ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has influenced hospital infection control practices. AIM: To evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) in intensive care units (ICUs). METHODS: A retrospective analysis using data from the Korean National Healthcare-Associated Infections Surveillance System was conducted. Comparisons between incidence rates and micro-organism distributions of bloodstream infection (BSI), central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSI), catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI), and ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) before and during the COVID-19 pandemic were performed according to hospital size. FINDINGS: The incidence rate of BSI significantly decreased during the COVID-19 pandemic compared to the pre-COVID-19 period (1.38 vs 1.23 per 10,000 patient-days, relative change -11.5%; P < 0.001). The incidence rate of VAP (1.03 vs 0.81 per 1000 device-days, relative change -21.4%; P < 0.001) significantly decreased during the COVID-19 pandemic compared to the pre-COVID-19 period, whereas rates of CLABSI (2.30 vs 2.23 per 1000 device-days; P = 0.19) and CAUTI (1.26 vs 1.26 per 1000 device-days; P = 0.99) were similar between the two periods. The rates of BSI and CLABSI significantly increased during the COVID-19 pandemic compared to the pre-COVID-19 period in large-sized hospitals, whereas these rates significantly decreased in small-to-medium-sized hospitals. The rates of CAUTI and VAP significantly decreased in small-sized hospitals. There were no significant changing trends in the rates of multidrug-resistant pathogens isolated from patients with HAI between the two periods. CONCLUSION: The incidence rates of BSI and VAP in ICUs decreased during the COVID-19 pandemic compared to the pre-COVID-19 period. This decrease was mainly seen in small-to-medium-sized hospitals.
ABSTRACT
Since the COVID-19 pandemic, online lectures are becoming more common in higher education. Specifically, asynchronous online classes have become increasingly popular because of their flexibility. Asynchronous online courses, however, may negatively impact students' academic performance and social development due to the diminished sense of social presence. To explore ways to enhance social presence among students in asynchronous online classes, this paper used a co-design methodology that involved 12 undergraduate students as primary stakeholders. As a result, we developed a design framework for designing in-class interaction to promote social presence in asynchronous online lectures. This framework consists of four high-level elements and sub-categories: interaction topic (direct or peripheral topics related to learning), interaction size (small or entire group), interaction mode (anonymity, synchronicity, instructor involvement), and interaction motivator (lightweightness and entertainment). Our design framework may serve as a guide to future technology for improving asynchronous online classes. © 2023 Owner/Author.
ABSTRACT
We investigated the impact of human activity during COVID-19 on the tropospheric nitrogen dioxide vertical column density (NO2 TropVCD) at three urban sites (Gwangju and Busan in Korea and Yokosuka in Japan) and one remote site (Cape Hedo in Japan) from Multi-Axis Differential Optical Absorption Spectroscopy (MAX-DOAS) and Pandora. Compared to the monthly mean NO2 TropVCD from 2015 to 2018 and in 2019, the values were lower in 2020 due to social distancing in Korea and Japan. High negative relative changes were observed from May to September (-30% to -18%) at the three urban sites;Cape Hedo, a remote site, did not show a significant difference in relative changes between previous years and 2020, suggesting that only anthropogenic emission sources decreased dramatically. In the case of Yokosuka, the 15-day moving average of the NO2 TropVCD exhibited a good relationship with transportation (R = 0.48) and industry (R = 0.54) mobility data. In contrast, the NO2 TropVCD at the Korean sites showed a moderate to low correlation with the industrial sector and insignificant correlations with transportation. The differences in correlations might be caused by the different social distancing policies in Korea (voluntary) and Japan (mandatory). By applying generalized boosted models to exclude meteorological and seasonal effects associated with NO2 TropVCD variations, we revealed that the decreasing trend from 2019 to 2020 was much steeper than that from 2015 to 2020 (a factor of two), and a significant change was identified in January 2020, when the first cases of COVID-19 were observed in both Korea and Japan. This result confirmed that the reduction in NO2 can be largely explained by the NOx emission reduction resulting from social distancing for COVID-19 rather than annual meteorological differences;however, in December 2020, NO2 recovered suddenly to its previous level due to an increase in human activities.
