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Under the threat of public health challenges such as the recent COVID-19 pandemic, individual citizens' active and cooperative participation in precautionary measures is crucial. Although non-compliance is recognized as a recurring problem, it remains unknown why some individuals tend to comply less than others and whether violations of preventive behaviors are observed consistently across different public health issues. To test our hypothesis that individuals would show consistent public health behavior transcending domains, we collected self-reports from two independent samples of participants (total N = 2983) on health risk beliefs and behavioral choices. Participants' responses were collected in regard to two separate yet closely related public health issues: smoking and the COVID-19 pandemic. Our data reveal that on average, individuals' beliefs and behaviors are consistent across different public health domains. In particular, smokers showed diminished compliance behaviors during the pandemic, which was mediated by their lower motives to protect public health. These results provide a psychological mechanism of how individuals' health risk behaviors are generalized across different public health domains that may explain why some individuals (here, current-smokers) are more prone to violate public health behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Premature dropout from psychotherapy can harm patients and increase mental health costs. This study identified predictors of dropout in brief online psychotherapy for essential workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. This was a secondary analysis of a randomized trial on 4-week CBT or IPT protocols. Participants provided sociodemographic data and completed the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System and Burnout Assessment Tool Short-Form. Predictors were analyzed in three blocks: sociodemographic, clinical, and therapist characteristics using bivariable and multivariable analyses. The sample included 804 individuals who attended at least the first session of either CBT (n = 403) or IPT (n = 401). A total of 17.2% (n = 138) of the participants dropped out during the protocol. Significant predictors of dropout included having children (IRR = 1.48; 95% CI: 1.07–2.05; p = 0.016), residing in specific regions of Brazil (Northeast IRR = 1.44; 95% CI:1.04–2.00; p = 0.02 and Midwest IRR = 1.73; 95%CI: 1.13–2.64; p = 0.01), therapist male sex (IRR = 2.04; 95% CI: 1.47–2.83; p = < 0.001), second wave of Covid-19 (IRR = 1.54; 95% CI: 1.01–2.34; p = 0.04) and low life satisfaction (IRR = 1.63; 95% CI: 1.06–2.50; p = 0.02). Our findings underscore the necessity for culturally tailored strategies, support for those with children, and targeted therapy for individuals with low life satisfaction. Implementation of these strategies may reduce dropout rates and improve treatment outcomes for essential workers in crisis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on European tourist mobility patterns from 2019 to 2021 by conceptualizing countries as monomers emitting radiation to model and analyze their patterns through the lens of socio-economics and machine learning. By incorporating perturbations into clustering, this work evaluates the stability of mobility flux clustering under variable conditions, offering insights into the dynamics of socio-economic corridors. The results highlight distinct shifts in tourist behavior, with bimodal clustering in 2019 reflecting heterogeneous mobility patterns, whereas unimodal distributions in 2020 and 2021 indicate increased global uniformity, driven by pandemic-induced restrictions and gradual recovery. The PCA and dendrograms of the perturbed clustering reveal that tourist preferences align with GDP, cultural, and linguistic similarities, explaining regional cohesion and fragility. This study demonstrates the fragility of emerging socio-economic corridors like the Red Octopus compared to the resilience of established ones like the Blue Banana. The findings emphasize the importance of targeted policy interventions, such as strengthening transport infrastructure and fostering small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), to mitigate disruptions and promote balanced regional development. By integrating perturbations into clustering, this research introduces a strong framework for assessing mobility patterns under realistic variability to enhance economic resilience and anticipate shifts in tourist behavior during global crises. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the personal and academic factors associated with the presence and search for meaning in life among college students in Oman. A cross-sectional study was conducted in April 2021. A self-reported survey comprising the Meaning in Life Questionnaire (MLQ) and a sociodemographic questionnaire was completed by 970 students at the National University of Science and Technology in Oman. We used multiple linear regression to explore the independent predictors. Compared with engineering students, medical students were found to have a higher degree of both the presence of meaning in life as well as the search for meaning in life (p-value 0.001), and with each advancing academic year, the presence of meaning in life was found to be lower (p-value = 0.002). Students with chronic physical disease had a lower degree of presence of meaning in life and a lower degree of search for meaning in life (p = 0.001) compared with those without chronic disease. In addition, mental illness was associated with a lower degree of presence of meaning in life (p-value 0.001) and financial strain was associated with a lower degree of presence of meaning in life (p-value = 0.001). In conclusion, no prior research demonstrated higher levels of meaning in life among medicine major students compared to those in engineering or pharmacy majors. Moreover, other academic, socio-economic, and health-related factors correlated with individuals' sense of meaning & search in life. Therefore, psychologists and psychiatrists should consider these diverse factors when designing interventions to support individuals in exploring and enhancing their meaning in life, considering their unique needs and contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tuberculosis (TB) was a public health problem in the past and remained a threat worldwide, including in Taiwan. We aimed to estimate annual percentage changes (APC) in TB mortality and the age-period-cohort effects on TB mortality. Taiwan TB mortality data from 1978 to 2022 was used to estimate the APC through the Joinpoint regression analysis and age-period-cohort models. Crude and age-standardized mortality rates (ASMR) reduced from 23.46 to 3.02 and 41.70 to 1.59 per 100,000 population in males, while 8.84 to 1.09 and 14.58 to 0.45, respectively, in females. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the crude rates still significantly declined in males from 2020 to 2022 but not in females. APC in ASMR significantly decreased in males and females (-7.17% and -7.64%), while after adjusted age-period-cohort effects, the estimated APC were -8.83% and -9.77%. Age-period-cohort effects were observed, with the highest peaks in the youngest (aged 0–4) and the period 1978–1982 in both sexes and peaks in the male cohort 1898–1902 and female cohort 1903– 1907. TB mortality in Taiwan has declined in all ages, sexes, periods, and cohorts. However, the COVID-19 pandemic stopped TB mortality from decreasing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic and ensuing lockdowns led to sweeping changes in the everyday lives of children and families, including school closures, remote work and learning, and social distancing. To date no study has examined whether these profound changes in young children's day to day social interactions impacted the development of social cognition skills in early childhood. To address this question, we compared the performance of two cohorts of 3.5- to 5.5-year-old children tested before and after the COVID-19 lockdowns on several measures of false-belief understanding, a critical social cognition skill that undergoes important developments in this age range. Controlling for age and language skills, children tested after the pandemic demonstrated significantly worse false-belief understanding than those tested before the pandemic, and this difference was larger for children from lower socioeconomic status (SES) backgrounds. These results suggest that the pandemic negatively impacted the development of social cognition skills in early childhood, especially for lower SES children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental sampling surveillance (ESS) technologies, such as wastewater genomic surveillance and air sensors, have been increasingly adopted during the COVID-19 pandemic to provide valuable information for public health response. However, ESS coverage is not universal, and public health decision-makers need support to choose whether and how to expand and sustain ESS efforts. This paper introduces a model and approach to quantify the value of ESS systems that provide leading epidemiological indicators for pandemic response. Using the COVID-19 pandemic as a base-case scenario, we quantify the value of ESS systems in the first year of a new pandemic and demonstrate how the value of ESS systems depends on biological and societal parameters. Under baseline assumptions, an ESS system that provides a 5-day early warning relative to syndromic surveillance could reduce deaths from 149 (95% prediction interval: 