Where should "Humans" be in "One Health"? Lessons from COVID-19 for One Health.

The culling of animals that are infected, or suspected to be infected, with COVID-19 has fuelled outcry. What might have contributed to the ongoing debates and discussions about animal rights protection amid global health crises is the lack of a unified understanding and internationally agreed-upon definition of "One Health". The term One Health is often utilised to describe the imperative to protect the health of humans, animals, and plants, along with the overarching ecosystem in an increasingly connected and globalized world. However, to date, there is a dearth of research on how to balance public health decisions that could impact all key stakeholders under the umbrella of One Health, particularly in contexts where human suffering has been immense. To shed light on the issue, this paper discusses whether One Health means "human-centred connected health" in a largely human-dominated planet, particularly amid crises like COVID-19. The insights of this study could help policymakers make more informed decisions that could effectively and efficiently protect human health while balancing the health and well-being of the rest of the inhabitants of our shared planet Earth.

Post-pandemic policy imperatives to stem violence against women in China.

Violence against women is rampant in China. Even though meaningful strides have been made in the country, it remains disturbingly common for men to assault women-verbally or physically, who may or may not be their partners-in broad daylight in China. To make the situation worse, COVID-19, along with its restrictions, has both undermined women's ability to escape from abuse or violence and society's ability to provide timely help to victims. In light of the rising violence against women post-COVID, in this paper, we discuss the policy imperatives for countries like China to establish effective guardrails and support systems to protect women from the dehumanizing and destabilizing crime that is violence against women-a social malaise that not only harms and undermines the safety of society's daughters, mothers, and grandmothers, but also the integrity of local communities and social contract, let along shared humanity and global solidarity at large.

Public health crises and Ukrainian refugees.

Conflicts are inevitable, and so are refugees. Due to conflicts in Ukraine, the global refugee population has reached new highs. As people continue to flee Ukraine amid the ongoing pandemic in droves, their exposure to COVID-19 and infectious diseases that are common among the refugee population, such as tuberculosis, is on the rise as well. Also factoring in the fact that Ukraine has a large population living with communicable diseases like HIV and hepatitis C, along with other non-communicable conditions like diabetes and cancer, there is a pronounced need to protect these refugees and local residents from potential public health crises. In this paper, we investigate the challenges that health and government officials face in addressing refugees' health needs and preferences. Furthermore, we discuss the imperative to provide timely and effective health services to refugees, such as psychoneuroimmunology-based interventions that could help address refugees' multifactorial and multifaceted health needs and requirements. While conflicts are inevitable, public health crises are not. In light of the renewed imperative to safeguard shared humanity and solidify global solidarity, collaborative actions are needed to ensure fair, kind, and true public health environments are available to refugees of the current conflict and beyond.

Psychoneuroimmunology concerns of the Olympic boycotts.

Just weeks away from the Opening Ceremony of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, the United States, followed by Australia, the United Kingdom, and Canada, has declared a diplomatic boycott of the Games. A diplomatic boycott stipulates that while government officials of these countries will not attend the event, the athletes' scheduled attendance will largely remain intact. An unintended consequence of the boycotts is that they force the attending athletes to cope with the stress and distress associated with the 2022 Winter Olympics in an unfamiliar environment on their own. It is important to underscore that many of the challenges the athletes could face amid the Games are either deep-rooted or unprecedented, ranging from stressors fuelled by the nonstop media reports, the competitions, to the Omicron scares. These insights combined, in turn, underscore the imperative for effective and preemptive mental health support for Olympic athletes. To shed light on the issue, this paper highlights the reasons why timely solutions are needed to adequately safeguard Olympic athletes' mental health and overall wellbeing, and underlines promising technology-based solutions that can be cost-effectively designed and developed for the athletes.

Gender inequality and health disparity amid COVID-19.

Gender inequalities could lead to grave human and economic consequences, especially amid global health crises of the coronavirus 2019's (COVID-19) scale. The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated gender inequalities women face and introduced new challenges that are unprecedented to society at large. Adverse effects of COVID-19, compounded by unintended consequences caused by public health policies such as lockdowns (e.g., delayed or canceled health services), have forced women to face issues ranging from COVID-19 infections and deaths, prolonged unemployment, to unparalleled scale and severity of domestic violence. However, though women face a canopy of debilitating challenges, there is a shortage of research that examines health solutions that can mitigate, if not offset, challenges women experience amid COVID-19. In this paper, we aim to shed light on why timely solutions are needed to mitigate gender inequalities and health disparities women face amid COVID-19 promptly. Furthermore, we underscore the imperative for cost-effective interventions that could shed light on the current health crisis and future pandemics.