ABSTRACT
Purpose: As university faculty faced new challenges, such as rapid digital social and the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) response, this study aimed to identify the daily changes in the interaction between the faculty and the organizational environment (colleague, policy and new issue) by exploring their recent dynamic educational efforts and the professional development. Design/methodology/approach: This is a study wherein perceptions of 20 faculty from 15 universities and colleges were collected through in-depth online interviews. The authors analyzed interview data by arranging and visualizing the analyzed data using network clustering. Further, they applied the Latent Dirichlet allocation of the topic modeling to monitor the appropriate number of clusters, ultimately determined as four clusters using partial clustering. Findings: The results showed that university faculty spontaneously tried to solve the problems through informal learning while the commitment to peer learning was deepening, reflecting the collectivist orientation nature of Chinese culture. Besides, the faculty also required support to reflect on their daily efforts for professional development. These results about their various learning routines prove the justification for the faculty's professional development to be discussed from the "learning by doing” perspective of lifelong learning. Originality/value: This study proved the significance of informal learning for university faculty's professional development and the reasonable value of peer learning, and provided insights into how the Chinese context may influence university faculty's informal learning experience. © 2023, Emerald Publishing Limited.
ABSTRACT
This study focused on the impacts of COVID-19 on SDG4 to resolve inequality through education and explored UNESCO's educational practices. We used text mining to analyze strategic and crisis-related reports published by UNESCO from 2003 to 2021 and LDA topic modeling analysis was used to determine their latent contexts. Two topics related to education strategies were 'sustainable development' and 'system and organization'. According to the themes, non-formal, formal and informal learning and skills and TVET topics were derived for lifelong learning, school and teacher, emergency and peace, policy and framework in the theme of crisis and conflict. Finally, latent topics during each MDGs, SDGs and COVID-19 period showed insignificant changes. However, compared to before the 2014 MDGs, strategic discourses tended to be discussed in detail. Moreover, we noted the change in global discourse from globalization to digital innovation. After the pandemic, the international community has emphasized the role of teachers and improved internet access for interaction. Such recommendations were intended to bridge the gap between countries including developing countries. As an alternative, UNESCO has suggested various partnership practices but there are nevertheless limitations that cannot be solved through a partnership or educational support. Therefore, reaching SDG4 requires global efforts to change the world by coordinating specific target countries and various social factors surrounding the countries' interior and exterior. © 2023 by the authors.
ABSTRACT
An accurate, convenient, and rapid diagnostic platform, which can be applied in facility-limited or point-of-care (POC) settings, is essential to help prevent the spread of infectious diseases and enable the most effective treatment to be selected. In this study, we describe the development of a new isothermal molecular diagnostic system named multipurpose advanced split T7 promoter-based transcription amplification (MASTER) for the rapid and ultrasensitive detection of various pathogens containing single-stranded RNA and double-stranded DNA. MASTER produces a large number of RNA amplicons in the presence of target pathogens, which generate fluorescence or colorimetric signals based on light-up RNA aptamers or lateral flow assays. Implementing MASTER at 37 °C for<1 h achieved the detection of a single copy per reaction without cross-reactivity. Moreover, the testing of 40 clinical samples revealed that MASTER exhibited excellent accuracy with 100% sensitivity and specificity for SARS-CoV-2 diagnosis. Furthermore, a one-pot MASTER system capable of accelerating practical applications was demonstrated, indicating that the MASTER system is a promising platform for the effective surveillance of various pathogens. © 2023 Elsevier B.V.
