Epidemiology Commons^™

Probing Mechanisms Of Binding And Allostery In The Sars-Cov-2 Spike Omicron Variant Complexes With The Host Receptor: Revealing Functional Roles Of The Binding Hotspots In Mediating Epistatic Effects And Communication With Allosteric Pockets, Gennady M. Verkhivker, Steve Agajanian, Ryan Kassab, Keerthi Krishnan

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

In this study, we performed all-atom MD simulations of RBD–ACE2 complexes for BA.1, BA.1.1, BA.2, and BA.3 Omicron subvariants, conducted a systematic mutational scanning of the RBD–ACE2 binding interfaces and analysis of electrostatic effects. The binding free energy computations of the Omicron RBD–ACE2 complexes and comprehensive examination of the electrostatic interactions quantify the driving forces of binding and provide new insights into energetic mechanisms underlying evolutionary differences between Omicron variants. A systematic mutational scanning of the RBD residues determines the protein stability centers and binding energy hotpots in the Omicron RBD–ACE2 complexes. By employing the ensemble-based global network analysis, we …

Integrating Conformational Dynamics And Perturbation-Based Network Modeling For Mutational Profiling Of Binding And Allostery In The Sars-Cov-2 Spike Variant Complexes With Antibodies: Balancing Local And Global Determinants Of Mutational Escape Mechanisms, Gennady M. Verkhivker, Steve Agajanian, Ryan Kassab, Keerthi Krishnan

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

n this study, we combined all-atom MD simulations, the ensemble-based mutational scanning of protein stability and binding, and perturbation-based network profiling of allosteric interactions in the SARS-CoV-2 spike complexes with a panel of cross-reactive and ultra-potent single antibodies (B1-182.1 and A23-58.1) as well as antibody combinations (A19-61.1/B1-182.1 and A19-46.1/B1-182.1). Using this approach, we quantify the local and global effects of mutations in the complexes, identify protein stability centers, characterize binding energy hotspots, and predict the allosteric control points of long-range interactions and communications. Conformational dynamics and distance fluctuation analysis revealed the antibody-specific signatures of protein stability and flexibility of the …

Time-To-Event Modeling For Hospital Length Of Stay Prediction For Covid-19 Patients, Yuxin Wen, Md. Fashiar Rahman, Yan Zhuang, Michael Pokojovy, Honglun Xu, Peter Mccaffrey, Alexander Vo, Eric Walser, Scott Moen, Tzu-Liang Bill Tseng

Engineering Faculty Articles and Research

Providing timely patient care while maintaining optimal resource utilization is one of the central operational challenges hospitals have been facing throughout the pandemic. Hospital length of stay (LOS) is an important indicator of hospital efficiency, quality of patient care, and operational resilience. Numerous researchers have developed regression or classification models to predict LOS. However, conventional models suffer from the lack of capability to make use of typically censored clinical data. We propose to use time-to-event modeling techniques, also known as survival analysis, to predict the LOS for patients based on individualized information collected from multiple sources. The performance of six …

Biophysical Insight Into The Sars-Cov2 Spike–Ace2 Interaction And Its Modulation By Hepcidin Through A Multifaceted Computational Approach, Hamid Hadi-Alijanvand, Luisa Di Paola, Guang Hu, David M. Leitner, Gennady M. Verkhivker, Peixin Sun, Humanath Poudel, Alessandro Giuliani

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

At the center of the SARS-CoV2 infection, the spike protein and its interaction with the human receptor ACE2 play a central role in the molecular machinery of SARS-CoV2 infection of human cells. Vaccine therapies are a valuable barrier to the worst effects of the virus and to its diffusion, but the need of purposed drugs is emerging as a core target of the fight against COVID19. In this respect, the repurposing of drugs has already led to discovery of drugs thought to reduce the effects of the cytokine storm, but still a drug targeting the spike protein, in the infection …

The Impact Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On Care Delivery And Quality Of Life In Lung Cancer Surgery, Dede K. Teteh, Jovani Barajas, Betty Ferrell, Ziaoke Zhou, Loretta Erhunmwunsee, Dan J. Raz, Jae Y. Kim, Virginia Sun

Health Sciences and Kinesiology Faculty Articles

Background

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) (COVID-19) pandemic and associated restrictions have altered the delivery of surgical care. The purpose of this study was to explore the impact of COVID-19 on care delivery and quality of life (QOL) from the perspectives of lung cancer surgery patients, family caregivers (FCGs), and thoracic surgery teams.

