Design and Analysis of Ozone Monitoring System Produced by Plasma Corona Discharge for Disinfectant

Disinfection of a room is very important to note, especially because of the presence of the coronavirus which has been confirmed to be able to spread through the air, stick to objects around it and has a high potential to transmit the virus. This is exacerbated by the presence of a new variant of the coronavirus which causes an increasing number of people to be exposed every day. One of the most effective disinfectants is ozone. Ozone is a gas formed from three oxygen atoms which is highly reactive and more unstable than oxygen. Ozone with the right concentration of about 1 ppm can kill pathogens, such as bacteria and viruses. This research focuses on designing an independent control and monitoring system based on Human Machine Interface (HMI). This control and monitoring system design can be applied to measure ozone concentration and is equipped with a timer and automatic mode. The test results obtained total accuracy value of this device with variables of voltage, current, generator temperature, ambient temperature in the box, humidity in the box, and ozone concentration is 97.3%, while total precision value is 98.5%. This research was conducted by testing the appliance in a 1.2 x 1.5 x 2.5 m room for 10 minutes and the results showed that the voltage used by the appliance is in the range of 216V to 219V with a current dropping from 0.56A to a stability point of 0.46A. The maximum temperature at the generator is around 96oC with an ambient temperature of 38oC, the humidity decreases from 81% to 68% and the ozone concentration produced can be stable around 1 ppm in 1 minute which can be used to kill bacteria and viruses. © 2023 American Institute of Physics Inc.. All rights reserved.

The Effect of the Covid-19 Pandemic on Mental Health (Children, Adolescents, Young Adults) and Mental Health Service: Systematic Review

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health in young age groups (chil-dren, adolescents, and young adults) has a higher prevalence than individuals at other stages of the lifecycle. The implementation of mental health services faces more barriers to professional care than in the pre-pandemic period. This study aims to identify the effect of sociodemographic and Public Health and Sosial Measures on the mental health of young age groups and mental health services during the COV-ID-19 pandemic. We conducted a mixed-methods-integrated approach to synthesize the findings and drew results using mixed-methods analysis. Literature finding was conducted in seven databases. The selection procedure followed the f low diagram of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses. Inclusion criteria included all types of research that looked at the impact of COVID-19 on mental health and mental health services. There are 44 articles included, and the quality assessment shows that the study was evaluated as 80% and 100% quality criteria met. During the implementation of Public Health and Social Measures, the young age group experienced mental health problems, including stress, depression, anxiety, sleeping disorder, eating disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder related to socioeconomic status, academic, and social factors. This systematic review proves that the COVID-19 pandemic affects the mental health of the young age group and mental health services. © 2022, Universitas Negeri Semarang. All rights reserved.

Corrigendum: Saving more lives on time: Strategic policy implementation and financial inclusion for safe abortion in Indonesia during COVID-19 and beyond.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fgwh.2022.901842.].

Household secondary attack rate in mild COVID-19.

Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has reached a staggering number of almost 280 million cases worldwide, with over 5.4 million deaths as of 29 December 2021. A further understanding of the factors related to the household spread of the infection might help to bring about specific protocols to curb such transmission. Objective: This study aims to find the secondary attack rate (SAR) and factors affecting SAR among the households of mild COVID-19 cases. Methods: An observational study was designed where data of patients admitted at All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi due to mild COVID-19 were collected, and outcome was noted after the discharge of the patient. Index cases who were the first in the household to have a positive infection only were included. Based on these data, the overall household SAR, factors related to the index case and contacts that affected transmissibility were noted. Results: A total of 60 index cases having contacts with 184 household members were included in the present study. The household SAR was measured to be 41.85%. At least one positive case was present in 51.67% households. Children below 18 years old had lower odds of getting a secondary infection compared to adults and elderly [odds ratio (OR) = 0.46, 95%CI = 0.22-0.94, p = 0.0383). An exposure period of more than a week was significantly associated with a higher risk of infection (p = 0.029). The rate of transmissibility drastically declined with effective quarantine measures adopted by the index case (OR = 0.13, 95%CI = 0.06-0.26, p < 0.00001). Symptomatic index cases contributed more to the SAR than asymptomatic primaries (OR = 4.74, 95%CI = 1.03-21.82, P = 0.045). Healthcare worker index cases had lower rates of spread (OR = 0.29, 95%CI = 0.15-0.58, P = 0.0003). Conclusion: The high SAR shows the household is a potential high-risk unit for transmissibility of COVID-19. Proper quarantine measures of all those exposed to the index case can mitigate such spread and lead to reduction of risk of COVID-19 within a household.

