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As of 2023, Bangladesh stands as the seventh most populous nation globally, confronting challenges arising from limited resources and rapid urbanization. The emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic has led to unprecedented disruptions on a global scale, necessitating a detailed examination of its effects, particularly within urban environments. This study meticulously scrutinizes the repercussions of COVID-19 on the urban environment, focusing specifically on Dhaka City. In this comprehensive exposition, we explore the multifaceted impact of the COVID-19 outbreak, spanning environmental and non-environmental aspects like urban water quality, air quality, municipal waste management, and noise pollution. We analyze urban environmental data across distinct timeframes, employing the Indicators, Impact, and Strategy (IIS) framework for environmental improvement and urban sustainability. The study reveals substantial shifts in the urban environment, poised to exert a profound influence on the city's inhabitants and overall urban ecology. Notably, findings indicate a marked improvement in air and water quality, attributed partly to reduced industrial activity and diminished vehicular emissions during lockdowns. However, municipal waste management faced significant challenges, resulting in a deterioration of the overall waste disposal system. Of particular concern was medical waste disposal due to the increased generation during the pandemic. The study concludes by proposing a robust policy framework addressing key concerns, including environmental quality, urban health, and pollution control. These policy recommendations aim to bolster sustainable environmental progress within the unique exigencies of the COVID-19 era. As Bangladesh grapples with the pandemic's aftermath, this research offers valuable insights and a roadmap for ensuring a more resilient and environmentally sustainable urban future in Dhaka City. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

COVID-19 is one of the major pandemic diseases caused by SARS-CoV-2. Vaccination is one of the methods used that reduce the spread of an infectious disease. Consequently, we aimed to measure liver parameters (alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), total serum bilirubin (TSB), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and albumin), as well as bone markers (Calcium, phosphorous, parathyroid hormone (PTH) with thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) as marker for the severity of the disease in non-vaccinated and vaccinated SARS-COV-2 patients. Between November 2021 and May 2022, 130 samples of both genders (healthy and infected with COVID-19) were obtained and divided into three groups: Healthy individuals (50), vaccinated (30) and non-vaccinated (50) group” (ages; 20–65). The findings of the current study showed that ALT, ALP, and LDH significantly elevated (P < 0.01), and despite comparing patients who were not vaccinated to those who were, albumin considerably dropped. Moreover, AST and TSB moderately elevated in unvaccinated group in comparison to unvaccinated patients. Calcium and phosphorous slightly decreased in non-vaccinated and vaccinated patients as compare to control. Whereas PTH and TSH significantly less in both patient groups than in control. “The optimal cutoff values for parameters were determined by ROC curve analysis. In conclusion, vaccine plays a major role in minimizing liver biomarkers in COVID-19 patients. Moreover, low concentrations of bone markers were associated with both vaccinated and nonvaccinated COVID-19 patients. Therefore, the bone health status of COVID-19 patients and liver markers are helpful for the diagnosis and monitoring of disease severity in COVID‐19 patient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coronaviruses, a type of virus family, cause severe respiratory diseases in people. The coronavirus is most frequently linked to the common cold, but in persons with severe acute respiratory syndrome virus infection, it can also lead to serious respiratory sickness. The spread of the coronavirus is by having direct contact with infected saliva, mucus, or blood. Infected surfaces, such as those in hospitals or other health-care facilities, can potentially spread the infection when touched. Now, spreading globally is the Omicron version of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). According to preliminary studies, the Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2 has a higher probability of re-infection. To recognize coronavirus disease 19 as well as Omicron people in hospitals and primary health care, this review study focuses on the symptoms and indications. The data were collected and analyzed from more than 100 high-impact original research papers to conclude their results and make a comparison between methods and findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study is to investigate the effect of vaccination on social isolation