Physical activity and depressive symptoms during the fifth wave of COVID-19 pandemic: Implication for public policy and administrators.

Depression is a public mental health problem that can progress to suicidal ideation, literature suggests regular physical activity may ameliorate it. The study assessed the link between physical activity and depression symptoms during the fifth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic and the Academic Staff Union (ASU) strike among undergraduates. Four hundred and eighteen undergraduates were recruited and participated in the study. Participants completed the International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form (IPAQ-SF) and Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) to measure depression severity. The result on PA showed that about one-third of the participants were inactive, above half were moderately active, while a few achieved high PA levels. Above one-fifth of the participants experienced minimal or no depression while a good percent had mild, moderate, moderately severe, and severe depression. Non-parametric tests between PA total score and depression total score with demographic variables were not significant. Spearman's correlation showed a strong negative relationship between PHQ-9 scores and IPAQ-SF scores. This suggests that a high PA level is associated with lower depression symptoms. The COVID-19 pandemic and the ASU strike experiences resulted in increased depression among undergraduates. The university administration needs to formulate an urgent policy to promote PA among undergraduates and provide treatment for the affected students.

The resurgence of phage-based therapy in the era of increasing antibiotic resistance: From research progress to challenges and prospects.

Phage therapy was implemented almost a century ago but was subsequently abandoned when antibiotics emerged. However, the rapid emergence of drug-resistant, which has brought to the limelight situation reminiscent of the pre-antibiotic era, coupled with the unavailability of new drugs, has triggered the quest for an alternative therapeutic approach, and this has led to the rebirth of phage-derived therapy. Phages are viruses that infect and replicate in bacterial cells. Phage therapy, especially phage-derived proteins, is being given considerable attention among scientists as an antimicrobial agent. They are used alone or in combination with other biomaterials for improved biological activity. Over the years, much has been learned about the genetics and diversity of bacteriophages. Phage cocktails are currently being exploited for treating several infectious diseases as preliminary studies involving animal models and clinical trials show promising therapeutic efficacy. However, despite its numerous advantages, this approach has several challenges and unaddressed limitations. Addressing these issues requires lots of creativity and innovative ideas from interdisciplinary fields. However, with all available indications, phage therapy could hold the solution in this era of increasing antibiotic resistance. This review discussed the potential use of phages and phage-derived proteins in treating drug-resistant bacterial infections. Finally, we highlight the progress, challenges, and knowledge gaps and evaluate key questions requiring prompt attention for the full clinical application of phage therapy.

Effects of cognitive behavioral coaching on depressive symptoms in a sample of type 2 diabetic inpatients in Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: Depression is one of the mental health problems confronting those with diabetes mellitus and may result from self-defeating thoughts and lifestyles. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the effects of cognitive behavioral coaching (CBC) program on depressive symptoms in a sample of the Type 2 diabetic inpatients in Onitsha metropolis of Anambra State, Nigeria. METHODS: The design of the study was pretest-post-test randomized control group design. The participants were 80 Type 2 diabetic inpatients randomly assigned to the treatment and control groups. The primary outcome measures were Beck's Depression Inventory-II and a Diabetic Inpatient's Depressive Symptoms Observation Checklist. Mean, standard deviation, repeated measures analysis of covariance, and partial eta squared were used for data analysis. RESULTS: The results revealed that the baseline of depressive symptoms was similar between the control and treatment groups of the Type 2 diabetic inpatients. But, exposing the Type 2 diabetic inpatients to a cognitive behavioral coaching program significantly reduced the depressive symptoms in the treatment group compared to those in the control group at the end of the intervention. The effects of cognitive behavioral coaching program on the depressive symptoms of those in the treatment group remained consistent at a 6 month follow-up meetings compared to the control group. CONCLUSION: Given the potential benefits of a cognitive behavioral coaching program, clinicians and mental health professionals are urged to support and implement evidence-based cognitive-behavioral coaching interventions aimed at promoting diabetic inpatients' wellbeing in the Nigerian hospitals.