PMID: 

Complement Ther Med. 2020 Mar ;49:102298. Epub 2020 Jan 7. PMID: 32147057

Abstract Title: 

The effect of Saffron supplementation on waist circumference, HA1C, and glucose metabolism: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials.

Abstract: 

OBJECTIVE: Carotenoids (including zeaxanthin and lycopene) and phytosterols reportedly confer beneficial effects on metabolic profile and function, which is of clinical importance. Thus, we sought to review the saffron effects on waist circumstance (WC), fasting plasma glucose (FPG), and HA1C concentrations reported in Randomized Control Trials (RCTs).METHOD: A comprehensive systematic electronic search was performed in PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase, Google Scholar, Cochrane, Web of sciences, and SCOPUS to identify RCTs up to February 2019 without any language restrictions. The pooled weighted mean difference (WMD) calculated with DerSimonian-Laird random. PRISMA guidelines adhered to for this meta-analysis.RESULT: Nine articles with 12 arms containing 595 participants were included in this study. Our study found WC was significantly reduced (WMD: -2.18 cm, 95 % CI: -4.05, -0.32) and FPG (WMD: -6.54 mg/dl, 95 % CI: -10.22, -2.85) following saffron intervention. Subgroup analysis highlighted that FPG levels (WMD: -10.24 mg/dl, 95 % CI: -15.76, -4.72) reduced significantly when intervention duration was longer than twelve weeks. There was no significant effect on HA1C levels (WMD: -0.13 mg/dl, 95 % CI: -0.31, 0.04) following saffron intervention.CONCLUSION: In conclusion, the present study indicates beneficial effects on WC and FPG, following saffron supplementation.

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PMID: 

QJM. 2020 Mar 17. Epub 2020 Mar 17. PMID: 32181807

Abstract Title: 

Epidemiologic and Clinical Characteristics of 91 Hospitalized Patients with COVID-19 in Zhejiang, China: A retrospective, multi-centre case series.

Abstract: 

BACKGROUND: Recent studies have focused initial clinical and Epidemiologic characteristics on the COVID-19, mainly revealing situation in Wuhan, Hubei.AIM: To reveal more data on the epidemiologic and clinical characteristics of COVID-19 patients outside of Wuhan, in Zhejiang, China.DESIGN: Retrospective case series.METHODS: 88 cases of laboratory-confirmed and 3 cases of clinical-confirmed COVID-19 were admitted to five hospitals in Zhejiang province, China. Data were collected from 20 January 2020 to 11 February 2020.RESULTS: Of all 91 patients, 88 (96.70%) were laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 with throat swab samples that tested positive for SARS-Cov-2 while 3 (3.30%) were clinical-diagnosed COVID-19 cases. The median age of the patients was 50 (36.5-57) years, and female accounted for 59.34%. In this sample 40 (43.96%) patients had contracted the diseases from local cases, 31 (34.07%) patients had been to Wuhan/Hubei, 8 (8.79%) cases had contacted with people from Wuhan, 11 (12.09%) cases were confirmed aircraft transmission. In particular within the city of Ningbo, 60.52% cases can be traced back to an event held in a temple. The most common symptoms were fever (71.43%), cough (60.44%) and fatigue (43.96%). The median of incubation period was 6 (IQR, 3-8) days and the median time from first visit to a doctor to confirmed diagnosis was 1 (1-2) days. According to the Chest computed tomography scans, 67.03% cases had bilateral pneumonia.CONCLUSIONS: Social activity cluster, family cluster and travel by airplane were how COVID-19 patients get transmitted and could be rapidly diagnosed COVID-19 in Zhejiang.

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PMID: 

J Biol Res (Thessalon). 2020 Dec ;27:4. Epub 2020 Mar 2. PMID: 32161725

Abstract Title: 

Effect of crocin on antioxidant gene expression, fibrinolytic parameters, redox status and blood biochemistry in nicotinamide-streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.

Abstract: 

Background: Diabetes is regarded as an epidemiological threat for the twenty-first century. Phytochemicals with known pharmaceutical properties have gained interest in the field of alleviating secondary complications of diseases. Such a substance is crocin, a basic constituent of saffron (). The present study aimed at examining the beneficial effects of per os crocin administration on the antioxidant status, blood biochemical profile, hepatic gene expression and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 activity (PAI-1) in the liver, kidney and plasma (an important marker of pre-diabetic status and major factor of thrombosis in diabetes) of healthy rats, as well as of rats with nicotinamide-streptozotocin-induced diabetes.Results: Diabetes disrupted the oxidation-antioxidation balance, while crocin improved the antioxidant state in the liver by significantly affecting SOD1 gene expression and/or by restoring SOD and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) levels. In the kidney, crocin improved hydrogen peroxide decomposing activity and TAC. In blood, hepatic transaminases ALT and AST decreased significantly, while there was a trend of decrease regarding blood urea nitrogen (BUN) levels. The expression of PAI-1 gene was affected in the liver by the dose of 50 mg kg.Conclusions: Crocin treatment contributed in restoring some parameters after diabetes induction, primarily by affecting significantly hepatic transaminases ALT and AST, SOD1 and PAI-1 gene expression and nephric HOdecomposing activity. In conclusion, crocin did contribute to the alleviation of some complications of diabetes.

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PMID: 

Arch Pathol Lab Med. 2020 Mar 17. Epub 2020 Mar 17. PMID: 32180426

Abstract Title: 

An Analysis of 38 Pregnant Women with COVID-19, Their Newborn Infants, and Maternal-Fetal Transmission of SARS-CoV-2: Maternal Coronavirus Infections and Pregnancy Outcomes.

