Social distancing, emotional suffering, and cognitive performance in mature and older adults: a literature review.

Variables related to social distancing can have negative effects on the emotional well-being and cognition of adults and the elderly. Objective: The aim of this study was to analyze the available studies that address the relationship between situations of social distancing, socioemotional aspects, and cognition in the lives of mature and older adults. Methods: A literature review study was carried out between December 2021 and January 2022, involving the SciELO, PubMed, and ScienceDirect databases, with studies published between February 2018 and December 2021. Results: A total of 754 studies were identified, and after selection, 18 were included. Notably, 16 showed significant effects of social distancing on cognition and socioemotional aspects, that is, the greater the social distancing, the lower the capacity for cognitive performance and the higher the index of symptoms of depression and anxiety, for example. Conclusions: Greater engagement in social activities and a closer contact with friends and family are protective factors against symptoms of depression and anxiety and cognitive decline.

Variáveis relacionadas ao distanciamento social podem gerar efeitos negativos para o bem-estar emocional e para a cognição de adultos e idosos. Objetivo: Analisar os estudos disponíveis que abordam a relação entre situações de distanciamento social, sofrimento emocional e cognição na vida de adultos maduros e idosos. Métodos: Realizou-se um estudo de revisão de literatura entre dezembro de 2021 e janeiro de 2022, que envolveu as bases de dados Scientific Electronic Library Online (SciELO), United States National Library of Medicine (PubMed) e ScienceDirect, com estudos publicados entre fevereiro de 2018 a dezembro de 2021. Resultados: O total de 754 trabalhos foi identificado e, após a seleção, 18 foram incluídos. Dezesseis mostraram efeitos significativos do distanciamento social na cognição e no sofrimento emocional, ou seja, quanto maior o distanciamento social, menor a capacidade de desempenho cognitivo e maior o índice de sintomas de depressão e ansiedade, por exemplo. Conclusões: O maior engajamento em atividades sociais e a maior aproximação com amigos e familiares são fatores de proteção contra sintomas de depressão e ansiedade e declínio cognitivo.

The influence of interdisciplinary literacy on learning effects among college students: the mediating effects of online physical education on learning behavior

IntroductionThe development of high-quality physical education curriculums is required in the information age. Interdisciplinary literacy and student learning behavior are two significant factors that affect the quality of teaching and learning. This study explores the relationship between interdisciplinary literacy (IDL) and learning effects (LE) among Chinese college students during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the mediating effects of online physical education learning behaviors (OPELB). This research aims to provide a reference for the development of high-quality online physical education. MethodsThe study involved 691 college students from 10 general universities in Shaanxi Province as research subjects. Descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation analysis, multiple regression analysis and Bootstrap testing were used to evaluate the mediating effects. ResultsThere was a significant positive relationship between the three variables of IDL, OPELB, and LE (p < 0.001). Multiple regression analysis found that IDL significantly and positively predicted LE and OPELB (p < 0.001), and OPELB predicted LE (p < 0.001). IDL among college students had a total effect of 0.816 on LE, with OPELB accounting for 22.67% of the mediated effect. DiscussionThis study demonstrates that OPELB has a partial mediating effect on IL and LE, and stable IDL and OPELB improve LE. Therefore, teachers should pay attention to improving students' IDL while encouraging them to develop better OPELB to achieve satisfactory learning outcomes.

Social media use, psychological well-being and physical health during lockdown

In efforts to curb the spread of COVID-19, many countries have implemented a variety of lockdown and quarantine measures. With substantially reduced face-to-face interactions, many people may have relied heavily on social media for connection, information, and entertainment. However, little is known about the psychological and physical health implications of social media use during strict lockdown. The current study investigates the associations of social media use with psychological well-being and physical health among Wuhan residents (N = 1214). Our findings showed that non-COVID related self-disclosure was positively associated with psychological well-being, while COVID related information consumption and sharing were negatively associated with psychological well-being. Further, more generic use of social media was associated with lower psychological well-being, which in turn related to more somatic symptoms. Quarantined people used social media more frequently than non-quarantined people. Importantly, the negative association between social media use and psychological well-being was significantly stronger for quarantined people than unquarantined people. [ FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Information, Communication & Society is the property of Routledge 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.)

