Coronavirus Pandemic Research Articles

Analysis of the Effective Tax Rate during the Coronavirus Pandemic on an Emerging Capital Market – Romania

Abstract In the context of the permanent global evolution and the flexible economic framework that investors encounter in the decision-making process, this paper aims to analyze the evolution of the effective tax rate in the context of the Coronavirus pandemic in Romania, as well as the factors of influence associated with it, results in the mentioned period. In order to answer these objectives, a quantitative research was carried out for the 85 companies listed on the regulated trading market on the website of the Bucharest Stock Exchange, where a retrospective methodology was applied based on the financial statements published by them for the years 2020 and 2021. Regarding the determination of the influencing factors associated with the evolution of the effective tax rate, it was performed a regular regression for both mentioned years, noticed that in 2020 the size of the companies (SIZE), their solvency (SOLV), as well as the return on assets (ROA), influenced the variation of the effective tax rate, aspect that could not the noticed in 2021. Regarding the evolution of the effective tax rate, it was found that the companies listed on the Bucharest Stock Exchange were undertaxed in the period 2020-2021.

The Romania-Brazil Trade Relationship under the Threat of the Coronavirus Pandemic and the War in Ukraine

Abstract The year 2020 began with a health crisis, asserted in the same year, as the coronavirus pandemic. In this sense, world governments have taken measures to protect their national economies, measures such as limiting exports or social distancing. In 2022, the economy showed signs of recovery, when in February, war broke out between Ukraine and Russia. Thus, the two events negatively impacted world trade. In this paper, the aim is to point out the impact of the health, economic and war crisis on Romania-Brazil commercial relations, in the period 2019–2023, on Brazilian investments in Romania and on Romanian investments in Brazil. Romania is part of the European Union, being also a military, humanitarian and economic support for Ukrainians. Otherwise, Brazil is part of a totally different political structure, being a partner and ally of Russia. A descriptive research will be carried out on Romania-Brazil trade, in the period 2019–2023, based on the information on the Comexstat platform. In order to identify Brazilian investments in Romania, the research will be carried out conformable of the information provided by the National Trade Registry Office, and the research on Romanian investments in Brazil will be carried out conformable of the information provided by Banco Central do Brasil. The year 2023 represents the best economic year for trade between Romania and Brazil from the period 2019–2023, as commercial exchanges increased by 16% in 2023, compared to 2019. Regarding Brazilian investments in Romania, they are increasing, but Romanian investments in Brazil are decreasing. This work is innovative, because it sheds light on the commercial relationship between two countries with a similar culture, during a period of crisis, countries that are located in two different political and ideological blocs.

Synthesis and anti-SARS-CoV-2 activity of amino acid modified cephalotaxine derivatives.

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic has triggered a significant impact on global public health security, it is urgent to develop effective antiviral drugs. Previous studies have found that binding to ACE2 is a key step in the invasion of SARS-CoV-2 into host cells, so virus invasion can be inhibited by blocking ACE2, but there are few reports on this kind of specific inhibitor. Our previous study found that Harringtonine (HT) can inhibit the entry of SARS-CoV-2 spike pseudovirus into ACE2h cells, but its relatively high cytotoxicity limits its further development. Amino acid modification of the active components can increase their solubility and reduce their cytotoxicity. Therefore, in this study, seven new derivatives were synthesized by amino acid modification of its core structure Cephalotaxine. The target compounds were evaluated by cell viability assay and the SARS-CoV-2 spike pseudovirus entry assay. Compound CET-1 significantly inhibited the entry of pseudovirus into ACE2h cells and showed less cytotoxicity than HT. Molecular docking results showed that CET-1 could bind TYR83, an important residue of ACE2, just like HT. In conclusion, our study provided a novel compound with more potential activity and lower toxicity than HT on inhibiting the SARS-CoV-2 spike pseudovirus infection, which makes it possible to be a lead compound as an antiviral drug in the future.

Conservation of HLA Spike Protein Epitopes Supports T Cell Cross-Protection in SARS-CoV-2 Vaccinated Individuals against the Potentially Zoonotic Coronavirus Khosta-2.

