Article
Engineering, Environmental
Xiaoqing Xu, Yu Deng, Jiahui Ding, Xiawan Zheng, Chunxiao Wang, Dou Wang, Lei Liu, Haogao Gu, Malik Peiris, Leo L. M. Poon, Tong Zhang
Summary: Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) is a useful method for monitoring SARS-CoV-2, providing valuable genomic information on viral variants. This study evaluated the impact of sequencing throughput on genome coverage, mutation detection, and variant deconvolution using mock wastewater samples. The results showed that sequencing throughput greater than 0.5 Gb produced reliable genomic analysis results. Wastewater genomic sequencing was able to detect variant trends earlier than clinical data, and it demonstrated the potential for identifying novel mutations and unique alleles.
Review
Environmental Sciences
Federica Armas, Franciscus Chandra, Wei Lin Lee, Xiaoqiong Gu, Hongjie Chen, Amy Xiao, Mats Leifels, Stefan Wuertz, Eric J. Alm, Janelle Thompson
Summary: SARS-CoV-2 wastewater-based surveillance is important for managing the pandemic, but the impact of COVID-19 vaccination on viral shedding and wastewater data needs to be examined. Historical reports of shedding from viral vaccines and studies on the relationship between wastewater and clinical data were reviewed. Analysis of wastewater and clinical data from the Netherlands showed changes in the relationship due to increasing vaccination coverage and dominant variants of concern. Vaccination is not expected to cause viral shedding, but breakthrough infections from vaccinated individuals should be considered in interpreting wastewater data.
ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Liam J. Reynolds, Gabriel Gonzalez, Laura Sala-Comorera, Niamh A. Martin, Alannah Byrne, Sanne Fennema, Niamh Holohan, Sailusha Ratnam Kuntamukkula, Natasha Sarwar, Tristan M. Nolan, Jayne H. Stephens, Megan Whitty, Charlene Bennett, Quynh Luu, Ursula Morley, Zoe Yandle, Jonathan Dean, Eadaoin Joyce, John J. O'Sullivan, John M. Cuddihy, Angeline M. McIntyre, Eve P. Robinson, Darren Dahly, Nicola F. Fletcher, Michael Carr, Cillian De Gascun, Wim G. Meijer
Summary: Quantification of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in wastewater is a valuable tool for monitoring the prevalence of COVID-19 at a community level, complementing case-based surveillance systems. This study demonstrates the validity of wastewater surveillance for monitoring infection spread and identifying circulating variants. The findings suggest that wastewater monitoring can be a cost-effective alternative when sequencing capacity is limited.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Eddy Perez-Then, Carolina Lucas, Valter Silva Monteiro, Marija Miric, Vivian Brache, Leila Cochon, Chantal B. F. Vogels, Amyn A. Malik, Elena De la Cruz, Aidelis Jorge, Margarita De los Santos, Patricia Leon, Mallery Breban, Kendall Billig, Inci Yildirim, Claire Pearson, Randy Downing, Emily Gagnon, Anthony Muyombwe, Jafar Razeq, Melissa Campbell, Albert Ko, Saad B. Omer, Nathan D. Grubaugh, Sten H. Vermund, Akiko Iwasaki
Summary: The study found that a BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine booster can enhance neutralizing antibodies against the Omicron variant in individuals who received two doses of the CoronaVac vaccine, but antibody titers remain lower compared to the ancestral virus and the Delta variant.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Mladen Jergovic, Jennifer L. Uhrlaub, Makiko Watanabe, Christine M. Bradshaw, Lisa M. White, Bonnie J. LaFleur, Taylor Edwards, Ryan Sprissler, Michael Worobey, Deepta Bhattacharya, Janko Nikolich-Zugich
Summary: Aging is associated with reduced immune responses to vaccination, but mRNA-based vaccines can induce protective immunity in older individuals against SARS-CoV-2 variants. The immune response in older vaccine recipients is slightly delayed compared to younger individuals, but reaches comparable levels after 2-3 months.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Ludek Berec, Martin Smid, Lenka Pribylova, Ondrej Majek, Tomas Pavlik, Jiri Jarkovsky, Milan Zajicek, Jakub Weiner, Tamara Barusova, Jan Trnka