Pandemic vulnerability knowledge visualisation for strategic decision-making: A COVID-19 index for government response in Australia

Purpose: First, the key vulnerability factors from the literature are identified. Second, using the vulnerability factors as indicators, a composite index is developed. Last, from the index values, a set of vulnerability knowledge maps, showing the vulnerability hotspots, are prepared. Design/methodology/approach: This study aims to develop a pandemic vulnerability knowledge visualisation index to support the strategic decision-making efforts of authorities. Findings: Ten indicators are identified as vulnerability factors that could significantly impact the virus spread risks. Verifying the identified hotspots against the recorded infected cases and deaths has evidenced the usefulness of the index. Determining and visualising the high-vulnerability locations and communities could help in informed strategic decision-making and responses of the authorities to the pandemic. Originality/value: The study demonstrates that the developed pandemic vulnerability knowledge visualisation index is particularly appropriate in the context of Australia. Nonetheless, by replicating the methodologic steps of the study, customised versions can be developed for other country contexts. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

A Review of Research on Urban Playability from a Social Justice Perspective

Playability is an attribute that refers to the ability to stimulate individual responses or collective action in an immersive activity in an exploratory way. Playability is an important component of the enjoyment and well-being of urban dwellers, has the potential to stimulate urban vitality and is an important expression of the inclusiveness and equity of urban space. The pursuit of economic development and efficiency-oriented urban construction has led to the domination of urban space by overcrowded traffic, economy-oriented commerce and densely populated housing. Moreover, the existence of playable space has become a scarce resource and is seen as a site for the materialisation of social rights. As the haze of the COVID-19 pandemic fades and cities are again exposed to wider and more participatory use, determining how to adapt urban spaces to the playability needs of users of different ages, cultural backgrounds and social classes, and provide them with appropriate site use and experience, is becoming a hot issue of concern for building equitable and high-quality urban spaces. The study of the playability of urban spaces is highly complex, and the related research on social justice is cryptic. In order to better investigate the social equity aspects of urban playability, this paper integrates scientometric and manual methods to review the relevant research. This paper takes 2664 related papers from the Web of Science (WOS) core dataset from 1998 to 2022 as the research object and employs CiteSpace to organise the existing research results of playful urban spaces. Quantitative analysis is used to clarify the theoretical foundations, developments and research hotspots of urban spatial playability, while the manual collation and generalisation of the studies uncover the hidden issues of social justice research. Based on the proposed research method, we summarize the key three research stages related to urban spatial playability and social equity. We also discuss the development of urban spatial playability in the perspective of social justice from three aspects: micro, meso and macro. The results can help readers better understand the current status and development process of research on playful urban space. In particular, we clarify the issues related to social justice under the theme of the playability of urban spaces and provide directions for future research on building playful cities and promoting the development of urban socio-spatial equity.

Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma complicated with human coronavirus HKU1 pneumonia: A case report and literature review.