Mental health solutions for domestic violence victims amid COVID-19: a review of the literature.

BACKGROUND: Due to COVID-19, domestic violence victims face a range of mental health challenges, possibly resulting in substantial human and economic consequences. However, there is a lack of mental health interventions tailored to domestic violence victims and in the context of COVID-19. In this study, we aim to identify interventions that can improve domestic violence victims' mental health amid the COVID-19 pandemic to address the research gap. MAIN TEXT: Drawing insights from established COVID-19 review frameworks and a comprehensive review of PubMed literature, we obtained information on interventions that can address domestic violence victims' mental health challenges amid COVID-19. We identified practical and timely solutions that can be utilized to address mental health challenges domestic violence victims face amid COVID-19, mainly focusing on (1) decreasing victims' exposure to the abuser and (2) increasing victims' access to mental health services. CONCLUSION: Domestic violence is a public health crisis that affects all demographics and could result in significant morbidity and mortality. In addition to emphasizing mental health challenges faced by domestic violence victims, multidisciplinary interventions are identified that could provide timely and practical solutions to domestic violence victims amid the pandemic, which range from tailored shelter home strategies, education programs, escape plans, laws and regulations, as well as more technology-based mental health solutions. There is a significant need for more multipronged and multidisciplinary strategies to address domestic violence amid and beyond the pandemic, particularly interventions that could capitalize on the ubiquity and cost-effectiveness of technology-based solutions.

Mental health consequences of COVID-19 media coverage: the need for effective crisis communication practices.

During global pandemics, such as coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), crisis communication is indispensable in dispelling fears, uncertainty, and unifying individuals worldwide in a collective fight against health threats. Inadequate crisis communication can bring dire personal and economic consequences. Mounting research shows that seemingly endless newsfeeds related to COVID-19 infection and death rates could considerably increase the risk of mental health problems. Unfortunately, media reports that include infodemics regarding the influence of COVID-19 on mental health may be a source of the adverse psychological effects on individuals. Owing partially to insufficient crisis communication practices, media and news organizations across the globe have played minimal roles in battling COVID-19 infodemics. Common refrains include raging QAnon conspiracies, a false and misleading "Chinese virus" narrative, and the use of disinfectants to "cure" COVID-19. With the potential to deteriorate mental health, infodemics fueled by a kaleidoscopic range of misinformation can be dangerous. Unfortunately, there is a shortage of research on how to improve crisis communication across media and news organization channels. This paper identifies ways that legacy media reports on COVID-19 and how social media-based infodemics can result in mental health concerns. This paper discusses possible crisis communication solutions that media and news organizations can adopt to mitigate the negative influences of COVID-19 related news on mental health. Emphasizing the need for global media entities to forge a fact-based, person-centered, and collaborative response to COVID-19 reporting, this paper encourages media resources to focus on the core issue of how to slow or stop COVID-19 transmission effectively.

Histopathologic degenerative score as a predictor of minimal clinically important difference in pain and functionality following surgical treatment for disc herniation.

Lumbar disc herniation (LDH) often results in significant pain and disability, and histopathologic evaluation of intervertebral discs offers critical insights into treatment outcomes. This prospective observational study explores histopathologic (HP) changes in intervertebral discs (IVD) and their association with clinical outcomes following surgical treatment for lumbar disc herniation (LDH). A cohort of 141 patients undergoing magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-confirmed LDH surgery underwent HP evaluation using a semi-quantitative Histopathologic Degeneration Score (HDS). Preoperatively and at a six-month follow-up, comprehensive clinical assessment included the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) and Visual Analog Scale (VAS), with a minimal clinically important difference (MCID) calculated from ODI and VAS. Results indicated significant associations between higher HDS and adverse clinical outcomes, including persistent pain and greater disability post-surgery. Specifically, HDS ≥ 7 was predictive (OR = 6.25, 95%CI: 2.56-15.23) of disability outcomes measured with MCID-ODI (AUC: 0.692, 95%CI: 0.609-0.767, P < 0.001), and HDS ≥ 8 was predictive (OR = 1.72, 95%CI: 1.04-2.77) of persistent pain measured with MCID-VAS (AUC: 0.628, 95%CI: 0.598-0.737, P = 0.008), highlighting the diagnostic potential of HDS in assessing postoperative recovery. This study underscores the potential of HP evaluation using HDS to provide valuable insights into disease progression and outcomes in LDH patients, complementing conventional radiologic methods. The findings support the application of personalized treatment strategies based on HP findings while acknowledging challenges in interpretation and clinical implementation.

