The New Normal: Amotivation, Sense of Purpose, and Associated Factors Among College Students During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

This study examines differences in college students' responses to COVID-19-related stress over time, beginning in fall 2019 before the pandemic and continuing through fall 2022. A total of 957 students completed measures of motivation, sense of purpose, academic adjustment, grit, and COVID-related stress across 7 semesters. Results indicated that motivation stayed steady throughout much of the pandemic as compared to the fall 2019 semester, with the exception of the spring 2022 semester. Academic adjustment, grit, and sense of purpose all fluctuated during the pandemic. After the onset of COVID-19, students reported high levels of stress and reported that they were experiencing higher than usual levels of stress. However, as the pandemic continued, students continued to report high stress levels, but no longer reported that the stress was unusual. That is, over time, high levels of stress and anxiety related to COVID-19 became viewed as normal. This pattern of results suggests that the student response to the pandemic has differed over time and, since COVID-19 remains prevalent, highlights the need for colleges to continue to be prepared to address students' COVID-related adjustment and well-being.

Research in the time of COVID-19: Recruitment to a clinical trial comparing models of NIV implementation in people with MND

Introduction A pilot randomised controlled trial (RCT) examining the feasibility of a new model of non-invasive ventilation (NIV) implementation was due to commence in early 2020. Based on previous research, it was anticipated that 100% of people with motor neurone disease (MND) would be eligible, 60% would consent to participate and 20 people would be randomised in five months. The aim of this report is to describe the impact of COVID-19 pandemic contingencies on trial recruitment. Methods Report of project progress, participant screening and recruitment. Results First reports of COVID-19 coincided with study commencement and changed usual healthcare delivery. Lockdowns meant telehealth substituted for face-to-face assessment, respiratory function testing was limited and/or patients were reluctant to seek medical treatment. This modified pathway impacted evaluation of diagnosis, timing of need for NIV and procedural safety, with patients then referred specifically for a single-day hospital NIV implementation to enable face-to-face multidisciplinary assessment to aid decisions. Of 81 potential participants screened in an 8-month period, 64% were ineligible for the RCT. Despite this shift in eligibility rate, 16 people with MND have been recruited as of May 2021. Conclusion The current climate has amplified the significance of this research trial;people with MND have had reduced access to face-to-face services globally and clinicians have had to quickly adapt to a changing landscape of telemedicine and remote monitoring of patients. This trial's screening data suggest that COVID-19 hasn't stopped people with MND being implemented on NIV, but it has altered assessment pathways.

Post COVID condition phenotypes-Role in clinical practice?

Introduction/Aim: Post COVID conditions are highly heterogenous and pose significant challenges to healthcare systems. The aim of this study was to identify and characterise symptom clusters at 6-months following COVID illness. Method(s): Symptom burden was assessed in a COVID respiratory clinic 6-months following diagnosis. K-mean cluster analysis was utilised to identify clusters and validated assessment tools for dyspnoea [MMRC], mood [PHQ-4], fatigue [FSS] and pain [WPI]were used to characterise clusters. Result(s): 58 patients (median age 59 years, 31 males) attended 6-month follow up. Cluster 4 represented patients experiencing high symptom burden with high fatigue, pain, depression and anxiety scores. A high proportion of Cluster 2 reported no symptoms but had high dyspnoea scores. Results for PHQ-4, FSS and WPI are presented as means (95%confidence interval) Cluster (n) Symptoms MMRC >1 (n%) PHQ-4 FSS WPI 1(8) anosmia, headache, fatigue, memory, concentration 3(5.1) 1(1,2) 31(17,45) 5(-1,10) 2(42) Isolated Dyspnoea 15(25.9) 1(1,2) 22(18,26) 1(0,1) 3(3) fatigue, nasal congestion, chest pain 3(5.1) 5(-10,21) 36(-26,98) 7(-11,24) 4(4) high symptom burden 4(6.9) 7(0,13) 51(36,66) 12(2,21) Conclusion(s): This exploratory analysis identified 4 possible post COVID condition phenotypes with unique symptom profiles. Larger scale phenotyping may facilitate a streamlined and customised approach to managing this evolving chronic and highly heterogenous clinical condition.