Heterologous vaccines, which induce immunity against several related pathogens, can be a very useful and rapid way to deal with new pandemics. In this study, the potential impact of licensed COVID-19 vaccines on cytotoxic and helper cell immune responses against Khosta-2, a novel sarbecovirus that productively infects human cells, was analyzed for the 567 and 41 most common HLA class I and II alleles, respectively. Computational predictions indicated that most of these 608 alleles, covering more than 90% of the human population, contain sufficient fully conserved T-cell epitopes between the Khosta-2 and SARS-CoV-2 spike-in proteins. Ninety percent of these fully conserved peptides for class I and 93% for class II HLA molecules were verified as epitopes recognized by CD8+ or CD4+ T lymphocytes, respectively. These results show a very high correlation between bioinformatic prediction and experimental assays, which strongly validates this study. This immunoinformatics analysis allowed a broader assessment of the alleles that recognize these peptides, a global approach at the population level that is not possible with experimental assays. In summary, these findings suggest that both cytotoxic and helper cell immune protection elicited by currently licensed COVID-19 vaccines should be effective against Khosta-2 virus infection. Finally, by being rapidly adaptable to future coronavirus pandemics, this study has potential public health implications.

The beneficial potential of ginseng for menopause

Korean Red Ginseng (KRG) has long been used not only as a food supplement but also as a treatment for various diseases. Ginseng originated in South Korea, which later spread to China and Japan, has a wide range of pharmacological activities including immune, endocrine, cardiovascular, and central nervous system effects. KRG is produced by repetitions of steaming and drying of ginseng to extend preservation. During this steaming process, the components of ginseng undergo physio-chemical changes forming a variety of potential active constituents including ginsenoside-Rg3, a unique compound in KRG. Pandemic Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), has affected both men and women differentially. In particular, women were more vulnerable to COVID-related distress which in turn could aggravate menopause-related disturbances. Complementary and alternative medicinal plants could have aided middle-aged women for several menopause-related symptoms during and post COVID-19 pandemic. This review aimed to explore the beneficial effects of KRG on menopausal symptoms and gynecological cancer.

Determinants of burnout in Canadian health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Background: Health care workers (HCWs) are among the most vulnerable groups to experience burnout during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Understanding the risk and protective factors of burnout is crucial in guiding the development of interventions; however, the understanding of burnout determinants in the Canadian HCW population remains limited.Objective: Identify risk and protective factors associated with burnout in Canadian HCWs during the COVID-19 pandemic and evaluate organizational factors as moderators in the relationship between COVID-19 contact and burnout.Methods: Data were drawn from an online longitudinal survey of Canadian HCWs collected between 26 June 2020 and 31 December 2020. Participants completed questions pertaining to their well-being, burnout, workplace support and concerns relating to the COVID-19 pandemic. Baseline data from 1029 HCWs were included in the analysis. Independent samples t-tests and multiple linear regression were used to evaluate factors associated with burnout scores.Results: HCWs in contact with COVID-19 patients showed significantly higher likelihood of probable burnout than HCWs not directly providing care to COVID-19 patients. Fewer years of work experience was associated with a higher likelihood of probable burnout, whereas stronger workplace support, organizational leadership, supervisory leadership, and a favourable ethical climate were associated with a decreased likelihood of probable burnout. Workplace support, organizational leadership, supervisory leadership, and ethical climate did not moderate the associations between contact with COVID-19 patients and burnout.Conclusions: Our findings suggest that HCWs who worked directly with COVID-19 patients, had fewer years of work experience, and perceived poor workplace support, organizational leadership, supervisory leadership and ethical climate were at higher risk of burnout. Ensuring reasonable work hours, adequate support from management, and fostering an ethical work environment are potential organizational-level strategies to maintain HCWs' well-being.

