bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Diagnostic Efficacy of Rapid Antigen Testing for SARS-CoV-2: The COVid-19 AntiGen (COVAG) study
Authors: Wertenauer Christoph , Michael Geovana Brenner , Dressel Alexander , Pfeifer Caroline , Hauser Ulrike , Wieland Eberhard , Mayer Christian , Mutschmann Caren , Roskos Martin , Wertenauer Hans-Jörg , März Winfried 
Published: August 2021

AbstractBackgroundWidely available rapid testing is pivotal to the fight against COVID-19. Real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR) remains the gold standard. We compared two frequently used commercial rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) for SARS-CoV-2-antigens, the SD Biosensor SARS-CoV-2 Rapid Antigen Test (Roche Diagnostics) and the Panbio COVID-19 Ag Rapid Test (Abbott Diagnostics), against rRT-PCR for SARS-CoV-2 detection.MethodsWe compared the tests in 2215 all-comers at a diagnostic centre between February 1 and March 31, 2021. rRT-PCR-positive samples were examined for SARS-CoV-2 variants.Findings338 participants (15%) were rRT-PCR-positive for SARS-CoV-2. The sensitivities of Roche-RDT and Abbott-RDT were 60.4% and 56.8% (P<0·0001) and specificities 99.7% and 99.8% (P=0·076), respectively. Sensitivity inversely correlated with rRT-PCR-derived Ct values. Unadjusted, the RDTs had higher sensitivities in individuals referred by treating physicians and health departments than those tested for other reasons, in persons without comorbidities compared to those with comorbidities, in individuals with symptoms suggesting COVID-19, and in the absence of SARS-CoV-2 variants compared to Alpha variant carriers. The associations of sensitivity with clinical symptoms and the SARS-CoV-2 genotype were robust against adjustment for Ct values. Assuming that 10 000 symptomatic individuals are tested, 500 of which are truly positive, the RDTs would generate 38 false-positive and 124 false-negative results. Assuming that 10 000 asymptomatic individuals are tested, including 50 true positives, 18 false-positives and 34 false-negatives would be generated.InterpretationThe sensitivities of the two RDTs are unsatisfactory. This calls into question whether their widespread use is effective in the ongoing SARS-CoV-2 pandemic.FundingSYNLAB Holding Deutschland GmbHResearch in contextEvidence before this studySmall studies and a meta-analysis from the Cochrance collaboration indicate vastly different diagnostic efficacies of commercial rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) for SARS-CoV-2 antigen. The impact of SARS-CoV-2 variants has not been known.Added value of this studyThis is one of the largest real-world studies of the diagnostic efficacy of two widely recommended RDTs SARS-CoV-2 antigen in comparison to rRT-PCR. The sensitivities of the two RDTs are unsatisfactory, mainly in asymptomatic persons. Presence of the SARS-CoV-2 Alpha Variant decreased both tests’ sensitivities significantly.Implications of all the available evidencePolicy and health care providers should account for substantial limitations of RDTs for SARS-CoV-2 particular in asymptomatic persons. Research into alternative approaches to the screening for SARS-CoV-2 should be intensified.
Distinct age-specific SARS-CoV-2 IgG decay kinetics following natural infection
Authors: Sjaarda Calvin P , Moslinger Emily , Tozer Kyla , Colautti Robert I. , Kheitan Samira , Meurant Robyn , Cleaf Stefanie Van , Ardakani Ali , Bosnjak Oliver , Ghaffari Abdi , Sheth Prameet M 
Published: August 2021

