关键词： Post-COVID-19   Treadmill exercise   Virtual reality   Fatigue   Cognitive function   Participant satisfaction  

摘要： Background/objective: Post-COVID-19 subjects typically experience symptoms of fatigue, cognitive impairment, and sleep difficulty, which can be relieved by conventional aerobic exercise. Virtual Reality (VR) technology to support conventional exercise has recently gained much attention. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the effects of traditional treadmill exercise compared to virtual reality-simulated treadmill exercise on fatigue, cognitive function, sleep quality, and participant satisfaction with the exercise program in post-COVID-19 subjects.
Methods: This single-centered, randomized, parallel-group intervention study was conducted between December 2021 and March 2022. Sixteen of twenty post-COVID-19 subjects completed this study (n1 = 8, n2 = 8). Inclusion criteria were persistent dyspnea/fatigue, mild cognitive problems, and age from 30-60 years. Exclusion criteria were previous severe COVID-19 infection and ICU admission, concomitant respiratory or cardiovascular disease, and musculoskeletal or neurological disease. Eligible subjects were assigned randomly to two groups: a non-VR group that received traditional treadmill aerobic exercise only and a VR group that received treadmill exercise with non-immersive VR. Both groups received moderate-intensity exercise on a treadmill at [50-60 % (peak HR-resting HR) + resting HR] for 30-45 min, three times per week, and for four weeks. The outcome measures were the Chalder Fatigue Scale, Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) questionnaire, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and participant satisfaction with the exercise program rated on a 5-point Likert scale.
Results: Both groups showed significant improvements in the Chalder Fatigue Scale, the MoCA questionnaire, and the PSQI scores after training compared to baseline (p < 0.05), without significant differences between them (p > 0.05). However, participant satisfaction with the exercise program was significantly higher in the VR group than in the

关键词： COVID   Coastal quality   Management   Marine ecosystems   PPE  

摘要： The COVID-19 pandemic has generated a global health and economic crisis, significantly impacting coastal and marine environments. Lockdowns and restrictions, while necessary for public health, led to both positive and negative environmental consequences. Reduced human activity resulted in decreased pollution and habitat disruption, allowing for ecosystem recovery and improved water quality. However, the surge in single-use plastics and personal protective equipment (PPE) during the pandemic exacerbated plastic pollution. Additionally, the economic downturn severely affected coastal communities reliant on tourism and fisheries, highlighting the need for sustainable recovery strategies. This Special Issue explores these collateral effects, emphasizing the importance of adaptive management and resilient governance in safeguarding coastal and marine ecosystems against future crises. © 2024 Elsevier Ltd

关键词： COVID-19   FLiRT Variants   Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus   SARS-CoV-2   2   IMMUNE ESCAPE   SARS-COV-2   TRANSMISSION  

摘要： The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has led to multiple waves of infections globally. As the virus continues to evolve, new variants have emerged, some with concerning changes in transmissibility and virulence. Among these variants, the "FLiRT Variants" have recently gained attention due to their potential to alter the dynamics of transmission and disease severity. According to the Infectious Disease Society of America, the nickname 'FLiRT' is based on the technical names for their mutations. The FLiRT variants, particularly KP.2, seem to exhibit heightened transmissibility in comparison to earlier Omicron sub-variants. Additionally, they demonstrate a capacity to evade immunity conferred by prior infection and vaccines, although the full extent of this evasion is still being investigated. In this article, we review the characteristics of the FLiRT variants, including their genetic mutations, epidemiological features, potential impact on public health measures, and implications for vaccine efficacy. We also discuss strategies for surveillance, prevention, and mitigation efforts to control the spread of this variant and mitigate its impact on global health.

