Tick-borne encephalitis epidemiology and surveillance in Poland, and comparison with selected European countries before and during the COVID-19 pandemic, 2008 to 2020.

BackgroundTick-borne encephalitis (TBE) is the most common viral central nervous system (CNS) infection in Poland. Previous research suggests that its incidence was underestimated in the pre-pandemic period. The COVID-19 pandemic caused a considerable burden on surveillance systems, which could further impact reporting.AimWe aimed to assess the completeness of reporting of TBE in the years 2008 to 2020 and explore the potential impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on reporting to the epidemiological surveillance system, compared with hospitalisations for TBEV and other viral neuro-infections.MethodsWe compared the Polish epidemiology of TBE and other viral infections of the CNS from national surveillance reports with data on hospitalisations from 2008 to 2020 and data from selected European countries.ResultsBetween 2008 and 2020, 3,016 TBE cases were reported to surveillance compared with 3,620 hospitalisations. There was an increasing trend in hospitalisations, while surveillance data demonstrated the opposite, with the largest discrepancy observed in the first pandemic year (354 hospitalisations vs 159 cases reported to surveillance). Serological testing for TBE was used more in the known endemic region of north-eastern Poland and less in non-endemic areas. Other European countries reported higher TBE case numbers and an increase during the COVID-19 pandemic, whereas Poland observed an opposite trend.ConclusionThe sensitivity of TBE surveillance in Poland requires improvement. There are considerable regional differences. Regions that test for TBE intensively report most cases. Policymakers should be made aware of the value of quality epidemiological data for planning prophylactic measures in risk areas.

College Family Coping and Disruptions During COVID-19: A Consideration of the ABC-X Model of Family Stress( 1 )

For many families, COVID-19 has disrupted students' higher education experience. To better understand how COVID-19 has not just impacted students but family systems, in the current study, the ABC-X model of family stress was applied to college families. The COVID-19 pandemic created stressors for college families (A), which impacted families depending on the resources available to them (B). How the families understand and perceive these stressors has impacted students' college experience (C). For college students and their families, an outcome of working to respond to these stressors could be delaying graduation, or changing academic plans (X). During October and November 2020, 3,932 parents of college students across the United States, representing more than 75 institutions, completed a 15-minute online survey. Findings revealed that families and students were differentially impacted by COVID-19, in the family stressors they experienced, and also in their academic stressors. What is particularly important in these data is that families matter-when families were supported, students did better and when parents reported a greater negative impact of COVID-19 they also reported students were less likely to maintain their graduation plans and more likely to change their academic plans. Incorporating a family lens into future research on college students is critical for advancing the field and supporting student success.

Therapeutic Options for the Treatment of 2019-Novel Coronavirus in India: A Review

Purpose: As of, from 30th Jan to 31st May, 2020, more than 182,143 confirmed cases were reported in India along with 86,984 recovered cases and 5164 deceased cases of COVID-19. More than 53 countries are also affected with this pandemic virus. However, the lack of specific drugs to prevent/treat this pandemic disease is a major problem in this current scenario. In this re-gard, this systemic review was conducted to identify the therapeutic approaches and researches, which are ongoing in India against COVID-19. Method(s): We had screened Google Scholar database with the keywords nCoV, corona virus in In-dia, effect of SARS-CoV-2 in India, 2019-nCoV, treatment pattern in India for nCoV and therapy used to treat nCoV in India. In the final review, we had included a total of 49 articles. Result(s): As a result we had found that the Indian Council of Medical Research and NIH have giv-en a standard guideline of Hydroxychloroquine and other antiviral drugs for nCoV, and also there are various researches going on related to nCoV treatment like, chemicals from natural products, herbs and spices commonly used in India, combination therapy of lopinavir and ritonavir, ultra-vio-let radiation therapy, molecular dynamic (MD) simulations of molecules for vaccine preparation, Convalescent plasma transfusion (CPT) therapy and many more. Conclusion(s): New drugs and therapy are in the premature stage for this hazardous pandemic. We need more time to gain the detailed knowledge of the life cycle of the nCoV, which can speed up the drug/vaccine development process against nCoV.Copyright © 2022 Bentham Science Publishers.

Biomarkers of COVID-19 and technologies to combat SARS-CoV-2.