ABSTRACT
The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a significant increase in the demand for counterfeit luxury products, and the black market is expected to grow continuously in the post pandemic era. The present research aimed to examine how verbal and visual aspects of anti-counterfeiting advertising affect the purchase of counterfeit luxury brands. For the verbal element, we included two types of anti-counterfeiting messages: value-expressive and social-adjustive. For the visual element, two modes of visual presentation were compared;participants were presented either with images of counterfeit products only, or with images of both counterfeit and genuine products. The results from two experiments demonstrated that both variables interacted with consumers' self-construal in determining the effects of anti-counterfeiting advertising. Participants with independent self-construal expressed a lower intention to purchase counterfeit luxury products when a value-expressive message was used or when only an image of the counterfeit was included. In contrast, participants with interdependent self-construal exhibited a lower purchase intention when a social-adjustive message was utilized or when images of both the counterfeit and authentic brands were presented side-by-side. Moreover, anti-counterfeiting messages influenced participants' purchase intentions through the perceptions of social-adjustive and value-expressive benefits, whereas the effect of presentation mode was mediated by the fluency experienced by the participants when processing the advertisement. Our research findings contribute theoretically to the literature on social motives, evaluation mode, comparative advertising, and self-construal, and will assist practitioners in developing effective communication strategies to reduce the consumption of counterfeit luxury brands. © 2023 Elsevier Ltd
ABSTRACT
Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the changes that occurred in journal and article publishing during the noncontact period that started in 2020 due to COVID-19. Methods: The integrated journal list in Journal Citation Reports (JCR) 2017–2021 and the search results of Web of Science were analyzed using pivot tables in Microsoft Excel. The articles, citations, impact factor (IF), publishers, open access (OA) status, and compound annual growth rate (CAGR) were investigated using the data. Results: The CAGRs of articles, citations, and IFs in JCR journals increased throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Moreover, the increase in OA articles was accompanied by a decreasing share of subscription articles. The top 20 journals in JCR-SCIE (Science Citation Index Expanded), based on the number of articles, accepted OA policies and showed a strong influence, accounting for 7% to 9% of all articles. MDPI and Frontiers were OA publishers included among the top 10 publishers. Large publishers maintained their competitiveness through mergers and acquisitions with OA publishers. Due to the rapid distribution of OA and early access articles as part of the international response to overcome COVID-19, the CAGRs of citations and IFs increased more than that of articles, and the publication and use of journal articles have become more active. Conclusion: The publication and use trends in JCR journals analyzed herein will provide useful information for researchers' selection of journals for article submission, analyses of research performance, and libraries' journal subscription contracts. © 2023 Korean Council of Science Editors
ABSTRACT
Purpose: This study aims to explore how the "new normal” induces the dynamics in the asymmetric relationship between service quality attributes and customer satisfaction. Design/methodology/approach: This study analyzes online reviews for hotels in New York City. The authors use multi-attribute models to examine how a situational factor – the COVID-19 outbreak – creates dynamics in the asymmetric effect of service quality attributes on customer satisfaction. Then, the authors examine the change in these dynamics over time after adjusting to the "new normal.” Findings: The COVID-19 pandemic has introduced dynamics into the asymmetrical relationship between hotel service attribute performances and customer satisfaction. The pandemic magnified the asymmetric influences of particular attributes on satisfaction in the hospitality industry. In addition, the findings indicate the changes in such dynamics over time. Practical implications: The findings emphasize that hotel managers should consider situational factors when understanding customer satisfaction. Particularly, this study suggests developing tailored strategies for responses during the COVID-19 pandemic. Hotel managers need to address changing customer expectations of service attributes to overcome unprecedented difficulties because of the limitations and new needs imposed during the pandemic. Originality/value: This study contributes to the hospitality literature with an understanding of the significance of situational factors in asymmetric analysis. © 2023, Emerald Publishing Limited.
ABSTRACT
The global COVID-19 outbreak has led to significant challenges for supply chain management, while insights on how to configure the supply chain network to respond to this crisis are limited. Therefore, the present research extends the understanding of supply chain resilience by investigating whether supply chain concentration has influenced the shock of COVID-19 on firm performance. This study assesses four sub-dimensions of supply chain concentration: supplier, customer, product, and region. Based on a large-scale sample of Chinese listed manufacturing firms, we employed a difference-in-difference approach to investigate whether supply chain concentration ameliorated or exacerbated the shock of COVID-19. The results indicate that treatment groups (firms with lower supplier, customer, product, and region concentration) have experienced a considerably more significant performance deterioration than control firms. Overall, this study paves the way for future research and offers vital insights into the redesign of supply chains in response to COVID-19 and similar crises. © 2023 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.
