Within 4 months of COVID-19 first being reported in the USA, it spread to every state and to more than 90% of all counties. During this period, the US COVID-19 response was highly decentralised, with ...stay-at-home directives issued by state and local officials, subject to varying levels of enforcement. The absence of a centralised policy and timeline combined with the complex dynamics of human mobility and the variable intensity of local outbreaks makes assessing the effect of large-scale social distancing on COVID-19 transmission in the USA a challenge.
We used daily mobility data derived from aggregated and anonymised cell (mobile) phone data, provided by Teralytics (Zürich, Switzerland) from Jan 1 to April 20, 2020, to capture real-time trends in movement patterns for each US county, and used these data to generate a social distancing metric. We used epidemiological data to compute the COVID-19 growth rate ratio for a given county on a given day. Using these metrics, we evaluated how social distancing, measured by the relative change in mobility, affected the rate of new infections in the 25 counties in the USA with the highest number of confirmed cases on April 16, 2020, by fitting a statistical model for each county.
Our analysis revealed that mobility patterns are strongly correlated with decreased COVID-19 case growth rates for the most affected counties in the USA, with Pearson correlation coefficients above 0·7 for 20 of the 25 counties evaluated. Additionally, the effect of changes in mobility patterns, which dropped by 35–63% relative to the normal conditions, on COVID-19 transmission are not likely to be perceptible for 9–12 days, and potentially up to 3 weeks, which is consistent with the incubation time of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 plus additional time for reporting. We also show evidence that behavioural changes were already underway in many US counties days to weeks before state-level or local-level stay-at-home policies were implemented, implying that individuals anticipated public health directives where social distancing was adopted, despite a mixed political message.
This study strongly supports a role of social distancing as an effective way to mitigate COVID-19 transmission in the USA. Until a COVID-19 vaccine is widely available, social distancing will remain one of the primary measures to combat disease spread, and these findings should serve to support more timely policy making around social distancing in the USA in the future.
None.
The discovery of drugs capable of inhibiting SARS-CoV-2 is a priority for human beings due to the severity of the global health pandemic caused by COVID-19. To this end, repurposing of FDA-approved ...drugs such as NSAIDs against COVID-19 can provide therapeutic alternatives that could be utilized as an effective safe treatment for COVID-19. The anti-inflammatory activity of NSAIDs is also advantageous in the treatment of COVID-19, as it was found that SARS-CoV-2 is responsible for provoking inflammatory cytokine storms resulting in lung damage. In this study, 40 FDA-approved NSAIDs were evaluated through molecular docking against the main protease of SARS-CoV-2. Among the tested compounds, sulfinpyrazone
, indomethacin
, and auranofin
were proposed as potential antagonists of COVID-19 main protease. Molecular dynamics simulations were also carried out for the most promising members of the screened NSAID candidates (
,
, and
) to unravel the dynamic properties of NSAIDs at the target receptor. The conducted quantum mechanical study revealed that the hybrid functional B3PW91 provides a good description of the spatial parameters of auranofin
. Interestingly, a promising structure-activity relationship (SAR) was concluded from our study that could help in the future design of potential SARS-CoV-2 main protease inhibitors with expected anti-inflammatory effects as well. NSAIDs may be used by medicinal chemists as lead compounds for the development of potent SARS-CoV-2 (M
) inhibitors. In addition, some NSAIDs can be selectively designated for treatment of inflammation resulting from COVID-19.
Mobile phone data provide a unique means to capture individual-level and population-level movement patterns, which have become heavily relied upon to inform COVID-19 responses—specifically, for ...evaluating the impact of, and compliance with, non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs), as well as modelling the spatiotemporal variability of transmission dynamics. Furthermore, we applied the analysis to subgroups of counties clustered spatially and temporally according to both the magnitude of their outbreaks and growth (or decline) rates during specified periods, in efforts to distinguish the role of mobility patterns in SARS-CoV-2 transmission as a function of these characteristic outbreak dynamics. While mobility patterns can serve as a critical tool for assessing COVID-19 intervention impacts, there exists various challenges and limitations to their use.4 Based on our most recent findings, parameterising SARS-CoV-2 transmission models using mobility data alone is likely to result in poorly performing models and inaccurate forecasts.
