Brief History of Pandemics (Pandemics Throughout History)

Mathematical Assessment of the Role of Human Behavior Changes on SARS-CoV-2 Transmission Dynamics in the United States

The COVID-19 pandemic has not only presented a major global public health and socio-economic crisis, but has also significantly impacted human behavior towards adherence (or lack thereof) to public health intervention and mitigation measures implemented in communities worldwide. This study is based on the use of mathematical modeling approaches to assess the extent to which SARS-CoV-2 transmission dynamics is impacted by population-level changes of human behavior due to factors such as (a) the severity of transmission (such as disease-induced mortality and level of symptomatic transmission), (b) fatigue due to the implementation of mitigation interventions measures (e.g., lockdowns) over a long (extended) period of time, (c) social peer-pressure, among others. A novel behavior-epidemiology model, which takes the form of a deterministic system of nonlinear differential equations, is developed and fitted using observed cumulative SARS-CoV-2 mortality data during the first wave in the United States. The model fits the observed data, as well as makes a more accurate prediction of the observed daily SARS-CoV-2 mortality during the first wave (March 2020-June 2020), in comparison to the equivalent model which does not explicitly account for changes in human behavior. This study suggests that, as more newly-infected individuals become asymptomatically-infectious, the overall level of positive behavior change can be expected to significantly decrease (while new cases may rise, particularly if asymptomatic individuals have higher contact rate, in comparison to symptomatic individuals).

A systematic review on the incidence of influenza viruses in wastewater matrices: Implications for public health

Influenza viruses pose a significant public health threat, necessitating comprehensive surveillance strategies to enhance early detection and preventive measures. This systematic review investigates the incidence of influenza viruses in wastewater matrices, aiming to elucidate the potential implications for public health. The study synthesizes existing literature, employing rigorous inclusion criteria to identify relevant studies conducted globally. The essence of the problem lies in the gaps of traditional surveillance methods, which often rely on clinical data and may underestimate the true prevalence of influenza within communities. Wastewater-based epidemiology offers a novel approach to supplementing these conventional methods, providing a broader and more representative assessment of viral circulation. This review systematically examines the methodologies employed in the selected studies, including virus concentration techniques and molecular detection methods, to establish a standardized framework for future research. Our findings reveal a consistent presence of influenza viruses in diverse wastewater matrices across different geographic locations and seasons. Recommendations for future research include the standardization of sampling protocols, improvement of virus concentration methods, and the integration of wastewater surveillance into existing public health frameworks. In conclusion, this systematic review contributes to the understanding of influenza dynamics in wastewater matrices, offering valuable insights for public health practitioners and policymakers. Implementation of wastewater surveillance alongside traditional methods can enhance the resilience of public health systems and better prepare communities for the challenges posed by influenza outbreaks.

Public interest trends for COVID-19 and pandemic trajectory: A time-series analysis of US state-level data

Google Trends provides spatiotemporal data for user-specific terms scaled from less than 1 (lowest relative popularity) to 100 (highest relative popularity) as a proxy for the public interest. Here we use US state-level data for COVID-19 to examine popularity trends during the pandemic evolution. We used "coronavirus" and "covid" search terms and set the period up from January 1st, 2020, to November 12, 2022. We measured the agreement on web rankings between states using the nonparametric Kendall's W (0 for no concordance to 1 for perfect agreement). We compiled state-level weekly data on COVID-19 incidence and mortality and scaled state curves from 0 to 100 through a min-max normalization process. We used a dynamic time-warping algorithm to calculate similarities between the popularity, mortality, and incidence of COVID-19. The methodology is a pattern recognition process between time series by distance optimization. The similarity was mapped from 0 to 1, with 1 indicating perfect similarity and 0 indicating no similarity. The peak in popularity was in March 2020, succeeded by a decline and a prolonged period of fluctuation around 20%. Public interest rose briefly at the end of 2021, to fall to a low activity of around 10%. This pattern was remarkably consistent across states (Kendal's W 0.94, p < 0.001). Web search trends were an impression of contagion growth: Overall, popularity-mortality trajectories yielded higher similarity indices (median 0.78; interquartile range 0.75-0.82) compared to popularity-incidence trajectories (median 0.74; interquartile range 0.72-0.76, Wilcoxon's exact p<0.001). The popularity-mortality trajectories had a very strong similarity (>0.80) in 19/51 (37%) regions, as opposed to only 4/51 (8%) for popularity-incidence trajectories. State-level data show a fading public concern about COVID-19, and web-search popularity patterns may reflect the COVID-19 trajectory in terms of cases and mortality.

Utilizing targeted integration CHO pools to potentially accelerate the GMP manufacturing of monoclonal and bispecific antibodies

Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) are effective therapeutic agents against many acute infectious diseases including COVID-19, Ebola, RSV, Clostridium difficile, and Anthrax. mAbs can therefore help combat a future pandemic. Unfortunately, mAb development typically takes years, limiting its potential to save lives during a pandemic. Therefore "pandemic mAb" timelines need to be shortened. One acceleration tool is "deferred cloning" and leverages new Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) technology based on targeted gene integration (TI). CHO pools, instead of CHO clones, can be used for Phase I/II clinical material production. A final CHO clone (producing the mAb with a similar product quality profile and preferably with a higher titer) can then be used for Phase III trials and commercial manufacturing. This substitution reduces timelines by ~3 months. We evaluated our novel CHO TI platform to enable deferred cloning. We created four unique CHO pools expressing three unique mAbs (mAb1, mAb2, and mAb3), and a bispecific mAb (BsAb1). We then performed single-cell cloning for mAb1 and mAb2, identifying three high-expressing clones from each pool. CHO pools and clones were inoculated side-by-side in ambr15 bioreactors. CHO pools yielded mAb titers as high as 10.4 g/L (mAb3) and 7.1 g/L (BsAb1). Subcloning yielded CHO clones expressing higher titers relative to the CHO pools while yielding similar product quality profiles. Finally, we showed that CHO TI pools were stable by performing a 3-month cell aging study. In summary, our CHO TI platform can increase the speed to clinic for a future "pandemic mAb."

Nightmare distress, insomnia and resilience of nursing staff in the post-pandemic era

Introduction

The pandemic has led to notable psychological challenges among healthcare professionals, including nurses.

Objective

Our aims of this study were to assess insomnia and nightmare distress levels in nurses and investigate their association with mental resilience.

Methods

Nurses participated in an online survey, which included the Nightmare Distress Questionnaire (NDQ), Brief Resilience Scale (BRS) and Athens Insomnia Scale (AIS). Demographic information, such as age, professional experience and gender, was also collected.

Results

The study included 355 female and 78 male nurses. Findings revealed that 61.4% had abnormal AIS scores, 7% had abnormal NDQ scores and 25.4% had low BRS scores. Female nurses had higher AIS and NDQ scores but lower BRS scores compared to males. BRS demonstrated negative correlations with both AIS and NDQ. Multiple regression analysis indicated that NDQ accounted for 24% of the AIS variance, with an additional 6.5% explained by the BRS. BRS acted as a mediator, attenuating the impact of nightmares on insomnia, with gender moderating this relationship.

Conclusions

Nursing staff experienced heightened sleep disturbances during the pandemic, with nightmares and insomnia being prevalent. Nightmares significantly contributed to insomnia, but mental resilience played a vital role in mitigating this effect. Strategies are warranted to address the pandemic's psychological impact on nursing professionals.

Myelin Oligodendrocyte Glycoprotein Antibody-Associated Disease and COVID-19: A Systematic Review

Background

Myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody-associated disease (MOGAD) is an uncommon neurological disease affecting the central nervous system (CNS). Numerous neurological disorders, including multiple sclerosis (MS), neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD), acute transverse myelitis (ATM), and MOGAD, have been reported following the COVID-19 infection during the current COVID-19 pandemic. On the other hand, it has been suggested that patients with MOGAD may be at greater risk for infection (particularly in the current pandemic).