The benefits of Tai Chi practice on standing balance in older adults during COVID-19 pandemic

BackgroundTai Chi has been recommended as a fall prevention exercise for older adults and may be particularly beneficial during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. This study aimed to investigate the benefits of regular Tai Chi practice on standing balance among older adults living in a nursing home during COVID-19 restrictions. MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted with 38 older adults from a nursing home during COVID-19 extended restrictions. Participants were assigned to a Tai Chi group (n = 18, with more than five years of Tai Chi experience) and a control group (n = 20, with no Tai Chi experience). Postural sway during standing balance was assessed under four conditions: eyes open (EO); eyes closed (EC); eyes open with the right leg crossed forward (ER); and eyes open with the left leg crossed forward (EL). Furthermore, participants completed questionnaires face-to-face regarding their physical activity (PA) and sleep quality during the COVID-19 period. ResultsThe Tai Chi group exhibited significantly less postural sway than the control group, particularly under EO and EL conditions (p < 0.05). Both groups had similar sleep quality but different PA profiles. ConclusionRegular Tai Chi practice may help maintain standing balance in older adults, even with limited outdoor mobility due to COVID-19 restrictions. Tai Chi could be an effective home-based exercise for preventing balance decline and potential falls among older adults living in nursing homes during the pandemic. Future studies should investigate the long-term effects of Tai Chi on fall prevention in this population.

Influence of Daily Coping on Psychological Stress: A Multilevel Modeling Approach

The current study examined the association between approach and avoidance coping strategies and psychological stress during the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Participants were 62 adults who were recruited from Amazon’s Mechanical Turk. Data collection lasted for 29 d in May 2020. Multilevel modeling revealed no significant association between approach coping strategies and psychological stress among individuals, and engaging in approach coping more than the usual days was also not associated with lower stress. Regarding avoidance coping strategies, they were positively associated with psychological stress among individuals, and when individuals engaged in avoidance coping more than usual, those individuals were more likely to experience psychological stress. Interestingly, the strength of the association between approach coping strategies and psychological stress was dependent on the levels of psychological stress, where the strength became weaker as the level of stress increased. Similarly, the strength of the association between avoidance coping and stress was also dependent on stress at the beginning of the study, where the strength of the association became stronger as the level of stress increased. Current results raise the importance of being mindful of an individual’s psychological stress as the effectiveness of coping strategies may differ based on one’s level of stress.

Atmospheric Oxidation Capacity Elevated during 2020 Spring Lockdown in Chengdu, China: Lessons for Future Secondary Pollution Control.

This study presents the measurement of photochemical precursors during the lockdown period from January 23, 2020, to March 14, 2020, in Chengdu in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. To derive the lockdown impact on air quality, the observations are compared to the equivalent periods in the last 2 years. An observation-based model is used to investigate the atmospheric oxidation capacity change during lockdown. OH, HO2, and RO2 concentrations are simulated, which are elevated by 42, 220, and 277%, respectively, during the lockdown period, mainly due to the reduction in nitrogen oxides (NOx). However, the radical turnover rates, i.e., OH oxidation rate L(OH) and local ozone production rate P(O3), which determine the secondary intermediates formation and O3 formation, only increase by 24 and 48%, respectively. Therefore, the oxidation capacity increases slightly during lockdown, which is partly attributed to unchanged alkene concentrations. During the lockdown, alkene ozonolysis seems to be a significant radical primary source due to the elevated O3 concentrations. This unique data set during the lockdown period highlights the importance of controlling alkene emission to mitigate secondary pollution formation in Chengdu and may also be applicable in other regions of China given an expected NOx reduction due to the rapid transformation to electrified fleets in the future.

Mr. Thorp goes to Washington.

On 2 April, I received an email that changed the course of the next 2 weeks. The Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic, chaired by United States Congressman Brad Wenstrup, invited me to testify along with my counterparts at Nature and The Lancet. The purpose of the public hearing (Academic Malpractice: Examining the Relationship Between Scientific Journals, the Government, and Peer Review) was to determine whether government officials, specifically former National Institutes of Health leaders Francis Collins and Anthony Fauci, steered journals to publish papers suppressing the idea that COVID-19 may have arisen from a lab accident in Wuhan, China. I was not subpoenaed to appear but made the decision to testify voluntarily. My counterparts, who are based in the United Kingdom, decided not to attend.

