Ai based motion analysis software for sport and physical therapy assessment / Software de análisis de movimiento basado en ia para la evaluación del deporte y la fisioterapia / Software de análise de movimento baseado em ia para avaliação de esporte e fisioterapia

ABSTRACT Introduction: As the World Health Organization declared the novel coronavirus as a pandemic in March 2020, physical therapy is more difficult to execute, and social distancing is mandatory in the healthcare sector. Objective: In physical therapy, an online video analysis software that provides real-time graphic and numerical information about the patient's movement executions without direct personal contact would mean a significant improvement in eHealth treatment. Methods: We have developed a software layer on top of OpenPose human body position estimation software that can extract the time series of angles of arbitrary body parts using the output coordinates from OpenPose processing the data recorded by two cameras simultaneously. To validate the procedure of determining the joint angles using the Openpose software we have used the Kinovea software. Results: The comparison of the determined maximal knee angle in our and the Kinovea software, which is widely used in biomechanical measurements, was not significantly different (2.03±1.06°, p<0.05) Conclusion: This indicates, that the developed software can calculate the appropriate joint angles with the accuracy that physiotherapy treatments require. As, to our knowledge no such software yet exists, with the help of this software development, therapists could control and correct the exercises in real-time, and also from a distance, and physical therapy effectiveness could be increased. Level of Evidence II; Experimental, comparative.

RESUMEN Introducción: Como la Organización Mundial de la Salud declaró el nuevo coronavirus como una pandemia en marzo de 2020, la fisioterapia es más difícil de ejecutar, el distanciamiento social es obligatorio en el sector de la salud. Objetivo: En la práctica de fisioterapia un software de análisis de vídeo online que proporcione información gráfica y numérica en tiempo real sobre las ejecuciones de movimiento del paciente sin contacto personal directo supondría una mejora significativa en el tratamiento de la eSalud. Métodos: Fue desarrollado una capa de software sobre el software de estimación de posición del cuerpo humano OpenPose que puede extraer la serie temporal de ángulos de partes arbitrarias del cuerpo utilizando las coordenadas de salida de OpenPose procesando los datos registrados por dos cámaras simultáneamente. Para validar el procedimiento de determinación de los ángulos articulares mediante el software Openpose fue utilizado el software Kinovea. Resultados: La comparación del ángulo máximo de rodilla determinado en nuestro software y Kinovea, que es ampliamente utilizado en mediciones biomecánicas, no fue significativamente diferente (2,03±1,06°, p<0,05). Conclusión: Esto indica que el software desarrollado puede calcular los ángulos articulares adecuados con la precisión que requieren los tratamientos de fisioterapia. Dado que aún no existe dicho software, con la ayuda de este desarrollo de software, los terapeutas podrían controlar y corregir los ejercicios en tiempo real, y también a distancia, y se podría aumentar la eficacia de la fisioterapia. Nivel de Evidencia II; Experimental, comparativo.

RESUMO Introdução: Como a Organização Mundial da Saúde declarou o novo coronavírus como pandemia em março de 2020, a fisioterapia é mais difícil de executar, o distanciamento social é obrigatório no setor de saúde. Objetivo: Na prática da fisioterapia, um software de análise de vídeo online que fornece informações gráficas e numéricas em tempo real sobre as execuções de movimento do paciente sem contato pessoal direto significaria uma melhora significativa no tratamento eHealth. Métodos: Desenvolveu-se uma camada de software em cima do software de estimativa de posição do corpo humano OpenPose que pode extrair as séries temporais de ângulos de partes do corpo arbitrárias usando as coordenadas de saída do OpenPose processando os dados gravados por duas câmeras simultaneamente. Para validar o procedimento de determinação dos ângulos articulares utilizando o software Openpose utilizou-se o software Kinovea. Resultados: A comparação do ângulo máximo do joelho determinado em nosso e no software Kinovea, amplamente utilizado em medidas biomecânicas, não foi significativamente diferente (2,03±1,06°, p<0,05) Conclusão: Isso indica que o software desenvolvido pode calcular os ângulos articulares adequados com a precisão que os tratamentos de fisioterapia exigem. Como esse software ainda não existe, com a ajuda do desenvolvimento desse software, os terapeutas puderam controlar e corrigir os exercícios em tempo real, e também à distância, aumentando a eficácia da fisioterapia. Nível de Evidência II; Experimental, comparativo.

