Deaths From COVID-19

Reporting of Child Maltreatment During the COVID-19 Pandemic in a Southern State in the United States

OBJECTIVES

COVID-19-related stay-at-home orders (SAHOs) created an immediate physical barrier between children and professionals such as pediatricians and teachers, who are often first to identify and report signs of child maltreatment. Our objective was to determine how the SAHO in a southern state was associated with reports of child maltreatment and whether this association was modified by sociodemographic characteristics.

METHODS

We linked data on reports of child maltreatment from a southern state in the United States from October 1, 2018, through September 30, 2020, to data from the US Census Bureau to obtain data on county-level socioeconomic characteristics. We fit a segmented regression model to evaluate changes in reports before and after the SAHO, March 20, 2020. We evaluated potential disparities by child age, case and allegation severity, and socioeconomic characteristics.

RESULTS

Of 374 885 hotline calls, 276 878 (73.9%) were made before the SAHO and 98 007 (26.1%) after it. Although an immediate decrease in reports of child maltreatment occurred on the day of the SAHO, the rates of reporting within socioeconomic groups started increasing thereafter. While we found no significant change in the overall rate of change in hotline calls after versus before the SAHO (0.23; 95% CI, -0.11 to 0.58), stratified analyses indicate that the rates at which reporting increased varied by education level, health insurance coverage, median annual household income, and unemployment.

CONCLUSIONS

Evaluating these trends is important for policy makers and practitioners to understand how policies enforced during the pandemic influence child maltreatment reporting and how these policies may affect reporting differently across socioeconomic groups.

Cross-sectional analysis reveals COVID-19 pandemic community lockdown was linked to dysregulated cortisol and salivary alpha amylase in children

The COVID-19 pandemic altered everyday life starting in March 2020. These alterations extended to the lives of children as their normal routines were disrupted by community lockdowns, online learning, limited in-person social contact, increased screen time, and reduced physical activity. Considerable research has investigated the physical health impact of COVID-19 infection, but far fewer studies have investigated the physiological impact of stressful pandemic-related changes to daily life, especially in children. The purpose of this study was to leverage an ongoing clinical trial to investigate physiological consequences associated with chronic stress of pandemic community lockdown on children. As a part of the clinical trial, children provided saliva samples. Saliva samples were analyzed for cortisol and salivary alpha amylase (sAA) content. This secondary cross-sectional analysis included 94 preadolescent children located within the Greater Boston, Massachusetts community. Children participated in the study either before, during, or following the pandemic community lockdown to form three groups for comparison. In response to chronic stress caused by the pandemic community lockdown, participants demonstrated dysregulation of fast-acting catecholamine response of the locus-coeruleus-norepinephrine system and slower-acting glucocorticoid response, resulting in an asymmetrical relationship of hypocortisolism (M = 0.78 ± 0.19 μg/mL, p < 0.001) paired with higher sAA (M = 12.73 ± 4.06 U/mL, p = 0.01). Results suggest that the abrupt COVID-19 disruption to daily life, including the stressful experience of community lockdown, had physiological effects on typically developing children. Further research is required to investigate mental health outcomes of children following the chronic stress of the pandemic community lockdown.

Global law, policy, and governance for effective prevention and control of COVID-19: A comparative analysis of the law and policy of Pakistan, China, and Russia

Global health governance is a developing system in this complex institutional regime. The local and regional health policies sometimes challenge global health governance due to diverse discourse in various countries. In the wake of COVID-19, global health governance was reaffirmed as indifferent modules to control and eliminate the pandemic; however, the global agencies later dissected their own opinion and said that "countries must learn to live with a pandemic." Given the controversial statement, this research focuses on the strong and effective policies of the Russian Federation, Pakistan, and China. The research uses the law and governance results and newly developed policies of the three countries formed under the global health policies. The conclusion is based on the statement that in order to live with the pandemic, strong health measures are required at each level.

Association of Time to Surgery After COVID-19 Infection With Risk of Postoperative Cardiovascular Morbidity

IMPORTANCE

The time interval between COVID-19 infection and surgery is a potentially modifiable but understudied risk factor for postoperative complications.

OBJECTIVE

To examine the association between time to surgery after COVID-19 diagnosis and the risk of a composite of major postoperative cardiovascular morbidity events within 30 days of surgery.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

This single-center, retrospective cohort study was conducted among 3997 adult patients (aged ≥18 years) with a previous diagnosis of COVID-19, as documented by a positive polymerase chain reaction test result, who were undergoing surgery from January 1, 2020, to December 6, 2021. Data were obtained through Structured Query Language access of an existing perioperative data warehouse. Statistical analysis was performed March 29, 2022.

