A review on the immunomodulatory properties of functional nutraceuticals as dietary interventions for children to combat COVID-19 related infections

COVID-19 is a significant threat to humanity in the present day due to the rapid increase in the number of infections worldwide. While most children may be spared of the direct mortality effects of the disease, those with weak immune systems are prone to adverse effects. Child mortality increases due to the stress caused to the health care system that disrupts essential health care needs such as immunisation and antenatal care. The use of functional foods (FF) aids in disease-prevention as they are known to have protective effects against COVID-19 by boosting children's cellular and humoral immunity. Plant components such as glycyrrhizin, epigallocatechin gallate, allicin, and fucoidan exhibit antiviral properties against various viruses, including SARS-CoV 2. Microbial foods that are made of probiotics, can enhance immunity against various respiratory viruses. Food enriched with additives such as lactoferrin, piperine, and zinc can boost immunity against COVID-19. With proper definitive drug therapy not available for treating COVID-19 and most of the disease management tools rely on symptoms and non-specific supportive care, developing a functional paediatric formulation will prevent further deterioration in infant health. It is wise to investigate the toxicological aspects of Functional Foods components especially when formulating for children. The safe limits of ingredients should be strictly followed during FFs formulation. Stronger regulations with advanced analytical techniques can help to formulate functional foods into the mainstream in child nutraceuticals. The purpose of this review is to compile collective information on the functional nutraceuticals specifically for infants and children up to the age of 10 years that could confer immunity against COVID-19 and other related viruses. Graphical : [Figure not available: see fulltext.]. © 2023, The Author(s).

Covid-19: A Review Report

COVID-19 may be a very contagion caused by a recently discovered called corona virus. Novel corona virus was found in December 2019 in Wuhan, China. World Health Organization has declared the COVID-19 as pandemic disease and outbreak as a health emergency globally. Novel Corona Virus is additionally referred to as severe acute respiratory syndrome corona virus- 2. The foremost infected people with corona virus show commonly respiratory illness like- fever, cold, sneezing, cough, pneumonia, upper respiratory illness, GIT disease like nausea, vomiting as symptoms. Recently published evidences stated that light Fever and cough within the 80 % patients, shortness of breath in 30-35% patients and 10-15% patients show Muscle ache and other ache. Novel Corona virus enters through the membrane ACE-2 receptor within the human cell. Corona virus is spherical or pleomorphic, single stranded, enveloped ribose macromolecule and included club shaped glycoprotein. SARS, Respiratory (breathing) infections are often transmission via droplets of various diameter like >5-10 micrometer. Molecular test administered with respiratory samples, like throat swab, sputum and broncholveolar lavage and in some severe cases it reported in stool and blood also. After the WHO and other diagnostic guideline said that the PCR and RT-PCR test reported for corona diagnosis.Copyright © 2022 Dr. Yashwant Research Labs Pvt. Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Non-profit crisis leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic in India and the United States

During extreme crises, governments' capacity is compromised, and they need support from non-profits, especially to reach the vulnerable and marginalised. Our qualitative study examines leadership response to the COVID-19 pandemic at four US and Indian non-profits;they paused their mission-related activities to focus on crisis leadership tasks. Our key findings reveal the importance of obtaining reliable information, balancing service delivery and stakeholder safety, communication with stakeholders, accepting the new normal and adopting creative solutions. These findings can inform training non-profit leaders on a number of key issues. © 2023 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.