Objective

In this systematic review, we gathered separately 1) MOGAD cases following COVID-19 infection as well as 2) clinical course of patients with MOGAD infected with COVID-19 based on case reports/series.

Methods

329 articles were collected from 4 databases. These articles were conducted from inception to March 1st, 2022.

Results

Following the screening, exclusion criteria were followed and eventually, 22 studies were included. In 18 studies, a mean ± SD time interval of 18.6 ± 14.9 days was observed between infection with COVID-19 and the onset of MOGAD symptoms. Symptoms were partially or completely recovered in a mean of 67 days of follow-up. Among 4 studies on MOGAD patients, the hospitalization rate was 25%, and 15% of patients were hospitalized in the intensive care unit (ICU).

Conclusion

Our systematic review demonstrated that following COVID-19 infection, there is a rare possibility of contracting MOGAD. Moreover, there is no clear consensus on the susceptibility of MOGAD patients to severe COVID-19. However, obtaining deterministic results requires studies with a larger sample size.

Beyond COVID-19: the impact of recent pandemics on medical students and their education: a scoping review

INTRODUCTION

Over the past two years, coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has greatly altered medical student education as well as daily life. Medical schools across the world were disrupted and had to immediately adapt the educational experience to the online environment in order to continue the delivery of quality medical education. However, COVID-19 was not the only recent pandemic. This posed the question, were similar disruptions and adaptations also seen in recent past pandemics such as Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) or Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) that could have prepared medical educators for COVID-19? This scoping review investigated the educational and personal impact of recent pandemics on medical students.

METHODS

This review followed the PRISMA-ScR guidelines for scoping reviews. Nine databases including PubMed, ERIC, and EMBASE were systematically searched using keywords and subject headings related to medical students and SARS, H1N1, MERS, Ebola, Zika, and COVID-19. Studies were limited to research studies published between 2000 and 2020 and in English. Based on exclusion and inclusion criteria, all studies were independently screened by two reviewers first by the title/abstract and then via full text. Data were extracted from the included studies and analyzed qualitatively using thematic analysis.

RESULTS

A total of 174 studies fit the criteria. Seven major themes emerged from those studies: educational adaptations and online modifications, knowledge and attitudes of students, mental wellness of students, student involvement and use of telehealth, student vaccination, physical wellness of students, and stigma.

CONCLUSION

This review provided insights into how medical students were affected by recent pandemics and their perceptions of pivoting to online education, mental health, and knowledge of the diseases. Additionally, this review showcases the various educational adaptations that emerged uniquely during the COVID-19 pandemic, such as telehealth services or video conferencing tools, that can be utilized in a post-pandemic environment.

Public interest trends for Covid-19 and alignment with the disease trajectory: A time-series analysis of national-level data

Data from web search engines have become a valuable adjunct in epidemiology and public health, specifically during epidemics. We aimed to explore the concordance of web search popularity for Covid-19 across 6 Western nations (United Kingdom, United States, France, Italy, Spain and Germany) and how timeline changes align with the pandemic waves, Covid-19 mortality, and incident case trajectories. We used the Google Trends tool for web-search popularity, and "Our World in Data" on Covid-19 reported cases, deaths, and administrative responses (measured by stringency index) to analyze country-level data. The Google Trends tool provides spatiotemporal data, scaled to a range of <1 (lowest relative popularity) to 100 (highest relative popularity), for the selected search terms, timeframe, and region. We used "coronavirus" and "covid" as search terms and set the timeframe up to November 12, 2022. We obtained multiple consecutive samples using the same terms to validate against sampling bias. We consolidated national-level incident cases and deaths weekly and transformed them to a range between 0 to 100 through the min-max normalization algorithm. We calculated the concordance of relative popularity rankings between regions, using the non-parametric Kendall's W, which maps concordance between 0 (lack of agreement) to 1 (perfect match). We used a dynamic time-warping algorithm to explore the similarity between Covid-19 relative popularity, mortality, and incident case trajectories. This methodology can recognize the similarity of shapes between time-series through a distance optimization process. The peak popularity was recorded on March 2020, to be followed by a decline below 20% in the subsequent three months and a long-standing period of variation around that level. At the end of 2021, public interest spiked shortly to fade away to a low level of around 10%. This pattern was highly concordant across the six regions (Kendal's W 0.88, p< .001). In dynamic time warping analysis, national-level public interest yielded a high similarity with the Covid-19 mortality trajectory (Similarity indices range 0.60-0.79). Instead, public interest was less similar with incident cases (0.50-0.76) and stringency index trajectories (0.33-0.64). We demonstrated that public interest is better intertwined with population mortality, rather than incident case trajectory and administrative responses. As the public interest in Covid-19 gradually subsides, these observations could help predict future public interest in pandemic events.

Chaos of COVID-19 Superspreading Events: An Analysis Via a Data-driven Approach

Superspreading has become a key mechanism of COVID-19 transmission which creates chaos. The classical approach of compartmental models may not sufficiently reflect the epidemiological situation amid superspreading events (SSEs). We perform a data-driven approach and recognise the deterministic chaos of confirmed cases. The first derivative ( ≈difference of total confirmed cases) and the second derivative ( ≈difference of the first derivative) are used upon SSEs to showcase the chaos. Varying solution trajectories, sensitivity and numerical unpredictability are the chaotic characteristics discussed here.

Pharmacy-based immunization: a systematic review

Background

The coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic has prompted the exploration of new response strategies for such health contingencies in the near future. Over the last 15 years, several pharmacy-based immunization (PBI) strategies have emerged seeking to exploit the potential of pharmacies as immunization, medication sale, and rapid test centers. However, the participation of pharmacies during the last pandemic was very uneven from one country to another, suggesting a lack of consensus on the definition of their roles and gaps between the literature and practice.

Purpose

This study aimed to consolidate the current state of the literature on PBI, document its progress over time, and identify the gaps not yet addressed. Moreover, this study seeks to (i) provide new researchers with an overview of the studies on PBI and (ii) to inform both public health and private organization managers on the range of possible immunization models and strategies.

Methodology

A systematic review of scientific qualitative and quantitative studies on the most important scientific databases was conducted. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyzes guidelines were followed. Finally, this study discusses the trends, challenges, and limitations on the existing literature on PBI.

Findings

Must studies concluded that PBI is a beneficial strategy for the population, particularly in terms of accessibility and territorial equity. However, the effectiveness of PBI is affected by the economic, political, and/or social context of the region. The collaboration between the public (government and health departments) and private (various pharmacy chains) sectors contributes to PBI's success.

Originality

Unlike previous literature reviews on PBI that compiled qualitative and statistical studies, this study reviewed studies proposing mathematical optimization methods to approach PBI.

The Impact of COVID-19 Traumatic Stressors on Mental Health: Is COVID-19 a New Trauma Type

COVID-19 is a new type of trauma that has never been conceptually or empirically analyzed in our discipline. This study aimed to investigate the impact of COVID-19 as traumatic stress on mental health after controlling for individuals' previous stressors and traumas. We utilized a sample of (N = 1374) adults from seven Arab countries. We used an anonymous online questionnaire that included measures for COVID-19 traumatic stress, posttraumatic stress disorder, anxiety, depression, and cumulative stressors and traumas. We conducted hierarchical multiple regression, with posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, and anxiety as dependent variables. In the first step, in each analysis, we entered the country, gender, age, religion, education, and income as independent variables (Kira, Traumatology 7(2):73-86, 2001; Kira, Torture, 14:38-44, 2004; Kira, Traumatology, 2021, https://doi.org/10.1037/trm0000305). In the second step, we entered cumulative stressors and traumas as an independent variable. In the third step, we entered either COVID-19 traumatic stressors or one of its subtypes (fears of infection, economic, and lockdown) as an independent variable. Finally, we conducted structural equation modeling with PTSD, depression, and anxiety as predictors of the latent variable mental health and COVID-19 as the independent variable. Results indicated that COVID-19 traumatic stressors, and each of its three subtypes, were unique predictors of PTSD, anxiety, and depression. Thus, COVID-19 is a new type of traumatic stress that has serious mental health effects.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11469-021-00577-0.