Objective: To analyze the clinical manifestations, diagnostic methods and treatment process of the patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma complicated with human coronavirus(HCoV)-HKU1 pneumonia and improve the clinical medical staff's awareness of the disease, and to reduce the occurrence of clinical adverse events. Method(s): The clinical data of a patient with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma complicated with HCoV-HKU1 pneumonia with hot flashes and night sweats, dry cough and dry throat as the main clinical features who were hospitalized in the hospital in January 2021 were analyzed, and the relevant literatures were reviewed and the clinical manifestations and diagnosis of HCoV-HKU1 were analyzed. Result(s): The female patient was admitted to the hospital due to diagnosed non-Hodgkin's lymphoma for more than 2 months. The physical examination results showed Karnofsky score was 90 points;there was no palpable enlargement of systemic superfical lymph nodes;mild tenderness in the right lower abdomen, no rebound tenderness, and slightly thicker breath sounds in both lungs were found, and a few moist rales were heard in both lower lungs. The chest CT results showed diffuse exudative foci in both lungs, and the number of white blood cells in the urine analysis was 158 muL-1;next generation sequencing technique(NGS) was used the detect the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, and HCoV-HKU1 pneumonia was diagnosed. At admission, the patient had symptoms such as dull pain in the right lower abdomen, nighttime cough, and night sweats;antiviral treatment with oseltamivir was ineffective. After treatment with Compound Sulfamethoxazole Tablets and Lianhua Qingwen Granules, the respiratory symptoms of the patient disappeared. The re-examination chest CT results showed the exudation was absorbed. Conclusion(s): The clinical symptoms of the patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma complicated with HCoV-HKU1 pneumonia are non-specific. When the diffuse shadow changes in the lungs are found in clinic, and the new coronavirus nucleic acid test is negative, attention should still be paid to the possibility of other HCoV infections. The NGS can efficiently screen the infectious pathogens, which is beneficial to guide the diagnosis and treatment of pulmonary infectious diseases more accurately.Copyright © 2023 Jilin University Press. All rights reserved.

The role of brain-derived neurotrophic factor in the link between physical activity and psychosocial recovery from alcohol use disorder

Objective: Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) is a common, chronically relapsing condition with substantial health and economic costs. United States federal agencies have put out calls in the last decade to expand the scientific evidence base for broad biopsychosocial recovery from AUD and other substance use disorders (SUD). The present study examined the role of physical activity and exercise in early recovery from AUD, with specific attention to changes in brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) as a marker of neuroplasticity and a potential mechanism for instantiation of recovery-aligned behaviors. Method: Individuals in the first year of recovery from AUD were recruited into a 12-week study with exercise sessions and pre/post-exercise blood sample collection performed in a laboratory setting at baseline, 6 weeks, and 12 weeks. Data analyses included BDNF enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) to establish pre/post-exercise BDNF concentrations, estimation of the magnitude of the effect of exercise on BDNF, and prospective associations of exercise-induced BDNF change with coping, craving, consumption and mood outcome measures. Results: 26 participants were screened, 22 were eligible, 7 had entered the study, and 6 had provided at least one set of pre/post-exercise blood samples when student research ceased on March 23rd, 2020 due to COVID-19 precautions. Participants with at least one set of pre/post-exercise blood samples demonstrated a statistically significant (p=.014) increase from baseline in BDNF levels after exercise, with a large effect size (Cohen's d=1.519;Hedges' g=1.019 ). The impact of this increase from baseline on subsequent measures of coping, craving, mood, and substance use is unclear due to lack of statistical power. Conclusions: This study is the first to demonstrate that individuals recovering from AUD can increase serum levels of BDNF from baseline levels via sessions of physical exercise. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Impact of the new corona virus (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic on climateric women's health: websurvey

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted society: causing the collapse of health systems around the world, and also had a significant impact on the economy, personal care, mental health and the quality of life of the population. Few studies have been done about pandemic and the climacteric population, and the impact on quality of life and health. Our objective was to Investigate changes in the health and health care of climacteric women residing in Brazil during the pandemic period. Cross-sectional study with climacteric women aged between 40 and 70 years, residing in Brazil. The evaluation was carried out using a Google Docs electronic form with questions related to sociodemographic, clinical, gynecological data, treatments, access to health services and consultations, as well as changes in behavior. The Menopause Rating Scale - MRS was applied to assess climacteric symptoms, validated for Portuguese. Result(s): 419 women answered the questionnaire. More than 45% were between 51 and 60 years of age, 56.6% being married and residing in Brazilian capitals. 60% of participants reported weight gain during the pandemic. 50.8% of participants reported a decrease in the weekly practice of physical activity More than 80% reported worsening mental health during this period, and 66.1% had a change in their sleep pattern. More than half reported having difficulty accessing gynecological consultations. Women living in capital cities reported a greater increase in alcohol consumption (p=0.002). Food intake increased for 54.9%;the category of civil servant was associated with a significant increase in consumption in relation to other professions (p=0.038). Women whose family incomes changed during the pandemic had a higher prevalence of weight gain (p=0.033) and also had a higher occurrence of changes in sleep quality (72.6% vs. 61.5%;p=0.018). Women with a high school education had a higher occurrence of alterations in personal and health care outcomes (p<0.001). Conclusion(s): We observed an important reduction in the health care of climacteric women during the pandemic period. Changes in life habits, such as increased food consumption and reduced physical activity, were quite prevalent. There was a deterioration in mental health, with a high prevalence of anxiety symptoms and changes in sleep quality. Despite the attenuation of the pandemic, attention should be given to the health care of this population, as the changes may have repercussions for many years.Copyright © 2023