Evolution, pathophysiology and genetic modulation of novel Coronavirus

Recently, and after its emergence in Wuhan, China, the COVID-19 infection caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has spread in almost every country in the world. This infection has appeared as a subject of intensive debate and concern among most of the government's public health systems, researchers, and policymakers. The severity of this zoonotic disease upshot a pandemic situation, which has a long-term impact on the personal, behavioral, social, and economic, as well as on the political and state affairs. Variations in COVID-19 severity made the situation more critical to elucidate the genomics, and genetic pathways linked to susceptibility and transmission of SARS-Cov-2 infection. The current study aimed to shed some light on SARS-Cov-2 infection and COVID-19 introduction, as well as the evolutionary history, structure, pathophysiology, genetic modulation, diagnosis, and treatment, in order to provide insight into pandemic flinch, its emergence, and progression around the world. The current study also provides a summary of the near future possibility of developing the appropriate medication for COVID-19 treatment and management through the identification of new therapeutic target molecules, including vaccine development and appropriate preventive and control measures. © 2022, Egyptian Association for Medical Mycologists (EAMM). All rights reserved.

Subperiosteal inferior maxillectomy in mucormycosis patients: case series.

OBJECTIVE: Mucormycosis is a rapidly progressive and fulminant fungal infection mainly affecting the nose and paranasal sinuses and often requiring aggressive surgical debridement, which commonly includes inferior maxillectomy. Conventional inferior maxillectomy involves removal of the bony hard palate and its mucoperiosteum. This can lead to formation of an oroantral fistula and thereby increase the morbidity in these patients leading to prolonged rehabilitation. Subperiosteal inferior maxillectomy involves sparing of the uninvolved mucoperiosteum of the hard palate. This flap is used for closure of the oroantral fistula, which preserves the functional capabilities of the patient, such as speech, mastication and deglutination. METHOD: This case series describes the experience of using the technique of mucosa-preserving subperiosteal inferior maxillectomy in five patients with mucormycosis. RESULTS: With the technique used in this study, complete oronasal separation was achieved in all six patients. The overall surgery time was also decreased when compared with free tissue transfer. Patients also did not have to bear the weight of prosthesis. CONCLUSION: Mucoperiosteal palatal flap-preserving subperiosteal inferior maxillectomy is an excellent approach for all patients with mucormycosis and healthy palatal mucosa.

Intravenous Branched Chain Amino Acid Infusion Is Associated with Early but Ill-Sustained Recovery of Overt Hepatic Encephalopathy in Acute-on- Chronic Liver Failure: A Pilot Protocol

Background: Hepatic encephalopathy (HE) in acute-on- chronic liver failure (ACLF) is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. There is paucity of data regarding HE management in patients with ACLF and most of the evidence is extrapolated from patients with cirrhosis. We conducted a prospective, randomized controlled clinical trial to study the efficacy of intravenous branched chain amino acids (IV-BCAA) with lactulose versus lactulose alone for improvement in HE scores at 24h, day 3 & day 7. Duration of ICU stay and survival at days 7 and 28 was compared. Method(s): CANONIC ACLF patients with HE grades >= 2 were assessed for eligibility and randomized into two groups -experimental arm (IV-BCAA -500mL/ day for 3 days + Lactulose;n=39) and comparator arm (Lactulose alone;n=37). Six patients developed COVID-19 after randomization & were excluded (4-experimental arm & 2-comparator arm). Grade of HE was assessed by West Haven Classification and Hepatic Encephalopathy Scoring Algorithm (HESA). ACLF severity was determined by CLIF-C ACLF and MELD scores. All patients received standard of care for HE and ACLF management. Result(s): Both groups were similar in baseline characteristics including grade of HE (2.85 +/- 0.75 vs 2.82 +/- 0.66;P = 0.864) and CLIF-C ACLF score (54.19 +/- 5.55 vs 54.79 +/- 5.74;P = 0.655). Overall survival was 40% at 28 days (48.5% vs 31.4%;P=0.143). Significant improvement in HESA score by >=1 grade at 24h was seen in 14 patients (40%) in BCAA arm and 6 patients (17.14%) in control group (P=0.034) which translated to a shorter ICU stay in the BCAA arm (Table 1). Median change in HESA score at 24h was significantly more in BCAA arm than control arm (P=0.006), however, this was not sustained at day 3 or 7. Ammonia levels did not correlate with the grade of HE (Spearman's correlation coefficient(rho) = -0.0843;P=0.295). Conclusion(s): Intravenous BCAA leads to early but ill-sustained improvement in grade of HE and reduced ICU stay in ACLF.