Methods

Patients/FCGs enrolled in a randomized trial of a self-management intervention for lung cancer surgery preparation/recovery were invited to participate in this qualitative study. Patients/FCGs data were collected separately 1-month postdischarge. Interviews were also conducted with thoracic surgery team members. Content analysis approaches were …

Citizenship Matters: Non-Citizen Covid-19 Mortality Disparities In New York And Los Angeles, Jason A. Douglas, Georgiana Bostean, Angel Miles Nash, Emmanuel B. John, Lawrence M. Brown, Andrew M. Subica

Health Sciences and Kinesiology Faculty Articles

U.S. non-citizen residents are burdened by inequitable access to socioeconomic resources, potentially placing them at heightened risk of COVID-19-related disparities. However, COVID-19 impacts on non-citizens are not well understood. Accordingly, the current study investigated COVID-19 mortality disparities within New York (NYC) and Los Angeles (LAC) to test our hypothesis that areas with large proportions of non-citizens will have disproportionately high COVID-19 mortality rates. We examined ecological associations between March 2020–January 2021 COVID-19 mortality rates (per 100,000 residents) and percent non-citizens (using ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTA) for NYC and City/Community units of analysis for LAC) while controlling for sociodemographic factors. …

“This Isn’T Just Busy, This Is Scary”: Stress, Social Support, And Coping Experiences Of Frontline Nurses During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Erin S. Craw, Tess M. Buckley, Michelle Miller-Day

Communication Faculty Articles and Research

Despite having previous experience and extensive trauma training, the COVID-19 pandemic presented unprecedented challenges for nurses working in hospital settings. During the pandemic, nurses struggle to care for patients and protect themselves from infection, while navigating ongoing organizational changes. Guided by prior literature on social support and coping, this study explores nurses’ experiences of coping with stress while treating COVID-19 patients during the pandemic. In-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with 14 active staff nurses working in hospitals and one licensed practical nurse (LPN) at a rehabilitation center who treated COVID-19 patients during the pandemic. An inductive thematic analysis was employed …

Structural And Computational Studies Of The Sars-Cov-2 Spike Protein Binding Mechanisms With Nanobodies: From Structure And Dynamics To Avidity-Driven Nanobody Engineering, Gennady M. Verkhivker

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

Nanobodies provide important advantages over traditional antibodies, including their smaller size and robust biochemical properties such as high thermal stability, high solubility, and the ability to be bioengineered into novel multivalent, multi-specific, and high-affinity molecules, making them a class of emerging powerful therapies against SARS-CoV-2. Recent research efforts on the design, protein engineering, and structure-functional characterization of nanobodies and their binding with SARS-CoV-2 S proteins reflected a growing realization that nanobody combinations can exploit distinct binding epitopes and leverage the intrinsic plasticity of the conformational landscape for the SARS-CoV-2 S protein to produce efficient neutralizing and mutation resistant characteristics. Structural …

Allosteric Determinants Of The Sars-Cov-2 Spike Protein Binding With Nanobodies: Examining Mechanisms Of Mutational Escape And Sensitivity Of The Omicron Variant, Gennady M. Verkhivker

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

Structural and biochemical studies have recently revealed a range of rationally engineered nanobodies with efficient neutralizing capacity against the SARS-CoV-2 virus and resilience against mutational escape. In this study, we performed a comprehensive computational analysis of the SARS-CoV-2 spike trimer complexes with single nanobodies Nb6, VHH E, and complex with VHH E/VHH V nanobody combination. We combined coarse-grained and all-atom molecular simulations and collective dynamics analysis with binding free energy scanning, perturbation-response scanning, and network centrality analysis to examine mechanisms of nanobody-induced allosteric modulation and cooperativity in the SARS-CoV-2 spike trimer complexes with these nanobodies. By quantifying energetic and allosteric …