136–169) to 134 (124–144) per 100,000 population during the first year of a new COVID-19-like pandemic, resulting in a net monetary benefit of $1,450 ($609-$2,740) per person. The system's value is higher for more transmissible and deadly pathogens but hinges on the effectiveness of public health interventions. Our findings also suggest that ESS systems would provide net-positive benefits even if they were permanently maintained and pathogens like SARS-Cov-2 emerged once every century or less frequently. Our results can be used to prioritize pathogens for ESS, decide whether and how to expand systems to currently uncovered populations, and determine how to scale surveillance systems' coverage over time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates various microfluidic chip fabrication techniques, highlighting their applicability and limitations in the context of urgent diagnostic needs showcased by the COVID-19 pandemic. Through a detailed examination of methods such as computer numerical control milling of a polymethyl methacrylate, soft lithography for polydimethylsiloxane-based devices, xurography for glass-glass chips, and micromachining-based silicon-glass chips, we analyze each technique's strengths and trade-offs. Hence, we discuss the fabrication complexity and chip thermal properties, such as heating and cooling rates, which are essential features of chip utilization for a polymerase chain reaction. Our comparative analysis reveals critical insights into material challenges, design flexibility, and cost-efficiency, aiming to guide the development of robust and reliable microfluidic devices for healthcare and research. This work underscores the importance of selecting appropriate fabrication methods to optimize device functionality, durability, and production efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The university student population is particularly vulnerable to depression, which was identified during the COVID-19 pandemic. Understanding how depressive symptoms are interrelated with mental and physical health in students is essential. The aim of this study was to reveal the network of depressive and anxiety symptoms with respect to well-being (life satisfaction, physical health, physical activity, and perceived stress) during a difficult situation—the COVID-19 pandemic—at two measurement points of different pandemic severities. A repeated cross-sectional study was conducted in June 2020 (T1) (lower pandemic severity) and March 2021 (T2) (higher pandemic severity) among 592 and 1230 Czech university students, respectively. The measurements used were the PHQ-9, GAD-7, PSS-10, SWLS, self-rated physical health (SRH), and sociodemographic survey. The network analysis approach was utilized. For the significance of differences, the χ2 test, Student's t test, and ANOVA were performed. The results revealed that scale-level depression, stress, and worse SRH increased over time, whereas life satisfaction decreased. Scale-level anxiety and physical activity were stable over time. PHQ2 Sad mood was the most central and influential node at T1 and T2. PHQ9 Suicidal Ideation was closely related to other variables at T1, whereas PHQ1 Anhedonia was closely related to other variables at T2. The most influential risk factors were the PHQ-2 score and the GAD-2 score, which are associated with uncontrollable worrying, whereas life satisfaction, physical health, and physical activity were the most protective factors. It is crucial to recognize and decrease the PHQ2 score and increase life satisfaction to improve the mental health of university students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic's "Great Online Transition" significantly impacted teachers. Existing research on Emergency Remote Teaching (ERT) lacks longitudinal designs and consideration of subject-specific contexts. This study, using the Stressor-Strain-Outcome framework, investigates psychological needs thwarting (PNT) during ERT on teachers' well-being and online teaching intentions, considering subject of instruction as a potential factor. Methods: Data were collected from 1,369 Chinese primary and middle school teachers of Chinese literature, mathematics, and English as a Foreign Language (EFL) at two time points: two weeks after ERT implementation (Time 1, mid-November 2021) and two months later, after returning to face-to-face teaching (Time 2, mid-January 2022). PNT, emotional exhaustion, psychological distress, and intention towards online teaching were evaluated. Results: Among the types of PNT, competence thwarting emerged as the strongest predictor of emotional exhaustion, which was, in turn, associated with reduced online teaching intention and increased psychological distress. EFL teachers showed stronger associations between PNT, emotional exhaustion, and adverse outcomes, indicating higher susceptibility to strain during ERT. Conclusion: Subject of instruction, particularly for EFL teachers, significantly influences the relationship between PNT and teacher outcomes during ERT. Our findings underscore the need for subject-specific support strategies in online teaching environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic's prolonged extension may have had a long-term negative impact on weight and metabolic parameters associated with the effectiveness of bariatric surgery. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on cardiometabolic risk markers and weight outcomes of post-bariatric patients. This is a longitudinal study carried out with patients who underwent bariatric surgery before the COVID-19 pandemic. Anthropometric, lipid, glycemic profile, blood pressure, eating behavior and physical activity parameters obtained through face-to-face consultations from 2019 to 2022 were evaluated. An increase in BMI (p = 0.001), percentage of weight gain (p < 0.001), postoperative weight regain rate (p = 0.002), fasting blood glucose (p < 0.001), and glycosylated hemoglobin (p < 0.001) was identified. There were reductions in the percentages of excess weight loss (p = 0.001) and physically active individuals (p = 0.016). These changes were only triggered after the pandemic years. Uncontrolled eating, emotional eating, and physical inactivity were identified as risk factors for weight gain during the pandemic. Prepandemic weight regain rate was risk factor for increased fasting blood glucose. Two years after the pandemic onset, the study participants exhibited increased rates of weight regain, reduced excess weight loss, and an increase in fasting blood glucose and glycosylated hemoglobin parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite all the efforts acquired in four years of the COVID-19 pandemic, the path to a full understanding of the biological mechanisms involved in this disease remains complex. This is partly due to a combination of factors, including the inherent characteristics of the infection, socio-environmental elements, and the variations observed within both the viral and the human genomes. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the correlation between genetic host factors and the severity of COVID-19. We conducted whole exome sequencing (WES) of 124 patients, categorized into severe and non-severe groups. From the whole exome sequencing (WES) association analysis, four variants (rs1770731 in CRYBG1, rs7221209 in DNAH17, rs3826295 in DGKE, and rs7913626 in CFAP46) were identified as potentially linked to a protective effect against the clinical severity of COVID-19, which may explain the less severe impact of COVID-19 on the Northern Region. Our findings underscore the importance of carrying out more genomic studies in populations living in the Amazon, one of the most diverse from the point of view of the presence of rare and specific alleles. To our knowledge, this is the first WES study of admixed individuals from the Brazilian Amazon to investigate genomic variants associated with the clinical severity of COVID-19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The bidirectional relationship between sleep duration and pain during the COVID-19 pandemic remains poorly understood. This study explores these interactions and the mediating roles of depression and chronic diseases using data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) cohort. A cross-sectional analysis was conducted on 15,979 participants aged 45 and older. Sleep duration was self-reported, and pain was assessed using validated anatomical charts. Depression symptoms were measured using the 10-item Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D-10), and chronic diseases were self-reported. Personal activity during the pandemic was measured using the Personal Activity Score during COVID-19 (PAS-COVID-19). The results showed a significant association between deviations from optimal sleep duration and increased pain frequency. Participants with both shorter and longer sleep durations reported higher pain levels, with depression and chronic diseases acting as significant mediators. However, personal activity did not significantly mediate the association between sleep duration and pain. These findings underscore the complex interplay among sleep duration, pain, depression, and chronic diseases during the COVID-19 pandemic, emphasizing the importance of integrated interventions to manage these interconnected health issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To control the COVID-19 epidemic, the Japanese government and the local governments have repeatedly implemented non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) throughout 2020–2022. Using Bayesian state-space mediation models, we examined the effect of repeated NPIs on infection spread mitigation, mediated by human mobility changes in each prefecture during three epidemic phases: from April 1, 2020 to February 28, 2021; from March 1, 2021 to December 16, 2021; and from December 17, 2021 to December 31, 2022. In the first phase, controlling downtown populations at nighttime was effective in mitigating the infection spread in almost all prefectures. In the second and third phases, the effect was not clear, especially in metropolitan prefectures. Controlling visitors from the central prefectures of metropolitan areas was effective in mitigating infection spread in the surrounding prefectures during all phases. These results suggest that the local spread of infection can be mitigated by focusing on nighttime human mobility control in downtown areas before the epidemic spreads widely and transmission routes become more diverse, and that the geospatial spread of infection can be prevented by controlling the flows of people from large cities to other areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the end of the global Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the risk factors for COVID-19 severity continue to be a pivotal area of research. Specifically, studying the impact of the genomic diversity of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) on COVID-19 severity is crucial for predicting severe outcomes. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the impact of the SARS-CoV-2 genome sequence, genotype, patient age, gender, and vaccination status on the severity of COVID-19, and to develop accurate and robust prediction models. The training set (n = 12,038), primary testing set (n = 4,006), and secondary testing set (n = 2,845) consist of SARS-CoV-2 genome sequences with patient information, which were obtained from Global Initiative on Sharing all Individual Data (GISAID) spanning over four years. Four machine learning methods were employed to construct prediction models. By extracting SARS-CoV-2 genomic features, optimizing model parameters, and integrating models, this study improved the prediction accuracy. Furthermore, Shapley Additive exPlanes (SHAP) was applied to analyze the interpretability of the model and to identify risk factors, providing insights for the management of severe cases. The proposed ensemble model achieved an F-score of 88.842% and an Area Under the Curve (AUC) of 0.956 on the global testing dataset. In addition to factors such as patient age, gender, and vaccination status, over 40 amino acid site mutation characteristics were identified to have a significant impact on the severity of COVID-19. This work has the potential to facilitate the early identification of COVID-19 patients with high risks of severe illness, thus effectively reducing the rates of severe cases and mortality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has led to a global health crisis, including ocular symptoms, primarily targeting the Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor. PM2.5 air pollution may increase infection risk by altering ACE2 expression. Silicon Dioxide (SiO2) and carbon black (CB), major components of PM2.5 from sands and vehicle emissions, were studied for their effects on ACE2 and Transmembrane Protease Serine 2 (TMPRSS2) expression in corneal and conjunctival cells, and ocular tissues. Human corneal epithelial cells (HCECs) and conjunctival epithelial cells (HCjECs) were exposed to nanoparticles (NPs) for 24 hours, assessing viability via WST-8 assay. TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β levels in the medium were measured. An in vivo rat study administered NPs via eye drops, with Rose Bengal staining to evaluate damage. ACE2, TMPRSS2, and Angiotensin II (AngII) protein expressions were quantified by Western blot. ACE2 expression in HCjECs increased with NP exposure, while it decreased in HCECs. CB exposure increased TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β levels in HCECs. In vivo, corneal exposure to CB decreased ACE2 expression, whereas conjunctival exposure to SiO2 increased ACE2 expression. These changes suggest that SiO2 exposure may increase the risk of COVID-19 through the ocular surface, while CB exposure may decrease it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Questionnaires completed by 589 college students were used to investigate the impact of the risk perception of the COVID-19 pandemic on college students' subjective well-being. The goal was to explore the relationship between college students' risk perception and subjective well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic as well as to analyze the mediating role of emotional regulation and the moderating effect of parenting style. The results showed the following: First, significant negative correlations were found between risk perception and subjective well-being, as well as between the risk perception of the COVID-19 pandemic and emotional regulation. Emotional regulation was significantly positively correlated with subjective well-being. Second, emotional regulation played a mediating role between risk perception and subjective well-being. Third, a positive parenting style played a positive moderating role between risk perception and subjective well-being. We thus concluded that COVID-19 risk perception directly reduces subjective well-being and indirectly affects subjective well-being through emotional regulation. A positive parenting style reduces the negative impact of the risk perception of the COVID-19 pandemic on subjective well-being. This study provides guidance on how to improve college students' well-being during major public health events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The first two years of the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent health mandates resulted in significant disruptions to daily life, creating a period of heightened psychosocial stress in myriad aspects. Understanding the impact of this period on pregnant individuals' bacteriomes is crucial as pregnancy is a period of heightened vulnerability to stress and its sequelae, anxiety and mood disorders, which have been demonstrated to alter gut microbiome composition. In a prospective cohort study (N = 12–26) conducted from February 2019 to August 2021, we examined psychometric responses and rectal microbiome swabs from pregnant individuals. Full-length 16 S rRNA sequencing followed by calculation of diversity metrics and relative abundance values were used to interrogate fecal microbiome community composition across pandemic groups. Distinct shifts in bacterial diversity and composition were observed during early to late pregnancy in the pandemic group, including lower relative abundance of pathogenic and lesser-known taxa. However, distribution of stress and depressive symptoms did not significantly differ from the pre-pandemic period while the correlation between stress and depressive symptoms dissipated during the pandemic. Our findings suggest that living through the COVID-19 pandemic altered the gut microbiome of pregnant individuals, independent of perceived stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During COVID-19 pandemic, international pharmaceutical companies put effort to build global manufacturing networks for vaccines. Soberana Plus vaccine, a recombinant protein based vaccine (RBD dimer), with the trade name of PastoCovac Plus in Iran, is based on a protein subunit platform in Cuba and completed preclinical and toxicological assessments. This study aimed at presenting the steps of vaccine technology transfer from Cuba to Iran. This study provides the first practical comparability results in Iran to ensure the quality, safety and efficacy of a protein subunit vaccine against COVID-19 after a successful technology transfer from Cuba. PastoCovac Plus was transferred to Iran at the formulation stage. The assessment of the active ingredient pharmaceutical (API) was achieved through physicochemical and clinical data collection and tests to assure if there was any adverse impact on the vaccination results. In order to assess the quality of the vaccine product after technology transfer, we sought different properties including regulatory features, physicochemical quality, vaccine potency and stability as well as its immunogenicity and safety. Following the evaluation of the clinical quality attributes (CQAs) based on the standard protocols, the results showed that the two vaccines are highly similar and comparable, with no considerable effect on safety or efficacy profiles. The CQAs were all in the acceptance limits in terms of safety and efficacy as well as clinical evaluation results. The immunogenicity evaluation also confirmed no significant differences between the vaccines regarding reinfection (P = 0.199) or vaccine breakthrough (P = 0.176). Furthermore, the level of anti-spike and neutralizing antibodies in the both vaccine groups was not significantly different indicating the equality of performance between the two vaccines. According to the results of the quality and clinical assessment of this study, we achieved an acceptable quality attributes and acceptant limits in terms of safety and efficacy of the vaccines pre and post technology transfer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Impaired pulmonary diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide (DLCO) following COVID-19 has been consistently reported among individuals recovering from severe-critical infection. However, most long COVID cases follow non-severe COVID-19. We assessed DLCO among individuals with long COVID recovering