ABSTRACT
The outbreak of COVID-19 has become a public health emergency of international concern;thus, it is important to not only develop drugs for treating COVID-19 but also develop a method for evaluating the therapeutic effect based on the characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 and its variants. To test the antiviral activity of a drug against COVID-19, in this study, we established and compared experimental conditions, such as the treatment time and mode of action (dose) of the therapeutic substance, and a test method to evaluate its effectiveness. We optimized an assay for testing antiviral activity by plaque reduction, tissue culture infectious dose 50, and quantitative RT-PCR. These methods were applied to test the antiviral efficacy of the therapeutic against SARS-CoV-2. Antiviral activity testing using in vitro assays against SARS-CoV-2 and its variants was assessed by measuring plaque-reducing or cytopathic effects in Vero-E6 cells. The in vitro assay was validated by evaluating the antiviral activity of remdesivir. Remdesivir reduced SARS-CoV-2 titer without detectable cytotoxicity and successfully inhibited viral replication in a dose-dependent manner. Therefore, we suggest this in vitro assay as an effective method for testing the antiviral activity for a potential repurposed drug against COVID-19 or rapid screening of therapeutic candidates. Copyright © 2022 Journal of Bacteriology and Virology.
ABSTRACT
Background. Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has influenced hospital infection control practices. We evaluated the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) in the intensive care unit. Methods. We conducted a retrospective analysis using data from the Korean National Healthcare-Associated Infections Surveillance System (KONIS). KONIS has conducted nationwide prospective surveillance of HAIs in intensive care units. Comparisons of incidence rates of bloodstream infection (BSI), central lineassociated bloodstream infection (CLABSI), catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI), and ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) before (Jan 2018-Dec 2019) and during the COVID-19 pandemic (Jan 2020-Jun 2021) were performed according to hospital size. The microorganism distributions in BSI, urinary tract infection, and pneumonia were compared between the period before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Results. The incidence rate of BSI significantly decreased during the COVID-19 pandemic than in the pre-COVID-19 period (1.38 vs. 1.19 per 10,000 patient-days;P < 0.001) [Table 1]. Incidence rates of CLABSI (2.30 vs. 2.17 per 1,000 device-days;P = 0.03) and VAP (1.03 vs. 0.81 per 1,000 device-days;P < 0.001) decreased significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic than in the pre-COVID-19 period, whereas that rate of CAUTI was similar between the two periods. The annual trends of incidence rate of CLABSI and VAP also has decreased (Figure 1). According to the hospital size, the incidence rate per 1,000 device-days of CLABSI significantly decreased during the COVID-19 pandemic than in the pre-COVID-19 period in small to medium-sized hospitals (300-699 beds). The incidence rate per 1,000 device-days of VAP significantly decreased only in small-sized hospitals (200-449 beds). The microorganism distributions in HAIs did not change significantly. Conclusion. The incidence rates of CLABSI and VAP decreased during the COVID-19 pandemic than in the pre-COVID-19 period, which was attributable to the changes in small to medium-sized hospitals. (Figure Presented).
ABSTRACT