FDA'S 'GOLD STANDARD' CRITICAL FOR BIOPHARMA R&D

Last week, eight prominent biotech industry executives publicly emphasized the importance of rigorous clinical research and complete study data to support any authorization or approval of a new covid vaccine or treatment. Hahn raises concerns These statements aim to offset fears that fda might soften its approval standards due to pressure from the White House to make available a covid vaccine in October. Continuing predictions from the White House about a vaccine being available in two months, and instructions from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that state public health departments should be prepared to distribute a vaccine by the end of October, heightened concerns that political pressure will lead to some kind of authorization of a new vaccine before the Nov. 3 election.

Workplace violence and associations with health outcomes in public health administration agencies in Taiwan: a survey during the COVID-19 pandemic

Objectives: To investigate the prevalence of workplace violence in public health administration agencies and its effects on health outcomes. Methods: A survey was conducted in March 2022. Staff who had been working for at least one year in the Ministry of Health and Welfare or its subordinate agencies, the Department of Health, or in public health centers were recruited. Data were collected anonymously with a structured, online questionnaire. A total of 492 valid questionnaires were collected. Results: A total of 48.17% participants reported having experienced workplace violence (physical, psychological, verbal, or sexual). The most common type of violence was verbal (43.50%), followed by psychological (31.71%). Supervisors were the primary perpetrators of verbal and psychological violence, followed by clients and colleagues. Staff reported long working hours and high levels of psychological and physical stress. Furthermore, 22.97% of workers reported poor self-rated health, 60.57% had personal burnout levels higher than 50, and 63.41% reported poor mental health. Regression analyses showed that low workplace justice was most strongly associated with internal verbal and psychological violence, whereas routine work requiring interaction with the public was most strongly associated with external verbal violence. Staff who had experienced workplace violence in the past year had significantly higher risks of poor self-rated health, mental health, and personal burnout, and poor health was more strongly associated with workplace violence that originated inside the organization than with workplace violence that originated from outside the organization. Conclusions: This survey was conducted on-line anonymously, so the representativeness of our findings might be limited. However, heavy workloads and workplace violence in public health administration agencies during the COVID-19 pandemic are important issues deserving urgent attention. (Taiwan J Public Health. 2023;42(1) :42-61)

Consumers' perceived value and use intention of cashless payment in the physical distancing context: evidence from an Asian emerging market

PurposeCOVID-19 and its measures such as physical distancing have shifted consumer payment behaviors toward cashless payment. Physical distancing is likely to remain a norm for some time to come and will be relevant in any future pandemics. This study aims to examine the impact of consumers' perceived value of cashless payment on their use intention in the physical distancing context, with the mediating role of psychological safety and the moderating role of trust propensity.Design/methodology/approachThis study used a survey method to obtain data from 690 consumers in an Asian emerging market, i.e. Vietnam. The data were analyzed using different statistical methods, including structural equation modeling.FindingsResults show that perceived value of cashless payment positively affects use intention, and this effect is mediated by psychological safety. Furthermore, trust propensity has a positive moderating effect on the link between perceived value and psychological safety.Practical implicationsThis study's findings provide implications for retailers and other stakeholders in implementing and promoting cashless payment systems, especially in the physical distancing context.Originality/valueThis study is among the first attempt to explain the relationships between consumers' perceptions, feelings of psychological safety and use intention toward cashless payment in the physical distancing context. The study's findings may also be relevant to any future pandemics.