This book provides a complete discussion of modern experimental design for product and process improvement-the design and analysis of experiments and their applications for system optimization, ...robustness, and treatment comparison. While maintaining the same easy-to-follow style as the previous editions, this book continues to present an integrated system of experimental design and analysis that can be applied across various fields of research including engineering, medicine, and the physical sciences. New chapters provide modern updates on practical optimal design and computer experiments, an explanation of computer simulations as an alternative to physical experiments. Each chapter begins with a real-world example of an experiment followed by the methods required to design that type of experiment. The chapters conclude with an application of the methods to the experiment, bridging the gap between theory and practice. The authors modernize accepted methodologies while refining many cutting-edge topics including robust parameter design, analysis of non-normal data, analysis of experiments with complex aliasing, multilevel designs, minimum aberration designs, and orthogonal arrays.
Trauma-induced coagulopathy includes thrombocytopenia and platelet dysfunction that impact patient outcome. Nevertheless, the role of platelet transfusion remains poorly defined. The aim of the study ...was 1/ to evaluate the impact of early platelet transfusion on 24-h all-cause mortality and 2/ to describe platelet count at admission (PCA) and its relationship with trauma severity and outcome.
Observational study carried out on a multicentre prospective trauma registry. All adult trauma patients directly admitted in participating trauma centres between May 2011 and June 2019 were included. Severe haemorrhage was defined as ≥ 4 red blood cell units within 6 h and/or death from exsanguination. The impact of PCA and early platelet transfusion (i.e. within the first 6 h) on 24-h all-cause mortality was assessed using uni- and multivariate logistic regression.
Among the 19,596 included patients, PCA (229 G/L 189,271) was associated with coagulopathy, traumatic burden, shock and bleeding severity. In a logistic regression model, 24-h all-cause mortality increased by 37% for every 50 G/L decrease in platelet count (OR 0.63 95% CI 0.57-0.70; p < 0.001). Regarding patients with severe hemorrhage, platelets were transfused early for 36% of patients. Early platelet transfusion was associated with a decrease in 24-h all-cause mortality (versus no or late platelets): OR 0.52 (95% CI 0.34-0.79; p < 0.05).
PCA, although mainly in normal range, was associated with trauma severity and coagulopathy and was predictive of bleeding intensity and outcome. Early platelet transfusion within 6 h was associated with a decrease in mortality in patients with severe hemorrhage. Future studies are needed to determine which doses of platelet transfusion will improve outcomes after major trauma.
In this article, we describe a set of subsequent five-steps chemical reactions to synthesize a ferrocene derivative named ...1-(5-(diphenylphosphaneyl)cyclopenta-1,3-dien-1-yl)ethyl)imino)-1,3-dihydroisobenzofuran-5-yl)methanol (compound 10). Structural characterization of 10 and its intermediate products was also performed and reported to attest to their formation. A molecular docking study was performed to propose the novel synthesized ferrocene derivative (10) as a potential antitumor candidate targeting the mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinases interacting kinase (Mnk) 1. The computed docking score of (10) at −9.50 kcal/mol compared to the native anticancer staurosporine at −8.72 kcal/mol postulated a promising anticancer activity. Also, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were carried out for 500 ns followed by MM-GBSA-binding free energy calculations for both the docked complexes of ferrocene and staurosporine to give more deep insights into their dynamic behavior in physiological conditions. Furthermore, DFT calculations were performed to unravel some of the physiochemical characteristics of the ferrocene derivative (10). The quantum mechanics calculations shed the light on some of the structural and electrochemical configurations of (10) which would open the horizon for further investigation.
Highlights
The synthesis of a ferrocene derivative named 1-(5-(diphenylphosphaneyl)cyclopenta-1,3-dien-1-yl)ethyl)imino)-1,3-dihydroisobenzofuran-5-yl)methanol (compound 10) was described.
Structural characterizations of ferrocene derivative (10) and its intermediate products were also performed.
DFT calculations, molecular docking, molecular dynamics, and MM-GBSA calculations were carried out.
Computational studies revealed the antitumor potential of ferrocene derivative (10) through targeting and inhibiting mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinases interacting kinase (Mnk) 1.
Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma
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•Two new sets of sulfaguanidine-based azopyrazolidine-3,5-diones and 3,5-diaminoazopyrazoles were synthesized.•Four derivatives VII, VIII, X, and XIII exerted potent cytotoxicity ...against the chosen tumor cells presenting IC50 range equal to 2.86–25.89 µM.•The 3,5-diaminopyrazole-1-carboxamide derivative XIII showed a superior combined profile as cytotoxic with high selectivity toward cancer cells.•Compound XIII exerted potent CDK-9 inhibition activity.•Compound XIII induces apoptosis of HepG2 cells and arrests their cell cycle at G0/G1 phase.
