| Title | Venue | Year | Impact | Source |
| 8101 | Physical Activity, Screen Time and Emotional Well-Being during the 2019 Novel Coronavirus Outbreak in China We aimed to evaluate the effects of the COVID-19 lock down on lifestyle in China during the initial stage of the pandemic. A questionnaire was distributed to Chinese adults living in 31 provinces of China via the internet using a snowball sampling strategy. Information on 7-day physical activity recall, screen time, and emotional state were collected between January 24 and February 2, 2020. ANOVA, χ² test, and Spearman’s correlation coefficients were used for statistical analysis. 12,107 participants aged 18–80 years were included. During the initial phase of the COVID-19 outbreak, nearly 60% of Chinese adults had inadequate physical activity (95% CI 56.6%–58.3%), which was more than twice the global prevalence (27.5%, 25.0%–32.2%). Their mean screen time was more than 4 hours per day while staying at home (261.3 ± 189.8 min per day), and the longest screen time was found in young adults (305.6 ± 217.5 min per day). We found a positive and significant correlation between provincial proportions of confirmed COVID-19 cases and negative affect scores (r = 0.501, p = 0.004). Individuals with vigorous physical activity appeared to have a better emotional state and less screen time than those with light physical activity. During this nationwide lockdown, more than half of Chinese adults temporarily adopted a sedentary lifestyle with insufficient physical activity, more screen time, and poor emotional state, which may carry considerable health risks. Promotion of home-based self-exercise can potentially help improve health and wellness. | Int J Environ Res Public Healt | 2020 | | LitCov and CORD-19 |
| 8102 | Waning of BNT162b2 Vaccine Protection against SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Qatar BACKGROUND: Waning of vaccine protection against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection or coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) is a concern. The persistence of BNT162b2 (Pfizer–BioNTech) vaccine effectiveness against infection and disease in Qatar, where the B.1.351 (or beta) and B.1.617.2 (or delta) variants have dominated incidence and polymerase-chain-reaction testing is done on a mass scale, is unclear. METHODS: We used a matched test-negative, case–control study design to estimate vaccine effectiveness against any SARS-CoV-2 infection and against any severe, critical, or fatal case of Covid-19, from January 1 to September 5, 2021. RESULTS: Estimated BNT162b2 effectiveness against any SARS-CoV-2 infection was negligible in the first 2 weeks after the first dose. It increased to 36.8% (95% confidence interval [CI], 33.2 to 40.2) in the third week after the first dose and reached its peak at 77.5% (95% CI, 76.4 to 78.6) in the first month after the second dose. Effectiveness declined gradually thereafter, with the decline accelerating after the fourth month to reach approximately 20% in months 5 through 7 after the second dose. Effectiveness against symptomatic infection was higher than effectiveness against asymptomatic infection but waned similarly. Variant-specific effectiveness waned in the same pattern. Effectiveness against any severe, critical, or fatal case of Covid-19 increased rapidly to 66.1% (95% CI, 56.8 to 73.5) by the third week after the first dose and reached 96% or higher in the first 2 months after the second dose; effectiveness persisted at approximately this level for 6 months. CONCLUSIONS: BNT162b2-induced protection against SARS-CoV-2 infection appeared to wane rapidly following its peak after the second dose, but protection against hospitalization and death persisted at a robust level for 6 months after the second dose. (Funded by Weill Cornell Medicine–Qatar and others.) | N Engl J Med | 2021 | | LitCov and CORD-19 |
| 8103 | Guillain-Barré syndrome during SARS-CoV-2 pandemic: A case report and review of recent literature Acute demyelinating inflammatory polyneuropathy (AIDP) is the most common type of Guillain‐Barré syndrome (GBS) in Europe, following several viral and bacterial infections. Data on AIDP‐patients associated with SARS‐CoV‐2 (coronavirus‐2) infection are scarce. We describe the case of a 54‐years‐old Caucasian female patient with typical clinical and electrophysiological manifestations of AIDP, who was reported positive with PCR for SARS‐CoV‐2, 3 weeks prior to onset of the neurological symptoms. She did not experience a preceding fever or respiratory symptoms, but a transient loss of smell and taste. At the admission to our neurological department, a progressive proximally pronounced paraparesis, areflexia, and sensory loss with tingling of all extremities were found, which began 10 days before. The modified Erasmus Giullain‐Barré Syndrome outcome score (mEGOS) was 3/9 at admission and 1/12 at day 7 of hospitalization. The electrophysiological assessment proved a segmental demyelinating polyneuropathy and cerebrospinal fluid examination showed an albuminocytologic dissociation. The neurological symptoms improved significantly during treatment with immunoglobulins. Our case draws attention to the occurrence of GBS also in patients with COVID‐19 (coronavirus disease 2019), who did not experience respiratory or general symptoms. It emphasizes that SARS‐CoV‐2 induces immunological processes, regardless from the lack of prodromic symptoms. However, it is likely that there is a connection between the severity of the respiratory syndrome and further neurological consequences. | J Peripher Nerv Syst | 2020 | | LitCov and CORD-19 |
| 8104 | Rapid diagnosis of Ebola hemorrhagic fever by reverse transcription-PCR in an outbreak setting and assessment of patient viral load as a predictor of outcome N/A | J Virol | 2004 | | CORD-19 |
| 8105 | Patient and provider perspectives of a new prenatal care model introduced in response to the COVID-19 pandemic Objective Randomized controlled trials document the safety and efficacy of reduced frequency prenatal visit schedules and virtual visits, but real-world data are lacking. Our institution created a prenatal care delivery model incorporating these alternative approaches to continue safely providing prenatal care during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our objective was to evaluate institutional-level adoption and patient and provider experiences with the COVID-19 prenatal care model. Study Design We conducted a single-site evaluation of a COVID-19 prenatal care model incorporating a reduced frequency visit schedule and virtual visits deployed at a suburban academic institution on March 20, 2020. We used Electronic Health Record data to evaluate institution-level model adoption, defined as changes in overall visit frequency and proportion of virtual visits in the three months before and after implementation. To evaluate the patient and provider experience with the COVID-19 model, we conducted an online survey of all pregnant patients (>20 weeks gestation) and providers in May 2020. Three domains of care experience were evaluated: 1) access, 2) quality and safety, and 3) satisfaction. Quantitative data were analyzed with basic descriptive statistics. Free-text responses coded by the three survey domains elucidated drivers of positive and negative care experiences. Results Following COVID-19 model adoption, average weekly prenatal visit volume fell by 16.1%, from 898 to 761 weekly visits, the average weekly proportion of prenatal visits conducted virtually increased from 10.8% (97/898) to 43.3% (330/761), and the average