The Use Of Advanced Spectral Imaging To Reveal Nanoparticle Identity In Biological Samples, Qamar A. Alshammari, Rajasekharreddy Pala, Ayan K. Barui, Saud O. Alshammari, Andromeda M. Nauli, Nir Katzir, Ashraf M. Mohieldin, Surya M. Nauli

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Nanoparticles (NPs) have been used in drug delivery therapies, medical diagnostic strategies, and as current Covid-19 vaccine carriers. Many microscope-based imaging systems have been introduced to facilitate detection and visualization of NPs. Unfortunately, none can differentiate the core and the shell of NPs. Spectral imaging has been used to distinguish a drug molecule and its metabolite. We have recently integrated this technology to a resolution of 9 nm by using artificial intelligence-driven analyses. Such a resolution allowed us to collect many robust datapoints for each pixel of an image. Our analyses could recognize 45 spectral points within a pixel to …

Development Of A Bamlanivimab Infusion Process In The Emergency Department For Outpatient Covid-19 Patients, Danny Pham, Sandy Wong, Christina T. Nguyen, Stephen C. Lee, Kimberly J. Won

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has prompted the creation of new therapies to help fight against the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Bamlanivimab is a SARS-CoV-2 monoclonal antibody that is administered as an intravenous infusion to ambulatory patients with mild or moderate COVID-19, but a concern that arose was deciding the optimal location for patients to receive the medication. This report describes the development and implementation of a bamlanivimab infusion center in the emergency department of three hospitals in Orange County, California, shortly after bamlanivimab received emergency use authorization. As a result, a total of 601 …

The Acute And Persisting Impact Of Covid-19 On Trajectories Of Adolescent Depression: Sex Differences And Social Connectedness, Sabrina R. Liu, Elyssia Poggi Davis, Anton M. Palma, Curt A. Sandman, Laura M. Glynn

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

Background

The COVID-19 era is a time of unprecedented stress, and there is widespread concern regarding its short- and long-term mental health impact. Adolescence is a sensitive period for the emergence of latent psychopathology vulnerabilities, often activated by environmental stressors. The present study examined COVID-19′s impact on adolescent depression and possible influences of different domains of social connectedness (loneliness, social media use, social video game time, degree of social activity participation).

Methods

A community sample of 175 adolescents (51% boys, mean age = 16.01 years) completed questionnaires once before and twice during the COVID-19 pandemic. Piecewise growth modeling examined the …

Atomistic Simulations And In Silico Mutational Profiling Of Protein Stability And Binding In The Sars-Cov-2 Spike Protein Complexes With Nanobodies: Molecular Determinants Of Mutational Escape Mechanisms, Gennady M. Verkhivker, Steve Agajanian, Deniz Yasar Oztas, Grace Gupta

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

Structure-functional studies have recently revealed a spectrum of diverse high-affinity nanobodies with efficient neutralizing capacity against SARS-CoV-2 virus and resilience against mutational escape. In this study, we combine atomistic simulations with the ensemble-based mutational profiling of binding for the SARS-CoV-2 S-RBD complexes with a wide range of nanobodies to identify dynamic and binding affinity fingerprints and characterize the energetic determinants of nanobody-escaping mutations. Using an in silico mutational profiling approach for probing the protein stability and binding, we examine dynamics and energetics of the SARS-CoV-2 complexes with single nanobodies Nb6 and Nb20, VHH E, a pair combination VHH E + …

Martial Arts In The Pandemic, Martin J. Meyer, Andrea Molle, Benjamin N. Judkins, Paul Bowman

Political Science Faculty Articles and Research

This study examines the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on martial arts training worldwide. A mixed-method online questionnaire consisting of 28 items was used as a survey instrument. 306 martial artists responded. These were mainly from the United Kingdom, the USA, Germany, Italy and Japan. The questionnaire focused on pragmatic adaptations of training volume, training rhythm, training location, training mode (individual or group) and training methods. The survey sought to gain insights into modifications that martial artists made as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic in relation to their training, curriculum, alternative fitness, strength and health activities, as well as …

Landscape-Based Mutational Sensitivity Cartography And Network Community Analysis Of The Sars-Cov-2 Spike Protein Structures: Quantifying Functional Effects Of The Circulating D614g Variant, Gennady M. Verkhivker, Steve Agajanian, Deniz Yasar Oztas, Grace Gupta