Clinical and respiratory function outcomes 6-months following diagnosis of COVID-19

Introduction/Aim: As health systems emerge through successive waves of COVID-19, focus shifts to the management of Post-COVID-19 conditions. The aim of this prospective observational study was to characterise and evaluate the respiratory sequelae affecting patients 6-months post-diagnosis of COVID-19. SIGNFICANT MODELLING PREDICTORS Outcome Predictors MMRC>= 1 Disease severity Moderate: OR 16.5 +/- 1.02 (SE) p = 0.006 Impaired DLCO (%predicted) Disease severity B=-1.51+/-0.67 (SE) p = 0.010 Impaired TLC (%predicted) D-Dimer B= -0.305 +/- 0.001 (SE), p = 0.05 TLC below LLN Diabetes B=-1.28 +/- 0.32 (SE), p = 0.044 Methods: Patients were evaluated for symptom burden and lung function at 6-months post-diagnosis of COVID-19 in an outpatient setting. Result(s): Fifty-eight (45 inpatients and 13 outpatients;median age 59 years, 28 females) patients attended 6-month clinic appointment. Whilst nearly half (28,48.3%) were asymptomatic at 6-months, 24 (41.3%) patients reported a modified medical research council dyspnoea scale (MMRC) >= 1 and 21 (36.2%) patient-reported fatigue (n= 21, 36.2%). Reduced TLC (n= 11/50, 22.0%) and DLCO (n = 12/51, 23.5%) were common at 6-months. Results of predictive modelling analyses are described in adjacent table. Conclusion(s): Patients presenting with increased disease severity are at risk of persistent dyspnoea and impaired diffusion capacity, 6-months following acute COVID-19 illness. Research guided management of this growing at risk cohort, while paramount, poses a formidable challenge to stretched healthcare systems.

Mandated but willing? Preferences and expectations among mandatory work from home employees

The turbulent COVID-19 pandemic offered the opportunity to examine employees who are required to work from home (WFH), which can provide significant implications given that some companies have adopted full-time remote work even after COVID-19 restrictions have lifted. The current study draws on psychological contract theory and HR differentiation theory to examine the interactive effects of WFH preferences and relational organizational practices such as perceived support, feedback, and information sharing in predicting burnout and turnover intentions. Multi-wave, U.S. study results demonstrate that higher WFH preference employees are particularly responsive to these practices;they experience greater well-being when they receive them, but they also seek alternative employment when they do not. Our findings provide insight into the full-time WFH dynamics and suggest that fully remote organizations should consider not only effective management of employees, but also organizational practices that match employee preferences in times of turbulence. © 2023 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

COVID-19 Infection and Vaccination Rarely Impact HLA Antibody Profile in Waitlisted Renal Transplant Candidates- A Multicenter Cohort

Although rare, infection and vaccination can result in antibodies to human leukocyte antigens (HLA). We analyzed the effect of SARS-CoV-2 infection or vaccination on HLA antibodies in waitlisted renal transplant candidates. Specificities were collected and adjudicated if the calculated panel reactive antibodies (cPRA) changed after exposure. Of 409 patients, 285 (69.7%) had an initial cPRA of 0%, and 56 (13.7%) had an initial cPRA>80%. The cPRA changed in 26 patients (6.4%), 16 (3.9%) increased, and 10 (2.4%) decreased. Based on cPRA adjudication, cPRA differences generally resulted from a small number of specificities with subtle fluctuations around the borderline of the participating centers' cutoff for unacceptable antigen listing. All five COVID recovered patients with an increased cPRA were female (p=0.02). In summary, exposure to this virus or vaccine does not increase HLA antibody specificities and their MFI in approximately 99% of cases and 97% of sensitized patients. These results have implications for virtual crossmatching at the time of organ offer after SARS-CoV-2 infection or vaccination, and these events of unclear clinical significance should not influence vaccination programs.