visit no-show rate remained stable (4.3% pre-implementation; 4.2%, post-implementation). Of those eligible, 74.8% (77/103) of providers and 15.0% (253/1690) of patients participated in the surveys. Patient respondents were largely white (180/253, 71.1%) and privately insured (199/253, 78.7%), reflecting the study site population. Rates of chronic conditions and pregnancy complications also differed from national prevalence. Provider respondents were predominantly white (44/66, 66.7%) and female (50/66, 75.8%). Most patients and almost all providers reported that virtual visits improved access to care (patients: 68.8%, 174/253; providers: 74/77, 96.1%). Over half of respondents (patients: 124/253, 53.3%; providers: 41/77, 62.1%) believed virtual visits were safe. Nearly all believed home blood pressure cuffs were important for virtual visits (patients: 213/231, 92.2%; providers: 63/66, 95.5%). Most reported satisfaction with the COVID-19 model (patients: 196/253, 77.5%; providers: 64/77, 83.1%). In free-text responses, drivers of positive care experiences were similar for patients and providers, and included perceived improved access to care through decreased barriers (e.g. transportation, childcare); perceived high quality of virtual visits for low-risk patients and increased safety during the pandemic; and improved satisfaction through better patient counseling. Perceived drivers of negative care experience were also similar for patients and providers, but less common. These included concerns that unequal access to virtual visits could deepen existing maternity care inequities, concerns that the lack of home devices (e.g. blood pressure cuffs) would impact care quality and safety, and dissatisfaction with poor patient-provider continuity and inadequate expectation-setting for the virtual visit experience. Conclusion Reduced visit schedules and virtual visits were rapidly integrated into real-world care, with positive experiences for many patients and providers. Future research is needed to understand the health outcomes and care experience associated with alternative approaches to prenatal care delivery across more diverse patient populations outside of the COVID-19 pandemic, to inform broader health policy decisions. | Am J Obstet Gynecol | 2020 | | LitCov and CORD-19 |
| 8106 | COVID-19, Mast Cells, Cytokine Storm, Psychological Stress and Neuroinflammation N/A | Neuroscientist | 2020 | | LitCov and CORD-19 |
| 8107 | Stability of SARS coronavirus in human specimens and environment and its sensitivity to heating and UV irradiation N/A | Biomed Environ Sci | 2003 | | CORD-19 |
| 8108 | Connecting the COVID-19 pandemic, environmental, social and governance (ESG) investing and calls for 'harmonisation' of sustainability reporting We critically examine the call for ‘harmonisation’ of sustainability reporting frameworks and standards that occurred alongside an increase in environmental, social and governance (ESG) investing during the COVID-19 pandemic. We identify three myths that have been promulgated in calls for ‘harmonisation’ that seek to: simplify sustainability reporting and ESG analysis and shift the control for standard-setting to an investor-oriented private sector body. We argue that the myths are based on deception, misunderstandings, and disregard for both academic research and the views of sustainability practitioners. They demonstrate a lack of regard for different users of corporate sustainability information, a lack of analysis of the alternatives, an overestimation of the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) Foundation’s expertise and mischaracterisation of sustainable/ESG financing. | N/A | 2021 | | CORD-19 |
| 8109 | Searching for safe-haven assets during the COVID-19 pandemic Abstract The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has shaken the global financial system and caused great turmoil. Facing unprecedented risks in the markets, people have increasing needs to find a safe haven for their investments. Given that the nature of this crisis is a combination of multiple problems, it is substantially different from all other financial crises known to us. It is therefore urgent to re-evaluate the safe-haven role of some traditional asset types, namely, gold, cryptocurrency, foreign exchange and commodities. This paper introduces a sequential monitoring procedure to detect changes in the left-quantiles of asset returns, and to assess whether a tail change in the equity index can be offset by introducing a safe-haven asset into a simple mean-variance portfolio. The sample studied covers a training period between August–December 2019 and a testing period of December 2019–March 2020. Furthermore, we calculate the cross-quantilogram between pair-wise asset returns and compare their directional predictability on left-quantiles in both normal market conditions and the COVID-19 period. The main results show that the role of safe haven becomes less effective for most of the assets considered in this paper, while gold and soybean commodity futures remain robust as safe-haven assets during this pandemic. | N/A | 2020 | | CORD-19 |
| 8110 | And now for something completely different: from 2019-nCoV and COVID-19 to 2020-nMan | Pulmonology | 2020 | | LitCov and CORD-19 |
| 8111 | COVID Isolation Eating Scale (CIES): Analysis of the impact of confinement in eating disorders and obesity-A collaborative international study Confinement during the COVID‐19 pandemic is expected to have a serious and complex impact on the mental health of patients with an eating disorder (ED) and of patients with obesity. The present manuscript has the following aims: (1) to analyse the psychometric properties of the COVID Isolation Eating Scale (CIES), (2) to explore changes that occurred due to confinement in eating symptomatology; and (3) to explore the general acceptation of the use of telemedicine during confinement. The sample comprised 121 participants (87 ED patients and 34 patients with obesity) recruited from six different centres. Confirmatory Factor Analyses (CFA) tested the rational‐theoretical structure of the CIES. Adequate goodness‐of‐fit was obtained for the confirmatory factor analysis, and Cronbach alpha values ranged from good to excellent. Regarding the effects of confinement, positive and negative impacts of the confinement depends of the eating disorder subtype. Patients with anorexia nervosa (AN) and with obesity endorsed a positive response to treatment during confinement, no significant changes were found in bulimia nervosa (BN) patients, whereas Other Specified Feeding or Eating Disorder (OSFED) patients endorsed an increase in eating symptomatology and in psychopathology. Furthermore, AN patients expressed the greatest dissatisfaction and accommodation difficulty with remote therapy when compared with the previously provided face‐to‐face therapy. The present study provides empirical evidence on the psychometric robustness of the CIES tool and shows that a negative confinement impact was associated with ED subtype, whereas OSFED patients showed the highest impairment in eating symptomatology and in psychopathology. | Eur Eat Disord Rev | 2020 | | LitCov and CORD-19 |
