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Bibliography on: covid-19

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ESP: PubMed Auto Bibliography 07 Apr 2025 at 01:42 Created: 

covid-19

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS coronavirus 2, or SARS-CoV-2), a virus closely related to the SARS virus. The disease was discovered and named during the 2019-20 coronavirus outbreak. Those affected may develop a fever, dry cough, fatigue, and shortness of breath. A sore throat, runny nose or sneezing is less common. While the majority of cases result in mild symptoms, some can progress to pneumonia and multi-organ failure. The infection is spread from one person to others via respiratory droplets produced from the airways, often during coughing or sneezing. Time from exposure to onset of symptoms is generally between 2 and 14 days, with an average of 5 days. The standard method of diagnosis is by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR) from a nasopharyngeal swab or sputum sample, with results within a few hours to 2 days. Antibody assays can also be used, using a blood serum sample, with results within a few days. The infection can also be diagnosed from a combination of symptoms, risk factors and a chest CT scan showing features of pneumonia. Correct handwashing technique, maintaining distance from people who are coughing and not touching one's face with unwashed hands are measures recommended to prevent the disease. It is also recommended to cover one's nose and mouth with a tissue or a bent elbow when coughing. Those who suspect they carry the virus are recommended to wear a surgical face mask and seek medical advice by calling a doctor rather than visiting a clinic in person. Masks are also recommended for those who are taking care of someone with a suspected infection but not for the general public. There is no vaccine or specific antiviral treatment, with management involving treatment of symptoms, supportive care and experimental measures. The case fatality rate is estimated at between 1% and 3%. The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the 2019-20 coronavirus outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC). As of 29 February 2020, China, Hong Kong, Iran, Italy, Japan, Singapore, South Korea and the United States are areas having evidence of community transmission of the disease.

NOTE: To obtain the entire bibliography (all 55342 citations) in bibtek format (a format that can be easily loaded into many different reference-manager software programs, click HERE.

Created with PubMed® Query: ( SARS-CoV-2 OR COVID-19 OR (wuhan AND coronavirus) AND review[SB] ) NOT pmcbook NOT ispreviousversion

Citations The Papers (from PubMed®)

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RevDate: 2025-04-05

Qin J, Wang G, D Han (2025)

Benefits of melatonin on mortality in severe-to-critical COVID-19 patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Clinics (Sao Paulo, Brazil), 80:100638 pii:S1807-5932(25)00064-X [Epub ahead of print].

OBJECTIVE: This meta-analysis aimed to determine the efficacy of melatonin on mortality in patients with severe-to-critical illness COVID-19.

METHODS: A systematic search was made of PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and clinicaltrials.gov, without language restrictions. Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs) on the treatment of severe-to-critical COVID-19 with melatonin, compared with placebo or blank, were reviewed. Studies were pooled to Odds Ratios (ORs), with 95 % Confidence Intervals (95 % CIs).

RESULTS: Three RCTs (enrolling 451 participants) met the inclusion criteria. Melatonin showed a significant effect on in-hospital mortality (OR = 0.19, 95 % CI 0.05 to 0.74; p = 0.02).

CONCLUSIONS: Melatonin significantly reduced in-hospital mortality in patients with severe-to-critical COVID-19. Melatonin should be considered for severe-to-critical COVID-19 patients.

RevDate: 2025-04-05

Steidtmann D, McBride S, Mishkind M, et al (2025)

From Couch to Click: Opportunities and Challenges of Hybrid Work Models in Mental Health Care.

Current psychiatry reports [Epub ahead of print].

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Hybrid work is common in mental health care following the COVID-19 pandemic. Although widespread, little is known about how to optimize it. We review relevant literature for patients, employees and mental health systems, and offer guidance on navigating tradeoffs in the application of hybrid work.

RECENT FINDINGS: Patients often prefer telehealth visits due to convenience, but in-person visits are sometimes clinically indicated or preferred. The mental health workforce appreciates reduced commutes and flexibility, though may risk increased isolation and work fatigue. Mental health systems may realize cost savings, although these may create challenges for accommodating patient in-person needs or employee preferences. Hybrid work in mental health care presents a promising path forward but requires thoughtful tradeoff management. It is unlikely that all benefits of hybrid work can be realized at once. Settings may benefit from identifying top priorities and designing hybrid work arrangements accordingly.

RevDate: 2025-04-05

Menezes Pinto N, das Chagas Mendonça MR, da Silva Santos J, et al (2025)

Lessons Learned from the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Intranasal Administration as a route for treatment - A Patent Review.

Pharmaceutical development and technology [Epub ahead of print].

The COVID-19 pandemic exposed the fragility of today's marketed treatments for respiratory infections. As a primary site of infection, the upper airways may represent a key access route for the control and treatment for these conditions. The present study aims to explore and identify, through a patent review, the novelty of therapies for COVID-19 that use the intranasal route for drug administration. A search was carried out in Wipo and Espacenet, using the descriptors "COVID-19 OR SARS-CoV 2" AND "treatment OR therapy" AND NOT "vaccine OR immunizing" and the classification "A61K9/0043". Of the 151 patents identified, we excluded 73 duplicates, and 36 documents that meet the criteria adopted for exclusion (not nasally administered formulations, vaccines, post COVID-19 treatments, uncertain route of administration or form). We identified 78 unique patents on patent databases, of which 42 were selected for this review. The documents revealed the use of the intranasal pathway not only for drug repositioning but also for using plant-derived and biological molecules. Overall, the new formulations explore a variety of known drugs and natural products incorporated in drug carrier systems and devices for drug delivery and administration. Thus, the intranasal route remains a promising strategy for drug delivery, offering direct access to the primary infection site and warranting further exploration.

RevDate: 2025-04-05

Casmil IC, Jin J, Won EJ, et al (2025)

The advent of clinical self-amplifying RNA vaccines.

Molecular therapy : the journal of the American Society of Gene Therapy pii:S1525-0016(25)00269-2 [Epub ahead of print].

Self-amplifying RNA (saRNA) technology is an emerging platform for vaccine development, offering significant advantages over conventional mRNA vaccines. By enabling intracellular amplification of RNA, saRNA facilitates robust antigen expression at lower doses, thereby enhancing both immunogenicity and cost-effectiveness. This review examines the latest advancements in saRNA vaccine development, highlighting its applications in combating infectious diseases, including viral pathogens such as SARS-CoV-2, influenza, and emerging zoonotic threats. We discuss the design and optimization of saRNA vectors to maximize antigen expression while minimizing adverse immune responses. Recent studies demonstrating the safety, efficacy, and scalability of saRNA-based vaccines in clinical settings are also discussed. We address challenges related to delivery systems, stability, and manufacturing, along with novel strategies being developed to mitigate these challenges. As the global demand for rapid, flexible, and scalable vaccine platforms grows, saRNA presents a promising solution with enhanced potency and durability. This review emphasizes the transformative potential of saRNA vaccines to shape the future of immunization strategies, particularly in response to pandemics and other global health threats.

RevDate: 2025-04-04
CmpDate: 2025-04-04

Ching PR, LL Pedersen (2025)

Severe Pneumonia.

The Medical clinics of North America, 109(3):705-720.

Severe pneumonia is a leading cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide. Being a complex condition caused by a variety of microorganisms including bacteria, viruses, and fungi, it requires intensive care. A combination of early initiation of antimicrobial therapy and adjunctive nonantimicrobial interventions improve patient outcomes. This article reviews the most recent data on the epidemiology, microbiology, diagnosis, and management of severe pneumonia.

RevDate: 2025-04-04

Deloncle R, Guillard O, A Pineau (2025)

Copper in human health: From COVID 19 to neurodegenerative diseases.

Journal of trace elements in medicine and biology : organ of the Society for Minerals and Trace Elements (GMS), 89:127636 pii:S0946-672X(25)00049-5 [Epub ahead of print].

Copper (Cu) exists in two oxidation states Cu+I and Cu+II yielding formation of enzymes involved in biological processes. In higher concentrations, by oxidative process and ROS production, Cu is toxic towards plants, humans and animals livers as observed in Wilson disease or sheep scrapie. Fighting according to the Fenton reaction against bacteria and viruses, has been proposed as a mean of combatting nosocomial diseases and complementary to COVID19 vaccination. In humans, Cu is stocked in liver, muscle or bound to brain protein as ß-APP, tau-protein, α-synuclein, ubiquitin or prion which present antioxidant properties when Cu-bonded. In abnormal ß-sheet conformation, they can trigger neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer(AD), Parkinson(PD) and ALS. In these diseases, blood copper increase correlated with brain copper decrease has been described. In AD, abnormal D-serine has been detected in blood and cerebrospinal fluid. D-glutamate and D-alanine blood levels have been found in AD and could also be controlled with Cu and ceruloplasmin in a possible disease screening test. This abnormal D-conformation might result from epimerization of physiologically L-conformation brain peptides into protease-resistant D-enantiomers. This has previously been experimentally demonstrated for Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy in a free Cu reductive medium with UV-induced free radicals. The Cu brain protective effect against free radicals was restored with cupric addition in oxidizing medium. Cupric supplementation in the brain, might restore Cu protection and slow down neurodegenerative processes. To lower side effects, Cu amino-acid complexes able to cross the blood brain barrier might be suggested for a Cu transfer to the brain.

RevDate: 2025-04-04

McCosker LK, Dyer B, Sudarmana T, et al (2025)

COVID-19 vaccination uptake in people experiencing homelessness during the first three years of the global COVID-19 vaccination effort: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Vaccine, 53:127050 pii:S0264-410X(25)00347-0 [Epub ahead of print].

There are complex barriers to vaccination, including COVID-19 vaccination, in people experiencing homelessness. Consequently, it is likely COVID-19 vaccination uptake in this vulnerable population is lower than in general populations. This systematic review and meta-analysis reports COVID-19 vaccination uptake in people experiencing homelessness, including in comparison to general populations, in literature published during the first three years of the global COVID-19 vaccination effort. Searches were conducted on eight electronic databases. Peer-reviewed studies from high-income countries available in English and in full-text were considered for inclusion. Studies were considered up to 31 December 2023. In total 1884 studies were retrieved and, after removal of duplicates, 1167 were screened. Thirty-one studies were included in this review. For studies reporting uptake of either any, or first, COVID-19 vaccine a random effects meta-analysis was used to pool coverage estimates. It included 28 first vaccine dose coverage estimates from 18 studies including 104,139 vaccinated individuals in 308,253 participants. The pooled estimate for first dose vaccine coverage in people experiencing homelessness was 43 % (95 % CI: 35 %, 51 %). The 95 % prediction interval was (0, 88 %). Uptake of subsequent doses was heterogeneous and was reported narratively. Uptake of the second dose ranged upwards from 31.3 %, and uptake of the third dose was reported in one study as 7.2 %. COVID-19 vaccination uptake in people experiencing homelessness is lower than in general populations. Disparities in uptake persisted when comparing uptake at regional/state/national levels, at multiple timepoints, and in studies focused on different sub-populations including veterans. This is problematic, considering people experiencing homelessness are more likely to have poorer COVID-19-associated outcomes. It is important to recognise people experiencing homelessness are an at-risk, hard-to-reach group for vaccination, and vaccination strategies should be targeted to this population to improve uptake.

RevDate: 2025-04-04
CmpDate: 2025-04-04

Koh AR, Kim HW, Lee YJ, et al (2025)

Integrative Korean medicine for recurrent lumbar disc herniation after coronavirus disease vaccination: A case report and literature review.

Medicine, 104(1):e41079.

RATIONALE: Many side effects have been associated with the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine. While most adverse events (AEs) are mild, serious adverse events are occasionally observed in the neurological and musculoskeletal systems. Nevertheless, articles reporting such serious adverse events after COVID-19 vaccination are limited, and only few case reports with detailed descriptions are available in the literature.

PATIENT CONCERNS: Herein, we report the case of a 41-year-old male office worker who developed symptoms of recurrent disc herniation 2 days after COVID-19 vaccination; the patient had no other factors that may have caused the recurrence of disc herniation, such as excessively vigorous activities, following vaccination.

DIAGNOSES: Consequently, the patient was suspected of having cauda equina syndrome owing to recurrent lumbar disc herniation, and he underwent surgery.

INTERVENTIONS: The patient underwent integrative Korean medicine treatment, including acupuncture, pharmacopuncture, and Chuna manual therapy, for 8 months postoperatively.

OUTCOMES: After treatment, the patient's postoperative complications improved; the Numerical Rating Scale score changed from 5 to 1, and the Oswestry Disability Index score changed from 30 to 3. A literature review showed various cases of adverse events related to musculoskeletal inflammation or immune-mediated pathogenesis.

LESSONS: This paper confirmed the possibility that COVID vaccination is related to lumbar disc herniation recurrence and the possibility of integrative Korean medicine as an effective treatment option after lumbar disc herniation surgery.

RevDate: 2025-04-04

Weckler BC, Kutzinski M, Vogelmeier CF, et al (2025)

Multiorgan sequelae following non-COVID-19 respiratory infections: a review.

Infection [Epub ahead of print].

BACKGROUND: While numerous studies have documented severe and long-term health impacts of COVID-19 infections on various organs, the prolonged multisystemic implications of other acute respiratory infections (ARIs) are poorly understood. This review therefore analyzed currently available studies about these sequelae of ARIs excluding COVID-19.

MAIN BODY: Multiple pathogens causing ARIs are associated with significant long-lasting impairments across various organ systems. Cardiovascular events occur in 10-35% of patients following ARIs, with an elevated risk persisting for 10 years. The stroke incidence ratio increases significantly after ARIs up to 12.3. Pulmonary sequelae are common, including abnormal lung function in 54%, parenchymal opacification in 51%, lung fibrosis in 33-62%, asthma in 30%, and bronchiectasis in 24% of patients. The risk of developing dementia is increased 2.2-fold. Posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety, and chronic fatigue occur in 15-43%, 15-36%, 14-62%, and 27-75% of patients, respectively. 28-day mortality from CAP with (versus no) additional cardiovascular event is increased to 36% (versus 10%). Long-term mortality from CAP (versus no CAP) remains elevated for years post-infection, with a 1-year, 5-year, and 7-year mortality rate of 17% (versus 4%), 43% (versus 19%), and 53% (versus 24%), respectively. Patients´ quality of life is significantly reduced, with 17% receiving invalidity pensions and 22% retiring within 4 years of severe ARIs.

CONCLUSION: Non-COVID-19 ARIs are associated with clinically relevant, frequent, and long-term sequelae involving multiple organ systems. Further prospective studies are needed.

RevDate: 2025-04-04

Ghajarzadeh M, Rastkar M, Mowry EM, et al (2025)

Clinical and radiological activity after extended interval and standard interval dosing of ocrelizumab in multiple sclerosis: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Neurological sciences : official journal of the Italian Neurological Society and of the Italian Society of Clinical Neurophysiology [Epub ahead of print].

BACKGROUND: Ocrelizumab is an anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody that is highly effective in reducing MS clinical and radiological activity. The standard dosing regimen consists of infusing 600 mg of ocrelizumab every six months. However, concerns about increasing risks of infection and lowered vaccine response, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, prompted clinicians to extend the dosing interval between ocrelizumab infusions for some patients. Several observational studies have compared the effects of extended-interval dosing (EID) and standardinterval dosing (SID) of ocrelizumab on MS relapse rate and MRI activity. METHOD: We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of the current literature to summarize studies comparing ocrelizumab EID and SID on MS disease activity in patients with MS. Two independent reviewers searched PubMed, Scopus, EMBASE, Web of Science, and Google Scholar on the 1st of June 2024.

RESULTS: Our systematic search revealed 348 records, and after deleting duplicates, 29 records remained. Twenty-eight full texts were evaluated; ultimately, 16 studies remained for systematic review. In this meta-analysis, extended interval dosing (EID) was defined variably across studies, with some considering even a one-month delay as EID. The pooled odds ratios (ORs) for clinical and MRI activity, comparing ocrelizumab EID to SID groups, were estimated as 1.04 (95%CI: 0.67-1.6, I2=30%, P=0.21) and 1.31(95%CI: 0.90-1.92) (I2=15%, P=0.32), respectively.  CONCLUSION: This systematic review and meta-analysis suggest that ocrelizumab EID is not associated with greater odds of clinical and radiological disease activity in patients with MS.

RevDate: 2025-04-04

Kang HM, Lee TJ, Park SE, et al (2025)

Pertussis in the Post-COVID-19 Era: Resurgence, Diagnosis, and Management.

Infection & chemotherapy, 57(1):13-30.

Pertussis is endemic worldwide, with epidemics occurring every 2 to 5 years despite a high vaccination coverage. After limited circulation during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, pertussis cases have increased rapidly worldwide since mid-late 2023, returning to pre-pandemic patterns. In Korea, 90 cases of pertussis were reported from April 2020 to May 2023, with elderly individuals aged ≥65 years accounting for 48.9%. Pertussis cases have increased sharply since June 2024, showing a nationwide epidemic, with a large increase among adolescents aged 13-15 years. As of August 2024, the national incidence rate of pertussis was estimated to be 37.75 per 100,000 population, with the highest incidence of 526.2 per 100,000 population in 13-year-olds. In Europe, during 2023-2024, an increase in pertussis incidence among infants was observed, along with large increases in 10-19-year-olds. In China, the number of reported cases of pertussis has increased rapidly since late 2023, with an age shift to older children, increase of vaccine escape, and a marked increase in the prevalence of macrolide-resistant Bordetella pertussis. The recent global resurgence of pertussis is due to decreased opportunities for boosting immunity by natural infection during the COVID-19 pandemic in combination with waning of immunity-induced pertussis vaccines.

RevDate: 2025-04-05

Castillo JL, Medel Sánchez A, Miranda Lugo DM, et al (2025)

Efficacy of Thromboprophylaxis in Preventing Thrombotic Events in Pediatric Patients With COVID-19 or Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome: A Systematic Review.

Cureus, 17(3):e80002.

The COVID-19 pandemic has been associated with a broad spectrum of clinical manifestations, including multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C), a rare but serious condition characterized by a proinflammatory and hypercoagulable state. MIS-C has been linked to an elevated risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE), necessitating a focus on thromboprophylaxis to prevent potentially fatal complications in pediatric patients. This systematic review aims to evaluate the association between COVID-19/MIS-C and thromboembolism and to assess the efficacy of thromboprophylaxis protocols in reducing thrombotic events and mortality in children. A systematic review was conducted following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) 2020 guidelines. Literature searches were performed in PubMed, Cochrane, and Science Direct databases. Randomized controlled trials, cohort studies, and case-control studies reporting on thromboprophylaxis, thrombotic events, and associated outcomes in pediatric patients (<21 years) with COVID-19 and/or MIS-C were included. The Newcastle-Ottawa Scale was used to assess the quality of included studies. Primary outcomes were the incidence of thrombotic events and mortality, while secondary outcomes included bleeding events, clinical recovery, and changes in coagulation markers. Of the 375 articles identified, three studies (n=771 patients) met the inclusion criteria. Thromboprophylaxis protocols primarily included low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) such as enoxaparin and antiplatelet agents such as aspirin, with varied doses and treatment durations. Thrombotic events were reported in 3.3% of patients, with a higher incidence in MIS-C cases compared to COVID-19 alone. Prophylactic anticoagulation was effective in preventing thrombotic events in high-risk patients without increasing the risk of major bleeding. The studies emphasized individualized treatment approaches based on risk factors such as elevated D-dimer levels, obesity, prolonged immobilization, and central venous catheter presence. All studies reported a low mortality rate, ranging from 0% to 2.2%, highlighting the potential benefit of thromboprophylaxis in this population. Pediatric patients with MIS-C or severe COVID-19 are at an increased risk of thrombotic complications due to their heightened proinflammatory and hypercoagulable states. Thromboprophylaxis using enoxaparin and aspirin appears effective in reducing thrombotic events and mortality in these patients. Individualized protocols based on clinical risk factors and D-dimer levels are critical to optimizing outcomes while minimizing bleeding risks. Standardized, evidence-based guidelines are needed to refine thromboprophylaxis strategies and determine the optimal duration of therapy in this vulnerable population. Further research is essential to better understand the role of coagulation markers in guiding treatment cessation and improving outcomes.

