COVID-19 (Coronavirus Disease) is an infectious disease caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 (Severe acute respiratory syndrome Coronavirus 2), which belongs to the genus Betacoronavirus. It was first identified in patients with severe respiratory disease in December 2019 in Wuhan, China. It mainly affects the respiratory system, and in severe cases causes serious lung infection or pneumonia, which can lead to the death of the patient. Clinical studies show that SARS-CoV-2 infection in critical cases causes acute tissue damage due to a pathological immune response. The immune response to a new coronavirus is complex and involves many processes of specific and non-specific immunity. Analysis of available studies has shown various changes, especially in the area of specific cellular immunity, including lymphopenia, decreased T cells (CD3+, CD4+ and CD8+), changes in the T cell compartment associated with symptom progression, deterioration of the condition and development of lung damage. We provide a detailed review of the analyses of immune checkpoint molecules PD-1, TIM-3, LAG-3 CTLA-4, TIGIT, BTLA, CD223, IDO-1 and VISTA on exhausted T cells in patients with asymptomatic to symptomatic stages of COVID-19 infection. Furthermore, this review may help to better understand the pathological T cell immune response and improve the design of therapeutic strategies for patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection.
In December of 2019, several cases of unknown atypical respiratory diseases emerged in Wuhan, Hubei Province in China. After preliminary research, it was stated that the disease is transmittable between humans and was named COVID-19. Over the course of next months, it spread all over the world by air and sea transport and caused a global pandemic which affects life of everyone now-a-days. A large number of countries, have since been forced to take precautions such as curfews, lockdowns, wearing facemasks etc. Even with vaccines being produced in mass numbers, lack of targeted therapy continues to be a major problem. According to studies so far it seems that elderly people are more vulnerable to severe symptoms while children tend to by asymptomatic or have milder form the disease. In our review, we focused on gathering data about the virus itself, its characteristics, paths of transmission, and its effect on hormone production and secretion. In such, there is insufficient information in the literature worldwide, especially the ones that focus on the effect of COVID-19 on individual organs systems within the human body. Hence, the present evidence-based study focused on the possible effects of COVID-19 on adrenal gland and gonads i.e. on the process of steroidogenesis and fertility.
Dodržování protiepidemických opatření určuje, jak se společnost vypořádá s pandemií nového koronaviru. K objasnění, proč někteří lidé opatření nedodržují, využíváme teorii osobních konstruktů. Ta předpokládá, že stresující události v pandemii invalidizují do té doby smysluplný obraz světa (konzistentní konstruování). Pokud se jedinec snaží invalidizované konstruování zachovat místo jeho změny, uplatňuje strategii hostility – například devalvuje informace a názory, které jsou s jeho/jejím konstruováním nekompatibilní. Tím dochází k upevňování nedůvěřivých postojů vůči institucím a k nerespektování opatření, která vyhlašují. Tento model konfrontujeme s informacemi z rozhovorů s 20 respondenty. Analýza dospěla k pěti kategoriím, které odráží, jak respondenti pandemické situaci rozumí: zodpovědnost, kritika, odstup, produktivní dialog, neproduktivní dialog. Respondentky z kategorie „kritika“ čelily výrazným stresujícím/invalidizujícím změnám. Své kritické postoje k protiepidemickým opatřením udržovaly prostřednictvím hostilního pohledu na osoby s jiným názorem a prostřednictvím nedůvěry v instituce a média. Většina ostatních respondentů opatření dodržovala. Ve svém pohledu na pandemickou situaci brali v potaz různé perspektivy, neuplatňovali hostilní pohled a vyjadřovali určité porozumění lidem s jinými názory. Hostilita tedy může být základním neadaptivním mechanizmem k udržení smysluplného obrazu světa v nepřehledné pandemické době, která však vede k nedůvěře, společenské polarizaci a nedodržování opatření. and Non-adherence to public health measures determines how society copes with the new coronavirus pandemic. In this study, we apply the personal construct theory to answer why some people comply with anti-epidemic measures. The theory assumes that stressful events in the pandemic situation invalidate an individual’s worldview (individual’s construing). If the individual attempts to maintain this construing instead of its reconstruction, s/he may apply the hostility strategy. For example, s/he dismisses information or opinions that are incompatible with his/her original construing. This leads to an elaboration of distrust and critical attitudes towards institutions and to non-compliance with measures they order. We investigate this model by an interview analysis with 20 respondents. The analysis yielded five categories showing how respondents construe the pandemic situation: responsibility, criticism, distance from the subject, productive dialogue, and unproductive dialogue. Respondents from the category “criticism” were facing substantial stressful/invalidating changes. They maintained their critical attitude towards anti-epidemic measures through a hostile view of those with differing opinions and a strong distrust in institutions and media. The other respondents mostly complied with the measures. In their construing of the pandemic situation, they took different perspectives into the account, did not experience hostility, and expressed some degree of understanding to people with different opinions. Thus, hostility could be a fundamental psychological principle to preserve a meaningful worldview in times of the pandemic. Hostility, however, leads to distrust, opinion polarization, and non-compliance with anti-epidemic measures.
