Sequencing of SARS-CoV-2 RNA Fragments in Wastewater Detects the Spread of New Variants during Major Events

The sequencing of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in wastewater is an unbiased method to detect the spread of emerging variants and to track regional infection dynamics, which is especially useful in case of limited testing and clinical sequencing. To test how major international events influence the spread of new variants we have sequenced SARS-CoV-2 RNA in the wastewater samples of Davos, Landquart, Lostallo, and St. Moritz in the Swiss canton of Grisons in the time around the international sports competitions in Davos and St. Moritz in December 2021, and additionally in May 2022 and January 2023 in Davos and St. Moritz during the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos. The prevalence of the variants identified from the wastewater sequencing data showed that the Omicron variant BA.1 had spread in Davos and St. Moritz during the international sporting events hosted there in December 2021. This spread was associated with an increase in case numbers, while it was not observed in Landquart and Lostallo. Another instance of new variant spread occurred during the WEF in January 2023, when the Omicron variant BA.2.75 arrived in Davos but not in St. Moritz. We can therefore conclude that major international events promote the spread of new variants in the respective host region, which has important implications for the protective measures that should be taken

Protective Aptitude of Annexin A1 in Arterial Neointima Formation in Atherosclerosis-Prone Mice-Brief Report

Objective-Restenosis as a consequence of arterial injury is aggravated by inflammatory pathways. Here, we investigate the role of the proresolving protein annexin A1 (AnxA1) in healing after wire injury. Approach and Results-Apoe(-/-) and Apoe(-/-) Anxa1(-/-) mice were subjected to wire injury while fed a high-cholesterol diet. Subsequently, localization of AnxA1 and AnxA1 plasma levels were examined. AnxA1 was found to localize within endothelial cells and macrophages in the neointima. Levels of AnxA1 in the plasma and its lesional expression negatively correlated with neointima size, and in the absence of AnxA1, neointima formation was aggravated by the accumulation and proliferation of macrophages. In contrast, reendothelialization and smooth muscle cell infiltration were not affected in Apoe(-/-) Anxa1(-/-) mice. Conclusions-AnxA1 is protective in healing after wire injury and could, therefore, be an attractive therapeutic compound to prevent from restenosis after vascular damage

Atherosclerotic plaque destabilization in Mice: A comparative study

Atherosclerosis-Associated diseases are the main cause ofmortality and morbidity in western societies. The progression of atherosclerosis is a dynamic process evolving from early to advanced lesions thatmay become rupture-prone vulnerable plaques. Acute coronary syndromes are the clinical manifestation of life-Threatening thrombotic events associated with high-risk vulnerable plaques. Hyperlipidemic mouse models have been extensively used in studying the mechanisms controlling initiation and progression of atherosclerosis. However, the understanding of mechanisms leading to atherosclerotic plaque destabilization has been hampered by the lack of proper animalmodelsmimicking this process. Although various mouse models generate atherosclerotic plaques with histological features of human advanced lesions, a consensus model to study atherosclerotic plaque destabilization is still lacking. Hence, we studied the degree and features of plaque vulnerability in different mouse models of atherosclerotic plaque destabilization and find that the model based on the placement of a shear stress modifier in combination with hypercholesterolemia represent with high incidence the most human like lesions compared to the other models

Efeitos da cinesioterapia respiratória na mobilidade da caixa torácica, capacidade de exercício e qualidade de vida dos pacientes portadores de DPOC

O paciente portador de Doena Pulmonar Obstrutiva Crnica (DPOC) apresenta perda progressiva da funopulmonar, que desencadeia diminuio em sua atividade fsica global, prejudicando sua qualidade de vida. Com o objetivo deotimizar a funo desses pacientes, foram desenvolvidos os programas de reabilitao pulmonar. Os principais componentesdesses programas so: treinamento de membros inferiores, treinamento de membros superiores, treinamento ventilatrioe interveno psicossocial. A cinesioterapia respiratria uma tcnica muito aplicada na prtica clnica, contudo poucoestudada. Diante disso, o objetivo do presente estudo foi verifi car a contribuio da cinesioterapia respiratria na mobilidadeda caixa torcica, capacidade de exerccio e qualidade de vida no paciente com DPOC. Foram selecionados 03 pacientes comdiagnstico de DPOC grau moderado, que foram submetidos a um programa de cinesioterapia respiratria. Os efeitos doprograma foram avaliados pelos seguintes parmetros: espirometria, cirtometria torcica, distncia percorrida em seis minutos(DP6min) e questionrio de qualidade de vida. Aps dez sesses de cinesioterapia respiratria os pacientes apresentaram umaumento na mobilidade da caixa torcica e na qualidade de vida, mantendo a capacidade de exerccio. Portanto, a cinesioterapiarespiratria pode ser uma tcnica que benefi cie funcionalmente o paciente portador de DPOC