Effects of physical exercise on mood and sleep quality of college students under the covid-19 epidemic / Impacto del ejercicio físico en el estado de ánimo y la calidad del sueño de estudiantes universitarios en el contexto del covid-19 / Impacto do exercício físico no humor e na qualidade do sono de estudantes universitários no contexto do covid-19

ABSTRACT Introduction: The management of university campuses in the context of COVID-19 makes the mental health of college students draw much attention. Objective: To explore the effects of physical exercise under COVID-19 on sleep quality and mood of college students. Methods: 1983 college students from The Civil Aviation University of China were selected, and their physical exercise state, sleep quality, and emotional state were measured by a questionnaire. Results: Physical exercise has a significant positive effect on college students' mood and sleep quality, and sleep quality has a considerable impact on their mood. There is no gender difference in mood and sleep quality. The amount of physical exercise has a significant difference in sleep quality and mood. Compared with the students who do a lot of physical exercises, those who do a lot of physical exercises have higher sleep quality and more vital stronger emotional control ability. Conclusion: This study can provide a reference for universities to carry out mental health education during the particular period of epidemic prevention and control. Level of evidence II; Diagnostic Studies—Investigating a Diagnostic Test.

RESUMEN Introducción: la gestión del campus universitario en el contexto del COVID-19 hace que la salud mental de los estudiantes universitarios llame mucho la atención. Objetivo: explorar los efectos del ejercicio físico bajo COVID-19 sobre la calidad del sueño y el estado de ánimo de estudiantes universitarios. Métodos: se selecciona estudiantes universitarios 1983 de la universidad de aviación Civil de China, y se midió su estado de ejercicio físico, calidad del sueño y estado emocional mediante un cuestionario. Resultados: el ejercicio físico tiene un efecto positivo significativo en el estado de ánimo y la calidad del sueño de los estudiantes universitarios, y la calidad del sueño tiene un efecto significativo en su estado de ánimo. No hay diferencia de género en cuanto al estado de ánimo y la calidad del sueño. La cantidad de ejercicio físico tiene una diferencia significativa en la calidad del sueño y el estado de ánimo. En comparación con los estudiantes que hacen mucho ejercicio físico, los estudiantes que hacen mucho ejercicio físico tienen una mayor calidad de sueño y una mayor capacidad de control emocional. Conclusión: este estudio puede servir de referencia para que las universidades realicen educación en salud mental durante el período especial de prevención y control de epidemias. Nivel de Evidência II; Estudios diagnósticos: investigación de una prueba diagnóstica.

RESUMO Introdução: A gestão do campus universitário no contexto do COVID-19 faz com que a saúde mental dos universitários chame muita atenção. Objetivo: Explorar os efeitos do exercício físico sob o COVID-19 sobre a qualidade do sono e o humor dos estudantes universitários. Métodos: Foram selecionados 1983 estudantes universitários da Universidade de Aviação Civil da China, e seu estado de exercício físico, qualidade do sono e estado emocional foram medidos por um questionário. Resultados: O exercício físico tem um efeito positivo significativo no humor e na qualidade do sono dos estudantes universitários, e a qualidade do sono tem um efeito significativo em seu humor. Não há diferença de gênero no humor e na qualidade do sono. A quantidade de exercício físico tem diferença significativa na qualidade do sono e no humor. Em comparação com os alunos que fazem muito exercício físico, os alunos que fazem muito exercício físico têm maior qualidade de sono e maior capacidade de controle emocional. Conclusão: Este estudo pode fornecer referência para que as universidades realizem a educação em saúde mental durante o período especial de prevenção e controle de epidemias. Nível de evidência II; Estudos de Diagnóstico — Investigando um Teste de Diagnóstico.

Sedentary behavior among medical students: repercussions of the coronavirus pandemic / Conduta sedentária entre estudantes de medicina: repercussões da pandemia do coronavírus

ABSTRACT Introduction: In order to face COVID-19, social restriction measures were adopted that influenced the population's living habits, increasing sedentary lifestyle. Considering the high complexity and dedication required by the Medicine course, it becomes relevant to investigate the effect of the pandemic on the practice of physical exercise and sedentary behavior of these students. Objective: Identify changes in physical activity and sedentary behavior self-reported by medical students in the city of Salvador, Bahia, before and during the self-confinement imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: Longitudinal, prospective, quantitative study carried out with regularly enrolled medical students over 18 years of age. A virtual, structured, anonymous, self-completed questionnaire was applied, containing sociodemographic and academic aspects. In addition, the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) was applied in its short version, considering the period before and during the pandemic. Through this, the level of physical activity, sedentary behavior and time spent walking and performing moderate and vigorous activities were measured. Results: 268 medical students were included, predominantly women (65.7%), white (50.0%) and mixed race (38.8%), aged 24.2 ± 5.5 years, single (90.7%), attending the clinical cycle (59.0%), in private institutions (78.4%). No statistically significant differences were identified in the level of physical activity and in the time spent with moderate and vigorous activities. However, there was a reduction in walking time (p<0.00001) and an increase in sedentary behavior (p=0.001) during the COVID-19 pandemic, with the greatest impact among women (p=0.0009). Conclusion: The repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic have been shown to increase the sedentary behavior of medical students, especially among women, and to reduce activity time spent with walking. Longitudinal studies are needed to analyze the medium and long-term consequences of this change in the healthy lifestyle habits of medical students. Level of evidence II; Comparative prospective study.

