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Aghajani M, Wong A, Azimi M, Harijani SM. Association between dietary antioxidant quality score and severity of coronavirus infection: a case-control study. Front Nutr 2023; 10:1174113. [PMID: 37485392 PMCID: PMC10358364 DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2023.1174113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2023] [Accepted: 06/14/2023] [Indexed: 07/25/2023] Open
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to examine the association between the dietary antioxidant quality score (DAQS) and the severity of Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The present case-control study was carried out on 295 patients diagnosed with COVID-19 (≥18 years old), including 104 critical patients (Intensive care unit [ICU] admission) and 191 COVID-19 patients without severe complications (Non-intensive care unit [Non-ICU] patients) as cases. Dietary intake was assessed by a 147-item, semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). Logistic regression was performed to calculate the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) for the considered risk factors. Our outcomes (after multivariate adjustment) suggested that higher adherence to DAQS was significantly associated with a decreased risk of COVID-19 infection severity (OR = 0.12; 95% CI: 0.04-0.29, p < 0.001). Similar results were seen when analyzed by sex [men (OR = 0.02; 95% CI: 0.002-0.15, p < 0.001) and women (OR = 0.21; 95% CI: 0.06-0.68, p = 0.012)]. A significant association between vitamin D3 intake and decreased risk of COVID-19 severity (OR = 0.91; 95% CI: 0.89-0.94, p < 0.001) was also observed. Moreover, multivariate results revealed that there were no significant associations between vitamin C (OR = 1.00; 95% CI: 0.99-1.00, p = 0.067), vitamin E (OR = 0.98; 95% CI: 0.86-1.11, p = 0.798), zinc (OR = 1.02; 95% CI: 0.86-1.20, p = 0.805), and selenium (OR = 0.99; 95% CI: 0.99-1.00, p = 0.077) intakes with the risk of COVID-19 severity. However, subgroup analyses by sex suggested a significant association between vitamin C intake and the risk of COVID-19 infection severity in women (OR = 1.00; 95% CI: 1.00-1.00, p = 0.028). Our findings showed a negative association between DAQS adherence and the risk of COVID-19 infection severity. Our results may be used to develop potential dietary therapies to decrease COVID-19 severity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mobina Aghajani
- Department of Exercise Physiology, Faculty of Sport Sciences, University of Mazandaran, Babolsar, Iran
| | - Alexei Wong
- Department of Health and Human Performance, Marymount University, Arlington, TX, United States
| | - Mehdi Azimi
- Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Firoozgar General Hospital, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Shadmehr Mirdar Harijani
- Department of Exercise Physiology, Faculty of Sport Sciences, University of Mazandaran, Babolsar, Iran
- Athletic Performance and Health Research Center, University of Mazandaran, Babolsar, Iran
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A Cross-Sectional Study to Assess mRNA-COVID-19 Vaccine Safety among Indian Children (5-17 Years) Living in Saudi Arabia. Vaccines (Basel) 2023; 11:vaccines11020207. [PMID: 36851085 PMCID: PMC9961071 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines11020207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2022] [Revised: 01/02/2023] [Accepted: 01/06/2023] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
The objective of this study is to assess the frequency and severity of adverse events following immunization (AEFI) in Indian children aged 5-17 years who received the Pfizer-BioNTech mRNA COVID-19 vaccine, as well as to investigate for predictors of AEFI. To examine AEFI following the first and second doses of Pfizer's vaccine, semi-structured questionnaires were distributed as Google forms at Indian schools in Saudi Arabia. The 385 responses included 48.1% male and 51.9% female children, with 136 responses of children aged 5-11 years (group A) and 249 responses from children aged 12-17 years (group B). Overall, 84.4% of children had two shots. The frequency of AEFI was reported to be higher after the first dose than after the second (OR = 2.12, 95% CI = 1.57-2.86). The reported AEFIs included myalgia, rhinitis, local reaction with fever, a temperature of 102 °F or higher, and mild to moderate injection site reactions. While group B frequently reported multiple AEFIs, group A typically reported just one. Local reaction with low grade fever was more frequently reported in group B after the first dose (24.1%) and second dose (15.4%), while local reaction without low grade fever was most frequently observed in group A after the first (36.8%) and second dose (30%). Only prior COVID-19 infection (OR = 2.98, 95% CI = 1.44-6.2) was associated with AEFI after the second dose in the study sample, whereas male gender (OR = 1.71, 95% CI = 1.13-2.6) and prior COVID-19 infection (OR = 2.95, 95% CI = 1.38-6.3) were predictors of AEFI after the first dose. Non-serious myocarditis was reported by only one child. According to the analysis conducted, the Pfizer's mRNA COVID-19 vaccination was found to be safe in Indian children.