Proactive vs. reactive country responses to the COVID-19 pandemic shock

The infection caused by SARS-CoV-2, responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic, is characterized by an infectious period with either asymptomatic or pre-symptomatic phases, leading to a rapid surge of mild and severe cases putting national health systems under serious stress. To avoid their collapse, and in the absence of pharmacological treatments, during the early pandemic phase countries worldwide were forced to adopt strategies, from elimination to mitigation, based on non-pharmacological interventions which, in turn, overloaded social, educational and economic systems. To date, the heterogeneity and incompleteness of data sources does not allow to quantify the multifaceted impact of the pandemic at country level and, consequently, to compare the effectiveness of country responses. Here, we tackle this challenge from a complex systems perspective, proposing a model to evaluate the impact of systemic failures in response to the pandemic shock. We use health, behavioral and economic indicators for 44 countries to build a shock index quantifying responses in terms of robustness and resilience, highlighting the crucial advantage of proactive policy and decision making styles over reactive ones, which can be game-changing during the emerging of a new variant of concern.

Manifestaciones psiquiátricas en pacientes atendidos en un hospital universitario durante el confinamiento obligatorio por la pandemia de COVID 19

Introducción: no es la primera vez que la humanidad enfrenta las consecuencias catastróficas de una pandemia, hace un siglo fue la de la gripe española. La causada por COVID-19 en un mundo globalizado y conectado logró su rápida propagación, un alto impacto en el número de fallecidos y en la economía, y secuelas importantes sobre la salud mental. Objetivo: caracterizar las principales manifestaciones psiquiátricas en adultos evaluados por el servicio de psiquiatría de un hospital universitario de Bogotá, durante el confinamiento obligatorio por la pandemia de COVID-19 (20-03 a 01-06/2020). Materiales y métodos: estudio observacional retrospectivo de corte transversal que analizó las manifestaciones psiquiátricas más frecuentes en 122 pacientes. Resultados y discusión: hubo una notable reducción (47,7%) de las interconsultas, comparadas con el periodo prepandemia. El promedio de edad fue 51,7 ± 22 años, la mayoría fueron hombres (60,7%), 42,6% estaban desempleados y 92,6% eran contribuyentes del régimen de aseguramiento. Los hallazgos más frecuentes fueron ansiedad (35,2%), trastornos depresivos (32%) y delirium 23,7%; el intento suicida (12,3%) fue mayor que en un estudio previo en el servicio de urgencias. Ninguno de los pacientes presentó infección por COVID-19. Conclusiones: el confinamiento por la pandemia de COVID-19 disminuyó la demanda del servicio de psiquiatría, los trastornos de ansiedad, depresión y el intento suicida fueron los más frecuentes, siguiendo las tendencias esperadas. Es necesario desarrollar servicios de telepsiquiatría para afrontar emergencias futuras.

Global mapping of epidemic risk assessment toolkits: A scoping review for COVID-19 and future epidemics preparedness implications

Preparedness and responses to infectious disease epidemics and pandemics require the understanding of communities’ and multisectoral systems’ characteristics with regards to diseases transmission and population’s vulnerabilities. This study aimed to summarize measurement profiles of existing risk assessment toolkits to inform COVID-19 control at global and national levels. An online search in different databases and online sources was performed to identify all epidemic risk and vulnerability assessment instruments. Medline/PubMed, Web of Science databases, and websites of public health organizations were used for the searching process. Of 14 toolkits, levels of setting were mostly at the global or nation level. Components such as Governance and Legislation, Financing, Health Service Provision, and Human Resources are key domains in almost all toolkits. Some important issues for disease detection and surveillance, such as laboratory or capacity of the community for disease control, were not adequately addressed in several toolkits. Limited studies were found that validated the toolkits. Only five toolkits were used in COVID-19 studies. This study provides a summary of risk assessment toolkits to inform epidemic responses. We call for global and national efforts in developing more contextualized and responsive epidemic risk assessment scales incorporating specific-disease and -country factors to inform operational decisions making and strengthen countries’ capacities in epidemic responses.

Vitamin D: a potentially important secosteroid for coping with COVID-19

COVID-19 is a disease that has caused a high number of deaths in the world, and despite being controlled, it requires attention and the search for new quick and economical therapeutic strategies. In this sense, vitamin D stands out, an immunomodulator that has shown beneficial effects in decreasing the risk and severity of acute respiratory tract infections, including COVID-19. Therefore, this review presents a number of experimental, observational and clinical studies on the importance of vitamin D against viral infections with an emphasis on COVID-19, highlighting the relationship between vitamin D, Renin-Angiotensin System and cytokine storms with decreased inflammatory lesions in patients with COVID-19. In addition, aspects of pathophysiology, metabolism, risk factors, sources and recommendations of vitamin D are described. We conclude that vitamin D plays a protective role against inflammatory lesions and can decrease the risk of infections and the severity of COVID-19. Therefore, it is essential to maintain adequate levels of vitamin D to avoid complications related to its deficiency.

Virtual screening of molecular databases for potential inhibitors of the NSP16/NSP10 methyltransferase from SARS-CoV-2

COVID-19 is a disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus and represents one of the greatest health problems that humanity faces at the moment. Therefore, efforts have been made with the objective of seeking therapies that could be effective in combating this problematic. In the search for ligands, computational chemistry plays an essential role, since it allows the screening of thousands of molecules on a given target, in order to save time and money for the in vitro or in vivo pharmacological stage. In this paper, we perform a virtual screening by docking looking for potential inhibitors of the NSP16-NSP10 protein dimer (methyltransferase) from SARS-CoV-2, by evaluating a homemade databank of molecules found in plants of the Caatinga Brazilian biome, compounds from ZINC online molecular database, as well as structural analogues of the enzymatic cofactor s-adenosylmethionine (SAM) and a known inhibitor in the literature, sinefungin (SFG), provided at PubChem database. All the evaluated sets presented molecules that deserve attention, highlighting four compounds from ZINC as the most promising ligands. These results contribute to the discovery of new molecular hits, in the search of potential agents against SARS-CoV-2 virus, still unveiling a pathway that can be used in combined therapies.

How did SARS-CoV-2 pandemic affect the cats' health in Hatay Province? A retrospective study

The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic affected not only the physical and emotional health of human beings but also cats. Restrictions put into effect during the pandemic resulted in changes in the daily routine of pet cats and the number of new pet owners. The current study aimed to evaluate the diseases induced by stress in cats, such as gastrointestinal, hepatobiliary, and urinary tract diseases. To this end, the study evaluated the pre-pandemic (n: 52) (March 2019-Feb 2020) and pandemic (n: 95) (March 2020-March 2021) diagnosis data of cats (n: 147) with gastrointestinal, hepatobiliary, and urinary system diseases admitted to the Internal Medicine Department of Hatay Mustafa Kemal University Veterinary Health, Practice and Research Center between March 2019 and March 2021. There was no statistically significant difference between the sexes of the cats admitted to the clinic in both periods. There was a significant change in cat breeds during the pandemic, except for the mixed-breed and Ankara breeds. The age (mean ± SEM) of the cats admitted to the clinic was 30.14 ± 4.24 months before the pandemic and 30.45 ± 3.43 during the pandemic. Distributions of gastrointestinal diseases in the pre-pandemic and pandemic periods were determined as 35.7% and 64.3%, respectively. During the pandemic, the number of gastritis cases was lower than that in the pre-pandemic period, and the number of gastroenteritis cases was higher than that in the pre-pandemic period. Except for gastrointestinal diseases (P<0.05), a statistical difference between the periods was not found. The changes, especially influencing the daily routine of cats and causing stress, seem to have had significant effects on the gastrointestinal health of domestic cats.

