Potential usefulness of CT as a marker of persistence of positive PCR in patients with COVID-19

BACKGROUND: One of the problems associated to SARS-CoV-2 was its persistence in nasopharyngeal tract. The existence of markers that help to predict this situation could be useful to management of the patients. The objective of this paper was to determine the relationship between the CT value from the initial PCR of patients with COVID-19 and the persistence of the infection. METHODS: It was performed an observational retrospective study of patients with positive PCR to SARS-CoV-2 attended in emergency department of a general hospital. Data about compatible symptoms, radiological findings and the CT value obtained with each PCR kit were collected. The control group (G0) included patients with a positive PCR followed by two negative PCR results (P-N-N), while problem group (G1) included patients with at least three consecutive positive PCR results (P-P-P). Chronic infections were discarded selecting only patients with negative serology, and only were included those whose PCR were separated by a minimum of five and maximum of twenty days. The comparison between the study groups was carried out using the t-student test for quantitative variables and the X2 test for qualitative variables. RESULTS: The mean CT value were 30.8 and 21.5 (p<0.001) on G0 and G1, respectively. G0 reported higher CT values than G1, regardless of symptoms, radiological pattern and the PCR kit utilized. CONCLUSIONS: The CT value from the SARS-CoV-2 initial PCR is related to the persistence of its positivity, regardless of the patient's symptoms or radiological pattern. Thus, low CT values could be related to persistent infections.

The Development of Health Tourism in Senegal's Coastal Region

In less developed countries (LDC), health tourism can be seen as a way of specializing in tourism. Covid19 makes even more imperative the need to promote health tourism and also to link it to a greater extent to wellness tourism, thus responding to the current market requirements. The main objective of this study is to assess whether the current tourism offer in Senegal (LDC) could allow health tourism to be implemented. An ad-hoc study has been performed in Senegal's Coastal Region, where interviews directed at the socioeconomic agents and structured questionnaires have been developed, collecting information from the two populations: one sample of 21 private clinics and another of 31 hotels. The data obtained were analyzed following a descriptive analysis. The results indicate that it is possible the developing of wellness tourism, but not medical tourism. Even in the case of a laborintensive product, offering health tourism as a new tourist product requires more modern and sophisticated technological equipment © 2023,African Journal of Hospitality, Tourism and Leisure. All Rights Reserved.

Percepction of virtual classes during COVID-19 by university students

As a result of the declaration of the global pandemic due to COVID-19, universities around the world had to adapt their classes to the online mode for long periods or alternate this mode with face-to-face. The lack of planning related to this change could have consequences on teaching. This study aimed to know the perception of university students about online classes during this pandemic period and to analyze some variables associated with the degree of acceptance of these classes. To do this, 266 students belonging to 20 different degrees and 14 Spanish universities have been surveyed. A questionnaire was developed based on previous studies to collect information on the experience of the students with the online modality, the comparison between the online and face-to-face modality in terms of advantages and disadvantages, and satisfaction with the online modality. The results indicate that more than half of the students surveyed prefer face-to-face training, although they perceive some advantages associated with online training. Students also perceived face-to-face training as more effective in achieving learning objectives. Satisfaction with online teaching was related to greater interaction with peers, greater student involvement in training, and better perception of the role the teacher. © 2022, Universidad Pablo de Olavide. All rights reserved.

ESSENTIAL BUT FORGOTTEN. MIGRANTS PICKING FRUITS DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC IN VALENCIA

This article addresses the situation of migrant workers in La Ribera del Xuquer, a Valencian citrus-growing region, from the confinement of March 2020 to April 2021. Two periods of fieldwork were carried out, the second during the pandemic, with observation, informal contacts and interviews with 55 key informants of varying profiles. Although the risk situations during the harvest are common to all workers, Spaniards and immigrants, these affect with less or greater intensity according to the position occupied in the ethno-fragmented work structure, country of origin and, more broadly, social and living conditions. The pandemic situation and the measures taken have reinforced the pre-existing ethnic segmentation of the labour market. On the one hand, workers with "permanent-discontinuous"contracts, Spaniards and immigrants rooted in the area;on the other, temporary workers and those provided by temporary agencies, almost all of them immigrants, who accumulate risk, job insecurity and social insecurity. Copyright © 2022 CSIC.

