Global Pandemic Research Articles

ANALISIS DAMPAK COVID-19 PADA LAPORAN LABA RUGI

The Covid-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on various aspects of life, including the economy and industries in Indonesia. This impact is reflected in the profit and loss statements, which are important indicators in understanding a company's financial performance. This research aims to analyze the profit and loss statements of PT. Mayora Indah Tbk. from 2018 to 2022, with a focus on how the Covid-19 pandemic has affected the company's financial performance. The research method used in this study is descriptive analysis, using secondary data from the company's profit and loss statements during the period. The results of the analysis show that the company experienced various changes in financial performance during the 2018-2022 period, as a response to the challenging economic conditions caused by the pandemic. Although there was a decline in performance in 2021, the company was able to overcome the negative impact and achieve positive growth in 2022. This analysis provides a comprehensive understanding of PT. Mayora Indah Tbk.'s adaptability and success in facing economic and market challenges during the Covid-19 pandemic. This research provides important insights into how leading manufacturing companies like PT. Mayora Indah Tbk. can survive and grow amidst the uncertain business and economic landscape caused by the global pandemic.

Syrian refugees in Canada: a qualitative report of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on psychosocial adaptation

Purpose Since March 2020, the global COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately impacted refugees by compounding preexisting and systemic health, social and economic inequities. In Canada, approximately 50,000 Syrian refugees arrived between 2015 and 2020 and were in the process of rebuilding their lives when the pandemic started. This study aims to explore the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic for Syrian refugees in Canada and identify supports needed. Design/methodology/approach Drawing on frameworks for refugee psychosocial adaptation and social integration and a qualitative descriptive design, the study used thematic analysis to examine semi-structured interviews with 10 Syrians. Findings Findings indicated four themes that provide a snapshot of impacts relatively early in the pandemic: facing ongoing development, inequity and insecurity during integration; disruption of settlement, integration and adaptation due to the pandemic; ongoing adaptation and resilience during integration in Canada; and ongoing needs and solutions for integration and adaptation. Originality/value This study builds upon growing research concerning Syrian refugees and psychosocial adaptation, particularly during the pandemic. The findings highlight the impacts of the pandemic on a population already facing inequities in a resettlement country. While the findings emphasize the resilience of the Syrian refugee community, the study also demonstrates the need for ongoing supports and justice-oriented action to fulfill resettlement commitments, especially in the face of additional stressors like the COVID-19 pandemic. Implications for policy, practice and future research are discussed.

Optical biosensor based on the dual-functional gold nanoparticles for rapid and accurate multiplex detection of influenza A and B viruses

Due to the global pandemic of influenza and related respiratory diseases, rapid and accurate detection is in high demand to control virus spread and facilitate early treatment. However, most current molecular detection methods either require long turnaround times, suffer from low sensitivity and/or can only detect single pathogens. To overcome these challenges, we constructed a novel colorimetric gold nanoparticle (AuNPs) biosensor containing functionalized probes to detect multiple targets simultaneously. Utilizing the salt aging method, AuNPs were functionalized by the designed oligonucleotides to fabricate biosensors. This biosensor can show visible color change within 20 min, and could minimally detect the target influenza viruses at 10 nM. This detection technique presents high sensitivity in a short time, meanwhile identifying two different influenza viruses simultaneously. It opens a window to a multiplex-in-one strategy for a clinical viral diagnostic.

Global pandemic governance: A multilevel concept for managing pandemic crises worldwide

This article examines how countries can effectively respond to global health pandemics in six stages. Previous research has assumed that human social and economic activities affect the spread of viral infectious diseases, and it has been noted that countries fight global pandemics independently, making the response inefficient. As no comprehensive governing guidelines exist for managing global public health pandemics, this article argues for the need for an international, integrated governance framework, offering theoretical reflections on a novel integrated, multilevel governance concept, the Global Governance of Pandemic Crises (GGPC), which is centered around crisis management theory at an international level. The article differentiates four pandemic governance processes—risk, emergence, recovery, and goal governance—in six pandemic periods that are linked to different processes of public health pandemic governance. The GGPC concept may prove useful to organisations responsible for governing pandemics and implementing relevant measures in affected countries.