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

We developed and applied a computational approach to simulate functional effects of the global circulating mutation D614G of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. All-atom molecular dynamics simulations are combined with deep mutational scanning and analysis of the residue interaction networks to investigate conformational landscapes and energetics of the SARS-CoV-2 spike proteins in different functional states of the D614G mutant. The results of conformational dynamics and analysis of collective motions demonstrated that the D614 site plays a key regulatory role in governing functional transitions between open and closed states. Using mutational scanning and sensitivity analysis of protein residues, we identified the stability …

Computational Analysis Of Protein Stability And Allosteric Interaction Networks In Distinct Conformational Forms Of The Sars Cov 2 Spike D614g Mutant: Reconciling Functional Mechanisms Through Allosteric Model Of Spike Regulation, Gennady M. Verkhivker, Steve Agajanian, Deniz Oztas, Grace Gupta

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

In this study, we used an integrative computational approach to examine molecular mechanisms underlying functional effects of the D614G mutation by exploring atomistic modeling of the SARS-CoV-2 spike proteins as allosteric regulatory machines. We combined coarse-grained simulations, protein stability and dynamic fluctuation communication analysis with network-based community analysis to examine structures of the native and mutant SARS-CoV-2 spike proteins in different functional states. Through distance fluctuations communication analysis, we probed stability and allosteric communication propensities of protein residues in the native and mutant SARS-CoV-2 spike proteins, providing evidence that the D614G mutation can enhance long-range signaling of the allosteric spike …

County-Level Factors That Influenced The Trajectory Of Covid-19 Incidence In The New York City Area, Ashley Wendell Kranjac, Dinko Kranjac

Sociology Faculty Articles and Research

More than a century of research has shown that sociodemographic conditions affect infectious disease transmission. In the late spring and early summer of 2020, reports of the effects of sociodemographic variables on the spread of COVID- 19 were used in the media with minimal scientific proof attached. With new cases of COVID-19 surging in the United States at that time, it became essential to better understand how the spread of COVID-19 was varying across all segments of the population. We used hierarchical exponential growth curve modeling techniques to examine whether community socioeconomic characteristics uniquely influence the incidence of reported COVID-19 …

Suppression Of Human Coronavirus 229e Infection In Lung Fibroblast Cells Via Rna Interference, Hamidreza Montazeri Aliabadi, Jennifer Totonchy, Parvin Mahdipoor, Keykavous Parang, Hasan Uludağ

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Despite extensive efforts to repurpose approved drugs, discover new small molecules, and develop vaccines, COVID-19 pandemic is still claiming victims around the world. The current arsenal of antiviral compounds did not perform well in the past viral infections (e.g., SARS), which casts a shadow of doubt for use against the new SARS-CoV-2. Vaccines should offer the ultimate protection; however, there is limited information about the longevity of the generated immunity and the protection against possible mutations. This study uses Human Coronavirus 229E as a model coronavirus to test the hypothesis that effective delivery of virus-specific siRNAs to infected cells will …

Effects Of News And Threat Perceptions On Americans’ Covid-19 Precautionary Behaviors, Riva Tukachinsky Forster, Megan A. Vendemia

Communication Faculty Articles and Research

Our study examines the relationship between news exposure at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, personal threat beliefs, beliefs about others’ threat perceptions, and participation in precautionary actions. A survey of 377 U.S . adults revealed a significant main effect of news exposure on various precautionary behaviors (e.g., facial mask wear, physical distancing). Personal threat beliefs and beliefs about others’ threat perceptions serve as unique mechanisms mediating the effect of news on specific CDC-recommended and less socially desirable actions. These findings can guide news sources covering health crises in a socially responsible manner.

