Modern Pandemic Research Articles

Social Isolation and Loneliness: Modern Pandemic of a Psychosocial Determinant of Health

Social connectedness is a fundamental aspect of human nature. Over the last two decades, there has been a behavioral pandemic of social isolation and loneliness globally. Social isolation and loneliness affect people of all ages and constitute an increasingly important social determinant of mental health (SDoMH). Chronic loneliness and isolation trigger neurobiological mechanisms and behavior alterations that contribute to a cascade of adverse health consequences. Feeling lonely and socially isolated are associated with a higher likelihood of mortality and are more common and more severe in people with serious mental illnesses. The rapid growth of technology and social media, globalization, and societal polarization, are likely to be an underlying threat of rising social isolation and loneliness. However, technology can also be utilized in various ways to address social isolation and loneliness. We discuss strategies and interventions for combating the loneliness pandemic at individual and community levels. [ Psychiatr Ann. 2024;54(7):e196–e201.]

Trend analysis of the current epidemic situation and analysis of factors underlying local uneven spread of covid cases

This research has been carried out by analyzing the specific processes of the local epidemic dynamics of COVID by comparing the qualitative differences in fluctuations in 2020 and 2023. Methods of nonlinear dynamics of the development of epidemic processes in a rapidly changing situation were used to identify and qualify trends and unique situations that sometimes changed extremely fast. A distinctive feature of the modern pandemic is a rather sharp change in local trends: the effect of the fading of the primary outbreak of the disease and the sudden sharp onset of a new epidemic wave after a long trend of decreasing daily infections. Minimization of the exposure to viral infections did not prevent spreading the virus but created the illusion of success. The existing experience in generating forecasts of epidemic outbreaks based on models of past epidemic processes could not help when faced with a new evolving virus. The previously obtained understanding of the development and completion of epidemic processes of influenza virus strains more likely hindered the prediction of the scenario for the completion of the spread of a new infection, which is also associated with the eventual nature of the process and a variety of dynamic situations. A victory over COVID in the phase of the minimum after the wave, which was announced by many countries, turned out to be premature. New Zealand and Japan, which opted for a strict lockdown strategy in 2020, had a surge of COVID cases in early 2023 because new strains came into circulation. Outbreaks of respiratory diseases known as the Spanish flu and swine flu pandemics, data from which were used by many countries to make predictions, had run their course naturally in two or three waves of illness. At the beginning of 2023, against the backdrop of a global positive trend, some countries have reported a record rise in both mortality and daily morbidity due to the emergence of locally circulating “alarm” strains. A current stage on isolation of stable regional strains substantiates the classification of a series of differentiated properties of the dynamics of regional epidemic situations. Among the observed epidemic effects, extreme phenomena in the form of instantaneous bifurcation destruction of established regimes such as a sharp transition from long-term damped oscillations to a new exponential outbreak in some infections are separately highlighted. The selected options for the development of epidemic transient oscillatory processes are separately introduced in equation forms with delay for local epidemic trends. Equations are proposed to describe three variants of development of the observed stages of local epidemics. The task of constructing a generalized predictive model of a pandemic to describe interrelated regional processes at this stage seems insoluble.

Ancient Yersinia pestis genomes lack the virulence-associated YpfΦ prophage present in modern pandemic strains.

Yersinia pestis is the causative agent of at least three major plague pandemics (Justinianic, Medieval and Modern). Previous studies on ancient Y. pestis genomes revealed that several genomic alterations had occurred approximately 5000-3000 years ago and contributed to the remarkable virulence of this pathogen. How a subset of strains evolved to cause the Modern pandemic is less well-understood. Here, we examined the virulence-associated prophage (YpfΦ), which had been postulated to be exclusively present in the genomes of strains associated with the Modern pandemic. The analysis of two new Y. pestis genomes from medieval/early modern Denmark confirmed that the phage is absent from the genome of strains dating to this time period. An extended comparative genome analysis of over 300 strains spanning more than 5000 years showed that the prophage is found in the genomes of modern strains only and suggests an integration into the genome during recent Y. pestis evolution. The phage-encoded Zot protein showed structural homology to a virulence factor of Vibrio cholerae. Similar to modern Y. pestis, we observed phages with a common origin to YpfΦ in individual strains of other bacterial species. Our findings present an updated view on the prevalence of YpfΦ, which might contribute to our understanding of the host spectrum, geographical spread and virulence of Y. pestis responsible for the Modern pandemic.

