Neuron-specific Biomarkers Associated With Neurological Manifestations In COVID-19: An Evidence Mapping Systematic Review

Introduction. We aimed to map and synthesize the available evidence on neuron-specific biomarkers related to COVID-19. Methods. A systematic review and qualitative evidence mapping synthesis was performed (PROSPERO-CRD42021266995). Searches were conducted in PubMed and Scopus, and complemented by manual search (July 2021). We included observational studies of any design assessing neurological biomarkers in adult patients (>18 years;with or without neurological comorbidities) diagnosed with COVID-19. Methodological quality of nonrandomized studies (case-control, cohorts) was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Results. Overall, 14 studies (n=485 patients) conducted in Sweden (n=4 articles, 28.5%), Germany (n=3;21.4%), USA (n=3;21.4%), Canada, France, Italy and Norway (n=1 study each) were included. The most reported neurological symptoms (n=13 studies, 92.8%) were headache, confusion, general weakness, loss of smell/taste, cognitive impairments and behavioral changes. Prevalent neurological conditions included encephalopathies, neuropathies, myopathies, and delirium;most critical cases presented cerebrovascular events (n=4 studies, 28.5%). Hypertension, diabetes, obesity, dyslipidemia, and chronic lung disease were the most reported comorbidities. Eight different neuron-specific biomarkers were found in primary studies: neurofilament-light chain - NfL (n=10 studies;71.4%), glial fibrillary acidic-protein - GFAp (n=5;35.7%), tau protein (n=5;35.7%), neurofilament-heavy chain - NfH, S100B protein, ubiquitin C-terminal hydrolase L1 - UCH-L1, neuronspecific enolase and beta protein-amyloid - Abeta (n=1 study each). These biomarkers were found both in cerebrospinal fluid and blood/ plasma samples even without an evident cytokine storm. In patients with COVID-19, NfL and GFAp can act as sensitive indicators of neuroaxonal and astrocytic damages, respectively. Increased levels of NfL were significantly associated with severe COVID-19, unconsciousness and longer stay in the intensive care unit (p<0.05). Studies had an overall poor to moderate methodological quality. Conclusions. We identified eight neuron-specific biomarkers that should be further studied as prognostic factors of COVID-19. These findings can also guide the development of targeted therapies against SARS-CoV-2. Additional well-designed clinical trials are needed to strengthen this evidence and help understand the mechanisms of neurological symptoms and sequelae after COVID-19 infection.

Guide for First Nation - Municipal Collaboration on Economic Recovery and Resilience

There are many reasons for First Nations and municipalities to collaborate on emergency management and economic resilience: * improved outcomes in regional recovery by having diverse and representative voices at the table * cost savings, resource sharing, and more efficient service delivery * greater health and wellness outcomes for all, including the most vulnerable * increased ability to access stimulus funding from other orders of government * increased community resilience and capacity to respond together in future emergencies This guide is a framework for collaborative emergency management and includes an examination of similarities and differences between First Nation and municipal jurisdictions. First Nations and municipalities share commonalities and key differences in their responsibilities. In 2019, the First Nations Leadership Council (First Nations Summit, British Columbia Assembly of First Nations, and the Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs), the Government of British Columbia, and ISC signed an MOU to formalize roles and responsibilities for on-reserve emergency management support. FIRST NATION-MUNICIPAL COLLABORATION ACROSS THE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT CONTINUUM A fuller spectrum of inclusion will increase the strength of the economic response overall.

