Prevalence of Anxiety and Depression among Nurses during the early phase of COVID-19: A meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE: The COVID-19 pandemic exposed significant mental health challenges among healthcare workers, particularly nurses, who are key frontline responders and are the largest segment of the global health workforce. Given the ongoing threat of Mpox and potential new COVID-19 variants, understanding these challenges is vital. This review estimates the prevalence of anxiety and depression among nurses during the early phase of the pandemic to inform future pandemic responses. METHODS: A systematic review was conducted to identify studies published from January 1st to November 9, 2020. The quality of the included studies was assessed using the JBI Critical Appraisal Checklist. This review was reported according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. A meta-analysis was performed using a random-effects model to estimate the pooled prevalence of anxiety and depression. FINDINGS: Twenty-seven studies, involving 39,386 nurses from ten countries, were included in the meta-analysis. The pooled prevalence of anxiety across 24 studies was 38.54% (95% CI: 33.99, 43.10) (I2 = 97.89%). The pooled prevalence of depression in 22 studies was found to be 35.52% (95% CI: 26.61, 44.43) (I2 = 99.72%). INTERPRETATION: The pooled prevalence of anxiety and depression in nurses caring for patients with COVID-19 during the early phase of the pandemic was higher than that in other healthcare workers. With the ongoing Mpox outbreak and the potential for future pandemics, these findings necessitate timely screening and robust mental health strategies to support nurses and enhance healthcare resilience

Quorum sensing signalling alters virulence potential and population dynamics in complex microbiome-host interactomes

Despite the discovery of the first N-acyl homoserine lactone (AHL) based quorum sensing (QS) in the marine environment, relatively little is known about the abundance, nature and diversity of AHL QS systems in this diverse ecosystem. Establishing the prevalence and diversity of AHL QS systems and how they may influence population dynamics within the marine ecosystem, may give a greater insight into the evolution of AHLs as signaling molecules in this important and largely unexplored niche. Microbiome profiling of Stelletta normani and BD1268 sponge samples identified several potential QS active genera. Subsequent biosensor-based screening of a library of 650 marine sponge bacterial isolates identified 10 isolates that could activate at least one of three AHL biosensor strains. Each was further validated and profiled by Ultra-High Performance Liquid Chromatography Mass Spectrometry, with AHLs being detected in 8 out of 10 isolate extracts. Co-culture of QS active isolates with S. normani marine sponge samples led to the isolation of genera such as Pseudomonas and Paenibacillus, both of which were low abundance in the S. normani microbiome. Surprisingly however, addition of AHLs to isolates harvested following co-culture did not measurably affect either growth or biofilm of these strains. Addition of supernatants from QS active strains did however impact significantly on biofilm formation of the marine Bacillus sp. CH8a sporeforming strain suggesting a role for QS systems in moderating the microbemicrobe interaction in marine sponges. Genome sequencing and phylogenetic analysis of a QS positive Psychrobacter isolate identified several QS associated systems, although no classical QS synthase gene was identified. The stark contrast between the biodiverse sponge microbiome and the relatively limited diversity that was observed on standard culture media, even in the presence of QS active compounds, serves to underscore the extent of diversity that remains to be brought into culture

Cytokines associated with moderate and severe adverse events during a controlled human malaria infection trial

Thesis (Master's)--University of Washington, 2025Background: Ensuring the safety and efficacy of candidate vaccines is critical. Although mechanisms underpinning protective immune responses to malaria vaccines are frequently investigated, immune responses correlating with moderate and severe adverse events (AEs) have not been examined.Methods: In order to determine which cytokines were associated with moderate and severe AEs, we measured the concentration of 41 different cytokines in serum samples from multiple participants at different timepoints throughout the trial. Each measurement was then assigned to a clinical group depending on if the individual was experiencing an AE and/or if they had evidence of parasitemia at the time of the measurement (e.g. None, AE without Parasitemia, Parasitemia without AE, or Parasitemia with AE). We then performed Principal Component Analysis, individual univariate cytokine comparisons using Wilcoxon rank sum tests, and a mixed effects logistic regression to determine if cytokine profiles varied across these clinical groups. Results: The Principal Component Analysis revealed that observations clustered based on similarity in cytokine signatures and that the principal components were associated with both AEs and parasitemia. We also found that Interleukin (IL)-6 was elevated in individuals with Parasitemia with AE but not Parasitemia without AE in both the univariate comparisons and the mixed effects logistic regression. Multiple other cytokines were associated with Parasitemia without AE and Parasitemia with AE (e.g. Interferon gamma-inducible protein (IP)-10, Macrophage inflammatory protein (MIP)-1a, Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-Ã ). Conclusions: This is the first study to characterize real-time cytokine profiles associated with moderate and severe AEs in a human vaccine candidate trial. More research on immune responses associated with moderate and severe AEs, the mechanisms underpinning these immune responses, and their relationship to vaccine efficacy is warranted

