title: Early recovery following new onset anosmia during the COVID-19 pandemic - an observational cohort study

text: BACKGROUND: A rapidly evolving evidence suggests that smell and taste disturbance are common symptoms in COVID-19 infection. As yet there are no reports on duration and recovery rates. We set out to characterise patients reporting new onset smell and taste disturbance during the COVID-19 pandemic and report on early recovery rates. METHODS: Online Survey of patients reporting self-diagnosed new onset smell and taste disturbance during the COVID-19 pandemic, with 1 week follow-up. RESULTS: Three hundred eighty-two patents completed bot an initial and follow-up survey. 86.4% reported complete anosmia and a further 11.5% a very severe loss of smell at the time of completing the first survey. At follow-up 1 week later, there is already significant improvement in self-rating of severity of olfactory loss. 80.1% report lower severity scores at follow-up, 17.6% are unchanged and 1.9% are worse. 11.5% already report compete resolution at follow up, while 17.3% report persistent complete loss of smell, with reported duration being 1 to over 4 weeks. This is reflected in the overall cumulative improvement rate of 79% patients overall in the interval between surveys. CONCLUSIONS: A review of the growing evidence base supports the likelihood that out cohort have suffered olfactory loss as part of COVID-19 infection. While early recovery rates are encouraging, long term rates will need to be further investigated and there may be an increase in patients with persistent post-viral loss as a result of the pandemic. We further call for loss of sense of smell to be formerly recognised as a marker of COVID-19 infection.


title: Robot assisted surgery during the COVID-19 pandemic, especially for gynecological cancer: a statement of the Society of European Robotic Gynaecological Surgery (SERGS)

text: All surgery performed in an epicenter of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, irrespective of the known or suspected severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) status of the patient, should be regarded as high risk and protection of the surgical team at the bedside should be at the highest level. Robot assisted surgery (RAS) may help to reduce hospital stay for patients that urgently need complex-oncological-surgery, thus making room for COVID-19 patients. In comparison to open or conventional laparoscopic surgery, RAS potentially reduces not only contamination with body fluids and surgical gasses of the surgical area but also the number of directly exposed medical staff. A prerequisite is that general surgical precautions under COVID-19 circumstances must be taken, with the addition of prevention of gas leakage: â¢ Use highest protection level III for bedside assistant, but level II for console surgeon. â¢ Reduce the number of staff at the operation room. â¢ Ensure safe and effective gas evacuation. â¢ Reduce the intra-abdominal pressure to 8 mmHg or below. â¢ Minimize electrocautery power and avoid use of ultrasonic sealing devices. â¢ Surgeons should avoid contact outside theater (both in and out of the hospital).


title: HIV care in times of the COVID-19 crisis - Where are we now in Central and Eastern Europe?

text: INTRODUCTION: The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has hit the European region disproportionately. Many HIV clinics share staff and logistics with infectious disease facilities, which are now on the frontline in tackling COVID-19. Therefore, this study investigated the impact of the current pandemic situation on HIV care and continuity of antiretroviral treatment (ART) supplies in CEE countries. METHODS: The Euroguidelines in Central and Eastern Europe (ECEE) Network Group was established in February 2016 to review standards of care for HIV in the region. The group consists of professionals actively involved in HIV care. On March 19, 2020 we decided to review the status of HIV care sustainability in the face of the emerging SARS-CoV-2 pandemic in Europe. For this purpose, we constructed an online survey consisting of 23 questions. Respondents were recruited from ECEE members in 22 countries, based on their involvement in HIV care, and contacted via email. RESULTS: In total, 19 countries responded: Albania, Armenia, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Georgia, Greece, Hungary, Lithuania, Macedonia, Poland, Republic of Moldova, Russia, Serbia, Turkey, and Ukraine. Most of the respondents were infectious disease physicians directly involved in HIV care (17/19). No country reported HIV clinic closures. HIV clinics were operating normally in only six countries (31.6%). In 11 countries (57.9%) physicians were sharing HIV and COVID-19 care duties. None of the countries expected shortage of ART in the following 2 weeks; however, five physicians expressed uncertainty about the following 2 months. At the time of providing responses, ten countries (52.6%) had HIV-positive persons under quarantine. CONCLUSIONS: A shortage of resources is evident, with an impact on HIV care inevitable. We need to prepare to operate with minimal medical resources, with the aim of securing constant supplies of ART. Non-governmental organizations should re-evaluate their earlier objectives and support efforts to ensure continuity of ART delivery.


title: Abdominal presentation of covid-19

text: A 64-year-old with hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, and recent expo-sure to a family member with coronavi-rus disease 2019 (COVID-19) presented to the emergency department with a two-day history of abdominal pain, nau-sea, vomiting, diarrhea, and low-grade fever The patient denied fatigue, myal-gia, headache, cough, sore throat, short-ness of breath, and chest pain/ tightness Physical examination was remarkable for a temperature of 101°F, oxygen sat-uration of 98%, and generalized abdominal tenderness Laboratory values were remarkable for slightly elevated alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) An abdominal– pelvic CT scan with intravenous contrast was subsequently performed to assess for acute pathology Based upon CT observations at the imaged lung bases, an anterior–posterior chest radiograph was obtained


title: Correction to: Ultra-high-resolution computed tomography can demonstrate alveolar collapse in novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pneumonia

text: The correct caption is given below.


title: Clinical trials for inflammatory bowel disease: a global guidance during COVID-19 pandemic

text: The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 [SARS-CoV-2]-causing coronavirus disease [COVID]-19 pandemic poses major challenges for patients with inflammatory bowel disease to be recruited and maintained in clinical trials. However, clinical trials offer patients who have failed multiple drugs access to study medications with alternative mode of action and the potential for relief from inflammation-mediated symptoms. Therefore, the continuation of clinical trials in IBD during the COVID-19 pandemic is important both for participants and the community of IBD patients, due to the dire need of an expanded therapeutic armamentarium. As the safety of patients in clinical trials is the leading principle, we are providing ten specific rules to guide patients and principal investigators safely through the challenging time.


title: Coronavirus disinfection in histopathology

text: The 2019 Coronavirus epidemic, provisionally called 2019-nCoV, was first identified in Wuhan, China, in persons exposed to a seafood or wet market. There is an international push to contain the virus and prevent its spread. It is feasible that potentially infectious samples may be received in histopathology laboratories for diagnosis. This technical note presents disinfection procedures and histotechnology processes that should alleviate the risk of infection to laboratory staff. Using data obtained from similar coronaviruses, e.g. severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS), experts are confident that 70% ethanol and 0.1% sodium hypochlorite should inactivate the virus. Formalin fixation and heating samples to 56oC, as used in routine tissue processing, were found to inactivate several coronaviruses and it is believed that 2019-nCoV would be similarly affected.


title: When basic supplies are missing, what to do? Specific demands of the local street population in times of coronavirus - a concern of social psychiatry

text: BACKGROUND: Homeless experts and some federal housing officials are sounding the alarm that the patchwork of government efforts to address the coronavirus outbreak risks leaving out one group of acutely vulnerable people: the homeless. In terms of isolation, it is too unclear what that looks like if you normally sleep on the streets. In this tough moment, when people should be turned away, not only it feels inhumane, but it is also a big public health risk, because where are they going to go? METHOD: The studies were identified using large-sized newspapers with international circulation RESULTS: With more cities suspecting community transmission of the novel coronavirus, people who sleep in shelters or hunker down outside already have a lower life expectancy and often have underlying health conditions that put them at greater risk if they develop COVID-19 (Global News, 2020). These people face lack of sleep, malnutrition, and "extreme stress levels just to meet their daily needs", all of which weakens the immune system. Along with mental illness or substance abuse disorders, they are "incredibly vulnerable to this virus". CONCLUSIONS: Health organizations are well aware of the risks involved in mental health. A large population of homeless people experience their pain and psychological distress intermittently. For low-income patients, the various borderline situations related to health/illness involve growing expectations regarding the basic needs. This is a serious concern when linked to the pandemic.


The search for a COVID-19 animal model


title: Coagulopathy, thromboembolic complications and the use of heparin in COVID-19 Pneumonia

text: The SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) is causing a pandemic and potentially fatal disease, actually of global public health concern. Viral infections are known to be associated with coagulation impairment thus thrombosis, hemorrhage, or both, may occur. Understanding the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying the development of coagulation disorders during viral infection is essential for the development of therapeutic strategies. Coagulopathy in COVID-19 infection is emerging as a precipitant factor for severe respiratory complications and death. An increase in coagulation markers such as fibrinogen and D-Dimer has been found in severe COVID-19 cases. Heparin, clinically used as an anticoagulant, has also anti-inflammatory properties including binding of inflammatory cytokines, inhibition of neutrophil chemotaxis, protection of endothelial cells and a potential antiviral effect. We hypothesized that low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) may attenuate cytokine storm in COVID-19 patients therefore LMWH could be a valid adjunctive therapeutic drug for the treatment of COVID-19 pneumopathy. In this paper we review potential mechanisms involved in coagulation impairment following viral infection and the possible role of heparin in the treatment of COVID-19 patients.


title: Projecting demand for critical care beds during COVID-19 outbreaks in Canada

text: BACKGROUND: Increasing numbers of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases in Canada may create substantial demand for hospital admission and critical care. We evaluated the extent to which self-isolation of mildly ill people delays the peak of outbreaks and reduces the need for this care in each Canadian province. METHODS: We developed a computational model and simulated scenarios for COVID-19 outbreaks within each province. Using estimates of COVID-19 characteristics, we projected the hospital and intensive care unit (ICU) bed requirements without self-isolation, assuming an average number of 2.5 secondary cases, and compared scenarios in which different proportions of mildly ill people practised self-isolation 24 hours after symptom onset. RESULTS: Without self-isolation, the peak of outbreaks would occur in the first half of June, and an average of 569 ICU bed days per 10 000 population would be needed. When 20% of cases practised self-isolation, the peak was delayed by 2-4 weeks, and ICU bed requirement was reduced by 23.5% compared with no self-isolation. Increasing self-isolation to 40% reduced ICU use by 53.6% and delayed the peak of infection by an additional 2-4 weeks. Assuming current ICU bed occupancy rates above 80% and self-isolation of 40%, demand would still exceed available (unoccupied) ICU bed capacity. INTERPRETATION: At the peak of COVID-19 outbreaks, the need for ICU beds will exceed the total number of ICU beds even with self-isolation at 40%. Our results show the coming challenge for the health care system in Canada and the potential role of self-isolation in reducing demand for hospital-based and ICU care.


