摘要： During the COVID-19 pandemic, governments worldwide implemented nonpharmaceutical lockdown policies to mitigate the impact of the virus. The effectiveness of these policies depended on public support, and they came with serious consequences for the population. Given that people's perceptions can influence their support for lockdown policies, we aimed to elicit perceptions of policy stringency among people in Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, and the United Kingdom in early 2021 as part of the European Covid Survey. We examined the extent to which objective measures of policy stringency and other factors were associated with these perceptions, focusing on disadvantaged populations. We found that objective measures of stringency did not accurately capture the impact of lockdown policies on people. Moreover, we found that socioeconomically disadvantaged people perceived policies as stricter than did less disadvantaged people and that trust in information sources greatly influenced such perceptions. Our findings underscore the importance of understanding factors influencing policy perception to help policy makers develop more effective and equitable infection containment strategies.

关键词： VACCINE  

摘要： Israel was the first country to launch COVID-19 boosters, in late July 2021, with strong public health messaging. The booster campaign reversed rising infection rates from the Delta variant and reduced hospitalizations and deaths. The US booster rollout was slower, and public health messaging was mixed. We used the Israeli experience to ask the counterfactual question: How many lives could the US have saved if it had authorized boosters sooner? We estimated that through June 30, 2022, if the US had moved at Israel's speed and booster take-up percentages, it would have saved 29,000 lives. US regulatory caution, in the middle of a pandemic, thus had a large, avoidable cost. Yet the US booster rollout still avoided 42,000 deaths. Moving more slowly to approve boosters, as some advocated, would have cost many additional lives.

关键词： Asian American   racial discrimination   emotion regulation   COVID-19 discrimination fear   mental health   RACIAL-DISCRIMINATION   PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS   DEPRESSION ANXIETY   UNITED-STATES   COGNITIVE REAPPRAISAL   ETHNIC DISCRIMINATION   SUPPRESSION   STRESS   ACCULTURATION   EDUCATION  

摘要： Asian American parents have experienced significant stressors associated with racial discrimination and anticipatory COVID-19-related discrimination fear during the COVID-19 pandemic, which may adversely impact their mental health. Emotion regulation strategies may attenuate the negative effects of discrimination experiences on mental health, but existing findings have been inconsistent regarding the associations between these factors, particularly among the Asian American population. One hundred ninety-three Asian American parents (M-age = 40.58 years, SD = 6.42 years; 82.4% female) were assessed on their discrimination experiences (racial discrimination in the past year, COVID-19 discrimination fear), emotion regulation strategies (cognitive reappraisal, expressive suppression), and mental health (depression, anxiety). Significant interactions emerged between expressive suppression and racial discrimination in the past year on depression (b = .02, p = .006) and anxiety (b = .03, p < .001). Cognitive reappraisal did not significantly moderate the associations between discrimination experiences and mental health. Results indicated that greater use of expressive suppression exacerbated the adverse effects of racial discrimination on the mental health of Asian American parents. These findings inform research and practice regarding the deleterious effects of racial discrimination and the differential impact of using various emotion regulation strategies on the mental health of Asian American parents.

关键词： Coronavirus  

摘要： The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) became the most spread and lethal disease in the last 3 years. Early predictions could optimize the decision-making process, healthcare outcomes, and effective usage of healthcare resources during peaks. This study set out to predict the mortality risk of COVID-19 patients by investigating 14 machine learning (ML) models using extensive clinical, laboratory, and image-based features. Additionally, feature importances in each model and the influences of features in the mortality prediction of ML models have been evaluated in this study. Data from 252 patients during the 5th peak of the COVID-19 pandemic (July 2021-September 2021) with 42 features were used for the training of ML models. Fourteen ML models were created using the fivefold cross-validation method. Each model was trained using a training-validation dataset with its own optimized parameters. The performance of models has been evaluated by metric parameters of accuracy, precision, sensitivity, specificity, AUC, and F1 score. The highest values of accuracy (87.30%), precision (100%), sensitivity (77.27%), specificity (100%), AUC (91.90%), and F1 score (77.99%) were observed for the linear discriminant analysis (LDA), K-Nearest Neighbors (KNN), Gaussian Naive Bayes (GNB), KNN, Passive Aggressive Classifier (PAC), and LDA models, respectively, when training was performed with all 42 features. By using feature selection techniques, the support vector classifier (SVC) model with 10 features showed the most AUC of 93.40%. The features of mechanical ventilation, consolidation, fatigue, malignancy, dry cough, level of consciousness (LOC), gender, diarrhea, O2 therapy, and SpO2 are potential predictors of mortality rates in COVID-19 patients. © The Author(s) 2024.