Evaluation of the microbial reduction efficacy and perception of use of an ozonized water spray disinfection technology

The development of new approaches for the decontamination of surfaces is important to deal with the processes related to exposure to contaminated surfaces. Therefore, was evaluated the efficacy of a disinfection technology using ozonized water (0.7–0.9 ppm of O₃) on the surfaces of garments and accessories of volunteers, aiming to reduce the spread of microbial pathogens in the workplace and community. A Log₁₀ microbial reduction of 1.72–2.40 was observed between the surfaces tested. The microbial reductions remained above 60% on most surfaces, and this indicated that the disinfection technology was effective in microbial log reduction regardless of the type of transport used by the volunteers and/or their respective work activities. In association with the evaluation of efficacy, the analysis of the perception of use (approval percentage of 92.45%) was fundamental to consider this technology as an alternative for use as a protective barrier, in conjunction with other preventive measures against microbiological infections, allowing us to contribute to the availability of proven effective devices against the spread of infectious agents in the environment.

Is fractional-order chaos theory the new tool to model chaotic pandemics as Covid-19?

The deadly outbreak of the second wave of Covid-19, especially in worst hit lower-middle-income countries like India, and the drastic rise of another growing epidemic of Mucormycosis, call for an efficient mathematical tool to model pandemics, analyse their course of outbreak and help in adopting quicker control strategies to converge to an infection-free equilibrium. This review paper on prominent pandemics reveals that their dispersion is chaotic in nature having long-range memory effects and features which the existing integer-order models fail to capture. This paper thus puts forward the use of fractional-order (FO) chaos theory that has memory capacity and hereditary properties, as a potential tool to model the pandemics with more accuracy and closeness to their real physical dynamics. We investigate eight FO models of Bombay plague, Cancer and Covid-19 pandemics through phase portraits, time series, Lyapunov exponents and bifurcation analysis. FO controllers (FOCs) on the concepts of fuzzy logic, adaptive sliding mode and active backstepping control are designed to stabilise chaos. Also, FOCs based on adaptive sliding mode and active backstepping synchronisation are designed to synchronise a chaotic epidemic with a non-chaotic one, to mitigate the unpredictability due to chaos during transmission. It is found that severity and complexity of the models increase as the memory fades, indicating that FO can be used as a crucial parameter to analyse the progression of a pandemic. To sum it up, this paper will help researchers to have an overview of using fractional calculus in modelling pandemics more precisely and also to approximate, choose, stabilise and synchronise the chaos control parameter that will eliminate the extreme sensitivity and irregularity of the models.

Prevalence of Anxiety and Depression Among the General Population in Africa During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background

Medical and socio-economic uncertainties surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic have had a substantial impact on mental health. This study aimed to systematically review the existing literature reporting the prevalence of anxiety and depression among the general populace in Africa during the COVID-19 pandemic and examine associated risk factors.

Methods

A systematic search of the following databases African Journal Online, CINAHL, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science was conducted from database inception until 30th September 2021. Studies reporting the prevalence of anxiety and/or depression among the general populace in African settings were considered for inclusion. The methodological quality of included studies was assessed using the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). Meta-analyses on prevalence rates were conducted using Comprehensive Meta-analysis software.

Results

Seventy-eight primary studies (62,380 participants) were identified from 2,325 studies via electronic and manual searches. Pooled prevalence rates for anxiety (47%, 95% CI: 40-54%, I2 = 99.19%) and depression (48%, 95% CI: 39-57%, I2 = 99.45%) were reported across Africa during the COVID-19 pandemic. Sex (female) and history of existing medical/chronic conditions were identified as major risk factors for anxiety and depression.

Conclusions

The evidence put forth in this synthesis demonstrates the substantial impact of the pandemic on the pervasiveness of these psychological symptoms among the general population. Governments and stakeholders across continental Africa should therefore prioritize the allocation of available resources to institute educational programs and other intervention strategies for preventing and ameliorating universal distress and promoting psychological wellbeing.

Systematic Review Registration

https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42021228023, PROSPERO CRD42021228023.

Efficacy versus abundancy: Comparing vaccination schemes

We introduce a novel compartmental model accounting for the effects of vaccine efficacy, deployment rates and timing of initiation of deployment. We simulate different scenarios and initial conditions, and we find that higher abundancy and rate of deployment of low efficacy vaccines lowers the cumulative number of deaths in comparison to slower deployment of high efficacy vaccines. We also forecast that, at the same daily deployment rate, the earlier introduction of vaccination schemes with lower efficacy would also lower the number of deaths with respect to a delayed introduction of high efficacy vaccines, which can however, still achieve lower numbers of infections and better herd immunity.

Prioritization of healthcare systems during pandemics using Cronbach's measure based fuzzy WASPAS approach

Pandemics are well-known as epidemics that spread globally and cause many illnesses and mortality. Because of globalization, the accelerated occurrence and circulation of new microbes, the infection has emerged and the incidence and movement of new microbes have sped up. Using technological devices to minimize the visit durations, specifying days for handling chronic diseases, subsidy for the staff are the alternatives that can help prevent healthcare systems from collapsing during pandemics. The study aims to define the efficient usage of optimization tools during pandemics to prevent healthcare systems from collapsing. In this study, a new integrated framework with fuzzy information is developed, which attempts to prioritize these alternatives for policymakers. First, rating data are assigned respective fuzzy values using the standard singleton grades. Later, criteria weights are determined by extending Cronbach´s measure to fuzzy context. The measure not only understands data consistency comprehensively, but also takes into consideration the attitudinal characteristics of experts. By this approach, a rational weight vector is obtained for decision-making. Further, an improved Weighted Aggregated Sum Product Assessment (WASPAS) algorithm is put forward for ranking alternatives, which is flexibly considering criteria along with personalized ordering and holistic ordering alternatives. The usefulness of the developed framework is tested with the help of a real case study. Rank values of alternatives when unbiased weights are used is given by 0.741, 0.582, 0.640 with ordering asR 1 ≻ R 3 ≻ R 2 . The sensitivity/comparative analysis reveals the impact of the proposed model as useful in selecting the best alternative for the healthcare systems during pandemics.

A framework for librarians to inform the citizenry during disasters: Reflections on the COVID-19 pandemic

Globally, the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has wreaked havoc on human lives and socio-economic activities at an unimaginable scale. African countries have not been spared from this debacle – as evidenced by media reports of loss of lives, lockdown, isolation and desolation coupled with loss of livelihood. Whilst the COVID-19 pandemic rages, libraries find themselves at the epicentre of an unprecedented crisis in the form of an information deluge that requires a multi-thronged approach to ensure information hygienic practices in information management. In order to fight COVID-19, librarians and related information professionals with relevant tools should aim at helping prevent COVID-19 pandemic infodemic (coroinfodeluge). This article explores how libraries and librarians can contribute to the fight against COVID-19 through waging wars in the realm of access to information amidst an avalanche of disinformation. This article analysed how librarians can be proactive in contributing to the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic through innovative strategies that ensure an informed citizenry. The study used qualitative content analysis as the study design. Documents were retrieved from trusted websites and they were coded before analysis. These documents included legal instruments, scholarly publications from accredited databases including Elsevier and Emerald. The study found out that librarians were not included in the national programmes to manage the COVID-19 pandemic, yet they possess potential to contribute to the fight against misinformation by educating citizens on information hygienic practices, for example, by directing users to credible or trustworthy sources on the pandemic. The study concluded that librarians can be useful stakeholders to the management of the COVID-19 pandemic and infodemic because they possess knowledge and skills relating to critical literacies that are needed in the 21st century. It recommends a collaborative framework that includes community leaders and strategic partners – to help librarians ensure that the citizenry is not misinformed during emergencies.