Regarding the structural analysis of variable effective CDK-9 suppressors, we record the design and synthesis of two new sets of sulfaguanidine-based azopyrazolidine-3,5-diones and 3,5-diaminoazopyrazoles with expected anticancer and CDK-9 inhibiting activity. In the designed molecules, the pyrazole ring and sulphaguanidine fragment were linked together for the first time through diazo linkers as they are expected to enhance the anticancer activity and CDK degrading interaction. All derivatives have been estimated regarding their cytotoxic activity toward three tumor cells where CDK overexpression has been reported (HePG2, HCT-116, and MCF-7). Among these, four derivatives VII, VIII, X, and XIII exerted potent cytotoxicity against the chosen tumor cells presenting IC50 range equal to 2.86–25.89 µM. As well cytotoxicity on non-cancer cells and CDK-9 inhibition assay have been also assessed for these candidates to evaluate their selectivity indices and enzyme inhibition. The 3,5-diaminopyrazole-1-carboxamide derivative XIII showed a superior combined profile as cytotoxic with high selectivity toward cancer cells (HePG2: IC50 = 6.57 µM, SI = 13.31; HCT-116: IC50 = 9.54 µM, SI = 9.16; MCF-7: IC50 = 7.97 µM, SI = 10.97). Accordingly, it has been chosen to evaluate its probable mechanistic effect both in vitro (via enzyme assay, apoptosis induction, and cell cycle study) as well as in silico (through molecular docking). Overall, this work introduces the 3,5-diaminopyrazole-1-carboxamide derivative XIII as a potent CDK-9 inhibitor candidate (IC50 = 0.16 µM) that merits further investigations for the management of breast, colorectal, and hepatic malignancies.
The first highly stereoselective cyclopropanation of diazo Weinreb amides with olefins was accomplished using chiral Ru(ii)-Amm-Pheox complex to give the corresponding chiral cyclopropyl Weinreb ...amides in high yields (up to 99%) with excellent diastereoselectivities (up to 99 : 1 dr) and enantioselectivities (up to 96% ee).
Impaired proteasome activity due to genetic variants of certain subunits might lead to proteasome-associated autoinflammatory syndromes (PRAAS). Here we report a de novo heterozygous missense variant ...of the PSMB9 proteasome subunit gene in two unrelated Japanese infants resulting in amino acid substitution of the glycine (G) by aspartic acid (D) at position 156 of the encoded protein β1i. In addition to PRAAS-like manifestations, these individuals suffer from pulmonary hypertension and immunodeficiency, which are distinct from typical PRAAS symptoms. The missense variant results in impaired immunoproteasome maturation and activity, yet ubiquitin accumulation is hardly detectable in the patients. A mouse model of the heterozygous human genetic variant (Psmb9
) recapitulates the proteasome defects and the immunodeficiency phenotype of patients. Structurally, PSMB9 G156D interferes with the β-ring-βring interaction of the wild type protein that is necessary for 20S proteasome formation. We propose the term, proteasome-associated autoinflammatory syndrome with immunodeficiency (PRAAS-ID), to indicate a separate category of autoinflammatory diseases, similar to, but distinct from PRAAS, that describes the patients in this study.
Abstract
During the current coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, symptoms of depression are commonly documented among both symptomatic and asymptomatic quarantined COVID-19 patients. Despite ...that many of the FDA-approved drugs have been showed anti-SARS-CoV-2 activity in vitro and remarkable efficacy against COVID-19 in clinical trials, no pharmaceutical products have yet been declared to be fully effective for treating COVID-19. Antidepressants comprise five major drug classes for the treatment of depression, neuralgia, migraine prophylaxis, and eating disorders which are frequently reported symptoms in COVID-19 patients. Herein, the efficacy of eight frequently prescribed FDA-approved antidepressants on the inhibition of both SARS-CoV-2 and MERS-CoV was assessed. Additionally, the in vitro anti-SARS-CoV-2 and anti-MERS-CoV activities were evaluated. Furthermore, molecular docking studies have been performed for these drugs against the spike (S) and main protease (M
pro
) pockets of both SARS-CoV-2 and MERS-CoV. Results showed that Amitriptyline, Imipramine, Paroxetine, and Sertraline had potential anti-viral activities. Our findings suggested that the aforementioned drugs deserve more in vitro and in vivo studies targeting COVID-19 especially for those patients suffering from depression.
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