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Introduction: The workload of physicians increased due to the number of patients presenting with suspicion of coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) and the prolonged wait times in the emergency department during the COVID-19 pandemic. Signal peptide-CUB-EGF domain-containing protein 1 (SCUBE-1) is a protein present in platelets and endothelial cells; it is activated by inflammation from COVID-19 and may be associated with COVID-19’s known thrombotic risk. We aimed to determine whether SCUBE-1 levels are diagnostically correlated in suspected COVID-19 patients, and whether SCUBE-1 correlated with severity of disease and, therefore, might be useful to guide hospitalization/discharge decisions.Methods: The suspected COVID-19 patients cared for at tertiary healthcare institutions for one year between May 2021–May 2022 were examined in this study. The subjects were both suspected COVID-19 patients not ultimately found to have COVID-19 and those who were diagnosed with COVID-19. By modifying the disease severity scoring systems present in COVID-19 guidelines in 2021, the COVID-19-positive patient group was classified as mild, moderate, severe, and critical, and compared using the SCUBE-1 levels. Moreover, SCUBE-1 levels were compared between the COVID-19 positive group and the COVID-19 negative group.Results: A total of 507 patients were considered for the present study. After excluding 175 patients for incomplete data and alternate comorbid organ failure. we report on 332 patients (65.5%). Of these 332 patients, 80 (24.0%) were COVID-19 negative, and 252 (76.0%) were COVID-19 positive. Of 252 (100%) patients diagnosed with COVID-19, 74 (29.4%) were classified as mild, 95 (37.7%) moderate, 45 (17.8%) severe, and 38 (15.1%) critical. The SCUBE-1 levels were statistically different between COVID-19 positive (8.48 ± 7.42 nanograms per milliliter [ng/mL]) and COVID-19 negative (1.86 ± 0.92 ng/mL) patients (P < 0.001). In the COVID-19 positive group, SCUBE-1 levels increased with disease severity (mild = 3.20 ± 1.65 ng/mL, moderate = 4.78 ± 2.26 ng/mL, severe = 13.68 ± 3.95 ng/mL, and critical = 21.87 ± 5.39 ng/mL) (P < 0.001). The initial SCUBE-1 levels of discharged patients were significantly lower than those requiring hospitalization (discharged = 2.89 ng/mL [0.55–8.60 ng/mL]; ward admitted = 7.13 ng/mL [1.38–21.29 ng/mL], and ICU admitted = 21.19 ng/mL [10.58–37.86 ng/mL]) (P < 0.001).Conclusion: The SCUBE-1 levels were found to be differentiated between patients with and without COVID-19 and to be correlated with the severity of illness.

The letter to the editor responds to comments on the article "Prognostic Significance of NLR and PLR in COVID-19: A Multi-Cohort Validation Study." The authors acknowledge the potential influence of various patient histories on the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) measurements but emphasize the importance of a simple prognostic tool during emergency situations. They validated the tool on new cohorts and found consistent results across different patient groups, highlighting the potential of NLR and PLR as cost-effective and broadly available markers for guiding decision-making in hospital settings. Further research is encouraged to explore additional factors that may impact the prognostic value of these markers. [Extracted from the article]

