title: Characteristics of 1573 healthcare workers who underwent nasopharyngeal swab testing for SARS-CoV-2 in Milan, Lombardy, Italy

text: OBJECTIVES: The management of healthcare workers (HCWs) exposed to confirmed cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is still a matter of debate. We aimed to assess in this group the attack rate of asymptomatic carriers and the symptoms most frequently associated with infection. METHODS: Occupational and clinical characteristics of HCWs who underwent nasopharyngeal swab testing for the detection of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in a university hospital from 24 February 2020 to 31 March 2020 were collected. For those who tested positive and for those who tested positive but who were asymptomatic, we checked the laboratory and clinical data as of 22 May to calculate the time necessary for HCWs to then test negative and to verify whether symptoms developed thereafter. Frequencies of positive tests were compared according to selected variables using multivariable logistic regression models. RESULTS: There were 139 positive tests (8.8%) among 1573 HCWs (95% confidence interval, 7.5-10.3), with a marked difference between symptomatic (122/503, 24.2%) and asymptomatic (17/1070, 1.6%) workers (p < 0.001). Physicians were the group with the highest frequency of positive tests (61/582, 10.5%), whereas clerical workers and technicians had the lowest frequency (5/137, 3.6%). The likelihood of testing positive for COVID-19 increased with the number of reported symptoms; the strongest predictors of test positivity were taste and smell alterations (odds ratio = 76.9) and fever (odds ratio = 9.12). The median time from first positive test to a negative test was 27 days (95% confidence interval, 24-30). CONCLUSIONS: HCWs can be infected with SARS-CoV-2 without displaying any symptoms. Among symptomatic HCWs, the key symptoms to guide diagnosis are taste and smell alterations and fever. A median of almost 4 weeks is necessary before nasopharyngeal swab test results are negative.


Pain: A potential new label of COVID-19


Trauma center activity and surge response during the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic - the Philadelphia story


title: Practical aspects of targeting IL-6 in COVID-19 disease

text: Severe cases of COVID-19 are often attended by a syndrome that has been described as "cytokine storm," with some features shared with macrophage activation syndrome. A variety of experimental therapies targeting this hyperinflammatory state are now being applied in hospitals around the world. Among the most widely used treatments are monoclonal antibodies targeting interleukin-6 (IL-6) or the IL-6 receptor. Anti-IL-6 drugs are being widely used experimentally and as off-label therapy for patients with COVID-19 who are sick and deteriorating but have a reasonable chance of recovering, but they are still unproven and unapproved for this use. The pandemic has created major ethical and practical questions about patient selection and nonapproved use vs use in the context of a randomized clinical trial.


title: Putting the Air Transportation System to sleep: a passenger perspective measured by passenger-generated data

text: This paper aims at analyzing the effect on the US air transportation system of the travel restriction measures implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic from a passenger perspective. Flight centric data are not already publicly and widely available therefore the traditional metrics used to measure the state of this system are not yet available. Seven metrics based on three different passenger-generated datasets are proposed here. They aim to measure in close to real-time how the travel restriction measures impacted the relation between major stakeholders of the US air transportation system, namely passengers, airports and airlines.


Face masks for the public during covid-19: the more things change


The Use of eHealth for the Care of Patients With Diabetes in Connection to the COVID-19 Pandemic


title: Variational principles for fluid dynamics on rough paths

text: In this paper, we introduce a new framework for parametrization schemes (PS) in GFD. Using the theory of controlled rough paths, we derive a class of rough geophysical fluid dynamics (RGFD) models as critical points of rough action functionals. These RGFD models characterize Lagrangian trajectories in fluid dynamics as geometric rough paths (GRP) on the manifold of diffeomorphic maps. Three constrained variational approaches are formulated for the derivation of these models. The first is the Clebsch formulation, in which the constraints are imposed as rough advection laws. The second is the Hamilton-Pontryagin formulation, in which the constraints are imposed as right-invariant rough vector fields. The third is the Euler--Poincar\'e formulation in which the variations are constrained. These variational principles lead directly to the Lie--Poisson Hamiltonian formulation of fluid dynamics on geometric rough paths. The GRP framework preserves the geometric structure of fluid dynamics obtained by using Lie group reduction to pass from Lagrangian to Eulerian variational principles, thereby yielding a rough formulation of the Kelvin circulation theorem. The rough-path variational approach includes non-Markovian perturbations of the Lagrangian fluid trajectories. In particular, memory effects can be introduced through this formulation through a judicious choice of the rough path (e.g. a realization of a fractional Brownian motion). In the special case when the rough path is a realization of a semimartingale, we recover the SGFD models in Holm (2015). However, by eliminating the need for stochastic variational tools, we retain a pathwise interpretation of the Lagrangian trajectories. In contrast, the Lagrangian trajectories in the stochastic framework are described by stochastic integrals which do not have a pathwise interpretation. Thus, the rough path formulation restores this property.


title: Potential implications of SARS-CoV-2 epidemic in Africa: where are we going from now?

text: The SARS-CoV-2, which emerged from East Asia in December 2019, has rapidly evolved into a global pandemic infecting close to 7 million people. The current uncertainties regarding its impact on Africa calls for critical monitoring of the evolution of the pandemic and correlation of factors that influence the burden of the disease. We herein discuss possible implications of SARS-CoV-2 on the African continent.


title: Incidence and Immunologic Analysis of Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) in Hemodialysis Patients:A Single-Center Experience

text: OBJECTIVES: COVID-19 is a great threat to the modern world and significant threat to immunocompromised patients, including patients with chronic renal failure. We evaluated COVID-19 incidence among our hemodialysis patients and investigated the most probable immune mechanisms against COVID-19. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Baskent University has 21 dialysis centers across Turkey, with 2420 patients on hemodialysis and 30 on peritoneal dialysis. Among these, we retrospectively evaluated 602 patients (257 female/345 male) with chronic renal failure receiving hemodialysis as renal replacement therapy; 7 patients (1.1%) were infected with SARS-CoV-2. We retrospectively collected patient demographic characteristics, clinical data, and immunological factors affecting the clinical course of the disease. We divided patients into groups and included 2 control groups (individuals with normal renal functions): group I included COVID-19-positive patients with normal renal function, group II included COVID-19-positive hemodialysis patients, group III included COVID-19-negative hemodialysis patients, and group IV included COVID-19-negative patients with normal renal function. Lymphocyte subsets in peripheral blood and typing of human leukocyte antigens were analyzed in all groups, with killer cell immunoglobulin like receptor genes analyzed only in COVID-19-positive patients and healthy controls. RESULTS: No deaths occurred among the 7 COVID-19-positive hemodialysis patients. Group I patients were significantly older than patients in groups II and III (P = .039, P = .030, respectively) but not significantly different from group IV (P = .060). Absolute counts of natural killer cells in healthy controls were higherthan in other groups (but not significantly). ActivatedT cells were significantly increased in both COVID-19-positive groups versus COVID-19-negative groups. Groups showed significant differences in C and DQ loci with respect to distribution of alleles in both HLA classes. CONCLUSIONS: Although immunocompromised patients are at greater risk for COVID-19, we found lower COVID-19 incidence in our hemodialysis patients, which should be further investigated in in vitro and molecular studies.


title: The EAERE Celebrates Its 30th Anniversary

text: The European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists started around 1990 and celebrates its 30th anniversary this year. The rise of environmental concerns and the wish for more cooperation between scientists within Europe, plus the drive of a few highly motivated people, led to the foundation of this academic institution. This article aims at clarifying the initial steps and the development of this highly successful association. The relationship between economics and the environment is core for the future of our world, and the EAERE was crucial in developing this field. The EAERE has been a stimulus and a home for many scientists who were interested to work in this field and who would otherwise have been quite isolated. The future of the EAERE is bright if it manages to bridge new developments in economics and in the natural sciences, and between academics and policy.


title: COVID 19, a realistic model for saturation, growth and decay of the India specific disease

text: This work presents a simple and realistic approach to handle the available data of COVID-19 patients in India and to forecast the scenario. The model proposed is based on the available facts like the onset of lockdown (as announced by the Government on 25th day, {\tau}0 and the recovery pattern dictated by a mean life recovery time of {\tau}1 ( normally said to be around 14 days). The data of infected COVID-19 patients from March 2, to April 16, 2020 has been used to fit the evolution of infected, recovery and death counts. A slow rising exponential growth, with R0 close to 1/6, is found to represent the infected counts indicating almost a linear rise. The rest of growth, saturation and decay of data is comprehensibly modelled by incorporating lockdown time controlled R0, having a normal error function like behaviour decaying to zero in some time frame of {\tau}2 . The recovery mean life time {\tau}1 dictates the peak and decay. The results predicted for coming days are interesting and optimistic. The introduced time constants based on experimental data for both the recovery rate as well as for determining the time span of activity of R0 after the lockdown are subject of debate and provide possibility to introduce trigger factors to alter these to be more suited to the model. The model can be extended to other communities with their own R0 and recovery time parameters.


