Unusual Features of the SARS-CoV-2 Genome Suggesting Sophisticated Laboratory Modification as a Biological Robot

The COVID-19 pandemic caused by the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 has led to deaths worldwide and decimation of the global economy. Despite its tremendous impact, the origin of SARS-CoV-2 has remained mysterious and controversial. The natural origin theory, although widely accepted, lacks substantial support. The alternative theory that the virus may have come from a research laboratory is, however, censored on peer-reviewed scientific journals. Nonetheless, SARS-CoV-2 shows biological characteristics that are inconsistent with a naturally occurring, zoonotic virus. In this report, the authors describe the genomic, structural, medical, and literature evidence, which, when considered together, strongly contradicts the natural origin theory. The evidence shows that SARS-CoV2 should be a laboratory product created by using bat coronaviruses ZC45 and/or ZXC21 as a template and/or backbone. Building upon the evidence, the authors further postulate a synthetic route for SARS-CoV-2, demonstrating that the lab-creation of this coronavirus is convenient and can be accomplished in approximately six months.

Efektifitas Teknik De-Eskalasi Untuk Mengurangi Agresifitas Pasien Skizofrenia : Literature Review

Schizophrenia is a disease that attacks the nervous system that can cause changes in attitudes and behavior. Schizophrenic patients are prone to have aggressive behavior that can cause a loss of control of a person's behavior that is directed at oneself, others, or the environment. Violent behavior in oneself can take the form of self-injury to commit suicide or allow oneself to be in the form of self-abandonment. One technique to reduce aggressive behavior in schizophrenic patients is the de-escalation technique. This study aims to determine the effectiveness of de-escalation techniques to reduce aggressive behavior in schizophrenic patients based on available literature evidence. The study used a literature review method. The databases used to search articles are Wiley, PubMed, Science Direct, and the Google scolar search engine. Articles are selected based on the suitability of the keywords, topics and inclusion and exclusion criteria that have been determined. The search results obtained as many as 5 articles, 4 articles in Indonesian and 1 in English. The critical review instrument used to assess the quality of the article is the instrument by Hawker. There are findings that de-escalation techniques are effective in reducing aggressiveness in schizophrenic patients. Efforts to reduce aggressive behavior with de-escalation techniques have a more significant effect than those without de-escalation techniques.Keywords: Aggressive behavior, risk of violent behavior, de-escalation technique, Schizophrenia. AbstrakSkizofrenia merupakan penyakit yang menyerang sistem saraf yang dapat menyebabkan perubahan sikap dan perilaku. Pasien skizofrenia rentan memiliki perilaku agresif yang dapat menyebabkan hilangnya kendali perilaku seseorang yang diarahkan pada diri sendiri, oranglain, atau lingkungan. Perilaku kekerasan pada diri sendiri dapat berbentuk melukai diri untuk bunuh diri atau membiarkan diri dalam bentuk penelantaran diri. Salah satu teknik untuk mengurangi perilaku agresif pada pasien skizofrenia adalah dengan teknik deeskalasi. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui efektifitas teknik deeskalasi untuk mengurangi perilaku agresif pada pasien skizofrenia berdasarkan literatur evidence yang tersedia. Penelitian menggunakan metode literature review. Database yang digunakan untuk pencarian artikel adalah Wiley, PubMed, Science Direct, serta mesin pencarian Google scolar. Artikel diseleksi berdasarkan kesesuaian dengan kata kunci, topik serta kriteria inklusi dan eksklusi yang telah ditentukan. Hasil penelusuran didapatkan sebanyak 5 artikel, 4 artikel berbahasa Indonesia dan 1 berbahasa inggris. Instrumen telaah kritis yang digunakan untuk menelaah kualitas artikel adalah instrumen oleh Hawker. Terdapat temuan bahwa teknik deeskalasi efektif dalam mengurangi agresifitas pada pasien skizofrenia. Upaya untuk menurunkan perilaku agresif dengan teknik de-esakalasi memberikan pengaruh lebih signifikan dibandingkan dengan yang tidak diberikan teknik de-eskalasi. Kata Kunci : Perilaku agresif, Resiko perilaku kekerasan, Teknik deeskalasi, Skizofrenia.

