Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ramandeep Singh, Alisha Kang, Xiangqian Luo, Mangalakumari Jeyanathan, Amy Gillgrass, Sam Afkhami, Zhou Xing
Summary: The COVID-19 pandemic has posed the most challenging global health crisis in a century, infecting more than 100 million people and causing over 2.15 million deaths. Rapid efforts have been made to develop vaccines to combat the virus and prevent further spread.
Review
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Daniel M. Altmann, Rosemary J. Boyton
Summary: A diverse range of first-generation SARS-CoV-2 vaccines have been successful in controlling the COVID-19 pandemic, although inequitable distribution remains an issue. Future challenges include optimizing immunological boosting strategies and building an immune repertoire that can protect against upcoming viral variants.
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
C. Sabrina Tan, Ai-ris Y. Collier, Jingyou Yu, Jinyan Liu, Abishek Chandrashekar, Katherine McMahan, Catherine Jacob-Dolan, Xuan He, Vicky Roy, Blake M. Hauser, Jennifer E. Munt, Michael L. Mallory, Melissa Mattocks, John M. Powers, Rita M. Meganck, Marjorie Rowe, Rachel Hemond, Esther A. Bondzie, Kate H. Jaegle, Ralph S. Baric, Aaron G. Schmidt, Galit Alter, Mathieu Le Gars, Jerald Sadoff, Dan H. Barouch
Summary: By using heterologous Ad26.COV2.S vaccine as a booster for individuals previously vaccinated with BNT162b2, durable humoral and cellular immune responses can be achieved. This suggests potential benefits of heterologous prime-boost vaccine regimens for SARS-CoV-2.
News Item
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Holly Else
Summary: Researchers are attempting to calculate the number of years lost due to disability and death.
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Roxana Manuela Fericean, Ovidiu Rosca, Cosmin Citu, Diana Manolescu, Vlad Bloanca, Ana-Olivia Toma, Estera Boeriu, Catalin Dumitru, Madhavi Ravulapalli, Vlad Barbos, Cristian Oancea
Summary: This study examined the variation in severity, symptoms, ICU hospitalizations, and mortality among elderly individuals infected with SARS-CoV-2 during six different pandemic waves. The results showed that the first, third, and fourth waves had a significantly higher risk of mortality for hospitalized patients. Confusion and dyspnea at admission were significant risk factors for ICU admission in elderly patients. Decreased lymphocytes, elevated IL-6, and procalcitonin were identified as the most significant risk factors. The third and fourth waves had considerably more severe infections than the sixth wave, but mortality rates were similar among the six waves.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MEDICINE
(2022)
News Item
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Dyani Lewis
Summary: The coronavirus can linger on surfaces, but they are not a major source of infection.
Article
Biology
Taehwan Oh, Green Kim, Seung Ho Baek, Youngmin Woo, Bon-Sang Koo, Eun-Ha Hwang, Kyuyoung Shim, You Jung An, Yujin Kim, Jinyoung Won, Youngjeon Lee, Kyung Seob Lim, Jae-Hak Park, Jung Joo Hong
Summary: We utilized a spatial transcriptome atlas to identify specific gene expression profiles of acute lung injury during SARS-CoV-2 infection. The alveolar regions showed activation of genes related to virus-induced cell death and the innate immune response, while inflamed vascular regions exhibited upregulation of interferon and complement pathway genes. Known biomarker genes were expressed in specific pulmonary microstructures, highlighting the importance of identifying key drivers of disease progression and clinically applicable biomarkers during SARS-CoV-2 infection.
COMMUNICATIONS BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Robert Markewitz, Antje Torge, Klaus-Peter Wandinger, Daniela Pauli, Andre Franke, Luis Bujanda, Jose Maria Marimon, Jesus M. Banales, Maria A. Gutierrez-Stampa, Beatriz Nafria, Ralf Junker
Summary: The presence and levels of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies are mainly dependent on the time between symptom onset and serum collection, with some patients not developing antibodies at the time of sample collection. No significant associations were found between the presence and levels of antibodies and age, sex, duration of hospitalization, treatment in the ICU or death.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
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
Immunology
Nobuaki Matsunaga, Kayoko Hayakawa, Mari Terada, Hiroshi Ohtsu, Yusuke Asai, Shinya Tsuzuki, Setsuko Suzuki, Ako Toyoda, Kumiko Suzuki, Mio Endo, Naoki Fujii, Michiyo Suzuki, Sho Saito, Yukari Uemura, Taro Shibata, Masashi Kondo, Kazuo Izumi, Junko Terada-Hirashima, Ayako Mikami, Wataru Sugiura, Norio Ohmagari
Summary: This study in Japan examined hospitalized patients with COVID-19, finding that they are typically middle-aged males with close contact to confirmed or suspected cases. The most common comorbidities were hypertension and diabetes. Most patients admitted were nonsevere cases, with a majority not requiring oxygen support during hospitalization.