Underperformance of Reverse-Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction in Japan and Potential Implications From Diamond Princess Cruise Ship and Other Countries During the Ongoing COVID-19 Pandemic


title: COVID-19: Drug Targets and Potential Treatments

text: Currently, humans are immersed in a pandemic caused by the emerging severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which threatens public health worldwide. To date, no drug or vaccine has been approved to treat the severe disease caused by this coronavirus, COVID-19. In this paper, we will focus on the main virus-based and host-based targets that can guide efforts in medicinal chemistry to discover new drugs for this devastating disease. In principle, all CoV enzymes and proteins involved in viral replication and the control of host cellular machineries are potentially druggable targets in the search for therapeutic options for SARS-CoV-2. This Perspective provides an overview of the main targets from a structural point of view, together with reported therapeutic compounds with activity against SARS-CoV-2 and/or other CoVs. Also, the role of innate immune response to coronavirus infection and the related therapeutic options will be presented.


title: Interpretation of "expert consensus on elderly patients with hip fractures under epidemic of novel coronavirus pneumonia"

text: With aim to reasonably cope with the elderly patients with hip fracture during epidemic of corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19), Professor Su Jiacan and Academician Zhang Yingze organized the &quot;expert consensus on elderly patients with hip fractures under epidemic of novel coronavirus pneumonia&quot;that for the first time formulated the management strategies for the elderly patients with hip fracture including selection of surgical methods and protective measures for medical staff from perspective of orthopedic surgeons The authors interpret the clinical guiding value and key points of diagnosis and treatment of the consensus to help clinicians better understand the consensus and strengthen its practical application


title: Interpretation of 'expert consensus on elderly patients with hip fractures under epidemic of novel coronavirus pneumonia'

text: With aim to reasonably cope with the elderly patients with hip fracture during epidemic of corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19), Professor Su Jiacan and Academician Zhang Yingze organized the 'expert consensus on elderly patients with hip fractures under epidemic of novel coronavirus pneumonia' that for the first time formulated the management strategies for the elderly patients with hip fracture including selection of surgical methods and protective measures for medical staff from perspective of orthopedic surgeons The authors interpret the clinical guiding value and key points of diagnosis and treatment of the consensus to help clinicians better understand the consensus and strengthen its practical application


docid: tsxlookk

text: With aim to reasonably cope with the elderly patients with hip fracture during epidemic of corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19), Professor Su Jiacan and Academician Zhang Yingze organized the "expert consensus on elderly patients with hip fractures under epidemic of novel coronavirus pneumonia"that for the first time formulated the management strategies for the elderly patients with hip fracture including selection of surgical methods and protective measures for medical staff from perspective of orthopedic surgeons The authors interpret the clinical guiding value and key points of diagnosis and treatment of the consensus to help clinicians better understand the consensus and strengthen its practical application


Management strategies adopted by a paediatric palliative care network in northern Italy during the COVID-19 pandemic


title: Utility of CT scan in patients with initial negative PCR for SARS-CoV2: a report of three cases

text: PCR-based viral RNA to confirm the diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 infection has a sensitivity of around 70%. We report three cases of patients with negative initial PCR and CT scan lesions that led us to suspect COVID-19, but which one(s) are really COVID-19?


Does SARS-CoV-2 infection cause sperm DNA fragmentation? Possible link with oxidative stress


Chloroquine-Induced First-Episode Psychosis in a Patient Self-medicated for COVID-19


Grace, Connection, and Hard Conversations: Primary Care Geriatrics in the COVID Era


title: Trends in scientific research in Online Information Review. Part 2. Mapping the scientific knowledge through bibliometric and social network analyses

text: Objective. The purpose of this work is to analyse the knowledge structure and trends in scientific research in the Online Information Reviews journal by bibliometric analysis of key words and social network analysis of co-words. Methods. Key words included in a set of 758 papers included in the Web of Science database from 2000 to 2014 were analysed. We conducted a subject analysis considering the key words assigned to papers. A social network analysis was also conducted to identify the number of co-occurrences between key words (co-words). The Pajek software was used to create and graphically visualize the networks. Results. Internet is the most frequent key word (n=219) and the most central in the network of co-words, strongly associated with Information retrieval, search engines, the World Wide Web, libraries and users Conclusions. Information science, as represented by Online Information Review in the present study, is an evolving discipline that draws on literature from a relatively wide range of subjects. Although Online Information Review appears to have well-defined and established research topics, the journal also changes rapidly to embrace new lines of research.


CORONAVIRUS 最大の脅威は中国政府の隠蔽工作 : 新型肺炎


When infection prevention enters the temple: Intergenerational social distancing and COVID-19


docid: smtydtzy

title: N95 Usage During the COVID-19 Pandemic

text: Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), formerly ubiquitous and disposable in the hospital and healthcare environment, has become scarce during the COVID-19 pandemic. This shortage has precipitated creative solutions to re-use and/or extend the lifetime of PPE, most notably the N95 mask. This article attempts to summarize options regarding re-use of N95 respirators and is for informational purposes only.


title: What do urologists need to know: Diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up during COVID-19 pandemic

text: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an infectious disease which is caused by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). It has had unprecedented effect on healthcare systems globally with severe impact on every specialist service within the hospital including urology. While it affects the respiratory system causing symptoms ranging from fever, cough, dyspnea, diarrhea, nausea, myalgia and fatigue, it eventually causes pneumonia and respiratory distress needing oxygenation and ventilation. Laboratory diagnosis is required to confirm the diagnosis of COVID-19. Radiological changes are seen on chest XR or CT scan of patients. The surge in patients affected by the disease has led to extreme pressures on healthcare systems by the overwhelming number of critically unwell patients. This scenario has presented challenges to maintain other emergency and essential services. Reallocation of staff, wards and equipment has resulted in cancellations of many surgical procedures, requiring urologists to select only the most essential or critical procedures. The outpatient face-to-face clinics are also cancelled or changed to telephone or video consultations. In some hospitals, urologists are required to work outside of their usual scope of practice helping their respiratory and intensive care unit colleagues. The pandemic is disrupting training and education opportunities for junior medical staff. In this review we provide guidance on the diagnosis and management of COVID-19, the influence it has on urological practice and consider the long-term implications that may be of consequence for years to come.


title: Provision of dental hospital services during the COVID-19 epidemic

text: Data sources Information about health services provision of public tertiary dental hospitals in China mainland was retrieved through a web search engine. Data analysis The status of non-emergency dental services, emergency dental services and online professional consultation was recorded and analysed. If telehealth was provided, the charge,means of access, service time and service content were investigated. The geographical distribution of hospitals was recorded and classified .Results A total of 48 dental hospitals were included in the study. All 48 dental hospitals suspended general non-emergency dental treatment. They provided emergency dental services only.


Beijing proposes law to ban criticism of traditional Chinese medicine


title: Health security capacities in the context of COVID-19 outbreak: an analysis of International Health Regulations annual report data from 182 countries

text: BACKGROUND: Public health measures to prevent, detect, and respond to events are essential to control public health risks, including infectious disease outbreaks, as highlighted in the International Health Regulations (IHR). In light of the outbreak of 2019 novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), we aimed to review existing health security capacities against public health risks and events. METHODS: We used 18 indicators from the IHR State Party Annual Reporting (SPAR) tool and associated data from national SPAR reports to develop five indices: (1) prevent, (2) detect, (3) respond, (4) enabling function, and (5) operational readiness. We used SPAR 2018 data for all of the indicators and categorised countries into five levels across the indices, in which level 1 indicated the lowest level of national capacity and level 5 the highest. We also analysed data at the regional level (using the six geographical WHO regions). FINDINGS: Of 182 countries, 52 (28%) had prevent capacities at levels 1 or 2, and 60 (33%) had response capacities at levels 1 or 2. 81 (45%) countries had prevent capacities and 78 (43%) had response capacities at levels 4 or 5, indicating that these countries were operationally ready. 138 (76%) countries scored more highly in the detect index than in the other indices. 44 (24%) countries did not have an effective enabling function for public health risks and events, including infectious disease outbreaks (7 [4%] at level 1 and 37 [20%] at level 2). 102 (56%) countries had level 4 or level 5 enabling function capacities in place. 32 (18%) countries had low readiness (2 [1%] at level 1 and 30 [17%] at level 2), and 104 (57%) countries were operationally ready to prevent, detect, and control an outbreak of a novel infectious disease (66 [36%] at level 4 and 38 [21%] at level 5). INTERPRETATION: Countries vary widely in terms of their capacity to prevent, detect, and respond to outbreaks. Half of all countries analysed have strong operational readiness capacities in place, which suggests that an effective response to potential health emergencies could be enabled, including to COVID-19. Findings from local risk assessments are needed to fully understand national readiness capacities in relation to COVID-19. Capacity building and collaboration between countries are needed to strengthen global readiness for outbreak control. FUNDING: None.


Traditional Chinese medicine is a resource for drug discovery against 2019 novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2)


title: Handling and Processing of Blood Specimens from Patients with COVID-19 for Safe Studies on Cell Phenotype and Cytokine Storm

text: The pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 heavily involves all those working in a laboratory. Samples from known infected patients or donors who are considered healthy can arrive, and a colleague might be asymptomatic but able to transmit the virus. Working in a clinical laboratory is posing several safety challenges. Few years ago, International Society for Advancement of Cytometry published guidelines to safely analyze and sort human samples that were revised in these days. We describe the procedures that we have been following since the first patient appeared in Italy, which have only slightly modified our standard one, being all human samples associated with risks. © 2020 International Society for Advancement of Cytometry.


Covid-19: Students on standby to help with contract tracing


title: COVID-19: gynecologic cancer surgery at a single center in Madrid

text: OBJECTIVES: While numerous medical facilities have been forced to suspend oncological surgery due to system overload, debate has emerged on using non-surgical options on cancer cases during the pandemic. The goal of our study was to analyze, in a retrospective cohort study, the results of gynecological cancer surgery and evaluate postoperative complications in a single center in one of the most affected areas in Europe. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the records of patients who were referred between March 2020 and May 2020 for primary surgical treatment of breast, endometrial, ovarian, cervical, or vulvar cancer. RESULTS: The study included a total of 126 patients. Median age was 60 years (range 29-89). Patients were referred with breast (76/126, 60.3%), endometrial (29/126, 23%), ovarian (14/126, 11.1%), cervical (5/126, 4%), or vulvar cancer (2/126, 1.6%). Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test for detection of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-COV-2) was only conducted in 50% of cases due to the low availability of tests during the first phase of our study, and was indicated only in suspected cases according to the healthcare authorities' protocol. Median hospital stay was 1 day (range 0-18). Excluding breast surgery, laparoscopy was the most used procedure (43/126, 34.1%). 15 patients had a postoperative complication (15/126, 11.9%); only in 2 patients (2/15 13.3%) were there reports of Clavien-Dindo grade 3 or 4 complications. 6 patients tested positive for COVID-19 following a PCR diagnostic test, and these surgeries were cancelled. CONCLUSIONS: Adequate protective measures in the setting of COVID-19 free institutions enabled the continuity of cancer surgery without significant compromise of the safety of patients or healthcare workers.


