Impact of Modality on Workload among Engineering Undergraduates during the COVID-19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic created unprecedented disruptions in models for engineering student training. At The Citadel, an undergraduate-focused college in the Southeastern United States, a variety of modalities were implemented following the onset of the pandemic, including emergency online and Hyflex learning. We conducted a longitudinal study to analyze the cognitive load among our undergraduate engineering students throughout changing modalities. Using data from the NASA Task Load Index (TLX) and open-ended reflections on student challenges, we found that total workload (a surrogate for cognitive load) was generally highest during emergency online learning in the second half of Spring 2020 semester, with experiences possibly varying across different demographic and academic groups. Emergency online challenges were often related to time management, personal organization, and responsibility for learning. In contrast, HyFlex challenges were often related to technology and communication challenges. While emergency online learning was a cognitive load disruption, that disruption was often associated with personal and/or academic development. HyFlex learning mediated cognitive load disruption;although, student challenges may have been simple nuisances rather than mediators of developmental change. © 2023 American Society of Civil Engineers.

Subjective and Objective Cognitive Deficits in Patients with Post-COVID Syndrome A Challenge for Neuropsychologists

Cognitive impairment is a prominent symptom of the post-COVID syndrome (PCS). However, the correspondence between subjective cognitive complaints (SCC) and objective results is inconsistent. Here, we investigated this discrepancy. This longitudinal study included N = 42 individuals who reported SCC as PCS after mild infection at inclusion. Data collection comprised questionnaires and neuropsychological assessment at baseline and follow-up (FU). At FU - on average 15 months after acute COVID-19 - 88 % of patients reported persisting SCC. There was an approx. 40 % discrepancy between subjective report and test results at both visits. Patients with SCC and objective impairment indicated elevated fatigue and reduced quality of life compared to patients without SCC at FU. A growing number of patients is anticipated to request neuropsychological assessments even after mild infections.

Establishment of an infrastructure for rapid pandemic response at the Frederick National Laboratory

The sudden onset of the 2019 SARS-CoV-2 pandemic required agile development of standards and efficient validation of assays to assess prevalence of infection as well as immune responses to infection and vaccination. Leveraging their experience in HPV serology and standards, the Vaccine, Immunity and Cancer Directorate (VICD) at the Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research (FNCLR) pivoted to address this unmet need in SARS-Co-V2 serology clinical testing and research. This standardization effort required the collection and processing of large volumes of blood from SARS-Co-V2 infected and uninfected individuals into serum and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). Collaborations with specimen collection sites across the United States were established. Following qualification for anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG and IgM levels in independent laboratories, VICD assembled reference evaluation panels, which were used to assist the FDA's performance evaluation of commercial assays submitted for EUA approval. To date, 185 different shipments of the standard or validation panel have been sent to both domestic and international labs. These materials are also available to the SARS-CoV-2 serology community for assay calibration and performance evaluation which greatly facilitates assay data harmonization. In addition, the NCI Serological Sciences Network (SeroNet) was born from this initiative and expertise, resulting in the establishment of Capacity Building Centers (CBCs) for sample collection from different healthy, cancer and immunocompromised cohorts at Mount Sinai, Arizona State University, the University of Minnesota, and Northwell Feinstein. The NCI and FNLCR simultaneously collaborated to develop a network of investigators focused on advancing research on the immune response to SARS-CoV-2 infection and vaccination among diverse and vulnerable populations, including cancer patients. Their research has resulted in over 326 peer-reviewed publications. The CBC's have enrolled patients in longitudinal studies, resulting in a centralized collection of annotated, well characterized serum, PBMCs and clinical data. Numerous cancer cohorts, but predominantly Multiple Myeloma, are included. Furthermore, technology development was supported at the CBC's. Based upon this success, the VICD in collaboration with NCI is pursuing an even more innovative effort in pandemic preparedness to establish a Center for Serology and Data Emergency Preparedness (CESDEP);a global network able to activate and pivot to address pandemic-level threats, while continuing to expand the development of immunological assays that can inform clinical decisions for cancer and other immunocompromised patients.