Student experiences of learning how to teach primary physical education during the Covid-19 pandemic

This paper offers a snapshot into the unexpected and yet positive results of a small-scale survey about learning to teach Physical Education within initial teacher education and school-based settings. It shares data from four institutions about how pre-service teachers explained their learning and teaching experiences within Physical Education during the COVID-19 pandemic, often working within a number of social and physical restrictions and teaching within enforced bubbles. [ FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Journal of Education for Teaching is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd 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.)

Investigation of high school students' motivation for physical activity participation and eating attitude levels during the COVID-19 period

The aim of this study is to determine the motivation of high school students to participate in physical activity and their eating attitude levels during the COVID-19 period as well as to examine the relationship between the two variables. In addition, it was also determined whether the motivation for participate in physical activity and eating attitudes differ according to gender, weekly exercise, spending time with technology, family communication times, and participation in exercise during and before the pandemic. A total of 576 high school students, including 406 girls and 170 boys, participated in the study. "Motivation Scale for Participation in Physical Activity (MSPPA)", "Eating Attitude Test (EAT-40)" and "Personal Information Form (KBF)" were used as data collection tools. Data were evaluated using correlation, multiple linear regression, MANOVA and t-test analysis techniques. It was concluded that the motivation of the students to participate in physical activity was moderate, and they did not have eating disorders. It was observed that physical activity motivation did not predict eating attitude, but there were positive and low relationships between sub-factors in relational dimension. According to gender, it was determined that the eating attitudes of female students were more positive than male students. It has been found that the motivation to participate in physical activity is higher for those who exercise before and during the pandemic than those who do not. Consequently, it can be said that during the COVID-19 process, high school students' motivation to participate in physical activity is at a moderate level, and their eating attitudes are generally not at the level of behavioral disorders.

Security Issues at the Time of the Pandemic and Distance Work

Security issues have always been central to workplaces. Increased work performed at home environments caused by COVID-19 pandemic has changed the security landscape of work radically. Security arrangements are no more at the domain of the employer, yet the risks remain, and responsibilities. In this chapter we discuss this new boom of distance work from the viewpoints of data privacy and security, physical safety and mental well-being. The issues are intertwined, and changes, risks and solutions in one of these cause implications for the other areas too. In data privacy and security, the home office environment causes several risks, and the mixed use of devices and facilities both in work and leisure use causes difficulties. Physical safety is compromised in several ways at home environment, which is partly confounding, as the very core of work at home and social distancing is the search for physical security from COVID viruses. Mental well-being problems are a key product of this social distancing, and they do not typically emerge immediately, but first after a long period. With the COVID-19 pandemic over two years, we first start to see the magnitude of the mental well-being problems it has caused. The COVID-19 pandemic is a very short period in history. For individuals living now, it can deeply affect life, especially in critical periods of life. On the positive side, the very special pressure COVID-19 has caused on working life has surely improved and speeded up academic and practical work in distance work development. © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2023.

Evaluating the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Acute Ischemic Stroke Outcomes in the Stroke Belt

