SARS-CoV-2 infection in one cat and three dogs living in COVID-19-positive households in Madrid, Spain (preprint)

In this study, we describe SARS-CoV-2 infection dynamics in one cat (case 1-Chester) and three dogs (case 2-Trasto, case 3-Bella and case 4-Bull) from households with confirmed human cases of COVID-19 living in the Madrid Community (Spain) at the time of expansion (December 2020 through June 2021) of the alpha variant of SARS-CoV-2 (lineage B.1.1.7). A thorough physical exam and nasopharyngeal, oropharyngeal, and rectal swabs were collected for real-time reverse-transcription PCR (RT-qPCR) SARS-CoV-2 testing on day 0 and in successive samplings on days 7, 14, 21 and 47 during monitoring. Blood was also drawn to determine complete blood counts, biochemical profiles, and serology of the detect the IgG response against SARS-CoV-2. On day 0, the cat case 1 presented with dyspnoea and fever associated with a mild bronchoalveolar pattern. The dog cases 2, 3 and 4 were healthy, but case 2 presented with coughing, dyspnoea and weakness, and case 4 exhibited coughing and bilateral nasal discharge three and six days before the clinical exam. Case 3 (from the same household as case 2) remained asymptomatic. SARS-CoV-2 infection was detected in all cat and dog cases. The cat and the dog case 2 exhibited the lowest cycle threshold (Ct) (Ct < 30) when they presented or had recently presented clinical signs. Viral detection failed in successive samplings. Specific IgG antibodies were detected in the cat case 1 and dog cases 3 and 4, whereas dog case 2 seroconverted 21 days after SARS-CoV-2 detection. SARS-CoV-2 genome sequencing was carried out, and genomes were compared to the SARS-CoV-2 Genome Reference Sequence. All strains were unambiguously classified as belonging to the B.1.1.7 lineage.

Incidence of pressure ulcers due to prone position in patients admitted to the ICU for Covid-19.

The appearance of pressure ulcers (PU) is one of the frequent complications of prone position (PP), due to prolonged pressure and shear forces. OBJECTIVES: To compare the incidence of pressure ulcers secondary to prone position and describe their location among four Intensive Care Units (ICU) of public hospitals. METHODS: Multicenter descriptive and retrospective observational study. The population consisted of patients admitted to the ICU between February 2020 and May 2021, diagnosed with Covid-19 who required prone decubitus. The variables studied were sociodemographic, days of admission to the ICU, total hours on PP, PU prevention, location, stage, frequency of postural changes, nutrition and protein intake. Data collection was carried out through the clinical history of the different computerized databases of each hospital. Descriptive analysis and association between variables were performed using SPSS vs.20.0. RESULTS: A total of 574 patients were admitted for Covid-19, 43.03% were pronated. 69.6% were men, median age was 66 (IQR 55-74) and BMI 30.7 (RIC 27-34.2). Median ICU stay was 28 days (IQR 17-44.2), median hours on PD per patient 48 h (IQR 24-96). The incidence of PU occurrence was 56.3%, 76.2% of patients presented a PU, the most frequent location was the forehead (74.9%). There were significant differences between hospitals in terms of PU incidence (P = .002), location (P = .000) and median duration of hours per PD episode (P = .001). CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of pressure ulcers due to the prone position was very high. There is great variability in the incidence of pressure ulcers between hospitals, location and average duration of hours per episode of prone position.

[Incidence of pressure ulcers due to prone position in patients admitted to the ICU for Covid-19]. / Incidencia de úlceras por presión secundarias al decúbito prono en pacientes ingresados en unidades de cuidados intensivos por SARS-CoV-2.