| 8112 | Update in COVID-19 in the intensive care unit from the 2020 HELLENIC Athens International symposium The 2020 International Web Scientific Event in COVID-19 pandemic in critically ill patients aimed at updating the information and knowledge on the COVID-19 pandemic in the intensive care unit. Experts reviewed the latest literature relating to the COVID-19 pandemic in critically ill patients, such as epidemiology, pathophysiology, phenotypes of infection, COVID-19 as a systematic infection, molecular diagnosis, mechanical ventilation, thromboprophylaxis, COVID-19 associated co-infections, immunotherapy, plasma treatment, Catheter-Related bloodstream infections, artificial intelligence for COVID-19, and vaccination. Antiviral therapy and co-infections are out of the scope of this review. In this review, each of these issues is discussed with key messages regarding management and further research being presented after a brief review of available evidence. | Anaesth Crit Care Pain Med | 2020 | | LitCov and CORD-19 |
| 8113 | Age groups that sustain resurging COVID-19 epidemics in the United States Following initial declines, in mid 2020 a resurgence in transmission of novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) occurred in the US and Europe. As COVID19 disease control efforts are re-intensified, understanding the age demographics driving transmission and how these affect the loosening of interventions is crucial. We analyze aggregated, age-specific mobility trends from more than 10 million individuals in the US and link these mechanistically to age-specific COVID-19 mortality data. We estimate that as of October 2020, individuals aged 20-49 are the only age groups sustaining resurgent SARS-CoV-2 transmission with reproduction numbers well above one, and that at least 65 of 100 COVID-19 infections originate from individuals aged 20-49 in the US. Targeting interventions – including transmission-blocking vaccines – to adults aged 20-49 is an important consideration in halting resurgent epidemics and preventing COVID-19-attributable deaths. | Science | 2021 | | LitCov and CORD-19 |
| 8114 | Wastewater and public health: the potential of wastewater surveillance for monitoring COVID-19 Pathogenic viruses represent one of the greatest threats to human wellbeing. As evidenced by the COVID-19 global pandemic, however, halting the spread of highly contagious diseases is notoriously difficult. Successful control strategies therefore have to rely on effective surveillance. Here we describe how monitoring wastewater from urban areas can be used to detect the arrival and subsequent decline of pathogens, such as SARS-CoV-2. As the amount of virus shed in faeces and urine varies largely from person to person, it is very difficult to quantitatively determine the number of people who are infected in the population. More research on the surveillance of viruses in wastewater using accurate and validated methods and subsequent risk analysis and modelling is paramount in understanding the dynamics of viral outbreaks. | Curr Opin Environ Sci Health | 2020 | | LitCov and CORD-19 |
| 8115 | A Diabetic Patient With 2019-nCoV Infection Who Recovered and Was Discharged From Hospital Novel coronavirus has become a global health hazard and its high infectivity is alarming. The imaging findings of the 2019-nCoV infection in our young diabetic patient featured ground-glass opacities and consolidations in both lungs. The lung lesions may involute rapidly during the course. The patient showed improvement both clinically and on computed tomography imaging at discharged after 2 weeks’ treatment. Computed tomography scans of patients helped monitor the changes continuously, which could timely provide the information of the evolution of the disease or therapeutic effect to clinicians. | J Thorac Imaging | 2020 | | LitCov and CORD-19 |
| 8116 | Initial Investigation of Transmission of COVID-19 Among Crew Members During Quarantine of a Cruise Ship-Yokohama, Japan, February 2020 An outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) among passengers and crew on a cruise ship led to quarantine of approximately 3,700 passengers and crew that began on February 3, 2020, and lasted for nearly 4 weeks at the Port of Yokohama, Japan (1). By February 9, 20 cases had occurred among the ship's crew members. By the end of quarantine, approximately 700 cases of COVID-19 had been laboratory-confirmed among passengers and crew. This report describes findings from the initial phase of the cruise ship investigation into COVID-19 cases among crew members during February 4-12, 2020. | MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep | 2020 | | LitCov and CORD-19 |
| 8117 | Lessons learned from 9/11: Mental health perspectives on the COVID-19 pandemic Abstract The COVID-19 pandemic will likely lead to high rates of PTSD, depression, and substance misuse among survivors, victims’ families, medical workers, and other essential personnel. The mental health response to the 9/11/01 terrorist attacks, culminating in a federally-funded health program, provides a template for how providers may serve affected individuals. Drawing on the 9/11 experience, we highlight effective prevention measures, likely short and long-term treatment needs, vulnerable subgroups, and important points of divergence between 9/11 and the COVID-19 pandemic. Mental health monitoring, early identification of at-risk individuals, and treatment irrespective of financial barriers is essential for minimizing chronic distress. | Psychiatry Res | 2020 | | LitCov and CORD-19 |
| 8118 | Immunodominant SARS Coronavirus Epitopes in Humans Elicited both Enhancing and Neutralizing Effects on Infection in Non-human Primates [Image: see text] Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) is caused by a coronavirus (SARS-CoV) and has the potential to threaten global public health and socioeconomic stability. Evidence of antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE) of SARS-CoV infection in vitro and in non-human primates clouds the prospects for a safe vaccine. Using antibodies from SARS patients, we identified and characterized SARS-CoV B-cell peptide epitopes with disparate functions. In rhesus macaques, the spike glycoprotein peptides S(471–503), S(604–625), and S(1164–1191) elicited antibodies that efficiently prevented infection in non-human primates. In contrast, peptide S(597–603) induced antibodies that enhanced infection both in vitro and in non-human primates by using an epitope sequence-dependent (ESD) mechanism. This peptide exhibited a high level of serological reactivity (64%), which resulted from the additive responses of two tandem epitopes (S(597–603) and S(604–625)) and a long-term human B-cell memory response with antisera from convalescent SARS patients. Thus, peptide-based vaccines against SARS-CoV could be engineered to avoid ADE via elimination of the S(597–603) epitope. We provide herein an alternative strategy to prepare a safe and effective vaccine for ADE of viral infection by identifying and eliminating epitope sequence-dependent enhancement of viral infection. | ACS Infect Dis | 2016 | | CORD-19 |
| 8119 | Migraine Care in the Era of COVID-19: Clinical Pearls and Plea to Insurers OBJECTIVE: To outline strategies for the treatment of migraine which do not require in‐person visits to clinic or the emergency department, and to describe ways that health insurance companies can remove barriers to quality care for migraine. BACKGROUND: COVID‐19 is a global pandemic causing widespread infections and death. To control the spread of infection we are called to observe “social distancing” and we have been asked to postpone any procedures which are not essential. Since procedural therapies are a mainstay of headache care, the inability to do procedures could negatively affect our patients with migraine. In this manuscript we review alternative therapies, with particular attention to those which may be contra‐indicated in the setting of COVID‐19 infection. DESIGN/RESULTS: The manuscript reviews the use of telemedicine visits and acute, bridge, and preventive therapies for migraine. We focus on evidence‐based treatment where possible, but also describe “real world” strategies which may be tried. In each section we call out areas where changes to rules from commercial health insurance companies would facilitate better migraine care. CONCLUSIONS: Our common goal as health care providers is to maximize the health and safety of our patients. Successful management of migraine with avoidance of in‐person clinic and emergency department visits further benefits the current urgent societal goal of maintaining social distance to contain the COVID‐19 pandemic. | Headache | 2020 | | LitCov and CORD-19 |
