Depression, Perceived Risk of COVID-19, Loneliness, and Perceived Social Support from Friends Among University Students in Poland, UK, and India.

Background: The study examines the prevalence of depression among university students in Poland, the UK and India in the face of the second pandemic wave of COVID-19. The paper also examines the protective role of perceived social support, the hypothesis being that social support from friends would reduce depression. Methods: The data from university students (N=732) in Poland (N=335), UK (N= 198), and India (N=199) were collected online during of the fall/winter 2021. Participants completed measures of depression (CES-D), COVID-19 risk perception index, loneliness (DJGLS), and perceived social support (MSPSS). Results: Almost 52% of all participants (58.5% in Poland, 62.6% in the UK, and 29.1% in India) met the criteria for major depression. The higher levels of depression symptoms were associated with a higher perceived risk of COVID-19, greater loneliness, female gender, younger students' age, and the lower levels of perceived social support. The greater family support predicted lower levels of depression symptoms in the Polish and Indian samples. Structural equation analyses (SEM) revealed the indirect effect of perceived social support from friends on the association between social loneliness and depression and between age and depression. This result shows that the support from friends significantly reduced depression, regardless of age, the level of social loneliness, and the perceived risk of COVID-19. Conclusion: Our conclusions link to university specialists' enhancement of psychological help for students with depression. We also recommend information campaigns on depression and treatment options.

Primary pulmonary sporotrichosis in a sub-Himalayan patient.

Primary pulmonary sporotrichosis, a rare fungal disease was found in chronic alcoholic farmer from the sub-Himalayan region, an endemic mycoses area. Primary pulmonary sporotrichosis is a hidden entity, at times mimicking tuberculosis, and often under or lately diagnosed due to lack of awareness. We should consider the possibility of pulmonary sporotrichosis in patients with chronic cough and cavitary parenchymal disease, particularly in chronic alcoholics, gardeners, and forest workers. Sputum culture for fungus as a part of diagnostic studies is needed especially in endemic mycoses areas for early detection and management of such fungal diseases.

Severe post-burn neck contracture release and skin graft harvest using tumescent local anaesthesia as the sole anesthetic technique.

Severe post-burn contractures in the neck often cause anatomical distortion and restriction of neck movements, resulting in varying degrees of difficulty in airway management. Any mode of anesthesia that may obviate the need for imperative airway control may be desirable in such situations in which a difficult airway may be anticipated. Here we present one such situation where tumescent local anesthesia was employed to manage a case of severe post-burn neck contractures posted for contracture release and split-skin grafting. The other benefits of this method were minimal blood loss and excellent postoperative analgesia. In conclusion, it can be emphasized that the application of tumescent anesthesia is an important anesthetic tool in patients with predicted difficult airway management.

Computed tomography diagnosis of a primary aortoduodenal fistula in a patient with a partially thrombosed abdominal aortic aneurysm.

Primary aortoenteric fistula is a rare but fatal cause of gastrointestinal bleeding and requires urgent intervention. A high index of clinical suspicion in conjunction with imaging is required because a favorable outcome relies on prompt diagnosis. The primary forms of aortoduodenal fistulas are nearly always associated with abdominal aortic aneurysm, mostly atherosclerotic. Technological advances in imaging, particularly computed tomography (CT), play a pivotal role in the preoperative detection of these fistulas. We report the case of a 76-year-old man who was diagnosed with a large abdominal aortic aneurysm with associated contained rupture and suggestion of an aortoduodenal fistula on CT. This case demonstrated the effectiveness, ease, and low cost of the preoperative evaluation and documentation of a primary aortoduodenal fistula using CT scans.