ABO -related D-dimer elevation and severity In SARS -cov2-infected Tunisian patients

Introduction : The blood group is an important biological parameter in the development of several infectious, bacterial or viral diseases. Many studies have shown that virus SARS-cov2 preferentially attaches to the epithelial cells of people with blood group A (affinity between protein S and antigen A). The main objective of the study was to find the relationship between blood group, D-dimer level and the severity of infection SARS-cov2. Patients and Methode: This is an exposure-non exposure descriptive study (SARS-cov2 infection+) of 133 Tunisian patients included consecutively between January and April 2021 at Rabta hospital. The patients were subdivided into groups according to the presence or absence of antigen A. The phenotype distribution of SARS-cov2 patients was compared with that of a control group of 2801 patients not affected by SARS-cov2 and with the blood group distribution of a blood donor population ( N = 3072). Results: During the study, 133 Tunisian patients were included. Group A (group A and AB) was present in 39.8% of patients ( N = 53) versus non-A group (group O and B) in 60.2%. The average D-dimer level was 7291.59 ng/ml in group A versus 3047.34 ng/ml in non-A group with a statistically significant difference ( p = 0). The rate of resuscitation was higher in group A (34.6%) versus non-A group (11.1%) with a statistically significant difference ( p = 0.02). The period of hospitalisation was longer in group A (average 15.06 days) versus non-A group (average 10.08 days) with a statistically significant difference ( p = 0.02). The blood type was not independently associated with the mortality rate. It was 19.2% in group A versus 13.9% for the NON-A group with a difference not statistically significant ( p = 0.5). Conclusion: This study suggests the ABO blood group could be one of the factors that play a role in determining SARScov2 susceptibility severity with more need for resuscitation and an increase in the period of hospitalisation. A large study would be interesting to confirm these results.

Dynamics of Botnet Propagation in Software Defined Networks using Epidemic Models

During COVID-19 the new normal became an increased reliance on remote connectivity, and that fact is far away to change any time soon. The increasing number of networked devices connected to the Internet is causing an exponential growth of botnets. Subsequently, the number of DDoS (Distributed Denial of Service) attacks registered around the world also increased, especially during the pandemic lockdown. Therefore, it is crucial to understand how botnets are formed and how bots propagate within networks. In particular, analytic modelling of the botnets epidemic process is an essential component for understanding DDoS attacks, and thus mitigate their impact. In this paper, we propose two analytic epidemic models;(i) the first one for enterprise Software Define Networks (SDN) based on the SEIRS (Susceptible - Exposed - Infected - Recovered) approach, while (ii) the second model is designed for service providers’SDN, and it is based on a novel extension of a SEIRS-SEIRS vector-borne approach. Both models illustrate how bots spread in different types of SDN networks. We found that bot infection behaves in a similar way to human epidemics, such as the novel COVID-19 outbreak. We present the calculation of the basic reproduction number Ro for both models and we test the system stability using the next generation matrix approach. We have validated the models using the final value theorem (FVT), with which we can determine the steady-state values that provide a better understanding of the propagation process. Author

IVF laboratory COVID-19 pandemic response plan: a roadmap. LID - 31

Background: The potential of COVID-19 severe pandemic necessitates the development of an organized and well-reasoned plan for the management of embryology/andrology laboratories while safeguarding the wellbeing of patients and IVF staff. Main body: A COVID-19 pandemic response plan was proposed for embryology and andrology laboratories for pre-pandemic preparedness and pandemic management in anticipation of a possible second coronavirus wave. Preparation involves many plans and logistics before a pandemic risk rises. Many operational changes can be considered during the pandemic. This plan includes logistical arrangements, reducing labor needs, conserving supplies, and protective measures for embryologists and gametes/embryos. Conclusion: The unpredictable emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic dictates the need for a preparedness plan for embryology/andrology laboratories, which includes an action-oriented plan to secure the safety of all stakeholders. FAU - Choucair, Fadi