COVID-19 infection and vaccination rarely impact HLA antibody profile in waitlisted renal transplant candidates- a multicenter cohort.

Although rare, infection and vaccination can result in antibodies to human leukocyte antigens (HLA). We analyzed the effect of SARS-CoV-2 infection or vaccination on HLA antibodies in waitlisted renal transplant candidates. Specificities were collected and adjudicated if the calculated panel reactive antibodies (cPRA) changed after exposure. Of 409 patients, 285 (69.7 %) had an initial cPRA of 0 %, and 56 (13.7 %) had an initial cPRA > 80 %. The cPRA changed in 26 patients (6.4 %), 16 (3.9 %) increased, and 10 (2.4 %) decreased. Based on cPRA adjudication, cPRA differences generally resulted from a small number of specificities with subtle fluctuations around the borderline of the participating centers' cutoff for unacceptable antigen listing. All five COVID recovered patients with an increased cPRA were female (p = 0.02). In summary, exposure to this virus or vaccine does not increase HLA antibody specificities and their MFI in approximately 99 % of cases and 97 % of sensitized patients. These results have implications for virtual crossmatching at the time of organ offer after SARS-CoV-2 infection or vaccination, and these events of unclear clinical significance should not influence vaccination programs.

Efficacy of detergent-based cleaning and wiping against SARS-CoV-2 on high-touch surfaces.

Efficacy of cleaning methods against SARS-CoV-2 suspended in either 5% soil load (SARS-soil) or simulated saliva (SARS-SS) was evaluated immediately (hydrated virus, T0) or 2 hours post-contamination (dried virus, T2). Hard water dampened wiping (DW) of surfaces, resulted in 1.77-3.91 log reduction (T0) or 0.93-2.41 log reduction (T2). Incorporating surface pre-wetting by spraying with a detergent solution (D + DW) or hard water (W + DW) just prior to dampened wiping did not unilaterally increase efficacy against infectious SARS-CoV-2, however, the effect was nuanced with respect to surface, viral matrix, and time. Cleaning efficacy on porous surfaces (seat fabric, SF) was low. W + DW on stainless steel (SS) was as effective as D + DW for all conditions except SARS-soil at T2 on SS. DW was the only method that consistently resulted in > 3-log reduction of hydrated (T0) SARS-CoV-2 on SS and ABS plastic. These results suggest that wiping with a hard water dampened wipe can reduce infectious virus on hard non-porous surfaces. Pre-wetting surfaces with surfactants did not significantly increase efficacy for the conditions tested. Surface material, presence or absence of pre-wetting, and time post-contamination affect efficacy of cleaning methods.

Memory, Time, and Law

This chapter takes an initial sidestep from the Anzac focus and into an examination of the British mobilizations of war memories, grounded in the origin of the Anzac story in the failed British Naval campaign which led to the landing of Anzac troops at Gallipoli on 25 April 1915 as part of the Allied war effort in WWI. It emphasizes how impressions of British military power, and deference to significant figures within the British Navy, overrode contemporary considerations and became a powerful impetus behind particular courses of action. As such, it considers how the temporality of expectation in relation to times of conflict is equally oriented to the past and the future, and is underscored by militarized mnemohistories. The chapter focuses on both the origins of Anzac Day and a parallel discussion of the UK response to COVID-19, as another example of how militarized popular memories are mobilized as a means of making sense of emergent crises, demonstrating how the mnemonic temporality of militarized expectations is entangled with legal consciousness. © 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.

