Antibodies from convalescent plasma promote SARS-CoV-2 clearance in individuals with and without endogenous antibody response

BACKGROUNDNeutralizing antibodies are considered a key correlate of protection by current SARS-CoV-2 vaccines. The manner in which human infections respond to therapeutic SARS-CoV-2 antibodies, including convalescent plasma therapy, remains to be fully elucidated. METHODSWe conducted a proof-of-principle study of convalescent plasma therapy based on a phase I trial in 30 hospitalized COVID-19 patients with a median interval between onset of symptoms and first transfusion of 9 days (IQR, 7-11.8 days). Comprehensive longitudinal monitoring of the virological, serological, and disease status of recipients allowed deciphering of parameters on which plasma therapy efficacy depends. RESULTSIn this trial, convalescent plasma therapy was safe as evidenced by the absence of transfusion-related adverse events and low mortality (3.3%). Treatment with highly neutralizing plasma was significantly associated with faster virus clearance, as demonstrated by Kaplan-Meier analysis (P = 0.034) and confirmed in a parametric survival model including viral load and comorbidity (adjusted hazard ratio, 3.0; 95% CI, 1.1-8.1; P = 0.026). The onset of endogenous neutralization affected viral clearance, but even after adjustment for their pretransfusion endogenous neutralization status, recipients benefitted from plasma therapy with high neutralizing antibodies (hazard ratio, 3.5; 95% CI, 1.1-11; P = 0.034). CONCLUSIONOur data demonstrate a clear impact of exogenous antibody therapy on the rapid clearance of viremia before and after onset of the endogenous neutralizing response, and point beyond antibody-based interventions to critical laboratory parameters for improved evaluation of current and future SARS-CoV-2 therapies. TRIAL REGISTRATIONClinicalTrials.gov NCT04869072. FUNDINGThis study was funded via an Innovation Pool project by the University Hospital Zurich; the Swiss Red Cross Glückskette Corona Funding; Pandemiefonds of the UZH Foundation; and the Clinical Research Priority Program "Comprehensive Genomic Pathogen Detection" of the University of Zurich

Results of a Literature Review to Prepare Data Modelling in the Context of Kidney Transplant Rejection Diagnosis

Due to demographic change the number of serious kidney diseases and thus required transplantations will increase. The increased demand for donor organs and a decreasing supply of these organs underline the necessity for effective early rejection diagnostic measures to improve the lifetime of transplants. Expert systems might improve rejection diagnostics but for the development of such systems data models are needed that encompass the relevant information to enable optimal data aggregation and evaluation. Results of a literature review concerning published data models and information systems concerned with kidney transplant rejection diagnostic lead to a set of data elements even if no papers could be identified that publish data models explicitly

Towards an European classification of terrestrial humus forms

International audienc

Development of a whole plant bioassay to test effects of potentized calcium carbonate in pillule formulation.

OBJECTIVES From a pharmaceutical point of view, we see a need to develop stable preclinical test systems to identify and investigate effects of potentized remedies as used in Anthroposophic Medicine and Homeopathy. We evaluated a plant bioassay regarding its capacity to distinguish homeopathic remedies from placebo, applied as sucrose pillules. METHODS Pea seed (Pisum sativum L) was soaked for 24 hours in water with dissolved homeopathic or placebo pillules, or in water only. Shoot length was measured 14 days after planting and treatment groups were compared by analysis of variance (ANOVA). The stability of the system was validated by systematic negative control experiments. RESULTS The system is suitable to test a common application form - sucrose pillules - of a potentized preparation without influence of the pharmaceutical carrier substance. A screening of 13 potentized preparations revealed Calcium carbonicum to affect pea shoot growth (p < 0.05). Three independent series of main experiments were performed with potentized Calcium carbonicum to assess reproducibility. Meta-analysis of all data revealed significant effects of Calcium carbonicum 12c and 30c on pea shoot growth (p < 0.05), which were however dependent on the date of experiment and/or the experimental series. CONCLUSIONS Potentized Calcium carbonicum, applied as sucrose pillules, influenced pea shoot growth in the assay investigated. However, due to the small effect size and due to the modulation of the effects by still unknown external factors, further optimization of this bioassay is necessary to be used in pharmaceutical quality control or in investigating the biological or pharmaceutical mode of action of potentized preparations