Evolution of urban mobility behaviour in Brussels as a result of the COVID‐19 pandemic

The goal of this research is to understand the impact of COVID‐19 restriction measures on the change in urban mobility in Brussels, Belgium. With daily data over the past 2 years depicting both the affluence to different places and the level and type of restrictions, we investigate through regression analysis their impacts on the changes in driving, public transport and cycling use. We find that cycling increased significantly (+63%), and that driving levels have returned to pre‐COVID levels after a significant reduction in spring 2020, while the return to public transport has been slower. We also find that the change in cycling use was not influenced by COVID‐19 restrictions, although telework and closing of retail establishments strongly affected the other modes.

Tracing the connections between international business and communicable diseases

We posit that international business and the emergence and spread of communicable diseases are intrinsically connected. To support our arguments, we first start with a historical timeline that traces the connections between international business and communicable diseases back to the sixth century. Second, following the epidemiology of communicable diseases, we identify two crucial transitions related to international business: the emergence of epidemics within a host country and the shift from epidemics to global pandemics. Third, we highlight international business contextual factors (host country regulatory quality, urbanization, trade barriers, global migration) and multinationals' activities (foreign direct investment, corporate political activity, global supply chain management, international travel) that could accelerate each transition. Finally, building on public health insights, we suggest research implications for business scholars on how to integrate human health challenges into their studies and practical implications for global managers on how to help prevent the emergence and spread of communicable diseases.

Bioconjugated Nanomaterial for Targeted Diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2

Infectious diseases by pathogenic microorganisms are one of the leading causes of mortality worldwide. Healthcare and socio-economic development have been seriously affected for different civilizations because of bacterial and viral infections. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), pandemic in 1918 by the Influenza A virus of the H1N1 subtype was responsible for 50 to 100 million deaths worldwide. Similarly, the Asian flu pandemic in 1957, Hong Kong flu in 1968, and H1N1pdm09 flu pandemic in 2009 were responsible for more than 1 million deaths across the globe each time. As per the World Health Organization (WHO), the current pandemic by coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) due to the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) virus is responsible for more than 4.8 M death worldwide until now. Since the gold standard polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test is more time-consuming, the health care system cannot test all symptomatic and asymptomatic Covid patients every day, which is extremely important to tackle the outbreak. One of the significant challenges during the current pandemic is developing mass testing tools, which is critical to control the virus spread in the community. Therefore, it is highly desirable to develop advanced material-based approaches that can provide a rapid and accurate diagnosis of COVID-19, which will have the capability to save millions of human lives. Aiming for the targeted diagnosis of deadly virus, researchers have developed nanomaterials with various sizes, shapes, and dimensions. These nanomaterials have been used to identify biomolecules via unique optical, electrical, magnetic, structural, and functional properties, which are lacking in other materials. Despite significant progress, nanomaterial-based diagnosis of biomolecules is still facing several obstacles due to low targeting efficiency and nonspecific interactions. To overcome these problems, the bioconjugated nanoparticle has been designed via surface coating with polyethylene glycol (PEG) and then conjugated with antibodies, DNA, RNA, or peptide aptamers. Therefore, the current Account summarizes an overview of the recent advances in the design of bioconjugated nanomaterial-based approached as effective diagnosis of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and the SARS-CoV-2 viral RNA, antigen, or antibody, with a particular focus on our work and other's work related to this subject. First, we present how to tailor the surface functionalities of nanomaterials to achieve bioconjugated material for targeted diagnosis of the virus. Then we review the very recent advances in the design of antibody/aptamer/peptide conjugated nanostructure, which represent a powerful platform for naked-eye colorimetric detection via plasmonic nanoparticles. We then discuss nanomaterial-based surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) spectroscopy, which has the capability for very low-level fingerprint identification of virus, antigen, and antibody via graphene, plasmonic nanoparticle, and heterostructure material. After that, we summarized about fluorescence and nanoparticle surface energy transfer (NSET)-based on specific identification of SARS-CoV-2 infections via CNT, quantum dots (QDs), and plasmonic nanoparticles. Finally, we highlight the merit and significant challenges of nanostructure-based tools in infectious diseases diagnosis. For the researchers who want to engage in the new development of bioconjugated material for our survival from the current and future pandemics, we hope that this Account will be helpful for generating ideas that are scientifically stimulating and practically challenging.

The urgency of wider adoption of one health approach for the prevention of a future pandemic

Recurring outbreaks of emerging and re-emerging zoonoses serve as a reminder that the health of humans, animals, and the environment are interconnected. Therefore, multisectoral, transdisciplinary, and collaborative approaches are required at local, regional, and global levels to tackle the ever-increasing zoonotic threat. The ongoing pandemic of COVID-19 zoonosis has been posing tremendous threats to global human health and economies. The devastation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic teaches us to adopt a "One Health Approach (OHA)" to tackle a possible future pandemic through a concerted effort of the global scientific community, human health professionals, public health experts, veterinarians and policymakers through open science and open data sharing practices. The OHA is an integrated, holistic, collaborative, multisectoral, and transdisciplinary approach to tackle potential pandemic zoonotic diseases. It includes expanding scientific inquiry into zoonotic infections; monitoring, and regulating traditional food markets, transforming existing food systems, and incentivizing animal husbandry and legal wildlife trade to adopt effective zoonotic control measures. To adopt an OHA globally, research and academic institutions, governments and non-government sectors at the local, regional, and international levels must work together. This review aimed to provide an overview of the major pandemics in human history including the COVID-19, anthropogenic drivers of zoonoses, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) reverse zoonoses, the concept of OHA and how an OHA could be utilized to prevent future pandemic threats to the human-animal-ecosystem interfaces. In addition, this review article discusses the strategic framework of OHA and possible challenges to implement OHA in practice to prevent any future pandemics. The practices of open data sharing, open science, and international collaboration should be included in the OHA to prevent and/or rapidly tackle any health emergencies in the future.

Evaluating the Association Between Comorbidities and COVID-19 Severity Scoring on Chest CT Examinations Between the Two Waves of COVID-19: An Imaging Study Using Artificial Intelligence

Background

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has accounted for over 352 million cases and five million deaths globally. Although it affects populations across all nations, developing or transitional, of all genders and ages, the extent of the specific involvement is not very well known. This study aimed to analyze and determine how different were the first and second waves of the COVID-19 pandemic by assessing computed tomography severity scores (CT-SS).

Methodology

This was a retrospective, cross-sectional, observational study performed at a tertiary care Institution. We included 301 patients who underwent CT of the chest between June and October 2020 and 1,001 patients who underwent CT of the chest between February and April 2021. All included patients were symptomatic and were confirmed to be COVID-19 positive. We compared the CT-SS between the two datasets. In addition, we analyzed the distribution of CT-SS concerning age, comorbidities, and gender, as well as their differences between the two waves of COVID-19. Analysis was performed using the SPSS version 22 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, USA). The artificial intelligence platform U-net architecture with Xception encoder was used in the analysis.