CLINICAL INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2021)
Article
Immunology
Ross M. Kedl
Summary: This article describes the pre- and post-immunization experiences of an individual who participated in the Moderna phase III clinical trial and strongly suggests that the individual did not receive the placebo. Although the analysis is based on a single case, the results align well with existing published data and provide a comprehensive longitudinal evaluation of vaccine-elicited immunity within a single person. The findings, although anecdotal, offer valuable insights and guidance for future longitudinal studies with statistical significance.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Erin M. Bange, Nicholas A. Han, Paul Wileyto, Justin Y. Kim, Sigrid Gouma, James Robinson, Allison R. Greenplate, Madeline A. Hwee, Florence Porterfield, Olutosin Owoyemi, Karan Naik, Cathy Zheng, Michael Galantino, Ariel R. Weisman, Caroline A. G. Ittner, Emily M. Kugler, Amy E. Baxter, Olutwatosin Oniyide, Roseline S. Agyekum, Thomas G. Dunn, Tiffanie K. Jones, Heather M. Giannini, Madison E. Weirick, Christopher M. McAllister, N. Esther Babady, Anita Kumar, Adam J. Widman, Susan DeWolf, Sawsan R. Boutemine, Charlotte Roberts, Krista R. Budzik, Susan Tollett, Carla Wright, Tara Perloff, Lova Sun, Divij Mathew, Josephine R. Giles, Derek A. Oldridge, Jennifer E. Wu, Cecile Alanio, Sharon Adamski, Alfred L. Garfall, Laura A. Vella, Samuel J. Kerr, Justine Cohen, Randall A. Oyer, Ryan Massa, Ivan P. Maillard, Kara N. Maxwell, John P. Reilly, Peter G. Maslak, Robert H. Vonderheide, Jedd D. Wolchok, Scott E. Hensley, E. John Wherry, Nuala J. Meyer, Angela M. DeMichele, Santosha A. Vardhana, Ronac Mamtani, Alexander C. Huang
Summary: In patients with cancer and COVID-19, those with hematologic cancer show impaired immune responses compared to solid cancer patients. CD8 T cells play a crucial role in survival, even in the presence of limited humoral responses. The presence of SARS-CoV-2-specific T cell responses in hematologic cancer patients suggests a potential therapeutic target.
Article
Immunology
Michael Z. Zulu, Suhas Sureshchandra, Amanda N. Pinski, Brianna Doratt, Weining Shen, Ilhem Messaoudi
Summary: Both age and obesity are major risk factors for severe COVID-19 cases, with most hospitalizations and deaths occurring in individuals over 55 years old. Research suggests that older individuals and obese patients exhibit more pronounced impacts on host responses to SARS-CoV-2, particularly in terms of immune cell subsets and inflammatory cytokine production.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Immunology
Carlos U. Torres-Estrella, Maria del Rocio Reyes-Montes, Esperanza Duarte-Escalante, Monica Sierra Martinez, Maria Guadalupe Frias-De-Leon, Gustavo Acosta-Altamirano
Summary: This paper describes the current status of COVID-19 vaccine development and production, and proposes ideas for future research. The paper also discusses the immune effects of vaccination in different populations and the role of Mexico in managing the vaccination process.
Article
Immunology
Nabin K. Shrestha, Patrick C. Burke, Amy S. Nowacki, Paul Terpeluk, Steven M. Gordon
Summary: Both previous infection and vaccination provide substantial protection against COVID-19. Vaccination of previously infected individuals does not provide additional protection against COVID-19 for several months, but after that provides significant protection at least against symptomatic COVID-19. Individuals previously infected with COVID-19 are substantially protected against COVID-19 for several months in the absence of vaccination. Beyond that time, vaccination protects against symptomatic COVID-19 among those previously infected, probably by boosting of waning natural immunity.