Potential benefit of angiotensin II in COVID-19 patients: beyond reasonable doubt?


title: A comparison of group testing architectures for COVID-19 testing

text: An important component of every country's COVID-19 response is fast and efficient testing -- to identify and isolate cases, as well as for early detection of local hotspots. For many countries, producing a sufficient number of tests has been a serious limiting factor in their efforts to control COVID-19 infections. Group testing is a well-established mathematical tool, which can provide a serious and rapid improvement to this situation. In this note, we compare several well-established group testing schemes in the context of qPCR testing for COVID-19. We include example calculations, where we indicate which testing architectures yield the greatest efficiency gains in various settings. We find that for identification of individuals with COVID-19, array testing is usually the best choice, while for estimation of COVID-19 prevalence rates in the total population, Gibbs-Gower testing usually provides the most accurate estimates given a fixed and relatively small number of tests. This note is intended as a helpful handbook for labs implementing group testing methods.


Depression and anxiety among adolescents during COVID-19: A cross-sectional study


title: Protection Challenges of Pregnant Women against Vertical Transmission during COVID-19 Epidemic: A Narrative Review

text: This paper presents a narrative review study of five popular data repositories focusing on challenges of pregnant women protection during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study concludes that the likelihood of a vertical transmission of COVID-19 infection from pregnant women to neonates was not observed. Nevertheless, it remains a serious risk for them during their earlier stage of pregnancy, thus, special attention from health professionals has been recommended.


title: Unmet healthcare needs among migrants without medical insurance in Montreal, Canada

text: While access to healthcare for permanent residents in Canada is well known, this is not the case for migrants without healthcare coverage. This is the first large-scale study that examines the unmet healthcare needs of migrants without healthcare coverage in Montreal. 806 participants were recruited: 436 in the community and 370 at the NGO clinic. Proportions of individuals reporting unmet healthcare needs were similar (68.4% vs. 69.8%). The main reason invoked for these unmet needs was lacking money (80.6%). Situations of not working or studying, not having had enough food in the past 12 months, not having a medical prescription to get medication and having had a workplace injury were all significantly associated with higher odds of having unmet healthcare needs. Unmet healthcare needs were more frequent among migrants without healthcare coverage than among recent immigrants or the citizens with health healthcare coverage (69%, 26%, 16%). Canada must take measures to enable these individuals to have access to healthcare according to their needs in order to reduce the risk of worsening their health status, something that may have an impact on the healthcare system and population health. The Government of Quebec announced that all individuals without any healthcare coverage will have access to COVID-19 related health care. We hope that this right, the application of which is not yet obvious, can continue after the pandemic for all health care.


COVID 19: Frontline experience at a tertiary care hospital in UK


title: Unexpected Findings of Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) at the Lung Bases on Abdominopelvic CT

text: OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this study is to report unanticipated lung base findings on abdominal CT in 23 patients concerning for coronavirus disease (COVID-19). In these patients, who were not previously suspected of having COVID-19, abdominal pain was the most common indication for CT (n = 19), and 11 patients had no extrapulmonary findings. Seventeen patients underwent polymerase chain reaction testing, which returned positive results for all 17. CONCLUSION. Unsuspected coronavirus disease may be strongly suggested on the basis of lung findings on abdominopelvic CT.


Olfactory Dysfunction in Recovered Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Patients


title: The Epidemiology of COVID-19 cases and the Successful Containment Strategy in Hong Kong - January to May 2020

text: BACKGROUND: Hong Kong, a Special Administrative Region of China, recorded its first confirmed Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) case on 23 January 2020. We reviewed the case epidemiology and the various public health measures implemented from January to May 2020. METHOD: We described and compared the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of the cases recorded in different phases of the epidemic and reviewed the effectiveness of the public health measures implemented using the changes in the daily number of confirmed cases and the interval from symptom onset to hospital admission. RESULTS: Between January and May 2020, 1084 confirmed COVID-19 cases were reported, about 70% of which had travel history during the incubation period. The case fatality ratio was 0.4%. The local epidemic progressed through four phases: (i) preparedness and imported infection from mainland China, (ii) local transmission, (iii) imported infection from overseas countries associated with local transmission, and (iv) controlled imported infection with limited local transmission, with an eventual reduction of daily case number and minimization of onset-to-admission interval. Various public health measures, including enhanced surveillance, border control and social distancing, were introduced in phases in response to the prevailing local and global situations. DISCUSSION: Hong Kong's overall containment strategy has led to a stabilization of number of cases and absence of community-wide outbreak in the 4.5 months since the reporting of the first case. Hong Kong's strategy of containment might serve as an example for future planning of preparedness and response against novel infectious agents.


Denominator matters in estimating COVID-19 mortality rates


title: The Orthopaedic Trauma Service and COVID-19: Practice Considerations to Optimize Outcomes and Limit Exposure

text: The COVID-19 pandemic has presented challenges to healthcare systems, including the cancellation and then staged resumption of elective procedures. The orthopaedic trauma community has continued to provide care to patients with acute musculoskeletal injuries that cannot be delayed in all scenarios. This article summarizes and provides relevant information (orthopaedic trauma service, outpatient fracture clinic, inpatient surgery) to the practicing orthopaedic traumatologist on maximizing outcomes while limiting exposure during the pandemic. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE:: Therapeutic Level V. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.


title: [Therapeutic effect of Compound Qinlan Oral Liquid on treating combining disease with syndrome of human coronavirus pneumonia with pestilence attacking lung syndrome]

text: The aim of this paper was to investigate the therapeutic effect of Compound Qinlan Oral Liquid recommended by Provincial Novel Coronary Virus Pneumonia Treatment Scheme on the treatment of BALB/c mice with combining disease with syndrome of human coronavirus pneumonia with pestilence attacking lung syndrome and to explore its clinical application in the treatment of novel coronavirus pneumonia, and to provide laboratory data support for clinical Chinese medicine. According to the classification of syndromes of novel coronavirus pneumonia by the national competent department of traditional Chinese medicine, this study determined that human coronavirus 229 E(HCoV-229 E)-infected mouse model of cold and dampness syndrome can be used to study human coronavirus pneumonia combined with pestilence attacking the lung syndrome model. This model is suitable for simulating traditional Chinese medicine treatment of common disease syndromes in Novel Coronavirus Pneumonia Diagnosis and Treatment program(trial implementation of the sixth edition). Specific steps are as follows. BALB/c mice of cold and dampness syndrome is infected with HCoV-229 E virus, and were divided into normal control group, infection control group, cold-dampness control group, cold-dampness infection group(the model group), and Compound Qilan Oral Liquid high dose group(22 mL·kg~(-1)·d~(-1)) and low dose group(11 mL·kg~(-1)·d~(-1)). On the day of infection, the Compound Qilan Oral Liquid was administered for three consecutive days. On the last dosing day, the lung tissue was dissected, and the lung index and inhibition rate were calculated. The nucleic acid of lung tissue was extracted and the HCoV-229 E virus load was detected by RT-PCR. Blood leukocytes were separated and the percentage of T and B lymphocytes was detected by flow cytometry. Lung tissue protein was extracted and the contents of IL-6, IL-10, TNF-α and IFN-Î³ were detected by ELISA. Serum was separated and the contents of gastrin(GAS) and motilin(MTL) were detected by ELISA. Histopathological analysis was performed with lung tissue. The high and low doses of Compound Qinlan Oral Liquid significantly reduced the lung index(P<0.01) of mice with combining disease with syndrome of human coronavirus pneumonia with pestilence attacking lung syndrome, and the inhibition rates were 59.01% and 47.72%, respectively. Compared with the model control group, the high and low doses of Compound Qinlan Oral Liquid significantly reduced lung tissue viral load(P<0.01), increased cross blood CD4~+ T lymphocytes, CD8~+ T lymphocytes and total B lymphocyte percentage(P<0.01), reduced serum motilin content(P<0.01), reduced IL-6, IL-10, TNF-α and IFN-Î³ levels in lungs(P<0.01) and reduced lung tissue inflammation. Compound Qinlan Oral Liquid has a better effect on the mouse model with combining disease with syndrome of human coronavirus pneumonia with pestilence attacking lung syndrome, which may attribute to its function of in virus replication inhibition, gastrointestinal function improvement, immunity enhancement, and inflammatory factor reduction.


title: Korean clinical practice guidelines for preventing transmission of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in hemodialysis facilities

text: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a highly contagious viral disease that is caused by the novel virus Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). COVID-19 has become pandemic since December 2019, when the first case developed in Wuhan, China. Patients receiving hemodialysis are more vulnerable to viral transmission because their immune functions are impaired and they receive treatment within a narrow space. Calling on previous experience with Middle East Respiratory Syndrome during the 2015 outbreak, the joint committee of the Korean Society of Nephrology and the Korean Society of Dialysis Therapy quickly formed a COVID-19 task force team to develop a manual before the first index case was diagnosed in the hemodialysis unit. This special article introduces clinical practice guidelines to prevent secondary transmission of COVID-19 within hemodialysis facilities, which were developed to protect patients, healthcare workers, and caregivers from this highly transmissible virus. The areas of infection control covered by these guidelines include standard precautions, performing dialysis therapy for confirmed or suspected cases, performing cohort isolation for contact patients, and disease monitoring and contact surveillance. We hope these guidelines help healthcare workers and hemodialysis patients around the world cope with the COVID-19 pandemic.