RevDate: 2025-04-05

Odey AF, Arikpo II, Meremikwu J, et al (2025)

Tolerability of facemask during physical exercises during COVID-19 pandemic: A systematic review.

Journal of public health in Africa, 16(2):610.

BACKGROUND: Available evidence supports the use of facemasks by all groups to prevent respiratory infections, particularly severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). However, it is not clear whether these masks can be used safely during various intensities of physical exercise.

AIM: To evaluate the impact of different types of facemasks on oxygen saturation, oxygen uptake, rate of perceived exertion and performance during different physical exercises.

SETTING: Healthcare databases.

METHOD: We searched for articles published between 2020 to 05 September 2022. There was no restriction in age, language or setting. Electronic databases including The Cochrane Library - Central Register of Controlled Trials and Cochrane Database of systematic review and EPOC; MEDLINE; EMBASE were searched for articles for the period stated above. Risk of Bias in included studies was assessed using Cochrane risk of bias tool for RCTs.

RESULTS: Twenty-four randomised control trials with cross-over design were included. There was a total of 617 participants (373 males and 244 females). None of studies reported on prevention of SARS-CoV-2 infection by mask. The pooled effect estimate shows that wearing surgical mask did not affect oxygen saturation and oxygen uptake. Masks are tolerated during mild and moderate exercise, but reduce maximal exercise capacity. Children tolerate masks for submaximal exercise better than adults.

CONCLUSION: During physical exercises, masks should be used with caution by healthy adults and children but should be avoided by elderly and ill patients.

CONTRIBUTION: This review offers current evidence on tolerability of facemask during physical exercises.

RevDate: 2025-04-04
CmpDate: 2025-04-04

Jernigan VBB, Maudrie TL, SV Lopez (2025)

Stagnating Life Expectancy Among American Indians and Alaska Natives: Understanding the Drivers and Recommendations for Research, Policy, and Practice.

Annual review of public health, 46(1):193-211.

Life expectancy among American Indians and Alaska Natives (AI/ANs) has declined from 72 years in 2019 to 68 years in 2021. This current life expectancy for AI/ANs is equivalent to the overall life expectancy in the United States population in the 1940s. The significant and persistent nature of AI/AN health inequities, and the lack of clarity around what is driving them, requires urgent action. The purpose of this article is threefold. First, we provide a comprehensive conceptual framework of health that presents Indigenous perspectives of health and recognizes settler colonialism as a key structural determinant of the health of AI/ANs. Second, we underscore the importance of Tribal self-determination and sovereignty in public health research and practice and identify successful initiatives centering these efforts. Finally, we conclude with recommendations for future research, practice, and policy.

RevDate: 2025-04-04

Yuan J, Chen J, Zhao Q, et al (2025)

Advancements in the application and research of baculovirus vector vaccines for respiratory diseases in human.

Frontiers in microbiology, 16:1558482.

The rapid spread of respiratory diseases, such as influenza, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV), and Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), poses significant challenges to global public health systems. Vaccination remains the most effective strategy to mitigate these threats. Baculovirus Expression Vector Systems (BEVS) have emerged as a promising platform for vaccine development, addressing key limitations of traditional methods, including complex production processes, lengthy timelines, and high costs. BEVS offers distinct advantages, such as enhanced efficacy, safety, cost-effectiveness, and scalability for large-scale manufacturing. This review highlights the application of BEVS in combating respiratory diseases by analyzing preclinical studies, clinical trials, and approved vaccines targeting these pathogens. It also examines recent advancements in BEVS technology, emphasizing its capacity to accelerate vaccine development and respond to emerging respiratory threats. By focusing on the synergy between BEVS and respiratory disease prevention, this review provides valuable insights to guide global vaccine innovation.

RevDate: 2025-04-04

Choi KA, S Fitzek (2025)

The evolution of health services research in Austria: a bibliometric exploration of trends, themes, and collaborations.

Frontiers in health services, 5:1501035.

BACKGROUND: Health services research (HSR) in Austria has expanded rapidly over the past two decades, reflecting the evolving need for a healthcare system that effectively addresses the broader challenges of an increasingly strained healthcare environment. Mapping the progression and focus areas of this research is essential for guiding policy-making and future studies.

OBJECTIVES: This bibliometric study aims to chart the evolution of Austrian HSR between 2000 and 2024. By examining publication trends, thematic priorities, collaboration networks, and research impacts, the analysis provides evidence-based insights that inform healthcare strategies and highlight research gaps.

METHODS: A systematic literature search was conducted in PubMed, which targeted peer-reviewed articles published from 2000-July 31, 2024. In total, 81 articles met the inclusion criteria. Bibliometric methods, including coauthorship mapping, keyword co-occurrence analysis, and citation tracking, were used to identify core research themes, key authors, and institutional collaborations.

RESULTS: Annual publication outputs increased notably from 2019 to 2020, corresponding to the heightened focus on healthcare during the COVID-19 pandemic. The major themes included mental health, patient care, public health, and disease management, with a growing interest in telemedicine and digital solutions. The Medical University of Vienna led publication activity, and strong international ties were evident, particularly with institutions in the UK and Germany. Citation analyses revealed varied research impacts, with some highly cited studies influencing policy debates and clinical practices.

CONCLUSIONS: Austrian HSR has a dynamic trajectory, reflecting evolving national priorities and global healthcare challenges. Continued efforts are needed to address gaps involving underserved populations, integrate digital health technologies, and enhance economic evaluations of primary care reforms. Furthermore, better standardization in the reporting of funding sources and conflicts of interest is recommended to strengthen methodological rigor and public trust. By fostering collaboration, transparency, and comprehensive evaluations, HSR can more effectively shape equitable healthcare policies in Austria.

RevDate: 2025-04-04
CmpDate: 2025-04-04

Alrasheed AR, Awadalla M, Alnajran H, et al (2025)

Harnessing immunotherapeutic molecules and diagnostic biomarkers as human-derived adjuvants for MERS-CoV vaccine development.

Frontiers in immunology, 16:1538301.

The pandemic potential of the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) highlights the critical need for effective vaccines due to its high fatality rate of around 36%. In this review, we identified a variety of immunotherapeutic molecules and diagnostic biomarkers that could be used in MERS vaccine development as human-derived adjuvants. We identified immune molecules that have been incorporated into standard clinical diagnostics such as CXCL10/IP10, CXCL8/IL-8, CCL5/RANTES, IL-6, and the complement proteins Ca3 and Ca5. Utilization of different human monoclonal antibodies in the treatment of MERS-CoV patients demonstrates promising outcomes in combatting MERS-CoV infections in vivo, such as hMS-1, 4C2H, 3B11-N, NBMS10-FC, HR2P-M2, SAB-301, M336, LCA60, REGN3051, REGN3048, MCA1, MERs-4, MERs-27, MERs-gd27, and MERs-gd33. Host-derived adjuvants such as CCL28, CCL27, RANTES, TCA3, and GM-CSF have shown significant improvements in immune responses, underscoring their potential to bolster both systemic and mucosal immunity. In conclusion, we believe that host-derived adjuvants like HBD-2, CD40L, and LL-37 offer significant advantages over synthetic options in vaccine development, underscoring the need for clinical trials to validate their efficacy.

RevDate: 2025-04-04

Hackett NR, RG Crystal (2025)

Four Decades of Adenovirus Gene Transfer Vectors: History and Current Use.

Molecular therapy : the journal of the American Society of Gene Therapy pii:S1525-0016(25)00271-0 [Epub ahead of print].

Replication deficient adenovirus-based gene therapy vectors were the first vectors demonstrated to mediate effective, robust in vivo gene transfer. The ease of genome engineering, large carrying capacity and methods for large scale vector production made adenoviral vectors a primary focus in the early days of gene therapy. Many vector modifications such as capsid engineering, regulated and cell-specific transgene expression were first demonstrated in adenovirus (Ad) vectors. However, early human studies proved disappointing with safety and efficacy issues arising from anti-vector innate and acquired immune responses. While many gene therapy researchers moved to other vectors, others recognized that the immune response and limited duration of transgene expression were useful in the correct context. The striking example of this was the use of several effective adenovirus vectors engineered as COVID-19 vaccines estimated to have been administered to 2 billion people. In addition to vaccines, current applications of Ad vectors relate to anti-cancer therapies, tissue remodeling and gene editing.

RevDate: 2025-04-04
CmpDate: 2025-04-04

Kisa A, S Kisa (2025)

Health conspiracy theories: a scoping review of drivers, impacts, and countermeasures.

International journal for equity in health, 24(1):93.

BACKGROUND: Health-related conspiracy theories undermine trust in healthcare, exacerbate health inequities, and contribute to harmful health behaviors such as vaccine hesitancy and reliance on unproven treatments. These theories disproportionately impact marginalized populations, further widening health disparities. Their rapid spread, amplified by social media algorithms and digital misinformation networks, exacerbates public health challenges, highlighting the urgency of understanding their prevalence, key drivers, and mitigation strategies.

METHODS: This scoping review synthesizes research on health-related conspiracy theories, focusing on their prevalence, impacts on health behaviors and outcomes, contributing factors, and counter-measures. Using Arksey and O'Malley's framework and the Joanna Briggs Institute guidelines, a systematic search of six databases (PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and Scopus) was conducted. Studies were screened using predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria, with thematic synthesis categorizing findings across diverse health contexts.

RESULTS: The review revealed pervasive conspiracy beliefs surrounding HIV/AIDS, vaccines, pharmaceutical companies, and COVID-19, linked to reduced vaccine uptake, increased mistrust in health authorities, and negative mental health outcomes such as anxiety and depression. Key drivers included sociopolitical distrust, cognitive biases, low scientific literacy, and the unchecked proliferation of misinformation on digital platforms. Promising countermeasures included inoculation messaging, media literacy interventions, and two-sided refutational techniques. However, their long-term effectiveness remains uncertain, as few studies assess their sustained impact across diverse sociopolitical contexts.

CONCLUSION: Health-related conspiracy theories present a growing public health challenge that undermines global health equity. While several interventions show potential, further research is needed to evaluate their effectiveness across diverse populations and contexts. Targeted efforts to rebuild trust in healthcare systems and strengthen critical health literacy are essential to mitigate the harmful effects of these conspiracy beliefs.

RevDate: 2025-04-03

Stoffers-Winterling JM, Wiegand HF, Broll J, et al (2025)

[The COVID-19 pandemic in Germany: mental health trajectories, resilient and vulnerable groups].

Der Nervenarzt [Epub ahead of print].

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic has probably been the biggest health crisis of the twenty-first century to date. For many people it meant prolonged exposure to psychologically relevant stressors and simultaneously limited coping possibilities.

AIM OF THE STUDY: The aim of this review is to present a summary of the current state of knowledge on the course of mental health in Germany during the COVID-19 pandemic.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: Using longitudinal and repeated cross-sectional surveys, key findings are summarized and vulnerability and resilience factors are identified.

RESULTS: Large proportions of the German population reported at least temporary effects on their mental well-being in the sense of increased anxiety and depression symptoms as well as reduced life satisfaction, particularly among women, children and adolescents. At the same time, resilient courses were observed in most cases, i.e., most people managed to maintain their mental health during the pandemic. Vulnerability factors included female gender, younger age and financial difficulties. In contrast, a positive appraisal style, cognitive flexibility, social support, self-efficacy beliefs and, at a societal level, social cohesion and institutional trust were reported as important resilience factors.

DISCUSSION: The vulnerability and resilience factors identified offer concrete starting points for promoting pandemic preparedness.

RevDate: 2025-04-03
CmpDate: 2025-04-03

Bitenga Alexandre A, Mukwege A, Mutondo KM, et al (2025)

Bridging theory and praxis in the comprehensive treatment of conflict-related sexual violence in the Great Lakes Region of Africa.

Global public health, 20(1):2486440.

ABSTRACTThe holistic care model was designed to address the multifaceted medical, psychosocial, socioeconomic, and legal needs of survivors of conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV). However, the extent to which this model aligns with survivors' needs has largely been shaped by the perspectives of service providers. This multi-sited qualitative study is based on 19 in-depth interviews with female survivors from five conflict-affected countries in the Great Lakes region - namely, the DRC, Burundi, Rwanda, the Central African Republic, and Uganda. It explores their experiences and perspectives on the model. The study challenges power dynamics in knowledge production by amplifying the voices of survivors themselves. The semi-structured interviews, conducted online via Zoom during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021, reveal that survivors' medical, psychosocial, socioeconomic, and legal needs are deeply interconnected. These needs must, therefore, be addressed simultaneously - if survivors choose to do so - in order to achieve comprehensive recovery from the multifaceted consequences of CRSV. While the model aligns with survivors' primary needs, access to its services remains problematic across the region due to a variety of technical, cultural, epistemic, geographical, and financial barriers, creating a significant gap between the model as a 'theory' and its practical implementation on the ground.

RevDate: 2025-04-03

Fekrvand S, Saleki K, Abolhassani H, et al (2025)

COVID-19 infection in inborn errors of immunity and their phenocopies: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Infectious diseases (London, England) [Epub ahead of print].

BACKGROUND: Inborn errors of immunity (IEI) are congenital disorders of the immune system. Due to impaired immune system, they are at a higher risk to develop a more severe COVID-19 course compared to general population.

OBJECTIVES: Herein, we aimed to systematically review various aspects of IEI patients infected with SARS-CoV-2. Moreover, we performed a meta-analysis to determine the frequency of COVID-19 in patients with different IEI.

METHODS: Embase, Web of Science, PubMed, and Scopus were searched introducing terms related to IEI and COVID-19.

RESULTS: 3646 IEI cases with a history of COVID-19 infection were enrolled. The majority of patients had critical infections (1013 cases, 27.8%). The highest frequency of critical and severe cases was observed in phenocopies of IEI (95.2%), defects in intrinsic and innate immunity (69.4%) and immune dysregulation (23.9%). 446 cases (12.2%) succumbed to the disease and the highest mortality was observed in IEI phenocopies (34.6%). COVID-19 frequency in immunodeficient patients was 11.9% (95% CI: 8.3 to 15.5%) with innate immunodeficiency having the highest COVID-19 frequency [34.1% (12.1 to 56.0%)]. COVID-19 case fatality rate among IEI patients was estimated as 5.4% (95% CI: 3.5-8.3%, n = 8 studies, I2 = 17.5%).

CONCLUSION: IEI with underlying defects in specific branches of the immune system responding to RNA virus infection experience a higher frequency and mortality of COVID-19 infection. Increasing awareness about these entities and underlying genetic defects, adherence to prophylactic strategies and allocating more clinical attention to these patients could lead to a decrease in COVID-19 frequency and mortality in these patients.

RevDate: 2025-04-03

Singer T (2025)

A neuroscience perspective on the plasticity of the social and relational brain.

Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences [Epub ahead of print].

Over the past two decades, the fields of social and contemplative neurosciences have made significant strides. Initial research utilizing fMRI identified neuronal networks involved in empathy, mentalizing, and compassion, as well as complex interactions among these networks. Subsequent studies shifted to testing the plasticity of these social skills via different types of mindfulness- or compassion-based mental training programs, demonstrating brain plasticity, enhanced social capacities and motivation, as well as improved mental health and overall well-being. Next, researchers developed scalable evidence-based online mental training programs to address the growing levels of mental health problems and loneliness, both exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Innovative approaches, such as novel relational partner-based practices and online app-based dyadic training programs, offer scalable solutions to counteract ongoing societal and mental health deterioration. Current studies are now applying the above findings to support resilience building within diverse domains of society and professional populations-such as healthcare workers and teachers-at high risk of burn-out. Future research should explore the broader impact of such training-related individual changes on larger systems, potentially leading to the development of a translational social neuroscience approach that leverages insights from social brain plasticity research to support societal needs, thereby enhancing resilience, mental health, and social cohesion.

RevDate: 2025-04-03

LeBeau K, Lopez J, Orejuela M, et al (2025)

Understanding the intersectionality of the rural Hispanic/Latino Veteran population: a scoping review of health-related challenges.

Ethnicity & health [Epub ahead of print].

INTRODUCTION: The rural Veteran population is becoming more racially and ethnically diverse, with Hispanic/Latino (H/L) Veterans representing a growing proportion of rural Veterans. Despite experiencing similar challenges to those of other rural Veteran populations, rural H/L Veterans face additional health-related challenges due to sociocultural factors. A gap in knowledge for rural H/L Veterans exists; thus, research on this population is warranted.

OBJECTIVE: We conducted a scoping review to examine literature on rural H/L Veterans. We synthesized health-related issues, needs, and services for rural H/L Veterans, including health disparities, tailored interventions to address health disparities, and whether studies employed an intersectional approach to understand and address challenges for rural H/L Veterans.

METHODS: We followed Arksey and O'Malley's framework. Inclusion criteria were limited to English language articles published between 2007-2024 focusing on rural H/L Veterans in the United States and U.S. state equivalents. Two reviewers assessed selected articles.

RESULTS: Sixteen articles were included. Most articles (75%) were retrospective cohort or retrospective cross-sectional studies. Studies examined health disparities related to diabetes, suicide, depression, traumatic brain injury, PTSD, chronic pain, COVID-19 vaccination, primary care access, goals of care documentation, and multimorbidity. 'Hispanic' and/or 'Latino' terms were often used as descriptive characteristics and/or covariates and lacked clear definitions. Few studies thoroughly highlighted the intersectionality of geographic location and H/L ethnicity for Veterans. Additionally, limitations in data were noted by some studies.

CONCLUSIONS: Increased research on health-related challenges experienced by rural H/L Veterans is needed. Of specific importance is research that emphasizes the intersectionality of rural H/L Veterans, acknowledges intra-ethnic diversity and cultural influence, prioritizes culturally relevant interventions, addresses data limitations, and focuses on providing equitable care. Knowledge gained can inform the development of Veteran-centric and culturally appropriate policies and practices to improve the health outcomes of rural H/L Veterans and achieve health equity.

RevDate: 2025-04-04

Esmaeili Z, Kamal Shahsavar S, K Ghazvini (2025)

A systematic review of the avian antibody (IgY) therapeutic effects on human bacterial infections over the decade.

Antibody therapeutics, 8(2):111-123.

The overuse of antibiotics worldwide, especially during the Coronavirus pandemic, has raised concerns about the rise of antibiotic resistance and its side effects. Immunoglobulin Y, a natural protein that specifically targets foreign antigens, holds promise as a potential therapeutic option, particularly for individuals with sensitive immune systems. Despite numerous studies on IgY, the optimal administration method, effective dose, target antigen, and potential side effects of this antibody remain areas of active research and challenge. This review selected and evaluated articles published in the last ten years from databases such as PubMed and Science Direct with appropriate keywords discussing the therapeutic effects of immunoglobulin Y in human infections in vivo. Out of all the reviewed articles, 35 articles met the inclusion criteria. The results showed that the specific antibody against dental, respiratory, and skin infections has an acceptable effectiveness. In contrast, some infections, such as neurological infections, including tetanus and botulism, still need further investigation due to the short survival time of mice. On the other hand, reporting side effects such as antibody-dependent enhancement in some infections limits its use.

RevDate: 2025-04-04
CmpDate: 2025-04-04

Blake DP (2025)

Eimeria of chickens: the changing face of an old foe.

Avian pathology : journal of the W.V.P.A, 54(3):267-278.