Safety of COVID-19 Vaccines Among the Paediatric Population: Analysis of the European Surveillance Systems and Pivotal Clinical Trials.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The European Medicine Agency extended the use of Comirnaty, Spikevax, and Nuvaxovid in paediatrics; thus, these vaccines require additional real-world safety evidence. Herein, we aimed to monitor the safety of COVID-19 vaccines through Covid-19 Vaccine Monitor (CVM) and EudraVigilance surveillance systems and the published pivotal clinical trials. METHODS: In a prospective cohort of vaccinees aged between 5 and 17 years, we measured the frequency of commonly reported (local/systemic solicited) and serious adverse drug events (ADRs) following the first and second doses of COVID-19 vaccines in Europe using data from the CVM cohort until April 2022. The results of previous pivotal clinical trials and data in the EudraVigilance were also analysed. RESULTS: The CVM study enrolled 658 first-dose vaccinees (children aged 5-11 years; n = 250 and adolescents aged 12-17 years; n = 408). Local/systemic solicited ADRs were common, whereas serious ADRs were uncommon. Among Comirnaty first and second dose recipients, 28.8% and 17.1% of children and 54.2% and 52.2% of adolescents experienced at least one ADR, respectively; injection-site pain (29.2% and 20.7%), fatigue (16.1% and 12.8%), and headache (22.1% and 19.3%) were the most frequent local and systemic ADRs. Results were consistent but slightly lower than in pivotal clinical trials. Reporting rates in Eudravigilance were lower by a factor of 1000. CONCLUSIONS: The CVM study showed high frequencies of local solicited reactions after vaccination but lower rates than in pivotal clinical trials. Injection-site pain, fatigue, and headache were the most commonly reported ADRs for clinical trials, but higher than spontaneously reported data.

The Effect of Multimedia Education to Improve Knowldege and Self-efficacy of COVID-19 Prevention Among Pregnant Women in Indonesia

Introduction: The health of pregnant women as a high-risk group is a concern, especially during the pandemic. The Maternal Mortality Rate increases every year due to the low mothers' knowledge about the high risk of pregnancy. Knowledge and self-efficacy of pregnant women must be increased so that they have good pregnancy self-management abilities. One of the interventions is health education based on audiovisual media that can be accessed independently without having to frequently visit health care facilities. Methods: The study design used was a quasi-experiment with pre and post-test with a control group. The sample consisted of 18 pregnant women for each intervention and control group through the total sampling technique. This study was conducted in the work area of the Mantok Public Health Center, Banggai Regency in March-April 2021. The research instrument used was a knowledge questionnaire (0.812) and self-efficacy (0.655). The intervention provided was audio-visual media-based health education. Results: There is an effect of audiovisual media on knowledge of COVID-19 prevention (p value = 0.021), but there is no effect on self-efficacy (p value = 0.296). Conclusion: Audiovisual media is an alternative solution in providing health education during the pandemic in increasing knowledge and integrated efficacy with maternal health programs in health care facilities. © 2022 Authors. All rights reserved.

