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Severe viral pneumonia is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality globally, whether due to outbreaks of endemic viruses, periodic viral epidemics, or the rarer but devastating global viral pandemics. While limited anti-viral therapies exist, there is a paucity of direct therapies to directly attenuate viral pneumonia-induced lung injury, and management therefore remains largely supportive. Mesenchymal stromal/stem cells (MSCs) are receiving considerable attention as a cytotherapeutic for viral pneumonia. Several properties of MSCs position them as a promising therapeutic strategy for viral pneumonia-induced lung injury as demonstrated in pre-clinical studies in relevant models. More recently, early phase clinical studies have demonstrated a reassuring safety profile of these cells. These investigations have taken on an added importance and urgency during the COVID-19 pandemic, with multiple trials in progress across the globe. In parallel with clinical translation, strategies are being investigated to enhance the therapeutic potential of these cells in vivo, with different MSC tissue sources, specific cellular products including cell-free options, and strategies to ‘licence’ or ‘pre-activate’ these cells, all being explored. This review will assess the therapeutic potential of MSC-based therapies for severe viral pneumonia. It will describe the aetiology and epidemiology of severe viral pneumonia, describe current therapeutic approaches, and examine the data suggesting therapeutic potential of MSCs for severe viral pneumonia in pre-clinical and clinical studies. The challenges and opportunities for MSC-based therapies will then be considered. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s40635-021-00424-5.

Virus merupakan sesuatu yang tidak terlihat yang menjadi musuh bagi manusia, akhir-akhir ini kita dihadapi dengan sebuah virus yang amat membahayakan bagi manusia di berbagai negara yang ada di seluruh dunia.Virus tersebut adalah Virus Corona.Virus Corona atau Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) adalah virus yang menyerang sistem pernapasan.Penyakit karena infeksi virus ini disebut COVID-19. Virus corona bisa menyebabkan gangguan pada sistem pernapasan, pneumonia akut, sampai kematian.Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) yang lebih dikenal dengan nama virus Corona adalah jenis baru dari coronavirus yang menular ke manusia baik lewat pernafasan, dan juga dapat melalui sentuhan anggota badan yang umumnya adalah tangan. Virus ini bisa menyarang siapa saja tanpa menganal batas usia dan kelamin, baik itu lansia, orang tua, remaja, anak-anak, baik itu laki-laki ataupun perempuan dapat terjangkit virus Corona tersebut.Inveksi virus ini disebut COVID-19 dan pertama kali ditemukan di kota Wuhan, Cina, pada akhir Desember 2019. Virus ini menular dengan amat begitu cepat kenegara-negara yang berada di seluruh dunia termasuk Negara Indonesia.hal tersebut mengakibatkan lumpuhnya semua aktivitas yang ada diberbagai dunia khususnya di Indonesia, Pandemi COVID-19 ini berakibat pada sistem pembelajaran diseluruh jenjang pendidikan khususnya untuk tingkat SD/MI.

Existe una clara relacion entre la infeccion por el nuevo coronavirus 2 y el diagnostico de enfermedad tromboembolica venosa, como consecuencia del desarrollo de un sindrome de respuesta inflamatoria sistemica debido a la activacion de la cascada de la coagulacion. Se presenta en el 90% de los pacientes con formas graves de la infeccion, lo que revela la presencia de microtrombosis y macrotrombosis intravascular pulmonar. Esto sugiere un posible beneficio clinico de la aplicacion de una tromboprofilaxis adecuada al riesgo clinico de cada paciente. Asimismo, la sospecha de enfermedad tromboembolica venosa en el contexto de esta pandemia representa un reto diagnostico debido a la existencia de similitudes entre ambas alteraciones en varios aspectos. Debe tenerse en cuenta que el diagnostico de tromboembolismo pulmonar agudo no excluye la posibilidad de infeccion viral. La valoracion de pacientes con sospecha de tromboembolismo pulmonar agudo en el contexto de la pandemia debe ser eficaz para establecer un diagnostico y tratamiento con rapidez, a fin de reducir la morbilidad y mortalidad adjuntas, sin que ello eleve el riesgo de infeccion para los profesionales de la salud y otros pacientes.