The widespread mortality caused by the second wave of COVID created a sense of death salience world over. Past literature suggests that reminder of one's own mortality produces death anxiety in a person. The present study intends to see the effect of mindfulness meditation as a moderating variable on death anxiety. For this, the participants (n = 42; 25 male, 17 female) were randomly assigned to the control and the experimental groups. The experimental group practiced 20 minutes of mindfulness meditation while the control group received no such intervention. It has been found that there was a significant impact of mindfulness meditation on the experimental group in reducing death anxiety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Psychiatric symptoms directly associated with SARS-CoV-2 virus infection have been reported sporadically in children. More cases of new-onset psychosis without severe cardinal symptoms, altered consciousness level, and psychogenic drug usage would offer compelling grounds for the association between the virus infection and psychosis. Methods: We collected the clinical data of pediatric patients with new onset psychiatric symptoms after the SARS-CoV-2 virus infection from December 2022 to Feb 2023 and followed up with them for 1 year. These children did not have severe respiratory, cardiovascular, or systemic symptoms. They were not given psychogenic drugs. We also searched Pubmed to identify previously reported acute onset psychiatric cases related to SARS-CoV-2 virus infection in children. We summarized these patients' clinical symptoms, laboratory examination, treatment, and prognosis. Results: We reported 11 new cases of psychiatric disease directly related to SARS-CoV-2 virus infection and reviewed 12 previously reported cases among children and adolescents. They had various psychiatric symptoms within 3 weeks after the virus infection. Brain MRI and EEG recording did not reveal remarkable abnormalities. The cerebrospinal fluid analysis (CSF) could find increased protein, immunoglobulin, and IL-8 levels, disrupted blood-brain barrier, and positive oligoclonal band in a minority of the patients. Most of the patients had good outcomes. Conclusion: New-onset psychiatric symptoms directly related to SARS-CoV-2 virus infection are not rare phenomena among pediatric patients. CSF tests support the presence of central immune responses in some patients. Although these patients received different treatments, most of them had good prognoses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This case study combines Stephen Brookfield's Critical Incident Questionnaire (CIQ) and Tuckman's phases of small group development to study students' perception of teamwork within a humanities course. As the semester progressed and students' experiences within the team cycle evolved, their reliance towards direct teaching decreased and their degree of satisfaction with group dynamics and productivity increased. An exit survey, more specifically focused on skills learned through teamwork, revealed that adjourning and transforming are two distinct phases in succession. These findings diverge from existing literature, which often refers to adjourning and transforming either as the same phase, or as alternative directions. Tuckman's model was slightly modified to take these discoveries into account. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Healthcare workers (HCWs) are constantly on the frontlines, facing the brunt of the COVID 19 pandemic in their personal, professional, and social lives. They are not only the front liners battling this pandemic since the beginning, this pandemic has also taken a toll on the lives of healthcare workers over the past two years. Facing the stress and burnout since the pandemic has begun, currently, during the third wave of the pandemic, there might be an increase in mental health issues among HCWs in this state. The aim of the study is to assess the magnitude of anxiety and depression during the third wave of COVID-19 pandemic among the healthcare workers in a tertiary care hospital in West Bengal. Materials and methods: The observational study was conducted at IPGMER & SSKM Hospital, a tertiary care teaching hospital in Kolkata, West Bengal, over a period of one week from January 19 to January 26, 2022. A cross-sectional rapid survey was conducted using an online questionnaire containing the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) and Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) among HCWs in the hospital using a Google Proforma through various social media groups. A total of 86 HCWs participated over a period of one week. The data was analysed using SPSS 16 software. Descriptive statistics and univariate logistic regression were used. Result: In the present study, it was found that among 86 people, 61 of them were aged between 26-40 years, half of them, i.e., 45 people, were male, and more than one-fifth (22.1%) (n = 86) had moderate to severe anxiety. Most of the participants, i.e., 39 of them (45.3%), had clinical depression ranging from borderline to extreme. No significant association of moderate to severe anxiety and depression and socio-demographic characteristics was noticed, except for the significantly higher preponderance of anxiety in female gender (p value= 0.0001) Anxiety showed a good positive correlation with depression (p value less than 0.001) and all who had severe anxiety was also suffering from either severe or extreme depression. Conclusion: An alarming proportion of anxiety and depression was noticed among HCWs. The prevalence of anxiety and depression (severe grade) among HCWs are 6% and 8% respectively. So awareness regarding their own mental health, preventive therapies, and proper diagnosis and treatment of cases are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pregnant women considered at risk for coronavirus disease (COVID-19), the virus can cause some pregnancy complications such as miscarriages, intrauterine growth restrictions and even lead to a premature birth. The objective of this study was to characterize the newborns of mothers with a hypothesis or confirmed case of COVID 19 who were admitted to a neonatal isolation unit. The research was carried out through the analysis of the records of neonates, of both genders, admitted to the COVID unit between 2020 and 2021, regardless of their length of stay in the unit and their clinical situation. Most mothers were from Fortaleza, gestational age ranged between 28 and 41 weeks, the presence of neonatal infection was not relevant compared to maternal swab and cesarean delivery was the most practiced. Regarding the possible consequences generated for the newborn due to maternal COVID 19, we can conclude that COVID 19 does not have relevant repercussions for the newborns in the sample, as well as we cannot identify the presence of vertical transmission from mother to baby within the sample. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This case study describes the development of a comprehensive drug-drug interaction (DDI) education initiative for nirmatrelvir/ritonavir (Paxlovid™) during the COVID-19 pandemic. Following Emergency Use Authorization in December of 2021, the rapid dissemination of information on identification and management of DDIs was needed to ensure appropriate use of nirmatrelvir/ritonavir when treating patients with COVID-19 who were at an increased risk of progression to severe illness. The initiative included comprehensive outreach activities to compliantly inform healthcare providers and patients through the development of various educational materials and omnichannel engagement strategies. This case study may serve as an example to guide best practices for therapeutics requiring timely and comprehensive approaches to the dissemination of medical information in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The COVID 19 lockdown created a shift in medical education from the traditional physical classroom to online learning. Objectives: To explore the lived experiences of students in various years of medical education attending a medical college in Chennai, India. Methods: In this qualitative exploration of lived experiences we conducted 4 focus group discussions among students of the four years in the medical college with the help of a checklist. We recorded the interviews, transcribed them and performed a thematic content analysis. Results: There was a gendered impact of the lockdown on the online learning experiences with women students finding it challenging to attend classes balancing their gender roles of performing household chores. Online learning offered some advantages in the form of increased participation and engagement due to the partial anonymity. The greatest disadvantage of online learning was lack of clinical learning experience. The students resorted to fabricating case studies for discussion, which some students found useful and some commented that it can never replace real life clinical discussions. A generational gap between adoption of technology between the senior professors and the students hampered the online learning. Online assessments were challenging, and many students resorted to cheating in these exams. Conclusions: Though online learning offers several advantages, it has serious limitations in offering the clinical learning experience. While planning adoption of online learning into routine medical education adequate time must be set aside for real life clinical exposure in addition to the online lectures and demonstrations for conceptual understanding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Approximately 39 million people living with HIV (PLWH) are at risk of infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) that causes Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID 19). COVID 19 can lead to serious negative health outcomes for PLWH with a low CD4+ count and increased viral load (VL). The objective of this study was to determine the effect of herbal soup (formulated by mixing; dried ginger powder, dried garlic powder, roasted butternut squash powder, ground chia seeds, ground sunflower seeds, dried turmeric powder and chili pepper powder) on the immunological parameters of PLWH. This was a parallel single blind randomized control trial (RCT) conducted in Kakamega County Teaching and Referral Hospital (KCTRH) Comprehensive Care Centre (CCC). Block randomization and sequentially numbered opaque envelopes were used to assign respondents to either control group (received standard care including Nutrition counselling and anti-HIV drugs) or treatment group (received herbal soup in addition to the standard care). Participants in the treatment group prepared and consumed 1 serving (16.35g) of the soup daily for 3 months. A total of 60 respondents were selected for the control group (n=30) and treatment group (n=30), of whom, a small sample size of 41 completed the study limiting the study findings from drawing policy conclusions. Statistical Packages for Social Sciences was used for data organization and management. Paired t-test was used to determine the effect of herbal soup on CD4+ cell count and Viral Load (VL). The