EXPOSURE

The time interval between COVID-19 diagnosis and surgery.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES

The primary outcome was the composite occurrence of major cardiovascular comorbidity, defined as deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, cerebrovascular accident, myocardial injury, acute kidney injury, and death within 30 days after surgery, using multivariable logistic regression.

RESULTS

A total of 3997 patients (2223 [55.6%]; median age, 51.3 years [IQR, 35.1-64.4 years]; 667 [16.7%] African American or Black; 2990 [74.8%] White; and 340 [8.5%] other race) were included in the study. The median time from COVID-19 diagnosis to surgery was 98 days (IQR, 30-225 days). Major postoperative adverse cardiovascular events were identified in 485 patients (12.1%). Increased time from COVID-19 diagnosis to surgery was associated with a decreased rate of the composite outcome (adjusted odds ratio, 0.99 [per 10 days]; 95% CI, 0.98-1.00; P = .006). This trend persisted for the 1552 patients who had received at least 1 dose of COVID-19 vaccine (adjusted odds ratio, 0.98 [per 10 days]; 95% CI, 0.97-1.00; P = .04).

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

This study suggests that increased time from COVID-19 diagnosis to surgery was associated with a decreased odds of experiencing major postoperative cardiovascular morbidity. This information should be used to better inform risk-benefit discussions concerning optimal surgical timing and perioperative outcomes for patients with a history of COVID-19 infection.

Insights into Controlling the Spread of COVID-19: A Study Inspired by Seven of the Earliest Vaccinated Countries

Background

The aim of the study is to derive deeper insights into the control of the spread of COVID-19 during the second half of 2021, from seven countries that are among the earliest to have accelerated the deployment of COVID-19 vaccines. Methodology. This study used data from the Global COVID-19 Index and Google COVID-19 Community Mobility Reports. Data was extracted on the 5^th of each month from July to December 2021. Seven countries were selected—United Kingdom, United States of America, Israel, Canada, France, Italy, and Austria. The sample comprised number of new cases, hospitalisations, ICU admissions and deaths due to COVID-19, government stringency measures, partial and full vaccination coverage, and changes in human mobility. Principal component analysis was conducted, and the results were interpreted and visualized through 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional plots to reveal the systematic patterns of the data.

Results

The first three principal components captured around 77.3% of variance in the data. The first component was driven by the spread of COVID-19 (31.6%), the second by mobility activities (transit, retail, and recreational) (24.3%), whereas the third by vaccination coverage, workplace-related mobility, and government stringency measures (21.4%). Visualizations showed lower or moderate levels of severity in COVID-19 during this period for most countries. By contrast, the surge in the USA was more severe especially in September 2021. Human mobility activities peaked in September for most countries and then receded in the following months as more stringent government measures were imposed, and countries began to grapple with a surge in COVID-19 cases.

Conclusion

This study delineated the spread of COVID-19, human mobility patterns, widespread vaccination coverage, and government stringency measures on the overall control of COVID-19. While at least moderate levels of stringency measures are needed, high vaccine coverage is particularly important in curbing the spread of this disease.

An ISN-DOPPS survey of the global impact of the Coronavirus 2019 pandemic on peritoneal dialysis services

Introduction

Home dialysis may minimize SARS-CoV2 exposure risks compared to center-based dialysis. We explored how the pandemic may have introduced challenges related to peritoneal dialysis (PD) supply availability, routine patient care, and how facility practices changed during this time.

Methods

The PD/Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study (PDOPPS/DOPPS) and International Society of Nephrology (ISN) administered a web-based survey from November 2020 to March 2021. Medical director responses were compared across 10 ISN regions.

Results

One hundered sixy-five PD facilities in 51 countries returned surveys. During the initial COVID-19 wave, the reported frequency of in-person patient visits decreased in 9 of 10 ISN regions. Before the pandemic, most facilities required a mask during PD exchanges which continued over the course of the pandemic. Although most facilities in different regions did not report PD supply disruptions, sites in Africa and South Asia reported major disruptions. Reductions in laparoscopic surgical procedures for PD catheters were reported by facilities in 9 of 10 regions whereas nonsurgical percutaneous procedures increased in facilities in 6 regions. Training of new PD patients declined in facilities in each region. Increased use of remote technology by patients to communicate with clinics was observed in all regions compared to prepandemic levels.