Examining The Impact Of Socioeconomic Variables On Covid-19 Death Rates At The State Level, James L. Doti

Economics Faculty Articles and Research

This study uses a step-wise regression model to identify the socioeconomic variables most significant in explaining COVID-19 death rates on a state-level basis. The regression tests cover the 1/1/2020 to 12/1/2020 period as well as the first and second halves of 2020. This study also uses the Oxford stringency index to measure more precisely the efficacy of governmental mandates at the state level. The results in this study rigorously showed that while the density variables were the most significant explanatory variables during the first half of the year, their significance fell during the second half. Use of the Oxford stringency …

Sars-Cov-2 Early Infection Signature Identified Potential Key Infection Mechanisms And Drug Targets, Yue Li, Ashley Duche, Michael R. Sayer, Don Roosan, Farid G. Khalafalla, Rennolds S. Ostrom, Jennifer Totonchy, Moom Roosan

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Background

The ongoing COVID-19 outbreak has caused devastating mortality and posed a significant threat to public health worldwide. Despite the severity of this illness and 2.3 million worldwide deaths, the disease mechanism is mostly unknown. Previous studies that characterized differential gene expression due to SARS-CoV-2 infection lacked robust validation. Although vaccines are now available, effective treatment options are still out of reach.

Results

To characterize the transcriptional activity of SARS-CoV-2 infection, a gene signature consisting of 25 genes was generated using a publicly available RNA-Sequencing (RNA-Seq) dataset of cultured cells infected with SARS-CoV-2. The signature estimated infection level accurately in …

Healthcare Of Indigenous Amazonian Peoples In Response To Covid-19: Marginality, Discrimination And Revaluation Of Ancestral Knowledge In Ucayali, Peru, Doreen Montag, Marco Barboza, Lizardo Cauper, Ivan Brehaut, Isaac Alva, Aoife Bennett, José Sanchez-Choy, Juan Pablo Sarmiento Barletti, Pilar Valenzuela, José Manuyama, Italo García Murayari, Miguel Guimaraes Vásquez, Celso Aguirre Panduro, Angela Giattino, Edwin Julio Palomino Cadenas, Rodrigo Lazo, Carlos A. Delgado, Alfonso Nino, Elaine C. Flores, Maria Amalia Pesantes, Juan Pablo Murillo, Luisa Elvira Belaunde, Sergio Recuenco, Robert Chuquimbalqui, Carol Zavaleta-Cortijo

World Languages and Cultures Faculty Articles and Research

"Systematic and persistent discrimination against Indigenous Peoples translates into differential health outcomes when analysed through ethnicity and/or mother tongue.1 In Peru, morbidity and mortality rates among Indigenous Peoples for COVID-19 appear to confirm this.2 The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the historical structural violence against Indigenous Peoples that currently takes a disproportionate toll in the Peruvian Amazon. This equally applies to Indigenous Andean Peoples and Afro Peruvians. Indigenous Peoples in voluntary isolation and those in initial contact are at highest health risk in this pandemic as they have no previous immunity against common infectious diseases, and lack access to public healthcare …

A Predictable Home Environment May Protect Child Mental Health During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Laura M. Glynn, Elyssia Poggi Davis, Joan L. Luby, Tallie Z. Baram, Curt A. Sandman

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

Objective

Information about the adverse effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on adolescent and adult mental health is growing, yet the impacts on preschool children are only emerging. Importantly, environmental factors that augment or protect from the multidimensional and stressful influences of the pandemic on emotional development of young children are poorly understood.

Methods

Depressive symptoms in 169 preschool children (mean age 4.1 years) were assessed with the Preschool Feelings Checklist during a state-wide stay-at-home order in Southern California. Mothers (46% Latinx) also reported on externalizing behaviors with the Strengths & Difficulties Questionnaire. To assess the role of environmental factors in …

Decomposing Differences In Coronavirus Disease 2019-Related Case-Fatality Rates Across Seventeen Nations, Ashley Wendell Kranjac, Dinko Kranjac

Sociology Faculty Articles and Research

As of 1 November 2020, estimated case-fatality rates associated with coronavirus disease 2019 are not uniformly patterned across the world and differ substantially in magnitude. Given the global spatial heterogeneity in case-fatality rates, we applied the Blinder-Oaxaca regression decomposition technique to identify how putative sociodemographic, structural, and environmental sources influence variation in case-fatality rates. We show that compositional and associational differences in country-level risk factors explain a substantial proportion of the coronavirus disease 2019-related case-fatality rate gap across nations. Asian countries fair better vis-à-vis case-fatality rate differences mainly due to variation in returns to sociodemographic, structural, and environmental sources among …

