ABSTRACT
This world has faced a severe challenge since the breakout of the novel Coronavirus-2019 (COVID-19) has started for more than one year. With the mutation of the virus, the measures of epidemic prevention are keeping upgrading. Various vaccines have been created and brought into operation. To accurately describe and predict the spread of COVID-19, we improve the traditional Susceptible-Exposed-Infected-Removed-Dead model(SEIRD), forecast the development of COVID-19 based on small-world network. A small-world network is a type of mathematical graph in which most nodes are not neighbors of one another, but the neighbors of any given node are likely to be neighbors of each other, and most nodes can be reached from every other node by a small number of hops or steps. We introduce new parameters, Vaccination(V) and Quarantine(Q), into this model. Based on this, through regressing and analyzing the epidemic in the UK, we get the simulation that fits well with the observed data in other countries. © 2021 ACM.
ABSTRACT
Background. Compared to the non-pregnant population, pregnant persons are at increased risk for severe COVID-19 related illness, including higher rates of admission to intensive care and greater mortality. Despite the potential benefits of COVID-19 vaccines for pregnant persons, current guidelines for the use of COVID-19 vaccines during pregnancy are limited, and the uptake of COVID-19 vaccines among US pregnant adults is unclear. Methods. As part of an ongoing national longitudinal cohort study, 1,372 pregnant and recently postpartum pregnant persons participated in an online baseline survey, including questions on COVID-19 vaccination status and perceptions of COVID-19 vaccines. Preliminary analyses were restricted to 1,041 individuals who were pregnant during vaccine availability (after 14 December 2020). Post-stratification survey weights were applied to ensure results are representative of the general population. Weighted percentages and odds ratios were estimated based on survey responses. Results. 39.4% (95% CI 33.7, 45.1%) of respondents received a COVID-19 vaccine during pregnancy. Predictors of vaccination included belief that COVID-19 was a serious disease (OR 2.49;95% CI 1.41, 4.11) and concerns about giving birth during the COVID-19 pandemic (OR 1.83, 95% CI 1.10, 3.04). The most common reason for receiving a COVID-19 vaccine was to protect themselves (21.2%) or their baby (39.1%). Among unvaccinated respondents, 14.9% planned to receive a vaccine during their pregnancy and 35.3% after pregnancy, 28.6% had no intention of receiving a vaccine, and the remaining 21.1% were uncertain. Among those who never planned to vaccinate, the most common reason was concern about side effects (57.2%). Percent of pregnant persons receiving at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine, by month of delivery (postpartum participants) or estimated month of delivery (pregnant participants). Conclusion. Our results indicate that despite the lack of clear recommendations for vaccination during pregnancy, more than one-third of pregnant persons received a COVID-19 vaccine during pregnancy. Evaluation of the health effects of COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy, including the ability to protect pregnant persons and their infants from infection, is needed.
ABSTRACT
The respiratory system holds crucial importance in the biology of vertebrate animals. Injuries of the respiratory system caused by viral infections (e.g., by COVID-19, MERS, and SARS) can lead to severe or lethal conditions. So far there are no effective treatments for respiratory injuries. This represents a highly unmet clinical need, e.g., during the current COVID-19 pandemic. Nanomedicines have high potential in the treatment of respiratory injuries. In this review, the pathology and clinical treatments of major respiratory injuries, acute lung injury, and acute respiratory distress syndrome are briefly summarized. The review primarily focuses on nanomedicines based on liposomes, solid lipid nanoparticles, polymeric nanoparticles, and inorganic nanoparticles, which are tested in preclinical models for the treatment of respiratory injuries. These nanomedicines are utilized to deliver a variety of therapeutic agents, including corticosteroids, statins, and nucleic acids. Furthermore, nanomedicines are also investigated for other respiratory diseases including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma. The promising preclinical results of various nanoformulations from these studies suggest the potential of nanomedicines for future clinical management of respiratory viral infections and diseases. © 2022 The Authors.