Ayurveda and Endocrinology: Common Ground, Common Goals

In this editorial, we explore Ayurvedic concepts of health, and analyze how they relate to modern endocrinology. We expand our discussions to inclusion of other South Asian schools of medicine, as well as philosophical and metaphysical models of South Asian thought. A detailed assessment suggests that Ayurveda is based upon sound endocrine and metabolic foundation, which can serve as a framework for person-centered, integrative management of modern pandemics such as diabetes, obesity and other endocrine disorders. We call for awareness and understanding of the common ground, as well as common goals of Ayurveda and modern endocrinology.

Fungal Aeroallergens-The Impact of Climate Change.

The incidence of allergic diseases worldwide is rapidly increasing, making allergies a modern pandemic. This article intends to review published reports addressing the role of fungi as causative agents in the development of various overreactivity-related diseases, mainly affecting the respiratory tract. After presenting the basic information on the mechanisms of allergic reactions, we describe the impact of fungal allergens on the development of the allergic diseases. Human activity and climate change have an impact on the spread of fungi and their plant hosts. Particular attention should be paid to microfungi, i.e., plant parasites that may be an underestimated source of new allergens.

Бесплодие, ассоциированное с аденомиозом. Обзор литературы

Background. Infertility tends to become one more modern pandemic. According to some estimates, the percentage of infertile couples varies between 10–25% (48–180 million). Such couples face adverse effects on their physical and mental health, financial hardship, serious social stigma, increased risk of domestic violence, and marital instability. Adenomyosis is a common gynecological disorder of unclear etiology that affects female reproductive health. Alterations in endometrial function and susceptibility that are associated with adenomyosis negatively affect the reproductive potential. Current treatments have not achieved good results in combating infertility, that is why it is extremely important to study the causes of infertility, and the review of current research in this area seems relevant. Aim. To explore etiology and pathogenesis of infertility associated with adenomyosis by reviewing scientific papers. Results. The review addresses mechanisms underlying the development of infertility associated with adenomyosis and treatment options.

Modern Pandemics: Recession and Recovery

Abstract We examine the immediate and bounce-back effects from six modern health crises that preceded Covid-19. Time-series models for a large cross-section of economies indicate that real GDP growth falls by around 2 percentage points in affected economies relative to unaffected economies in the year of the outbreak. Bounce-back in GDP growth is rapid and strong, especially when compared to non-health crises. Unemployment for less educated workers is higher and exhibits more persistence, and there is significantly greater persistence in female unemployment than male. Moreover, the negative initial effects of pandemics and bounce-back are economically contagious through international trade. The negative effects on GDP and unemployment are felt less in economies with larger first-year responses in government spending, especially on health care. Our estimates imply that the impact effect of the Covid-19 shock on world GDP growth is approximately four standard deviations worse than the average past pandemic.

Modern Pandemic Crises and Default Risk: A Worldwide Evidence

Modern Pandemic Crises and Default Risk: A Worldwide Evidence

Global Challenges of Modern Era: Cardiovascular Diseases at The Beginning of XXI Century

At the beginning of XXI century cardiovascular diseases continue to be the most significant problem for modern medicine as the field of theoretical scientific knowledge, practical medicine, social, economic and domestic political spheres of activity in most countries of the world, and against the background of the outbreak of modern pandemics they have taken on the outlines of serious challenges to humanity, its viability. Particular attention is drawn to the fact that the population of the whole world feels the consequences of cardiovascular diseases expressed in the steady disability of the adult population, demographic decline, low life expectancy and high mortality rates. As analyzed in the article, these facts have become a serious basis for finding the ways to combat cardiovascular diseases on a global scale coordinating the actions and efforts of different countries in a single common task. In the work the author focuses the main attention on how important it is to convey the message to the international community that the problem of cardiovascular diseases is not only a strictly medical one and that it is beyond the power of healthcare organizations to solve it alone, even having mobilized all their capabilities. The purpose of the research:To create a general picture of cardiovascular pathology in the modern world as a global social problem in order to find ways to correct the activities of national and international health organizations, as well as non-medical organizations to combat heart pathologies.

Development and Preliminary Validation of the Pandemic Avoidance and Concern Scales (PACS).

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to radical disruptions to the routines of individuals and families, but there are few psychometrically assessed measures for indexing behavioural responses associated with a modern pandemic. Given the likelihood of future pandemics, valid tools for assessing pandemic-related behavioral responses relevant to mental health are needed. This need may be especially salient for studies involving families, as they may experience higher levels of stress and maladjustment related to school and business closures. We therefore created the Pandemic Avoidance and Concern Scales (PACS) to assess caregivers’ and youths’ adjustment to COVID-19 and future pandemics. Concern and Avoidance factors derived from exploratory factor analyses were associated with measures of internalizing symptoms, as well as other indices of pandemic-related disruption. Findings suggest that the PACS is a valid tool for assessing pandemic-related beliefs and behaviors in adults and adolescents. Preliminary findings related to differential adjustment between caregivers and youths are discussed.

