Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Gasoline and Natural Gas Prices in the Major Latin American Economies

This paper is aimed at evaluating the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, measured through the fatality index, on the gasoline and natural gas prices in the main Latin American economies: Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, Peru, Chile and Uruguay. These economies are not only the largest in the region, but also the most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Likewise, these countries have shown, in the last decades, a growing demand for gasoline and natural gas. This research uses several panel data models with weekly data (February 2020 - February 2021). Two-way random-effects panel data models suggest empirical evidence that mortality rate growth rates, for all sample countries, have negative effects only on gasoline price growth rates;without any effect on the price of gas. In this research, the exchange rate is used as a control variable due to its relationship with hydrocarbon prices. Data used in the analysis are official without considering the mortality excess by specific cause of COVID-19. This type of analysis in Latin America, as far as the authors know, is novel and contributes to the discussion of the conjuncture between the health crisis and its relationship with volatility of energy prices. ©2022 by authors, all rights reserved.

USING SWOT, CAME, AND QFD WITH ENGINEERING STUDENTS TO ANALYZE AND IMPROVE COVID-19 PRODUCTS AND SERVICES

Design engineering education should use real challenges with students to encourage their involvement and motivation.In the 2020-2021 academic year, in the subject of Design Methodology and Creativity, it was applied the techniques SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities y Threats), CAME (Correct, Confront, Maintain and Exploit) and QFD (Quality Function Deployment) to the analysis and improvement of products and services chosen by them and that were related to the global pandemic that is being suffered due to COVID-19. In this work, the topics proposed by the students as possible products or services related to COVID19 that are susceptible to improvement are analyzed. A total of 85 students (65% women, 35% men) chose up to a total of 19 different topics. The 5 winning themes were chosen from among more than 66% of the students, with the first theme, "facial protection" with different types of masks, the one that showed the most interest among the students (almost 30%). This way of working allows design engineering students to learn to use design analysis and improvement methodologies in a familiar environment, highlighting their importance of serving to combat the current pandemic. © 2022 by the authors. Licensee AEIPRO, Spain.

The economic performance of the EU fishing fleet during the COVID-19 pandemic

The COVID-19 outbreak and subsequent public health interventions have depressed demand and disrupted supply chains for many fishing businesses. This paper provides an analysis of the COVID-19 impacts on the profitability of the EU fishing fleets. Nowcasting techniques were used to estimate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the economic performance for the EU fishing fleet in 2020 and 2021. Our results show that the economic impact of COVID-19 on this sector was smaller than initially expected and overall profits remained positive. This was in part due to low fuel prices that reduced operating costs of fishing, and the early response from governments to support the sector. The results vary by fishing fleet, revealing that small-scale fleets and the fleets in the Mediterranean and Black seas have been more impacted than large-scale fleets and the fleets in the Northeast Atlantic. © G. Carpenter et al., Published by EDP Sciences 2023.

Recuperacion laboral, clinica y funcional a 3 meses del alta en pacientes hospitalizados por neumonia por SARSCoV2. Relacion con la terapia recibida

Introduction: The SARS-CoV 2 pandemic has brought a high burden of disease. Its long-term repercussions are still under investigation. The objective of this report was to evaluate the occupational, clinical, and functional respiratory recovery at 3 months of patients hospitalized for COVID-19, related to the ventilatory therapy received. Material(s) and Method(s): Prospective cohort of 116 patients from the Hospital Naval Almirante Nef de Vina del Mar, Chile, with clinical and functional respiratory follow-up at 3 months. Result(s): Median follow-up 100 days. 75 men, Median age 60 years, 50% obese, 34.5% smokers and 13.8% with respiratory comorbidity. 16% had undergo rehabilitation. Dyspnea in 73.7% and fatigue in 50%. Only 54.8% returned to work. 65% who used oxygen therapy (O2) returned to work compared to 44% who used HFNC and 33.3% IMV. Return to normal life achieved was greater in the O2 group compared with HFNC group and IMV group (71.4% versus 17.5% and 11.1%). Pulmonary function tests were normal in 39 patients (33.6%). Normal DLCO and normal distance walked in 6 minutes were higher in the group that return to work. The HNFC group had an OR of 5.9 of DLCO alterations, while VMI group had an OR of 3.6 in relation to the group that received O2. Discussion(s): This cohort repeats risk factors and persistence of symptoms described in literature. DLCO alteration was the most frequently founding and to a greater extent than other reports. Conclusion(s): At 3 months of follow-up, work absenteeism, persistence of symptoms and respiratory functional alteration were frequently evidenced, especially in those who received ventilatory support.