Conclusion

Marked within-region and across-region variability was noted in PD facility burden, clinical practice, and adaptation to the COVID-19 pandemic. This study highlights opportunities to improve routine PD care, adapt to the ongoing pandemic, and increase preparedness for potential future interruptions in PD care.

COVID-19 and risk of neurodegenerative disorders: A Mendelian randomization study

Emerging evidence has suggested a close correlation between COVID-19 and neurodegenerative disorders. However, whether there exists a causal association and the effect direction remains unknown. To examine the causative role of COVID-19 in the risk of neurodegenerative disorders, we estimated their genetic correlation, and then conducted a two-sample Mendelian randomization analysis using summary statistics from genome-wide association studies of susceptibility, hospitalization, and severity of COVID-19, as well as six major neurodegenerative disorders including Alzheimer's disease (AD), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, frontotemporal dementia, Lewy body dementia, multiple sclerosis, and Parkinson's disease. We identified a significant and positive genetic correlation between hospitalization of COVID-19 and AD (genetic correlation: 0.23, P = 8.36E-07). Meanwhile, hospitalization of COVID-19 was significantly associated with a higher risk of AD (OR: 1.02, 95% CI: 1.01-1.03, P: 1.19E-03). Consistently, susceptibility (OR: 1.05, 95% CI: 1.01-1.09, P: 9.30E-03) and severity (OR: 1.01, 95% CI: 1.00-1.02, P: 0.012) of COVID-19 were nominally associated with higher risk of AD. The results were robust under all sensitivity analyses. These results demonstrated that COVID-19 could increase the risk of AD. Future development of preventive or therapeutic interventions could attach importance to this to alleviate the complications of COVID-19.

Epidemiology and Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic in Kerala, India, 2020-2021: A Cross-Sectional Study

Kerala, a southern state in India, experienced a slightly different COVID-19 pandemic than the rest of India. Using data from daily COVID-19 bulletins and two other Kerala health information systems, this study reported on epidemiological characteristics and response measures of the COVID-19 pandemic between January 2020 and December 2021. After the first six months, Kerala experienced three distinct phases, with COVID-19 cases peaking in October 2020, May 2021, and August 2021. This contrasts with India, which experienced two main peaks in September 2020 and May 2021. The demographic profile of cases aligned with the national profile except for a slight increase of COVID-19 in persons aged ≥60 years. Monthly COVID-19 deaths increased dramatically from May 2021 onwards in line with case numbers but also reflecting changes in definitions of COVID-19 deaths. Case fatality for the two years was significantly higher in males than females, increased with increasing age groups, and varied between districts (p < 0.001). Trends in bed occupancy in field hospitals, hospitals for severe disease, intensive care units, and mechanical ventilation mirrored the different phases of the pandemic. The monitoring system in Kerala allowed certain aspects of the pandemic to be mapped, but it would benefit from further strengthening.

COVID-19 Amongst Travelers at Points of Entry in Nepal: Screening, Testing, Diagnosis and Isolation Practices

WHO recommends surveillance for COVID-19 among travelers at Points of Entry (POE) to countries. At 13 selected POE at the Nepal-India border, between March 2021 and July 2021, we describe the screening, testing, diagnosis and isolation practices of COVID-19 amongst travelers. Those who stayed in India or elsewhere for > one day and those who did not have a negative RT-PCR result within the last 72 h of travel were tested for COVID-19 with rapid antigen diagnostic tests. Daily surveillance reports maintained at POE were used for analysis. Of 337,338 travelers screened, 69,886 (21%) were tested and 3907 (6%) were diagnosed with COVID-19. The proportions tested averaged 15% during April-May when screened numbers were high and increased to 35% in July when screened numbers had decreased. The proportions diagnosed positive peaked at 10% in April-May, but decreased to below 1% in June and July. Testing coverage varied from 0−99% in the different POE. Most COVID-19 cases were Nepalese, male, <60 years of age, migrant workers and presented with fever. Of COVID-19 cases, 32% had home-based isolation, 64% underwent community-based isolation and the remainder either went to hospital or returned to India. In conclusion, about one fifth of travelers overall were tested, with coverage varying considerably over time and among different POE. Strengthening surveillance processes at POE is needed.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and priapism: An unexplored association

Background

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has an established impact on multiple organ systems, including the vascular and urogenital systems. Vascular effects may include venous thromboembolic disease, which could theoretically be a precursor to priapism-a urological emergency defined as an abnormal condition of prolonged penile erection lasting >4 hours. To better explore this association, we critically appraised all the published COVID-19 cases associated with priapism.

