Antiviral Activities of High Energy E-Beam Induced Copper Nanoparticles against H1N1 Influenza Virus.

The pandemic outbreak of COVID-19 in the year of 2020 that drastically changed everyone's life has raised the urgent and intense need for the development of more efficacious antiviral material. This study was designed to develop copper nanoparticles (Cu NPs) as an antiviral agent and to validate the antiviral activities of developed copper NP. The Cu NPs were synthesized using a high energy electron beam, and the characteristic morphologies and antiviral activities of Cu NPs were evaluated. We found that Cu NPs are of spherical shape and uniformly distributed, with a diameter of around 100 nm, as opposed to the irregular shape of commercially available copper microparticles (Cu MPs). An X-ray diffraction analysis showed the presence of Cu and no copper oxide II and I in the Cu NPs. A virus inactivation assay revealed no visible viral DNA after 10- and 30-min treatment of H1N1 virus with the Cu NPs. The infectivity of the Cu NPs-treated H1N1 virus significantly decreased compared with that of the Cu MPs-treated H1N1 virus. The viability of A549 bronchial and Madin-Darby Canine Kidney (MDCK) cells infected with Cu NPs-treated H1N1 was significantly higher than those infected with Cu MPs-treated H1N1 virus. We also found cells infected with Cu NPs-treated H1N1 virus exhibited a markedly decreased presence of virus nucleoprotein (NuP), an influenza virus-specific structural protein, compared with cells infected with Cu MPs-treated H1N1 virus. Taken together, our study shows that Cu NPs are a more effective and efficacious antiviral agent compared with Cu MPs and offer promising opportunities for the prevention of devastatingly infectious diseases.

Challenges for Children 65+ Caring for Parents 90+ With Dementia During COVID-19

With the rise of the novel coronavirus, family caregivers of persons with dementia have been tasked with adapting to an entirely new caregiving landscape. Adult children caring for parents in the ‘oldest old’ age group bear an additional burden. Namely, children that are older adults themselves are navigating the joint vulnerability of both their own and their parents’ aging-related issues (e.g., health problems). The aim of this study was to explore the experiences of dementia caregivers during COVID-19 from the unique perspective of children aged 65 and older caring for parents aged 90 and older. Participants were 30 caregivers from the Boston Aging Together Study with whom we conducted in-depth interviews between March 2020 and February 2021. Thematic analysis revealed key challenges related to COVID-19. Children were worried about the prospect of their parent contracting the virus and took steps to minimize their parent’s exposure, such as discontinuing use of formal supports (e.g., home health aides) or assistance from other family and friends. Forgoing these supports often created greater responsibilities for caregivers as well as contributed to greater social isolation for both child and parent. In situations where parents resided in institutional settings, children were often unable to provide necessary help and support to parents due to restrictions. Caregivers also faced difficulties due to their parent not understanding or practicing COVID-19 regulations and in utilizing alternative means of communication with their parent (e.g., video conferencing). Supports and services should be designed in light of the unique challenges of this group.

Could Japonica Rice Be an Alternative Variety for Increased Global Food Security and Climate Change Mitigation?

The growing importance of rice globally over the past three decades is evident in its strategic place in many countries' food security planning policies. Still, its cultivation emits substantial greenhouse gases (GHGs). The Indica and Japonica sub-species of Oryza sativa L. are mainly grown, with Indica holding the largest market share. The awareness, economics, and acceptability of Japonica rice in a food-insecure Indica rice-consuming population were surveyed. The impact of parboiling on Japonica rice was studied and the factors which most impacted stickiness were investigated through sensory and statistical analyses. A comparison of the growing climate and greenhouse gas emissions of Japonica and Indica rice was carried out by reviewing previous studies. Survey results indicated that non-adhesiveness and pleasant aroma were the most preferred properties. Parboiling treatment altered Japonica rice's physical and chemical properties, introducing gelatinization of starch and reducing adhesiveness while retaining micronutrient concentrations. Regions with high food insecurity and high consumption of Indica rice were found to have suitable climatic conditions for growing Japonica rice. Adopting the higher-yielding, nutritious Japonica rice whose cultivation emits less GHG in these regions could help strengthen food security while reducing GHGs in global rice cultivation.

Improving Care for Older Adults in China: Development of Long-Term Care Policy and System.

This special issue covers several important topics related to long-term care (LTC) systems and policy development in China. It provides a good contextual background on the development of the LTC system in China as well as the needs and preferences of LTC from family and older adults' perspectives. In addition, this issue covers the topic of evaluation of a recently developed long-term care nursing insurance and provides an example of family caregiving for persons with dementia within the Chinese context. The authors in this special issue also provided insights into the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on older adults' life and LTC quality, and explored potential strategies to handle the challenges during and post-pandemic.

Could we have prevented all this? A comparison of the British and South Korean primary dental care response to COVID-19.

To limit the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), Britain enforced a strict national lockdown, which is affecting the lives of millions, including dental professionals. As a result, all routine dental work has been suspended and general dental practitioners (GDPs) are inevitably faced with financial difficulties, as well as an impending strain on dental services once the lockdown is lifted. In contrast, South Korea (SK) has effectively managed to keep the virus at bay without a lockdown and continues to deliver routine dental care throughout this period. This article compares the current status of primary dental care in the UK and SK under COVID-19, in order to explore how the dental profession can better mitigate the repercussions of a future epidemic crisis.