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During coronavirus infection, three non-structural proteins, nsp3, nsp4, and nsp6, are of great importance as they induce the formation of double-membrane vesicles where the replication and transcription of viral gRNA takes place, and the interaction of nsp3 and nsp4 lumenal regions triggers membrane pairing. However, their structural states are not well-understood. We investigated the interactions between nsp3 and nsp4 by predicting the structures of their lumenal regions individually and in complex using AlphaFold2 as implemented in ColabFold. The ColabFold prediction accuracy of the nsp3–nsp4 complex was increased compared to nsp3 alone and nsp4 alone. All cysteine residues in both lumenal regions were modelled to be involved in intramolecular disulphide bonds. A linker region in the nsp4 lumenal region emerged as crucial for the interaction, transitioning to a structured state when predicted in complex. The key interactions modelled between nsp3 and nsp4 appeared stable when the transmembrane regions of nsp3 and nsp4 were added to the modelling either alone or together. While molecular dynamics simulations (MD) demonstrated that the proposed model of the nsp3 lumenal region on its own is not stable, key interactions between nsp and nsp4 in the proposed complex model appeared stable after MD. Together, these observations suggest that the interaction is robust to different modelling conditions. Understanding the functional importance of the nsp4 linker region may have implications for the targeting of double membrane vesicle formation in controlling coronavirus infection.

Due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, a Swiss university course called “Psychology and Migration” had to move online over the Spring semester 2021. In this course, Psychology and Education students learn about the sociocultural considerations of migration, through a theoretical, personal and artistic exploration of the subjective experience of migration, based on performing arts. As part of the main pedagogical strategies, students are invited to collectively create a short theatre play based on some selected literary texts. Under the conditions imposed by the pandemic, puppetry arts were chosen as a new tool for distance-learning. Collaborating with theatre professionals, the students created a short play, and performed it online using sock puppets, image theatre or object theatre. Using data collected during the course (video recordings of online sessions and students’ diaries), this article explores the critical process of reduction and expansion, and the (potentially) productive tensions that the course creates. It analyses two main appropriation modes for course students: in adaptative appropriation, students aim to reduce these tensions by adapting to the perceived expectations of teachers; in transformative appropriation, students creatively use possibilities offered by the course to conduct a personal exploration, integrating theories with their own experiences and questions.

The Green Energy and Green Economy Act (2009) was an omnibus bill that affected a number of other acts. Due to the breadth of its effects, it should have seen a rigorous consultation and review process; this is especially true given how it would impact First Nations and its explicit mention in the Bill. However, it took less than three months for it to receive Royal Assent and become an act. This timeline is extremely short, even among similar bills within the same context. One of the core reasons for this swift transition is due to its labeling as green energy, which has benign connotations. This effectively allowed the bill to be expedited through the consultation process. The consultation process had many hurdles of its own that inhibited meaningful consultation including its timeframe, location of hearings, accessibility, and other factors. The term green energy was also never defined within the Act, meaning it only served as a form of signaling. This raises many questions with respect to the Government of Ontario’s conduct in the situation and how they handled their legal duty to consult with Indigenous people of Ontario, Canada. There are many voices that have raised issues with this process. If nothing else, this example serves the purpose of demonstrating the dangers of green-labelling, especially to Indigenous people of Canada and other Indigenous groups worldwide.

In diesem Beitrag wird der Frage nachgegangen, wie angehende DaF-Lehrende ihre Lernerfahrungen im performativen Online-Workshop bewerten. Zu diesem Zweck wurden verschiedene Drama-Aktivitäten per Videokonferenz mit Studierenden aus Deutschland und Serbien im Rahmen von Lehrveranstaltungen durchgeführt. Am Ende des Sommersemesters 2021 wurden sieben Studierende einzeln interviewt. Die leitfadengestützten Interviews wurden nach der zusammenfassenden Inhaltsanalyse von Mayring (2010) qualitativ ausgewertet. Die Ergebnisse weisen darauf hin, dass durch einen dramapädagogischen Ansatz Unterrichtsatmosphäre, Interaktion, Kommunikation, soziale Distanz und Lernmotivation optimiert sowie Sprechangst und Hemmungen abgebaut werden können.

Background The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated existing health disparities and disproportionately affected vulnerable individuals and communities (e.g., low-income, precariously housed or in institutional settings, racialized, migrant, refugee, 2SLBGTQ+). Despite their higher risk of infection and sub-optimal access to healthcare, Canada’s COVID-19 vaccination strategy focused primarily on age, as well as medical and occupational risk factors. Methods We conducted a mixed-methods constant comparative qualitative analysis of epidemiological data from a national database of COVID-19 cases and vaccine coverage in four Canadian jurisdictions. Jurisdictional policies, policy updates, and associated press releases were collected from government websites, and qualitative data were collected through 34 semi-structured interviews of key informants from nine Canadian jurisdictions. Interviews were coded and analyzed for themes and patterns. Results COVID-19 vaccines were rolled out in Canada in three phases, each accompanied by specific challenges. Vaccine delivery systems typically featured large-venue mass immunization sites that presented a variety of barriers for those from vulnerable communities. The engagement and targeted outreach that featured in the later phases were driven predominantly by the efforts of community organizations and primary care providers, with limited support from provincial governments. Conclusions While COVID-19 vaccine rollout in Canada is largely considered a success, such an interpretation is shaped by the metrics chosen. Vaccine delivery systems across Canada need substantial improvements to ensure optimal uptake and equitable access for all. Our findings suggest a more equitable model for vaccine delivery featuring early establishment of local barrier-free clinics, culturally safe and representative environment, as well as multi-lingual assistance, among other vulnerability-sensitive elements.

