Aromatic or Hetero-aromatic Directly Attached Tri and Tetrasubstituted Methanes: New Chemical Entities as Anti-infectives.

Tri and Tetra-substituted Methanes (TRSMs) are a significant structural motif in many approved drugs and prodrugs. There is increasing use of TRSM units in medicinal chemistry, and many derivatives are specifically designed to make drug-target interactions through new chemical space around TRSM moiety. In this perspective, we describe synthetic challenges for accessing a range of functionalized selective TRSMs and their molecular mechanism of action, especially as anti-infectives. Natural anti-infectives like (+)-Bionectin A, B, (+)-Gliocladine C, Balanocarpol having TRSMs selectively and effectively bind to target proteins in comparison to planar motif having more sp2 carbons perhaps due to conformation which reduces the penalty for conformational entropy with the enhancement of three-dimensionality. Properties of repurposed TRSMs like Almitrine, Ifenprodil, Baricitinib and Remdesivir with their recent progress in Covid-19 therapeutics with their mode of action are also delineated. This perspective is expected to deliver a user guide and reference source for scientists, researchers and academicians in pursuing newly designed TRSMs as therapeutics.

Awareness, attitude, and perceived anxiety about COVID-19 in the Iranian population: A cross-sectional questionnaire survey.

An emergence of mental health issues among the general population has been reported during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aimed to estimate COVID-19 awareness, attitude, and perceived anxiety among the Iranian people. This is a cross-sectional web-based survey done on the community population of Iran. The sample population was recruited through purposive sampling. The study questionnaire was circulated through online platforms as a web link. A questionnaire used in previous research has been used after translation in a sample of 375 adults from Iran. The majority of the participants in the study have a favourable attitude towards hand washing, social distancing, self-quarantine/isolation, and governmental policies regarding COVID-19. Similarly, many people feel anxious about partying, traveling, meetings, online shopping, and social contact. Anxiety related to contracting COVID-19 infection is reported in a larger populace. Most (> 80 percent) of the participants agree with the need for mental healthcare during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Iranian population has a favorable attitude towards the prevention of COVID-19. High anxiety and a perceived need for mental healthcare need in the community necessitates amelioration of mental healthcare during this challenging time.

Emotional Bonding and Sexual Activity During COVID-19 Lockdown: A Cross-National Pilot Study

Background:The COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown measures have affected the sexuality and emotional bonding among the couple across the world.Objectives:We aimed to assess the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown on the married people?s emotional bonding and sexual relationships in 3 south Asian counties (Bangladesh, India, and Nepal).Methods:A cross-sectional online survey was conducted among Bangladesh, India, and Nepal residents from April 3 to April 15, 2020. The survey was designed in English. The participants were selected through convenience sampling technique, the link of the online questionnaire was shared with the participants. Only participants older than 18 years and above, married, and living with their spouses were included in the study.Results:A total number of 120 respondents were included finally for analysis from the participating countries (India, Nepal, and Bangladesh). The mean age of the participants was 35.42 (±5.73) years;the majority were males under the age of 40 years and had completed postgraduation as their qualification. Among the study participants, more than half (53.8%) of the women reported being sexually active during the lockdown, whereas 41% of the men reported being sexually active. Among the sexually active participants, most women (57.7%) reported that they perceived positive emotional bonding with their partners. Nevertheless, there was no significant difference observed when compared with men. There are variations in responses. However, no significant association was identified.Conclusion:There are a few insights from the study, that is, there was no significant difference found in almost 3 countries in emotional intimacy. There had been a trend that there is improved emotional bonding with their partners, although no significant difference was observed.

Death and Scarcity of Life Saving PPEs: Where is the Life of Heroes?

The corona virus COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) has recently created a worldwide pandemic. COVID-19 pandemic is the defining global health crisis of our time and the greatest challenge we have faced since world war-II. With a death rate that is climbing rapidly, the disease has been declared a global emergency. A substantial number of healthcare workers tested positive for the disease across the world. The pressure of caring for patients is amplified in the setting of a virus with human-human transmission and no specific lifesaving treatment. Handling life and death situations while simultaneously putting one's own life at risk contributes to an actual sense of danger. Personal protective equipment (PPE) is used every day by healthcare personnel (HCP) to protect themselves, patients, and others when providing care. PPE helps protect health care workers from potentially infectious patients and materials, toxic medications, and other potentially dangerous substances used in healthcare delivery. PPE shortages are currently posing a tremendous challenge to the healthcare system because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Impact of COVID-19 pandemic related lockdown on Suicide: Analysis of newspaper reports during pre-lockdown and lockdown period in Bangladesh and India.