The EU Strategy on the Rights of the Child and the European Child Guarantee—Evidence-Based Recommendations for Alternative Care

Protection and promotion of child rights are referred to as a central purpose of the European Union (EU). Therefore in 2021, the EU Strategy on the Rights of the Child and the European Child Guarantee were published to enable children to have the best possible life in the EU and worldwide. Member states were invited to implement the directions of both documents into practice. The present study analyses and showcases the evidence on how to progress implementation of the Strategy and the Guarantee regarding alternative care in Portugal. A literature review was conducted based on international literature. Evidence-based recommendations for the Portuguese transition process towards quality, family and community-based care are stated. De-institutionalisation and strengthening specific services—kinship care, special guardianship, and foster care—are advocated, namely specialising the workforce, and promoting training for kinship carers and prospective special guardians. To conclude, the revision and monitoring of the measures for children in need of alternative care are suggested as well as integrating and publishing data from the diverse services of the alternative care system.

Association of Age with Hand Grip Strength, Pinch Strength and Reaction Time in Gynaecologists and Obstetricians

According to scientific literature, evidence of relationship exists between dexterity and age. With increasing age, the performances get slower, less smooth, less coordinated and less controlled. Lesser the reaction time, better is the achievement seen sports, music, driving, academics and also in day-to-day activities. We can always predict reacting abilities of an individual based on his reaction time. In case of surgeons, this helps us to identify the surgeons with prolonged reaction time and identify the cause. Some studies suggest that there is direct relationship that exists between muscle strength and increased age. Aim: This study aimed in assessing the association of age with hand grip strength, pinch strength and reaction time in Gynaecologists and Obstetricians. Methods: This study involved 30 Gynaecologists and Obstetricians. Hand grip strength, Pinch Grip Strength and Reaction time were assessed on both dominant and non- dominant hand. Results: The result showed positive correlation of age with hand grip strength and pinch strength and negative correlation of age with reaction in Gynaecologists and Obstetricians. Conclusion: There is low association of age with hand grip strength and pinch strength, there is reduction in reaction time as age increases in Gynaecologists and Obstetricians. Key words: Age, Hand grip strength, Pinch Grip Strength, Reaction time, Gynecologists.

The Scale of Online Course Anxiety: Assessing College Students’ Anxiety in Online Courses

The purpose of this study was to develop an instrument to measure student online course anxiety, a factor that detrimentally affects student learning in the online environment. Based on Keegan’s theoretical framework that identified fundamental differences between online education and traditional education, the instrument of Scale of Online Course Anxiety (SOCA) was developed and tested with a sample of 170 students from a 4-year higher educational institution. The total score and the four subscale scores show high reliability. Confirmatory Factor Analysis exhibited solid goodness of fit between SOCA items and the factor structure hypothesized in previous literature. Evidence of divergent validity shows SOCA differentiates the state anxiety and trait anxiety as expected. Limitations and possible topics for future research are also discussed.

The Role of Serology Testing in the Context of Immunization Policies for COVID-19 in Latin American Countries

This review aims to explore the role and value of serology testing in the context of COVID-19 immunization policies in Latin American countries and the barriers and challenges to the adequate use and uptake of this tool. It builds on a review of the academic literature, evidence, and existing policies, and includes a multistage process of discussion and feedback by a group of five experts. Regional and country-level evidence and resources from five focus countries—Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, and Mexico—were collected and analyzed. This review contains an overview of (1) the impact of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, the variants of concern and current testing strategies, (2) the introduction of COVID-19 vaccination, (3) the potential use of serology testing to support immunization initiatives, (4) the current frameworks for the use of serology testing in the region, and (5) the barriers and challenges to implementing serology testing in the context of COVID-19 immunization policies, including a discussion on the potential actions required to address these barriers and facilitate the uptake of this strategy in the region. Stakeholders can use elements of this document to guide timely decision-making, raise awareness, and inspire further studies.