COVID-19: A Chimera of Two Pandemics


title: How Big Data and Artificial Intelligence Can Help Better Manage the COVID-19 Pandemic

text: SARS-CoV2 is a novel coronavirus, responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic declared by the World Health Organization. Thanks to the latest advancements in the field of molecular and computational techniques and information and communication technologies (ICTs), artificial intelligence (AI) and Big Data can help in handling the huge, unprecedented amount of data derived from public health surveillance, real-time epidemic outbreaks monitoring, trend now-casting/forecasting, regular situation briefing and updating from governmental institutions and organisms, and health facility utilization information. The present review is aimed at overviewing the potential applications of AI and Big Data in the global effort to manage the pandemic.


The C-Cube: an endoscopic solution in the time of COVID-19


Why Fibrinolytic Therapy for ST-Segment-Elevation Myocardial Infarction in the COVID-19 Pandemic Is Not Your New Best Friend


title: CT Scans of Patients with 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pneumonia

text: Rationale: The increasing speed of confirmed 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19) cases is striking in China. The purpose of this study is to summarize the outcomes of patients with novel COVID-19 pneumonia (NCP) at our institution. Methods: In this single-center study, we retrospectively included 118 cases of NCP, from January 16, 2020 to February 4, 2020. The clinical outcomes were monitored up to February 11, 2020. The outcomes of NCP patients were phase summarized at our institution. Three kinds of responses to clinical treatment were defined and evaluated: 1) good, symptoms continually improved; 2) fair, symptoms not improved or relapsed; 3) poor, symptoms aggravated. The risk factors, including basal clinical characteristics, CT imaging features, and follow-up CT changes (no change, progress, and improvement) related to poor/fair outcomes, were also investigated. Results: Six patients were improved to no-emergency type, 2 remained the same, and 2 progressed to fatal type. Besides, 13 patients progressed from the common type group to the emergency group (3 in fatal type and 10 in severe type). Forty-two (35.6%) patients were discharged with a median hospital stay of 9.5 days (range, 4.0-15.0 days). Thus, the numbers in different responses were, 73 patients in good response group (4 emergency cases, 69 no-emergency cases), 28 in fair response group (3 emergency cases, 25 no-emergency cases), and 17 in poor response group (3 emergency cases, 14 no-emergency cases). No patient has died in our hospital to date. The median duration of progress observed from CT scans was 6 days (range, 2-14 days). The progression in abnormal imaging findings indicate a poor/fair response, whereas the alleviated symptoms seen from CT suggest a good response. Conclusion: Most cases are no-emergency type and have a favorable response to clinical treatment. Follow-up CT changes during the treatment can help evaluate the treatment response of patients with NCP.


title: Older Workers on the COVID-19-Frontlines without Paid Sick Leave

text: The rapid spread of COVID-19 has left many workers around the world - workers in food distribution, truckers, janitors, and home and personal health care workers - deeply concerned about contracting the virus from exposure at work. In particular, older workers in frontline occupations are vulnerable to illness and to the deadly and debilitating effects of COVID-19, especially with inadequate protective gear and inadequate sick leave. In the absence of strong unions, which ensure that employers provide workers with accurate information, robust training, adequate equipment, and paid leave in the event of quarantines or illness, the COVID-19 pandemic highlights the need for additional legislation to shore up worker protections and provide paid sick leave.


The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Disabled and Hospice Home Care Patients


title: A Spatiotemporal Epidemic Model to Quantify the Effects of Contact Tracing, Testing, and Containment

text: Motivated by the current COVID-19 outbreak, we introduce a novel epidemic model based on marked temporal point processes that is specifically designed to make fine-grained spatiotemporal predictions about the course of the disease in a population. Our model can make use and benefit from data gathered by a variety of contact tracing technologies and it can quantify the effects that different testing and tracing strategies, social distancing measures, and business restrictions may have on the course of the disease. Building on our model, we use Bayesian optimization to estimate the risk of exposure of each individual at the sites they visit, the percentage of symptomatic individuals, and the difference in transmission rate between asymptomatic and symptomatic individuals from historical longitudinal testing data. Experiments using real COVID-19 data and mobility patterns from T\"{u}bingen, a town in the southwest of Germany, demonstrate that our model can be used to quantify the effects of tracing, testing, and containment strategies at an unprecedented spatiotemporal resolution. To facilitate research and informed policy-making, particularly in the context of the current COVID-19 outbreak, we are releasing an open-source implementation of our framework at https://github.com/covid19-model.


title: Türk Kardiyoloji Dernegi Uzlasi Raporu: COVID-19 Pandemisi ve Kardiyovasküler Hastaliklar Konusunda Bilinmesi Gerekenler (25 Mart 2020)./ [Consensus Report from Turkish Society of Cardiology: COVID-19 and Cardiovascular Diseases. What cardiologists should know. (25th March 2020)]

text: In December 2019, in the city of Wuhan, in the Hubei province of China, treatment-resistant cases of pneumonia emerged and spread rapidly for reasons unknown. A new strain of coronavirus (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 [SARS-CoV-2]) was identified and caused the first pandemic of the 21st century. The virus was officially detected in our country on March 11, 2020, and the number of cases increased rapidly; the virus was isolated in 670 patients within 10 days. The rapid increase in the number of patients has required our physicians to learn to protect both the public and themselves when treating patients with this highly infectious disease. The group most affected by the outbreak and with the highest mortality rate is elderly patients with known cardiovascular disease. Therefore, it is necessary for cardiology specialists to take an active role in combating the epidemic. The aim of this article is to make a brief assessment of current information regarding the management of cardiovascular patients affected by COVID-19 and to provide practical suggestions to cardiology specialists about problems and questions they have frequently encountered.


Europe's migrant containment policies threaten the response to covid-19


Coronavirus disease 2019 and Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia: a diagnostic dilemma in HIV


Obesity is Associated with Severe Forms of COVID-19


COVID-19 update: Covid-19-associated coagulopathy


title: Comparing the analytical performance of three SARS-CoV-2 molecular diagnostic assays

text: In December 2019, a novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) was first isolated from Wuhan city, China and within three months, the global community was challenged with a devastating pandemic. The rapid spread of the virus challenged diagnostic laboratories to rapidly develop molecular diagnostic methods. As SARS CoV-2 assays became available for testing on existing molecular platforms, laboratories devoted unprecedented energy and resources into evaluating the analytical performance of the new tests and in some cases developed their own diagnostic assays under FDA-EUA guidance. This study compares the validation of three different molecular assays at the Johns Hopkins Molecular Virology laboratory: the RealStar® SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR, ePlex® SARS-CoV-2, and the CDC COVID-19 RT-PCR tests. Overall, our studies indicate a comparable analytical performance of the three assays for the detection of SARS-CoV-2.


COVID-19 and the eye


title: Towards Seamless Authentication for Zoom-Based Online Teaching and Meeting

text: The lockdowns and travel restrictions in current coronavirus pandemic situation has replaced face-to-face teaching and meeting with online teaching and meeting. Recently, the video conferencing tool Zoom has become extremely popular for its simple-to-use feature and low network bandwith requirement. However, Zoom has serious security and privacy issues. Due to weak authentication mechanisms, unauthorized persons are invading Zoom sessions and creating disturbances (known as Zoom bombing). In this paper, we propose a preliminary work towards a seamless authentication mechanism for Zoom-based teaching and meeting. Our method is based on PRNU (Photo Response Non Uniformity)-based camera authentication, which can authenticate the camera of a device used in a Zoom meeting without requiring any assistance from the participants (e.g., needing the participant to provide biometric). Results from a small-scale experiment validates the proposed method.


title: Outcome of Oncology Patients Infected With Coronavirus

text: PURPOSE: This study investigated the features of oncology patients with confirmed Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) at the Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs-Riyadh during the outbreak of June 2015 to determine the clinical course and outcome of affected patients. METHODS: The patients' demographic information, cancer history, treatment pattern, information about MERS-coronavirus (CoV) infection, history of travel, clinical symptoms, test results, and outcome were collected and analyzed as part of a quality improvement project to improve the care and safety of our patients. Only patients with confirmed infection were included. RESULTS: A total of 19 patients were identified, with a median age of 66 years (range, 16-88 years), and 12 patients (63%) were males. The most common underlying disease was hematologic malignancies (47.4%), followed by colorectal cancer (21%) and lung cancer (15.8%). Hypertension and diabetes mellitus were the most common comorbidities (57.9% and 52.6%, respectively). Infection was diagnosed by nasopharyngeal swab in all patients. All patients contracted the infection during their hospitalization for other reasons. Sixteen patients (80%) were admitted to the intensive care unit; 13 patients (81%) had acute respiratory distress syndrome, 11 were intubated (68.75%), 9 had acute renal injury (56.25%), and 3 required dialysis (18.75%). Only 3 patients (15.8%) with early-stage cancers survived. Patients with hematologic malignancies and advanced solid tumors had a 100% case fatality rate. The majority of the causes of death were due to multi-organ failure and septic shock. CONCLUSION: MERS-CoV infection resulted in a high case fatality rate in patients with malignancy. Therefore, it is critical to implement effective primary preventive measures to avoid exposure of patients with cancer to the virus.


Implications for Design and Analyses of Oncology Clinical Trials During the COVID-19 Pandemic


No double-edged sword and no doubt about the relation between smoking and COVID-19 severity


title: COVID-19-associated pneumomediastinum

text: A case is presented highlighting the emerging association of COVID-19 with pneumomediastinum, even in patients who have never received mechanical ventilation or positive airway pressure.


Use of antiviral drugs to reduce COVID-19 transmission


title: Evaluation of the COVID19 ID NOW EUA assay

text: BACKGROUND: The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic caused a major surge in needed diagnostic capacity. In response, many EUA assays have become available for clinical laboratories, and more recently, the point of care device, Abbott ID NOW. OBJECTIVES: To determine the analytical performance of the ID NOW assay for detecting SARS-CoV-2. STUDY DESIGN: Residual NP samples collected in viral transport media were tested by the ID NOW platform in two independent laboratories. Results were compared to either the CDC or New York EUA assays, which served as reference methods. RESULTS: Overall agreement of ID NOW was 78.7%. Sensitivity was 71.7% and specificity was 100%. Notably, all false-negative results correlated to those samples that were weakly positive. CONCLUSIONS: ID NOW performs well for strong and moderately positive samples but has reduced sensitivity for weakly positive samples. This sensitivity, among other concerns, should be taken into consideration when using this test for patients with a low suspicion for COVID-19 disease.