Digital Eye Strain and Dry Eye Problemsin Covid-19 Lockdown, At BBMCH, Balangir

PURPOSE: Lockdown guidelines during COVID-19 pandemic increased the e-learning methods and gadgets use, basically to undergo classes, recreation procedures and media news updates, which subsequently upsurgedasthenopic symptoms as digital eye strain (DES) epidemic amid COVID-19 lockdown. This is a descriptive cross-sectional questionnaire based study which is aimed to assess the prevalence, risk factors.Pattern of gadgets used, screen time and symptomatology of Digital eye strain among medical students, teaching doctor faculties and paramedical staff during COVID-19 lockdown at BBMCH, Balangir. METHODS: This e-filled self survey analysed 570 responses from medical students of online classes(200), teachers of online classes (38), paramedical staff (122) and general population(210) .Aprevalidated CVS-Q and OSDI questionnaire regarding screen time spent, was used to calculate the DES score. Median DES Score was compared by medians or non-parametric tests. Categorical variables were compared by Chi Square test and predictors of DES were found by binary logistic regression. SPSS Version 21.0 was used to interpret and analyse the collected data. RESULTS: Majority of survey participants(78%) had at least one symptom of digital eye stain;The reported symptoms during electronic device usage in decreasing frequency were Eye fatigue(65%), Eye strain(52%), Ocular discomfort(50%), headaches(48%), Burning eyes(42%), and Dry eyes(35%), watering(34%), shoulder pain(30%) DES symptoms were found to be more than that of dry eye symptoms. The prevalence of DES in students taking e-learning surpassed to those found with other health staff and general population. DES score was also observed to be on higher side for more screen time users, use of gadgets in dark, screen distance<25cm. Lens or spectacle users suffered worsening of vision and needed change of glasses. No association between DES and exacerbation of pre-existing dry eyes and eye diseases were appreciated due to exclusion of such participants from our survey. CONCLUSION:Eye care tips are needed at periodic intervals to create awareness and to reduce eye strain symptoms, closing of eyes on regular basic, maintaining reading distance between 25-30cm and reducing screen time by breaks can lessen the prevalence of DES. As because, use of gadgets were the major media for learning or communication, so ocular health, hygiene and practical precautions should be kept in mind.

A multi-centre retrospective cohort study to examine the effect of high-dose steroids in COVID-19 pneumonitis admitted to Intensive Care with ARDS