The Role of Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube Frequency of Use in University Students’ Digital Skills Components

The literature provides rich evidence on students’ levels of digital skills as well as on their frequency of Internet and social media use. Several studies have examined the relationships between social media use and academic achievement. However, there are not any studies investigating the relationships between social media use and digital skills of higher education students. To fill this research gap, this study examines the links between the frequency of social media use and students’ digital skills. The survey was conducted with 155 university students in Greece. The instrument on six digital skills components was evaluated in terms of reliability and consistency. The research findings reveal a strong positive association between the use of YouTube and students’ digital skills on content evaluation and protection. Age and educational level differences were noted in several digital skills components, whereas age and gender were related to the frequency of Instagram use. The main conclusion is that the generic use of Facebook and Instagram does not affect students’ digital skills. However, combined literature evidence implies that when social media are used for educational purposes, they might influence students’ perceived levels of digital skills. Implications and limitations are discussed in the study.

Genetic, environmental and microbiological causes of periodontal diseases

Periodontal disease is a term that can be used to describe different oral conditions that occur to the gingiva, in addition to the bones and ligaments supporting the teeth. Periodontal diseases can develop secondary to inflammatory, developmental, genetic, traumatic, neoplastic, and metabolic disorders. In the present literature review, we aim to discuss the different genetic, environmental, and microbiological causes of periodontal diseases based on evidence from the current studies in the literature. Evidence regarding genetics is still not adequate, and further research is still needed to understand the main mechanism of this etiology furtherly. Different diseases and habitual factors can contribute periodontal diseases, mainly due to increased inflammation-induced pathological events. Further attention should be directed to preventing these events to intervene against the development of periodontal diseases adequately. Early interventions against these diseases can attribute to enhance the health and prognosis of the affected patients significantly. Microbiological causes are also important and usually develop mainly as a result of poor hygiene. Therefore, further interventional research should be directed towards raising awareness among individuals to reduce the incidence of the condition.

Role of platelet-rich plasma in maxillofacial surgery

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) has been reported as an efficacious modality that can enhance the process of wound healing and tissue regeneration and has been validated in different medical settings, including cardiovascular surgery, otolaryngology, head and neck surgery, and maxillofacial surgery. In dental and oral surgery settings, PRP has been reported as an efficacious approach with favorable outcomes in different settings. Some of these procedures include surgical repair of the alveolar cleft, mandibular reconstruction, ablative surgical procedures, placement of osseointegrated implants, periodontal plastic surgery, and management of infrabony periodontal defects. In the present study, we aim to discuss the role and mechanisms that PRP plays in the settings of maxillofacial surgery based on evidence from the relevant studies in the literature. Evidence indicates the wide acceptance of the modality, which has been proven to increase the rate of wound healing and reduce the frequency of pain and swelling. The administration of PRP has been reported to dispense with the need for invasive approaches that might be furtherly associated with complications and different morbidities. However, in most of the favorable events where the PRP administration of was associated with enhanced outcomes, the modality was used in combination with another therapeutic approach. Therefore, further research is needed to validate the efficacy of the modality in the different settings.

Production, Purification, and Potential Health Applications of Edible Seeds’ Bioactive Peptides: A Concise Review

Edible seeds play a significant role in contributing essential nutritional needs and impart several health benefits to improve the quality of human life. Previous literature evidence has confirmed that edible seed proteins, their enzymatic hydrolysates, and bioactive peptides (BAPs) have proven and potential attributes to ameliorate numerous chronic disorders through the modulation of activities of several molecular markers. Edible seed-derived proteins and peptides have gained much interest from researchers worldwide as ingredients to formulate therapeutic functional foods and nutraceuticals. In this review, four main methods are discussed (enzymatic hydrolysis, gastrointestinal digestion, fermentation, and genetic engineering) that are used for the production of BAPs, including their purification and characterization. This article’s main aim is to provide current knowledge regarding several health-promoting properties of edible seed BAPs in terms of antihypertensive, anti-cancer, antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, and hypoglycemic activities.