key: cord-256152-8wla6ne4
authors: Zeng, Xiang
title: Conducting Research During the COVID-19 Pandemic: How Scientific Community Should be Prepared?
date: 2020-05-18
journal: Neurospine
DOI: 10.14245/ns.2040212.106
sha: 
doc_id: 256152
cord_uid: 8wla6ne4

nan

tion, locate potential intermediate hosts, and cutoff transmission routes. Unfortunately, it is also a vulnerable issue to geopolitical influence. Our scientific community should uphold the attitude of objectivity and impartiality during research process and the subsequent peer-review process, so as to remain a scientific question as it is. We need to pay particular attention to the interpretation of our published findings by the media and politicians. If there is misinterpretation or misleading, it is our obligation to make correction in a timely manner. Furthermore, scientists and researchers should always adhere to the conflict-of-interest guidelines during the crisis era. Although the outbreak has now reached a critical stage, control, randomization, blinding methodologies should never be omitted during research conduct, and benefit of a treatment must outweigh the risk. Commercial and other conflicts of interest should be under scrutiny by streng thened peer review process. Finally, scientist and researchers need an unbiased interpretation of the findings. We should believe the facts per se and our interpretation of the results should never be skewed by political, religious, and cultural factors. The public respect unbiased scientific findings only because they respect the law of nature. If the scientists and researchers cannot be objective and unbiased, then the legitimacy of research activities will be compromised. This is especially true in the time of crisis.

The scientific community should be more forward-looking and imaginative about this new virus. More creative assumptions along with stringent researching and proving are needed in exploring etiology, pathogenesis, and pathophysiology, and in development of treatments and vaccine. Imagination and creativity are the powerful force for us to face unknown virus, paving the path towards better public health services. For example, while taking care of respiratory emergency is the priority, researchers were also concerned about the damage to the nervous system caused by SARS-CoV-2 infection. Neurologic manifestations, such as severe headache and transient paraplegia emerge at the early phase of infection. 2 Diffuse corticospinal tract signs are seemly common (67%). 3 Moreover, the potential impairment to the reproductive system is unignorable after viral infection. A preprint report suggests that single-cell sequencing techniques (scRNA-seq) identified the specific expression of Angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2, a receptor for SARS-CoV-2 infection) in testicular cells, indicating that the testes may be a potential target for SARS-CoV-2 infection. 4 Another study shows that semen samples and testicular tissue biopsy did not seem to support that inference. 5 Nonetheless, alterations of sex-related hormone levels in reproductive-aged men with SARS-CoV-2 infection may indicate a decline in gonadal function. 6 As we may see different point of views at the beginning, this reflects exactly the nature of research practice approaching the ultimate truth, just like Karl Popper wrote, "Science must begin with myths, and with the criticism of myths". Such proactive, forward-looking studies render a new perspective on comprehensive understanding of disease and get us prepared for drug discovery, and offer important references for the decision of public health policies.

All in all, the scientific community is now taking on new challenges in the era of COVID-19 pandemic. As a group pursuing truth, we need to maintain the highest standards of research ethics during the special time, as Cicero says "Nothing is more noble, nothing more venerable than fidelity. Faithfulness and truth are the most sacred excellences and endowments of the human mind". Let us join endeavors together for the entire humanity to get through this crisis.

World Health Organization. Coronavirus disease 2019 (CO-VID-19) Situation Report

World Health Organization; c2020

Neurologic manifestations of hospitalized patients with coronavirus disease 2019 in Wuhan, China

Neurologic features in severe SARS-CoV-2 infection

ACE2 Expression in Kidney and Testis May Cause Kidney and Testis Damage After 2019-nCoV Infection

Detection of 2019 novel coronavirus in semen and testicular biopsy specimen of COV-ID-19 patients

Effect of SARS-CoV-2 infection upon male gonadal function: A single center-based study

Title: Science and Charity Artist: Pablo Picasso Year

Picasso felt mature enough to take on large ambitious compositions as the culmination of his academic studies in Barcelona School of Fine Arts that were led by his father Jose Ruiz Picasso, who was the model for the doctor in this painting. Science and Charity was awarded an Honorary Mention at the General Fine Arts Exhibition in Madrid in spring 1897 and the Gold Medal at the Provincial Exhibition in Malaga held afterwards. After that