Survey on the Effectiveness of the Online Learning Process Due to the Coronavirus (Covid-19) Pandemic in Floor Gymnastics Course

The purpose of this study was to determine the level of effectiveness of the online learning process in floor gymnastics for students of 2019 Physical Education, Health and Recreation, State University of Malang. This study used a quantitative descriptive research design with a survey method. The sample taken in this study is 60% of the total population, namely 139 students of PJKR 2019. Data collection uses a questionnaire instrument based on google form, with five indicators in it (student interest, attractiveness, benefits, technology, interactive quality). The results of this study can be concluded that online learning in floor gymnastics courses can be declared quite effective for PJKR 2019 students. This is evidenced by the results of research that have been carried out with five indicators, as follows: 99 students out of 139 PJKR 2019 students stated that they were quite interested follow online learning in floor gymnastics with a percentage of 71.22%; 59% or 82 students stated that online learning is quite interesting to do; online learning was also stated to be quite beneficial for PJKR 2019 students with a percentage of 58% or 81 students answered quite useful; on the technology indicator, the results were 79% in the medium category; online learning is stated to be quite interactive in floor gymnastics subjects with a percentage of 63.31%.

Understanding Knowledge and Behaviors Related To the Covid-19 Epidemic in Medical Students in Morocco

Introduction: The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic is accompanied with increasing morbidity and mortality and has impacted the lives of people worldwide. Health care personnel including medical school students are at high risk of exposure and transmission of the coronavirus. Our aim is to study the knowledge and behavior of medical students in Morocco towards COVID-19 to have protection for themselves, their work colleagues. Methods: Cross-sectional and descriptive-analytical study in November 2021 among medical students, conducted by a self-administered questionnaire, stratified sampling on years of study was performed. Results: 300 students responded with a 75% response rate, with a mean age of 21.3 ± 1.4 years. The majority 189 (63%) were female, about 207(69 %) of the respondents had good knowledge (GK) and 174 (60%) had good behaviors (GB) using a point varying of 8 to 10 out of 10 and using a point varying of 40 to 60 out of 60 in each case. To combat the COVID-19 pandemic, 76.7% of the study participants improved their regular hand washing, and 94.7% of them used a face mask since the outbreak; There was a significant difference between hand washing with soap and water and COVID infection (p value = 0.002). The prevalence of anti-coronavirus vaccination was 87.7% (95 % CI 83.4, 90.9). Conclusion: Medical students showed a satisfactory level of knowledge and adherence to the recommendations for protection against COVID-19 and they must also be prepared with medical awareness, an appropriate attitude and good precautionary measures In the event of an emergency

INCREASING FISCAL AND ECONOMIC RESILIENCE POST PANDEMIC: EVIDENCE FROM SOUTH ASIAN COUNTRIES

The South Asia region faced extremely difficult economic challenges from the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Almost two billion people living in South Asia were affected by the pandemic. The unprecedented shock in South Asia disturbed the pace and pattern of development and increased the vulnerabilities of the region. The region faced the problems of inequality, high inflation, rising fiscal deficit, disrupted growth, and environmental challenges further increasing the region’s vulnerabilities. Traditional macroeconomic policies are not enough to cope with this problem. In the face of these shocks, South Asian countries need to build robust fiscal and monetary policies and efficient use of remaining resources to build a more resilient economy for the protection of the population. Economic resilience might be effective to overcome such external shocks and support the recovery of all countries especially South Asian countries. Post-pandemic action in South Asian countries thus has become moreimportant, especially with restrained scope of fiscal and monetary stimulus. This examines the impact of COVID-19 on South Asian countries. The paper addresses the economic challenges faced by South Asian Countries in the pre- and post-pandemic period. It also briefly discusses the fiscal stimulus packages released by the South Asian countries to build stronger economies.

Adverse Effects Post COVID-19 Vaccination and its Association with Age, Gender and Comorbid Disease in Basrah City Southern of Iraq.