Materials and methods

After PROSPERO registration (CRD42021245257), a systematic search of Google Scholar, Scopus, Embase, Web of Science, PubMed, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Global Index Medicus, and Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews was performed using specific search terms. The following study metadata were extracted: age, requirement for respiratory support, cavernous blood gas findings, management of priapism, and patient outcomes.

Results

Fifteen single-patient case reports were included in this review. Of these, all of the patients presented with ischemic priapism, 9 patients (60.0%) were >60 years of age, 4 (26.7%) reported more than a single episode of priapism, 11 (73.3%) presented with pneumonia, 8 (53.3%) required mechanical ventilation, D-dimer was elevated in 5 of the 6 (83.3%) patients in whom this was reported, and among the 13 patients in whom mortality was reported, 4 (30.8%) died.

Conclusions

Early reports suggest a prognostic relationship between COVID-19 and coexisting priapism. However, owing to commonalities in their pathophysiology and the small dataset reported in the literature, the probable association between COVID-19 and priapism is still theoretical. Further research is needed to confirm this association.

Prospective Medicinal Plants and Their Phytochemicals Shielding Autoimmune and Cancer Patients Against the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic: A Special Focus on Matcha

Background

Being "positive" has been one of the most frustrating words anyone could hear since the end of 2019. This word had been overused globally due to the high infectious nature of SARS-CoV-2. All citizens are at risk of being infected with SARS-CoV-2, but a red warning sign has been directed towards cancer and immune-compromised patients in particular. These groups of patients are not only more prone to catch the virus but also more predisposed to its deadly consequences, something that urged the research community to seek other effective and safe solutions that could be used as a protective measurement for cancer and autoimmune patients during the pandemic.

Aim

The authors aimed to turn the spotlight on specific herbal remedies that showed potential anticancer activity, immuno-modulatory roles, and promising anti-SARS-CoV-2 actions.

Methodology

To attain the purpose of the review, the research was conducted at the States National Library of Medicine (PubMed). To search databases, the descriptors used were as follows: "COVID-19"/"SARS-CoV-2", "Herbal Drugs", "Autoimmune diseases", "Rheumatoid Arthritis", "Asthma", "Multiple Sclerosis", "Systemic Lupus Erythematosus" "Nutraceuticals", "Matcha", "EGCG", "Quercetin", "Cancer", and key molecular pathways.

Results

This manuscript reviewed most of the herbal drugs that showed a triple action concerning anticancer, immunomodulation, and anti-SARS-CoV-2 activities. Special attention was directed towards "matcha" as a novel potential protective and therapeutic agent for cancer and immunocompromised patients during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic.

Conclusion

This review sheds light on the pivotal role of "matcha" as a tri-acting herbal tea having a potent antitumorigenic effect, immunomodulatory role, and proven anti-SARS-CoV-2 activity, thus providing a powerful shield for high-risk patients such as cancer and autoimmune patients during the pandemic.

Does SARS-CoV-2 affect neurodegenerative disorders? TLR2, a potential receptor for SARS-CoV-2 in the CNS

The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, caused by severe acute respiratory system coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has created significant challenges for scientists seeking to understand the pathogenic mechanisms of SARS-CoV-2 infection and to identify the best therapies for infected patients. Although ACE2 is a known receptor for the virus and has been shown to mediate viral entry into the lungs, accumulating reports highlight the presence of neurological symptoms resulting from infection. As ACE2 expression is low in the central nervous system (CNS), these neurological symptoms are unlikely to be caused by ACE2-virus binding. In this review, we will discuss a proposed interaction between SARS-CoV-2 and Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) in the CNS. TLR2 is an innate immune receptor that recognizes exogenous microbial components but has also been shown to interact with multiple viral components, including the envelope (E) protein of SARS-CoV-2. In addition, TLR2 plays an important role in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Parkinson's disease (PD). Based on these observations, we hypothesize that TLR2 may play a critical role in the response to SARS-CoV-2 infiltration in the CNS, thereby resulting in the induction or acceleration of AD and PD pathologies in patients.