Burnout dimension profiles among healthcare workers in Indonesia

Background Besides biological impact, COVID-19 also poses a threat to psychological wellbeing and the quality of life. Healthcare workers, especially those assuming a front-line post, are at a higher risk of being affected, both physically and psychologically. This study aims to analyse variables potentially associated with burnout and psychological distress among healthcare workers with various health center stratifications, where we commenced a nationwide survey to establish the baseline data. Method An analytic observational study with a cross-sectional design was conducted on the 11th – September 18, 2020. Participants were enrolled from healthcare institutions represented by epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia, which were Java, Sumatra, Bali, and were asked questionnaires, including the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale 21 (DASS-21), Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI), Somatic Symptom Scale 8 (SSS-8), also Well-Being Index (WBI). A linear mixed effect model was used to analyse how three dimensions of burnout vary across occupations. Results A total of 3629 healthcare workers were analysed in this study. Burnout syndrome was found in 37.5% of healthcare workers. The prevalence of burnout among medical personnel, nurses, and midwives was 44.6%, 33.5%, and 36.2%, respectively. The prevalence of burnout in healthcare workers was most common in Java (38.4%) and healthcare workers who work in the hospital (28.6%). Based on the burnout dimensions, 48.2% of healthcare workers experienced moderate to high emotional exhaustion, 51.8% moderate to high depersonalization, and 96.9% high personal accomplishment. The R2 values was 0.33,0.28,0.27 for emotional exhaustion, depersonalization and personal accomplishment model. Calculated power of the emotional exhaustion and depersonalization model was 100% for both midwife and nurse variable. Meanwhile, the power of the personal accomplishment model was 100% for midwife and 94.7% for nurse variable. Conclusion The extent of the three burnout dimensions is pervasive in all occupational levels and the place of work (hospital/community health center).

Experiences of nurses providing maternity care in a public hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic in Nepal: A qualitative study

Maternity service providers have struggled to provide high-quality services to women and newborns during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic which has substantially impacted health systems and disrupted maternity services globally. Nepal is a resources-limited country that reported a significant impact of the pandemic on maternal health services. It is therefore important to understand better the perspective of health care professionals in this context. This study intends to explore the experiences of nurses providing maternity care in the public sector during the COVID-19 pandemic in Nepal. A qualitative study using a phenomenological design was conducted. Altogether ten nurses working in maternity services were selected using purposive sampling technique. Data were collected by face-to-face in-depth interviews using a semi-structured interview guide. Thematic analysis was conducted using Clarke and Braun 2006 technique. The findings of the study were organized into codes, sub-themes and themes. The six themes identified were fear of COVID-19 at work, challenges at work, changes at work and services, motivations to work, stigma due to COVID-19, and impact on services. Participants described how maternity services could not be stopped during the pandemic. They had experienced decreased utilization of antenatal services as a consequence of ‘lockdown' thereby leading to an increase in maternal and neonatal mortality. Respondents reported ineffective human resource management compromising the quality of care. The professional responsibility to cope with adverse circumstances and serve society is a major source of motivation that health workers relied upon to get them through the pandemic period. A wide range of challenges were faced by service providers during the pandemic which requires action and support of all levels of government, institutions and society-at-large to assure the continued provision of safe maternity care during such a protracted period of challenging work.

Saving more lives on time: Strategic policy implementation and financial inclusion for safe abortion in Indonesia during COVID-19 and beyond.

Abortion is common in Indonesia, with 79% being unsafe. Unsafe abortion is one of the top five causes of maternal deaths globally. Meanwhile, in Indonesia, the maternal mortality rate (MMR) is still high, with up to 30% of it being related to unsafe abortion. In the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of unsafe abortions is expected to increase along with a 15-30% increase in unintended pregnancies. This will add to the number of maternal deaths on top of direct deaths caused by COVID-19. In Indonesia, access to safe abortion is still limited based on grounds. There are also gaps in implementation and in the financing mechanism of legal safe abortion, especially in the era of the national health insurance scheme (Jaminan Kesehatan Nasional/JKN). This brief aims to guide how to equitably implement and inclusively finance safe abortion in Indonesia-in and beyond the COVID-19 pandemic-to gain maximum socioeconomic benefit and leave no one behind.