ABSTRACTEimeria are globally enzootic parasites that can cause coccidiosis in chickens. Until recently, remarkably little had changed over the last 40 years in the fundamental biology that underpins detection and control of Eimeria. Tools such as microscopy and lesion scoring remain central to diagnosis, and control still relies on routine supplementation of diets with anticoccidial drugs or application of live vaccines. However, refocusing on aspects of economics, molecular biology, and bacteriology that relate to coccidiosis has prompted considerable change in dogma. The cost of coccidiosis in chickens has been difficult to define, but updating models created in the 1990s suggested an annual cost to the global poultry industry of £10.4 billion in 2016, rising to a peak of £12.9 billion in 2022 under the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic and regional wars. Surveillance using genomic sequence-based diagnostics has suggested the presence of three new Eimeria species, supported by subsequent biological characterization of each line. Use of microbiome sequencing pipelines has revealed the breadth of impact Eimeria infection exerts on enteric microbiota, contributing to dysbiosis and deteriorating litter conditions. Enhanced understanding of Eimeria and the consequences of infection can be used to improve control and diagnosis with relevance to productivity and welfare, creating opportunities to optimize anticoccidial drug use.RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTSThe cost of coccidiosis in chickens fluctuates considerably, peaking in 2022.Three new Eimeria species can infect chickens and escape current vaccines.Eimeria infection exerts wide-ranging effects on enteric microbiota.

RevDate: 2025-04-04
CmpDate: 2025-04-04

Alhumaid S, Al Noaim K, Almuslim AA, et al (2025)

COVID-19 infection in children with blood cancer: A systematic review.

Annals of hematology, 104(2):1203-1230.

BACKGROUND: Blood cancer is the most common type of cancer and the leading cause of death by disease past infancy among children. Children with blood cancer are vulnerable population to viral infections such as coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

OBJECTIVES: To estimate the incidence of COVID-19 in children with blood cancer and analyse the demographic parameters, clinical characteristics and treatment outcomes in children with blood cancer with COVID-19 illness.

METHODS: We adhered to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guideline and searched ProQuest, Medline, Embase, PubMed, CINAHL, Wiley online library, Scopus and Nature for studies on the development of COVID-19 in children with blood cancer, published from December 1, 2019 to April 30, 2023, with English language restriction.

RESULTS: Of the 3077 papers that were identified, 155 articles were included in the systematic review (83 case report, 54 cohort and 18 case-series studies). Studies involving 1289 children with blood cancer with confirmed COVID-19 were analysed. Leukaemias (1141 cases) were the most frequent types of blood cancer observed in children who developed COVID-19, followed by non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (59 cases), Hodgkin's lymphomas (36 cases), Langerhans cell histiocytosis (7 cases), myelodysplastic syndrome (7 cases) and myeloid neoplasm (1 case). Among all 1289 blood cancer paediatric cases who transmitted severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), some children were documented to be admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) (n = 175, 13.6%), intubated and placed on mechanical ventilation (MV) (n = 111, 8.6%), suffered acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) (n = 144, 11.2%) or died (n = 111, 8.6%). Overall, COVID-19 in children with different types of blood cancer resulted in no or low severity of disease in 78.6% of all included cases (COVID-19 severity: asymptomatic = 238, mild = 601, or moderate = 171). Treatment for COVID-19 was not necessary in a small number of children with blood cancer (n = 94, 7.3%). Fatality in children with blood cancer with COVID-19 was reported in any of the included blood cancer categories for leukaemias (n = 99/1141, 8.7%), non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (n = 7/59, 11.9%), Hodgkin's lymphomas (n = 2/36, 5.5%), myelodysplastic syndrome (n = 1/7, 14.3%) or myeloid neoplasm (n = 1/1, 100%). Fatality rate in children with blood cancer infected with SARS-CoV-2 was the highest in patients with Hispanic ethnicity (n = 44/111, 39.6%) and COVID-19-related fatality was highest in male patients (76.5% of deceased patients). Most studies reported to alter the intensity and regimen of anticancer treatment in children with blood cancer during course of SARS-CoV-2 infection, however, many studies have reported to successfully treat COVID-19 without any changes to the anticancer treatment.

CONCLUSION: Globally, leukaemias were the most prevalent and myeloid neoplasms were the least prevalent blood cancer types in children who developed SARS-CoV-2 infection. Children with blood cancer infected with SARS-CoV-2 may experience higher rates of ICU admission and mortality in comparison with the healthy pediatric populations. Mortality in children with blood cancer and infected with SARS-CoV-2 was highest in cases belonging to male gender and Hispanic ethnicity. However, children with blood cancer tend to have milder COVID-19 symptoms and are less likely to be hospitalized and have better prognosis when compared to adults. Continuation of anticancer treatment in individual paediatric blood cancer patients with COVID-19 seems to be possible.

RevDate: 2025-04-04
CmpDate: 2025-04-04

Veldurthy S, Shrivastava D, Majeed F, et al (2025)

Incidence of Infective Endocarditis Post-TPVR with MELODY Valve in Pediatric Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Current cardiology reviews, 21(1):e1573403X324878.

INTRODUCTION: Infective Endocarditis (IE) has emerged to be one of the most impactful adverse complications post-transcatheter procedures, especially Transcatheter Pulmonary Valve Replacement (TPVR). We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis with the aim of identifying the incidence of IE post-TPVR with the MELODY valve in the pediatric population.

METHODS: A comprehensive literature search was performed across several prominent databases, including PubMed/MEDLINE, SCOPUS, and Science Direct. Studies compared the clinical outcomes of pediatric patients who received TPVR using the MELODY valve. Data extraction was done for variables like the total pediatric patient population that underwent TPVR with MELODY valve, mean age, the sex of the patients, the incidence rate of IE following the procedure, and the duration between the procedure and the occurrence of IE. Inverse Variance was used to estimate the incidence of IE in patients who underwent TPVR with respective 95% confidence interval (CI).

RESULTS: In total, 4 studies with 414 pediatric patients who underwent TPVR using the MELODY valve were included in the study. The mean age of the study population was 12.7 ± 3.11 years. The pooled incidence of IE following TPVR with MELODY valve in the pediatric population was 17.70% (95% Cl 3.84-31.55; p<0.00001). Additionally, the mean length of duration to develop IE following TPVR with MELODY valve in the pediatric population was 2.18 years (95% Cl 0.35-4.01; p<0.00001).

CONCLUSION: Our meta-analysis reveals that IE post-TPVR with MELODY valve in pediatric patients is a significant complication, clinically and statistically. Further research needs to be done to understand the risk factors and develop better management strategies.

RevDate: 2025-04-04
CmpDate: 2025-04-04

Di Domenico M, Motta A, Dai Pra T, et al (2025)

The "Magnificent Seven" in Oral and Systemic Health against COVID-19.

Endocrine, metabolic & immune disorders drug targets, 25(4):271-280.

The COVID-19 pandemic impacted all areas of daily life, including medical care. Unfortunately, to date, no specific treatments have been found for the cure of this disease, and therefore, it is advisable to implement all possible strategies to prevent infection. In this context, it is important to better define the role of all behaviors, in particular nutrition, in order to establish whether these can both prevent infection and improve the outcome of the disease in patients with COVID-19. There is sufficient evidence to demonstrate that immune response can be weakened by inadequate nutrition. Nutrition management and treatment are very important to enhance the immune response of an infected person against RNA viral infection. A complete nutritional assessment should include anthropometric, dietary, and laboratorial assessment, as well as a multidisciplinary discussion about the patient's clinical condition. In this way, it is possible to establish an individualized nutritional approach to contribute to improving clinical and nutritional prognoses. From this point of view, diet, through intake of vitamins and trace elements and maintaining adequate functioning of the intestinal barrier, can reduce the severity of the COVID-19 infection. In this study, we provide an overview of the effects of diet on COVID-19 infection in non-cancer patients. This notion needs to be further evaluated, and thus, identification, characterization, and targeting of the right nutrition principles related to the management of patients with COVID-19 are likely to improve outcomes and may prevent the infection or lead to a cure.

RevDate: 2025-04-04
CmpDate: 2025-04-04

Racine N, Deneault AA, Eccles H, et al (2025)

Prevalence of Mental Health and Substance Use Difficulties Among Sexual and Gender Diverse Youth During COVID-19: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

LGBT health, 12(3):165-175.

Purpose: Sexual and gender diverse (SGD) youth have been particularly vulnerable to mental health difficulties and substance use during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, estimates have varied across studies pointing to the potential for moderator variables. This meta-analytic and narrative synthesis provides estimates of the prevalence of mental health difficulties (anxiety, depression, suicidal ideation, suicide attempts) and substance use during COVID-19 among SGD youth. Methods: A comprehensive search strategy combining keywords and subject headings was designed and used across eight databases from inception to October 7, 2022. The search yielded 826 nonduplicate records of which 191 full-text articles were retrieved, evaluated, and extracted by two study authors. Data were analyzed from February 27 to March 1, 2023. Results: Using random-effects meta-analyses, 19 studies from 18 independent samples with 10,500 participants were included. Pooled prevalence rates for clinically elevated anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideation were 55.4% [95% confidence interval (CI):45.9%-64.5%], 61.8% (95% CI: 50.9%-71.7%), and 50.9% (95% CI: 42.8%-59.0%). There was no evidence of publication bias. Suicide attempts and substance use were summarized narratively with rates of suicide attempts being greater than 20% across included studies and variable reporting of substance use across substance types. No moderators explained variability across studies. Conclusion: More than 50% of SGD youth experienced clinically elevated symptoms of anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideation during the COVID-19 pandemic, compared to prepandemic estimates for both SGD and non-SGD youth. Targeted resource allocation is needed to specifically address the needs of SGD youth.

RevDate: 2025-04-04
CmpDate: 2025-04-04

Roth HR, JP Reinert (2025)

Methylxanthine Derivatives in the Treatment of Sinus Node Dysfunction: A Systematic Review.

Cardiology in review, 33(3):246-255.

While the chronotropic effects of theophylline and aminophylline are well-known, their clinical application in the treatment of sinus node dysfunction has not been established in a review. The purpose of this systematic review is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of methylxanthines in the treatment of bradyarrhythmias associated with sinus node dysfunction. A systematic review was conducted in accordance with PRISMA guidelines on Embase, PubMed, MEDLINE, Cochrane Central, Web of Science, SciELO, Korean Citation Index, Global Index Medicus, and CINAHL through June 2023. A total of 607 studies were identified through the literature search. After applying the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 14 studies were included in this review. The causes of bradyarrhythmias involving the sinoatrial node included acute cervical spinal cord injury, coronavirus disease of 2019, carotid sinus syncope, chronotropic incompetence, heart transplant, and chronic sinus node dysfunction. Theophylline and aminophylline were shown to be effective for increasing heart rate and reducing the reoccurrence of bradyarrhythmias. The data on symptom resolution was conflicting. While many case studies reported a resolution of symptoms, a randomized controlled trial reported no significant difference in symptom scores between the control, theophylline, and pacemaker groups in the treatment of sick sinus syndrome. The incidence of adverse effects was low across all study designs. The data suggests methylxanthines may be useful as an alternative or bridge to nonpharmacologic pacing; however, dosing has yet to be established for various indications. Overall, methylxanthines proved safe and effective as a pharmacologic therapy for bradyarrhythmic manifestations of sinus node dysfunction.

RevDate: 2025-04-03

French NP, Maxwell H, Baker MG, et al (2025)

Preparing for the next pandemic: insights from Aotearoa New Zealand's Covid-19 response.

The Lancet regional health. Western Pacific, 56:101525 pii:S2666-6065(25)00062-8.

In 2020 Aotearoa New Zealand, like many other countries, faced the coronavirus pandemic armed with an influenza-based pandemic plan. The country adapted rapidly to mount a highly strategic and effective elimination response to the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. However, implementation was hampered by gaps in pandemic preparedness. These gaps undermined effectiveness of the response and exacerbated inequitable impacts of both Covid-19 disease and control measures. Our review examines the Covid-19 response, reflecting on strengths, limitations and implications for pandemic planning. We identify three key areas for improvement: 1) development of a systematised procedure for risk assessment of a new pandemic pathogen; 2) investment in essential capabilities during inter-pandemic periods; and 3) building equity into all stages of the response. We present a typology of potential pathogens and scenarios and describe the evidence assessment process and core capabilities required for countries to respond fluidly, equitably, and effectively to a rapidly emerging pandemic threat.

RevDate: 2025-04-03

Frias CE, Samarasinghe N, Cuzco C, et al (2025)

Strategies to support the mental health and well-being of health and care workforce: a rapid review of reviews.

Frontiers in medicine, 12:1530287.

BACKGROUND: Countries globally face challenges in educating, employing and retaining their health and care workforce, largely due to underinvestment in health systems. Health and care workforce report significantly greater levels of job-related burnout and mental health problems, which in turn are associated with poorer patient outcomes, increased medical errors, diminished quality and safety, decreased patient satisfaction, and reduced healthcare efficiency.

OBJECTIVE: We conducted a rapid review of systematic reviews to evaluate the mental health and well-being of health and care workers since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and to identify interventions available at organizational and individual levels.

METHODS: PubMed and Epistemonikos were searched for systematic reviews published between May 2022 and February 2024. The inclusion criteria were systematic reviews written in English with quantitative design, with or without meta-analysis.

RESULTS: Fifty articles met the criteria for inclusion in the analysis. Overall, there has not been a significant change in the prevalence of depression and anxiety among health and care workforce since 2022, suggesting the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on workers' mental health and well-being was not specific to their experience working during the pandemic. Sixteen studies reported two types of mental health and well-being interventions: individual-level interventions and organizational-level interventions with specific impact on mental health and work environment variables. No specific policy interventions were found. However, some studies suggested policy interventions to improve the mental health and well-being of the health and care workforce.

DISCUSSION: Our analysis highlighted the need for systemic changes to protect the mental health and well-being of the health and care workforce in the post-COVID-19 era. Despite the wealth of evidence on mental health problems and on effective interventions, there remains a notable gap in systemic implementation and organizational accountability. The call to action for a paradigm shift must be embraced and we must strive to build resilient healthcare systems and invest in active support and sustain them, incorporating structural, non-structural and functional aspects of organizational resilience.

RevDate: 2025-04-03
CmpDate: 2025-04-03

Richter H, Schneider M, Eisenberger J, et al (2025)

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on prehospital emergency medical service: a scoping review.

Frontiers in public health, 13:1543150.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic has had an unprecedented impact on healthcare systems worldwide. Emergency medical services (EMS) frequently served as the sole point of contact for individuals in need of assistance or emergency support. This study aimed to map the impact of the pandemic on emergency calls and EMS operations.

METHODS: A systematic literature search was conducted in the electronic databases Pubmed and Web of Science. A hand search supplemented the search. Published articles in English or German dealing with frequencies, diagnoses, and factors influencing emergency calls and EMS use were included. Studies on cardio-pulmonary resuscitation were not included.

RESULTS: The initial search yielded 3,359 articles, of which 3,187 were screened by title/abstracts, and 120 full-text articles were analyzed. Fifty articles were then included. Fourteen articles reported the number of emergency calls, 30 on the number of EMS operations, and six on both outcomes. The articles were mostly published in 2020 (n = 18) or 2021 (n = 29) and dealt with the situation of EMS during the COVID-19 pandemic in 13 European countries and 11 non-European countries. However, the quantitative data on changes in emergency calls show considerable variation (standard deviation of 31.3% with a mean of 0.0%, minimum: -50.0% to maximum: 121.0%). The quantitative data on changes in EMS operations show a more significant overall decrease (mean: -12.2%, standard deviation: 24.7%, minimum: -72% to maximum: 56%).

CONCLUSIONS: The heterogeneity of the studies is considerable; overall, there appears to have been a decline in emergency calls, particularly EMS operations. Clear patterns, e.g., by region, cannot be identified.

REVIEW PROTOCOL REGISTRATION: The review protocol is registered in the Open Science Framework: https://osf.io/8urq9.

RevDate: 2025-04-03
CmpDate: 2025-04-03

Belkić K (2025)

Toward better prevention of physician burnout: insights from individual participant data using the MD-specific Occupational Stressor Index and organizational interventions.

Frontiers in public health, 13:1514706.

BACKGROUND: Physician burnout has become a public-health crisis. The need is dire for robust organizational solutions, focusing on reduction of specific stressors. The physician-specific Occupational Stressor Index (OSI) based on cognitive ergonomics can help. Individual-participant data (IPD) from different studies addressing physician burnout are lacking.

AIMS: To perform IPD analysis regarding job stressors and their relation to physician burnout and to utilize the IPD results to inform a systematic review of the stressors that show an association with physician burnout, focusing on intervention studies.

METHODS: PRISMA guidelines are followed for the IPD analysis and systematic review of intervention studies on the implicated stressors, taking the COVID-19 pandemic into consideration. The IPD analysis is performed on studies using the physician-specific OSI vis-à-vis burnout assessed by the Copenhagen Burnout Inventory (CBI). Odds ratios (OR) ± 95% confidence-intervals (CI) are reported, adjusting for age, gender and caring for patients with suspected COVID-19 infection.

RESULTS: Three studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria, providing complete IPD data for 95 physicians. Thirty-two (33.7%) physicians had total OSI scores >88, for which intervention is urgently needed. Unit-change in the total stressor burden assessed via OSI yielded OR = 1.11 (95%CI: 1.03-1.18) (p = 0.003) for personal burnout, OR = 1.17 (95%CI: 1.08-1.26) (p = 0.0001) for work-related burnout and OR = 1.07 (95%CI: 1.01-1.15) (p = 0.03) for patient-related burnout. Caring for patients with suspected COVID-19 infection showed significant multivariable results (p = 0.04) only for personal burnout. Twenty distinct work stressors revealed multivariable associations with CBI. Systematic examination via PUBMED, CINAHL and OVID Medline yielded 33 publications mitigating those stressors among physicians. Adequate staffing was pivotal. Clerical staff off-loaded administrative burden. Information-technology staff helped diminish interruptions, enhancing workflow. Cross-coverage reduced time constraints, ensured separate periods for non-clinical tasks, and ≥1 work-free day/week. Several interventions impacted physician burnout, as did recognition of physicians' efforts/achievements. Other OSI-identified stressors were insufficiently examined in intervention studies: e.g. vacation; appropriately-timed, cross-covered restbreaks; and counter-measures for emotionally-disturbing aspects of MD's work, particularly during the pandemic.

CONCLUSIONS: Further participatory-action research is needed in well-controlled intervention trials to alleviate physician burnout.

RevDate: 2025-04-03
CmpDate: 2025-04-03

Nag R, Srivastava S, Rizvi S, et al (2025)

Innovations in vaccine design: Computational tools and techniques.

Advances in pharmacology (San Diego, Calif.), 103:375-391.

The advancements in computational tools have revolutionized vaccine development by organizing and analyzing large-scale immunological data through immuno-informatics. This field combines computational and mathematical approaches to model molecular interactions during antigen presentation and processing. These tools have significantly accelerated vaccine development, making it more efficient and cost-effective. Applications such as SCWRL and SCAP help in side chain and backbone modeling to improve antibodies and forecast secondary structures. Multi-graft and multivalent scaffolds present antigens to elicit strong immune responses; antibodyomics studies the sequences of antibodies to find antibodies that can neutralize. It is another traditional way of doing vaccines where the pathogen's genome is scanned by diacide such as Vaxign to identify the likely vaccine agents. Codon optimization, as implemented with the aid of COOL and OPTIMIZER tools, enhances the output of proteins among which vaccines are needed. These tools also allow for predicting epitope structures the more accurately, or so. Prediction tools that include immunogenicity screening tests that map B-cell epitope and T-cell epitope such as ElliPro and DiscoTope aid in drug design, while the application of Fusion technologies facilitates vaccine development and kit diagnostics. The percentage of time trying to identify possible vaccine candidates is reduced alongside the costs with the application of these tools allowing the improvement in the prediction of vaccine candidates. The purpose of this chapter is to emphasize the invention of computational tools and methods that together are revolutionizing vaccine design and development and to underline the importance of tissue engineering and immunology advances.