Immunopharmacological management of COVID-19: Potential therapeutic role of valproic acid


title: Prognosis analysis of patients with mental disorders with COVID-19: a single-center retrospective study

text: Our study aimed to investigate the factors affecting the prognosis of patients with mental disorders with COVID-19. All patients with mental disorders who were diagnosed with COVID-19 at the intensive care unit of Wuhan Mental Health Center during the period January 3 to March 1, 2020 were selected. The influence of the baseline characteristics, clinical symptoms, laboratory parameters and the types of mental disorders on prognosis were analyzed. According to their final prognosis, the patients were divided into the deceased group (5 patients) and the cured group (25 patients). The mortality rate of patients with dementia was significantly higher than that of patients with other mental disorders (P = 0.001). The levels of certain laboratory parameters in the serum of dementia patients were significantly increased compared with levels in nondementia patients (WBC count: 10.100±6.147 vs. 5.694±3.383, p = 0.029; neutrophil count: 8.504± 5.993 vs. 3.764 ± 2.733, P = 0.008; BUN: 8.300± 4.072 vs. 4.364 ± 1.196, P = 0.001). Our research indicated that the mortality rate of dementia patients with COVID-19 was higher than that of patients with other mental disorders. A focus on the inflammatory response of dementia patients may provide novel ideas for reducing mortality.


Spontaneous Pneumomediastinum in a Patient with Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pneumonia and the Possible Underlying Mechanism


Corrigendum to "The deadly coronaviruses: The 2003 SARS pandemic and the 2020 novel coronavirus epidemic in China" [J. Autoimmun. 109C (2020) 102434]


The blurred line between the art and science of medicine


title: Apps Gone Rogue: Maintaining Personal Privacy in an Epidemic

text: Containment, the key strategy in quickly halting an epidemic, requires rapid identification and quarantine of the infected individuals, determination of whom they have had close contact with in the previous days and weeks, and decontamination of locations the infected individual has visited. Achieving containment demands accurate and timely collection of the infected individual's location and contact history. Traditionally, this process is labor intensive, susceptible to memory errors, and fraught with privacy concerns. With the recent almost ubiquitous availability of smart phones, many people carry a tool which can be utilized to quickly identify an infected individual's contacts during an epidemic, such as the current 2019 novel Coronavirus crisis. Unfortunately, the very same first-generation contact tracing tools have been used to expand mass surveillance, limit individual freedoms and expose the most private details about individuals. We seek to outline the different technological approaches to mobile-phone based contact-tracing to date and elaborate on the opportunities and the risks that these technologies pose to individuals and societies. We describe advanced security enhancing approaches that can mitigate these risks and describe trade-offs one must make when developing and deploying any mass contact-tracing technology. With this paper, our aim is to continue to grow the conversation regarding contact-tracing for epidemic and pandemic containment and discuss opportunities to advance this space. We invite feedback and discussion.


title: Does COVID-19 infection impact on the trend of seasonal influenza infection? 11 countries and regions, from 2014 to 2020

text: OBJECTIVES: Infection due to the 2019 novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is dramatically widespread around the world. The COVID-19 pandemic could increase public concern to prevent infectious disease. The present study aimed to assess the relationship between the COVID-19 epidemic and the potential decrease in seasonal influenza cases. METHODS: This study was performed to show trends in seasonal influenza cases from the 2014-2015 season to the 2019-2020 season in 11 countries and regions, and evaluate whether the trends in the 2019-2020 season were different before and after the COVID-19 pandemic compared to previous seasons using a quasi-experimental difference-in-difference design. RESULTS: In East Asia, the number of seasonal influenza cases in the 2019-20 season was lower after the COVID-19 transmission compared to previous years. However, this was not the case in American countries or in European countries. CONCLUSION: The COVID-19 epidemic might have altered health behaviors, resulting in an unexpected reduction of seasonal influenza cases.


title: Emergency preparedness after COVID-19: A review of policy statements for the U.S. water sector

text: Although COVID-19 has impacted water and wastewater utilities in new and profound ways, they must still provide their vital services despite the disruptions. The pandemic brings into focus their need for proactive emergency preparedness. In the United States, professional associations have long advocated in this area and have already developed considerable policy guidance and resources to help water and wastewater utilities prepare for and respond to emergencies. In the midst of the crisis, several U.S. policies are reviewed here. Utilities should reflect on their COVID-19 experience, learn from it, and apply their newfound perspective to strengthen future emergency preparedness.


title: Increased susceptibility of SARS-CoV2 infection on oral cancer patients; cause and effects: An hypothesis

text: In 2019, a new coronavirus (SARS CoV2) infecting humans has emerged in Wuhan, China which caused an unprecedented pandemic involving at least 185 countries infecting 2.5 million people till date. This virus is transmitted directly or indirectly through the upper aerodigestive tract. As it is evident from the recent studies that SARS-CoV-2 requires host enzyme Furin to activate receptor binding domain of its S protein and host Angiotensin Convertase Enzyme 2 (ACE2) is required as binding receptor, facilitating the entry of virus into the host cell. Evidence from literature shows that oral cancer tissues as well as paracarcinoma tissue exhibit higher expression of both Furin and ACE2, giving rise to the hypothesis that patients with oral cancer have higher chances of SARS CoV2 infection. It is also hypothesised that there will be increased severity of disease due to facilitated entry of the virus into the cells. Therefore, we suggest oral cancer patients require extra attention during COVID-19 pandemic and re-evaluation of current treatment paradigms in oral oncology is also needed.


title: Conspiracy in the Time of Corona: Automatic detection of Covid-19 Conspiracy Theories in Social Media and the News

text: Rumors and conspiracy theories thrive in environments of low confidence and low trust. Consequently, it is not surprising that ones related to the Covid-19 pandemic are proliferating given the lack of any authoritative scientific consensus on the virus, its spread and containment, or on the long term social and economic ramifications of the pandemic. Among the stories currently circulating are ones suggesting that the 5G network activates the virus, that the pandemic is a hoax perpetrated by a global cabal, that the virus is a bio-weapon released deliberately by the Chinese, or that Bill Gates is using it as cover to launch a global surveillance regime. While some may be quick to dismiss these stories as having little impact on real-world behavior, recent events including the destruction of property, racially fueled attacks against Asian Americans, and demonstrations espousing resistance to public health orders countermand such conclusions. Inspired by narrative theory, we crawl social media sites and news reports and, through the application of automated machine-learning methods, discover the underlying narrative frameworks supporting the generation of these stories. We show how the various narrative frameworks fueling rumors and conspiracy theories rely on the alignment of otherwise disparate domains of knowledge, and consider how they attach to the broader reporting on the pandemic. These alignments and attachments, which can be monitored in near real-time, may be useful for identifying areas in the news that are particularly vulnerable to reinterpretation by conspiracy theorists. Understanding the dynamics of storytelling on social media and the narrative frameworks that provide the generative basis for these stories may also be helpful for devising methods to disrupt their spread.


title: Coronavirus Act 2020: An overview by a lawyer interested in medico-legal matters

text: The Act and the regulations. How long they might last. The suspension of the renewals. Enforcement and the role of the police. Protection of whistleblowers. The trial scene. The ultimate impact.


The COVID-19 Pandemic and Mayo Clinic Proceedings


title: Type 3 hypersensitivity in COVID-19 vasculitis

text: Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an ongoing public health emergency and new knowledge about its immunopathogenic mechanisms is deemed necessary in the attempt to reduce the death burden, globally. For the first time in worldwide literature, we provide scientific evidence that in COVID-19 vasculitis a life-threatening escalation from type 2 T-helper immune response (humoral immunity) to type 3 hypersensitivity (immune complex disease) takes place. The subsequent deposition of immune complexes inside the vascular walls is supposed to induce a severe inflammatory state and a cytokine release syndrome, whose interleukin-6 is the key myokine, from the smooth muscle cells of blood vessels.


title: Proyección epidemiológica de COVID-19 en Chile basado en el modelo SEIR generalizado y el concepto de recuperado./ [An epidemiological forecast of COVID-19 in Chile based on the generalized SEIR model and the concept of recovered]

text: The COVID-19 pandemic declared by the World Health Organization (WHO) has generated a wide-ranging debate regarding epidemiological forecasts and the global implications. With the data obtained from the Chilean Ministry of Health (MINSAL), a prospective study was carried out using the generalized SEIR model to estimate the course of COVID-19 in Chile. Three scenarios were estimated: Scenario 1 with official MINSAL data; scenario 2 with official MINSAL data and recovery criteria proposed by international organizations of health; and scenario 3 with official MINSAL data, recovery criteria proposed by international organizations of health, and without considering deaths in the total recovered. There are considerable differences between scenario 1 compared to 2 and 3 in the number of deaths, active patients, and duration of the disease. Scenario 3, considered the most adverse, estimates a total of 11,000 infected people, 1,151 deaths, and that the peak of the disease will occur in the first days of May. We concluded that the concept of recovered may be decisive for the epidemiological forecasts of COVID-19 in Chile.