关键词： Need satisfaction/frustration   (de)Motivating teaching styles   Emotion regulation   Self-compassion   COVID-19 outbreak   COGNITIVE REAPPRAISAL   INDIVIDUAL-DIFFERENCES   SATISFACTION   UNIVERSITY   STRESS   ANTECEDENTS   STRATEGIES   EXPERIENCE   SCALE  

摘要： This correlational study investigated the mediation of emotion regulation and self-compassion in the relationship between teacher need satisfaction/frustration and adoption of (de)motivating styles before and during the COVID-19. Two groups of Italian teachers tested in 2019 (n = 259) and 2020 (n = 233) completed a series of questionnaires. In both times, need satisfaction was positively associated with adoption of motivating styles (bright path), whereas need frustration was associated with demotivating styles (dark path). Before, emotion reappraisal mediated this relationship, whereas self-compassion was the mediating factor during the lockdowns, suggesting that coping mechanisms can differ in stressful circumstances. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

关键词： Obesity   SARS-CoV-2   Transcriptomics   Adipocytes   K18-hACE2 mice   And COVID-19 patients   LEPTIN RESISTANCE   RECEPTOR   MICE  

摘要： Obesity is a risk factor for developing severe COVID-19. However, the mechanism underlying obesity-accelerated COVID-19 remains unclear. Here, we report results from a study in which 2-3-month-old K18-hACE2 (K18) mice were fed a western high-fat diet (WD) or normal chow (NC) over 3 months before intranasal infection with a sublethal dose of SARS-CoV2 WA1 (a strain ancestral to the Wuhan variant). After infection, the WD-fed K18 mice lost significantly more body weight and had more severe lung inflammation than normal chow (NC)-fed mice. Bulk RNA-seq analysis of lungs and adipose tissue revealed a diverse landscape of various immune cells, inflammatory markers, and pathways upregulated in the infected WD-fed K18 mice when compared with the infected NC-fed control mice. The transcript levels of IL-6, an important marker of COVID-19 disease severity, were upregulated in the lung at 6-9 days post-infection in the WD-fed mice when compared to NC-fed mice. Transcriptome analysis of the lung and adipose tissue obtained from deceased COVID-19 patients found that the obese patients had an increase in the expression of genes and the activation of pathways associated with inflammation as compared to normal-weight patients (n = 2). The K18 mouse model and human COVID-19 patient data support a link between inflammation and an obesity-accelerated COVID-19 disease phenotype. These results also indicate that obesity-accelerated severe COVID-19 caused by SARS-CoV-2 WA1 infection in the K18 mouse model would be a suitable model for dissecting the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying pathogenesis.

关键词： COVID-19   Green   Molnupiravir   Favipiravir   HPLC   LC-MS/MS   Stability  

摘要： The adoption of the principles of green chemistry in analytical procedures lowers the negative influence on both people and the environment, which presently has become the key goal. Additionally, the need for advanced analytical techniques for the simultaneous determination of antiviral combinations is highly recommended, one of those novel combinations that recently proved effective emerging antiviral drugs in the treatment of SARSCOV-2 is molnupiravir (MOL) and favipiravir (FAV). Therefore, the establishment of simple and precise stability-indicating HPLC-PDA method for their simultaneous determination is crucial for the probable co- formulation. The stability of MOL was studied along with FAV after forced degradation of both under different stress conditions Separation of MOL, FAV, and their corresponding degradation products was achieved by simple isocratic HPLC-PDA method using a mobile phase comprised of 25.0 mM phosphate buffer (pH 3.0 +/- 0.05)- methanol (70:30, v/v) at flow rate 1.0 mL/min. A Zorbax C 18 (250 x 4.6 mm, 5 mu m; Agilent Technologies, USA) column was used for the separation of the components and the column oven was maintained at 30 degrees C, the selected wavelength for detection of both analytes and their degradation products was 230.0 nm. The method was linear over the range of 1.0 - 200.0 mu g/mL for both MOL and FAV. MOL was found to be susceptible to all forced degradation conditions, namely, acid, alkali, oxidative, thermal, and photodegradation while FAV was susceptible only to acid, alkali, and oxidative degradation. The probable degradation mechanisms were assumed through the evaluation of the MS1 fragmentation pattern of the degradation products, also studying the kinetic behavior of the degradation reactions. Furthermore, the greenness profile for the proposed method was evaluated utilizing the new Complementary Green Analytical Procedure Index method (ComplexGAPI), and analytical greenness (AGREE) metrics with a score of the later

关键词： Migrant women   care arrangements   transnational families   gender   COVID-19 pandemic   social protection   EU MIGRANTS   WELFARE   MIGRATION   LIFE  

摘要： The COVID-19 pandemic has precipitated a notable shift in care responsibilities, transferring them from institutions to families, with a pronounced impact on migrant women in transnational families who navigate both local and transnational care arrangements. This study explored how the pandemic affected women's care arrangements and exacerbated existing inequalities at the intersection of labour, migration, and welfare regimes. Following a qualitative methodology based on grounded theory and ethnography, this study analysed interviews with migrant women, their family members, and experts to understand their experiences with caregiving and transnational family dynamics during the pandemic, the costs and coping strategies related to gendered aspects of care, and the changing landscape of migration and care policies during the pandemic. This study scrutinised the intricate web of local and transnational caregiving structures, emphasising women's agency in negotiating care needs amid pandemic restrictions and constraints on access to formal social protection.

