Results of the COVID-19 mental health international for the general population (COMET-G) study.

INTRODUCTION: There are few published empirical data on the effects of COVID-19 on mental health, and until now, there is no large international study. MATERIAL AND METHODS: During the COVID-19 pandemic, an online questionnaire gathered data from 55,589 participants from 40 countries (64.85% females aged 35.80 ± 13.61; 34.05% males aged 34.90±13.29 and 1.10% other aged 31.64±13.15). Distress and probable depression were identified with the use of a previously developed cut-off and algorithm respectively. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: Descriptive statistics were calculated. Chi-square tests, multiple forward stepwise linear regression analyses and Factorial Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) tested relations among variables. RESULTS: Probable depression was detected in 17.80% and distress in 16.71%. A significant percentage reported a deterioration in mental state, family dynamics and everyday lifestyle. Persons with a history of mental disorders had higher rates of current depression (31.82% vs. 13.07%). At least half of participants were accepting (at least to a moderate degree) a non-bizarre conspiracy. The highest Relative Risk (RR) to develop depression was associated with history of Bipolar disorder and self-harm/attempts (RR = 5.88). Suicidality was not increased in persons without a history of any mental disorder. Based on these results a model was developed. CONCLUSIONS: The final model revealed multiple vulnerabilities and an interplay leading from simple anxiety to probable depression and suicidality through distress. This could be of practical utility since many of these factors are modifiable. Future research and interventions should specifically focus on them

Glutaraldehyde-Polymerized Hemoglobin: In Search of Improved Performance as Oxygen Carrier in Hemorrhage Models

Hemoglobin- (Hb-) based oxygen carriers (HBOC) have for several decades been explored for treatment of hemorrhage. In our previous top-up tests, HBOC with lower in vitro prooxidant reactivity (incorporating a peroxidase or serum albumin to this end) showed a measurable but small improvement of oxidative stress-related parameters. Here, such HBOCs are tested in a hemorrhage set-up; ovine hemoglobin is also tested for the first time in such a setting, based on in vitro data showing its improved performance versus bovine Hb against oxidative and nitrosative stress agents. Indeed, ovine Hb performs better than bovine Hb in terms of survival rates, arterial tension, immunology, and histology. On the other hand, unlike in the top-up models, where the nonheme peroxidase rubrerythrin as well as bovine serum albumin copolymerized with Hb were shown to improve the performance of HBOC, in the present hemorrhage models rubrerythrin fails dramatically as HBOC ingredient (with a distinct immunological reaction), whereas serum albumin appears not feasible if its source is a different species (i.e., bovine serum albumin fares distinctly worse than rat serum albumin, in HBOC transfusions in rats). An effect of the matrix in which the HBOCs are dissolved (PBS versus gelofusine versus plasma) is noted

Student Portrait, Westbrook Seminary and Junior College, 1930-34

Early 1930s Westbrook Seminary and Junior College individual student photographic portrait by Wilson Photo, Cambridge, Mass. In pencil on the back is written: C. Foss ?https://dune.une.edu/wchc_photos_students1930s/1003/thumbnail.jp

Probing the polyphenolic components and alkali-generated radicals reactivity in the studied extract using EPR spectroscopy.

<p><b>A.</b> Time dependence of such generated radicals between 2 min (dead time due to spectrometer calibration prior measuring) and 20 min, at about 1.8 minutes interval. <b>B.</b> The dominant spectral fingerprint of the chlorogenic acid is visible in the extract with minor contributions of rutin and quercetin. Ferulic and coumaric acids gives no EPR spectrum while treated with sodium hydroxide as described in experimental section. The best fit for the EPR spectrum of the extract was obtained by a linear combination of the identified polyphenols in a 1/30/40 ratio (quercetin/rutin/chlorogenic acid) (model).</p

Phytoconstituent classification based on spectral similarities after chromatographic separation.

<p>Score plots of the first two principal components after applying PCA on the UV-vis mean spectra of the chromatographic peaks obtained by HPLC analysis of <i>G</i>. <i>verum</i> extract prior hydrolysis (<b>A</b>) and after hydrolysis (<b>B</b>). The UV-vis spectra of the two extracts, before separation and the standards are also indicated in both plots. The letter U stands for “unhydrolysed” and indicates compounds specific for this extract; the letter H stands for “hydrolysed” and indicates compounds found only in the hydrolysed extract, while the numbers lacking a letter indicate compounds that are found in both extracts. The number is attributed according to the retention order; the compounds are listed in <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0200022#pone.0200022.t002" target="_blank">Table 2</a>.</p

Serum biochemistry of control and experimental animals.

<p>Values are expressed as mean ± SEM.</p

HPLC-UV-vis analysis of the unhydrolysed and hydrolysed <i>G verum</i> extract.

<p>(A) Heatmap of the chromatographic profile versus elution time. (<b>B</b>) Chromatograms of the two extracts and of the standards monitored at 320 nm. (<b>C</b>) UV-vis molecular absorption spectra of six of the employed standards.</p

Evaluation of the pro-oxidant activity of the studied extract.

<p>The oxyHb (25 μM) is readily oxidized into met form in the presence of the extract (0.2 μg/mL final concentration) and laccase (100 nM) (<b>A</b>). Comparison between the prooxidant reactivity of the identified components of the extract all at the same molar concentration (5 μM) (<b>B</b>), their mixture in same ratios as in the extract prior hydrolysis (standard mixture 1) and after hydrolysis (standard mixture 2) and of the two analysed extracts (<b>C</b>). The comparison of the kinetic profile of the oxyHb oxidation in the presence of the two extracts and laccase depicted as first derivative of the measured curves (<b>D</b>).</p

List of the compounds corresponding to each chromatographic peak (320 nm chromatogram) with their retention times (column 1) and their classification into two classes: Phenolic acids and flavonoids, based on spectral similarities^*.

<p>Assuming comparable molar absorptivities at 320 nm for both classes, their relative content was roughly estimated using areas of the peaks at this wavelength.</p

Oxidative stress parameters of control and experimental animals.

<p>Values are expressed as mean ± SEM.</p