Objectives. The global pandemic of COVID-19 represents a major stressor in the lives of health-care professionals. The present study investigat-ed experienced stress and self-reported trauma symptoms among Slovak nurses during the fall of 2020, aiming to describe the extent of expe-rienced stress and trauma, and explain the vari-ation in trauma symptoms using psychosocial predictors. Sample and settings. An online form measuring traumatic stress symptoms, social support, cop-ing strategies, sleep quality and overall experi-enced stress was distributed among nurses and other healthcare professionals. 565 participants responded between November 12th and Decem-ber 20th 2020. Statistical analyses. Several multiple linear re-gressions with demographic and psychosocial predictors were performed to explain variation in traumatic symptoms.Results. The present data shows that 83% of medical nurses perceived increased stress and more than 62% experienced trauma symptoms. Traumatic symptoms could be partly explained based on the participants’ age, perceived social support, and used coping strategies. Higher so-cial support and strategies of acceptance and positive reframing were related to fewer trauma symptoms, while avoidance strategies, such as self-distraction, self-blame, venting, and behav-ioral disengagement to more trauma symptoms. In line with the present findings, professional psychosocial support is important to alleviate stress and prevent traumatization in healthcare workers after the COVID-19 crisis.Limitations. Data were collected via an online form, with a sample consisting of mostly nurses and women lacking data on other medical pro-fessions and men. Finally, traumatic symptoms develop slowly, therefore it is not possible to measure their recovery at this point. and Globálna pandémia ochorenia covid-19 pred-stavuje závažný stresor v životoch zdravot-níckych pracovníkov. Táto štúdia skúmala prežívaný stres a traumatické symptómy u slo-venských zdravotných sestier počas jesene 2020, s cieľom popísať ich rozsah a vysvetliť variáciu v symptómoch traumy na základe psy-chosociálnych prediktorov. Zber dát prebiehal prostredníctvom online formulára distribuova-ného zdravotným sestrám. Súčasťou formulára boli škály na meranie symptómov traumatické-ho stresu (TSQ-10), prežívanej sociálnej opory (MSPSS), copingových stratégií (Brief COPE), kvality spánku (PSQI) a celkového prežívaného stresu (PSS-10). Počas zhoršujúcej sa druhej vlny pandémie, medzi 12. novembrom a 20. decembrom 2020 na formulár odpovedalo 565 zdravotných sestier. Na vysvetlenie variácie traumatických symptómov bolo vytvorených niekoľko lineárnych regresných modelov ob-sahujúcich demografické a psychosociálne prediktory. Získané dáta ukázali, že 83 % zdra-votných sestier vnímalo v danom období, že sú pod zvýšenou mierou stresu, a viac ako 62 % sa prejavovalo traumatickými symptómami. Traumatické symptómy možno čiastočne vy-svetliť na základe veku participantov, vnímanej sociálnej opory a použitých stratégií zvládania. Vyššia sociálna podpora a stratégie prijatia a pozitívneho prerámcovania súviseli s men-ším počtom traumatických symptómov, zatiaľ čo vyhýbavé stratégie, ako sú sebarozptýlenie, sebaobviňovanie, ventilovanie a odangažované správanie, súviseli s väčším množstvom trau-matických symptómov. Limitmi výskumu sú zber prostredníctvom online formulára, vzorka zložená prevažne zo sestier ženského pohlavia, bez údajov o iných zdravotníckych profesiách a o mužoch. Napokon, traumatické symptómy sa vyvíjajú pomaly, preto v tomto bode nie je možné zmerať ich zotavenie. V súlade so súčas-nými zisteniami je dôležitá odborná psychoso-ciálna podpora na zmiernenie stresu a preven-ciu traumatizácie zdravotníckych pracovníkov po kríze covid-19.
The COVID-19 pandemic has presented many challenges for healthcare workers and patients dealing with the physical and emotional toll of this disease. Patients suffering from the effects of COVID-19 pneumonia often experience dyspnoea, or breathlessness, which has increased the prevalence of respiratory anxiety among these cases. The symptoms of pulmonary disease and anxiety overlap, and the effects of these elements exacerbate one another. Drawing from the clinical psychological treatment of 68 COVID-19 patients in the acute phase of disease in standard- and intensive-care units, as well as those post-COVID, this study describes targeted interventions applied over 178 sessions during 3.5 months at the University Hospital in Pilsen, Czech Republic. This study outlines a three-step treatment process designed to address COVID-19-related respiratory anxiety using emotion- and breathing-focused techniques. As part of this brief review, two case studies are offered to illustrate the physiological and psychological experiences common among these patients. The presented three-phased approach may offer targeted and effective treatment for COVID-related respiratory anxiety. and Pandemie covidu-19 představuje mnoho výzev pro zdravotnické pracovníky a pacienty, kteří se potýkají s fyzickými a emocionálními následky této nemoci. Pacienti trpící následky pneumonie covidu-19 často pociťují obtíže s dýcháním, což zvýšilo prevalenci respirační úzkosti v těchto případech. Příznaky onemocnění plic a úzkosti se překrývají, v jejich vzájemné interakci dochází ke zhoršení stavu. Tato studie, čerpající z klinicko-psychologické léčby 68 pacientů s covidem-19 v akutní fázi onemocnění na jednotkách standardní a intenzivní péče po onemocnění covidem, popisuje cílené intervence aplikované na 178 sezeních realizovaných v průběhu 3,5 měsíce ve Fakultní nemocnici v Plzni. Tato studie nastiňuje třístupňový léčebný model určený k řešení respirační úzkosti související s covidem-19 pomocí technik zaměřených na emoce a dýchání. V rámci stručného přehledu jsou nabízeny dvě kazuistiky, které ilustrují fyziologické a psychologické zkušenosti běžné u těchto pacientů. Prezentovaný třífázový přístup může nabídnout cílenou a účinnou léčbu respirační úzkosti související s covidem-19.