Results

The study data revealed that while the mean CT-SS did not differ statistically between the two waves of COVID-19, the age group most affected in the second wave was almost a decade younger. While overall the disease had a predilection toward affecting males, our findings showed that females were more afflicted in the second wave of COVID-19 compared to the first wave. In particular, the disease had an increased severity in cases with comorbidities such as hypertension, diabetes mellitus, bronchial asthma, and tuberculosis.

Conclusions

This assessment demonstrated no significant difference in radiological severity score between the two waves of COVID-19. The secondary objective revealed that the two waves showed demographical differences. Hence, we iterate that no demographical subset of the population should be considered low risk as the disease manifestation was heterogeneous.

Taking leads out of nature, can nano deliver us from COVID-like pandemics?

The COVID-19 crisis has alerted the research community to re-purpose scientific tools that can effectively manage emergency pandemic situations. Researchers were never so desperate to discover a 'magic bullet' that has significant clinical benefits with minimal or no side effects. At the beginning of the pandemic, due to restricted access to traditional laboratory techniques, many research groups delved into computational screening of thousands of lead molecules that could inhibit SARS-CoV-2 at one or more stages of its infectious cycle. Several in silico studies on natural derivatives point out their potency against SARS-CoV-2 proteins. However, theoretical predictions and existing knowledge on related molecules reflect their poor oral bioavailability due to biotransformation in the gut and liver. Nanotechnology has evolved into a key field for precise and controlled delivery of various drugs that lack aqueous solubility, have low oral bioavailability and possess pronounced toxicity in their native form. In this review, we discuss various nanoformulations of natural products with favorable ADME properties, and also briefly explore nano-drug delivery to lungs, the primary site of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Natural products are also envisioned to augment nanotechnology-based 1) personnel protective equipment for ex vivo viral inactivation and 2) wearable sensors that perform rapid and non-invasive analysis of volatile organic compounds in exhaled breath of the infected person after therapeutic food consumption.

Pandemics Past, Present, and Future: What History Can Teach Us

One of the lessons of the current pandemic is that Americans have lost trust in the public health system in the United States (US) and in the health recommendations of the Federal government. History tells us that each pandemic brings new challenges and new lessons. Looking back at the history of pandemics, and at the present experience, nurses and midwives can craft responses to patient concerns and contribute to future planning that better addresses the needs of maternal-child health practices.

Cross-Sectional and Longitudinal Mental Health Status Prevailing among COVID-19 Patients in Mumbai, India

Introduction:

The aim was to determine the prevalence and predictors of depression among less symptomatic COVID-19 patients.

Methods:

A questionnaire-based assessment was conducted among asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic COVID-19 patients when admitted in a COVID-19 facility (T1) and after 6 months (T2). Interviews were conducted using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 instrument. Socio-demographic details and length of facility stay were recorded. Changes in scores between the two-time points T1 and T2 were compared. Factors predicting depression were determined using Chi-square and Mann–Whitney U test during facility stay, and those predicting worsening over time were obtained using multivariate regression models.

Results:

Among the 91.4% (n = 450) participants, prevalence of depression was 38.4% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 34.0–43.0) with a significant increase of 7.8-fold (95% CI = 4.8–12.8) in depression as the duration of stay increased beyond a median of 5 days. A significant association was observed between higher income and lower depression (odds ratios = 0.6, P = 0.03). 84% (n = 378) responded at the second timepoint assessment after a median of 6.62 months (T2). There was a significant difference observed between the 2.6% (n = 6) that worsened into depression at T2 and the 73.8% (n = 107) that improved out of depression at T2 (P ≤ 0.001). Age >45 years (P = 0.007), males (P = 0.011) and reinfection (P = 0.039) significantly led to worsening of depression.

Conclusion:

There is a need for actively detecting and managing depression in institutionally quarantined survivors, considering limiting such quarantine to no more than a week, and providing routine screening and care for depression beyond this period.

Holistic strategies to mitigate the economic, societal, and health burden of the Coronavirus disease-2019 pandemic

Pandemics are not the unique features of modern civilization; epidemics/pandemics can be traced back to ancient civilization. History is replete with such pandemics. Coronavirus first originated in Hubei province, China, in November 2019 and then manifested in Wuhan but within a very short span of time it has spread like wildfire all over the world and its impact has been multifaceted. It is indeed an indication of the fact that we live in a truly globalized world. Due to the outbreak of Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19), people lost their lives but due to the consequent lockdown, people lost their livelihood, and the economy is shattered. Global GDP and trade experienced a huge contraction during the period of pandemic and the improvements to date are not worth mentioning. Actually, pandemic acts like a serial killer and its aftermath is devastating on human lives and the global economy.

Potential Inhibitors Identification of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome-Related Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2 and Main Protease from Anatolian Traditional Plants

Background:

The 2019 novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has caused a global health catastrophe by affecting the whole human population around the globe. Unfortunately, there is no specific medication or treatment for COVID-19 currently available.

Objective:

It’s extremely necessary to apply effective drug treatment in order to end the pandemic period and return daily life to normal. In terms of the urgency of treatment, rather than focusing on the discovery of novel compounds, it is critical to explore the effects of existing herbal agents with proven antiviral properties on the virus.

Method:

Molecular docking studies were carried out with three different methods, Glide extra precision (XP) docking, Induced Fit docking (IFD), and Molecular Mechanics/Generalized Born Surface Area (MM/GBSA), to determine the potential effects of 58 phytochemicals in the content of Rosmarinus officinalis, Thymbra spicata, Satureja thymbra, and Stachys lavandulifolia plants -have antiviral and antibacterial effects- against Main Protease (Mpro) and Angiotensin Converting Enzyme 2 (ACE2) enzymes.

Results:

7 compounds stand out among all molecules by showing very high binding affinities. According to our findings, the substances chlorogenic acid, rosmarinic acid, and rosmanol exhibit extremely significant binding affinities for both Mpro and ACE2 enzymes. Furthermore, it was discovered that carnosic acid and alpha-cadinol showed potential anti-Mpro activity, whereas caffeic acid and carvacrol had promising anti-ACE2 activity.

Conclusion:

Chlorogenic acid, rosmarinic acid, rosmanol, carnosic acid, alpha-cadinol, caffeic acid, and carvacrol compounds have been shown to be powerful anti-SARS-COV-2 agents in docking simulations against Mpro and ACE2 enzymes, as well as ADME investigations.

Bacterial effluxome as a barrier against antimicrobial agents: structural biology aspects and drug targeting

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is fast becoming a medical crisis affecting the entire global population. The bacterial membrane is the first layer of defense for the bacteria against antimicrobial agents (AMA), specifically transporters in the membrane efflux these AMA out of the bacteria and plays a significant role in the AMR development. Understanding the structure and the functions of these efflux transporters is essential to overcome AMR. This review discusses efflux transporters (primary, secondary, and tripartite), their domain architectures, substrate specificities, and efflux pump inhibitors (EPI). Special emphasis on nosocomial ESKAPEE (Enterococcus faecium., Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterobacter spp. and Escherichia coli) pathogens, their multidrug efflux targets and inhibitors are discussed. Deep knowledge about the functioning of efflux pumps and their structural aspects will open up opportunities for developing new EPI, which could be used along with AMA as combination therapy to overcome the emerging AMR crisis.

Understanding the social drivers of antibiotic use during COVID-19 in Bangladesh: Implications for reduction of antimicrobial resistance

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global public health crisis that is now impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Little is known how COVID-19 risks influence people to consume antibiotics, particularly in contexts like Bangladesh where these pharmaceuticals can be purchased without a prescription. This paper identifies the social drivers of antibiotics use among home-based patients who have tested positive with SARS-CoV-2 or have COVID-19-like symptoms. Using qualitative telephone interviews, the research was conducted in two Bangladesh cities with 40 participants who reported that they had tested positive for coronavirus (n = 20) or had COVID-19-like symptoms (n = 20). Our analysis identified five themes in antibiotic use narratives: antibiotics as 'big' medicine; managing anxiety; dealing with social repercussions of COVID-19 infection; lack of access to COVID-19 testing and healthcare services; and informal sources of treatment advice. Antibiotics were seen to solve physical and social aspects of COVID-19 infection, with urgent ramifications for AMR in Bangladesh and more general implications for global efforts to mitigate AMR.