| 8120 | The Novel Coronavirus Outbreak: What We Know and What We Don't | Cell | 2020 | | LitCov and CORD-19 |
| 8121 | Incidence of asymptomatic deep vein thrombosis in patients with COVID-19 pneumonia and elevated D-dimer levels AIM: An increased risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in patients with COVID-19 pneumonia admitted to intensive care unit (ICU) has been reported. Whether COVID-19 increases the risk of VTE in non-ICU wards remains unknown. We aimed to evaluate the burden of asymptomatic deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in COVID-19 patients with elevated D-dimer levels. METHOD: In this prospective study consecutive patients hospitalized in non-intensive care units with diagnosis of COVID-19 pneumonia and D-dimer > 1000 ng/mL were screened for asymptomatic DVT with complete compression doppler ultrasound (CCUS). The study was approved by the Institutional Ethics Committee. RESULTS: The study comprised 156 patients (65.4% male). All but three patients received standard doses of thromboprophylaxis. Median days of hospitalization until CCUS was 9 (IQR 5–17). CCUS was positive for DVT in 23 patients (14.7%), of whom only one was proximal DVT. Seven patients (4.5%) had bilateral distal DVT. Patients with DVT had higher median D-dimer levels: 4527 (IQR 1925-9144) ng/ml vs 2050 (IQR 1428-3235) ng/ml; p < 0.001. D-dimer levels > 1570 ng/mL were associated with asymptomatic DVT (OR 9.1; CI 95% 1.1–70.1). D-dimer showed an acceptable discriminative capacity (area under the ROC curve 0.72, 95% CI 0.61–0.84). CONCLUSION: In patients admitted with COVID-19 pneumonia and elevated D-dimer levels, the incidence of asymptomatic DVT is similar to that described in other series. Higher cut-off levels for D-dimer might be necessary for the diagnosis of DVT in COVID-19 patients. | Thromb Res | 2020 | | LitCov and CORD-19 |
| 8122 | Acute myocarditis and multisystem inflammatory emerging disease following SARS-CoV-2 infection in critically ill children BACKGROUND: A recent increase in children admitted with hypotensive shock and fever in the context of the COVID-19 outbreak requires an urgent characterization and assessment of the involvement of SARS-CoV-2 infection. This is a case series performed at 4 academic tertiary care centers in Paris of all the children admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) with shock, fever and suspected SARS-CoV-2 infection between April 15th and April 27th, 2020. RESULTS: 20 critically ill children admitted for shock had an acute myocarditis (left ventricular ejection fraction, 35% (25–55); troponin, 269 ng/mL (31–4607)), and arterial hypotension with mainly vasoplegic clinical presentation. The first symptoms before PICU admission were intense abdominal pain and fever for 6 days (1–10). All children had highly elevated C-reactive protein (> 94 mg/L) and procalcitonin (> 1.6 ng/mL) without microbial cause. At least one feature of Kawasaki disease was found in all children (fever, n = 20, skin rash, n = 10; conjunctivitis, n = 6; cheilitis, n = 5; adenitis, n = 2), but none had the typical form. SARS-CoV-2 PCR and serology were positive for 10 and 15 children, respectively. One child had both negative SARS-CoV-2 PCR and serology, but had a typical SARS-CoV-2 chest tomography scan. All children but one needed an inotropic/vasoactive drug support (epinephrine, n = 12; milrinone, n = 10; dobutamine, n = 6, norepinephrine, n = 4) and 8 were intubated. All children received intravenous immunoglobulin (2 g per kilogram) with adjuvant corticosteroids (n = 2), IL 1 receptor antagonist (n = 1) or a monoclonal antibody against IL-6 receptor (n = 1). All children survived and were afebrile with a full left ventricular function recovery at PICU discharge. CONCLUSIONS: Acute myocarditis with intense systemic inflammation and atypical Kawasaki disease is an emerging severe pediatric disease following SARS-CoV-2 infection. Early recognition of this disease is needed and referral to an expert center is recommended. A delayed and inappropriate host immunological response is suspected. While underlying mechanisms remain unclear, further investigations are required to target an optimal treatment. | Ann Intensive Care | 2020 | | LitCov and CORD-19 |
| 8123 | AI-assisted CT imaging analysis for COVID-19 screening: Building and deploying a medical AI system The sudden outbreak of novel coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) increased the diagnostic burden of radiologists. In the time of an epidemic crisis, we hope artificial intelligence (AI) to reduce physician workload in regions with the outbreak, and improve the diagnosis accuracy for physicians before they could acquire enough experience with the new disease. In this paper, we present our experience in building and deploying an AI system that automatically analyzes CT images and provides the probability of infection to rapidly detect COVID-19 pneumonia. The proposed system which consists of classification and segmentation will save about 30%–40% of the detection time for physicians and promote the performance of COVID-19 detection. Specifically, working in an interdisciplinary team of over 30 people with medical and/or AI background, geographically distributed in Beijing and Wuhan, we are able to overcome a series of challenges (e.g. data discrepancy, testing time-effectiveness of model, data security, etc.) in this particular situation and deploy the system in four weeks. In addition, since the proposed AI system provides the priority of each CT image with probability of infection, the physicians can confirm and segregate the infected patients in time. Using 1,136 training cases (723 positives for COVID-19) from five hospitals, we are able to achieve a sensitivity of 0.974 and specificity of 0.922 on the test dataset, which included a variety of pulmonary diseases. | Appl Soft Comput | 2020 | | LitCov and CORD-19 |
| 8124 | A conceptual model for understanding the rapid COVID-19-related increase in food insecurity and its impact on health and healthcare Food insecurity, a well-established determinant of chronic disease morbidity and mortality, is rapidly increasing due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. We present a conceptual model to understand the multiple mechanisms through which the economic and public health crises sparked by COVID-19 might increase food insecurity and contribute to poor health outcomes in the short- and long-term. We hypothesize that, in the short-term, increased food insecurity, household economic disruption, household stress, and interruptions in healthcare will contribute to acute chronic disease complications. However, the impact of the pandemic on food security will linger after social-distancing policies are lifted and the health system stabilizes, resulting in increased risk for chronic disease development, morbidity, and mortality among food-insecure households in the long-term. Research is needed to examine the impact of the pandemic-related increase in food insecurity on short- and long-term chronic health outcomes, and to delineate the underlying causal mechanisms. Such research is critical to inform the development of effective programs and policies to address food insecurity and its downstream health impacts during COVID-19 and future pandemics. | Am J Clin Nutr | 2020 | | LitCov and CORD-19 |