Big Five, Dark Triad, and Face Masks The Role of Personality in Reducing the Spread of COVID-19

Face masks are an effective method to reduce the spread of COVID-19, but many people are reluctant to wear them. Recent authors have called for studies of personality to determine which people may have particularly negative face mask perceptions and reduced face mask wearing. In the current article, we assess the relation of the Big Five and Dark Triad with face mask perceptions and wearing. We apply a four-wave longitudinal research design collected via MTurk (n = 209, M-age = 36.97 years, 50% female, 85% American), and we use the eight-dimension Face Mask Perceptions Scale to test mediating mechanisms between personality and behavior. When tested together, conscientiousness, extraversion, and neuroticism did not have notable relations with perceptions or wearing;openness and the Dark Triad had significant relations with face mask perceptions, and agreeableness had significant indirect effects on face mask wearing via perceptions. These results indicate that personality does relate to face mask perceptions and behaviors. We call on future research to conduct facet-level studies of personality with face mask perceptions and behaviors to ascertain the cause of these observed relations, further identify the importance of specific face mask perceptions, and integrate personality into models of health behaviors.

Memory, Time, and Law

This chapter takes an initial sidestep from the Anzac focus and into an examination of the British mobilizations of war memories, grounded in the origin of the Anzac story in the failed British Naval campaign which led to the landing of Anzac troops at Gallipoli on 25 April 1915 as part of the Allied war effort in WWI. It emphasizes how impressions of British military power, and deference to significant figures within the British Navy, overrode contemporary considerations and became a powerful impetus behind particular courses of action. As such, it considers how the temporality of expectation in relation to times of conflict is equally oriented to the past and the future, and is underscored by militarized mnemohistories. The chapter focuses on both the origins of Anzac Day and a parallel discussion of the UK response to COVID-19, as another example of how militarized popular memories are mobilized as a means of making sense of emergent crises, demonstrating how the mnemonic temporality of militarized expectations is entangled with legal consciousness. © 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.

Chaos Unleashed: The impact of recreational drugs and COVID on young adults

Introduction: This case series reveals a number of young adults, whom after chronic use of recreational drugs, suffer the life-long consequence of severe chronic mental illness. Objective(s): * Review the illicit drugs that are commonly associated with psychotic symptoms. * Highlight exposures theorized to impact genetics associated with DSM 5 diseases. * Compare trends in illicit drug use during the worldwide COVID pandemic. Method(s): A literature review is used to examine the impact of COVID pandemic on illicit drug use in metropolitan cities in European countries and compare the trends with what is seen by the consult liaison psychiatry service at a metropolitan community hospital in the USA. Result(s): In European Countries with data available, there were measurable differences in which illicit drugs were used most during the COVID 19 pandemic. In the US this data is not readily available at the time of submission for proper comparisson. Conclusion(s): Although definitive comparrison is pending, the results of extensive illicit drug use demostrate a high comorbidity with psychotic spectrum disorders in the DSM 5.

The Importance of Cognitive Appraisal and Social Support in Pregnancy During COVID-19 from an Interdisciplinary View

Aim: To describe how a US-based psychiatric Mother-Baby Unit adopted a virtual platform during the pandemic. Objective(s): When the Covid-19 pandemic descended, mental health clinicians worldwide were faced with maintaining access and care delivery. Pregnant and newly postpartum women experienced the pandemic and lockdown through the lens of impending parenthood and new parenthood-amplifying distress, isolation, and lack of social and family support. The lockdown prevented those with most acute illness from accessing daily treatment in our structured, supportive intensive treatment setting. We acknowledged the urgency of developing a method to continue to treat our patients in a group environment that offered psychotherapy, psychopharmacology, dyadic and family intervention, and social support. Method(s): The hospital purchased "Zoom for Health" platform to ensure compliance with regulatory guidelines. Cameras for individual computers were purchased with philanthropy funds, obtaining them quickly, compared to waiting for hospital funding. The clinical team designed a schedule of groups and individual sessions, each with their own zoom link. Each morning, a team member, sent the daily schedule through the patient portal of the EMR. Conclusion(s): Before the pandemic, the census was 12 pts per day. The full-day program paused for 7-10 days although individual sessions and medication management were conducted by phone as the virtual platform was constructed. Once established, census resumed normal levels. Challenges to running the Day Hospital virtually included: technology glitches, family demands and distractions, and privacy concerns. Overall, the program was a success wherein women requiring intensive treatment were able to receive treatment and social support.