Tromboembolismo pulmonar y COVID-19: un cambio de paradigma./ Tromboembolismo pulmonar y COVID-19: un cambio de paradigma./ Pulmonary embolism and COVID-19: A paradigm change


Coronavirus disease 2019 is delaying the diagnosis and management of chest pain, acute coronary syndromes, myocarditis and heart failure


title: Perspectives of patients with rheumatic diseases in the early phase of COVID-19

text: OBJECTIVE: To determine health perceptions of patients with rheumatic diseases in the early phase of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. METHODS: Rheumatology patients at a single centre received via text message the national Rheumatology Association COVID-19 information sheet and an invitation to participate in a de-identified survey. Patient concerns regarding risks conferred by their rheumatological disease or medications, impact of receiving the information sheet on the likelihood of staying on medication, and acceptance of telehealth, were ascertained. RESULTS: 2,630 patients received the message and the survey response rate was 21% (n=550). Mean (±SD) age was 52 (±15.2) years and 75% were female. Participants' highest ranked concern was that their medications would increase their severity of COVID-19 (76.1%). The highest levels of concern were seen in patients on combination conventional synthetic disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (csDMARDs) and/or a biologic/targeted synthetic disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug (b/tsDMARD). There was no association between prednisolone dose and concern. While 63% of patients planned to continue their anti-rheumatic medications, a further 30% were more likely to stay on their medications as a result of receiving the information. Telehealth was acceptable to 98.4% of patients, but 28.1% felt this was only appropriate while infection control measures were in place. CONCLUSION: Concerns regarding the risk of COVID-19 among patients on anti-rheumatic drugs are common. Proactive dissemination of information is needed to address misconceptions relating to medication risk, improve medication adherence and minimise the risk of flares. Telehealth is acceptable to a majority of patients during the COVID-19 pandemic.


Co-infections in COVID-19 critically ill and antibiotic management: a prospective cohort analysis


COVID-19 Infection Among Medical Staff in Wuhan: A Retrospective Study From a Single Center


title: Produção e caracterização físico-química e microbiológica da geleia de jambo vermelho (Syzygium malaccense)

text: Por possuir um sabor adocicado suavemente ácido, o Syzygium malaccense Merr. & Perry é muito consumido e apreciado pela população. Por esse motivo, objetivou-se neste estudo a produção da geleia de jambo, com o intuito de avaliar se a geleia manterá as características fisico-químicas e nutricionais presentes no jambo vermelho in natura, além de verificar sua conformidade com os padrões microbiológicos vigentes. A geleia foi produzida a partir de 800g de polpa de jambo adicionados a 400 mL de água potável sob aquecimento por 40 minutos. Após a peneiração, ao filtrado foram adicionados 275 g de açúcar e 5 mL de ácido cítrico e aquecido por mais 20 minutos até alcançar a consistência desejada. Foram realizadas as determinações de proteínas, lipídios, cinzas, umidade, carboidratos e valor calórico. O doseamento de antocianinas e flavonoides foi utilizado por meio do método descrito por Francis (1982). A geleia apresentou menor porcentagem de umidade (57,5±0,35), proteínas (2,39±0,2), cinzas (0,33±0,03) e lipídios (0,49±0,00), e maior porcentagem de carboidratos (39,29±0,42) quando comparados ao jambo in natura que teve umidade de 91,07±0,22, proteínas de 2,41±0,19, cinzas 0,42±0,07, lipídios 1,12±0,05 e carboidratos 4,97±0,22. Observou-se também que, após o processo de produção da geleia, houve aumento nos percentuais de flavonóides (26,4±0,7) e antocianinas (29±0,78) quando comparado ao fruto in natura que teve antocianinas de 19,37±4,82 e flavonoides de 11,30±3,73. Quanto aos padrões microbiológicos, a geleia de jambo vermelho estava de acordo com os padrões microbiológicos para geleia de frutas determinados pela ANVISA, estando apta para o consumo.(AU)


Psoriasis and risk of the COVID-19: is there a role for angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE)?


title: A Guide for Oncologic Patient Management during Covid-19 Pandemic: The Initial Experience of an Italian Oncologic Hub with Exemplificative Focus on Uro-Oncologic Patients

text: The recent exponential increase in the number of COVID-19 patients in Italy led to the adoption of specific extraordinary measures, such as the need to convey treatment of all non-deferrable cancer patients to specialized centres (hubs). We reported a comprehensive summary of guidelines to create and run an oncologic hub during the COVID-19 pandemic. Oncologic hubs must fulfil some specific requirements such as a high experience in oncologic patient treatment, strict strategies applied to remain a "COVID-19-free" centre, and the creation of a dedicated multidisciplinary "hub team". Cancer treatment of patients who belong to external centres, namely spoke centres, could be organized in different pathways according to the grade of involvement and/or availability of the medical team of the spoke centre. Moreover, dedicated areas should be created for the management and treatment of patients who developed COVID-19 symptoms after hospitalization (i.e., dedicated wards, operation rooms and intensive care beds). Lastly, hospital staff must be highly trained for both preventing COVID-19 contagion and treating patients who develop the infection. We provided a simplified, but complete and easily applicable guide. We believe that this guide could help those clinicians who have to treat oncologic patients during the COVID-19 pandemic.


title: Ten-Year Research Update Review: Antiviral Activities from Marine Organisms

text: Oceans cover more than 70 percent of the surface of our planet and are characterized by huge taxonomic and chemical diversity of marine organisms. Several studies have shown that marine organisms produce a variety of compounds, derived from primary or secondary metabolism, which may have antiviral activities. In particular, certain marine metabolites are active towards a plethora of viruses. Multiple mechanisms of action have been found, as well as different targets. This review gives an overview of the marine-derived compounds discovered in the last 10 years. Even if marine organisms produce a wide variety of different compounds, there is only one compound available on the market, Ara-A, and only another one is in phase I clinical trials, named Griffithsin. The recent pandemic emergency caused by SARS-CoV-2, also known as COVID-19, highlights the need to further invest in this field, in order to shed light on marine compound potentiality and discover new drugs from the sea.


Orthopaedics in Times of COVID 19


So far so close: an insight into smart working and telehealth reorganization of a Language and Learning Disorders Service in Milan during COVID-19 pandemic


Considerations for Assessing Risk of Provider Exposure to SARS-CoV-2 after a Negative Test


COVID-19, chronic inflammatory respiratory diseases and eosinophils-Observations from reported clinical case series


title: Guidance for the care of neuromuscular patients during the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak from the French Rare Health Care for Neuromuscular Diseases Network

text: In France, the epidemic phase of COVID-19 caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) began in February 2020 and resulted in the implementation of emergency measures and a degradation in the organization of neuromuscular reference centers. In this special context, the French Rare Health Care for Neuromuscular Diseases Network (FILNEMUS) has established guidance in an attempt to homogenize the management of neuromuscular (NM) patients within the French territory. Hospitalization should be reserved for emergencies, the conduct of treatments that cannot be postponed, check-ups for which the diagnostic delay may result in a loss of survival chance, and cardiorespiratory assessments for which the delay could be detrimental to the patient. A national strategy was adopted during a period of 1 to 2months concerning treatments usually administered in hospitalization. NM patients treated with steroid/immunosuppressants for a dysimmune pathology should continue all of their treatments in the absence of any manifestations suggestive of COVID-19. A frequently asked questions (FAQ) sheet has been compiled and updated on the FILNEMUS website. Various support systems for self-rehabilitation and guided exercises have been also provided on the website. In the context of NM diseases, particular attention must be paid to two experimental COVID-19 treatments, hydroxycholoroquine and azithromycin: risk of exacerbation of myasthenia gravis and QT prolongation in patients with pre-existing cardiac involvement. The unfavorable emergency context related to COVID-19 may specially affect the potential for intensive care admission (ICU) for people with NMD. In order to preserve the fairest medical decision, a multidisciplinary working group has listed the neuromuscular diseases with a good prognosis, usually eligible for resuscitation admission in ICU and, for other NM conditions, the positive criteria suggesting a good prognosis. Adaptation of the use of noninvasive ventilation (NIV) make it possible to limit nebulization and continue using NIV in ventilator-dependent patients.


Minimise, manage, and modify: the UK must create and use time


title: Novel Corona Virus 2019 pneumonia in a kidney transplant recipient

text: The COVID-19 pandemic is spreading worldwide and the impact of the disease in transplant patients is evolving. In this case report, we presented a 63-year-old female kidney transplant recipient who presented with dyspnea and cough and was diagnosed with COVID-19 pneumonia. On the fourth day of admission, the patient's condition worsened. Therefore, the immunosuppressive medications were discontinued, and hydrocortisone was started. The patient died on the fifth day.


title: The effect of the "stay-at-home" policy on requests for dermatology outpatient clinic visits after the COVID-19 outbreak

text: The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) emerged late in Turkey but it showed a rapid progression later. We aimed to investigate the changes in the number of patients who requested a dermatology outpatient clinic visit due to the increased social and medical burden caused by COVID-19 in Turkey during the first days of the pandemic. We also examined the most common dermatologic diseases diagnosed during the COVID-19 outbreak. A statistically significant negative correlation was found between the number of COVID-19 patients in the country and the number of patients requesting a dermatology outpatient clinic visit in the secondary and tertiary care hospitals during self-quarantine. In the first 10 days after the COVID-19 outbreak, acne (28.2%), urticaria (12.8%), scabies (12.8%), irritant contact dermatitis (10.3%), and xerosis cutis (10.2%) were the most common diseases seen in the dermatology clinic at the secondary care hospital, while acne (23.3%), warts (5.4%), seborrheic dermatitis (4.5%), urticaria (3.8%), and psoriasis (3.32%) were the most common diseases seen in the dermatology clinic at the tertiary care hospital. This is our first study on the frequency and nature of outpatient dermatology visits during this novel coronavirus pandemic. Understanding the trends and impacts of dermatologic diseases on patients and health systems during this pandemic will allow for better preparation of dermatologists in the future.


