Colorimetric biosensors based on gold nanoparticle (AuNP) aggregation are often challenged by matrix interference in biofluids, poor specificity, and limited utility with clinical samples. Here, we ...propose a peptide-driven nanoscale disassembly approach, where AuNP aggregates induced by electrostatic attractions are dissociated in response to proteolytic cleavage. Initially, citrate-coated AuNPs were assembled via a short cationic peptide (RRK) and characterized by experiments and simulations. The dissociation peptides were then used to reversibly dissociate the AuNP aggregates as a function of target protease detection, i.e., main protease (Mpro), a biomarker for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. The dissociation propensity depends on peptide length, hydrophilicity, charge, and ligand architecture. Finally, our dissociation strategy provides a rapid and distinct optical signal through Mpro cleavage with a detection limit of 12.3 nM in saliva. Our dissociation peptide effectively dissociates plasmonic assemblies in diverse matrices including 100% human saliva, urine, plasma, and seawater, as well as other types of plasmonic nanoparticles such as silver. Our peptide-enabled dissociation platform provides a simple, matrix-insensitive, and versatile method for protease sensing.
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IJS, KILJ, NUK, PNG, UL, UM
Since December 2019, SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) has been a worldwide pandemic with enormous consequences for human health and the world economy. Remdesivir is the only drug in the world that has been ...approved for the treating of COVID-19. This drug, as well as vaccination, still has uncertain effectiveness. Drug repurposing could be a promising strategy how to find an appropriate molecule: rapamycin could be one of them. The authors performed a systematic literature review of available studies on the research describing rapamycin in association with COVID-19 infection. Only peer-reviewed English-written articles from the world's acknowledged databases Web of Science, PubMed, Springer and Scopus were involved. Five articles were eventually included in the final analysis. The findings indicate that rapamycin seems to be a suitable candidate for drug repurposing. In addition, it may represent a better candidate for COVID-19 therapy than commonly tested antivirals. It is also likely that its efficiency will not be reduced by the high rate of viral RNA mutation.
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IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UL, UM, UPUK
The high incidence of post‐covid symptoms in humans confirms the need for effective treatment. Due to long‐term complications across several disciplines, special treatment programs emerge for ...affected patients, emphasizing multidisciplinary care. For these reasons, we decided to look at current knowledge about possible long‐term complications of COVID‐19 disease and then present the effect of flavonoids, which could help alleviate or eliminate complications in humans after overcoming the COVID‐19 infection. Based on articles published from 2003 to 2021, we summarize the flavonoids‐based molecular mechanisms associated with the post‐COVID‐19 syndrome and simultaneously provide a complex view regarding their prophylactic and therapeutic potential. Review clearly sorts out the outcome of post‐COVID‐19 syndrome according particular body systems. The conclusion is that flavonoids play an important role in prevention of many diseases. We suggest that flavonoids as critical nutritional supplements, are suitable for the alleviation and shortening of the period associated with the post‐COVID‐19 syndrome. The most promising flavonoid with noteworthy therapeutic and prophylactic effect appears to be quercetin.
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BFBNIB, FZAB, GIS, IJS, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
Après la déclaration de l’Organisation mondiale de la Santé que l’épidémie de coronavirus Sars-cov19 est une pandémie et après l’enregistrement du premier cas positif, l’État marocain a pris un ...ensemble de mesures sur tous les plans (sanitaire, économique et social…) en vue de faire face à cette crise violente. Nous avons relevé à travers les résultats de l’étude quantitative effectuée, que l’impact de la crise sanitaire actuelle diffère selon la taille de l’entreprise et la nature de son activité, ce qui les a poussées à engager des mesures en collaboration avec l’état pour réduire cet impact, le recours à ces mesures a pu améliorer la situation d’un certain nombre de ces entreprises.
