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Political cartooning has a long history in news media across the globe. The literature supports the view that these cartoons have the capacity to convey hard-hitting information within the context of satirical humor. Their importance and impact are unquestioned, including during times of crisis. Within the COVID-19 global pandemic, the unique focus that political cartoons place on a variety of institutions has been noteworthy. These include governments, especially those that have responded inadequately. Perhaps most notable is the United States. The degree of American government failure is highlighted when juxtaposed with similar failures of "Third World” nations and their governments. Pakistan is one example. During the pandemic, the approach of Pakistan's government has been consistent with its past behavior - subjugating enemies while abandoning the public. Political cartoonists uniquely analyze events and issues through their visual commentary, often in ways that narrative op-ed pieces do not. This chapter examines political cartooning during the pandemic with a global focus, examining cartoons in the Pakistani news media primarily. Political cartooning was a kind of protective reaction to the alarming situation in which the world was found. Warning, mistrust, aggression, depression, frustration, loss, anger, disappointment, terror, and fear have been the most prominent labels that were reflected in almost all political cartoons of COVID-19 in Pakistan. © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2022.
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The current study investigated the impact of different doses of Nigella sativa seeds on the symptoms, the cluster of differentiation profile group, and inflammatory markers of mild COVID-19 cases. METHODS: The study was a double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial. Patients with mild and asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection patients were randomly subdivided into seven subgroups: Group (GP) 1: received charcoal capsules as a control group, and GP 2: received three capsules of whole Nigella sativa seeds daily, two capsules in the morning and one in the evening; GP 3: received three capsules of whole Nigella sativa seeds every 12 h, GP 4: received five capsules in the morning and four capsules of whole Nigella sativa seeds in the evening, GP 5: received one capsule of Nigella sativa powder every 12 h; GP 6: received two capsules of Nigella sativa powder every 12 h; GP 7: received three capsules of Nigella sativa powder every 12 h; all treatment course was for ten days. Inflammatory parameters were assessed before and after interventions. RESULTS: 262 subjects were included in the final analysis. No significant difference was detected regarding age, gender, and nationality. No significant differences were detected between the inflammatory marker in all groups. The WBCs showed a significant difference between before and after the intervention. While for procalcitonin, a significant difference was demonstrated in groups 1,4, and 6. CONCLUSIONS: The current randomized clinical trial did not reveal a significant effect of ten days of treatment with various doses of Nigella sativa on symptoms, differentiation profile, and inflammatory markers of patients with COVID-19. As a natural product, the effect of Nigella sativa on disease requires weeks to manifest itself.
Subject(s)
Biological Products , COVID-19 Drug Treatment , Nigella sativa , Charcoal , Double-Blind Method , Humans , Phytotherapy , Powders , Procalcitonin , SARS-CoV-2 , SeedsABSTRACT
Objective: To investigate the clinical and histopathological characteristics of corona virus disease. Study Design: Systamatic Review Place and Duration of Study: This study was conducted at the Watim Medical and Dental College from Jan 2021 to June 2021. Materials and Methods: All the articles published in 2020 at Google Scholar and PubMed were searched from to gather the information about the clinical and histopathological characteristics of corona virus disease. The articles published in English language only were included in this study. The terms like "clinical features of COVID-19", "COVID-19", "Histopathology of corona virus" and "Histology of COVID-19" were searched. I2 and Egger's test was used to analyze the data about the clinical characteristics of the patients. Results: The most common comorbidities related to COVID-19 are hypertension in 16 % cases and cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases in 12 % of the cases. The histopathological changes were most evident in the lungs. According to the percentage the most common lungs findings were congestion and diffused alveolar damage with 97.8 %. Corona virus disease also effects other organs and systems like CVS;myocardial hypertension, nervous system;hypoxic injury, digestive system;segmental dilatation and stenosis, liver;steatosis, kidney;acute tubular injury, immune system;coagulation abnormalities among many other. Conclusion: TMultiple dysfunction caused by corona virus disease can occur due one of the following reasons: To direct viral attack, systemic inflammation, injury to the immune system or shock © 2021 Medical Forum Monthly. All rights reserved.
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Introduction: Transplant centers saw a reduction in solid organ transplantation since the beginning of the coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in the United States. Limited data exists on the impact of COVID-19 on pediatric heart transplant volume and variation in transplant practices. We hypothesized that pediatric heart transplant activity decreased during COVID-19 with associated increased waitlist mortality. Methods: The United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) database was used to identify waitlisted patients from 2017-2020. Regional and Statewide data was obtained from US Census Bureau. CovidActNow project was used for Covid-19 mortality rates. Results: Among pediatric patients, average time on the waiting list decreased by 28 days. Even though the average number of pediatric transplants (n=39) did not change during 2020, there was a temporal decline in the first quarter followed by an increase. Overall pediatric waitlist mortality decreased from 5.31 to 4.73, however female mortality increased by 2%. Regional differences in pediatric mortality included: Northeast, decreased by 7.5%;Midwest, decreased by 9%;West, increased by 3.5%;and South, increased by 13%. North Dakota (0.55), Oklahoma (0.21) and Hawaii (0.33) showed higher mortality per 100,000 than other states. In adults, average time on waiting list increased by 40 days and there was an increase in the number of transplants from 242.06 to 266.09. Adult waitlist mortality had a larger decrease from 18.44 to 15.70 with increase in female mortality of 7%. Regional differences in adult mortality included: Northeast, decreased by 3%;Midwest, increased by 5.5%;West, increased by 4.5% and South, decreased by 5%. Iowa (0.37), Wyoming (0.22), Arkansas (0.18) and Vermont (0.19) had higher mortality per 100,000 than other states . Conclusions: Pediatric heart transplant volume declined in early 2020 followed by an increase, while transplant volume in adults increased. Although, overall waitlist mortality for pediatrics decreased, female waitlist mortality increased. Regional differences in waitlist mortality were also observed. Future studies are needed to understand this initial correlation and to determine the impact of COVID-9 on heart transplant recipients.
