Patterns of benzodiazepine consumption before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in the azores archipelago population

Background: The Azores, an autonomous region of Portugal, is an nine islands archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean, were mental health concerns have long been present. The pandemic of COVID-19, declared in march 2020, has put additional strain health systems. Moreover, there are initial signs that depression and anxiety's prevalence is expected to increase. Monitoring consumption can be an indirect way of assessing medicines' adherence and accessibility. Purpose: To explore how the pandemic of COVID-19 impacted the consumption of anxiolytics, the aim of this study was to assess patterns of Benzodiapezine consumption in the Azorean population, one year before and one year after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Method: For this ecological study, the Benzodiazepines consumption database was obtained from hMR, a health market research company. This database contains information relative to the total number of all benzodiazepines acquired in the Portuguese market, organized by Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical (ATC) classification, and information relative to dosage and package size. The number of total sold packages per drug was obtained for the years 2019 and 2020. Azorean population was obtained from government official data. The defined daily dose (DDD) was obtained from the WHO ATC/DDD index website, and the DDD/1000hab./day was calculated. Only oral dosage forms were analysed. Descriptive and inferential statistical analysis was performed to assess yearly, biannual and quarterly drug consumption and uncover seasonal trends. Findings: Total benzodiazepine acquisition pattern in DDD/1000hab/day was not different between 2019 and 2020 (p = 0.987). The most consumed benzodiazepines were alprazolam 69.5 DDD/1000hab/day (± 4.3), followed by diazepam 27.1 (± 1.7) and lorazepam 26.7 (± 1.5).Only clonazepam and potassium clorazepate showed a significant increase from 2019 to 2020 (p = 0.001 and p = 0.003). The maximum of total DDD/1000hab/day was registered at the onset of the pandemic (march 2020). For the remaining of 2020, higher standard deviations were observed. Two other peaks are noticed in july 2019 and july 2020, exceptions to the apparent seasonal effect with a biannual period of higher DDD/1000hab/day in the winter months (r2 = 0.567). Conclusion: The pandemic of COVID-19 did not aggravate the consumption of benzodiazepines in the Azorean population. However, a change in the pattern of benzodiazepines' acquisition during 2020, was noticed. Patients might have avoided frequent visits to health services and pharmacies in order to decrease the risk of COVID-19 infection. Nevertheless, the adherence is unclear, and should be further investigated. A weak seasonal pattern in benzodiazepine consumption in the Azorean population was also found.

RELATIONSHIP OF SELF-EFFICACY BELIEFS WITH EMOTIONS, COPING STRATEGIES AND EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE IN INITIAL TEACHER EDUCATION

The transition from online teaching during the school lock-in caused by COVID-19 has raised challenges for initial teacher education, particularly in pedagogical practices subjects. Current literature on the impact of the pandemic in the education sector is predominantly descriptive and focused on the difficulties faced by teachers, during the transfer process to online teaching, especially in higher education, but few works address self-efficacy beliefs in initial teacher education. Considering this context, the main objective of this research was to evaluate the levels of self-efficacy, emotions, coping strategies, and emotional intelligence in a sample of college students and how these elements relate to self-efficacy beliefs in this group. The sample was composed of twenty students enrolled in the mandatory supervised internship course. Descriptive analyses, bivariate correlations, and multivariate regression were performed. Bivariate correlation analysis shows an inverse relationship between self-efficacy and anger, anxiety, self-criticism, and emotional attention. In addition, it presents a correlation between self-efficacy, pleasure emotion, and cognitive restructuring strategies. Multivariate regression analysis showed that trainee teachers' emotions (pleasure, anger, anxiety), coping strategies (self-criticism and cognitive restructuring), and emotional intelligence (emotional attention) were significantly related to the dependent variable. In conclusion, this work may contribute to a better understanding of the overall perception of self-efficacy beliefs in students enrolled in mandatory supervised internships.

Interim analysis results from a proof-ofconcept study for ASLAN004 in adult moderate to severe atopic dermatitis: A double blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study

Background: ASLAN004 is a fully human monoclonal antibody that binds to IL-13Ra1 with high affinity and inhibits IL-4 and IL-13 signaling via the Type 2 cytokine receptor, an important target in atopic dermatitis (AD). Objective: To evaluate the emerging safety, tolerability, and efficacy of ASLAN004 in a multipleascending dose escalation phase in patients with moderate to severe AD. Methods: Twenty-five adult patients with moderate to severe AD were recruited from the US, Australia and Singapore and randomized 3:1 in three cohorts to receive once weekly 200, 400 or 600mg of subcutaneous ASLAN004 or matching placebo over eight weeks, with a 12-week recovery period. An interim data readout was conducted after Cohorts 1-3 completed eight weeks of treatment to evaluate various clinical endpoints in a limited number of patients before conducting an expansion cohort (Cohort 4, results reported elsewhere). Endpoints in the interim analysis include change from baseline in Eczema Area Severity Index (EASI) score at week 8 and safety assessments including local tolerability and incidence of adverse events (AEs). [NCT04090229] Results: Three of 25 patients randomized into Cohorts 1-3 discontinued due to restrictions imposed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. 18 of the remaining 22 patients in the planned interim data readout completed at least 29 days of dosing and assessment and were evaluable for efficacy. The mean ± SD (n=18) baseline scores were 32.5±11.8 for EASI and 44% had severe Investigator Global Assessment (IGA) scores. At Week 8, mean reductions in EASI from baseline were 50 percent, 74 percent and 76 percent for the 200mg (n=4), 400 mg (n=6) and 600 mg (n=3) ASLAN004 dose groups respectively, compared with 42 percent (n=5) for placebo. Mean reductions of peak pruritus from baseline to Week 8 were 34 percent, 48 percent and 39 percent for 200mg (n=4), 400mg (n=6) and 600mg (n=2) ASLAN004 dose groups respectively, compared with 16% for placebo (n=5). Other secondary endpoints were also improved for ASLAN004 compared with placebo (EASI-50, EASI- 75, results reported elsewhere). The proportion of patients with AEs and treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) were similar across ASLAN004 treatment and placebo arms. There were no TEAEs leading to discontinuation in the ASLAN004 treatment groups. Conclusion: ASLAN004 was well tolerated, with 400mg and 600mg showing promising eicacy in adults with moderate to severe AD.