PANDORA: Deep Graph Learning Based COVID-19 Infection Risk Level Forecasting

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) as a global pandemic causes a massive disruption to social stability that threatens human life and the economy. An effective forecasting system is arguably important to provide an early signal of the risk of COVID-19 infection so that the authorities are ready to protect the people from the worst. However, making a good forecasting model for infection risks in different cities or regions is not an easy task, because it has a lot of influential factors that are difficult to be identified manually. To address the current limitations, we propose a deep graph learning model, called PANDORA, to predict the infection risks of COVID-19, by considering all essential factors and integrating them into a geographical network. The framework uses geographical position relationships and transportation frequency as higher order structural properties formulated by higher order network structures (i.e., network motifs). Moreover, four significant node attributes (i.e., multiple features of a particular area, including climate, medical condition, economy, and human mobility) are also considered. We propose three different aggregators to better aggregate node attributes and structural features, namely, Hadamard, Summation, and Connection. Experimental results over real data show that PANDORA outperforms the baseline methods with higher accuracy and faster convergence speed, no matter which aggregator is chosen. IEEE

COVID-19 Inmate Risk Appraisal (CIRA): development and validation of a screening tool to assess COVID-19 vulnerability in prisons

OBJECTIVES: To develop and validate a screening tool designed to identify detained people at increased risk for COVID-19 mortality, the COVID-19 Inmate Risk Appraisal (CIRA). DESIGN: Cross-sectional study with a representative sample (development) and a case-control sample (validation). SETTING: The two largest Swiss prisons. PARTICIPANTS: (1) Development sample: all male persons detained in Poschwies, Zurich (n = 365);(2) Validation sample: case-control sample of male persons detained in Champ-Dollon, Geneva (n = 192, matching 1:3 for participants at risk for severe course of COVID-19 and participants without risk factors). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The CIRA combined seven risk factors identified by the World Health Organization and the Swiss Federal Office of Public Health as predictive of severe COVID-19 to derive an absolute risk increase in mortality rate: Age >=60 years, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, hypertension, chronic respiratory disease, immunodeficiency and cancer. RESULT(S): Based on the development sample, we proposed a three-level classification: average (<3.7), elevated (3.7-5.7) and high (>5.7) risk. In the validation sample, the CIRA identified all individuals identified as vulnerable by national recommendations (having at least one risk factor). The category "elevated risk" maximised sensitivity (1) and specificity (0.97). The CIRA had even higher capacity in discriminating individuals vulnerable according to clinical evaluation (a four-level risk categorisation based on a consensus of medical staff). The category "elevated risk" maximised sensitivity and specificity (both 1). When considering the individuals classified as extremely high risk by medical staff, the category "high risk" had a high discriminatory capacity (sensitivity =0.89, specificity =0.97). CONCLUSION(S): The CIRA scores have a high discriminative ability and will be important in custodial settings to support decisions and prioritise actions using a standardised valid assessment method. However, as knowledge on risk factors for COVID-19 mortality is still limited, the CIRA may be considered preliminary. Underlying data will be updated regularly on the website (http://www.prison-research.com), where the CIRA algorithm is freely available. Copyright © 2021 EMH Swiss Medical Publishers Ltd.. All rights reserved.

COVID-19 and Homelessness: Response of South African Municipalities during First Wave of the Pandemic

The coronavirus is a quintessentially urban pandemic that wreaked havoc in all social settings, from villages to cities. Homelessness can create an ideal environment for the rapid spread of the SARS-CoV-2 within this vulnerable group. The current pandemic has exposed the inaccessibility of healthcare services by those experiencing homelessness. As such, this paper uses an event methodology to examine how (1) local municipalities have responded to homelessness during the COVID-19 pandemic and (2) the extent of the involvement of civil society groups across Cape Town, Durban and Johannesburg. It also compares each city's policy frameworks and strategies to identify the challenges and successes experienced. Findings suggest that although a cookie-cutter technique does not exist for addressing homelessness during the current pandemic, there are valuable lessons to be learnt such as the use of public-private partnerships with shared responsibility. It is hoped that through the findings of this research, future local, provincial and national homelessness housing policy could avoid the barriers that will arise in addressing homelessness.