CLINICAL INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2022)
Article
Orthopedics
Matthew J. Gluck, Christina M. Beck, Angelos Skodras, Zachary L. Bernstein, Todd A. Rubin, Michael R. Hausman, Paul J. Cagle
Summary: SHG microscopy can provide real-time assessment of nerve damage, allowing surgeons to accurately quantify the degree of nerve damage. This study demonstrated the utility of SHG microscopy in detecting nerve damage in an animal model.
JOURNAL OF HAND SURGERY-AMERICAN VOLUME
(2023)
Article
Immunology
Daniel J. Stieh, Dan H. Barouch, Christy Comeaux, Michal Sarnecki, Kathryn E. Stephenson, Stephen R. Walsh, Sheetal Sawant, Jack Heptinstall, Georgia D. Tomaras, James G. Kublin, M. Juliana McElrath, Kristen W. Cohen, Stephen C. De Rosa, Galit Alter, Guido Ferrari, David Montefiori, Philipp Mann, Steven Nijs, Katleen Callewaert, Paul A. Goepfert, Srilatha Edupuganti, Etienne Karita, Michael S. Seaman, Lawrence Corey, Lindsey R. Baden, Maria G. Pau, Hanneke Schuitemaker, Frank Tomaka
Summary: This study developed a cross-clade, globally effective HIV vaccine through clinical trials on healthy individuals with low risk for HIV infection. The findings showed that adding mosaic gp140 to the vaccine regimen increased and broadened the elicited immune response without compromising safety or clade C responses.
JOURNAL OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2023)
Letter
Infectious Diseases
Eric J. Nilles, Cecilia Then Paulino, Michael de St Aubin, William Duke, Petr Jarolim, Isaac Miguel Sanchez, Kristy O. Murray, Colleen L. Lau, Emily Zielinski Gutierrez, Ronald Skewes Ramm, Marietta Vasquez, Adam Kucharski
LANCET INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2023)
Letter
Medicine, General & Internal
Ai-ris Y. Collier, Jessica Miller, Nicole P. Hachmann, Katherine McMahan, Jinyan Liu, Esther A. Bondzie, Lydia Gallup, Marjorie Rowe, Eleanor Schonberg, Siline Thai, Julia Barrett, Erica N. Borducchi, Emily Bouffard, Catherine Jacob-Dolan, Camille R. Mazurek, Audrey Mutoni, Olivia Powers, Michaela Sciacca, Nehalee Surve, Haley VanWyk, Cindy Wu, Dan H. Barouch
NEW ENGLAND JOURNAL OF MEDICINE
(2023)
Letter
Medicine, General & Internal
Jessica Miller, Nicole P. Hachmann, Ai-ris Y. Collier, Ninaad Lasrado, Camille R. Mazurek, Robert C. Patio, Olivia Powers, Nehalee Surve, James Theiler, Bette Korber, Dan H. Barouch
NEW ENGLAND JOURNAL OF MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Kei Ouchi, Rachel S. S. Lee, Susan D. D. Block, Emily L. L. Aaronson, Mohammad A. A. Hasdianda, Wei Wang, Sarah Rossmassler, Ruth Palan Lopez, Donna Berry, Rebecca Sudore, Mara A. A. Schonberg, James A. A. Tulsky
Summary: A study on serious illness conversations in the emergency department showed that a brief motivational interview conducted by trained nurses can improve advance care planning engagement and documentation for seriously ill older adults.
PALLIATIVE MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jennifer Cable, Barney S. Graham, Richard A. Koup, Robert A. Seder, Katalin Kariko, Norbert Pardi, Dan H. Barouch, Bhawna Sharma, Susanne Rauch, Raffael Nachbagauer, Mattias N. E. Forsell, Michael Schotsaert, Ali H. Ellebedy, Karin Lore, Darrell J. Irvine, Emily Pilkington, Siri Tahtinen, Elizabeth A. Thompson, Yanis Feraoun, Neil P. King, Kevin Saunders, Galit Alter, Syed M. Moin, Kwinten Sliepen, Gunilla B. Karlsson Hedestam, Hedda Wardemann, Bali Pulendran, Nicole A. Doria-Rose, Wan-Ting He, Jennifer A. Juno, Sila Ataca, Adam K. Wheatley, Jason S. McLellan, Laura M. Walker, Julia Lederhofer, Lisa C. Lindesmith, Holger Wille, Peter J. Hotez, Linda-Gail Bekker
Summary: The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of vaccines in public health and advancements in vaccine technology are vital for preventing infectious diseases. While many diseases still lack effective vaccines, recent developments in fields like immunology and structural biology may lead to breakthroughs in vaccination and enhance preparedness for future pandemics.