and loneliness. Data from 6,049 individuals were collected from the Understanding America Study (UAS). I use the fixed effect model with the panel data to control time-constant unobserved characteristics which affect vaccination status as well as social isolation. Vaccination was related to about 2 percentage points increase in the proportion of those who met family or friends in person. Days in the past week interacting with family or friends increased. Vaccination was also associated with about 1 percentage point decrease in the proportion of those who felt lonely for more than one day in the past week. The degree of loneliness measured by how often respondents felt lonely in the past week decreased by 2 percentage points for the vaccinated respondents. I found that vaccination decreased subjective social isolation (loneliness) and objective social isolation (interaction with people in person). I also consider the dynamic effect of vaccination status on social isolation. Results suggest that the effect of vaccination became bigger with increasing duration of vaccination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To determine whether inequities in COVID-19 infection and hospitalization differ from those for common medical conditions: influenza, appendicitis, and all-cause hospitalization. Retrospective study based on electronic health records of three healthcare systems in San Francisco (university, public, and community) examining (1) racial/ethnic distribution in cases and hospitalization among patients with diagnosed COVID-19 (March–August 2020) and patients with diagnosed influenza, diagnosed appendicitis, or all-cause hospitalization (August 2017–March 2020), and (2) sociodemographic predictors of hospitalization among those with diagnosed COVID-19 and influenza. Patients 18 years or older with diagnosed COVID-19 (N = 3934), diagnosed influenza (N = 5932), diagnosed appendicitis (N = 1235), or all-cause hospitalization (N = 62,707) were included in the study. The age-adjusted racial/ethnic distribution of patients with diagnosed COVID-19 differed from that of patients with diagnosed influenza or appendicitis for all healthcare systems, as did hospitalization from these conditions compared to any cause. For example, in the public healthcare system, 68% of patients with diagnosed COVID-19 were Latine, compared with 43% of patients with diagnosed influenza, and 48% of patients with diagnosed appendicitis (p < 0.05). In multivariable logistic regressions, COVID-19 hospitalizations were associated with male sex, Asian and Pacific Islander race/ethnicity, Spanish language, and public insurance in the university healthcare system, and Latine race/ethnicity and obesity in the community healthcare system. Influenza hospitalizations were associated with Asian and Pacific Islander and other race/ethnicity in the university healthcare system, obesity in the community healthcare system, and Chinese language and public insurance in both the university and community healthcare systems. Racial/ethnic and sociodemographic inequities in diagnosed COVID-19 and hospitalization differed from those for diagnosed influenza and other medical conditions, with consistently higher odds among Latine and Spanish-speaking patients. This work highlights the need for disease-specific public health efforts in at-risk communities in addition to structural upstream interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To compare SARS-CoV-2 antibody seroprevalence among children with seropositive confirmed COVID-19 case counts (case ascertainment by molecular amplification) in Colorado, USA, we conducted a cross-sectional serosurvey during May–July 2021. For a convenience sample of 829 Colorado children, SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence was 36.7%, compared with prevalence of 6.5% according to individually matched COVID-19 test results reported to public health. Compared with non-Hispanic White children, seroprevalence was higher among Hispanic, non-Hispanic Black, and non-Hispanic other race children, and case ascertainment was significantly lower among Hispanic and non-Hispanic Black children. This serosurvey accurately estimated SARS-CoV-2 prevalence among children compared with confirmed COVID-19 case counts and revealed substantial racial/ethnic disparities in infections and case ascertainment. Continued efforts to address racial and ethnic differences in disease burden and to overcome potential barriers to case ascertainment, including access to testing, may help mitigate these ongoing disparities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although children have been largely spared from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), the emergence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants of concern (VOCs) with increased transmissibility, combined with fluctuating mask mandates and school reopenings, has led to increased infections and disease among children. Thus, there is an urgent need to roll out COVID-19 vaccines to