RAGE receptor: May be a potential inflammatory mediator for SARS-COV-2 infection?


title: COVID-19: Putting the General Data Protection Regulation to the Test

text: The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic is very much a global health issue and requires collaborative, international health research efforts to address it. A valuable source of information for researchers is the large amount of digital health data that are continuously collected by electronic health record systems at health care organizations. The European Union's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) will be the key legal framework with regard to using and sharing European digital health data for research purposes. However, concerns persist that the GDPR has made many organizations very risk-averse in terms of data sharing, even if the regulation permits such sharing. Health care organizations focusing on individual risk minimization threaten to undermine COVID-19 research efforts. In our opinion, there is an ethical obligation to use the research exemption clause of the GDPR during the COVID-19 pandemic to support global collaborative health research efforts. Solidarity is a European value, and here is a chance to exemplify it by using the GDPR regulatory framework in a way that does not hinder but actually fosters solidarity during the COVID-19 pandemic.


title: Eukaryotic life without tQCUG: the role of Elongator-dependent tRNA modifications in Dictyosteliumdiscoideum

text: In the Elongator-dependent modification pathway, chemical modifications are introduced at the wobble uridines at position 34 in transfer RNAs (tRNAs), which serve to optimize codon translation rates. Here, we show that this three-step modification pathway exists in Dictyostelium discoideum, model of the evolutionary superfamily Amoebozoa. Not only are previously established modifications observable by mass spectrometry in strains with the most conserved genes of each step deleted, but also additional modifications are detected, indicating a certain plasticity of the pathway in the amoeba. Unlike described for yeast, D. discoideum allows for an unconditional deletion of the single tQCUG gene, as long as the Elongator-dependent modification pathway is intact. In gene deletion strains of the modification pathway, protein amounts are significantly reduced as shown by flow cytometry and Western blotting, using strains expressing different glutamine leader constructs fused to GFP. Most dramatic are these effects, when the tQCUG gene is deleted, or Elp3, the catalytic component of the Elongator complex is missing. In addition, Elp3 is the most strongly conserved protein of the modification pathway, as our phylogenetic analysis reveals. The implications of this observation are discussed with respect to the evolutionary age of the components acting in the Elongator-dependent modification pathway.


A "Deep Breath In" for GPs


The COVID-19 Pandemic: Everything Old Is New Again in Public Health Education


Active smoking and severity of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19): Differences in measurement of variables could cause errors in the results


title: Managing thromboembolic risk with menopausal hormone therapy and hormonal contraception in the COVID-19 pandemic: Recommendations from the Spanish Menopause Society, Sociedad Española de Ginecología y Obstetricia and Sociedad Española de Trombosis y Hemostasia

text: COVID-19 is associated with a systemic inflammatory response with activation of coagulation in symptomatic patients. The possibility of coagulopathies in peri- and postmenopausal women taking estrogen therapies makes it necessary to consider antithrombotic strategies, such as the use of low molecular weight heparins (LMWH) at specific prophylactic or treatment doses for each individual case, depending on the risk factors that each woman presents. For such reasons, a panel of experts from various Spanish scientific societies has met to develop usage recommendations for managing menopausal women taking menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) or combined hormonal contraception (CHC) during the COVID-19 pandemic.


title: Analysis of the impact of COVID-19 on the correlations between crude oil and agricultural futures

text: In this study, we explored the impact of COVID-19 on the cross-correlations between crude oil and agricultural futures markets. A multifractal detrended cross-correlation analysis (MF-DCCA) approach was utilized to analyze the cross-correlations between the Brent crude oil and agricultural futures such as London Sugar, London Wheat, USA Cotton #2, and USA Orange Juice futures. We initially confirmed their correlations by calculating the DCCA coefficient. Then, from the multifractal aspect, the cross-correlations were further explored, and the sources for forming the correlations were discussed. The results show that the Brent Crude Oil has the strongest cross-correlation with London Sugar Future market among other three agricultural future markets. Then we investigated the influence of COVID-19 on the cross-correlations of multifractality between crude oil and agricultural futures. The experimental results indicated that the persistence under the influence of COVID-19 became stronger, and the cross-correlations of multifractality between crude oil and sugar future market is the strongest. In addition, the cross-correlations of all the agricultural futures increased after the emergence of COVID-19 except the orange juice future market. In general, COVID-19 has a great impact on the cross-correlation of multifractal property between crude oil and most selected agricultural future markets.


COVID-19 and diabetes: Is this association driven by the DPP4 receptor? Potential clinical and therapeutic implications


title: COVID-19 pandemic: a mobility-dependent SEIR model with undetected cases in Italy, Europe and US

text: Background: The outbreak of Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) emerged in China at the end of 2019 and has spread worldwide within few weeks reaching a pandemic status. China and Italy, followed by other countries, have implemented strict control measures including complete lockdown. The effects of such measures and the optimal strategies to relax them are major Public Health concerns. Method: We introduce a SEIR compartmental model describing the COVID-19 pandemic, taking into account the region-specific fraction of undetected cases, the effects of mobility restrictions fitting Google COVID-19 Community Mobility Report data, and the personal protective measures adopted as frequent hand washing or use of masks. Results: The model is experimentally validated with data of Italian regions, European countries and US, obtaining fitting parameters in good agreement with previous literature. The mean absolute percentage error analysis for forecasting accuracy judgement showed that our model was highly accurate in 12 regions (46%), good in 7 (27%) and reasonable in 7 (27%). The estimation of the undetected cases allows to evaluate different post-lockdown scenarios which is crucial for public-health decision makers. Conclusions: The proposed model, calibrated and designed on measured or literature-based parameters, was successfully applied in all scenarios analyzed and the estimation of the dynamic of the whole number of infectious individuals could help the planning of different strategies aimed at relaxing the lockdown measures.


title: Impact of Cerebrovascular and Cardiovascular Diseases on Mortality and Severity of COVID-19 - Systematic Review, Meta-analysis, and Meta-regression

text: Background We conducted this systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the latest evidence on the association between cerebrovascular, cardiovascular disease, and poor outcome in patients with Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pneumonia. Methods A comprehensive systematic literature search was performed using PubMed, SCOPUS, EuropePMC, and Cochrane Central Database. The outcome of interest was composite poor outcome that comprised of mortality and severe COVID-19. Results A total of 4448 patients were obtained from 16 studies. Cerebrovascular disease was associated with increased poor composite outcome (RR 2.04 [1.43, 2.91], p<0.001; I2: 77%). Subgroup analysis revealed that cerebrovascular disease was associated with mortality (RR 2.38 [1.92, 2.96], p<0.001; I2: 0%) and was borderline significant for severe COVID-19 (RR 1.88 [1.00, 3.51], p=0.05; I2: 87%). Cardiovascular disease was associated with increased composite poor outcome (RR 2.23 [1.71, 2.91], p<0.001; I2: 60%), and its mortality (RR 2.25 [1.53, 3.29], p<0.001; I2: 33%) and severe COVID-19 (RR 2.25 [1.51, 3.36], p<0.001; I2: 76%) subgroup. Meta-regression demonstrate that the association was not influenced by gender, age, hypertension, diabetes, and respiratory comorbidities. The association between cerebrovascular disease and poor outcome was not affected by cardiovascular diseases and vice versa. Conclusion Cerebrovascular and cardiovascular diseases were associated with increased risk for poor outcome in COVID-19.


Covid-19: Brazil now has third highest number of cases behind US and Russia


Acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis induced by empiric hydroxychloroquine for presumed COVID-19


China's response to a novel coronavirus stands in stark contrast to the 2002 SARS outbreak response


The aftermath


Reply to letter on Acute-onset smell and taste disorders in the context of COVID-19: a pilot multicentre polymerase chain reaction based case-control study


Psychological trauma among the healthcare professionals dealing with COVID-19


The role of the Head and Neck cancer-specific Patient Concerns Inventory (PCI-HN) in telephone consultations during the COVID-19 pandemic


title: Estimating excess 1-year mortality associated with the COVID-19 pandemic according to underlying conditions and age: a population-based cohort study

text: BACKGROUND: The medical, societal, and economic impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has unknown effects on overall population mortality. Previous models of population mortality are based on death over days among infected people, nearly all of whom thus far have underlying conditions. Models have not incorporated information on high-risk conditions or their longer-term baseline (pre-COVID-19) mortality. We estimated the excess number of deaths over 1 year under different COVID-19 incidence scenarios based on varying levels of transmission suppression and differing mortality impacts based on different relative risks for the disease. METHODS: In this population-based cohort study, we used linked primary and secondary care electronic health records from England (Health Data Research UK-CALIBER). We report prevalence of underlying conditions defined by Public Health England guidelines (from March 16, 2020) in individuals aged 30 years or older registered with a practice between 1997 and 2017, using validated, openly available phenotypes for each condition. We estimated 1-year mortality in each condition, developing simple models (and a tool for calculation) of excess COVID-19-related deaths, assuming relative impact (as relative risks [RRs]) of the COVID-19 pandemic (compared with background mortality) of 1·5, 2·0, and 3·0 at differing infection rate scenarios, including full suppression (0·001%), partial suppression (1%), mitigation (10%), and do nothing (80%). We also developed an online, public, prototype risk calculator for excess death estimation. FINDINGS: We included 3â862â012 individuals (1â957â935 [50·7%] women and 1â904â077 [49·3%] men). We estimated that more than 20% of the study population are in the high-risk category, of whom 13·7% were older than 70 years and 6·3% were aged 70 years or younger with at least one underlying condition. 1-year mortality in the high-risk population was estimated to be 4·46% (95% CI 4·41-4·51). Age and underlying conditions combined to influence background risk, varying markedly across conditions. In a full suppression scenario in the UK population, we estimated that there would be two excess deaths (vs baseline deaths) with an RR of 1·5, four with an RR of 2·0, and seven with an RR of 3·0. In a mitigation scenario, we estimated 18â374 excess deaths with an RR of 1·5, 36â749 with an RR of 2·0, and 73â498 with an RR of 3·0. In a do nothing scenario, we estimated 146â996 excess deaths with an RR of 1·5, 293â991 with an RR of 2·0, and 587â982 with an RR of 3·0. INTERPRETATION: We provide policy makers, researchers, and the public a simple model and an online tool for understanding excess mortality over 1 year from the COVID-19 pandemic, based on age, sex, and underlying condition-specific estimates. These results signal the need for sustained stringent suppression measures as well as sustained efforts to target those at highest risk because of underlying conditions with a range of preventive interventions. Countries should assess the overall (direct and indirect) effects of the pandemic on excess mortality. FUNDING: National Institute for Health Research University College London Hospitals Biomedical Research Centre, Health Data Research UK.