Percepction of virtual classes during COVID-19 by university students

As a result of the declaration of the global pandemic due to COVID-19, universities around the world had to adapt their classes to the online mode for long periods or alternate this mode with face-to-face. The lack of planning related to this change could have consequences on teaching. This study aimed to know the perception of university students about online classes during this pandemic period and to analyze some variables associated with the degree of acceptance of these classes. To do this, 266 students belonging to 20 different degrees and 14 Spanish universities have been surveyed. A questionnaire was developed based on previous studies to collect information on the experience of the students with the online modality, the comparison between the online and face-to-face modality in terms of advantages and disadvantages, and satisfaction with the online modality. The results indicate that more than half of the students surveyed prefer face-to-face training, although they perceive some advantages associated with online training. Students also perceived face-to-face training as more effective in achieving learning objectives. Satisfaction with online teaching was related to greater interaction with peers, greater student involvement in training, and better perception of the role the teacher.

Impact of COVID-19 on Mortality Associated with Pseudomonas aeruginosa Bloodstream Infection in the Veterans Health Administration System

Background. Pseudomonas aeruginosa bloodstream infection (PA-BSI) is associated with high mortality. The extent to which the COVID-19 pandemic has introduced challenges to diagnosis and treatment of this infection is unknown. In this study, we examined the direct and indirect effects of COVID-19 on PA-BSI associated mortality in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) population. Methods. We identified patients within the VHA database with PA-BSI identified between January 1, 2009 and December 31, 2019 (pre-COVID) and January 1, 2020 to December 31, 2021 (COVID). Extracted data included age, race, ethnicity, Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI), susceptibility testing, treatment, and COVID-19 infection. Antimicrobial resistance was characterized as pan-susceptible, any unclassified resistance, multi-drug resistant (MDR), difficult to treat resistant (DTR), and extremely or pan-drug resistant (XDR/PDR). Active therapy was defined as an effective antibiotic initiated within 48 hours of blood culture collection. We used logistic regression to assess the impact of each factor on 30-day mortality. Results. We identified 7,578 patients with PA-BSI and known 30-day mortality status, which was 24% overall (Table 1). Age and CCI were higher during COVID, while effective treatment and resistance improved (Table 2). In the multivariate analysis, concomitant COVID infection tripled the odds of mortality (odds ratio [OR] 3.00, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.40-6.37) (Figure 1). However, the COVID period itself was not associated with higher mortality. Effective treatment was associated with 19% lower odds of mortality (OR 0.81, 95% CI 0.66-1.01), while DTR and XDR/PDR nearly doubled mortality (OR 1.75, 95% CI 1.23-2.47 and OR 2.06, 95% CI 1.25-3.34, respectively). Conclusion. We observed higher odds of mortality in patients with PA-BSI and COVID-19 coinfection, supporting the hypothesis that COVID-19 directly impacts PA-BSI outcomes. Annual PA-BSI incidence and associated 30-day mortality, however, were similar during the COVID period. Favorable resistance trends, effective treatment, and a low rate of PA-BSI and COVID-19 coinfection may explain these findings, despite increased age and comorbidities in this vulnerable population. (Table Presented).

Changes in perceived health status in older men and women during the COVID-19 pandemic : Carmen Rodríguez-Blázquez

Background The COVID-19 pandemic has severely impacted older people. The disease and the measures to combat it have had a differential impact according to gender, with higher mortality rates in men and worse psychological and social consequences in women. The objective of this work is to analyze the changes in perceived health of older people in Europe during the first months of the pandemic and to assess the combined role of age and gender. Methods Wave 8 data of SHARE-corona (Survey of Health, Aging and Retirement in Europe) (n = 51,695, aged≥50) collected between Jun-Aug 2020 were used. Perceived health status was explored with a question on whether there has been a change compared with the health status before the COVID-19 outbreak (response options: worse, the same and better). Two-way ANOVA with interaction and Student's t-test with Bonferroni correction were used to compare the effects of gender and age group (50-59 years, 60-69 years, 70-79 years, and ≥80) in changes in perceived health. Results Differences in perceived health were observed by age, as well as by gender in participants aged ≥70 years (F = 91.94;p < 0.001). These differences were significant both by gender (F = 19.39;p < 0.001) and age (F = 191.79;p < 0.001). No interaction was detected between both factors (p = 0.170), which allowed their effect to be studied individually. Among the people who reported a worsening in their perceived health, women aged 70 to 79 years predominated (11.1%), followed by men aged 80 and over (15.3%) and women of the same age group (16.4%). Conclusions The results suggest an association between the change in perceived health during the pandemic and age. Women have a slightly worse health status than men in all age groups. Therefore, gender can be considered as an influential factor in perceived health in old age, which in turn can have a potential impact in the quality of life of older people. Funding Projects Ref. H2019/HUM-5698 and Ref. 202010E158. Key messages Older people have been severely impacted by COVID-19 pandemic. The combined effect of age and gender on the change in perceived health status during the pandemic have been analyzed.