Four Types of Multiclass Frameworks for Pneumonia Classification and Its Validation in X-ray Scans Using Seven Types of Deep Learning Artificial Intelligence Models

Background and Motivation: The novel coronavirus causing COVID-19 is exceptionally contagious, highly mutative, decimating human health and life, as well as the global economy, by consistent evolution of new pernicious variants and outbreaks. The reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction currently used for diagnosis has major limitations. Furthermore, the multiclass lung classification X-ray systems having viral, bacterial, and tubercular classes—including COVID-19—are not reliable. Thus, there is a need for a robust, fast, cost-effective, and easily available diagnostic method. Method: Artificial intelligence (AI) has been shown to revolutionize all walks of life, particularly medical imaging. This study proposes a deep learning AI-based automatic multiclass detection and classification of pneumonia from chest X-ray images that are readily available and highly cost-effective. The study has designed and applied seven highly efficient pre-trained convolutional neural networks—namely, VGG16, VGG19, DenseNet201, Xception, InceptionV3, NasnetMobile, and ResNet152—for classification of up to five classes of pneumonia. Results: The database consisted of 18,603 scans with two, three, and five classes. The best results were using DenseNet201, VGG16, and VGG16, respectively having accuracies of 99.84%, 96.7%, 92.67%; sensitivity of 99.84%, 96.63%, 92.70%; specificity of 99.84, 96.63%, 92.41%; and AUC of 1.0, 0.97, 0.92 (p < 0.0001 for all), respectively. Our system outperformed existing methods by 1.2% for the five-class model. The online system takes <1 s while demonstrating reliability and stability. Conclusions: Deep learning AI is a powerful paradigm for multiclass pneumonia classification.

Polymer-Based Nanofiber-Nanoparticle Hybrids and Their Medical Applications

The search for higher-quality nanomaterials for medicinal applications continues. There are similarities between electrospun fibers and natural tissues. This property has enabled electrospun fibers to make significant progress in medical applications. However, electrospun fibers are limited to tissue scaffolding applications. When nanoparticles and nanofibers are combined, the composite material can perform more functions, such as photothermal, magnetic response, biosensing, antibacterial, drug delivery and biosensing. To prepare nanofiber and nanoparticle hybrids (NNHs), there are two primary ways. The electrospinning technology was used to produce NNHs in a single step. An alternate way is to use a self-assembly technique to create nanoparticles in fibers. This paper describes the creation of NNHs from routinely used biocompatible polymer composites. Single-step procedures and self-assembly methodologies are used to discuss the preparation of NNHs. It combines recent research discoveries to focus on the application of NNHs in drug release, antibacterial, and tissue engineering in the last two years.

Computational Study of SARS-CoV-2 RNA Dependent RNA Polymerase Allosteric Site Inhibition

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused millions of fatalities since 2019. Despite the availability of vaccines for this disease, new strains are causing rapid ailment and are a continuous threat to vaccine efficacy. Here, molecular docking and simulations identify strong inhibitors of the allosteric site of the SARS-CoV-2 virus RNA dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp). More than one hundred different flavonoids were docked with the SARS-CoV-2 RdRp allosteric site through computational screening. The three top hits were Naringoside, Myricetin and Aureusidin 4,6-diglucoside. Simulation analyses confirmed that they are in constant contact during the simulation time course and have strong association with the enzyme's allosteric site. Absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion and toxicity (ADMET) data provided medicinal information of these top three hits. They had good human intestinal absorption (HIA) concentrations and were non-toxic. Due to high mutation rates in the active sites of the viral enzyme, these new allosteric site inhibitors offer opportunities to drug SARS-CoV-2 RdRp. These results provide new information for the design of novel allosteric inhibitors against SARS-CoV-2 RdRp.

Did Climate Change Influence the Emergence, Transmission, and Expression of the COVID-19 Pandemic?

The human race has survived many epidemics and pandemics that have emerged and reemerged throughout history. The novel coronavirus Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19 is the latest pandemic and this has caused major health and socioeconomic problems in almost all communities of the world. The origin of the virus is still in dispute but most likely, the virus emerged from the bats and also may involve an intermediate host before affecting humans. Several other factors also may have affected the emergence and outcome of the infection but in this review, we make a case for a possible role of climate change. The rise in industrialization-related human activities has created a marked imbalance in the homeostasis of environmental factors such as temperature and other weather and these might even have imposed conditions for the emergence of future coronavirus cycles. An attempt is made in this review to explore the effect of ongoing climate changes and discuss if these changes had a role in facilitating the emergence, transmission, and even the expression of the COVID-19 pandemic. We surmise that pandemics will be more frequent in the future and more severely impactful unless climate changes are mitigated.