from mild to moderate acute illness. A cross-sectional study of adults with long COVID, assessed at a COVID recovery clinic > 3 months following the onset of acute infection, during 2020–2021. Participants subjectively ranked their dyspnea severity based on its impact on their daily living and underwent comprehensive pulmonary function testing (PFT). Clinical correlates for impaired DLCO (defined as < 80%) were assessed using multivariable logistic regression models. A total of 458 individuals, their mean age 45 (SD 16) and 246 (54%) of whom are women, were evaluated at an average of ~ 4 months following acute COVID-19. The most frequent PFT impairment was reduced DLCO, identified among 67 (17%) of the cohort. Clinical correlates of impaired DLCO included women (odds ration [OR] 3.64, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.78–7.45, p < 0.001), cigarette smoking (OR 2.25, 95% CI 1.14–4.43, p = 0.019), and moderate-severe dyspnea (OR 2.77, 95% CI 1.39–5.50, p = 0.004). BMI inversely correlated with DLCO (OR 0.90, 95% CI 0.85–0.96 per 1 unit, p = 0.002). Impaired DLCO was not uncommon among individuals recovering from mild to moderate COVID-19. Women are at a greater risk, and subjective dyspnea correlated with impaired DLCO. Clinicians can rely on self-reported significant dyspnea to guide further assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic has been a life-altering experience. It compelled individuals to alter their attitudes and habits and adopt measures to prevent the risks of infection. This research discusses factors that determine adherence to these measures, with the aim of enhancing compliance in future pandemics. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted using snowball non-random sampling through an online Qualtrics survey targeting Bahraini residents, aged 18 and older. The sample included 1,008 participants, and data were analyzed using SPSS, and presented in tables and graphs. The majority of the participants were Bahraini females with a bachelor's degree, between the ages of 20–29 (43.2%). Awareness of COVID-19 transmission was high, with 87.7%. The adherence rates for preventive measures were high: mask usage at 98.8%, hygiene practices at 93.7%, and social distancing at 92.2%. Older adults aged 50 + showed the highest consistency in compliance (p = 0.001). Individuals with chronic diseases were more likely to adhere to mask use (p < 0.001). Conversely, those experiencing negative emotions about social distancing were more likely to visit crowded places (p = 0.031), indicating a psychological barrier. Mask use exhibited the highest adherence at 98.8%, while overall compliance was notably high among educated and retired individuals. Public health campaigns should target younger demographics with education about crowded spaces and address emotional barriers to social distancing. Future strategies can be tailored to promote adherence among diverse populations, enhancing community resilience against pandemics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In addition to anatomical loss, removal of the full or portion of the orbit results in a facial deformity and psychological distress for the patient. This article details a practical case of prosthetic rehabilitation using digital workflow for an orbital deformity caused by post-COVID-19 Mucor mycosis. The main goal of this case study was to create a maxillofacial orbital prosthesis that is well-retained, simple to use, and accurate in terms of appearance. The study addresses the problems involved in fabricating the orbital prosthesis, particularly the unique dimensions and form of the defect, replicating the natural skin tone, and accomplishing retention by the most prudent and patient-friendly approach. Through this article, a digitised algorithm, using photogrammetry technique for facial scan, is suggested for fabricating the prosthesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

From January to April 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic affected eastern China, leading medical students to adopt home protection measures that significantly altered their physical activity and lifestyle habits. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of musculoskeletal pain (MSP) among medical students during home protection and to analyze the influence of demographic factors, physical exercise habits during normal school life, home protection data on MSP. This research provides a foundation for developing interventions to reduce MSP among medical students. A cross-sectional survey was conducted at Nanjing Medical University in Jiangsu Province from January to April 2020, utilizing the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire (NMQ) to measure MSP. Multivariate logistic regression identified factors influencing MSP. A total of 859 students participated, with a 40.2% prevalence of MSP during home protection. Multivariate analysis showed that female sex (OR: 1.648; 95% CI: 1.157–2.347), irregular physical exercise during school (OR: 1.648; 95% CI: 1.157–2.347), and less than or equal to six hours of sleep per day during home protection (OR: 1.474; 95% CI: 1.020–2.131) were significant risk factors. The high prevalence of MSP underscores the need for interventions that focus on gender-specific risks, promote regular physical exercise, and ensure adequate sleep. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most longitudinal studies of healthcare workers' mental health during COVID-19 end in 2021. We examined trends in hospital workers eight times, ending in 2023. A cohort of healthcare workers at one organization was surveyed at 3-month intervals until Spring 2022 and re-surveyed in Spring 2023 using validated measures of common mental health problems. Of 538 workers in the original cohort, 289 (54%) completed the eighth survey. Repeated-measures ANOVA revealed significant changes in psychological distress (F = 7.4, P <.001), posttraumatic symptoms (F = 14.1, P <.001), and three dimensions of burnout: emotional exhaustion (F = 5.7, P <.001), depersonalization (F = 2.7, P =.01), and personal accomplishment (F = 2.8, P =.008). Over time, psychological distress and depersonalization increased, posttraumatic symptoms and personal accomplishment decreased, and emotional exhaustion fluctuated significantly without net change. Most measures did not improve significantly in the year prior to the declaration of the pandemic's end. The lack of improvement in psychological distress, emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and personal accomplishment during the period in which COVID-19 case rates declined and public health measures were relaxed is a concerning indication of the chronicity of the impact of the pandemic on healthcare workers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbapenem-Resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (CRAB) outbreak in intensive care units (ICUs) is a significant problem for healthcare facilities. In this study, we aimed to investigate the occurrence of CRAB isolates among ICU-admitted patients during the three waves of the COVID-19 pandemic in Iran using Multiple-Locus Variable Number Tandem-Repeat Analysis (MLVA). We obtained 50 (A) baumannii isolates from tracheal aspirate and blood culture samples. In the disc diffusion method, all isolates were cefotaxime, ceftriaxone, and cefepime-resistant, while 98% (49/50) of isolates were resistant to piperacillin, piperacillin-tazobactam, ceftazidime, and ciprofloxacin. Levofloxacin and tobramycin resistance was found in 76% (38/50) of isolates. In the microbroth dilution test all isolates were resistant to imipenem, 98% (49/50) to meropenem, 68% (34/50) to colistin, and 20% (10/50) to polymyxin (B) Based on the PCR findings, all isolates harbored blaOXA−40, ISAba-1, and int-2 genes. There were no isolates found that have the blaOXA−58, blaOXA−143, blaVEB−1, blaVIM, and int-3 genes. Among Extended-spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBL) genes, blaCTX−M, blaTEM, blaSHV, blaGES, and blaPER−1 have a prevalence of 42% (21/50), 84% (42/50), 58% (29/50), 78% (39/50), and 54% (27/50), respectively. 74% (37/50) of the isolates had the blaOXA−23 gene, while all of the isolates carried the blaOXA−40 gene. Among MBL genes, blaIPM, blaGIM, blaSIM, and blaNDM−1 have a prevalence of 20% (10/50), 8% (4/50), 22% (11/50), and 60% (30/50), respectively. The prevalence of int-1 was documented as 74% (37/50). Accordingly, all isolates were identified as CRAB. The co-existence of blaOXA−23/int-2 and blaOXA−23/isaba-1 was 74% (37/50). The co-existence of blaNDM−1/ISAba-1 was observed in 30 (60%) isolates. Using an 80% similarity threshold on the dendrogram constructed through MLVA typing, all isolates were grouped into two clusters: cluster A with 9 isolates from wave 3, and cluster B with 41 isolates from waves 3, 4, and 5. Our study confirms a clonal transmission of CRAB during the study period and suggests using molecular typing methods like MLVA in healthcare settings to identify dominant clones, antibiotic resistance patterns, and transmission routes. This will help to better manage the emergence and spread of antibiotic-resistant strains in future outbreaks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has had a profound impact on individuals' mental health and well-being worldwide. This study investigated the prevalences of and association between mental health and quality of life (QOL) in Thailand after the COVID-19 outbreak. A cross-sectional study was conducted among Thai individuals aged ≥ 20 years across all regions. Descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and