ABSTRACT
Objectives: To assess the impact of COVID-19 on health-related quality-of-life (HRQoL) of those who were pregnant or recently pregnant during the pandemic. Methods: Individuals who were pregnant any time since January 2020, the beginning of the pandemic, were invited to participate in an online, national US survey (EuroQol grant: 260-2020RA). Respondents were asked to self-report their experiences with COVID-19, to complete the EQ-5D-5L, and other measurements of HRQoL. To estimate the association between COVID-19 infection with the EQ-5D-5L outcomes, we used median regression for the EQ-5D utility and EQ-VAS scores, and ordinal logistic regressions for the EQ-5D-5L health items. Post-stratification weights were used to ensure representation by age, race and US census region. Results: Among pregnant or postpartum persons, the median EQ-5D-5L utility score was 0.87 and EQ-VAS was 0.80. The median EQ-5D-5L utility score increased by 0.0058 (95% CI 0.0026, 0.009) for each additional year of age of the respondent. We observed no change in EQ-5D-VAS utility measures by maternal age (ß= 0.00;95% CI -0.09, 0.09). On average, comparing Black pregnant persons to White, EQ-5D-5L utility values were 0.44 points lower, and EQ-5D-VAS scores were 0.31 points lower. Although median EQ-5D-5L utility values were similar for those with and without a diagnosis of COVID-19 (0.87 and 0.88), utility values declined by 0.022 (95% CI -0.040, -0.010) for each unit increase in perceived COVID-19 severity. Similar results were observed for the EQ-5D-VAS scores. When we evaluated EQ-5D-5L items individually, respondents diagnosed with COVID-19 reported more problems related to anxiety/depression compared with those who did not (OR 2.43;95% CI 1.35, 4.40). No other items were significantly associated with COVID-19. Conclusions: We observed lower HRQoL measures associated with severe COVID-19 infection during pregnancy. In particular, problems with anxiety and depression contributed most strongly to lowered HRQoL during pregnancy.
ABSTRACT
Objectives: To assess and compare the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on health-related quality-of-life (HRQoL) in the United States, Sweden and Norway. Methods: Two waves of web-based survey were conducted in April 2020 and January 2021 to collect demographic data, COVID-19 status, behavior and employment changes related to COVID-19 in each country (EuroQol Grant: 246-2020RA). EQ-5D-5L was used to assess health status of respondents. Results were compared between the two waves to measure changes in HRQoL. One-way ANOVA was used to detect significant differences between countries, and t-tests for differences between waves. Results: We collected 2,734, 1,003 and 1,020 responses in Wave 1, and 2,252, 1,013 and 1,011 responses in Wave 2 for the US, Sweden, and Norway respectively. Corresponding mean (SD) EQ-VAS scores were 74.6 (±19.2), 68.7 (±21.4), and 69.2 (±20.8) in Wave 1 (p<0.001), and 76.4 (±18.6), 68.2 (±20.3), and 67.8 (±21.7) in Wave 2 (p<0.001). Between waves, only the VAS scores in the US were significantly different (p<0.001). Mean (SD) utility scores were 0.822 (±0.222), 0.768 (±0.260), and 0.808 (±0.248) in wave 1 (p<0.001), and 0.823 (±0.221), 0.783 (±0.237), and 0.777 (±0.271) in wave 2 (p<0.001);there were no significant differences between waves for all three countries. Anxiety/depression was consistently the most problematic EQ-5D-5L subdomain among Swedish and Americans (>50%), followed by pain/discomfort. >45% Norwegians also reported problems in anxiety/depression subdomain in both waves. The proportions reporting problems in anxiety/depression increased in wave 2 for Sweden and Norway, but decreased for the US. Conclusions: Population HRQoL in Sweden and Norway has been similar throughout the pandemic, while a rebound in population mean VAS was observed in the US. However, the large proportions reporting problems in anxiety/depression across waves in all 3 countries indicates that mental health issues resulting from the pandemic are a major concern.