Abstract: 

The emergence of a novel coronavirus, termed SARS-CoV-2, and the potentially life-threating respiratory disease that it can produce, COVID-19, has rapidly spread across the globe creating a massive public health problem. Previous epidemics of many emerging viral infections have typically resulted in poor obstetrical outcomes including maternal morbidity and mortality, maternal-fetal transmission of the virus, and perinatal infections and death. This communication reviews the effects of two previous coronavirus infections – severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) caused by SARS-CoV and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) caused by MERS-CoV – on pregnancy outcomes. In addition, it analyzes literature describing 38 pregnant women with COVID-19 and their newborns in China to assess the effects of SARS-CoV-2 on the mothers and infants including clinical, laboratory and virologic data, and the transmissibility of the virus from mother to fetus. This analysis reveals that unlike coronavirus infections of pregnant women caused by SARS and MERS, in these 38 pregnant women COVID-19 did not lead to maternal deaths. Importantly, and similar to pregnancies with SARS and MERS, there were no confirmed cases of intrauterine transmission of SARS-CoV-2 from mothers with COVID-19 to their fetuses. All neonatal specimens tested, including in some cases placentas, were negative by rt-PCR for SARS-CoV-2. At this point in the global pandemic of COVID-19 infection there is no evidence that SARS-CoV-2 undergoes intrauterine or transplacental transmission from infected pregnant women to their fetuses. Analysis of additional cases is necessary to determine if this remains true.

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PMID: 

Clin Infect Dis. 2020 Mar 17. Epub 2020 Mar 17. PMID: 32182347

Abstract Title: 

Perinatal Transmission of COVID-19 Associated SARS-CoV-2: Should We Worry?

Abstract: 

We presented two cases of COVID-19 associated SARS-CoV-2 infection during third trimester of pregnancy. Both mothers and newborns had excellent outcomes. We failed to identify SARS-CoV-2 in all the products of conception and the newborns. This report provided evidence of low risk of intrauterine infection by vertical transmission of SARS-CoV-2.

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PMID: 

Clin Infect Dis. 2020 Mar 16. Epub 2020 Mar 16. PMID: 32176772

Abstract Title: 

Clinical Features of 69 Cases with Coronavirus Disease 2019 in Wuhan, China.

Abstract: 

BACKGROUND: From December 2019 to February 2020, 2019 severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has caused a serious outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Wuhan, China. Related clinical features are needed.METHODS: We reviewed 69 patients who were hospitalized in Union hospital in Wuhan between January 16 to January 29, 2020. All patients were confirmed to be infected with SARS-CoV-2 and the final date of follow-up was February 4, 2020.RESULTS: The median age of 69 enrolled patients was 42.0 years (IQR 35.0-62.0), and 32 patients (46%) were men. The most common symptoms were fever (60[87%]), cough (38[55%]), and fatigue (29[42%]). Most patients received antiviral therapy (66 [98.5%] of 67 patients) and antibiotic therapy (66 [98.5%] of 67 patients). As of February 4, 2020, 18 (26.9%) of 67 patients had been discharged, and five patients had died, with a mortality rate of 7.5%. According to the lowest SpO2 during admission, cases were divided into the SpO2≥90% group (n=55) and the SpO2

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PMID: 

N Engl J Med. 2020 Mar 17. Epub 2020 Mar 17. PMID: 32182409

Abstract Title: 

Aerosol and Surface Stability of SARS-CoV-2 as Compared with SARS-CoV-1.

Abstract: 

[n/a]

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“The Constitution of the United States is a law for rulers and people, equally in war and in peace, and covers with the shield of its protection all classes of men, at all times and under all circumstances.”   – Ex parte Milligan, U.S. Supreme Court (1866)

During the Civil War, when President Abraham Lincoln thought it expedient to silence those in the Northern states who challenged his wartime decisions by incarcerating them in military prisons in the name of public safety, he was rebuked by a unanimous Supreme Court.

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PMID: 

J Med Virol. 2020 Feb 27. Epub 2020 Feb 27. PMID: 32104915

Abstract Title: 

The neuroinvasive potential of SARS-CoV2 may play a role in the respiratory failure of COVID-19 patients.

Abstract: 

Following the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) and Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV), another highly pathogenic coronavirus named SARS-CoV-2 (previously known as 2019-nCoV) emerged in December 2019 in Wuhan, China, and rapidly spreads around the world. This virus shares highly homological sequence with SARS-CoV, and causes acute, highly lethal pneumonia coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) with clinical symptoms similar to those reported for SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV. The most characteristic symptom of patients with COVID-19 is respiratory distress, and most of the patients admitted to the intensive care could not breathe spontaneously. Additionally, some patients with COVID-19 also showed neurologic signs, such as headache, nausea, and vomiting. Increasing evidence shows that coronaviruses are not always confined to the respiratory tract and that they may also invade the central nervous system inducing neurological diseases. The infection of SARS-CoV has been reported in the brains from both patients and experimental animals, where the brainstem was heavily infected. Furthermore, some coronaviruses have been demonstrated able to spread via a synapse-connected route to the medullary cardiorespiratory center from the mechanoreceptors and chemoreceptors in the lung and lower respiratory airways. Considering the high similarity between SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV2, it remains to make clear whether the potential invasion of SARS-CoV2 is partially responsible for the acute respiratory failure of patients with COVID-19. Awareness of this may have a guiding significance for the prevention and treatment of the SARS-CoV-2-induced respiratory failure.

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PMID: 

Zhonghua Yi Xue Za Zhi. 2020 Mar 3 ;100(0):E016. Epub 2020 Mar 3. PMID: 32122113

Abstract Title: 

[Thinking on Clinical rational use of TCM injection in the treatment of novel coronavirus pneumonia (COVID-19)].

Abstract: 

[n/a]

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