adult contacts (n=5/18, 27.8% vs n=20/44, 45.5% respectively). Conclusion. This study suggests that household transmission represents a key source of community-based infection of SARS-CoV-2. Allocating resources for education/ training regarding prevention among infected individuals and their close contacts will be critical for control of future outbreaks of SARS-CoV-2.

Clinical Outcomes of Intravenous Immunoglobulin Therapy in COVID-19 Related Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome: A Retrospective Cohort Study

Introduction: Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) has been used as an immunomodulatory therapy to counteract severe systemic inflammation in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID19) but its use in COVID19-related acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is not well-established. Research Question or Hypothesis: Is IVIG therapy associated with lower mortality in COVID19-related ARDS? Study Design: Retrospective cohort Methods: We included adult COVID19 patients admitted to intensive care units (ICUs) at Hazm Mebaireek General Hospital, Qatar between March 7, 2020 and September 9, 2020. Patients receiving invasive mechanical ventilation for moderate-severe ARDS were divided into two groups based on whether they received IVIG therapy. Primary outcome was all-cause ICU mortality. Secondary outcomes were ventilator-free days and ICU-free days at day-28, and incidence of acute kidney injury (AKI). Propensity score matching was used to adjust for confounders. The primary outcome was compared using competing-risks survival analysis. Statistical analysis was conducted using Stata MP 16.0. P values of less than 0.05 was considered significant. Results: Among 590 patients included in the study, 400 received routine care and 190 received IVIG therapy in addition to routine care. One-hundred eighteen pairs were created after propensity score matching with no differences between the groups. The median time from ICU admission to initiation of IVIG therapy was 6.3 days (interquartile range [IQR] 2.1-11.9 days) and the median cumulative dose of IVIG received was 150 grams (IQR 105-235 grams). ICU mortality was 27.1% overall and 25.8% in the matched cohort. Mortality was higher among IVIG-treated patients (36.4% vs. 15.3%;sub-distribution hazard ratio[sHR] 3.5;95% CI 1.98-6.19;P<0.001). Ventilator-free days and ICU-free days at day-28 were lower (P<0.001 for both), and incidence of acute kidney injury was higher in the IVIG group (85.6% vs. 67.8%;P=0.001). Conclusion: IVIG therapy in patients with COVID19-related moderate-severe ARDS was associated with higher ICU mortality. A randomized clinical trial is needed to further confirm this observation.

Job satisfaction analysis of female Employees of IT Sector working from home during the pandemic of COVID-19 using interaction effect

Since the pandemic of Covid-19, working from home has become a new normal. A relative psychological feeling and understanding of an individual is job satisfaction. It varies depending on various factors that influence or contribute, such as physical, financial, technological, social, and psychological factors. The main goal of the research is to understand the difference in job satisfaction of urban working women from the IT sector in India in a pandemic situation based on two factors namely marital status and nature of family. The study was confined to the urban working women in the IT sector in the city of Pune, India. This paper aims to study the impact of marital status and nature of family as a combined effect on the job satisfaction of female employees in the IT sector working from home during the pandemic situation of covid-19. A questionnaire gathered primary data and the respondents were female IT sector employees in Pune. In this background the present study was undertaken to analyse job satisfaction of working women in the IT sector during a pandemic situation. The sample consists of 238 career women working in the IT Sector of Pune, India. The questionnaire was Circulated online through Google Form to 300 respondents and received 238 responses from them. The received data tested for data fitment and further interaction effect was found. The interaction effect results show that marital status and nature of family are significantly associated with job satisfaction of female working employees of the IT sector. It opens for a thought to start rethinking women employee job satisfaction in terms of formulating employee support programs to maintain their level of job satisfaction to enhance productivity.

Modeling of Total Cases due to COVID-19 and its Impact in India

This research paper focuses on the modeling of total cases due to COVID-19 and the critical assessment of socioeconomic impact on India. The data set considered for the present analysis is from December 31, 2019 to May 16, 2020 for training and testing of developed regression model. Least-square approximation of linear regression technique is applied to estimate the total cases of COVID-19. Three variables, viz. daily new cases, total deaths and daily new deaths, were considered for development of correlations. In the present study, seven correlations are developed as a function of single variable, two variables and three variables with accuracy (R2) ranging from 85.71 to 99.95%. The paper also highlights the socioeconomic impact of COVID 19 on different sector, challenges and remedies for improving the GDP of the country. © 2021, The Institution of Engineers (India).