The appearance of pressure ulcers (PU) is one of the frequent complications of prone position (PP), due to prolonged pressure and shear forces. Objectives: To compare the incidence of pressure ulcers secondary to prone position and describe their location among four Intensive Care Units (ICU) of public hospitals. Methods: Multicenter descriptive and retrospective observational study. The population consisted of patients admitted to the ICU between February 2020 and May 2021, diagnosed with Covid-19 who required prone decubitus. The variables studied were sociodemographic, days of admission to the ICU, total hours on PP, PU prevention, location, stage, frequency of postural changes, nutrition and protein intake. Data collection was carried out through the clinical history of the different computerized databases of each hospital. Descriptive analysis and association between variables were performed using SPSS vs.20.0. Results: A total of 574 patients were admitted for Covid-19, 43.03% were pronated. 69.6% were men, median age was 66 (IQR 55-74) and BMI 30.7 (RIC 27-34.2). Median ICU stay was 28 days (IQR 17-44.2), median hours on PD per patient 48 h (IQR 24-96). The incidence of PU occurrence was 56.3%, 76.2% of patients presented a PU, the most frequent location was the forehead (74.9%). There were significant differences between hospitals in terms of PU incidence (p = 0.002), location (p < 0.001) and median duration of hours per PD episode (p = 0.001). Conclusions: The incidence of pressure ulcers due to the prone position was very high. There is great variability in the incidence of pressure ulcers between hospitals, location and average duration of hours per episode of prone position.

[Incidence of pressure ulcers due to prone position in patients admitted to the ICU for Covid-19]. / Incidencia de úlceras por presión secundarias al decúbito prono en pacientes ingresados en unidades de cuidados intensivos por SARS-CoV-2.

The appearance of pressure ulcers (PU) is one of the frequent complications of prone position (PP), due to prolonged pressure and shear forces. Objectives: To compare the incidence of pressure ulcers secondary to prone position and describe their location among four Intensive Care Units (ICU) of public hospitals. Methods: Multicenter descriptive and retrospective observational study. The population consisted of patients admitted to the ICU between February 2020 and May 2021, diagnosed with Covid-19 who required prone decubitus. The variables studied were sociodemographic, days of admission to the ICU, total hours on PP, PU prevention, location, stage, frequency of postural changes, nutrition and protein intake. Data collection was carried out through the clinical history of the different computerized databases of each hospital. Descriptive analysis and association between variables were performed using SPSS vs.20.0. Results: A total of 574 patients were admitted for Covid-19, 43.03% were pronated. 69.6% were men, median age was 66 (IQR 55-74) and BMI 30.7 (RIC 27-34.2). Median ICU stay was 28 days (IQR 17-44.2), median hours on PD per patient 48 h (IQR 24-96). The incidence of PU occurrence was 56.3%, 76.2% of patients presented a PU, the most frequent location was the forehead (74.9%). There were significant differences between hospitals in terms of PU incidence (p = 0.002), location (p < 0.001) and median duration of hours per PD episode (p = 0.001). Conclusions: The incidence of pressure ulcers due to the prone position was very high. There is great variability in the incidence of pressure ulcers between hospitals, location and average duration of hours per episode of prone position.

Performance Analysis of Agriculture Students in Adapting to Distance Learning During COVID-19 Pandemic through Educational Data Mining (EDM) Technique

This study intends to collect information on how undergraduate agriculture students at Central Philippines State University, Negros Occidental, Philippines assess the effects of the switch to distance learning. The objective is to identify student performance and surprising benefits using education data mining techniques and to use that information to suggest workable solutions for future crises in higher education. The C4.5 algorithm was used to examine how well respondents adapted to distance learning using the decision tree analysis model. One hundred fifty students accomplished a google form in conducting the survey. Given that many courses in the agricultural education system are practical in character and a complete transition to online mode may not be possible, the insights from this can help develop the curriculum for the new standard in the system. © Roman Science Publications Inc.

Flexible Learning Experience Analyzer (FLExA): Sentiment Analysis of College Students through Machine Learning Algorithms with Comparative Analysis using WEKA