Impact of the COVID-19 on the surgical management of bone and soft tissue sarcoma: A systematic review.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic had greatly and negatively impacted health services including the management of bone and soft tissue sarcoma. As disease progression is time-sensitive, decision taken by the oncology orthopedic surgeon on performing surgical treatment determines the patient outcome. On the other hand, as the world tried to control the spread of COVID-19 infection, treatment re-prioritization based on urgency level had to be done which consequently affect treatment provision for sarcoma patients. Patient and clinician's concern regarding the outbreak have also inflicted on treatment decision making. A systematic review was thought to be necessary to summarize the changes seen in managing primary malignant bone and soft tissue tumors. Methods: We performed this systematic review in line with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) 2020 Statement. The review protocol had been registered on PROSPERO with submission number CRD42022329430. We included studies which reported primary malignant tumor diagnosis and its surgical intervention from March 11th, 2020 onwards. The main outcome is to report changes implemented by different centers around the world in managing primary malignant bone tumors surgically in response to the pandemic. Three electronic medical databases were scoured and by applying eligibility criteria. Individual authors evaluated the articles' quality and risk of bias using the Newcastle-Ottawa Quality Assessment Scale other instruments developed by JBI of the University of Adelaide. The overall quality assessment of this systematic review was self-evaluated using the AMSTAR (Assessing the Methodological Quality of Systematic Reviews) Checklist. Results: There were 26 studies included in the review with various study designs, conveyed in almost all continents. The outcomes from this review are change in surgery time, change in surgery type, and change in surgery indication in patients with primary bone and soft tissue sarcoma. Surgery timing has been experiencing delay since the pandemic occurred, including delay in the multidisciplinary forum, which were all related to lockdown regulations and travel restrictions. For surgery type, limb amputation was preferred compared to limb-salvage procedures due to shorter duration and simpler reconstruction with better control of malignancy. Meanwhile, the indications for surgical management are still based on the patient's demographics and disease stages. However, some would stall surgery regardless of malignancy infiltration and fracture risks which are indication for amputation. As expected, our meta-analysis showed higher post-surgical mortality in patients with malignant bone and soft tissue sarcoma during the COVID-19 pandemic with odds ratio of 1.14. Conclusion: Surgical management of patients with primary bone and soft tissue sarcoma has seriously been affected due to adjustments to the COVID-19 pandemic. Other than institutional restrictions to contain the infection, patient and clinician's decisions to postpone treatment due to COVID-19 transmission concern were also impactful in treatment course. Delay in surgery timing has caused higher risk of worse surgical outcome during the pandemic, which is aggravated if the patient is infected by COVID-19 as well. As we transition into a post-COVID-19 pandemic period, we expect patients to be more lenient in returning for their treatment but by then disease progression might have taken place, resulting in worse overall prognosis. Limitation to this study were few assumptions made in the synthesis of numerical data and meta-analysis only for changes in surgery time outcome and lack of intervention studies included.

A case of aseptic bilateral cavernous sinus thrombosis following a recent inactivated SARS-CoV-2 vaccination.

This case report aims to describe the first report of bilateral aseptic cavernous sinus thrombosis (CST) with a recent history of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) vaccination. A 50-year-old woman presented with bilateral proptosis, decreased vision, and ophthalmoplegia 16 days following CoronaVac® vaccine. The visual acuity of the left eye was 20/150, while the right eye was no light perception with a hyperemic optic nerve head. She had a history of hyperthyroidism and currently on warfarin consumption. Laboratory results depicted elevated free T4, free T3, international normalized ratio, and low protein S and C. Magnetic resonance imaging showed bilateral CST, and high-dose methylprednisolone along with fondaparinux was given. The symptoms were significantly resolved, with the visual acuity of the left eye being improved to 20/20 but not the right eye. Bilateral CST has not been previously reported following inactivated SARS-CoV-2 vaccination. The underlying systemic conditions should be taken into consideration for the possibility of the inactivated SARS-CoV-2 vaccine-related event.