An assessment of awareness campaigns in COVID-19 management

A public awareness campaign is a tool of social marketing technique. The quality of awareness campaign is determined based on its effectiveness which is evaluated by its impact on the audience. To know the awareness related to major media campaigns, during the COVID-19 pandemic related to COVID-appropriate behaviour, a survey tool was designed and administered in online mode among 200 young respondents from Varanasi district of Uttar Pradesh, India. Data were collected through Google forms shared via various social platforms and snowball sampling technique with age and area related restrictions. The media campaign which made a great impact on the mind and heart of the respondents were "Do gaj doori mask hai jaroori (Mask and maintaining distance of two yards is necessary) " and "Jab tak dawai nahi tab tak dhilai nahi (No carelessness till a medicine is recommended)" The sources which made people aware were "caller tune" followed by "family and friends". Almost all components of COVID-19 appropriate behaviour were known to the respondents except, seeking COVID-19 related information from reliable sources and refraining from sharing unverified social media posts. This research throws light on the interventions that can be more impactful and will thus help in better designing and dissemination of awareness campaigns in future.

Impact of covid-19 on health and financial status, practice and attitude and views of dentists in Pune city – A questionnaire based cross-sectional study

Background: Numerous dental clinics have been forced to close due to the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV2high)'s contagiousness as well as the fact that dental operations frequently produce blood and saliva droplets that could spread the illness. The current study was conducted to evaluate the impact of COVID-19 on health and financial status, practice and attitudes and views of dentists in Pune city. Methods: In Pune city, a questionnaire survey will be administered to general dentists and specialists. 30 questions and 5 parts make up the survey. In the first segment, there were some basic demographic facts. Closed questions (yes/no questions) about the dentists' perception and its impact on their physical health make up the second segment. Financial status-related questions are asked in the third part. Questions about the shift in dental practice brought on by the COVID-19 epidemic are included in the fourth section. The survey's fifth question assesses dentists' attitudes and perspectives on the outbreak using a 5-point Likert scale. Results: Overall, 187 dentists contributed to this study. There was significant variance for the questions that evaluated the responses for the Dentists' opinion and its effect on their physical health, Financial status and change in dental practice due to COVID-19 pandemic and the 5-point Likert-scale scoring to evaluate dentists' attitudes and views on the outbreak. Categorised on the basis of the field of dentistry for the question of Dentists' opinion and its effect on their physical health there was no significant variance between the various fields of dentistry except for the response of the question Take COVID-19 test for all patients where the P=0.006. Conclusion: Employees in the dental healthcare industry are most at risk of getting COVID-19. Therefore, during the pandemic, dental professionals should follow the established protocols more carefully. To lessen the danger of COVID-19 transmission, they could also cut back on their work schedules and only perform dental procedures as an absolute last resort. Additionally, in order to reduce the danger of infection, public organizations should supply the dental professionals with the necessary equipment.

Computational Methodology for Discovery of Potential Inhibitory Peptides

In 2020, a new pandemic caused by a coronavirus has impacted the economic and public health landscape on a global level. Named SARS-CoV-2, it causes COVID-19 and, in two years, has caused thousands of deaths. Among its viral particles, SARS-CoV-2 has an important structural protein called Spike (S), and its entry into human cells is mediated by an interaction between the Spike and the human receptor Angiotensin Converting Enzyme 2 (ACE2). This S/ACE2 binding depends on the cleavage of the Spike into three parts (S1, S2 and S2') by host cell proteases. For this, the S protein undergoes a conformational change that exposes a cleavage site between the S1 and S2 domains, being initially cleaved by the Furin enzyme. The S2 part is cleaved by TMPRSS2 (Transmembrane Serine Protease II) to expose the fusion peptide, promoting endocytic entry of the virus. TMPRSS2 can be inhibited by clinically approved serine protease inhibitors, making it a promising target for the treatment of viral infections. Consequently, our objective was to look for peptides that weren't described as inhibitors for SARS-CoV-2 but can be repositioned. In this paper, we propose a computational method to collect, filter, simulate protein-peptide interaction and identify the best hits based on the pattern of interactions. In addition to the main contribution of the paper that is the method, another contribution of this work is the proposal of candidate peptides. © 2022, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.