The economic and social devastation wrought by the COVID-19 crisiscoupled with the unavailability of traditional coping resources is a "perfect storm" for suicide. Evidence suggests that its impact may be disproportionately high in low-and-middle-income countries. The study aimed to assess and compare nature and correlates of suicidesfrom news reportsduring the immediate pre-lockdown and lockdown phase of COVID-19 in Bangladesh and India. We performed analysis of suicide reports from purposively selected online vernacular and English newspapers of Bangladesh and two states/union territory in India, between January to June 2020. We divided the time period of observation into two phases: pre-lockdown and lockdown phase. Country wise findings between the two phases were compared in terms of demographic and characteristics of the reported suicide. A total of 769 news reports wereanalysed; 141 from Bangladesh and 628 from India. When compared to the pre-lockdown period, the odds of suicide by hanging was significantly higher during lockdownin India (adjusted Odds Ratios [aOR] = 3.8, p = 0.018) and Bangladesh (aOR = 3.1, p = 0.048). Suicide demographics in India were different from Bangladesh during lockdown; more males died by suicide in India (aOR = 2.7, p = 0.023) and more people died by hanging (aOR = 2.6, p = 0.029). The pandemic restrictions impacted suicide demographics in the studied regions of India and Bangladesh. Further research using population-based time-series data are warranted to investigate the issue.

The Health Crisis of Marginalized Populations during COVID-19 Pandemic: Challenges and Recommendations

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic is affecting the global population adversely. The impact is not limited to health only;rather extend to affect the global economy, transport, education and largely the social integrity. The impact of COVID-19 pandemic is affecting the marginalized population more intensely. The marginalized population in the community are severely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Community support and timely intervention for these population will prevent the spread of infection to these people as well as in the community. This review discusses the impact of COVID-19 in the marginalized population and some recommendations to deal with this issue. Extensive review of literature done by using the terms of marginalized population (transgender individuals, commercial sex workers, refugees, and migrant workforces, peoples living in prison, old age homes and hospice care) with COVID-19 in the electronic databases.

Emerging mental health issues during the COVID-19 pandemic: An Indian perspective.

The current global health crisis, the COVID-19 pandemic, has posed an unprecedented challenge to our health systems, economy, socio-political organizations, and the infrastructure of most countries and the world. This pandemic has affected physical health as well as mental health adversely. Several recent evidence suggests that health systems across the world have to improve their preparedness in context to infectious pandemics. The research on mental health aspects of COVID-19 and other related pandemics is lacking due to obvious reasons. This narrative review article, along with our personal views, is on various current and future mental health issues in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic focusing on various challenges and suggested solutions. The aim is also to update mental health strategies in the context of such rapidly spreading contagious illness, which can act as a resource for such a situation, currently and in future. We recommend that there is a need to facilitate mental health research to understand the psychiatric aspects of the COVID-19 pandemic, include psychiatrists in the task force, and make available psychotropic and other medications with special attention to the deprived sector of the society.

Impact of COVID-19 and lockdown on mental health of children and adolescents: A narrative review with recommendations.

BACKGROUND: COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown has brought about a sense of fear and anxiety around the globe. This phenomenon has led to short term as well as long term psychosocial and mental health implications for children and adolescents. The quality and magnitude of impact on minors is determined by many vulnerability factors like developmental age, educational status, pre-existing mental health condition, being economically underprivileged or being quarantined due to infection or fear of infection. AIMS: This paper is aimed at narratively reviewing various articles related to mental-health aspects of children and adolescents impacted by COVID-19 pandemic and enforcement of nationwide or regional lockdowns to prevent further spread of infection. METHODOLOGY: We conducted a review and collected articles and advisories on mental health aspects of children and adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic. We selected articles and thematically organized them. We put up their major findings under the thematic areas of impact on young children, school and college going students, children and adolescents with mental health challenges, economically underprivileged children, impact due to quarantine and separation from parents and the advisories of international organizations. We have also provided recommendations to the above. CONCLUSION: There is a pressing need for planning longitudinal and developmental studies, and implementing evidence based elaborative plan of action to cater to the psycho social and mental health needs of the vulnerable children and adolescents during pandemic as well as post pandemic. There is a need to ameliorate children and adolescents' access to mental health support services geared towards providing measures for developing healthy coping mechanisms during the current crisis. For this innovative child and adolescent mental health policies policies with direct and digital collaborative networks of psychiatrists, psychologists, paediatricians, and community volunteers are deemed necessary.

Study of knowledge, attitude, anxiety & perceived mental healthcare need in Indian population during COVID-19 pandemic.

Novel Corona Virus Disease (COVID-19) originating from China has rapidly crossed borders, infecting people throughout the whole world. This phenomenon has led to a massive public reaction; the media has been reporting continuously across borders to keep all informed about the pandemic situation. All these things are creating a lot of concern for people leading to heightened levels of anxiety. Pandemics can lead to heightened levels of stress; Anxiety is a common response to any stressful situation. This study attempted to assess the knowledge, attitude, anxiety experience, and perceived mental healthcare need among adult Indian population during the COVID-19 pandemic. An online survey was conducted using a semi-structured questionnaire using a non-probability snowball sampling technique. A total of 662 responses were received. The responders had a moderate level of knowledge about the COVID-19 infection and adequate knowledge about its preventive aspects. The attitude towards COVID-19 showed peoples' willingness to follow government guidelines on quarantine and social distancing. The anxiety levels identified in the study were high. More than 80 % of the people were preoccupied with the thoughts of COVID-19 and 72 % reported the need to use gloves, and sanitizers. In this study, sleep difficulties, paranoia about acquiring COVID-19 infection and distress related social media were reported in 12.5 %, 37.8 %, and 36.4 % participants respectively. The perceived mental healthcare need was seen in more than 80 % of participants. There is a need to intensify the awareness and address the mental health issues of people during this COVID-19 pandemic.