The SARS-CoV-2 variant Omicron emerged in late 2021. In British Columbia (BC), Canada, and globally, three genetically distinct subvariants of Omicron, BA.1, BA.2, and BA.5, emerged and became dominant successively within an 8-month period. SARS-CoV-2 subvariants continue to circulate in the population, acquiring new mutations that have the potential to alter infectivity, immunity, and disease severity. Here, we report a propensity-matched severity analysis from residents of BC over the course of the Omicron wave, including 39,237 individuals infected with BA.1, BA.2, or BA.5 based on paired high-quality sequence data and linked to comprehensive clinical outcomes data between December 23, 2021 and August 31, 2022. Relative to BA.1, BA.2 cases were associated with a 15% and 28% lower risk of hospitalization and intensive care unit (ICU) admission (aHR

Wastewater-based SARS-CoV-2 surveillance enables unbiased and comprehensive monitoring of defined sewersheds. We performed real-time monitoring of hospital wastewater that differentiated Delta and Omicron variants within total SARS-CoV-2-RNA, enabling correlation to COVID-19 cases from three tertiary-care facilities with2100 inpatient beds in Calgary, Canada. RNA was extracted from hospital wastewater between August/2021 and January/2022, and SARS-CoV-2 quantified using RT-qPCR. Assays targeting R203M and R203K/G204R established the proportional abundance of Delta and Omicron, respectively. Total and variant-specific SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater was compared to data for variant specific COVID-19 hospitalizations, hospital-acquired infections, and outbreaks. Ninety-six percent (188/196) of wastewater samples were SARS-CoV-2 positive. Total SARS-CoV-2 RNA levels in wastewater increased in tandem with total prevalent cases (Delta plus Omicron). Variant-specific assessments showed this increase to be mainly driven by Omicron. Hospital-acquired cases of COVID-19 were associated with large spikes in wastewater SARS-CoV-2 and levels were significantly increased during outbreaks relative to non-outbreak periods for total SARS-CoV2, Delta and Omicron. SARS-CoV-2 in hospital wastewater was significantly higher during the Omicron-wave irrespective of outbreaks. Wastewater-based monitoring of SARS-CoV-2 and its variants represents a novel tool for passive COVID-19 infection surveillance, case identification, containment, and potentially to mitigate viral spread in hospitals. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Abstract SARS-CoV-2 infection is required for COVID-19, but many signs and symptoms of COVID-19 differ from common acute viral diseases. Currently, there are no pre- or post-exposure prophylactic COVID-19 medical countermeasures. Clinical data suggest that famotidine may mitigate COVID-19 disease, but both mechanism of action and rationale for dose selection remain obscure. We explore several plausible avenues of activity including antiviral and host-mediated actions. We propose that the principal famotidine mechanism of action for COVID-19 involves on-target histamine receptor H2 activity, and that development of clinical COVID-19 involves dysfunctional mast cell activation and histamine release.

RésuméMalgré l’attention renouvelée de plusieurs médias sur la question des risques liés à la COVID-19 au sein de diverses communautés marginalisées au Québec, nous entendons encore très peu parler des personnes âgées immigrantes et de leurs proches. Dans cette note sur les politiques et pratiques, nous aborderons l’expérience du contexte pandémique chez les personnes âgées immigrantes montréalaises et leurs réseaux. Nous présenterons d’abord quelques données sociodémographiques sur les immigrants âgés montréalais. Nous exposerons ensuite nos constats sur les impacts de la COVID-19 sur les personnes âgées immigrantes, en particulier en ce qui concerne l’accès aux soins de la santé et aux services sociaux, la proche-aidance, l’emploi et le logement, à partir de nos travaux et de la littérature en gérontologie sociale. Nous terminerons en proposant quelques recommandations qui permettraient d’améliorer l’inclusion sociale des personnes âgées immigrantes et de leurs proches, autant en matière de politiques publiques que de pratiques sur le terrain.

IntroductionBlack communities claim the highest number of cases and deaths due to COVID-19 in Canada. Generating culturally/contextually appropriate public health measures and strategies for vaccine uptake in black communities within Canada can better support the disproportionate impact of this pandemic. This study explores the barriers and enablers to public health measures limited to mask-wearing, disinfection, sanitation, social distancing and handwashing, as well as the barriers and attitudes towards COVID-19 vaccines among the black community.Methods and analysisWe will use qualitative approaches informed by the widely accepted Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) to aid our investigation. We will conduct 120 semistructured interviews and five focus groups with black populations across the major provinces of Canada to understand the barriers and facilitators to public health measures, including barriers and attitudes towards COVID-19 vaccines. Data will be organised and analysed based on the CFIR. Facilitators and barriers to COVID-19 preventative measures and the barriers, facilitators and attitudes towards COVID-19 vaccines will be organised to explore relationships across the data.Ethics and disseminationThis study was approved by the Social Sciences, Humanities and Education Research Ethics Board at the University of Toronto (41585). All participants are given information about the study and will sign a consent form in order to be included; participants are informed of their right to withdraw from the study. Research material will be accessible to all researchers involved in this study as no personal identifiable information will be collected during the key informant semistructured interviews and focus groups. The study results will be provided to participants and published in peer-reviewed journals.