Covid-19 Viral Testing Disparities In Los Angeles City, Laura Cyphers

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

Hispanic and Black communities have been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19-related morbidity and mortality (California Department of Public Health, 2020). Inequitable access to viral testing resources may have exacerbated these COVID-19-related racial and ethnic health disparities. For example, reports from the Los Angeles Department of Public Health revealed glaring viral testing disparities in April 2020 (early pandemic), with predominantly White communities in Los Angeles County receiving 65% more tests than Hispanic and Black communities. In response, California statewide testing was expanded for communities of color (Vann et al., 2020). To investigate access to viral testing in Los Angeles City, the current …

Seroprevalence Of Novel Coronavirus Sars-Cov-2 At A Community Hospital Emergency Department And Outpatient Laboratory In Northern Orange County, California, Jason Yamaki, Harry Peled, Sajen Mathews, David Park, Mina Firoozi, Kim Smith, Lee Nguyen

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Introduction

The severe acute respiratory syndrome related coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has infected more than 20 million people worldwide, and the spread is most prevalent in the USA, where California had accounted over 240,000 cases in the initial 5 months of the pandemic. To estimate the number of infected persons in our community, we conducted a cross-sectional study to estimate seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Methods

This cross-sectional study evaluated the presence of immunoglobulin G, antibody for SARS-CoV-2 during the time period of July 15, 2020, to July 27, 2020. Testing was done on serum samples from patients who had visited affiliated …

Covid-19 Treatment Resource Disparities And Social Disadvantage In New York City, Jason A. Douglas, Andrew M. Subica

Health Sciences and Kinesiology Faculty Articles

Black and Hispanic communities in the U.S. have endured a disproportionate burden of COVID-19-related morbidity and mortality. Racial and ethnic health disparities such as these are frequently aggravated by inequitable access to healthcare resources in disadvantaged communities. Yet, no known studies have investigated disadvantaged communities' access to COVID-19-related healthcare resources. The current study accordingly examined racial and ethnic differences in (1) April 2020 COVID-19 total and positive viral test rates across 177 New York City (NYC) ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTA); and (2) November 2019–April 2020 licensed and intensive care unit (ICU) hospital bed access across 194 NYC ZCTAs. Pairwise …

Understanding Covid-19: From Origin To Potential Therapeutics, Muhammad Moazzam, Muhammad Imran Sajid, Hamza Shahid, Jahanzaib Butt, Irfan Bashir, Muhammad Jamshaid, Amir Nasrolahi Shirazi, Rakesh Kumar Tiwari

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Currently, a global pandemic era of public health concerns is going on with the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), which is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). The first case of COVID-19 was reported from Wuhan’s Huanan seafood market in China late December 2019. Bats, pangolins, and snakes have been nominated as salient carriers of the virus. Thanks to its high pathogenicity, it can cause severe respiratory infections. Fever, dry cough, sore throat, pneumonia, septic shock, and ground-glass opacities are the foremost clinical manifestations of COVID-19. Immunocompromised patients are at high risk for COVID-19 infection and may lead to …

Prospects For Rnai Therapy Of Covid-19, Hasan Uludağ, Kylie Parent, Hamidreza Montazeri Aliabadi, Azita Haddadi

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

COVID-19 caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus is a fast emerging disease with deadly consequences. The pulmonary system and lungs in particular are most prone to damage caused by the SARS-CoV-2 infection, which leaves a destructive footprint in the lung tissue, making it incapable of conducting its respiratory functions and resulting in severe acute respiratory disease and loss of life. There were no drug treatments or vaccines approved for SARS-CoV-2 at the onset of pandemic, necessitating an urgent need to develop effective therapeutics. To this end, the innate RNA interference (RNAi) mechanism can be employed to develop front line therapies against …

We Are Not Alone In Trying To Be Alone, Patricia C. Lopes

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

Certain diseases, like colds, tend not to stop us. A paracetamol here, an ibuprofen there, and we are on the go. That is, until we, as a species, are faced with a virus that not only spreads through social contact, but has an estimated reproductive number of 2 to 2.5 and potentially kills 3–4% of those infected (WHO, 2020). To reduce transmission probability of COVID-19, governmental agencies around the world have recommended or enforced measures to decrease social contact; early evidence suggests these measures produce the intended effect (Kucharski et al., 2020).