Advocating for individuals and communities

The role of advocating for individuals and communities not only includes advocating for the basic needs and resources of communities and entails conducting policy advocacy. This chapter provides two accounts of how CHWs provide advocacy and advocate for their profession. CHWs in Arizona advocated for their communities and their workforce on the state, local, and federal level to address the social determinants of health and structural issues such as poverty, unemployment, the built environment, and discrimination. The first team explores stories of CHWs who have advocated on multiple levels, including organizational and policy levels, and discusses the factors that support and hinder CHW advocacy efforts. The team describes how local and grassroots advocacy efforts ultimately helped to create a CHW workforce sustainability movement and support the statewide CHW professional association, Arizona Community Health Workers Association (AzCHOW), in advocating for voluntary certification on the state level. The second team provides timely information on how CHWs with Enlace Chicago advocated for their communities during COVID-19 to address social determinants of health, including poverty, unemployment, discrimination, and exploitation of worker rights, and provide basic needs. The CHW stories describe how advocacy efforts were instrumental in directing community members to food banks, personal protection equipment, sources of employment and workers' rights, and emergency rental assistance programs. These stories underscore how CHWs were often the only links connecting their community members to what they needed while facilitating the community's understanding to public health guidelines during COVID-19 and addressing mental health needs. © Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021.

Patients' referral through a Minor Ailment Service in community pharmacy

Introduction: Consultation of minor ailments and direct product request are frequent in community pharmacy in Spain, although every pharmacy offers the service following their own criteria. Standard Operational Procedures (SOP) and referral criteria agreed between community pharmacists (CPs) and general practitioners (GPs) are needed to deliver a safer service. Referral criteria set the limits of action for each healthcare professional (CPs and GPs) when managing patients. Following the positive findings of an impact study, a roll out was required to translate the evidence-based approach into usual practice. Objective(s): The aim was to characterise the referrals between CPs and GPs through a Minor Ailment Service (MAS, service offered in community pharmacy following the SOP). Method(s): A 12-month pragmatic study with hybrid effectiveness-implementation design was planned from October 2020 in Spain. The co-designed MAS service had several components: agreed SOP with GP scientific organisations, protocols for ailments divided into five groups (dermatological, digestive, related to pain, upper respiratory tract related and others) including referral criteria, information technology (IT) based consultation protocol and training before and during the study. Patients were followed up by pharmacists after ten days of the service. All data were collected through an IT system (SEFAC eXPERT) as a by-product of service delivery and implementation. Outcomes for the first fifteen months (up to December 2021) are shown. Result(s): 1246 pharmacists from 24 provinces in Spain were trained having a reach of 14083 consultations. 1858 (13.2%) patients were referred to the GP. 2193 referral criteria were detected, most patients referred had one single referral criteria (n = 965, 80.8%). Referral criteria detected were red flags such as temperature over 38degreeC, dyspnoea, etc. (n = 846, 39.5%);patients' age (n = 398, 18.6%), symptom duration (n = 361, 16.9%);patients' treatments for other health problems different than the minor ailment consulted (n = 263, 12.3%);other patients' health problems (n = 186, 8.7%) and others (n = 85, 4.0%). Minor ailments more frequently referred were joint pain (n = 190, 10.2%), cough (n = 106, 5.7%), dermatitis (n = 104, 5.6%) and heartburn (n = 63, 3.4%). Conclusion(s): High-risk patients (patients with symptoms/condition that do not appear to be minor ailments) can be assessed by CPs and referred to be evaluated and diagnosed by GPs. The use of co-designed management protocols strengthened the identification of red flags in patients suffering minor ailments to be referred when necessary. Joint pain and cough were two of the minor ailments more frequently referred, which could be a result of the study being undertaken during COVID19 pandemic. CPs can perform clinically, referring patients and acting as a triage point through MAS to increase patients' safety.