Monitoraggio Della Risposta Anticorpale Al Vaccino

The immune response versus infective agents, thus including severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), comprised the so-called adaptive immunity, which encompasses the generation of antibodies by B cells and cytotoxic activity by T cells, compounded by the immune memory, which has the role to contrast recurrent infections by the same pathogen. Serological testing has been conventionally defined as a diagnostic procedure used for detecting an immune response against an infectious agent, which can develop following either natural or artificial immunization. The crucial question that has emerged since the beginning of the worldwide COVID-19 vaccination campaign is whether or not laboratory monitoring of COVID-19 vaccination may be clinically useful and economically sustainable. Nonetheless, there are several reasons that contribute to justify the utility of serological monitoring after vaccination, including the opportunity (i) to know in advance whether vaccine recipients have passed a recent SARS-CoV-2 infection, (ii) to monitor the individual humoral response after vaccination, (iii) to verify the humoral response in presumably low-responder populations, and, last but not least, (iv) for timely detecting a fast decay of humoral protection [1]. According to the current knowledge, a timeline for serological testing could be suggested, entailing pre-vaccine measurement to precisely identify whether or not the subjects has been recently infected by SARS-CoV-2, followed by at least 2 following tests between 1 and 6 months to detect faster decline of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. As concerns the technical aspects, it may be advisable to use immunoassays capable to recognize antibodies targeting the entire trimeric spike protein, its S1 subunit, or its receptor binding domain, along with techniques that generate accurate quantitative values (1). Due to low degree of harmonization so far, an identical assay shall be used for longitudinal monitoring of antibodies values, and we finally advise against performing these measurements outside of clinical laboratories. That said, a major concern is rising. This is specifically due to the fact that the antigen and epitopes of the prototype SARS-CoV-2 lineage used for coating some immunoassays could no longer mirror the sequence of the spike protein or the RBD of some circulating variants, such as, for example, the highly mutated Omicron lineage. Contextually, the anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies elicited by these highly mutated SARS-CoV-2 lineages could be no longer reliably detected by some commercial immunoassays. Therefore, along with compulsory re-evaluation and revalidation of their methods against live virus neutralization assays, diagnostic companies must also embark in redesigning assays by replacing ancestral SARS-CoV-2 antigens with those of highly mutated SARS-CoV-2 variants (2).

The Natural History of Renal Function in Patients with Cirrhosis and Ascites Who Require Regular Large Volume Paracentesis

Background: Patients with decompensated cirrhosis and ascites are at risk for developing acute kidney injury (AKI), occurring in 20-49% of patients. Those with recurrent or refractory ascites requiring regular large volume paracentesis (LVPs) are at greater risk for AKI because of their advanced cirrhosis, abnormal hemodynamics and frequent fluid shifts from the LVPs. Aim(s): To assess the natural history of renal function in ascitic cirrhotic patients who require regular LVPs. Method(s): A single centre retrospective study including all ascitic cirrhotic patients who attended for outpatient regular LVPs from April 2020 to March 2021, excluding those with COVID infection, hepatocellular carcinoma exceeding Milan's criteria, or extensive non-liver malignancy. Data collected included demographics, paracentesis details, albumin infusions, renal function at baseline and during 3-month (M) follow-up, especially any AKI details, hospital admissions and survival. Result(s): 87 (M:57, F:30;62.0+/-11.3 yrs;MELD-Na: 17.6+/-4.8) mostly alcoholic (47%) and NASH (25%) patients who attended for regular LVPs were included. 14 patients had history of variceal bleed, 26 had a history of encephalopathy (HE). Ascites had been present for 17+/-24M at enrolment, and 12 patients had prior spontaneous bacterial peritonitis. LVP had started 9+/-11M earlier. The mean # of LVPs was 4.2+/-2.6/M with 7.3+/-2.6L of ascites removed/LVP, receiving 90.5+/-38gm/M albumin with the LVPs. The mean serum creatinine (sCr) at enrolment was 100.9+/-50.3mumol/L, with 12 patients fulfilling the KDIGO's criteria for chronic kidney disease (CKD), due to diabetes or hypertension or both. 23 patients were diagnosed to have AKI at enrolment, 3 with background CKD. 5 patients required hospital admission. Table shows the details of AKI at enrolment. During 3M follow-up, 15 episodes of AKI (stage 1: n=9, stage 2: n=6) recurred in 11 patients, with the final sCr at 3M at 113+/-90mumol/L. 17 patients had 26 admissions in 3M, mostly related to cirrhosis complications (AKI/ HRS: n=4, HE: n=4;ascites related: n=4, GI bleed: n=4;infection (n=6). There was 1 liver transplant and 7 liver related deaths. Conclusion(s): CKD is becoming common among ascitic cirrhotic patients requiring LVPs. Irrespective of CKD presence, such patients frequently develop AKI, although mostly stage 1, but recur often, leading to gradual worsening of renal function within 3 M. This subset of patients needs close monitoring and future strategies to prevent AKIs.