study findings indicated no significant effect on the mean CD4+ cell count (p=0.838), (±277) and mean VL (p=0.051), (±42) in the control group. There was a significant effect on mean CD4+ cell count (p=0.012), (±199), however, no significant effect on the mean VL (p=0.102), (±74) in the treatment group. The study concluded that the herbal soup had an effect on the CD4+ cell count and can be adopted for use at household and facility level to improve the immune defence of PLWH during emerging virus-related epidemics such as COVID 19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the world progresses into the critical Year 2030, the magic Year for attaining the Sustainable Development Goals, doubts about the certainty of success are high. Amid COVID-19, the climate crisis, the Russia-Ukraine war, among many other wars, and the high cost of living pushing most of the people into poverty and hardship, it is time to reconsider what is being done to make the world a better place for most of the people. In doing this, this paper attempts to interrogate the influence of money in the consistent world economic crises. It argues that the 'inevitability of money', attendant on changing technology, pervading the World Capitalist System needs to be reoriented to homos sociologicus. In a way, it recommends the need to 'humanise' money and technology, such that humans construct it socially instead of vice versa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study was conducted to determine the death anxiety experienced by heart patients and the affecting factors in the COVID-19 pandemic. The study was conducted with 148 patients hospitalized in the cardiology clinic of a university hospital between April and August 2021 in the southeast in Turkey. The data were collected with the personal information form, death anxiety scale, coronavirus anxiety scale and Covid-19 fear scale developed by the researchers. Data analysis was performed by using IBM SPSS Statistics 25. Descriptive statistics were used in the analysis of the data. Correlation and regression analysis were performed to determine the relationship between scales. The mean age of the patients was 64.99+15.56 years and 56.1% were male. 57.4% of them were hospitalized with a diagnosis of coronary artery disease. During the pandemic, it was determined that 74.3% of the patients followed social distance, 71.6% wore masks, 58.8% used disinfectants. The patients had moderate death anxiety, low coronavirus anxiety, and high covid 19 fear. A positive linear correlation was found between anxiety and fear scale and death anxiety total and sub-dimensions. As a result, the fear of COVID-19 may increase the fear of death in individuals with heart disease. Patients who are worried about being infected with Covid 19 during the pandemic process have more fear of death. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic outbreak and the subsequent restrictive measures such as lockdown/shutdown have gravely impacted everyday life by suspending regular activities. This unprecedented situation has also led to a potential reorganization of social practices. The distinction between social spaces such as work, education, entertainment and family became linear, and the superseding of public, private and leisure time was evident. As a vibrant public space that plays a significant role in the personal and social life of the public, libraries had to explore novel methods to continue their services and social role during the lockdown period. This paper discusses rural public libraries in Kerala, India, by exploring their modalities of work execution and program organization during the pandemic-affected lockdown period between 2020–2022. The paper seeks to find out how the rural libraries of Kerala managed to engage in their daily services, focusing on how these libraries utilized digital media technologies and social networking sites in day-to-day activities. Based on the in-depth interviews with eleven local librarians this study explains different approaches planned and executed by the libraries to reach out to their readers and how these attempts mobilized and integrated the public to respond. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Copyright of Arab Journal of Science & Research Publishing is the property of Mussasat Al-Majallah Al-Arabiyah lil-Ulum Wa-Nashr Al-Abhath and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Based on a dynamic panel data model, this paper estimates the impact of lockdown policies on inflation with U.S. metropolitan-level data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. After controlling for the unit/time fixed effects and several aggregate demand/supply shifters, lockdown policies created a mild inflationary effect nationwide, though the individual effect was heterogeneous. This study novelly analyzes the political economy of coronavirus disease policy and the subsequent economic outcomes. In particular, the inflationary impact was most pronounced for Republican-governed states that switched votes from President Trump in 2016 to President (elect) Biden in 2020, suggesting price stability is a source of voting behavior. On the contrary, lockdown policies caused deflation in Democratic-governed states where unemployment rates and public compliance with lockdown measures were presumably higher. The results indicate that the economic consequences of public policies depend critically on the political partisanship of the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Code status orders are standard practice impacting end-of-life care for individuals. This study reviews the impact of a COVID unit on physician behaviors towards goal-concordant end-of-life care at an urban academic tertiary-care hospital. Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of code status ordering on adult inpatients comparing the pre-pandemic period to patients who tested positive, negative and were not tested during the pandemic from January 1, 2019, to December 31, 2020. Results: We analyzed 59,471 unique patient encounters (n = 35,317 pre-pandemic and n = 24,154 during). 1,631 cases of COVID-19 were seen. The rate of code status orders among all inpatients increased from 22% pre-pandemic to 29% during the pandemic (P <.001). Code status orders increased for both patients who were COVID-negative (32% P <.001) and COVID-positive (65% P <.001). Being in a cohorted COVID unit increased code status ordering by an odds of 4.79 (P <.001). Compared to the pre-pandemic cohort, the COVID-positive cohort is less female (50% to 56% P <.001), more Black (66% to 61% P <.001), more Hispanic (6.5% to 5%) and less white (26% to 30% P <.001). Compared to Black patients, white patients had lower odds (.86) of code status ordering (P <.001). Other race/ethnicity categories were not significant. Conclusions: Code status ordering remains low. Compared to pre-pandemic rates, the frequency of orders placed significantly increased for all patients during the pandemic. The largest increase occurred in patients with COVID-19. This increase likely occurred due to protocols in the COVID unit and disease uncertainty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the relationship between family‐run businesses and the quality of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) disclosure, with a specific focus on the influence of the COVID‐19 pandemic. Drawing on a sample of 559 firm‐year observations from publicly listed companies in ASEAN countries spanning from 2019 to 2022, this study measure ESG disclosure quality using the global reporting initiative guidelines for sustainability reports. Family‐run businesses are identified as those with family members serving on the board of directors. This study finding reveals that family‐run businesses exhibit higher ESG disclosure quality compared to companies without family representation on their boards. Furthermore, results show a significant positive impact of the COVID‐19 pandemic on the relationship between family‐run businesses and their ESG disclosure practices. The implications of this study are significant for various stakeholders, including owners, management, and regulators. This research contributes to the existing literature by offering empirical evidence on the relationship between family‐run businesses and ESG disclosure within the context of ASEAN countries, particularly amidst the COVID‐19 pandemic. By shedding light on the positive association between family involvement and ESG disclosure quality, this study provides valuable insights for practitioners and policymakers seeking to promote sustainable business practices in emerging markets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pandemic caused by the new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) was the largest in the last century since the Spanish Flu. One of the important strategies in the fight against COVID-19 has been vaccination. Although the end of the pandemic was declared in May 2023, the question of how the epidemic situation will spread (seasonal waves, new disease or gradual disappearance) remains unclear due to the high variability of the pathogen, which determines and changes recommendations in further immunization tactics.Purpose of the study: to compare the clinical effectiveness of the first vaccination, as well as 1–3 revaccinations against a new coronavirus infection in people of different ages and health conditions.Research methods: clinical observation of 1159 people aged 19 to 92 years (74,8% women), assessing the frequency and severity of confirmed coronavirus infection before vaccination and for 2 years after vaccination in comparison with health status and age of those vaccinated; laboratory examination – examination of a nasopharyngeal smear using realtime PCR (Real-time PCR) for SARS-CoV-2; statistical data processing.Results: out of 1159 people, 255 people (22.0%) fell ill before vaccinations, of which 154 people (22.5%) were among 684 healthy people, and 101 out of 475 (21.2%) were among people with chronic pathology. It was found that before the introduction of vaccinations, people 40–59 years old were significantly more likely to get sick compared to the group 60 years old and older (30,4% and 18,3%, respectively, p=0,015). Since December 11, 2020, 1106 out of 1159 people have been vaccinated against the new coronavirus infection, of which with adenovector vaccines (1056 people) and based on other technological platforms (50 people). Revaccinations were carried out only with adenovector vaccine: 1 revaccination – 780, 2 revaccination – 249 and 3 revaccination – 35 persons. After vaccination, a significant decrease in the number of sick people was revealed in all groups: after primary vaccination, 129 (11,7%) vaccinated people got sick, after 1 revaccination 44 out of 780 (5,6%), after repeated revaccination 5 out of 284 (1,7%). In the group of people with chronic pathology, a significant decrease in morbidity was also noted after the first revaccination: out of 366 revaccinated people, 24 people (6,5%) fell ill and after repeated revaccination: 3 out of 159 (1.8%), compared with the primary vaccination complex, 61 out of 467 vaccinated (13,0%), (p

