Towards Timeline Generation with Abstract Meaning Representation

Timeline summarization (TLS) is a challenging research task that requires researchers to distill extensive and intricate temporal data into a concise and easily comprehensible representation. This paper proposes a novel approach to timeline summarization using Meaning Representations (AMRs), a graphical representation of the text where the nodes are semantic concepts and the edges denote relationships between concepts. With AMR, sentences with different wordings, but similar semantics, have similar representations. To make use of this feature for timeline summarization, a two-step sentence selection method that leverages features extracted from both AMRs and the text is proposed. First, AMRs are generated for each sentence. Sentences are then filtered out by removing those with no named-entities and keeping the ones with the highest number of named-entities. In the next step, sentences to appear in the timeline are selected based on two scores: Inverse Document Frequency (IDF) of AMR nodes combined with the score obtained by applying a keyword extraction method to the text. Our experimental results on the TLS-Covid19 test collection demonstrate the potential of the proposed approach. © 2023 ACM.

Perceived Anxiety in Family Caregivers of Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder, Down Syndrome and Williams Syndrome during the Lockdown of the First COVID-19 Wave in Spain.

The lockdown during the first wave of COV- ID-19 in Spain has been related to higher levels of anxiety in the general population. However, the emotional impact on Spanish caregivers of individuals with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDD) has not been studied so far.

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Portuguese adults' psychopathological symptoms: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND: The impact of the pandemic on mental health has been demonstrated in several reports. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on multiple dimensions of psychopathology in Portuguese adults. We compare a pandemic sample assessed during the second lockdown in Portugal with a prepandemic sample. METHOD(S): Participants provided socio-demographic and clinical information and responded to the Brief Symptom Inventory. RESULT(S): The pandemic group relative to the prepandemic group demonstrated significantly higher levels for BSI scales of depression, anxiety, and phobic anxiety, and lower scores for paranoid ideation. At the level of the 53 BSI items, significant difference between pandemic and prepandemic groups occurred for 20 of the items. CONCLUSION(S): Results describe the multidimensional influence of the pandemic on psychological functioning and are relevant to guiding the implementation of intervention strategies.Copyright © 2021 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA.

Asymptomatic Sars-Cov-2 Infection in Pediatric Patients with Juvenile Dermatomyositis and Other Rheumatic Diseases of One Tertiary Referral Hospital

Background. Several studies and cohorts with adult populations with rheumatic diseases (RD) were performed since pandemic outbreak. RD patients were more susceptible to infections and may develop severe forms of COVID-19, since they present immunosuppressive mechanisms inherent to the disease itself and to its treatment. Healthy children and adolescents seem to be less infected and present milder diseases. However, juvenile dermatomyositis patiets and immunosuppressed children have not been extensively studied. The objectives of the study are to evaluate asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection in pediatric RD patients, to identify the risk factors related to contagion and to describe demographics and the profile of COVID-19 in juvenile dermatomyositis (JDM) patients followed. Methods. A cross-sectional study was conducted in March 2021, including 77 pediatric RD patients followed at a Brazilian tertiary hospital and 45 healthy controls. Data was obtained through a questionnaire applied to outpatients during the month of March 2021, before the vaccine, and contained demographic data, symptoms compatible with COVID-19 over the past year, and contact with people with confirmed COVID-19. Patients' medical records were reviewed to access data regarding disease and current medications. A qualitative immunochromatographic SARS-CoV-2 test was performed in all participants. All patients who were using rituximab or intravenous human immunoglobulin, or had symptoms of COVID-19, were excluded. Results. Patients' group included 11 (14.3%) JDM patients, 31 (40.2%) JIA, 25 (32.4%) JSLE, six patients with vasculitis, two with SS, one MCTD and one with autoinflammatory syndrome. Patients and controls were similar in terms of female gender (70.1% vs. 57.8%, p=0.173), median age (14 vs. 13 years, p=0.269) and SARS-CoV-2 serology positivity (22% vs. 15.5%, p=0.481). 80.5% of rheumatic patients were in use of immunosuppressive drugs, 27.3% of them using corticosteroids, 33.3% in high doses, and 7.8% on immunobiologicals. No statistical differences were found between positive (n=17) and negative serology (n=60) patients regarding demographic/socioeconomic data, contact with people with confirmed COVID-19, use and number of immunosuppressive drugs, use and dose of corticosteroids, use of hydroxychloroquine and immunobiological drugs (p>0.05). Regarding the profile of JDM patients, 6/11 (54%) were female, the median age was 13 years (range 9-17) and 3/11 (27%) presented COVID-19 serology positivity. 2/11 were in immunosuppressive treatment, however none of them were in use of glucocorticoids and biologic agents. Conclusions. Pediatric JDM and other rheumatic diseases patients were infected at the same rate as healthy ones. Neither the underlying pathology nor its treatment seemed to interfere with the contagion risk.