[Potential usefulness of CT as a marker of persistence of positive PCR in patients with COVID-19.]

OBJECTIVE: One of the problems associated to SARS-CoV-2 was its persistence in nasopharyngeal tract. The existence of markers that help to predict this situation could be useful to management of the patients. The objective of this paper was to determine the relationship between the CT value from the initial PCR of patients with COVID-19 and the persistence of the infection. METHODS: It was performed an observational retrospective study of patients with positive PCR to SARS-CoV-2 attended in emergency department of a general hospital. Data about compatible symptoms, radiological findings and the CT value obtained with each PCR kit were collected. The control group (G0) included patients with a positive PCR followed by two negative PCR results (P-N-N), while problem group (G1) included patients with at least three consecutive positive PCR results (P-P-P). Chronic infections were discarded selecting only patients with negative serology, and only were included those whose PCR were separated by a minimum of five and maximum of twenty days. The comparison between the study groups was carried out using the t-student test for quantitative variables and the χ(2) test for qualitative variables. RESULTS: The mean CT value were 30.8 and 21.5 (p<0.001) on G0 and G1, respectively. G0 reported higher CT values than G1, regardless of symptoms, radiological pattern and the PCR kit utilized. CONCLUSIONS: The CT value from the SARS-CoV-2 initial PCR is related to the persistence of its positivity, regardless of the patient´s symptoms or radiological pattern. Thus, low CT values could be related to persistent infections.

[Potential usefulness of CT as a marker of persistence of positive PCR in patients with COVID-19.]

OBJECTIVE: One of the problems associated to SARS-CoV-2 was its persistence in nasopharyngeal tract. The existence of markers that help to predict this situation could be useful to management of the patients. The objective of this paper was to determine the relationship between the CT value from the initial PCR of patients with COVID-19 and the persistence of the infection.

Determinants of university students' satisfaction with information technology based classroom use by pandemic Covid19

Educational activities have changed due to the pandemic and it was necessary to respond by giving continuity to the formative processes with virtual platforms as it happened at the Universidad Nacional del Centro del Perú-School of Social Work. The objective was to know the level of satisfaction of students in the use of the virtual platform chosen, using the Questionnaire for the evaluation of learning environments in distance education (Sp-DELES) of 42 questions with dimensions: teacher support, student interaction and collaboration, personal relevance, real learning, active learn-ing, autonomy and satisfaction. A total of 213 students were consulted, the instrument was distrib-uted digitally and anonymously. For the descriptive analysis, the results were ranked in three response categories: agree, indifferent and disagree;the Autonomy dimension was valued with 69.01% agreement and 9.39% disagreement. The dimension with the lowest appreciation was Satisfaction with 25.35% agreement and 28.64% disagreement. Structural equation modeling was performed with SmartPLS, obtaining that Faculty support (FS) and Active learning (AL) have a direct relationship with Satisfaction (S) in the use of the virtual platform with beta values (β) of 0.279 and 0.872 respectively. Contrarily, Real learning (RL) and Autonomy (A) have an inverse relationship with Satisfaction (S) with beta values (β) of-0.025 and-0.122 respectively. The study reflects that there is no relationship between Interaction and Communication among Students (ICS), Personal Relevance (PR) and Satisfaction (S) as the p-values were greater than 0.05. The value of the coefficient of determination (R2) was 0.778 being the representative model. The study is non-experimental, descriptive, explicative and cross-sectional. © 2022, International Journal of Data and Network Science. All rights reserved.