ANNALS OF THE NEW YORK ACADEMY OF SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Obstetrics & Gynecology
Ai-ris Y. Collier, Anna M. Modest, Ricardo A. Aguayo, Esther A. Bondzie, Shivani Patel, Michele R. Hacker, Dan H. Barouch
Summary: This study aimed to investigate the differences in T cell phenotype and function in uterine intervillous blood (IVB) between normal pregnancy and preeclampsia, and to explore the immunologic basis of preeclampsia. The results showed that preeclampsia was associated with a greater pro-inflammatory cytokine ratio in uterine IVB T cell subsets, indicating an inflammation-related mechanism of preeclampsia. Therefore, IVB sampling is a useful tool for studying human uterine T cell biology and may provide insights for immunotherapeutic strategies for preeclampsia.
REPRODUCTIVE SCIENCES
(2023)
Correction
Immunology
Etsuro Nanishi, Francesco Borriello, Hyuk-Soo Seo, Timothy R. O'Meara, Marisa E. McGrath, Yoshine Saito, Jing Chen, Joann Diray-Arce, Kijun Song, Andrew Z. Xu, Soumik Barman, Manisha Menon, Danica Dong, Timothy M. Caradonna, Jared Feldman, Blake M. Hauser, Aaron G. Schmidt, Lindsey R. Baden, Robert K. Ernst, Carly Dillen, Jingyou Yu, Aiquan Chang, Luuk Hilgers, Peter Paul Platenburg, Sirano Dhe-Paganon, Dan H. Barouch, Al Ozonoff, Ivan Zanoni, Matthew B. Frieman, David J. Dowling, Ofer Levy
Article
Immunology
Etsuro Nanishi, Francesco Borriello, Hyuk-Soo Seo, Timothy R. O'Meara, Marisa E. McGrath, Yoshine Saito, Jing Chen, Joann Diray-Arce, Kijun Song, Andrew Z. Xu, Soumik Barman, Manisha Menon, Danica Dong, Timothy M. Caradonna, Jared Feldman, Blake M. Hauser, Aaron G. Schmidt, Lindsey R. Baden, Robert K. Ernst, Carly Dillen, Jingyou Yu, Aiquan Chang, Luuk Hilgers, Peter Paul Platenburg, Sirano Dhe-Paganon, Dan H. Barouch, Al Ozonoff, Ivan Zanoni, Matthew B. Frieman, David J. Dowling, Ofer Levy
Summary: The development of vaccines that protect vulnerable populations from SARS-CoV-2 is a public health priority. This study tested different adjuvants and SARS-CoV-2 antigens to identify a combination that induces antibodies and protection in both young and aged mice. An oil-in-water emulsion containing carbohydrate fatty acid monosulphate derivative (CMS:O/W) was found to be the most effective in enhancing immune response and protection across age groups.
Article
Cell Biology
Jingyou Yu, Paul V. Thomas, Michaela Sciacca, Cindy Wu, Jinyan Liu, Xuan He, Jessica Miller, Nicole P. Hachmann, Nehalee Surve, Katherine McMahan, Catherine Jacob-Dolan, Olivia Powers, Kevin Hall, Julia Barrett, David Hope, Camille R. Mazurek, Tetyana Murdza, William C. Chang, Emily Golub, Phyllis A. Rees, Caroline E. Peterson, Agnes Hajduczki, Wei-Hung Chen, Elizabeth J. Martinez, Elizabeth Hussin, Camille Lange, Hua Gong, Gary R. Matyas, Mangala Rao, Mehul Suthar, Mona Boursiquot, Anthony Cook, Laurent Pessaint, Mark G. Lewis, Hanne Andersen, Diane L. Bolton, Nelson L. Michael, M. Gordon Joyce, Kayvon Modjarrad, Dan H. Barouch
Summary: SARS-CoV-2 vaccines have reduced protection against the acquisition of the BA.5 subvariant, but remain effective against severe disease. The immune correlates of protection against BA.5 are unknown. This study demonstrates that both homologous and heterologous regimens involving Ad26.COV2.S and SpFN vaccines provide robust protection against a mismatched BA.5 challenge in macaques.