COVID-19 case fatalities surged during the month of March 2020 in Italy, reaching over 10,000 by 28 March 2020. This number exceeds the number of fatalities in China (3,301) recorded from January to ...March, even though the number of diagnosed cases was similar (85,000 Italy vs. 80,000 China). Case Fatality Rates (CFR) could be somewhat unreliable because the estimation of total case numbers is limited by several factors, including insufficient testing and limitations in test kits and materials, such as NP swabs and PPE for testers. Sero prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies may help in more accurate estimations of the total number of cases. Nevertheless, the disparity in the differences in the total number of fatalities between Italy and China suggests investigation into several factors, such as demographics, sociological interactions, availability of medical equipment (ICU beds and PPE), variants in immune proteins (e.g., HLA, IFNs), past immunity to related CoVs, and mutations in SARS-CoV-2, could impact survival of severe COVID-19 illness survival and the number of case fatalities.
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IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UL, UM, UPUK
Purpose: The aim of this study was to explore whether prolonged and consistent face mask use might be associated with worsening of dry eye symptoms in patients with dry eye disease (DED). Methods: ...Subjects with a previous diagnosis of DED. Their OSDI scores were compared with those recorded in Fall 2019 using the Wilcoxon paired test. Participants were stratified by face mask use: heavy (Group A) or standard (Group B) face mask users. Heavy use was defined as wearing any type of face mask for at least 6 hours a day, at least 5 days per week in the last 2 months. Results: 67 subjects (mean age: 45.27 ± 10.06 SD years, 40% males and 60% females). Median OSDI score in Fall 2019: 18.75. Median OSDI in Spring 2020: 20.83. The Hodges-Lehmann median difference was 2.09 (95% CI 1.05, 4.17) (P < 0.0001). The population was then stratified into heavy and standard face mask users: Group A included heavy users (31 subjects; mean age: 42.81 ± 10.48 SD years; 35% males and 65% females), Group B included standard users (36 subjects; mean age: 47.39 ± 9.31 SD years; 44% males and 56% females). The Hodges-Lehmann median difference was 5.21 (95% CI 3.13, 7.29) in Group A (P < 0.0001), and 1.04 (95% 0, 2.08) in Group B (P = 0.0177). Conclusion: Prolonged and consistent face mask use is associated with an increase in OSDI scores. Whether face mask use is responsible for the worsening of symptoms of DED remains to be elucidated.
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DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Introdução: A evidência internacional tem demonstrado desigualdades sociais no risco de morte por SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19). Em Portugal, a impossibilidade de identificar a condição socioeconómica dos ...indivíduos falecidos impede esta medição. Este estudo analisa as desigualdades sociais nos fatores de risco de morte por COVID-19 em Portugal.Material e Métodos: Foram utilizados dados do sexto Inquérito Nacional de Saúde, conduzido entre setembro e dezembro de 2019, para pessoas entre 25 e 79 anos (n = 12 052). Foram consideradas as morbilidades com ligação demonstrada à morte por COVID-19: asma, bronquite crónica, doenças cardiovasculares (DCV) e cerebrovasculares (AVC), diabetes, hipertensão, doença renal crónica (DRC) e obesidade. A desigualdade, estratificada por sexo, foi medida em termos de educação e rendimento, através de regressões logísticas (odds ratios e índice relativo de desigualdade).Resultados: Em comparação com os homens com o nível de educação mais baixo, foi medido um risco inferior, para os homens com educação terciária, de DCV (-90%), bronquite crónica (-75%), AVC (-70%), diabetes (-62%), hipertensão (-41%) e obesidade (-43%). Nas mulheres com educação terciária, foi observada uma redução de risco de DRC (-77%), hipertensão, diabetes e AVC (-70%), obesidade (-64%) e DCV (-55%). Exceto no caso da obesidade nos homens, o risco de doença foi sempre estatisticamente inferior no quinto quintil de rendimento, comparado com o primeiro.Conclusão: Existiam, em 2019, desigualdades socioeconómicas de grande magnitude para oito doenças cuja ligação à mortalidade por COVID-19 foi amplamente identificada.
The long-term effects of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (coronavirus disease 2019 COVID-19) infection in patients with cancer are unknown. We examined 1-year mortality and prevalence ...of long COVID in patients with and without cancer after initial hospitalization for acute COVID-19 infection.