AbstractBackgroundAntibody responses to SARS-CoV-2 can be observed as early as 14 days post-infection, but little is known about the stability of antibody levels over time. Here we evaluate the long-term stability of anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies following infection with SARS-CoV-2 in 402 adult donors.MethodsWe performed a multi-center study carried out at Plasma Donor Centers in the city of Heidelberg (Plasmazentrum Heidelberg, Germany) and Munich (Plasmazentrum München, Germany). We present anti-S/N and anti-N IgG antibody levels in prospective serum samples collected up to 403 days post recovery from SARS-CoV-2 infected individuals.ResultsThe cohort includes 402 adult donors (185 female, 217 male; 17 - 68 years of age) where anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG levels were measured in plasma samples collected between 18- and 403-days post SARS-CoV-2 infection. A linear mixed effects model demonstrated IgG decay rates that decrease over time (χ2=176.8, p<0.00001) and an interaction of time*age χ (χ2=10.0, p<0.005)), with those over 60+ years showing the highest baseline IgG levels and the fastest rate of IgG decay. Baseline viral neutralization assays demonstrated that serum IgG levels correlated within vitroneutralization capacity in 91% of our cohort.ConclusionLong-term antibody levels and age-specific antibody decay rates suggest the potential need for age-specific vaccine booster guidelines to ensure long term vaccine protection against SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Recording of “COVID-19 vaccine declined” among vaccination priority groups: a cohort study on 57.9 million NHS patients’ primary care records in situ using OpenSAFELY
Authors: Curtis Helen J , Inglesby Peter , MacKenna Brian , Croker Richard , Hulme William , Rentsch Christopher T , Bhaskaran Krishnan , Walker Alex J , Morton Caroline E , Evans David , Mehrkar Amir , Bacon Seb , Bates Chris , Hickman George , Ward Tom , Morley Jessica , Cockburn Jonathan , Davy Simon , Schultze Anna , Williamson Elizabeth , McDonald Helen I , Tomlinson Laurie , Mathur Rohini , Eggo Rosalind M , Wing Kevin , Wong Angel YS , Forbes Harriet , Tazare John , Parry John , Hester Frank , Harper Sam , O’Hanlon Shaun , Eavis Alex , Jarvis Richard , Avramov Dima , Griffiths Paul , Fowles Aaron , Parkes Nasreen , Evans Stephen JW , Douglas Ian J , Smeeth Liam , Goldacre Ben 
Published: August 2021

AbstractBackgroundAll patients in England within vaccine priority groups were offered a COVID-19 vaccine by mid-April 2021. Clinical record systems contain codes to denote when such an offer has been declined by a patient (although these can in some cases be entered for a variety of other reasons including vaccination delay, or other administrative issues). We set out to describe the patterns of usage of codes for COVID-19 vaccines being declined.MethodsWith the approval of NHS England and using the full pseudonymised primary care records for 57.9 million NHS patients, we identified all patients in key vaccine priority groups: aged over 50, or over 16 and at increased risk from COVID-19 (Clinically Extremely Vulnerable [CEV] or otherwise “at risk”). We describe the proportion of patients recorded as declining a COVID-19 vaccination for each priority group, and by other clinical and demographic factors; whether patients recorded as “declined” subsequently went on to receive a vaccination; and the distribution of code usage across GP practices.ResultsOf 24.5 million patients in priority groups as of May 25th 2021, 89.2% had received a vaccine, 8.8% had neither a vaccination nor a decline recorded, and 663,033 (2.7%) had a decline code recorded. Of patients with a recorded decline, 125,587 (18.9%) were subsequently vaccinated. Subsequent vaccination was slightly more common in the South Asian population than other ethnicities (e.g. 32.3% vs 22.8%, over 65s). The proportion of declining-unvaccinated patients varied strongly with ethnicity (Black 15.3%, South Asian 5.6%, White 1.5% in over 80s); and was higher in patients from more deprived areas. COVID-19 vaccine decline codes were present in almost all practices (98.8%), but with wide variation between practices in rates of usage. Among all priority groups, declining-unvaccinated status was most common in CEV (3.3%).ConclusionsClinical codes indicative of COVID-19 vaccinations being declined are widely used in English general practice. They are substantially more common among Black and South Asian patients, and patients from more deprived areas. There is a need for more detailed survey and/or qualitative research with patients and clinicians to determine the most common reasons for these recorded declines.
Megakaryocytes are a Novel SARS-CoV-2 Infection Target and Risk Factor for Mortality and Multi-Organ Failure
Authors: Fortmann Seth D. , Patton Michael J. , Frey Blake F. , Vieira Cristiano P. , Reddy Sivani B. , Huls Forest , Crouse Andrew , Floyd Jason , Prasad Ram , Hanumanthu Vidya Sagar , Sterrett Sarah , Zucker Jeremy D. , Li Peng , Erdmann Nathan , Goepfert Paul A. , Gaggar Amit , Grant Maria B. , Might Matthew 
Published: August 2021

