A network pharmacology approach to explore the mechanism of action of Yiqi Fumai lyophilized injection in the treatment of novel coronavirus disease

Background:Shengmai decoction,which has been included in the diagnosis and treatment of coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19),is effective in the early treatment of patients with severe COVID-19.Yiqi Fumai lyophilized injection(YQFM)is a modern Chinese medicine preparation of the Shengmai decoction.The mechanism of its intervention at the molecular level in the severe stage of COVID-19 remains unclear.Therefore,it is necessary to investigate the mechanism of YQFM in the treatment of patients with severe COVID-19.Methods:The corresponding target genes of the main active ingredients in YQFM and COVID-19 were obtained by using multiple databases and literature retrieval.A protein-protein interaction network was constructed,and enrichment analysis of the target was performed using Cytoscape 3.8.1.Lastly,the docking of all the identified compounds with angiotensin-converting enzyme II was confirmed by applying molecular docking technology.Results:YQFM has anti-inflammatory effects on RAW267.4 macrophages.The main active compounds of YQFM are all effective anti-inflammatory agents,and these active compounds also show beneficial physiological functions,such as anti-oxidation,anti-bacterial,and anticancer activities.Gene Ontology analysis showed enrichment in the following pathways:lipopolysaccharides,interleukins,NF-kappa B,interleukin-2 and others,revealing that YQFM may play a role in the treatment of patients with severe COVID-19 through these pathways.Conclusion:YQFM has multicomponent and multitarget characteristics,and it could reduce lung injury by inhibiting inflammatory reactions,promoting antiviral activities,and regulating immunity,among other functions,to treat patients with severe COVID-19.

Short-and long-term predictions of novel corona virus using mathematical modeling and artificial intelligence methods

This paper proposes spread prediction of novel corona virus outbreak using different compartmental models and artificial intelligence(AI)methods.Real data for several months is collected from the Ministry of Health(MOH)website,Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and two compartmental models,namely SIR(susceptible,infectious,recovered)and SEIRD(susceptible,exposed,infectious,recovered,dead)are utilized to best fit the data.AI methods are well suited for short-and long-term stochastic forecasts.Keeping in view the inherent advantages of AI methods,adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system(ANFIS)models are trained using the collected data to replicate the dynamic behavior of the COVID-19 spread in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.The prediction comparison for COVID-19 spread is made between the compartmental and ANFIS models for both short-and long-term forecasts of the experimental data.From the presented results,ANFIS-based models show superior performance as compared to compartmental models.

Predictors of acceptance and willingness to pay for the COVID-19 vaccine in the general public of India: A health belief model approach

Objective:To determine the predictors of acceptance and willingness to pay(WTP)for the COVID-19 vaccine among the Indian public and to provide insights for future demand forecasts and pricing considerations.Methods:A nationwide,web-based,self-administered,crosssectional survey was conducted from 5 to 20 October 2020.The health belief model(HBM)approach was used as a theoretical framework to assess the predictors of acceptance of and WTP for the COVID-19 vaccine.Results:Of 2480 respondents,2451 completed the online survey,yielding a response rate of 98.8%.Participants who participated in the survey had diverse demographics in terms of their location,educational level,occupation type,and family income.Among 2451 respondents,the majority(89.3%)intended to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.Respondents with high perceived benefits of COVID-19 vaccination,such as reduction in worry(OR 5.87;95%CI 4.39-7.96)and sickness(OR 4.31;95%CI 3.31-5.62),showed higher intention to receive the vaccine.However,respondents with a high perception of the side effects and barriers to vaccination(OR 0.36;95%CI 0.25-0.54)and vaccine shortage(OR 0.58;95%CI 0.41-0.81)showed lower intention to receive the vaccine.The majority(2162,88.21%)of respondents were willing to pay an amount of INR:500-1000 or USD:6.81-13.62 for a dose of COVID-19 vaccine,with a median(Q1,Q3)of INR:500(500,1000)or USD:6.81(6.81,13.62).The higher marginal WTP for the COVID-19 vaccine was influenced by advanced age,marital status,female sex,intermediate educational background,high family income,fair or poor perceived health status,and no affordable barriers.Conclusions:The majority of respondents intended to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.Healthcare interventions focusing on HBM constructs and demographic predictors associated with low intention to receive the vaccine can be effective in enhancing the coverage of the COVID-19 vaccine.The findings of this study provide guidance for the future price considerations of the COVID-19 vaccine.