Abstract Background Nonpharmaceutical interventions such as physical distancing and mandatory masking were adopted in many jurisdictions during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic to decrease spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). We determined the effects of these interventions on incidence of healthcare utilization for other infectious diseases. Methods Using a healthcare administrative dataset, we employed an interrupted time series analysis to measure changes in healthcare visits for various infectious diseases across the province of Ontario, Canada, from January 2017 to December 2020. We used a hierarchical clustering algorithm to group diagnoses that demonstrated similar patterns of change through the pandemic months. Results We found that visits for infectious diseases commonly caused by communicable respiratory pathogens (eg, acute bronchitis, acute sinusitis) formed distinct clusters from diagnoses that often originate from pathogens derived from the patient’s own flora (eg, urinary tract infection, cellulitis). Moreover, infectious diagnoses commonly arising from communicable respiratory pathogens (hierarchical cluster 1: highly impacted diagnoses) were significantly decreased, with a rate ratio (RR) of 0.35 (95% confidence interval [CI], .30–.40; P < .001) after the introduction of public health interventions in April–December 2020, whereas infections typically arising from the patient’s own flora (hierarchical cluster 3: minimally impacted diagnoses) did not demonstrate a sustained change in incidence (RR, 0.95 [95% CI, .90–1.01]; P = .085). Conclusions Public health measures to curtail the incidence of SARS-CoV-2 were widely effective against other communicable respiratory infectious diseases with similar modes of transmission but had little effect on infectious diseases not strongly dependent on person-to-person transmission.

Medicinal chemistry optimization of a previously described stilbene inhibitor of HIV-1, 5350150 (2-(2-(5-nitro-2-thienyl)vinyl)quinoline), led to the identification of the thiazole-5-carboxamide derivative (GPS491), which retained potent anti-HIV-1 activity with reduced toxicity. In this report, we demonstrate that the block of HIV-1 replication by GPS491 is accompanied by a drastic inhibition of viral gene expression (IC50 ~ 0.25 µM), and alterations in the production of unspliced, singly spliced, and multiply spliced HIV-1 RNAs. GPS491 also inhibited the replication of adenovirus and multiple coronaviruses. Low µM doses of GPS491 reduced adenovirus infectious yield ~1000 fold, altered virus early gene expression/viral E1A RNA processing, blocked viral DNA amplification, and inhibited late (hexon) gene expression. Loss of replication of multiple coronaviruses (229E, OC43, SARS-CoV2) upon GPS491 addition was associated with the inhibition of viral structural protein expression and the formation of virus particles. Consistent with the observed changes in viral RNA processing, GPS491 treatment induced selective alterations in the accumulation/phosphorylation/function of splicing regulatory SR proteins. Our study establishes that a compound that impacts the activity of cellular factors involved in RNA processing can prevent the replication of several viruses with minimal effect on cell viability.

Background. COVID-19 research has relied heavily on convenience-based samples, which—though often necessary—are susceptible to important sampling biases. We begin with a theoretical overview and introduction to the dynamics that underlie sampling bias. We then empirically examine sampling bias in online COVID-19 surveys and evaluate the degree to which common statistical adjustments for demographic covariates successfully attenuate such bias. Methods. We analysed responses to identical questions from three convenience and three largely representative samples (total N = 13,731) collected online in Canada within the International COVID-19 Awareness and Responses Evaluation Study (www.icarestudy.com). We compared samples on 11 behavioural and psychological outcomes (e.g., adherence to COVID-19 prevention measures, vaccine intentions) across three time points and employed multiverse-style analyses to examine how 512 combinations of demographic covariates (e.g., sex, age, education, income, ethnicity) impacted sampling discrepancies on these outcomes.Results. Significant discrepancies emerged between samples on 73% of outcomes. Participants in the convenience samples held more positive thoughts towards and engaged in more COVID-19 prevention behaviours. Covariates attenuated sampling differences in only 55% of cases and increased differences in 45%. No covariate performed reliably well. Conclusion. Our results suggest that online convenience samples may display more positive dispositions towards COVID-19 prevention behaviours being studied than would samples drawn using more representative means. Adjusting results for demographic covariates frequently increased rather than decreased bias, suggesting that researchers should be cautious when interpreting adjusted findings. Using multiverse-style analyses as extended sensitivity analyses is recommended.

Education for sustainable development (ESD) is considered vital to the success of the United Nations¿ sustainable development goals. Systems thinking has been identified as a core competency that must be included in ESD. However, systems thinking-orientated ESD learning tools, established methods of the assessment of sustainability skills, and formal trials to demonstrate the effectiveness of such learning tools are all lacking. This research presents a randomised controlled trial (n = 106) to investigate whether an innovative online sustainability learning tool that incorporates two factors, systems thinking and system dynamics simulation, increases the understanding of a specific sustainability problem. A further aim was to investigate whether these factors also support the transfer of knowledge to a second problem with a similar systemic structure. The effects of the two factors were tested separately and in combination using a two-by-two factorial study design. ANOVA and related inferential statistical techniques were used to analyse the effect of the factors on sustainability understanding. Cohen¿s d effect sizes were also calculated. Simulation alone was found to increase ESD learning outcomes significantly, and also to support the transfer of skills, although less significantly. Qualitative feedback was also gathered from participants, most of whom reported finding systems thinking and simulation very helpful. This research was undertaken for the PhD studies of the corresponding author at the National University of Ireland Galway (NUIG) and was supported by funding from ResponSEAble (EU Horizon 2020 project number 652643), Ireland’s Higher Education Authority and Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (through the IT Investment Fund and ComputerDISC, and the COVID-19 Costed Extension), and the NUIG PhD Write-Up Bursary. peer-reviewed