COVID-19 and the Global Political Economy: Same as it Never Was?

This introductory article outlines how Global Political Economy and the nuanced perspectives of scholars from this interdiscipline navigate claims about the origins and consequences of, as well as responses to, the COVID-19 pandemic. Emerging social scientific assessments have tended to understand the pandemic as either an entirely novel crisis (“everything has changed”) or one merely extending preexisting economic and political tensions (“nothing has changed”). Early analyses of political-economic aspects of the crisis assembled in this collection instead highlight both patterns of continuity and change—and the importance of situating changes within prepandemic continuities—that have emerged during the first year of the global pandemic. This introductory article brings together suggestions by and for Global Political Economy scholars, as well as social scientists more generally, for further researching key dynamics shaping the global political economy in the COVID-19 era as it keeps unfolding and evolving.

Technologizing Islamic Philanthropy During The Covid-19 Pandemic in Indonesia

The Covid-19 pandemic has caused an economic downturn, bring about the emergence of new forms of poverty in society. This study examines how Islamic philanthropy organizations in Indonesia that collect, manage, and distribute zakat, sedekah, and waqf have adapted to the global pandemic to continue serving people in need in urban areas by using digital platforms. The use of technology has accelerated philanthropic practices, ranging from fundraising, distributing, and delivering services to coordinating duties and responsibilities during the pandemic, especially in an urban area such as Jakarta, the capital city of Indonesia. By focusing on the experiences of two leading Islamic philanthropy organizations, Badan Amil Zakat Nasional and Dompet Dhuafa, in response to the Covid-19 pandemic in Indonesia, this study reveals that Islamic philanthropic organizations have adopted several changes and innovations during the pandemic by embracing technology. The article also argues that Islamic philanthropy has had a significant role in mitigating the impact of the worldwide pandemic on society’s vulnerabilities and economic problems through technological support.

COVID 19 and autoimmune blistering diseases: is there a link between epidermolysis bullosa acquisita and SARS-CoV-2?

The blistering disease Epidermolysis bullosa acquisita is a genetic/autoimmune disorder deriving from alterations of the human protein Collagen alpha-1(VII) chain (CO7A1). Exposure to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) promotes a wide variety of autoimmune diseases and might be a risk factor for Epidermolysis bullosa acquisita;in order to further our understanding of the link between this blistering disease and SARS-CoV-2, this study analyzes the peptide-sharing between CO7A1 and SARS-CoV-2 proteome. Results indicate a high level of molecular mimicry between CO7A1 and SARS-CoV-2 and hCoV-229E, and hCoV-NL63, thus suggesting a potential role of COVID-19 as a risk factor for Epidermolysis bullosa acquisita. Copyright © by BIOLIFE, s.a.s. This publication and/or article is for individual use only and may not be further reproduced without written permission from the copyright holder.