The dangers of having only one pandemic exit strategy.

BACKGROUND: When it comes to pandemic response, preparation can be the key. Between 2020 and 2024, the fast-paced development of COVID-19-often compounded by pubic policies' failures to reflect the latest reality and the public's divergent reactions to the pandemic and the policies-means that society should prepare for exit strategies that can reflect the reality of the pandemic and the interests of the people. Yet oftentimes societies only have one exit strategy with limited scope. This paper investigates the dangers of having only one pandemic exit strategy for pandemics like COVID-19. METHODS: Analyses were based on a review of the literature on COVID-19 exit strategies and our own research. The PubMed literature search focused on two concepts-"COVID-19″ and "exit strategy"-and was limited to peer-reviewed papers published between 2020 and 2024 in English. RESULTS: A total of 31 articles were included in the final review. Analyses showed that existing studies on COVID-19 exit strategies often focused on using the modelling method to gauge one exit strategy. Exit strategies were often discussed in the context of implementing, easing, or lifting specific pharmaceutical or non-pharmaceutical interventions. Staged and country-wide coordinated exit strategies were also discussed in the literature, both of which were often deemed as comparatively rigorous options compared to single or stand-alone exit strategies. Drawing on the overall development of COVID-19 and our own research, we presented and discussed the importance of having multiple exit strategies that are considerate of all possible pandemic trajectories, diverse interests of the public, and the communication challenges officials might face in introducing or implementing pandemic policies. CONCLUSION: This paper underscored the importance of having multiple exit strategies for societies to prepare for pandemics. The insights of this study can help inform health policies so that they can more comprehensively and compassionately protect the needs and wants of the "public" in public health, particularly in grave times like COVID-19.

Sensitivity and specificity of machine learning and deep learning algorithms in the diagnosis of thoracolumbar injuries resulting in vertebral fractures: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Introduction: Clinicians encounter challenges in promptly diagnosing thoracolumbar injuries (TLIs) and fractures (VFs), motivating the exploration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) and Deep Learning (DL) technologies to enhance diagnostic capabilities. Despite varying evidence, the noteworthy transformative potential of AI in healthcare, leveraging insights from daily healthcare data, persists. Research question: This review investigates the utilization of ML and DL in TLIs causing VFs. Materials and methods: Employing Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyzes (PRISMA) methodology, a systematic review was conducted in PubMed and Scopus databases, identifying 793 studies. Seventeen were included in the systematic review, and 11 in the meta-analysis. Variables considered encompassed publication years, geographical location, study design, total participants (14,524), gender distribution, ML or DL methods, specific pathology, diagnostic modality, test analysis variables, validation details, and key study conclusions. Meta-analysis assessed specificity, sensitivity, and conducted hierarchical summary receiver operating characteristic curve (HSROC) analysis. Results: Predominantly conducted in China (29.41%), the studies involved 14,524 participants. In the analysis, 11.76% (N = 2) focused on ML, while 88.24% (N = 15) were dedicated to deep DL. Meta-analysis revealed a sensitivity of 0.91 (95% CI = 0.86-0.95), consistent specificity of 0.90 (95% CI = 0.86-0.93), with a false positive rate of 0.097 (95% CI = 0.068-0.137). Conclusion: The study underscores consistent specificity and sensitivity estimates, affirming the diagnostic test's robustness. However, the broader context of ML applications in TLIs emphasizes the critical need for standardization in methodologies to enhance clinical utility.

Understanding the Significance of Hypoxia-Inducible Factors (HIFs) in Glioblastoma: A Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND: The study aims to investigate the role of hypoxia-inducible factors (HIFs) in the development, progression, and therapeutic potential of glioblastomas. METHODOLOGY: The study, following PRISMA guidelines, systematically examined hypoxia and HIFs in glioblastoma using MEDLINE (PubMed), Web of Science, and Scopus. A total of 104 relevant studies underwent data extraction. RESULTS: Among the 104 studies, global contributions were diverse, with China leading at 23.1%. The most productive year was 2019, accounting for 11.5%. Hypoxia-inducible factor 1 alpha (HIF1α) was frequently studied, followed by hypoxia-inducible factor 2 alpha (HIF2α), osteopontin, and cavolin-1. Commonly associated factors and pathways include glucose transporter 1 (GLUT1) and glucose transporter 3 (GLUT3) receptors, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)-Akt-mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway, and reactive oxygen species (ROS). HIF expression correlates with various glioblastoma hallmarks, including progression, survival, neovascularization, glucose metabolism, migration, and invasion. CONCLUSION: Overcoming challenges such as treatment resistance and the absence of biomarkers is critical for the effective integration of HIF-related therapies into the treatment of glioblastoma with the aim of optimizing patient outcomes.