Introduction: The use of systemic corticosteroids to suppress SARS-CoV-2-induced lung inflammation is advocated in the treatment of COVID-19 ARDS.1,2 Whilst the evidence for low dose early corticosteroids in COVIDARDS is well established, the effect of larger steroid doses (i.e. short-term 'pulse-dose') is yet to be investigated. Objectives: The objective of this study was to examine the effect of pulse dose steroids on ventilatory parameters such as oxygenation in COVID-19 patients with and without established fibrosis or organising pneumonia (OP). Methods: This was a multi-centre, retrospective observational study performed at four teaching hospitals, with the following inclusion criteria: adult patients requiring invasive mechanical ventilation with confirmed PCR SARS-CoV-2 infection;and received high dose steroids for treatment for COVID-ARDS (defined as dose ≥ 20mg dexamethasone or an equivalent dose of methylprednisolone). This study was carried out as a service evaluation within the National Health Service (NHS) and recorded under the auspices of the clinical audit office at Imperial College HealthcareNHS Trust and Institutional Data Protection Office. Study patients were followed for 14 days or until they were discharged from the ICU and physiological or ventilatory variable data was retrospectively collected from patient records. Results: In total, 92 patients were included: 14 patients 20mg/day dexamethasone;5 patients 50mg/day dexamethasone;16 patients 500mg methylprednisolone;and 57 patients 1000mg methylprednisolone. Our data demonstrate a statistically significant improvement in PaO2/FiO2 (P/F) ratio over time, from baseline to day 14, in those patients who received 1000mg Methylprednisolone (baseline PaO2: 14.47 kPa, Day 3: 17.51 kPa, Day 7: 19.51 kPa, Day 14: 22.87 kPa, p<0.001). Whilst not statistically significant, there was a trend to higher P/F ratios by day 14 in patients who received 500mg Methylprednisolone group. There was no increase in P/F ratios in those patients who received 20mg or 50mg dexamethasone. The increase in P/F ratio was most apparent in those patients who had evidence of fibrosis on CT scan, although some benefit was seen in those patients who did not fibrosis on radiological imaging. Cross sectional random effects models were used to determine the effect of 1000mg methylprednisolone on improvement in P/F ratio and demonstrate that there was an increase of P/F ratio of more than 0.38 kPa per day in those patients that received 1000mg methylprednisolone. The was no significant effect on compliance measures. There was also a trend to more ventilator free days but no difference in mortality in those patients receiving large dose methylprednisolone. Reassuringly, rates of fungal infection and pneumothorax/pneumomediastinum for patients who received steroids, including those with high dose, were equivocal. Conclusion: In this study, we present novel data suggesting that large doses of methylprednisolone may be beneficial in patients with severe COVID-19, late in the disease course when ARDS is well established. This benefit was not demonstrated in patients treated with lesser (but still high) doses of steroids (i.e. 20mg or 50mg of dexamethasone) and suggest that larger pulsed-dose steroids may induce reversibility of the disease process, particularly in those who have developed fibrosis.

Incidence and Outcomes of Clinically Significant Bleeding Events in Critically Ill Covid-19 Patients Receiving Therapeutic Dose Anticoagulants: A Retrospective Cohort Study (Interact Study)

Aim and background: The high mortality associated with the thrombotic events in hospitalised COVID-19 patients resulted in the usage of anticoagulants in varying doses. Whether the high-dose anticoagulants have led to better outcomes or higher incidence of clinically significant bleeding events is still debatable. Objectives: To find the incidence of clinically significant bleeding events in moderate to severe COVID-19 patients on therapeutic anticoagulation and the factors influencing these events. Materials and methods: In our retrospective, single-centre, cohort study of 155 critically ill COVID-19 patients we observed the incidence of clinically significant bleeding. Multivariate regression models were used to evaluate the association between anticoagulant regimen, coagulation, and inflammatory markers with the incidence of bleeding and thrombotic events. Results: The incidence of Clinically Relevant Non-Major Bleeding (CRNMB) was 33.5% (26.17-41.46%,) and major bleeding was 9.03% (5.02-14.69%). The anticoagulation intensity at baseline had a very high odds of major bleeding when Enoxaparin and dual antiplatelet therapy were used together (adjusted OR of 434.09 [3.81-49502.95], p < 0.05). At admission, bleeders had a poorer P/F ratio with more patients on invasive ventilation. At the time of bleeding, the bleeders had a higher d-dimer, ferritin, CRP, and procalcitonin. The subhazard ratio (SHR) for death in bleeders was 3.35 (95% CI, 1.97-5.65;p < 0.001). Conclusion: The incidence of bleeding in critically ill COVID-19 patients on therapeutic anticoagulation increases with the severity of the disease as well as with concurrent use of dual antiplatelets. Major bleeding may also contribute to higher mortality.