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Litscher G. Licht und Covid-19 — Ein Update. AKUPUNKTUR & AURIKULOMEDIZIN 2023; 49. [PMCID: PMC10060941 DOI: 10.1007/s15009-023-5840-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/31/2023]
Abstract
Licht, Laser und Akupunktur haben auch in der aktuellen Pandemie wichtige Beiträge zur Medizin geleistet. Hauptziel einer vor kurzem veröffentlichten Übersichtsarbeit war es zu untersuchen, wie Licht als therapeutische Methode während der durch COVID-19 ausgelösten Krise bislang eingesetzt wurde. Ein weiteres Ziel ist es, Wissenschaftlerinnen und Wissenschaftler sowie die Industrie zu ermutigen, schnell neue einfache Verfahren der Photobiomodulationstherapie (PBMT) und/oder photodynamischen Therapie (PDT) für zu Hause zu entwickeln. Die bisherigen Ergebnisse zeigten, dass PBMT teilweise erfolgreich bei SARSCoV-2-Infektionen angewendet werden kann und signifikante Verbesserungen bei Atemwegsentzündungen und dem allgemeinen klinischen Zustand der Patientinnen und Patienten ermöglichte. Die Anwendung nur in einer begrenzten Anzahl von Fällen impliziert die Notwendigkeit zukünftiger randomisierter, placebokontrollierter klinischer Studien, um die Wirkung von PBMT und PDT bei COVID-19 tatsächlich zu objektivieren. Bei dieser anhaltenden und herausfordernden Suche nach dem scheinbar nicht greifbaren Ende dieser Pandemie scheinen die PBMT und PDT nicht-invasive, leicht zugängliche, sichere und nebenwirkungsfreie Methoden zu sein.
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Zakrzewska A, Haghighat Bayan MA, Nakielski P, Petronella F, De Sio L, Pierini F. Nanotechnology Transition Roadmap toward Multifunctional Stimuli-Responsive Face Masks. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2022; 14:46123-46144. [PMID: 36161869 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.2c10335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
In recent times, the use of personal protective equipment, such as face masks or respirators, is becoming more and more critically important because of common pollution; furthermore, face masks have become a necessary element in the global fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. For this reason, the main mission of scientists has become the development of face masks with exceptional properties that will enhance their performance. The versatility of electrospun polymer nanofibers has determined their suitability as a material for constructing "smart" filter media. This paper provides an overview of the research carried out on nanofibrous filters obtained by electrospinning. The progressive development of the next generation of face masks whose unique properties can be activated in response to a specific external stimulus is highlighted. Thanks to additional components incorporated into the fiber structure, filters can, for example, acquire antibacterial or antiviral properties, self-sterilize the structure, and store the energy generated by users. Despite the discovery of several fascinating possibilities, some of them remain unexplored. Stimuli-responsive filters have the potential to become products of large-scale availability and great importance to society as a whole.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Zakrzewska
- Department of Biosystems and Soft Matter, Institute of Fundamental Technological Research, Polish Academy of Sciences, ul. Pawińskiego 5B, Warsaw 02-106, Poland
| | - Mohammad Ali Haghighat Bayan
- Department of Biosystems and Soft Matter, Institute of Fundamental Technological Research, Polish Academy of Sciences, ul. Pawińskiego 5B, Warsaw 02-106, Poland
| | - Paweł Nakielski
- Department of Biosystems and Soft Matter, Institute of Fundamental Technological Research, Polish Academy of Sciences, ul. Pawińskiego 5B, Warsaw 02-106, Poland
| | - Francesca Petronella
- Institute of Crystallography CNR-IC, National Research Council of Italy, Via Salaria Km 29.300, Monterotondo 00015, Rome Italy
| | - Luciano De Sio
- Department of Medico-Surgical Sciences and Biotechnologies, Research Center for Biophotonics, Sapienza University of Rome, Corso della Repubblica 79, Latina 04100, Italy
| | - Filippo Pierini
- Department of Biosystems and Soft Matter, Institute of Fundamental Technological Research, Polish Academy of Sciences, ul. Pawińskiego 5B, Warsaw 02-106, Poland
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Faour-Klingbeil D, Osaili TM, Al-Nabulsi AA, O Taybeh A, Jemni M, Todd ECD. How has public perception of food safety and health risks changed a year after the pandemic and vaccines roll out? Food Control 2022; 139:109073. [PMID: 35531071 PMCID: PMC9067909 DOI: 10.1016/j.foodcont.2022.109073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2022] [Revised: 04/26/2022] [Accepted: 05/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