关键词： Kawasaki disease   Proteomics   IVIG   Inflammation   Cytokines   T cells   T-CELLS   INFLAMMATION   EXPRESSION   RESISTANCE   CYTOKINE   CHILDREN   THERAPY   S100A12  

摘要： Despite progress, the molecular mechanisms underlying Kawasaki Disease (KD) and intravenous immunoglobulin's (IVIG) ability to mitigate the inflammatory process remain poorly understood. To characterize this condition, plasma proteomic profiles, flow cytometry, and gene expression of T cell subsets were investigated in longitudinal samples from KD patients and compared with two control groups. Systems-level analysis of samples in the acute phase revealed distinctive inflammatory features of KD, involving mainly Th-1 and Th-17 mediators and unveiled a potential disease severity signature. APBB1IP demonstrated an association with coronary artery involvement (CAI) and was significantly higher in CAI+ + compared to CAI- patients. Integrative analysis revealed a transient reduction in CD4+ + EM T cells and a comprehensive immune activation and exhaustion. Following treatment, Tregs at both frequency and gene expression levels revealed immune dynamics of recovery. Overall, our data provide insights into KD, which may offer valuable information on prognostic indicators and possible targets for novel treatments.

关键词： Public health measures   Household electricity consumption   COVID-19   Tier system   ELECTRICITY CONSUMPTION   PROPENSITY SCORE   BUILDING CHARACTERISTICS   CLIMATE  

摘要： Substantial attention has been paid to household energy consumption during COVID-19 lockdowns, however, there exists a dearth of studies on the impact of more granular health restrictions; understanding the consequences of differentiated health measures is important for policymakers and grid operators alike. We investigate the marginal impact of additional restrictions by studying the COVID-19 tier system of the UK. Each additional tier tightened applicable rules and imposed more restrictions to many aspects of life, such as the types of social interactions that were permissible and which stores were allowed to operate. We use the novel vector matching method, which enables causal identification of treatment effects in cases of multiple ordinal treatments. Our results indicate that moving from a low-restrictions environment to a medium and high restriction environment increased electricity consumption by 18% to 45%, respectively. These increases in consumption manifest predominantly between 9AM to 5PM, even when remaining home is not required by the measures in place. The changes in behaviour resulting from additional restrictions would amount to 0.57 pound/day (+18%) + 18%) and 1.41 pound/day (+45%) + 45%) when transitioning from low to medium and high restrictions, respectively.

关键词： Sustainable energy source   Waste-to-energy   Municipal solid waste   COVID-19   Landfill gas  

摘要： Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the amount and types of municipal solid waste (MSW) have dramatically changed. This study focuses on characterizing the MSWs in the regular waste storage facility (RWSF) in Izmir, Turkey, and determining the electrical energy that can be produced by the landfill gas power plant (LFGPP) established to convert the waste to energy (WtE). Therefore, firstly the MSWs were characterized. After, the amount of produced methane (CH4) 4 ) gas was determined using Landfill Gas Emissions Modeling (LandGEM). The amount of generated electricity, the dependent variable in the LandGEM model, was most influenced by the quantity of MSW, garbage disposal processes, and maintenance times of gas generators, while other factors remained relatively weak. This situation has also been confirmed in the field. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the increase in MSW was 9.8% in 2020 and 10.3% in 2021. Kitchen waste containing the highest CH4, 4 , accounted for 38% of the MSW characterization. The amount of generated electricity in the LandGEM model was 237 GWh in 2020 and 245 GWh in 2021. While these values could be achieved by 11.25% in 2020 due to various system and field failures, they reached 79.73% in 2021 due to system and field improvements.