The spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus has had an unprecedented impact, both by posing a serious risk to human health and by amplifying the burden on the global economy. The rapid identification of the SARS-CoV-2 virus has been crucial to preventing and controlling the spread of SARS-CoV-2 infections. In this study, we propose a multilayered plasmonic nanotrap (MPNT) device for the rapid identification of single particles of SARS-CoV-2 virus in ultra-high sensitivity by surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS). The MPNT device is composed of arrays of concentric cylindrical cavities with Ag/SiO/Ag multilayers deposited on the top and at the bottom. By varying the diameter of the cylinders and the thickness of the multilayers, the resonant optical absorption and local electric field were optimized. The SERS enhancement factors of the proposed device are of the order of 10, which enable the rapid identification of SARS-CoV-2 N protein in concentrations as low as 1.25 × 10-12.5 × 10 g mL within 1 min. The developed MPNT SERS device provides a label-free and rapid detection platform for SARS-CoV-2 virus. The general nature of the device makes it equally suitable to detect other infectious viruses.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.talanta.2024.126494 | DOI Listing |
Germs
September 2024
Pharm, PhD, Faculty of Pharmacy, Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, No. 6 Traian Vuia street, Bucharest, 020956, Romania.
Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has promoted an intensive investigation into the pathophysiological mechanisms of SARS-CoV-2 infection, risk factors, and its impact on disease severity. Vitamin D has generated significant attention for its potential role in viral prevention and immune defense due to its pleiotropic functions, including immunomodulation and antimicrobial effects. This study aimed to assess serum 25(OH)D3 levels in patients with COVID-19 compared to those with other viral respiratory infections and to evaluate associations of vitamin D levels with symptomatology, clinical characteristics, presence of comorbidities and laboratory investigation.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFFront Public Health
December 2024
Department of Social Sciences, University of Luxembourg, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg.
Introduction: The COVID-19 (COronaVIrus Disease-2019) pandemic highlighted the importance of assessing the rationales behind vaccine hesitancy for the containment of pandemics. In this nationwide study, representative of the Luxembourgish population, we identified hesitant groups from adolescence to late adulthood and explored motivations both for and against vaccination.
Methods: We combined data collected via online surveys for the CON-VINCE (COvid-19 National survey for assessing VIral spread by Non-affected CarriErs) study, 1865 respondents aged 18-84, and for the YAC (Young people And Covid-19) study, 3740 respondents aged 12-29.
Am J Reprod Immunol
January 2025
Department of Environmental Immunology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Leipzig, Saxony, Germany.
Problem: Although it is still uncertain whether Severe Acute Respiratory Coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) placental infection and vertical transmission occur, inflammation during early pregnancy can have devastating consequences for gestation itself and the growing fetus. If and how SARS-CoV-2-specific immune cells negatively affect placenta functionality is still unknown.
Method Of Study: We stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from women of reproductive age with SARS-CoV-2 peptides and cocultured them with trophoblast spheroids (HTR-8/SVneo and JEG-3) to dissect if SARS-CoV-2-activated immune cells can interfere with trophoblast functionality.
Food Environ Virol
January 2025
Laboratory of Comparative and Environmental Virology, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 21040-360, Brazil.
This study aimed to investigate the dissemination of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in water samples obtained during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic period, employing cross-assembly phage (crAssphage) as a fecal contamination biomarker and next-generation sequencing protocols to characterize SARS-CoV-2 variants. Raw wastewater and surface water (stream and sea) samples were collected for over a month in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Ultracentrifugation and negatively charged membrane filtration were employed for viral concentration of the wastewater and surface water samples, respectively.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCell Biochem Biophys
January 2025
Department of Physics, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.
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