Combination of survival movement strategies in cyclic game systems during an epidemic.

Disease outbreaks affect many ecosystems threatening species that also fight against other natural enemies. We investigate a cyclic game system with 5 species, whose organisms outcompete according to the rules of a generalised spatial rock-paper-scissors game, during an epidemic. We study the effects of behavioural movement strategies that allow individuals of one out of the species to move towards areas with a low density of disease vectors and a high concentration of enemies of their enemies. We perform a series of stochastic simulations to discover the impact of self-preservation strategies in pattern formation, calculating the species' spatial autocorrelation functions. Considering organisms with different physical and cognitive abilities, we compute the benefits of each movement tactic to reduce selection and infection risks. Our findings show that the maximum profit in terms of territorial dominance in the cyclic game is achieved if both survival movement strategies are combined, with individuals prioritising social distancing. In the case of an epidemic causing symptomatic illness, the drop in infection risk when organisms identify and avoid disease vectors does not render a rise in the species population because many refuges are disregarded, limiting the benefits of safeguarding against natural enemies. Our results may be helpful to the understanding of the behavioural strategies in ecosystems where organisms adapt to face living conditions changes.

Molecular Docking Study of Antibiotics, Anti-Inflammatory Drugs and [Eu(TTA)3·AMX] Complex as COVID-19 Biomarker through Interaction of Its Main Protease (Mpro)

Coronavirus Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS-CoV-2) is a very recent viral infection and has generated one of the world's biggest problems of all time. There is no scientific evidence and clinical trials to indicate that possible therapies have shown results in suspected or confirmed patients other than the use of immunizations. Given the above, some substances are being studied to be applied to contain their spread and further damage. This work aims to perform an in silico study of amoxicillin, widely known as an antibiotic and used to prevent bacterial infections and a possible biomarker made from a complex with Europium (Eu). It was shown to have the ability to interact with the COVID-19 protein in Mproprotease as ligands. The study was conducted using the AutoDock Vina with Lamarckian genetic model algorithm (GA) combined with the estimation of grid-based energy in rigid and flexible conformation. Compared to affinity energy, amoxicillin presented â-7.7kcal/mol, which was better than its co-crystallized ligand in the study. The Europium complex, where its synthesis was also demonstrated in this work, presented energy of -6.3kcal/mol with hydrogen bonds and possible color change when UV light was applied. For the choice of the best poses in the simulation, the neural network parameter, NNScore2, was used. It can be affirmed that this study is still introductory but promising both in the treatment and identification of the virus. © 2021 Journal of Computational Biophysics and Chemistry. All Rights Reserved.

HEALTH IN THE CURRENT CONJUNCTURE, THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC AND THE STRUGGLE OF THE NATIONAL FRONT AGAINST HEALTH PRIVATIZATION

The article analyzes the health policy in Bolsonaro's government and the confrontation of the new Coronavirus. The Covid-19 pandemic aggravates the conditions of economic, environmental and health crisis, highlighting health systems, due to the high rate of contagion in the virus, implying an overload of health systems worldwide. Brazil is the third country in the world most affected by the pandemic in number of cases and the second in number of deaths. This current context of health crisis reinforces the need and the importance of strengthening the Unified Health System. Finally, we highlight the struggles carried out by the National Front against the Privatization of Health in the face of this scenario in defense of life.

Storytelling on instagram as a light technology in heavy pandemic times

This article aims to analyze the contributions of the storytelling to mental health in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic. It is an intervention-research that places this story device as light health technology. It is committed to reduce distances, create bridges between people through investment in bonding and welcoming. Storytelling articulates literature and psychology, and is part of the toolbox that is necessary for the activation of expressive psychic forces of affections in the current scenario. The research database can be designated as a bank of stories that undergo a curatorial process, which is a fundamental methodology for linking topics covered in the stories and posting them on the project's Instagram. The videotaped stories were analyzed from mutual-care practices and the context-affection-text semantic nuclei, with emphasis on the contents of memory and death. The reactions of Instagram followers express affectionate messages to the storytellers. © 2020.

The impact of SARS-CoV-2 pandemic on the occupation and mobilization of patients in a cardiovascular intensive care unit

Introduction: SARS-CoV-2 pandemic caused economic and social impacts around the world, especially in health systems, affecting the number of hospital admissions for other diseases, routine care, access to services and material and human resources and financial resources made available.