RevDate: 2025-04-03
CmpDate: 2025-04-03

Mahata K, Biswas M, Sengupta S, et al (2025)

Computational exploration of viral cell membrane structures for identifying novel therapeutic target.

Advances in pharmacology (San Diego, Calif.), 103:265-285.

The membrane proteins of viruses play a critical role, and they shield viruses and takes biochemical mechanisms like sticking to the host cell membrane, merging with them, building new viruses, and breaking free. These steps make sure the virus can infect and multiply. But the membrane proteins of Nipah, Zika, SARS-CoV-2, and Hendra virus can cause special kinds of infections. Nipah and Hendra viruses use their fusion protein to join with the host cell membrane. Their glycoprotein interacts with host receptors. The matrix protein helps to build and support the virus structure. Zika virus relies on its envelope protein to attach and fuse with host cells. Its membrane protein keeps the viral envelope stable. SARS-CoV-2 uses its spike protein to enter host cells and its envelope protein helps assemble new viruses. The membrane protein gives structural stability whereas the nucleocapsid protein interacts with the RNA genome. These viral membranes contain various kinds of lipids and proteins and they make up about 30 % of the membrane area. Yet, scientists find it hard to predict their molecular structure and different biological characters. The coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations, enhanced sampling methods, and various structural bioinformatics investigations on viral proteins provide reliable scientific data. These investigations reveal viral membrane proteins' structural features, movement patterns, and thermodynamic properties. These computer methods are vital for drug discovery because it allows researchers to find new compounds that target viral membrane proteins to prevent their functions.

RevDate: 2025-04-03
CmpDate: 2025-04-03

Choi Y, De Ridder D, G Greub (2025)

Genomic and spatial epidemiology: lessons learned from SARS-CoV-2 pandemic.

Current opinion in HIV and AIDS, 20(3):287-293.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic presented unprecedented challenges, particularly in understanding its complex spatial transmission patterns. The high transmissibility of the virus led to frequent super-spreading events. These events demonstrated clear spatial clustering patterns, often tied to specific events that facilitated transmission. The uneven geographic distribution of medical resources and varying access to care amplified the impact of SARS-CoV-2. Asymptomatic cases further complicated the situation, as infected individuals could silently spread the virus before being identified.Thus, this review examines how genomic and spatial epidemiology approaches can be integrated to answer some of the above-mentioned challenges. We first describe the methodological foundations of genomics and spatial epidemiology, detailing opportunities of their applications during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. We then present a novel interdisciplinary framework that combines these approaches to better guide public health interventions.

RECENT FINDINGS: During the pandemic, the genomic and spatial approaches were used to address key questions, including "how does the pathogen evolve and diversify?" and "how does the pathogen spread geographically?". Genomic epidemiology allows researchers to identify viral lineages and new variants. Conversely, spatial epidemiology focused on geographic distribution of infections, analyzing how the virus spread. However, despite their complementary nature, these approaches were largely applied independently during the pandemic. This separation limited our collective ability to fully understand the complex relationships between viral evolution and geographic spread.

SUMMARY: While phylogeography has traditionally combined phylogenetic and geographic data to understand long-term evolutionary patterns across large areas, events such as the recent SARS-CoV-2 pandemic demand frameworks that can inform public health interventions through joint analysis of genomic and local-scale spatial data.

RevDate: 2025-04-03

Diab A, Stack H, McKeown B, et al (2025)

Systematic review of Health Canada approved clinical therapeutic trials for the treatment or prevention of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

Canadian journal of physiology and pharmacology [Epub ahead of print].

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Canadian clinical researchers pivoted their research programs to investigate repurposing drugs, accelerating the development of experimental therapies, and developing novel disease-specific treatments. This systematic review analyzes the trial design, participant characteristics, and reported outcomes of all Health Canada authorized clinical trials of therapeutics to prevent or treat COVID-19 with published results as of March 2023. We conclude that there is a need for adaptive clinical trial designs, broader pan-Canadian clinical trial networks, more targeted participant recruitment to facilitate increased diversity and inclusion, and standardization in reporting participant characteristics, outcome measurement, and follow-up. Finally, guided by our findings, we make recommendations for improved clinical trial designs when faced with an emerging disease.

RevDate: 2025-04-03
CmpDate: 2025-04-03

Damase TR, JP Cooke (2025)

RNA therapeutics in cardiovascular medicine.

Current opinion in cardiology, 40(3):139-149.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: RNA therapeutics came to global attention when mRNA-based vaccines provided an answer to the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. The immense significance of this development notwithstanding, it is important to note that almost a decade prior to the pandemic, RNA drugs had made important inroads toward the amelioration of disease. The first class of RNA therapies to be introduced into clinical use were the antisense oligomers and siRNA drugs which generally induce a therapeutic effect by acting to brake or to modulate mRNA expression. RNA therapeutics is quickly becoming the fourth pillar of pharmacotherapy, and will have broad applications, including for the treatment of cardiovascular disease.

RECENT FINDINGS: The United States (US) Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved several antisense oligomers (ASOs) and siRNA-based drugs to treat disorders associated with cardiovascular disease. In addition, multiple RNA-based drugs are in clinical trials to assess their safety and efficacy in patients with cardiovascular disorders, such as Zodasiran, a siRNA therapy that targets angiopoietin-like protein 3 (ANGPTL3) to reduce LDL cholesterol.

SUMMARY: Because of limitless sequence choice; speed of design; and relative ease of synthesis, RNA drugs will be rapidly developed, will have broad applications, and will be generated at lower cost than other drug types. This review aims to highlight RNA therapies for cardiovascular diseases that are approved, and those that are under clinical evaluation.

RevDate: 2025-04-03
CmpDate: 2025-04-03

Rutstein SE, Limarzi-Klyn L, Miller WC, et al (2025)

Public health implications of diagnosing and treating acute HIV.

Current opinion in HIV and AIDS, 20(3):236-246.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The earliest months of HIV infection are characterized by high viral loads and elevated transmissibility, particularly during the acute (preseroconversion) phase. Transmission prevention during early HIV requires diagnostic tools that narrow the window between viral acquisition and reactive test, followed by rapid linkage to effective antiretroviral therapy (ART). Here, we review recent advances related to diagnosing and treating persons during early HIV, with a particular focus on acute HIV infection (AHI).

RECENT FINDINGS: Point-of-care (POC) fourth-generation antigen/antibody tests have mixed performance, often dependent on the pretest probability of early infection within the screened population. Risk score algorithms demonstrate the potential for prioritizing resource-intensive tests, such as POC HIV RNA, to those most likely to have AHI, but their predictive performance varies across populations, complicating implementation. Emerging and re-emerging infections, including SARS-CoV-2 and mpox, present opportunities for and challenges to symptom-driven AHI screening. Daily oral ART with standard first-line regimens quickly suppresses viremia during AHI, but long-acting injectable drugs are yet to be explored for this indication.

SUMMARY: Few practice-changing results related to diagnosing or treating persons with early HIV have been released in the last 18 months. Accurate POC HIV RNA tests could leapfrog fourth-generation POC assays, but they remain unavailable for routine use. Implementation science approaches are needed to guide use of evidence-based strategies for early HIV screening, and additional research on same-day ART linkage, including injectable ART, could produce dramatic impacts on forward transmission during this period.

RevDate: 2025-04-03
CmpDate: 2025-04-03

Wilkinson TJ, Ancliffe L, JH Macdonald (2025)

Can exercise reduce fatigue in people living with kidney disease?.

Current opinion in clinical nutrition and metabolic care, 28(3):200-207.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: In people living with kidney disease (KD) Fatigue is a whole-body tiredness that is not related to activity or exertion. Often self-reported, fatigue is a common and highly burdensome symptom, yet poorly defined and understood. While its mechanisms are complex, many fatigue-related factors may be altered by exercise and physical activity intervention. Thus, this review aims to review the latest research on exercise in reducing fatigue in people living with KD.

RECENT FINDINGS: The benefits of exercise in KD are well known, yet recent data from clinical trials on fatigue are scarce. Favourable effects on fatigue were found through a myriad of physical activity and exercise-based interventions, including using exercise-based video games, exercise during dialysis, nurse-led exercise programs, and home-based exercise delivered by a novel digital health intervention. Yet, whilst the handful of recent trials show positive efficacy on fatigue across the spectrum of KD, contemporary exercise-based research was impacted critically by COVID-19, and the field is limited by underpowered trials and heterogeneity of assessment tools.

SUMMARY: Fatigue remains, at best, a secondary outcome measure in trials despite it being the most commonly reported symptom in KD. Given its importance to the people it impacts most, better quality evidence is needed to fully understand and optimize the impact of exercise in this group.

RevDate: 2025-04-03

Couvreur P (2024)

[Nanomedicines for the treatment of serious diseases and dual research].

Comptes rendus biologies, 347:187-198.

The use of nanotechnologies for the encapsulation of pharmacologically active molecules (nanomedicines) has enhanced the delivery of these molecules within the body after administration. By releasing the active ingredient at the level of pathological cells and tissues, these nanocarriers help reduce toxicity while improving therapeutic efficacy. They also protect fragile molecules from rapid metabolization and can promote their intracellular penetration. Nanomedicines have made significant advances in various therapeutic areas such as oncology, infectious diseases, and several neurological disorders. They have also contributed to groundbreaking discoveries, including the introduction of the first mRNA vaccine (against COVID-19), and have improved certain imaging and diagnostic techniques, too. Depending on the country and therapeutic indications, between 40 to 60 nanomedicines are currently on the market, with over a hundred in clinical trials. This review aims to describe and discuss the characteristics and functionalities of the different generations of nanocarriers, from their inception to the present day, discussing the prospects they offer for the production of therapeutic proteins, for facilitating gene editing (CRISPR/Cas9), and for enabling immune checkpoint blockade in oncology. The potential of extracellular vesicles and exosomes as drug carriers is also explored. These advances compel researchers to consider the dual risks, both conscious and unconscious, that they may pose.

RevDate: 2025-04-02

Stuetzle SCW, Willis M, Barnowska EJ, et al (2025)

Factors influencing vaccine hesitancy toward non-covid vaccines in South Asia: a systematic review.

BMC public health, 25(1):1246.

Declared as one of the ten most pressing threats to global health in 2019, the complexity around vaccine acceptance and hesitancy has once again gained great momentum following the COVID-19 pandemic. Lack of vaccine acceptance may endanger the mission of improving vaccine uptake globally to tackle pandemics, reduce morbidity and mortality of preventable diseases and to prevent antibiotic resistance worldwide. Countries of the global south, including South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) countries are especially affected by the dangers of low vaccination uptake and continue to show decreases in coverage in recent years. This paper examines factors contributing to vaccine hesitancy in south Asia and the extent to which they are context and disease specific, guided by a modified version of the WHO SAGE 5 C model by Razai et al. Three databases were searched for peer-reviewed articles by using a comprehensive search strategy. Results from 44 quantitative, qualitative and mixed-method studies were included in the systematic review and appraised for quality, thematically analyzed and mapped onto the 5 C model. findings from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal and Afghanistan showed vaccine hesitancy to be context and vaccine-specific within different settings of the countries. The main factors contributing to vaccine hesitancy can be identified as narrow confidence in vaccines, miscommunication, and lack of knowledge embedded into overarching constraints and contexts. To tackle vaccine hesitancy in SAARC countries, interventions need to be co-created by communities and mutual trust needs to be ensured, for instance through increased equity in knowledge distribution.

RevDate: 2025-04-02

Han GR, Goncharov A, Eryilmaz M, et al (2025)

Machine learning in point-of-care testing: innovations, challenges, and opportunities.

Nature communications, 16(1):3165.

The landscape of diagnostic testing is undergoing a significant transformation, driven by the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) into decentralized, rapid, and accessible sensor platforms for point-of-care testing (POCT). The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the shift from centralized laboratory testing but also catalyzed the development of next-generation POCT platforms that leverage ML to enhance the accuracy, sensitivity, and overall efficiency of point-of-care sensors. This Perspective explores how ML is being embedded into various POCT modalities, including lateral flow assays, vertical flow assays, nucleic acid amplification tests, and imaging-based sensors, illustrating their impact through different applications. We also discuss several challenges, such as regulatory hurdles, reliability, and privacy concerns, that must be overcome for the widespread adoption of ML-enhanced POCT in clinical settings and provide a comprehensive overview of the current state of ML-driven POCT technologies, highlighting their potential impact in the future of healthcare.

RevDate: 2025-04-02

Tarasco MC, Iacomino N, Mantegazza R, et al (2025)

COVID-19, Epstein-Barr virus reactivation and autoimmunity: Casual or causal liaisons?.

Journal of microbiology, immunology, and infection = Wei mian yu gan ran za zhi pii:S1684-1182(25)00076-3 [Epub ahead of print].

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by SARS-CoV-2 virus infection, has been associated with a substantial risk of autoimmune disease development or exacerbation. The postulated pathophysiological mechanisms linking COVID-19 with autoimmunity include reactivation of latent Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), whose dysregulated infection in the host can trigger or promote an autoimmune response. This review summarizes recent studies highlighting a potential immunopathogenetic link between SARS-CoV-2 infection and EBV reactivation, which could underlie autoimmunity onset or worsening, as well as immune-related long COVID manifestations in COVID-19 patients. We offer our perspective on the direction that research should take to disentangle the nature (whether causal or casual) of the "COVID-19-EBV-autoimmunity" liaisons. Further advances in this research area may be crucial for designing strategies to prevent or treat EBV reactivation-related autoimmune conditions in COVID-19 patients, or patients with inflammatory co-infectious diseases, at the same time promising to improve our knowledge on the viral contribution to autoimmune phenomena.

RevDate: 2025-04-02

Edelman A, Vinyals Torres L, Kazi A, et al (2025)

An unfinished agenda: insights from seven country case studies on strengthening primary health care in the Western Pacific Region.

BMJ global health, 10(Suppl 2): pii:bmjgh-2024-017442.

In the WHO Western Pacific Region, primary health care (PHC) is considered 'the future of health' and the key to achieving universal health coverage. However, political, economic and social forces underlying curative, hospital-centric models have eroded public, local-level health service capacity-contributing to fragmented systems and persisting health inequities. Drawing insights from seven published country case studies from East Asia examining PHC in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, this paper discusses key factors influencing the implementation of PHC. Countries are improving service delivery through a PHC approach, but persisting governance and structural barriers to PHC reform include vertical approaches to health care planning and programme delivery, health workforce shortages and maldistribution, and market forces that have shaped health care and workforce models towards curative care. Three domains for future policy and research to strengthen PHC are proposed. First, managing the political economy of PHC reform requires mapping relationships and systematically unravelling political, social and economic factors shaping accountability, receptiveness and capacity for change. Second, strengthening participatory governance involves shifting power to communities through platforms for shared policy creation and implementation, decentralised governance and empowering community-oriented health workers. Third, improving conceptual clarity and policy guidance on PHC can use the Sustainable Development Goals to orient systems towards preventing illness and valuing good health. The case studies offer a practice model of applied health policy and systems research coproduced with policy stakeholders.

RevDate: 2025-04-02

Allen D, Strange H, Jacob N, et al (2025)

How can we optimise nurse staffing systems? Insights from a comparative document analysis of 10 widely used models and focused interpretative review of implementation experiences.

International journal of nursing studies, 167:105056 pii:S0020-7489(25)00065-3 [Epub ahead of print].

BACKGROUND: A diverse range of formal systems have been implemented in high income countries to ensure safe nurse staffing. Evidence reviews indicate that no one best model exists and recommends optimising existing systems. As a result of the Covid-19 pandemic and a global nursing workforce crisis, healthcare systems and the nursing profession face a challenging future. Nurse staffing systems must be fit for purpose.

AIM: Identify, describe and compare the core components of nurse staffing systems, assess the conditioning effects of context on their mechanisms of action, and explore front-line implementation experiences to inform system optimisation.

SAMPLE: Ten widely used nurse staffing systems deployed in high-income western healthcare systems.

THEORY: Complex interventions thinking and Actor Network Theory.

METHODS: Phase 1: Document analysis of formal published accounts of nurse staffing systems. Phase 2: Focused interpretative review of evidential fragments on implementation experiences and contextual influences from available evaluation studies.

CONCLUSIONS: Systems varied in their complexity, core components, and organising logics. Nurses experience a range of implementation challenges, but workforce shortages and budgetary constraints were the principal contextual influences. Prospective strategies to optimise nurse staffing systems must be tailored to system and context but include strategies and tools to augment professional authority, more granular workload measurement, improved outcome measurements, strengthened digital infrastructures, enhanced governance arrangements and increased public accountability. Benchmarking approaches should be used with caution, given the normative impulse to depress staffing levels. In the context of a global workforce shortage, consideration should also be given to the impacts of nurse staffing models on the wider healthcare system.

TWEETABLE ABSTRACT: How can we optimise safe nurse staffing systems? Insights from a document analysis and interpretative review informed by actor network theory.

RevDate: 2025-04-02

Asaduzzaman M, Rahaman MZ, Afrin S, et al (2025)

Antibiotic prescribing patterns in the community and primary care settings through a gender lens: A systematic review.

Public health, 242:311-318 pii:S0033-3506(25)00139-8 [Epub ahead of print].

OBJECTIVES: Gender differences affect exposure to infections, including drug-resistant ones. However, data on the relationship between gender and antibiotic use are limited. This systematic review examines gender differences in antibiotic prescribing patterns in community and primary care settings.

STUDY DESIGN: Systematic review.

METHODS: We searched Web of Science (Core Collection), PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane Database, and EMBASE for studies published between January 2014 and April 2024. We included studies of any design that analyzed antibiotic prescribing patterns for patients consulting general practitioners. We excluded studies that did not examine gender differences, unpublished reports, and non-English articles. We conducted a narrative synthesis of the findings. The review is registered in PROSPERO (CRD42023476119).

RESULTS: Our search identified 12,853 citations, from which we included 11 studies conducted in 10 countries. Most studies (n = 7) were cross-sectional. Gender analysis of antibiotic prescribing in the included studies did not show a consistent pattern in the likelihood of antibiotic prescription based on gender. The most commonly prescribed antibiotics were azithromycin, amoxicillin, cephalexins, penicillin, clarithromycin, and metronidazole, primarily for respiratory infections, sinusitis, bronchitis, pneumonia, COVID-19, skin, and musculoskeletal diseases. Most studies did not report dose compliance.

CONCLUSIONS: Our systematic review identifies gender as a factor in antibiotic prescribing that remains insufficiently explored. Further research and policy discussions are needed to examine global prescribing patterns through a gender lens.

RevDate: 2025-04-02

Poole-Wright K, Patel A, Gaughran F, et al (2025)

Prevalence and associations of fatigue in psychosis: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Schizophrenia research, 279:59-70 pii:S0920-9964(25)00092-1 [Epub ahead of print].

BACKGROUND: There is increasing interest in fatigue in people with psychotic illnesses. This systematic review and meta-analysis reviewed the evidence concerning the prevalence of fatigue and associated factors in adults with psychotic illnesses.

METHODS: Embase, PsycINFO, Medline and CINAHL were systematically searched for articles in English published between January 1946 to 9 October 2023. Inclusion criteria was 'fatigue' in adults (≥18 years old) with a confirmed ICD11 or DSM5 diagnosis of a psychotic disorder. Risk of bias was assessed with the JBI and the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Pooled proportions for fatigue with 95 % CI were calculated using random effects models. Heterogeneity was assessed using Cochran's Q and I[2] statistic and Egger's tests were conducted for publication bias.