Due to the unprecedented public health crisis caused by COVID-19, our first contribution to the newly launching journal, Advances in Biomarker Sciences and Technology, has abruptly diverted to focus on the current pandemic. As the number of new COVID-19 cases and deaths continue to rise steadily around the world, the common goal of healthcare providers, scientists, and government officials worldwide has been to identify the best way to detect the novel coronavirus, named SARS-CoV-2, and to treat the viral infection - COVID-19. Accurate detection, timely diagnosis, effective treatment, and future prevention are the vital keys to management of COVID-19, and can help curb the viral spread. Traditionally, biomarkers play a pivotal role in the early detection of disease etiology, diagnosis, treatment and prognosis. To assist myriad ongoing investigations and innovations, we developed this current article to overview known and emerging biomarkers for SARS-CoV-2 detection, COVID-19 diagnostics, treatment and prognosis, and ongoing work to identify and develop more biomarkers for new drugs and vaccines. Moreover, biomarkers of socio-psychological stress, the high-technology quest for new virtual drug screening, and digital applications are described.

An update on COVID-19: SARS-CoV-2 variants, antiviral drugs, and vaccines.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a highly contagious and pathogenic virus that first appeared in late December 2019. This SARS-CoV-2 causes an infection of an acute respiratory disease called "coronavirus infectious disease-2019 (COVID-19). The World Health Organization (WHO) declared this SARS-CoV-2 outbreak a great pandemic on March 11, 2020. As of January 31, 2023, SARS-CoV-2 recorded more than 67 million cases and over 6 million deaths. Recently, novel mutated variants of SARS-CoV are also creating a serious health concern worldwide, and the future novel variant is still mysterious. As infection cases of SARS-CoV-2 are increasing daily, scientists are trying to combat the disease using numerous antiviral drugs and vaccines against SARS-CoV-2. To our knowledge, this is the first comprehensive review that summarized the dynamic nature of SARS-CoV-2 transmission, SARS-CoV-2 variants (a variant of concern and variant of interest), antiviral drugs and vaccines utilized against SARS-CoV-2 at a glance. Hopefully, this review will enable the researcher to gain knowledge on SARS-CoV-2 variants and vaccines, which will also pave the way to identify efficient novel vaccines against forthcoming SARS-CoV-2 strains.

Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on National Institutes of Health-Funded Researchers and Their Projects: The Role of Age, Sex, Experience, and Team Size.

OBJECTIVES: The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the social life, work environment, and well-being of millions of people. We examined COVID-19's impact on National Institutes of Health (NIH)-funded extramural principal investigators (PIs) affiliated with public health and preventive medicine departments across the country and their projects; assessed PIs' confidence in achieving project goals; and investigated the role of age, sex, experience, and team size on PIs' confidence in achieving project goals during the pandemic. METHODS: We sent an anonymous online survey in January 2021 to 1076 extramural PIs affiliated with public health and preventive medicine departments at US institutions; 133 (12.4%) responded. We examined the impact of COVID-19 on the PIs, their project team operations, and their confidence that project objectives would be met, using Likert scales based on age, sex, team size, and PI experience. RESULTS: Of 126 PIs, 94 (74.6%) felt that their day-to-day professional life was impacted a lot or a great deal by COVID-19. More female PIs than male PIs reported that their level of stress changed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Of 125 PIs, 67 (53.6%) made major adjustments to research operations, 46 (36.8%) made minor adjustments, 5 (4.0%) halted research, and 7 (5.6%) reported not being affected. Of 123 PIs, 89 (72.4%) reported not using NIH COVID-19 accommodations. PIs who led projects 4 or 5 times felt more confident about meeting their research objectives than PIs who led projects 2 or 3 times. CONCLUSIONS: Future studies should investigate how to develop more engaging support and communication strategies to assist NIH researchers in mitigating the effects of pandemics or large-scale emergencies.

Where are nurse-scientists? Academic nursing research at critical crossroads.

BACKGROUND: Academic nursing research is at a critical impasse after the great retirement and resignation during COVID-19. Sustaining and replenishing senior nurse-scientist faculty that are clinical experts with real-world clinical practice is critical. Leveraging the mission of nursing scholarship within the business of building and sustaining externally funded research enterprises in schools of nursing presents conundrums, especially with persistent nursing faculty vacancies. PURPOSE AND METHODS: Through a lens of intersectionality within the context of academic bias and nursing education regulation, we address challenges in NIH funding for nurse-scientist faculty. Publicly available data reveal equity, inclusion, and advancement issues that make it an unequal playing field for nurse-scientist faculty if expected to achieve similar NIH funding as faculty in schools of public health and medicine. DISCUSSION: Understanding research enterprises requires appreciation of the complex interplay between academic nursing units, university infrastructures, and academic budgetary models. Creative support for both nursing deans and their faculty is needed.