Summary: Studies in Czech Republic show that the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines declines after 7-8 months, with a decrease in protection against infection, hospitalization, and death. Boosters are found to restore the original vaccine effectiveness, and post-infection immunity also diminishes over time.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Daryl Geers, Roos S. G. Sablerolles, Debbie van Baarle, Neeltje A. Kootstra, Wim J. R. Rietdijk, Katharina S. Schmitz, Lennert Gommers, Susanne Bogers, Nella J. Nieuwkoop, Laura L. A. van Dijk, Eva van Haren, Melvin Lafeber, Virgil A. S. H. Dalm, Abraham Goorhuis, Douwe F. Postma, Leo G. Visser, Anke L. W. Huckriede, Alessandro Sette, Alba Grifoni, Rik L. de Swart, Marion P. G. Koopmans, P. Hugo M. van der Kuy, Corine H. GeurtsvanKessel, Rory D. de Vries
Summary: The study found that booster vaccinations after Ad26.COV2.S priming, especially heterologous boosters, could significantly increase functional antibodies targeting both ancestral and emerging variants of SARS-CoV-2. Meanwhile, T-cell responses remained similar and cross-reactive towards the variants regardless of homologous or heterologous booster vaccination. Additionally, minimal expansion of SARS-CoV-2-specific T-cell clones and no increase in the breadth of the T-cell repertoire were observed after booster vaccination. These findings suggest that Ad26.COV2.S priming provides a solid immunological foundation for heterologous boosting, enhancing humoral and cellular immune responses against emerging variants of concern.
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Camilla Mattiuzzi, Giuseppe Lippi
Summary: This article provides an updated analysis on the efficacy of primary COVID-19 vaccination and vaccine booster doses, based on the ongoing nationwide vaccination campaign in Italy. The study found that the efficacy of primary COVID-19 vaccination ranged from 76-92% within 6 months, but decreased to 34-80% after 6 months. Administration of vaccine booster doses reduced SARS-CoV-2 infections by 65%, COVID-19 related hospitalizations and deaths by 69% and 97% respectively compared to the efficacy after 6 months, and also reduced SARS-CoV-2 infections by 39% compared to the efficacy within 6 months. These results suggest the importance of COVID-19 vaccine booster doses in restoring efficacy and further limiting virus circulation.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Isabel Iguacel, Juan Pablo Alvarez-Najar, Patricia del Carmen Vasquez, Judith Alarcon, Maria Angeles Orte, Eva Samatan, Begona Martinez-Jarreta
Summary: This study analyzed the attitudes of adults in Colombia, El Salvador, and Spain towards mandatory COVID-19 vaccination and their intention to receive booster or future doses. The findings revealed variations in acceptance of mandatory vaccination and additional doses based on sociodemographic characteristics and work environment, suggesting the need for tailored public health strategies.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Christine Durier, Laetitia Ninove, Maeva Lefebvre, Anne Radenne, Corinne Desaint, Jacques Ropers, Rebecca Bauer, Said Lebbah, Diane Carette, Marie Lachatre, Anne-Sophie Lecompte, Dominique Deplanque, Elisabeth Botelho-Nevers, Anne Conrad, Bertrand Dussol, Zoha Maakaroun-Vermesse, Giovanna Melica, Jean-Francois Nicolas, Renaud Verdon, Jacques Kiladjian, Paul Loubet, Catherine Schmidt-Mutter, Christian Duale, Severine Ansart, Stephane Priet, Axel Levier, Diana Molino, Louis-Victorien Vieillard, Beatrice Parfait, Jean-Daniel Lelievre, Eric Tartour, Xavier de Lamballerie, Odile Launay
Summary: The immune response generated by a COVID-19 vaccine booster against delta and omicron variants was evaluated in 65 adults (aged 65-84) shortly after receiving the first booster dose. The study showed an increase in SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibodies in individuals who had not been previously infected, regardless of age, while a smaller increase was observed in those who had been infected before receiving a single dose of the primary vaccine. It is important to note that the humoral response was only observed starting from the 5th day after the booster dose.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Daryl Geers, Ross S. G. Sablerolles, Debbie van Baarle, Neeltje A. Kootstra, Wim J. R. Rietdijk, Katharina S. Schmitz, Lennert Gommers, Susanne Bogers, Nella J. Nieuwkoop, Laura L. A. van Dijk, Eva van Haren, Melvin Lafeber, Virgil A. S. H. Dalm, Abraham Goorhuis, Douwe F. Postma, Leo G. Visser, Anke L. W. Huckriede, Alessandro Sette, Alba Grifoni, Rik L. de Swart, Marion P. G. Koopmans, P. Hugo M. van der Kuy, Corine H. GeurtsvanKessel, Rory D. de Vries, SWITCH Res Grp