RESULTS: A total of 57 articles met the inclusion criteria and 7 articles (n = 1161 participants) were included for the meta-analysis of fatigue. Fatigue prevalence was 55 % (95 % CI: 37-71 %, I[2] = 94 %). A sensitivity analysis of the 6 studies using a valid scale (n = 711 participants) found a fatigue proportion of 59 % (95 % CI: 41-76, I[2] = 93 %). Eighteen studies (n = 4569 participants) were included for an analysis exploring the prevalence of antipsychotic-related fatigue, which was 20.5 % (95 % CI: 11-34 %). We found no significant difference in antipsychotic-related fatigue between studies using a valid scale (27 %, 95 % CI: 14-46, k = 7) and studies using a clinical interview (17 %, 95 % CI: 7-35 %, k = 11) p = 0.302. An Egger's test indicated no publication bias. Quality assessments for included studies revealed that 16 % were at low risk of bias, 9 % at high risk and 75 % at moderate risk. Reported associations with fatigue included sex, age, antipsychotics, distress and depression, sleep, and some negative symptoms.

CONCLUSIONS: Our study revealed that a majority of people with psychosis experience fatigue. Antipsychotics, sex, and functioning may contribute to tiredness symptoms, but further research is needed.

RevDate: 2025-04-02

Mun M, Kim M, K Woo (2025)

Advancements in simulation-based nursing education: Insights from a bibliometric analysis of temporal trends.

Nurse education today, 151:106719 pii:S0260-6917(25)00155-8 [Epub ahead of print].

BACKGROUND: Simulations are used in nursing education to create realistic clinical practice environments. With rapid changes in educational demands and the growing importance of simulation in nursing, understanding the evolution of its application will provide critical insights into how educational strategies have undergone adaptive changes over time to meet the needs of nursing students and healthcare settings.

AIMS: This study aimed to identify temporal trends in simulation-based nursing education, map key research themes, and examine changes in the educational landscape over time.

DESIGN: This is a bibliometric study of simulation-based nursing education.

METHODS: The analysis was conducted using VOSviewer. A total of 12,083 publications retrieved from PubMed, the Excerpta Medica Database, and the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature were analyzed. To identify temporal shifts in simulation-based nursing education, articles were categorized into four periods based on the progression of simulation usage and technological advancements. Co-occurrence analysis was performed for each period.

RESULTS: Our analysis revealed a substantial increase in research on simulation-based nursing education after 2014, with a surge following the COVID-19 pandemic. The results show an increasing adoption of advanced techniques, such as standardized patients, in-situ simulations, and virtual reality. Core keywords, such as CPR, critical thinking, and team training, highlight the diverse applications of simulations in technical and psychological training. Temporal trends highlight significant shifts in keywords driven by technological advancements and evolving pedagogical approaches. Integrating advanced technology and realistic scenarios provides learners with immersive experiences that can substantially enhance their nursing competencies.

CONCLUSIONS: This study revealed that simulation-based nursing education has evolved substantially, reflecting technological progress and changes in educational priorities. This underscores the need to integrate advanced technology with innovative simulation methods to prepare nursing students for real-world clinical challenges.

RevDate: 2025-04-02

Von Visger T, Lyons A, Zhou Y, et al (2025)

COVID-19-Related Racism and Mental Health Among Asian Americans: Integrative Review.

Asian/Pacific Island nursing journal, 9:e63769 pii:v9i1e63769.

BACKGROUND: Racism against Asian Americans escalated during the COVID-19 pandemic. About 31%-91% of Asian American adults and children reported experiencing various types of racism during the pandemic. According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation hate crime statistics, anti-Asian hate crime incidents increased from 158 in 2019 to 279 in 2020 and 746 in 2021. In 2022, the incidents decreased to 499, corresponding to the downward trend of the pandemic. The degree of impact racism has on mental health and wellness among Asian Americans requires investigation, specifically during the COVID-19 pandemic.

OBJECTIVE: We aim to describe racism-related mental health problems experienced by Asian Americans living in the United States and propose implementation strategies for mitigating their consequences.

METHODS: We conducted an integrative review of peer-reviewed publications in English reporting anti-Asian sentiments and racism's impacts on mental health among Asian Americans in the United States.

RESULTS: The 29 eligible articles report on studies that utilized cross-sectional survey designs with various sample sizes. Racism is directly correlated with the prevalence of depression and anxiety experienced by victims of racist acts. The prevalence of in-person direct racism (racist expression aimed directly at the victim) is lower than in-person indirect racism (racist expression aimed at the ethnic group the victim belongs to). During the COVID-19 pandemic, the incidence of explicit online racism was lower than online indirect racism.

CONCLUSIONS: COVID-19-related racism exacerbated preexisting racism, contributing to worse depression and anxiety among Asian Americans. To address this issue, we propose 2 main approaches: increase public awareness and education about recognizable racist sentiments/acts and systematized reporting of racially motivated crimes to guide political action. At an individual level, culturally responsive, trauma-informed interventions promoting cultural support and cohesion for various Asian American groups will foster this empowerment. These proposed actions will help alleviate racism by reducing stereotypes, empowering victims, and chipping away at the systemic racism structure.

RevDate: 2025-04-02
CmpDate: 2025-04-02

Sy MP, Frey S, Baldissera A, et al (2025)

The role of occupational therapists in return-to-work practice for people with post-COVID condition: A scoping review.

Work (Reading, Mass.), 80(2):498-513.

BackgroundReturn to work has become more valuable today more than ever especially for adult workers who experience post-COVID condition.ObjectiveThis scoping review aims to map the extant literature on the role of occupational therapists for people with post COVID condition returning to work. Specifically, we described the roles of occupational therapists, identified the professionals occupational therapists work with in this practice setting, and determined whether the concept of return to work is perceived as an outcome or a process.MethodThe review followed Arksey and O'Malley's framework and reported the results using PRISMA extension. A systematic database search was performed in June 2024 and was updated in February 2024 to retrieve literature published from 2021 onwards.ResultsA total of 33 papers from 5106 records were included. The included records were studies from varying designs and largely coming from Western and developed countries. Our results revealed that ooccupational therapists have a wide-ranging role from providing clinical assessments and interventions, facilitating and advocating activities to prepare for work participation, and working within teams to target clinical and return-to-work outcomes. To be effective in their role, occupational therapists work interprofessionally within teams composed of health, social, legal and service professionals. The concept of return to work was largely perceived as an outcome of rehabilitation and recovery, and less likely as a dynamic process that bridges patients from the health system to societal integration.ConclusionOccupational therapists have a crucial role in return-to-work practice especially for people with post COVID condition.

RevDate: 2025-04-02

Silva DL, Peres NTA, DA Santos (2025)

Key fungal coinfections: epidemiology, mechanisms of pathogenesis, and beyond.

mBio [Epub ahead of print].

Coinfection is defined as the occurrence of at least two genetically distinct infectious agents within the same host. Historically, fungal infections have been neglected, leading to an underestimation of their impact on public health systems. However, fungal coinfections have become increasingly prevalent, emerging as a significant global health concern. This review explores fungal coinfections commonly associated with HIV, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), influenza, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, and Pseudomonas species. These include candidiasis, aspergillosis, paracoccidioidomycosis, cryptococcosis, histoplasmosis, pneumocystosis, sporotrichosis, and mucormycosis. We discuss the key local and systemic mechanisms that contribute to the occurrence of these coinfections. HIV infects CD4+ cells, causing systemic immunosuppression, particularly impairing the adaptive immune response. The inflammatory response to SARS-CoV-2 infection disrupts both pulmonary and systemic homeostasis, rendering individuals more vulnerable to local and disseminated fungal coinfections. Severe influenza promotes fungal coinfections by triggering the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, which damage the epithelial-endothelial barrier and impair the recognition and phagocytosis of fungal cells. Tuberculosis can replace normal lung parenchyma with collagen tissue, leading to alterations in lung architecture, compromising its function. Interaction between Pseudomonas and Aspergillus during coinfection involves the competition for iron availability and an adaptive response to its deprivation. Therefore, the specific interactions between each underlying disease and fungal coinfections are detailed in this review. In addition, we highlight the risk factors associated with coinfections, pathophysiology, epidemiology, and the challenges of early diagnosis. Recognizing the substantial worldwide public health burden posed by fungal coinfections is crucial to improve survival rates.

RevDate: 2025-04-02

Wang W, Ji J, Han L, et al (2025)

Global hotspot and trend of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation for pulmonary embolism.

Frontiers in medicine, 12:1531716.

BACKGROUND: Research on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO)-assisted support for pulmonary embolism (PE) has been increasing, yet no systematic bibliometric analysis has been conducted. This study evaluates global research trends in this field by analyzing countries, institutions, authors, journals, references, and keywords.

METHODS: Relevant articles and reviews published up to August 15, 2023, were retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection (WOSCC). VOSviewer and CiteSpace software were used for bibliometric analysis of collected data.

RESULTS: Publications on ECMO-assisted support for PE surged from 2015 to 2023, comprising 82.7% (306/370) of total studies. The United States, Germany, and China contributed 62.97% (233/370) of the research. Perfusion-UK had the most publications, while Journal of the American College of Cardiology was the most cited journal. The University of Maryland, Massachusetts General Hospital, and Harvard Medical School were the leading institutions. Chetan Pasrija published the highest number of papers, while Konstantinidis SV was the most co-cited author. Research hot spots include: (1) ECMO management and survival rates, (2) combined treatments with thrombolysis or surgical thrombectomy, (3) anticoagulation and clot formation, and (4) ECMO support in COVID-19.

CONCLUSION: This study aims to increase awareness of research hot spots on ECMO-assisted support for PE by determining the collaboration and impact of authors, countries, institutions, and journals. In addition, it comprehensively reviews research trends on ECMO regarding PE. It also provides a reference for potential collaborators, institutions, and future research prospects.

RevDate: 2025-04-02
CmpDate: 2025-04-02

Hong L, Chen X, Liu Y, et al (2025)

The relationship between ferroptosis and respiratory infectious diseases: a novel landscape for therapeutic approach.

Frontiers in immunology, 16:1550968.

Respiratory infectious diseases, particularly those caused by respiratory viruses, have the potential to lead to global pandemics, thereby posing significant threats to public and human health. Historically, the primary treatment for respiratory bacterial infections has been antibiotic therapy, while severe cases of respiratory viral infections have predominantly been managed by controlling inflammatory cytokine storms. Ferroptosis is a novel form of programmed cell death that is distinct from apoptosis and autophagy. In recent years, Recent studies have demonstrated that ferroptosis plays a significant regulatory role in various respiratory infectious diseases, indicating that targeting ferroptosis may represent a novel approach for the treatment of these conditions. This article summarized the toxic mechanisms underlying ferroptosis, its relationship with respiratory infectious diseases, the mechanisms of action, and current treatment strategies. Particular attentions were given to the interplay between ferroptosis and Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Epstein-Barr virus, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, dengue virus, influenza virus and herpes simplex virus type1infection. A deeper understanding of the regulatory mechanisms of ferroptosis in respiratory infections will not only advance our knowledge of infection-related pathophysiology but also provide a theoretical foundation for the development of novel therapeutic strategies. Targeting ferroptosis pathways represents a promising therapeutic approach for respiratory infections, with significant clinical and translational implications.

RevDate: 2025-04-02
CmpDate: 2025-04-02

Piano Mortari E, Ferrucci F, Zografaki I, et al (2025)

T and B cell responses in different immunization scenarios for COVID-19: a narrative review.

Frontiers in immunology, 16:1535014.

Vaccines against COVID-19 have high efficacy and low rates of adverse events. However, none of the available vaccines provide sterilizing immunity, and reinfections remain possible. This review aims to summarize the immunological responses elicited by different immunization strategies, examining the roles of homologous and heterologous vaccination and hybrid immunity. Homologous vaccination regimens exhibit considerable variation in immune responses depending on the vaccine platform, particularly concerning antibody titers, B cell activation, and T cell responses. mRNA vaccines, such as mRNA-1273 and BNT162b2, consistently generate higher and more durable levels of neutralizing antibodies and memory B cells compared to adenovirus-based vaccines like Ad26.COV2.S and ChAdOx1. The combination of two distinct vaccine platforms, each targeting different immune pathways, seems to be more effective in promoting long-lasting B cell responses and potent T cell responses. The high heterogeneity of the available studies, the different dosing schemes, the succession of new variants, and the subjects' immunological background do not allow for a definitive conclusion. Overall, heterologous vaccination strategies, combining sequentially viral vector and mRNA may deliver a more balanced and robust humoral and cellular immune response compared to homologous regimens. Hybrid immunity, which arises from SARS-CoV-2 infection preceded or followed by vaccination produces markedly stronger immune responses than either vaccination or infection alone. The immune response to SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern varies depending on both the vaccine platform and prior infection status. Hybrid immunity leads to a broader antibody repertoire, providing enhanced neutralization of variants of concern. Heterologous vaccination and hybrid immunity may provide further opportunities to enhance immune responses, offering broader protection and greater durability of immunity. However, from all-cause mortality, symptomatic or severe COVID, and serious adverse events at present it is not possible to infer different effects between homologous and heterologous schemes. Next-generation vaccines could involve tweaks to these designs or changes to delivery mechanisms that might improve performance.

RevDate: 2025-04-02
CmpDate: 2025-04-02

Firdaus MER, Dukhno E, Kapoor R, et al (2025)

Two Birds With One Stone: RNA Virus Strategies to Manipulate G3BP1 and Other Stress Granule Components.

Wiley interdisciplinary reviews. RNA, 16(2):e70005.

Stress granules (SGs) are membrane-less organelles forming in the cytoplasm in response to various types of stress, including viral infection. SGs and SG-associated proteins can play either a proviral role, by facilitating viral replication, or an antiviral role, by limiting the translation capacity, sequestering viral RNA, or contributing to the innate immune response of the cell. Consequently, viruses frequently target stress granules while counteracting cellular translation shut-off and the antiviral response. One strategy is to sequester SG components, not only to impair their assembly but also to repurpose and incorporate them into viral replication sites. G3BP1 is a key SG protein, driving its nucleation through protein-protein and protein-RNA interactions. Many cellular proteins, including other SG components, interact with G3BP1 via their ΦxFG motifs. Notably, SARS-CoV N proteins and alphaviral nsP3 proteins contain similar motifs, allowing them to compete for G3BP1. Several SG proteins have been shown to interact with the flaviviral capsid protein, which is primarily responsible for anchoring the viral genome inside the virion. There are also numerous examples of structured elements within coronaviral and flaviviral RNAs recruiting or sponging SG proteins. Despite these insights, the structural and biochemical details of SG-virus interactions remain largely unexplored and are known only for a handful of cases. Exploring their molecular relevance for infection and discovering new examples of direct SG-virus contacts is highly important, as advances in this area will open new possibilities for the design of targeted therapies and potentially broad-spectrum antivirals.

RevDate: 2025-04-01

Wiegand HF, Adorjan K, Stoffers-Winterling J, et al (2025)

[Mental health and mental healthcare as elements of pandemic and crisis preparedness].

Der Nervenarzt [Epub ahead of print].

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic was challenging in terms of the mental health of the population and the provision of mental health services.

AIMS OF THE STUDY: To gain insights from the pandemic for an improved pandemic and crisis preparedness for the future.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: Recommendations are derived from the results of reviews on mental health and psychiatric psychotherapeutic care during the pandemic.

RESULTS: Large sections of the population proved to be resilient in terms of mental health. Populations at risk showed increased stress, particularly children, adolescents, women, people with low socioeconomic status, people in nursing homes and healthcare workers. People with long/post-COVID were also particularly affected. At the same time there were significant restrictions on the provision of psychiatric psychotherapeutic care, particularly in the inpatient sector. Insufficient current data on the mental health of the population and a lack of surveillance of service utilization, despite an existing data basis, made it difficult for timely detection of stress and care restrictions and an adequate response for crisis management. The rigid sectorization of the mental healthcare system often prevented alternative outpatient care.

DISCUSSION: The national mental health surveillance should be continued and further developed. Structures should be provided for the time-sensitive consolidation of data and the multiprofessional generation of recommendations in order to be able to detect and respond to challenges due to bottlenecks in the provision of care and stress in risk groups. Flexible, cross-sectoral mental healthcare should be made possible throughout Germany.

RevDate: 2025-04-01

Purushotham JN, Lutz HL, Parker E, et al (2025)

Immunological drivers of zoonotic virus emergence, evolution, and endemicity.

Immunity pii:S1074-7613(25)00133-5 [Epub ahead of print].

The disruption of natural ecosystems caused by climate change and human activity is amplifying the risk of zoonotic spillover, presenting a growing global health threat. In the past two decades, the emergence of multiple zoonotic viruses has exposed critical gaps in our ability to predict epidemic trajectories and implement effective interventions. RNA viruses, in particular, are challenging to control due to their high mutation rates and ability to adapt and evade immune defenses. To better prepare for future outbreaks, it is vital that we deepen our understanding of the factors driving viral emergence, transmission, and persistence in human populations. Specifically, deciphering the interactions between antibody-mediated immunity and viral evolution will be key. In this perspective, we explore these dynamic relationships and highlight research priorities that may guide the development of more effective strategies to mitigate the impact of emerging infectious diseases.

RevDate: 2025-04-01
CmpDate: 2025-04-01

Tran BX, Vu HN, Duong DB, et al (2025)

Enhancing human and animal health data integration and informed actions for pandemic preparedness at the primary healthcare level: a multisectoral conceptual framework.

Journal of global health, 15:03018.

A key priority for strengthening global health capacity for pandemic response is rapid risk assessment for timely, context-specific decision-making. However, integrating human and animal health data for preparedness remains a challenge, especially at the primary healthcare (PHC) level. Here we review Vietnam's pandemic response and propose a conceptual framework for improving data integration across sectors in low- and middle-income countries. Despite the country's progress in health information systems and telehealth, disparities in data use and coordination between human and animal health sectors hindered effective responses. Existing mechanisms between healthcare and veterinary professionals lack integrated data-sharing, delaying risk communication and crisis management, particularly in rural areas with limited IT access and infrastructure. The proposed model includes five components: data interoperability with standardised indicators for real-time synthesis; robust digital health infrastructure and telehealth expansion; capacity building in data management for health and veterinary professionals; epidemic intelligence tools for risk assessment; and evidence-driven decision-making for coordinated epidemic responses. This model offers a pathway to strengthen health systems and improve pandemic preparedness at the PHC level in Vietnam and similar settings.

RevDate: 2025-04-01
CmpDate: 2025-04-01

Rudan I, Kerr S, Simpson CR, et al (2025)

The COVID-19 pandemic in children and young people during 2022-24: what new did we learn?.

Journal of global health, 15:01002.

The research conducted between 2022 and 2024 has advanced our understanding of COVID-19 in children and young people (CYP), particularly with the emergence of the Omicron variant and its subvariants. The findings have reinforced that, while Omicron infections are often milder compared to earlier variants, the overall seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 in children has increased, with notable regional and demographic disparities. COVID-19-related hospitalisation rates in children rose during Omicron waves, especially among infants, unvaccinated individuals, and CYP at higher risk, i.e. with comorbidities such as obesity, diabetes, and neurological or cardiac conditions. Despite this, severe disease and mortality in children remained very low. The observed increases in type 1 diabetes incidence and multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) have also highlighted the broader systemic effects of SARS-CoV-2 in paediatric populations. Evidence has underscored the protective effect of vaccination in preventing severe disease and MIS-C and vaccine safety, emphasising the need for targeted immunisation strategies, particularly among children who may be at higher risk. Studies have also estimated that a significant proportion of children experienced persistent post-COVID-19 infection symptoms such as fatigue, mood disturbances, sleep disorders, and respiratory difficulties, but the reported prevalence varied widely, from as low as 1.6% to as high as 70%, due to differences in study methodologies, case definitions, and populations studied. Standardised definitions and measurement tools, such as those developed through international consensus processes, are required to improve diagnosis, treatment, and research into this persisting condition. Ethnic disparities in vaccine uptake persist, implying that vaccine hesitancy and accessibility, alongside approaches to countering disinformation, are important areas for future research.