Background: Treatment (tx) options are limited for pts with EGFR-mutated (mut) mNSCLC who experience disease progression following EGFR TKIs. CheckMate 722 (NCT02864251) is a randomized, open-label, phase 3 study of NIVO + chemo vs chemo in pts with EGFR-mut mNSCLC after progression on EGFR TKIs. Method(s): Pts with EGFR-mut mNSCLC (including uncommon mutations) with disease progression on 1 or 2 prior lines of EGFR TKI tx (including 1st or 2nd generation TKI for those with no T790M mutation and/or osimertinib regardless of T790M mutation) were stratified by tumor PD-L1, presence of brain metastases, smoking history, and prior osimertinib. Pts were randomized 1:1 to receive NIVO 360 mg Q3W + chemo (platinum + pemetrexed) Q3W or chemo for <= 4 cycles;pts without progression received NIVO + pemetrexed or pemetrexed, respectively, until disease progression, unacceptable toxicity or <= 2 y for NIVO. Primary endpoint: PFS. Secondary endpoints: OS, ORR, DOR, and 9- and 12-mo PFS rates. Result(s): In all, 294 pts were randomized;baseline characteristics were well balanced between treatment arms. At final analysis (minimum follow-up: 18.2 mo), there was no statistically significant improvement in PFS with NIVO + chemo vs chemo (HR [95% CI]: 0.75 [0.56-1.00];P = 0.053). No difference in PFS was seen between treatment arms across most subgroups except in pts with sensitizing EGFR mutations (n = 269) and 1 prior line of EGFR TKI tx (n = 248);HR (95% CI) was 0.72 (0.54-0.97) for both. Other efficacy results are presented (Table). Grade 3-4 treatment-related AEs occurred in 45% (NIVO + chemo) vs 29% (chemo) of pts. [Formula presented] Conclusion(s): NIVO + chemo did not show statistically significant improvement in PFS in pts with EGFR-mut mNSCLC after progression on EGFR TKIs;however, a trend of benefit was seen in pts with sensitizing EGFR mutations and in those with 1 prior line of EGFR TKI tx. No new safety signals were identified. Clinical trial identification: NCT02864251. Editorial acknowledgement: All authors contributed to and approved the ;writing and editorial assistance were provided by Thai Cao, MS, of Envision Pharma Group, funded by Bristol Myers Squibb. Legal entity responsible for the study: Bristol Myers Squibb (Princeton, NJ). Funding(s): Bristol Myers Squibb (Princeton, NJ) and Ono Pharmaceutical Company Ltd. (Osaka, Japan). Disclosure: T.S.K. Mok: Financial Interests, Personal, Invited Speaker: AbbVie, ACEA Pharma, Alpha Biopharma, Amgen, Amoy Diagnostics, BeiGene, Boehringer Ingelheim, Bristol Myers Squibb, Eli Lilly, Daiichi Sankyo, Fishawack Facilitate, InMed Medical Communication, Lunit USA, Inc., Merck Serono, MSD, Roche, MD Health, Medscape/WebMD, PeerVoice, Permanyer SL, Prime Oncology, Research to Practice, Touch Medical Media, Sanofi-Aventis, Takeda, PER, Daz Group, Janssen Pharmaceutical NV, Jiahui Holdings Co., LiangYiHui Healthcare, Lucence Health Inc., Merck Pharmaceuticals HK Ltd, MiRXES, Novartis, OrigiMed Co. Ltd., Pfizer, Shanghai BeBirds Translation & Consulting Co., Ltd., Taiho Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd, AstraZeneca;Financial Interests, Personal, Advisory Board: AbbVie, ACEA Pharma, Alpha Biopharma, Amgen, Amoy Diagnostics, BeiGene, Boehringer Ingelheim, Bristol Myers Squibb, Eli Lilly, Blueprint Medicines, Berry Oncology, CStone Pharma, Daiichi Sankyo, Fishawack Facilitate, Eisai, Gritstone Oncology, Guardant Health, G1 Therapeutics, Hengrui, Ignyta, IQVIA, Incyte Corporation, Inivata, Janssen, Loxo Oncology, Qiming Dev., Lunit USA, Inc., Merck Serono, MSD, Roche, Mirati Therapeutics, MoreHealth, Novartis, OrigiMed, Puma Tech., Sanofi-Aventis, Takeda, Virtus Medical, Yuhan, Curio Science, Bayer Healthcare Pharmaceuticals Ltd., Covidien LP, C4 Therapeutics, Cirina Ltd., Da Volterrra, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd / Genentech, Gilead Sciences, Lucence Health Inc., Medscape LLC / WebMD, MiRXES, OSE Immunotherapeutics, Pfizer, SFJ Pharmaceutical Ltd., Synergy Research, Tigermed, Vertex Pharmaceuticals, Berry Oncology, D3 Bio Ltd., Lakeshore Biotech;Financial In erests, Personal, Invited Speaker, Former known as Hutchison Chi-Med: HutchMed;Financial Interests, Personal, Officer, Chairman: ACT Genomics-Sanomics Group;Financial Interests, Personal, Stocks/Shares: Sanomics Ltd., Biolidics Ltd., Aurora Tele-Oncology, AstraZeneca;Financial