Objective: This study was aimed to assess the impact of tele dentistry on bracket breakage and orthodontic plaque index during the covid pandemic. Study Design: An experimental study. Place and Duration of Study : The study was conducted from 1st April 2020 to 1st March 2021 in the orthodontic department of Rawal Institute of Health Sciences Islamabad. Materials and Methods: Seventy-six orthodontic patients were selected from the orthodontic department of Rawal institute of Health Sciences. Each patient had a minimum orthodontic plaque index of 1 and experienced at least four bracket breakages. The treating doctor provided counseling and communicated with the patients via WhatsApp messages, offering them the opportunity to reach out at any time with questions. After a period of three months, the patients were reassessed clinically. A paired sample t-test was applied to evaluate the pre and post counseling values pertaining to bracket breakage and the orthodontic plaque index. Results: The findings revealed that by using tele dentistry incidence of bracket breakage reduced from 20% to 5% in most of the study participants. Similarly mean plaque index was reduced from 1.78 to 0.53 after online counselling session and WhatsApp messages over a period of three months. Conclusion: This study highlights the potential of tele dentistry not only to enhance access to oral healthcare and its delivery but also to reduce bracket breakage incidents and promote superior oral hygiene in orthodontic patients

Abstract Background The COVID 19 lockdown created a shift in medical education from the traditional physical classroom to online learning. Objectives To explore the lived experiences of students in various years of medical education attending a medical college in Chennai, India. Methods In this qualitative exploration of lived experiences we conducted 4 focus group discussions among students of the four years in the medical college with the help of a checklist. We recorded the interviews, transcribed them and performed a thematic content analysis. Results There was a gendered impact of the lockdown on the online learning experiences with women students finding it challenging to attend classes balancing their gender roles of performing household chores. Online learning offered some advantages in the form of increased participation and engagement due to the partial anonymity. The greatest disadvantage of online learning was lack of clinical learning experience. The students resorted to fabricating case studies for discussion, which some students found useful and some commented that it can never replace real life clinical discussions. A generational gap between adoption of technology between the senior professors and the students hampered the online learning. Online assessments were challenging, and many students resorted to cheating in these exams. Conclusions Though online learning offers several advantages, it has serious limitations in offering the clinical learning experience. While planning adoption of online learning into routine medical education adequate time must be set aside for real life clinical exposure in addition to the online lectures and demonstrations for conceptual understanding.

COVID-19 vaccines, a cornerstone of the fight against the disease have generally proven to be safe with most commonly reported side effects being mild and self-limiting. Uncommon severe adverse effects like thromboembolism have been reported during postmarketing surveillance. Viral-based vector vaccines have been most commonly implicated in these reports. Our report however portrays a case of a 26-year-old female who developed extensive pulmonary embolism following administration of the Pfizer- BNT162b2 mRNA COVID-19 vaccine. The patient did not have any risk factors for thromboembolism. She was admitted, put on enoxaparin, and given Altaplase thrombolytic therapy. Her condition improved and she was discharged on Apixaban. The Thrombophilia screen performed on the 6-month follow-up was negative and following the resolution of thrombosis, Apixaban was stopped. Our case highlights the importance of continued surveillance of uncommon adverse effects and the need for prompt diagnosis and management of such side effects.

Infection of airway epithelial cells with severe acute respiratory coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) can lead to severe respiratory tract damage and lung injury with hypoxia. It is challenging to sample the lower airways non-invasively and the capability to identify a highly representative specimen that can be collected in a non-invasive way would provide opportunities to investigate metabolomic consequences of COVID-19 disease. In the present study, we performed a targeted metabolomic approach using liquid chromatography coupled with high resolution chromatography (LC-MS) on exhaled breath condensate (EBC) collected from hospitalized COVID-19 patients (COVID+) and negative controls, both non-hospitalized and hospitalized for other reasons (COVID-). We were able to noninvasively identify and quantify inflammatory oxylipin shifts and dysregulation that may ultimately be used to monitor COVID-19 disease progression or severity and response to therapy. We also expected EBC-based biochemical oxylipin changes associated with COVID-19 host response to infection. The results indicated ten targeted oxylipins showing significative differences between SAR-CoV-2 infected EBC samples and negative control subjects. These compounds were prostaglandins A2 and D2, LXA4, 5-HETE, 12-HETE, 15-HETE, 5-HEPE, 9-HODE, 13-oxoODE and 19(20)-EpDPA, which are associated with specific pathways (i.e. P450, COX, 15-LOX) related to inflammatory and oxidative stress processes. Moreover, all these compounds were up-regulated by COVID+, meaning their concentrations were higher in subjects with SAR-CoV-2 infection. Given that many COVID-19 symptoms are inflammatory in nature, this is interesting insight into the pathophysiology of the disease. Breath monitoring of these and other EBC metabolites presents an interesting opportunity to monitor key indicators of disease progression and severity.