Why more coronavirus testing won't automatically help the hardest hit


title: Validation of a commercially available SARS-CoV-2 serological immunoassay

text: OBJECTIVES: To validate the diagnostic accuracy of a Euroimmun SARS-CoV-2 IgG and IgA immunoassay for COVID-19. METHODS: In this unmatched (1:2) case-control validation study, we used sera of 181 laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 cases and 326 controls collected before SARS-CoV-2 emergence. Diagnostic accuracy of the immunoassay was assessed against a whole spike protein-based recombinant immunofluorescence assay (rIFA) by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analyses. Discrepant cases between ELISA and rIFA were further tested by pseudo-neutralization assay. RESULTS: COVID-19 patients were more likely to be male and older than controls, and 50.3% were hospitalized. ROC curve analyses indicated that IgG and IgA had high diagnostic accuracies with AUCs of 0.990 (95% Confidence Interval [95%CI]: 0.983-0.996) and 0.978 (95%CI: 0.967-0.989), respectively. IgG assays outperformed IgA assays (p=0.01). Taking an assessed 15% inter-assay imprecision into account, an optimized IgG ratio cut-off > 2.5 displayed a 100% specificity (95%CI: 99-100) and a 100% positive predictive value (95%CI: 96-100). A 0.8 cut-off displayed a 94% sensitivity (95%CI: 88-97) and a 97% negative predictive value (95%CI: 95-99). Substituting the upper threshold for the manufacturer's, improved assay performance, leaving 8.9% of IgG ratios indeterminate between 0.8-2.5. CONCLUSIONS: The Euroimmun assay displays a nearly optimal diagnostic accuracy using IgG against SARS-CoV-2 in patient samples, with no obvious gains from IgA serology. The optimized cut-offs are fit for rule-in and rule-out purposes, allowing determination of whether individuals in our study population have been exposed to SARS-CoV-2 or not. IgG serology should however not be considered as a surrogate of protection at this stage.


Designing of improved drugs for COVID-19: Crystal structure of SARS-CoV-2 main protease Mpro


title: YouTube as a source of medical information on the novel coronavirus 2019 disease (COVID-19) pandemic

text: Media coverage on coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been extensive, yet large gaps remain in our understanding of the role of social media platforms during worldwide health crisis. The purpose of this study was to assess the most viewed YouTube videos on COVID-19 for medical content. We coded video characteristics, source, and medical content of the 113 most-widely viewed videos about COVID-19. Seventy-nine (69.9%) videos were classified as useful, and 10 (8.8%) videos were classified as misleading. Independent users were more likely to post misleading videos than useful videos (60.0% vs 21.5%, P = 0.009). News agencies were more likely to post useful videos than misleading videos (72.2% vs 40.0%, P = 0.039). Useful videos were more likely to present any information on prevalence or incidence (79.7% vs 20.0%, P < 0.001), as well as information on outcomes or prognosis (84.8% vs 30.0%, P < 0.001) compared to misleading videos. The World Health Organization contributed one useful video (1.3%), while no videos from the Center for Disease Control were included. Although YouTube generally is a useful source of medical information on the COVID-19 pandemic, increased efforts to disseminate accurate information from reputable sources is desired to help mitigate disease spread and decrease unnecessary panic in the general population.


title: An Ensemble Approach to Predicting the Impact of Vaccination on Rotavirus Disease in Niger

text: Recently developed vaccines provide a new way of controlling rotavirus in sub-Saharan Africa. Models for the transmission dynamics of rotavirus are critical both for estimating current burden from imperfect surveillance and for assessing potential effects of vaccine intervention strategies. We examine rotavirus infection in the Maradi area in southern Niger using hospital surveillance data provided by Epicentre collected over two years. Additionally, a cluster survey of households in the region allows us to estimate the proportion of children with diarrhea who consulted at a health structure. Model fit and future projections are necessarily particular to a given model; thus, where there are competing models for the underlying epidemiology an ensemble approach can account for that uncertainty. We compare our results across several variants of Susceptible-Infectious-Recovered (SIR) compartmental models to quantify the impact of modeling assumptions on our estimates. Model-specific parameters are estimated by Bayesian inference using Markov chain Monte Carlo. We then use Bayesian model averaging to generate ensemble estimates of the current dynamics, including estimates of $R_0$, the burden of infection in the region, as well as the impact of vaccination on both the short-term dynamics and the long-term reduction of rotavirus incidence under varying levels of coverage. The ensemble of models predicts that the current burden of severe rotavirus disease is 2.9 to 4.1% of the population each year and that a 2-dose vaccine schedule achieving 70% coverage could reduce burden by 37-43%.


title: Community Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 at Two Family Gatherings - Chicago, Illinois, February-March 2020

text: SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), has spread rapidly around the world since it was first recognized in late 2019. Most early reports of person-to-person SARS-CoV-2 transmission have been among household contacts, where the secondary attack rate has been estimated to exceed 10% (1), in health care facilities (2), and in congregate settings (3). However, widespread community transmission, as is currently being observed in the United States, requires more expansive transmission events between nonhousehold contacts. In February and March 2020, the Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) investigated a large, multifamily cluster of COVID-19. Patients with confirmed COVID-19 and their close contacts were interviewed to better understand nonhousehold, community transmission of SARS-CoV-2. This report describes the cluster of 16 cases of confirmed or probable COVID-19, including three deaths, likely resulting from transmission of SARS-CoV-2 at two family gatherings (a funeral and a birthday party). These data support current CDC social distancing recommendations intended to reduce SARS-CoV-2 transmission. U.S residents should follow stay-at-home orders when required by state or local authorities.


title: Essential Oils as Antiviral Agents. Potential of Essential Oils to Treat SARS-CoV-2 Infection: An In-Silico Investigation

text: Essential oils have shown promise as antiviral agents against several pathogenic viruses. In this work we hypothesized that essential oil components may interact with key protein targets of the 2019 severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). A molecular docking analysis was carried out using 171 essential oil components with SARS-CoV-2 main protease (SARS-CoV-2 Mpro), SARS-CoV-2 endoribonucleoase (SARS-CoV-2 Nsp15/NendoU), SARS-CoV-2 ADP-ribose-1â³-phosphatase (SARS-CoV-2 ADRP), SARS-CoV-2 RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (SARS-CoV-2 RdRp), the binding domain of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein (SARS-CoV-2 rS), and human angiotensin-converting enzyme (hACE2). The compound with the best normalized docking score to SARS-CoV-2 Mpro was the sesquiterpene hydrocarbon (E)-ß-farnesene. The best docking ligands for SARS-CoV Nsp15/NendoU were (E,E)-α-farnesene, (E)-ß-farnesene, and (E,E)-farnesol. (E,E)-Farnesol showed the most exothermic docking to SARS-CoV-2 ADRP. Unfortunately, the docking energies of (E,E)-α-farnesene, (E)-ß-farnesene, and (E,E)-farnesol with SARS-CoV-2 targets were relatively weak compared to docking energies with other proteins and are, therefore, unlikely to interact with the virus targets. However, essential oil components may act synergistically, essential oils may potentiate other antiviral agents, or they may provide some relief of COVID-19 symptoms.


Does Ibuprofen Worsen COVID-19?


Estimating Coronavirus Disease 2019 Infection Risk in Health Care Workers


The explosion in scabies cases during COVID-19 pandemic


Searching for the bright spots in a time of crisis


[Myocardial injury in patients with COVID-19 pneumonia]


Myocardial injury in patients with COVID-19 pneumonia


Changes in the clinical practice of ophthalmology during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak: an experience from Daegu, Korea


title: Diferencias en función de la edad y la autopercepción del envejecimiento en ansiedad, tristeza, soledad y sintomatología comórbida ansioso-depresiva durante el confinamiento por la COVID-19./ [Differences in anxiety, sadness, loneliness and comorbid anxiety and sadness as a function of age and self-perceptions of aging during the lock-out period due to COVID-19]

text: OBJECTIVES: To analyze differences by age group in anxiety, depression, loneliness and comorbid anxiety and depression in young people, middle aged adults and older adults during the lock-down period at home due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and to explore the association between negative self-perceptions of aging and psychological symptoms controlling by age group. METHOD: Participants are 1501 people (age range 18 to 88 years). Anxiety, sadness, loneliness and self-perceptions of aging were assessed. The sample was divided according to the age group and quartiles (lower, intermediate levels, and higher) of anxiety, sadness, loneliness and self-perceptions of aging. RESULTS: Older adults reported lower levels of anxiety and sadness than middle aged adults, and middle aged adults reported lower levels than younger participants. Middle aged adults reported the lowest loneliness, followed by older adults and younger participants. For each age group, those with more negative self-perceptions of aging reported higher anxiety, sadness and loneliness. More comorbid anxiety and sadness was found in younger adults and less in older adults; more depressed participants in the middle aged group, and more older adults and less younger participants were found in the group with the lowest levels of anxiety and sadness. For all the age groups, participants with high levels of comorbid anxiety and sadness are those who report the highest scores in negative self-perceptions of aging. CONCLUSIONS: Older adults reported lower psychological anxiety, sadness and loneliness than the other age groups. Having negative self-perceptions of aging damage psychological health irrespective of the chronological age.


title: Bereavement Support on the Frontline of COVID-19: Recommendations for Hospital Clinicians

text: Deaths due to COVID-19 are associated with risk factors which can lead to prolonged grief disorder, post-traumatic stress, and other poor bereavement outcomes among relatives, as well as moral injury and distress in frontline staff. Here we review relevant research evidence and provide evidence-based recommendations and resources for hospital clinicians to mitigate poor bereavement outcomes and support staff. For relatives, bereavement risk factors include dying in an intensive care unit, severe breathlessness, patient isolation or restricted access, significant patient and family emotional distress, and disruption to relatives' social support networks. Recommendations include advance care planning; proactive, sensitive, and regular communication with family members alongside accurate information provision; enabling family members to say goodbye in person where possible; supporting virtual communication; providing excellent symptom management and emotional and spiritual support; and providing and/or sign-posting to bereavement services. To mitigate effects of this emotionally challenging work on staff, we recommend an organizational and systemic approach which includes access to informal and professional support.


title: Infection control of operating room and anesthesia for cesarean section during pandemic Coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) outbreak in Daegu, the republic of Korea - 8 cases report

text: Background: Since the Coronavirus diseases-19 (COVID-19) was reported in Wuhan, China, Korea has also been exposed to the virus. In Korea, COVID-19 screening guidelines have been established in each hospital, trying to prevent the spread of infection. A case of successful Cesarean section from confirmed mother has been reported, but there are no guidelines for suspected mothers. Cesarean section can be operated urgently without sufficient evaluations of the infection. Case: Our hospital, located in Daegu, Korea, was designated as quarantine and delivery facility for suspected mother, and Cesarean section was done to seven suspected mothers and one confirmed mother. Conclusions: This case report suggests the guideline for infection control of surgery and anesthesia in emergent cesarean section of COVID-19 suspected mother by preparing operating room and protection strategy.


