Perceived risk of infection and death from COVID-19 among community members of low- and middle-income countries: A cross-sectional study.

Background: Risk perceptions of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) are considered important as they impact community health behaviors. The aim of this study was to determine the perceived risk of infection and death due to COVID-19 and to assess the factors associated with such risk perceptions among community members in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) in Africa, Asia, and South America. Methods: An online cross-sectional study was conducted in 10 LMICs in Africa, Asia, and South America from February to May 2021. A questionnaire was utilized to assess the perceived risk of infection and death from COVID-19 and its plausible determinants. A logistic regression model was used to identify the factors associated with such risk perceptions. Results: A total of 1,646 responses were included in the analysis of the perceived risk of becoming infected and dying from COVID-19. Our data suggested that 36.4% of participants had a high perceived risk of COVID-19 infection, while only 22.4% had a perceived risk of dying from COVID-19. Being a woman, working in healthcare-related sectors, contracting pulmonary disease, knowing people in the immediate social environment who are or have been infected with COVID-19, as well as seeing or reading about individuals infected with COVID-19 on social media or TV were all associated with a higher perceived risk of becoming infected with COVID-19. In addition, being a woman, elderly, having heart disease and pulmonary disease, knowing people in the immediate social environment who are or have been infected with COVID-19, and seeing or reading about individuals infected with COVID-19 on social media or TV had a higher perceived risk of dying from COVID-19. Conclusions: The perceived risk of infection and death due to COVID-19 are relatively low among respondents; this suggests the need to conduct health campaigns to disseminate knowledge and information on the ongoing pandemic.

Vaccine hesitancy among communities in ten countries in Asia, Africa, and South America during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Vaccine hesitancy is considered one of the greatest threats to the ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination programs. Lack of trust in vaccine benefits, along with concerns about side effects of the newly developed COVID-19 vaccine, might significantly contribute to COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy. The objective of this study was to determine the level of vaccine hesitancy among communities in particular their belief in vaccination benefits and perceived risks of new vaccines. An online cross-sectional study was conducted in 10 countries in Asia, Africa, and South America from February to May 2021. Seven items from the WHO SAGE Vaccine Hesitancy Scale were used to measure a construct of belief in vaccination benefit, and one item measured perceived riskiness of new vaccines. A logistic regression was used to determine which sociodemographic factors were associated with both vaccine hesitancy constructs. A total of 1,832 respondents were included in the final analysis of which 36.2% (range 5.6-52.2%) and 77.6% (range 38.3-91.2%) of them were classified as vaccine hesitant in terms of beliefs in vaccination benefits and concerns about new vaccines, respectively. Respondents from Pakistan had the highest vaccine hesitancy while those from Chile had the lowest. Being females, Muslim, having a non-healthcare-related job and not receiving a flu vaccination during the past 12 months were associated with poor beliefs of vaccination benefits. Those who were living in rural areas, Muslim, and those who did not received a flu vaccination during the past 12 months had relatively higher beliefs that new vaccines are riskier. High prevalence of vaccine hesitancy in some countries during the COVID-19 pandemic might hamper COVID-19 vaccination programs worldwide. Programs should be developed to promote vaccination in those sociodemographic groups with relatively high vaccine hesitancy.

The impact of proteostasis dysfunction secondary to environmental and genetic causes on neurodegenerative diseases progression and potential therapeutic intervention.

Aggregation of particular proteins in the form of inclusion bodies or plaques followed by neuronal death is a hallmark of neurodegenerative proteopathies such as primary Parkinsonism, Alzheimer's disease, Lou Gehrig's disease, and Huntington's chorea. Complex polygenic and environmental factors implicated in these proteopathies. Accumulation of proteins in these disorders indicates a substantial disruption in protein homeostasis (proteostasis). Proteostasis or cellular proteome homeostasis is attained by the synchronization of a group of cellular mechanisms called the proteostasis network (PN), which is responsible for the stability of the proteome and achieves the equilibrium between synthesis, folding, and degradation of proteins. In this review, we will discuss the different types of PN and the impact of PN component dysfunction on the four major neurodegenerative diseases mentioned earlier. Graphical abstract.

Insecticidal potential and repellent and biochemical effects of phenylpropenes and monoterpenes on the red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum Herbst.

The main objectives of the present study are to introduce new, ecologically safe, and natural compounds for controlling red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum, and to understand the possible mode of action of these compounds. Therefore, the insecticidal and repellent activities of two phenylpropenes and six monoterpenes have been evaluated against the adults of T. castaneum. The inhibitory effects of these compounds on the activity of adenosine triphosphatases (ATPases) and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) were also tested. In fumigant toxicity assay, (-)-terpinen-4-ol (LC50 = 20.47 µl/l air) and α-terpinene (LC50 = 23.70 µl/l air) exhibited the highest toxicity without significant differences between them. Moreover, (-)-menthone and p-cymene showed strong toxicity, while (-)-citronellal, trans-cinnamaldehde, and eugenol were not active. In contact toxicity assay, the two phenylpropenes, trans-cinnamaldehde and eugenol, had the highest toxicity with same LC50 value of 0.02 mg/cm2. The monoterpenes and phenylpropenes showed pronounced repellent effect on the adults of T. castaneum at 0.001 mg/cm2 with (-)-menthone, trans-cinnamaldehyde, and α-terpinene being the most effective after 2 h of exposure. Repellent activity depended on compound, exposure time, and concentration. On the other hand, the tested compounds exhibited strong inhibition of ATPases form the larvae of T. castaneum as their IC50 values ranged between 1.74 and 19.99 mM. In addition, (-)-citronellal (IC50 = 9.82 mM) and trans-cinnamaldehde (IC50 = 23.93 mM) caused the highest inhibitory effect on AChE, while α-pinene (IC50 = 53.86) and p-cymene (IC50 = 68.97 mM) showed the weakest inhibitory effect. The results indicated that the tested phenylpropenes and monoterpenes had the potential to be developed as natural insecticides and repellents for controlling T. castaneum.