The Transition of Independent Bookselling to Digital Space: A Case Study of Transit Bookstore's Instagram

Many industries experience and struggle with financial hardship during the global COVID-19 pandemic, including bookselling industry. Due to the imposed lockdown and stay-at-home orders, retail bookstores had to transform their selling method to online selling. This study investigates the issue further by focusing on independent bookstores, specifically the shift from physical space to digital space. A case study is conducted on one independent bookstore based in Jakarta, namely Transit Bookstore. This paper discusses what kind of challenges that occur, the strategies they apply to adapt, and how they use Instagram during the pandemic. The data are collected by conducting a mixed method (textual-visual analysis and semi-structured interview) and then analyzed using qualitative approach. The result shows how by incorporating social media into their operations, Transit Bookstore manages to not only sell and promote their books but also engage with the reading community and create a new book buying experience. The objectives of this paper are to make a significant contribution to the discussion of independent bookstores in Indonesia and to offer a new perspective on the impact of social media for independent bookselling. © 2022 IEEE.

PT. Pertamina Retail: Indonesian fuel retail expansion dilemma in pandemic COVID-19

Learning outcomes: Students are expected to integrate decision-making tools and frameworks to create decisions under uncertainty. Students are expected to understand the general business process of fuel retail industry. Case overview/synopsis: PT. Pertamina Retail (PTPR) is a subsidiary of PT. Pertamina, an Indonesian state-owned oil and natural gas company. In the first quarter of 2020, PTPR’s sales volume decreased due to the COVID-19 pandemic’s large-scale social restrictions. Iin Febrian was just appointed as President Director in March 2020;he must formulate a survival strategy facing COVID-19 pandemic uncertainties. The case elaborates on PTPR’s decision to expand immediately or hold. Scenarios and expected values have been given to simplifying the calculation of a decision tree. The case also challenges students to think critically on providing a strategy to survive during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond using decision tree analysis and BCG Matrix or Ansoff Matrix. Complexity academic level: BA level and MBA program in Decision Analysis Course or Strategic Management Course. Supplementary materials: Teaching notes are available for educators only. Subject code: CSS 11: Strategy. © 2022, Emerald Publishing Limited.

What’s in a name? Crisis communication during the COVID-19 pandemic in multilingual Indonesia

This paper explores crisis communication during the pandemic in multilingual Indonesia. Crisis communication during the pandemic is a discursive act of sense-making in responding to the pandemic. As Asia's pandemic epicentre, Indonesia provides a fascinating setting to enhance the discussion between crisis communication and multilingualism because of its pandemic response and indigenous linguistic diversity and its tension with the national and international language. We employ critical discourse analysis in identifying the linguistic and discursive practices of crisis communication found in speeches and public statements made by relevant political leaders and policy documents. By using Fairclough's concepts of 'word meaning', 'wording', 're-wording', 'over-wording', and 'metaphor', we examine the changing mobility constraint terms and keywords in pandemic policies and speeches. Our findings on the inconsistent mobility constraint terms, confusing pandemic keywords and unempathetic metaphors used in public speeches have provided linguistic evidence of the ineffective pandemic response and crisis communication. The analysis draws attention to the importance of consistent and empathetic communication in crisis management.

Anxiety, Depression, and Stress among Female Community Health Volunteers during COVID-19 Pandemic in Province 1, Nepal (preprint)

Introduction Female Community Health Volunteers (FCHVs) are an integral part of various community-based health programs visiting households and communities to screen for diseases, risk factors and educate on basic health issues. A profound and wide range of psychological health issues (anxiety, stress, and depression) at the individual, community, and international levels has been reported during the COVID-19 outbreaks. Methods An analytical cross-sectional study design was used to assess the anxiety, depression, and stress level among rural and urban FCHVs during the COVID-19 in Province 1. A multistage random sampling technique was be used the select the sample. The total sample size was 384. Semi-structured structured valid Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21) was used for measuring the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress level of FCHVs. Descriptive analysis i.e. frequency, percentage, mean, median, and standard deviation was used to assess the level of anxiety, depression, and stress among adults. Inferential analysis i.e. logistic regression was used to find the association between dependent and selected demographic variables. Findings The study revealed that the prevalence of extremely severe levels of anxiety was 35.5% of the Female Community Health Volunteers (FCHVs) 23.4% of moderate level of stress and 21.6% of respondents were a severe level of depression respectively. There is significant association between level anxiety and ethnicity (p = 0.040; OR = 1.562; CI = 1.021–2.390), occupation (p = 0.013; OR = 3.861; CI = 1.325–11.249) and place of residence (p ≤ 0.001; OR = 1.959; CI = 1.470–3.413). There is significant association between level stress and occupation (p = 0.037; OR = 3.363; CI = 1.074–10.531) place of residence (p = 0. 005; OR = 1.817; CI = 1.193–2.767). There is significant association between level depression and ethnicity, occupation (p ≤ 0.001; OR = 2.117; OR = 1.391–3.222) and place of residence (p = 0. 026; OR = 3.371; CI = 1.158–9.812). The study concluded that the female community Health Volunteers was mild, moderate, severe and extremely severe level of anxiety, stress and depression level so prompt psychiatric intervention to enhance the mental wellbeing of FCHVs.