Occupational Safety and Health Practices among Physical Therapists in Metro Manila during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Study Protocol

Introduction: The purpose of Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) is to protect and prevent workers from being exposed to risks and hazards that are detrimental to their health and safety. For the past two years, the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is one of the most significant occupational health outcomes to physical therapists (PTs) due to the nature of their work. However, minimal studies have been conducted about the experiences and OSH practices of PTs during the pandemic. This study aims to understand the experiences of clinical PTs in Metro Manila, Philippines during the pandemic. The study also seeks to explore the OSH practices and responses of PTs to presenting occupational risks and hazards through a qualitative descriptive study design. Methods: In this qualitative descriptive study, a maximum variation purposeful sampling method will be used in recruiting an estimated total of twelve (12) participants. A preliminary questionnaire would be disseminated via Google Forms to determine the eligibility of potential participants. Data will be gathered through a one-to-one semi-structured online interview, which will be transcribed verbatim and recorded with audio and video. Both manual coding and software-aided coding (NVivo) will be utilized in the data analysis. Emerging themes will be identified using thematic inductive analysis. Discussion: The results of the study may contribute to the formulation of better guidelines in handling infectious diseases even after quarantine restrictions are lifted. Furthermore, the findings will also provide the groundwork for the local body of knowledge in the Philippines and may serve as a future reference for research concerning OSH practices in physical therapy locally

The evolving SARS-CoV-2 epidemic in Africa: Insights from rapidly expanding genomic surveillance

INTRODUCTION Investment in Africa over the past year with regard to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) sequencing has led to a massive increase in the number of sequences, which, to date, exceeds 100,000 sequences generated to track the pandemic on the continent. These sequences have profoundly affected how public health officials in Africa have navigated the COVID-19 pandemic. RATIONALE We demonstrate how the first 100,000 SARS-CoV-2 sequences from Africa have helped monitor the epidemic on the continent, how genomic surveillance expanded over the course of the pandemic, and how we adapted our sequencing methods to deal with an evolving virus. Finally, we also examine how viral lineages have spread across the continent in a phylogeographic framework to gain insights into the underlying temporal and spatial transmission dynamics for several variants of concern (VOCs). RESULTS Our results indicate that the number of countries in Africa that can sequence the virus within their own borders is growing and that this is coupled with a shorter turnaround time from the time of sampling to sequence submission. Ongoing evolution necessitated the continual updating of primer sets, and, as a result, eight primer sets were designed in tandem with viral evolution and used to ensure effective sequencing of the virus. The pandemic unfolded through multiple waves of infection that were each driven by distinct genetic lineages, with B.1-like ancestral strains associated with the first pandemic wave of infections in 2020. Successive waves on the continent were fueled by different VOCs, with Alpha and Beta cocirculating in distinct spatial patterns during the second wave and Delta and Omicron affecting the whole continent during the third and fourth waves, respectively. Phylogeographic reconstruction points toward distinct differences in viral importation and exportation patterns associated with the Alpha, Beta, Delta, and Omicron variants and subvariants, when considering both Africa versus the rest of the world and viral dissemination within the continent. Our epidemiological and phylogenetic inferences therefore underscore the heterogeneous nature of the pandemic on the continent and highlight key insights and challenges, for instance, recognizing the limitations of low testing proportions. We also highlight the early warning capacity that genomic surveillance in Africa has had for the rest of the world with the detection of new lineages and variants, the most recent being the characterization of various Omicron subvariants. CONCLUSION Sustained investment for diagnostics and genomic surveillance in Africa is needed as the virus continues to evolve. This is important not only to help combat SARS-CoV-2 on the continent but also because it can be used as a platform to help address the many emerging and reemerging infectious disease threats in Africa. In particular, capacity building for local sequencing within countries or within the continent should be prioritized because this is generally associated with shorter turnaround times, providing the most benefit to local public health authorities tasked with pandemic response and mitigation and allowing for the fastest reaction to localized outbreaks. These investments are crucial for pandemic preparedness and response and will serve the health of the continent well into the 21st century