Resumen Introducción: Frente al COVID-19 se adoptaron medidas de restricción social que influyeron en los hábitos de vida de la población, aumentando el sedentarismo. Considerando la alta complejidad y la dedicación exigida por la carrera de Medicina, se torna relevante investigar el efecto pandémico sobre la práctica de ejercicio físico y la conducta sedentaria de estos estudiantes. Objetivos: Identificar los cambios en la actividad física y en la conducta sedentaria auto-reportados por los estudiantes de Medicina de la ciudad de Salvador, Bahía, Brasil, antes y durante el auto-confinamiento impuesto por la pandemia de COVID-19. Métodos: Estudio longitudinal, prospectivo, cuantitativo, realizado con estudiantes de medicina regularmente matriculados, mayores de 18 años. Foi aplicado um questionário virtual, estruturado, anónimo, autocompletado, contendo aspectos sociodemográficos e académicos. Além disso, foi aplicado o International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), em sua versão curta, considerando o período antes e durante a pandemia. A través de éste, se midió el nivel de actividad física, el comportamiento sedentario y el tiempo dedicado a caminar, así como las actividades moderadas y vigorosas. Resultados: Se incluyeron 268 estudiantes de medicina, predominantemente mujeres (65,7%), blancas (50,0%) y morenas (38,8%), de 24,2 ± 5,5 años de edad, solteras (90,7%), en el ciclo clínico (59,0%), en instituciones privadas (78,4%). No se identificaron diferencias estadísticamente significativas en el nivel de actividad física y el tiempo dedicado a actividades moderadas y vigorosas. Sin embargo, hubo una reducción en el tiempo de caminata (p<0,00001) y un aumento en la conducta sedentaria (p=0,001) durante la pandemia COVID-19, siendo mayor el impacto entre las mujeres (p=0,0009). Conclusión: Las repercusiones de la pandemia COVID-19 se manifestaron en el aumento de la conducta sedentaria entre los estudiantes de medicina, especialmente entre las mujeres, además de la reducción del tiempo de actividad dedicado a caminar. Son necesarios estudios longitudinales para analizar las consecuencias a medio y largo plazo de este cambio en los hábitos de vida saludables de los estudiantes de medicina. Nivel de evidencia II; Estudio Prospectivo Comparativo.

RESUMO Introdução: Foram adotadas medidas de restrição social para o enfrentamento da COVID-19 que influenciaram nos hábitos de vida da população, aumentando o sedentarismo. Considerando a alta complexidade e a dedicação exigida pelo curso de Medicina, torna-se relevante investigar o efeito da pandemia na prática de exercício físico e conduta sedentária desses estudantes. Objetivos: Identificar alterações na atividade física e na conduta sedentária autorrelatadas por acadêmicos de Medicina na cidade de Salvador, Bahia, antes e durante o autoconfinamento imposto pela pandemia de COVID-19. Métodos: Estudo longitudinal, prospectivo, quantitativo, realizado com estudantes de Medicina, maiores de 18 anos, regularmente matriculados. Foi aplicado um questionário virtual, estruturado, anônimo, de autopreenchimento, contendo aspectos sociodemográficos e acadêmicos. Além disso, foi aplicado o International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), em sua versão curta, considerando o período antes e durante a pandemia. Através deste, foram mensurados nível de atividade física, conduta sedentária e tempo de realização de caminhada, além de atividades moderadas e vigorosas. Resultados: Foram incluídos 268 estudantes de Medicina, predominantemente mulheres (65,7%), da raça branca (50,0%) e parda (38,8%), com idade de 24,2 ± 5,5 anos, solteiros (90,7%), cursando o ciclo clínico (59,0%), em instituições privadas (78,4%). Não foram identificadas diferenças estatisticamente significantes no nível de atividade física e no tempo despendido com atividades moderadas e vigorosas. Entretanto, houve redução no tempo de caminhada (p<0,00001) e aumento da conduta sedentária (p=0,001) durante a pandemia de COVID-19, sendo o impacto maior entre as mulheres (p=0,0009). Conclusão: Foram demonstradas as repercussões da pandemia de COVID-19 no aumento da conduta sedentária dos estudantes de Medicina, principalmente entre as mulheres, além da redução do tempo de atividade despendido com caminhadas. Estudos longitudinais são necessários para analisar as consequências a médio e longo prazo dessa alteração nos hábitos de vida saudáveis de estudantes de Medicina. Nível de evidência II; Estudo Prospectivo Comparativo.