关键词： COVID-19   Bayesian inference   Cognitive biases   Bivariate ordinal probit model   FREQUENCY   JUDGMENT   INFORMATION   FORMATS   MODEL  

摘要： The relationship between cognitive biases and infection prevention behavior remains unexplored in the existing literature. This study uses data from a questionnaire survey conducted in Japan on the first wave of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) from February to May 2020 to empirically investigate the impact of Bayesian probability inference, the influence of cognitive biases of PCR test results on infection prevention behavior, and the discrepancy between infection prevention intentions and behaviors. We used a bivariate ordinal probit model when considering the correlation between behaviors. The results showed that the higher probability responses, implying pessimistic biases, were more likely to indicate that declaring a state of emergency was necessary and effective, and were more health-oriented in ensuring infection prevention behavior even at the expense of the economy. However, the study found that although they wanted to reduce the frequency of their outings and the number of people they met, they did not reduce them in terms of actual behavior change. It also found that those with pessimistic biases had a higher WTP for the vaccine.

关键词： COVID-19   mental health   Black adults   social network   social determinants  

摘要： The impact of COVID-19 on Black adults' social networks and their perceptions of the safety of social gatherings are intertwined. Yet, we know little about the role of this intersection and social determinants on Black adults' mental health. The goal of this study was to examine profiles of COVID-19 impact and safety for Black adults in the United States, their association with mental health, and the role of sociodemographic, health, and employment social determinants. We used latent class analysis and data from Black adults from the nationally representative survey of the Understanding Coronavirus in America Study (January-February 2021; N = 593) to construct profiles and test associations between profiles, social determinants, and mental health. Black adults in the low visitation safety profile had worse mental health than those in the high home safety profile. Older, retired, and insured Black adults were less likely to be impacted by COVID-19. Both the impact of COVID-19 on social networks and perceptions of safety of engaging with others are important for Black adults' mental health. Age, retirement, and health insurance play a role. Reducing distress and social isolation from COVID-19 impact and safety fears may bolster the mental health of Black adults.

关键词： Loneliness   COVID-19   COME-HERE   Age   Pandemic policies   MENTAL-HEALTH   SOCIAL-ISOLATION   CHICAGO HEALTH   MORTALITY   ENGLAND   AGE  

摘要： We use quarterly panel data from the COME-HERE survey covering five European countries to analyse three facets of the experience of loneliness during the COVID-19 pandemic. First, in terms of prevalence, loneliness peaked in April 2020, followed by a U-shape pattern in the rest of 2020, and then remained relatively stable throughout 2021 and 2022. We then establish the individual determinants of loneliness and compare them to those found in the literature predating the COVID-19 pandemic. As in previous work, women are lonelier, and partnership, education, income, and employment protect against loneliness. However, the pandemic substantially shifted the age profile: it is now the youngest who are the loneliest. We last show that pandemic policies affected loneliness, which rose with containment policies but fell with government economic support. Conversely, the intensity of the pandemic itself, via the number of recent COVID-19 deaths, had only a minor impact. The experience of the pandemic has thus shown that public policy can influence societal loneliness trends.