The Role of Hemogram-derived Ratios in COVID-19 Severity Stratification in a Primary Healthcare Facility.

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) can cause a wide clinical spectrum, ranging from asymptomatic to severe disease with a high mortality rate. In view of the current pandemic and the increasing influx of patients into healthcare facilities, there is a need to identify simple and reliable tools for stratifying patients. Objective: Study aimed to analyze whether hemogram-derived ratios (HDRs) can be used to identify patients with a risk of developing a severe clinical form and admission to hospital. Methods: This cross-sectional and observational study included 500 patients with a confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19. Data on clinical features and laboratory parameters were collected from medical records and 13 HDRs were calculated and analyzed. Descriptive and inferential statistics were included in the analysis. Results: Of the 500 patients, 43.8% had a severe form of the disease. Lymphocytopenia, monocytopenia, higher C-reactive protein (CRP), and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) were found in severe patients (p < 0.05). Significantly higher neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), derived NLR (dNLR), neutrophil-to-platelet ratio (NPR), neutrophil-to-lymphocyte-to-platelet ratio (NLPR) and CRP-to-lymphocyte ratio (CRP/Ly) values were found in severe patients (p < 0.001). In addition, they have statistically significant prognostic potential (p < 0.001). The area under the curve (AUC) for CRP/Ly, dNLR, NLPR, NLR, and NPR were 0.693, 0.619, 0.619, 0.616, and 0.603, respectively. The sensitivity and specificity were 65.7% and 65.6% for CRP/Ly, 51.6% and 70.8 for dNLR, 61.6% and 57.3% for NLPR, 40.6% and 80.4% for NLR, and 48.8% and 69.1% for NPR. Conclusion: The results of the study suggest that NLR, dNLR, CRP/Ly, NPR, and NLPR can be considered as potentially useful markers for stratifying patients with a severe form of the disease. HDRs derived from routine blood tests results should be included in common laboratory practice since they are readily available, easy to calculate, and inexpensive.

Association Between Risk Factors and Prevalence of Musculoskeletal Disorders Among Laboratory Professionals-an European Perspective.

Background: Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are a large group of diseases that severely affect work productivity and quality of life. Objective: To examine the differences in the prevalence of MSDs among laboratory professionals (LP) and to assess their association with individual, psychosocial, and occupational risk factors. Methods: In a multicenter, cross-sectional study, a questionnaire was distributed online through professional association networks. Participants were divided into two groups based on their territorial affiliation-European Union (EU) and non-EU member states. Descriptive and inferential statistics were included in the analysis, and statistical significance was set at ≤0.05. Results: A total of 640 LPs from 20 European countries participated in the study, predominantly females (78.4%) with university degree (59.4%) and mean age of 41.2 ± 10.1 years. Statistically significant differences between groups were confirmed for several variables studied: neck flexion > 15o (p = 0.008), hands at chest level (p = 0.000), longer screen time, and sitting (p = 0.000). One-third of participants reported wrist (35.6%), shoulder (32.7%), and elbow (31.6%) pain, while low back pain was more common (48.9%). A statistically significant association was confirmed between the incidence of MSDs and stress at work, repetitive movements, and prolonged standing (p = 0.000). Several variables showed significant correlations with MSDs in different body parts (p <0.05). Conclusion: Our results show a higher prevalence of MSDs in LPs and recommend the development of targeted prevention programs and additional measures to modify the work environment and organizational activities.

Media-Induced War Trauma Amid Conflicts in Ukraine.

War could be traumatic. War trauma could often lead to severe and sustained health consequences on people's physical and psychological health. War trauma is often prevalent in people who either participated in the war or lived near conflict zones, such as military professionals, refugees, and health workers. Advances in information and communication technologies, such as the speed, scale, and scope at which people worldwide could be exposed to the near-time happenings of the war, mean that an unprecedented number of people could face media-induced war trauma. Different from war experienced in person, which could be limited in scope and intensity, media-induced war trauma can be substantially more extensive and comprehensive-news reports on the war often cover all aspects and angles possible, possibly paired with disturbing, if not demoralizing, images, repeatedly 24/7. Although media-induced war trauma could have a profound influence on people's mental health, particularly factoring in the compounding challenges caused by the pandemic, there is a dearth of research in the literature. To shed light on this issue, in this article, we aim to examine the implications of media-induced war trauma on people's health and well-being. Furthermore, we discuss the duties and responsibilities of the media industry amid and beyond the current conflicts in Ukraine.