Recent Breakthroughs and Advancements in NOx and SOx Reduction Using Nanomaterials-Based Technologies: A State-of-the-Art Review

Nitrogen and sulpher oxides (NO_x, SO_x) have become a global issue in recent years due to the fastest industrialization and urbanization. Numerous techniques are used to treat the harmful exhaust emissions, including dry, traditional wet and hybrid wet-scrubbing techniques. However, several difficulties, including high-energy requirement, limited scrubbing-liquid regeneration, formation of secondary pollutants and low efficiency, limit their industrial utilization. Regardless, the hybrid wet-scrubbing technology is gaining popularity due to low-costs, less-energy consumption and high-efficiency removal of air pollutants. The removal/reduction of NO_x and SO_x from the atmosphere has been the subject of several reviews in recent years. The goal of this review article is to help scientists grasp the fundamental ideas and requirements before using it commercially. This review paper emphasizes the use of green and electron-rich donors, new breakthroughs, reducing GHG emissions, and improved NO_x and SO_x removal catalytic systems, including selective/non-catalytic reduction (SCR/SNCR) and other techniques (functionalization by magnetic nanoparticles; NP, etc.,). It also explains that various wet-scrubbing techniques, synthesis of solid iron-oxide such as magnetic (Fe₃O₄) NP are receiving more interest from researchers due to the wide range of its application in numerous fields. In addition, EDTA coating on Fe₃O₄ NP is widely used due to its high stability over a wide pH range and solid catalytic systems. As a result, the Fe₃O₄@EDTA-Fe catalyst is projected to be an optimal catalyst in terms of stability, synergistic efficiency, and reusability. Finally, this review paper discusses the current of a heterogeneous catalytic system for environmental remedies and sustainable approaches.

Water Treatment from MB Using Zn-Ag MWCNT Synthesized by Double Arc Discharge

A new type of nano-adsorbent zinc-silver nanoparticles ornamented by multi-walled carbon nanotubes (Zn-Ag MWCNT) was efficiently synthesized by double arc discharge using a newly designed rotating cylinder electrode. Zn-Ag MWCNT was characterized by different instrumental methods to get information about the sample shape, size, and crystallinity. Without irradiation, Zn-Ag MWCNT indicated significant potential for elimination against methylene blue (MB) which is dissolved in deionized water. When the adsorbent concentration was 0.1 g/L at normal 8 pH, the Zn-Ag MWCNTs were efficient in removing 97% of the MB from 40 mg/L that was dissolved in water for 10 min. The dye removal activity of (Zn-Ag) decorated MWCNTs was attributed to the influence of silver and zinc nanoparticles on the MWCNTs. Finally, this approach was both cost-effective and efficient.

The Influencing Mechanism of Internal Control Effectiveness on Technological Innovation: CSR as a Mediator

The study explores the relationship between internal control effectiveness, corporate social responsibility (CSR), and technological innovation. By establishing a mediating effect model, we analyzed the effect of internal control effectiveness on technological innovation. The study selected the data of Chinese A-share listed companies between 2014 and 2019 as the sample. The sources of variable indicators include China Stock Market and Accounting Research (CSMAR), DIB Internal Control database, and Hexun CSR score. The empirical study shows that internal control effectiveness is significantly and positively related to technological innovation. Enhancing internal control effectiveness has a significant positive effect on the fulfillment of corporate social responsibility. In the process of internal control effectiveness on technological innovation, corporate social responsibility functions as a mediating variable and plays a partial mediating role. The study provides empirical data to support listed companies’ emphasis on internal control and active fulfillment of social responsibility, thereby enhancing their technological innovation performance.

Impact of COVID-19 on life expectancy at birth in India: a decomposition analysis

BACKGROUND

Quantifying excess deaths and their impact on life expectancy at birth (e0) provide a more comprehensive understanding of the burden of coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) on mortality. The study aims to comprehend the repercussions of the burden of COVID-19 disease on the life expectancy at birth and inequality in age at death in India.

METHODS

The mortality schedule of COVID-19 disease in the pandemic year 2020 was considered one of the causes of death in the category of other infectious diseases in addition to other 21 causes of death in the non-pandemic year 2019 in the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) data. The measures e0 and Gini coefficient at age zero (G0) and then sex differences in e0 and G0 over time were analysed by assessing the age-specific contributions based on the application of decomposition analyses in the entire period of 2010-2020.