How attachment styles predict changes in sexual desire: A study of sexual dynamics in COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic has had far-reaching impacts on many aspects of life, including sexual behaviours and preferences. In this longitudinal study, the authors used attachment theory to investigate changes in an individual's sexual desire for their partner as well as changes in their sexual desire for someone other than their primary romantic partner (extradyadic desire) over the first wave of the pandemic in Canada. Based on past research that has shown that avoidant individuals tend to avoid intimacy, the authors reasoned that increased contact with their romantic partner due to physical distancing guidelines and lockdown rules would contribute to avoidant individuals' experiencing less sexual desire for their partner and greater extradyadic desire over time. In contrast, individuals high on attachment anxiety tend to seek proximity, especially during times of stress. The authors predicted that individuals' sexual desire for their partner would increase and their extradyadic desire would decrease. They tested these hypotheses using a cohabiting, dyadic sample (N = 308 individuals);study participants were contacted at 1-month intervals for three successive months and asked to complete an online survey. Our hypotheses were partially supported. As predicted, individuals high on attachment avoidance experienced higher levels of extradyadic desire, and individuals high on attachment anxiety reported lower extradyadic desire over time. Contrary to predictions, however, neither attachment pattern was associated with changes in sexual desire for the partner. The authors examine the theoretical implications of these findings, highlighting the need for a more fine-grained assessment of stress and the interaction between stress and attachment orientations in future research.Copyright © Sex Information and Education Council of Canada, 2023.

The time-course of post-stroke fatigue: A systematic review of longitudinal cohort studies

Objectives: To systematically review longitudinal studies to determine the prevalence and time-course of fatigue after stroke (post-stroke fatigue, PSF). Material(s) and Method(s): A study protocol was registered on PROSPERO. Five databases (PUBMED, MEDLINE, EMBASE, PSYCHINFO and CINAHL) were searched (10th to 13th June 2022). Citations were imported into Covidence software, s screened by one author, full texts of potentially eligible studies retrieved, and one author applied inclusion criteria (longitudinal cohort studies of patients with acute stroke). Quality assessment of included studies was performed using the Joanna Briggs institute tool for observational studies. A meta-analysis was performed for the prevalence of PSF at different time-points after stroke onset, and changes over time. Subgroup analyses were performed by type of stroke and study location. Result(s): A total of 13,991 records were returned from the searches. Nine studies were eligible and were included. Five studies were of strong and four of moderate quality. Of the studies suitable for meta-analysis, the prevalence of PSF was 42% (95% CI - 39-44%) at six months after ischaemic stroke;and 34% (95% CI - 28-40%) at one year in stroke survivors excluding subarachnoid haemorrhage. Subgroups analyses found no differences in PSF prevalence between Asian countries and others. Of those with PSF at first assessment, 66% (95% CI - 61-71%) remained fatigued at follow-up;of those without PSF initially, 15% (95% CI - 11-20%) developed PSF at follow-up. Conclusion(s): PSF is common and around two-thirds with fatigue remain fatigued. This justifies the development of new interventions for PSF treatment.Copyright © 2023 The Author(s)

A Comparative Study of Peripartum Mental Health Disorders between COVID-19-infected and Non-infected during the Pandemic

Introduction: This study was done to compare the prevalence of mental health disorders between COVID-19-infected and non-infected mothers during the COVID-19 pandemic. The secondary objective was to find out the risk factors and long-term outcome of peripartum depression (PPD). Material(s) and Method(s): This was an observational and comparative study using a questionnaire-based direct interview, conducted in a tertiary hospital. After judging the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 842 subjects were selected between September 2020 to December 2020. The Edinburgh postnatal depression scale (EPDS) and COVID-19 anxiety scale (CAS) was used for evaluation of the mental health. Subjects with PPD were followed up for a year. Result(s): The mean age of the subjects was 24.8 +/- 3.9 years, 142 (16.8%) were confirmed COVID-19 positive. Overall, 317 (37.6%) had possible PPD (EPDS >=14) and 763 (90.6%) had peripartum anxiety (EPDS anxiety subscore >=4). While there was no significant difference in the prevalence of PPD (32.6% vs 39%, p = 0.12), peripartum anxiety was higher among COVID non-infected subjects (91.6% vs 86.6%, p = 0.04). Furthermore, COVID-19-related anxiety was higher among COVID-19-infected compared to the non-infected [17 (10-28) vs 15 (8-25), p = 0.00]. In multivariate analysis, medical comorbidities (p = 0.000), history of psychiatric illness (p = 0.002), domestic violence (p = 0.032) and obstetric complications (p = 0.000) were significant risk factors for PPD. Among the subjects who had PPD, only 35% still had depression after a year. Conclusion(s): This study provides an in-depth analysis of PPD and anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic, the risk factors, and the long-term effects. Clinical significance: It highlights the importance of routine screening for perinatal mental health disorders and early psychiatric consultation when required.Copyright © The Author(s).