Enfermedad COVID-19: el hospital del futuro ya está aquí./ Enfermedad COVID-19: el hospital del futuro ya está aquí./ COVID-19 disease: the hospital of the future is already here


title: Mental Health Care Providers Dealing With Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19): What Is the Definition of a Case, How Is That Changing, and What Kinds of Tests Are Available?

text: The goal of this column is to inform mental health care professionals about the evolving way the diagnosis of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is being made, with emphasis on tests to assist in making the diagnosis and to determine the presence of antibodies to the virus. This column also provides some general information about the disease, its relative risks, and efforts to develop effective treatments. Links to credible websites that are being continuously updated are also provided for readers who want more information and to stay current with ongoing developments.


SARS-CoV-2 downregulation of ACE2 and pleiotropic effects of ACEIs/ARBs


title: Structural basis for inhibition of the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase from SARS-CoV-2 by remdesivir

text: The pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has become a global crisis. Replication of SARS-CoV-2 requires the viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) enzyme, a target of the antiviral drug remdesivir. Here we report the cryo-electron microscopy structure of the SARS-CoV-2 RdRp, both in the apo form at 2.8-angstrom resolution and in complex with a 50-base template-primer RNA and remdesivir at 2.5-angstrom resolution. The complex structure reveals that the partial double-stranded RNA template is inserted into the central channel of the RdRp, where remdesivir is covalently incorporated into the primer strand at the first replicated base pair, and terminates chain elongation. Our structures provide insights into the mechanism of viral RNA replication and a rational template for drug design to combat the viral infection.


Are Surgeons in India prepared for COVID-19?


title: SARS-CoV-2 Transmission from Presymptomatic Meeting Attendee, Germany

text: During a meeting in Munich, Germany, a presymptomatic attendee with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infected at least 11 of 13 other participants. Although 5 participants had no or mild symptoms, 6 had typical coronavirus disease, without dyspnea. Our findings suggest hand shaking and face-to-face contact as possible modes of transmission.


Alarm bells ring for patient data and privacy in the covid-19 goldrush


A participação da universidade na produção de testes diagnósticos moleculares do novo coronavírus no Brasil: resposta aos desafios sanitários./ A participação da universidade na produção de testes diagnósticos moleculares do novo coronavírus no Brasil: resposta aos desafios sanitários./ University participation in the production of molecular diagnostic tests for the novel coronavirus in Brazil: the response to health challenges


title: H2S as a potential defence against COVID-19? Immunological environment shifts during pregnancy may affect the risk of developing severe complications in COVID-19 patients

text: The outbreak of COVID-19 pneumonia caused by a new coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) is posing a global health emergency and has led to more than 380,000 deaths worldwide The cell entry of SARS-CoV-2 depends on two host proteins angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) and TMPRSS2 There is currently no vaccine available and also no effective drug for the treatment of COVID-19 Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) as a novel gasotransmitter has been shown to protect against lung damage via its anti-inflammation, anti-oxidative stress, anti-viral, pro-survival, and anti-aging effects In light of the research advances on H2S signalling in biology and medicine, this review proposed H2S as a potential defence against COVID-19 It is suggested that H2S may block SARS-CoV-2 entry into host cells by interfering with ACE2 and TMPRSS2, inhibit SARS-CoV-2 replication by attenuating virus assembly/release, and protect SARS-CoV-2-induced lung damage by suppressing immune response and inflammation development Preclinical studies and clinical trials with slow-releasing H2S donor(s) or the activators of endogenous H2S-generating enzymes should be considered as a preventative treatment or therapy for COVID-19


Interleukin-6 receptor blockade with subcutaneous tocilizumab in severe COVID-19 pneumonia and hyperinflammation: a case-control study


title: Implementation of a Novel Remote Physician SBRT Coverage Process during the Coronavirus Pandemic

text: Introduction: During the COVID-19 pandemic, alternative methods of care are needed to reduce the relative risk of transmission in departments. Also needed is the ability to provide vital radiation oncological care if radiation oncologists (RO) are reallocated to other departments. We implemented a novel remote RO SBRT coverage practice, requiring it to be reliable, of high audio and visual quality, timely, and the same level of specialty care as our current in-person treatment coverage practice. Methods: All observed failure modes were recorded during implementation over the first 15 sequential fractions. The time from CBCT to treatment was calculated before and after implementation to determine timeliness of remote coverage. Image quality metrics were calculated between the imaging console screen and the RO's shared screen. Comfort levels with audio/visual communication as well as overall comfort in comparison to in-person RO coverage was evaluated using Likert scale surveys after treatment. Results: Remote RO SBRT coverage was successfully implemented in 14/15 fractions with 3 observed process failures that were all corrected before treatment. Average times of pre-treatment coverage before and after implementation were 8.74 and 8.51min, respectively. The cross correlation between the imaging console screen and RO's shared screen was r=0.96 and lag was 0.05s. The average value for all survey questions was above 4.5, approaching in-person RO coverage comfort levels. Conclusions: Our novel method of remote RO SBRT coverage permits reduced personnel and patient interactions surrounding RT procedures. This may help to reduce transmission of COVID-19 in our department and provides a means for SBRT coverage if ROs are reallocated to other areas of the hospital for COVID-19 support.


docid: cflxivvm

title: Plausible mechanisms of Niclosamide as an antiviral agent against COVID-19

text: Corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic caused 18 440 deaths world wide as of 25 March 2020 and posing a serious threat to public health. There is a need, therefore, for effective therapeutic strategies to cure this disease. However, high attrition rates, substantial costs and slow pace are the major limitations of novel drug discovery. Drug repurposing, by employing 'old' drugs to treat 'new' diseases is an attractive approach in drug discovery. Niclosamide (NIC) is an approved anti-helminthic drug with diverse antiviral mechanisms. In this work we hypothesize, the potential antiviral mechanisms of NIC against COVID-19.


title: Persistence of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 in Aerosol Suspensions

text: We aerosolized severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 and determined that its dynamic aerosol efficiency surpassed those of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus and Middle East respiratory syndrome. Although we performed experiment only once across several laboratories, our findings suggest retained infectivity and virion integrity for up to 16 hours in respirable-sized aerosols.


title: When Separation is not the Answer: Breastfeeding Mothers and Infants affected by COVID-19

text: The World Health Organisation (WHO) has provided detailed guidance on the care of infants of women who are a person under investigation (PUI) or confirmed to have COVID-19, which supports immediate postpartum mother-infant contact and breastfeeding with appropriate respiratory precautions. Although many countries have followed WHO guidance, others have implemented infection prevention and control policies (IPC) that impose varying levels of postpartum separation and discourage or prohibit breastfeeding or provision of expressed breastmilk. These policies aim to protect infants from the potential harm of infection from their mothers, yet they may fail to fully account for the impact of separation. Global COVID-19 data are suggestive of potentially lower susceptibility and a typically milder course of disease among children, although the potential for severe disease in infancy remains. Separation causes cumulative harms, including disrupting breastfeeding and limiting its protection against infectious disease, which has disproportionate impacts on vulnerable infants. Separation also presumes the replaceability of breastfeeding - a risk that is magnified in emergencies. Moreover, separation does not ensure lower viral exposure during hospitalizations and post-discharge, and contributes to the burden on overwhelmed health systems. Finally, separation magnifies maternal health consequences of insufficient breastfeeding and compounds trauma in communities who have experienced long-standing inequities and violence, including family separation. Taken together, separating PUI/confirmed SARS-CoV-2 positive mothers and their infants may lead to excess preventable illnesses and deaths among infants and women around the world. Health services must consider the short-and-long-term impacts of separating mothers and infants in their policies.


De-isolation of COVID-19-positive hemodialysis patients in the outpatient setting: a single-center experience


PET/MR and PET/CT in a severe COVID-19 patient


Reply: COVID-19 Lung Injury and "Typical" ARDS: The Danger of Presumed Equivalency


title: Cognitive Processing Therapy for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder via Telehealth: Practical Considerations During the COVID-19 Pandemic

text: The global outbreak of COVID-19 has required mental health providers to rapidly rethink and adapt how they provide care. Cognitive processing therapy (CPT) is a trauma-focused, evidence-based treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder that is effective when delivered in-person or via telehealth. Given current limitations on the provision of in-person mental health treatment during the COVID-19 pandemic, this article presents guidelines and treatment considerations when implementing CPT via telehealth. Based on lessons learned from prior studies and clinical delivery of CPT via telehealth, recommendations are made with regard to overall strategies for adapting CPT to a telehealth format, including how to conduct routine assessments and ensure treatment fidelity.


title: A Randomized Trial of Hydroxychloroquine as Postexposure Prophylaxis for Covid-19

text: BACKGROUND: Coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) occurs after exposure to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). For persons who are exposed, the standard of care is observation and quarantine. Whether hydroxychloroquine can prevent symptomatic infection after SARS-CoV-2 exposure is unknown. METHODS: We conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial across the United States and parts of Canada testing hydroxychloroquine as postexposure prophylaxis. We enrolled adults who had household or occupational exposure to someone with confirmed Covid-19 at a distance of less than 6 ft for more than 10 minutes while wearing neither a face mask nor an eye shield (high-risk exposure) or while wearing a face mask but no eye shield (moderate-risk exposure). Within 4 days after exposure, we randomly assigned participants to receive either placebo or hydroxychloroquine (800 mg once, followed by 600 mg in 6 to 8 hours, then 600 mg daily for 4 additional days). The primary outcome was the incidence of either laboratory-confirmed Covid-19 or illness compatible with Covid-19 within 14 days. RESULTS: We enrolled 821 asymptomatic participants. Overall, 87.6% of the participants (719 of 821) reported a high-risk exposure to a confirmed Covid-19 contact. The incidence of new illness compatible with Covid-19 did not differ significantly between participants receiving hydroxychloroquine (49 of 414 [11.8%]) and those receiving placebo (58 of 407 [14.3%]); the absolute difference was -2.4 percentage points (95% confidence interval, -7.0 to 2.2; P = 0.35). Side effects were more common with hydroxychloroquine than with placebo (40.1% vs. 16.8%), but no serious adverse reactions were reported. CONCLUSIONS: After high-risk or moderate-risk exposure to Covid-19, hydroxychloroquine did not prevent illness compatible with Covid-19 or confirmed infection when used as postexposure prophylaxis within 4 days after exposure. (Funded by David Baszucki and Jan Ellison Baszucki and others; ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT04308668.).


