The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic markedly changed human mobility patterns, necessitating epidemiological models that can capture the effects of these changes in mobility on the spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)1. Here we introduce a metapopulation susceptible-exposed-infectious-removed (SEIR) model that integrates fine-grained, dynamic mobility networks to simulate the spread of SARS-CoV-2 in ten of the largest US metropolitan areas. Our mobility networks are derived from mobile phone data and map the hourly movements of 98 million people from neighbourhoods (or census block groups) to points of interest such as restaurants and religious establishments, connecting 56,945 census block groups to 552,758 points of interest with 5.4 billion hourly edges. We show that by integrating these networks, a relatively simple SEIR model can accurately fit the real case trajectory, despite substantial changes in the behaviour of the population over time. Our model predicts that a small minority of 'superspreader' points of interest account for a large majority of the infections, and that restricting the maximum occupancy at each point of interest is more effective than uniformly reducing mobility. Our model also correctly predicts higher infection rates among disadvantaged racial and socioeconomic groups2-8 solely as the result of differences in mobility: we find that disadvantaged groups have not been able to reduce their mobility as sharply, and that the points of interest that they visit are more crowded and are therefore associated with higher risk. By capturing who is infected at which locations, our model supports detailed analyses that can inform more-effective and equitable policy responses to COVID-19.

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Mobility network models of COVID-19 explain inequities and inform reopening.

Seroprevalence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies in Geneva, Switzerland (SEROCoV-POP): a population-based study.

https://academicworks.medicine.hofstra.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1534&context=articles

HMGB1 in Health and Disease

Importance The degree to which children and adolescents are infected by and transmit severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is unclear. The role of children and adolescents in transmission of SARS-CoV-2 is dependent on susceptibility, symptoms, viral load, social contact patterns, and behavior. Objective To systematically review the susceptibility to and transmission of SARS-CoV-2 among children and adolescents compared with adults. Data Sources PubMed and medRxiv were searched from database inception to July 28, 2020, and a total of 13 926 studies were identified, with additional studies identified through hand searching of cited references and professional contacts. Study Selection Studies that provided data on the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 in children and adolescents (younger than 20 years) compared with adults (20 years and older) derived from contact tracing or population screening were included. Single-household studies were excluded. Data Extraction and Synthesis PRISMA guidelines for abstracting data were followed, which was performed independently by 2 reviewers. Quality was assessed using a critical appraisal checklist for prevalence studies. Random-effects meta-analysis was undertaken. Main Outcomes and Measures Secondary infection rate (contact-tracing studies) or prevalence or seroprevalence (population screening studies) among children and adolescents compared with adults. Results A total of 32 studies comprising 41 640 children and adolescents and 268 945 adults met inclusion criteria, including 18 contact-tracing studies and 14 population screening studies. The pooled odds ratio of being an infected contact in children compared with adults was 0.56 (95% CI, 0.37-0.85), with substantial heterogeneity (I2 = 94.6%). Three school-based contact-tracing studies found minimal transmission from child or teacher index cases. Findings from population screening studies were heterogenous and were not suitable for meta-analysis. Most studies were consistent with lower seroprevalence in children compared with adults, although seroprevalence in adolescents appeared similar to adults. Conclusions and Relevance In this meta-analysis, there is preliminary evidence that children and adolescents have lower susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2, with an odds ratio of 0.56 for being an infected contact compared with adults. There is weak evidence that children and adolescents play a lesser role than adults in transmission of SARS-CoV-2 at a population level. This study provides no information on the infectivity of children.

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Susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 Infection Among Children and Adolescents Compared With Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Importance Crowded indoor environments, such as households, are high-risk settings for the transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Objectives To examine evidence for household transmission of SARS-CoV-2, disaggregated by several covariates, and to compare it with other coronaviruses. Data Source PubMed, searched through October 19, 2020. Search terms includedSARS-CoV-2orCOVID-19withsecondary attack rate,household,close contacts,contact transmission,contact attack rate, orfamily transmission. Study Selection All articles with original data for estimating household secondary attack rate were included. Case reports focusing on individual households and studies of close contacts that did not report secondary attack rates for household members were excluded. Data Extraction and Synthesis Meta-analyses were done using a restricted maximum-likelihood estimator model to yield a point estimate and 95% CI for secondary attack rate for each subgroup analyzed, with a random effect for each study. To make comparisons across exposure types, study was treated as a random effect, and exposure type was a fixed moderator. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) reporting guideline was followed. Main Outcomes and Measures Secondary attack rate for SARS-CoV-2, disaggregated by covariates (ie, household or family contact, index case symptom status, adult or child contacts, contact sex, relationship to index case, adult or child index cases, index case sex, number of contacts in household) and for other coronaviruses. Results A total of 54 relevant studies with 77 758 participants reporting household secondary transmission were identified. Estimated household secondary attack rate was 16.6% (95% CI, 14.0%-19.3%), higher than secondary attack rates for SARS-CoV (7.5%; 95% CI, 4.8%-10.7%) and MERS-CoV (4.7%; 95% CI, 0.9%-10.7%). Household secondary attack rates were increased from symptomatic index cases (18.0%; 95% CI, 14.2%-22.1%) than from asymptomatic index cases (0.7%; 95% CI, 0%-4.9%), to adult contacts (28.3%; 95% CI, 20.2%-37.1%) than to child contacts (16.8%; 95% CI, 12.3%-21.7%), to spouses (37.8%; 95% CI, 25.8%-50.5%) than to other family contacts (17.8%; 95% CI, 11.7%-24.8%), and in households with 1 contact (41.5%; 95% CI, 31.7%-51.7%) than in households with 3 or more contacts (22.8%; 95% CI, 13.6%-33.5%). Conclusions and Relevance The findings of this study suggest that given that individuals with suspected or confirmed infections are being referred to isolate at home, households will continue to be a significant venue for transmission of SARS-CoV-2.

