Summary

On 11 March 2020, the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a global pandemic, and the disease now affects nearly every country and region. Caused by SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19 continues nearly 18 months later to present significant challenges to health systems and public health in both hemispheres, as well as the economies of every country. The morbidity and mortality of the infection caused by SARS-CoV-2 has been significant, and various waves of disease outbreaks initially overwhelmed many hospitals and clinics and continue to do so in many countries. This influences everyone, and public health countermeasures have been dramatic in terms of their impact on employment, social systems, and mental health. This entry collection aims to gather diverse fields about COVID-19, including in epidemiology, public health, medicine, genetics, systems biology, informatics, data science, engineering, sociology, anthropology, nursing, environmental studies, statistics, and psychology.

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Entries
Topic Review
Effect of COVID-19 on Liver
The gastrointestinal tract plays an important role in the pathogenesis of COVID-19. Most patients present with gastrointestinal symptoms and/or abnormal liver function tests, both of which have been associated with adverse outcomes. The mechanisms of liver damage are currently under investigation, but the damage is usually transient and nonsevere. Liver transplantation is the only definitive treatment for acute liver failure and end-stage liver disease, and unfortunately, because of the need for ventilators during the COVID-19 pandemic, most liver transplant programs were temporarily suspended. 
  • 481
  • 26 Sep 2022
Topic Review Peer Reviewed
Simple Formulae, Deep Learning and Elaborate Modeling for the Covid-19 Pandemic
Predictive modelling of infectious diseases is very important in planning public health policies, particularly during outbreaks. This work reviews the forecasting and mechanistic models published earlier. It is emphasized that researchers’ forecasting models exhibit, for large t, algebraic behavior, as opposed to the exponential behavior of the classical logistic-type models used usually in epidemics. Remarkably, a newly introduced mechanistic model also exhibits, for large t, algebraic behavior in contrast to the usual Susceptible-Exposed-Infectious-Removed (SEIR) models, which exhibit exponential behavior. The unexpected success of researchers’ simple forecasting models provides a strong support for the validity of this novel mechanistic model. It is also shown that the mathematical tools used for the analysis of the first wave may also be useful for the analysis of subsequent waves of the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • 731
  • 28 Sep 2022
Topic Review Peer Reviewed
Dental Patients’ Perspective on COVID-19: A Systematic Review
The COVID-19 epidemic has changed patients’ approach to dental treatments. While dentists worldwide have shown an excellent level of adaptability to face the new challenges presented by the unprecedented situation due to the rapid spread of COVID-19, dental patients have witnessed a sudden suspension of elective treatments and a slow resumption of dental care activities after several national lockdowns. In addition, the general climate of anxiety and fear due to the high COVID-19 risk and the high level of mortality has influenced the perception and attitudes of people towards dental activity, inducing many dental patients to avoid appointments to the dentist if not highly urgent. We present an overview of the current state of knowledge about dental patients’ perception, perspective, attitude, and expectations towards a full resumption of regular dental treatments.
  • 688
  • 27 Sep 2022
Topic Review
Regulation of cGAS Activity and Downstream Signaling
Cyclic GMP-AMP synthase (cGAS) is a predominant and ubiquitously expressed cytosolic dsDNA sensor that activates innate immune responses by producing a second messenger, cyclic GMP-AMP (cGAMP), and activating the stimulator of interferon genes (STING). cGAS contains a highly disordered N-terminus, which can sense genomic/chromatin DNA, while the C terminal of cGAS binds dsDNA liberated from various sources, including mitochondria, pathogens, and dead cells. Furthermore, cGAS cellular localization dictates its response to foreign versus self-DNA.
  • 418
  • 23 Sep 2022
Topic Review
Mental Stress in Medical Students during the Pandemic
Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, students had to interrupt their regular studies, and universities changed their teaching formats. The lockdowns affected students in more ways than simply their teaching formats. Students require individual support to adjust to difficult situations, and particularly medical students in their preclinical phase compared to students in their clinical phases. These are challenges for the medical education system, which must find ways to be prepared for future times of crisis and insecurity.
  • 385
  • 23 Sep 2022
Topic Review
Household Food Dynamics during COVID-19
Home confinement during the COVID-19 pandemic has been accompanied by dramatic changes in household food dynamics that can significantly influence health. Overall, families enjoyed more time together around food, including planning meals, cooking, and eating together. Eating more diverse foods and balanced home-cooked meals (e.g., fresh fruit and vegetables) was combined with overeating and increased snacking (e.g., high-calorie snacks, desserts, and sweets), as parents became more permissive towards food; however, food insecurity increased among families with the lowest income. Adoption of meal planning skills and online shopping behavior emerged alongside behaviors aimed at self-sufficiency, such as bulk purchasing and stockpiling of non-perishable processed foods. These results are an important first step in recognizing how this pandemic may be affecting the family food environment, including low-income families.
  • 415
  • 22 Sep 2022
Topic Review
Impacts of COVID-19 Pandemic on Public Road Transportation
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused an unprecedented reduction in the demand for public road transportation, and it has changed passengers’ perceptions from positive to negative when it comes to using public transportation amenities. There is an increasing concern that the public road transportation systems are witnessing a new horizon, especially as developed and developing countries are trying to resume their daily activities post the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • 969
  • 22 Sep 2022
Topic Review
Detection of SARS-CoV-2 and Its Immune Response
Coronaviruses are a large family of well-established pathogens of various hosts, including domestic animals, wildlife, and humans.
  • 512
  • 22 Sep 2022
Topic Review
Machine Learning Used to Combat COVID-19
Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has had a significant impact on global health since the start of the pandemic in 2019. As of June 2022, over 539 million cases have been confirmed worldwide with over 6.3 million deaths as a result. Artificial Intelligence (AI) solutions such as machine learning and deep learning have played a major part in this pandemic for the diagnosis and treatment of COVID-19.
  • 376
  • 20 Sep 2022
Topic Review
Effects of COVID-19 on Rehabilitation Programs Outcomes
Consequences due to infection with SARS-CoV-2 virus can have a direct impact on skeletal muscle, due to the fact that both cardiac and skeletal muscle tissue show robust ACE2(angiotensin-converting enzyme 2) expression, suggesting a potential susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 infection in both types of tissues. The musculoskeletal damage is firstly produced by the inflammatory effects, cytokine storm and muscle catabolism. However, myopathy, polyneuropathy and therapies such as corticoids were also considered important factors in muscle fatigue and functional incapacity. Pulmonary rehabilitation programs and early mobilization had a highly contribution during the acute phase and post-illness recovery process and helped patients to reduce dyspnea, increase the capacity of physical effort, overcome psychological disorders and improved the quality of their life. Muscular damage, as well as the decrease in the quality of life, are often a consequence of severe SARS-CoV-2 infection through: systemic inflammation, corticotherapy, prolonged bed rest and other unknown factors. Pulmonary rehabilitation programs and early mobilization had a highly contribution during the acute phase and post-illness recovery process and helped patients to reduce dyspnea, increase the capacity of physical effort, overcome psychological disorders and improve the quality of their life.
  • 451
  • 23 Sep 2022
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