关键词： Coronavirus disease 2019   GIS   Spatial analysis   Vulnerability   RISK  

摘要： This article aimed to assess, through a systematic review, the applicability of geographic information systems (GIS) as an alert tool for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The methods followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement. A total of 25 articles published between 2020 and 2024 were included in the review. Portfolio analysis and meta-syntheses were performed to answer specific guiding questions. It was possible to identify the main methods used for mapping COVID-19 cases and assess associations with demographic, socioeconomic, environmental, and urban mobility data, namely spatiotemporal analysis and geostatistical modeling. Spatiotemporal analysis was widely used to understand the spatial dynamics and impact of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), particularly in the first months of the pandemic. GIS has proven to be a valuable tool for collecting, analyzing, and sharing real-time data and assisting health authorities in identifying priority clusters. The main limitation pointed out by the studies was the lack of standardization of COVID-19 case data. It should be noted that spatial models that require training may underestimate correlations between variables as compared with more robust techniques, such as Markov chain and autoregressive geostatistical models. It was possible to conclude that no one method is equally suitable for all analyses and that the choice of an adequate model is crucial to achieve good results.

关键词： Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs)   Live MSCs and dead MSCs   COVID-19   Inflammatory disease   STEM-CELLS   MONONUCLEAR-CELLS   INDUCE   PROLIFERATION   MACROPHAGES   IMPROVES  

摘要： The COVID-19 infection is a worldwide disease that causes numerous immune-inflammatory disorders, tissue damage, and lung dysfunction. COVID-19 vaccines, including those from Pfizer, AstraZeneca, and Sinopharm, are available globally as effective interventions for combating the disease. The severity of COVID-19 can be most effectively reduced by mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) because they possess anti-inflammatory activity and can reverse lung dysfunction. MSCs can be harvested from various sources, such as adipose tissue, bone marrow, peripheral blood, inner organs, and neonatal tissues. The regulation of inflammatory cytokines is crucial in inhibiting inflammatory diseases and promoting the presence of anti-inflammatory cytokines for infectious diseases. MSCs have been employed as therapeutic agents for tissue damage, diabetes, autoimmune diseases, and COVID-19 patients. Our research aimed to determine whether live or dead MSCs are more suitable for the treatment of COVID-19 patients. Our findings concluded that dead MSCs, when directly administered to the patient, offer advantages over viable MSCs due to their extended presence and higher levels of immune regulation, such as T-reg, B-reg, and IL-10, compared to live MSCs. Additionally, dead and apoptotic MSCs are likely to be more readily captured by monocytes and macrophages, prolonging their presence compared to live MSCs.

摘要： India, one of the most dynamic ancient civilizations, possesses a multitude of historical artifacts, with 37 of its notable architectural structures recognized as UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Yet, the ever-changing climate, especially air pollution, expedites the natural deterioration of historic sites and diminishes their aesthetic appeal, causing socio-economic damage. With this in mind, the current study aims to offer a logical scientific foundation for the implications of air pollution, seasonal shifts, and COVID-19 on 14 significant historical places in India during the year 2019-20. Delhi, among the cities most severely affected by atmospheric pollution, recorded an alarming air quality index (AQI) of 102–141, which can intensify the risk of cultural sites to corrode and deteriorate. Analysis reveals that the winter season had elevated levels of NO2 and particle pollution (PM2.5, PM10), whereas summer had the higher levels of O3. Throughout the 5-month lockdown period, ozone levels exhibited an elevation, contrasting with the reduction observed in other air parameters. Notably, there was a substantial 70% decrease in particulate matter concentration, which had previously remained stable over the course of the year. Variations in geographic locales and anthropogenic influences contribute significantly to the dose-response statistics, revealing an unprecedented elevation in corrosion risks to historical limestone and sandstone structures across target sites. Moreover, the research addresses available Governmental initiatives, and effective strategies designed to safeguard heritage sites against the corrosion and material degradation, offering a comprehensive exploration of protective measures. Thereby, the current research is centred on establishing a foundational understanding of the impact of air pollution on cultural heritage, utilizing a comparison to the year with the lowest air pollution levels, which can aid policymakers in enhancing risk m