Technical Services and COVID-19: An Investigation into the Lasting Impact of a Modern Pandemic on Library Technical Units

ABSTRACT Already facing declining staffing numbers and departmental erosion, library technical services units were disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Whereas many library services could easily pivot to an online environment, technical services departments were forced to transition traditionally in-person, physical collection work to a remote environment. Seeking to better understand the lasting impact of the coronavirus pandemic on library technical services units, a survey distributed from October 2021 to January 2022 collected 829 responses to investigate the challenges faced by technical services departments and the lasting impacts of COVID-19 on these specific units.

Re-Membering – A Plea for Togetherness

Starting with a recall of the overwhelming feeling, voiced by many thinkers, that the post-WWII era brought about the ‘sense of an ending’ of history as Mitsein (being-in-common), the essay explores the renewed necessity to re-learn to be together in the wake of the worst modern pandemic by appealing to Jean-Luc Nancy’s imagination of a community without community. Nancy’s plea for a singular togetherness will be re-examined in relation to his view that COVID-19 makes us equal and ‘communizes’ us, including in our respective isolations, which we attempt to re-interpret within the critical framework, in memory studies, of what James E. Young called ‘collected memory’. Inflecting Maurice Halbwachs’s original ‘collective memory’ to allow for the many discrete, fragmented memories of disparate individuals united in common moments of remembrance, ‘collected memory’ will be seen as a hyphenated process of ‘re-membering’, a poetic piecing together of disjointed, scattered members and isolated communities gathered in virtual unison through their respective losses. This research is supported by The Program for Professor of Special Appointment (Eastern Scholar) at Shanghai Institutions of Higher Learning.

An Unbounded Era of the Millennium

Dear editor In this era of a modern pandemic of this new millennium, called as COVID-19, which has left no borders of the human world untouched on this planet. It is a timeless thing to be a witness to this future historic event of this millennium. The world has moved into the era of globalization with cutting edge technology and highly advanced therapies for some of the most complex human diseases. We can now identify the extremes of nano causes of illness and human diseases and intervene in the nano world. Putting intravascular stents, breaking down calcium plaques in the vessels, transplanting human hearts, utilizing artificial hearts, devices such as ICDs for life-threatening arrhythmias are just very few examples of incredibly advanced treatments for improving human health and treating illness. These highly advanced therapies that exist now were once only a dream of some crazy beings, decades and centuries ago. We have touched human lives in the most possible nano routes. We can fathom the DNA and RNA technology. We now have the vaccines for Covid-19 using the mRNA technology which is a huge technological advancement. Despite all of these, we have to remain that humble being since we still do not know a whole lot about lots of things. The fact that we are living in a world of a deadly pandemic despite persistent heroic measures worldwide from multiple sources for the past two years tells us that we are merely insignificant beings.

In silico analysis of local RNA secondary structure in influenza virus A, B and C finds evidence of widespread ordered stability but little evidence of significant covariation

Influenza virus is a persistent threat to human health; indeed, the deadliest modern pandemic was in 1918 when an H1N1 virus killed an estimated 50 million people globally. The intent of this work is to better understand influenza from an RNA-centric perspective to provide local, structural motifs with likely significance to the influenza infectious cycle for therapeutic targeting. To accomplish this, we analyzed over four hundred thousand RNA sequences spanning three major clades: influenza A, B and C. We scanned influenza segments for local secondary structure, identified/modeled motifs of likely functionality, and coupled the results to an analysis of evolutionary conservation. We discovered 185 significant regions of predicted ordered stability, yet evidence of sequence covariation was limited to 7 motifs, where 3—found in influenza C—had higher than expected amounts of sequence covariation.

