Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Markus Hoffmann, Nadine Krueger, Sebastian Schulz, Anne Cossmann, Cheila Rocha, Amy Kempf, Inga Nehlmeier, Luise Graichen, Anna-Sophie Moldenhauer, Martin S. Winkler, Martin Lier, Alexandra Dopfer-Jablonka, Hans-Martin Jaeck, Georg M. N. Behrens, Stefan Poehlmann
Summary: The Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2 is spreading rapidly and shows resistance to most therapeutic antibodies. It also evades neutralization by antibodies induced by infection or vaccination more efficiently than the Delta variant. This suggests that therapeutic antibodies may not be effective against the Omicron variant, and double vaccination with BNT162b2 may not provide adequate protection against severe disease caused by this variant.
Review
Medicine, General & Internal
Rosanna W. Peeling, David L. Heymann, Yik-Ying Teo, Patricia J. Garcia
Summary: Diagnostics play a crucial role in the response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Molecular tests like PCR are recommended for confirming diagnosis in symptomatic individuals, while antigen rapid detection tests have the advantage of being easier to perform with faster results and lower cost. Antibody tests can inform public policy but should not be used as proof of immunity. All three types of tests continue to be important in transitioning from pandemic response to control.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Pei Sen, Teresa K. Yamana, Sasikiran Kandula, Marta Galanti, Jeffrey Shaman
Summary: The COVID-19 pandemic in the United States in 2020 was characterized by increasing ascertainment rates, high population susceptibility, and rising community infectious rates, with infection fatality rate decreasing towards the end of the year.
Review
Infectious Diseases
Dasha Majra, Jayme Benson, Jennifer Pitts, Justin Stebbing
Summary: Super spreader events (SSEs) can be categorized into 'societal' and 'isolated' events, with the former posing a greater threat and the latter being more easily quarantined.
JOURNAL OF INFECTION
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ziyad Al-Aly, Benjamin Bowe, Yan Xie
Summary: This study analyzed the US Department of Veterans Affairs national healthcare databases to investigate the occurrence of Long COVID and death risk after breakthrough SARS-CoV-2 infection. The findings showed that vaccination significantly reduced the risk of death and post-acute sequelae but did not eliminate them completely. These results underscore the importance of further research on prevention and post-acute care for breakthrough infections.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Viviane Fongaro Botosso, Soraia Attie Calil Jorge, Renato Mancini Astray, Ana Marcia de Sa Guimaraes, Monica Beatriz Mathor, Patricia dos Santos de Carneiro, Edison Luiz Durigon, Dimas Covas, Danielle Bruna Leal de Oliveira, Ricardo das Neves Oliveira, Durvanei Augusto Maria, Silas Fernandes Eto, Neuza Maria Frazatti Gallina, Giselle Pidde, Carla Cristina Squaiella-Baptistao, Dilza Trevisan Silva, Isadora Maria Villas-Boas, Dayanne Carla Fernandes, Aline Vivian Vatti Auada, Alexandre Campos Banari, Antonio Francisco de Souza Filho, Camila Bianconi, Carla Lilian de Agostini Utescher, Denise Cristina Andre Oliveira, Douglas Oscar Ceolin Mariano, Flavia Ferreira Barbosa, Giuliana Rondon, Josana Kapronezai, Juliana Galvao da Silva, Mauricio Barbugiani Goldfeder, Priscila Comone, Regis Edgar Castilho Junior, Taiana Taina Silva Pereira, Fan Hui Wen, Denise Tambourgi, Ana Marisa Chudzinski-Tavassi
Summary: The new outbreak of COVID-19 has caused millions of deaths worldwide. Efforts are being made to find effective treatments, such as using immunoglobulin from immunized animals or plasma from convalescent patients. Clinical trials using anti-SARS-CoV-2 immunoglobulins from horses immunized with spike protein are underway. Researchers have developed an anti-SARS-CoV-2 equine F(ab ')(2) immunoglobulin that successfully neutralizes the virus, is safe in animal models, and reduces the severity of the disease in a hamster model of SARS-CoV-2 infection.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Review
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Miriam Merad, Catherine A. Blish, Federica Sallusto, Akiko Iwasaki
Summary: Considerable research effort has been focused on deciphering the immune response to SARS-CoV-2 infections and understanding the pathophysiology of COVID-19, including Long Covid syndrome. The hope is that knowledge gained from this research will be applied to studies of inflammatory processes in critical and chronic illnesses in the future.
Editorial Material
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Chris Woolston
Summary: The true impact of closed borders, cancelled travel plans and vaccine delays may take years to fully reveal.