The COVID-19 pandemic extended interest in the relationships between citizens and governments in turbulent times of crises and emergencies. While the pandemic generated a critical existential threat to the lives of many, it also had a significant effect on the quality of life and on the wellbeing of even larger populations. This paper deals with the relationship between the wellbeing of citizens and three types of trust in governance (i.e. trust in political institutions, trust in public administration, trust in enforcement institutions) during the pandemic. We aim at advancing knowledge on both wellbeing and trust during crises, and more specifically on direct and indirect patterns of these important relationships. To do so, we suggest alternative models and a series of hypotheses aimed at examining them empirically. Two datasets on Israeli citizens are used. They were collected over two points in time during the heat of the pandemic and toward its decline and end (Study 1/t1; N = 1026 and Study 2/t2; N = 3024) and largely represent major sectors and ethnicities in the population. The findings generally support a positive relationship between wellbeing and trust, but more importantly indicate that during crisis, trust in public administration and enforcement institutions mediates the relationship between wellbeing and trust in political institutions. We thus argue that the public service may act as a bridge between citizens' wellbeing and political trust. In our view, the findings testify to the complexity of the wellbeing–trust relationship, especially in challenging times. Implications and directions for future studies are suggested. Points for practitioners: Trust in governance is different for various political institutions and for different public administration organizations, especially in turbulent times Civil servants should be aware of citizens' wellbeing during crises as it affects trust in governance Citizen trust and wellbeing are significantly related in times of emergency and crises [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organizations and institutions identify and manage crisis processes that arise from various dysfunctions. They must seek the origins of crises, predict their future evolution, and consider the specific conditions and priorities of the nation to make the best decisions in their management, ultimately to protect their populations. The objective of this article is to investigate and evaluate the role of governmental institutions in responding to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and to compare their reactions.

Abstract Background Historically, viruses have impaired the functionality of human systems. The discovery of novel viruses and the resurgence of established strains heighten concerns about their implications for reproduction. In the aftermath of COVID-19, research efforts have intensified to broaden the understanding of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2’s (SARS-CoV-2) effect on male reproduction across diverse populations. Various findings have been reported, with more studies highlighting the adverse impact of SARS-CoV-2 on semen parameters and, consequently, male fertility. This review aims to comprehensively assess and consolidate existing evidence on the impact of SARS-CoV-2 on semen quality and male fertility. It highlights the potential mechanism of action and further underscores the implications for assisted reproductive technology. Methodology A thorough literature search was conducted across various electronic databases, including PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar, Embase, and Web of Science. Studies published between January 2020 and May 2024 were included if they explored the impact of SARS-CoV-2 on semen quality. Results Twenty-nine (29) studies were included in the review. These studies varied in findings but delineated a pattern and trend. While most studies noted a decline in sperm parameters—motility, count, concentration—altered morphology, hormonal imbalances, and increased DNA fragmentation in COVID-19 patients, others reported normal semen parameters 3 to 6 months post-recovery. Few studies reported no change in semen parameters, especially with mild disease. Potential mechanisms underscoring these effects include the presence of fever and consequent release of pro-inflammatory cytokines—interleukin 1β, tumor necrosis factor (TNF), and interferon-gamma (IFNγ). In addition, the activities of the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) and the transmembrane serine protease 2 (TMPRSS2) receptors have been implicated as gateway mechanisms for viral entry. The long-term consequences and comparisons with other viral infections highlight the complexity of drawing definite conclusions. The different findings on semen changes have implications for assisted reproduction and family planning. Research suggests potential negative effects on gonadal function, emphasizing the need for long-term follow-up studies to understand the persistent effects on male fertility biomarkers. Conclusion A multidisciplinary approach is essential to optimizing male reproductive health during and after SARS-CoV-2 infection. This includes incorporating assessments into vaccine safety studies to address fertility concerns.

In this article, I will explore how the underlying research values of ‘openness’ and ‘mutual responsiveness’, which are central to open science practices, can be integrated into a new ethos of science. Firstly, I will revisit Robert Merton's early contribution to this issue, examining whether the ethos of science should be understood as a set of norms for scientists to practice ‘good’ science or as a set of research values as a functional requirement of the scientific system to produce knowledge, irrespective of individual adherence to these norms. Secondly, I will analyse the recent codification of scientific practice in terms of ‘scientific integrity’, a framework that Merton did not pursue. Based on this analysis, and illustrated on the case of COVID-19 as a case in which the institution of science was challenged to deliver urgently on societal desirable outcomes, I will argue that promoting open science and its core norms of collaboration and openness requires broader governance of the institution of science in its relationship with society at large, rather than relying solely on self-governance within the scientific community through a new ethos of science. This conclusion has implications for re-evaluating research assessments, suggesting that the evaluation of the scientific system should take precedence over evaluating individual researchers, and that incentives should be provided to encourage specific research behaviour rather than solely focusing on individual research outputs.

The core insight of this thoughtful and provocative article is that science has become engineering and must be re-governed appropriately. Science today is as much artefact constructing as it is knowledge-producing. Certified knowledge is found through certified construction; science has become technoscience. As such, received practices of and models for governance need re-examining. It is not possible here to address the full range of insights and questions that René von Schomberg’s challenging paper puts on the table. His argument is clearly the outgrowth of years of critical reflection in the science policy trenches of the European Commission. I would wager that there’s no one who has thought longer, harder, and at greater depth about these issues. I will concentrate my comments on the question concerning engineering.

Von Schomberg’s call to place mutual responsiveness – which I understand as the ability of researchers and the research system as a whole to foster meaningful exchanges and learn from novel experiences, no matter where those originate – at the core of Open Science and related efforts to reform the scientific landscape is both timely and significant. Widespread sharing is not enough to guarantee responsible and inclusive research, nor are vague appeals to improve research culture, whatever it is that such culture may turn out to include (Leonelli, 2023). Rather, emphasis needs to be placed on the conditions under which sharing materials, methods and insights – and debating the goals and directions towards which these may be put to use – may improve research exchange, communication and scrutiny, resulting in scientific outputs that are both reliable and socially responsive. Hence von Schomberg’s focus on the interplay between institutional and behavioural features of science and his plea for a reform in governance structures, such as initiated by COARA, are very well-taken. He is, however, too quick to dismiss the importance of some degree of autonomy for those involved in creating knowledge. To show why this matters, I here briefly discuss two of von Schomberg’s additional claims: (1) his focus on ‘knowledge actors’ as the protagonists of research efforts; and (2) his critique of the effectiveness of self-governance efforts by researchers.

Von Schomberg offers a compelling examination of key open science principles and their potential role in fostering responsible research and innovation (RRI). Utilizing Merton's Ethos of Science framework, the paper constructs a series of arguments supporting a central thesis: “the transition towards open science is vital to facilitate RRI.” This transition necessitates significant institutional reforms within the scientific community and adjustments to incentive structures that promote the adoption of open and mutually responsive practices. The manuscript reframes the discourse surrounding responsibility and responsiveness in light of the evolving landscape of open science, shifting the focus from normative commitments to actionable frameworks in research and open science practices. Overall, the position paper strives to bridge the gap between idealised models of scientific communities based on RRI principles and the reality of actual scientific endeavour (Anderson et al., 2007; Politi, 2021, 2024). However, it is important to acknowledge certain omissions that could enrich the analysis. Firstly, a more comprehensive examination of the profound crisis facing science amidst the increasing marketisation and commodification of academia and research would provide valuable context beyond discussions of system failures related to productivity and reproducibility. Secondly, a more nuanced and critical approach to conceptualising open science would enrich the discussion, considering its multifaceted nature and potential pitfalls. Thirdly, the validity of the Mertonian framework and its selective analysis of values, particularly its exclusive focus on the norm of communism. Lastly, a deeper exploration of the challenges and promises inherent in the pursuit of responsible Open Science within ongoing institutional processes.