Global research trends related to coronavirus disease 2019 and the aged: a bibliometric analysis

ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: A bibliometric analysis covering only the production of original studies or considering world production until 2022 has yet to be conducted. The creation and advancement of vaccines have also influenced research priorities, demonstrating the need for a new approach to this subject. OBJECTIVES: To analyze worldwide scientific production related to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and the aged and to describe what has already been produced. DESIGN AND SETTING: Bibliometric analysis with a quantitative approach. METHOD: The search terms "COVID-19," "SARS-CoV-2," "Aged," and "Elderly" were used to retrieve articles from the Web of Science database. A total of 684 articles were included in the analysis. Data were imported into RStudio Desktop Software and linked to R Software. The Bibliometrix R package and VOSviewer software were used for analysis. RESULTS: Most articles were published in 2020. These were produced by 4,937 authors and published in 379 journals. The keyword most used by the authors was "COVID-19." Publications from 77 countries were obtained. China had the highest article production ranking, and Spain collaborated the most. The articles addressed the implications of the pandemic on the aged, the relationship between vaccination in the aged, and the implications for the disease itself. CONCLUSION: Further research should be conducted, mainly concerning vaccines and vaccination of the aged, owing to the need for and importance of immunization in this risk group, including assessing the long-term effects of vaccines.

When, where, and with whom during crisis: The effect of risk perceptions and psychological distance on travel intentions.

We investigate how risk perceptions and psychological distance impacted people's travel intentions during Covid-19. Our findings reveal that traveling to a high-risk destination increased people's risk perceptions of Covid-19, and their risk perceptions at the destination, which, in turn, reduced people's travel intentions. We identify temporal, spatial, and social distance (the "when, where, and with whom" of traveling) as moderators of these effects; while social distance moderates the effect of risk, on risk perceptions, temporal and spatial distance moderate the effect of risk perceptions on travel intentions. We outline theoretical contributions and implications for tourism during crisis.

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the performance of endoscopy in the Tohoku region of Japan.

Objectives: The whole picture of the disturbance in endoscopy performance caused by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in Japan remains to be clarified. Therefore, the Japan Gastroenterological Endoscopy Society-Tohoku conducted this questionnaire survey in Tohoku region of Japan. Methods: A questionnaire on the number of diagnostic endoscopy procedures and resulting diagnosed cancers in 2019 and 2020 was sent to all guidance/guidance cooperation hospitals in the Japan Gastroenterological Endoscopy Society who worked in the Tohoku region. The percentage change was calculated by comparing the numbers in 2020 with those in 2019 (the pre-COVID-19 period). Results: Among the applicable 89 guidance/guidance cooperation hospitals, 83 (94%) returned the questionnaire. The number of endoscopy procedures promptly decreased to the nadir in April and May 2020 (during the first state of emergency in Japan); however, it recovered relatively quickly, within a few months after the state of emergency was lifted. Consequently, the annual reduction in the number of endoscopy procedures in 2020 (in comparison to 2019) was 10.1% for esophagogastroduodenoscopy and 7.9% for colonoscopy. The reduction in the number of diagnostic endoscopy procedures led to a 5.5% reduction in esophagogastric cancer and 2.7% in colorectal cancer. Conclusions: This is the most comprehensive survey on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the performance of endoscopy and the resulting diagnosis of cancer in Japan. Understanding the magnitude of the decline in endoscopic examinations and cancer detection due to the pandemic is critical to understanding how many people will ultimately be affected and establishing a strategy for providing endoscopy during national emergencies.

New records of Coronatella (Crustacea, Branchiopoda, Chydoridae) from Colombia with the first report of Coronatella undata and of the male of Coronatella monacantha

Abstract Biological samples obtained from a small temporary pond of northern Colombia yielded the first record Coronatella undata Sousa, Elmoor-Loureiro and Santos, 2015 and of the male of C. monacantha (Sars, 1901) for Colombia. In this study, the morphology of female of Coronatella undata and female and male of C. monacantha was described and compared to other species within the genus. C. undata was originally described from Brazil and, among the species of the Coronatella monacantha complex, seems to be closely related to C. acuticostata (Sars, 1903). C. undata shows some similarities with C. monacantha, but it can be identified by important diagnostic characters such as: 1) posterior-ventral corner of valve with two denticles, 2) seta on exopodite of trunk limb II rudimentary, 3) filter comb of trunk limb II with six setae, 4) ODL seta of trunk limb I shorter than longest seta of IDL. C. monacantha is the most reported species in the Neotropical region and the male most resemble C. paulinae Sousa, Elmoor-Loureiro & Santos, 2015 in relation to (i), length/wide of postabdomen ratio (ii) basal spine almost straight and (iii)) long basal spine reaching the mid-length of basal spine. However, they can be separated by (i) number of lateral seta on the antennule, (ii) postanal angle, (iii) position of gonopore (iv) presence of a denticle on posterior-ventral corner of valve