Article
Immunology
Fang -Fang Hsu, Chia-Jui Yang, Mao -Song Tsai, Hsih-Yeh Tsai, Hong -An Chen, Chun-Hsing Liao
Summary: Prompt infection control measures and large-scale PCR screening can control a COVID-19 outbreak within 2 weeks. Exposure time is the major risk factor for HCW infection.
JOURNAL OF MICROBIOLOGY IMMUNOLOGY AND INFECTION
(2022)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Stephanie J. Schrag, Jennifer R. Verani, Brian E. Dixon, Jessica M. Page, Kristen A. Butterfield, Manjusha Gaglani, Gabriela Vazquez-Benitez, Ousseny Zerbo, Karthik Natarajan, Toan C. Ong, Victoria Lazariu, Suchitra Rao, Ryan Beaver, Sascha R. Ellington, Nicola P. Klein, Stephanie A. Irving, Shaun J. Grannis, Salome Kiduko, Michelle A. Barron, John Midturi, Monica Dickerson, Ned Lewis, Melissa S. Stockwell, Edward Stenehjem, William F. Fadel, Ruth Link-Gelles, Kempapura Murthy, Kristin Goddard, Nancy Grisel, Nimish R. Valvi, Bruce Fireman, Julie Arndorfer, Deepika Konatham, Sarah Ball, Mark G. Thompson, Allison L. Naleway
Summary: This study found that maternal mRNA COVID-19 vaccination, including booster doses, provided protection against medically attended COVID-19. Vaccine effectiveness estimates were higher for COVID-19-associated hospitalizations compared to emergency department/urgent care visits, and lower for the Omicron variant than the Delta variant. Protection decreased over time, especially during the Omicron predominance.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Igor M. L. Pataro, Juliane F. Oliveira, Marcelo M. Morato, Alan A. S. Amad, Pablo I. P. Ramos, Felipe A. C. Pereira, Mateus S. Silva, Daniel C. P. Jorge, Roberto F. S. Andrade, Mauricio L. Barreto, Marcus Americano da Costa
Summary: The study discusses the importance of coexisting with the virus and minimizing the risk of epidemic outbreaks in the absence of widespread vaccination. By utilizing a predictive control system and nonlinear model, policies can be optimized to prevent epidemic growth. Fine-tuning enforcement measures and periodic interventions are crucial for achieving SARS-CoV-2 containment in the long term.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Paul C. Coleman, Adam Pailing, Anjana Roy, Eamonn O'Moore, Joht Singh Chandan, Victoria Lumby, Paul Newton, Anna Taylor, Esther Robinson, Jonathon Swindells, Sarah Dowle, Roger Gajraj
Summary: Control measures, including reverse cohorting, protective isolation, and shielding units, were implemented in a large UK prison to prevent the spread of COVID-19. By identifying and isolating infected individuals, cohorting new admissions, and shielding vulnerable prisoners, the uncontrollable transmission of SARS-COV-2 was prevented.
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Brock Kingstad-Bakke, Thomas Cleven, Hailey Bussan, Boyd L. Yount Jr., Ryuta Uraki, Kiyoko Iwatsuki-Horimoto, Michiko Koga, Shinya Yamamoto, Hiroshi Yotsuyanagi, Hongtae Park, Jay S. Mishra, Sathish Kumar, Ralph S. Baric, Peter J. Halfmann, Yoshihiro Kawaoka, M. Suresh
Summary: COVID-19 mRNA vaccines induce potent CD8 T cell responses, leading to effective control of SARS-CoV-2 replication in the lungs and prevention of severe disease.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Martina Patone, Lahiru Handunnetthi, Defne Saatci, Jiafeng Pan, Srinivasa Vittal Katikireddi, Saif Razvi, David Hunt, Xue W. Mei, Sharon Dixon, Francesco Zaccardi, Kamlesh Khunti, Peter Watkinson, Carol A. C. Coupland, James Doidge, David A. Harrison, Rommel Ravanan, Aziz Sheikh, Chris Robertson, Julia Hippisley-Cox
Summary: Emerging reports of rare neurological complications associated with COVID-19 infection and vaccinations are leading to concerns in regulatory, clinical, and public health sectors. A self-controlled case series study in England showed an increased risk of rare neurological complications following COVID-19 vaccination and infection. The study highlighted a higher risk of Guillain-Barre syndrome after ChAdOx1nCoV-19 vaccination.