Discussion on the advantages of acupuncture and moxibustion in the prevention and treatment of COVID-19

COVID-19 belongs to the plague category of Traditional Chinese Medicine. It has been confirmed in many ancient books and modern clinical studies that the acupuncture and moxibustion can cure the plague. Containing COVID-19, National Health Commission of the People's Republic of China and National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine Jointly issued the Diagnosis and Treatment of Corona Virus Disease-19(7th edition). It mentions the treatment program of acupuncture and moxibustion participating in the prevention and treatment of COVID-19. Liu Baoyan's team analyzed the ideas of acupuncture and moxibustion treatment for COVID-19. However, the clinical advantages of acupuncture and moxibustion still need to be further clarified. In the treatment of many clinical symptoms of COVID-19, acupuncture therapy has a good clinical effect, so the purpose of our discussion on the advantages is to improve the clinical accuracy and efficacy of COVID-19.

Temporary markers of increased risk groups for thrombophlebitis of the saphenous veins of the lower extremities in post-COVID-19 patients

Background: Over the past decades, thrombophlebitis of the saphenous veins (TSV) of the lower extremities has remained one of the most common causes of acute vascular diseases, which requires contact with surgeons. This disease has acquired new risk factors with the advent of a new coronavirus infection. During the time since the onset of infection and up to the present time, many studies have already proven procoagulant effects and endotheliitis, which provoke venous thromboembolic complications. Method(s): We analyzed 379 the outpatient case histories of patients from 2019 to 2021 who applied to a vascular surgeon at polyclinic No. 21 in Ufa and City Clinical Hospital No. 21 with a diagnosis of TSV. Of these, a sample of patients who had a COVID-19 with a polymerase chain reaction confirmed smear, or with signs of viral pneumonia on computed tomography and a COVID-19 was diagnosed. The period from the moment of COVID-19 was limited to 6 months. The number of patients meeting this criterion was: 164 (43.27%). According to the CEAP classification: In 64 (39.02%) C2 stage, in 37 (22.56%)C3, in 8 (4.88%)C4 stage, C6 was in 3 (1.83%) patients, C5 - not a single patient. In 52 (31.71%) patients, there were no signs of previous chronic venous insufficiency. Age of patients: From 48 to 60 years, mean age 56 +/- 4 years. By sex - women - 102 patients (62.19%), men - 62 (37.8%). According to the period from the moment of covid-19 to the onset of thrombophlebitis: In the firstmonth 42 patients, in the period of 2months - 12 patients, in the period of 3 months - 56 patients, in the period of 4 months - 46 patients, in the period of 5 months - 4 patients and after 6 months from COVID-19, TFPV was diagnosed in 2 patients. Result(s): The frequency of episodes of TSV was higher at 1,3,4 months, and the increase prevailed at the end of 3 and the beginning of 4 months. From the anamnesis, in this period of time the intake of anticoagulants prescribed after COVID-19 was completed. In 29 cases, signs of past deep vein thrombosis of the lower extremities were revealed. In 1 case, signs of a past pulmonary embolism, unspecified by prescription, were revealed. Conclusion(s): Episodes of TSV are increased, as after any viral infection, but the role of hypercoagulation syndrome after a COVID-19 is somewhat more important compared to other viral infections. It is worth paying attention to the continuity in relation to the abolition of anticoagulant therapy at the outpatient stage of convalescents of COVID-19..