We previously studied 585 patients hospitalized from March to May 2020 with acute COVID-19 infection at Weill Cornell Medicine (117 patients with cancer and 468 age, sex, and comorbidity-matched non-cancer controls). Of the 456 patients who were discharged, we followed 359 patients (75 cancer and 284 non-cancer controls) for COVID-related symptoms and death, at 3, 6, and 12 months after initial symptom onset. Pearson χ 2 and Fisher exact tests were used to determine associations between cancer, postdischarge mortality, and long COVID symptoms. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards models adjusting for potential confounders were used to quantify the risk of death between patients with and without cancer.
The cancer cohort had higher mortality after hospitalization (23% vs 5%, P < 0.001), a hazard ratio of 4.7 (95% CI: 2.34-9.46) for all-cause mortality, after adjusting for smoking and oxygen requirement. Long COVID symptoms were observed in 33% of patients regardless of cancer status. Constitutional, respiratory, and cardiac complaints were the most prevalent symptoms in the first 6 months, whereas respiratory and neurological complaints (eg, "brain fog" and memory deficits) were most prevalent at 12 months.
Patients with cancer have higher mortality after hospitalization for acute severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infections. The risk of death was highest in the first 3 months after discharge. About one-third of all patients experienced long COVID.
Cancer patients represent a vulnerable cohort during the Sars-CoV-2 pandemic. Oncological societies have generated a plethora of recommendations, but precise instructions about routine oncological ...procedures remain scarce. Here, we report on local COVID-19 protection measures established in an interdisciplinary approach at a tertiary care center during the first wave of the pandemia in Germany. Following these measures, no additional morbidity or mortality during oncological procedures was observed, and no nosocomial infections were registered. However, Validation of our measures is outstanding and regional SARS-CoV-2 prevalence was low. However, specific oncological measures might be important to ensure optimal oncological results, especially for advanced cancer stages during this and future pandemia. In the future, communication about these measures might be crucial to a cancer patient´s assigned network to reduce the danger of excess mortality within the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.
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EMUNI, FIS, FZAB, GEOZS, GIS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, MFDPS, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, SBMB, SBNM, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK, VKSCE, ZAGLJ
A novel series of metal(II) complexes (1–5) MII(L)2{Where M = Cu (1), Co (2), Mn (3), Ni (4) and Zn (5)} constructed from 2-(4-morpholinobenzylideneamino)phenol Schiff base ligand (HL) in a 1:2 M ...ratio and the spectral and analytical results put forward square planar geometry. Spectro-electrochemical, hydrodynamic, gel electrophoresis, and DNA binding/cleavage results for all the compounds demonstrate that complex (1) had excellent DNA binding/cleavage properties compared to other compounds. The observation also suggests that test compounds could intercalate with DNA, and the biothermodynamic property more strongly supports the stabilizing of the double helix DNA with the complexes. BSA binding constant results show that complex (1) exposes the best binding property via a static mode, which is further confirmed by FRET calculations. The DFT calculations and docking results for all compounds towards DNA, BSA and SARS-CoV-19 main protease (3CLPro), reveal the binding energies were in the range of −7.8 to −9.4, −6.6 to −10.2 and − 6.1 – −8.2 kcal/mol for all test compounds respectively. In this case, complexes showed favorable binding energies compared to free ligand, which stimulates further studies aimed at validating the predicted activity as well as contributing to tackling the current and future viral pandemics. The in-vitro antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anticancer results for all compounds revealed that copper complex (1) has better activity compared to others. This might result in an effective anticancer drug for future research, which is especially promising since the observed experimental results for all cases were in close agreement with the theoretical calculations.
Among the synergistic experimental and computational investigations of the biomolecular interaction of morpholine scaffold transition metal(II) complexes towards DNA/BSA & SARS-CoV-19, the copper complex revealed excellent biological efficacy via intercalation, which may contribute to a novel class of anticancer agents in the future. Display omitted
•Transition metal(II) complexes were constructed from morpholine scaffold ligand.•Spectroscopic & analytical results proposed that the complexes have a square planar geometry.•The metal complexes exhibit more potent antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anticancer activity than that of the free ligand. The copper complex acted as a good DNA intercalator.•The DFT & molecular docking results agreed well with the experimental results.•The copper complex has exposed the best anticancer efficacy compared to others, which may lead to promising anticancer agents.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ
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