An analytics approach to health and healthcare in citizen science communications on Twitter

Background: Citizen science is a growing practice in which volunteers, including non-scientists, conduct or contribute to research by collecting and analyzing data. The increasing importance of citizen science in the last years has led to an increased interest in detecting how citizen science can contribute to scientific advancements in different areas. Recent research shows that citizen science has become a means of engagement between scientist and the public, encouraging scientific curiosity and promoting scientific knowledge. Methods: In this article, we report on how to apply computational analysis techniques to Twitter messages to reveal the impact of citizen science in health-related areas. The main objectives are (1) to characterize central topics of these discussions, and (2) to identify particularly important actors in these social media networks. Results: For the topics, our findings suggest that sustainable development goals, technologies and health, and COVID-19 are those most addressed by the users. Other topics represented in the data are cancer, public health, mental health, and health and well being of sea and earth living creatures related to sustainable development goals. Conclusion: Based on our results, those entities or actors who are most cited and retweeted are Twitter accounts of projects and not primarily individual professionals or citizen scientists. © The Author(s) 2023.

Lessons Learned from Substantive Process Teachings in Coping with COVID-19 from a Nursing Perspective

Introduction: Nurses play a critical role in times of pandemic because they bring knowledge, skills, and life experiences together with the healthcare team. Objective: To understand the experiences gained from the lessons learned from the substantive processes in dealing with COVID-19 in pediatric practice, from a nursing perspective. Methods: Transcendental phenomenological qualitative study, carried out at the Pediatric Hospital "Octavio de la Concepción", Holguín, Cuba, in the period from February to April 2021. The experiences of eight nurses, seven physicians, five medical students and five nursing students, selected by non-probabilistic sampling, were integrated. Information was obtained through semi-structured interviews. Three stages were used: descriptive (choice of technique, interview, and formulation of the description), structural (reading, determination of the central theme, expression in scientific language) and discussion (comparison of findings with those of other researchers) to understand differences and similarities. Results: Three categories emerged from the data analysis: a) Experiences acquired in the teachings in the COVID-19 in social processes. b) Experiences acquired in the teachings in the COVID-19 for health professionals. c) Experiences acquired in the teachings in the COVID-19 for personnel in training. Conclusions: The implementation of health and social support actions in accessibility to health systems was evidenced. The opportunity to share experiences with experts facilitated the design of protocols, continuous generation of scientific evidence and the training of students with alternative methods. © 2022, Editorial Ciencias Medicas. All rights reserved.

[Impact of COVID-19 pandemic confinement on musculoskeletal pain and quality of life]

INTRODUCTION: in March 2020, lockdown was established in Spain because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The aim of this study is to assess its impact on pain and quality of life in patients with musculoskeletal pain. MATERIAL AND METHODS: prospective study including 490 individuals grouped in: 140 people without pain, 140 people with musculoskeletal pain but without any related pathology diagnosed, 140 patients diagnosed for a musculoskeletal condition and 70 patients in surgical waiting list (SWL) for a musculoskeletal condition. Data regarding pain, physical activity and quality of life (EuroQol-5D) was collected at the beginning of lockdown and one year after (March 2021). RESULTS: mean age was 53 ± 17.5 years old (18-88) and 51.3% were women. Patients in SWL referred significantly more pain than the rest of groups (p < 0.001), with a score in the visual analogue scale of 6.3 ± 1.9. Groups 3 and 4 suffered a significant increase of their pain from 2020 to 2021 (p < 0.001), while decreasing in group 2 (p < 0.001). Analgesics intake grew from 2020 to 2021 (39.9% versus 44.3%, p = 0.007). 70.2% experienced a worsening of at least one dimension of EuroQol-5D over last year, with patients in SWL being the most affected (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: lockdown has caused in patients with musculoskeletal conditions a greater aggravation of pain and deterioration of quality of life than in the general population, especially in patients in SWL, translating in an increase in analgesics intake.