Choosing a Vita Site Model: Traditional Face-To-Face versus Alternative Virtual Models

Since the early 1970s, the Internal Revenue Service’s (IRS) Volunteer Income Tax Assistance/Tax Counseling for the Elderly (hereafter, VITA) programs have provided free income tax return preparation and filing assistance for eligible taxpayers in various underserved communities. In 2020, COVID-19 presented VITA Site Coordinators with the unique challenge of either shutting down completely or finding ways to remain open amid a global pandemic. Many of those that remained open found themselves forced to rely upon virtual methods to accomplish at least some of the steps in the return preparation process, prompting heightened concerns over taxpayer identity verification and securitization of taxpayers’ personal information. Post-COVID beginning in 2022, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), to ensure consistent operation of all sites regardless of the site model being used, began requiring VITA Site Coordinators to document and receive approval for their planned methodologies by December 31 of the year preceding each filing season. The process is more burdensome for those sites using any remote methodologies and could partially explain why the number of VITA sites, VITA volunteers, and returns processed at VITA sites have not returned to pre-pandemic levels. This paper is intended to help VITA Site Coordinators better understand the different models they might use and make a sound choice based on that understanding to motivate greater participation in the VITA program.

The Role of ACE2 in Neurological Disorders: From Underlying Mechanisms to the Neurological Impact of COVID-19.

Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) has become a hot topic in neuroscience research in recent years, especially in the context of the global COVID-19 pandemic, where its role in neurological diseases has received widespread attention. ACE2, as a multifunctional metalloprotease, not only plays a critical role in the cardiovascular system but also plays an important role in the protection, development, and inflammation regulation of the nervous system. The COVID-19 pandemic further highlights the importance of ACE2 in the nervous system. SARS-CoV-2 enters host cells by binding to ACE2, which may directly or indirectly affect the nervous system, leading to a range of neurological symptoms. This review aims to explore the function of ACE2 in the nervous system as well as its potential impact and therapeutic potential in various neurological diseases, providing a new perspective for the treatment of neurological disorders.

Two phylogenetic cohorts of the nucleocapsid protein NP and their correlation with the host range of influenza A viruses

Influenza A virus has a wide natural areal among birds, mammals and humans. One of the main regulatory adaptors of the virus host range is the major NP protein of the viral nucleocapsid. Phylogenetic analysis of the NP protein of different viruses has revealed the existence of two phylogenetic cohorts in human influenza virus population. Cohort I includes classical human viruses that caused epidemics in 1957, 1968, 1977. Cohort II includes the H1N1/2009pdm virus, which had a mixed avian-swine origin, but caused global human pandemic. Also, the highly virulent H5N1 avian influenza virus emerged in 2021 and caused outbreaks of lethal infections in mammals, including humans, appeared to have the NP gene of the second phylogenetic cohort and, therefore, by the type of adaptation to human is similar to the H1N1/2009pdm virus and seems to possess a high epidemic potential for humans. The data obtained shed light on pathways and dynamics of avian influenza viruses adaptation to humans and propose phylogenetic algorithm for systemic monitoring of dangerous virus strains to predict epidemic harbingers and take immediate preventive measures.

“Differentiation is Sometimes a Hit and Miss”. Educator Perceptions of Differentiated Instruction in the Higher Education Sector

AbstractDifferentiated instruction is an effective means of addressing student diversity, and is increasingly being adopted by educators within the higher education sector. However, the global pandemic and changes to content delivery have altered the educational landscape. Hybridised delivery has resulted in the need for more innovative and contemporary means of accommodating student diversity, to suit both in-situ and remote learning platforms. Additionally, increasing student diversity in higher education has prompted a rethinking of how to accommodate student variance. This qualitative study sought to gauge the views of four educators, who were faced with hybridisation of content delivery during the global pandemic. Led by an overarching objective of ascertaining educator perceptions, responses and attitudes toward differentiated instruction, the study utilised four in-depth case studies to reflect on the implementation of differentiated instruction in the higher education sector. Results from this qualitative analysis yielded the view that time constraints, the coverage of prescribed content and increasing student diversity continue to act as barriers to authentic differentiation. While all showcased educators embraced the underlying philosophy of differentiating instruction to suit student needs, many were hampered by administrative duties which compromised their time and effort with regard to differentiation.