| 8125 | Spectrum of Cardiac Manifestations in COVID-19: A Systematic Echocardiographic Study Information on the cardiac manifestations of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is scarce. We performed a systematic and comprehensive echocardiographic evaluation of consecutive patients hospitalized with COVID-19 infection. METHODS: One hundred consecutive patients diagnosed with COVID-19 infection underwent complete echocardiographic evaluation within 24 hours of admission and were compared with reference values. Echocardiographic studies included left ventricular (LV) systolic and diastolic function and valve hemodynamics and right ventricular (RV) assessment, as well as lung ultrasound. A second examination was performed in case of clinical deterioration. RESULTS: Thirty-two patients (32%) had a normal echocardiogram at baseline. The most common cardiac pathology was RV dilatation and dysfunction (observed in 39% of patients), followed by LV diastolic dysfunction (16%) and LV systolic dysfunction (10%). Patients with elevated troponin (20%) or worse clinical condition did not demonstrate any significant difference in LV systolic function compared with patients with normal troponin or better clinical condition, but they had worse RV function. Clinical deterioration occurred in 20% of patients. In these patients, the most common echocardiographic abnormality at follow-up was RV function deterioration (12 patients), followed by LV systolic and diastolic deterioration (in 5 patients). Femoral deep vein thrombosis was diagnosed in 5 of 12 patients with RV failure. CONCLUSIONS: In COVID-19 infection, LV systolic function is preserved in the majority of patients, but LV diastolic function and RV function are impaired. Elevated troponin and poorer clinical grade are associated with worse RV function. In patients presenting with clinical deterioration at follow-up, acute RV dysfunction, with or without deep vein thrombosis, is more common, but acute LV systolic dysfunction was noted in ≈20%. | Circulation | 2020 | | LitCov and CORD-19 |
| 8126 | Combinations of physical activity, sedentary time and sleep duration and their associations with depressive symptoms and other mental health problems in children and adolescents: a systematic review N/A | Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act | 2020 | | CORD-19 |
| 8127 | Efficacy and safety of tocilizumab in severe COVID-19 patients: a single-center retrospective cohort study BACKGROUND: : Tocilizumab (TCZ), a humanized monoclonal antibody targeting the interleukin-6 (IL-6) receptor, has been proposed for the treatment of COVID-19 patients; however, limited data are available on the safety and efficacy. METHODS: : We performed a retrospective study on severe COVID-19 patients with hyper-inflammatory features admitted outside intensive care units (ICUs). Patients treated with intravenous TCZ in addition to standard of care were compared to patients treated with standard of care alone. Safety and efficacy were assessed over a 28-day follow-up. RESULTS: : 65 patients were included, 32 were of whose treated with TCZ. At baseline, all patients were on high-flow supplemental oxygen and most (78% of TCZ patients and 61% of standard treatment patients) were on non-invasive ventilation. During the 28-day follow-up, 69% of TCZ patients experienced a clinical improvement compared to 61% of standard treatment patients (p = 0.61). Mortality was 15% in the tocilizumab group and 33% in standard treatment group (p = 0.15). In TCZ group, at multivariate analysis, older age was a predictor of death, whereas higher baseline PaO2:FiO2 was a predictor of clinical improvement at day 28. The rate of infection and pulmonary thrombosis was similar between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: : At day 28, clinical improvement and mortality were not statistically significant different between tocilizumab and standard treatment patients in our cohort. Bacterial or fungal infections were recorded in 13% of tocilizumab patients and in 12% of standard treatment patients. Confirmation of efficacy and safety will require ongoing controlled trials. | Eur J Intern Med | 2020 | | LitCov and CORD-19 |
| 8128 | The psychological burden of the COVID-19 pandemic and associated lockdown measures: Experience from 4000 participants BACKGROUND: In February 2020 the first cases of COVID-19 were identified in Kuwait. Inevitably as many countries worldwide, the general public were negatively affected by the pandemic. Unemployment, uncertainty, distress, increasing deaths, lockdown measures all of which are potential burdens on mental health. AIM: To assess the impact of COVID19 outbreak on mental health in Kuwait, and to explore the potential influencing risk factors. METHODS: We conducted an online questionnaire-based study in Kuwait between 25(th) May 2020 to 30(th) May 2020. Questions were based on demographics, lifestyle during outbreak, depression and anxiety assessment. Total PHQ9 and GAD7 scores were calculated for each responder. RESULTS: We had 4132 responders. Most were females (69.31%), married (59.37%), between the age of 21-30 (23.84%) and non-smokers (81.46%). Only (7.96%) had a positive past psychiatric history, (32.04%) had a past history of a chronic medical disease. During the outbreak most of the responders lost their jobs (39.21%) and only (12.83%) were attending work regularly, only (6.82%) worked in the healthcare sector. 59.27% report increased social media use compared to before the lockdown. When asked about their daily time spent following COVID19-related news, most (37.8%) spend more than 2 hours and (7.74%) spend more than 4 hours. The overall prevalence of depressive symptoms was (30.13%) and the prevalence of anxiety symptoms was (25.28%). | J Affect Disord | 2020 | | LitCov and CORD-19 |
| 8129 | The COVID-19 Host Genetics Initiative, a global initiative to elucidate the role of host genetic factors in susceptibility and severity of the SARS-CoV-2 virus pandemic | Eur J Hum Genet | 2020 | | LitCov and CORD-19 |
| 8130 | In silico studies on the comparative characterization of the interactions of SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein with ACE-2 receptor homologs and human TLRs Coronavirus disease‐2019 (COVID‐19) outbreak due to novel coronavirus or severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) infection has come out as a major threat for mankind in recent times. It is continually taking an enormous toll on mankind by means of increasing number of deaths, associated comorbidities, and socioeconomic loss around the globe. Unavailability of chemotherapeutics/vaccine has posed tremendous challenges to scientists and doctors for developing an urgent therapeutic strategy. In this connection, the present in silico study aims to understand the sequence divergence of spike protein (the major infective protein of SARS‐CoV‐2), its mode of interaction with the angiotensin‐converting enzyme‐2 receptor (ACE2) receptor of human and related animal hosts/reservoir. Moreover, the involvement of the human Toll‐like receptors (TLRs) against the spike protein has also been demonstrated. Our data indicated that the spike glycoprotein of SARS‐CoV‐2 is phylogenetically close to bat coronavirus and strongly binds with ACE2 receptor protein from both human and bat origin. We have also found that cell surface TLRs, especially TLR4 is most likely to be involved in recognizing molecular patterns from SARS‐CoV‐2 to induce inflammatory responses. The present study supported the zoonotic origin of SARS‐CoV‐2 from a bat and also revealed that TLR4 may have a crucial role in the virus‐induced inflammatory consequences associated with COVID‐19. Therefore, selective targeting of TLR4‐spike protein interaction by designing competitive TLR4‐antagonists could pave a new way to treat COVID‐19. Finally, this study is expected to improve our understanding on the immunobiology of SARS‐CoV‐2 and could be useful in adopting spike protein, ACE2, or TLR‐guided intervention strategy against COVID‐19 shortly. | J Med Virol | 2020 | | LitCov and CORD-19 |