A Case-Control Study of Distinguishing Between Stroke Mimics and True Strokes.

This study was conducted with the primary aim to distinguish patients with a true stroke versus a stroke mimic based on clinical features and imaging. We conducted a retrospective case-control study on 116 adult patients who received alteplase (tPA) to treat acute stroke at our hospital. We further analyzed 79 patients with a normal computed tomography angiography (CTA). Based on their magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain, they were divided into cases (stroke mimics) and controls (true strokes). Data were collected retrospectively by reviewing individual medical charts on the electronic medical record (EMR), including age, gender, history of stroke, seizure, hypertension, diabetes, atrial fibrillation, hyperlipidemia, presenting NIH Stroke Scale/Score, hemorrhagic conversion, history of migraine, history of depression, sidedness of symptoms and aphasia. Data were categorized to separate those who were later diagnosed to be stroke mimics by being-postictal, encephalopathic, in acute migraine, suffered post-stroke recrudescence (PSR) due to metabolic insult, or had conversion disorder when symptoms could not be attributed to any medical condition or mental illness. Of the 79 study subjects, 48 (60%) were stroke mimics. The mean age of the cohort was 68.67 years, and 46.8% of the study subjects were females. Based on the multivariate logistic regression analysis, factors associated with being a stroke mimic were older age, history of migraine, and a history of prior stroke. In conclusion, increased attention to history and clinical examination as the first step can aid in the proper diagnosis of strokes versus stroke mimics. Identifying stroke mimics early could help expedite hospital workup and prevent inadvertent investigations, reducing hospital occupancy during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. We could potentially avoid the administration of tPA to such patients, reducing both the cost and adverse effects of it. Every stroke can cause neurological deficits, but every deficit need not be a stroke.

A case of 2019-nCoV novel coronavirus outbreak

This chapter reconnoiters various types of coronaviruses that cause zoonotic infection. Coronaviruses affecting the human population are known as human coronaviruses. Numerous coronaviruses exist that cause mild to severe ailments and fatalities, infection in the upper respiratory tract (URTI), acute respiratory syndrome, Middle East respiratory syndrome with varying degrees of severity may cause serious viral pneumonia, leading to hospitalization and death. SARS-CoV, transpired from China in late 2019, spread exponentially across the globe. World Health Organization stated this situation as a health emergency on March 11, 2020, and hence it was named as COVID-19. The outbreak of COVID-19 has affected health and economy around the world on an unprecedented scale. It is having a devastating effect on education, jobs, employment, domestic life, and the well-being of kids, youth, and elderly inhabitants. The incubation period for coronavirus disease is 2-14 days. Infected people have different clinical outcomes. However, people with preexisting cardiovascular disease, hypertension, diabetes, and related conditions have worse health suffering consequences. The transmission rate of COVID-19 is relatively high as compared to other viruses, researches have proposed many strategies in combating the virus contagious behavior;hand hygiene practice, physical distancing, limiting contact with other people, tracing contacts, disinfecting the surfaces, and wearing the proper mask are few to name. At the moment, no vaccines or drugs with proven efficacy are available for the medical management of COVID-19 patients. Chloroquine/hydroxychloroquine, Remdesivir, and Tocilizumab are strongly recommended treatment options in COVID-19. The chapter also throws light on coping strategies to overcome claustrophobia during the lock-down and dispelling COVID-19 rumors. © 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A Changing World in Gene Therapy Research: Exciting Opportunities for Medical Advancement and Biosafety Challenges.

Introduction: We previously reported on the United States' regulatory environment evolving to accommodate an emerging boom in gene therapy research. Several important developments have transpired in the 2 years since that article was published, including the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and the drive for large-scale testing of vaccines containing recombinant or synthetic nucleic acid molecules. This report highlights key developments in the field with a focus on biosafety and issues of note to biosafety professionals with responsibilities over clinical research. Discussion: We provide guidance for performing risk assessments on the currently approved gene therapy products as well as the most utilized types of investigational products in clinical trials. Areas of focus include the prominent approaches utilized in the three major areas of research: oncology, infectious diseases, and rare diseases. Conclusion: The COVID-19 pandemic has created several opportunities for continued growth in gene therapy. National vaccination campaigns will result in greater public acceptance of gene therapy research. Technological advancements that made the vaccine race possible will spur the next generation of research. Advancements born in the developed world set the stage for the creation of therapeutics to treat greater numbers in the developing world and have the potential for massive benefits to global public health. Biosafety professionals and Institutional Biosafety Committees play key roles in contributing to the safe evidence-based advancement of gene therapy research. Biosafety professionals responsible for clinical research oversight must be aware of emerging technologies and their associated risks to support the safe and ethical conduct of research.