/pdf/household-transmission-of-sars-cov-2-a-systematic-review-and-37h1fw1k9z.pdf

Household Transmission of SARS-CoV-2: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Background Since December 2019, SARS-CoV-2 virus has extended to most parts of China with more than 80 thousand cases and to at least 100 countries with more than 60 thousand international cases by March 15, 2020. Here we applied household cohort study to determine the features of household transmission of COVID-19. Methods Total 105 index patients and 392 household contacts were enrolled. Both index patients and household members were inspected by SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR. The information of all recruited people was extracted from medical records and confirmed or supplemented by telephone interviews. The baseline characteristics of index cases and contact patients were described. Secondary attack rates of SARS-CoV-2 to the contact members were computed and the risk factors for transmission within household were estimated. Results Secondary transmission of SARS-CoV-2 developed in 64 of 392 household contacts (16.3%). The secondary attack rate to children was 4% comparing with 17.1% to adults. The secondary attack rate to the contacts within the households with index patients quarantined by themselves since onset of symptoms was 0% comparing with 16.9% to the contacts without index patients quarantined. The secondary attack rate to contacts who were spouses of index cases was 27.8% comparing with 17.3% to other adult members in the households. Conclusion The secondary attack rate of SARS-CoV-2 in household is 16.3%. Ages of household contacts and spouse relationship with index case are risk factors for transmission of SARS-CoV-2 within household. Quarantine of index patients at home since onset of symptom is useful to prevent the transmission of SARS-Co-2 within household.

/pdf/characteristics-of-household-transmission-of-covid-19-tpb9idgukw.pdf

Characteristics of Household Transmission of COVID-19.

Long non-coding RNA ANRIL is up-regulated in bladder cancer and regulates bladder cancer cell proliferation and apoptosis through the intrinsic pathway

Sall4 is a novel oncogene found upregulated in several malignancies including colon cancer. However, its upstream regulatory miRNA is still undefined. miR-219-5p is regarded as a tumor-related miRNA in cancer research. Nevertheless, its actual role of whether inhibiting or promoting tumorigenesis is unclear in colon cancer. Potential interaction between Sall4 and miR-219-5p is predicted by TargetScan. CCK-8 test was used for evaluation of cell proliferation and cell survival rates. Western blot analysis and real-time PCR were applied for detection of target molecules. Luciferase assay was a direct confirmation of mutual interaction. Wound healing assay and transwell assay were conducted for cell migration and invasion tests. Flow cytometry was used for cell apoptosis analysis. Tissue specimens and cell lines were explored for miR-219-5p inhibition on colon cancer proliferation, migration, invasion, apoptosis and drug resistance by targeting Sall4. The results show that miR-219-5p inhibited carcinogenesis of colon cancer by targeting oncogene Sall4.

/pdf/mir-219-5p-plays-a-tumor-suppressive-role-in-colon-cancer-by-3tazd6evpk.pdf

miR-219-5p plays a tumor suppressive role in colon cancer by targeting oncogene Sall4.

HMGB1 recruits myeloid derived suppressor cells to promote peritoneal dissemination of colon cancer after resection.

Oleanolic acid (OA) is a naturally occurring pentacyclic triterpenoid and possesses diverse pharmacological activities, including anti-cancer effects that have been confirmed in multiple types of human cancers. However, the potential effect of natural OA on human prostate cancer is still unclear. The present study aimed to explore whether and how OA exerted anti-cancer effects in prostate cancer. Our data showed that OA inhibited cell viability and proliferation, and promoted cell apoptosis and G0/G1 phase cell cycle arrest in prostate cancer PC-3, DU145, and LNCaP cells, in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, OA was found to regulate the expression levels of apoptosis-related and cell cycle-related proteins, as well as the activity of PI3K/Akt pathway, in a dose-dependent manner. Mechanistically, our data revealed that OA exerted anti-cancer effects in vitro in PC-3 and DU145 cells by repressing the PI3K/Akt pathway. In agreement, OA also suppressed the tumor growth of PC-3 cells in vivo via inhibition of the PI3K/Akt pathway. In conclusion, our findings demonstrate the anti-cancer properties of OA in prostate cancer cells, both in vitro and in vivo, and provide the experimental evidence for the use of OA as an adjuvant agent for prostate cancer patients.

Peng Zhang

Papers

Characteristics of Household Transmission of COVID-19.

Long non-coding RNA ANRIL is up-regulated in bladder cancer and regulates bladder cancer cell proliferation and apoptosis through the intrinsic pathway

miR-219-5p plays a tumor suppressive role in colon cancer by targeting oncogene Sall4.

HMGB1 recruits myeloid derived suppressor cells to promote peritoneal dissemination of colon cancer after resection.

Oleanolic acid inhibits cell survival and proliferation of prostate cancer cells in vitro and in vivo through the PI3K/Akt pathway