Vaccination against COVID-19 virus is the most valuable tool available for protection during the pandemic of coronavirus. The clinical manifestation post-vaccination is a barrier to vaccination for many people in Iraq and worldwide. The objective of this study is identifying various clinical manifestations occurring after receiving vaccines among individuals in Basrah Governorate. Moreover, we examine its association with respondents' demographics and the type of vaccine they received. A cross-section study was conducted in Basrah, southern Iraq. Research data were collected through an online questionnaire. The data were analyzed using both descriptive and analytic statistical tools using the SPSS program. Most of the participants (86.68%) received the vaccine. The side effects were reported in 71.61% of vaccinated individuals. Fever and muscle pain were the two most experienced clinical manifestations, while lymph node enlargement and disturbances in taste and/or smell sensations were reported infrequently. Adverse effects were mostly reported with the Pfizer BioNTech vaccine receiver. Females and those in the younger age group also reported a significantly higher incidence of side effects. Most adverse effects related to the COVID-19 vaccine were minor and could be tolerated without the need for hospital admission.

Impact of the State of Emergency Declaration for Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 Pandemic Suppression on Individuals with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus.

Objective To examine the impact of lifestyle changes caused by the first emergency declaration issued in 2020 on glycemic control and body weight changes in Japanese individuals with type 1 diabetes mellitus. Methods This study included Japanese individuals with type 1 diabetes mellitus who visited Tokyo Women's Medical University Hospital between January 2019 and September 2020 (n=278). Seasonal changes in glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels and the body mass index (BMI) were compared. A self-administered questionnaire regarding changes in treatment, diet, exercise, sleep, and telecommuting was used to assess lifestyle changes. Results Although HbA1c levels decreased from winter to summer in 2019 and 2020, the annual change was slightly but significantly greater in 2020 than in 2019. Seasonal changes in the BMI between 2019 and 2020 were also significantly different. An increase in the daily insulin dose, overall blood glucose level, diurnal change in blood glucose level, and food intake were significantly associated with increased HbA1c levels. Furthermore, HbA1c levels decreased with increasing moderate physical activity and sleep duration. The change in the BMI increased with increasing insulin dose, overall high blood glucose levels, and food intake. However, an increase in moderate physical activity was associated with a decrease in the BMI. HbA1c levels were significantly lower after the first emergency declaration in individuals with type 1 diabetes mellitus than that before the emergency declaration, even after accounting for seasonal variations. Conclusion Decreased HbA1c levels were associated with a decreased food intake, increased moderate exercise, and increased sleep duration during the state of emergency. The BMI remained relatively unchanged.

The Behavioural Problems among Elementary School Students in the State of Kuwait during the Newly Discovered Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic

This study aimed to reveal the degree of behavioural problems among students of the elementary stage in the State of Kuwait during the Newly Discovered Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The study sample was selected by using stratified random sampling method consisted of (992) students from the 1st – 5th grades, they were chosen from two schools in Hawali educational district during the scholastic year 2020/2021. The behavioural problems scale has been built and identified its reliability and validity. The results revealed that the mean of behavioural problems among students of the elementary stage in Kuwait during the Newly Discovered Coronavirus (COVED-19) pandemic reached to (1.91) with a low degree. There were statistically significant differences in the means of behavioural problems attributable to gender in favor of male students, and there were no statistically significant differences in the means of behavioural problems Attributed to the classroom.

EXPLORING FOREIGN LANGUAGE TEACHER BELIEFS AND PRACTICES IN TURKEY: A CASE STUDY

This case study explores the relationship between an Italian as a foreign language teacher’s beliefs and online teaching practices in a tertiary education setting during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic. Specifically, it aims to find out the teachers’ beliefs with regard to their professional identities, and their roles in foreign language teaching classrooms. Besides, it was discussed if the teachers’ beliefs concerning their role identities are related to their classroom practices. Data were collected over an academic term through one semi-structured interview and two observations conducted at beginning and at the end of the semester in order to see if there are any differences according to the professional roles of the instructor in the course of time depending on the learners’ enhanced Italian language competence. The findings of the study revealed that the instructor acted out as a manager, facilitator, input provider, motivator and a translator in two observations, showing a slight difference in degree of synchronous interaction among the instructor and the students with the printed text, video tape or Web site. The interview responses revealing the instructor’s beliefs were correlated with the roles observed in synchronous communication. This study is limited to the online foreign language classroom. It would be interesting to observe what other roles the teachers play in the face-to-face classroom. It may be suggested that the studies investigating those of teachers instructing foreign languages other than English may enlighten the research on teachers’ beliefs and their professional role identities and contribute to the professional development of foreign language teachers. Last but not least, for professional growth of pre-service foreign language teachers, preliminary studies on teacher cognition should be included in the curriculum of teaching practicum.