Rural tourism networking and covid-19 crisis: a gender perspective

This paper studies networking in rural tourism from a gender perspective comparing pre and post Covid period. The empirical study consisted of a questionnaire answered by 154 tourism promoters. Results showed a higher percentage of promoters belonging to an association during the Covid-19. There was a link between receiving training and belonging to an association and a significant relationship between participation in associations and receiving public funds, this relationship being found more among male promoters. On the other hand, a higher score was given by women for the advantages of networking, and mainly for the following: ‘Simplifies the management of booking’. © 2022, The Author(s).

Methodological Adaptations and Virtual Ethnography in a Research on Psychosocial Professionals in Justice: The Challenges of Learning by Doing

This article analyzes an experience of methodological adaptation, implemented in a research study carried out in the midst of a health crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of our study was to analyze the interactions between psychosocial and legal professionals in justice institutions in two Chilean regions, using a face-to-face and in situ ethnographic methodological design. However, as a result of the change in working conditions brought about by the restrictions on people’s mobility and presence in these environments, we found it necessary to evaluate how to continue the ethnographic work under these limitations. Through constant reflection and analysis of our experiences in implementing this research, we designed a virtual ethnography that addressed both synchronous and asynchronous instances. We conclude that the use of virtual methodologies renders the rapport with the informants fundamental for the dialectic reconstruction of the story, where, as suggested by Tim Ingold, field notes are a key factor to build the atmosphere. We also highlight the importance of making methodological instruments more flexible and of constantly considering ways of adapting them to contexts of restricted on-site and face-to-face access. Finally, this article contributes to discussions on virtual ethnographies insofar as it presents a possibility to discover new ways of conducting ethnography in multisite contexts and in crisis. Many of these, we believe, will remain and will be an integral part of research work. © 2022, Universidad de los Andes, Bogota Colombia. All rights reserved.

[Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the performance and academic experience of undergraduate interns]

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has had a great impact and high cost on the education of physicians that has not been determined in the long term. Objective: To determine the impact of COVID-19 on undergraduate interns and how it affected their academic training. Material and methods: Mixed study. Qualifications of the bimonthly departmental exam from 2018 to 2020 of the FACMED-UNAM internal doctors were reviewed, the focus group technique was used to investigate their experience and repercussions during the pandemic. Results: The grade point average for 18-19 was 70.76+/- 10.12. In 2020 76.19+/-10.66 (p = 0.000). In the CDMX 2018-2019 an average 70,405+/-10,156 against 71.97+/- 10.28 of foreign headquarters (p > 0.05). In 2020, the capital's headquarters an average of 77.02+/-10.31 against 73.86+/-11.296 in the interior (p = 0.000). When comparing the bimonthly ratings, there were no significant differences in 2018 and 2019;However, in 2020 there is an increase from 69.40 +/-9.538 to 79.39 +/-10.709. Conclusions: The ratings for 2020 had better results in relation to 2018 and 2019, they were higher in capital cities in relation to foreign ones. The retrospective perception of the inmates was that they had more time to study thematic contents and less pressure in the care work;They stated that they would have preferred to stay in their rotations, with the necessary protective equipment to avoid getting infected.

[Functional evolution and mood of patients after admission for COVID-19 to intensive care unit]. / Evolución funcional y del estado de ánimo de pacientes tras ingreso por COVID-19 en una unidad de Cuidados Intensivos.

OBJECTIVE: Describe the functional situation of patients one and two months after admission for COVID-19 pneumonia in an intensive care unit (ICU) and affect their mood one month after hospital discharge. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study was carried out. PATIENTS: Patients admitted to the ICU for COVID-19 pneumonia during the months of February to July 2020. PRIMARY VARIABLES OF INTEREST: Demographic data, mortality, ICU stay and hospital stay, destination at discharge, functional status at baseline (Barthel Index), after discharge, at one month and two months, physiotherapy treatment and impact on mood (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale). RESULTS: 89 patients were admitted in ICU with a mortality rate of 48.3% in the ICU. Among the survivors, 42 patients completed the follow-up at two months. Functional deterioration was observed at ICU discharge in 97.6% and at hospital discharge in 76.2%. At follow-up, 66.7% of patients had recovered their baseline functional level one month after leaving the hospital and 85.7% had done so after two months. One month after discharge, 12% of the patients had results compatible with anxiety and 20% had results compatible with depression. CONCLUSIONS: Patients admitted to the ICU for COVID-19 pneumonia have high hospital mortality, and those who survive show severe functional deterioration after admission. Two months after hospital discharge, most survivors recover their baseline functional status and mood prior to admission.