Feel Better, Work Better: The COVID-19 Perspective


Non-complicated evolution of COVID-19 infection in a patient with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis during treatment with adalimumab


title: Who drinks soda pop? Economic status and adult consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages

text: We use two cohorts from the National Longitudinal Surveys (NLSY79 and NLSY97), which are large, nationally representative samples of U.S. adults, to investigate consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB) by SES, using nine surveys fielded between 2008 and 2016. Previous studies used income and education to measure SES, the NLS enables us to include wealth as well. Previous studies also used cross-sectional data, whereas the NLS allows us to examine whether changes in income and wealth correlate with changes in SSB intake. The results indicate an inverse gradient in SSB consumption with respect to both income and wealth, controlling for education. However, we do not find evidence that changes in income and wealth correlate with changes in SSB intake. This finding suggests that SES influences the development of SSB consumption patterns, but changes in income and wealth generally do not alter them in adulthood.


title: Epitope based peptide vaccine against SARS-COV2: an immune-informatics approach

text: World is witnessing exponential growth of SARS-CoV2 and fatal outcomes of COVID 19 has proved its pandemic potential already by claiming more than 3 lakhs deaths globally. If not controlled, this ongoing pandemic can cause irreparable socio-economic and psychological impact worldwide. Therefore a safe and effective vaccine against COVID 19 is exigent. Recent advances in immunoinformatics approaches could potentially decline the attrition rate and accelerate the process of vaccine development in these unprecedented times. In the present study, a multivalent subunit vaccine targeting S2 subunit of the SARS-CoV2 S glycoprotein has been designed using open source, immunoinformatics tools. Designed construct comprises of epitopes capable of inducing T cell, B cell (Linear and discontinuous) and Interferon Î³. physiologically, vaccine construct is predicted to be thermostable, antigenic, immunogenic, non allergen and non toxic in nature. According to population coverage analysis, designed multiepitope vaccine covers 99.26% population globally. 3D structure of vaccine construct was designed, validated and refined to obtain high quality structure. Refined structure was docked against Toll like receptors to confirm the interactions between them. Vaccine peptide sequence was reverse transcribed, codon optimized and cloned in pET vector. Our in-silico study suggests that proposed vaccine against fusion domain of virus has the potential to elicit an innate as well as humoral immune response in human and restrict the entry of virus inside the cell. Results of the study offer a framework for in-vivo analysis that may hasten the process of development of therapeutic tools against COVID 19.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.


COVID-19 Research in Brief: 2 May to 8 May, 2020


Aumento de la gravedad de las hemopatías malignas agudas diagnosticadas durante la pandemia COVID-19./ Aumento de la gravedad de las hemopatías malignas agudas diagnosticadas durante la pandemia COVID-19./ Increase in the severity of acute malignant hemopathies during the COVID-19 pandemia


title: Commentary: Phosphodiesterase 4 inhibitors as potential adjunct treatment targeting the cytokine storm in COVID-19

text: The most severe presentation of COVID-19 is characterized by a hyperinflammatory state attributed to the massive pro-inflammatory cytokine release, called "cytokine storm". Several specific anti-inflammatory/immunosuppressive agents are being evaluated by ongoing clinical trials; however, there is currently insufficient evidence for their efficacy and safety in COVID-19 treatment. Given the role of phosphodiesterase 4 (PDE) 4 and cyclic adenosine monophosphate in the inflammatory response, we hypothesize that selective PDE4 inhibition may attenuate the cytokine storm in COVID-19, through the upstream inhibition of pro-inflammatory molecules, particularly TNF-α, and the regulation of the pro-inflammatory/anti-inflammatory balance. Conversely, other anti-cytokine agents lead to the downstream inhibition of specific targets, such as IL-1, IL-6 or TNF-α, and may not be efficient in blocking the cytokine storm, once it has been triggered. Due to their mechanism of action targeting an early stage of the inflammatory response and ameliorating lung inflammation, we believe that selective PDE4 inhibitors may represent a promising treatment option for the early phase of COVID-19 pneumonia before the cytokine storm and severe multiorgan dysfunction take place. Furthermore, PDE4 inhibitors present several advantages including an excellent safety profile; the oral route of administration; the convenient dosing; and beneficial metabolic properties. Interestingly, obesity and diabetes mellitus type 2 have been reported to be risk factors for the severity of COVID-19. Therefore, randomized clinical trials of PDE4 inhibitors are necessary to explore their potential therapeutic effect as an adjunct to supportive measures and other therapeutic regiments.


title: How Do Colleges and Universities Respond to Covid-19: The Experience of Chengdu Sport University

text: Since the outbreak of Covid-19 infectious pneumonia in Wuhan, China, in January 2019, it has rapidly spread to 31 provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities) across the country within 3 months. Chengdu Sport University is the only physical education institution in Southwest China. During the epidemic period, the university actively responded to the call of the government and issued response measures as soon as possible to achieve the goal of zero infection among teachers and students. This article describes in detail how to deal with the new coronavirus in colleges and universities during the epidemic.


Assessment of Sensitivity and Specificity of Patient-Collected Lower Nasal Specimens for Sudden Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Testing


Systemic hypoferremia and severity of hypoxemic respiratory failure in COVID-19


Rising to the Challenge of COVID-19: Advice for Pulmonary and Critical Care and an Agenda for Research


Covid-19: Trump stokes protests against social distancing measures


New Design for Aerosol Protection During Endotracheal Intubation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic Era: The "Anti-Aerosol Igloo" (AAI)


title: Homeless persons with mental illness and COVID pandemic: Collective efforts from India

text: COVID-19 pandemic had made an unprecedented impact worldwide. India has entered into a total lockdown by invoking the special provision of Epidemic Diseases Act of 1897 and Disaster Management Act, 2015. The complete lockdown policy has a direct and indirect impact on Homeless Persons with Mental Illness (HPMI) concerning shelter, basic needs and access to health care, besides the transmission of COVID infection. In this manuscript, we highlight the collective efforts undertaken by both the Government and Civil Society in providing care and protection to HPMI against COVID during the lockdown in India.


Respiratory complaints in the time of COVID-19: Assessment and approach in general practice


Coping With the COVID-19 Crisis: A Call for Youth Engagement and the Inclusion of Young People in Matters That Affect Their Lives


COVID 19 and Neuroinvasion


Comment on "COVID-19 Preparedness Within the Surgical, Obstetric, and Anesthetic Ecosystem in Sub Saharan Africa"


Early application of prone position for management of Covid-19 patients


title: Feasibility of a Pilot Program for COVID-19 Convalescent Plasma Collection in Wuhan, China

text: BACKGROUND: A novel coronavirus has caused an international outbreak. Currently, there are no specific therapeutic agents for coronavirus infections. Convalescent plasma (CP) therapy is a potentially effective treatment option. METHODS: Patients who had recovered from COVID-19 and had been discharged from the hospital for more than two weeks were recruited. COVID-19 convalescent plasma (CCP)-specific donor screening and selection were performed based the following criteria: 1) aged 18-55 years; 2) eligible for blood donation; 3) diagnosed with COVID-19; 4) had two consecutive negative COVID-19 nasopharyngeal swab tests based on PCR (at least 24 h apart) prior to hospital discharge; 5) had been discharged from the hospital for more than 2 weeks; and 6) had no COVID-19 symptoms prior to convalescent plasma donation. In addition, preference was given to CCP donors who had a fever lasting more than 3 days or a body temperature exceeding 38.5 Celsius, and 4 weeks after the onset of symptoms. CCP collection was performed using routine plasma collection procedures via plasmapheresis. In addition to routine donor testing, the CCP donors' plasma was also tested for SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid and S-RBD-specific IgG antibody. RESULTS: Of the 81 potential CCP donors, 64 (79%) plasma products were collected. There were 18 female donors and 46 male donors. There were 34 first-time blood donors and 30 repeat donors. The average time between CCP collection and initial symptom onset was 49.1 days, and the average time between CCP collection and hospital discharge was 38.7 days. The average volume of CCP collected was 327.7 ml. All Alanine transaminase ( ALT ) testing results met blood donation requirements. HIV Ag/Ab, anti-HCV, anti-syphilis and HBsAg were all negative; NAT for HIV, HBV, and HCV were also negative. In addition, all of the CCP donors' plasma units were negative for SARS-CoV-2 RNA. Of the total 64 CCP donors tested, only one had an S-RBD-specific IgG titer of 1:160, all others had a titer of ≥1:320. CONCLUSION: Based on a feasibility study of a pilot CCP program in Wuhan China, we demonstrated the success and feasibility of CCP collection. In addition, all of the CCP units collected had a titer of ≥ 1:160 for S-RBD-specific IgG antibody, which met the CCP quality control requirements based on the Chinese national guidelines for CCP. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.