Bilateral Cortical Blindness Following Hypoxic Ischemic Brain Injury Related to COVID-19: A Case Report

Case Diagnosis: Bilateral Cortical Blindness. Case Description or Program Description: A 44-year-old male chef suffered cardiopulmonary arrest following COVID-19 pneumonia. His airway was not secured for about ten minutes. Consequent complex acute care course involved a prolonged period of nonresponsiveness. Complications included hypoxicischemic brain injury, with bilateral occipital infarcts and edema, which led to significant encephalomalacia. Setting(s): He arrived at the rehabilitation unit about two months later. Assessment/Results: As his mental status improved, he reported inability to see. Exam findings included intact light perception and pupillary reaction, inability to see hand motion or differentiate colors, no discernible blink reflex and negative optokinetic nystagmus drum response. Management involved a multidisciplinary team. Along with his speech, cognition, and motoric status, his vision slowly improved to 20/20 after correction and a central visual field of less than 20 degrees. He could reliably detect colors, large print, and objects. This improvement allowed him to participate in activities he liked, including cooking. Discussion (relevance): Cortical blindness (CB) occurs following damage to the primary visual pathway (V1). Often, the extra-striate pathway (V2) is also affected. Damage to V1 or its afferents could occur in 27-57% of new strokes and is characterized by contralateral homonymous hemianopia with macular sparing. Bilateral destruction of V1 is rare. Some improvement with vision is anticipated within the first few months. However, significant residual deficits usually persist. There is sparse evidence for CB rehab modalities. Approaches to consider include restitution therapies (using computer-based training programs to recover visual field deficits), compensation therapies (using saccadic eye movements to capture blind fields), substitution therapies (using prisms to redirect stimuli to intact visual fields), and pharmacology to optimize neuroplasticity (fluoxetine appears to have shown some benefit for visual pathway in rodents). Conclusion(s): Bilateral CB is a rare complication following brain injury. Although evidence-based treatment modalities are needed, support in a multidisciplinary framework was beneficial for optimizing outcomes in this unique case.

Does a National Lockdown Affect the Characteristics of Deep Vein Thromboses in Patients in the Community?

Aim: Has lockdown and COVID-19 led to a change into the characteristics of DVT's and patients who have them alongside a review of the DVT service. Method: Data was collected retrospectively from electronic patient records system for the following periods: 1st April until 30th June 2019 and 1st April until 30th June 2020. These were the key months during the first United Kingdom national lockdown. Data was analysed for patient demographics, risk factors, characteristics of the DVT, management and DVT reoccurrence. Statistical analyses were preformed using GraphPad Prism 8. Results: 227 patients sustained community DVT's in 2019 and 211 patients in 2020 during the study period. 13 of these patients in 2020 were COVID-19 positive. There was a difference in gender distribution (p= 0.0128) with 128 males and 99 females in 2019, 93 males and 118 females in 2020. No significant difference was noted for the incidence of thrombophilia with 9 in 2019 and 3 in 2020 (p=0.1437). Fewer long-haul journeys were made (p=0.012) with 16 in 2019 and only 2 in 2020. Fewer patients had immobility as a risk factor with 79 in 2019 and 55 in 2020 (p=0.0494). However, there were more patients using the contraceptive pill (p=0.0086) with 1 in 2019 and 9 in 2020. Conclusion: There is no significant difference in the characteristics, extent, and management of DVT's prior to and during Lockdown during COVID-19. National Lockdowns do not affect community DVT's however it is important to highlight the surrounding inpatient numbers.

Development of donor specific antibodies after SARS-CoV-2 vaccination in kidney and heart transplant recipients.

