Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the etiological agent responsible for the coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, which has infected millions of people worldwide. To date, several vaccines and antivirals have been developed against SARS-CoV-2; however, its tendency to mutate rapidly poses a continued threat to human health. As such, the development of better pan-coronavirus therapeutics is still required. Recently, the SARS-CoV-2 non-structural protein 13 (Nsp13) helicase has been shown to be an attractive therapeutic target given its high conservation rate among coronaviruses and indispensable role in viral replication. Based on this, we sought to further study the biochemical mechanisms behind Nsp13's binding and unwinding activities, along with its interactions with host cells, to provide further insight for future therapeutic development. To study the binding and unwinding activity of Nsp13, we site-specifically incorporated the non-canonical amino acid (ncAA) p-azido-L-phenylalanine (AzF) into Nsp13 to act as a bioorthogonal handle for fluorescent labelling. We identified five potential sites for AzF incorporation in Nsp13 and assessed their reactivities towards a conjugated Cy5 fluorophore through strain-promoted alkyne-azide cycloaddition (SPAAC). Further experiments were also performed to ensure that the unwinding activity was not adversely affected before these Nsp13-AzF constructs were utilized in fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET)-based binding assays. Ultimately, the F81AzF construct was identified to be the most suitable for monitoring the binding of Nsp13 to a series of nucleic acid substrates in a distance-dependent manner by FRET. The next steps of this project would be to implement F81AzF in single-molecule FRET (smFRET) experiments to directly monitor the positioning and dynamics of this helicase on its substrate. In addition, interactions between Nsp13 and host cellular and biological processes were investigated to provide further insight into potential mechanisms that can be exploited for novel therapeutic development. From transcriptomic profiling analyses of A549 cells, we uncovered that Nsp13 influences microRNA (miRNA) expression and signalling pathways; in particular, miR-146a, a potent mediator of inflammation and immune responses, was found to be induced upon Nsp13-overexpression. Further experiments revealed that this may lead to the inhibition of NF-κB signalling, through the repression of the upstream targets TRAF6 and IRAK1, to suppress the production of proinflammatory cytokines and facilitate viral infection. Collectively, from this work, we propose that further exploration of these miR-146a-mediated signalling pathways may present alternative strategies for antiviral investigations.

Syfte: Syftet med denna enkätstudie var att undersöka om COVID-19 pandemin påverkade kostvanorna hos en grupp studenter på Malmö universitet. Material och metod: En kvantitativ enkätstudie om kostvanor under COVID-19 pandemin utfördes på studenter som studerade på distans på Malmö universitet. Enkäten omfattade 26 frågor om demografiska faktorer och kostvanor. Data samlades in med enkätprogrammet Sunet Survey och enkäten distribuerades elektroniskt till 826 studenter, varav 192 svarade på enkäten. Resultat: Enkätresultaten visade att en majoritet av deltagarna rapporterade förändringar av sina kostvanor under COVID-19 pandemin. En ökning av totala antal intag per dag påvisades. Hos en stor del av studenterna ökade konsumtionen av hemlagade måltider under distansstudierna. En stor andel av deltagarna rapporterade en ökad konsumtion av godis och choklad, medan konsumtionen av andra livsmedel som frukt, mjölkprodukter och sockerhaltiga pålägg var oförändrad. Ett stort antal av respondenterna ansåg att största anledningen till förändrade kostvanor var att de tillbringade mer tid hemma, hade lättare tillgänglighet till mat, dryck och snacks samt förändrade vardagsrutiner. Slutsats: Denna studie indikerar ändrade kostvanor under COVID-19 pandemin hos en majoritet av de studenter som deltog. Studien belyser även vikten av vidare forskning kring ämnet för att undersöka förändrade kostvanor i samband med samhällskriser och hur dessa potentiellt kan påverka kariesförekomsten. / Purpose: The aim of this survey was to investigate if the COVID-19 pandemic affected the dietary habits of a group of students at Malmö University. Materials and Methods: A quantitative survey study on dietary habits during the COVID-19 pandemic was conducted on students who studied remotely during the pandemic at Malmö university. The survey consisted of 26 questions regarding demographic factors and dietary habits. Data was collected using Sunet Survey software, the survey was distributed electronically to 826 students, of which 192 responded to the survey. Results: The survey results showed that a majority of the participants reported changes in their dietary habits during the pandemic. An increase in the total number of daily intakes was demonstrated. Consumption of home-cooked meals  was increased for a large proportion of the students during remote studies. A large proportion of the participants reported an increased consumption of candy and chocolate. Consumption of fruit, dairy products, and sugary spreads remained unchanged. A large number of respondents believed that the main reason for the changes in dietary habits was that they spent more time at home, had easier access to food, drinks, and snacks and had changed their daily routines. Conclusion: This study indicates changed dietary habits during the COVID-19 pandemic among a majority of the students who participated. The study also highlights the importance of further research on the subject to investigate changed dietary habits in connection with societal crises and how these can potentially affect the incidence of caries.

