Project description:BackgroundCirculating androgens could have a relevant pathobiological role in clinical outcomes in men with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection (COVID-19).ObjectivesWe aimed to assess: (a) circulating sex steroids levels in a cohort of 286 symptomatic men with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 at hospital admission compared to a cohort of 281 healthy men; and (b) the association between serum testosterone levels (tT), COVID-19, and clinical outcomes.Materials and methodsDemographic, clinical, and hormonal values were collected for all patients. Hypogonadism was defined as tT ≤9.2 nmol/l. The Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) was used to score health-significant comorbidities. Severe clinical outcomes were defined as patients either transferred to intensive care unit (ICU) or death. Descriptive statistics and multivariable linear and logistic regression models tested the association between clinical and laboratory variables and tT levels. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression models tested the association between tT and severe clinical outcomes.ResultsOverall, a significantly lower levels of LH and tT were found in patients with COVID-19 compared to healthy controls (all p < 0.0001); conversely, healthy controls depicted lower values of circulating E2 (p < 0.001). Testosterone levels suggestive for hypogonadism were observed in 257 (89.8%) patients at hospital admission. In as many as 243 (85%) cases, hypogonadism was secondary. SARS-CoV-2 infection status was independently associated with lower tT levels (p < 0.0001) and greater risk of hypogonadism (p < 0.0001), after accounting for age, BMI, CCI, and IL-6 values. Lower tT levels were associated with higher risk of ICU admission and death outcomes (all p ≤ 0.05), after accounting for clinical and laboratory parameters.ConclusionsWe unveil an independent association between SARS-CoV-2 infection status and secondary hypogonadism already at hospital admission, with lower testosterone levels predicting the most severe clinical outcomes.
Project description:Association of egg mass and egg sex: gene expression analysis from maternal RNA in the germinal disc region of layer hens (Gallus gallus)
Project description:Purpose Hypogonadism was described in high number of male subjects with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. In this study, we investigated whether low testosterone (T) values may influence the clinical presentation and outcome of SARS-CoV-2-related pneumonia in a large population of adult males with coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19). Methods Two hundred twenty one adult males hospitalized for COVID-19 at the IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Rozzano-Milan (Italy) were consecutively evaluated for arterial partial pressure oxygen (PaO2)/fraction of inspired oxygen (FiO2) ratio, serum T and inflammatory parameters at study entry, need of ventilation during hospital stay and in-hospital mortality. Results Subjects low T values (< 8 nmol/L; 176 cases) were significantly older (P = 0.001) and had higher serum interleukin-6 (P = 0.001), C-reactive protein (P < 0.001), lactate dehydrogenase (P < 0.001), ferritin (P = 0.012), lower P/F ratio (P = 0.001), increased prevalence of low T3 syndrome (P = 0.041), acute respiratory insufficiency (P < 0.001), more frequently need of ventilation (P < 0.001) and higher mortality rate (P = 0.009) compared to subjects with higher T values. In the multivariable regression analyses, T values maintained significant associations with acute respiratory insufficiency (odds ratio [OR] 0.85, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.79–0.94; P < 0.001 and in-hospital mortality (OR 0.80, 95% CI 0.69–0.95; P = 0.009), independently of age, comorbidities, thyroid function and inflammation. Conclusion Low T levels values are associated with unfavorable outcome of COVID-19. Prospective studies are needed to evaluate the long-term outcomes of hypogonadism related to COVID-19 and the clinical impact of T replacement during and after acute illness. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40618-021-01700-7.
Project description:The chicken egg vitelline membrane (CEVM) is an important structure for the transmembrane transport of egg yolk components, protection of the blastodisc, and separation of egg white and egg yolk. In this study, the N-glycoproteome of the CEVM was mapped and analyzed in depth. Total protein of the CEVM was digested, and the glycopeptides were enriched by a hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography microcolumn and identified by nano liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry. A total of 435 N-glycosylation sites on 208 N-glycoproteins were identified in CEVM. Gene Ontology enrichment analysis showed that CEVM N-glycoproteins are mainly involved in the regulation of proteinases/inhibitors and transmembrane transport of lipids. Mucin-5B is the primary N-glycoprotein in the CEVM. Comparison of the main N-glycoproteins between the CEVM and other egg parts revealed the tissue specificity of N-glycosylation of egg proteins. The results provide insights into protein N-glycosylation in the chicken egg, CEVM functions and underlying mechanisms.