Implications of physiological changes in pregnancy in COVID-19

Pregnant women generally constitute a group at high risk of infectious diseases due to gestational immunological and physiological changes in their system. That is why the objective of this work is to analyze the implications of the physiological changes of pregnancy in SARS-CoV-2 disease. Physiological changes in pregnant women not only increase their susceptibility to the virus, but also increase the severity of the disease. Changes in the respiratory and immune systems, the role of the placenta in coagulation, and the function of endothelial cells are the physiological changes that most influence the disease. The decrease in lung capacity and the variations that occur in the immune system represent new treatment challenges for pregnant women with COVID-19 disease and therefore new areas of research limited so far.

FACTORS ASSOCIATED with the OCCURRENCE of MENTAL DISORDERS in PATIENTS with AUTOIMMUNE RHEUMATIC DISEASES during the COVID-19 PANDEMIC

Background: Mental disorders constitute a serious and underestimated problem in Latin America and they could have worse features in comparison with Europe or North America (1);that was the case even before the COVID-19 epidemic ensued in 2020. Objectives: The objective of this study was to determine the factors associated with the occurrence of mental health disorders (MHD) in patients with autoimmune rheumatic disease (ARD) from Perú, a high COVID-19 incidence country. Methods: Patients with ARD from a single center (Hospital Guillermo Almenara-EsSalud, Lima-Perú) were included during the frst and second waves of the COVID-19 pandemic (March to November 2020). Interviews, medical records reviews, and an electronic survey were performed. MHD explored were depression (assessed with the Patient Health Questionnaire 9: PHQ-9), anxiety (ascertained with the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7: GAD-7) and post-traumatic stress disorder: PTSD (evaluated with the Event Scale-Revised: IES-R). Variables examined were sociodemographic (age, gender, educational level, marital status, living alone, job status, religiosity), previous diagnosis and treatment for mental disorders, living with a COVID-19 patient, COVID-19 diagnosis (current or past), fear of COVID-19 (assessed with the COVID-19 Scale: FCV-19S) and the ARD type. Multivariable logistic regression models using backward elimination procedure were performed to determine the variables associated with depression, anxiety, and PTSD. (See Table 1). Results: Nine hundred and thirteen ARD patients were evaluated. The most frequent diagnosis was rheumatoid arthritis in 446(48.8%) patients followed by systemic lupus erythematosus in 279 (30.6%). Depression, anxiety, and PTSD were observed in 128 (14.0%), 112 (12.30%) and 485 (53.1%) patients, respectively. In the multivariable analyses, previous treatment for mental disorders and fear of COVID-19 were associated with depression: OR=2.35 (95% CI 1.37-4.03;p=0.002) and OR=1.07 (95% CI 1.05-1.10;p<0.001) respectively;also with anxiety: OR= 2.42 (95% CI 1.37-4.26;p=0.002) and OR=1.09 (95% CI 1.06-1.12;p <0.01) and with PSTD: OR=2.42 (95% CI 1.39-4.21;p=0.002) and OR=1.41 (95% CI=1.11-1.17;p<0.001). A diagnosis of COVID-19 was associated with PTSD: OR=1.75 (95% CI 1.06-2.89, p=0.028), while being single was associated with a decreased probability of PTSD occurrence: OR=0.57 (95% CI=0.35-0.96;p=0.03). Finally, having a high educational level was associated with less anxiety: OR=0.43 (95% CI=0.82-0.21;p=0.009), for university/postgraduate studies and OR=0.52 (CI 95%=0.28-0.95;p=0.032) for secondary studies. Conclusion: Fear of COVID-19 and previous treatment for mental disorder were associated with all MHD explored on our ARD patients during the COVID-19 pandemic.

OXYGEN IN THE COVID-19 CONTEXT: WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT THE MOLECULE WE BREATHE AND THE CENTRAL ROLE OF CHEMISTRY

In this work, the role of chemistry in the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is highlighted through the medical oxygen supply crises in Brazil, as an example of oxygen utility in health. Starting from oxygen chemical characterization, the oxygen cycle in nature is discussed to show how oxygen is formed through photosynthesis, followed by the description of the industrial oxygen production from atmospheric air, including physical-chemical aspects. The use of medical oxygen concentrator is presented and how this device works from the chemical point of view. Besides, the noninvasive and painless oximetry is described in terms of how oxygen saturation level in blood is measured using LED - light emitting diode. © 2022 Sociedade Brasileira de Quimica. All rights reserved.