Det här examensarbetet utforskar hur covid-19 har förändrat sättet för industriföretag i norra Sverige att arbeta med supply chain risk management, där fokus ligger på de två processerna riskidentifiering och begränsningsstrategier. Supply chain risk management är ett växande ämne som fått allt mer uppmärksamhet hos forskare. Fortsättningsvis har existerande litteratur visat att covid-19 fick stora effekter på företags försörjningskedjor i form av störningar och att förändringar inom arbetet med risker tagit sin början. Däremot saknas forskning på hur förändringarna fortsatt utvecklas fram till idag som en konsekvens av pandemin. Därav saknas ett helhetsperspektiv över vilka förändringar som har skett från innan covid-19 fram tills idag. Vidare har existerande litteratur framhållit riskidentifiering och begränsningsstrategier som de två mest kritiska processerna i supply chain risk management och därför valde vi att rikta in studien på just dem. Fortsättningsvis har norra Sverige valts som geografisk kontext för studien eftersom det hittills varit ett outforskat område. Dessutom har industriföretag varit föremål för studien då de ofta har globala och komplexa försörjningskedjor. Syftet med den här studien är att undersöka och skapa en djupare förståelse för hur industriföretag belägna i norra Sverige har förändrat arbetet med riskidentifiering och riskbegränsning inom processen supply chain risk management från tidsperioden innan covid-19, under covid-19 och tiden efter covid-19. I studien genomfördes 6 semi-strukturerade intervjuer med respondenter från olika industriföretag i norra Sverige. En kvalitativ metod valdes för den här studien, tillsammans med ett induktivt synsätt, vilket har gett oss flera insikter om hur industriföretag förändrat sitt sätt att arbeta med risker från innan covid-19 till efter.  För det första indikerar våra resultat att en förändring som har skett är att förståelsen har ökat under covid-19, för hur pandemier fungerar och vilka konsekvenser en pandemi kan orsaka för företagens verksamhet, från att knappt ha existerat innan covid-19. Det här medförde att företagen implementerade en mer strukturerad riskidentifiering och började arbeta mer konsekvent med riskidentifiering under covid-19. För det andra observerades en förändring där en övergång skett från fysiska riskidentifierings möten till digitala riskidentifierings möten, vilket berodde på social distansering. Samtidigt som mötensfrekvensen ökade för att kunna identifiera kritiska komponenter för verksamheten. För det tredje kunde resultatet visa att det har skett en förändring från att företag haft liten kunskap om leverantörer och avancerade datasystem under covid-19, till att de efter covid-19 införde verktyg för att förstå leverantörer tillsammans med avancerade datasystem. För det fjärde visar resultatet att företagen arbetade med leverantörer utifrån just-in-time innan covid-19, vilket förändrades under covid-19 då företagen blev medvetna om just-in-times utsatthet. För det femte påvisar resultatet att företag arbetade med endast en eller ett fåtal leverantörer innan covid-19 vilket förändrades under covid-19 då second sourcing infördes som begränsningsstrategi. För det sjätte användes inte strategin säkerhetslager under covid-19, men infördes efter covid-19. Slutligen bidrar studien med praktiska bidrag till industriföretag och personal. För det första, framkommer vikten av att ha kunskap och struktur för riskidentifiering och begränsningsstrategier hos industriföretag. För det andra, behöver företag arbeta mer med samarbeten och öka sin förståelse för olika intressenter för att hantera risker. För det tredje bör industriföretag införa säkerhetslager och second-sourcing för att hantera risker. För det fjärde, bör industriföretags personal få ökad möjlighet till information och kunskap om risker och hur dessa hanteras. Vårt teoretiska bidrag skapar en helhetsbild för hur riskidentifiering och begränsningsstrategier har förändrats på grund av covid-19 inom geografiska kontexten norra Sverige. Därutöver har studien bidragit med kvalitativ forskning på ämnet och gett en ökad förståelse för att det behövs mer forskning gällande makro-riskers påverkan på företags verksamhet och försörjningskedja.