Impact of Covid-19 on students in high schools located in rural communities in México

The educational process shifted from schools to the home for Mexicans as a result of COVID-19. The objective was to analyze the economic, family and academic impact of COVID-19 among students from rural communities attending high school in Sinaloa. The methodology used for the study was the quantitative. The statistical sample size was 222 students from the Universidad Autónoma de Sinaloa, in México, who respond to an online questionnaire. The data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and correlational analysis. The results showed three types of problems: economic issues due to lack of income to buy the technological items required for online learning;family problems, specifically the lack of support provided by parents to help children with distance education;and academic difficulties, because there was little training provided to students on the use of technology. The authors concluded that COVID-19 caused difficulties and highlighted the existence of a digital divide, social inequality and educational lag. © Revista Latinoamericana de Ciencias Sociales. All rights reserved.

Association of the FVIII/DD and FvW/DD indices as an indicator of severity and mortality in patients with COVID-19

Background: There are different studies on severity and mortality indices, such as the neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLI), which has been relevant as a biomarker for mortality. However, indices where hemostatic factors are present, such as the FVIII/DD and FvW/ DD ratio, have not been established for mortality in the Mexican population. Aim(s): To determine whether the factor VIII and D-dimer (FVIII/DD) and the von Willebrand factor (VWF/DD) indices can be useful as markers of poor prognosis and mortality and to identify patients with a poor prognosis in cases of COVID-19 hospitalized from the National Institute of Respiratory Diseases. Method(s): A prospective, longitudinal study was carried out in which patients were admitted in the first 24 hours of hospitalization with a diagnosis of SARS-CoV- 2 infection with a test confirmed by PCR;In a period from March to November 2020, laboratory data were recorded to generate the FVIII/DD and FvW/DD indices, including clinical, epidemiological data and discharge status. Result(s): Data from 249 hospitalized patients with severe COVID-19 were analyzed. The clinical and laboratory characteristics are described in Table 1. The FVIIIDD24H and FVWDD24H indices were constructed by dividing each FVIII data by its corresponding DD data. and in the same way it was done with the VWF. The medians of these indices were then compared between the presence or absence of cyanosis, ventilatory status, and mortality. A value >115 was established as the cut-off point for the DD/FVIII and DD/FvW index to predict mortality, which are shown in Figure 1. Conclusion(s): Low FVIIIDD24H and FVWDD24H levels on admission were associated with cianosis, severe COVID-19 and mortality. Likewise, it was shown that the cut-off point < or equal to 115 is a prognostic factor for mortality in this cohort of patients hospitalized for covid-19. (Table Presented).

Usability and Effectiveness Evaluation of a Game-Based Biofeedback System to Strengthen Respiratory Muscles

The assessment and training of respiratory muscles are two essential tasks for indirect screening of status and improvement of lung function, respectively, especially in times of COVID-19. To perform both tasks, we have designed an innovative handheld mouth pressure biofeedback system for assessment and personalized game-based training of respiratory muscle strength. Thirty recovered COVID-19 patients were involved in an across-ages pilot study to evaluate their respiratory muscle strength and the system’s usability, and eight of the thirty patients were involved in a home inspiratory training program of 3 weeks to assess its effectiveness. Results revealed that participants rated the system’s overall usability as excellent (91.3 ± 6.4) and consistently performed respiratory cycles along with the game-based training program in terms of mouth pressure. Furthermore, patients involved in the home training program showed a 40% increase in their Maximal Inspiratory Pressure (Pimax). These results indicate that the proposed system stands for a proper healthcare solution for the initial diagnosis of respiratory muscle dysfunction or disease and for guiding the correct performance of tailored and consecutive threshold load breathing cycles playfully and engagingly. Furthermore, it stands for an attractive and personalized biofeedback solution to promote adherence to at-home therapy. Finally, it can be used to investigate new and effective training protocols that improve respiratory muscle performance. [ FROM AUTHOR]

Oral Presentation: Are COVID-19 Vaccines Safe in Children? Comparative Analysis of European Web-Based Prospective Monitoring vs. Pivotal Trials