This study examined the development of new or changes in donor specific antibodies (DSA) mean-fluorescence intensity (MFI) after SARS-CoV-2 vaccination in 100 kidney and 50 heart transplant recipients. The study was performed when the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommended two doses of Pfizer/BioNTech [BNT162b2] and Moderna [mRNA-1273 SARS-CoV-2] vaccine or 1 dose Johnson & Johnson/Janssen [Ad26.COV2·S] vaccines for full vaccination in transplant recipients. A novel assay bead-based platform for detecting antibodies against 4 domains of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein to determine vaccine response (SA) and one nucleocapsid protein (NC) to determine prior SARS-CoV-2 infection was utilized. These assays were performed on the multiplex, bead-based platform utilized to assay DSA levels. 61/150 patients (40.7%) had successful vaccination. 18 patients had confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection based on positive NC assay or previous Covid-19 oropharyngeal swab. 138 patients had no DSA prior to vaccination but 3 heart recipients developed new DSA's. Among 12 patients with known DSA prior to vaccination, 4 developed new DSA's or increased MFI. All 7 patients with new or increased DSA had stable graft function without rejection and had no changes in immunosuppression. All 8 patients with stable post vaccine DSA had stable graft function and immunosuppression was not changed. The presence of DSA before vaccination was associated with subsequent development of increased MFI or new DSA's (p = 0.001). There was no association between pre-vaccine DSA and positive vaccine response (NS). There was no association with successful vaccination or prior SARS-CoV-2 infection and DSA changes (NS).

Bloodstream and respiratory coinfections in patients with COVID-19 on ECMO.

BACKGROUND: Although several studies have characterized the risk of coinfection in COVID pneumonia, the risk of the bloodstream and respiratory coinfection in patients with COVID-19 pneumonia on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) supports severe acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is poorly understood. METHODS: This is a retrospective analysis of patients with COVID-19 ARDS on ECMO at a single center between January 2020 and December 2021. Patient characteristics and clinical outcomes were compared. RESULTS: Of 44 patients placed on ECMO support for COVID-19 ARDS, 30 (68.2%) patients developed a coinfection, and 14 (31.8%) patients did not. Most patients underwent venovenous ECMO (98%; 43/44) cannulation in the right internal jugular vein (98%; 43/44). Patients with coinfection had a longer duration of ECMO (34 [interquartile range, IQR: 19.5, 65] vs. 15.5 [IQR 11, 27.3] days; p = .02), intensive care unit (ICU; 44 [IQR: 27,75.5] vs 31 [IQR 20-39.5] days; p = .03), and hospital (56.5 [IQR 27,75.5] vs 37.5 [IQR: 20.5-43.3]; p = .02) length of stay. When stratified by the presence of a coinfection, there was no difference in hospital mortality (37% vs. 29%; p = .46) or Kaplan-Meier survival (logrank p = .82). Time from ECMO to first positive blood and respiratory culture were 12 [IQR: 3, 28] and 10 [IQR: 1, 15] days, respectively. Freedom from any coinfection was 50 (95% confidence interval: 37.2-67.2)% at 15 days from ECMO initiation. CONCLUSIONS: There is a high rate of co-infections in patients placed on ECMO for COVID-19 ARDS. Although patients with coinfections had a longer duration of extracorporeal life support, and longer length of stays in the ICU and hospital, survival was not inferior.

Analysis of Cross-sectional and Longitudinal HLA and Anti-viral Responses After COVID Infection in Renal Allograft Recipients: Differences and Correlates.