Respinos: A Portable Device for Remote Vital Signs Monitoring of COVID-19 Patients.

The rapidly increasing number of COVID-19 patients has posed a massive burden on many healthcare systems worldwide. Moreover, the limited availability of diagnostic and treatment equipment makes it difficult to treat patients in the hospital. To reduce the burden and maintain the quality of care, asymptomatic patients or patients with mild symptoms are advised to self-isolate at home. However, self-isolated patients need to be continuously monitored as their health can turn into critical condition within a short time. Therefore, a portable device that can remotely monitor the condition and progression of the health of these patients is urgently needed. Here we present a portable device, called Respinos, that can monitor multiparameter vital signs including respiratory rate, heart rate, body temperature, and SpO2. It can also operate as a spirometer that measures forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume (FEV), FEV in the first second (FEV1), and peak expiratory flow Rate (PEFR) parameters which are useful for detecting pulmonary diseases. The spirometer is designed in the form of a tube that can be ergonomically inflated by the patient, and is equipped with an accurate and disposable turbine based air flow sensor to evaluate the patient's respiratory condition. Respinos uses rechargeable batteries and wirelessly connects to a mobile application whereby the patient's condition can be monitored in real-time and consulted with doctors via chat. Extensive comparison against medical-grade reference devices showed good performance of Respinos. Overall results demonstrate the potential of Respinos for remote patient monitoring during and post pandemic.

Adult Intensive Care in Uganda: A Systematic Review (preprint)

Background: Intensive (ICU) care in many African countries, such as Uganda is comparatively underdeveloped and underprioritized, largely because of other pressing healthcare system needs. However, experiences like the COVID-19 pandemic, declines in infectious disease-associated mortality, and the ongoing epidemiologic transition make the current state of critical-care in the region important. But most countries in the region, including Uganda, do not collect ICU data, leaving published studies as one of few potential sources of robust data. Existing systematic reviews utilize this fact; however, these studies report their findings in aggregate, making country-specific conclusions impossible. As a result, aspects of critical care in several individual African countries remain unknown. Objective: To assess intensive care utilization in Uganda over time; specifically, we ascertain patient demographics and the most common reasons for ICU admission. Methods: We performed a systematic search of the following indexing databases: PuBMed, EMBASE, Google scholars, and African Journals Online prior to March 2020. To assess the gray literature, we searched the dissertation databases of the largest public universities in the country (Makerere & Mbarara University) for relevant papers. Inclusion criteria for studies were: (i) study conducted in Uganda at a facility with intensive care capacity, (ii) adult population; (iii) N>100 patients. Findings: A total of 10 papers, collectively reporting on 3519 adult patients and published between 2005 and 2018 met our study’s inclusion criteria. The median of the average age on admission was 35.50 [IQR: 26.11-43.4], with post-operative management as the most common reason for ICU admission. Median mortality was 37.50% [IQR: 28.5-40.5]. Conclusions: Our study provides evidence supporting previous anecdotal reports of a comparatively low median age of patients in Uganda’s ICUs. However, we also find that most ICU research is conducted at the national referral hospital, Mulago, in the country’s capital, Kampala. This second finding highlights a significant knowledge gap, as private ICUs (whose catchment population includes Uganda’s rapidly growing middle class), and other districts in the country are not represented. As a result, these results should be interpreted cautiously. Future research studies should attempt to include private hospitals and those outside Kampala. Systematic review registration: PROSPERO. Registration ID: CRD42020168940