Summary: The study investigated the immune response to homologous and heterologous booster vaccinations in individuals primed with Ad26.COV2.S. The findings showed that booster vaccinations increased functional antibodies targeting ancestral and emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants. Heterologous boosters induced higher levels of functional antibodies, while T-cell responses were similar for both types of boosters and maintained cross-reactivity towards variants. The study concluded that Ad26.COV2.S priming provided a strong immunological foundation for heterologous boosting to enhance immune responses against emerging variants.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Ray W. Izquierdo-Lara, Leo Heijnen, Bas B. Oude Munnink, Claudia M. E. Schapendonk, Goffe Elsinga, Jeroen Langeveld, Johan Post, Divyae K. Prasad, Christian Carrizosa, Frederic Been, Janko van Beek, Remy Schilperoort, Rianne Vriend, Ewout Fanoy, Evelien I. T. de Schepper, Reina S. Sikkema, Richard Molenkamp, Frank M. Aarestrup, Gertjan Medema, Marion P. G. Koopmans, Miranda de Graaf
Summary: Monitoring SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater has the potential to provide valuable information about viral dynamics and diversity within a population. In this study, sewage samples from different areas in Rotterdam were sequenced, and specific signature mutations were used to estimate the relative abundances of SARS-CoV-2 lineages. The results were compared with clinical genomic surveillance data to track the emergence, dominance, and replacement of specific variants of concern (VOCs). The study also demonstrated the ability to detect spatio-temporal clusters and identify mutations not captured by clinical surveillance.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
John David Pilapil, Kin Israel Notarte, King Lun Yeung
Summary: SARS-CoV-2 variants in wastewater were studied by analyzing 8511 genome sequences from 9 countries. The study found co-circulating variants, with a significant increase in Omicron lineages in 2022. Mutations associated with enhanced viral transmission and fitness were also identified.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HYGIENE AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH
(2023)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Demian S. Barcellos, Carlos E. R. Barquilha, Pamela E. Oliveira, Mario Prokopiuk, Ramiro G. Etchepare
Summary: Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) has significantly developed during the COVID-19 pandemic, with widespread global application in monitoring the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus in urban communities. This mini-review examines the impact of the pandemic on WBE, based on the analysis of 1305 scientific reports. The findings demonstrate the migration of WBE's focus to studying the coronavirus and changes in research funding sources, collaborators, and study subjects.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Patrick M. D'Aoust, Xin Tian, Syeda Tasneem Towhid, Amy Xiao, Elisabeth Mercier, Nada Hegazy, Jian-Jun Jia, Shen Wan, Md Pervez Kabir, Wanting Fang, Meghan Fuzzen, Maria Hasing, Minqing Ivy Yang, Jianxian Sun, Julio Plaza-Diaz, Zhihao Zhang, Aaron Cowan, Walaa Eid, Sean Stephenson, Mark R. Servos, Matthew J. Wade, Alex E. MacKenzie, Hui Peng, Elizabeth A. Edwards, Xiao-Li Pang, Eric J. Alm, Tyson E. Graber, Robert Delatolla
Summary: Clinical testing has been crucial in monitoring and controlling the COVID-19 pandemic, but as the disease transitions into an endemic state, wastewater surveillance (WWS) becomes an important diagnostic tool. This study explores the ratio of SARS-CoV-2 wastewater signal to clinical cases (WC) across seven Canadian cities. The findings show that inadequate clinical testing led to an increase in the WC ratio despite an increase in wastewater signal. Additionally, significant decreases in the WC ratio may indicate the emergence of different variants of concern (VOC) and their impact on community immunity.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Md. Aminul Islam, Md. Arifur Rahman, Md. Jakariya, Newaz Mohammed Bahadur, Foysal Hossen, Sanjoy Kumar Mukharjee, Mohammad Salim Hossain, Atkeeya Tasneem, Md. Atiqul Haque, Francesco Sera, Iqbal Kabir Jahid, Tanvir Ahmed, Mohammad Nayeem Hasan, Md. Tahmidul Islam, Amzad Hossain, Ruhul Amin, Ananda Tiwari, Md Didar-Ul-Alam, Kuldeep Dhama, Prosun Bhattacharya, Firoz Ahmed