The Role of Pharmacovigilance and ISoP During the Global COVID-19 Pandemic


Retinal findings in patients with COVID-19


Virtual Interviews for Surgical Training Program Applicants During COVID-19: Lessons Learned and Recommendations


The role of forensic pathologists in coronavirus disease 2019 infection: The importance of an interdisciplinary research


docid: eoomnilr

title: Positive impact of measures against COVID-19 on reducing influenza in the Northern Hemisphere


COVID-19 and mental health: Preserving humanity, maintaining sanity, and promoting health


title: Pneumomediastinum and spontaneous pneumothorax as an extrapulmonary complication of COVID-19 disease

text: The new disease outbreak that causes atypical pneumonia named COVID-19, which started in China's Wuhan province, has quickly spread to a pandemic. Although the imaging test of choice for the initial study is plain chest radiograph, CT has proven useful in characterizing better the complications associated with this new infection. We describe the evolution of 3 patients presenting pneumomediastinum and spontaneous pneumothorax as a very rare complication of COVID-19 and their particular interest as a probable prognostic factor.


title: Systematic review of artificial intelligence techniques in the detection and classification of COVID-19 medical images in terms of evaluation and benchmarking: Taxonomy analysis, challenges, future solutions and methodological aspects

text: This study presents a systematic review of artificial intelligence (AI) techniques used in the detection and classification of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) medical images in terms of evaluation and benchmarking. Five reliable databases, namely, IEEE Xplore, Web of Science, PubMed, ScienceDirect and Scopus were used to obtain relevant studies of the given topic. Several filtering and scanning stages were performed according to the inclusion/exclusion criteria to screen the 36 studies obtained; however, only 11 studies met the criteria. Taxonomy was performed, and the 11 studies were classified on the basis of two categories, namely, review and research studies. Then, a deep analysis and critical review were performed to highlight the challenges and critical gaps outlined in the academic literature of the given subject. Results showed that no relevant study evaluated and benchmarked AI techniques utilised in classification tasks (i.e. binary, multi-class, multi-labelled and hierarchical classifications) of COVID-19 medical images. In case evaluation and benchmarking will be conducted, three future challenges will be encountered, namely, multiple evaluation criteria within each classification task, trade-off amongst criteria and importance of these criteria. According to the discussed future challenges, the process of evaluation and benchmarking AI techniques used in the classification of COVID-19 medical images considered multi-complex attribute problems. Thus, adopting multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) is an essential and effective approach to tackle the problem complexity. Moreover, this study proposes a detailed methodology for the evaluation and benchmarking of AI techniques used in all classification tasks of COVID-19 medical images as future directions; such methodology is presented on the basis of three sequential phases. Firstly, the identification procedure for the construction of four decision matrices, namely, binary, multi-class, multi-labelled and hierarchical, is presented on the basis of the intersection of evaluation criteria of each classification task and AI classification techniques. Secondly, the development of the MCDA approach for benchmarking AI classification techniques is provided on the basis of the integrated analytic hierarchy process and VlseKriterijumska Optimizacija I Kompromisno Resenje methods. Lastly, objective and subjective validation procedures are described to validate the proposed benchmarking solutions.


Challenges in Heart Transplantation in the Era of COVID-19


A theory on SARS-COV-2 susceptibility: reduced TLR7-activity as a mechanistic link between men, obese and elderly


title: Dividing the Emergency Department into Red, Yellow, and Green Zones to Control COVID-19 Infection;a Letter to Editor

text: COVID-19, in certain respects, can be viewed as a CBRN (chemical, biological, radiological, or nuclear) event due to being a consequence of SARS-CoV2 virus (the "contaminant") We, thus, reorganized our emergency department (ED) into 3 distinct zones (red, yellow, and green) for the purpose of infection control Patients with high or medium risk of COVID-19 infection are managed in the red zones Low-risk patients are managed in the yellow zones All patients are prohibited to enter the green zones Green zones are used by healthcare providers (HCPs) for personal protective equipment (PPE) donning, inventory, planning, and dining Only HCPswho work in the red zones are required to use full level PPE (aerosol precaution) HCPs working in the yellow zones require less PPE (contact and droplet precaution) No PPE is required in the green zones Establishing red, yellow, and green zones in the ED can be helpful in reducing cross-infections and minimizing demand for PPE


Time course of anosmia and dysgeusia in patients with mild SARS-CoV-2 infection


[Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 and coronavirus: research update on pathogenesis of the infection induced by this indissoluble bond]


title: Efficacy of Liu-zi-jue in Patients with 2019 Novel Coronavirus Pneumonia (COVID-19): structured summary of a study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

text: OBJECTIVES: Efficacy of conventional treatment plus the complementary therapy Liu-zi-jue (a mind-body exercise) to treat patients with mild COVID-19. TRIAL DESIGN: The study is a single-center 2 arm, randomized controlled trial with parallel-group design.


title: Planning of School Teaching during COVID-19

text: More than one billion students are out of school because of Covid-19, forced to a remote learning that has several drawbacks and has been hurriedly arranged; in addition, most countries are currently uncertain on how to plan school activities for the 2020-2021 school year; all of this makes learning and education some of the biggest world issues of the current pandemic. Unfortunately, due to the length of the incubation period of Covid-19, full opening of schools seems to be impractical till a vaccine is available. In order to support the possibility of some in-person learning, we study a mathematical model of the diffusion of the epidemic due to school opening, and evaluate plans aimed at containing the extra Covid-19 cases due to school activities while ensuring an adequate number of in-class learning periods. We consider a SEAIR model with an external source of infection and a suitable loss function; after a realistic parameter selection, we numerically determine optimal school opening strategies by simulated annealing. It turns out that blended models, with almost periodic alternations of in-class and remote teaching days or weeks, are generally optimal. Besides containing Covid-19 diffusion, these solutions could be pedagogically acceptable, and could also become a driving model for the society at large. In a prototypical example, the optimal strategy results in the school opening 90 days out of 200 with the number of Covid-19 cases among the individuals related to the school increasing by about 66%, instead of the about 250% increase that would have been a consequence of full opening.


Another Decade, Another Coronavirus


Response to: Interventional radiology and COVID-19: evidence-based measures to limit transmission


Feasibility of enhanced recovery after surgery program in colorectal surgery during COVID-19 pandemic in Italy: should we change something?


title: Data analysis of coronavirus COVID-19 epidemic in South Korea based on recovered and death cases

text: Coronavirus epidemic caused an emergency in South Korea. The first infected case came to light on 20 January 2020 followed by 9583 more cases that were reported by 29 March 2020. This indicates that the number of confirmed cases is increasing rapidly, which can cause a nationwide crisis for the country. The aim of this study is to fill a gap between previous studies and the current rate of spreading of COVID-19 by extracting a relationship between independent variables and the dependent ones. This study statistically analyzed the effect of factors such as sex, region, infection reasons, birth year, and released or diseased date on the reported number of recovered and deceased cases. The results found that sex, region, and infection reasons affected both recovered and deceased cases, while birth year affected only the deceased cases. Besides, no deceased cases are reported for released cases, while 11.3% of deceased cases positive confirmed after their deceased. Unknown reason of infection is the main variable that detected in South Korea with more than 33% of total infected cases.


Computed tomography of the lungs in novel corona virus (COVID-19) infection


docid: dgbwlcej

title: China is promoting coronavirus treatments based on unproven traditional medicines


Reducing the Risk of Diagnostic Error in the COVID-19 Era


Covid-19: Cases still rising in at least 23 US states as health officials warn against gatherings


docid: ftbefckd

title: Insights into the May 2020 Issue of the Journal of Endodontics


title: Recognizing COVID-19-related myocarditis: The possible pathophysiology and proposed guideline for diagnosis and management

text: Human coronavirus-associated myocarditis is known, and a number of coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19)-related myocarditis cases have been reported. The pathophysiology of COVID-19-related myocarditis is thought to be a combination of direct viral injury and cardiac damage due to the host's immune response. COVID-19 myocarditis diagnosis should be guided by insights from previous coronavirus and other myocarditis experience. The clinical findings include changes in electrocardiogram and cardiac biomarkers, and impaired cardiac function. When cardiac magnetic resonance imaging is not feasible, cardiac computed tomographic angiography with delayed myocardial imaging may serve to exclude significant coronary artery disease and identify myocardial inflammatory patterns. Because many COVID-19 patients have cardiovascular comorbidities, myocardial infarction should be considered. If the diagnosis remains uncertain, an endomyocardial biopsy may help identify active cardiac infection through viral genome amplification and possibly refine the treatment risks of systemic immunosuppression. Arrhythmias are not uncommon in COVID-19 patients, but the pathophysiology is still speculative. Nevertheless, clinicians should be vigilant to provide prompt monitoring and treatment. The long-term impact of COVID-19 myocarditis, including the majority of mild cases, remains unknown.


Bacillus Calmette-Guérin vaccination and clinical characteristics and outcomes of COVID-19 in Rhode Island, United States: a cohort study


title: Dynamic linkage of COVID-19 test results between Public Health England's Second Generation Surveillance System and UK Biobank

text: UK Biobank (UKB) is an international health resource enabling research into the genetic and lifestyle determinants of common diseases of middle and older age. It comprises 500â000 participants. Public Health England's Second Generation Surveillance System is a centralized microbiology database covering English clinical diagnostics laboratories that provides national surveillance of legally notifiable infections, bacterial isolations and antimicrobial resistance. We previously developed secure, pseudonymized, individual-level linkage of these systems. In this study, we implemented rapid dynamic linkage, which allows us to provide a regular feed of new COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) test results to UKB to facilitate rapid and urgent research into the epidemiological and human genetic risk factors for severe infection in the cohort. Here, we have characterized the first 1352 cases of COVID-19 in UKB participants, of whom 895 met our working definition of severe COVID-19 as inpatients hospitalized on or after 16 March 2020. We found that the incidence of severe COVID-19 among UKB cases was 27.4â% lower than the general population in England, although this difference varied significantly by age and sex. The total number of UKB cases could be estimated as 0.6â% of the publicly announced number of cases in England. We considered how increasing case numbers will affect the power of genome-wide association studies. This new dynamic linkage system has further potential to facilitate the investigation of other infections and the prospective collection of microbiological cultures to create a microbiological biobank (bugbank) for studying the interaction of environment, human and microbial genetics on infection in the UKB cohort.