ANIMAL JUSTICE AND COVID-19: WHY SHOULD WE STOP HURTING ANIMALS?

The aim of this article was to discuss the correlation between Animal Justice and zoonotic diseases, especially COVID-19. The methodology versed in a theoretical research. The ill-treatment of animals is making us sick, based on the unmistakable connection between animal health, human health and environmental health, what was called One Health. Rethinking the orthodox relationship between men and animals, in particular the exploitation of animals for food, from the perspective of Animal Justice, is fundamental mainly to try to reduce risks of new pandemics.

Mental health patterns during COVID-19 in emergency medical services (EMS)

Purpose This study aims to explore patterns of Emergency Medical Services (EMS) personnel's mental health, regarding their levels of anxiety, depression, stress, COVID-19 anxiety, obsessive-compulsive symptoms and well-being;and to explore variables that contribute to these patterns, among sociodemographic/professional and COVID-19 experience variables. Design/methodology/approach Participants were 214 EMS personnel, who answered the Patient-Health Questionnaire, Perceived Stress Scale, COVID-19 Anxiety Scale, Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory, Well-Being Questionnaire and COVID-19 related questions. Findings EMS personnel showed an adequate psychological adjustment during COVID-19. Two clusters/patterns were found: the poorly (34%) and the well (66%) psychologically-adjusted. Personnel's age, COVID-19 fear and workplace security measures' adequacy contributed to which pattern they were more likely to belong to. Research limitations/implications Despite being cross-sectional and not controlling for pre-COVID-19 data, this study adds to the COVID-19 literature. Findings call for the need to explore: other COVID-19 fears;how personnel perceive workplace security measures;COVID-19 valid instruments;pre-COVID-19 data;and mental health patterns with different rescuers. Practical implications Findings explored EMS personnel's patterns of mental health during the COVID-19, as well as its covariates. Results allow to better prepare emergency management, which can develop prevention strategies focused on older professionals, COVID-19 related fears and how personnel assess security measures. Originality/value This study contributes to the scarce literature focused on COVID-19 mental health patterns instead of focussing on isolated mental health variables, as well as what contributes to these patterns. Moreover, it is one of the few studies that focused on EMS personnel rather than hospital staff.

Potential use of ivermectin for the treatment and prophylaxis of SARS-CoV-2 infection.

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY: Currently no treatment has been proven to be efficacious for patients with early symptoms of COVID-19. Although most patients present mild or moderate symptoms, up to 5-10% may have a poor disease progression, so there is an urgent need for effective drugs, which can be administered even before the onset of severe symptoms, i.e. when the course of the disease is modifiable. Recently, promising results of several studies on oral ivermectin have been published, which has prompted us to conduct the present review of the scientific literature. METHODS: A narrative review has been carried out, focusing on the following four main topics: a) short-term efficacy in the treatment of the disease, b) long-term efficacy in the treatment of patients with post-acute symptoms of COVID-19, c) efficacy in the prophylaxis of the disease, and c) safety of ivermectin. RESULTS: The reviewed literature suggests that there seems to be sufficient evidence about the safety of oral ivermectin, as well as the efficacy of the drug in the early-treatment and the prophylaxis of COVID-19. CONCLUSIONS: In the view of the available evidence, the Frontline COVID-19 Critical Care Alliance (FLCCC) recommends the use of oral ivermectin for both prophylaxis and early-treatment of COVID-19. Further well-designed studies should be conducted in order to explore the efficacy and safety of invermectin at low and high doses, following different dosing schedules, in both, the short and long-term treatment.

Predictors of COVID-19 Anxiety in Pre-Hospital Medical Emergency Professionals: Gender Differences

With the COVID-19 pandemic, pre-hospital medical emergency professionals, a group at risk for psychological illness, are even more exposed to stressful critical incidents at work. However, scientific literature focused on the psychological impact and on gender differences is still scarce. This study aimed to analyse the levels of well-being and COVID-19 anxiety of pre-hospital medical emergency professionals, as well as to characterize the COVID-19 experience and to explore the predictors of COVID-19 anxiety, while exploring gender differences. A sociodemographic/professional questionnaire, the Well-Being Questionnaire, the Coronavirus Anxiety Scale and COVID-19 related questions, were applied to 194 professionals (67% males). Low COVID-19 anxiety and moderate well-being were found, which shows a good adjustment to this pandemic. It was also found few gender differences related to the COVID-19 experience, as well as COVID-19 anxiety being associated with less well-being. However, for women COVID-19 anxiety was associated with higher negative well-being and COVID-19 related fear, while for men COVID-19 anxiety was associated with higher negative well-being and COVID-19 workplace security measures. This research adds to the study of COVID-19 impact on frontline professionals and to the study of gender differences on first responders at pre-hospital settings.