Comparison between SARS, MERS and COVID-19 in diagnostic criteria

Since a lot of people get involved by COVID-19 infection and died and lots of them obliged to stay at home and teleworking due to its unknown contagious pneumonia in February and March 2020 in Iran and the world;and this number is growing,it seems necessary to study the diagnostic criteria of this virus,based on the recently published articles,and then compare them with Severe acute respiratory syndrome(SARS)and Middle East respiratory syndrome(MERS).Corona viruses are the largest known RNA viruses able to infect humans and birds.These viruses can cause more serious respiratory diseases in elderly,or immunocompromised individuals.In this article,by comparing COVID-19,SARS and MERS viruses,we aim to find similarities and differences between these three which are from the same family and by expressing their diagnostic criteria,help care units to find patients faster and have enough time for treating them.

Mediastinal lymphadenopathy in COVID-19: A review of literature

A novel coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)is a progressive viral disease that affected people around the world with widespread morbidity and mortality.Patients with COVID-19 infection typically had pulmonary manifestation but can also present with gastrointestinal,cardiac,or neurological system dysfunction.Chest imaging in patients with COVID-19 commonly show bilateral lung involvement with bilateral ground-glass opacity and consolidation.Mediastinal lymphadenopathy can be found due to infectious or non-infectious etiologies.It is commonly found to be associated with malignant diseases,sarcoidosis,and heart failure.Mediastinal lymph node enlargement is not a typical computer tomography of the chest finding of patients with COVID-19 infection.We summarized the literature which suggested or investigated the mediastinal lymph node enlargement in patients with COVID-19 infection.Further studies are needed to better characterize the importance of mediastinal lymphadenopathy in patients with COVID-19 infection.

Polymers and Polymeric Materials in COVID-19 Pandemic: A Review

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has been at its worst and the world is fighting to help global public health. In this aspect the role played by polymers and polymeric materials including plastics as the main material in medical devices, personal protective equipment for health care workers is huge. Advantages like mass production, lower cost and possibilities for sterilization and disinfection of the plastic materials make them an inevitable material in healthcare sector. Apart from plastics, anti-viral and anti-microbial coatings, polymeric nanocomposites and functional polymers have been introduced as a helping tool against COVID-19. This review focuses on the application of polymers, and polymeric materials in COVID-19 pandemic. Usage of plastics and its applications in healthcare and related sectors have been reviewed. The major challenges faced and future prospects on the usage of polymers have also been discussed.

International Trade Norms in the Age of Covid-19 Nationalism on the Rise?

Simultaneous with the rise of trade protectionism in the twenty-first century has been a resurgence in nationalist politics,most notably in the USA,the UK,and parts of the EU.These developments in international and US trade policy,including Washington’s launch of a full-fledged trade war against China in March 2018,have converged disastrously with the outbreak of the novel coronavirus in November 2019 and the onset of a worldwide pandemic.Given the status of the USA as the world’s hegemon since 1945,what is new here is the effort of the Trump administration to abdicate US leadership,-jettison longstanding alliances,and turn back the clock on the country’s close integration with the world economy.Already,greatly reduced flows of goods,services,and people have translated into radically reduced global growth,widespread business disruptions,and high unemployment.Remarkably,the White House has refused to recognize the severity of the pandemic and has undermined the precautions of the US science community.We argue that these multiple shocks constitute a major critical juncture on par with what the world community faced in 1945.However,in the twenty-first century we have seen that high levels of economic uncertainty and political instability have superseded the long-held notion that international interdependence would pull the world community through tough times such as these.Could the triple whammy of a destructive trade war,deadly pandemic,and secular decfine of US leadership trigger a new generation of policy innovation and institution building on par with the post-1945 era?In terms of the global trade regime,it would be difficult to imagine a buoyant recovery of the world economy in the absence of a serious reckoning with the pattern of norm erosion that we identify here.