Multifactorial Effects of Covid-19: A Review of Published Autopsy Reports

Introduction: SARS-CoV-2 is responsible for the current global pandemic. SARS-CoV-2 infection underlies the novel viral condition coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). COVID-19 causes significant pulmonary sequelae contributing to serious morbidities. The pathogenesis of COVID-19 is complex with a multitude of factors leading to varying levels of injury numerous extrapulmonary organs. This review of 124 published articles documenting COVID- 19 autopsies included 1,142 patients. Method(s): A PubMed search was conducted for COVID-19 autopsy reports published before March 2021 utilizing the query COVID-19 Autopsy. There was no restriction regarding age, sex, or ethnicity of the patients. Duplicate cases were excluded. Findings were listed by organ system from articles that met selection criteria. Result(s): Pulmonary pathology (72% of articles;866/1142 patients): diffuse alveolar damage (563/866), alveolar edema (251/866), hyaline membrane formation (234/866), type II pneumocyte hyperplasia (165/866), alveolar hemorrhage (164/866), and lymphocytic infiltrate (87/866). Vascular pathology (41% of articles;771/1142 patients): vascular thrombi (439/771)-microvascular predominance (294/439)-and inflammatory cell infiltrates (116/771). Cardiac pathology (41% of articles;502/1142 patients): cardiac inflammation (186/502), fibrosis (131/502), cardiomegaly (100/502), hypertrophy (100/502), and dilation (35/502). Hepatic pathology (33% of articles;407/1142 patients): steatosis (106/402) and congestion (102/402). Renal pathology (30% of articles;427/1142 patients): renal arteries arteriosclerosis (111/427), sepsis-associated acute kidney injury (81/427) and acute tubular necrosis (77/427). Conclusion(s): This review revealed anticipated pulmonary pathology, along with significant extrapulmonary involvement secondary to COVID-19, indicating widespread viral tropism throughout the human body. These diverse effects require additional comprehensive longitudinal studies to characterize short-term and long-term COVID-19 sequelae and inform COVID-19 treatment.

Understanding the Lived Experience of Patients By Mining Online Health Boards

Objectives: Online health boards (OHBs) are web-based forums where patients post publicly about their conditions. We evaluated the extent to which OHB posts could be used to generate meaningful insights into the lived experience of patients. Specifically, we sought to (a) capture patient reactions to the Covid-19 pandemic, (b) determine pathways to diagnosis of ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV) and (c) develop clinical outcome assessments (COAs) for congestive heart failure (CHF). Method(s): For each use case, a keyword-based search was used to retrieve relevant English language posts from multiple OHBs. A machine learning approach removed all posts except those where a patient was writing about themselves or someone in their care. Computer-assisted coding was applied to these posts and numerical analysis used to extract insights from the coding. Where possible, our findings were compared to those obtained using traditional methods. Result(s): Relevant posts were obtained from 53,134 users for the Covid study, 271 patients for the CHF work and 59 AAV patients. These proved sufficient to reveal meaningful insights across all three studies. For example, it was possible to rank lifestyle impacts of disease (e.g. limitations on exercise ranked highest, cited by 47% of CHF patients), reconstruct pathways to diagnosis (average time to AAV diagnosis was found to be seven years) and track patient concerns during the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic. Findings were broadly comparable with those reported elsewhere. Conclusion(s): Mining OHBs offers an alternative methodology for capturing the patient experience across a range of applications. Its strengths are the immediacy with which insights can be acquired, the size of cohorts that can be studied and the ability to retrospectively perform longitudinal studies. However, this approach is limited by the inability to probe beyond initial post content, the reliance on patients to proactively share their experience, and the inability to evidence their diagnosis.Copyright © 2023