children of all ages. However, whether children respond equivalently to adults to mRNA vaccines and whether dosing will elicit optimal immunity remain unclear. Here, we aimed to deeply profile the vaccine-induced humoral immune response in 6- to 11-year-old children receiving either a pediatric (50 μg) or adult (100 μg) dose of the mRNA-1273 vaccine and to compare these responses to vaccinated adults, infected children, and children who experienced multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C). Children elicited an IgG-dominant vaccine-induced immune response, surpassing adults at a matched 100-μg dose but more variable immunity at a 50-μg dose. Irrespective of titer, children generated antibodies with enhanced Fc receptor binding capacity. Moreover, like adults, children generated cross-VOC humoral immunity, marked by a decline of omicron-specific receptor binding domain, but robustly preserved omicron spike protein binding. Fc receptor binding capabilities were also preserved in a dose-dependent manner. These data indicate that both the 50- and 100-μg doses of mRNA vaccination in children elicit robust cross-VOC antibody responses and that 100-μg doses in children result in highly preserved omicron-specific functional humoral immunity. A Kid's COVID Vaccine: As the COVID-19 pandemic has progressed, it has become increasingly apparent that children are not entirely spared from severe disease; to that end, vaccines were recently approved for children as young as 6 months old. Here, Bartsch et al. evaluated the antibody response elicited by either an adult (100 μg) or pediatric (50 μg) dose of the Moderna mRNA-1273 vaccine. The authors found that children responded to both doses in a manner similar to, but not identical to, adults. Antibodies isolated from vaccinated children exhibited both neutralizing and nonneutralizing functions, providing data to support real-world evidence for vaccine effectiveness in younger populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, twenty‐six benzoylthioureas were evaluated for their antimicrobial activity against different bacterial and fungal species. Two 4‐substituted benzoylthiourea, one benzoylurea and one benzoylguanidine derivatives were further synthesized to identify the most promising compound. Eight compounds were active against at least one microbial species tested. N‐(butylcarbamothioyl)‐benzamide (1 e) exhibited the best antimicrobial activity towards Streptococcus agalactiae (group B Streptococcus‐GBS), including clinical isolates susceptible or resistant to clindamycin and/or erythromycin and azithromycin. 1 e presented a bacteriostatic effect, causing morphological and ultrastructural alterations on planktonic cells, and decreased the metabolic activity of GBS biofilms. No hemolytic and cytotoxicity to mammalian cells were detected for 1 e, that also displayed drug‐likeness properties. Molecular docking was performed on Streptococcus pneumoniae enoyl‐ACP reductase obtained by homology modeling. 1 e showed relevant interactions with the GBS enoyl‐ACP reductase enzyme. N‐(butylcarbamothioyl)‐benzamide may be a good starting point for the development of new antimicrobials against GBS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this manuscript, we study the fractional-order SIRC epidemiological model for influenza A in the human population in the Caputo-Fabrizio sense. The existence and uniqueness of the solution of the proposed problem are established using fixed point theory. The local stability of both disease-free equilibrium and endemic equilibrium points is investigated. Using the three-step fractional Adams-Bashforth scheme, an iterative solution of our system is generated. In the numerical simulation, many plots are given for different values of the fractional-order to check the stability of equilibrium points. Also, the effect of varying some parameters of the model was presented. Furthermore, we compared our numerical solutions with those using Caputo fractional derivative model via graphical representations. The obtained results show the efficiency and accuracy of our approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The waning efficacy of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines, combined with the continued emergence of variants resistant to vaccine-induced immunity, has reignited debate over the need for booster vaccine doses. To address this, we examined the neutralizing antibody response against the spike protein of five major SARS-CoV-2 variants, D614G, Alpha (B.1.1.7), Beta (B.1.351), Delta (B.1.617.2), and Omicron (B.1.1.529), in health care workers (HCWs) vaccinated with SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccines. Serum samples were collected before vaccination, 3 weeks after first vaccination, 1 month after second vaccination, and 6 months after second vaccination. Minimal neutralizing antibody titers were detected against Omicron pseudovirus at all four time points, including for most patients who had SARS-CoV-2 breakthrough