Introduction: To date, only two COVID-19 vaccines, Comirnaty and Spikevax, have received an extension of indication of use by European Medicines Agency (EMA) in 5-17 years old children/ adolescents. Due to the small sample size of pivotal trials in pediatrics, real-world evidence on the safety of those vaccines in the pediatric population is urgently required. Objective(s): (i) To investigate the safety of COVID-19 vaccines by measuring frequencies of solicited and serious adverse events following immunization (AEFIs) with the first and the second doses of vaccines through active surveillance and, (ii) to compare the results with the published clinicaltrials in children and adolescents. Method(s): In 5-17 years old vaccinees, and up to April 21, 2022, we explored the COVID-19 vaccine safety using prospectively collected data from the ''Covid Vaccine Monitor'' (CVM) project [1]. CVM comprises several safety assessment approaches amongst which an active surveillance project of COVID-19 vaccines in Europe through web-based baseline + 6 follow-up questionnaires filled by vaccinees (or their parents). We measured the frequency of local/systemic solicited, and serious adverse reactions following COVID-19 vaccination (first and second doses). The results were compared with findings of pivotal trials in children/adolescents. Result(s): Overall, 1,033 children/adolescents (5-11 years old: 32.9%;12-17 years old: 67.1%) who received a first/second dose of vaccine (mostly Comirnaty: 98.2%) were enrolled in the study. Of them, only 658 (63.7 %) filled baseline and at least one follow-up questionnaire and were included in the CVM analysis. Overall, 293 (44.5%) reported at least one AEFI following first dose of COVID-19 vaccine, with injection site pain being the most frequently reported local solicited AEFI (N = 192;29.2%) in both age groups. Fatigue was the most frequently reported systemic solicited AEFIs (N = 106;16.1%) in both age groups, followed by myalgia (N = 90;13.7%) and headache (N = 84;12.8%). Similar trend was observed after administering the second dose of COVID-19 vaccine. Conclusion(s): This study confirmed safety profile of COVID-19 vaccines in the pediatric population as already documented in the pivotal trials, with a high frequency of local solicited adverse events and an extremely low rate of serious adverse events.

Oral Presentation: Are COVID-19 Vaccines Safe in Children? Comparative Analysis of European Web-Based Prospective Monitoring vs. Pivotal Trials: An International Journal of Medical Toxicology and Drug Experience

Introduction: To date, only two COVID-19 vaccines, Comirnaty and Spikevax, have received an extension of indication of use by European Medicines Agency (EMA) in 5-17 years old children/adolescents. Due to the small sample size of pivotal trials in pediatrics, real-world evidence on the safety of those vaccines in the pediatric population is urgently required. Objective: (i) To investigate the safety of COVID-19 vaccines by measuring frequencies of solicited and serious adverse events following immunization (AEFIs) with the first and the second doses of vaccines through active surveillance and, (ii) to compare the results with the published clinicaltrials in children and adolescents. Methods: In 5-17 years old vaccinees, and up to April 21, 2022, we explored the COVID-19 vaccine safety using prospectively collected data from the "Covid Vaccine Monitor" (CVM) project [1]. CVM comprises several safety assessment approaches amongst which an active surveillance project of COVID-19 vaccines in Europe through web-based baseline + 6 follow-up questionnaires filled by vaccinees (or their parents). We measured the frequency of local/systemic solicited, and serious adverse reactions following COVID-19 vaccination (first and second doses). The results were compared with findings of pivotal trials in children/adolescents. Results: Overall, 1,033 children/adolescents (5-11 years old: 32.9%;12-17 years old: 67.1%) who received a first/second dose of vaccine (mostly Comirnaty: 98.2%) were enrolled in the study. Of them, only 658 (63.7 %) filled baseline and at least one follow-up questionnaire and were included in the CVM analysis. Overall, 293 (44.5%) reported at least one AEFI following first dose of COVID-19 vaccine, with injection site pain being the most frequently reported local solicited AEFI (N = 192;29.2%) in both age groups. Fatigue was the most frequently reported systemic solicited AEFIs (N = 106;16.1%) in both age groups, followed by myalgia (N = 90;13.7%) and headache (N = 84;12.8%). Similar trend was observed after administering the second dose of COVID-19 vaccine. Conclusion: This study confirmed safety profile of COVID-19 vaccines in the pediatric population as already documented in the pivotal trials, with a high frequency of local solicited adverse events and an extremely low rate of serious adverse events.