Intersectionality and the Interpretation of Past Pandemics

Intersectionality refers to the potential for multiple axes of identity to overlap and interact within a single individual, whose lived experiences are further affected by structural forms of oppression that are perpetuated within their society. Intersectionality has been adapted by a variety of social science disciplines exploring the negative effects of multiple marginalization and systemic inequality in living populations, but remarkably few intersectional studies of health or pandemics in the past have been produced in bioarchaeology. Bioarchaeologists, specifically, are uniquely positioned to contribute to interdisciplinary discourse by expanding the contextual and temporal purviews of intersectionality scholarship, which currently focuses primarily on living populations from Western, industrialized contexts. The purpose of this review is to encourage and facilitate intersectionality research within bioarchaeology. To accomplish this goal, the article is divided into three sections: the first section provides a general overview of intersectionality, the second section discusses examples of intersectional scholarship from related disciplines that address health disparities and modern pandemics, and the third section considers the ways in which bioarchaeologists might integrate intersectionality in our empirical research on health and disease in the past. Given the potentially daunting task of using bioarchaeological data to investigate intersectionality and health in the past, the third section also highlights three quantitative methodologies that intersectionality scholars have used to investigate the independent, additive effects of individual social identities as well as the multiplicative effects of those same identities as they operate in conjunction with each other to produce patterns of health outcomes in living populations.

Digital Technologies in Russian Criminal Proceedings: Limits and Problems of Implementation

Introduction. Digitalisation is one of the important developments and trends in modern Russian legal proceedings. This has become especially relevant in the context of a modern pandemic. The digitalisation of the judicial system made it possible in the new conditions to successfully resolve the problems of accessibility to justice. The intensive process of digitalisation of legal proceedings requires analysis by scientists and law enforcement officers. Digitalisation refers to the quality of communication-digital technologies and their compliance with the necessary high standards of guaranteed protection of the rights of persons involved in the sphere of legal proceedings. Digital technologies are in demand for progressive procedural means. They can be combined into various stages of the regulation of criminal procedure. Attention is drawn to the need for a nuanced approach to the use of digital technologies in different types of legal proceedings. The uniqueness of the criminal process, which contains important moral principles, the implementation of which cannot be automated, is emphasised. The criteria for the admissibility of the use of digital technologies by the court when considering criminal cases are resolved. Theoretical Basis. Methods. The theoretical basis of this article was modern scientific works of domestic and foreign jurists, which are devoted to the discussion of the problems of digitalisation of legal proceedings. The scientific research methods used in the process of work was determined based on the purpose of the study, namely the clarification of the place of digital technologies in the system of regulation of criminal procedures. The research is based on such fundamental general scientific methods as dialectical, systemic, logical, structural and functional. Also, such private scientific methods were used as historical-legal, formal-legal, comparative-legal, etc. Results. The active introduction of digital technologies in the sphere of legal proceedings in the Russian Federation is the result of a significantly increased value in the scientific and technical potential of modern innovations in the life of society and the goals of the state aimed at improving the quality of the administration of justice. The process of digitalisation of legal proceedings should be arranged taking into account the preservation of guarantees of the rights of citizens to fully-fledged judicial protection. This cannot be carried out exclusively in an “automatic” way. The importance of moral foundations and the presence of inalienable emotional and cognitive components in the content of the criminal procedural activity of the court require a nuanced approach to the issue of the scope and possibilities of using digital technologies in the process of justice. The conceptual approach to digitalisation of criminal proceedings must be based on its traditional fundamental basis. Digital technologies used by a court in criminal proceedings must meet the following four criteria: 1) a focus on ensuring the appointment of criminal proceedings and specific legal rights and interests of participants in criminal proceedings; 2) a completed regulatory mechanism; 3) a technical ability to be realised in the form specified by the criminal procedure law; 4) have an alternative nature, which does not exclude the possibility of using traditional procedural means. Discussion and Conclusion. The process of introducing digital technologies into criminal proceedings, the automation of its individual stages cannot be without boundaries and be uncontrolled. It should proceed with due regard for its procedural, legal and moral nature, together with its objectively inherent features which constitute the traditional form of criminal justice. The existing fragmentary introduction and regulation of innovative technologies in modern criminal proceedings leaves a number of problems of normative regulation unresolved. The creation of an integral regulatory procedural mechanism for the implementation of each digital technology is required.

An Effective COVID-19 Medical Student Elective

BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic has revealed the importance of teaching medical students pandemic preparedness and COVID-19 related clinical knowledge. To fill the gap of COVID-19 instruction backed by evaluation data, we present a comprehensive COVID-19 pilot curriculum with multiple levels of evaluation data.MethodsIn the spring of 2020, the University of California, Irvine (UCI) School of Medicine piloted a two-week, primarily asynchronous COVID-19 elective course for medical students. The goal of the course is to provide a foundation in clinical care for COVID-19 while introducing students to emerging issues of a modern pandemic. Objectives align with institutional objectives, and instruction is delivered in thematic modules. Our curriculum utilizes numerous instructional strategies effective in distance learning including independent learning modules (ILM), reading, video lectures, discussion board debates, simulation and evidence-based argument writing. We designed a three-level, blended evaluation plan grounded in the Kirkpatrick and Kirkpatrick evaluation model that assessed student satisfaction, relevance, confidence, knowledge and behavior.ResultsOur end of course survey revealed that students had high levels of satisfaction with the curriculum, and felt the course was relevant to their clinical education. Various assessment tools showed excellent levels of knowledge attainment. All respondents rated themselves as highly confident with the use of personal protective equipment, though fewer were confident with ventilator management.ConclusionOverall our pilot showed that we were able to deliver relevant, satisfying COVID-19 instruction while allowing students to demonstrate knowledge and desired behaviors in COVID-19 patient care.

