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Sociodemographic information, as well as whether responders presented symptoms compatible with COVID-19 (suspected cases) or had undergone PCR with a positive result (confirmed cases) was required. [...]perception of the quality of the information received (insufficient/adequate/excessive) as well as effectiveness of the protection measures provided (insufficient/adequate/excessive) were included. According to the degree of expertise within physicians, when clinical cut-offs score of 4 are applied to BDI, significant differences were found with up to 40.8% of trainees fulfilling scores for depression compared to 30.7% of specialists (p = 0.04). According to the protection measures, participants who considered the protection insufficient showed an increased average of HARS (p = 0.001), BDI (p = 0.001), and ASDI (p = 0.001) scores than those who consider it adequate.

Objective We aim to explore the differential presence of symptoms of anxiety, depression, and acute stress between men and women during the COVID‐19 outbreak, and to study the relationship between these symptoms and two environmental variables, coexistence, and violence. Methods We conducted a cross‐sectional study starting on March 29 to April 5, 2020, based on a national online survey using snowball sampling techniques. Symptoms of anxiety (Hamilton Anxiety Scale), depression (Beck Depression Inventory), and acute stress (Acute Stress Disorder Inventory) were assessed. Differences in the presence of symptoms and the relationship of coexistence and domestic violence were evaluated from a gender perspective. Results Men showed significant lower mean (SD) in anxiety, depression, and acute stress levels than women [HARS, 14.1 (9.8) versus. 18.4 (10.2), F = 56.2, p < .001; BDI 3.4 (3.9) versus 4.5 (4.3), F = 16.6, p < .001, and ASDI 3.6 (2.9) versus 4.7 (3.1), F = 39.0, p < .001, respectively), as well as a weaker depressive syndrome (28.1% males versus 39.9% females, χ2 = 25.5, p < .001). In addition, an interaction Gender × Coexistence was found in anxiety (F = 56.2, p < .001) and acute stress (F = 3.52, p = .06) and, according to depressive symptoms, an interaction Gender × Violence was found marginally significant (F = 3.3, p = .07). Conclusions Findings indicate that women present greater severity in symptoms of anxiety, depression, and acute stress. Moreover, loneliness and violence specifically worsen the emotional state in women. These results can undoubtedly guide better healthcare planning adopting a gender perspective. Our results indicate that women present greater severity in symptoms of anxiety, depression, and acute stress Moreover, loneliness and violence specifically worsen the emotional state in women.

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, different methods have been used to detect the presence of genetic material of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater. The use of wastewater for SARS-CoV-2 RNA detection and quantification showed different problems, associated to the complexity of the matrix and the lack of standard methods used to analyze the presence of an enveloped virus, such as coronavirus. Different strategies for the concentration process were selected to carry out the detection and quantification of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in wastewater: (a) aluminum hydroxide adsorption–precipitation, (b) pre-treatment with glycine buffer and precipitation with polyethylene-glycol (PEG) and (c) ultrafiltration (Centricon). Our results showed that the reduction of organic matter, using the pre-treatment with glycine buffer before the concentration with Centricon or aluminum hydroxide adsorption–precipitation, improved the recovery percentage of the control virus, Mengovirus (MgV) (8.37% ± 5.88 n = 43; 6.97% ± 6.51 n = 20, respectively), and the detection of SARS-CoV-2 in comparison with the same methodology without a pre-treatment. For the concentration with Centricon, the use of 100 mL of wastewater, instead of 200 mL, increased the MgV recovery, and allowed a positive detection of SARS-CoV-2 with N1 and N2 targets. The quantity of SARS-CoV-2 RNA detected in wastewater did not show a direct correlation with the number of confirmed cases, but the study of its upwards or downwards trend over time enabled the detection of an increase of epidemiological data produced in September 2020, January 2021 and April 2021.