Impact of COVID-19 on longitudinal breast cancer research studies involving TNBC patients

Background Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) accounts for ~15% of breast cancer diagnoses but is linked to worse outcomes and comprises a disproportionate number of breast cancer deaths. The TNBC pilot study is a prospective longitudinal study to provide a critical resource for understanding TNBC disease. However, the pandemic impacted the collection of samples. Objective To highlight the impacts of COVID-19 on this longitudinal cancer translational research study including the patient's perspective and to develop recommendations to avoid future disruptions. Methods 389 participants were enrolled in the prospective longitudinal cohort, which collected serial blood samples for up to 5 years. Due to the pandemic, research was curtailed for 6 months due to concerns about patient safety, halting the collection of blood samples. Missed samples and data gaps were documented. To complement this, we initiated a survey capturing the patient perspective on their experience of the study disruption due to COVID. Results 217 enrolled participants missed a blood draw or had a collection outside the study window. 158 patients missed 1 time-point collection, and 59 patients missed >= 2 collections. Of the 217 participants who missed a collection, 6 disease recurrence diagnoses and 3 deaths occurred during research curtailment. The collection of survey responses from participants is ongoing and will be presented at the AACR Annual Meeting. Conclusion Missed samples resulted in irreplaceable data gaps critical to monitoring patient outcomes, and reduced cohort sampling during the pandemic. Our current knowledge of the risks suggests that with proper informed consent, collections could have continued. To mitigate disruption in future clinical studies, clear plans should be part of study design to provide continuity. The participants' experience to be reported will also help researchers understand their issues and help develop policies. (Table Presented).

Longitudinal changes in mental health among medical students in China during the COVID-19 epidemic: depression, anxiety and stress at 1-year follow -up.

This study aimed to evaluate the influence of COVID-19 on the mental health of Chinese medical students at 1-year of follow-up. From 2 February 2020 to 23 February 2021, we conducted three waves of research online (T1 = during outbreak, T2 = controlling period, T3 = 1 year after outbreak). The survey collected demographic data and several self reporting questionnaires to measure the depressive, anxiety and stress symptoms. A total of 4002 participants complete the whole research phases. The study major, grade level and gender were the main factors related to psychological distress caused by the COVID-19 crisis. Importantly, medical knowledge has a protective effect on medical students' psychological distress during the COVID-19 period.

Factors influencing the immune response over 15 months after SARS-CoV-2 infection: A longitudinal population-wide study in the Faroe Islands.

BACKGROUND: The durability of SARS-CoV-2 antibody response and the resulting immunity to COVID-19 is unclear. OBJECTIVES: To investigate long-term humoral immunity to SARS-CoV-2. METHODS: In this nationwide, longitudinal study, we determined antibody response in 411 patients aged 0-93 years from two waves of infections (March to December 2020) contributing 1063 blood samples. Each individual had blood drawn on 4-5 occasions 1-15 months after disease onset. We measured total anti-SARS-CoV-2 receptor-binding domain (RBD) antibody using a qualitative RBD sandwich ELISA, IgM, IgG and IgA levels using an quantitative in-house ELISA-based assay  and neutralizing antibodies (NAbs) using an in-house ELISA-based pseudoneutralizing assay. IgG subclasses were analyzed in a subset of samples by ELISA-based assay. We used nonlinear models to study the durability of SARS-CoV-2 antibody responses and its influence over time. RESULTS: After 15 months, 94% still had detectable circulating antibodies, mainly the IgG isotype, and 92% had detectable NAbs. The distribution of IgG antibodies varied significantly over time, characterized by a biphasic pattern with an initial decline followed by a plateau after approximately 7 months. However, the NAbs remained relatively stable throughout the period. The strength of the antibody response was influenced by smoking and hospitalization, with lower IgG levels in smokers and higher levels in hospitalized individuals. Antibody stability over time was mainly associated with male sex and older age with higher initial levels but more marked decrease. CONCLUSIONS: The humoral immune response to SARS-CoV-2 infection varies depending on behavioral factors and disease severity, and antibody stability over 15 months was associated with sex and age.

Changes in retirement plans in the English older population during the COVID-19 pandemic: The roles of health factors and financial insecurity.

