The psychological effects of COVID 19 on medical and non-medical university students

Background: The COVID 19 pandemic has had significant psychological effects on university students as well as in all segments of society. The aim of this study is to examine the relationship between education fields (medical-non medical), education styles (online-face to face), sociodemographic characteristics of university students and their levels of depression, anxiety, stress, fear of COVID-19. Subjects and methods: In the cross-sectional designed research, 1213 university students studying in Turkey was reached online. A sociodemographic form, the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS 21) and the Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S) was applied to the participants. Result(s): Of all participants 887(73%) were women. 647(53%) students were studying in the medical field. The scores of FCV-19S and all subscales of DASS 21 were significantly higher in women. In the comparison between the field and style of education, no difference was found. DASS 21 scores were higher in the participants whose relatives had COVID-19 or who had a mental disorder in the past or medical disease. Conclusion(s): In this study, it was observed that while there was no significant difference in the scores of DASS 21 among university students in terms of the field and style of education, variables such as gender, not having COVID-19 so far, having lost a relative due to COVID-19 could cause significant differences. Identifying sensitive groups will create early intervention opportunities. Copyright © Medicinska naklada - Zagreb, Croatia.

RESPONSE AND VACCINATION STATUS OR LACK OF IMMUNOPARESIS ARE ASSOCIATED WITH BETTER OUTCOME FOLLOWING COVID-19 INFECTION AMONG PATIENTS DIAGNOSED WITH MULTIPLE MYELOMA: A SINGLE CENTER EXPERIENCE ON 110 PATIENTS

Introduction: Patients with multiple myeloma (MM) have an inherently compromised humoral and cellular immunity predisposing to Covid-19 infection. Factors associated with increased risk of adverse COVID-19 outcome is unclear. The aim of our retrospective analysis was to evaluate COVID-19 infection outcome among our myeloma patients and to define the possible prognostic parameters. Patients And Methods: Between March 2020- February 2022, 10 myeloma patients were diagnosed with COVID infection confirmed by PCR test and computer tomography (CT). The severity of SARS-CoV-2 infection was classified according to WHO definition as: mild: symptomatic without pneumonia or hypoxia;moderate: with or without signs of pneumonia with SpO2 >90% on room air;severe disease: with symptoms of pneumonia and respiratory rate> 30/min, severe respiratory distress or SpO2 <90% on room air. Critical disease: with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), sepsis and septic shock. In addition, CALL (comorbidity-age-lymphocyte count-lactate dehydrogenase) score was used. All patients were given supportive care including heparin and 0.4 gr/kg/day intravenous immunoglobulin for those presenting with immunoparesis regardless of IgG treshold of 4.0 gr/L. Convalescent or monoclonal plasma was not used. All anti-myeloma treatments were discontinued until full recovery. Results: Baseline characteristics of our patients are summarized in Table 1. The median age at onset of COVID-19 was 62 years. Three patients were therapy naive, two newly diagnosed MM and one with smoldering MM. At the time point of COVID-19 diagnosis, eight patients were being followed without treatment. Twenty patients were followed out-patient without any treatment and with full recovery. Eighteen (16%) patients were admitted to ICU and 13 (12%) required invasive mechanic ventilation. Two patients received hydroxychloroquine, 68 received favipiravir, one patient received anakinra and two patients received tocilizumab. Full recovery from COVID-19 infection with regression of clinic symptoms and achievement of PCR negativity of COVID-19 was observed in 93 (84.5%) patients and 17 (15.5%) patients died due to severe COVID-19 pneumonia with respiratory and multi-organ failure. No death due to thromboembolic event was observed. As expected, high CALL risk score (HR:0.17 (95% CI: 0.06-0.48) and higher COVID severity grade (HR:0.26 (95% CI: 0.07- 0.97) were detrimental. Age did not have an impact. However response <VGPR (HR: 3.1 (95% CI: 1.0-9.6);p=0.04) or immunoparesis (HR: 6.59 (95% CI: 1.44-30.1);p=0.01) were correlated (Kappa CE: 0.212, p=0.03) and associated with worse COVID-19 outcome (Figure 1-2-3). In MVA with age, response, Call score, vaccine, immunoparesis entered in the model only immunoparesis was significant (HR: 6.5, p=0.016). Mortality prior to introduction of vaccines reduced to 3.6 % compared with 11.8 % at the pre-vaccine period. There was a trend to increase in Covid infection incidence recently due to the Omicron variant. Conclusion: Among 110 MM patients, the mortality rate is less than the one reported by IMS during the beginning of the pandemic. In our experience COVID-19 infection severity and mortality decreases with anti-Covid vaccination, response ≥VGPR or lack of immunoparesis. Importantly, MM patients with COVID-19 infection need close monitoring for severe COVID-19-related complications, and correction of humoral immunity may be life-saving. .