Resumo Amostras biológicas obtidas de uma pequena lagoa temporária do norte da Colômbia proporcionaram o primeiro registro de Coronatella undata Sousa, Elmoor-Loureiro e Santos, 2015 e do macho de Coronatella monacantha (Sars, 1901) na Colômbia. Neste estudo, foi descrita a morfologia de fêmeas de C. undata e de fêmeas e machos de C. monacantha, comparando-a com outras espécies do gênero. Coronatella undata foi descrita originalmente no Brasil e, entre as espécies do complexo C. monacantha, parece estar intimamente relacionada com Coronatella acuticostata (Sars, 1903). Coronatella undata apresenta algumas semelhanças com C. monacantha, mas pode ser identificada por seus principais caracteres, tais como: 1) ângulo posterior ventral da valva com dois dentículos; 2) cerda rudimentar no exopodito do ramo do tronco II; 3) filtro da gnatobase do apêndice torácico II com seis cerdas; 4) cerda ODL do membro do tronco I mais curta que a cerda mais longa do IDL. Coronatella monacantha é a espécie mais relatada na região neotropical, e o macho se assemelha mais a Coronatella paulinae Sousa, Elmoor-Loureiro & Santos em relação à/ao: (i) razão comprimento / largura do pós-abdômen, (ii) espinho basal quase reto e (iii) espinho basal longo com a metade do comprimento do espinho basal. No entanto, eles podem ser separados pelo/pela: (i) número de cerdas laterais na antênula, (ii) ângulo postanal, (iii) posição do gonóporo e (iv) presença de dentículo no canto ventral posterior da valva.

New records of Coronatella (Crustacea, Branchiopoda, Chydoridae) from Colombia with the first report of Coronatella undata and of the male of Coronatella monacantha / Novos registros de Coronatella (Crustacea, Branchiopoda, Chydoridae) na Colômbia com o primeiro relato de Coronatella undata e o macho de Coronatella monacantha

Biological samples obtained from a small temporary pond of northern Colombia yielded the first record Coronatella undata Sousa, Elmoor-Loureiro and Santos, 2015 and of the male of C. monacantha (Sars, 1901) for Colombia. In this study, the morphology of female of Coronatella undata and female and male of C. monacantha was described and compared to other species within the genus. C. undata was originally described from Brazil and, among the species of the Coronatella monacantha complex, seems to be closely related to C. acuticostata (Sars, 1903). C. undata shows some similarities with C. monacantha, but it can be identified by important diagnostic characters such as: 1) posterior-ventral corner of valve with two denticles, 2) seta on exopodite of trunk limb II rudimentary, 3) filter comb of trunk limb II with six setae, 4) ODL seta of trunk limb I shorter than longest seta of IDL. C. monacantha is the most reported species in the Neotropical region and the male most resemble C. paulinae Sousa, Elmoor-Loureiro & Santos, 2015 in relation to (i), length/wide of postabdomen ratio (ii) basal spine almost straight and (iii)) long basal spine reaching the mid-length of basal spine. However, they can be separated by (i) number of lateral seta on the antennule, (ii) postanal angle, (iii) position of gonopore (iv) presence of a denticle on posterior-ventral corner of valve.

Amostras biológicas obtidas de uma pequena lagoa temporária do norte da Colômbia proporcionaram o primeiro registro de Coronatella undata Sousa, Elmoor-Loureiro e Santos, 2015 e do macho de Coronatella monacantha (Sars, 1901) na Colômbia. Neste estudo, foi descrita a morfologia de fêmeas de C. undata e de fêmeas e machos de C. monacantha, comparando-a com outras espécies do gênero. Coronatella undata foi descrita originalmente no Brasil e, entre as espécies do complexo C. monacantha, parece estar intimamente relacionada com Coronatella acuticostata (Sars, 1903). Coronatella undata apresenta algumas semelhanças com C. monacantha, mas pode ser identificada por seus principais caracteres, tais como: 1) ângulo posterior ventral da valva com dois dentículos; 2) cerda rudimentar no exopodito do ramo do tronco II; 3) filtro da gnatobase do apêndice torácico II com seis cerdas; 4) cerda ODL do membro do tronco I mais curta que a cerda mais longa do IDL. Coronatella monacantha é a espécie mais relatada na região neotropical, e o macho se assemelha mais a Coronatella paulinae Sousa, Elmoor-Loureiro & Santos em relação à/ao: (i) razão comprimento / largura do pós-abdômen, (ii) espinho basal quase reto e (iii) espinho basal longo com a metade do comprimento do espinho basal. No entanto, eles podem ser separados pelo/pela: (i) número de cerdas laterais na antênula, (ii) ângulo postanal, (iii) posição do gonóporo e (iv) presença de dentículo no canto ventral posterior da valva.

Association Between Low Anti-spike Antibody Levels After the Third Dose of SARS-CoV-2 Vaccination and Hospitalization due to Symptomatic Breakthrough Infection in Kidney Transplant Recipients.