International Tourism in the Context of the COVID-19 Pandemic: Trends and Development Models

Covid-19 is a modern pandemic of the 21st century that has changed the course of human history. In 2019, the pandemic increased its development, spread and mutation, which had a negative impact on humanity, countries and their economies. But for about three years now, Covid-19 has become an integral part of human life, with the unexpected effects of the pandemic affecting all areas of economic activity and their functioning, including international tourism. The international industry is quite extensive and has many directions of its development, which affected each of them during the pandemic. Covid-19 made a great impression, especially on small countries, peninsulas and islands, which were 95% dependent on the tourist flow and through which they existed. In the course of writing the scientific work, the theoretical principles were considered and a comparative description of world GDP, tourist arrivals, job losses, the dynamics of tourism spending, the cost of measures against Covid. The study of the problems and functioning of tourism under the influence of the pandemic allows us to analyze trends in this area and assess the current state of development. This study aims to examine the unprecedented impact of Covid-19 on international tourism. In the process of analysis, the theoretical foundations were clarified and a comparative description of the data of the world tourism market from 2019-2021 on the spread of the pandemic was made. Also, calculations, forecasts, models of future functioning of international tourism have been developed, which have been used in the development of measures to improve international tourism and the stability of the industry. However, the experience of foreign countries in combating the impact of Covid-19 and the development of the represented industry has been applied. As a summary of the analysis and grouping of key information, we have developed our own recommendations for improving international tourism. Keywords pandemic, islands, international tourism, GDP, tourist arrivals, models of tourism industry, forecasts, principles, destinations, recommendations.

Pandemics, capitalism, and an ecosocialist pedagogy

Environmental education has historically been largely silent about the effects of capitalism on the planet, limiting the effectiveness of the transformative pedagogical potential of EE. This article argues that to understand the rise, spread, and consequences of pandemics, we must analyze the role played by capitalism as a world-ecology system through the simultaneous mechanisms of unlimited profit, unlimited growth, and unlimited commodification. Widespread deforestation, unregulated wildlife trade, and the industrial confinement of animals are believed to be at the origin of modern pandemics, and capitalism has exacerbated each one of these problems. As a counteractive measure, this article advocates for an ecosocialist world-ecology, and calls on EE theoreticians and practitioners to embrace a pedagogy grounded in ecosocialism. As a starting point, it imbues expanded meanings to vital words—justice, solidarity, consumption, and technology—to assist the field of EE in its response to the current pandemic.

General health awareness and culture of individuals with chronic kidney diseases and their influence on the treatment process

Introduction: Awareness is used by people to make decisions about how to act rationally in a given situation. Aim: The purpose of this publication is to study the health awareness and culture of people with chronic kidney disease based on the collected literature data. Material s and M ethods: For the period 2001–2021, a review was made using the scientific databases Web of Science, Science Direct, Up to Date, including keywords in English: awareness, chronic kidney disease, culture. The study consisted of 36 554 publications, of which 8 274 are review articles and 13 378 are articles with research results. Results and D iscussion: The health literacy of the population is extremely important for the patient's cooperation in the treatment provided for him, as well as for the prognosis of his disease as a whole. It also determines the decision regarding the replacement treatment of renal function in end-stage renal disease. The lack of cooperation is typical in hemodialysis patients. However, in order to have an active social position on this issue, it is necessary to create and implement policies aimed at promoting health and raising public awareness. Only in this way can people be expected to be able to be active participants in this process. Conclusion: Chronic kidney disease is part of the modern pandemic of chronic, non-communicable diseases, which occupies one of the leading in frequency and cause of death among the world's population. A high level of awareness leads to better self-esteem, and this directly reflects on the quality of life of the patient with kidney disease. In order to create awareness-raising strategies for patients with chronic kidney disease, it is first necessary to establish in advance their level of knowledge about kidney disease in general in addition to the various treatment methods.