Single, High Dose Vitamin D Supplementation in Vitamin D Deficient Severe COVID-19: Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebocontrol Study (Shade-S)

Aim and background: Efficacy of therapeutic vitamin D3 supplementation for ICU outcomes in severe COVID-19 is sparingly studied. Objective: Effect of single high-dose vitamin D3 supplementation on sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) score in patients with moderate to severe COVID-19 disease. Materials and methods: A single centre, randomized, doubleblind, placebo-controlled study was carried out among 90 patients with moderate to severe COVID-19 ARDS defined by PaO2/FiO2 <200. Participants received 0.6 million IU vitamin D3 (oral nanoformulation) (intervention) or placebo (equal volume, oral). SOFA score on day-3, -7, -10, and -14 was measured. The primary outcome was a change in day-7 SOFA score from admission. Pre-specified secondary outcomes were day 10 and day-14 SOFA score, change in PaO2/FiO2 ratio, in-hospital all-cause mortality, and inflammatory cytokine levels. Results: A total of 358 patients were screened and 90 patients (45 in each group) were included. 25(OH)D3 levels were 12.0 (10.0-16.0) and 12.7 (12-18) ng/mL (p = 0.059) at study entry;60 (54.40 to 65.59) ng/mL and 3.8 [1.05 to 6.55] at day-3 in the intervention and placebo group, respectively. The SOFA score on day-7 was better in the treatment group [intergroup difference was -2 (95% CI, -3.99 to -0.01, p = 0.009) with effect-size of r = 0.35 (95% CI, 0.09-0.55). The all-cause mortality with intervention was 24.4% compared to 44.4% (p = 0.046) in the control group. A significant improvement in the day-7 PaO2/FiO2 ratio [200.50 (101.01-291.30) and 110.70 (66.20-166.50), p = 0.003;intergroup difference -98.6 (40.70 to 156.49)], a decrease in CRP [-48.63 (-80.78 to -16.48) and 5.4 (-17.62 to 28.42), p = 0.042)], ferritin [-412.3 (-736.29 to -88.31) and 41.5 (-293.68 to 376.68), p = 0.018] was observed in the intervention and placebo groups, respectively. Conclusion: Single high-dose oral cholecalciferol supplementation to increase vitamin D3 >50 ng/mL improves the SOFA score and reduces in-hospital mortality in vitamin-D deficient patients with severe COVID-19.

Intravenous branched chain amino acid infusion is associated with early but ill-sustained recovery of overt hepatic encephalopathy in acute-on-chronic liver failure: a pilot protocol

Background and Aim: Hepatic encephalopathy (HE) in acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. There is limited evidence regarding HE management in patients with ACLF. We conducted a prospective, randomized controlled clinical trial to study the efficacy of intravenous branched chain amino acids (IV-BCAA) with lactulose versus lactulose alone for improvement in HE at 24h, day 3 & day 7. Duration of ICU stay and survival at days 7 and 28 was compared. Methods: CANONIC ACLF patients with HE grades>=2 were randomized into two groups - experimental arm (IV-BCAA - 500mL/day for 3 days + Lactulose;n=39) and comparator arm (Lactulose alone;n=37). Six patients developed COVID-19 after randomization & were excluded (4-experimental arm & 2-comparator arm). HE Grade was assessed by West Haven Classification and Hepatic Encephalopathy Scoring Algorithm (HESA). ACLF severity was determined by CLIF-C ACLF and MELD scores. All patients received standard of care. Results: Both groups were similar in baseline characteristics including grade of HE (2.85 ± 0.75 vs 2.82 ± 0.66;P = 0.864) and CLIF-C ACLF score (54.19 ± 5.55 vs 54.79 ± 5.74;P = 0.655). Overall survival was 40% at 28 days (48.5% vs 31.4%;P=0.143). Significant improvement in HESA score by 1 grade at 24h was seen in 14 patients (40%) in BCAA arm and 6 patients (17.14%) in control group (P=0.034) which translated to shorter ICU stay in the BCAA arm. Median change in HESA score at 24h was significantly more in BCAA arm than control arm (P=0.006), however, this was not sustained at day 3 or 7. Ammonia levels did not correlate with HE grade (Spearman correlation coefficient (-0.0843;P=0.295). Conclusion: Intravenous BCAA leads to early but ill-sustained improvement in grade of HE and reduced ICU stay in ACLF.

