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Background: SARS-CoV-2 has swept across the globe and caused over 1.5 million deaths worldwide. Successful prevention and treatment of COVID-19 is dependent on in-depth knowledge of viral behavior across the spectrum of patient phenotypes and physiologic responses. Biobanking provides a valuable resource of easily-accessed, quality-controlled samples for researchers to study current and future pandemics. Methods: Patients with a history of a positive SARS-CoV-2 nasopharyngeal PCR are recruited to enroll in the Northern Colorado SARS-CoV-2 Biorepository (NoCo-COBIO). Participants are enrolled in the acute phase of their disease or from the community during convalescence. Blood, saliva, nasopharyngeal, and stool specimens, as well as extensive clinical and demographic data, are collected at the time of enrollment. This biobanking effort has a longitudinal patient follow-up of four time points, with standardized multi-matrix sample and data collections over a 6-month period. One-year follow up will be performed to assess mortality data and sequelae. Findings: To date, we have enrolled and collected samples from 60 acute and 40 convalescent participants. Twenty (33%) of the acute participants have had one or more follow-up visits, and 90% of participants enrolled during convalescence have completed 2 or more visits. Interpretation: We have successfully created a multi-faceted biobank of specimens from individuals with COVID-19 to advance human SARS-CoV-2 research. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT05603677). Funding Statement: The biorepository was initiated by and supported with funding and translational research infrastructure in the CSU ERHS department (Elizabeth P. Ryan) and with the University of Colorado Health Northern Colorado Trauma Research Department (Julie Dunn). Declaration of Interests: The authors disclose no conflict of interest related to the manuscript. Ethics Approval Statement: This biorepository was approved by CSU’s Research Integrity and Compliance Review Office Institutional Review Board (protocol ID 20-10063H), as well as UCH Institutional Review Board (Colorado Multiple Institutional Review Board 20-6043).

Background. Broadly neutralizing monoclonal antibodies (bnMAbs) may promote clearance of HIV-1-expressing cells through antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity. We evaluated the effect of the CD4-binding site bnMAb, VRC01, on measures of HIV-1 persistence in chronically infected individuals. Methods. A5342 was a phase 1, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-arm study. Participants on effective antiretroviral therapy (ART) were randomized to receive 2 infusions of VRC01 (40 mg/kg) at entry and week 3, and 2 infusions of placebo (saline) at weeks 6 and 9; or 2 infusions of placebo at entry and week 3, and 2 infusions of VRC01 at weeks 6 and 9. Results. Infusion of VRC01 was safe and well tolerated. The median fold-change in the cell-associated HIV-1 RNA/DNA ratio from baseline to week 6 was 1.12 and 0.83 for the VRC01 and placebo arms, respectively, with no significant difference between arms (P = .16). There were no significant differences in the proportions with residual plasma viremia ≥1 copies/mL or in phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate/ionomycin-induced virus production from CD4+ T cells between arms (both P > .05). Conclusions. In individuals with chronic HIV-1 infection on ART, VRC01 infusions were safe and well tolerated but did not affect plasma viremia, cellular HIV-1 RNA/DNA levels, or stimulated virus production from CD4+ T cells.

Like other environmental constituents such as pressure, heat and oxygen, cold water can be either good or bad, threat or treatment depending on circumstance. Given the current increase in the popularly of open cold water swimming it is timely to review the various human responses to cold water immersion (CWI) and consider the strength of the claims made for the effects of CWI. As a consequence, in this review we look at the history of CWI and examine CWI as a pre-cursor to drowning, cardiac arrest and hypothermia. We also assess its role in prolonged survival underwater, extending exercise time in the heat and treating hyperthermic casualties. More recent uses, such as in the prevention of inflammation and treatment of inflammation-related conditions are also considered. It is concluded that the evidence-base for the different claims made for CWI are varied, and whilst in most cases there seems to be a credible rationale for the benefits or otherwise of CWI, in some cases the supporting data remain at the level of anecdotal speculation. Clear directions and requirements for future research are indicated by this review.

Professor Sir George Lindor Brown (1903–1971) is known for his pioneering research into cholinergic neuromuscular transmission. However, during WWII he worked in hyperbaric physiology and his research into underwater physiology greatly improved the safety of divers. It is perhaps fitting therefore that this review, which accompanies the Physiological Society's GL Brown lecture for 20151, explores the impact and mitigation of the environmental stresses which, to varying extents, have shaped our past, threaten our present and inform our future. From a whole-body, integrative perspective, this review examines our current understanding of micro-gravity, hypo- and hyperbaria, heat, cold air and cold water as both individual as well as combined stresses. Consideration is given to ways of mitigating the threat posed by environmental extremes, including the differing extents to which humans can demonstrate adaptation to them. Finally, recommendations for further study are suggested that might result in both direct and indirect insights.1The GL Brown lecture is given in memory of the distinguished physiologist Sir George Lindor Brown (1903-1971). It is aimed at a younger audience with a view to stimulating an interest in physiology. M. Tipton gave the GL Brown lecture in 2015 at (chronological order) the Universities of Keele, Cambridge, Westminster, Bath, Portsmouth, Trinity College Dublin, Brighton, Sheffield and at the Physiological Society, London.

The thermal responses of volunteers, with 500mL of water underneath their immersion suits, were measured in conditions consisting of varying wind speeds, and wave heights. Twelve healthy males performed three, three hour immersions in Calm Water, Weather 1 (wind speed = 3.5 m·s-1, max wave height = 0.34m), and Weather 2 (wind speed = 4.6 m·s-1, max wave height = 0.64m) in a commercially available immersion suit. The two weather conditions produced a significantly greater increase in heat flow compared to Calm. There was no significance difference in heat flow between the two weather conditions. There was no significant difference in deep body temperature or MBT across all immersion conditions. There were no significant differences in metabolic heat production across all immersion conditions. Compared to previous work when the participants were dry underneath their immersion suits, heat flow and metabolic heat production were significantly greater with 500mL of water in the suit. It is recommended that future testing of humans in immersion suits incorporate the increased heat loss due to wind and waves, and the effort to ensure people stay dry inside of them to continue.

The thermal responses to environmental conditions consisting of varying wind speeds and wave heights were measured using volunteers at the National Research Council of Canada’s Institute for Ocean Technology. Twelve healthy males performed three, three hour immersions in Calm Water, Weather 1 (wind speed = 3.5 m·s-1, max wave height = 0.34m), and Weather 2 (wind speed = 4.6 m·s-1, max wave height = 0.64m) in a commercially available immersion suit. The two weather conditions produced significantly greater heat flow in the participants compared to the Calm condition. There was no significant difference in deep body temperature across all immersion conditions; however Weather 2 produced a significantly greater drop in mean body temperature (-1.51°C) compared to the Calm condition (-1.10°C). Small changes in cutaneous blood flow and increased metabolic heat production allowed the participants to successfully thermoregulate in the environmental conditions tested. It is recommended that future testing of humans in immersion suits incorporate the increased heat loss due to wind and waves.