Validity and Reliability of the Turkish Version of the COVID Stress Scale

PURPOSE

The aim of this study was to assess the Turkish adaptation of the COVID Stress Scale (CSS) on the basis of determining the stress caused by the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, and to test its validity and reliability.

METHODS

The English CSS was translated into Turkish using forward and backward translation. Data were collected online from 360 participants. Construct validity was evaluated using confirmatory factor analysis, exploratory factor analysis, and content validity. Pearson product-moment correlation, Cronbach's alpha reliability coefficient, and test-retest methods were used to evaluate reliability.

RESULTS

The Turkish version of the CSS has 36 items consistent with the original scale and has five factors: COVID danger and contamination, socioeconomic consequences of COVID, COVID xenophobia, traumatic stress due to COVID, and compulsive checking for COVID. The construct validity of the Turkish version of the CSS was verified by the adjusted goodness of fit index > .85, and comparative fit index > .95. The content validity index of each item was 91%. The corrected item-total correlations of the scale ranged from .51 to .89. Internal consistency was reliable, with a Cronbach's α of .93.

CONCLUSION

The Turkish version of the CSS is valid and reliable. It can be used as a measurement tool for the assessment of COVID-related stress.

The challenges of providing certainty in the face of wicked problems: Analysing the UK government's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic

Positioning Covid-19 as a wicked problem we analyse the extent that the UK government adhered to the guidelines for dealing with such problems and the extent to which the management of the pandemic exacerbated the crisis. We argue the management of the pandemic saw a continuance of political communication as usual, focusing on emphasising the optimistic rhetoric which underpinned the Brexit narrative and 2019 election campaign which delivered Boris Johnson a majority. The failure to break out of a narrow permanent campaigning mindset which saw the pandemic as a brief interlude during a period when the focus was on delivering Brexit led to public confusion as optimistic claims were proven to be inaccurate and promises unreachable. Johnson's government's attempts to offer certainty despite a situation characterised by volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity led to numerous U-turns that seriously damaged their credibility while the politicisation of the response led to poor decision making at key points. We therefore highlight the deficiencies of Johnson's strategy and highlight key lessons for communications professionals who navigate an increasingly volatile and uncertain world beset by wicked problems. In particularly we highlight the importance of depoliticising crises, seeking a diverse range of ideas and expertise, developing an empathic leadership style, starting a public conversation that recognises uncertainty and so develop a framework where wicked problems are a feature of public debate. We argue that failure in all of these areas contributed to the UK's poor comparative performance during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Pandemic Awareness Scale (PAS): Evidence of Validity and Reliability in a Turkish Sample During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Public awareness is crucial in the prevention and management of the pandemic outbreaks. Accordingly, this study aimed to develop a scale that measures individuals’ awareness on pandemic outbreaks. The study investigated psychometric properties of the Pandemic Awareness Scale (PAS) in a Turkish sample (n = 1303) during the COVID-19 pandemic. The exploratory-factor-analysis (EFA) results (n = 903) indicated a high internal consistency reliability (α = .89) and suggested one-factor structure. The factor structure was confirmed in a different sample (n = 400) by a confirmatory-factor-analysis (CFA). The CFA results indicated that the one-factor model fits the data well (x²/df = 3.79, GFI = .96, IFI = .97, TLI = .94, CFI = .97, RMSEA = .084). The results suggested that the PAS is a valid and reliable tool to measure Turkish individuals’ pandemic awareness level.

Nano-engineered tools in the diagnosis, therapeutics, prevention, and mitigation of SARS-CoV-2

The recent outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 has forever altered mankind resulting in the COVID-19 pandemic. This respiratory virus further manifests into vital organ damage, resulting in severe post COVID-19 complications. Nanotechnology has been moonlighting in the scientific community to combat several severe diseases. This review highlights the triune of the nano-toolbox in the areas of diagnostics, therapeutics, prevention, and mitigation of SARS-CoV-2. Nanogold test kits have already been on the frontline of rapid detection. Breath tests, magnetic nanoparticle-based nucleic acid detectors, and the use of Raman Spectroscopy present myriads of possibilities in developing point of care biosensors, which will ensure sensitive, affordable, and accessiblemass surveillance. Most of the therapeutics are trying to focus on blocking the viral entry into the cell and fighting with cytokine storm, using nano-enabled drug delivery platforms. Nanobodies and mRNA nanotechnology with lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) as vaccines against S and N protein have regained importance. All the vaccines coming with promising phase 3 clinical trials have used nano-delivery systems for delivery of vaccine-cargo, which are currently administered widely in many countries. The use of chemically diverse metal, carbon and polymeric nanoparticles, nanocages and nanobubbles demonstrate opportunities to develop anti-viral nanomedicine. In order to prevent and mitigate the viral spread, high-performance charged nanofiber filters, spray coating of nanomaterials on surfaces, novel materials for PPE kits and facemasks have been developed that accomplish over 90% capture of airborne SARS-CoV-2. Nano polymer-based disinfectants are being tested to make smart-transport for human activities. Despite the promises of this toolbox, challenges in terms of reproducibility, specificity, efficacy and emergence of new SARS-CoV-2 variants are yet to overcome.

Tracking the progress in COVID-19 and vaccine safety research - a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of publications indexed in Scopus database

INTRODUCTION

COVID-19 pandemic public health emergency is one of the worse disease outbreaks in the history of infectious disease. The consequence has resulted in over 4 million deaths globally. Therefore, a more in-depth understanding of the dynamics of the disease, vaccine development, and safety has become crucial for the disease eradication.

OBJECTIVE

The study adopted bibliometric analysis to identify the global contribution in COVID-19 and Vaccine Safety and analyzed the current status, development, and research hotspots to reference for future research directions.

METHODS

Studies published between January 1, 2019 and July 11, 2021 were retrieved from the Scopus database. Data analysis and visualization were conducted using VOSviewer ver 1.6.6, Bibliometrix app. (Using R).

RESULTS

A total of 1827 publications with 12.14 average citations per document were identified. These publications were published in 796 journals by 10,243 authors (with 5.61 authors per document) from 80 countries/regions. About 33.75% of the researches were from the developed countries. The USA, China, and India were top contributors for scientific research on COVID-19 and vaccine safety. The "Vaccine" is the most productive journal with 58 articles. Li Y, NA NA, and Liu X were the top three prolific authors. Furthermore, "Human," "Coronavirus disease 2019," and "Drug safety," were the most common frontier topics.

CONCLUSIONS

Our analysis highlights the characteristics of the most influential articles on COVID-19 related to vaccine safety. The findings provided valuable insight into the scientific research progress in this domain and suggest scaling-up research and information dissemination on COVID-19 and vaccine safety.