infections. Neutralizing antibody titers against all other variant spike protein–bearing pseudoviruses declined markedly from 1 to 6 months after the second mRNA vaccine dose, although SARS-CoV-2 infection boosted vaccine responses. In addition, mRNA-1273–vaccinated HCWs exhibited about twofold higher neutralizing antibody titers than BNT162b2-vaccinated HCWs. Together, these results demonstrate possible waning of antibody-mediated protection against SARS-CoV-2 variants that is dependent on prior infection status and the mRNA vaccine received. They also show that the Omicron variant spike protein can almost completely escape from neutralizing antibodies elicited in recipients of only two mRNA vaccine doses. Waning neutralization: SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccines elicit robust neutralizing antibody responses, particularly against earlier strains of the virus. However, the extent to which immunity wanes over time, and the effect that waning has on responses to newer variants of concern, is still under investigation. Here, Evans et al. tested serum samples isolated from health care workers before and at three time points after vaccination. The authors observed that immunity waned by 6 months after vaccination, including against the Alpha, Beta, and Delta variants. Minimal neutralizing antibody responses to the Omicron variant were observed, regardless of sample collecting timing. Individuals who had evidence of a breakthrough infection with SARS-CoV-2 had boosted neutralizing antibody responses. Together, these data support the use of booster vaccines to ensure sustained vaccine effectiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Every heatlhcare encounter is an opportunity to provide both acute care and health maintenance to children. A Clinical Decision Support (CDS) intervention was instituted in a tertiary pediatric health system to improve influenza vaccination rates during the 2019-2020 season among eligible children receiving care in an acute care inpatient healthcare setting. This study explores reasons for low vaccine uptake following implementation of a CDS aimed at improving vaccine administration as well as identifying possible solutions to improve flu vaccine coverage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

COVID-19 and pregnancy: Pregnancy results in systemic changes to the maternal immune system that cause distinct responses to infection or vaccination. Here, Bordt et al. and Atyeo et al. investigated how pregnancy influences the immune response to infection with or vaccination against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Bordt et al. characterized placental immune responses in women who were infected with SARS-CoV-2 during pregnancy. The authors observed differential placental immune responses between male and female fetuses that were associated with reduced antibody transfer to male fetuses. Atyeo et al. evaluated immune responses to mRNA vaccination in women who were pregnant, lactating, or not pregnant. The authors found that two doses of vaccine were required for pregnant or lactating women to achieve immune responses comparable to that of nonpregnant women. An accompanying Focus article discusses these findings and the need for vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 during pregnancy. Substantial immunological changes occur throughout pregnancy to render the mother immunologically tolerant to the fetus and allow fetal growth. However, additional local and systemic immunological adaptations also occur, allowing the maternal immune system to continue to protect the dyad against pathogens both during pregnancy and after birth through lactation. This fine balance of tolerance and immunity, along with physiological and hormonal changes, contributes to increased susceptibility to particular infections in pregnancy, including more severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Whether these changes also make pregnant women less responsive to vaccination or induce altered immune responses to vaccination remains incompletely understood. To define potential changes in vaccine response during pregnancy and lactation, we undertook deep sequencing of the humoral vaccine response in a group of pregnant and lactating women and nonpregnant age-matched controls. Vaccine-specific titers were comparable between pregnant women, lactating women, and nonpregnant controls. However, Fc receptor (FcR) binding and antibody effector functions were induced with delayed kinetics in both pregnant and lactating women compared with nonpregnant women after the first vaccine dose, which normalized after the second dose. Vaccine boosting resulted in high FcR-binding titers in breastmilk. These data suggest that pregnancy promotes resistance to generating proinflammatory antibodies and indicates that there is a critical need to follow prime-boost timelines in this vulnerable population to ensure full immunity is attained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic has taken a substantial human, social