Over the course of 2020 and 2021, the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted lives globally. In the UK, unemployment rate continued to increase during and post-lockdown periods, and job security and financial wellbeing deteriorated. It is important to understand whether individual decisions related to retirement plans have changed systematically as a result of the pandemic, especially among older adults who experienced greater rates of pandemic unemployment. Using the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing, this article examines changes in retirement plans of older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic and estimates the impact of health and financial circumstances on these changes. In June/July 2020, 5% of 2095 participants reported planning earlier retirement, while 9% reported planning later retirement. We found that poor self-rated health and financial insecurity were associated with intentions to postpone retirement. Additional risk of later retirement associated with poor health was detected among those experiencing financial insecurity. In November/December 2020, 7% of 1845 participants reported planning earlier retirement, while 12% reported planning later retirement. We found that poor health was predictive of a lower relative risk of later retirement, while depressive symptomology and financial insecurity predicted a higher relative risk of later retirement. The findings imply a contextual role of health factors in, and a persistent influence of financial insecurity on, retirement planning in the older population.

Cognitive impairment in long-COVID and its association with persistent dysregulation in inflammatory markers.

Objective: To analyze the potential impact of sociodemographic, clinical and biological factors on the long-term cognitive outcome of patients who survived moderate and severe forms of COVID-19. Methods: We assessed 710 adult participants (Mean age = 55 ± 14; 48.3% were female) 6 to 11 months after hospital discharge with a complete cognitive battery, as well as a psychiatric, clinical and laboratory evaluation. A large set of inferential statistical methods was used to predict potential variables associated with any long-term cognitive impairment, with a focus on a panel of 28 cytokines and other blood inflammatory and disease severity markers. Results: Concerning the subjective assessment of cognitive performance, 36.1% reported a slightly poorer overall cognitive performance, and 14.6% reported being severely impacted, compared to their pre-COVID-19 status. Multivariate analysis found sex, age, ethnicity, education, comorbidity, frailty and physical activity associated with general cognition. A bivariate analysis found that G-CSF, IFN-alfa2, IL13, IL15, IL1.RA, EL1.alfa, IL45, IL5, IL6, IL7, TNF-Beta, VEGF, Follow-up C-Reactive Protein, and Follow-up D-Dimer were significantly (p<.05) associated with general cognition. However, a LASSO regression that included all follow-up variables, inflammatory markers and cytokines did not support these findings. Conclusion: Though we identified several sociodemographic characteristics that might protect against cognitive impairment following SARS-CoV-2 infection, our data do not support a prominent role for clinical status (both during acute and long-stage of COVID-19) or inflammatory background (also during acute and long-stage of COVID-19) to explain the cognitive deficits that can follow COVID-19 infection.

Evolution of Youth's Mental Health and Quality of Life during the COVID-19 Pandemic in South Tyrol, Italy: Comparison of Two Representative Surveys.

BACKGROUND: The coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic has led to an increase in youth mental health problems worldwide. Studies have revealed substantial variation in the incidence of these problems across different regions. Longitudinal studies of children and adolescents in Italy are lacking. This study aimed to investigate the development of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and mental health in Northern Italy by comparing surveys conducted in June 2021 and in March 2022. METHODS: A representative, large cross-sectional, online survey investigated HRQoL, psychosomatic complaints, and symptoms of anxiety and depression among 5159 and 6675 children and adolescents in 2021 and 2022, respectively, using the KIDSCREEN-10 index, HBSC symptom checklist, SCARED, CES-DC, and PHQ-2 instruments. Statistical analyses included a multivariate linear regression analysis. RESULTS: Baseline characteristics showed significant differences in demographic variables between the two surveys. Girls and their parents reported a significantly lower HRQoL in 2021 than in 2022. Psychosomatic complaints differed significantly between sexes, and the results showed no decrease in psychosomatic complaints, anxiety, or depression between 2021 and 2022. Predictors of HRQoL, anxiety, depressive symptoms, and psychosomatic complaints in 2022 differed from those in 2021. CONCLUSIONS: The characteristics of the 2021 pandemic, including lockdowns and home schooling, may have contributed to the differences between the two surveys. As most pandemic restrictions ended in 2022, the results confirm the need for measures to improve the mental and physical health of children and adolescents after the pandemic.