| 8131 | Cross-scale interactions, nonlinearities and forecasting catastrophic events N/A | Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A | 2004 | | CORD-19 |
| 8132 | Possible therapeutic role of a highly standardized mixture of active compounds derived from cultured Lentinula edodes mycelia (AHCC) in patients infected with 2019 novel coronavirus N/A | Minerva Gastroenterol Dietol | 2020 | | LitCov and CORD-19 |
| 8133 | Blockchain smart contracts: Applications, challenges and future trends In recent years, the rapid development of blockchain technology and cryptocurrencies has influenced the financial industry by creating a new crypto-economy. Then, next-generation decentralized applications without involving a trusted third-party have emerged thanks to the appearance of smart contracts, which are computer protocols designed to facilitate, verify, and enforce automatically the negotiation and agreement among multiple untrustworthy parties. Despite the bright side of smart contracts, several concerns continue to undermine their adoption, such as security threats, vulnerabilities, and legal issues. In this paper, we present a comprehensive survey of blockchain-enabled smart contracts from both technical and usage points of view. To do so, we present a taxonomy of existing blockchain-enabled smart contract solutions, categorize the included research papers, and discuss the existing smart contract-based studies. Based on the findings from the survey, we identify a set of challenges and open issues that need to be addressed in future studies. Finally, we identify future trends. | Peer Peer Netw Appl | 2021 | | CORD-19 |
| 8134 | Acinetobacter baumannii Antibiotic Resistance Mechanisms Acinetobacter baumannii is a Gram-negative ESKAPE microorganism that poses a threat to public health by causing severe and invasive (mostly nosocomial) infections linked with high mortality rates. During the last years, this pathogen displayed multidrug resistance (MDR), mainly due to extensive antibiotic abuse and poor stewardship. MDR isolates are associated with medical history of long hospitalization stays, presence of catheters, and mechanical ventilation, while immunocompromised and severely ill hosts predispose to invasive infections. Next-generation sequencing techniques have revolutionized diagnosis of severe A. baumannii infections, contributing to timely diagnosis and personalized therapeutic regimens according to the identification of the respective resistance genes. The aim of this review is to describe in detail all current knowledge on the genetic background of A. baumannii resistance mechanisms in humans as regards beta-lactams (penicillins, cephalosporins, carbapenems, monobactams, and beta-lactamase inhibitors), aminoglycosides, tetracyclines, fluoroquinolones, macrolides, lincosamides, streptogramin antibiotics, polymyxins, and others (amphenicols, oxazolidinones, rifamycins, fosfomycin, diaminopyrimidines, sulfonamides, glycopeptide, and lipopeptide antibiotics). Mechanisms of antimicrobial resistance refer mainly to regulation of antibiotic transportation through bacterial membranes, alteration of the antibiotic target site, and enzymatic modifications resulting in antibiotic neutralization. Virulence factors that may affect antibiotic susceptibility profiles and confer drug resistance are also being discussed. Reports from cases of A. baumannii coinfection with SARS-CoV-2 during the COVID-19 pandemic in terms of resistance profiles and MDR genes have been investigated. | Pathogens | 2021 | | LitCov and CORD-19 |
| 8135 | De novo design of modular and tunable protein biosensors N/A | Nature | 2021 | | LitCov and CORD-19 |
| 8136 | Several suggestion of operation for colorectal cancer under the outbreak of Corona Virus Disease 19 in China N/A | Zhonghua Wei Chang Wai Ke Za Z | 2020 | | LitCov and CORD-19 |
| 8137 | Potential Treatments for COVID-19; a Narrative Literature Review SARS-CoV-2 is a newly emerging human infectious coronavirus that causes COVID-19, which has been recognized as a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO) on March 11(th). There is still no vaccine or definitive treatment for this virus because its pathogenesis and proliferation pathways are still unknown. Therefore, in this article, new potential COVID-19 therapies are briefly reviewed. | Arch Acad Emerg Med | 2020 | | LitCov and CORD-19 |
| 8138 | A systematic risk-based strategy to select personal protective equipment for infectious diseases BACKGROUND: Personal protective equipment (PPE) is a primary strategy to protect health care personnel (HCP) from infectious diseases. When transmission-based PPE ensembles are not appropriate, HCP must recognize the transmission pathway of the disease and anticipate the exposures to select PPE. Because guidance for this process is extremely limited, we proposed a systematic, risk-based approach to the selection and evaluation of PPE ensembles to protect HCP against infectious diseases. METHODS: The approach used in this study included the following 4 steps: (1) job hazard analysis, (2) infectious disease hazard analysis, (3) selection of PPE, and (4) evaluation of selected PPE. Selected PPE should protect HCP from exposure, be usable by HCP, and fit for purpose. RESULTS: The approach was demonstrated for the activity of intubation of a patient with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus or Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus. As expected, the approach led to the selection of different ensembles of PPE for these 2 pathogens. DISCUSSION: A systematic risk-based approach to the selection of PPE will help health care facilities and HCP select PPE when transmission-based precautions are not appropriate. Owing to the complexity of PPE ensemble selection and evaluation, a team with expertise in infectious diseases, occupational health, the health care activity, and related disciplines, such as human factors, should be engaged. CONCLUSIONS: Participation, documentation, and transparency are necessary to ensure the decisions can be communicated, critiqued, and understood by HCP. | Am J Infect Control | 2019 | | CORD-19 |