AbstractDiscovery of a biomarker for patients at high risk of progression to severe Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is critical for clinical management, particularly in areas of the world where widespread vaccine distribution and herd immunity have yet to be achieved. Herein, we characterize peripheral blood from 218 COVID-19 patients with flow cytometry and provide evidence that megakaryocytes are a target for infection by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). We demonstrate a positive correlation between infected megakaryocytes expressing the protein calprotectin (also called S100A8/A9), a known marker of COVID-19 severity. Additionally, we show that infected, calprotectin expressing megakaryocytes are correlated with COVID-19 severity and are a prognostic indicator of 30-day clinical outcomes including respiratory failure, thrombotic events, acute kidney injury (AKI), ICU admission, and mechanical ventilation. These findings represent a novel SARS-CoV-2 infection target with significant clinical implications as a biomarker for clinical outcomes associated with severe COVID-19.
Estimation of Total Immunity to SARS-CoV-2 in Texas
Authors: Desantis Stacia M. , León-Novelo Luis G. , Swartz Michael D. , Yaseen Ashraf S. , Valerio Melissa A. , Brito Frances A. , Ross Jessica A. , Kohl Harold W. , Messiah Sarah E. , Kelder Steve H. , Wu Leqing , Zhang Shiming , Aguillard Kimberly A. , Gonzalez Michael O. , Omega-Njemnob Onyinye S. , Breaux Camille J. , Lakey David L , Shuford Jennifer A. , Pont Stephen , Boerwinkle Eric D 
Published: August 2021

AbstractGiven the underestimate of seroprevalence in the US due to insufficient testing, accurate estimates of population immunity to SARS-CoV-2 or vaccinations do not exist. Although model-based estimates have been proposed, they require inputting unknown parameters such as viral reproduction number, longevity of immune response, and other dynamic factors. In contrast to a model-based approach for estimating population immunity, or simplistic summing of natural- and vaccine-induced immunity, the current study presents a data-driven statistical procedure for estimating the total immunity rate in a region using prospectively collected serological data along with state-level vaccination data. We present a detailed procedure so that efforts can be replicated regionally to inform policy-making decisions relevant to SARS-CoV-2. Specifically, we conducted a prospective longitudinal statewide cohort serological survey with 10,482 participants and more than 14,000 blood samples beginning on September 30, 2020. Along with Department of State Health Services vaccination data, as of July 4, 2021, the estimated percentage of those with naturally occurring antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 in Texas is 35.3% (95% CI = (33.7%, 36.9%) and total estimated immunity is 69.1%. We conclude the seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 is 4 times higher than the state-confirmed COVID-19 cases (8.8%). This methodology is integral to pandemic preparedness.
Systematic review protocol exploring the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the wellbeing of general practitioners
Authors: Jefferson L. , Golder S. , Dale V. , Essex H. , McHugh E. , Bloor K. 
Published: August 2021

AbstractBackgroundOver recent years chronic stress and burnout have been reported by doctors working in general practice in the UK NHS and internationally. The COVID-19 pandemic has changed general practitioners’ working lives – adding potential pressures from avoiding infection and addressing pent-up demand for care, but also changing processes such as rapidly taking up remote consultations. To date, there has been a focus on exploring the impact of the pandemic on the wellbeing of hospital clinicians. No registered systematic reviews currently focus on exploring the impact of the pandemic on the mental health and wellbeing of general practitioners.Aims and objectivesTo synthesise the current international evidence base exploring the impact of COVID-19 on the mental health and wellbeing of general practitioners, and which factors are associated with their reported mental health and wellbeing during the pandemic.MethodsIn this paper we report a systematic review protocol, following PRISMA guidance. In our search strategy we will identify primary research studies or systematic reviews exploring the mental health and wellbeing of general practitioners during the COVID-19 pandemic in four databases (MEDLINE, Embase, PsychInfo and Medrxiv) and Google Scholar. We will hand-search reference lists and grey literature.Two reviewers will undertake all stages including study selection, data extraction and quality assessment, with arbitration by a third reviewer where necessary. We will use standardised quality assessment tools to ensure transparency and reduce bias in quality assessment. Depending on the quality of included studies, we may undertake a sensitivity analysis by excluding studies from narrative synthesis that are rated as low quality using the checklists.We will describe the findings across studies using narrative thematic data synthesis, and if sufficiently homogenous data are identified, we will pool quantitative findings through meta-analysis.
COVID-19 vaccination coverage and hesitancy among Australians with disability and long-term health conditions
Authors: Aitken Zoe , Emerson Eric , Kavanagh Anne 
Published: August 2021

