The relationship between gut microbiota and COVID-19 progression: new insights into immunopathogenesis and treatment.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has posed a global health crisis. Increasing evidence underlines the key role of competent immune responses in resisting SARS-CoV-2 infection and manifests the disastrous consequence of host immune dysregulation. Elucidating the mechanisms responsible for deregulated host immunity in COVID-19 may provide a theoretical basis for further research on new treatment modalities. Gut microbiota comprises trillions of microorganisms colonizing the human gastrointestinal tract and has a vital role in immune homeostasis and the gut-lung crosstalk. Particularly, SARS-CoV-2 infection can lead to the disruption of gut microbiota equilibrium, a condition called gut dysbiosis. Due to its regulatory effect on host immunity, gut microbiota has recently received considerable attention in the field of SARS-CoV-2 immunopathology. Imbalanced gut microbiota can fuel COVID-19 progression through production of bioactive metabolites, intestinal metabolism, enhancement of the cytokine storm, exaggeration of inflammation, regulation of adaptive immunity and other aspects. In this review, we provide an overview of the alterations in gut microbiota in COVID-19 patients, and their effects on individuals' susceptibility to viral infection and COVID-19 progression. Moreover, we summarize currently available data on the critical role of the bidirectional regulation between intestinal microbes and host immunity in SARS-CoV-2-induced pathology, and highlight the immunomodulatory mechanisms of gut microbiota contributing to COVID-19 pathogenesis. In addition, we discuss the therapeutic benefits and future perspectives of microbiota-targeted interventions including faecal microbiota transplantation (FMT), bacteriotherapy and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in COVID-19 treatment.

Pandemic-driven innovations contribute to the development of information-based medicine

The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated trends toward introducing innovative digital tools tailor-made for various applications in medical care or public health. This chapter focuses on decision support systems as important examples of artificial intelligence tools with increasing popularity. Their potential to contribute to targeting measures adopted against the COVID-19 pandemic is discussed. In connection with applying artificial intelligence tools in healthcare, their ability to perform epidemic modeling or to contribute to targeting public health interventions is also discussed. The expected remarkable transforms of medical care, including its informatization, are described here by the concept of information-based medicine, which exceeds the limited prepandemic ideals of evidence-based medicine. The same is true for the concept of information-based public health. © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Racial/Ethnic Variances in COVID-19 Inoculation among Southern California Healthcare Workers.

Healthcare workers (HCWs) from minoritized communities are a critical partner in moving vaccine-hesitant populations toward vaccination, yet a significant number of these HCWs are delaying or deciding against their own COVID-19 vaccinations. Our study aims to provide a more nuanced understanding of vaccine hesitancy among racially and ethnically minoritized HCWs and to describe factors associated with vaccine non-acceptance. Analysis of a sub-sample of racially and ethnically minoritized HCWs (N = 1131), who participated in a cross-sectional study at two large Southern California medical centers, was conducted. Participants completed an online survey consisting of demographics, work setting and clinical role, influenza vaccination history, COVID-19 knowledge, beliefs, personal COVID-19 exposure, diagnosis, and impact on those closest to them. While overall most HCWs were vaccinated (84%), 28% of Black, 19% of Hispanic, and 8% of Asian American HCWs were vaccine-hesitant. Age, education level, occupation, history of COVID-19, and COVID-19 related knowledge were predictive of vaccine hesitancy. We found significant variations in COVID-19 related knowledge and reasons for vaccine hesitancy among Black (governmental mistrust), Hispanic (preference for physiological immunity), and Asian-American HCWs (concern about side effects) who were vaccine-hesitant or not. Our findings highlight racial and ethnic differences in vaccine-hesitancy and barriers to vaccination among HCWs of color. This study indicates the necessity of targeted interventions to reduce vaccine hesitancy that are mindful of the disparities in knowledge and access and differences between and among racial and ethnic groups.

Intention to Stop Bullying following a Condemning, Empathy-Raising, or Combined Message from a Teacher - Do Students' Empathy and Callous-Unemotional Traits Matter?