Propinquity through dwelling: Living in evacuee properties after the Partition of India and Pakistan

How quickly can displaced peoples develop meaningful ties to new locations and what material forms facilitate such connections? In this paper, we provide a discussion of post-displacement topophilia (attachment to place). As a case study, we focus on the migration of the Sharif family who fled from India to Pakistan during the 1947 Partition. The Sharif family fundamentally lost their home and faced threats as they migrated past socio-politically opposed migrant groups moving in the opposite direction. They then resettled into the places abandoned by these “enemies” while these “enemies” resettled within the village they left behind. Through this example, we consider the effects of propinquity though dwelling—a closeness and empathy born from a shared familiarity with a dwelling place. We acknowledge that when multiple groups have ties to the same location, contention often ensues. However, we argue that when peoples become intimately familiar with one another’s dwelling spaces, the result is often mutual respect and understanding. </jats:p

Development and Validation of Novel RP-HPLC Method for the Simultaneous Determination of Remogliflozin and Vildagliptin in Bulk and in synthetic Mixture

Vildagliptin which is DPP-4 inhibitor and Remogliflozin which is SGLT2 inhibitor in single dose regimen lower blood glucose by separate, complementary mechanisms. Both are glucose dependent, accounting for the low risk of hypoglycaemia during treatment. There is no risk factors associated with this combination and moreover it is single dose regimen. The aim of the present study was to develop and validate a simple, rapid and reproducible gradient high performance reverse phase liquid chromatography method for the estimation of Remogliflozin and Vildagliptin in bulk drug sample and in synthetic mixture using Xterra® Waters C18 column (150 mm×4.6 mm, 5 µm) at 25°C with UV detection at 210 nm and for this gradient mode was used. The compounds were eluted gradiently at a flow rate of 1.0ml/min. The average retention times for Remogliflozin and Vildagliptin were 4.881 and 6.334 min, respectively. The calibration curves were linear (r2 =0.988) over the concentration range 10-200 µg/ml for Remogliflozin and 10-200 µg/ml for Vildagliptin. No spectral or chromatographic interferences from formulation excipients were found and hence it was successfully applied for the determination of Remogliflozin and Vildagliptin in bulk and in synthetic mixture. The accuracy of the proposed method was determined by recovery studies and found to be 98-101%. The proposed method was validated and results conformed to ICH parameters.</jats:p

Karyotype and genome size determination of Jarilla chocola, an additional sister clade of Carica papaya

Jarilla chocola is an herbaceous plant species that belongs to the Jarilla genus and the Caricaceae family. No information on chromosome number or genome size has been reported for J. chocola that confirms the occurrence of dysploidy events and explore the existence of heteromorphic sex chromosomes. Therefore, the total number of chromosomes of this species was determined by karyotyping and counting the number of chromosomes observed, and the genome size of female and male plants was estimated separately by flow cytometry. Results showed that J. chocola has eight pairs of chromosomes (2n = 2x = 16), and its chromosomes are classified as metacentric for five pairs, submetacentric for two pairs and telocentric for one pair. The nuclear DNA content (1C-value) in picograms and diploid genome size was estimated separately from female and male plants using two species as the standards, Phaseolus vulgaris (1C = 0.60 pg) and Carica papaya (1C = 0.325 pg), to look for the possible existence of heteromorphic sex chromosomes. C. papaya proved to be a better standard for the determination of J. chocola DNA content and diploid genome size. No significant difference on the DNA content was observed between female (1C = 1.02 ± 0.003 pg) and male (1C = 1.02 ± 0.008 pg) plants. The estimated genome size of J. chocola per haploid genome in base pairs was calculated from the obtained C-values. Results showed an estimated genome size per haploid genome of 1018.44 ± 3.07 Mb and 1022.08 ± 7.76 Mb for female and male plants, respectively. Due to the observed chromosome number and genome size, only the occurrence of one of two previously reported dysploidy events in Jarilla could be confirmed for J. chocola and no evidence of heteromorphic sex chromosomes was found. These results provide fundamental information of the J. chocola genome and will expedite investigation of sex chromosomes and genome evolution in this species, the Jarilla genus and the Caricaceae family</jats:p