| 8139 | Parental experiences of homeschooling during the COVID-19 pandemic: differences between seven European countries and between children with and without mental health conditions The aim of the present study was to examine parental experiences of homeschooling during the COVID-19 pandemic in families with or without a child with a mental health condition across Europe. The study included 6720 parents recruited through schools, patient organizations and social media platforms (2002 parents with a child with a mental health condition and 4718 without) from seven European countries: the UK (n = 508), Sweden (n = 1436), Spain (n = 1491), Belgium (n = 508), the Netherlands (n = 324), Germany (n = 1662) and Italy (n = 794). Many parents reported negative effects of homeschooling for themselves and their child, and many found homeschooling to be of poor quality, with insufficient support from schools. In most countries, contact with teachers was limited, leaving parents with primary responsibility for managing homeschooling. Parents also reported increased levels of stress, worry, social isolation, and domestic conflict. A small number of parents reported increased parental alcohol/drug use. Some differences were found between countries and some negative experiences were more common in families with a child with a mental health condition. However, differences between countries and between families with and without a mental health condition were generally small, indicating that many parents across countries reported negative experiences. Some parents also reported positive experiences of homeschooling. The adverse effects of homeschooling will likely have a long-term impact and contribute to increased inequalities. Given that school closures may be less effective than other interventions, policymakers need to carefully consider the negative consequences of homeschooling during additional waves of the COVID-19 pandemic and future pandemics. | Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry | 2021 | | LitCov and CORD-19 |
| 8140 | Clinical Features and Treatment of 2019-nCov Pneumonia Patients in Wuhan: Report of A Couple Cases | Virol Sin | 2020 | | LitCov and CORD-19 |
| 8141 | Obesity in Children and Adolescents during COVID-19 Pandemic Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has led to special circumstances and changes to everyday life due to the worldwide measures that were imposed such as lockdowns. This review aims to evaluate obesity in children, adolescents and young adults during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: A literature search was conducted to evaluate pertinent studies up to 10 November 2020. Results: A total of 15 articles were eligible; 9 identified 17,028,111 children, adolescents and young adults from 5–25 years old, 5 pertained to studies with an age admixture (n = 20,521) and one study included parents with children 5–18 years old (n = 584). During the COVID-19 era, children, adolescents and young adults gained weight. Changes in dietary behaviors, increased food intake and unhealthy food choices including potatoes, meat and sugary drinks were noted during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Food insecurity associated with financial reasons represents another concern. Moreover, as the restrictions imposed reduced movements out of the house, physical activity was limited, representing another risk factor for weight gain. Conclusions: COVID-19 restrictions disrupted the everyday routine of children, adolescents and young adults and elicited changes in their eating behaviors and physical activity. To protect them, health care providers should highlight the risk of obesity and provide prevention strategies, ensuring also parental participation. Worldwide policies, guidelines and precautionary measures should ideally be established. | Children (Basel) | 2021 | | LitCov and CORD-19 |
| 8142 | Being a front-line dentist during the Covid-19 pandemic: a literature review Coronavirus is an enveloped virus with positive-sense single-stranded RNA. Coronavirus infection in humans mainly affects the upper respiratory tract and to a lesser extent the gastrointestinal tract. Clinical symptoms of coronavirus infections can range from relatively mild (similar to the common cold) to severe (bronchitis, pneumonia, and renal involvement). The disease caused by the 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) was called Covid-19 by the World Health Organization in February 2020. Face-to-face communication and consistent exposure to body fluids such as blood and saliva predispose dental care workers at serious risk for 2019-nCoV infection. As demonstrated by the recent coronavirus outbreak, information is not enough. During dental practice, blood and saliva can be scattered. Accordingly, dental practice can be a potential risk for dental staff, and there is a high risk of cross-infection. This article addresses all information collected to date on the virus, in accordance with the guidelines of international health care institutions, and provides a comprehensive protocol for managing possible exposure to patients or those suspected of having coronavirus. | Maxillofac Plast Reconstr Surg | 2020 | | LitCov and CORD-19 |
| 8143 | Severe COVID-19 Infection and Pediatric Comorbidities: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis OBJECTIVE: There is limited information on the severity of COVID-19 infection in children with comorbidities. We investigated the effects of pediatric comorbidities on COVID-19 severity by means of a systematic review and meta-analysis of published literature. METHODS: PubMed, Embase, and Medline databases were searched for publications on pediatric COVID-19 infections published January 1(st) to October 5(th), 2020. Articles describing at least one child with and without comorbidities, COVID-19 infection, and reported outcomes, were included. RESULTS: 42 studies containing 275,661 children without comorbidities and 9,353 children with comorbidities were included. Severe COVID-19 was present in 5.1% of children with comorbidities, and in 0.2% without comorbidities. Random-effects analysis revealed a higher risk of severe COVID-19 among children with comorbidities than for healthy children; relative risk ratio 1.79 (95% CI 1.27 – 2.51;I(2) = 94%). Children with underlying conditions also had a higher risk of COVID-19-associated mortality; relative risk ratio 2.81 (95% CI 1.31 – 6.02; I(2) = 82%). Children with obesity had a relative risk ratio of 2.87 (95% CI 1.16 – 7.07 I(2) = 36%). CONCLUSIONS: Children with comorbidities have a higher risk of severe COVID-19 and associated mortality than children without underlying disease. Additional studies are required to further evaluate this relationship. | Int J Infect Dis | 2020 | | LitCov and CORD-19 |
| 8144 | Loss of furin cleavage site attenuates SARS-CoV-2 pathogenesis N/A | Nature | 2021 | | LitCov and CORD-19 |
| 8145 | Macrolides and viral infections: focus on azithromycin in COVID-19 pathology The emergence of the new disease COVID-19, is posing the challenge of seeking effective therapies. Since the most severe clinical manifestation of COVID-19 appeared to be a severe acute respiratory syndrome, azithromycin has been proposed as a potential treatment. Azithromycin is known to have immunomodulating and antiviral properties. In vitro studies have demonstrated the capacity of azithromycin to reduce production of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-8, IL-6, TNF alpha, reduce oxidative stress and modulate T-helper functions. At the same time there are multiple clinical evidences of the role of azithromycin in acute respiratory distress syndrome and against MERS. Some preliminary evidences have demonstrated controversial results regarding efficacy of azithromycin in combination with hydroxychloroquine in COVID-19. Firstly, a French trial demonstrated 100% of virological negativization of six patients treated with azithromycin plus hydroxychloroquine vs 57.1% of patients treated with only hydroxychloroquine and 12.5% of the control group (p<0.05). On the other hand, another case series revealed no efficacy at all on eleven patients treated with same combination and doses. Furthermore, there are some concerns regarding the association of azithromycin and hydroxychloroquine because of the potential Qt prolongation. In fact, both drugs have this as potential side effect and evidences regarding the safety use of this combination are controversial. Despite the necessity to quickly find solutions for COVID-19, extreme caution must be used in evaluating the risk-benefit balance. However, based on preclinical and clinical evidences and some preliminary results in COVID-19, azithromycin could have a potential in the fight against this new disease. | Int J Antimicrob Agents | 2020 | | LitCov and CORD-19 |