TerrHum (iOS app) in the field during the Symposium "Adapting forest to climate change: methods, tools and projects", held by the LIFE FORECCAsT project in Toulouse, France on November 19 and 20

The name TerrHum comes from the abbreviation of the words Terrestrial (not hydromorphic, not submerged soils) and Humipedon (superficial part of a soil, richer in organic matter and composed of organic and organo-mineral soil horizons). This application allows classifying all forest topsoils except submerged ones. The app is built on the indications about humus diagnostic horizons, humus Forms and humus Systems reported and illustrated in 8 articles published in an Applied Soil Ecology Special Issue entitled Humusica (Zanella et al., 2018d, 2018a, 2018c, 2018e, 2018f, 2018g, 2018h, 2018b; Zanella and Ascher-Jenull, 2018a). All Humusica articles are downloadable here: http://intra.tesaf.unipd.it/people/zanella/publications.html In Humusica, the forest Humipedons are classified in five humus Systems (Mull, Moder, Mor, Amphi and Tangel) and 17 humus Forms. A humus System reflects how fast organic matter is degraded and incorporated relative to specific pedofauna and microbial communities generating an organisation in peculiar soil horizons. In the field, the operator is facing a soil profile to be classified. A cubic volume of 50 x 50 x 50 cm is generally sufficient for studying Humus systems and forms. The profile looks like a sandwich composed of overlapping horizons. TerrHum is an app that recalls images on the screen of iOS devices (iPhone, iPad and even on Mac computers since 17 October 2017 after Catalina update). These images are slides prepared on purpose to classify the humipedons. They are multiple answers/questions or photographs. Just touch the screen at the level of words or images to classify forest soil humipedons. TerrHum shows a series of YES/NO questions allowing to determine the soil horizons of a forest humipedon. A given series of horizons is then automatically classified in a humus Form. Similar humus Forms are collected in a larger unit called humus Systems

Modeling of Nitrogen Dynamics in an Austrian Alpine Forest Ecosystem on Calcareous Soils: A Scenario-Based Risk Assessment under Changing Environmental Conditions

We modeled the behavior of an Austrian alpine forest ecosystem on calcareous soils under changing climate and atmospheric nitrogen deposition scenarios. The change of nitrate leaching, emission rates of nitrogen compounds, and forest productivity were calculated using four process-oriented models for the periods 1998–2002 and 2048–2052. Each model reflects with high detail a segment of the ecosystem: PnET-N-DNDC (photosynthesis-evapotranspiration-nitrification-denitrification-decomposition; shortterm nitrogen cycling), BROOK90 (water balance for small and homogenous forest watersheds), HYDRUS (water flux in complex and heterogenous soils), and PICUS v1.3 (forest productivity). The nitrogen balance model (NBM) combines the individual results into a comprehensive picture and extends the specific values beyond the limits of the individual models. The evaluation of the findings was outlined with TRACE, a model enabling a long-term prognosis of nitrogen cycling in annual time steps

TerrHum, an app for the classification of terrestrial humus forms

In 2003, 26 European soil specialists gathered in Trento (Italy), at the Center for Alpine Ecology, to build a classification of humus forms valid for Europe. A first draft of the work is published in 2009. In 2018, a definitive classification is illustrated in several articles published in two Special Issues of the Journal Applied Soil Ecology (122a 122b). Thanks to the help of an Engineer and using the dichotomous key illustrated in the published articles, an application was codified in iOS environment for iPhones and iPads. TerrHum is freely downloadable (App Store). The humus forms correspond to the organic and organo-mineral horizons of the topsoil. Most of the biological activity of the soil takes place in them. They can be seen as "ecologically diverse environments" in which organized living communities live. The application can be used by all people who have some basic knowledge on soil classification. The soils is generally subdivided into layers called "horizons". Every humus form has a well-known sequence of these 3-5 horizons. TerrHum asks to recognize one by one the horizons of an open profile. It asks for example: "Is there an OH horizon?" Touching "YES" or "No" opens another screen with a second question, and so on until the end, where some photographic examples of humus forms display allowing the user to compare the real topsoil to them. If the inexperienced user does not know the horizons of the soil, a button at the bottom of the screen allows him to recall the definitions and photographs of these. Other keys open windows with groups of soil animals, or tables of the general classification, or any sort of other useful information. The app is constantly evolving, and we hope to put an Android version on the web soon