Cooccurrence of anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor encephalitis and COVID-19 infection – Case series of two patients with a brief review of literature

Anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) encephalitis is a clinical condition characterized by a myriad of psychiatric symptoms, abnormal movements, autonomic instability, seizures, and encephalopathy. Coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) infection is infrequently present with altered mental status. As the days of the COVID-19 pandemic pass, more and more awareness of its different types of immunological reactions are unveiled. A wide spectrum of clinical, pathological, and radiological manifestations has been reported. However, there have only been a few cases where anti-NMDAR antibodies have been found in people who have COVID-19. Herein, we reported two cases with simultaneous anti-NMDAR antibody and COVID-19 infection detection. Both cases clinically responded after treatment with an immunomodulator, showing significant improvement, and were discharged in a conscious and ambulatory state. Autoimmune encephalitis should be thought about if there are neurological symptoms associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection, and immunomodulators should be given to such patients. [ FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Asian Journal of Medical Sciences is the property of Manipal Colleges of Medical Sciences and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full . (Copyright applies to all s.)

A Review Study on the Trends of Psychological Challenges, Coping Ways, and Public Support During the COVID-19 Pandemic in the Vulnerable Populations in the United States.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in significant mortality and morbidity in the United States. The mental health impact during the pandemic was huge and affected all age groups and population types. We reviewed the existing literature to understand the present trends of psychological challenges and different coping strategies documented across different vulnerable sections of the United States population. This rapid review was carried out to investigate the trends in psychological impacts, coping ways, and public support during the COVID-19 pandemic crisis in the United States. Materials and Methods: We undertook a rapid review of the literature following the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States. We searched PubMed as it is a widely available database for observational and experimental studies that reported the psychological effects, coping ways, and public support on different age groups and healthcare workers (HCWs) during the COVID-19 pandemic. Results: We included thirty-five studies in our review and reported data predominantly from the vulnerable United States population. Our review findings indicate that COVID-19 has a considerable impact on the psychological wellbeing of various age groups differently, especially in the elderly population and HCWs. Review findings suggest that factors like children, elderly population, female gender, overconcern about family, fear of getting an infection, personality, low spirituality, and lower resilience levels were at a higher risk of adverse mental health outcomes during this pandemic. Systemic support, higher resilience levels, and adequate knowledge were identified as protecting and preventing factors. There is a paucity of similar studies among the general population, and we restricted our review specifically to vulnerable subgroups of the population. All the included studies in our review investigated and surveyed the psychological impacts, coping skills, and public support system during the COVID-19 pandemic. Conclusion: The evidence to date suggests that female gender, child and elderly population, and racial factors have been affected by a lack of support for psychological wellbeing. Further, research using our hypothesized framework might help any population group to deal with a pandemic-associated mental health crisis, and in that regard, analysis of wider societal structural factors is recommended.

A Study to Assess Patients' Perception and Acceptance of Teledentistry for Care During the Covid-19 Pandemic.

Background: With the aim of preventing the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), teledentistry allows for the follow-up of patients who can be remotely monitored, decreasing patient mobilization and reducing the risk of virus dissemination. The aim of this cross-sectional pilot survey was to assess patients' perception and acceptance of a teledentistry program during the COVID-19 pandemic. Materials and Methods: Demographic characteristics of the patients were recorded, and a 24-question survey was completed. A Chi-square test and an analysis of variance (ANOVA) test were performed with a significance level set at P ≤ 0.05. Results: Forty-eight percent patients declared an interest in the use of a teledentistry. Furthermore, 45% participants preferred this type of visit to a conventional dental visit. Conclusion: Our study showed that teledentistry appears to meet the expectations and needs of our patients.