AbstractBackgroundCOVID-19 vaccination is the cornerstone of managing Australia’s COVID-19 pandemic and the success of the vaccination program depends on high vaccination coverage. This paper examined differences in COVID-19 vaccination coverage and vaccine hesitancy for people with disability, long-term health conditions, and carers – subgroups that were prioritised in the vaccination program.MethodsUsing data from 2,400 Australians who participated in two waves of the Taking the Pulse of the Nation survey in April and May 2021, we described vaccination coverage and hesitancy among people with disability, severe mental health conditions, severe long-term health conditions, frequent need for assistance with everyday activities, and carers, disaggregated by age group and gender.FindingsVaccination coverage was estimated to be 8.2% in the sample overall and was similar for people with disability, those with frequent need for assistance, and carers. It was higher for people with severe long-term health conditions (13.4%) and lower for people with severe mental health conditions (4.3%). Vaccine hesitancy was high overall (35.6%) and was similarly high across the priority groups.InterpretationThis study highlights the lack of a difference in vaccination coverage and vaccine hesitancy for people with disability, long-term health conditions, and carers compared to the general population. Sub-optimal vaccination coverage for people in the priority population groups leaves many people at significant risk of serious disease or death if exposed to COVID-19, particularly in light of the easing of disease-control restrictions across Australia and the emergence of new COVID-19 variants.FundingNational Health and Medical Research Council
The unique evolutionary dynamics of the SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant
Authors: Stern Adi , Fleishon Shay , Kustin Talia , Dotan Edo , Mandelboim Michal , Erster Oran ,   Israel Consortium of SARS-CoV-2 sequencing, Mendelson Ella , Mor Orna , Zuckerman Neta S. 
Published: August 2021

AbstractThe SARS-Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) driven pandemic was first recognized in late 2019, and the first few months of its evolution were relatively clock-like, dominated mostly by neutral substitutions. In contrast, the second year of the pandemic was punctuated by the emergence of several variants that bore evidence of dramatic evolution. Here, we compare and contrast evolutionary patterns of various variants, with a focus on the recent Delta variant. Most variants are characterized by long branches leading to their emergence, with an excess of non-synonymous substitutions occurring particularly in the Spike and Nucleocapsid proteins. In contrast, the Delta variant that is now becoming globally dominant, lacks the signature long branch, and is characterized by a step-wise evolutionary process that is ongoing. Contrary to the “star-like” topologies of other variants, we note the formation of several distinct clades within Delta that we denote as clades A-E. We find that sequences from the Delta D clade are dramatically increasing in frequency across different regions of the globe. Delta D is characterized by an excess of non-synonymous mutations, mostly occurring in ORF1a/b, some of which occurred in parallel in other notable variants. We conclude that the Delta surge these days is composed almost exclusively of Delta D, and discuss whether selection or random genetic drift has driven the emergence of Delta D.
Does Robotic-Assisted Surgery improve outcomes of total hip arthroplasty compared to manual technique? A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Kumar Vishal , Patel Sandeep , Baburaj Vishnu , Rajnish Rajesh Kumar , Aggarwal Sameer 
Published: August 2021

AbstractBackgroundRobot-assisted total hip arthroplasty (THA) is an emerging technology that claims to position THA components with a very high degree of accuracy. It is unclear if this increase in accuracy leads to improved long-term functional outcomes of the patient.ObjectivesThis systematic review aims to compare robot-assisted THA to those done using conventional manual techniques, in terms of both short-term radiographic outcomes, as well as long-term clinical outcomes.MethodsThis systematic review will be conducted according to the PRISMA guidelines. A literature search will be conducted on the electronic databases of PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and Ovid with a pre-determined search strategy. A manual bibliography search of included studies will also be done. Original articles in English that directly compare robot-assisted THA to manual THA will be included. Data on outcomes will be extracted from included studies and analysis carried out with the help of appropriate software.
COVID-19 & Mental Health: Impact on Working people and Students
Authors: Moghe Kshipra V. , Kotecha Disha , Patil Manjusha 
Published: August 2021