Social Representation about Pediatric Hospital Services for Providing Care to Patients Suspected of COVID-19 from a Nursing Perspective

Introduction: The organization of pediatric services is essential in the current process of confronting the COVID-19 pandemic. Objective: To describe, from a nursing perspective, the social representation on management in the organization of pediatric hospital services for the care of patients suspected of COVID-19. Methods: A qualitative study of transcendental phenomenological methodological orientation was carried out at Octavio de la Concepción de la Pedraja Pediatric Hospital from Holguín, Cuba, between January and April 2021. The knowledge acquired from the experience of nurses, five supervisors, three area heads and eight ward chiefs, selected by nonprobabilistic sampling, was integrated. The following phases were used: descriptive, structural and discussion. The descriptive phase consisted of three stages: choice of technique, semistructured interview and elaboration of the description. The structural phase had the following stages: reading, determination of the central topic and expression in scientific language. In the results discussion phase, the results were related to the conclusions and findings of researchers to understand the possible differences or similarities for further enhancement. Results: Four categories emerged from the data analysis: design of nursing care protocols for COVID-19 positive and suspect patients;reorganization, recruitment and training of personnel;organization of working groups according to clinical picture and rapid test or PCR results;and general measures. Conclusions: The organization of nursing care services by groups avoided the collapse of the nursing human resource and guaranteed the availability of beds, as well as staff own safety and patient safety, to minimize in-hospital transmissibility. © 2022, Editorial Ciencias Medicas. All rights reserved.

[Dysnatremias and their association with morbidity and mortality in patients with COVID- 19]

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has provoked one of the greatest health crises of our time, which is why risk stratification at the time of hospitalization is essential to identify in good time patients with high morbidity and mortality risk. Dysnatremia as an independent predictor of mortality in patients with COVID-19 has recently become relevant. Objective: To find out if there is an association of dysnatremia with 28-day mortality, and as secondary objectives, its association with hospital stay, invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) requirement and presence of acute kidney injury (AKI) during hospital stay. Material and methods: Retrospective, descriptive and analytical cohort study. All consecutive patients of 16 years or older of any gender, admitted to a third level hospital from March 1, 2020 to March 2021, who have a diagnosis of COVID-19 with positive PCR were included. Results: The study included a total of 722 patients. The prevalence of dysnatremia was as follows: 18 patients presented hypernatremia (2.49%) and 153 hyponatremia (21.19%). The presence of hypernatremia once sodium was corrected for glucose was associated with higher mortality (p < 0.05, OR 3.446;95% CI 1.776-6.688), an increased probability of presenting AKI (p <0.05, OR 2.985;95% CI 1.718-5.184) and a greater requirement for IMV (p < 0.05, OR 1.945;95% CI 1.701-5.098). Conclusions: Hypernatremia was associated with higher mortality, higher risk of presenting AKI and the requirement for IMV during hospitalization.

Ibero-American consensus on learning outcomes for the acquisition of competencies by medical students through clinical simulation

OBJECTIVE: Our aim was to reach expert consensus on specific learning outcomes (LOs) that can be achieved through clinical simulation aimed at developing the cornpetencies that medical students need to be able to successfully manage patients and assume general clinical responsibilities. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The six-member scientific committee peer-reviewed Spanish reference documentation (in line with the Bologna Process) on required competencies in medical undergraduate students to select an initial set of 16 competencies that could feasibly be developed through simulation and a corresponding set of 75 LOs. Snowball sampling was used to identify candidates for an international panel of simulation experts. Applying a set of pre-defined criteria. 19 panelists from seven Spanish-speaking regions were recruited to participate in a modified two-round Delphi procedure based on electronic questionnaires and aimed at reaching formal consensus on appropriate LOs for simulated medical training. RESULTS: Final agreement between the panelists was high: no mean score fell below 7.26 of a maximum of 9, and all 75 LOs were agreed on. 74 in the first round and only one requiring the second round. The 16 LOs with mean scores in the top 25th percentile were selected as a set of core LOs to attain via simulation. CONCLUSIONS: This Ibero-American consensus on observable and measurable LOs. reflecting competencies that can feasibly be developed via clinical simulation. is a framework that aims at helping medical schools' plans and delivering specific kinds of undergraduate medical training through simulation. It is also proposed in a set of core LOs as a starting point for less experienced schools to design a simulated training program.