Third Booster Dose Vaccine against Sars-Cov-2 in Primary Sjogren's Syndrome: Longitudinal Cohort from the Safer Study

Objectives: Few studies evaluate the immunogenicity and safety of different COVID-19 vaccine platforms in patients with primary Sjogren's Syndrome (pSS). The present study aims to assess the immunogenicity through anti-spike IgG antibodies after the COVID-19 vaccine dose in heterologous groups compared to homologous regimen in patients with pSS. Method(s): These data are from the SAFER study: 'Safety and efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccine in rheumatic disease', a real-life phase IV multicenter longitudinal study, evaluating patients since before the first dose. Pregnant women, those with a history of serious adverse events prior to any vaccine, and those with other causes of immunosuppression were excluded. Patients with pSS > 18 years, classified according to ACR/EULAR 2016 classification criteria were included. Antibodies against the Receptor Binding Domain - RBD portion of the Spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 (IgG-S) were measured by chemiluminescence (Architect SARS-CoV-2 Quanti II, Abbott), before the first dose and 28 days after the 2nd and 3rd dose. Seropositivity was defined as IgG-Spike titers >=7.1 BAU/mL. Patients received adenoviral vector (ChAdOx1, Astrazeneca), mRNA (Pfizer) or inactivated SARS-COV-2 (Coronavac). Non-parametric methods were used. The alpha level of significance was set at 5%. Result(s): 56 participants received 3 doses, 46 +/- 11 years old, disease duration 7.62 years, 92.9% female, 41.1% White and 55.4% Mixed. The homologous third-booster dose group (n = 15, all ChAdOx1) and heterologous group (n = 41) were homogeneous for age, sex, ethnicity, comorbidities, medication and baseline IgG-S median [IQR] titers. After primary vaccination (2 doses) IgG-S median and titers [IQR] were similar in homologous and heterologous groups (373.03 [179.58, 843.92] vs. 473.36 [119.05, 1059.60], p = 0.705). Third-booster dose induced higher IgG-S median [IQR] titers compared to only 2 doses (1229.54 [333.55, 4365.47] vs 464.95 [140.42, 1015.25], p alpha 0.001). Heterologous 3rd-booster induced higher IgG-S median [IQR] titers than homologous scheme with ChAdOx1 (1779.52 [335.83, 4523.89] vs 730.76 [303.37, 1858.98], p = 0.150), Fig 1 and 2, although not statistically significant. Conclusion(s): Third booster dose induced higher humoral immune response compared to two doses whichmay improve protection against COVID-19 in patients with pSS. Although not statistically significant, the response to the heterologous scheme tended to be better than the response to the homologous booster vaccination, which heterologous booster scheme tended to respond better than homologous booster vaccination, which is relevant in this immunosuppressed population. Increasing the sample size will help clarify this issue. .

COVID-19 in Ultramarathon Runners: Findings of The Ultrarunner Longitudinal TRAcking Study

Purpose: Ultramarathon runners are a unique patient population who have been shown to be free of nearly all severe chronic medical conditions. The effect that COVID-19 infection has on this population and their running behavior is unknown. Method(s): The Ultrarunner Longitudinal TRACking Study (ULTRA Study) is the largest known longitudinal study of ultramarathon runners. Questions on general health status, running behavior, performance, and COVID-19 infection were included. Result(s): Six hundred sixty-two ultramarathon runners participated in the study. This group exercised an average of 10.0 hours per week, including running an average of 26.8 miles per week;52.1% of ultramarathon runners reported ever being symptomatic from a COVID-19 infection with 6.3% testing positive multiple times. Severe infection occurred in 0.3% (2 patients) requiring a total of 3 days of hospitalization. Of those who were infected, 84% were fully vaccinated at the time of their infection;67% of infections effected running for a mean of 33.1 days. The most common other symptoms included fever (73.3%), fatigue (68.7%), sore throat (67.5%), runny nose (67.0%), and cough (66.7%). Cardiovascular symptoms, which are of particular interest in the running population, included shortness of breath (46.4%), increased heart rate (45.2%), chest pain (34.2%), and wheezing (32.5%). Of 662, 48 (7.3%) of ultrarunners reported Long COVID (symptoms lasting more than 12 weeks). Conclusion(s): Severe COVID-19 infection is rare in ultramarathon runners, although symptomatic infection that affects running is common. These rates, along with Long COVID, are lower than is reported in the literature for the population on average. Significance: Ultrarunners are at very low risk of COVID- 19 symptoms requiring hospital care but significant risk of infection that effects running. Cardiovascular symptoms are common, and the long-term significance of these symptoms in runners is unknown.