AbstractA total of N=618 responses (16-60 years) were recorded to gauge the impact of COVID-19 socially, personally, and psychologically. Comparative results based on employment status, gender, and background were evaluated to identify the impact. While all the groups maintain having information about the pandemic and necessary safety protocols, there is an observable difference in the apprehension levels of financial and mental stability. Due to job security, employed people are less tense and better connected to their family, while unemployed people and students are more concerned with their productivity and quality of work. Students also display higher feelings of uncertainty and helplessness. A considerable number of people feel lonely and deserted during the pandemic. Such thoughts may leave a lasting effect if not tackled at the earliest. While an increase in awareness about mental health is observable, rural and unemployed people are less inclined to approach a professional. The significant difference COVID 19 has created between working people and students and based on gender and background, suggests that the preventive measures to avoid its lasting effects must be devised separately.
Prevalence and correlates of SARS-CoV-2 seropositivity among people who inject drugs in the San Diego-Tijuana border region
Authors: Strathdee Steffanie A. , Abramovitz Daniela , Harvey-Vera Alicia , Vera Carlos , Rangel Gudelia , Artamonova Irina , Chaillon Antoine , Ignacio Caroline , Calderon Alheli , Martin Natasha K. , Patterson Thomas L. 
Published: August 2021

AbstractBackgroundPeople who inject drugs may be at elevated SARS-CoV-2 risk due to their living conditions and/or exposures when seeking or using drugs. No study to date has reported upon risk factors for SARS-CoV-2 infection among people who inject drugs or sex workers.Methods and FindingsBetween October, 2020 and June, 2021, participants aged ≥18 years from San Diego, California, USA and Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico who injected drugs within the last month underwent interviews and testing for SARS-CoV-2 RNA and antibodies. Binomial regressions identified correlates of SARS-CoV-2 seropositivity. Of 386 participants, SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence was 36.3% (95% CI: 31.5%-41.1%); 92.1% had detectable IgM antibodies. Only 37.5% had previously been tested. Seroprevalence did not differ by country of residence. None tested RNA-positive. Most (89.5%) reported engaging in ≥1 protective behavior [e.g., facemasks (73.5%), social distancing (46.5%), or increasing handwashing/sanitizers (22.8%)]. In a multivariate model controlling for sex, older age, and Hispanic/Latinx/Mexican ethnicity were independently associated with SARS-CoV-2 seropositivity, as was engaging in sex work (AdjRR: 1.63; 95% CI: 1.18-2.27) and having been incarcerated in the past six months (AdjRR: 1.49; 95% CI: 0.97-2.27). Presence of comorbidities and substance using behaviors were not associated with SARS-CoV-2 seropositivity.ConclusionsThis is the first study to show that sex work and incarceration were independently associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection. Despite engaging in protective measures, over one-third had evidence of infection, reinforcing the need for a coordinated binational response. Risk mitigation and vaccination is especially needed among older and Hispanic people who inject drugs and those with less agency to protect themselves, such as those who are sex workers or incarcerated.
Sex differences in the risk of cataract associated with type 2 diabetes: a Mendelian randomization study
Authors: Zhang Haoyang , Xiu Xuehao , Yang Yuedong , Yang Yuanhao , Zhao Huiying 
Published: August 2021

AbstractType 2 diabetes (T2D) is a recognized risk factor for developing cataract. However, it is unclear if the shared genetic variance and potential genetic causal relationship between T2D and cataract are different for males and females. We evaluated sex-specific genetic correlation (rg) and putative genetic causality between the two diseases by using linkage disequilibrium score regression (LDSC) and six Mendelian randomization (MR) approaches after leveraging large-scale population-based genome-wide association studies (GWAS) summary of T2D and cataract. Application of LDSC found a significant genetic correlation between T2D and cataract in East Asian males (rg=0.68, 95% confident interval [CI]=0.17 to 1, p-value=8.60×10−3) but a non-significant genetic correlation in East Asian females (rg=0.25, CI= -0.02 to 0.52, p-value=8.38×10−2). MR analyses indicated a consistently stronger (paired t-test |t|=5.87, p-value=2.04×10−3) causal effect of T2D on cataract in East Asian males (liability OR=1.20 to 1.41, p-value=5.86×10−27 to 6.60×10−6) than in females (liability OR=1.12 to 1.21, p-value=2.02×10−14 to 1.82×10−2). In Europeans, the LDSC analysis suggested a close significant genetic correlation between the two diseases in males (rg=0.20, 95% confident interval [CI]=0.08 to 0.32, p-value=7.00×10−4) and females (rg=0.17, CI= 0.05 to 0.29, p-value=4.90×10−3); but the MR analyses provided weak evidences on a causal relationship between the two diseases in both sexes. These results presented the first evidence on sex difference of the casual relationship between cataract and T2D in East Asians, and supported a potential genetic heterogeneity of the shared genetics underlying T2D and cataract between East Asians and Europeans in both sexes.