Crescentic IgA Nephropathy (cIgAN) in a Patient With COVID-19 Infection

Introduction: COVID19 infection has been linked to various glomerulonephropathies (GN) including collapsing focal segmental glomerulosclerosis, pauciimmune crescentic glomerulonephritis, and possibly minimal change disease and IgA nephropathy. Case Description: A 57-year-old obese man with hypertension, hyperlipidemia, prediabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, illicit drug use, status post Pfizer COVID vaccine (1st dose 4m prior, 2nd dose 3w later), and COVID19 infection 7w prior, presented with an acute onset purpuric rash that began from bilateral hands and feet and progressed to arms and legs. Patient denied joint pain or abdominal discomfort. Initial studies: Serum creatinine (Cr) 4.17 mg/dL (2.37 mg/dL 2w prior, baseline 0.93 mg/dL 4m prior). Urinalysis: > 50 red blood cells/high power field;Urine protein/Cr 4g/g, albumin/Cr >3g/g;Negative: HIV, ANCA, ANA, antiGBM, complements. Chest CT: Bilateral multifocal consolidative opacities concerning for aspiration, multifocal bacterial or viral pneumonia, or atypical presentation of COVID19 pneumonia. Skin biopsy: Leukocytoclastic vasculitis;No immunoreactants detected. Patient suffered from rapid respiratory deterioration, multiple hypotensive episodes, and acute kidney injury requiring mechanical ventilation and dialysis support. Kidney biopsy: IgA dominant immune complex mediated glomerulonephritis with focal/remote fibrous crescents;acute tubular injury. Treatment: Intravenous methylprednisolone 250 mg x 3d, followed by oral prednisone course. Patient recovered adequate function after 6w and was able to discontinue dialysis. Discussion(s): COVID19 infection-related inflammatory response may precipitate GN in susceptible individuals. Crescentic IgAN is known to be associated with acute inflammatory conditions involving lungs, gastrointestinal tract, and skin. The timeline for the development of cIgAN herein raises suspicion for COVID19 infection/pneumonia as the inciting event. (Figure Presented).

Australasian Association for Academic Primary Care (AAAPC) Annual Research Conference, 18-19 August 2022

This issue contains 12 papers presented at the Australasian Association for Academic Primary Care Annual Research Conference covering the topics on mental health crisis in the COVID-19 pandemic, health of Aboriginal community, community-driven health research, and other issues influencing community health services and primary health care.

Pattern Analysis of COVID-19 Based On Geotagged Social Media Data with Sociodemographic Factors

The world has faced a catastrophic global crisis of COVID-19 caused by coronavirus and called for analyzing the affected areas in any country. The study helps to understand how the second wave affected different states in India concerning sociodemographic factors, such as population density, economy, and unemployment rate. During the lockdown, the sudden impact of staying at home has led to increased social media usage, where people expressed their opinions on multiple topics. Twitter provides timestamp and sometimes spatial information of the tweets generated. Using the geotagged Twitter dataset, a study in India is performed in this work considering the second wave of COVID-19, which occurred approximately from April to June 2021. It analyses the temporal and spatial patterns of the geotagged tweets generated from all the states during the period mentioned above. Also, topic modeling and sentiment analysis are performed to understand the concerns discussed by the people. We use different states' sociodemographic factors and machine learning algorithms to divide the population into high and low categories to understand the topic prevalence in different socioeconomic groups. This study reveals that the low socioeconomic groups have shared more concerns, urging the government to help fight the COVID-19 pandemic. © 2022 IEEE.

Omega 3 fatty acids' effects on COVID-19

Recently, the novel coronavirus, which is called severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, has been responsible for the highly rapid spread of COVID-19 disease, globally. Until now, 535 million people were affected and 6.3 million people died due to this outbreak throughout the World. Although the lethality of this disease is lower than the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus and Middle East respiratory syndrome, severe complications of this disease are attributed to "cytokine storm" that is the reason for the severe lung damage. The cytokine storm causes systemic inflammation, acute respiratory distress syndrome, septic shock, stroke, multiple organ dysfunction, and death. As a result of these symptoms, there are pivotal studies about vaccination, drug, and medication to prevent severe complications and treat patients with COVID-19. Besides these studies, some research shows that nutrients are able to manage the cytokine storm such as many types of vitamins, trace elements, and omega 3 fatty acids. Omega 3 polyunsaturated fatty acids have specific roles in the inflammatory process. Omega 3 fatty acids have a role in the improvement of the inflammatory balance. They interact with viral infection in disparate stages such as viral entry and replication. This study highlights the roles of omega 3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in the prevention and treatment of the COVID-19. In addition, omega 3 fatty acids show anti-viral and anti-inflammatory effects on the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 and increase survival rates in patients infected with COVID-19.