Objectives: The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted many facets of healthcare including patients delaying medical care for potentially life-threatening conditions. This study sought to compare specific key outcomes related to ischemic stroke that occurred before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. We assessed mortality rates, morbidity rates, and the administration of thrombolytics in patients with ischemic stroke admitted to emergency departments (ED) in the Stroke Belt, a region of the United States with historically worse stroke outcomes. Method(s): Cerner Real-World Data was used to identify patients residing in the Stroke Belt (Southeastern United States) who were admitted to the ED with ICD-10 codes indicating acute ischemic stroke. We determined in-hospital and 30-day mortality rates, morbidity rates (physical disability tracked 1-year post-ischemic stroke), and administration of thrombolytics for acute ischemic stroke patients before the COVID-19 pandemic (March 2019-February 2020) and during the pandemic (March 2020-February 2021). Result(s): In the defined period prior to COVID-19, 2,338 patients presented to the ED with ischemic strokes (49.5% male;mean age 64.8, SD:15.23;69.6% white). During COVID-19, 2,052 ischemic stroke patients presented to the ED (50.9% male;mean age 65.8, SD:15.04;71.5% white). Our analyses show a significant decrease in thrombolytic administration during the pandemic compared to before the pandemic (12.2% and 14.5%, respectively;p<0.05). There was no significant difference in rates of in-hospital mortality, 30-day mortality, or morbidity following ischemic strokes. Conclusion(s): The findings of our study suggest a reduction in ischemic stroke related ED encounters during the COVID-19 period, but no differences were observed in mortality and morbidity rates in ischemic stroke compared to before the pandemic. Future studies are required to determine if these trends were true in other regions of the United States, as well as to investigate other potential covariates linked to outcomes before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.Copyright © 2023

Rebadging Gains Momentum Amidst COVID

Rebadging also reduces fixed or direct costs for clients, as well as the legal risks associated with using contractors in full-time, long-term engagements. * Employees are assured secure employment, re-assigned back to their original employer (as a vendor contractor) or via new positions within the FSP vendor. * Vendors find rebadging not only an important source of revenue, but also gain broader access to top-level talent, critical for any successful service provider. While FSP models with or without rebadging are ultimately about capacity management, the best vendors deliver wide-ranging value to help the client: * retain access to a dedicated team of full-time equivalent (FTE) staff for a broad range of services (data management, medical writing, program leadership, clinical supplies, regulatory, clinical monitoring, statistics, medical, etc.). * increase flexibility, including on-demand access to time and materials (T&M) or unit-based models that can deliver services with work volume that does not require dedicated FTEs. * access additional vendor expert staff from across the globe and shift or centralize services to increase efficiency, reduce timelines and save costs. * accelerate and optimize key HR processes, including hiring, onboarding and training. [...]in the EU and elsewhere, ARD-type regulations are in place to help ensure employers don't take advantage of their employees by offshoring their work or forcing them to rebadge with lower salaries and benefits. [...]joining a successful FSP vendor gives the employees a range of value beyond job security. Vendors The global market for outsourced clinical development services to CROs, including FSP providers, is estimated at approximately US $44.3 billion, and projected to grow to US $57.2 billion by 2024 (CAGR: 6.5%).'

Pfizer's Idea Orchard

Recognizing reality, Uwe Schoenbeck, PhD, senior vice president and chief scientific officer for Emerging Science & Innovation (ES&I) at Pfizer, has synthesized and made functional core lessons from two of the past decade's best business books: According to Schoenbeck, ESLs are highly experienced in the relevant disease area and embedded within the respective therapeutic areas, resulting in high strategic alignment of the opportunity being sourced and avoiding opportunities that are not a strategic fit (1). The ES&I team, in conjunction with colleagues working in Business Development, has stood out for bringing genuinely creative partnership ideas and innovations into an already creative and crowded environment. [...]a collaboration with Codex DNA will potentially streamline the mRNA production process by facilitating synthetic DNA assembly, another notable fruit of the team's labour to bring forth a competitive pipeline in gene therapy.

Physical activity habits, well-being, and quality of life during COVID-19 preventive isolation in Bogota, Colombia

The Covid-19 pandemic forced the world population to incorporate prevention activities into their daily lives to preserve people's physical health. In Colombia, the national government, through resolutions and decrees, regulated quarantine and preventive isolation in order not to saturate health services and intensive care units, which were not prepared to respond to the disease. In this sense, this article analyzed the habits of physical activity, well-being, and quality of life in preventive isolation - Covid-19 in Bogota, Colombia. A cross-sectional descriptive quantitative study was conducted on a sample of 1,775 people with an average age of 43.5+or-25.5 years, of which 50.9% (n=903) corresponded to women and 49.1% (n=872) to men. It was found that due to the confinement the consumption of coffee and alcoholic beverages increased, as well as a decrease in physical activity. In addition, manifestations of anxiety, depression and feelings of loneliness were identified, which directly affected people's well-being and quality of life. It is expected that this type of research will contribute to the understanding of the impact of the contingency measures taken by the different nations to curb Covid-19 infections on people's health.