The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on College Students: An Online Survey

The COVID-19 pandemic, since its beginning in December 2019, has altered every aspect of human life. In Vietnam, the pandemic is in its fourth peak and is the most serious so far, putting Vietnam in the list of top 30 countries with the highest daily cases. In this paper, we wish to identify the magnitude of its impact on college students in Vietnam. As far as we’re concerned, college students belong to the most affected groups in the population, especially in big cities that have been hitting hard by the virus. We conducted an online survey from 31 May 2021 to 9 June 2021, asking students from four representative regions in Vietnam to describe how the pandemic has changed their lifestyle and studying environment, as well as their awareness, compliance, and psychological state. The collected answers were processed to eliminate unreliable ones then prepared for sentiment analysis. To analyze the relationship among the variables, we performed a variety of statistical tests, including Shapiro–Wilk, Mc Nemar, Mann–Whitney–Wilcoxon, Kruskal–Wallis, and Pearson’s Chi-square tests. Among 1875 students who participated, many did not embrace online education. A total of 64.53% of them refused to think that online education would be the upcoming trend. During the pandemic, nearly one quarter of students were in a negative mood. About the same number showed signs of depression. We also observed that there were increasing patterns in sleeping time, body weight, and sedentary lifestyle. However, they maintained a positive attitude toward health protection and compliance with government regulations (65.81%). As far as we know, this is the first project to conduct such a large-scale survey analysis on students in Vietnam. The findings of the paper help us take notice of financial and mental needs and perspective issues for indigent students, which contributes to reducing the pandemic’s negative effects and going forwards to a better and more sustainable life.

COVID-19 and environment: a poignant reminder of sustainability in the new normal

The nexus of COVID-19 and environment is conspicuously deep-rooted. The roles of environmental factors in the origin, transmission and spread of COVID-19 and the mutual impact of the pandemic on the global environment have been the two perspectives to view this nexus. The present paper attempts to systematically review the existing literature to understand and explore the linkages of COVID-19 with environment and proposes conceptual frameworks to underline this nexus. Our study indicates a critical role of meteorological factors, ambient air pollutants and wastewater in severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(SARS-CoV-2) transmission-spread dynamics. The study also focuses on the direct and indirect impacts of COVID-19 on the regional and global environment. Most of the indirect environmental effects of COVID-19 were attributed to global human confinement that resulted from the implementation of the pandemic containment measures. This worldwide anthropogenic 'pause' sent ripples to all environmental compartments and presented a unique test bed to identify anthropogenic impacts on the earth's natural systems. The review further addresses emerging sustainability challenges in the new normal and their potential solutions. The situation warrants critical attention to the environment-COVID-19 nexus and innovative sustainable practices to address the ramifications of short- and long-term environmental impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Graphical abstract

Pandemics Throughout the History

As we move amidst the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, we have witnessed tremendous distress, death, and turmoil of everyday life for more than one year now. However, they are not modern phenomena; deadly pandemics have happened throughout recorded history. Pandemics such as the plague, Spanish Flu, HIV, and Ebola caused deaths, destruction of political regimes, as well as financial and psychosocial burdens. However, they sometimes resulted in scientific discoveries. Understanding the mechanism of the emergence of these pandemics is crucial to control any spreading pandemic and prevent the emergence of a potential new one. Public health agencies need to work on improving the countries' pandemic preparedness to prevent any future pandemics. The review article aims to shed light on some of the deadliest pandemics throughout history, information of critical importance for clinicians and researchers.

Exploring the Effect of Structure-Based Scaffold Hopping on the Inhibition of Coxsackievirus A24v Transduction by Pentavalent N-Acetylneuraminic Acid Conjugates

Coxsackievirus A24 variant (CVA24v) is the primary causative agent of the highly contagious eye infection designated acute hemorrhagic conjunctivitis (AHC). It is solely responsible for two pandemics and several recurring outbreaks of the disease over the last decades, thus affecting millions of individuals throughout the world. To date, no antiviral agents or vaccines are available for combating this disease, and treatment is mainly supportive. CVA24v utilizes Neu5Ac-containing glycans as attachment receptors facilitating entry into host cells. We have previously reported that pentavalent Neu5Ac conjugates based on a glucose-scaffold inhibit CVA24v infection of human corneal epithelial cells. In this study, we report on the design and synthesis of scaffold-replaced pentavalent Neu5Ac conjugates and their effect on CVA24v cell transduction and the use of cryogenic electron microscopy (cryo-EM) to study the binding of these multivalent conjugates to CVA24v. The results presented here provide insights into the development of Neu5Ac-based inhibitors of CVA24v and, most significantly, the first application of cryo-EM to study the binding of a multivalent ligand to a lectin.

How About the Psychological Pandemic? Perceptions of COVID-19 and Work-Life of Private Sector Employees-A Qualitative Study

COVID-19 had a devastating and profound impact worldwide. The business world has been turbulent, and countries' economic landscape has shown dismal performance. There have been massive downsizing of employees and deductions of pay in most organisations as the pandemic outbreak negatively impacted the business environment. The study aimed to analyse the impact of COVID-19 on the psychology of employees working in private organisations. A qualitative analysis was conducted with 22 middle-level Indian employees employed in private sector organisations. Content analysis was performed from the transcripts and themes; coding categories were developed. Participation in the study was voluntary and was carried out through informed consent. The results demonstrated that the participants experienced psychological stress, social disconnectedness, and a sense of loneliness over the lockdown period.

Furthermore, the semi-structured interviews also revealed the perceptions of the job, career prospects, and the fear of the imminent looming future ahead. The pandemic has raised serious questions on the employee’s mental health and engagement issues. Managerial implications have been discussed with suggestions to alleviate the current professional and psychological challenges.

Cognizance of posttranslational modifications in vaccines: A way to enhanced immunogenicity

Vaccination is a significant advancement or preventative strategy for controlling the spread of various severe infectious and noninfectious diseases. The purpose of vaccination is to stimulate or activate the immune system by injecting antigens, i.e., either whole microorganisms or using the pathogen's antigenic part or macromolecules. Over time, researchers have made tremendous efforts to reduce vaccine side effects or failure by developing different strategies combining with immunoinformatic and molecular biology. These newly designed vaccines are composed of single or several antigenic molecules derived from a pathogenic organism. Although, whole‐cell vaccines are still in use against various diseases but due to their ineffectiveness, other vaccines like DNA‐based, RNA‐based, and protein‐based vaccines, with the addition of immunostimulatory agents, are in the limelight. Despite this, many researchers escape the most common fundamental phenomenon of protein posttranslational modifications during the development of vaccines, which regulates protein functional behavior, evokes immunogenicity and stability, etc. The negligence about post translational modification (PTM) during vaccine development may affect the vaccine's efficacy and immune responses. Therefore, it becomes imperative to consider these modifications of macromolecules before finalizing the antigenic vaccine construct. Here, we have discussed different types of posttranslational/transcriptional modifications that are usually considered during vaccine construct designing: Glycosylation, Acetylation, Sulfation, Methylation, Amidation, SUMOylation, Ubiquitylation, Lipidation, Formylation, and Phosphorylation. Based on the available research information, we firmly believe that considering these modifications will generate a potential and highly immunogenic antigenic molecule against communicable and noncommunicable diseases compared to the unmodified macromolecules.

The psychosocial implications of social distancing for people with COPD: some exploratory issues facing a uniquely marginalised group during the COVID-19 pandemic

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is an illness associated with intersectional poverty and stigma in old age; people with COPD are susceptible to anxiety, loneliness and isolation. People with COPD who contract COVID-19 are at high risk of serious complications, intensive medical needs and death and are, therefore, required to socially distance particularly assiduously. This paper offers an embodied phenomenological analysis of the emerging theoretical literature exploring the impact of social distancing upon people with COPD. Firstly, people with COPD are aware of how respiratory illness feels, are anxious about COVID-19 and afraid of being denied care. Future research might consider how people with COPD may be susceptible to "coronaphobia" and mental health consequences of the pandemic. Secondly, COPD tends to affect older people within the most intersectionally marginalised socioeconomic groups. Future research should remain mindful that people with COPD may be among the most lonely and least able to access health and social care services online than others. Thirdly, pandemics are known to intensify pre-existing social stigmas. Researchers and practitioners alike should be conscious that people with COPD may become increasingly stigmatised, especially those from intersectionally disadvantaged minorities.