Interests, Personal, Stocks/Shares, Former known as Hutchison Chi-Med: HutchMed;Financial Interests, Institutional, Funding, For clinical trials performed at CUHK: AstraZeneca, BMS, Merck Serono, MSD, Novartis, Pfizer, Roche, SFJ Pharmaceuticals, XCovery, Takeda, G1 Therapeutics, Clovis Oncology;Non-Financial Interests, Personal, Advisory Role: geneDecode;Non-Financial Interests, Personal, Other, Invited Speaker: AstraZeneca, Aurora Tele-Oncology, Lunit USA, Inc., Sanomics Ltd.;Non-Financial Interests, Personal, Leadership Role, Term ended on 30 June 2022: American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO);Non-Financial Interests, Personal, Leadership Role: Asian Thoracic Oncology Research Group (ATORG), Chinese Lung Cancer Research Foundation Limited (CLCRF), Hong Kong Cancer Fund (HKCF), Hong Kong Cancer Therapy Society (HKCTS), St. Stephen's College & Prep. School (Hong Kong);Non-Financial Interests, Personal, Leadership Role, Term ended: Chinese Society of Clinical Oncology (CSCO);Non-Financial Interests, Personal, Leadership Role, Term ended on 30 April 2019: International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC). K. Nakagawa: Financial Interests, Personal, Invited Speaker: Ono Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Eli Lilly Japan K.K., Amgen Inc., Nippon Kayaku Co., Ltd., AstraZeneca K.K., Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., MSD K.K., Pfizer Japan Inc., Nippon Boehringer Ingelheim Co., Ltd., Taiho Pharmaceutical Co.,Ltd., Bayer Yakuhin, Ltd., CMIC ShiftZero K.K., Life Technologies Japan Ltd., Neo Communication, Merck Biopharma Co., Ltd., Kyowa Kirin Co., Ltd., Takeda Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., 3H Clinical Trial Inc., Care Net, Inc., Medical Review Co., Ltd., Medical Mobile Communications co., Ltd, YODOSHA CO., LTD., Nikkei Business Publications, Inc., Japan Clinical Research Operations, CMIC Co., Ltd., Novartis Pharma K.K., TAIYO Pharma Co., Ltd.;Financial Interests, Personal, Advisory Board: Ono Pharmaceutical Co.,Ltd., Eli Lilly Japan K.K.;Financial Interests, Institutional, Other, patents sales fee: Daiichi Sankyo Co., Ltd.;Financial Interests, Institutional, Research Grant: PAREXEL International Corp., PRA HEALTHSCIENCES, EPS Corporation., Kissei Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., EPS International Co.,Ltd,., Daiichi Sankyo Co., Ltd., Taiho Pharmaceutical Co.,Ltd., MSD K.K., Ono Pharmaceutical Co.,Ltd., PPD-SNBL K.K, SymBio Pharmaceuticals Limited., IQVIA Services JAPAN K.K., SYNEOS HEALTH CLINICAL K.K., Nippon Kayaku Co.,Ltd., EP-CRSU Co., Ltd., Mebix, Inc., Bristol Myers Squibb K.K., Janssen Pharmaceutical K.K., Eisai Co., Ltd., AstraZeneca K.K., Mochida Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Covance Japan Inc., Japan Clinical Research Operations, Takeda Pharmaceutical Co.,Ltd., GlaxoSmithKline K.K., Sanofi K.K., Chugai Pharmaceutical Co.,Ltd., Nippon Boehringer Ingelheim Co.,Ltd., Sysmex Corporation, Medical Reserch Support, Eli Lilly Japan K.K., Amgen Inc., Novartis Pharma K.K., Novartis Pharma K.K., SRL, Inc. K. Park: Financial Interests, Personal, Advisory Board: JNJ, Astra Zeneca, Daiichi Sankyo, BMS, Takeda;Financial Interests, Personal, Invited Speaker: Boehringer Ingelheim;Financial Interests, Personal, Other, DMC member: BeiGene, Incyte;Financial Interests, Personal, Other, Advisor/Consultant: Genius, IMBdx;Financial Interests, Institutional, Research Grant: AstraZeneca, MSD. Y. Ohe: Financial Interests, Personal, Invited Speaker: AstraZeneca, Chugai, ONO, BMS, Eli Lilly, Boehringer Ingelheim, Takeda, MSD, Novartis;Financial Interests, Personal, Advisory Board: AstraZeneca, BMS, Celltrion, Amgen, Nippon Kayaku, Takeda, Pfizer, ONO, Janssen, AnHeart Therapeutics Inc;Financial Interests, Institutional, Invited Speaker: AstraZeneca, Eli Lilly, Janssen, Amgen;Financial Interests, Personal and Institutional, Invited Speaker: Takeda, ONO;Non-Financ al Interests, Personal, Leadership Role: JSMO, JLCS, JCOG;Non-Financial