Spatial distribution of diurnal variations of aerosol properties in South Korea, both long term and short term, is studied by using 9 AERONET (AErosol RObotic NETwork) sites from 1999 to 2017 and an additional 10 sites during the KORUS-AQ (Korea–United States Air Quality) field campaign in May and June of 2016. The extent to which the WRF-Chem (Weather Research and Forecasting coupled with Chemistry) model and the GOCI (Geostationary Ocean Color Imager) satellite retrieval can describe these variations is also analyzed. On a daily average, aerosol optical depth (AOD) at 550 nm is 0.386 and shows a diurnal variation of 20 to -30 % in inland sites, which is larger than the AOD of 0.308 and diurnal variation of ±20 % seen in coastal sites. For all the inland and coastal sites, AERONET, GOCI, and WRF-Chem, and observed PM2.5 (particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter less than 2.5 µm) data generally show dual peaks for both AOD and PM2.5, one in the morning (often at ∼08:00–10:00 KST, Korea Standard Time, especially for PM2.5) and another in the early afternoon (∼14:00 KST, albeit for PM2.5 this peak is smaller and sometimes insignificant). In contrast, Ångström exponent values in all sites are between 1.2 and 1.4 with the exception of the inland rural sites having smaller values near 1.0 during the early morning hours. All inland sites experience a pronounced increase in the Ångström exponent from morning to evening, reflecting an overall decrease in particle size in daytime. To statistically obtain the climatology of diurnal variation of AOD, a minimum requirement of ∼2 years of observation is needed in coastal rural sites, twice as long as that required for the urban sites, which suggests that the diurnal variation of AOD in an urban setting is more distinct and persistent. While Korean GOCI satellite retrievals are able to consistently capture the diurnal variation of AOD (although it has a systematically low bias of 0.04 on average and up to 0.09 in later afternoon hours), WRF-Chem clearly has a deficiency in describing the relative change of peaks and variations between the morning and afternoon, suggesting further studies for the diurnal profile of emissions. Furthermore, the ratio between PM2.5 and AOD in WRF-Chem is persistently larger than the observed counterparts by 30 %–50 % in different sites, but spatially no consistent diurnal variation pattern of this ratio can be found. Overall, the relatively small diurnal variation of PM2.5 is in high contrast with large AOD diurnal variation, which suggests the large diurnal variation of AOD–PM2.5 relationships (with the PM2.5 / AOD ratio being largest in the early morning, decreasing around noon, and increasing in late afternoon) and, therefore, the need to use AOD from geostationary satellites to constrain either modeling or estimate of surface PM2.5 for air quality application.

The clinical success of chimeric antigen receptor-modified T cells (CAR-T cells) for hematological malignancies has not been reproduced for solid tumors, partly due to the lack of cancer-type specific antigens. In this work, we used a novel combinatorial approach consisting of a versatile anti-FITC CAR-T effector cells plus an FITC-conjugated neuroblastoma (NB)-targeting linker, an FITC-conjugated monoclonal antibody (Dinutuximab) that recognizes GD2. We compared cord blood (CB), and CD45RA-enriched peripheral blood leukapheresis product (45RA) as allogeneic sources of T cells, using peripheral blood (PB) as a control to choose the best condition for anti-FITC CAR-T production. Cells were manufactured under two cytokine conditions (IL-2 IL-7+IL-15+IL-21) with or without CD3/CD28 stimulation. Immune phenotype, vector copy number, and genomic integrity of the final products were determined for cell characterization and quality control assessment. Functionality and antitumor capacity of CB/45RA-derived anti-FITC CAR-T cells were analyzed in co-culture with different anti-GD2-FITC labeled NB cell lines. The IL-7+IL-15+IL-21 cocktail, in addition to co-stimulation signals, resulted in a favorable cell proliferation rate and maintained less differentiated immune phenotypes in both CB and 45RA T cells. Therefore, it was used for CAR-T cell manufacturing and further characterization. CB and CD45RA-derived anti-FITC CAR-T cells cultured with IL-7+IL-15+IL-21 retained a predominantly naïve phenotype compared with controls. In the presence of the NB-FITC targeting, CD4+ CB-derived anti-FITC CAR-T cells showed the highest values of co-stimulatory receptors OX40 and 4-1BB, and CD8+ CAR-T cells exhibited high levels of PD-1 and 4-1BB and low levels of TIM3 and OX40, compared with CAR-T cells form the other sources studied. CB-derived anti-FITC CAR-T cells released the highest amounts of cytokines (IFN-γ and TNF-α) into co-culture supernatants. The viability of NB target cells decreased to 30% when co-cultured with CB-derived CAR-T cells during 48h. CB and 45RA-derived T cells may be used as allogeneic sources of T cells to produce CAR-T cells. Moreover, ex vivo culture with IL-7+IL-15+IL-21 could favor CAR-T products with a longer persistence in the host. Our strategy may complement the current use of Dinutuximab in treating NB through its combination with a targeted CAR-T cell approach.

