Acute acquired comitant esotropia precipitated by excessive near work during the COVID-19-induced home confinement.

Purpose: To evaluate the causes of acute acquired comitant esotropia (AACE) in young adults and children in the setting of COVID-19-induced home confinement. Methods: A retrospective, clinical study of all patients, who presented to the Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus services of a tertiary eye care center in South India from August 2020 to January 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic, with acute-onset, comitant esotropia. Results: 11 (73.3%) of the total 15 patients were students, above 10 years and with a mean age of 16.8 years. 12 patients (80%) had more than 8 hours of near activity a day with a mean duration of 8.6 hours per day. The most common near activity was online classes, followed by job-related work and mobile games, and 86.7% used smartphones for near work. The average esotropia was 22.73 prism diopter (PD) for distance and 18.73 PD for near. Majority (66.6%) had hyperopia with basic or divergence insufficiency esotropia, and the remaining 33.3% had myopia and fitted in to the Bielschowsky type AACE. There was no precipitating event other than sustained near work in all, except in one patient who also had fever prior to the onset of esotropia. Conclusion: The habit of long-time and sustained near work, especially on smartphones, may increase the risk of inducement of AACE.

Expression of Human ACE2 N-terminal Domain, Part of the Receptor for SARS-CoV-2, in Fusion With Maltose-Binding Protein, E. coli Ribonuclease I and Human RNase A.

The SARS-CoV-2 viral genome contains a positive-strand single-stranded RNA of ∼30 kb. Human ACE2 protein is the receptor for SARS-CoV-2 virus attachment and infection. We propose to use ribonucleases (RNases) as antiviral agents to destroy the viral genome in vitro. In the virions, the RNA is protected by viral capsid proteins, membrane proteins, and nucleocapsid proteins. To utilize RNases as antiviral strategy, we set out to construct RNase fusion with human ACE2 receptor N-terminal domain (ACE2NTD). We expressed six proteins in E. coli cells: (1) MBP-ACE2NTD, (2) ACE2NTD-GFP, (3) RNase I (6×His), (4) RNase III (6×His), (5) RNase I-ACE2NTD (6×His), and (6) human RNase A-ACE2NTD (6×His). We evaluated fusion expression in different E. coli strains, partially purified MBP-ACE2NTD protein from the soluble fraction of bacterial cell lysate, and refolded MBP-ACE2NTD protein from inclusion body. The engineered RNase I-ACE2NTD (6×His) and hRNase A-ACE2NTD (6×His) fusions are active in cleaving SARS-CoV-2 RNA fragment in vitro. The recombinant RNase I (6×His) and RNase III (6×His) are active in cleaving RNA and dsRNA in test tube. This study provides a proof-of-concept for construction of fusion protein between human receptor and nuclease that may be used to degrade viral nucleic acids.

Essential anxiety: COVID-19 in analytic practice.

This paper explores the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on my relationship with analysands and my inner world. I reflect on the role of the archetypal Self during times of existential anxiety that may lead to an experience of 'essential anxiety'. This term refers to a meeting by a fearful ego with an inward recognition of the Self, when faced with threat. The efforts to curb the spread of the pandemic changed our ways of life, while the virus itself threatened our existence in debilitating or outright destructive ways. But what also came into view, in sessions of analysis and supervision, was the creative instinct, and a celebration of life. The soul-to-soul relationship, and the connection with images of the archetypal Self, made the experience of existential anxiety at times an essential experience that facilitated psychological growth. I discuss some advantages of on-line Jungian analysis where, despite distance and partial view, the body still serves as container to hold important psychological material, conferring a sense of wholeness for analyst and analysand. The COVID-19 crisis is terrible and terrifying but it also provides an opportunity for self-regulation and individuation.

Cet article explore l'impact de la pandémie de COVID-19 sur ma relation avec mes analysants et avec mon monde intérieur. Je réfléchis au rôle du Soi archétypal durant les périodes d'angoisse existentielle pouvant mener à une expérience 'd'angoisse essentielle'. Ce terme fait référence à la rencontre entre un moi craintif et l'acceptation intérieure du Soi, lors d'une confrontation avec une menace. Les efforts pour atténuer la diffusion de la pandémie ont changé nos manières de vivre, pendant que le virus lui-même menaçait notre existence de manière écrasante ou carrément destructive. Mais ce qui s'est également profilé, dans les séances d'analyse et de supervision, fut l'instinct créatif, et une célébration de la vie. La relation d'âme à âme et le lien avec des images du Soi archétypal ont parfois fait de l'expérience d'angoisse existentielle une expérience essentielle qui a facilité la croissance psychologique. J'aborde certains bénéfices de l'analyse Jungienne en ligne quand, malgré l'éloignement et la vision rétrécie à l'écran, le corps sert encore en tant que contenant pour détenir du matériel psychologique important, ce qui confère à l'analyste et à l'analysant un sentiment de complétude. La COVID-19 est terrible et terrifiante mais elle offre aussi une opportunité pour l'autorégulation et l'individuation.

El presente trabajo explora el impacto de la pandemia de COVID-19 en mi relación con mis analizandos y con mi mundo interno. Reflexiono sobre el rol del Sí Mismo arquetípico durante estos tiempos de ansiedad existencial que pueden conducir a una experiencia de 'ansiedad esencial'. Este término hace referencia al encuentro de un ego atemorizado con un reconocimiento interno del Sí Mismo, cuando es confrontado con una amenaza. Los esfuerzos por reducir la propagación de la pandemia cambiaron nuestro modo de vida, mientras el virus mismo amenazaba nuestra existencia ya sea debilitándola, o en formas directamente destructivas. Pero lo que también se hizo visible, en sesiones de análisis y supervisión, fue el instinto creativo y la celebración de la vida. La relación de alma-a-alma, y la conexión con imágenes del Sí Mismo arquetípico, hizo de a momentos la experiencia de ansiedad existencial, una experiencia esencial que facilitó el crecimiento psicológico. Analizo algunas ventajas del análisis Junguiano online, donde, aún la distancia y cierta parcialidad en el campo visual, el cuerpo sirve todavía de contenedor para alojar importante material psicológico, brindando un sentido de totalidad al analista y al analizando. La crisis por el COVID-19 es terrible y aterradora, pero al mismo tiempo provee una oportunidad para la autorregulación y la individuación.