RevDate: 2025-04-01
CmpDate: 2025-04-01

Yagihashi M, Sakuma A, M Murakami (2025)

Psychotherapies and psychological support for individuals facing psychological distress during the COVID-19 pandemic: A scoping review.

PloS one, 20(4):e0318192.

In this scoping review, we investigated the psychotherapies and psychological support provided during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic to clarify its recipients and the methods employed, among other characteristics. We used Scopus and PubMed as the two search engines and employed the following search terms: "COVID*" AND ("psychotherap*" OR "psychological support*") AND "psychological distress*." The first search was conducted on October 18, 2022, by reviewing search engines and conducting a manual search. It yielded 154 articles, of which 18 finally met the eligibility criteria after the second round of screening. The distribution of the participants in the intervention studies included in this review was diverse, including the general population, patients with COVID-19, and patients who had recovered from COVID-19. The implementation of psychotherapy was not limited to more advanced countries in psychiatry, indicating the broader reach of these interventions. Psychotherapy includes various methods, including cognitive behavioral therapy, acceptance commitment therapy, mindfulness, supportive care, virtual reality therapy, and online educational content via apps. The rise of new technologies may have increased the replacement rate of human therapists. In addition, the use of remote interventions was more common than that of face-to-face interventions. It is necessary to monitor whether the technologies and methods used for the first time during the pandemic will continue to be used in the future. Therefore, further research is needed to compare the effectiveness of remote randomized controlled trials with conventional face-to-face randomized controlled trials. Finally, most of those providing psychotherapies and psychological support in the studies included in this review were not doctors or psychologists.

RevDate: 2025-04-01
CmpDate: 2025-04-01

Romano K, Leone J, Love N, et al (2025)

Diagnostic Precision: Exchanging Urinary Catheters Before Urine Specimen Collection to Reduce Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infection.

Critical care nurse, 45(2):25-32.

BACKGROUND: Catheter-associated urinary tract infections are among the most prevalent and costly types of hospital-acquired infections. During the COVID-19 pandemic, growing numbers of critical care patients required indwelling urinary catheters, leading to higher infection rates.

LOCAL PROBLEM: A critical care unit saw a 7-fold increase in the rate of catheter-associated urinary tract infection during the COVID-19 pandemic. A review of procedures showed that the current standard of care for preventing such infections was inadequate. In particular, patients who could not have indwelling urinary catheters promptly removed risked a potential false-positive diagnosis of catheter-associated urinary tract infection due to clinicians' use of long-term catheters to obtain urine specimens for microbiological evaluation.

METHODS: A literature review was performed to gather evidence on best practices for urine specimen collection in the critical care unit. An interprofessional task force including frontline nurses advocated implementation of a pilot project in 2 critical care units involving exchange of catheters before obtaining urine specimens for microbiological evaluation in any patient who had an indwelling catheter in place for more than 24 hours.

RESULTS: Implementation of the new protocol resulted in a major reduction in the diagnosis of catheter-associated urinary tract infection, with no incidents occurring for 2 consecutive quarters. Based on these results, the new evidence-based workflow was incorporated as the standard of care for all adult inpatients.

CONCLUSION: Catheter exchange before collection of urine specimens in patients requiring urine culture evaluation can improve accuracy of diagnosis of catheter-associated urinary tract infection and promote antibiotic stewardship.

RevDate: 2025-04-01

Ritter C (2025)

[Digital learning methods in pharmacy].

Bundesgesundheitsblatt, Gesundheitsforschung, Gesundheitsschutz [Epub ahead of print].

With the outbreak of the SARS-CoV‑2 pandemic in March 2020 and the associated restrictions on teaching, digital learning methods were increasingly used at many universities. Digital learning methods generally include fully or partially digitized learning elements such as lecture recordings, open learning materials, or e‑portfolios. Fully or partially digitized learning formats include game-based learning, the inverted classroom, mobile learning, the use of social media, online peer and collaborative learning, and adaptive learning. Digitized realities are created in the context of simulation-based learning and in augmented and virtual reality. Online-based event formats and online degree programs are characterized by an almost exclusive proportion of internet-based learning phases.The extent to which digital learning methods are used in pharmacy courses in Germany is explained in this article using selected practical examples. The selected examples include the creation of an audio podcast to assess the performance of a clinical chemistry internship as a form of digital learning element, the use of a digital analysis tool to carry out medication analyses as an example of mobile learning, a blended learning concept to teach the basics of clinical pharmacy, an online concept of virtual bedside teaching, and a game-like simulation for dispensing medicines. The inclusion of artificial intelligence can be helpful in the development and implementation of digital learning offerings. However, a sufficiently high quality and critical approach must be guaranteed.

RevDate: 2025-04-01

Gottlieb S, Madkins K, P Lio (2025)

An Updated Scoping Review of Disparities in Pediatric Atopic Dermatitis.

Pediatric dermatology [Epub ahead of print].

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Health disparities are preventable differences in various aspects of health and encompass a wide range of inequitable outcomes experienced by marginalized patient populations. The objective of this systematic scoping review was to provide an updated summary of published research on disparities within pediatric atopic dermatitis (AD) in the United States.

METHODS: We performed a systematic search of full studies and abstracts according to PRISMA guidelines. Searches were developed with and performed by a medical librarian on various electronic databases for studies published from January 2021 through May 2024. Two authors independently screened titles and abstracts, followed by full-text review.

RESULTS: Fifty-three studies met our inclusion criteria, of which 49 examined disparities due to race/ethnicity, 18 due to socioeconomic factors (SES), 6 due to region/environment, 11 due to sex/gender, and 1 due to preferred language. Disparities discussed included AD prevalence, health outcomes, and access to health care.

CONCLUSION: With an increasing focus on health disparities research, particularly within the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, an update on disparities within pediatric AD is needed. Examining the results of these studies can help point us to interventions that aim to reduce disparities and allow us to identify current knowledge gaps in disparities within pediatric AD.

RevDate: 2025-04-01

Burkard M, Piotrowsky A, Leischner C, et al (2025)

The Antiviral Activity of Polyphenols.

Molecular nutrition & food research [Epub ahead of print].

Polyphenols are secondary metabolites produced by a large variety of plants. These compounds that comprise the class of phenolic acids, stilbenes, lignans, coumarins, flavonoids, and tannins have a wide range of employment, from food production to medical usages. Among the beneficial applications of polyphenols, their antiviral activity is gaining importance due to the increased prevalence of drug-resistant viruses such as herpes and hepatitis B viruses. In the present review, we provide an overview of the most promising or commonly used antiviral polyphenols and their mechanisms of action focusing on their effects on enveloped viruses of clinical importance (double-stranded linear or partially double-stranded circular DNA viruses, negative sense single-stranded RNA viruses with nonsegmented or segmented genomes, and positive sense single-stranded RNA viruses). The present work emphasizes the relevance of polyphenols, in particular epigallocatechin-3-gallate and resveratrol, as alternative or supportive antivirals. Polyphenols could interfere with virtually all steps of viral infection, from the adsorption to the release of viral particles. The activity of polyphenols against viruses is especially relevant given the risk of widespread outbreaks associated with viruses, remarked by the recent COVID-19 pandemic.

RevDate: 2025-04-02

Chambers JP, Daum LT, Arulanandam BP, et al (2025)

Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid Imbalance-A Contributor to SARS CoV-2 Disease Severity.

Journal of nutrition and metabolism, 2025:7075883.

Overview: SARS CoV-2 infection is accompanied by the development of acute inflammation, resolution of which determines the course of infection and its outcome. If not resolved (brought back to preinjury status), the inflamed state progresses to a severe clinical presentation characterized by uncontrolled cytokine release, systemic inflammation, and in some death. In severe CoV-2 disease, the required balance between protective inflammation and its resolution appears missing, suggesting that the ω-3-derived specialized proresolving mediators (SPMs) needed for resolution are either not present or present at ineffective levels compared to competing ω-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) metabolic derivatives. Aim: To determine whether ω-6 PUFA linoleic acid (LA) metabolites increased in those infected with severe disease compared to uninfected controls. Findings: Increased levels of ω-6 LA metabolites, e.g., arachidonic acid (AA), epoxyeicosatrienoic (EET) acid derivatives of AA (8,9-, 11,12-, and 14,15-EETs), AA-derived hydroxyeicosatetraenoic (HETE) acid, dihydroxylated diols (leukotoxin and isoleukotoxin), and prostaglandin E2 with decreased levels of ω-3-derived inflammation resolving SPMs. Therapeutic treatment of SARS CoV-2 patients with ω-3 PUFA significantly increased 18-HEPE (SPM precursor) and EPA-derived diols (11,12- and 14,15-diHETE), while toxic 9,10- and 12,13-diHOMEs (leukotoxin and iosleukotoxin, respectively) decreased. Conclusion: Unbalanced dietary intake of ω-6/ω-3 PUFAs contributed to SARS CoV-2 disease severity by decreasing ω-3-dependent SPM resolution of inflammation and increasing membrane-associated ferroptotic AA peroxidation.

RevDate: 2025-04-02

Hu J, W Xiao (2025)

What are the influencing factors of online learning engagement? A systematic literature review.

Frontiers in psychology, 16:1542652.

Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020, online learning has gained widespread adoption as a learning mode in both K-12 and higher education. Learning engagement serves as a crucial indicator of learning quality and is highly correlated with students' persistence, satisfaction, and academic performance. Numerous researchers have conducted investigations into the factors that influence online learning engagement. This study employs a systematic literature review methodology to synthesize 55 empirical studies published between January 2020 and July 2023. The research findings reveal the following: (1) Community of Inquiry Theory, Self-determination Theory, Social Cognition Theory, Transaction Distance Theory, and Technology Acceptance Model are the most frequently utilized theories employed by researchers to analyze the influencing factors of online learning engagement. (2) Factors that influence online learning engagement from the learners' perspective include Motivation, Digital Experience and Literacy, Emotions and Regulatory Strategies, Psychology, Self-Perception, Self-efficacy, and Self-Directed Learning. Additionally, factors from the environment encompass Instrument, Task characteristics, Digital Platforms and Equipment, Physical Environment, Collaboration, and Interaction. (3) Effective strategies to enhance online learning engagement comprise setting clear learning goals for learners, improving their information and social media literacy, strengthening their self-directed learning ability, providing robust instructor support, and creating an optimal learning environment. Through this comprehensive review, researchers interested in this topic will gain a broader understanding, while also obtaining evidence-based insights and valuable recommendations for future research.

RevDate: 2025-03-31

Aburass S, Dorgham O, Al Shaqsi J, et al (2025)

Vision Transformers in Medical Imaging: a Comprehensive Review of Advancements and Applications Across Multiple Diseases.

Journal of imaging informatics in medicine pii:10.1007/s10278-025-01481-y [Epub ahead of print].

The rapid advancement of artificial intelligence techniques, particularly deep learning, has transformed medical imaging. This paper presents a comprehensive review of recent research that leverage vision transformer (ViT) models for medical image classification across various disciplines. The medical fields of focus include breast cancer, skin lesions, magnetic resonance imaging brain tumors, lung diseases, retinal and eye analysis, COVID-19, heart diseases, colon cancer, brain disorders, diabetic retinopathy, skin diseases, kidney diseases, lymph node diseases, and bone analysis. Each work is critically analyzed and interpreted with respect to its performance, data preprocessing methodologies, model architecture, transfer learning techniques, model interpretability, and identified challenges. Our findings suggest that ViT shows promising results in the medical imaging domain, often outperforming traditional convolutional neural networks (CNN). A comprehensive overview is presented in the form of figures and tables summarizing the key findings from each field. This paper provides critical insights into the current state of medical image classification using ViT and highlights potential future directions for this rapidly evolving research area.

RevDate: 2025-04-02

Thanakamchokchai J, Khobkhun F, Phetsitong R, et al (2025)

Effectiveness of telerehabilitation on the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health framework outcomes during the COVID-19 pandemic: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Digital health, 11:20552076251325993.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to synthesize and analyze the evidence on the effectiveness of telerehabilitation categorized according to the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF) outcomes for physical therapy (PT) during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

METHODS: Studies were identified using the Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro), Scopus, PubMed, EMBASE, and other sources of data. Randomized controlled trials comparing telerehabilitation with the control group (i.e., no treatment/usual care) were included. Standard meta-analysis techniques were applied to assess the effectiveness of telerehabilitation. Outcome measures were categorized according to the domains of the ICF.

RESULTS: Among the 134 studies that met the eligibility criteria, the majority of findings demonstrated significant improvements across all domains of the ICF following telerehabilitation as compared to the control group, regardless of participant groups. Only 9 of 134 studies were included in the meta-analysis. Six studies enrolled individuals with COVID-19 and the remaining three enrolled individuals with knee osteoarthritis (OA) who were unable to access services at the clinic. Compared with the control group, the Borg-Rating-of-Perceived-Exertion scale, as reflected in an impairment domain, was significantly lower in individuals with COVID-19 who received telerehabilitation (3 studies, n = 135; standardized mean difference (SMD) -1.82, 95% CI -2.77 to -0.86). Compared with that in the control group, 30-second sit-to-stand test (3 studies, n = 122; SMD 0.88, 95% CI 0.52-1.25) and 6-minute-walking test (4 studies, n = 221; SMD 0.83, 95% CI 0.42-1.24), as reflected to an activity domain, showed significant improvement in the telerehabilitation group. Conversely, there was no effectiveness of telerehabilitation on an activity domain as measured by the timed up and go test in people with knee OA (3 studies, n = 111; SMD -0.45, 95% CI -1.19 to 0.30).

CONCLUSION: This study provides evidence supporting the effectiveness of telerehabilitation across all domains of the ICF, with significant improvements observed in the impairment and activity domains for individuals with COVID-19. These improvements are particularly evident in the meta-analysis findings such as perceived exertion, leg strength, and functional capacity.

RevDate: 2025-04-02

Qiu Y, G Hu (2025)

Lung-on-a-chip: From design principles to disease applications.

Biomicrofluidics, 19(2):021501.

To address the growing need for accurate lung models, particularly in light of respiratory diseases, lung cancer, and the COVID-19 pandemic, lung-on-a-chip technology is emerging as a powerful alternative. Lung-on-a-chip devices utilize microfluidics to create three-dimensional models that closely mimic key physiological features of the human lung, such as the air-liquid interface, mechanical forces associated with respiration, and fluid dynamics. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the fundamental components of lung-on-a-chip systems, the diverse fabrication methods used to construct these complex models, and a summary of their wide range of applications in disease modeling and aerosol deposition studies. Despite existing challenges, lung-on-a-chip models hold immense potential for advancing personalized medicine, drug development, and disease prevention, offering a transformative approach to respiratory health research.

RevDate: 2025-03-31
CmpDate: 2025-03-31

Maximiano-Barreto MA, Monteiro DQ, Alves LCS, et al (2025)

Sociodemographic and health-related factors associated with low health literacy among Indigenous populations: a systematic review.

Health promotion international, 40(2):.

Indigenous people represent 6% of the world's population and, over time, this population has faced different negative consequences, including those related to health. Health literacy is a variable that can help reduce the health-related harm faced by Indigenous people, since low health literacy has been considered a public health problem. The aim was to review the literature on sociodemographic and health-related factors associated with low health literacy among Indigenous people. To do this, we conducted a systematic review following the recommendations of the PRISMA Statement and approved by PROSPERO (CRD42024591888). A total of seven articles make up the results of this review. The findings show that the low health literacy of Indigenous people is associated with sociodemographic characteristics (e.g. older age, male gender, lower income and educational level) and health-related aspects such as having more than one chronic condition, low perception of COVID-19 risk, low chance of cancer screening, poorer glycemic control, eating behavior, self-monitoring of blood glucose and knowledge about diabetes and difficulty in understanding health information (e.g. medication labels). Although the number of articles selected for this review was small, it should be noted that they all presented a low risk of bias. Sociodemographic and health factors are associated with low health literacy among the Indigenous population. The findings demonstrate the importance of planning public policies to promote health and especially health literacy among this neglected population.

RevDate: 2025-03-31

Sterian M, Naganathan T, Corrin T, et al (2025)

Evidence on the associations and safety of COVID-19 vaccination and post COVID-19 condition: An updated living systematic review.

Epidemiology and infection pii:S0950268825000378 [Epub ahead of print].

RevDate: 2025-03-31
CmpDate: 2025-03-31

Babov K, Kysylevska A, Plakida A, et al (2025)

The use of mineral waters in rehabilitating patients with coronavirus disease - a review.

Annals of agricultural and environmental medicine : AAEM, 32(1):20-26.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE: The review aimed to consider evidence of the effectiveness of using mineral waters in the rehabilitation of patients who have had a coronavirus disease.

REVIEW METHODS: The study was registered on PROSPERO (CRD42023438740). Relevant studies were systematically reviewed, based on randomized controlled trials with meta-analysis that included at least one group receiving mineral waters (MW). General scientific papers and regulatory documents on health care in Ukraine, including rehabilitation and resort resources, and rehabilitation protocols after the coronavirus disease, were also used for the analysis. Search for articles and other scientific works published in English and Ukrainian from 1994 to 5 February 2023, was conducted in the following databases: Pubmed, Web of Science, and Scopus. Dual data abstraction, quality assessment, and strength of evidence was also performeds. The results were evaluated of using various mineral waters in the rehabilitation of patients with complications of COVID-19 disease.

Most of the studies (28%) are devoted to the use of mineral waters for complications of the respiratory system. 12% of papers were devoted to the pathology of the musculoskeletal system, 10% to chronic fatigue (asthenia), anxiety-depressive, and other neuropsychiatric disorders, 9% to еру cardiovascular system, and 8% to dermatological problems.

SUMMARY: Differentiated use of balneotherapy, considering the composition of MW, temperature, and the frequency of their application, allows for increasing the effectiveness of rehabilitation of post-Covid-19 complications of various organs and systems of the body.

RevDate: 2025-03-29

Altwayan R, Tombuloglu H, Alhamid G, et al (2025)

Comprehensive Review of Thrombophilia: Pathophysiology, Prevalence, Risk Factors, and Molecular Diagnosis.

Transfusion clinique et biologique : journal de la Societe francaise de transfusion sanguine pii:S1246-7820(25)00047-3 [Epub ahead of print].

Thrombophilia, characterized by an imbalance between fibrinolysis and coagulation leading to inappropriate blood clotting, is a significant medical condition. The CDC has designated it as an underdiagnosed, serious, and potentially preventable disorder, contributing to an estimated 600,000-900,000 cases and 100,000 deaths annually in the United States. These figures surpass the combined annual mortality of AIDS, breast cancer, and motor vehicle accidents. The pathogenesis of thrombophilia involves complex interactions between genetic predispositions, such as mutations in Factor V Leiden, Factor II, MTHFR, and Serpine-1, and environmental factors, including unhealthy lifestyles, prolonged hospitalization, obesity, and cancer. Prevalence of specific genetic mutations varies across populations. Additional risk factors include age, family history, and pregnancy, with recent attention to increased susceptibility in SARS-CoV-2 infection. While molecular diagnostic techniques are available, there remains a need for robust, cost-effective, and accurate screening methods for large populations. This systematic review provides an updated overview of thrombophilia, encompassing pathophysiology, epidemiology, genetic and environmental risk factors, coagulation cascade, population-specific mutation prevalence, and diagnostic approaches. By synthesizing clinical and molecular evidence, this review aims to guide researchers, hematologists, and clinicians in the diagnosis and management of thrombophilia.