multiple logistic regression analyses were performed to examine the association between mental health and QOL. A total of 1,133 participants (mean age: 35.1 ± 17.2 years) completed the survey. The prevalence of depression with PHQ-9 instrument was 19.4%. Depression was significantly associated with those who have had family members die from COVID-19 infection (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 2.27, 95% confidence interval [CI] [1.13–4.52]). The percentages of depression, anxiety, and stress with DASS-21 instrument were 32.4%, 45.4%, and 24.1%, respectively. Smokers and alcohol consumption had approximately 1.5-time higher risk of stress compared with non-smokers and no alcohol consumption (AOR = 1.50, 95% CI [1.01–2.24], AOR = 1.48, 95% CI [1.09–2.02], respectively). An association was observed between socioeconomic factors such as job and income loss and mental health outcomes. Depression, anxiety, and stress were significantly negatively associated with QOL. This study demonstrates a strong association between mental health and QOL among Thai people after the COVID-19 outbreak. The findings underscore the need for interventions targeting lifestyles, including those addressing alcohol consumption and smoking, especially among those who have had family members die from COVID-19 infection and mental health support services that can address depression, anxiety, and stress to improve the overall well-being of the population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

After the COVID-19 pandemic, fever clinics urgently require rapid nucleic acid tests to enhance their capacity for timely pathogen detection. This study evaluated the analytical performance and clinical utility of the Flash10 SARS-CoV-2 point-of-care test (Flash10 POCT) for detecting SARS-CoV-2 in patients with fever in the adult fever clinic in Beijing Tsinghua Changgung Hospital from August 1 to August 30, 2023. The analytical performance and clinical utility of the Flash10 POCT for detecting SARS-CoV-2 were assessed in 125 patients with fever syndrome in the adult fever clinic. The Flash10 POCT demonstrated an analytical precision of 3.1% for the Ct values of the ORF1ab gene and 2.9% for the Ct values of the N gene in SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid testing. Furthermore, the Flash10 POCT demonstrated a lower limit of detection (LoD) of 100 copies/mL, with no detected aerosol contamination leakage. Of the 125 patients (median age 61.9 years, 52% male and 48% female), both the Flash10 POCT and RT-PCR tests yielded positive results for 100 patients and negative results for 25 patients (Fisher's exact test, p < 0.0001). The median turn-around-time for the Flash10 POCT was significantly shorter, at 1.05 h, compared to 16.15 h required for RT-PCR tests (Wilcoxon signed rank test, p < 0.0001). The Flash10 POCT showed high analytical performance, achieving a 100% detection rate for SARS-CoV-2 compared to RT-PCR tests, while also exhibiting a significantly shorter turn-around-time. Implementing the Flash10 POCT had the potential to expedite the care of adults presenting with fever. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During of COVID-19 pandemic, Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has continuously evolved, resulting in the emergence of several new variants of concerns (VOCs) with numerous mutations. These VOCs dominate in various regions due to increased transmissibility and antibody evasion, potentially reducing vaccine effectiveness. Nonetheless, it remains uncertain whether the recent SARS-CoV-2 VOCs have the ability to circumvent the T cell immunity elicited by either COVID-19 vaccination or natural infection. To address this, we conducted in-silico analysis to examine the impact of VOC-specific mutations at the epitope level and T cell cross-reactivity with the ancestral SARS-CoV-2. According to the in-silico investigation, T cell responses triggered by immunization or prior infections still recognize the variants in spite of mutations. These variants are expected to either maintain their dominant epitope HLA patterns or bind with new HLAs, unlike the epitopes of the ancestral strain. Our findings indicate that a significant proportion of immuno-dominant CD8 + and CD4 + epitopes are conserved across all the variants, implying that existing vaccines might maintain efficacy against new variations. However, further in-vitro and in-vivo studies are needed to validate the in-silico results and fully elucidate immune sensitivities to VOCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mutations in SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VOCs) have expanded the viral host range beyond primates, and a few other mammals, to mice, affording the opportunity to exploit genetically diverse mouse panels to model the broad spectrum of responses to infection in patient populations. Here we surveyed responses to VOC infection in genetically diverse Collaborative Cross (CC) founder strains. Infection of wild-derived CC founder strains produced a broad range of viral burden, disease susceptibility and survival, whereas most other strains were resistant to disease despite measurable lung viral titers. In particular, CAST/EiJ, a wild-derived strain, developed high lung viral burdens, more severe lung pathology than seen in other CC strains, and a dysregulated cytokine profile resulting in morbidity and mortality. These inbred mouse strains may serve as a valuable platform to evaluate therapeutic countermeasures against severe COVID-19 and other coronavirus pandemics in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Emotional Eating is eating in response to negative emotional states, such as boredom, loneliness, or anxiety. For some young people, both food and alcohol are a source of pleasure in their social life. A cross-sectional study was conducted in 2022-23 in the Health Sciences Faculty. Mediterranean Diet Adherence Test, alcohol use disorders identification test (AUDIT), Emotional Eater Questionnaire (EEQ), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, Yale Food Addiction, Perceived Stress Scale, and Anxiety Questionnaire STAI, were employed. Emotional eater (EE) regarding to no emotional eater (NEE) presented a mild food addiction, a significantly high intake of carbohydrates, fat, and alcohol. Energy intake is dependent on saturated fat, also they are not conscious of their intake of calories, had worse sleep quality, high perceived stress, and worse healthy eating index (HEI) due to their intake of sweets and soft drinks. The diet quality could be affected by the stress of the pandemic. The association of emotional eating with the intake of sweet foods and alcoholic drinks maybe is a remaining situation of COVID-19. We suppose that maladaptive eating behaviors have improved over time during this pandemic. Even though it is necessary to promote healthier eating among university students, it is also necessary to improve healthy habits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Between 2020 and 2022, lockdown and restraining measures as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic led to changes in daily routines and also in language usage. At certain points during the pandemic, populations in some countries were unwilling or unlikely to respond to government messages, either because of the tone and analytic discourse used by leaders, or because they did not understand the messages. Linguistic markers and meanings were therefore linked to low levels of engagement, negative emotions and high levels of analytical thinking, especially in relation to the discourses of influential international leaders. We subjected sixteen speeches by eight country leaders to topic modelling and sentiment analysis in order to understand how the psychological functions of language were affected during two different periods of the COVID-19 pandemic. In this topic analysis we organize 39,073 words collected from sixteen authentic speeches delivered in two different periods of the acute phase of the pandemic. These were encoded in the Linguistic Inquiry Word Count program (LIWC), with the main aim being to identify differences between the periods. We examined the following aspects: (1) the emotional tone, analytical thinking and clout (empathy dimension); (2) the changes in these three dimensions or factors between periods 1 and 2 (February and May 2020). We observed a negative relationship between emotional tone and analytical thinking and a positive relationship between clout and emotional tone. When we considered the changes in pandemic circumstances, the psycholinguistic profiles of eight country leaders demonstrated fluctuations in language and emotions. Further reviews and research should focus on the current language and deficit wording of this population (leaders). We also note that psychologists and schoolteachers can play an important role in supporting language programmes with positive wording and by emphasising the collateral effects of face-to-face classes when teaching children to read and write. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Loneliness and associated physical and cognitive health decline among the aging population is an important medical concern, exacerbated in times of abnormal isolation like the 2020–2021 Covid-19 pandemic lockdown. In this backdrop, recent "social prescribing" based health policy initiatives such as community groups as a support structure for the aging population assumes great importance. In this paper, we evaluate and quantify the impact of such social prescribing policies in combatting loneliness and related health degeneration of the aging population in times of abnormal isolation. To this end, we conduct a natural experiment across a sample of 618 individuals aged 65 and over with varying access to community groups during the Covid-19 lockdown period. Using a random-effects, probit model to compare the differences in health outcomes of participants with access to community groups (target) with those without access (control), we find that the target group was 2.65 times less likely to suffer from loneliness as compared to the control group, along with lower incidences of reported cardiovascular and cognitive health decline. These initial findings provide preliminary support in favor of the interventional power of social prescription tools in mitigating loneliness and its consequent negative health impact on the aging population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A variety of reasons have made it more difficult for educators and tutors to anticipate students' performance. Numerous researchers have used various predictive models to identify students who may be at-risk of dropping out early. Additionally, these methods were used to forecast final semester grades based on various datasets. However, these prediction models still fall short of meeting educational management requirements. In this paper, we propose the deep learning (DL) based model named students academic performance prediction network (SAPPNet) to predict the students' grades. We consider the questionnaire-based Jordan University dataset which contains demographic information, usage of digital tools before and after COVID-19, sleep times before and after COVID-19, social interaction, psychological state, and academic performance. SAPPNet consists of spatial convolution modules which are designed to extract spatial dependencies includes categorical and numerical attributes that represent static features (gender, level/year, age, digital tools used before and after COVID-19, psychological condition using prolonged e-learning tools) and temporal module for temporal dependencies involves sequences that capture changes before and after COVID-19. Additionally, we also try to implement classical machine learning (ML) models including support vector machine, k nearest neighbor, decision tree, and random forest, and DL models named artificial neural network, convolutional neural network, long short-term memory, and students learning prediction network. Simulation results show that SAPPNet achieved the best performance compared to state-of-the-art methods, with an accuracy, precision, recall, and an F1-score of 93 % . The proposed model with spatial and temporal modules improves the prediction performance, and it implies new aspect of the educational dataset. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mask-wearing behavior, common in the post-COVID-19 era, raises concerns for sensitive skin. This split-face study investigated mask-related changes in skin barrier function and microbiome composition among 30 female volunteers with sensitive skin and assessed the mitigating effects of a moisturizer containing biological lipids and probiotics. Skin physiological indicators (transepidermal water loss, erythema index, stratum corneum hydration, pH, temperature) of masked and unmasked areas were collected at baseline, after three hours of mask-wearing, post-tape stripping, and after 24 h, respectively. Microbiome samples collected from the masked areas before and after wearing a medical mask were analyzed with bioinformatics methods. Mask-wearing significantly weakened barrier function in both masked and adjacent unmasked areas, while reducing bacterial diversity. It was also associated with an increase in Cutibacterium (P = 0.110) and decreases in Streptococcus (P = 0.032) and Prevotella (P = 0.026) abundance. Moisturizer application prior to mask-wearing significantly reduced transepidermal water loss and erythema (both P < 0.001) and further improved erythema after 24 h (P = 0.048). These findings demonstrate that mask-wearing can disrupt the skin barrier and microbiome in individuals with sensitive skin and applying a moisturizer beforehand can mitigate mask-related discomforts by aiding barrier repair and reducing sensitivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research on Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) as a neurological adverse effect of vaccines on a global scale is scarce, highlighting the need for further investigation to evaluate its long-term impact and associated risk factors comprehensively. Hence, this study aims to assess the global burden of vaccine-associated GBS and its associated vaccines. This study utilized data from VigiBase, the World Health Organization global database of adverse event reports of medicines and vaccines, encompassing the period from 1967 to 2023 (total reports, n = 131,255,418) to investigate vaccine-associated GBS. Reported odds ratios (ROR) and information components (IC) were analyzed to assess the association between 19 vaccines and the occurrence of vaccine-associated GBS over 170 countries. We identified 15,377 (8072 males [52.49%]) reports of vaccine-associated GBS among 22,616 reports of all drugs-cause GBS from 1978 to 2023. Cumulative reports of vaccine-associated GBS have been increasing steadily over time, with a notable surge observed since the commencement of COVID-19 vaccines administration in 2020. Most vaccines showed significant associations with GBS such as Ad5-vectored COVID-19 vaccines (ROR, 14.88; IC, 3.66), COVID-19 mRNA vaccines (ROR, 9.66; IC, 2.84), and inactivated whole-virus COVID-19 vaccines (ROR, 3,29; IC 1.69). Influenza vaccines showed the highest association (ROR, 77.91; IC 5.98). Regarding age-and sex-specific risks, the association remained similar regardless of sex, with an increased association observed with advancing age. The mean time to onset was 5.5 days. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the reports of GBS surged in response to widespread COVID-19 vaccination. Nonetheless, COVID-19 vaccines exhibited the lowest association compared to other vaccines. Vigilance for at least one-week post-vaccination is crucial, particularly for older adults. Further research is warranted to elucidate the underlying mechanisms linking vaccines and GBS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prior research show that relative deprivation can decrease individuals' psychological well-being. However, the underlying mechanism between relative deprivation and psychological well-being remains unclear. To explore the mediating effects of self-efficacy and self-control on the relationship between relative deprivation and psychological well-being. 426 undergraduate students submitted the online survey that assessed their psychological well-being, relative deprivation, self-efficacy and self-control. Students experienced high levels of psychological well-being, moderate to high levels of relative deprivation and moderate levels of self-efficacy and self-control. Parallel mediators of self-efficacy and self-control on the relationship between relative deprivation and psychological well-being were significant (each p < 0.01). This study explores the underlying mechanism between relative deprivation and psychological well-being by identifying the parallel mediators of self-efficacy and self-control. Effective interventions should be taken to alleviate students' relative deprivation and promote their self-efficacy, self-control and psychological well-being during future pandemics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

COVID-19 pandemic, caused by the novel SARS-CoV-2 virus, has raised significant interest in understanding potential cross-immunity mechanisms. Recent evidence suggests that T-cells associated with common cold coronaviruses (229E, NL63, OC43, HKU1) may provide some level of cross-immunity against SARS-CoV-2. It is also known that the prevalence of smokers among patients admitted to hospital for COVID-19 is lower than expected according to the corresponding country's smoking prevalence, which is known as smoker's paradox in COVID-19. No clear consensus to explain it has yet been reached. This phenomenon suggests a complex interaction between smoking and immune response. Nonetheless, very few works have studied the prevalence of smokers in those infected by common cold coronaviruses, and its relation to COVID-19 has not been investigated. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to study the prevalence of smokers among patients infected by common cold coronaviruses, and to compare them to the corresponding country's smoking prevalence. L'Abbé plots were used to visually assess the consistency of the observed effects across the different studies included in the meta-analysis. Additionally, significant differences were found in smoking prevalence among the various types of ccCoV, indicating the need for further research into the biological mechanisms driving these disparities. The results show that smoking prevalence is higher among those patients infected by these coronaviruses than in the general population (OR = 1.37, 95% CI: 0.81–2.33). A study was separately done for the four coronavirus types, and the prevalence of smokers was higher in three of the four than that corresponding to country, gender and study year: OC43 (OR = 1.93, 95% CI: 0.64–5.82); HKU1 (OR = 3.62, 95% CI: 1.21–10.85); NL63 (OR = 1.93, 95% CI: 0.64–5.82); 229E (OR = 0.97, 95% CI: 0.50–1.90). The heterogeneity of the studies was assessed using the Cochrane Chi-squared test, I-squared (I2), and Tau-squared (τ2). This detailed statistical analysis enhances the robustness of our findings and highlights the variations in smoking prevalence among different ccCoVs. Our data suggest that COVID-19 might be less prevalent among smokers due to greater cross-immunity from a larger number or more recent infections by common cold coronaviruses than the non-smoking population, which would explain smoker's paradox in COVID-19. IMPLICATIONS. The low prevalence of current smokers among SARS-CoV-2 patients is a finding recurrently repeated, even leading to postulate the "smoker's paradox" in COVID-19. This fact compelled us to study the prevalence of smokers among patients infected by common cold coronaviruses, and to compare them to the corresponding country's smoking prevalence. Our data could explain smoker's paradox in COVID-19 by a greater cross immunity due to a larger number, or more recent infections by common cold coronaviruses than the non-smoking population. This manuscript allow understand potential unrevealed mechanism for low prevalence of current smokers among SARS-CoV-2 patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on comprehensive maternal deaths in Brazil have not been fully explored. Using publicly available data from the Brazilian Mortality Information (SIM) and Information System on Live Births (SINASC) databases, we used two complementary forecasting models to predict estimates of maternal mortality ratios using maternal deaths (MMR) and comprehensive maternal deaths (MMRc) in the years 2020 and 2021 based on data from 2008 to 2019. We calculated national and regional standardized mortality ratio estimates for maternal deaths (SMR) and comprehensive maternal deaths (SMRc) for 2020 and 2021. The observed MMRc in 2021 was more than double the predicted MMRc based on the Holt-Winters and autoregressive integrated moving average models (127.12 versus 60.89 and 59.12 per 100,000 live births, respectively). We found persisting sub-national variation in comprehensive maternal mortality: SMRc ranged from 1.74 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.64, 1.86) in the Northeast to 2.70 (95% CI 2.45, 2.96) in the South in 2021. The observed national estimates for comprehensive maternal deaths in 2021 were the highest in Brazil in the past three decades. Increased resources for prenatal care, maternal health, and postpartum care may be needed to reverse the national trend in comprehensive maternal deaths. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Corticosteroids have always been recommended for severe cases of COVID-19. However, the efficacy of treatment with corticosteroids for COVID-19 during the SARS-CoV-2 omicron outbreak in China has not been reported. Clinical data from 406 patients hospitalized for severe/critical COVID-19 from December 2022 to January 2023 at six hospitals in Chongqing were retrospectively analyzed. The primary outcome was all-cause mortality at 28 days in the groups with and without corticosteroids treatment after propensity score matching (PSM). Secondary outcomes were to compare in-hospital mortality and length of survival time with corticosteroids and those without corticosteroids. This study included 406 patients with severe or critical COVID-19, divided into the corticosteroids group (231, 56.9%) and non-corticosteroids group (175, 43.1%). After PSM, the use of corticosteroids did not reduce all-cause mortality at 28 days (42.5% vs. 39.1%). Univariate analysis showed that corticosteroids were not associated with improved all-cause mortality at 28 days [hazard ratio (HR), 1.019; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.639–1.623; p = 0.938]. Multivariate analysis showed similar results (HR, 1.047; 95% CI, 0.633–1.732; p = 0.858). Among non-survivors, the survival time was significantly larger in those who received corticosteroids compared with the non-corticosteroid users [median 13 (IQR 6.5–15.5) vs. 6 (4-11.25), p = 0.007]. The use of systemic corticosteroids in severe/critical COVID-19 may provide certain potential survival benefits but does not improve prognosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, clinical studies have shown positive results of the application of Mesenchymal Stromal Cells (MSCs) in severe cases of COVID-19. However, the mechanisms of immunomodulation of IFN-γ licensed MSCs in SARS-CoV-2 infection are only partially understood. In this study, we first tested the effect of IFN-γ licensing in the MSC immunomodulatory profile. Then, we established an in vitro model of inflammation by exposing Calu-3 lung cells to SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid and spike (NS) antigens, and determined the toxicity of SARS-CoV-2 NS antigen and/or IFN-γ stimulation to Calu-3. The conditioned medium (iCM) generated by Calu-3 cells exposed to IFN-γ and SARS-CoV-2 NS antigens was used to stimulate T-cells, which were then co-cultured with IFN-γ-licensed MSCs. The exposure to IFN-γ and SARS-CoV-2 NS antigens compromised the viability of Calu-3 cells and induced the expression of the inflammatory mediators ICAM-1, CXCL-10, and IFN-β by these cells. Importantly, despite initially stimulating T-cell activation, IFN-γ-licensed MSCs dramatically reduced IL-6 and IL-10 levels secreted by T-cells exposed to NS antigens and iCM. Moreover, IFN-γ-licensed MSCs were able to significantly inhibit T-cell apoptosis induced by SARS-CoV-2 NS antigens. Taken together, our data show that, in addition to reducing the level of critical cytokines in COVID-19, IFN-γ-licensed MSCs protect T-cells from SARS-CoV-2 antigen-induced apoptosis. Such observations suggest that MSCs may contribute to COVID-19 management by preventing the lymphopenia and immunodeficiency observed in critical cases of the disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Combining the frameworks of fundamental causes theory and diffusion of innovation, scholars had anticipated a delayed COVID-19 vaccination uptake for people in lower socioeconomic position depending on the socioeconomic context. We qualify these propositions and analyze educational differences in COVID-19 vaccination status over the first ten months of Germany's vaccination campaign in 2021. Data from the study "Corona Monitoring Nationwide" (RKI-SOEP-2), collected between November 2021 and February 2022, is linked with district-level data of the German Index of Socioeconomic Deprivation (GISD). We estimated the proportion of people with at least one vaccination dose stratified by educational groups and within different settings of regional socioeconomic deprivation at three time points. Logistic multilevel regression models were applied to adjust for multiple covariates and to test cross-level-interactions between educational levels and levels of area-level socioeconomic deprivation. Vaccination rates were lower among respondents with lower education. With increasing area-level socioeconomic deprivation, educational differences were larger due to particularly low vaccination rates in groups with low education levels. The analysis of vaccination timing reveals that educational gaps and gaps by area-level socioeconomic deprivation had appeared early in the vaccination campaign and did not close completely before the 4th wave of COVID-19 infections [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cyberchondria is a hybrid term signifying a state in which individuals compulsively search for health-related information online because of health distress or anxiety, further aggravating their worries. This study develops a Cyberchondria Severity Scale (CSS) to assess the current situation of university students. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was conducted using 145 valid questionnaires. Subsequently, a nationwide survey was conducted at various universities in Taiwan, and 802 questionnaires were used for confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). The EFA led to the development of a CSS for college students with four constructs: increased anxiety (α = 0.91), obsessive-compulsive hypochondria (α = 0.87), perceived controllability (α = 0.88), and online physician-patient interaction (α = 0.86), with a Cronbach's alpha of 0.92 and variance of 66.81%. The CFA indicated that item reliability ranged from 0.50 to 0.86, factor loadings ranged from 0.71 to 0.93, and the composite reliability for latent variables ranged from 0.83 to 0.90 (p <.001). The extracted average variance ranged from 0.46 to 0.60. There were significant differences in various dimensions: perceived controllability had the highest score and obsessive-compulsive hypochondria had the lowest (F3,2403=256.26, p <.001). Therefore, CSS has emerged as a reliable and valid measure. Future studies should explore the factors that influence cyberchondria, promote online health information searches, and enhance reading comprehension skills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic remains a significant global health threat, with uncertainties persisting regarding the factors determining whether individuals experience mild symptoms, severe conditions, or succumb to the disease. This study presents an NMR metabolomics-based approach, analysing 80 serum and urine samples from COVID-19 patients (34 intensive care patients and 46 hospitalized patients) and 32 from healthy controls. Our research identifies discriminant metabolites and clinical variables relevant to COVID-19 diagnosis and severity. These discriminant metabolites play a role in specific pathways, mainly "Phenylalanine, tyrosine and tryptophan biosynthesis", "Phenylalanine metabolism", "Glycerolipid metabolism" and "Arginine and proline metabolism". We propose a three-metabolite diagnostic panel—comprising isoleucine, TMAO, and glucose—that effectively discriminates COVID-19 patients from healthy individuals, achieving high efficiency. Furthermore, we found an optimal biomarker panel capable of efficiently classify disease severity considering both clinical characteristics (obesity/overweight, dyslipidemia, and lymphocyte count) together with metabolites content (ethanol, TMAO, tyrosine and betaine). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To identify the differences between COVID-19-associated and non-COVID-19-associated olfactory dysfunction (OD), we analyzed demographic and clinical characteristics based on the causative virus (COVID versus non-COVID groups) in patients with post-infectious olfactory dysfunction (PIOD) who underwent the olfactory questionnaire and olfactory function test. Out of 169 patients with PIOD, 99 were diagnosed with COVID-19 (COVID group), while 70 were not (non-COVID group). The COVID group was younger and had a higher percentage of male patients as well as patients with parosmia than the non-COVID group. In the initial olfactory function tests, the TDI, discrimination and identification scores were significantly higher in the COVID group than in the non-COVID group. TDI scores were significantly increased in patients with PIOD after treatment, regardless of the group. The threshold score was significantly increased by 1.38 in the COVID group while the identification score was significantly increased by 2.67 in the non-COVID group. Patients with COVID-19-associated OD were younger in age, tended to be male, had a higher incidence of parosmia, and had better initial olfactory function test results compared to those with non-COVID-19-associated OD. Following treatment, odor detection threshold improved in the COVID group, whereas odor identification improved in the non-COVID group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus emerged in 2019 causing a COVID-19 pandemic that resulted in 7 million deaths out of 770 million reported cases over the next 4 years. The global health emergency called for unprecedented efforts to monitor and reduce the rate of infection, pushing the study of new diagnostic methods. In this paper, we introduce a cheap, fast, and non-invasive COVID-19 detection system, which exploits only exhaled breath. Specifically, provided an air sample, the mass spectra in the 10–351 mass-to-charge range are measured using an original micro and nano-sampling device coupled with a high-precision spectrometer; then, the raw spectra are processed by custom software algorithms; the clean and augmented data are eventually classified using state-of-the-art machine-learning algorithms. An uncontrolled clinical trial was conducted between 2021 and 2022 on 302 subjects who were concerned about being infected, either due to exhibiting symptoms or having recently recovered from illness. Despite the simplicity of use, our system showed a performance comparable to the traditional polymerase-chain-reaction and antigen testing in identifying cases of COVID-19 (that is, 95% accuracy, 94% recall, 96% specificity, and 92% -score). In light of these outcomes, we think that the proposed system holds the potential for substantial contributions to routine screenings and expedited responses during future epidemics, as it yields results comparable to state-of-the-art methods, providing them in a more rapid and less invasive manner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we aimed to follow up on the surprising increase in the incidence of orbital subperiosteal abscesses (SPA) reported in the Iranian pediatric population in the post-COVID era. Pediatric patients (≤ 18 years old) diagnosed with orbital SPA following acute sinusitis who were hospitalized between October 1st, 2023, and March 31st, 2024 in Farabi Eye Hospital, Tehran, Iran, were included. Demographic, clinical, microbiologic, and radiological characteristics of patients were reviewed. During the 6-month study period, 39 patients were admitted to our tertiary referral hospital. The average age of patients was 7.29 ± 4.13 years and 30 patients (76.92%) were male. The ethmoid sinus was involved in 100% of patients, and SPA involvement was in the medial wall in 27 patients (69.23%). The mean volume of SPA was 1.45 ± 1.77 cm3. Nineteen patients (48.72%) underwent surgical interventions, however, 20 patients (51.28%) received only medical treatment. The best corrected visual acuity of patients increased from 0.63 (0.20 LogMAR) on the first day of admission to 0.84 (0.07 LogMAR) according to the Snellen chart in the first month after treatment. It seems that the outbreak of orbital SPA in the Iranian children population in the post-COVID era is an increasing trend. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mental health issues have increased substantially since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, health policymakers do not have adequate data and tools to predict mental health demand, especially amid a crisis. Using time-series data collected in Singapore, this study examines if and how algorithmically measured emotion indicators from Twitter posts can help forecast emergency mental health needs. We measured the mental health needs during 549 days from 1 July 2020 to 31 December 2021 using the public's daily visits to the emergency room of the country's largest psychiatric hospital and the number of users with "crisis" state assessed through a government-initiated online mental health self-help portal. Pairwise Granger-causality tests covering lag length from 1 day to 5 days indicated that forecast models using Twitter joy, anger and sadness emotions as predictors perform significantly better than baseline models using past mental health needs data alone (e.g., Joy Intensity on IMH Visits, χ2 = 14·9, P < ·001***; Sadness Count on Mindline Crisis, χ2 = 4·6, P = ·031*, with a one-day lag length). The findings highlight the potential of new early indicators for tracking emerging public mental health needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Premature dropout from psychotherapy can harm patients and increase mental health costs. This study identified predictors of dropout in brief online psychotherapy for essential workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. This was a secondary analysis of a randomized trial on 4-week CBT or IPT protocols. Participants provided sociodemographic data and completed the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System and Burnout Assessment Tool Short-Form. Predictors were analyzed in three blocks: sociodemographic, clinical, and therapist characteristics using bivariable and multivariable analyses. The sample included 804 individuals who attended at least the first session of either CBT (n = 403) or IPT (n = 401). A total of 17.2% (n = 138) of the participants dropped out during the protocol. Significant predictors of dropout included having children (IRR = 1.48; 95% CI: 1.07–2.05; p = 0.016), residing in specific regions of Brazil (Northeast IRR = 1.44; 95% CI:1.04–2.00; p = 0.02 and Midwest IRR = 1.73; 95%CI: 1.13–2.64; p = 0.01), therapist male sex (IRR = 2.04; 95% CI: 1.47–2.83; p =

Abstract This study investigates the effectiveness of Azvudine and nirmatrelvir-ritonavir (Paxlovid) in treating COVID-19 pneumonia through an analysis of real-world clinical data. We retrospectively collected data from COVID-19 patients hospitalized at the Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University between December 21, 2022, and January 18, 2023. Using kernel density estimation, box-and-whisker plots, and Schoenfeld residual plots, we evaluated the transition of patients to negative status and assessed factors such as age, disease severity, and treatment effects. The findings revealed that both Azvudine and Paxlovid significantly reduced recovery times, with Azvudine showing notable benefits for patients aged 50–80. Our analysis indicated that these drugs improved lung CT values and reduced disease severity in moderate cases. The Cox model demonstrated robustness in predicting outcomes, and a nomogram was developed for individualized recovery probability assessment. These results provide important insights into optimizing COVID-19 treatment and the potential of predictive models in clinical decision-making.

Abstract Coinfection with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) remains a significant public health challenge. This retrospective, population-based study assessed the trends in hospitalization rates among patients co-infected with HCV and HIV in Poland in 2012–2022, encompassing the COVID-19 pandemic and massive influx of war refugees from Ukraine, the demographics and clinical characteristics among hospitalized patients, including in-hospital case fatality rates. Most hospitalized patients were over 40 years old (mean ± SD: 41.7 ± 8.9 years) and were men (74%). The mean annual hospitalization rate was estimated at 1.33 per 105 and was three-fold lower in the pandemic period (mean 0.51 per 105) than in the pre-pandemic era (mean 1.63 per 105). In turn, the in-hospital case-fatality rates increased during the pandemic in men (from a mean of 1.83 to 3.93) but not in women (a mean of 1.53 in both periods). There was no significant increase in hospitalization rates in 2022, during which the significant inflow of war refugees in Ukraine occurred. The epidemiological situation of people (co)infected with HIV and HCV in Poland requires further monitoring, though it did not escalate in the studied period due to the influx of war refugees from Ukraine.