Knowing which intervention strategies work best and for which student is essential for teachers when they intervene in cases of bullying. The effects of teachers' (1) condemning, (2) empathy-raising, and (3) combined (including elements of both) messages on students' intention to stop bullying were tested in a between-subject experimental design. A total of 277 seventh grade students (Mage = 12.93, SD = 0.49; 47% female) were asked to imagine they had bullied a peer and were invited to a discussion with a teacher. They saw a video vignette with one of the above messages. Hierarchical regression analyses indicated that students' intention to stop bullying was highest among those who saw the combined message. Callous-unemotional traits were negatively, and affective and cognitive empathy positively associated with intention to stop bullying. Students' level of cognitive empathy moderated the relative effect of the condemning message on intention to stop bullying. At low levels of cognitive empathy, the condemning message was the least effective, whereas among those with high cognitive empathy, all messages were equally likely to lead to intention to stop bullying. Together, the findings suggest that for educators intervening in bullying among adolescents, an approach involving both condemning and empathy-raising messages is the 'best bet', most likely to lead to intention to stop bullying.

The geography of COVID-19 misinformation: using geospatial maps for targeted messaging to combat misinformation on COVID-19, South Africa.

OBJECTIVE: The proliferation of false information on COVID-19 mostly through social media is adversely affecting control efforts. The objective of this study was to identify areas where targeted effective messaging can be useful in demystifying misinformation against COVID-19. RESULTS: The study showed high levels of misinformation on COVID-19 in the study area [mean score 2.71; standard deviation (SD) 1.5]. The highest levels of misinformation were observed in Dr. Ruth Segomotsi Mompati district, North West province (mean score: 3.84; SD: 2.1) and Sedibeng district, Gauteng province (mean score: 3.56; SD 1.7). Higher levels of misinformation were reported by those aged 18-24 years (mean score: 3.48; SD: 1.8), and men (mean score: 2.73; SD: 1.8). Across the two provinces, we identified geospatial hot and coldspots of misinformation highlighting the need to implement point of care strategies such as targeted messaging. Findings showed the need for targeted interventions to young people, students, those with low levels of education and the self-employed in the two districts more importantly, as South Africa expands its nationwide vaccination roll-out.

HIV Care in the Times of COVID-19 Pandemic in Urban South Gujarat: An Operational Overview.

In India, the nationwide lockdown was implemented from March to May 2020 due to COVID-19 pandemic. As of March 2020, there were 13.08 lakh PLHIV availing ART free of cost from Government run ART centres, To maintain the continuum of care, National AIDS Control Programme (NACP) of India adopted Multi Months Dispensation (MMD) through ART centres and Community Dispensation of ART through the various Targeted Interventions (TI) and Community Based Organizations (CBO). A mixed methods study was designed, with desk review of programmatic data, semi qualitative interviews of 250 PLHIV and 15 In-Depth Interviews of ART centre and TI/CBO staff to document the process, strengths and challenges of these strategies in Surat city of South Gujarat. While administrative, technical and networking strengths were documented, manpower constraints, interrupted laboratory services, migration and relatively passive role of PLHIV in availing services were major challenges described in this study among several others.

Personality psychology in times of crisis: Profile-specific recommendations on how to deal with COVID-19.

The early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic posed a twofold global health threat: Besides the evident danger to human life, the corona crisis is also a psychological crisis. Psychologists worldwide have contributed to cushion the distress that is laid on many societies and enforce adaptive coping strategies. However, psychological support in the past has often been broadly applied, has not been particularly parsimonious and has often been focused on severe psychological stressors. In this brief report we describe the development and application of a low-threshold tool that generates personality-specific recommendations on how to functionally cope with the psychological challenges of the corona crisis. The tool gained widespread attention in Germany and many other countries and was well received by users. It demonstrates how psychological knowledge from personality and health psychology can be combined to be of very concrete use for many people in a threatening situation. We also show that personality is related to health behavior in a crisis in a meaningful way, providing further evidence that personality-specific advice can be a useful approach for supporting persons to cope with the crisis.