Design and Psychometrics of a Questionnaire on COVID-19 Preventive Behaviors Evaluation based on the Health Belief Model

Aims: This study aimed to design and psychometric a tool for measuring knowledge, beliefs and behavior of teachers regarding COVID-19 preventive behaviors. The goal is to create a tool that may be used to create an educational intervention that promotes preventive behaviors. Methods: A 60 item scale regarding COVID-19 preventive behaviors was developed upon literature review. Then, face and content validity were evaluated using quantitative and qualitative methods, through the involvement of the participants and expert panel. The internal consistency and reliability were assessed and approved using Cronbach's alpha index and test-retest. Findings: The face and content validity of the primarily developed scale was confirmed by item impacts of 1.5, 0.49 CVR and 0.79 CVI, and the number of items dropped to 60. The reliability of the instrument was approved by Cronbach's alpha of 0.67 to 0.95 and a correlation coefficient of 0.65 to 0.93. Conclusion: Based on the results, the scale that was developed using the constructs of the HBM for COVID-19 preventive behaviors among teachers had appropriate validity and reliability. © 2022, Tarbiat Modares University. All rights reserved.

Postacute Sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 Infection-Lessons Learned From a Coordinated Health System Response.

Objective: To outline a consensus-designed process for triaging and managing patients with post-coronavirus disease (COVID-19) syndrome at Mayo Clinic. Patients and Methods: We convened a central multidisciplinary team including members from the departments of general internal medicine, occupational medicine, physical medicine and rehabilitation, psychology, allergy and immunology, infectious disease, pulmonology, neurology, cardiology, and pediatrics and otorhinolaryngology with membership from all Mayo Clinic sites in Arizona, Florida, Iowa, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. Results: Consensus recommendations were made for the best practice guidelines on triaging and managing patients. Several innovations were agreed upon, including a postacute sequelae of COVID-19-specific appointment request form for data collection, a bioregistry, a biorepository, and a postacute sequelae of COVID-19-specific treatment program. Conclusion: Given that each clinical site had individual clinical practices, these recommendations were implemented using different models, which may provide broad applicability to other clinical settings.

Nursing Students' Experiences of Role Transition in the Internship Program during the COVID‐19 Pandemic

Aims: The internship course is an essential component of the nursing undergraduate program. This study was aimed to explore nursing students' experiences of role transition in the internship program during the COVID‐19 pandemic. Participant & Methods: This qualitative study was conducted on last semester’s nursing students practicing in an internship course during the COVID‐19 pandemic at Lorestan University of Medical Sciences, Iran from February to June 2021. The internship BSc nursing students were selected by a purposive sampling that reached 12 students by achieving data saturation. Findings: The findings included 5 categories of psychological challenges, unsuitable professional support and supervision, self‐centeredness and independence, mandatory restrictions, and acquiring a professional identity. Conclusion: The internship curriculum must be planned and supervised in a nursing education program by faculty authorities to prepare senior nursing students to enter the workplace, not only for their career retention but also for their actual growth/development in any workplace. © 2022, Tarbiat Modares University. All rights reserved.

Psychological Effects of COVID-19 Lockdown on Family Members;a Qualitative Study

Aims: Major traumatic events such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the related lockdown can affect the family as the fundamental unit of all societies. This study aimed to explain family members’ psychological experiences of the COVID-19 lockdown. Participants & Methods: This qualitative study was conducted from October 2020 to February 2021 on Public population living in Khorramabad, Iran. The sample size that achieved data saturation was 29 by purposive sampling. Unstructured in-depth interviews were used to collect the data. The inductive content analysis approach proposed by Graneheim & Lundman was used to analyze the data. Findings: Both positive (movement toward the expansion of the worldview and a sense of pleasure and happiness) and negative (anxiety, a sense of isolation, intensification of loneliness, mood and energy changes, hardship and fatigue from lockdown, boredom, anger, depression, disruption of the sleep-wake patterns, being fed up with limitations, feelings of helplessness, more frequent family disputes and arguments and Internet abuse) psychological aspects were recognized, each of which had some subcategories. Conclusion: The COVID-19 pandemic lockdown created negative and disruptive experiences and positive and constructive experiences for different individuals. © 2022, Tarbiat Modares University. All rights reserved.

