Objective- To determine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on dental anxiety (DA) and oral health related quality of life (OHRQoL) proxy measures using electronic dental records from Temple University Kornberg School of Dentistry (TUKSoD). Methods- A cross-sectional study comparing data before the COVID-19 Pandemic (G1) (N=4,516) and before (G2) (N=3,995) and after the vaccine was available (G3) (N=3,891) was analyzed for patients 18 and older. The independent variables are age, sex, race, diabetic status, hypertension status, and DA. The dependent variable – OHRQoL – has four components (trouble while chewing, speaking, embarrassment due to dental problems, and pain/ sensitivity) which were converted to a composite score for analysis. OHRQoL, were coded as good, fair, and poor. Mann-Whitney U tests were used to assess outcome differences across the three groups. Statistical significance was set at p<0.05. Results- The proportion of individuals with poor DA in G1, G2, and G3 were about 5%, 3%, and 4% respectively. The proportion of individuals with poor OHRQoL were 8%, 5%, and 4% in G1, G2, and G3, respectively. About 26%, 21%, 19% reported poor social interactions in G1, G2, and G3, respectively. About 1% of individuals in G1, G2, and G3 reported poor speaking. About 8%, 3%, and 5% reported poor chewing in G1, G2, and G3, respectively. About 4% of individuals in G1 and 3% in both G2 and G3 reported poor comfort. Significant differences in DA were observed between G1 vs G2 (p=<0.01) and G1 vs G3 (p=<0.01). Also, significant differences in OHRQoL between G1 vs G2 (p=<0.01), G2 vs G3 (p=0.01), and G1 vs G3 (p-value=<0.01). Associations between DA and OHRQoL were seen across G1, G2, and G3. Hypertension and diabetic status also seemed to be associated with OHRQoL at multiple points in this study. Conclusion- Overall, OHRQoL and dental anxiety improved post COVID-19 vaccine availability compared to the pre-COVID-19 vaccine availability and the pre-COVID-19 pandemic. This could be attributed to increased health consciousness triggered by the COVID-19 events. / Oral Biology

No description available.

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in higher-than-normal levels of anxiety and depression, especially among graduate students whose academic trajectory was disrupted. Physical activity and trait resiliency have both been shown to protect against stress-induced anxiety and depression during the pandemic. However, it remains unknown whether the same was true for graduate students and what biological mechanism, such as heart rate variability (HRV) might underpin these relationships. Method: We examined change in stress, current physical activity, and trait resiliency to identify key factors associated with better mental health outcomes in a national sample of graduate students (N = 61) who were recruited during the COVID-19 pandemic. We evaluated the unique contributions of change in graduate-school-related stress, physical activity (moderate, vigorous, and fitness), and trait resiliency to both anxiety and depression. We conducted moderation analyses to explore the processes through which these variables interact and mediation analyses to examine whether HRV was part of the underlying mechanism. Questionnaire were used to assess graduate-school-related stress, physical activity (moderate, vigorous), and trait resiliency. We estimated physical fitness using the six-minute walk test and captured resting HRV using a validated mobile application. Results: Graduate students reporting greater change in school-related stress were more anxious and depressed; however, those who engaged in more moderate physical activity were less anxious and those with higher trait resiliency were less anxious and depressed. Moderation analyses revealed a “stress threshold” for moderate physical activity whereby students who were more physically active were more protected from anxiety symptoms than their lower active peers; but this was only true for people whose stress levels increased a little or moderately but not for people whose stress levels increased a lot. In contrast, trait resiliency was shown to buffer against depression regardless of change in stress level. HRV did not mediate these relationships. Conclusion: Graduate students experienced significant mental strain during the COVID-19 pandemic, but physical activity and trait resiliency may be promising protective factors. / Thesis / Master of Science in Kinesiology

Objetivo. Demostrar la validez de la hipocalcemia para predecir la gravedad de la insuficiencia respiratoria en pacientes con COVID-19. Materiales y métodos. Estudio tipo cohorte prospectivo, en 267 pacientes hospitalizados en la Unidad de Cuidados Intermedios del Hospital II EsSalud Pucallpa, entre enero y junio de 2021. Se extrajeron datos demográficos, clínicos y laboratoriales de las historias clínicas individuales. Se utilizó análisis multivariado para identificar las variables asociadas a la insuficiencia respiratoria aguda. Resultados. De los 267 pacientes, el 61 % tuvo hipocalcemia al ingreso. En este grupo predominaron la tos seca, fatiga y dolor torácico; la fiebre y la disnea en la totalidad de los pacientes. La principal comorbilidad fue la obesidad.Tanto la frecuencia respiratoria  30 rpm como la SaO2  93 % fueron más frecuentes en este grupo. Hubo relación inversa entre la hipocalcemia y la elevación de ciertos parámetros considerados marcadores inflamatorios; además de una mayor tasa de PaFiO2 anormal. Se constató una buena concordancia entre la hipocalcemia y los resultados de la PaFiO2 (índice Kappa de Cohen = 0,63). Conclusiones. La hipocalcemia puede considerarse un factor predictor de insuficiencia respiratoria grave en pacientes con COVID-19.