The spread of the COVID-19 pandemic broughtsignificant changes in society. Emerging technologies like artificial intelligence and machine learning devices improved several industries, especially in academe and higher education institutions. In this study, a model to analyze and predict college students' sentiments from the Flexible Learning Experience portal was built using several supervised machine-learning techniques. Waikato Environment for Knowledge Analysis (WEKA) application was used to apply the Naive Bayes (NB), C4.5, Random Forest (RF), Support Vector Machine (SVM), and K-Nearest Neighbors (KNN) algorithms. Additionally, a comparative analysis of different machine-learning methods was applied. The experimental results revealed that the C4.5 algorithmobtained the highest accuracy than other algorithms. The effectiveness of each algorithm was evaluated and compared using 10-fold cross-validation (CV), taking into account the major accuracy metrics, instances that were accurately or inaccurately classified, kappa statistics, mean absolute error, and modeling time. Moreover, results show that the C4.5 algorithm outperformed other algorithms by classifying the model with 98.13% accuracy, 0.0132 mean absolute error, and 0.00 seconds of training time. Furthermore, teachers and college administrations were well accustomed to the sentiments and problems of college students and might act as a decision-support mechanism mainly as they deal with the new setting during this time of crisis. © 2022 International Journal of Emerging Technology and Advanced Engineering. All rights reserved.

Intention to be vaccinated against COVID-19 in the population of 40 years and older in Mexico

Objective To evaluate the effect of information sources on COVID-19, the benefits and perceived barriers of vaccination, and the attitude towards vaccination on the intention to get vaccinated against COVID-19 in the population aged 40 and over in Mexico. Methods A quantitative, cross-sectional and explanatory investigation was developed. An electronic survey was applied to 703 people aged 40 and over who reside in Mexico. The analysis of results was carried out through the technique of structural equations by means of the method of partial least squares. Publicación preliminar Results The sources of information on COVID-19 positively influence the perceived benefits of the vaccine and reduce the perceived barriers. Furthermore, the perceived benefits positively influence the attitude towards COVID-19 vaccination;however, barriers do not affect attitude. Additionally, the latter influences the intention to be vaccinated against COVID-19 and indirectly the sources of information and the perceived benefits influence the intention to be vaccinated mediated by the attitude. © 2022, Universidad Nacional de Colombia. All rights reserved.

[Perception of the risk of COVID-19 and preventive measures in Mexico]

BACKGROUND: The characteristics of the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 virus increased the need to implement prevention measures, in order to avoid its spread;therefore, there is an interest in the risk perception and an intention in people to adopt protective measures against COVID-19. OBJECTIVE: To show the causal factors that contribute to a high/low perception of risk during the COVID-19 pandemic. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A quantitative, analytical and explanatory exploratory study was carried out with a crosssectional design. To collect data, a self-access survey was designed, using the Dimensional Assessment of Perceived Risk procedure, based on the psychometric paradigm. For data analysis, the classification tree method was utilized. RESULTS: The descriptive analysis indicated that the surveyed population had a concern about the pandemic of 3.8 on a scale ranging from 1 to 5, which shows a medium-high perception of COVID-19 risk;however, respondents underestimated their personal risk (vulnerability) in relation to that of others. The classification tree analysis showed that the independent variables that contribute directly to the global perception of risk are the severity of the pandemic, vulnerability and catastrophic power. CONCLUSIONS: It was found a positive effect: The greater perception of severity, and susceptibility to acquiring the virus, the more taking of preventive measures.

The effect of coronavirus (COVID-19) on companies in Valle del Cauca

The health crisis caused by the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus has brought about the closure of many companies. This article analyses the determinants of the suspension of productive activities as a result of COVID-19 using data regarding companies in Valle del Cauca. By estimating a probit and a survival model, our results show the fragility of smaller companies with respect to size and age in facing adverse and unexpected shocks;while intangibles (dammed income) significantly reduce the probability of company withdrawal during the initial phase of the crisis. Finally, the article exhorts that it is necessary to design priority attention mechanisms for the financing of companies and targeted aid.

Fear of COVID, exhaustion and cynicism: Its effect on the intention to drop out of college

The Covid-19 pandemic has undoubtedly affected the education sector;its possible consequences include the development of burnout and the intention to dropout. Thus, the objective of this research was to determine if, in Mexican university students, fear of Covid-19, emotional exhaustion and cynicism are antecedents of the intention to drop out of school. A quantitative, empirical, non-experimental and cross-sectional investigation was carried out on 478 students during the Covid-19 pandemic. The analysis technique was a model of Structural Equations with Partial Least Squares [PLS-SEM]. The evidence indicates that the fear of Covid-19 directly and indirectly affects the intention to dropout, through emotional exhaustion and cynicism. The limitations of the study imply the use of a non-probability sampling. The value of the research lies in the contribution to the understanding of the effects of the fear of contracting the disease on the intention to abandon university studies. It is concluded that the fear of Covid-19, cynicism and exhaustion directly and indirectly influence the intention to abandon school. © 2021 Revista Chilena de Derecho Privado. All rights reserved.

