Flavonoid as possible therapeutic targets against COVID-19: a scoping review of in silico studies

Objectives: This scoping review aims to present flavonoid compounds' promising effects and possible mechanisms of action on potential therapeutic targets in the SARS-CoV-2 infection process. Methods: A search of electronic databases such as PubMed and Scopus was carried out to evaluate the performance of substances from the flavonoid class at different stages of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Results: The search strategy yielded 382 articles after the exclusion of duplicates. During the screening process, 265 records were deemed as irrelevant. At the end of the full-text appraisal, 37 studies were considered eligible for data extraction and qualitative synthesis. All the studies used virtual molecular docking models to verify the affinity of compounds from the flavonoid class with crucial proteins in the replication cycle of the SARS-CoV-2 virus (Spike protein, PLpro, 3CLpro/ MPro, RdRP, and inhibition of the host's ACE II receptor). The flavonoids with more targets and lowest binding energies were: orientin, quercetin, epigallocatechin, narcissoside, silymarin, neohesperidin, delphinidin-3,5-diglucoside, and delphinidin-3-sambubioside-5-glucoside. Conclusion: These studies allow us to provide a basis for in vitro and in vivo assays to assist in developing drugs for the treatment and prevention of COVID-19. Graphical abstract: [Figure not available: see fulltext.] (c) 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Tehran University of Medical Sciences

Bioactive compounds as potential angiotensin-converting enzyme II inhibitors against COVID-19: a scoping review

Objective and design The current study aimed to summarize the evidence of compounds contained in plant species with the ability to block the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE-II), through a scoping review. Methods PubMed and Scopus electronic databases were used for the systematic search and a manual search was performed Results Studies included were characterized as in silico. Among the 200 studies retrieved, 139 studies listed after the exclusion of duplicates and 74 were included for the full read. Among them, 32 studies were considered eligible for the qualitative synthesis. The most evaluated class of secondary metabolites was flavonoids with quercetin and curcumin as most actives substances and terpenes (isothymol, limonin, curcumenol, anabsinthin, and artemisinin). Other classes that were also evaluated were alkaloid, saponin, quinone, substances found in essential oils, and primary metabolites as the aminoacid l-tyrosine and the lipidic compound 2-monolinolenin. Conclusion This review suggests the most active substance from each class of metabolites, which presented the strongest affinity to the ACE-II receptor, what contributes as a basis for choosing compounds and directing the further experimental and clinical investigation on the applications these compounds in biotechnological and health processes as in COVID-19 pandemic

Multi-messenger observations of a binary neutron star merger

On 2017 August 17 a binary neutron star coalescence candidate (later designated GW170817) with merger time 12:41:04 UTC was observed through gravitational waves by the Advanced LIGO and Advanced Virgo detectors. The Fermi Gamma-ray Burst Monitor independently detected a gamma-ray burst (GRB 170817A) with a time delay of ~1.7 s with respect to the merger time. From the gravitational-wave signal, the source was initially localized to a sky region of 31 deg2 at a luminosity distance of 40+8-8 Mpc and with component masses consistent with neutron stars. The component masses were later measured to be in the range 0.86 to 2.26 Mo. An extensive observing campaign was launched across the electromagnetic spectrum leading to the discovery of a bright optical transient (SSS17a, now with the IAU identification of AT 2017gfo) in NGC 4993 (at ~40 Mpc) less than 11 hours after the merger by the One- Meter, Two Hemisphere (1M2H) team using the 1 m Swope Telescope. The optical transient was independently detected by multiple teams within an hour. Subsequent observations targeted the object and its environment. Early ultraviolet observations revealed a blue transient that faded within 48 hours. Optical and infrared observations showed a redward evolution over ~10 days. Following early non-detections, X-ray and radio emission were discovered at the transient’s position ~9 and ~16 days, respectively, after the merger. Both the X-ray and radio emission likely arise from a physical process that is distinct from the one that generates the UV/optical/near-infrared emission. No ultra-high-energy gamma-rays and no neutrino candidates consistent with the source were found in follow-up searches. These observations support the hypothesis that GW170817 was produced by the merger of two neutron stars in NGC4993 followed by a short gamma-ray burst (GRB 170817A) and a kilonova/macronova powered by the radioactive decay of r-process nuclei synthesized in the ejecta