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Hooman Parhizkar, Kevin G. Van den Wymelenberg, Charles N. Haas, Richard L. Corsi
Summary: The model estimates the risk of COVID-19 aerosol transmission by calculating the concentration of virus-laden aerosol particles in indoor air and considering parameters such as particle emission dynamics. It was tested with four COVID-19 outbreaks and showed reasonably good fit with the reported number of confirmed cases, taking into account uncertainties associated with model assumptions.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Hoong Teng Loh, Dominic C. Y. Foo, Michael Short, Adeniyi J. Isafiade
Summary: This paper proposes a mathematical programming framework for simultaneous optimization of mass exchanger networks (MENs) and direct reuse/recycle networks (DRNs). The approach is demonstrated with a vinyl acetate monomer production problem, and the results show that the integrated network has a total annualized cost reduced by 24.9% compared to the base case configuration where both networks were solved independently.
PROCESS INTEGRATION AND OPTIMIZATION FOR SUSTAINABILITY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Mamatha Tomson, Prashant Kumar, Gopinath Kalaiarasan, Juan C. Zavala-Reyes, Marta Chiapasco, Mark A. Sephton, Gloria Young, Alexandra E. Porter
Summary: This study compared the concentrations of various pollutants in different urban microenvironments in London. It was found that PM2.5, PM10, and PNC had higher concentrations at traffic intersections and street canyons, while indoor concentrations were the lowest. High-resolution electron microscopy detected fine and ultrafine particles containing potentially toxic trace transition metals at all sites. The study revealed that the respiratory deposition doses varied between microenvironments and did not follow the trend of particle concentrations.
ATMOSPHERIC ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Siddhant Dubey, Chiu-Wen Chen, Dibyajyoti Haldar, Vaibhav Sunil Tambat, Prashant Kumar, Ashutosh Tiwari, Reeta Rani Singhania, Cheng-Di Dong, Anil Kumar Patel
Summary: Rapidly changing bioremediation prospects are driving the development of sustainable options that offer more than just environmental remediation. Algal remediation is gaining attention for its ability to remove odour and toxicity, co-remediate various pollutants, and provide biomass for valuable products. It also reduces carbon footprint and shows potential for high CO2-emitting industries. Different mechanisms, such as bioadsorption, photodegradation, and biodegradation, are used by algae to remediate pollutants. This article compiles advancements in microalgae-assisted pollutants remediation and highlights the need for further research and development in commercial-scale algal bioremediation.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2023)
Article
Environmental Studies
Swapnil S. Jagtap, Peter R. N. Childs, Marc E. J. Stettler
Summary: Decarbonising long-range aviation is challenging. This study evaluates the performance of six low-carbon fuels and their realistic impacts on aircraft design for a large long-range passenger aircraft using Breguet's range equation. Liquid hydrogen (LH2) and 100 % synthetic paraffin kerosene (SPK) are the only two alternative fuels found to be viable. Our results should inform studies on LH2 and 100 % SPK aircraft operating costs and lifecycle emissions.
TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH PART D-TRANSPORT AND ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Prashant Kumar, Anil Kumar Patel, Chiu-Wen Chen, Thanh-Binh Nguyen, Jo-Shu Chang, Ashok Pandey, Cheng-Di Dong, Reeta Rani Singhania
Summary: A dopamine-coated magnetite nanocomposite was developed for harvesting lutein-rich Chlorella sorokiniana Kh12 microalgae. Existing microalgae harvesting methods are energy-intensive, time-consuming, and costly. The novel nanoparticle-based flocculation method offers a more efficient and cost-effective solution for biomass harvesting.
ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Shatabdi Roy, Shahid Uz Zaman, Khaled Shaifullah Joy, Farah Jeba, Prashant Kumar, Abdus Salam
Summary: This study investigates the effects of particulate matter and toxic gases on the health of school children. The results show that the concentrations of particulate matter exceed WHO standards, and high levels of toxic gases are found in areas with high vehicle densities. The findings indicate an unacceptable risk for the health of students both indoors and outdoors.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Thermodynamics
Yiming Jiang, Xuhai Pan, Qiong Cai, Oleksiy V. Klymenko, Zhilei Wang, Min Hua, Qingyuan Wang, Juncheng Jiang
Summary: This study investigates the evolution of hydrogen flame near the tube exit and finds that the flame evolution is influenced by both shock wave and vortex in the near-field region. Two different types of flame can transform into each other and a hybrid flame can be formed in the transition region. It is also discovered that the flame in the transition region has features of both types and is easily extinguished.
COMBUSTION AND FLAME
(2023)
Article
Computer Science, Interdisciplinary Applications
Rossella Arcucci, Dunhui Xiao, Fangxin Fang, Ionel Michael Navon, Pin Wu, Christopher C. Pain, Yi-Ke Guo
Summary: Numerical simulations are widely used for predicting complex air flows and pollution transport. Non-Intrusive Reduced Order Model (NIROM) has been proven to be an efficient method for numerical forecasting. However, the reduced space of the model leads to uncertainties, and computational methodologies also contribute to uncertainty. Taking these uncertainties into account is crucial for the acceptance of numerical simulations.