The Effect of Health Programs and Expenditures on Credit Ratings under Pandemic Era

The main motivation of this study is to understand the responses of credit rating agencies to health policies in pandemic conditions. In this period when public expenditures are expanding and financial risks are widespread due to the fiscal measures, the study has been tried to be developed on how credit institutions will handle COVID-19 and the change in health expenditures. © Peter Lang GmbH Internationaler Verlag der Wissenschaften Berlin 2021 All rights reserved..

Covid-19 and Online Music Education: A Qualitative Study on the Views of Preschool Teacher Candidates

This study aims to examine distance music education practices in the pandemic period in line with the opinions of pre-school teacher candidates. The study, in which the single case study design, one of the qualitative research approaches, was used, was carried out with 22 preschool teacher candidates studying at the Kafkas University, Turkey. The data were collected through a semi-structured interview form created by the researchers in line with expert opinions. The obtained data were collected under different themes and analyzed with content analysis. The results of the study showed that the acquisitions made by the preschool teacher candidates during distance music education were mainly based on a theoretical foundation. It was found that the greatest practical deficiency occurred in learning a musical instrument.The participants mostly expressed their views on saving time and space as the positive aspects of distance education. On the other hand, negative results were also obtained, such as the inadequacy of mutual communication in the distance education process, the lack of infrastructure in practice, and the limited course time. In future studies, it is recommended to implement synchronized applications, especially for instrument training, by supporting online materials.

The development of posture supporting soft exosuit design for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis

Purpose: Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) is a three-dimensional deformity of the spine. Orthoses are the most commonly used treatment material in AIS. However, the physiological and psychological problems that arise due to these orthoses' rigid structures prevent their use by patients. Due to these problems, the authors have developed a posture supporting garment (soft exosuit) design for individuals aged 10–18, with Cobb angles of 25°–40°, which is the most rapidly progressing stage of the disease. Design/methodology/approach: Soft exosuit prepared with experimental research method and user-centered design approach. The posture supporting effect is achieved by pattern engineering using fabric, belts, baleens and a gradual zipper system for to increase functionality, ease of use and fit. Findings: The first six-month clinical trial in prototype use was carried out with a female patient with a 29° scoliosis Cobb angle and suitable wearing a rigid corset due to AIS. The patient was satisfied with the prototype and its functionality, ease of use, fit and comfort. Cosmetic body deformity due to scoliosis was not observed, and the Cobb angle was decreased by 10.7% at the end of the sixth month. Soft exosuit has been found effective in supporting the posture of individuals who had ongoing spinal growth. Research limitations/implications: The most important limitation of this study is that, despite a large number of prototype and prototype studies, trials could not be conducted on a large number of patients with different characteristics due to the COVID-19 pandemic. More experimental studies are needed to generalize the product to large audiences. The first goal is to investigate more patients with different spinal deformities in the future. The second goal is to measure the materials used and the quantitative measurement of body responses with the biomechanics field. It is planned to increase the soft exosuit functionality with smart textiles by adding wearable devices with future research. Practical implications: This study is important because it constitutes the basis for future studies on pattern cutting soft materials' positioning. Social implications: It is thought that the study will contribute to functional solutions for different spinal deformities. Originality/value: It is an entire functional soft garment without an actuator. It is customizable and modular for patients with spinal deformities. It is thought that the study will contribute to functional solutions for spinal deformities. © 2021, Emerald Publishing Limited.

Evaluation of pulmonary embolism in the pace of covid-19

Background: To investigate the prevalence and clinical and laboratory characteristics of the cases with pulmonary embolism (PE) in the pace of coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19). Materials and methods: COVID-19 patients' records were retrospectively scanned from the hospital's automation system and recorded on patients' files. Results: Of 1452 COVID-19 patients, 17 (1.2%) were diagnosed with PE. Compared cases with PE with controls, it was seen that mean age was higher (p=0.036), male gender was prominent (p=0.016), patients presented with dyspnea symptoms further (p<0.001), while O2 saturation measured at room air on admission was lower (p=0.002). In PE patients, glucose (p=0.007), D-dimer (p<0.001), C-reactive protein (p<0.001) and ferritin levels (p=0.002) were higher than controls. In Receiver-Operator Characteristics analysis, the cut-off value of D-dimer in predicting PE was found to be 4211 ng/mL (p<0.001). COVID-19 patients were diagnosed with PE median five (min:max=0:36) days after hospitalization. Additionally, PE patients were found to have longer hospitalization time (p<0.001), the requirement for caring in the intensive care unit (p<0.001), and intubation (p=0.001), and non-invasive mechanical ventilation (p<0.001) in more patients, compared to controls. Mortality rates were similar in both groups, with three and 106 deaths in PE and control groups, respectively. Lower-extremity Doppler ultrasonography was performed in 196 patients, and thrombi were detected in the femoral vein in four patients, also presenting with PE. Conclusions: Even if there is no embolism without any obvious clinic of PE in all cases with COVID-19, such cases should be screened for PE in the presence of significant D-dimer elevation. © 2021 A. CARBONE Editore. All rights reserved.