Assessing the impact of COVID-19 on renal health in recovered patients: a multi-center longitudinal study

The&lt;b&gt; &lt;/b&gt;coronavirus pandemic of 2019 has become a global health problem. This article presents an analysis of the scientific literature focusing on the pathogenetic and clinical parallels between the kidneys and SARS-CoV-2, as well as the state of kidney health in patients who have recovered from treatment. The goal is to analyze the effects of COVID-19 on kidney health in recovered patients amid an unprecedented flow of scientific data. To achieve this goal, we analysed scientific databases to study the impact of COVID-19 on kidney health in recovered patients. The majority of patients infected with coronavirus had kidney damage, comorbidities, and insufficiency of many organs. Deterioration of kidney function after COVID-19 is observed not only in patients with urological diseases, but also in those patients who have not previously had kidney problems. Despite the fact that nephrologists have developed rapid response methods and defined emergency tactics for the management of patients with kidney damage in COVID-19, cases of kidney disease continue to increase, and the percentage of patients in intensive care units is increasing. For better medical outcomes, careful monitoring of renal function and early laboratory diagnostics to determine biochemical markers, both serum, and urine, in patients with COVID-19 and continuous monitoring of these indicators after recovery are recommended.

The Impact of the Coronavirus Pandemic on Vaccination Coverage in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Routine vaccination coverage in Latin America and the Caribbean declined prior to and during the coronavirus pandemic. We assessed the pandemic's impact on national coverage levels and analyzed whether financial and inequality indicators, immunization policies, and pandemic policies were associated with changes in national and regional coverage levels. We compared first- and third-dose coverage of diphtheria-pertussis-tetanus-containing vaccine (DTPcv) with predicted coverages using time series forecast modeling for 39 LAC countries and territories. Data were from the PAHO/WHO/UNICEF Joint Reporting Form. A secondary analysis of factors hypothesized to affect coverages during the pandemic was also performed. In total, 31 of 39 countries and territories (79%) had greater-than-predicted declines in DTPcv1 and DTPcv3 coverage during the pandemic, with 9 and 12 of these, respectively, falling outside the 95% confidence interval. Within-country income inequality (i.e., Gini coefficient) was associated with significant declines in DTPcv1 coverage, and cross-country income inequality was associated with declines in DTPcv1 and DTPcv3 coverages. Observed absolute and relative inequality gaps in DTPcv1 and DTPcv3 coverage between extreme country quintiles of income inequality (i.e., Q1 vs. Q5) were accentuated in 2021, as compared with the 2019 observed and 2021 predicted values. We also observed a trend between school closures and greater-than-predicted declines in DTPcv3 coverage that approached statistical significance (p = 0.06). The pandemic exposed vaccination inequities in LAC and significantly impacted coverage levels in many countries. New strategies are needed to reattain high coverage levels.

‘We Were an Afterthought’: Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic in Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) Communities in New South Wales, Australia

ABSTRACT This paper investigates the impact on Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) communities in Australia of government and community responses to the coronavirus pandemic of 2019 in the domains of education, employment, housing, social connectedness, and public health communication. Most of the examples are drawn from the state of New South Wales. In Australia, CALD refers to people from countries not classified as main English speaking. Most CALD communities reported in this article are from refugee backgrounds, are recently arrived migrants or do not use English in most of their communication. Inadequate, and in some instances, inappropriate or absent support, adversely impacts CALD communities. We used a multidisciplinary bricolage approach that draws on media, government, and community support publications and concluded that CALD communities experienced heightened pressures due to lower resource availability and poor communication. This led to disruption of support services, exposing gaps and vulnerability. The results reported here challenge Australian government, schools, community agencies, researchers to include proactively CALD community perspectives when planning and responding to such crises in future. Improving communication, pandemic response planning, addressing needs and ensuring participation are key considerations.