title: Upregulation of CD47 Is a Host Checkpoint Response to Pathogen Recognition

text: It is well understood that the adaptive immune response to infectious agents includes a modulating suppressive component as well as an activating component. We now show that the very early innate response also has an immunosuppressive component. Infected cells upregulate the CD47 "don't eat me" signal, which slows the phagocytic uptake of dying and viable cells as well as downstream antigen-presenting cell (APC) functions. A CD47 mimic that acts as an essential virulence factor is encoded by all poxviruses, but CD47 expression on infected cells was found to be upregulated even by pathogens, including severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), that encode no mimic. CD47 upregulation was revealed to be a host response induced by the stimulation of both endosomal and cytosolic pathogen recognition receptors (PRRs). Furthermore, proinflammatory cytokines, including those found in the plasma of hepatitis C patients, upregulated CD47 on uninfected dendritic cells, thereby linking innate modulation with downstream adaptive immune responses. Indeed, results from antibody-mediated CD47 blockade experiments as well as CD47 knockout mice revealed an immunosuppressive role for CD47 during infections with lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus and Mycobacterium tuberculosis Since CD47 blockade operates at the level of pattern recognition receptors rather than at a pathogen or antigen-specific level, these findings identify CD47 as a novel potential immunotherapeutic target for the enhancement of immune responses to a broad range of infectious agents.IMPORTANCE Immune responses to infectious agents are initiated when a pathogen or its components bind to pattern recognition receptors (PRRs). PRR binding sets off a cascade of events that activates immune responses. We now show that, in addition to activating immune responses, PRR signaling also initiates an immunosuppressive response, probably to limit inflammation. The importance of the current findings is that blockade of immunomodulatory signaling, which is mediated by the upregulation of the CD47 molecule, can lead to enhanced immune responses to any pathogen that triggers PRR signaling. Since most or all pathogens trigger PRRs, CD47 blockade could be used to speed up and strengthen both innate and adaptive immune responses when medically indicated. Such immunotherapy could be done without a requirement for knowing the HLA type of the individual, the specific antigens of the pathogen, or, in the case of bacterial infections, the antimicrobial resistance profile.


Mental health nursing at a time of crisis


title: Editorial: Covid-19 special collection

text: No abstract available.


On the fallibility of simulation models in informing pandemic responses - Authors' reply


Patterns of IgG and IgM antibody response in COVID-19 patients


Covid-19: doctors' visas are automatically extended for one year


title: Fruit colour and edge effects poorly explains frugivorous bird-plantinteractions in disturbed semideciduous forests/ A cor dos frutos e o efeito de borda não explicam as interações entre aves frugívoras e plantas em fragmentos florestais semidecíduos alterados

text: Fruit colour is considered an important feature mediating interactions between plants and frugivorous birds. Despite that, colour mediated interactions are context-dependent, and habitat disturbances may affect how frugivorous birds perceive fruit colours. This study assessed the influence of fruit colour and edge effect on the consumption of artificial fruits by frugivorous birds in three disturbed semideciduous forests in southeastern Brazil. In each of those areas, we performed a field experiment in which we placed artificial fruits of three different colours on plants and recorded their consumption by birds. Red-coloured fruits were ingested more often than yellow, but neither of them was consumed differently from dark-blue. Edge effect only affected consumption of yellow fruits. Our data neither support the hypothesis of preferential consumption of the highest contrasting colours nor of increased fruit consumption in the forest interior. These findings indicate that colour and edge effects, as well as the interaction between them, may not be strong predictors of fruit choice by birds in disturbed environments, especially because generalist species, which are less sensitive to the physical alterations in forests, are favoured in these areas.(AU)


Intranasal corticosteroids in allergic rhinitis in COVID-19 infected patients: An ARIA-EAACI statement


What about the original antigenic sin of the humans versus SARS-CoV-2?


title: Description of COVID-19 cases along with the measures taken on prevention and control in Zhejiang, China

text: Under the outbreak of COVID-19, it was urgent to analyze the cases from clinical features and epidemiological factors, as well as understand the effectiveness of measures taken on disease prevent and control. A retrospective study was applied for descriptive analysis of clinical features and epidemiological factors of confirmed cases in four cities of Zhejiang. The Onset-admission interval was calculated and plotted as well. The provincial measures regarding the response of COVID-19 were summed up and sorted out. The distribution and sex and age were under normality distribution, and the age of 20 to 80 were all in risk of developing the disease. Clinical features of fever and cough were found mostly happen on patients. More than half of the patients had image changed on chest from reported data. The factor of closely contacted with confirmed cases was the most cause to the disease. The median onset-admission interval was 6 days in Zhejiang province. As of the efficient health system, COVID-19 had been successfully prevented and controlled in Zhejiang. Males and females were all vulnerable to COVID-19. Preventing contact with confirmed cases could largely avoid the disease to happen. The government should take emergent and effective measures to prevent and treatment of the pandemic disease.


The R0 journey: from 1950s malaria to COVID-19


title: Natural Bioactive Compounds from Fungi as Potential Candidates for Protease Inhibitors and Immunomodulators to Apply for Coronaviruses

text: The inhibition of viral protease is an important target in antiviral drug discovery and development. To date, protease inhibitor drugs, especially HIV-1 protease inhibitors, have been available for human clinical use in the treatment of coronaviruses. However, these drugs can have adverse side effects and they can become ineffective due to eventual drug resistance. Thus, the search for natural bioactive compounds that were obtained from bio-resources that exert inhibitory capabilities against HIV-1 protease activity is of great interest. Fungi are a source of natural bioactive compounds that offer therapeutic potential in the prevention of viral diseases and for the improvement of human immunomodulation. Here, we made a brief review of the current findings on fungi as producers of protease inhibitors and studies on the relevant candidate fungal bioactive compounds that can offer immunomodulatory activities as potential therapeutic agents of coronaviruses in the future.


Sospecha de abdomen agudo como manifestación extrapulmonar de infección por Covid-19./ Sospecha de abdomen agudo como manifestación extrapulmonar de infección por Covid-19./ Suspected acute abdomen as an extrapulmonary manifestation of Covid-19 infection


title: Innovative "Bring-Service-Near-Your-Home" Operations under Corona-Virus (COVID-19/SARS-CoV-2) Outbreak: Can Logistics Become the Messiah?

text: The corona virus (COVID-19/SARS-CoV-2) outbreak has created serious disruptions to many business operations. Among them, many service operations, which require customers to travel and visit a place indoor, become almost infeasible to run in a crowded city like Hong Kong. Motivated by a recent reported real case on an innovative service operation in Hong Kong, we build analytical models to explore how logistics and technologies together can transform the "static service operations" to become the "bring-service-near-your-home" mobile service operations. We also highlight how the government may provide the subsidy to support the above mentioned mobile service operation (MSO) to make it financially viable. We specifically show that the government may adopt the fixed-cost-subsidy (FCS) scheme, operations-cost-subsidy (OCS) scheme or safety-technology-support (STS) scheme to help. We further uncover that the OCS scheme would bring a larger consumer surplus than the FCS scheme and is hence more preferable. In the extended models, we first study the case when service fee cannot be changed because of corona virus outbreak (CVO). We then explore the feasibility of adopting MSO in the long run as a financially self-sustainable service operation and derive the analytical conditions under which MSO is a win-win business model for both the service provider and consumers. Finally, we study the optimal safety technology investment problem.


title: Dental care during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak: operatory considerations and clinical aspects

text: OBJECTIVES: This paper is aimed at addressing the urgent need to develop a protocol that will address the operatory and clinical aspects of dental care during the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak. DATA SOURCES: The epidemiology, clinical signs and symptoms, and modes of transmission of COVID-19 are presented. This protocol was established as an international collaboration of three dental universities: Hadassah School of Dental Medicine, Israel; University of Rochester Medical Center, USA; and the University of Pennsylvania, USA. This protocol is based on a detailed review of the existing English language literature as well on the logistic and clinical experience of each facility and the opinion of the authors. The protocol is designed for a hospital setting and includes considerations related to dental treatment in both healthy subjects and those suspected or diagnosed with COVID-19. The first part of this review discusses operatory considerations; the second part discusses general dental clinical aspects; the third part discusses endodontic considerations; and the fourth part discusses surgical aspects. This protocol may be applicable to other future similar pandemics. CONCLUSION: Logistic and clinical steps are required to provide dental care during the COVID-19 outbreak while preventing cross-contamination and protecting the dental team during the provision of care.