Sars-CoV-2 in the second half of pregnancy: Maternal and perinatal outcomes

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic is a global health and social emergency. Knowledge is still limited about its effect on pregnant women. Objective: To describe maternal-perinatal outcomes of COVID-19 according to severity classification in women hospitalized in the second half of pregnancy. Methods: Retrospective, descriptive, observational study from March to July 2020 at Edgardo Rebagliati Martins National Hospital. All hospitalized pregnant women with RT-PCR and/or rapid positive test for SARS-CoV-2 were included. Pregnancies less than 20 weeks and epidemiological discharges were excluded. Maternal characteristics at admission and maternal-perinatal outcomes were grouped according to the clinical classification of the disease. The qualitative variables are presented in counts and percentages;and quantitative ones, in medians and ranges. Results: 247 pregnant women were studied. Most of them were in the third trimester (76%). The most frequent presentation of the disease was asymptomatic (83%), and cases of severe pneumonia were few (3.2%). The cesarean section rate was high (60%), although vaginal deliveries doubled over time (0-24 a 44%). Severe cases had a higher rate of cesarean section (100%) and iatrogenic preterm delivery (75%). No maternal deaths were reported. There were 9 stillbirths and 5 positive neonates for SARS-CoV-2, both among asymptomatic and mild patients. 9 stillbirths and 5 positive neonates for SARS-CoV-2, both among asymptomatic and mild cases. Conclusions: The possibility of cesarean section and iatrogenic preterm delivery is greater in severe cases. The vaginal delivery rate increased in recent months. No perinatal complications related to COVID-19 were identified.

Complications of obesity in children and adolescents during covid-19 pandemic: A narrative review

Background: Obesity in children and adolescents has increased exponentially around the world. Furthermore, the COVID-19 pandemic has led to a higher pediatric obesity rate. The excess adipose tissue generates a dysregulation of adiponectin, ghrelin, and leptin, among others. Metabolic alterations can develop cardiovascular disease, dyslipidemias, arterial hypertension, type 2 diabetes mellitus, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, sleep disorders, and higher risk of COVID-19 severity. Obesity has different therapeutic approaches such as behavioral weight loss programs, pharmacologic treatments, and surgical procedures. Therefore, timely diagnosis and treatment are important to decrease the mortality in obesity among pediatric population. © 2021 Medical Body of the Almanzor Aguinaga Asenjo National Hospital.

Comprehensive care and patient management with hemophilia, in the context of COVID-19 pandemic

The clinical spectrum of severe hemophilia has evolved throughout history from a catastrophic and highly fatal condition in the early 20th century to a chronic and "manageable" disorder in recent decades, thanks to the remarkable advances in treatment achieved. in the last 40 years, advances driven and reinforced by some past catastrophic experiences, such as the biological disaster in the 1980s due to fatal viral infections transmitted by transfusion, such as hepatitis and HIV/AIDS, from which, the appearance of new infectious agents are an ongoing concern for the hemophilia community, as is currently the case facing us with the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, which has created an extremely challenging situation for members of the global bleeding disorders community. Faced with this pandemic, questions have arisen regarding the possibility of whether patients with hemophilia will have a higher risk of infection and whether factor deficiency and its treatment could influence the manifestations of the infection, its natural course, treatment and complications;coupled with the concern that it seems clear that the current pandemic will have definitive consequences on the management of hemophilia around the world. Such questions have led to a review of the literature, guidelines, and expert consensus, including the recommendations of the World Federation of Hemophilia, in an attempt to answer these questions, thus generating both guidelines for care, and expanding some of them, promoting the development of new research protocols.