and economic toll globally, but its impact on Black/African Americans, Latinx, and American Indian/Alaska Native communities in the U.S. is unconscionable. As the U.S. continues to combat the current COVID-19 cycle and prepares for future pandemics, it will be critical to learn from and rectify past and contemporary wrongs. Drawing on experiences in genomic research and intersecting areas in medical ethics, health disparities, and human rights, this article considers three key COVID-19-related issues: research to identify remedies; testing, contact tracing and surveillance; and lingering health needs and disability. It provides a pathway for the future: community engagement to develop culturally-sensitive responses to the myriad genomic/bioethical dilemmas that arise, and the establishment of a Truth and Reconciliation Commission to transition the country from its contemporary state of segregation in healthcare and health outcomes into an equitable and prosperous society for all. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To improve recognition of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and inform clinical and public health guidance, we randomly selected 600 COVID-19 case-patients in Colorado. A telephone questionnaire captured symptoms experienced, when symptoms occurred, and how long each lasted. Among 128 hospitalized patients, commonly reported symptoms included fever (84%), fatigue (83%), cough (73%), and dyspnea (72%). Among 236 nonhospitalized patients, commonly reported symptoms included fatigue (90%), fever (83%), cough (83%), and myalgia (74%). The most commonly reported initial symptoms were cough (21%-25%) and fever (20%-25%). In multivariable analysis, vomiting, dyspnea, altered mental status, dehydration, and wheezing were significantly associated with hospitalization, whereas rhinorrhea, headache, sore throat, and anosmia or ageusia were significantly associated with nonhospitalization. General symptoms and upper respiratory symptoms occurred earlier in disease, and anosmia, ageusia, lower respiratory symptoms, and gastrointestinal symptoms occurred later. Symptoms should be considered alongside other epidemiologic factors in clinical and public health decisions regarding potential COVID-19 cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Taming cytokine storm: Hyperactivation of immune cells leading to "cytokine storm" contributes to acute lung injury in patients with COVID-19 pneumonia. Host signaling proteins and effector molecules contributing to cytokine storm are potential targets for pharmacotherapy of COVID-19. Roschewski et al. conducted an observational study evaluating off-label use of acalabrutinib, an inhibitor of the Bruton tyrosine kinase (BTK) enzyme, in 19 hospitalized COVID-19 patients requiring oxygen supplementation. Biomarkers of inflammation reverted toward normal in most treated patients. Correlative studies of blood monocytes from patients with severe COVID-19 showed increases in BTK activation and production of interleukin-6, a key driver of cytokine storm, compared with healthy control monocytes. These findings helped inform the design of a randomized controlled clinical trial to further test the therapeutic potential of acalabrutinib in COVID-19. Patients with severe COVID-19 have a hyperinflammatory immune response suggestive of macrophage activation. Bruton tyrosine kinase (BTK) regulates macrophage signaling and activation. Acalabrutinib, a selective BTK inhibitor, was administered off label to 19 patients hospitalized with severe COVID-19 (11 on supplemental oxygen and 8 on mechanical ventilation), 18 of whom had increasing oxygen requirements at baseline. Over a 10- to 14-day treatment course, initiation of acalabrutinib treatment was associated with improved oxygenation in a majority of patients, often within 1 to 3 days, and had no discernable toxicity. Measures of inflammation—C-reactive protein and interleukin-6 (IL-6)—normalized quickly in most patients, as did lymphopenia, in correlation with improved oxygenation. At the end of acalabrutinib treatment, 8 of 11 (72.7%) patients in the supplemental oxygen cohort had been discharged on room air, and 4 of 8 (50%) patients in the mechanical ventilation cohort had been successfully extubated, with 2 of 8 (25%) discharged on room air. Ex vivo analysis revealed significantly elevated BTK activity, as evidenced by autophosphorylation, and increased IL-6 production in blood monocytes from patients with severe COVID-19 compared with blood monocytes from healthy volunteers. These results suggest that targeting excessive host inflammation with a BTK inhibitor is a therapeutic strategy in severe COVID-19 and has led to a confirmatory international prospective randomized controlled clinical trial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In February, 2008, the South Eastern Sydney Illawarra Public Health Unit investigated an outbreak of cryptosporidiosis within the south east region of Sydney, Australia. Thirty-one cases with laboratory-confirmed