RESULTS

The e0 for men and women decline from 69.5 and 72.0 years in 2019 to 67.5 and 69.8 years, respectively, in 2020. The e0 shows a drop of approximately 2.0 years in 2020 when compared to 2019. The sex differences in e0 and G0 are negatively skewed towards men. The trends in e0 and G0 value reveal that its value in 2020 is comparable to that in the early 2010s. The age group of 35-79 years showed a remarkable negative contribution to Δe0 and ΔG0. By causes of death, the COVID-19 disease has contributed - 1.5 and - 9.5%, respectively, whereas cardiovascular diseases contributed the largest value of was 44.6 and 45.9%, respectively, to sex differences in e0 and G0 in 2020. The outcomes reveal a significant impact of excess deaths caused by the COVID-19 disease on mortality patterns.

CONCLUSIONS

The COVID-19 pandemic has negative repercussions on e0 and G0 in the pandemic year 2020. It has severely affected the distribution of age at death in India, resulting in widening the sex differences in e0 and G0. The COVID-19 disease demonstrates its potential to cancel the gains of six to eight years in e0 and five years in G0 and has slowed the mortality transition in India.

Serum biochemical parameters as a surrogate marker for chest computed tomography in children with COVID-19

Aim:

This study aimed to investigate whether serum biochemical parameters can be used as a surrogate for chest computed tomography (CT) in the diagnosis of COVID-19 in pediatric patients.

Materials & methods:

We evaluated potential associations between various serum biochemical markers and the COVID-reporting and data system (RADS) pneumonia grading system in 53 individuals with confirmed COVID-19.

Results:

A total of 28 chest CT scans (52.8%) were abnormal. Patients with confirmed COVID-19 on CT showed a statistically significant increase in lactate dehydrogenase (186.4 ± 56.5 vs 228.4 ± 60.6; p = 0.01), which was significantly correlated with the COVID-RADS pneumonia grading system.

Conclusion:

Lactate dehydrogenase can be used as a surrogate marker for chest CT in children with COVID-19. This can reduce exposure to ionizing radiation during initial diagnostic procedures in children with suspected COVID-19 pneumonia.

Spread of Mink SARS-CoV-2 Variants in Humans: A Model of Sarbecovirus Interspecies Evolution

The rapid spread of SARS-CoV-2 variants has quickly spanned doubts and the fear about their ability escape vaccine protection. Some of these variants initially identified in caged were also found in humans. The claim that these variants exhibited lower susceptibility to antibody neutralization led to the slaughter of 17 million minks in Denmark. SARS-CoV-2 prevalence tests led to the discovery of infected farmed minks worldwide. In this study, we revisit the issue of the circulation of SARS-CoV-2 variants in minks as a model of sarbecovirus interspecies evolution by: (1) comparing human and mink angiotensin I converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) and neuropilin 1 (NRP-1) receptors; (2) comparing SARS-CoV-2 sequences from humans and minks; (3) analyzing the impact of mutations on the 3D structure of the spike protein; and (4) predicting linear epitope targets for immune response. Mink-selected SARS-CoV-2 variants carrying the Y453F/D614G mutations display an increased affinity for human ACE2 and can escape neutralization by one monoclonal antibody. However, they are unlikely to lose most of the major epitopes predicted to be targets for neutralizing antibodies. We discuss the consequences of these results for the rational use of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines.

COVID-19: Relationship and Impact on Breastfeeding-A Systematic Review

COVID-19 is an infectious disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus that was declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern by the World Health Organization (WHO). One major problem faced is whether breastfeeding by mothers infected with the virus is safe. The objective of this work is to study the impact that the SARS-CoV-2 virus can have on breastfeeding, and whether the virus or antibodies can be transmitted from mother to child through milk. We carried out a systematic review of studies focusing on the impact of SARS-CoV-2 on breastfeeding by mothers infected with the virus. The bibliographic search was done through Medline (Pubmed), MedlinePlus and Google Scholar. From 292 records, the title and summary of each were examined according to the criteria, and whether they meet the selection criteria was also analysed. A total of 30 articles are included, of which 26 deal with the study of RNA virus in breastmilk and its involvement in breastfeeding and four on the study of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in milk. Most studies have been conducted in China. Breastfeeding by mothers infected with SARS-CoV-2 is highly recommended for infants, if the health of the mother and the infant allow for it. Direct breastfeeding and maintaining appropriate protective measures should be encouraged. Should the mother's health condition not permit direct breastfeeding, infants should be fed with pumped breastmilk or donor milk.

An Overview of Vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 in the COVID-19 Pandemic Era

The emergence of SARS-CoV-2 in late 2019 led to the COVID-19 pandemic all over the world. When the virus was first isolated and its genome was sequenced in the early months of 2020, the efforts to develop a vaccine began. Based on prior well-known knowledge about coronavirus, the SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) protein was selected as the main target. Currently, more than one hundred vaccines are being investigated and several of them are already authorized by medical agencies. This review summarizes and compares the current knowledge about main approaches for vaccine development, focusing on those authorized and specifically their immunogenicity, efficacy preventing severe disease, adverse side effects, protection, and ability to cope with emergent SARS-CoV-2 variants.