Nutritional habits and emotional eating of adults during social isolation days due to Covid-19 pandemic

Data Collection Sociodemographic Information Form: The form created by the researchers includes data of age, sex, education level, number of households, employment status, body weight and height, sleeprelated changes and their duration, and physical activity status. According to the data obtained on food purchasing and nutritional behaviors in quarantine days, 50.1% of participants stocked food at home. According to BMI groups, a decrease in physical activity was most common among overweight women (76.2%) and healthy weight men (76.9%). Whereas 51.5% of obese women reported involuntary body weight gain, this rate in obese men was 55.4% (Table 4).

Development of pancreatic injuries in the course of COVID-19.

BACKGROUND AND STUDY AIMS: To investigate the clinical and laboratory characteristics of the cases with high lipase levels in the course of COVID-19. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Hospital records of all cases, where lipase levels were measured, and the reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction test due to SARS-CoV-2 was found positive, were retrospectively investigated. Of 127 COVID-19 patients tested for lipase, 20 (15.7%) had serum lipase levels above the upper laboratory limit. The patient group with the "high lipase level" was created from these subjects, and the rest constituted the "control" group. RESULTS: While body mass index (BMI) levels were higher in the high lipase group, (p=0.014), the number of those with pre-existing diabetes mellitus (DM) was also found higher in the high lipase group than the controls (p=0.002). The history of DM was detected to increase the risk of developing high lipase level 4.63 times higher. Only two patients were diagnosed with acute pancreatitis (AP). While oxygen saturations on admission (p=0.019) and discharge (p=0.011) were lower in the high lipase group than the controls, amylase (p<0.001), C-reactive protein (CRP) (p=0.002) and D-dimer (p=0.004) levels were found higher. In addition, more patients required the treatment in intensive care unit in the high lipase group, compared to the controls (p=0.027). Accordingly, time of hospital stay became also prolonged (p=0.003). CONCLUSIONS: Pancreatic injuries or even AP may develop during SARS-CoV-2 infection, especially in those with pre-existing DM. Monitoring of pancreatic enzymes is important in COVID-19 patients, especially with pre-existing DM.

First report on the molecular detection, phylogeny, virological and pathological investigations of Avibacterium paragallinarum in chickens in Turkey

Avibacterium paragallinarum is an important pathogen affecting the respiratory tract of chickens. There is a paucity of information on the molecular characteristics and pathology of A. paragallinarum in Turkish poultry flocks. In the present study, broiler and layer flocks (n = 2) suspected of viral infections with serious respiratory signs and significant mortality were visited. Chickens showed various disease signs and necropsy lesions, including purulent nasal discharge, respiratory distress, facial edema, sticky eyes, mucoid tracheitis, hemorrhagic inflammation of the infraorbital sinuses along with fibrinous mass and conjunctivitis. Histopathological lesions included loss of cilia along with necrosis and exfoliation of the superficial mucosal epithelium of the trachea, facial cellulitis, dermatitis, fibrinous plasmatic edema and infiltration of inflammatory cells, especially heterophils. A. paragallinarum was detected in tissue samples by species-specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The sequencing and phylogenetic analysis of the core region of the hemagglutinin (HA) gene revealed that Turkish strains detected here belonged to serotype A (serovar A1). They were related to strains reported from India (VRDC), the United States (0083), and Japan (0221), which are representatives of serovar A1. A homology of 88-90% was found between Indian strains and the Turkish strains detected in this study. Surprisingly, only vaccine strains of infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) were detected as a co-infecting agent in all samples positive for A. paragallinarum. Our findings suggest that A. paragallinarum may be an emerging pathogen in Turkish poultry flocks, and direct PCR may facilitate rapid diagnosis of infectious coryza. These results will also help to develop control strategies for A. paragallinarum..