Summary: Wastewater based epidemiology (WBE) is an important tool in fighting COVID-19, providing cost-effective, rapid, and non-invasive insights into the health status of populations. Wastewater monitoring can reduce the burden on public health systems, aid in pandemic management, and guide informed decision-making to protect public health.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Review
Chemistry, Applied
Angel M. Villalba-Rodriguez, Lidia Yaritza Martinez-Zamudio, Saul Antonio Hernandez Martinez, Jesus Alfredo Rodriguez-Hernandez, Elda M. Melchor-Martinez, Elda A. Flores-Contreras, Reyna Berenice Gonzalez-Gonzalez, Roberto Parra-Saldivar
Summary: Nanomaterials possess unique properties such as special geometries, higher surface area, and special mechanical, optical, and physicochemical properties, making them important contributors to the development of various technological and industrial sectors. They have increasing interest in biomedical research, particularly in chronic inflammations, disease detection, drug delivery, and infections treatment, where their catalytic applications as nanozymes or nanobiocatalysts play a crucial role. This review discusses the construction of nanozymes and nanobiocatalysts using different forms of nanomaterials, including carbon-based, metal-based, and polymer-based nanocomposites, and examines successful examples of their employment in biomedical research. The analysis of the role of nanomaterials in catalytic applications provides insights into future research directions and practical developments in the field.
TOPICS IN CATALYSIS
(2023)
Review
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Devendra Kumar Pandey, Kajal Katoch, Tuyelee Das, Madhumita Majumder, Kuldeep Dhama, Abhijit Bhagwan Mane, Abilash Valsala Gopalakrishnan, Abhijit Dey
Summary: The genus Plumbago, also known as leadwort, produces a secondary metabolite called plumbagin which has multiple pharmaceutical properties. This review explores the biotechnological innovations used to produce plumbagin and the benefits of modern biotechnological techniques in this process. Large-scale in vitro propagation is necessary to conserve natural populations and optimize plant and metabolite production.
APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY AND BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Letter
Surgery
Ruhul Amin, Prosanta Pal, Kuldeep Dhama, Talha B. Emran
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SURGERY
(2023)
Letter
Surgery
Hitesh Chopra, Md. Aminul Islam, Deepak Chandran, Talha B. Emran, Nahed A. El-Shall, Jaffar A. Al-Tawfiq, Kuldeep Dhama
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SURGERY
(2023)
Letter
Surgery
Tuyelee Das, Samapika Nandy, Arabinda Ghosh, Deepak Chandran, Anil K. Sharma, Kuldeep Dhama, Abhijit Dey
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SURGERY
(2023)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Khan Sharun, Sonu S. Nair, S. Amitha Banu, K. M. Manjusha, Varsha Jayakumar, Shubham Saini, Abhijit M. Pawde, Rohit Kumar, Kuldeep Dhama, Amar Pal
Summary: Pluronic F-127 (PF-127) hydrogel is a versatile biomaterial with potential applications in drug delivery, tissue engineering, and regenerative medicine. It has antiadhesive activity that prevents bacterial adhesion by creating a hydrated layer on the bacterial surface. This property makes PF-127 suitable for preventing implant-associated infections.
JOURNAL OF PURE AND APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Ranjan K. K. Mohapatra, Sarika Verma, Venkataramana Kandi, Ashish K. K. Sarangi, Veronique Seidel, Subrata Narayan Das, Ajit Behera, Hardeep Singh Tuli, Ashwani K. K. Sharma, Kuldeep Dhama
Summary: The Omicron variant is the fifth variant of concern of SARS-CoV-2, characterized by high mutation and contagiousness but low mortality. It shows resistance to antibodies generated by vaccination or prior infection, as well as monoclonal antibodies used for treatment. The importance lies in the need for booster doses and the development of more effective vaccines and treatments.