The Proportion and Type of Carbohydrates in the Diets of Children in Early Adolescence.

Background: Carbohydrates are mainly substrates for energy metabolism and can affect satiety, blood glucose levels, insulin secretion, and fat metabolism. Their amount and type in the diet affect metabolic responses. High-carbohydrate diets, particularly high sugar consumption, are considered particularly harmful because of their specific characteristics related to postprandial metabolism, effects on hunger and satiety, and thus on caloric intake and energy balance. The European Food Safety Authority has suggested that the reference intake for carbohydrates should be between 45 and 60% of total energy requirements and less than 10% should be added sugars, especially for children. Objective: Investigate the proportion and type of carbohydrates in the diets of children in early adolescence in two territorially distinct areas, the continental and the Mediterranean. Methods: The study was conducted as part of a longitudinal cohort study. The survey was conducted in elementary schools in two regions: continental and Mediterranean. The School Physical Activity and Nutrition Survey was used for research purposes. Descriptive and inferential statistical tests were applied for data analysis. Results: A total of 1,411 respondents of both sexes aged 12-15 years, 729 boys and 678 girls, participated in the study. The intake of carbohydrates in the total sample is represented in the daily intake of 59%. The proportion of natural sugar in the diet of boys is statistically significantly higher in the continental compared to the Mediterranean region at the age of 12-13 years (p = 0.002), 13-14 years (p = 0.049), and 14-15 years (p = 0.002). Added sugars in total carbohydrate intake are statistically significantly higher in girls in the Mediterranean region compared to the continental region at ages 12-13 years (p = 0.048), 13-14 years (p = 0.001), and 14-15 years (p = 0.001). Conclusion: The high intake of added sugars in children in the Mediterranean region is of concern, although the intake in the continental area is well above current recommendations. Therefore, one of the public health goals is to promote proper nutrition as well as the availability of healthy foods in schools, especially during early adolescence when proper eating habits are adopted.

A call to ban the sale of tobacco products.

Tobacco is both toxic and addictive. Mounting evidence shows that tobacco use has a detrimental impact on almost every aspect of human health, causing or worsening deadly public health crises from the cancer epidemic to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, while tobacco use is a threat to both personal and public health, it continues to surge across the world, especially in China and other low- and middle-income countries. To this end, this article argues in favor of using a ban on the sale of all tobacco products as a practical solution to the global tobacco use epidemic. It is our hope that insights provided by our work will inspire swift policy actions in countries such as China and beyond to curb the tide of rising tobacco consumption, so that populations around the world could be better shielded from the pervasive and long-lasting damage that tobacco products cause or compound.

Corrigendum: What "Family Affair?" domestic violence awareness in China.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.795841.].

Corrigendum: What "family affair?" domestic violence awareness in China.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.795841.].

What "Family Affair?" Domestic Violence Awareness in China.

Introduction: Domestic violence is toxic to society. With approximately one in three women on average falling victim to domestic violence, systematic solutions are needed. To further complicate the issue, mounting research shows that COVID-19 has further exacerbated domestic violence across the world. Situations could be even more pronounced in countries like China, where though domestic violence is prevalent, there is a dearth of research, such as intervention studies, to address the issue. This study investigates key barriers to domestic violence research development in China, with a close focus on salient cultural influences. Methods: A review of the literature on domestic violence in China in PubMed, PsycINFO, and Scopus was conducted to answer the research question. The search was focused on three themes, domestic violence, China, research, and cultural influences. Results: The study findings show that categorizing domestic violence as a "family affair" is a key barrier to domestic violence research development in China-an incremental hindrance that prevents the public and policymakers from understanding the full scale and scope of domestic violence in China. In addition to abusers, witnesses, and victims, even law enforcement in China often dismisses domestic violence crimes as "family affairs" that resides outside the reach and realm of the law. The results indicated that mistreating domestic violence crimes as "family affairs" is a vital manifestation of the deep-rooted cultural influences in China, ranging from traditional Confucian beliefs in social harmony to the assumed social norms of not interfering with other people's businesses. Conclusion: Domestic violence corrupts public health and social stability. Our study found that dismissing domestic violence cases as "family affairs" is an incremental reason why China's domestic violence research is scarce and awareness is low. In light of the government's voiced support for women's rights, we call for the Chinese government to develop effective interventions to timely and effectively address the domestic violence epidemic in China.