Application of the Extended Planned Behavior Theory to Predict COVID-19 Preventive Behaviors

Aims: Preventive behaviors play an important role in reducing mortality caused by this disease. This study aimed to determine the application of the extended theory of planned behavior to predicting preventive behaviors against COVID-19. Instrument & Methods: In this descriptive-analytical cross-sectional study, 416 university students were selected and examined through virtual networks through convenience and snowball sampling methods. The data collection tool was developed by the researcher-made questionnaire based on the extended theory of planned behavior. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and correlation test and linear regression by SPSS 18 software. Findings: A positive and significant correlation was observed between the mean of all the studied theoretical constructs with preventive behaviors against COVID-19 (p<0.01). Attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, and perception of others' behavior predicted 43% of behavioral intention variance. Moreover, behavioral intention perceived behavioral control and perception of others’ behavior predicted 56% of preventive behaviors variance against COVID-19. Behavioral intention, attitude, perception of others' behavior, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control had the greatest impact on COVID-19 preventive behaviors. Conclusion: The extended theory of planned behavior can be used as an appropriate framework in designing educational interventions to promote preventive behaviors against COVID-19. © 2022, Tarbiat Modares University. All rights reserved.

The RADx Tech Deployment Core: A Model for Academic/Government Based Support of Large-Scale Manufacturing and Implementation of Medical Technologies.

This paper explores how the approach, process, and learnings of the RADxSM Tech Deployment Core in its support of manufacturing, deployment, and implementation of medical technologies is creating a replicable model for the future. Initially, the key construct of the RADx Tech Deployment Core was helping companies manufacture, commercialize, and develop a digital infrastructure for the purpose of SARS-CoV-2 testing and reporting. However, the team and RADx Tech leadership soon realized that the larger infrastructure to deploy testing in non-clinical environments was nonexistent and that wrap-around services were required to build the necessary bridge between manufacturing and end users. Furthermore, the unique communities that required testing (e.g., manufacturing plants, transportation hubs, K-12 schools, etc.) had different infrastructure requirements and outsized needs for education and support around testing plan implementation. The Deployment Core, therefore, quickly scaled a team to help to complete the picture and provide guidance to end users and ultimately help shape public policy around a useful data model.

STROKE AND PULMONARY EMBOLISM AS THE FIRST PRESENTATION OF COVID-19 INFECTION

CTA of the neck did show a possible pulmonary embolism (PE) in the left upper lung, which was subsequently confirmed on CTA chest. We report a case of a COVID-19 patient who presented with concurrent stroke and pulmonary embolism. B Introduction: b Coronavirus disease is associated with thrombotic complications including stroke, deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism. [Extracted from the article] Copyright of Critical Care Medicine is the property of Lippincott Williams & Wilkins 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.)

Suspend or amend? Randomized controlled trial on neuropsychological rehabilitation for epilepsy: A COVID-19 impact.

COVID-19 caused devastating effects of human loss and suffering along with disruption in clinical research, forcing reconceptualization and modification of studies. This paper attempts to outline the steps followed and detail the modifications undertaken to deal with the impacts of the pandemic on the first ongoing randomized controlled trial on effectiveness of neuropsychological rehabilitation in adult patients with drug-resistant epilepsy in India. All modifications were based on evolving guidelines and circumstantial context and were planned, reviewed and approved by important stakeholders. Results obtained from the trial need to be interpreted and analysed within this context. These modifications have implications for wider outreach of neuropsychology services in India.

Centralized Otolaryngology Research Efforts: Stepping-stones to Innovation and Equity in Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery.

The Centralized Otolaryngology Research Efforts (CORE) grant program coordinates research funding initiatives across the subspecialties of otolaryngology-head and neck surgery. Modeled after National Institutes of Health study sections, CORE grant review processes provide comprehensive reviews of scientific proposals. The organizational structure and grant review process support grant-writing skills, attention to study design, and other components of academic maturation toward securing external grants from the National Institutes of Health or other agencies. As a learning community and a catalyst for scientific advances, CORE evaluates clinical, translational, basic science, and health services research. Amid the societal reckoning around long-standing social injustices and health inequities, an important question is to what extent CORE engenders diversity, equity, and inclusion for the otolaryngology workforce. This commentary explores CORE's track record as a stepping-stone for promoting equity and innovation in the specialty. Such insights can help maximize opportunities for cultivating diverse leaders across the career continuum.