Review
Environmental Sciences
Meysam Vadiati, Leyla Ghasemi, Saeideh Samani, Md. Aminul Islam, Arman Ahmadi, Saeid Khaleghi, Maryam Movarej, Alireza Docheshmeh Gorgij, Ozgur Kisi, Shahla Davoodi, Kuldeep Dhama, Ananda Tiwari, Prosun Bhattacharya
Summary: COVID-19 has had a profound impact on the world, leading to widespread research on the environmental concepts related to the pandemic. This study analyzes research articles from 2020 to 2021 and identifies four central concepts: air pollution, epidemiology and virus transmission, water and wastewater, and environmental policy. It also suggests a shift from qualitative to quantitative studies and provides recommendations for further research.
FRONTIERS IN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
(2023)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Saul Antonio Hernandez Martinez, Elda M. Melchor-Martinez, Reyna Berenice Gonzalez-Gonzalez, Juan Eduardo Sosa-Hernandez, Rafael G. Araujo, Jesus Alfredo Rodriguez-Hernandez, Damia Barcelo, Roberto Parra-Saldivar, Hafiz M. N. Iqbal
Summary: The COVID-19 pandemic has led to an increase in the use of psychiatric drugs, which are difficult to degrade and pose potential ecological and toxicological risks. Biocatalysis-assisted techniques can efficiently remove these drugs from water. There are differences in waste management policies for the drug industry between high- and low-income countries.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2023)
Review
Chemistry, Analytical
Hiram Martin Valenzuela-Amaro, Alberto Aguayo-Acosta, Edgar Ricardo Melendez-Sanchez, Orlando de la Rosa, Perla Guadalupe Vazquez-Ortega, Mariel Araceli Oyervides-Munoz, Juan Eduardo Sosa-Hernandez, Roberto Parra-Saldivar
Summary: Food and waterborne illnesses are a major concern in global health and food safety. Traditional methods for detecting pathogens are often time-consuming and unsuitable for large-scale monitoring, thus there is a need for novel and faster detection methods. Biosensor devices have emerged as a new tool for rapid detection of food and water pathogens. Nanomaterials offer unique advantages for pathogen detection, enhancing the sensitivity and selectivity of biosensors.
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Khan Sharun, S. Amitha Banu, Abhijit M. Pawde, Rohit Kumar, Shopnil Akash, Kuldeep Dhama, Amar Pal
Summary: Stem cell research holds transformative potential, and AI-generated text models like ChatGPT can assist researchers. However, ensuring the accuracy and reliability of AI-generated references is crucial, as this study found a significant percentage of fabricated and erroneous references. To mitigate these issues, monitoring, diverse training, and expanding knowledge cut-off can be implemented, while researchers must verify references and consider the limitations of AI models.
ANNALS OF MEDICINE AND SURGERY
(2023)
Editorial Material
Orthopedics
Mohammad Jawed Quereishi, ArunSundar MohanaSundaram, Avishek Koley, Dionisio Lorenzo Lorenzo-Villegas, Aminul Islam
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SURGERY OPEN
(2023)
Review
Agricultural Engineering
Raunak Dhanker, Abhishek Saxena, Archana Tiwari, Hans-Uwe Dahms, Pankaj Kumar Singh, Anil Kumar Patel, Jiang-Shiou Hwang, Georgia Maria Gonzalez-Meza, Elda M. Melchor-Martinez, Hafiz M. N. Iqbal, Roberto Parra-Saldivar
Summary: Diatoms, with their complex cellular architecture, have diverse applications in fields such as bioremediation, aquaculture, and value-added products. They are proficient in nutrient utilization and can serve as trustworthy indicators of water quality, in addition to producing biomass rich in beneficial substances. This comprehensive review explores the multifaceted applications of diatoms and aims to find greener, more sustainable methods by utilizing their enormous biotechnological potentials.
BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY
(2024)