| 8146 | Review the safety of Covid-19 mRNA vaccines: a review The novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has infected more than 100 million people globally within the first year of the pandemic. With a death toll surpassing 500,000 in the United States alone, containing the pandemic is predicated on achieving herd immunity on a global scale. This implies that at least 70-80 % of the population must achieve active immunity against the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), either as a result of a previous COVID-19 infection or by vaccination against SARS-CoV-2. In December 2020, the first two vaccines were approved by the FDA through emergency use authorization in the United States. These vaccines are based on the mRNA vaccine platform and were developed by Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna. Published safety and efficacy trials reported high efficacy rates of 94-95 % after two interval doses, in conjunction with limited side effects and a low rate of adverse reactions. The rapid pace of vaccine development and the uncertainty of potential long-term adverse effects raised some level of hesitation against mRNA vaccines in the global community. A successful vaccination campaign is contingent on widespread access to the vaccine under appropriate storage conditions, deployment of a sufficient number of vaccinators, and the willingness of the population to be vaccinated. Thus, it is important to clarify the objective data related to vaccine safety, including known side effects and potential adverse reactions. The present review was designed to provide an update on the current state of science related to the safety and efficacy of SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccines. | Patient Saf Surg | 2021 | | LitCov and CORD-19 |
| 8147 | Could there be a link between oral hygiene and the severity of SARS-CoV-2 infections? On 30 January 2020, the World Health Organisation identified COVID-19, caused by the virus SARS-CoV-2, to be a global emergency. The risk factors already identified for developing complications from a COVID-19 infection are age, gender and comorbidities such as diabetes, hypertension, obesity and cardiovascular disease. These risk factors, however, do not account for the other 52% of deaths arising from COVID-19 in often seemingly healthy individuals. This paper investigates the potential link between SARS-CoV-2 and bacterial load, questioning whether bacteria may play a role in bacterial superinfections and complications such as pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome and sepsis. The connection between COVID-19 complications and oral health and periodontal disease is also examined, as the comorbidities at highest risk of COVID-19 complications also cause imbalances in the oral microbiome and increase the risk of periodontal disease. We explore the connection between high bacterial load in the mouth and post-viral complications, and how improving oral health may reduce the risk of complications from COVID-19. | Br Dent J | 2020 | | LitCov and CORD-19 |
| 8148 | COVID-19 disease emergency operational instructions for Mental Health Departments issued by the Italian Society of Epidemiological Psychiatry During the current COVID-19 disease emergency, it is not only an ethical imperative but also a public health responsibility to keep the network of community psychiatry services operational, particularly for the most vulnerable subjects (those with mental illness, disability, and chronic conditions). At the same time, it is necessary to reduce the spread of the COVID-19 disease within the outpatient and inpatient services affiliated with Mental Health Departments. These instructions, first published online on 16 March 2020 in their original Italian version, provide a detailed description of actions, proposed by the Italian Society of Epidemiological Psychiatry, addressed to Italian Mental Health Departments during the current COVID-19 pandemic. The overall goal of the operational instructions is to guarantee, during the current health emergency, the provision of the best health care possible, taking into account both public health necessities and the safety of procedures. These instructions could represent a useful resource to mental health providers, and stakeholders to face the current pandemic for which most of Mental Health Departments worldwide are not prepared to. These instructions could provide guidance and offer practical tools which can enable professionals and decision makers to foresee challenges, like those already experienced in Italy, which in part can be avoided or minimised if timely planned. These strategies can be shared and adopted, with the appropriate adjustments, by Mental Health Departments in other countries. | Epidemiol Psychiatr Sci | 2020 | | LitCov and CORD-19 |
| 8149 | What Works and What Doesn't Work? A Systematic Review of Digital Mental Health Interventions for Depression and Anxiety in Young People N/A | Front Psychiatry | 2019 | | CORD-19 |
| 8150 | Visualizing the effectiveness of face masks in obstructing respiratory jets The use of face masks in public settings has been widely recommended by public health officials during the current COVID-19 pandemic. The masks help mitigate the risk of cross-infection via respiratory droplets; however, there are no specific guidelines on mask materials and designs that are most effective in minimizing droplet dispersal. While there have been prior studies on the performance of medical-grade masks, there are insufficient data on cloth-based coverings, which are being used by a vast majority of the general public. We use qualitative visualizations of emulated coughs and sneezes to examine how material- and design-choices impact the extent to which droplet-laden respiratory jets are blocked. Loosely folded face masks and bandana-style coverings provide minimal stopping-capability for the smallest aerosolized respiratory droplets. Well-fitted homemade masks with multiple layers of quilting fabric, and off-the-shelf cone style masks, proved to be the most effective in reducing droplet dispersal. These masks were able to curtail the speed and range of the respiratory jets significantly, albeit with some leakage through the mask material and from small gaps along the edges. Importantly, uncovered emulated coughs were able to travel notably farther than the currently recommended 6-ft distancing guideline. We outline the procedure for setting up simple visualization experiments using easily available materials, which may help healthcare professionals, medical researchers, and manufacturers in assessing the effectiveness of face masks and other personal protective equipment qualitatively. | Phys Fluids (1994) | 2020 | | LitCov and CORD-19 |