Telework, production and public expenditure: what have we learned from Covid-19?

The work investigate the behavior of variables associated with production and public spending at the State Secretariat of Finance, Espirito Santo, Brazil, between March and July 2020, considering the broad adherence to teleworking in the period - which reached 93.2% of the total workers of the institution. The phenomenon was one of the consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic, which as a choice of local public policy involved social isolation and the need to adapt to not interrupt the provision of services. The research is quantitative, using a database extracted from institutional records of the main electronic systems used by the agency, with items of expenses analyzed using the Holt-Winters method and values at constant prices. The results show that the production levels maintained an average behavior after the initial adaptation period and that the number of employees allocated in the period remained stable, with a slight downward trend. There was a reduction in spending items (water, electricity and travel) in relation to their historical values. The work contributes to research in the area by presenting an empirical study involving teleworking and public administration, in a unique context provided by the pandemic, collaborating with quantitative information on public spending and production, which corroborate with perceptions identified in previous qualitative research. Regarding the identification of evidence that can support the development of public policies, there are indications that a robust planning to rationalize the use of physical environments and structures could have caused a reduction in other items of public expenditure.

Psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and suicide ideation in community adults in Portugal: Preliminary data

BACKGROUND: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the perceived impact of the COVID-19 pandemic state of emergency in Portugal and the contribution of several socio-demographic and clinical variables, including having had a psychiatric diagnosis, on suicide ideation. Further, we tested whether the perceived impact of the pandemic mediated the association between having had a psychiatric diagnosis and suicide ideation. METHODS: Asample of 227 Portuguese community adults (183 women, 44 men) participated online. RESULTS: Low education, having had a psychiatric diagnosis, and the perceived psychological impact of the pandemic each related to the presence of suicide ideation. Perceived psychological impact partially mediated the association between having had a psychiatric diagnosis and suicide ideation, as indexed by the total score on the Suicide Ideation Scale. CONCLUSIONS: Individuals with a psychiatric diagnosis, with a lower education level, and with a perceived psychological impact of the pandemic are at greater risk for experiencing suicide ideation, and psychological impact appears to be stronger for persons with a psychiatric diagnosis and, thus, resulting in more suicide ideation. Apotential limitation was the use of only three items for assessing the impact of the pandemic.

TLS-Covid19: A New Annotated Corpus for Timeline Summarization

The rise of social media and the explosion of digital news in the web sphere have created new challenges to extract knowledge and make sense of published information. Automated timeline generation appears in this context as a promising answer to help users dealing with this information overload problem. Formally, Timeline Summarization (TLS) can be defined as a subtask of Multi-Document Summarization (MDS) conceived to highlight the most important information during the development of a story over time by summarizing long-lasting events in a timely ordered fashion. As opposed to traditional MDS, TLS has a limited number of publicly available datasets. In this paper, we propose TLS-Covid19 dataset, a novel corpus for the Portuguese and English languages. Our aim is to provide a new, larger and multi-lingual TLS annotated dataset that could foster timeline summarization evaluation research and, at the same time, enable the study of news coverage about the COVID-19 pandemic. TLS-Covid19 consists of 178 curated topics related to the COVID-19 outbreak, with associated news articles covering almost the entire year of 2020 and their respective reference timelines as gold-standard. As a final outcome, we conduct an experimental study on the proposed dataset over two extreme baseline methods. All the resources are publicly available at https://github.com/LIAAD/tls-covid19. © 2021, Springer Nature Switzerland AG.

SARS-CoV-2 decontamination of skin with disinfectants active during and after application.

BACKGROUND: The coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic has resulted in high levels of exposure of medical workers to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). Hand decontamination is one of the actions recommended to reduce the risk of infection. AIM: Two disinfectants - BIAKOS antimicrobial skin and wound cleanser (AWC) and AWC2 (Sanara MedTech, Fort Worth, TX, USA) - were tested to determine whether they can inactivate SARS-CoV-2 upon contact or as a coating applied before contact with the virus. METHODS: The ability of AWC and AWC2 to inactivate SARS-CoV-2 was tested in liquid and dried form on plastic surfaces and porcine skin. FINDINGS: AWC and AWC2 were effective in reducing the infectious titre of SARS-CoV-2 in liquid form during application and in dried form 4 h after application. Virus on skin was reduced up to 2 log10-fold and 3.5 log10-fold after treatment with AWC and AWC2, respectively. CONCLUSION: Application of AWC and AWC2 to skin reduces the level of SARS-CoV-2 and the risk of infection.