Background: Whether anti-severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) antibody levels post-third coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccination correlate with worse outcomes due to breakthrough infection is unclear. We evaluated the association between anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibody levels and symptomatic breakthrough infection or hospitalization during the Omicron surge in kidney transplant recipients. Methods: In total, 287 kidney transplant recipients expected to receive a third vaccination were enrolled between November 2021 and February 2022. The Abbott SARS-CoV-2 IgG II Quant test (Abbott, Chicago, IL, USA) was performed within three weeks before and four weeks after the third vaccination. The incidence of symptomatic breakthrough infection and hospitalization from two weeks to four months post-third vaccination was recorded. Results: After the third vaccination, the seropositive rate and median antibody titer of the 287 patients increased from 57.1% to 82.2% and from 71.7 (interquartile range [IQR] 7.2-402.8) to 1,612.1 (IQR 153.9-5,489.1) AU/mL, respectively. Sixty-four (22.3%) patients had symptomatic breakthrough infections, of whom 12 required hospitalization. Lower anti-receptor-binding domain (RBD) IgG levels (<400 AU/mL) post-third vaccination were a risk factor for symptomatic breakthrough infection (hazard ratio [HR]=3.46, P<0.001). Anti-RBD IgG levels <200 AU/mL were a critical risk factor for hospitalization (HR=36.4, P=0.007). Conclusions: Low anti-spike IgG levels after third vaccination in kidney transplant recipients were associated with symptomatic breakthrough infection and, particularly, with hospitalization during the Omicron surge. These data can be used to identify patients requiring additional protective measures, such as passive immunization using monoclonal antibodies.

Effect of COVID-19 infection on the gastrointestinal tract considering preventive methods during endoscopic procedures.

Objectives: This study aimed to prevent the infection risk of environmental contamination by feces during endoscopic procedures. We evaluated the effect of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on the gastrointestinal tract using fecal polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and examined risk factors affecting endoscopic procedures, to develop infection prevention strategies. Methods: This single-center prospective observational study enrolled 32 patients diagnosed with COVID-19 at Tokyo Medical University Hospital between January and December 2022. We performed reverse transcriptase-PCR to detect severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 in human stool specimens and evaluated the COVID-19 positivity rate in stool, the effect of vaccination on infection detection, and differences in positivity rates considering different patient backgrounds. Results: Among the 32 nasal PCR-positive patients who underwent fecal PCR testing, the fecal PCR positivity rate was 21.8%. Compared to the negative cases, 71.4% vs. 32% were older than 65 years (p < 0.016), 71.4% vs. 0.8% (p < 0.001) had malignant tumors, the rate during BA.5 variant outbreaks was significantly higher (100% vs. 60% [p = 0.044]), and the rate of diarrheal symptoms was also higher (42.9% vs. 24%). The median collection period for fecal PCR-positive cases was 2 days after sampling. Conclusions: The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 affects not only the upper respiratory tract but also the gastrointestinal tract. These findings may indicate the risk of digestive fluid infection in older patients with gastrointestinal symptoms and immunocompromised patients with malignant tumor comorbidities, especially during the early stages of viral infection. Therefore, it is advisable to establish a system to prevent infection by using personal protective equipment, including eye guards, in future endoscopic procedures.

Accelerating COVID-19 Drug Discovery with High-Performance Computing.

The recent COVID-19 pandemic has served as a timely reminder that the existing drug discovery is a laborious, expensive, and slow process. Never has there been such global demand for a therapeutic treatment to be identified as a matter of such urgency. Unfortunately, this is a scenario likely to repeat itself in future, so it is of interest to explore ways in which to accelerate drug discovery at pandemic speed. Computational methods naturally lend themselves to this because they can be performed rapidly if sufficient computational resources are available. Recently, high-performance computing (HPC) technologies have led to remarkable achievements in computational drug discovery and yielded a series of new platforms, algorithms, and workflows. The application of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) approaches is also a promising and relatively new avenue to revolutionize the drug design process and therefore reduce costs. In this review, I describe how molecular dynamics simulations (MD) were successfully integrated with ML and adapted to HPC to form a powerful tool to study inhibitors for four of the COVID-19 target proteins. The emphasis of this review is on the strategy that was used with an explanation of each of the steps in the accelerated drug discovery workflow. For specific technical details, the reader is directed to the relevant research publications.

Bioscreening specific peptide-expressing phage and its application in sensitive dual-mode immunoassay of SARS-CoV-2 spike antigen.

Biorecognition components with high affinity and selectivity are vital in bioassay to diagnose and treat epidemic disease. Herein a phage display strategy of combining single-amplification-panning with non-amplification-panning was developed, by which a phage displaying cyclic heptapeptide ACLDWLFNSC (peptide J4) with good affinity and specificity to SARS-CoV-2 spike protein (SP) was identified. Molecular docking suggests that peptide J4 binds to S2 subunit by hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic interaction. Then the J4-phage was used as the capture antibody to establish phage-based chemiluminescence immunoassay (CLIA) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) analytical systems. The as-proposed dual-modal immunoassay platform exhibited good sensitivity and reliability in SARS-CoV-2 SP and pseudovirus assay. The limit of detection for SARS-CoV-2 SP by EIS immunoassay is 0.152 pg/mL, which is dramatically lower than that of 42 pg/mL for J4-phage based CLIA. Further, low to 40 transducing units (TU)/mL, 10 TU/mL SARS-CoV-2 pseudoviruses can be detected by the proposed J4-phage based CLIA and electrochemical immunosensor, respectively. Therefore, the as-developed dual mode immunoassays are potential methods to detect SARS-CoV-2. It is also expected to explore various phages with specific peptides to different targets for bioanalysis.