COMPUTERS & FLUIDS
(2023)
Article
Thermodynamics
Ishanki De Mel, Floris Bierkens, Xinyao Liu, Matthew Leach, Mona Chitnis, Lirong Liu, Michael Short
Summary: This study presents a novel optimisation framework to aid the decarbonisation of residential heating in the United Kingdom. It combines technology-related decision-support with policy decisions and recommends optimal retrofit measures for low-carbon heating technologies and fabric improvements. The study's results highlight the need for improved grants and operational support to achieve emissions reduction targets.
Article
Mechanics
Xiaofei Wu, Hisham Abubakar-Waziri, Fangxin Fang, Claire Dilliway, Pin Wu, Jinxi Li, Runming Yao, Pankaj Bhavsar, Prashant Kumar, Christopher C. Pain, Kian Fan Chung
Summary: We modeled the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in an isolation room at the Royal Brompton Hospital in London, using an adaptive mesh computational fluid dynamics model. The model was based on data collected during the patient's stay and aimed to optimize the design layout of the isolation room, considering the location of the air extractor, filtration rates, bed location of the patient, and the health and safety of the staff working in the area.
Article
Respiratory System
Hisham Abubakar-Waziri, Gopinath Kalaiarasan, Rebecca Wawman, Faye Hobbs, Ian Adcock, Claire Dilliway, Fangxin Fang, Christopher Pain, Alexandra Porter, Pankaj K. Bhavsar, Emma Ransome, Vincent Savolainen, Prashant Kumar, Kian Fan Chung
Summary: During the easing of COVID-19 pandemic restrictions in London, SARS-CoV2 RNA was detected in the air of hospital waiting areas, wards, and London Underground train carriages. This suggests that airborne transmission may be an important mode of spread. Further research is needed to determine the transmission potential of SARS-CoV2 detected in the air.
BMJ OPEN RESPIRATORY RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Environmental Studies
Daniel Mehlig, Iain Staffell, Marc Stettler, Helen Apsimon
Summary: The rapid adoption of new vehicle technologies will have a significant impact on the environment in terms of emissions. Specifically, the emissions from power plants supplying electric vehicles (EVs) and non-exhaust PM2.5 emissions from vehicles may undermine the benefits of EVs. A fleet turnover model was developed to assess the effects of different vehicle technologies, the rate of technological change, and changing transport demand on CO2eq and air pollutant emissions. The findings suggest that by 2050, the transition to EVs can reduce annual CO2eq emissions by 98% and cumulative CO2eq emissions by over 50%. Accelerating or delaying the uptake of EVs by 5 years only changes these results by 1% and 17% respectively. Furthermore, EVs can also significantly reduce annual NOx emissions by 97%, but their impact on PM2.5 is limited. Overall, reducing vehicle kilometers has the potential to reduce non-exhaust PM2.5 emissions by 20% in the long term.
TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH PART D-TRANSPORT AND ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Review
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Ruosi Zhang, Tao Chen, Yang Wang, Michael Short
Summary: This study examines the potential for integrating renewable energy with recirculating aquaculture systems (RASs) to improve their financial and environmental feasibility. By utilizing optimization modeling and more efficient practices, such as process integration and advanced monitoring, the system's sustainability and profitability can be enhanced.
SUSTAINABLE PRODUCTION AND CONSUMPTION
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Sisay E. Debele, Laura S. Leo, Prashant Kumar, Jeetendra Sahani, Joy Ommer, Edoardo Bucchignani, Sasa Vranic, Milan Kalas, Zahra Amirzada, Irina Pavlova, Mohammad Aminur Rahman Shah, Alejandro Gonzalez-Ollauri, Silvana Di Sabatino
Summary: The knowledge derived from successful case studies can drive the implementation and upscaling of nature-based solutions (NBS) to reduce the adverse impact of natural hazards and climate change. This work reviewed 547 case studies and found that majority (60%) of the studies were located in Europe, while representation in other regions was poor. Among these case studies, green solutions accounted for 33%, followed by hybrid (31%), mixed (27%), and blue (10%) approaches.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jenny Martinez, Yris Olaya Morales, Prashant Kumar
Summary: The impact of bicycle lane designs on cyclist exposure to air pollution is a significant concern. This study found that in the city of Medellin, Colombia, the sections without dedicated bicycle lanes had the highest PM2.5 exposure and inhaled dose. Cyclists had higher PM2.5 exposure and inhaled dose during morning peak hours compared to evening peak and off-peak hours. Segregated cycling lanes on the sidewalk can considerably lower PM2.5 exposure and inhaled doses for cyclists.
ATMOSPHERIC POLLUTION RESEARCH
(2024)