Background: Elderly people are vulnerable and belong to the high-risk groups of becoming seriously ill from COVID-19. Because of this, they also become more vulnerable in society due to COVID-19 restrictions. The government has used social distancing as a restriction to prevent the spread of COVID-19. People in general, and more specifically elderly people, were asked to stay at home to minimize the risk of becoming seriously ill for their own sake, and as not to overload the healthcare system. Social distancing had a negative impact on their health and well-being. Aim: To explore elderly's experience of social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic. Method: The method used was a literature review, using qualitative and quantitative research.Results: Two overarching themes emerged: Psychological strain and facing a new reality, with four sub-themes: Increased loneliness, Negative emotions, New challenges and Coping strategies. Conclusions: The social distancing, related to the COVID-19 pandemic, has had a negative impact on the health of older people. Elderly people have suffered from loneliness, lack of well-being and have become isolated from society during the pandemic. They were encouraged not to burden the healthcare system and all their health promotion activities had been suspended due to the pandemic. Many elderly people have multiple illnesses and have previously experienced loneliness, which also worsened during the pandemic. The results showed an increased experience of loneliness and psychological burden. To cope with their new reality and challenges within, some older people found digital ways of socializing with each other and their relatives. It is important that society targets these high-risk groups to minimize their loneliness, depression, and subsequent increased morbidity. Keywords: COVID-19, elderly, loneliness, mental health, social distancing.

Sharp rises in overdose deaths nationally coincided with the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic. Rural Appalachia, known for high rates of substance use and barriers to health care in general, was suspected to be disproportionately impacted in terms of recovery supports such as 12-step recovery meetings. This study investigated the availability of recovery meetings in South Central Appalachia before and after COVID-19 lockdowns. The number of confirmed recovery meetings was compared before and after COVID-19 lockdowns by geographic location (i.e., rural/nonrural and medium metro/small metro/micropolitan/noncore). Recovery meeting data were systematically collected through interviews with community contacts, reviewing social media and websites, making phone calls, and sending emails and surveys and updated longitudinally. There was no significant change in the number of meetings from pre- (n = 189) to post-COVID-19 (n = 178). There was no significant shift in meeting location when dichotomizing by rural/nonrural classification, χ²(1) = 2.76, p = .097, π = −0.087. Chi-square test of independence did reveal a significant change in number of recovery meetings by location when using four location classifications, χ²(3) = 7.97, p = .047, Cramer’s V = 0.147. There was a noteworthy rise in the meetings in small metro (36.5%–51.1%), with all other locations declining. The establishment and reestablishment of recovery meetings in rural communities should be prioritized to address the longstanding scarcity of recovery resources in rural locations, recent decline in such support, and the rise in overdose deaths.

The purpose of this thesis is to investigate how a public health crisis affects the pregnancy decisions and experiences of Canadians, how pregnancy history impacts these experiences, and whether the delivery of pregnancy care has been impacted or changed by the COVID-19 pandemic. This thesis surveyed women from across the country about their experiences during pregnancy with prenatal care and social support, as well as their birth experiences and perceptions of new motherhood during the pandemic. Interviews were conducted with perinatal care providers from Ontario about their personal experiences providing perinatal healthcare services, as well as their perceptions of their patients’ experiences. This thesis aims to identify prenatal, birth and postpartum experiences described by Canadians, and quality of perinatal health services during the COVID-19 pandemic.

School selection options place parents at the center of the school choice sector and create market forces that shape schools and impact students. High school selection in a school choice environment has ramifications for parents, students, school leaders, school marketers and policy makers. An understanding of the factors that parents use to make their high school decisions is important for all stakeholders in a high school choice environment as selection factors may shape the educational landscape of communities. Using a mixed-methods case study approach, this study sought to determine the primary marketable factors that parents in a mid-sized urban public school system use to make high school selections, the sources of information they rely on to make their decisions, how their perceptions of public schools may influence their selection, the types of choice perspectives they employ in selecting schools, and whether COVID-19 responses by the schools impacted their decisions. Parents in this study most often used the primary selection factors of social and specialized programs and athletics and academics and college and career readiness, followed by school safety, respectively. Parents most often used the perspectives of rational choice and social capital in their decision-making. Parents also focused greatly on their child’s needs and desires in making their selections, tried to ensure the success of their child by selecting schools with preferred peer influences, and sought a school that “best fit” their child. Further research should be considered to determine the connections between student needs and desires and parent selection and the outcomes of their selections. Further research may also include expansion to private school and cyber and virtual schooling parents. / Educational Leadership