BACKGROUND: Characterization of anti-HLA versus anti-severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (anti-SARS-CoV-2) immune globulin isotypes in organ transplant recipients after coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection has not been reported. We aimed to determine changes in anti-HLA antibodies in renal transplant patients with COVID-19 and compare the immunoglobulin and epitope-binding pattern versus anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study of 46 kidney transplant recipients including 21 with longitudinal sampling. Using a semi-quantitative multiplex assay, we determined immunoglobulin (Ig) M, IgA, IgG, and IgG1-2-3-4 antibodies against Class I and Class II HLA, and 5 SARS-CoV-2 epitopes including the nucleocapsid protein and multiple regions of the spike protein. RESULTS: Fourteen of 46 (30%) patients had donor-specific anti-HLA antibodies (donor-specific antibody [DSA]), 12 (26%) had non-DSA anti-HLA antibodies and 45 (98%) had anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. Most DSAs targeted HLA-DQ (71%), with a dominant IgG isotype and IgG1 subtype prevalence (93%), and/or IgG3 (64%), followed by IgG2 (36%). Comparatively, there was a higher prevalence of IgA (85% versus 14%, P = 0.0001) and IgM (87%, versus 36%, P = 0.001) in the anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibody profile, when compared to DSAs, respectively. Anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibody profile was characterized by increased prevalence of IgM and IgA, when compared to DSAs. The median calculated panel reactive antibody before COVID-19 diagnosis (24%) tended to decrease after COVID-19 diagnosis (10%) but it was not statistically significant ( P = 0.1). CONCLUSIONS: Anti-HLA antibody strength and calculated panel reactive antibody in kidney transplant recipients after COVID-19 do not significantly increase after infection. Although the IgG isotype was the dominant form in both HLA and SARS-CoV-2 antigens, the alloimmune response had a low IgA pattern, whereas anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies were high IgA/IgM.

The use of dirty fuels by low-income households on the South African Highveld

Meaningful proportions of households on the South African Highveld regularly use energy carriers that result in the emission of significant quantities of particulate and gaseous pollutants. Dirty fuels are mostly used by lower-income households, with the exception of recreational wood use that is also prevalent in higher-income households. The dirty fuel use patterns and trends observed on the Highveld are the result of the unique combination of the utility, accessibility, affordability, availability, and desirability of the energy carriers and equipment, climatological factors, markets and infrastructure, as well as the inertia of historic energy use patterns. There are no systematic reviews and prognosis of the use of dirty fuels by low-income households on the South African Highveld that consider critical recent events such as the Covid pandemic and emerging dynamics such as the just transition movement. In this article we will use a literature review as well as our own research to describe dirty fuel use by low-income households on the Highveld, paying specific attention to changes over time. We will attempt to describe what is being used, who the users are, and for which utilities fuels are being used. From these descriptions, specific patterns emerge that shed light on possible avenues and prospects for ending dirty fuel use on the Highveld. © 2022

Individual and Synergistic Anti-Coronavirus Activities of SOCS1/3 Antagonist and Interferon α1 Peptides.

Suppressors of Cytokine Signaling (SOCS) are intracellular proteins that negatively regulate the induction of cytokines. Amongst these, SOCS1 and SOCS3 are particularly involved in inhibition of various interferons. Several viruses have hijacked this regulatory pathway: by inducing SOCS1and 3 early in infection, they suppress the host immune response. Within the cell, SOCS1/3 binds and inhibits tyrosine kinases, such as JAK2 and TYK2. We have developed a cell penetrating peptide from the activation loop of the tyrosine kinase, JAK2 (residues 1001-1013), denoted as pJAK2 that acts as a decoy and suppresses SOCS1 and 3 activity. This peptide thereby protects against several viruses in cell culture and mouse models. Herein, we show that treatment with pJAK2 inhibited the replication and release of the beta coronavirus HuCoV-OC43 and reduced production of the viral RNA, as measured by RT-qPCR, Western blot and by immunohistochemistry. We confirmed induction of SOCS1 and 3 in rhabdomyosarcoma (RD) cells, and this induction was suppressed by pJAK2 peptide. A peptide derived from the C-terminus of IFNα (IFNα-C) also inhibited replication of OC43. Furthermore, IFNα-C plus pJAK2 provided more potent inhibition than either peptide alone. To extend this study to a pandemic beta-coronavirus, we determined that treatment of cells with pJAK2 inhibited replication and release of SARS-CoV-2 in Calu-3 cells. We propose that these peptides offer a new approach to therapy against the rapidly evolving strains of beta-coronaviruses.