Project description:This article investigates how the shift from food-away-from-home and towards food-at-home at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic affected the U.S. egg industry. We find that the pandemic increased retail and farm-gate prices for table eggs by approximately 141% and 182%, respectively. In contrast, prices for breaking stock eggs-which are primarily used in foodservice and restaurants-fell by 67%. On April 3, 2020, the FDA responded by issuing temporary exemptions from certain food safety standards for breaking stock egg producers seeking to sell into the retail table egg market. We find that this regulatory change rapidly pushed retail, farm-gate, and breaking stock prices towards their long-run pre-pandemic equilibrium dynamics. The pandemic reduced premiums for credence attributes, including cage-free, vegetarian-fed, and organic eggs, by as much as 34%. These premiums did not fully recover following the return to more "normal" price dynamics, possibly signaling that willingness-to-pay for animal welfare and environmental sustainability have fallen as consumers seek to meet basic needs during the pandemic. Finally, in spite of widespread claims of price gouging, we do not find that the pandemic (or the subsequent FDA regulatory changes) had a meaningful impact on the marketing margin for table eggs sold at grocery stores.
Project description:We experienced a case with multiple arterial and venous thromboses associated with COVID-19. During this pandemic, physicians should consider COVID-19 in patients with unexplained thrombosis.
Project description:The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has become a substantial threat to the international health sector and the global economy. As of 26 December 2021, the number of mortalities resulting from COVID-19 exceeded 5.3 million worldwide. The absence of an effective non-vaccine treatment has prompted the quest for prophylactic agents that can be used to combat COVID-19. This study presents the feasibility of chicken egg yolk antibody (IgY) anti-receptor-binding domain (RBD) spike SARS-CoV-2 as a strong candidate to neutralize the virus for application in passive immunization. For the purpose of preclinical studies, we radiolabeled IgY anti-RBD spike SARS-CoV-2 with radionuclide iodine-131. This allowed us to evaluate several biological characteristics of IgY in vitro, in vivo, and ex vivo. The preclinical data suggest that IgY anti-RBD spike SARS-CoV-2 could specifically bind to the SARS-CoV-2 antigens; however, little uptake was observed in normal cells (MRC-5) (<2%). Furthermore, the ex vivo biodistribution study revealed that IgY predominantly accumulated in the trachea of normal mice compared to other organs. We also found that IgY possessed a good safety profile when used as an intranasal agent. Taken together, we propose that IgY anti-RBD spike SARS-CoV-2 has the potential for application in passive immunization against COVID-19.
Project description:PurposeThe COVID-19 outbreak witnessed in the first months of 2020 has led to unprecedented changes in society's lifestyles. In the current study, we aimed to investigate the effect of this unexpected context on sleep.MethodsDuring the COVID-19 outbreak, we performed an online survey with individuals formerly recruited for validation of the Spanish version of the sleep questionnaire Satisfaction, Alertness, Timing, Efficiency, and Duration (SATED). In the current survey, we asked the participants to complete the previously answered questionnaires including the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), a modified version of the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), and the SATED questionnaire. We also assessed the mood by the Profile of Mood States (POMS) questionnaire.ResultsThe 71 participants were mostly women (75%) with a mean (± SD) age of 40.7 ± 11.9 years. Comparing the previous PSQI score to that during the COVID-19 outbreak, we observed worsening sleep quality (5.45 ± 3.14 to 6.18 ± 3.03 points, p = 0.035). In parallel, there was an increase in the negative mood (p = 0.002). Accordingly, the decrease in sleep quality was substantially correlated with negative mood (p < 0.001). There were no differences in the ESS or SATED.ConclusionsThe COVID-19 outbreak-associated events correlate with decreased sleep quality in association with an increase in negative mood. Considering the importance of sleep for a healthy life, and in particular for immune function, efforts should be made to improve awareness on this matter and to offer psychological assistance to affected individuals.