cryptosporidiosis and 97 age- and geographically matched controls selected by random digit dialling were recruited into a case-control study and interviewed for infection risk factors. Cryptosporidiosis was associated with swimming at Facility A (matched odds ratio = 19.4, 95% confidence interval: 3.7-100.8) and exposure to household contacts with diarrhoea (matched odds ratio = 7.7, 95% confidence interval: 1.9-31.4) in multivariable conditional logistic regression models. A protective effect for any animal contact was also found (matched odds ratio = 0.2, 95% confidence interval: 0.1-0.7). Cryptosporidium hominis subtype IbA10G2 was identified in 8 of 11 diagnostic stool samples available for cases. This investigation reaffirms the importance of public swimming pools as potential sources of Cryptosporidium infection and ensuring their compliance with water-quality guidelines. The protective effect of animal contact may be suggestive of past exposure leading to immunity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cryptosporidium spp. are coccidians, oocysts-forming apicomplexan protozoa, which complete their life cycle both in humans and animals, through zoonotic and anthroponotic transmission, causing cryptosporidiosis. The global burden of this disease is still underascertained, due to a conundrum transmission modality, only partially unveiled, and on a plethora of detection systems still inadequate or only partially applied for worldwide surveillance. In children, cryptosporidiosis encumber is even less recorded and often misidentified due to physiological reasons such as early-age unpaired immunological response. Furthermore, malnutrition in underdeveloped countries or clinical underestimation of protozoan etiology in developed countries contribute to the underestimation of the worldwide burden. Principal key indicators of the parasite distribution were associated to environmental (e.g., geographic and temporal clusters, etc.) and host determinants of the infection (e.g., age, immunological status, travels, community behaviours). The distribution was geographically mapped to provide an updated picture of the global parasite ecosystems. The present paper aims to provide, by a critical analysis of existing literature, a link between observational epidemiological records and new insights on public health, and diagnostic and clinical impact of cryptosporidiosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tri-County Health Department investigated an outbreak of cryptosporidiosis linked to a community swimming pool. A cohort study was conducted in 37 persons who were invited to the pool party; 12 (57%) of 21 attendees had primary cryptosporidiosis infection. Risk factors for illness included swimming, getting water in mouth, and swallowing water. The pool met chlorination guidelines and used UV light irradiation, a supplemental disinfection technology that inactivates Cryptosporidium. A follow-up survey of the cohort was completed 7-8 weeks after the pool party; four (25%) of 16 non-attendees had secondary cryptosporidiosis infection. The median duration of illness, including patients with recurring symptoms, was 26 days. Clinical response rate to nitazoxanide, a therapeutic agent, was 67%. This study is unique because it describes a cryptosporidiosis outbreak from a well-maintained community swimming pool using supplemental disinfection. It also reports information on disease burden and treatment response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Needle mesophyll cell ultrastructure of 1st to 9th yr needles from Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) trees of different ages was studied at three different sites to determine the normal features of needle ageing, and the impact of air pollution on the needle ageing process. The sites included one rural area and two industrial environments, of which one contained SO2 emissions and the other SO2 and F. emissions. The ultrastuctural features of needle mesophyll cells of different ages were found to be remarkably similar when young (20-yr-old) and mature (> 50-yr-old) trees were compared. Senescence-related ultrastructural symptoms such as increase in the number and size of plastoglobuli and an increase in the large lipid accumulations were observed with increasing needle age. In addition, the occurrence of lipid bodies in the central vacuole and an increased number of dark grains in the cell wall were detected in ageing needles. No changes in chloroplast length were observed during the ageing of needles, although the width of the chloroplasts showed a tendency to increase. A poor differentiation of granal membranes and an increase in small cytoplasmic lipid bodies and irregularly-shaped lipid material were symptoms typical of needles in the industrial areas. The ageing symptoms appeared in younger needles and were more evident in industrial areas than at the control site, suggesting an accelerated ageing process in the industrial areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]