CELL REPORTS MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Andrew D. A. Marshall, Mohammad Adrian Hasdianda, Steven Miyawaki, Guruprasad Jambaulikar, Chenze Cao, Paul Chen, Christopher W. Baugh, Haipeng Zhang, Jonathan McCabe, Lee Steinbach, Scott King, Jason Friedman, Jennifer Su, Adam B. Landman, Peter Ray Chai
Summary: This study aimed to explore the potential use of electronic paper (E-paper) screens as a means of communication with patients in the emergency department (ED). The results suggested that utilizing E-paper screens as digital whiteboards could improve patient satisfaction and overall experience in the ED. The pilot study showed that patients found the digital whiteboards helpful and preferred rooms equipped with them.
JMIR FORMATIVE RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Beatris Mario Martin, Angela Cadavid Restrepo, Helen J. Mayfield, Cecilia Then Paulino, Micheal De St Aubin, William Duke, Petr Jarolim, Emily Zielinski Gutierrez, Ronald Skewes Ramm, Devan Dumas, Salome Garnier, Marie Caroline Etienne, Farah Pena, Gabriela Abdalla, Beatriz Lopez, Lucia de la Cruz, Bernarda Henriquez, Margaret Baldwin, Benn Sartorius, Adam Kucharski, Eric James Nilles, Colleen L. Lau
Summary: This study investigated the variation in seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 at sub-national levels in the Dominican Republic and identified factors influencing this variation. The findings showed that receiving two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine was associated with significantly higher odds of seropositivity, indicating the importance of vaccination in increasing population immunity. These results can inform regional-level public health responses and strategies for increasing vaccination coverage.
TROPICAL MEDICINE AND INFECTIOUS DISEASE
(2023)
Article
Immunology
Eric J. Nilles, Michael de St Aubin, Devan Dumas, William Duke, Marie Caroline Etienne, Gabriela Abdalla, Petr Jarolim, Timothy Oasan, Salome Garnier, Naomi Iihoshi, Beatriz Lopez, Lucia de la Cruz, Yosanly Cornelio Puello, Margaret Baldwin, Kathryn W. Roberts, Farah Pena, Kara Durski, Isaac Miguel Sanchez, Sarah M. Gunter, Alexander R. Kneubehl, Kristy O. Murray, Allison Lino, Sarah Strobel, Amado Alejandro Baez, Colleen L. Lau, Adam Kucharski, Emily Zielinski Gutierrez, Ronald Skewes-Ramm, Marietta Vasquez, Cecilia Then Paulino
Summary: To assess the changes in SARS-CoV-2 spike binding antibody prevalence and its implications for immunologic protection against variants of concern, a prospective study was conducted in the Dominican Republic from March 2021 to August 2022, involving 2,300 patients with undifferentiated febrile illnesses. Serum samples were tested for spike antibodies and nasopharyngeal samples were tested for acute SARS-CoV-2 infection. The study found that geometric mean spike antibody titers significantly increased over time, and higher antibody levels were associated with reduced odds of acute infection, regardless of the viral strain. The combination of serologic and virologic screening could help monitor population immunologic markers and their impact on emerging variant transmission.
EMERGING INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2023)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Hong Yue, Radoslaw P. Nowak, Daan Overwijn, N. Connor Payne, Stephanie Fischinger, Caroline Atyeo, Evan C. Lam, Kerri St. Denis, Lauren K. Brais, Yoshinobu Konishi, Romanos Sklavenitis-Pistofidis, Lindsey R. Baden, Eric J. Nilles, Elizabeth W. Karlson, Xu G. Yu, Jonathan Z. Li, Ann E. Woolley, Irene M. Ghobrial, Jeffrey A. Meyerhardt, Alejandro B. Balazs, Gali Alter, Ralph Mazitschek, Eric S. Fischer
Summary: Serological assays play an important role in diagnosing and monitoring infectious diseases. However, current methods have limitations in terms of technology and sample types. In this study, we developed a new serological assay based on TR-FRET technology, which showed exceptional versatility, scalability, and sensitivity. It outperformed or matched existing strategies in terms of sensitivity, specificity, and precision. This assay was successfully applied to measure antibody levels against different viruses and can be extended to other antigens.
CELL REPORTS METHODS
(2023)