Abstract Background Coping via empathic responding may play a role in preventive behavior engagement during the COVID-19 pandemic, and unlike trait empathy, is a potentially alterable target for changing health behavior. Purpose Our goal was to examine the role of empathic responding in preventive behavior engagement during the COVID-19 pandemic, independent of trait empathy and perceived threat of COVID-19. Methods Participants (N = 2,841) completed a baseline survey early in the pandemic, and a follow-up survey approximately 2 weeks later (M = 13.50 days, SD = 5.61). Preventive health behaviors, including physical distancing and hygiene practices, were assessed at both timepoints. Hierarchical linear regression examined the contributions of trait empathy, perceived threat of COVID-19, and empathic responding at baseline to preventive behaviors at follow-up. Results Controlling for baseline levels of preventive behaviors and demographic covariates, trait empathy and threat of COVID-19 at baseline were each independently associated with preventive behaviors at follow-up. An interaction between perceived threat and empathic responding indicated that those perceiving high threat of COVID-19 at baseline tended to report engaging in preventive behaviors at follow-up regardless of their levels of empathic responding, whereas for those reporting low levels of perceived threat, higher levels of empathic responding were associated with higher engagement in preventive behavior. Conclusions When perceived threat of COVID-19 was low, higher empathic responding was associated with increased engagement in preventive behaviors regardless of trait empathy, suggesting that empathic responding can serve as an actionable target for intervention to promote preventive behavior during the pandemic.

Importance: Longitudinal research on specific forms of electronic screen use and mental health symptoms in children and youth during COVID-19 is minimal. Understanding the association may help develop policies and interventions targeting specific screen activities to promote healthful screen use and mental health in children and youth. Objective: To determine whether specific forms of screen use (television [TV] or digital media, video games, electronic learning, and video-chatting time) were associated with symptoms of depression, anxiety, conduct problems, irritability, hyperactivity, and inattention in children and youth during COVID-19. Design, Setting, and Participants: A longitudinal cohort study with repeated measures of exposures and outcomes was conducted in children and youth aged 2 to 18 years in Ontario, Canada, between May 2020 and April 2021 across 4 cohorts of children or youth: 2 community cohorts and 2 clinically referred cohorts. Parents were asked to complete repeated questionnaires about their children's health behaviors and mental health symptoms during COVID-19. Main Outcomes and Measures: The exposure variables were children's daily TV or digital media time, video game time, electronic-learning time, and video-chatting time. The mental health outcomes were parent-reported symptoms of child depression, anxiety, conduct problems and irritability, and hyperactivity/inattention using validated standardized tools. Results: This study included 2026 children with 6648 observations. In younger children (mean [SD] age, 5.9 [2.5] years; 275 male participants [51.7%]), higher TV or digital media time was associated with higher levels of conduct problems (age 2-4 years: β, 0.22 [95% CI, 0.10-0.35]; P <.001; age ≥4 years: β, 0.07 [95% CI, 0.02-0.11]; P =.007) and hyperactivity/inattention (β, 0.07 [95% CI, 0.006-0.14]; P =.04). In older children and youth (mean [SD] age, 11.3 [3.3] years; 844 male participants [56.5%]), higher levels of TV or digital media time were associated with higher levels of depression, anxiety, and inattention; higher levels of video game time were associated with higher levels of depression, irritability, inattention, and hyperactivity. Higher levels of electronic learning time were associated with higher levels of depression and anxiety. Conclusions and Relevance: In this cohort study, higher levels of screen use were associated poor mental health of children and youth during the COVID-19 pandemic. These findings suggest that policy intervention as well as evidence-informed social supports are needed to promote healthful screen use and mental health in children and youth during the pandemic and beyond.

Background The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has created unprecedented challenges for solid organ transplant programs worldwide. The aim of this study is to assess an international perspective on challenges faced by kidney transplant programs. Methods We administered an electronic survey instrument from 03/01/2021 to 08/06/2021 to staff at transplant programs outside the United States that comprised of 10 questions addressing the management of kidney transplant candidates with asymptomatic COVID-19 infection or unvaccinated who receive an organ offer. Results Respondents (n = 62) represented 19 countries on 5 continents. Overall, 90.3% of respondents encourage vaccination on the waiting list and prior to planned living donor transplant. 12% of respondents reported that they have decided to inactivate unsensitized candidates (cPRA Conclusions Practitioners in some countries are less willing to accept deceased donor organs for waitlist candidates with incomplete COVID-19 vaccination status and to wait longer before scheduling living donor transplant, compared to U.S. practices. Access to vaccinations and other resources may contribute to these differences. More research is needed to guide the optimal approach to vaccination before and after transplant. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.