COVID-19 Impact on Online Learning: A Statistical and Machine Learning Model Analysis for Stress Detection

The preventive measure to control the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic compelled the government across the globe to close the educational premises. In order to fill the academic gap, and to follow the prescribed isolation in this outbreak, a shift of physical classroom interaction to virtual space becomes indispensable. This rushed shift is largely affecting the academicians, groups of students, and institutions. Although, students from different backgrounds may have different psychological impacts of online learning experiences depending upon their usage and comfortability with the e-learning technology. Many researchers reported that online learning has resulted in depression and anxiety disorder among students and in due course resulting in increased stress levels. Therefore, it is vital to comprehend and examine the impact of this unexpected shift in the learning environment on students’ psychology and stress levels. There are numerous studies associated with stress identification in controlled laboratory surroundings, but there is inadequate research related to stress measurement in general (Can et al. in J. Biomed. Inform. 92, 2019). The present study is an attempt to explore a variety of predictive analysis and statistical analysis techniques in identification of stress and also to analyze the perceived stress level of students in online learning experience using cross-sectional research. The data collected is analyzed in depth using the regression analysis and the relationship between various factors is established and other valuable insights are demonstrated. The outcome of this research would be helpful for the educational institutes, policymakers, and government bodies to appraise the challenges and the inadequacies of online teaching platforms and their impact on student’s stress levels. © 2022, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.

Connecting the Dots (Mechanics of Heartfulness Meditation and HeartsApp)

Heartfulness (HFN) is a simple practical method to experience heart’s unlimited resources. It includes guided relaxation, and a meditation technique with yogic transmission. Heartful Institute has developed a HeartsApp to practice HFN and is illustrated here. This app can be downloaded from Heartfulness.org without any charge and is free to use 24 hours/ 7 days all over the globe. Since the Covid-19 outbreak, the application of meditation and HeartsApp has increased multifold. Just like, one can describe the taste of mango only by eating;one knows the effect of meditation with transmission by practicing. Key features including, Meditation with a trainer, Guided practice with introductory sessions, Master classes with Daaji (Heartfulness global Guide) and Lifestyle in a Heartfulness way are given in this study. © IEOM Society International.

Connecting the Dots (Meditation teaches-You take 1 Step He takes 10 Steps)

Heartfulness (HFN) is a simple practical method to experience heart’s unlimited resources. It includes guided relaxation, and a meditation technique with yogic transmission. Heartful Institute has developed a HeartsApp to practice HFN and is illustrated in [1]. This app can be downloaded from Heartfulness.org without any cost and is free to use 24 hours/ 7 days all over the world. Since the Covid-19 outbreak, the application of meditation and HeartsApp has increased multifold. One can easily learn how to meditate and experience the effect of transmission. This article shows some simple illustrations of, “You take one step and He takes 10 steps”, in honest and sincere efforts for accomplishing daily goals. Key features including, Meditation with a trainer, Guided practice with introductory sessions, Master classes and Lifstyle in a Heartfulness way are given www.heartfulness.org and [2]. Some examples of effectiveness of meditation are given. These include results of taking steps with faith and devotion given below: 1. Open house in Mandi, HP, India on May 15, 2015 2. Meeting with General Medrano, in Bogota, Colombia. 3. Invitation by Professor Ahid Ali to present and consequences. 4. Contact by Mr. Ritesh Bisht for webinar in his college in Kulu, HP, India. 5. First time visit to Colombia. 6. Contact with Central State University. 7. Kensington Library © IEOM Society International.