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Objective: To determine association of anosmia as an early symptom of COVID-19 infection. Study Design: Comparative cross sectional study. Place and Duration of Study: ENT department, Combined Military Hospital, Quetta, from Apr to Oct 2020. Methodology: A total of 6411 consenting patients with symptoms of viral upper respiratory tract infection presenting at ENT department, Combined Military Hospital Quetta, from Apr to Oct 2020 were tested for COVID 19 via PCR studies. Results: Out of 6411 individuals 1109 (17.3%) were found to be COVID positive and 5302 (82.7%) were COVID negative. Of the COVID positive cases 611 (55.1%) of COVID positive individuals had anosmia, whereas only 68 (1.2%) of COVID negative individuals had anosmia, this observation was statistically significant (p<0.001 on chi square test). Whereas only 33 (2.9%) patients had nasal obstruction in COVID positive group, and 68 (1.2%) cases in COVID negative group had nasal obstruction, this observation was not statistically significant (p>0.05 on chi square test). Conclusion: Anosmia has a definite association with COVID 19 infection. © 2021, Army Medical College. All rights reserved.
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INTRODUCTION: The International Dermoscopy Society (IDS) conducted an online survey to investigate the impact of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak on the daily practice of dermatologists working with skin cancer patients, to collect data regarding the frequency of skin manifestations noticed by the members, and to obtain information about the use of teledermatology during the pandemic. METHODS: All IDS members were asked to fill in a questionnaire, sent by email. A questionnaire available in English was sent to all IDS members (≈16.0000 members) by email. The questionnaire was anonymous, with a compiling time of less than 5 minutes. The survey was open for 30 days (from April 24, 2020 to May 24, 2020) and it could only be filled out once. RESULTS: Overall, 678 dermatologists responded to the questionnaire; 334 members stated that there has been a reduction of more than 75% in daily work activity during the pandemic, 265 dermatologists worked fewer days per week, and 118 experienced telemedicine for the first time. Acrodermatitis was the most frequently observed skin manifestation (n = 80) followed by urticarial rash (n = 69), morbilliform rash (n = 53) and purpuric manifestation (n = 40). In regard to the role of teledermatology, 565 dermatologists reported an increased number of teleconsultations, and the number of melanomas diagnosed during the pandemic was practically 0 for 385 (56.78%) of respondents. CONCLUSION: This survey highlights that the outbreak had a negative impact on most dermatology services, with a significant reduction in consultation time spent for chronic patients, and an increased risk of missed melanoma and nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC) diagnosis. Moreover, our study confirms earlier findings of a wide range of skin manifestations associated with COVID-19.
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Background: Hand washing is a simple and inexpensive preventive practice that has been around to thwart infectious diseases for centuries. With corona virus on the rise, its importance cannot be overstated. Aim: To assess the awareness of hand-washing among 3-11 years old Study Design: Cross-sectional comparative study Place and Duration of Study: New Misali Cadet School Students, Dera Ghazi Khan from 1st September 2019 to 31st March 2020. Methodology: Eighty five respondents were included. The responses for demographic, hand washing and level of awareness variables were gathered using a structured pre-tested questionnaire. Results: There were 65 males and 20 were females. Thirty three (38.80%) respondents had age between 3-6 years &52(61.20%) were between 7-11 years of age. Eighty (94.11%) claimed to be aware of hand washing but only 60 (70.60%) were found having satisfactory level of Awareness. Seventy six (89.4%) of them claimed to know the method of hand washing and 52(61.2%) practiced it more than twice a day. Forty seven (55.29%) got awareness from school. Fifty two (61.18%) were aware of benefits of hand washing like prevention of transmission of communicable diseases and 50 (58.80%) were aware of harms of not washing hands like susceptibility to fatal diseases such as diarrhea. Significant association was found between level of awareness and awareness of benefits of hand washing and. harms of not practicing it properly. Conclusion: Irrespective of under developed and remote city status, the school children of Dera Ghazi Khan are as well aware of hand washing as the school children of other developing countries. But the lower satisfactory percentages of hand washing awareness levels asserts the need for more awareness campaigns at the community and institutional level to thwart infectious diseases especially with corona virus on the rise. © 2020 Lahore Medical And Dental College. All rights reserved.