Prevalence of pre-frailty for the component of gait speed in older adults

OBJETIVO: investigar a pré-fragilidade e os fatores associados a essa condição, considerando as medidas de velocidade da marcha dos idosos. MÉTODO: a seleção dos participantes ocorreu por meio de critérios de inclusão/exclusão e teste de rastreamento cognitivo. A amostra foi calculada com base na estimativa da proporção populacional e constituída por 195 idosos, usuários de uma Unidade Básica de Saúde de Curitiba, PR. Os dados foram coletados mediante questionário sociodemográfico/clínico e teste de velocidade da marcha. RESULTADOS: a pré-fragilidade para velocidade da marcha possui moderada prevalência (27,3%) e associou-se à faixa etária entre 60 e 69 anos, baixa escolaridade, não se sentir solitário, utilizar anti-hipertensivo, apresentar doença cardiovascular e sobrepeso. CONCLUSÃO: considera-se relevante identificar os idosos na condição de pré-fragilidade, pois, dessa maneira, existe a possibilidade de intervenção imediata com a finalidade de estacionamento do quadro. É significativo o déficit de estudos sobre a síndrome da fragilidade em idosos brasileiros, principalmente aqueles que se referem a um componente isolado. Visto que a enfermagem gerontológica se encontra nos primeiros passos referentes à temática, entende-se que a identificação da prevalência deve ser o ponto primordial das pesquisas sobre o tema.Objetivo: investigar la prefragilidad y los factores asociados a esa condición, considerando medidas de velocidad de la marcha de los ancianos. Método: la selección de los participantes ocurrió por medio de criterios de inclusión/exclusión y prueba de rastreo cognitivo. La muestra fue calculada con base en la estimativa de la proporción poblacional y fue constituida por 195 ancianos usuarios de una Unidad Básica de Salud de Curitiba, PR. Los datos fueron recolectados mediante cuestionario sociodemográfico/clínico y prueba de velocidad de la marcha. Resultados: la prefragilidad para la velocidad de la marcha posee moderada prevalencia (27,3%) y se asoció al intervalo de edad entre 60 y 69 años, baja escolaridad, no sentirse solitario, utilizar antihipertensivos, presentar enfermedad cardiovascular y sobrepeso. Conclusión: se considera relevante identificar a los ancianos en la condición de prefragilidad, ya que de esa manera existe la posibilidad de intervenir inmediata con la finalidad de estacionar el cuadro. Es significativo el déficit de estudios sobre el síndrome de la fragilidad en ancianos brasileños, principalmente aquellos que se refieren a un componente aislado. Considerando que la enfermería gerontológica se encuentra en los primeros pasos en lo que se refiere a la temática, se entiende que la identificación de la prevalencia debe ser el punto primordial de las investigaciones sobre el tema.OBJECTIVE: to investigate pre-frailty and the factors associated with this condition, taking into account the measurements of the older adults' gait speed. METHOD: participants were selected by means of inclusion/exclusion criteria and a cognitive tracking test. The sample was calculated based on the estimation of populational proportion and made up of 195 older adults who were using a Primary Health-Care Center in Curitiba in the state of Paraná. Data was collected using a socio-demographic/clinical questionnaire and the gait speed test. RESULTS: pre-frailty for gait speed has moderate prevalence (27.3%), and is associated with the 60 - 69 years age range, a low level of schooling, not feeling oneself to be alone, using anti-hypertensives, having cardiovascular disease and being overweight. CONCLUSION: it is considered relevant to identify those older adults with pre-frailty, as this creates the possibility for immediate intervention with the aim of stabilizing the picture. There is a significant shortage of studies on the syndrome of frailty in Brazilian older adults, principally referring to components in isolation. Given that gerontological nursing is at an early stage regarding this issue, it is understood that the identification of the prevalence must be the key point of the research on the matter

Arrival Directions of Cosmic Rays above 32 EeV from Phase One of the Pierre Auger Observatory

A promising energy range to look for angular correlations between cosmic rays of extragalactic origin and their sources is at the highest energies, above a few tens of EeV (1 EeV equivalent to 10^(18) eV). Despite the flux of these particles being extremely low, the area of similar to 3000 km^(2) covered at the Pierre Auger Observatory, and the 17 yr data-taking period of the Phase 1 of its operations, have enabled us to measure the arrival directions of more than 2600 ultra-high-energy cosmic rays above 32 EeV. We publish this data set, the largest available at such energies from an integrated exposure of 122,000 km^(2) sr yr, and search it for anisotropies over the 3.4 pi steradians covered with the Observatory. Evidence for a deviation in excess of isotropy at intermediate angular scales, with similar to 15 degrees Gaussian spread or similar to 25 degrees top-hat radius, is obtained at the 4 sigma significance level for cosmic-ray energies above similar to 40 EeV

Searches for Ultra-High-Energy Photons at the Pierre Auger Observatory

The Pierre Auger Observatory, which is the largest air-shower experiment in the world, offers unprecedented exposure to neutral particles at the highest energies. Since the start of data collection more than 18 years ago, various searches for ultra-high-energy (UHE, E greater than or similar to 10^(17) eV) photons have been performed, either for a diffuse flux of UHE photons, for point sources of UHE photons or for UHE photons associated with transient events such as gravitational wave events. In the present paper, we summarize these searches and review the current results obtained using the wealth of data collected by the Pierre Auger Observatory