Inflammasome Activation and Pyroptosis in Lymphopenic COVID-19 Liver Patients


Could the COVID-19 pandemic aggravate antimicrobial resistance?


title: Immunocompromised patients and coronavirus disease 2019: a review and recommendations for dental health care

text: In less than four months, an unprecedented pandemic changed the world scenario, closing institutions and commerce, paralyzing sports championships, blocking frontiers, and putting almost all populations in a house quarantine regimen. Immunocompromised patients are within the high-risk group to severe outcomes from COVID-19. However, there is no clear evidence of the association between impaired immune host status and complications from SARS-CoV-2 infection so far. The virus is transmitted by inhalation or direct contact with infected secretions, and therefore the dental office is a highly susceptible environment for such transmission. Here, we review the literature and discuss immunological COVID-19 related issues. We also make suggestions for immunocompromised patients' support in this new emerging context of clinical dental practice. Until comprehensive findings are published, individuals with impaired immunity should be considered as high-risk. Cross infection control procedures for the clinical care of immunocompromised patients should follow the same guidelines that are being proposed for immunocompetent ones. However, during the active outbreak, people under immunosuppressive conditions should not receive elective procedures, even if they do not have symptoms or exposure history to COVID-19, and in case of emergence, care must be done in a separate airborne room. In the pos-pandemic phase, the dental care general recommendations should be the same for all subjects. Changes in the current guidelines have been proposed to SARS-CoV-2 infection control in order to provide the best and safe dental practice. However, they still need to be validated by future studies.


title: [Construction and evaluation of a novel diagnosis pathway for 2019-Corona Virus Disease]

text: Objective: To construct and evaluate a diagnosis pathway (Xiangya pathway) for Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). Methods: Consecutive subjects aged ≥12 years old who were screened for COVID-19 were included in Xiangya Hospital of Central South University from January 23 to February 3, 2020, and the subjects were further divided into the inception cohort and the validation cohort. The gender, age, onset time of disease of the subjects were recorded. The information of epidemiological history, fever, and the declined blood lymphocytes were collected as clinical indicators, CT scan was used to evaluate the possibility of COVID-19 and range of lung involvement. According to the current Chinese national standards, throat swabs of suspected cases were collected and the nucleic acid of COVID-19 was detected by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The Xiangya pathway was constructed with multi-indexes, compared with clinical indicators, CT results and Chinese national standards, their effectiveness of detecting confirmed cases were verified in the inception and validation cohort. Results: A total of 382 consecutive adults who was screened for COVID-19 were included, and 261 cases were in the inception cohort and 121 cases were in the validation cohort. Among the 382 cases, 192 were males (50.3%) and 190 were females (49.7%), with a median age of 35 years (range: 15-92 years). There were 183 cases (47.9%) with epidemiological history, 275 cases (72.0%) with fever, 212 cases (55.5%) with decreased peripheral blood lymphocytes, 114 cases (29.8%) with positive CT findings, 43 cases (11.3%) with positive CT-COVID-19, and 30 cases (7.9%) with positive virus nucleic acid by throat swab. Compared with clinical indicators, the sensitivity and specificity of CT were 0.950 and 0.704, respectively. The accuracy of CT to make a definite diagnosis was higher than that of epidemiological history, fever, and declined blood lymphocyte count (0.809 vs 0.660, 0.532, 0.596, P=0.001, 0.002, 0.003, respectively). The sensitivity of this pathway and the pathway recommended by the Health Commission of China were both high (all were 1.000), while the specificity and accuracy of the Xiangya pathway were higher than the one recommended by the Health Commission (0.872 vs 0.765, 0.778 vs 0.592, both P<0.001). The CT-COVID-19 reduced the missed diagnosis rate caused by false negative of nucleic acid test (31 vs 64), with difference rate of 51.6%, and the positive rate of nucleic acid test was 64.5% (20/31). In validation cohort, the specificity and accuracy of the Xiangya pathway was 0.967, the positive rate of nucleic acid test was 76.9%(10/13). Conclusions: The Xiangya pathway can predict the nucleic acid test results of COVID-19, and can be applied as a reliable strategy to screen patients with suspected COVID-19 among people aged ≥12 years in areas other than Hubei during the epidemic period of COVID-19. The cohort size needs to be increased for further validation.


title: SARS-CoV-2, which induces COVID-19, causes kawasaki-like disease in children: role of pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines

text: Acute severe respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) caused a global pandemic coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). In humans, SARS-CoV-2 infection leads to acute respiratory distress syndrome which presents edema, hemorrhage, intra-alveolar fibrin deposition, and vascular changes characterized by thrombus formation, micro-angiopathy and thrombosis. These clinical signs are mediated by pro-inflammatory cytokines. In recent studies it has been noted that COVID-19 pandemic can affect patients of all ages, including children (even if less severely) who were initially thought to be immune. Kawasaki disease is an autoimmune acute febrile inflammatory condition, which primarily affects young children. The disease can present immunodeficiency with the inability of the immune system to fight inflammatory pathogens and leads to fever, rash, alterations of the mucous membranes, conjunctiva infection, pharyngeal erythema, adenopathy, and inflammation. In the COVID-19 period, virus infection aggravates the condition of Kawasaki disease, but it has also been noted that children affected by SARS-V-2 may develop a disease similar to Kawasaki's illness. However, it is uncertain whether the virus alone can give Kawasaki disease-like forms. As in COVID-19, Kawasaki disease and its similar forms are mediated by pro-inflammatory cytokines produced by innate immunity cells such as macrophages and mast cells (MCs). In light of the above, it is therefore pertinent to think that by blocking pro-inflammatory cytokines with new anti-inflammatory cytokines, such as IL-37 and IL-38, it is possible to alleviate the symptoms of the disease and have a new available therapeutic tool. However, since Kawasaki and Kawasaki-like diseases present immunodeficiency, treatment with anti-inflammatory/immunosuppressant molecules must be applied very carefully.


title: Clinical efficacy of hydroxychloroquine in patients with covid-19 pneumonia who require oxygen: observational comparative study using routine care data

text: OBJECTIVE: To assess the effectiveness of hydroxychloroquine in patients admitted to hospital with coronavirus disease 2019 (covid-19) pneumonia who require oxygen. DESIGN: Comparative observational study using data collected from routine care. SETTING: Four French tertiary care centres providing care to patients with covid-19 pneumonia between 12 March and 31 March 2020. PARTICIPANTS: 181 patients aged 18-80 years with documented severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pneumonia who required oxygen but not intensive care. INTERVENTIONS: Hydroxychloroquine at a dose of 600 mg/day within 48 hours of admission to hospital (treatment group) versus standard care without hydroxychloroquine (control group). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcome was survival without transfer to the intensive care unit at day 21. Secondary outcomes were overall survival, survival without acute respiratory distress syndrome, weaning from oxygen, and discharge from hospital to home or rehabilitation (all at day 21). Analyses were adjusted for confounding factors by inverse probability of treatment weighting. RESULTS: In the main analysis, 84 patients who received hydroxychloroquine within 48 hours of admission to hospital (treatment group) were compared with 89 patients who did not receive hydroxychloroquine (control group). Eight additional patients received hydroxychloroquine more than 48 hours after admission. In the weighted analyses, the survival rate without transfer to the intensive care unit at day 21 was 76% in the treatment group and 75% in the control group (weighted hazard ratio 0.9, 95% confidence interval 0.4 to 2.1). Overall survival at day 21 was 89% in the treatment group and 91% in the control group (1.2, 0.4 to 3.3). Survival without acute respiratory distress syndrome at day 21 was 69% in the treatment group compared with 74% in the control group (1.3, 0.7 to 2.6). At day 21, 82% of patients in the treatment group had been weaned from oxygen compared with 76% in the control group (weighted risk ratio 1.1, 95% confidence interval 0.9 to 1.3). Eight patients in the treatment group (10%) experienced electrocardiographic modifications that required discontinuation of treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Hydroxychloroquine has received worldwide attention as a potential treatment for covid-19 because of positive results from small studies. However, the results of this study do not support its use in patients admitted to hospital with covid-19 who require oxygen.


Urgent call to clinicians and researchers: 2020 acuity required when assessing and reporting laboratory abnormalities in COVID-19


title: When Machine Learning Meets Multiscale Modeling in Chemical Reactions

text: Due to the intrinsic complexity and nonlinearity of chemical reactions, direct applications of traditional machine learning algorithms may face with many difficulties. In this study, through two concrete examples with biological background, we illustrate how the key ideas of multiscale modeling can help to reduce the computational cost of machine learning a lot, as well as how machine learning algorithms perform model reduction automatically in a time-scale separated system. Our study highlights the necessity and effectiveness of an integration of machine learning algorithms and multiscale modeling during the study of chemical reactions.


title: MaskIt: Masking for efficient utilization of incomplete public datasets for training deep learning models

text: A major challenge in training deep learning models is the lack of high quality and complete datasets. In the paper, we present a masking approach for training deep learning models from a publicly available but incomplete dataset. For example, city of Hamburg, Germany maintains a list of trees along the roads, but this dataset does not contain any information about trees in private homes and parks. To train a deep learning model on such a dataset, we mask the street trees and aerial images with the road network. Road network used for creating the mask is downloaded from OpenStreetMap, and it marks the area where the training data is available. The mask is passed to the model as one of the inputs and it also coats the output. Our model learns to successfully predict trees only in the masked region with 78.4% accuracy.


Coronavirus disease 2019 presenting with conjunctivitis as the first symptom


title: Social Vulnerability and Racial Inequality in COVID-19 Deaths in Chicago

text: Although the current COVID-19 crisis is felt globally, at the local level, COVID-19 has disproportionately affected poor, highly segregated African American communities in Chicago. To understand the emerging pattern of racial inequality in the effects of COVID-19, we examined the relative burden of social vulnerability and health risk factors. We found significant spatial clusters of social vulnerability and risk factors, both of which are significantly associated with the increased COVID-19-related death rate. We also found that a higher percentage of African Americans was associated with increased levels of social vulnerability and risk factors. In addition, the proportion of African American residents has an independent effect on the COVID-19 death rate. We argue that existing inequity is often highlighted in emergency conditions. The disproportionate effects of COVID-19 in African American communities are a reflection of racial inequality and social exclusion that existed before the COVID-19 crisis.