COVID-19 Infection in Medical Laboratory Professional: a Note


Ethical Issues in the COVID Era: Doing the Right Thing Depends on Location, Resources, and Disease Burden


title: COVID-19 Diagnostics, Tools, and Prevention

text: The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), outbreak from Wuhan City, Hubei province, China in 2019 has become an ongoing global health emergency. The emerging virus, SARS-CoV-2, causes coughing, fever, muscle ache, and shortness of breath or dyspnea in symptomatic patients. The pathogenic particles that are generated by coughing and sneezing remain suspended in the air or attach to a surface to facilitate transmission in an aerosol form. This review focuses on the recent trends in pandemic biology, diagnostics methods, prevention tools, and policies for COVID-19 management. To meet the growing demand for medical supplies during the COVID-19 era, a variety of personal protective equipment (PPE) and ventilators have been developed using do-it-yourself (DIY) manufacturing. COVID-19 diagnosis and the prediction of virus transmission are analyzed by machine learning algorithms, simulations, and digital monitoring. Until the discovery of a clinically approved vaccine for COVID-19, pandemics remain a public concern. Therefore, technological developments, biomedical research, and policy development are needed to decipher the coronavirus mechanism and epidemiological characteristics, prevent transmission, and develop therapeutic drugs.


Oral Radiology Center as a Potential Source of COVID-19 Transmission; Points to Consider


title: 50 States or 50 Countries: What Did We Miss and What Do We Do Now?

text: There have been multiple inconsistencies in the manner the COVID-19 pandemic has been investigated and managed by countries. Population-based management (PBM) has been inconsistent, yet serves as a necessary first step in managing public health crises. Unfortunately, these have dominated the landscape within the United States and continue as of this writing. Political and economic influences have greatly influenced major public health management and control decisions. Responsibility for global public health crises and modeling for management are the responsibility of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Health Regulations Treaty (IHR). This review calls upon both to reassess their roles and responsibilities that must be markedly improved and better replicated world-wide in order to optimize the global public health protections and its PBM."Ask a big enough question, and you need more than one discipline to answer it."Liz Lerman, MacArthur "Genius" Fellow, Choreographer, Modern Dance legend, and 2011 Artist-in Residence, Harvard Music Department.


Predicted value of coagulation function for prognosis and admission time to negative RT-PCR detection in non-critical COVID-19 patients


title: Providing Oncology Pharmacy Services During the Coronavirus Pandemic: French Society for Oncology Pharmacy (Société Francaise de Pharmacie Oncologique [SFPO]) Guidelines

text: PURPOSE: Patients with cancer are at higher risk for contracting the COVID-19 infection and are more likely to have higher morbidity and mortality. This is a big challenge for oncology teams that have to treat patients to avoid contamination by SARS-CoV-2. The aim of the current work is to present oncology pharmacy practice guidelines during the COVID-19 pandemic to secure the pharmaceutical care of patients with cancer. METHODS: The bureau of the French Society for Oncology Pharmacy proposed these recommendations according to the French High Authority of Health following the Guidelines of Good Practice, slightly modified according to the pandemic crisis situation. These guidelines were developed by a working group of 7 experts in oncology pharmacy practice. Furthermore, the guidelines were assessed by 31 independent reviewers. RESULTS: One hundred percent of reviewers approved the guidelines and 90% of them suggested some improvements. The final version incorporates the best comments and consists of 26 recommendations organized in 8 different sections. CONCLUSION: These guidelines allow secure pharmaceutical management of patients with cancer during the COVID-19 pandemic.


docid: yindercz

title: Covido-pedago-phobia


title: Updated understanding of the outbreak of 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) in Wuhan, China

text: To help health workers and the public recognize and deal with the 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) quickly, effectively, and calmly with an updated understanding. A comprehensive search from Chinese and worldwide official websites and announcements was performed between 1 December 2019 and 9:30 am 26 January 2020 (Beijing time). A latest summary of 2019-nCoV and the current outbreak was drawn. Up to 24 pm, 25 January 2020, a total of 1975 cases of 2019-nCoV infection were confirmed in mainland China with a total of 56 deaths having occurred. The latest mortality was approximately 2.84% with a total of 2684 cases still suspected. The China National Health Commission reported the details of the first 17 deaths up to 24 pm, 22 January 2020. The deaths included 13 males and 4 females. The median age of the people who died was 75 (range 48-89) years. Fever (64.7%) and cough (52.9%) were the most common first symptoms among those who died. The median number of days from the occurence of the first symptom to death was 14.0 (range 6-41) days, and it tended to be shorter among people aged 70 years or more (11.5 [range 6-19] days) than those aged less than 70 years (20 [range 10-41] days; P = .033). The 2019-nCoV infection is spreading and its incidence is increasing nationwide. The first deaths occurred mostly in elderly people, among whom the disease might progress faster. The public should still be cautious in dealing with the virus and pay more attention to protecting the elderly people from the virus.


Challenges Implementing Preventive Measures at a Nursing-Skilled Facility in Mexico


title: Detection of Line Artefacts in Lung Ultrasound Images of COVID-19 Patients via Non-Convex Regularization

text: In this paper, we present a novel method for line artefacts quantification in lung ultrasound (LUS) images of COVID-19 patients. We formulate this as a non-convex regularisation problem involving a sparsity-enforcing, Cauchy-based penalty function, and the inverse Radon transform. We employ a simple local maxima detection technique in the Radon transform domain, associated with known clinical definitions of line artefacts. Despite being non-convex, the proposed technique is guaranteed to convergence through our proposed Cauchy proximal splitting (CPS) method and accurately identifies both horizontal and vertical line artefacts in LUS images. In order to reduce the number of false and missed detection, our method includes a two-stage validation mechanism, which is performed in both Radon and image domains. We evaluate the performance of the proposed method in comparison to the current state-of-the-art B-line identification method and show a considerable performance gain with 87% correctly detected B-lines in LUS images of nine COVID-19 patients. In addition, owing to its fast convergence, our proposed method is readily applicable for processing LUS image sequences.


docid: uozmfadk

title: Wellness during the pandemic


The Importance of Publishing Non-COVID-19 Research during COVID-19


Imaging changes of severe COVID-19 pneumonia in advanced stage


New Method to Reduce COVID-19 Transmission - The Need for Medical Air Disinfection is Now


title: The effect of large-scale anti-contagion policies on the COVID-19 pandemic

text: Governments around the world are responding to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic1 with unprecedented policies designed to slow the growth rate of infections. Many actions, such as closing schools and restricting populations to their homes, impose large and visible costs on society, but their benefits cannot be directly observed and are currently understood only through process-based simulations2-4. Here, we compile new data on 1,717 local, regional, and national non-pharmaceutical interventions deployed in the ongoing pandemic across localities in China, South Korea, Italy, Iran, France, and the United States (US). We then apply reduced-form econometric methods, commonly used to measure the effect of policies on economic growth5,6, to empirically evaluate the effect that these anti-contagion policies have had on the growth rate of infections. In the absence of policy actions, we estimate that early infections of COVID-19 exhibit exponential growth rates of roughly 38% per day. We find that anti-contagion policies have significantly and substantially slowed this growth. Some policies have different impacts on different populations, but we obtain consistent evidence that the policy packages now deployed are achieving large, beneficial, and measurable health outcomes. We estimate that across these six countries, interventions prevented or delayed on the order of 62 million confirmed cases, corresponding to averting roughly 530 million total infections. These findings may help inform whether or when these policies should be deployed, intensified, or lifted, and they can support decision-making in the other 180+ countries where COVID-19 has been reported7.


COVID-19: Humanitarian and Health Care Crisis in a Third World Country


Managing the dialysis mode for people infected with COVID-19


COVID-19 pandemic: implications on the surgical treatment of gastrointestinal and hepatopancreatobiliary tumours in Europe


title: Conocimiento sobre la infección por SARS-CoV-2 de Gastroenterólogos y Endoscopistas de Latino América./ Conocimiento sobre la infección por SARS-CoV-2 de Gastroenterólogos y Endoscopistas de Latino América./ Knowledge of Latin American gastroenterologists and endoscopists regarding SARS-CoV-2 infection

text: INTRODUCTION: After the World Health Organization declared the COVID-19 outbreak a pandemic, the number of patients with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection (COVID-19) has increased exponentially, and gastroenterologists and other specialists most likely will be involved in the care of those patients. AIM: To evaluate the knowledge Latin American gastroenterologists and endoscopists (staff physicians and residents) have about the characteristics of COVID-19, as well as the prevention measures to be taken during endoscopic procedures. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study that included gastroenterologists and endoscopists from 9 Latin American countries. An electronic questionnaire was applied that was designed to evaluate the knowledge of symptoms, risk groups for severe disease, prevention measures, and the reprocessing of endoscopes utilized in patients with COVID-19. RESULTS: Information was obtained from 133 physicians. Ninety-five percent of them correctly identified the most frequent symptoms of the virus, and 60% identified the 3 risk groups for severe disease. Sixty-six percent of those surveyed did not consider it necessary to use standard precautions during endoscopic procedures, and 30% did not consider contact precautions necessary. Forty-eight percent of the participants surveyed were not familiar with the protocol for reprocessing the endoscopes utilized in patients with COVID-19. CONCLUSION: The majority of the gastroenterologists and endoscopists surveyed were familiar with the signs and symptoms of COVID-19 and the populations at risk for complications. There was a lack of knowledge about prevention measures (during clinical care and endoscopic procedures) and the reprocessing of endoscopic equipment by 70% and 48%, respectively, of those surveyed. Dissemination and teaching strategies that increase the knowledge of specific biosafety measures must be carried out.


A role for lived experience mental health leadership in the age of Covid-19