Temperature-insensitive label-free SARS-CoV-2 spike protein detection based on complementary refractive index and temperature dependence of multi-mode interference and grating resonance.

We demonstrated temperature-insensitive, label-free detection of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein (SSP) by harnessing the complementary refractive index and temperature dependence of multi-mode interference (MMI) created by a no-core fiber (NCF) and phase-matched resonance generated by a long-period fiber grating (LPFG). To combine MMI and grating resonance, primarily sensitive to the surrounding medium refractive index (SMRI) and ambient temperature, respectively, a fiber-optic transducer was fabricated by splicing an NCF segment with an LPFG inscribed on double-clad fiber. The transducer was functionalized with human ACE2 receptors to selectively capture SSP. The functionalized sensor head exhibited high SSP selectivity, with overall average wavelength displacements of ∼253.33 and ∼160.00 pm in PBS and saliva, respectively, for SSP with concentrations ranging from 1 to 104 ng/mL. These spectral shifts are associated with localized SMRI modulations on the sensor surface induced by specific binding between SSP and ACE2. We also examined the cross-reactivity of the sensor head for MERS-CoV spike protein to confirm its SSP specificity. Moreover, we proved the capability of temperature-independent SSP detection and ambient temperature measurement by scrutinizing the temperature effect on the sensor performance. Our functionalized fiber transducer showed great promise as a temperature-insensitive and portable platform for rapid SSP detection.

Isothermal nucleic acid amplification combined with gold nanoparticles assisted electrochemical impedance for the sensitive and efficient porcine delta coronavirus detection.

The emergence of porcine delta coronavirus (PDCoV) has caused huge economic losses in the global pig industry. How to realize the sensitive and efficient detection for it is a difficult problem that need to be resolved. In this work, loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP)-electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) detection platform for PDCoV based on nucleic acid level was constructed by combining the advantages of efficient amplification for LAMP and sensitive detection for EIS. Referring to a 159 bp fragment of PDCoV N gene (Genbank：KY078891, 641 bp-799 bp), primers (HS-FIP、BIP、F3、B3) were designed to screened and sulfhydryl groups were activated, and then loop-mediated isothermal amplification was carried out. Subsequently, gold nanoparticles were loaded on indium tin oxide glass by electrodeposition technology, and the amplified products were connected to the electrode surface through the formation of Au-S bonds. According to the difference of charge transfer resistance after double-stranded DNA was connected on the electrode surface, the detection platform can achieve valid detection of PDCoV in the concentration range of 102-107 copies/µL, the limit of detection is 28 copies/µL, and can be used for practical analysis of pig small intestine samples.

Fabrication of flexible electrospinning nano-fiber membrane for detection of respiratory tract transmission virus based on SERS.

The application of flexible sensors in the biomedical field is deepening. It is of great significance to develop flexible wearable sensors which are more in line with the needs of the public. A flexible polylactic acid membrane fabric was prepared by electrospinning method. The membrane was used as SERS active substrate by screen printing capture probe which combine Au nanoplates with antibodies to the target substance. Thioglycolic acid-labeled silver nanoparticles coupled with antibodies as SERS nanotags. The target substance can be fixed between the capture probe and SERS nanotags. Due to the high specific surface area between the spinning, the adhesion rate of the capture probe is higher than that of the rigid substrate, and the enrichment and hypersensitivity detection of the object to be tested could be realized. The membranes prepared are flexible, wearable, portable, highly biocompatible, and can be mass-produced for high-throughput detection. We then applied the sensor to the detection of SARS-CoV-2 with detection limits as low as 10 TU/mL. This membrane as a SERS substrate can offer a fast and non-invasive reference for the early diagnosis of respiratory infectious diseases similar to COVID-19.