Scientific interest in the positive aspects of aging and the development of healthy aging has increased, given the need to ensure older people well-being and quality of life. In this sense, social support and some sociodemographic variables may have a not yet entirely clear role. The main objective of this work was to analyze the predictive relationships of age, marital status, social support and subjective well-being on the general perception of the health of a group of elderly people. The participants were 137 people (77.4% women) between 61 and 91 years old (M = 73.11; SD = 6.22); 56.9% of them had a partner and 40.1% did not. The path analysis tested indicates that social support has an indirect predictive value on perceived overall health through its influence on subjective well-being. Age and life satisfaction are the most important direct predictors of perceived overall health. Conclusions highlight the need to delve into the study of explanatory factors of the general perception of the health of the elderly and promote interventions to facilitate the development of an appropriate social support network and increase the subjective well-being of this group.

Background Cachexia, a syndrome frequently occurring in cancer patients, is characterized by muscle wasting, altered energy and protein metabolism and impaired myogenesis. Tumour‐derived microvesicles (TMVs) containing proteins, messenger RNAs (mRNAs), and non‐coding RNAs could contribute to cancer‐induced muscle wasting. Methods Differential ultracentrifugation was used to isolate TMVs from the conditioned medium of Lewis lung carcinoma and C26 colon carcinoma cell cultures. TMVs were added to the culture medium of C2C12 myoblasts and myotubes for 24–48–72 h, and the effects on protein and energy metabolism were assessed. TMVs were also isolated from the blood of C26‐bearing mice. MicroRNA (miR) profile of TMVs was obtained by RNA‐seq and validated by digital drop PCR. Selected miRs were overexpressed in C2C12 myoblasts to assess the effects on myogenic differentiation. Results Differentiation was delayed in C2C12 myoblasts exposed to TMVs, according to reduced expression of myosin heavy chain (MyHC; about 62% of controls at Day 4) and myogenin (about 68% of controls at Day 4). As for myotubes, TMVs did not affect the expression of MyHC, while revealed able to modulate mitochondria and oxidative metabolism. Indeed, reduced mRNA levels of PGC‐1α (C = 1 ± 0.2, TMV = 0.57 ± 0.06, normalized fold change, P < 0.05) and Cytochrome C (C = 1 ± 0.2, TMV = 0.65 ± 0.04, normalized fold change, P < 0.05), associated with increased BNIP3 expression (C = 1 ± 0.1, TMV = 1.29 ± 0.2, normalized fold change, P < 0.05), were observed, suggesting reduced mitochondrial biogenesis/amount and enhanced mitophagy. These changes were paralleled by decreased oxygen consumption (C = 686.9 ± 44 pmol/min, TMV = 552.25 ± 24 pmol/min, P < 0.01) and increased lactate levels (C = 0.0063 ± 0.00045 nmol/μL, TMV = 0.0094 ± 0.00087 nmol/μL, P < 0.01). A total of 118 miRs were found in MVs derived from the plasma of the C26 hosts; however, only three of them were down‐regulated (RNA‐seq): miR‐181a‐5p (−1.46 fold change), miR‐375‐3p (−2.52 fold change), and miR‐455‐5p (−3.87 fold change). No correlation could be observed among miRs in the MVs obtained from the blood of the C26 host and those released by C26 cells in the culture medium. Overexpression of miR‐148a‐3p and miR‐181a‐5p in C2C12 myoblasts revealed the ability to impinge on the mRNA levels of Myf5, Myog, and MyHC (Myh4 and Myh7). Conclusions These results show that in C2C12 cultures, TMVs are able to affect both differentiation and the mitochondrial system. Such effects could be related to TMV‐contained miRs.

Racial and ethnic identities, largely understood as social rather than biologic constructs, may impact risk for acquiring infectious diseases, including fungal infections. Risk factors may include genetic and immunologic differences such as aberrations in host immune response, host polymorphisms, and epigenomic factors stemming from environmental exposures and underlying social determinants of health. In addition, certain racial and ethnic groups may be predisposed to diseases that increase risk for fungal infections, as well as disparities in healthcare access and health insurance. In this review, we analyzed racial and ethnic identities as risk factors for acquiring fungal infections, as well as race and ethnicity as they relate to risk for severe disease from fungal infections. Risk factors for invasive mold infections such as aspergillosis largely appear related to environmental differences and underlying social determinants of health, although immunologic aberrations and genetic polymorphisms may contribute in some circumstances. Although black and African American individuals appear to be at high risk for superficial and invasive Candida infections and cryptococcosis, the reasons for this are unclear and may be related to underling social determinants of health, disparities in access to healthcare, and other socioeconomic disparities. Risk factors for all the endemic fungi are likely largely related to underlying social determinants of health, socioeconomic, and health disparities, although immunologic mechanisms likely play a role as well, particularly in disseminated coccidioidomycosis.