RevDate: 2025-03-30

Tulio EF, Lucini F, de Lima AC, et al (2025)

Candida infections in COVID-19 patients: A review of prevalence, risk factors, and mortality.

Indian journal of medical microbiology, 55:100831 pii:S0255-0857(25)00044-1 [Epub ahead of print].

BACKGROUND: Candida spp. infections have increasingly been reported among COVID-19 patients, yet the epidemiological factors, diagnostic methods, and outcomes associated with these infections remain poorly understood. These infections, particularly in ICU settings, present significant challenges due to high mortality rates and rising antifungal resistance. This study aimed to investigate the occurrence, risk factors, treatment, and outcomes of Candida albicans and non-albicans Candida in COVID-19 patients, providing clinical and epidemiological insights.

METHODS: A review following PRISMA guidelines was conducted. Searches were performed in PubMed, Embase, and BVS databases, covering articles published from January 2020 to May 2024. Inclusion criteria included case reports or case series providing detailed information on Candida spp. in COVID-19 patients. Data extraction focused on patient demographics, underlying diseases, antifungal and antibiotic therapies, antifungal susceptibility, resistance profiles, and outcomes. Statistical analyses were conducted using SPSS software.

RESULTS: The review included 67 studies, totaling 223 COVID-19 patients. Male patients were predominant. Common comorbidities included hypertension, cancer, and dyslipidemia. Echinocandins were the primary antifungal treatment. Non-albicans Candida exhibited a higher resistance rate (47.10 %) compared to C. albicans (2.35 %). Overall mortality rates were high, at 60.50 % for C. albicans and 62.30 % for non-albicans. Significant risk factors for mortality included age, central venous catheter use, ICU admission, and corticosteroid therapy.

CONCLUSIONS: The study identified critical risk factors and clinical characteristics in COVID-19 patients with Candida infections. The high incidence of antifungal resistance among non-albicans and high mortality rates highlight the need for vigilant monitoring and targeted antifungal strategies to improve outcomes.

RevDate: 2025-03-29

Anderson M, Lopez J, Wyr M, et al (2025)

Defining diverse spike-receptor interactions involved in SARS-CoV-2 entry: Mechanisms and therapeutic opportunities.

Virology, 607:110507 pii:S0042-6822(25)00120-5 [Epub ahead of print].

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is an enveloped RNA virus that caused the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The SARS-CoV-2 Spike glycoprotein binds to angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) on host cells to facilitate viral entry. However, the presence of SARS-CoV-2 in nearly all human organs - including those with little or no ACE2 expression - suggests the involvement of alternative receptors. Recent studies have identified several cellular proteins and molecules that influence SARS-CoV-2 entry through ACE2-dependent, ACE2-independent, or inhibitory mechanisms. In this review, we explore how these alternative receptors were identified, their expression patterns and roles in viral entry, and their impact on SARS-CoV-2 infection. Additionally, we discuss therapeutic strategies aimed at disrupting these virus-receptor interactions to mitigate COVID-19 pathogenesis.

RevDate: 2025-03-29
CmpDate: 2025-03-29

Arinola G, Onifade AA, Adigun K, et al (2024)

Review of immune-metabolic studies and re-purposed treatments of Nigerian COVID-19 patients: A pointer to mild, gender- and age-based status of admitted patients.

Nigerian journal of physiological sciences : official publication of the Physiological Society of Nigeria, 39(2):177-183.

When Severe Acute Respiratory human Coronavirus 2 (SARS-hCOV 2) infection began in December 2019, detailed knowledge about the virus was lacking. This included non-availability of anti-viral treatment or vaccine, no knowledge of virus-human interaction, and lack of prognostic factors for stages of illness among others. A publication in Nigerian Journal of Physiological Sciences (2020). 35: 20-25 titled "Immune Responses During Human Coronavirus Infection: Suggestions For Future Studies" adduced investigations into immune parameters of COVID-19 patients so as to throw more light on the immunopathogenesis of SAR-CoV-2 infection, in order to create avenue for the development of vaccines or herd immunity. This present publication is a review of studies carried out on COVID-19 patients in one Infectious Diseases Center (I.D.C), Ibadan, Nigeria as a response to the gaps in knowledge raised in above mentioned publication. Cummulatively, immune-metabolic studies from this IDC revealed mild, age- and sex-dependent status of COVID-19 in patients admitted into this center. Thus, explaining the basis for the effectiveness of adopted re-purposed drugs (chloroquine or hydroxychloroquine, zinc, vitamins C and D and or antibiotics), physiotherapy and nutritional support used for the management of admitted COVID-19 patients. Also, this paper vindicated that inflammation was heightened during SARS-CoV 2 infection; therefore therapeutic interventions to control the inflammatory processes, oxidative stress, antibodies against structural and non-structural proteins or blocks receptor sites were proposed. In addition, development of herd immunity and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines (Astrazeneca and Moderna) were elucidated in general population. However, study to determine host genetic factors in hCoV infection was lacking. This review concluded that interdisciplinary collaborative approach will be useful in the management of future emerging or re-emerging infection.

RevDate: 2025-03-31
CmpDate: 2025-03-29

Sharma P, Malik S, Wadhwan V, et al (2024)

Oral and Maxillo-facial Fungal Infections in COVID-19 Patients - A Systematic Review.

Indian journal of dental research : official publication of Indian Society for Dental Research, 35(4):459-464.

The main objective of the current systematic review was to compile and evaluate the data on opportunistic maxillofacial mycotic infections in COVID-19 patients during the treatment and post-recovery period of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Comorbidities like diabetes, corticosteroid use, and mortality among COVID-19-associated patients presenting with oral and maxillofacial fungal infections were also assessed. The review was conducted in accordance with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-analysis guidelines. A comprehensive search was carried out in the archives of Web of Science, Pubmed/Medline, Scopus, Google Scholar, Lilacs, and Livivo in combination with Boolean operators till 24th June 2022, and cross-sectional studies, case series, and case reports deliberating on maxillofacial mycoses in COVID-19 were included. The included studies were meted to the risk of bias using the Joana Briggs Institute Appraisal tools for prevalence studies, case series, and case reports. In a two-stage collection, 20 studies were included: 9 observational (3269 patients), 5 case-series (42 patients), and 6 case reports (8 patients) from 7 countries. Mucormycosis was the most commonly reported maxillofacial fungal infection (96.7%/3162 cases), followed by candidiasis (3.2%/105 cases) associated with COVID-19. Although aspergillosis was observed in only one case and one patient, a mixed mycotic infection demonstrating both aspergillus and mucor fungal elements was identified in one patient. Comorbidities like diabetes mellitus, indiscriminate corticosteroid use and immunosuppression leads to invasive maxillofacial fungal infections in COVID-19, which may prove to be fatal.

RevDate: 2025-03-31
CmpDate: 2025-03-29

Morelli T, Freeman A, Staples KJ, et al (2025)

Hidden in plain sight: the impact of human rhinovirus infection in adults.

Respiratory research, 26(1):120.

BACKGROUND: Human rhinovirus (HRV), a non-enveloped RNA virus, was first identified more than 70 years ago. It is highly infectious and easily transmitted through aerosols and direct contact. The advent of multiplex PCR has enhanced the detection of a diverse range of respiratory viruses, and HRV consistently ranks among the most prevalent respiratory pathogens globally. Circulation occurs throughout the year, with peak incidence in autumn and spring in temperate climates. Remarkably, during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, HRV transmission persisted, demonstrating its resistance to stringent public health measures aimed at curbing viral transmission.

MAIN BODY: HRV is characterised by its extensive genetic diversity, comprising three species and more than 170 genotypes. This diversity and substantial number of concurrently circulating strains allows HRVs to frequently escape the adaptive immune system and poses formidable challenges for the development of effective vaccines and antiviral therapies. There is currently a lack of specific treatments. Historically, HRV has been associated with self-limiting upper respiratory infection. However, there is now extensive evidence highlighting its significant role in severe lower respiratory disease in adults, including exacerbations of chronic airway diseases, such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), as well as pneumonia. These severe manifestations can occur even in immunocompetent individuals, broadening the clinical impact of this ubiquitous virus. Consequently, the burden of rhinovirus infections extends across various healthcare settings, from primary care to general hospital wards and intensive care units. The impact of HRV in adults, in terms of morbidity and healthcare utilisation, rivals that of the other major respiratory viruses, including influenza and respiratory syncytial virus. Recognition of this substantial burden underscores the critical need for novel treatment strategies and effective management protocols to mitigate the impact of HRV infections on public health.

CONCLUSION: This review examines the epidemiology, clinical manifestations, and risk factors associated with severe HRV infection in adults. By drawing on contemporary literature, we aim to provide a comprehensive overview of the virus's significant health implications. Understanding the scope of this impact is essential for developing new, targeted interventions and improving patient outcomes in the face of this persistent and adaptable pathogen.

RevDate: 2025-03-28
CmpDate: 2025-03-28

Cavaleri M, de Sousa CMA, Hacker A, et al (2025)

A roadmap for fostering timely regulatory and ethics approvals of international clinical trials in support of global health research systems.

The Lancet. Global health, 13(4):e769-e777.

The global clinical research ecosystem faced highs and lows during the COVID-19 pandemic. Key issues included research waste from poor-quality trials and fragmented regulatory and ethical reviews. Streamlining and harmonising these review processes is crucial for efficient, robust, and timely multinational trials, ensuring rigorous scientific standards, proper safety, and ethical oversight. Robust regulatory and ethics review systems thrive on continuous learning and efficient processes, crucial for high-quality research. Enhancing trial design and implementation, and guiding innovative approaches including decentralised trials and patient-centric designs are essential for the regulatory and ethics authorities to advance public health. These approaches are built on the principles of global guidance outlined in International Coalition for Harmonization Good Clinical Practice guidelines and the WHO guidance for best practice for clinical trials. To realise the agreed vision at the first WHO Global Clinical Trials Forum in 2023, a panel of international experts in clinical research, including representatives from national and regional regulatory and ethics authorities, proposes key actions to improve coordination and streamlining of regulatory and ethics review. The actions emphasise: leveraging existing trial networks and capacity-building initiatives; advancing joint and parallel regulatory and ethics reviews and single national ethics review; improving transparency on approval requirements; simplifying and standardising informed consent forms and processes; and developing mechanisms to improve efficiency for trial site contracting as well as exportation and importation of investigational products for trials. The proposed actions for the reform are urgent and key to generate evidence to enable access to safe and effective interventions for populations most in need.

RevDate: 2025-03-28
CmpDate: 2025-03-28

Dey T, Widmer M, Coomarasamy A, et al (2025)

Advancing maternal and perinatal health through clinical trials: key insights from a WHO global consultation.

The Lancet. Global health, 13(4):e740-e748.

Pregnant and lactating women have long been excluded from participation in clinical research. This exclusion has resulted in the absence of high-quality evidence on the effectiveness and safety of medical products (medicines, vaccines, and other biological or biomedical products) during pregnancy and lactation, and fragmented health policies and practice recommendations. Based on the discussions at the inaugural WHO Global Clinical Trials Forum in November, 2023, a rapid review of key global, regional, or national ethical and regulatory documents, and previous expert consultations, this paper aims to summarise obstacles and suggest opportunities for appropriate inclusion of pregnant and lactating women in clinical trials. The main challenges identified relate to issues of: trial design; inconsistent interpretation and implementation of ethical, regulatory, and legal guidance; high costs of trials and low return on investments; insufficient research capacity and funding opportunities; misinformation; and insufficient community engagement. Appropriate inclusion is necessary and possible through: multi-stakeholder coordination; alignment with governance bodies to streamline ethical, regulatory, and legal processes for trial conduct; advocacy to prioritise investments in research; stronger focus on capacity strengthening; and good participatory practice that includes women and communities. A paradigm shift towards more inclusive and integrated research methodologies is urgently needed. This shift extends beyond pregnancy to transform the overall trial ecosystem and prioritise the health and wellbeing of all women and their infants everywhere, to truly achieve equitable access to health and innovations and leave no one behind.

RevDate: 2025-03-28
CmpDate: 2025-03-28

Saadi S, Adoui F, Nacer NE, et al (2025)

Recent advances in chemistry, biochemistry, and nutrition of dates palm fruit (Phoenix dactylifera L.) cultivars.

Advances in food and nutrition research, 114:415-484.

Date palm trees, fruits and leaves have historic life changes with human beings, and their utilizations started by using them as foods and remedy, especially against the resulting bruises of consecutive wars involving wounds, burnes and invasive diseases such as Malaria, Cholera and recently against the emergence of Covid-19 disease symptoms. The richness of palm date- fruits with reducing sugars, polyphenolic acids, flavonoid compounds, hydrosoluble and liposoluble vitamins makes them as versatile food and feed products. In part, minerals remain as the catalyst elements for these golden fruits. In other part, the distribution of essential oils at the mesocarps of date fruits and into date pits constitutes other integral part with substantial therapeutic and nutrigenomic contributions. Polyphenol oxidase (PPO) is a bound enzyme involved in the ripening of the date fruits. The aim of this book chapter is devoted in exploring the recent advances in date palm fruit cultivars as natural bioresources and the key elements beyond to their chemistry, biochemistry, and nutrition aspects, shedding lights on their important metabolites in enhancing food nutritional values, and human health attributes.

RevDate: 2025-03-28
CmpDate: 2025-03-28

Ozogul F, Rathod N, Köse S, et al (2025)

Biochemical and microbial food safety hazards in seafood: A Mediterranean perspective (Part 2).

Advances in food and nutrition research, 114:209-271.

The marine environment is teeming with a diverse array of algae, dinoflagellates and phytoplankton. These organisms possess the remarkable capacity to produce toxic compounds that can be passed to humans through the ingestion of seafood, resulting in potential health risks. Similarly, seafood can be susceptible to contamination from various microorganisms, viruses and parasites, thereby, potentially compromising food safety. Consuming seafood that contains toxins or pathogenic microorganisms may have serious health consequences, including the potential for severe illness or even fatality. This chapter delves into the various hazards that arise from biochemical and microbiological factors, with particular emphasis on the Mediterranean region. In addition, it provides a succinct analysis regarding the effect of COVID-19 pandemic on the safety of seafood.

RevDate: 2025-03-28
CmpDate: 2025-03-28

Debieuvre D (2025)

[Lung cancer epidemiology: evolution over the last twenty years].

Bulletin du cancer, 112(3S1):3S3-3S15.

Lung Cancer is the second most common cancer in the world but the leading cause of cancer death for both sexes in many countries. Nearly 53,000 new cases were expected in France in 2023, representing 12% of all new cases of cancer, and 33,000 deaths were reported in 2018, representing 21% of all cancer deaths. The KBP studies conducted by the College of General Hospital Pulmonologists (CPHG) for 20 years constitute an excellent barometer of the evolution of the Lung Cancer in France. Lung Cancer is becoming more feminine but still remains a male cancer with a narrowing gap between the two sexes: 65,4% of incident cases are men in the overall population in 2020 but only 58,9% among young subjects (<50 years old). The average age at diagnosis is increasing (67.8 years). The most common histological subtype is adenocarcinoma. Smoking remains the main risk factor but the proportion of non-smokers is increasing (12,6%) due to the impact of air pollution, passive smoking and the aging of the population. The impact of COVID-19 on Lung Cancer mortality in 2020 was significant. Despite the diagnosis which remains mostly late in France, there has been a significant improvement in the prognosis over the past twenty years (reduction in early mortality and increase in median survival) due to therapeutic progress.

RevDate: 2025-04-01

Patel RR, Vidyasagar , Singh SK, et al (2025)

Recent advances in inhibitor development and metabolic targeting in tuberculosis therapy.

Microbial pathogenesis, 203:107515 pii:S0882-4010(25)00240-2 [Epub ahead of print].

Despite being a preventable and treatable disease, tuberculosis (TB) remained the second leading infectious cause of death globally in 2022, surpassed only by COVID-19. The death rate from TB is influenced by numerous factors that include antibiotic drug resistance, noncompliance with chemotherapy by patients, concurrent infection with the human immunodeficiency virus, delayed diagnosis, varying effectiveness of the Bacille-Calmette-Guerin vaccine, and other factors. Even with the recent advances in our knowledge of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and the accessibility of advanced genomic tools such as proteomics and microarrays, alongside modern methodologies, the pursuit of next-generation inhibitors targeting distinct or multiple molecular pathways remains essential to combat the increasing antimicrobial resistance. Hence, there is an urgent need to identify and develop new drug targets against TB that have unique mechanisms. Novel therapeutic targets might encompass gene products associated with various aspects of mycobacterial biology, such as transcription, metabolism, cell wall formation, persistence, and pathogenesis. This review focuses on the present state of our knowledge and comprehension regarding various inhibitors targeting key metabolic pathways of M. tuberculosis. The discussion encompasses small molecule, synthetic, peptide, natural product and microbial inhibitors and navigates through promising candidates in different phases of clinical development. Additionally, we explore the crucial enzymes and targets involved in metabolic pathways, highlighting their inhibitors. The metabolic pathways explored include nucleotide synthesis, mycolic acid synthesis, peptidoglycan biosynthesis, and energy metabolism. Furthermore, advancements in genetic approaches like CRISPRi and conditional expression systems are discussed, focusing on their role in elucidating gene essentiality and vulnerability in Mycobacteria.

RevDate: 2025-04-02
CmpDate: 2025-03-28

Wang D, Nemet M, Dos Anjos GA, et al (2025)

Challenges of Ventilator Procurement and Distribution in the ICU During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Scoping Review.

Critical care explorations, 7(4):e1248.

OBJECTIVES: The goal of this scoping review was to review some of the challenges hospitals faced in dealing with the shortage of ventilators during the COVID-19 pandemic and the solutions they were able to implement or suggested. By highlighting these problems and solutions, we hope this review can catalyze further discussions about how to better prepare for future pandemics and medical supply shortages.

DATA SOURCES: A comprehensive search strategy using identifying key words was applied to several different databases to procure relevant literature.

STUDY SELECTION: Four thousand two hundred fifty-nine studies were found in the initial search. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were created and applied to screen studies. Included studies focused on the supply and distribution of ventilators during the COVID-19 pandemic. In the case where reviewers disagreed about whether a study should be included, a third reviewer acted as a tie-breaker.

DATA EXTRACTION: Thirty-three studies were included for final data extraction. Two independent reviewers collected various data points from these studies, including the main challenges discussed by the authors, the level of ventilator shortage being addressed, whether ventilator sharing was discussed, and the limitations of the study.

DATA SYNTHESIS: A third reviewer compared the collected data and decided on the results.

CONCLUSIONS: Some of the common solutions for the ventilator shortage discussed included augmenting overall ventilator supply through increased production, transporting ventilators between hospitals, ventilator sharing, designing new ventilators, and repurposing other resources to help address shortages of supplies.

RevDate: 2025-03-30
CmpDate: 2025-03-28

Martin AF, Smith LE, Brooks SK, et al (2025)

The impact of self-isolation on psychological wellbeing in adults and how to reduce it: A systematic review.

PloS one, 20(3):e0310851.

OBJECTIVE: To synthesise evidence on the impact of self-isolation at home on the psychological and emotional wellbeing of adults in the general population during the COVID-19 pandemic.

METHODS: This systematic review was registered on PROSPERO (CRD42022378140). We searched Medline, PsycINFO, Web of Science, Embase, and grey literature. Wellbeing included adverse mental health outcomes and adaptive wellbeing. We followed PRISMA and synthesis without meta-analysis (SWiM) guidelines. We extracted data on the impact of self-isolation on wellbeing, and factors associated with and interventions targeting wellbeing during self-isolation.