Patient outcomes following transfer between intensive care units during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Transferring critically ill patients between intensive care units (ICU) is often required in the UK, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, there is a paucity of data examining clinical outcomes following transfer of patients with COVID-19 and whether this strategy affects their acute physiology or outcome. We investigated all transfers of critically ill patients with COVID-19 between three different hospital ICUs, between March 2020 and March 2021. We focused on inter-hospital ICU transfers (those patients transferred between ICUs from different hospitals) and compared this cohort with intra-hospital ICU transfers (patients moved between different ICUs within the same hospital). A total of 507 transfers were assessed, of which 137 met the inclusion criteria. Forty-five patients underwent inter-hospital transfers compared with 92 intra-hospital transfers. There was no significant change in median compliance 6 h pre-transfer, immediately post-transfer and 24 h post-transfer in patients who underwent either intra-hospital or inter-hospital transfers. For inter-hospital transfers, there was an initial drop in median PaO2 /FI O2 ratio: from median (IQR [range]) 25.1 (17.8-33.7 [12.1-78.0]) kPa 6 h pre-transfer to 19.5 (14.6-28.9 [9.8-52.0]) kPa immediately post-transfer (p < 0.05). However, this had resolved at 24 h post-transfer: 25.4 (16.2-32.9 [9.4-51.9]) kPa. For intra-hospital transfers, there was no significant change in PaO2 /FI O2 ratio. We also found no meaningful difference in pH; PaCO2 ;, base excess; bicarbonate; or norepinephrine requirements. Our data demonstrate that patients with COVID-19 undergoing mechanical ventilation of the lungs may have short-term physiological deterioration when transferred between nearby hospitals but this resolves within 24 h. This finding is relevant to the UK critical care strategy in the face of unprecedented demand during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Racism is a virus: Anti-asian hate and counterspeech in social media during the COVID-19 crisis@gatech.edu

The spread of COVID-19 has sparked racism and hate on social media targeted towards Asian communities. However, little is known about how racial hate spreads during a pandemic and the role of counterspeech in mitigating this spread. In this work, we study the evolution and spread of anti-Asian hate speech through the lens of Twitter. We create COVID-HATE, the largest dataset of anti-Asian hate and counterspeech spanning 14 months, containing over 206 million tweets, and a social network with over 127 million nodes. By creating a novel hand-labeled dataset of 3,355 tweets, we train a text classifier to identify hateful and counterspeech tweets that achieves an average macro-F1 score of 0.832. Using this dataset, we conduct longitudinal analysis of tweets and users. Analysis of the social network reveals that hateful and counterspeech users interact and engage extensively with one another, instead of living in isolated polarized communities. We find that nodes were highly likely to become hateful after being exposed to hateful content in the year 2020. Notably, counterspeech messages discourage users from turning hateful, potentially suggesting a solution to curb hate on web and social media platforms. Data and code is available at http://claws.cc.gatech.edu/covid. © 2021 ACM.

Working from Home and Work-Family Balance: A Study of Women Educators during Lockdown

Covid-19 has had an overwhelming effect on lives and livelihoods alike. We have all embraced the new normal, including working from home, although it has come as an abrupt change. While not all jobs lend themselves to be shifted online, teaching is one profession that could witness such a change with relative ease. Technology eased the process, but it was not easy for those who had to do so, especially for women educators who faced very demanding sets of circumstances for managing work and home with limited domestic support. This paper attempts to study the impact of the mandatory lockdown on women educators, their work-life balance, and their experiences. The study was conducted in two phases, quantitative and qualitative. The quantitative phase was composed of 150 responses from women educators teaching online during the lockdown in PostGraduate Diploma in Management (PGDM) programs in Jaipur, India. Thirty respondents volunteered to participate in the qualitative phase, which was conducted using semi-structured in-depth interviews. Five themes emerged from the qualitative phase: Structuring the home environment for work, workplace social support, personal social support, household structure, and feelings of isolation. There was substantial evidence backing up all these themes in the existing literature and this has been discussed comprehensively in the findings section. © 2021, Research Institute of Asian Women. All rights reserved.

Potential long-term effects of SARS-CoV-2 infection on the pulmonary vasculature: a global perspective.