It is hard to disagree with the thrust of René von Schomberg’s position paper. It is driven by the worry that current conceptions of “open science” are all too impoverished – that they need to be complemented by the social practice of “mutual responsiveness”. In terms of political theory or notions of democracy, on the one hand, in terms of socially relevant research practice, on the other hand, only an ambitious commitment to open science will be robust enough to make a difference and contribute to the solution of pressing problems. In contrast, it is paying lip service only to the ideal of openness when “open science” becomes reduced to “open access publishing” or data storage rituals. As von Schomberg shows, this might actually deepen disparities and redundancies within dysfunctional science.

René von Schomberg’s article (von Schomberg, 2024) makes an invigorating case for the co-responsibility of societal actors to give direction to the pursuit of science. In this reply, I wish to endorse his position as a much-needed reconceptualisation in the face of societal challenges and internal scientific developments. At the same time, I urge that there remain theoretical and practical intricacies in attempting to steer science.

Personal comment on the responses to “Towards a New Ethos of Science or a Reform of the Institution of Science? Merton Revisited and the Prospects of Institutionalizing the Research Values of Openness and Mutual Responsiveness” by René von Schomberg.

Este documento se centra en determinar el consumo cultural de teatro, productos audiovisuales, televisión y museos durante el confinamiento por Covid-19 en Colombia. Estos descriptivos y tendencias de consumo se desarrollan y estiman a partir de SPSS versión 25, en donde se realizó reducción de dimensiones por medio de análisis factorial exploratorio para el consumo cultural resultado de la Encuesta de Consumo Cultural (ECC) de 2020, realizada por el Departamento Administrativo Nacional de Estadística (DANE); cuyos resultados permiten reconocer a la televisión como el canal por el que más consumen contenido las personas (73,7 %) en el país. Entre otros resultados, las edades de mayor consumo cultural están entre los menores de edad y de los 18 hasta los 32 años, los cuales representan el 52,6 %. Esto ratifica que debe darse un mayor apoyo a las tecnologías de información y virtualización, que involucren con mayor contundencia las necesidades de contenido para estas edades y posibiliten que aumenten el acceso y uso de diferentes formas de consumo de cultura.

Background: The Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, which has impacted the world of work, has necessitated work organizations to prevent transmission and enhance workers’ performance. Purpose: To find out the implementation of occupational health and safety management during the COVID-19 pandemic across various corporate sectors. Review: It was conducted by answering research questions related to the management of safety and health practices in the workplace during the COVID-19 pandemic. The process involved formulating problem questions based on the PICOS framework. After filtering and adjusting the research variables, 21 articles were analyzed, consisting 12 articles from the ProQuest database and 9 articles from the ScienceDirect database. Result: Various innovations have been made by companies so that the implementation of Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) management, especially health protocols in dealing with COVID-19, can run optimally. Among them is an increasing number of training sessions for workers on health protocols and awareness, redesigning workplaces according to standards, using smart technology to detect social distancing violations, and improving dialogic communication. Such improvements have been proven to increase communal relations between workers and management, thereby increasing active worker participation in establishing a safe working culture within the workplace. Conclusion: The OHS management implemented by the company may change based on workplace COVID-19 prevention regulations.

Abstract The search for new molecules targeting SARS-CoV-2 has been a priority since 2020. The continuous evolution of new mutants increases the need for more research in the area. One way to find new leads is to repurpose existing drugs and molecules against the required target. Here, we present the in vitro and in silico screening of ten previously synthesized and reported compounds as anti-COVID 19 agents. The compounds were screened in vitro against VERO-E6 cells to find their Cytotoxic Concentration (CC50) and their Inhibitory Concentration (IC50). Compounds 1, 2, and 5 revealed a promising anti-SARS-CoV-2 of (IC50 = 2.4, 11.2 and 2.8 µM), respectively while compounds 3 and 7 showed moderate activity of (IC50 = 17.8 and 26.1 µM) compared to Chloroquine which showed an IC50 of 24.9 µM. Among tested compounds, 1 showed the highest selectivity (CC50/IC50) of 192.8. Docking, molecular dynamics and ADME studies were done to investigate potential interactions between compounds and SARS-CoV-2 targets as well as to study the possibility of using them as lead compounds.

Background: In early 2020, Nigeria recorded its first case of COVID-19. The disease later became a pandemic with devastating consequences on the health and population globally. The exact incidence of the disease in Nigeria has not been reported. Aim: We determined pooled estimates, clinical characteristics, outcomes, and disease severity for COVID-19 patients in Nigeria. Materials and Methods: The search for relevant literature was conducted using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines across multiple databases, including PUBMED, Web of Science, AJOL, BIOLINE, Hinari, and Cochrane Library. The search was done from November 1, 2021, to February 2, 2022. Studies of laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 cases with relevant data were included. Two reviewers independently performed study selection, article screening, and data extraction. Studies that did not differentiate between confirmed pathogenic isolates and specimen contamination or colonization were excluded. Of 58 articles, 14 studies were included in qualitative analysis, 77,419 total tested population. Results: The study found the prevalence of COVID 19 to be 20.2%; 95% confidence interval (CI): 13.2–27.4. Of these 16.2% 95% CI: (5.1–26.2) were symptomatic, while 21.3% 95% CI: (12.4–30.2) were asymptomatic. The prevalence based on diagnostic modality was 39.3%; 95% CI (30.2–48.1) using enzyme linked immunosorbent assay based rapid diagnostic test, 25.1% 95% CI (19.3–31.1) using polymerase chain reaction based test. Based on study design, the Prevalence was 10.3% 95% CI (4.1–24.2) in cross sectional studies; with 25.1% 95% CI (19.2–31.1) in retrospective study. The regional difference ranges from 11.1%; 95% CI (6.3–28.2) in North Central Nigeria to 42.4%; 95% CI (41.2–44.3) in North Western Nigeria. Conclusion: In conclusion, this meta-analysis reported an estimated prevalence of COVID-19 in Nigeria, indicating a moderate community transmission. It also demonstrates a tendency to decline in severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 positivity. This finding provides a window of opportunity for strengthening existing preventive intervention measures, enhancing serologic and genomic surveillance, improving clinical management, and improving mobilization towards vaccination, particularly among susceptible populations.