Interests, Personal, Member: ASCO. N. Girard: Financial Interests, Personal, Invited Speaker: AstraZeneca, BMS, MSD, Roche, Pfizer, Mirati, Amgen, Novartis, Sanofi;Financial Interests, Personal, Advisory Board: AstraZeneca, BMS, MSD, Roche, Pfizer, Janssen, Boehringer, Novartis, Sanofi, AbbVie, Amgen, Lilly, Grunenthal, Takeda, Owkin;Financial Interests, Institutional, Research Grant, Local: Roche, Sivan, Janssen;Financial Interests, Institutional, Funding: BMS;Non-Financial Interests, Personal, Officer, International Thymic malignancy interest group, president: ITMIG;Other, Personal, Other, Family member is an employee: AstraZeneca. Y. Wu: Financial Interests, Personal, Invited Speaker: AstraZeneca, BMS, Boehringer Ingelheim, Eli Lilly, Hengrui, Merk, MSD, Pfizer, Roche, Sanofi, AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim, BMS, Hengrui, Merk, MSD, Pfizer, Roche, Sanofi, Yunhan, Eli Lilly;Financial Interests, Personal, Advisory Board: AstraZeneca, MSD, Takeda;Non-Financial Interests, Personal, Leadership Role: Chinese Thoracic Oncology Group (CTONG);Non-Financial Interests, Personal, Other, WCLC 2020 Conference Chair: IASLC;Non-Financial Interests, Personal, Leadership Role, Past President: Chinese Society of Clinical Oncology (CSCO). J.F. Gainor: Financial Interests, Personal, Advisory Board: Bristol Myers Squibb, Merck, Genentech/Roche, Takeda, Lilly, Moderna, AstraZeneca, Pfizer, Novartis, iTeos, Karyopharm, Silverback Therapeutics, GlydeBio, BeiGene;Financial Interests, Personal, Stocks/Shares, Immediate family member is an employee. Note: Ironwood Pharmaceuticals is not involved in any oncology drug development. It is focused on gastroenterology.: Ironwood Pharmaceuticals;Financial Interests, Personal and Institutional, InvitedSpeaker: Novartis;Financial Interests, Institutional, Invited Speaker: Genentech, Bristol Myers Squibb, Merck, AstraZeneca, Moderna, Jounce, Alexo. X. Zhang: Financial Interests, Personal, Full or part-time Employment: Bristol Myers Squibb;Financial Interests, Personal, Stocks/Shares: Bristol Myers Squibb. J. Sylvester: Financial Interests, Personal, Full or part-time Employment: Bristol Myers Squibb;Financial Interests, Personal, Stocks/Shares: Bristol Myers Squibb. S. Li: Financial Interests, Personal, Full or part-time Employment: Bristol Myers Squibb;Financial Interests, Personal, Stocks/Shares: Bristol Myers Squibb. J.C. Yang: Financial Interests, Institutional, Advisory Board: Astrazeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim, Daiichi Sankyo, Amgen, Novartis, Bayer, GSK, Takeda Oncology, Puma Pharmaceuticals, Ono Pharmaceuticals, Merck Serono, MSD, Pfizer, Eli Lilly, Roche/Genentech, Janssen;Financial Interests, Institutional, Invited Speaker: Astrazeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim, Novartis, Astrazeneca, MSD, Ipsen, Takeda Oncology;Financial Interests, Personal, Advisory Board: Yuhan Pharmaceuticals;Financial Interests, Personal, Invited Speaker: Dizal Pharmaceutical, Novartis, Numab, Merck, Daiichi Sankyo, Eli Lilly, Bayer, Janssen;Non-Financial Interests, Personal, Leadership Role, Board of Director: IASLC;Non-Financial Interests, Personal, Member: ASCO. All other authors have declared no conflicts of interest. Copyright © 2022
ABSTRACT
Use of digital technologies for management of COVID-19 pandemic was widely observed across the globe. However, building resilient digital systems to better manage the pandemic based on country contexts was a challenge. The objective of this study is to identify socio-technical determinants of building resilient digital technologies based on a comparative study or three countries. Case study method was utilized with qualitative data collection methods to identify thematic areas for comparison. The study revealed that resilient digital pandemic responses will rely on a plurality of technologies, and on agility, flexibility and capacity in producing these solutions. © 2022, IFIP International Federation for Information Processing.