Porous feminism: leaking technologies and ambivalent attachments

ABSTRACT Fears, for many, have been actualized during the global pandemic. Working through borders and geographical crossings, this article performs a constellation of my anxieties about race, culture, and academia. I explore what kinds of feminisms might leak through if we let ourselves fall into fear. Through autotheory, a way of theorizing from my life experience, I revisit domains of seemingly bygone issues of feminism through encounters of distress and unease, marked through the performance of public/private breastfeeding and pumping. I put tension on feminist configurations of materiality as they rub against my memories. Alongside this, I analyze the tactics offered by the video and performance works of Patty Chang. The article mobilizes Patty Chang work Milk Debt, which presents through performers pumping breastmilk while reciting solicited fears from people living across myriad geographies during COVID-19. I suggest my fears alongside Chang’s performances of fear agitate the ways in which colonialism, elitism, and racial power persist in feminist circles—these fears assemble what I call a porous feminism that enables unruly minoritized feminisms to leak through.

The Women and Children of India's Red-Light Brothel Districts: An Exploratory Investigation of Vulnerability and Survival During a Global Pandemic.

Globally, women and children were disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Vulnerable populations of women and children-including those who live in poverty, lack access to health care, have little informal support, and who face stigma and discrimination-were particularly susceptible to harm incurred by the pandemic. Using social determinants of health framework, this investigation sought to understand the lived experiences of women and children residing in an impoverished, resource-poor, urban brothel red-light brothel area district in India, at the outset of the pandemic and following the national lockdown(s). Four questions guided the investigation: (1) How did participants first hear about COVID-19 and what was learned regarding self-protective measures? (2) What daily life challenges were posed by the national lockdown? (3) To what extent were participants able to access or rely on informal supports support during the initial stages of the pandemic? and (4) What types of assistance, if any, did participants receive from non-governmental organizations (NGOs) or other (e.g., governmental) sources? This is one of only a handful of empirical investigations elevating the voices of children residing in urban brothel-based red-light districts. Findings pose significant implications for practice, policy, and continued research.

Navigating Chronic Illness Care Amidst a Global Pandemic: Insights from Missed Clinic Visits Before, During and After COVID-19 in Nigeria

Navigating Chronic Illness Care Amidst a Global Pandemic: Insights from Missed Clinic Visits Before, During and After COVID-19 in Nigeria

Policy-driven projects: Empowering the world to confront grand challenges

The world is beset by grand challenges, those messy, multi-stakeholder, value-laden, complex, wicked, and constantly evolving problems like climate change, unsustainable development, economic inequality, and global pandemics. While these grand challenges call for projects to translate policies into actions and changes, these projects tend to fall short of their ‘beautiful’ goals- such as the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Yet, the management literature remains mostly silent about the role of projects and project delivery in tackling grand challenges. In this article, we discuss the contribution of projects to grand challenges and ask what type of project management they demand, particularly in Europe. In light of the sheer complexity and interdependency of grand challenges and the projects they provoke, we call for further collaboration between project scholars and management scholars to help policymakers shape a better world where no one is left behind.