The death of a loved one was a challenge many people faced during the COVID-19 pandemic within the context of extraordinary circumstances and great uncertainty. Grief is an unavoidable part of life, and for most people, feelings of grief decrease naturally over time. However, for some people, grieving can become a particularly painful process with clinical symptoms that may require professional help to resolve. To provide psychological support to people who had lost a loved one during the COVID-19 pandemic, an unguided web-based psychological intervention was developed. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of the web-based treatment, Grief COVID (Duelo COVID in Spanish; ITLAB), in reducing clinical symptoms of complicated grief, depression, posttraumatic stress, hopelessness, anxiety, and suicidal risk in adults. The secondary aim was to validate the usability of the self-applied intervention system. We used a randomized controlled trial with an intervention group (IG) and a waitlist control group (CG). The groups were assessed 3 times (before beginning the intervention, upon completing the intervention, and 3 months after the intervention). The intervention was delivered on the web in an asynchronous format through the Duelo COVID web page. Participants created an account that could be used on their computers, smartphones, or tablets. The evaluation process was automated as part of the intervention. A total of 114 participants were randomly assigned to the IG or CG and met criteria for inclusion in the study (n=45, 39.5% completed the intervention and n=69, 60.5% completed the waitlist period). Most participants (103/114, 90.4%) were women. The results indicated that the treatment significantly reduced baseline clinical symptoms in the IG for all variables (P<.001 to P=.006), with larger effect sizes for depression, hopelessness, grief, anxiety, and risk of suicide (all effect sizes ≥0.5). The follow-up evaluation showed that symptom reduction was maintained at 3 months after the intervention. The results from the CG showed that participants experienced significantly decreased levels of hopelessness after completing the time on the waitlist (P<.001), but their suicidal risk scores increased. Regarding the usability of the self-applied intervention system, the results indicated a high level of satisfaction with the Grief COVID. The self-applied web-based intervention Grief COVID was effective in reducing symptoms of anxiety, depression, hopelessness, risk of suicide risk, posttraumatic stress disorder, and complicated grief disorder. Grief COVID was evaluated by the participants, who reported that the system was easy to use. These results affirm the importance of developing additional web-based psychological tools to help reduce clinical symptoms in people experiencing grief because of the loss of a loved one during a pandemic. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04638842; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04638842.

Background ADCK genes encode aarF domain‐containing mitochondrial kinases involved in coenzyme Q (CoQ) biosynthesis and regulation. Haploinsufficiency of ADCK2 in humans leads to adult‐onset physical incapacity with reduced mitochondrial CoQ levels in skeletal muscle, resulting in mitochondrial myopathy and alterations in fatty acid β‐oxidation. The sole current treatment for CoQ deficiencies is oral administration of CoQ10, which causes only partial recovery with postnatal treatment, underscoring the importance of early diagnosis for successful intervention. Methods We used Adck2 heterozygous mice to examine the influence of this gene on muscle structure, function and regeneration throughout development, growth and ageing. This investigation involved techniques including immunohistochemistry, analysis of CoQ levels, mitochondrial respiratory content, muscle transcriptome analysis and functional tests. Results We demonstrated that Adck2 heterozygous mice exhibit defects from embryonic development, particularly in skeletal muscle (1102 genes deregulated). Adck2 heterozygous embryos were 7% smaller in size and displayed signs of delayed development. Prenatal administration of CoQ10 could mitigate these embryonic defects. Heterozygous Adck2 mice also showed a decrease in myogenic cell differentiation, with more severe consequences in ‘aged’ mice (41.63% smaller) (P < 0.01). Consequently, heterozygous Adck2 mice displayed accelerated muscle wasting associated with ageing in muscle structure (P < 0.05), muscle function (less grip strength capacity) (P < 0.001) and muscle mitochondrial respiration (P < 0.001). Furthermore, progressive CoQ10 administration conferred protective effects on mitochondrial function (P < 0.0001) and skeletal muscle (P < 0.05). Conclusions Our work uncovered novel aspects of CoQ deficiencies, revealing defects during embryonic development in mammals for the first time. Additionally, we identified the gradual establishment and progression of the deleterious Adck2 mouse phenotype. Importantly, CoQ10 supplementation demonstrated a protective effect when initiated during development.