Introducción: A nivel medular, el SARS-COV2 puede comprometer la hematopoyesis, manifestándose con citopenias y solo se cuenta con estudios realizados en autopsias. Objetivo: describir las características morfológicas de las médulas óseas de los pacientes hospitalizados por neumonía por COVID-19 en el Hospital Nacional “Dos de Mayo”. El estudio: Estudio transversal retrospectivo llevado a cabo en pacientes con diagnóstico de COVID-19. Las lecturas de las médulas óseas fueron confirmadas por un hematólogo entrenado. Se utilizó estadística descriptiva para las variables cuantitativa y cualitativas. Hallazgos: Se incluyeron 30 pacientes. Los hallazgos más frecuentes fueron: macrófagos con citofagocitosis (87%), hiperplasia con detención en la maduración de los progenitores mieloides en el (70%). El 87% de las muestras presentó eosinofilia. En el 57% de las muestras se observó ninguna o poca evidencia de formación plaquetaria. En el 40% se encontró 6% de células plasmáticas. Conclusión: La infección por SARS-COV2 puede generar alteraciones medulares.

Introducción: La infección por SARS-CoV-2 afecta principalmente el sistema respiratorio; pero, también se han observado múltiples manifestaciones extrapulmonares en diversos sistemas y órganos. Las células epiteliales del tubo digestivo y árbol hepatobiliar expresan ECA2 y TMPRSS2 necesarios para el ingreso viral, por otro lado, el ARN viral ha sido detectado en muestras de heces, incluso después de haberse negativizado en muestras respiratorias. La presencia de manifestaciones clínicas digestivas se asocia a mayor carga viral y en ocasiones pueden ser las únicas manifestaciones de COVID-19, incluso en ausencia de síntomas respiratorios. Los síntomas más comunes son anorexia y diarrea, náuseas, vómitos y dolor abdominal, siendo este último característico de pacientes gravemente enfermos. Es muy poco frecuente la presencia de hemorragia gastrointestinal, colitis hemorrágica o hepatitis aguda. Ante un paciente con manifestaciones gastrointestinales debe considerarse a COVID-19 dentro del diagnóstico diferencial.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is provoking a global public health crisis. Even though the academic world is intensively pursuing new therapies, there is still no “game changer” in the management of COVID 19. The Mammalian Target of Rapamycin (mTOR) is an ancient signaling system that has been proposed as a molecular tool used by coronaviruses and other RNA and DNA viruses in order to replicate and persist in the host cell. In recent years, Intermittent Fasting (IF), a practice consisting on a strict calorie restriction during a prolonged period of time during the day, has gained popularity due to its potential benefits in multiple health systems and in regulating inflammation. IF inhibits the mTOR pathway which is similar to the effects of Rapamycin in some animal models. mTOR inhibition and promotion of autophagy could potentially be the link between the possible direct benefits of IF in COVID-19 due to the interruption of the viral cycle (protein synthesis). Besides, IF has shown to be a strong anti-inflammatory in multiple prior studies, and may play a role in attenuating COVID -19 severity. This review hypothesizes the possible intersection between viral, immunological, and metabolic pathways related to mTOR and the potential mechanisms through which IF may improve clinical outcomes. Future prospective randomized controlled clinical trials to evaluate intermittent fasting (IF) regimens in order to prevent and treat moderate to severe forms of COVID-19 in humans are needed. / Revisión por pares

Con los recientes acuerdos del gobierno peruano con los laboratorios Sinopharm, Pfizer y Astrazeneca para la adquisición de vacunas contra la COVID-19, surge la pregunta de si un número suficiente de personas estarían dispuestas a ser inmunizadas para controlar la pandemia y la manera de garantizar que la población esté adecuadamente informada sobre la vacuna1.

The Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has affected countries all over the world and impacted many areas of our lives. Research studying psychosocial issues caused by Covid-19 addressed that during the pandemic well-being was lower. Well-being integrates mental health, clinical and developmental theories to provide a better understanding of positive psychological functioning. An abundance of studies demonstrated that natural environments, both wild and managed, have a positive effect on people’s being. In the present study, the changes in people’s nature visits as well as the links between nature visits and well-being has been investigated. The current sample (1902 participants) was from the corona survey, a subsample of the SLOSH. During the Covid-19 pandemic, some people started visiting nature more, while others reduced their visits. Well-being was lower than before. The observed directions of the associations were: nature visits were positively linked with the quality of life, while depressive moods from 2020 and 2021 were linked negatively. Change in forest visits (&lt;65 female group) was the best well-being predictor from all types of nature exposure.

Bakgrund: Nyutexaminerade sjuksköterskor under 2020 och 2021 gjorde entré i sjuksköterskeyrket under en eskalerande pandemi. International Council of Nursing (2021a) flaggade för sjuksköterskornas risk för utbrändhet, posttraumatiskt stressyndrom och andra stressrelaterade sjukdomar. Denna litteraturstudie kan bidra med kunskap om hur situationen upplevdes för nyutexaminerade sjuksköterskor under pandemins exceptionella belastning på sjukvården.  Syfte: Syftet med studien var att sammanställa forskning om nyutexaminerade sjuksköterskors erfarenheter av övergångsfasen från student till sjuksköterska under COVID-19 pandemin.  Metod: Litteraturstudien är baserad på åtta kvalitativa artiklar som hämtats från databaserna CINAHL och PubMed. Samtliga artiklar kvalitetsgranskades enligt Olsson och Sörensens (2011) bedömningsmall. Artiklarna analyserades sedan utifrån Fribergs (2022) femstegsanalys.  Resultat: I resultatet framkommer tre kategorier: ”inte tillåtas vara ny som sjuksköterska under pandemin”, ”en verklighetsfrämmande arbetsmiljö” och ”leva igenom övergångsfasen under exceptionella förhållanden”.  Konklusion: COVID-19 pandemin har genererat i huvudsak känslor av ångest, stress och rädslor på grund av brist på erfarenhet, stöd och dåliga arbetsplatsförhållanden. En god introduktion i form av stöd från kollegor och verksamheten var bidragande faktorer till en underlättad övergång.