Assessing downtown recovery rates and determinants in North American cities after the COVID-19 pandemic

North American downtowns are struggling to recover from the global COVID-19 pandemic. This study aims to investigate the varying rates of recovery experienced by downtown areas in the 66 largest cities of the United States and Canada. Leveraging Location-Based Services data extracted from mobile phone location trajectories, we assess the recovery rates in the 2023 post-pandemic period, juxtaposed against pre-pandemic 2019 levels. We find significant disparities in downtown recovery rates. Economic factors emerge as crucial determinants, where downtowns hosting a concentration of sectors with remote/hybrid work options – such as information, finance, professional services and management – displayed sluggish recovery. Conversely, downtowns with a focus on industries like accommodation, manufacturing, education, retail, construction, entertainment and healthcare exhibited greater resilience post pandemic. Furthermore, higher density, crime rates and education levels were correlated with slower recovery rates, as were harsher weather conditions and longer commuting times. Lower-density and auto-orientated downtowns demonstrated a swift rebound, even surpassing pre-pandemic activity levels. These findings underscore the necessity for tailored policies to bolster the revival of North American downtown areas.

Functioning School Leadership During COVID-19

The current global pandemic has created an extraordinary and unprecedented opportunity for educational authorities to initiate significant reforms in the operating protocols of schools as a necessary response to the challenges posed by the COVID-19 crisis. The abrupt shift from traditional, in-person classroom instruction to remote and online learning environments has highlighted the need for swift action and thorough preparedness, requiring educational systems to adapt rapidly to new teaching methods and technologies. The long-lasting impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has introduced additional challenges for school leadership, emphasizing the urgent need for change and adaptation during this ongoing global health emergency. The critical role of academic leadership has become increasingly important, as leaders are now tasked with addressing complex issues and ensuring that education continues to be delivered effectively despite the disruptions caused by the pandemic. This study conducts a comprehensive analysis of the current literature on the effects of school leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic. It aims to identify significant trends, advancements, and insights regarding academic leadership practices and their impact on school communities during the pandemic. Practical guidelines and views are offered for immediate use and future research areas.

The impact of monetary policy interventions on economic stability during global pandemics; a case study of the United States’ monetary policy initiatives in the fight against the Covid 19 pandemic

The study assesses the importance of monetary policy in the fight against global pandemics. Specifically, the study delves into United State’s monetary policy responses to the unprecedented COVID 19 pandemic; a global pandemic that pushed governments across the globe to institute strict measures as well as impose restrictions in their quest to contain the virus and ultimately minimize its economic ramifications. As such, the study compares the impact of monetary policy on economic growth (Real GDP) during the pandemic as against the pre-pandemic periods with the goal of assessing its relative impact on ensuring economic stability. The research shows that the impact of traditional monetary policy tools on economic stability and growth diminished during the Covid 19 pandemic compared to the pre-pandemic period. The pandemic, therefore, introduced a novel economic dynamic, one that various world economies were evidently not ready for. The result of the study calls for a holistic and adaptive monetary policy in periods that engender major economic uncertainties, such as global pandemics. The study shall add to the discourse regarding the limitation of monetary policy during pandemics. It shall provide suggestions that seek to enhance economic resilience and provide pertinent information that could potentially be incorporated into designing strategies that minimize the economic impact of pandemics in the future. Keywords: Pandemic, GDP, Economic Stability, Monetary Policy, COVID 19, Intervention, Economic Growth.

Kaempferol as a novel inhibitor of SARS-CoV-2 RNA-dependent RNA polymerase

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) has quickly become a global health pandemic. Among the viral proteins, RNA‐dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) is responsible for viral genome replication and has emerged as a promising target against SARS‐CoV‐2 infection. Dietary bioactive compounds represent an important source of evolutionarily optimized molecules with antiviral properties against SARS-CoV-2 RdRp. We investigated the inhibitory potential effects of different phytochemicals against SARS-CoV-2 RdRp, including andrographolide, kaempferol, resveratrol, and silibinin. Unlike the other investigated compounds, kaempferol exhibited a significant dose-dependent in vitro inhibition of SARS-CoV-2 RdRp activity. To assess the binding interactions and stability of the SARS-CoV-2 RdRp-kaempferol complex, we performed in silico techniques, including molecular docking, quantum chemical calculation, and molecular dynamics simulations. We found strong binding affinities and stability between kaempferol and SARS-CoV-2 RdRp variants (Wuhan and Omicron). These findings provide valuable insights into the antiviral properties of kaempferol as a stable inhibitor of SARS-CoV-2 RdRp. Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma

Cognitive Representations and Personal Experiences of COVID-19 Using Social Virtual Reality

Abstract In the wake of the global COVID-19 pandemic, understanding its psychological and social impacts has become a critical area of scientific inquiry. The pandemic's far-reaching consequences have been felt across diverse populations, prompting a need for innovative research methodologies to capture the breadth of individual experiences. This study addresses the challenge of articulating personal narratives during the pandemic by leveraging the capabilities of social virtual reality (VR) and digital storytelling, a method yet to be fully explored in pandemic-related research. Here, we show that by integrating photogrammetric 3D media with social VR technology, we can obtain a nuanced understanding of individuals' experiences during the COVID-19 lockdowns. Our analysis reveals distinct themes related to health, life events, environment, technology, and employment, illustrating a complex interplay of factors influencing personal experiences during the pandemic. These findings contrast with and expand upon previous research by providing a more immersive and participant-centric perspective on the pandemic's impact. They highlight the value of using VR to capture and analyze personal experiences in unprecedented global situations. By situating these results within the broader context of pandemic research, this study underscores the potential of VR as a transformative tool for social science research. It opens new avenues for understanding complex human experiences, offering valuable insights across scientific disciplines, thereby enhancing our collective knowledge of the pandemic's multifaceted effects on society.

Countering hegemonism in the Indo-Pacific

The global COVID-19 pandemic has exposed and accentuated the irreconcilable differences among Indo-Pacific states concerning ideology, governance, and understandings of the legitimate uses of power. The Communist Party of China is employing great power statecraft that is best described by the Chinese concept of 霸权主义 Bàquán zhŭyì (hegemonism or aggression aimed at weaker states). This ideologically driven behavior threatens the stability of the global system and may hinder the political and economic gains achieved over decades through the collective cooperation and constraint of aggressive great power statecraft. This article describes a transformation in the People's Republic of China's (PRC) approach towards Australia. It suggests that unless there's an internal upheaval in the PRC's statecraft, the global system might need to temporarily rely on mercantilist blocs to maintain human security, primarily within the democratic states of the Indo-Pacific. This survival strategy would involve resisting hegemonism.

The COVID-19 pandemic and occupational health-transitioning to the new normal.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic had a profound impact on workers’ health and well-being. There are significant implications for Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) as we transit to the new normal, including the adoption of digital health solutions, emergence of remote work and the need to review our perspectives on the traditional OSH framework in tackling workplace hazards in a pandemic. This will better prepare us for the inevitable next global pandemic.

Examining Role of 1-Year Online College Can Improve Access to Higher Learning

Purpose: This study aims to address the diminishing access to top universities by investigating and proposing alternative solutions to allow for additional deserving students admittance into highly selective universities. Results: Admittance to top universities have been steadily declining over the past 20 years, which has only been exasperated recently due to the global pandemic. As college admission committees continue to modify their assessment criterions, this has caused some consternation among high schoolers who feel their chances of getting admitted to various schools fluctuate with every news release. Through literature review and analysis, this study examines the benefits and challenges of utilizing a 1-year online offering to help bolster admission rates. From research evidence, the benefits of a 1-year online structure are reduced cost to the student, enhanced networking, and study abroad opportunities while the benefit to the universities are increased inflow of tuition dollars and greater alumni base for potential future donation support. However, online learning presents numerous challenges, such as isolation and decreased motivation. This study addresses these issues by proposing schools pool their additional capital to fund offsite communal shared spaces for the very purpose of enabling face to face socialization and learning. Conclusion: The results conclude that setting up an online learning environment for 1-year (this study used sophomore year as an example) will allow additional students to be admitted. Students can still gain social connections while realizing significant financial savings off their college bill. Universities will generate incremental revenue which, in part, can fund initiatives such as scholarships, on-campus facilities, and shared offsite classroom spaces for remote students.