The recent coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) has caused unprecedented turmoil and spurred fears that have profoundly changed the public's social and health behaviours, including the perception of food safety risks. One year after the pandemic and the global vaccination campaign, the public perception of food safety and the changes in their hygiene behaviour, health risks concerns, and trust were studied in Jordan, Lebanon, and Tunisia using a cross-sectional online survey. The results of 538 subjects showed a rise in the frequency of hygiene practices, notably in handwashing. Sixty-four percent of the participants were vaccinated, a proportion made up mainly of the Jordanians and Lebanese. For 66% and 64% of the two population groups, respectively, there were no longer trust concerns about COVID-19 health risks following vaccination, whereas the worries about getting COVID-19 persisted for others. Only 47% of participants trusted eating food prepared by vaccinated food handlers. A great majority of the Tunisians (81%) showed varying degrees of concern about COVID-19 transmission from food and the lowest vaccination rate (33%). The current study demonstrated that the impact of vaccination policy positively affects public perception of food-related risks during the pandemic. On the other hand, 33% of the surveyed Jordanians and Tunisians lost trust in the health authorities' management of the pandemic, and 45% of the Lebanese still don't trust them. Communication strategies on health and food safety with the public still represent a challenge for these and probably other countries in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). Strategies for building and maintaining public trust are crucial to curb persistent fear of food, hence, avoiding potential stigmatization affecting the food economy by promoting health awareness and positive changes in food safety perceptions for safer practices.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Tareq M Osaili
- Department of Nutrition and Food Technology, Faculty of Agriculture, Jordan University of Science and Technology, P.O. Box 3030, Irbid, 22110, Jordan.,Department of Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics, College of Health Sciences, University of Sharjah, P. O. Box 27272, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
| | - Anas A Al-Nabulsi
- Department of Nutrition and Food Technology, Faculty of Agriculture, Jordan University of Science and Technology, P.O. Box 3030, Irbid, 22110, Jordan
| | - Asma' O Taybeh
- Department of Nutrition and Food Technology, Faculty of Agriculture, Jordan University of Science and Technology, P.O. Box 3030, Irbid, 22110, Jordan
| | - Monia Jemni
- Regional Research Center in Oases Agriculture of Degache, Km1 Street of Tozeur, 2260, Degache-Tozeur, Tunisia
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Recent Trends in Protective Textiles against Biological Threats: A Focus on Biological Warfare Agents. Polymers (Basel) 2022; 14:polym14081599. [PMID: 35458353 PMCID: PMC9026340 DOI: 10.3390/polym14081599] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2022] [Revised: 04/08/2022] [Accepted: 04/11/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The rising threats to worldwide security (affecting the military, first responders, and civilians) urge us to develop efficient and versatile technological solutions to protect human beings. Soldiers, medical personnel, firefighters, and law enforcement officers should be adequately protected, so that their exposure to biological warfare agents (BWAs) is minimized, and infectious microorganisms cannot be spread so easily. Current bioprotective military garments include multilayered fabrics integrating activated carbon as a sorptive agent and a separate filtrating layer for passive protection. However, secondary contaminants emerge following their accumulation within the carbon filler. The clothing becomes too heavy and warm to wear, not breathable even, preventing the wearer from working for extended hours. Hence, a strong need exists to select and/or create selectively permeable layered fibrous structures with bioactive agents that offer an efficient filtering capability and biocidal skills, ensuring lightweightness, comfort, and multifunctionality. This review aims to showcase the main possibilities and trends of bioprotective textiles, focusing on metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), inorganic nanoparticles (e.g., ZnO-based), and organic players such as chitosan (CS)-based small-scale particles and plant-derived compounds as bioactive agents. The textile itself should be further evaluated as the foundation for the barrier effect and in terms of comfort. The outputs of a thorough, standardized characterization should dictate the best elements for each approach.
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Ade-Ojo IP, Dada MU, Adeyanju TB. Comparison of Anxiety and Depression Among HIV-Positive and HIV-Negative Pregnant Women During COVID-19 Pandemic in Ekiti State, Southwest Nigeria. Int J Gen Med 2022; 15:4123-4130. [PMID: 35465305 PMCID: PMC9020505 DOI: 10.2147/ijgm.s362225] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2022] [Accepted: 04/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Idowu Pius Ade-Ojo
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, Nigeria
- Correspondence: Idowu Pius Ade-Ojo, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Ekiti State University, PMB 5363, Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, Nigeria, Tel +234 8033886173, Email
| | - Mobolaji Usman Dada
- Department of Psychiatry, Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, Nigeria
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