The main aim of this research is to study the influence of traditional, online, and hybrid teaching modes on student academic performance. For this purpose, three determinants of perceived satisfaction and academic performance are used to compare student learning outcomes across the different teaching mediums. This is the first study to examine different teaching modes and their influence on students enrolled in higher education institutions. The study context is a set of China’s higher education sector after the COVID-19 outbreak. Data were collected on the model variables through an online questionnaire and distributed amongst a sample of undergraduate students who were enrolled at Overseas Education College at Jiangsu University. Data collection was divided into three categories: pre-pandemic, pandemic, and endemic situations in China. Structural equation modelling technique was adopted to inspect the collected data and confirm the hypothesis. Results show that student learning and student expectations have a significant positive impact on student perceived satisfaction in all contexts. Moreover, online mode of teaching yielded higher level of student satisfaction and hence, their academic performance. Findings of this study have generated implications for stakeholders of the education sector. Teachers must consistently improve themselves in terms of knowledge and skills, while the ministry of education should set required standards and monitor compliance. They should make some courses related to technology and innovation as a part of the undergraduate syllabus. These will help to stay relevant in today’s competitive academic sector.

Background: Historically, viruses have impaired the functionality of human systems. The discovery of novel viruses and the resurgence of established strains heighten concerns about their implications for reproduction. In the aftermath of COVID-19, research efforts have intensified to broaden the understanding of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2's (SARS-CoV-2) effect on male reproduction across diverse populations. Various findings have been reported, with more studies highlighting the adverse impact of SARS-CoV-2 on semen parameters and, consequently, male fertility. This review aims to comprehensively assess and consolidate existing evidence on the impact of SARS-CoV-2 on semen quality and male fertility. It highlights the potential mechanism of action and further underscores the implications for assisted reproductive technology. Methodology: A thorough literature search was conducted across various electronic databases, including PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar, Embase, and Web of Science. Studies published between January 2020 and May 2024 were included if they explored the impact of SARS-CoV-2 on semen quality. Results: Twenty-nine (29) studies were included in the review. These studies varied in findings but delineated a pattern and trend. While most studies noted a decline in sperm parameters—motility, count, concentration—altered morphology, hormonal imbalances, and increased DNA fragmentation in COVID-19 patients, others reported normal semen parameters 3 to 6 months post-recovery. Few studies reported no change in semen parameters, especially with mild disease. Potential mechanisms underscoring these effects include the presence of fever and consequent release of pro-inflammatory cytokines—interleukin 1β, tumor necrosis factor (TNF), and interferon-gamma (IFNγ). In addition, the activities of the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) and the transmembrane serine protease 2 (TMPRSS2) receptors have been implicated as gateway mechanisms for viral entry. The long-term consequences and comparisons with other viral infections highlight the complexity of drawing definite conclusions. The different findings on semen changes have implications for assisted reproduction and family planning. Research suggests potential negative effects on gonadal function, emphasizing the need for long-term follow-up studies to understand the persistent effects on male fertility biomarkers. Conclusion: A multidisciplinary approach is essential to optimizing male reproductive health during and after SARS-CoV-2 infection. This includes incorporating assessments into vaccine safety studies to address fertility concerns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The COVID-19 outbreak disrupted the nursing education across the world. The nursing students faced many challenges in their learning process. Objective: The study explored the experiences and challenges faced by nursing students who had virtual education in India. Methods: The study adopted an exploratory sequential mixed-methods design. The study was conducted as two phases. Phase 1: Qualitative data were collected using direct focus group interview with 18 students. Phase 2: Quantitative data were collected from 477 students using a Likert scale prepared by the investigators of the study on challenges experienced by nursing students on their education. The analysis was done using the descriptive and inferential statistics and thematic analysis. Results: Phase 1: The analyzed data produced seven themes and 10 sub-themes; (1) technical issues—a concern, (2) regular rhythm in educational training—but not complete, (3) stress and strain, (4) evaluation—a concern, (5) communication, (6) comfort zone, and (7) easy distraction. Phase 2: Majority of the students (54.71%) experienced high-level challenges with the nursing education during pandemic. The overall mean and SD of all the domain-wise challenges were 103.39 + 7.11 with the range from 30 to 150. The mean and SD with educational challenges were (20.27 + 3.04), environmental challenges (6.92 + 1.66), communication challenges (17.61 + 4.01), technical challenges (17.39 + 3.75), evaluation challenges (7.09 + 1.94), physical and mental challenges (20.47 + 4.33), career challenges (7.06 + 1.91), and financial challenges (6.61 + 2.1). The demographic variable gender (P = 0.045) showed a statistically significant association with the challenges. Conclusion: Considering the experiences and challenges faced by the nursing students, the nursing administrators shall design educational strategies to mitigate these challenges in nursing education during a pandemic. Implication: Virtual nursing education offers flexibility in teaching and learning, self-paced learning opportunity, lower the costs, career advancement, comfortable learning environment, more opportunities for participation, easier to track documentation and improves skills in technology. Therefore, the challenges in virtual nursing education should be lessened to have successful teaching learning experiences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: A novel coronavirus was identified in Wuhan, China in December 2019. The pandemic brought all people closer to internet to access information about the disease and its prevention. However, this intention of gaining knowledge is a spinal reaction to an adverse situation and once that has passed, the same knowledge and practices decline. Aims and Objectives: The aim of the study was to assess the apprehension regarding COVID-19 along with its demographic correlates in the post-pandemic era. Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted in district Ghaziabad using a predesigned, pre-tested and semi-structured questionnaire regarding the awareness and knowledge levels of COVID-19. Regression analysis was performed to determine the factors significantly associated with the knowledge of the study participants. Results: In this study, 277 (69.25%) were males and 123(30.75%) were females. The mean knowledge score was 25.09 ± 6.85 (range 4-41). Knowledge regarding various aspects of COVID-19 was better among the study participants with higher education levels. Conclusion: Even after the pandemic had passed, good knowledge levels were retained. Participants had a huge disparity in the individual levels of information. Overall higher levels of education, younger age group and nuclear family were associated with better knowledge regarding the disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) is a rare disorder characterized by the abnormal proliferation of Langerhans cells, a type of immune cell that is normally present in the skin and various other tissues. LCH can affect people of any age but is most commonly diagnosed in children. We report a case of a patient with LCH who developed ipsilateral axillary lymphadenopathology post-COVID-19 vaccination. Lymph node biopsy showed diffuse Langerhans cell hyperplasia which mimicked LCH. Clinically and radiologically, it looked to be a reactive lymph node. The patient was kept on follow up only and after 1 year of follow up the size of lymph nodes regressed confirming to be reactive in nature rather than neoplastic. To the best of our knowledge, this is the second case of Langerhans cell hyperplasia post-COVID-19 vaccination being reported in the literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For almost everyone in the world, the last few years have been unlike any experienced in their lifetimes. The public health crisis, spawned by the SARS‐CoV‐2 virus and the outbreak of COVID‐19, presented a geospatial analysis challenge like none other as public health officials, emergency rooms, and the general public struggled to track the spread of the disease, allocate resources for testing and care, and understand the origin of this new zoonotic pathogen. During this period, the combination of rapid and open access genomic data combined with case counts and the mapping tools of geographic information systems allowed for near real‐time tracking of the pandemic. This paper describes these tools, how they were used to advise policy‐makers in the US at the height of the pandemic, and some of the lessons learned. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The search for new molecules targeting SARS-CoV-2 has been a priority since 2020. The continuous evolution of new mutants increases the need for more research in the area. One way to find new leads is to repurpose existing drugs and molecules against the required target. Here, we present the in vitro and in silico screening of ten previously synthesized and reported compounds as anti-COVID 19 agents. The compounds were screened in vitro against VERO-E6 cells to find their Cytotoxic Concentration (CC50) and their Inhibitory Concentration (IC50). Compounds 1, 2, and 5 revealed a promising anti-SARS-CoV-2 of (IC50 = 2.4, 11.2 and 2.8 µM), respectively while compounds 3 and 7 showed moderate activity of (IC50 = 17.8 and 26.1 µM) compared to Chloroquine which showed an IC50 of 24.9 µM. Among tested compounds, 1 showed the highest selectivity (CC50/IC50) of 192.8. Docking, molecular dynamics and ADME studies were done to investigate potential interactions between compounds and SARS-CoV-2 targets as well as to study the possibility of using them as lead compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The pandemic has put at risk the social and emotional development of children on account of the paucity of arenas for social interaction. This study from Kerala, India was conducted to assess the resilience factors, behavioural concerns, psychological distress symptoms among the children aged 3 to 5 years. We also tried to look into the lost opportunities that could have aided the social and emotional development of children like peer interaction, child care hours. Methods: The cross-sectional study was conducted among the children aged 3 to 5 years. A total of 535 children attending the immunisation clinics were enrolled by consecutive sampling. Devereux Early Childhood Assessment P2 (DECA P2) questionnaire was used to assess the levels of resilient factors and behavioural concerns in the study population. Results: We observed a high proportion of children in the area of need category of protective factors under DECA P2. The proportion of children falling under area of concern was 64.5%, 49%, 68.4% for attachment/relationship, self-regulation, and initiative respectively. 24.9% study subjects have a behavioural concern score that puts them in the area of need category. The logistic regression model we created identified 'Male Gender,' 'Mothers could spend only less time for child care' and 'electronic devices used as pacifier' as significant predictors for belonging to Area of need Behavioural Concerns T score category. Conclusion: A large proportion of children aged between 3 to 5 years with reported behavioural concerns and lack of protective factors for socioemotional development. This can be attributed partly to the ongoing pandemic and its associated restrictions. The increased child care hours invested by parents or grandparents could have sized down the full impact that the pandemic would have had on the socio emotional development of the child. Increased time spent using electronic devices coupled with dwindled opportunities for interaction with peers have been notable challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Iran has been one of the most affected countries in the world by COVID-19. The aim of our study was to determine the outcome of COVID-19 in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Furthermore, we analyzed the outcome of SARS-CoV-2 infection in patients with IBD treated with immunosuppressant. Materials and Methods: This is a cross-sectional, observational study. This study included all patients with IBD, regularly followed up in our IBD Clinic at a tertiary medical center from February 5th, 2020 to August 5th, 2022. We identified those patients with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection either by PCR test or chest computed tomography (CT) imaging. Results: A total of 401 patients were recruited (n=346 [86.28%] with ulcerative colitis, n=53 [13.22%] with Crohn’s disease, and 2 [0.5%] with indeterminate colitis). Of these patients, 273 (68.08%) developed no symptoms or signs during the follow-up period,128 patients developed symptoms similar to COVID-19, and 76 (18.9%) were diagnosed as confirmed COVID-19 cases. Men comprised 60.5% of the confirmed COVID-19 groups, which shows that men were statistically more likely to have symptoms of COVID-19 during the follow-up period (P=0.04). No significant differences were observed among confirmed and non-COVID-19 cases in terms of concomitant medications: steroids (P=0.6), thiopurines (P=0.23), anti-TNF (P=0.23), and aminosalicylate (P=0.61). Three patients required hospitalization, but there were no admissions to the intensive care unit or deaths related to COVID-19. Conclusion: The risk of COVID-19-related adverse outcomes and death in patients with IBD is low. Also, patients with IBD under immunosuppressive treatment are not at an increased risk of COVID-19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Argentina and Peru, the COVID-19 emergency brought corruption scandals related to skipping the line to access the vaccine and its illicit application to political authorities and other figures. Although the media systems of both Latin American countries have many similarities, they also present some differences, such as the relationship with the political system. In this context, El Comercio in Peru and El Clarín in Argentina are leading media outlets and protagonists of the high media concentration in their countries. Likewise, both have high readerships, both in print and in their web portal versions. From a methodology based on the comparative politics of case studies, on media frames and predominant information source types, this study analyzes how the leading online press media in Argentina and Peru, namely Clarín and El Comercio, reported the scandals, locally known as Vaccine VIP and Vacunagate, respectively. The results of this research show that both media have a vigilant role under power, while the biggest difference is regarding the opposition role with the respective governments. Media surveillance of power is one of the most important functions of the media in society. In the case of Latin America, having media with a greater role in monitoring political power is undoubtedly relevant for its democracies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]