ABSTRACT
A correlation between COVID-19 and Alzheimer's disease (AD) has been proposed recently. Although the number of case reports on neuroinflammation in COVID-19 patients has increased, studies of SARSCoV- 2 neurotrophic pathology using brain organoids have restricted recapitulation of those phenotypes due to insufficiency of immune cells and absence of vasculature. To overcome these limitations, we developed fused cortical-blood vessel organoids to provide blood vessels to brain organoids and obtained the characteristics of increased expression of glial cells and blood-brain barrier-like structures in brain organoids. Furthermore, we observed AD pathologies, including Abeta plaques, which were affected by the inflammatory response from SARS-CoV-2 infection. These findings provide an advanced platform to investigate human neurotrophic diseases, including COVID-19, and suggest that neuroinflammation caused by viral infection facilitates AD pathology.
ABSTRACT
Purpose: The purpose of this study was to obtain a deep understanding of experiences of stigma among people infected with COVID-19 in South Korea. Methods: Data were collected through in-depth interviews from March 2021 to November 2021 with nine people who had been infected with COVID-19. The data were analyzed using Colaizzi's phenomenological method. Results: Six theme clusters emerged from participants' stigma experiences: “I've become the coronavirus itself”, “a desperate defense to protect myself”, “pointing a finger at oneself”, “a scapegoat for the public interest”, “the aftereffects caused by social prejudice” and “an isolated loner”. Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that people infected with COVID-19 suffered considerable emotional distress and were hindered in their daily life recovery due to stigma. Based on this study, medical staff who treat patients infected with COVID-19 should understand their stigma in depth and strive to develop and implement the necessary instruments and nursing intervention programs to reduce this stigma. © 2022 Korean Academy of Fundamentals of Nursing.
ABSTRACT
Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has affected more than 249 million people worldwide as of November 2021. Patients with chronic immune-mediated inflammatory diseases are at risk of viral infections either related to their underlying immune dysfunction or the immunosuppressive therapy, but little is known about the impact of COVID19 on outcomes and management of pancreatobiliary IgG4 related disease (IgG4 RD) patients. Methods: This was a multicenter retrospective cohort study aiming to investigate the impact of COVID-19 on the clinical outcomes and management of pancreatobiliary IgG4 RD patients in different geographic areas with COVID-19 outbreak. Pancreatobiliary IgG4 RD patients aged 18 years or older from 7 referral centers in Hong Kong, Japan, Thailand, Singapore, the United States and Italy were included. Case definition of IgG4 RD: elevated serum IgG4 serology with typical features of pancreatobiliary involvement on imaging, EUS, ERCP and/ or typical histopathologic features of IgG4 RD. Medical records were reviewed for IgG4 RD status (organ involvement, disease activity, treatment status), COVID-19 infection and outcome. Outcome measures were incidence and severity of COVID-19 in pancreatobiliary IgG4 RD patients, medical treatment for the IgG4 disease during COVID-19 and incidence of postponement or discontinuation of indicated medical treatment for IgG4 RD during COVID-19. Results: 101 pancreatobiliary IgG4 RD patients (mean age 66.4 +/- 12.1 years, male 74.3%) from 7 referral centers were included from January 2020 to November 2020. Major comorbidities of patients: none in 21.8%, diabetes in 45.5%, hypertension in 49.5%, ischemic heart disease in 8.9%, chronic liver disease in 8.9%, chronic kidney disease in 9.9% and cancer in 5.0% of patients. IgG4 RD organ involvement: pancreas only in 36.6%, pancreas and bile duct in 16.8%, bile duct only in 14.9%, pancreatobiliary and other organs in 26.7% of patients. The mean serum IgG4 serology level was 4.72+/-7.31 g/L. In 2020, 27.7% of patients had active IgG4 disease while 72.3% of patients were in remission. In 2020, 65.3% of patients received treatment (steroid in 48.5%, thiopurines in 22.7%, steroid and thiopurines in 25.8%, rituximab in 1.5%), while 30.7% of patients were not on treatment. 2 patients (2.0%) had COVID-19 infection, with 1 patient requiring ICU admission. All infected patients recovered from COVID-19 without flare up of IgG4 RD. In 2020, 6.9% of patients had postponement or discontinuation of indicated medical treatment for IgG4 RD during COVID-19 outbreak due to concern of COVID-19 infection while on immunosuppressive therapy. Conclusion: In this study, low incidence of COVID-19 infection and low rates of postponement or discontinuation of indicated medical treatment were observed in pancreatobiliary IgG4 RD patients during COVID-19 outbreak in 2020. (Table Presented)