The role of race and scientific trust on support for COVID-19 social distancing measures in the United States

Pundits and academics across disciplines note that the human toll brought forth by the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in the United States (U.S.) is fundamentally unequal for communities of color. Standing literature on public health posits that one of the chief predictors of racial disparity in health outcomes is a lack of institutional trust among minority communities. Furthermore, in our own county-level analysis from the U.S., we find that counties with higher percentages of Black and Hispanic residents have had vastly higher cumulative deaths from COVID-19. In light of this standing literature and our own analysis, it is critical to better understand how to mitigate or prevent these unequal outcomes for any future pandemic or public health emergency. Therefore, we assess the claim that raising institutional trust, primarily scientific trust, is key to mitigating these racial inequities. Leveraging a new, pre-pandemic measure of scientific trust, we find that trust in science, unlike trust in politicians or the media, significantly raises support for COVID-19 social distancing policies across racial lines. Our findings suggest that increasing scientific trust is essential to garnering support for public health policies that lessen the severity of the current, and potentially a future, pandemic.

Public health impact of delaying second dose of BNT162b2 or mRNA-1273 covid-19 vaccine: simulation agent based modeling study

OBJECTIVE

To estimate population health outcomes with delayed second dose versus standard schedule of SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccination.

DESIGN

Simulation agent based modeling study.

SETTING

Simulated population based on real world US county.

PARTICIPANTS

The simulation included 100 000 agents, with a representative distribution of demographics and occupations. Networks of contacts were established to simulate potentially infectious interactions though occupation, household, and random interactions.

INTERVENTIONS

Simulation of standard covid-19 vaccination versus delayed second dose vaccination prioritizing the first dose. The simulation runs were replicated 10 times. Sensitivity analyses included first dose vaccine efficacy of 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, and 90% after day 12 post-vaccination; vaccination rate of 0.1%, 0.3%, and 1% of population per day; assuming the vaccine prevents only symptoms but not asymptomatic spread (that is, non-sterilizing vaccine); and an alternative vaccination strategy that implements delayed second dose for people under 65 years of age, but not until all those above this age have been vaccinated.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Cumulative covid-19 mortality, cumulative SARS-CoV-2 infections, and cumulative hospital admissions due to covid-19 over 180 days.

RESULTS

Over all simulation replications, the median cumulative mortality per 100 000 for standard dosing versus delayed second dose was 226 v 179, 233 v 207, and 235 v 236 for 90%, 80%, and 70% first dose efficacy, respectively. The delayed second dose strategy was optimal for vaccine efficacies at or above 80% and vaccination rates at or below 0.3% of the population per day, under both sterilizing and non-sterilizing vaccine assumptions, resulting in absolute cumulative mortality reductions between 26 and 47 per 100 000. The delayed second dose strategy for people under 65 performed consistently well under all vaccination rates tested.

CONCLUSIONS

A delayed second dose vaccination strategy, at least for people aged under 65, could result in reduced cumulative mortality under certain conditions.

Heart failure outcomes and Covid-19

Pre-existing heart failure (HF) in diagnosed patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is associated with a close to two-fold increased mortality rate compared to COVID-19 patients without prior HF history. Moreover, based both on biomarker as well as imaging findings, widespread endothelial and cardiac injury seems to be present in many patients presenting with COVID-19, associated with adverse outcomes including new onset HF. Systematic echocardiographic studies in patients with COVID-19 indicate that the most common cardiac pathology is right ventricular (RV) dilatation (39%) over and above both left ventricular (LV) diastolic dysfunction (16%) and LV systolic dysfunction (10%). In addition, myocardial injury, assessed by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), is observed in some 55% to 70% of patients recently recovered from COVID-19 even in those who didn't get very sick during the acute illness. These observations seem to indicate a potentially rather high risk of clinical HF emerging in patients post-COVID-19, warranting close long-term monitoring of patients during recovery. On the other hand, given the established adverse prognostic role that pre-existing HF plays as a comorbidity in the context of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection, it not only seems important in the still ongoing COVID-19 pandemic that all patients with known HF should proactively be well controlled and treated according to current guidelines, but also additionally be considered for priority vaccination against the SARS-CoV-2 infection if not yet vaccinated.