The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly changed the way of life for people and businesses around the world. Institutions of higher education and their constituents are no exception. As the pandemic began, colleges and universities moved their operations and teaching modalities online. The emergency shift to remote learning and operating has put a strain on higher education students, faculty, staff, and administrators. The influence of the pandemic has highlighted some vulnerabilities and areas of needed support within specific categories of faculty, which should continue to be explored and better addressed. This quantitative study uses a faculty survey to examine the move to remote teaching from a faculty perspective during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study relies on secondary data analysis of data collected by the Office of Institutional Research at a large, public four-year institution in the mid-Atlantic region of the United States to answer the following research questions: 1. How has COVID-19 changed the usage of technology, various teaching methods, and adjustments to course expectations? 2. Are there age, faculty status, and/or discipline differences in usage of technology, various teaching methods, and adjustments to course assignments? 3. Post-COVID-19, how do faculty status/rank and gender influence maintaining work-life balance? / Policy, Organizational and Leadership Studies

Objectives: COVID-19 has introduced an unexpected level of uncertainty to every aspect of our lives, and loss of access to care has become a major problem. This study has two main objectives, one being to characterize the frequency of insurance approvals and denials for Medicaid patients seeking orthodontic treatment in Pennsylvania before and during COVID-19, and the second being to identify differences in appointment keeping behavior between Medicaid and non-Medicaid orthodontic patients during those timelines.Methods: 634 Medicaid and 304 non-Medicaid patients were screened at Temple University Kornberg School of Dentistry, Department of Orthodontics from July 2018 to March 2019 (pre-COVID-19) and July 2020 to March 2021 (during COVID-19). Each patient’s Insurance Provider, Salzman Index Score (SEI), the insurance eligibility decision (approval/denial), and history of all attended and failed appointments for both Medicaid and non-Medicaid patients during pre-COVID-19 and during COVID-19 timelines were collected. Results: For the first objective, there were 270 approvals (96%) and 10 denials (4%) pre-COVID-19 and there were 270 approvals (76%) and 84 denials (24%) during COVID-19. There was a significant difference in the rate of insurance approvals and denials pre-and during COVID-19, with a p-value of <0.001. For the second objective, Medicaid patients attended 7221 (81%) and failed to attend 1746 (19%) of 8967 appointments and non-Medicaid patients attended 3419 (85%) and failed to attend 589 (19%) of 4008 appointments pre-COVID-19. During COVID-19, Medicaid patients attended 7115 (81%) and failed 1637 (19%) of 8752 appointments and non-Medicaid patients attended 3171 (87%) and failed 484 (13%) of 3655 appointments. The results showed a significant difference in the number of failed appointments between Medicaid and non-Medicaid groups (p <0.001). At a significance level of 0.01, there were no significant interactions between the number of failed and attended appointments for Medicaid nor non-Medicaid patients pre- and during COVID-19 (p =0.149, p =0.065). Conclusions: These findings suggest that the number of insurance approvals and denials during COVID-19 decreased and increased, respectively. Furthermore, these data show that Medicaid patients have a higher rate of appointment failures than non-Medicaid patients pre- and during COVID-19. / Oral Biology

The mental health field experiences high levels of stress, resulting in a greater risk of poor professional quality of life, likely exacerbated by the additional stress associated with COVID-19. The present study examined the effect COVID-19 stress had on the professional quality of life of the infant and early childhood mental health (IECMH) workforce and whether coping strategies and self-compassion acted as protective factors. Results indicated that higher COVID-19 stress was associated with higher burnout and secondary traumatic stress (STS) and lower compassion satisfaction (CS). The results also showed that the pathway from COVID-19 stress to burnout was moderated by support-seeking and approach coping. Furthermore, the pathway from COVID-19 stress to CS was moderated by avoidant coping. The link between COVID-19 stress, coping, and professional quality of life suggests increasing adaptive coping is likely to improve the professional quality of life of the IECMH workforce during times of substantial stress.