Teaching Practices Impact on the Level of Contentedness for Electrical Engineering Students. A Longitudinal Study

Results of a longitudinal research carried out within the Faculty of Electrical Engineering (University POLITEHNICA of Bucharest) to identify the dynamics of student preferences regarding the teaching-learning-assessment process are presented in this paper. The research was carried out throughout one full generation (four academic years) of students. The results showed that the academic maturity of the students (defined as the transition to a higher academic year) majorly impacts only the students' preferences regarding some aspects like the way of conducting the laboratory and project applications, the subject's final evaluation procedure, the fining of academic deception and the mandatory evaluation of professors' activity by students. The studied generation (2016-2019) is the last one before the COVID-19 pandemic, before the paradigm shifts through the sudden transition to fully online activities highlighting the relevance of this research. © 2023 IEEE.

As Time goes by: A Longitudinal Study on the Mental Health of Argentinians during the COVID-19 Pandemic

COVID-19 mitigation measures such as lockdown and social distancing could have a negative impact on mental health. Understanding their impact is essential to minimize adverse effects on individuals, families, and communities. This longitudinal study aimed to evaluate the emotional impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and social isolation in the Argentinian population over time. An online survey evaluating anxiety and depression symptoms, positive affect, and negative affect, was completed by 3,833 people at three different time points: immediately after the lockdown began, 12–15 days after the first assessment, and after 47–51 days. Various socio-demographic factors were considered. A series of mixed repeated-measures ANOVAs were performed, with results showing significant increases over time (with small effect sizes) in anxiety, depression, negative affect, and a decrease in positive affect. Some socio-demographic factors such as age, gender, number of children, and educational level differentially affected these changes. These results suggest that mental health and quality of life were negatively affected, making it essential to monitor emotional distress and other mental health problems in the population and encourage the implementation of support and containment devices to cope with these adverse effects. © 2023, Associação Brasileira de Psicologia.

Transformations in tourism following COVID-19? A longitudinal study on the perceptions of tourists

Purpose: This study attempts to answer how values and holiday preferences were shaped by the pandemic, how travellers view the future of tourism and how they are willing to contribute to potential changes. Furthermore, it examines the impact of socio-structural background factors, basic values and holiday preferences, and pandemic-related factors on the views of post-pandemic tourism. Design/methodology/approach: A longitudinal online survey was conducted in which 155 frequent travellers were interviewed both before and during the pandemic about their values and holiday preferences, attitudes towards travelling during the pandemic, and their prospective views regarding tourism. Findings: The findings revealed that values remained rather stable, but nature experiences, heritage tourism and beach offers gained more relevance when it came to holiday preferences. Concerning travellers' expectations of future tourism, environmental concern was ranked higher than economic profit. However, those striving for self-direction, stimulation and city tourism offers stated to be less willing to restrict their travel behaviour in the future. Research limitations/implications: Although our study is just based on a convenience sample, the authors were still able to address notable research gaps. First, because a longitudinal design was selected, it was possible to investigate any potential transitions in basic values and travel style and trace these changes back to the pandemic. Second, thanks to a sophisticated online survey, all concepts could be measured with well-developed scales, which increased the quality of the measurements and led to stable results. Third, young travellers can be considered proponents of future travel styles. Their way of acting and thinking about future tourism could significantly impact the prospective direction of tourism. Practical implications: This study makes a valuable contribution to changing holiday preferences and provides useful insights for the tourism industry about travellers' willingness to change their travel behaviour. Social implications: Since this study primarily considers human values and socio-structural factors, the findings are of particular interest from a sociological perspective and are also interpreted from this viewpoint. Originality/value: This study is one of only a few longitudinal studies focusing on holiday preferences and shifting values during COVID-19 and attempting to detect crucial drivers of potential tourism transformations in terms of perceptions from the demand side. © 2023, Wolfgang Aschauer and Roman Egger.