& para;EDUCATIONAL LEVEL, TEMPORALITY AND REGULATIONS OF EMPLOYMENT IN SPAIN FOR THE PERIOD 2002-2020. SPECIAL REFERENCE TO THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN WOMEN AND MEN

This paper focuses on analyzing the differences between women and men in terms of employment, temporary employment and the influence of educational level, in a period covering both the 2008 and the COVID-19 crisis. It also studies the evolution and changes in labor regulations in the Spanish labor market, in order to identify the influence of new regulations on the labor market situation. The analysis is mainly based on Pearson correlations between the different indicators: percentage of employed people in the labor force, the temporary employment rate and the education rate of employed population (IEPO). The results of the analysis allow us to conclude that a higher level of education favors the attainment and maintenance of employment, especially among women. However, although the 2008 crisis has particularly affected those with lower education rate, as it has progressed, those with higher levels of education have also lost their employment. On the other hand, the data shows that temporary employment is associated with low levels of education, both for men and women. However, it has not been possible to demonstrate an increase in temporary employment during the crisis period, since, on the contrary, there has been a decrease in the temporary employment rate, probably due to the destruction of employment among those with temporary contracts, in both the 2008 economic crisis and the COVID-19 crisis. Finally, the growth in the rates of temporary employment and the total employment has been driven mainly by periods of economic expansion.

'Tu historia cuenta' online version: Promotores' experience and perspectives on the virtual adaption of a hereditary breast cancer education and risk identification program

Background: Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women in the U.S. and the leading cause of cancer related death among U.S. Latinas. Despite having lower breast cancer incidence, U.S. Latinas are more likely to be diagnosed with advanced stage disease compared to non-Hispanic White (NHW) women. This can be attributed to lower rates of screening and longer time to follow up after an abnormal mammogram in the former group. We developed a comprehensive promotores-led education and risk stratification program for Spanish-speaking Latinas to increase mammography screening, genetic testing, and the understanding of the impact of family history on cancer risk. Due to COVID-19 we adapted the program to a virtual platform. This study aimed to record and share the experience from the promotores' perspective as they educated the Latino(x) community through virtual sessions. Methods: We used a stakeholder continuous engagement approach and the construct of relational culture to build the program materials. The promotores were part of two organizations in California: Vision y Compromiso (Sacramento region, and San Francisco) and Promoters for Better Health (Los Angeles). Their experience was captured using semi-structured interviews guided by a set of questions and a request for additional thoughts. Demographic information was captured using a questionnaire. The promotores' voices were incorporated into this program through multiple interactions including the revision of the interviews. Results: All promotores (N=14) in the program were fluent in Spanish and self-identified as Hispanics/Latinos(x). Ages ranged between 34 and 62, most being first generation immigrants. Educational achievement varied from high school to college degree. Through the interviews and informal interaction, promotores shared that virtual platforms helped alleviate numerous obstacles for attendance like transportation, scheduling conflicts, and childcare costs. However, the online approach removed the personal connection that promotores usually have with participants. The most important challenge described was the lack of privacy and a safe space for participants to share, since many took the class in the middle of their homes near family members. The promotores agreed delivering the program gave them a greater sense of self-worth and confidence. They never thought that they could learn, and teach, community members about genetics and cancer risk. Conclusions: Despite the challenges brought about by COVID-19, the experience of transforming the 'tu historia cuenta' program to a virtual platform provided unique opportunities for bi-directional collaboration between the academic and community partners and with the participants. Overall, we learned that the virtual program had both positive and negative aspects regarding community engagement. It also consistently empowered promotores as well as allowed them to continue their paid work during lock-down, which was equally appreciated during challenging economic times.