In the era of COVID-19 pandemic, organ transplantation programs were facing serious challenges. The lung transplantation donor pool was extremely limited and SARS-CoV-2 viral load assessment has become a crucial part of selecting an optimal organ donor. Since COVID-19 is a respiratory disease, the viral load is thought to be more important in lung transplantations as compared to other solid organ transplantations. We present two challenging cases of potential lung donors with a questionable COVID-19 status. Based on these cases, we suggest that the cycle threshold (Ct) value should always be requested from the laboratory and the decision whether to proceed with transplantation should be made upon complex evaluation of diverse criteria, including the nasopharyngeal swab and bronchoalveolar lavage PCR results, the Ct value, imaging findings and the medical history. However, as the presence of viral RNA does not ensure infectivity, it is still to be clarified which Ct values are associated with the viral viability. Anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgA antibodies may support the diagnosis and moreover, novel methods, such as quantifying SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid antigen in serum may provide important answers in organ transplantations and donor selections.
Prior to the onset of the pandemic, evidence on the conversion of regular rental housing into permanent holiday homes has fuelled concerns that Airbnb and other short-term rentals contribute to the shortage of affordable homes and to the displacement of regular residents in cities with high housing demand. When the pandemic set in, the media was quick to speculate that holiday homes would be returned to the regular rental market. This paper provides some theoretical reflections on the factors that are driving and impeding such a development and presents preliminary results from an ongoing research project that empirically tracesthe impacts of COVID-19 on the rental housing market based on an analysis of real estate listings in four large Austrian cities. We argue that a current shift to the regular rental market is likely, but that the medium- and long-term development is uncertain. Empirically, we demonstrate that such a shift has occurred in all four cities considered. We do not find evidence, however, that the increased rental housing supply has dampened rent levels.
High incidence of thrombosis and venous thromboembolism was reported in patients with COVID-19. In this study, we focused on analysis of thrombophilic mutations performed without a standard DNA extraction step. In one hundred of COVID-19 positive outpatients, real-time PCR for Leiden mutation in the FV gene and G20210A mutation in the FII gene was carried out from DNA extracts and modified whole blood samples, and their cycle threshold (Ct) values were evaluated. In the extracts, healthy homozygotes (wt/wt), heterozygotes (M/wt), and homozygous carriers of Leiden mutation (M/M) provided median Ct values of 18.5, 19.4/22.0, and 20.9. In the whole blood, Ct values were 25.3 (wt/wt), 24.8/27.2 (M/wt), and 26.9 (M/M). Median Ct values for G20210A in the extracts were 19.6 for homozygotes (wt/wt), and 19.7/20.4 for heterozygous carriers. The whole blood samples provided Ct values of 23.9 in healthy homozygotes and 26.3/27.2 in heterozygotes for G20210A mutation. No homozygous subjects for G20210A and no double heterozygotes (for Leiden and G20210A mutations) were found. Despite significant differences in the Ct values, genotyping showed complete result concordance of the DNA extracts and the whole blood samples. The integrity and amplificability of DNA molecules in the whole blood samples during 28 days of deep freezing, interrupted by four cycles of thawing, did not significantly change. In conclusion, we demonstrated a new protocol for the detection of the thrombophilic mutations via real-time PCR on the modified whole blood of COVID-19 positive patients. The blood modification was reliable, easy, cheap, and saving costs and turnaround time of the whole laboratory process.
In this paper we present the first insight about the impact of the COVID epidemic on the pri-mary housing market in Poland, with a focus on Warsaw which is the largest market. We ex-plain the structural features that allowed the market to return to pre-shock levels after the pandemic shock. Contrary, after the 2007-2008 global financial crisis the negative consequences lasted for several years. This time a sharp monetary policy and fiscal intervention was carried out. Moreover, the developer sector is much more mature, has expanded its production capaci-ties. We show empirically that the monopolistic competition of developers allowed them to restrict excessive demand that was observed before the COVID broke out. In this way they were able to increase prices despite the economic problems. Another important structural change was the increased housing demand, mainly for investment housing, which was fi-nanced predominantly with cash and contributed to the development of the rental market. We approximate the investment demand, which was generated by private households that pur-chased flats for rental, with the help of a simple demand and supply model.