'Pterocephalodes hookeri-Onosma hookeri' decoction protects against LPS-induced pulmonary inflammation via inhibiting TLR4/ NF-κB signaling pathway.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: As the second-largest traditional medical system in China, Tibetan medicine has a long history and abundant resources. To promote the development of the Tibetan medicine industry, it is essential to study the pharmacological activities of Tibetan medicine based on its traditional usage methods. AIM OF THE STUDY: Pneumonia has been a worldwide health problem with high morbidity and mortality rates, especially in the context of the COVID-19 epidemic. Given the unique advantages of traditional Tibetan medicine in treating pulmonary diseases, further research is warranted to develop potential anti-pneumonia drugs. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In our study, the potential combined decoction from traditional Tibetan medicine was determined by the data mining method. The antioxidant activity in vitro, anti-inflammatory effects on the macrophage cell model, as well as the anti-pulmonary inflammation effects on the LPS-induced mice model, have been explored to investigate the potential anti-pneumonia role of the decoction. Additionally, we conducted network pharmacology analysis to identify the potential targets against pneumonia, which were further confirmed by western blot assays. RESULTS: Following the combination therapy of Pterocephalodes hookeri (C.B.Clarke) V.Mayer & Ehrend. and Onosma hookeri var. longiflora (Duthie) A.V.Duthie ex Stapf ('P-O'), the clearance of DPPH radical and the total reducing power were all improved, as well as alleviated the toxicity. On the in vitro level, 'P-O' pre-treatment reduced the secretion of NO, TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1ß in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells, while promoting the concentration of IL-10. Meanwhile, on the in vivo level, the 'P-O' pre-treating also could alleviate LPS-induced pulmonary inflammation by reducing the pulmonary edema and leakage of the lung microvascular, improving the pathological change of lung tissue and regulating the cytokines content in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF). Furthermore, network pharmacology analysis revealed that the mechanism of 'P-O' in treating pneumonia in a multi-component, multi-target, and multi-pathway network, with the TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway playing a crucial role, as demonstrated by the western blot assay results. CONCLUSION: In summary, the combination therapy of 'P-O' exhibited good antioxidant activity and anti-inflammatory activity in vitro, as well as a therapeutic effect against pulmonary inflammation in vivo. These findings provide evidence for the clinical application of 'P-O' and offer new approaches for treating pneumonia.

Techniques for Developing Reliable Machine Learning Classifiers Applied to Understanding and Predicting Protein:Protein Interaction Hot Spots.

With machine learning now transforming the sciences, successful prediction of biological structure or activity is mainly limited by the extent and quality of data available for training, the astute choice of features for prediction, and thorough assessment of the robustness of prediction on a variety of new cases. In this chapter, we address these issues while developing and sharing protocols to build a robust dataset and rigorously compare several predictive classifiers using the open-source Python machine learning library, scikit-learn. We show how to evaluate whether enough data has been used for training and whether the classifier has been overfit to training data. The most telling experiment is 500-fold repartitioning of the training and test sets, followed by prediction, which gives a good indication of whether a classifier performs consistently well on different datasets. An intuitive method is used to quantify which features are most important for correct prediction.The resulting well-trained classifier, hotspotter, can robustly predict the small subset of amino acid residues on the surface of a protein that are energetically most important for binding a protein partner: the interaction hot spots. Hotspotter has been trained and tested here on a curated dataset assembled from 1046 non-redundant alanine scanning mutation sites with experimentally measured change in binding free energy values from 97 different protein complexes; this dataset is available to download. The accessible surface area of the wild-type residue at a given site and its degree of evolutionary conservation proved the most important features to identify hot spots. A variant classifier was trained and validated for proteins where only the amino acid sequence is available, augmented by secondary structure assignment. This version of hotspotter requiring fewer features is almost as robust as the structure-based classifier. Application to the ACE2 (angiotensin converting enzyme 2) receptor, which mediates COVID-19 virus entry into human cells, identified the critical hot spot triad of ACE2 residues at the center of the small interface with the CoV-2 spike protein. Hotspotter results can be used to guide the strategic design of protein interfaces and ligands and also to identify likely interfacial residues for protein:protein docking.

One master and two servants: One Zr(â £) with two ligands of TCPP and NH2-BDC form the MOF as the electrochemiluminescence emitter for the biosensing application.

Here we put forward an innovative "one master and two servants" strategy for enhancing the ECL performance. A novel ECL luminophore named Zr-TCPP/NH2-BDC (TCPP@UiO-66-NH2) was synthesized by self-assembly of meso-tetra(4-carboxyphenyl)porphine (TCPP) and 4-aminobenzoic acid (NH2-BDC) with Zr clusters. TCPP@UiO-66-NH2 has a porous structure and a highly ordered structure, which allows the molecular motion of TCPP to be effectively confined, thereby inhibiting nonradiative energy transfer. Importantly, TCPP@UiO-66-NH2 has a higher and more stable ECL signal. To further improve the sensitivity of the sensor, we use polydopamine-coated manganese dioxide (PDA@MnO2), which has a double quenching effect, as the quencher. The nucleocapsid (N) protein of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2-N) is one of the ideal markers for the early diagnosis of COVID-19, and its sensitivity detection is of great significance for the prevention and treatment of COVID-19. Thus, we constructed a quenching-type ECL sensor for the ultrasensitive detection of the SARS-CoV-2-N. Its linear range is 10 fg/mL∼1 µg/mL and the calculated detection limit is 1.4 fg/mL (S/N = 3). The spiked recoveries are 97.40-103.8%, with the relative standard deviations (RSD) under 3.0%. More importantly, the technique offers a viable way to identify and diagnose viral infections early.