COVID-19 e tabagismo: uma relação de risco./ COVID-19 e tabagismo: uma relação de risco./ COVID-19 and smoking: a high-risk association


title: COVID-19 and Smoking: How and Why We Implemented a Tobacco Treatment Campaign

text: Smoking is associated with one out of five deaths in the United States. Multi-modality tobacco treatment increases rates of successful cessation by at least 20%. The COVID-19 pandemic has put a halt to many inpatient and outpatient medical visits deemed non-essential, including tobacco treatment. The transition to telehealth has been wrought with challenges. While data on the association between COVID-19 and tobacco products is mixed, the overall health consequences of tobacco point towards increased risk of morbidity and mortality associated with the virus. This leaves smoking as one of the few readily modifiable risk factors in an environment understandably not set up to prioritize cessation. A military health facility on Fort Eustis in Virginia runs a successful tobacco treatment program and adapted it to pandemic times. This paper describes the process and lessons learned from this initiative. The model is applicable and scalable to government and civilian health centers as healthcare adapts to a new normal.


Online team-based learning sessions as interactive methodologies during the pandemic


Innovation in IBD Care During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Results of a Global Telemedicine Survey by the International Organization for the Study of Inflammatory Bowel Disease


title: Coinfection with SARS-CoV-2 and influenza A virus

text: Since December 2019, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been an international public health emergency. The possibility of COVID-19 should be considered primarily in patients with new-onset fever or respiratory tract symptoms. However, these symptoms can occur with other viral respiratory illnesses. We reported a case of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 and influenza A virus coinfection. During the epidemic, the possibility of COVID-19 should be considered regardless of positive findings for other pathogens.


The Role of Repeat Chest CT Scan in the COVID-19 Pandemic


Should Asymptomatic and Low-Risk Individuals be Tested for SARS-CoV-2?


COVID-19 policy measures-Advocating for the inclusion of the social determinants of health in modelling and decision making


Health care utilization among breast cancer patients during the COVID-19 outbreak


COVID-19: the new challenge for rheumatologists. First update


Developing a SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine at Warp Speed


title: Trauma transformed: A positive review of change during the COVID-19 pandemic

text: Charles Moore in The Telegraph recently described the NHS as 'lumbering'.1 Far from this description, it has been our experience that the NHS has rapidly transformed across specialties in order to respond to the unprecedented global crisis of COVID-19. We describe here the multiple ways in which the plastic surgery trauma service at Salisbury District Hospital swiftly adapted over a two-week period in March 2020. Our aim is to deliver a tailored trauma service whilst adhering to the same high standards of patient care established prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. It is our view that many of these changes will be positive enduring practices for the future.


title: COVID-19 polymerase chain reaction testing before endoscopy: an economic analysis

text: BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has limited endoscopy utilization, causing significant health and economic losses. We aim to model the impact of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing into resuming endoscopy practice. METHODS: We performed a retrospective review of endoscopy utilization during the COVID-19 pandemic for a baseline reference. A computer model compared 3 approaches: strategy 1, endoscopy for urgent indications only; strategy 2, testing for semiurgent indications; and strategy 3, testing all patients. Analysis was made under current COVID-19 prevalence and projected prevalence of 5% and 10%. Primary outcomes were number of procedures performed and/or canceled. Secondary outcomes were direct costs, reimbursement, personal protective equipment used, and personnel infected. Disease prevalence, testing accuracy, and costs were obtained from the literature. RESULTS: During the COVID-19 pandemic, endoscopy volume was 12.7% of expected. Strategies 2 and 3 were safe and effective interventions to resume endoscopy in semiurgent and elective cases. Investing 22 U.S. dollars (USD) and 105 USD in testing per patient allowed the completion of 19.4% and 95.3% of baseline endoscopies, respectively. False-negative results were seen after testing 4700 patients (or 3 months of applying strategy 2 in our practice). Implementing PCR testing over 1 week in the United States would require 13 and 64 million USD, with a return of 165 and 767 million USD to providers, leaving 65 and 325 healthcare workers infected. CONCLUSIONS: PCR testing is an effective strategy to restart endoscopic practice in the United States. PCR screening should be implemented during the second phase of the pandemic, once the healthcare system is able to test and isolate all suspected COVID-19 cases.


Emergency ventilatory support for acute adult respiratory distress syndrome secondary to COVID-19


The Need for Prioritizing Cancer Surgeries Amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic


Use of personal protective equipment during the COVID-19 pandemic


COVID-19 Pandemic, Unemployment, and Civil Unrest: Underlying Deep Racial and Socioeconomic Divides


Spontaneous Bleedings in COVID-19 Patients: An Emerging Complication


title: Medidas de distanciamento social no controle da pandemia de COVID-19: potenciais impactos e desafios no Brasil./ Medidas de distanciamento social no controle da pandemia de COVID-19: potenciais impactos e desafios no Brasil./ Social distancing measures to control the COVID-19 pandemic: potential impacts and challenges in Brazil

text: The COVID-19 pandemic has challenged researchers and policy makers to identify public safety measures forpreventing the collapse of healthcare systems and reducingdeaths. This narrative review summarizes the available evidence on the impact of social distancing measures on the epidemic and discusses the implementation of these measures in Brazil. Articles on the effect of social distancing on COVID-19 were selected from the PubMed, medRXiv and bioRvix databases. Federal and state legislation was analyzed to summarize the strategies implemented in Brazil. Social distancing measures adopted by the population appear effective, particularly when implemented in conjunction with the isolation of cases and quarantining of contacts. Therefore, social distancing measures, and social protection policies to guarantee the sustainability of these measures, should be implemented. To control COVID-19 in Brazil, it is also crucial that epidemiological monitoring is strengthened at all three levels of the Brazilian National Health System (SUS). This includes evaluating and usingsupplementary indicators to monitor the progression of the pandemic and the effect of the control measures, increasing testing capacity, and making disaggregated notificationsand testing resultstransparentand broadly available.


title: Incidence of pulmonary embolism in non-critically ill COVID-19 patients. Predicting factors for a challenging diagnosis

text: Recent studies suggest that thrombotic complications are a common phenomenon in the novel SARS-CoV-2 infection. The main objective of our study is to assess cumulative incidence of pulmonary embolism (PE) in non critically ill COVID-19 patients and to identify its predicting factors associated to the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism. We retrospectevely reviewed 452 electronic medical records of patients admitted to Internal Medicine Department of a secondary hospital in Madrid during Covid 19 pandemic outbreak. We included 91 patients who underwent a multidetector Computed Tomography pulmonary angiography(CTPA) during conventional hospitalization. The cumulative incidence of PE was assessed ant the clinical, analytical and radiological characteristics were compared between patients with and without PE. PE incidence was 6.4% (29/452 patients). Most patients with a confirmed diagnosed with PE recieved low molecular weight heparin (LMWH): 79.3% (23/29). D-dimer peak was significatly elevated in PE vs non PE patients (14,480 vs 7230 mcg/dL, p = 0.03). In multivariate analysis of patients who underwent a CTPA we found that plasma D-dimer peak was an independen predictor of PE with a best cut off point of > 5000 µg/dl (OR 3.77; IC95% (1.18-12.16), p = 0.03). We found ninefold increased risk of PE patients not suffering from dyslipidemia (OR 9.06; IC95% (1.88-43.60). Predictive value of AUC for ROC is 75.5%. We found a high incidence of PE in non critically ill hospitalized COVID 19 patients despite standard thromboprophylaxis. An increase in D-dimer levels is an independent predictor for PE, with a best cut-off point of > 5000 µg/ dl.


title: International students' loneliness, depression and stress levels in COVID-19 crisis. The role of social media and the host university

text: The move to university life is characterized by strong emotions, some of them negative, such as loneliness, anxiety, and depression. These negative emotions are strengthened due to the obligatory lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Previous research indicates association among the use of social media, university satisfaction, and the aforementioned emotions. We report findings from 248 international undergraduates in The Netherlands, all students at the International School of Business. Our results indicate strong correlations between anxiety, loneliness, and COVID-19-related stress with university satisfaction together with social capital. Keywords: COVID-19; Pandemic; lockdown; loneliness; depression; anxiety; international students


title: A novel approach to the characterisation of old wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) varieties by complex rheological analysis

text: BACKGROUND: Lines of the internationally recognized old Hungarian Bánkúti 1201 variety are important genetic resources for breeding programs. Their protein composition and gluten dependent technological traits have been comprehensively studied, however, little information is available about their carbohydrate dependent viscous properties. The aim of this work was the comprehensive rheological characterisation of all sublines of Bánkúti 1201 maintained at Martonvásár and to investigate their variability if the carbohydrate dependent viscous behaviour would be also included in the analyses. RESULTS: The majority of the lines reflected the famously good mixing quality of Bánkúti, however, much higher diversity of pasting behaviour was detected. Cluster analysis of the Mixolab data was performed resulting four sample groups. Since several lines of similar mixing properties had significantly different pasting characteristics, it was assumed that classification was mainly based on the viscous properties. From each clusters 2-3 representative samples were selected for wider examination using conventional testing methods. These results also supported the higher variability of pasting behaviour of the lines, which can be critical for end product quality. The members of the second cluster can be highlighted due to their waxy wheat like behaviour. CONCLUSIONS: Possible reasons of the great variability of pasting behaviour could be the compositional and structural differences of starch and other carbohydrates (e.g. arabinoxylans). Complex rheological characterisation and study of molecular background can provide information about important traits in the point of view of technology and product development, which are unknown in the case of old wheat varieties and landraces. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.


What is the role of SARS-CoV-2 PCR testing in discontinuation of transmission-based precautions for COVID-19 patients?


Cancer treatment during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic: Do not postpone but decide wisely


Massive hemolysis due to Clostridium perfringens: a laboratory's perspective


Can a virus undermine human rights?


title: COVID-19 infection in a paucisymptomatic infant: Raising the index of suspicion in epidemic settings

text: Few children have been reported to have been affected by novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19); it is unclear whether children are less likely to be infected or rather display fewer symptoms. We present the case of a 32-day-old boy infected by COVID-19 that presented with an upper air way infection which resolved spontaneously and did not require any therapy. We argue that in epidemic settings children presenting with any mild symptom potentially attributable to COVID-19 should be considered contagious until proven otherwise, and that management must be guided by clinical conditions.