Glucosaminylmuramyl dipeptide efficacy in post-COVID-19 patient rehabilitation treatment.

The COVID-19 pandemic has altered people's lifestyles around the world. Prevention of recurrent episodes of the disease and mitigation of its consequences are especially associated with effective post-COVID-19 rehabilitation in patients. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effects of the drug Likopid (glucosaminylmuramyl dipeptide, GMDP) for post-COVID-19 rehabilitation in patients. Material and methods. Patients who recovered from mild to moderate COVID-19 (n=60, mean age 54+/- 11.7 years) were randomized into the observation group (n=30, 15 men and 15 women) who received 2 courses of Licopid (1 mg twice a day) and the comparison group (n=30, 15 men and 15 women). Analysis of the phenotypic and functional characteristics of the innate immune cellular factors was carried out before the start of immunomodulatory therapy, immediately after the end of the course, and also after 6 months observations. In order to assess the quality of life of all patients, we used the SF-36 Health Status Survey and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale questionnaires. Results. During assessing the effect of immunomodulatory therapy on the parameters of innate immunity of patients at the stage of rehabilitation after COVID-19, an increase in the protective cytolytic activity of CD16+ and CD8+Gr+ cells, as well as a persistent increase in TLR2, TLR4 and TLR9 expression was found, which indicates the antigen recognition recovery and presentation at the level of the monocytic link of the immune system. The use of GMDP as an immunomodulatory agent resulted in an 8-fold reduction in the frequency and severity of respiratory infections due to an increase in the total monocyte count. As a result of assessing patients' quality of life against the background of the therapy, a positive dynamic in role functioning was revealed in patients. In the general assessment of their health status, an increase in physical and mental well-being was noted during 6 months of observation. The comparison group showed no improvement in the psychoemotional state. Discussion. The study demonstrated the effectiveness of GMDP immunomodulatory therapy in correcting immunological parameters for post-COVID-19 rehabilitation in patients. The data obtained are consistent with the previously discovered ability of GMDP to restore impaired functions of phagocytic cells and induce the expression of their surface activation markers, which in turn contributes to an adequate response to pathogens. Conclusion. The study revealed that the correction of immunological parameters with the use of GMDP in COVID-19 convalescents contributed not only to a decrease in the frequency and severity of respiratory infections, but also to an improvement in the psycho-emotional state of patients, and a decrease in anxiety and depression.Copyright © Eco-Vector, 2023. All rights reserved.

Physical Education Teacher Experiences through the Lens of a Pandemic: Putting a Spotlight on Teacher Beliefs, Practices, Emotional Fragility, and Well-Being

Teaching physical education during the COVID-19 pandemic presented challenges, putting a spotlight on problematic school structures and teacher beliefs that influence teacher effectiveness and well-being. The purpose of this study was to capture physical education teachers' (N = 10) experiences during the pandemic to understand perceptions of support, teaching beliefs, and emotions/reactions to the new environment. Short-term longitudinal qualitative analysis was used to collect pre/post semester interviews and critical incidence forms throughout the semester. Resulting themes included: (a) superficial versus tangible support, (b) planning for curricular changes, (c) student--teacher connections, and (d) emotional labor and uncertainty. Results provide insight about thriving versus surviving as learned from teaching during a pandemic. Teachers who displayed positive emotions, sought student connections, and exhibited stronger core beliefs, resilience, and flexibility within instructional decisions perceived more effectiveness and well-being. Findings support investigating holes in teacher belief systems and the interconnectedness between emotions and teacher effectiveness and well-being.