Quantitative detection of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant in wastewater through allele-specific RT-qPCR

On November 26, 2021, the B.1.1.529 COVID-19 variant was named as the Omicron variant of concern. Reports of higher transmissibility and potential immune evasion triggered flight bans and heightened health control measures across the world to stem its distribution. Wastewater-based surveillance has demonstrated to be a useful complement for community-based tracking of SARS-CoV-2 variants. Using design principles of our previous assays that detect SARS-CoV-2 variants (Alpha and Delta), here we report an allele-specific RT-qPCR assay that simultaneously targets mutations Q493R, G496S and Q498R for quantitative detection of the Omicron variant in wastewater. This method is open-sourced and can be implemented using commercially available RT-qPCR protocols, and would be an important tool for tracking the spread and introduction of the Omicron variant in communities for informed public health responses.

Symbolic Communication of Tourism Images in Soap Opera Televisions

Tourism in Bali is growing so rapidly that it continues to increase every year. The increasing number of foreign and domestic tourist arrivals leads to an increase in domestic services and promotions. Arief Yahya assessed that film had become a useful medium and contributed greatly to promoting Indonesian tourism. The aim of this research is to know how soap opera and film could be used as a means of promotion to know about Tourism in Bali and other state problems: (1) How Broadcasting as a mass communication activity functions as a medium of information, education, entertainment, health, control and social control; (2) How to carry out the function of soap opera and film as a means of promoting Tourism inBali;(3), How broadcasting also has economic and cultural functions. Theory and Method: Symbolic Theory and Method use perception and qualitative analysis which explore by watching the eat, pray, and love films and some soap operas whose shooting take place in Bali. They can serve as a reference for the industrial world to make films that can inspire audiences to come to the place or location of the film, and also a reference for tourists who would come to Bali.

Tolerance of uncertainty as a determinant of educators' psychological health in conditions of social tension

Introduction. Social instability increases the importance of tolerance of uncertainty among representatives of different social and professional groups. In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, educators' tolerance of uncertainty as a probable determinant of their psychological health is of particular interest for researchers. Aim: to study tolerance of uncertainty as a determinant of educational staff's psychological health in conditions of social tension. Methods: D. McLain's MSTAT-II (adapted by E.M. Osin), T. Galkina & N. Artemtseva's Attitude to Psychological Health Scale, Scale of Positive Mental Health by J. Lukat et al., and Locus of Health Control questionnaire. Results. It was found that the most pronounced components of tolerance of uncertainty were the attitude to novelty and preference of uncertainty. Uncertainty tolerance components affected most aspects of educators' psychological health. Conclusion. Tolerance of uncertainty should be seen as a determinant of educators' psychological health.

Risk management process and approaches for COVID-19 by Indian Educational Institutions

The novel and ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) epidemic in India has had a phenomenal effect on India’s financial, educational system and community development. It effects the overall education system in India but the Indian educational institutions have made substantial contributions and taking proper steps to minimize the effects of this virus. Its only made possible by the contributions have been made primarily by medical and emergency management, counselling for mental health, control on people’s movement and innovation in Emergency remote teaching (ERT). In what manner to tackle these risks and emergency problems, this paper reviewed and presented all the situations, highlighted the risk management process and plan of Indian educational institutions from university to school level institutions and proposes some approaches for the solutions of community dissemination. JEL Classification: G32, C73

Reporting the epidemiology of aural haematoma in dogs and proposing a novel aetiopathogenetic pathway

To evaluate the incidence and risk factors for aural haematoma in dogs under primary veterinary care in the UK. A cohort study design. Dogs diagnosed with aural haematoma during 2016 were identified from the VetCompass database. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression modelling were used for risk factor analysis. There were 2,249/905,554 dogs diagnosed with aural haematoma during 2016. The estimated one-year incidence risk for aural haematoma was 0.25% (95% confidence interval 0.24–0.26). After accounting for confounding factors, 14 breeds showed increased odds and 20 breeds showed reduced odds of aural haematoma compared with crossbred dogs. Breeds with the highest odds included Bull Terrier (OR 7.42, 95% confidence interval 4.39–12.54), Saint Bernard (OR 7.28, 95% confidence interval 3.58–14.81) and French Bulldog (OR 6.95, 95% confidence interval 5.55–8.70). Increasing age, increasing bodyweight and breeds with V-shaped drop and semi-erect ear carriage also showed increased odds of aural haematoma. Associations between ear carriage within breeds and the risk of aural haematoma suggest that trauma along the line of cartilage folding within V-shaped and semi-erect ears may trigger aural haematoma. New knowledge of key breed predispositions will contribute to improved breed health control strategies.

Coronavirus legislative responses in the UK: regression to panic and disdain of constitutionalism

The United Kingdom has considerable prowess in handling emergencies, not just in counterterrorism but also in a wide range of other real or imagined disasters, including public health risks. Core legislation has been installed, including the all-encompassing Civil Contingencies Act (CCA) 2004 and the more specialist Public Health (Control of Disease) Act (PHA) 1984. Despite these finely honed models, the UK state regressed to panic mode when faced with the COVID-19 pandemic. Rather than turning to the laws already in place, Parliament fast-tracked the Coronavirus Act 2020, with scant debate of its shabbily drafted contents. In addition, the UK Government has relied heavily, with minimal scrutiny, on regulations under the PHA 1984. The article analyses the competing legal codes and how they have been deployed to deal with COVID-19. It then draws out the strengths and weaknesses of the choices in terms of the key themes of: the choice of sectoral versus general emergency legislation; levels of oversight and accountability; effectiveness; and the protection of individual rights. Following this survey, it will be suggested that the selection of legal instruments and the design of their contents has been ill-judged. In short, the emergency code which is the most suitably engineered for the purpose, the CCA 2004, has been the least used for reasons which should not be tolerated.