The lungs are the primary target of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection, with severe hypoxia being the cause of death in the most critical cases. Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is extremely heterogeneous in terms of severity, clinical phenotype and, importantly, global distribution. Although the majority of affected patients recover from the acute infection, many continue to suffer from late sequelae affecting various organs, including the lungs. The role of the pulmonary vascular system during the acute and chronic stages of COVID-19 has not been adequately studied. A thorough understanding of the origins and dynamic behaviour of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and the potential causes of heterogeneity in COVID-19 is essential for anticipating and treating the disease, in both the acute and the chronic stages, including the development of chronic pulmonary hypertension. Both COVID-19 and chronic pulmonary hypertension have assumed global dimensions, with potential complex interactions. In this Review, we present an update on the origins and behaviour of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and discuss the potential causes of the heterogeneity of COVID-19. In addition, we summarize the pathobiology of COVID-19, with an emphasis on the role of the pulmonary vasculature, both in the acute stage and in terms of the potential for developing chronic pulmonary hypertension. We hope that the information presented in this Review will help in the development of strategies for the prevention and treatment of the continuing COVID-19 pandemic.

Comparative analysis of ACE2 protein expression in rodent, non-human primate, and human respiratory tract at baseline and after injury: a conundrum for COVID-19 pathogenesis

Angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) is the putative functional receptor for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Current literature on the abundance and distribution of ACE2 protein in the human respiratory tract is controversial. We examined the effect of age and lung injury on ACE2 protein expression in rodent and non-human primate (NHP) models. We also examined ACE2 expression in human tissues with and without coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19). ACE2 expression was detected at very low levels in preterm, but was absent in full-term and adult NHP lung homogenates. This pattern of ACE2 expression contrasted with that of transmembrane protease serine type 2 (TMPRSS2), which was significantly increased in full-term newborn and adult NHP lungs compared to preterm NHP lungs. ACE2 expression was not detected in NHP lungs with cigarette smoke-induced airway disease or bronchopulmonary dysplasia. Murine lungs lacked basal ACE2 immunoreactivity, but responded to hyperoxia, bacterial infection, and allergen exposure with new ACE2 expression in bronchial epithelial cells. In human specimens, robust ACE2 immunoreactivity was detected in ciliated epithelial cells in paranasal sinus specimens, while ACE2 expression was detected only in rare type 2 alveolar epithelial cells in control lungs. In autopsy specimens from patients with COVID-19 pneumonia, ACE2 was detected in rare ciliated epithelial and endothelial cells in the trachea, but not in the lung. There was robust expression of ACE2 expression in F344/N rat nasal mucosa and lung specimens, which authentically recapitulated the ACE2 expression pattern in human paranasal sinus specimens. Thus, ACE2 protein expression demonstrates a significant gradient between upper and lower respiratory tract in humans and is scarce in the lung. This pattern of ACE2 expression supports the notion of sinonasal epithelium being the main entry site for SARS-CoV-2 but raises further questions on the pathogenesis and cellular targets of SARS-CoV-2 in COVID-19 pneumonia.

A pre-registered short-term forecasting study of COVID-19 in Germany and Poland during the second wave.

Disease modelling has had considerable policy impact during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, and it is increasingly acknowledged that combining multiple models can improve the reliability of outputs. Here we report insights from ten weeks of collaborative short-term forecasting of COVID-19 in Germany and Poland (12 October-19 December 2020). The study period covers the onset of the second wave in both countries, with tightening non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) and subsequently a decay (Poland) or plateau and renewed increase (Germany) in reported cases. Thirteen independent teams provided probabilistic real-time forecasts of COVID-19 cases and deaths. These were reported for lead times of one to four weeks, with evaluation focused on one- and two-week horizons, which are less affected by changing NPIs. Heterogeneity between forecasts was considerable both in terms of point predictions and forecast spread. Ensemble forecasts showed good relative performance, in particular in terms of coverage, but did not clearly dominate single-model predictions. The study was preregistered and will be followed up in future phases of the pandemic.