RESULTS: Thirty-six studies were included. The mode quality rating was 'high-risk'. Depressive and anxiety symptoms were most investigated. Evidence for an impact of self-isolation on wellbeing was often inconsistent in quantitative studies, although qualitative studies consistently reported a negative impact. People with pre-existing mental and physical health needs reported increased symptoms of mental ill health during self-isolation. Studies reported modifiable stressors that have been reported in previous infectious disease contexts, such as inadequate support, poor coping strategies, inadequate and conflicting information, and highlighted the importance of regular contact from trusted healthcare professionals. Interventions targeting psychological wellbeing were rare and evaluative studies of these had high or very high risk of bias.

CONCLUSION: When implementing self-isolation directives, public health officials should prioritise support for individuals who have pre-existing mental or physical health needs, lack support, or who are facing significant life stressors. Focus should be directed toward interventions that address loneliness, worries, and misinformation, whilst monitoring and identifying individuals in need of additional support.

RevDate: 2025-03-28
CmpDate: 2025-03-28

Bloomberg L, JN Rubin (2025)

Hepatology in the Digital Era: A Review of Telehealth Care for Liver Disease.

Current gastroenterology reports, 27(1):25.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Telehealth has become an integral component of healthcare delivery in the US. While telehealth has been utilized within Hepatology for decades for HCV through Project ECHO and adapted by the VA, the COVID-19 pandemic catalyzed an unprecedented expansion of telehealth. This review examines the evolution, benefits, challenges, and future implications of telehealth in Hepatology.

RECENT FINDINGS: Telehealth can improve access to care for underserved patient populations and provide continuity of care for chronic liver disease and liver transplant patients. Studies suggest that telehealth can deliver equivalent quality of care to in-person visits with high satisfaction rates among patients and providers. However, there are barriers to telehealth including disparities in technology access, limitations in quality of virtual encounters, and limited insurance policies. However, many questions remain. As Hepatology enters the digital era, telehealth holds promise for enhancing care delivery, but its integration must be guided by evidence-based practices.

RevDate: 2025-03-28

Nawaz M, Huiyuan Y, Akhtar F, et al (2025)

Deep learning in the discovery of antiviral peptides and peptidomimetics: databases and prediction tools.

Molecular diversity [Epub ahead of print].

Antiviral peptides (AVPs) represent a novel and promising therapeutic alternative to conventional antiviral treatments, due to their broad-spectrum activity, high specificity, and low toxicity. The emergence of zoonotic viruses such as Zika, Ebola, and SARS-CoV-2 have accelerated AVP research, driven by advancements in data availability and artificial intelligence (AI). This review focuses on the development of AVP databases, their physicochemical properties, and predictive tools utilizing machine learning for AVP discovery. Machine learning plays a pivotal role in advancing and developing antiviral peptides and peptidomimetics, particularly through the development of specialized databases such as DRAVP, AVPdb, and DBAASP. These resources facilitate AVP characterization but face limitations, including small datasets, incomplete annotations, and inadequate integration with multi-omics data.The antiviral efficacy of AVPs is closely linked to their physicochemical properties, such as hydrophobicity and amphipathic α-helical structures, which enable viral membrane disruption and specific target interactions. Computational prediction tools employing machine learning and deep learning have significantly advanced AVP discovery. However, challenges like overfitting, limited experimental validation, and a lack of mechanistic insights hinder clinical translation.Future advancements should focus on improved validation frameworks, integration of in vivo data, and the development of interpretable models to elucidate AVP mechanisms. Expanding predictive models to address multi-target interactions and incorporating complex biological environments will be crucial for translating AVPs into effective clinical therapies.

RevDate: 2025-03-28

Fan R, Liang Q, Sui Y, et al (2025)

The next viral pandemic-where do we stand?.

Folia microbiologica [Epub ahead of print].

The world is presently undergoing a recovery phase following the unexpected challenges posed by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The loss of lives and the economic setbacks experienced by the global population will require considerable time to address. It is clear that future outbreaks, epidemics, or even pandemic caused by unknown bacterial, fungal, or viral pathogens are inevitable. In this context, public health front-liners will be essential in minimizing the impact of such incidents. This mini-review briefly discusses sociocultural issues, diagnostic capacities, surveillance, and screening strategies for potential future viral pandemic - referred to as Pandemic X. Additionally, it addresses treatment responses, vaccine development efforts, scientific advancements, policy considerations, and prospects for science communication related to forthcoming viral pandemics. While this review does not encompass all scientific approaches available on these topics, it aims to serve as a guideline for informing public health sectors about appropriate measures that should be undertaken.

RevDate: 2025-04-02
CmpDate: 2025-03-28

Yang W, Quesnelle KM, KA Porter-Stransky (2025)

Learning together: a narrative review of external resources for medical education through a shared student-faculty lens.

Annals of medicine, 57(1):2483971.

External resources, defined as commercial learning resources typically found online and not created by academic institutions, are increasingly utilized by students in medical education. As the use of external resources continues to grow, there is a need to understand their appropriate place within medical education and for faculty members to continue to integrate such resources into the existing medical curricula. A gap in the literature exists regarding the role of such resources within formal medical education. This narrative review identifies factors contributing to the use of external resources, integrates student and faculty perspectives to highlight their unique insights, and collaboratively proposes recommendations for the future use of external resources in medical education. Identified factors contributing to the increased use of external resources include generational affinity for technology and online learning, perceived efficiency compared to live lectures, pass-fail grading system of biomedical science courses, the pressure of board exams, and impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Although external resources are expensive, medical students use them to support their pre-clerkship learning and performance on national licensure exams. Faculty share the goal of student success and see potential for integration of external resources in the curriculum but raise concerns about reduced learner presence and willingness to read as well as the possibility of a universal medical curriculum. Collaborative student-faculty recommendations include the primacy of student autonomy, the benefits of classroom engagement, and the importance of cost management around third-party resources. Although external resources should not supplant all faculty instruction, they can benefit both medical students and faculty when thoughtfully and strategically integrated within the pre-clerkship curriculum to enhance learning outcomes and board exam performance.

RevDate: 2025-03-28
CmpDate: 2025-03-28

Khatami SS, Ghorbani Shirkouhi S, Høilund-Carlsen PF, et al (2025)

Peripheral Nervous System Complications after COVID-19 Vaccination.

Journal of integrative neuroscience, 24(3):26632.

While vaccination against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) remains crucial, neurological complications have been detected following the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination. The neurological complications of COVID-19 vaccination can be seen in both the central nervous system (CNS) and the peripheral nervous system (PNS). In this study, we reviewed PNS complications after COVID-19 vaccination, their underlying mechanisms, diagnosis, and management. Inflammatory polyneuropathy, small fiber neuropathy, Parsonage-Turner syndrome (PTS), cranial mononeuropathies, and myasthenia gravis (MG) have been reported following COVID-19 vaccination. Inflammatory polyneuropathy following COVID-19 vaccination should be diagnosed early based on clinical presentation and treated with supportive care, and immunoglobulin or plasmapheresis to prevent respiratory distress if required. It is important to differentiate peripheral from central facial paralysis after COVID-19 vaccination to rule out upper motor neuron damage, including stroke. Diagnosis of small fiber neuropathy in the setting of COVID-19 vaccination should be suspected in patients with dysesthesia, dysautonomia, and lower extremity paresthesia. A skin biopsy of the proximal or distal lower limb should generally be considered for diagnosing small fiber neuropathy following COVID-19 vaccination. Even though pain at the injection site is one of the most common symptoms after COVID-19 vaccination, shoulder pain lasting more than 3 weeks should raise the suspicion of severe complications such as PTS. In addition to a proper physical examination as a reliable diagnosis tool, needle electromyography can be considered to help the diagnosis of PTS following COVID-19 vaccination. In our opinion, despite complications after COVID-19 vaccination, the benefit of vaccination immunity should not be forgotten.

RevDate: 2025-03-30
CmpDate: 2025-03-28

Chen YH, Jan JS, Yang CH, et al (2025)

Cognitive Sequelae of COVID-19: Mechanistic Insights and Therapeutic Approaches.

CNS neuroscience & therapeutics, 31(3):e70348.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic has left an indelible mark on the world, with mounting evidence suggesting that it not only posed acute challenges to global healthcare systems but has also unveiled a complex array of long-term consequences, particularly cognitive impairment (CI). As the persistence of post-COVID-19 neurological syndrome could evolve into the next public health crisis, it is imperative to gain a better understanding of the intricate pathophysiology of CI in COVID-19 patients and viable treatment strategies.

METHODS: This comprehensive review explores the pathophysiology and management of cognitive impairment across the phases of COVID-19, from acute infection to Long-COVID, by synthesizing findings from clinical, preclinical, and mechanistic studies to identify key contributors to CI, as well as current therapeutic approaches.

RESULTS: Key mechanisms contributing to CI include persistent neuroinflammation, cerebrovascular complications, direct neuronal injury, activation of the kynurenine pathway, and psychological distress. Both pharmacological interventions, such as anti-inflammatory therapies and agents targeting neuroinflammatory pathways, and non-pharmacological strategies, including cognitive rehabilitation, show promise in addressing these challenges. Although much of the current evidence is derived from preclinical and animal studies, these findings provide foundational insights into potential treatment approaches.

CONCLUSION: By synthesizing current knowledge, this review highlights the importance of addressing COVID-19-related cognitive impairment and offers actionable insights for mitigation and recovery as the global community continues to grapple with the pandemic's long-term impact.

RevDate: 2025-03-30

Huidobro N, Meza-Andrade R, Méndez-Balbuena I, et al (2025)

Electroencephalographic Biomarkers for Neuropsychiatric Diseases: The State of the Art.

Bioengineering (Basel, Switzerland), 12(3):.

Because of their nature, biomarkers for neuropsychiatric diseases were out of the reach of medical diagnostic technology until the past few decades. In recent years, the confluence of greater, affordable computer power with the need for more efficient diagnoses and treatments has increased interest in and the possibility of their discovery. This review will focus on the progress made over the past ten years regarding the search for electroencephalographic biomarkers for neuropsychiatric diseases. This includes algorithms and methods of analysis, machine learning, and quantitative electroencephalography as applied to neurodegenerative and neurodevelopmental diseases as well as traumatic brain injury and COVID-19. Our findings suggest that there is a need for consensus among quantitative electroencephalography researchers on the classification of biomarkers that most suit this field; that there is a slight disconnection between the development of increasingly sophisticated methods of analysis and what they will actually be of use for in the clinical setting; and finally, that diagnostic biomarkers are the most favored type in the field with a few caveats. The main goal of this state-of-the-art review is to provide the reader with a general panorama of the state of the art in this field.

RevDate: 2025-03-30

Estrada A, Furmanski O, Klarmann GJ, et al (2025)

Progress in Development of Functional Biological and Synthetic Blood Products to Augment Transfusable Blood Supply in Operational Medicine.

Bioengineering (Basel, Switzerland), 12(3):.

A reliable, accessible, and high-quality blood supply is critical for the sustainment of any healthcare system. World events such as the COVID-19 pandemic have proven that maintaining the supply of blood presents a logistical challenge. The current blood supply is overseen by extensive donor programs around the world. In the United States, as in other countries, the need for blood has increased, with a decline in blood donations and increasing exclusions for blood donor qualification. While there is a need to improve blood donation participation, there is also need for new alternatives to traditional donation to ensure readiness to treat hemorrhagic shock common in the setting of trauma, as often occurs during a natural disaster or conflict. These operational medicine scenarios require significant blood availability which may tax the current blood supply chain. Aside from a walking blood bank (WBB) model for blood collection in suboptimal conditions, researchers have proposed alternatives for blood that include the manufacturing of blood from stem cell sources. Other alternatives include synthetic liquids that can carry oxygen such as Perfluoro-Chemicals (PFCs) and hemoglobin-based oxygen-carrying systems (HBCOs). Here, we review some of these alternatives to the traditional donor blood model. Researchers now have the technology that makes it feasible to develop blood alternatives that one day may supplement and help alleviate the limitations in blood supply.

RevDate: 2025-03-30

Silva AFD, Martins PC, Santiago LN, et al (2025)

Mapping Evidence on Integrated 24-Hour Movement Behaviors in Children and Adolescents: A Scoping Review of Reviews.

Children (Basel, Switzerland), 12(3):.

BACKGROUND: There has been a substantial increase in research on the new 24-hour movement paradigm, emphasizing the importance of considering the "whole day" and investigating integrated movement behaviors (physical activity, sedentary behavior, and sleep). This scoping review aims to map the evidence from reviews that have summarized information on integrated 24-hour movement behaviors in children and adolescents.

METHODS: Eight databases were searched in May 2023, with an update in October 2024. The review followed the PRISMA-ScR framework and the guidelines of the Joanna Briggs Institute Reviewer's Manual.

RESULTS: National 24-hour movement guidelines for children and adolescents exist in only a few countries (Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and South Africa). There is a lack of valid and reliable measurement tools for assessing 24-hour movement. Globally, children and adolescents, with and without disabilities, show low adherence to these guidelines. Reallocating time to moderate-to-vigorous physical activity was beneficial, while other reallocations had mixed results to health. COVID-19 reduced physical activity and increased screen time and sleep. Healthy movement behaviors are positively associated with better health outcomes in children and adolescents. There is a possible relationship between adherence to 24-hour movement behaviors and cognitive function, pollution measures, and eHealth interventions. Inconsistencies were identified in the terms used.

CONCLUSIONS: High-quality research is needed to develop measurement tools that assess the long-term health impact of 24-hour movement and to create solutions for improving adherence, mainly in countries lacking specific guidelines.

RevDate: 2025-03-30

Giansanti D (2025)

Advancements in Digital Cytopathology Since COVID-19: Insights from a Narrative Review of Review Articles.

Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland), 13(6):.

Background/Objectives: The integration of digitalization in cytopathology is an emerging field with transformative potential, aiming to enhance diagnostic precision and operational efficiency. This narrative review of reviews (NRR) seeks to identify prevailing themes, opportunities, challenges, and recommendations related to the process of digitalization in cytopathology. Methods: Utilizing a standardized checklist and quality control procedures, this review examines recent advancements and future implications in this domain. Twenty-one review studies were selected through a systematic process. Results: The results highlight key emerging trends, themes, opportunities, challenges, and recommendations in digital cytopathology. First, the study identifies pivotal themes that reflect the ongoing technological transformation, guiding future focus areas in the field. A major trend is the integration of artificial intelligence (AI), which is increasingly critical in improving diagnostic accuracy, streamlining workflows, and assisting decision making. Notably, emerging AI technologies like large language models (LLMs) and chatbots are expected to provide real-time support and automate tasks, though concerns around ethics and privacy must be addressed. The reviews also emphasize the need for standardized protocols, comprehensive training, and rigorous validation to ensure AI tools are reliable and effective across clinical settings. Lastly, digital cytopathology holds significant potential to improve healthcare accessibility, especially in remote areas, by enabling faster, more efficient diagnoses and fostering global collaboration through telepathology. Conclusions: Overall, this study highlights the transformative impact of digitalization in cytopathology, improving diagnostic accuracy, efficiency, and global accessibility through tools like whole-slide imaging and telepathology. While artificial intelligence plays a significant role, the broader focus is on integrating digital solutions to enhance workflows and collaboration. Addressing challenges such as standardization, training, and ethical considerations is crucial to fully realize the potential of these advancements.

RevDate: 2025-03-30

Berry L, Rehnberg L, Groves P, et al (2025)

Lung Ultrasound in Critical Care: A Narrative Review.

Diagnostics (Basel, Switzerland), 15(6):.

Lung ultrasound (LUS) has become a crucial part of the investigative tools available in the management of critically ill patients, both within the intensive care unit setting and in prehospital medicine. The increase in its application, in part driven by the COVID-19 pandemic, along with the easy access and use of mobile and handheld devices, allows for immediate access to information, reducing the need for other radiological investigations. LUS allows for the rapid and accurate diagnosis and grading of respiratory pathology, optimisation of ventilation, assessment of weaning, and monitoring of the efficacy of surfactant therapies. This, however, must occur within the framework of accreditation to ensure patient safety and prevent misinterpretation and misdiagnosis. This narrative review aims to outline the current uses of LUS within the context of published protocols, associated pathologies, LUS scoring systems, and their applications, whilst exploring more novel uses.

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ESP Quick Facts

ESP Origins

In the early 1990's, Robert Robbins was a faculty member at Johns Hopkins, where he directed the informatics core of GDB — the human gene-mapping database of the international human genome project. To share papers with colleagues around the world, he set up a small paper-sharing section on his personal web page. This small project evolved into The Electronic Scholarly Publishing Project.

ESP Support

In 1995, Robbins became the VP/IT of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, WA. Soon after arriving in Seattle, Robbins secured funding, through the ELSI component of the US Human Genome Project, to create the original ESP.ORG web site, with the formal goal of providing free, world-wide access to the literature of classical genetics.

ESP Rationale

Although the methods of molecular biology can seem almost magical to the uninitiated, the original techniques of classical genetics are readily appreciated by one and all: cross individuals that differ in some inherited trait, collect all of the progeny, score their attributes, and propose mechanisms to explain the patterns of inheritance observed.

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In reading the early works of classical genetics, one is drawn, almost inexorably, into ever more complex models, until molecular explanations begin to seem both necessary and natural. At that point, the tools for understanding genome research are at hand. Assisting readers reach this point was the original goal of The Electronic Scholarly Publishing Project.

ESP Usage

Usage of the site grew rapidly and has remained high. Faculty began to use the site for their assigned readings. Other on-line publishers, ranging from The New York Times to Nature referenced ESP materials in their own publications. Nobel laureates (e.g., Joshua Lederberg) regularly used the site and even wrote to suggest changes and improvements.

ESP Content

When the site began, no journals were making their early content available in digital format. As a result, ESP was obliged to digitize classic literature before it could be made available. For many important papers — such as Mendel's original paper or the first genetic map — ESP had to produce entirely new typeset versions of the works, if they were to be available in a high-quality format.

ESP Help

Early support from the DOE component of the Human Genome Project was critically important for getting the ESP project on a firm foundation. Since that funding ended (nearly 20 years ago), the project has been operated as a purely volunteer effort. Anyone wishing to assist in these efforts should send an email to Robbins.

ESP Plans

With the development of methods for adding typeset side notes to PDF files, the ESP project now plans to add annotated versions of some classical papers to its holdings. We also plan to add new reference and pedagogical material. We have already started providing regularly updated, comprehensive bibliographies to the ESP.ORG site.

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With the world now in the middle of a new and rapidly spreading pandemic, now is the time to read this book, originally published in 2012, that describes animal infections and the next human pandemic (that's actually the book's subtitle). You would be hard pressed to find a more relevant explanation of how this got started and why there will be more after this one. R. Robbins

Electronic Scholarly Publishing
961 Red Tail Lane
Bellingham, WA 98226

E-mail: RJR8222 @ gmail.com

Papers in Classical Genetics

The ESP began as an effort to share a handful of key papers from the early days of classical genetics. Now the collection has grown to include hundreds of papers, in full-text format.

Digital Books

Along with papers on classical genetics, ESP offers a collection of full-text digital books, including many works by Darwin and even a collection of poetry — Chicago Poems by Carl Sandburg.

Timelines

ESP now offers a large collection of user-selected side-by-side timelines (e.g., all science vs. all other categories, or arts and culture vs. world history), designed to provide a comparative context for appreciating world events.

Biographies

Biographical information about many key scientists (e.g., Walter Sutton).

Selected Bibliographies

Bibliographies on several topics of potential interest to the ESP community are automatically maintained and generated on the ESP site.

ESP Picks from Around the Web (updated 28 JUL 2024 )