Assessing the Predictive Power of Online Social Media to Analyze COVID-19 Outbreaks in the 50 U.S. States

As the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) continues to rage worldwide, the United States has become the most affected country, with more than 34.1 million total confirmed cases up to 1 June 2021. In this work, we investigate correlations between online social media and Internet search for the COVID-19 pandemic among 50 U.S. states. By collecting the state-level daily trends through both Twitter and Google Trends, we observe a high but state-different lag correlation with the number of daily confirmed cases. We further find that the accuracy measured by the correlation coefficient is positively correlated to a state’s demographic, air traffic volume and GDP development. Most importantly, we show that a state’s early infection rate is negatively correlated with the lag to the previous peak in Internet searches and tweeting about COVID-19, indicating that earlier collective awareness on Twitter/Google correlates with a lower infection rate. Lastly, we demonstrate that correlations between online social media and search trends are sensitive to time, mainly due to the attention shifting of the public.

Simultaneous fasting may contain SARS-CoV-2 infection

Fasting can halt viral reproduction and relieve symptoms. Simultaneous fasting with moderate intake of boiled rice water or fruit juice for 2 to 3 days may achieve positive effect. If a person has 30 contacts daily, and 6 of which are viral carriers, simultaneous fasting can reduce viral loads in all the 6 carriers and thus lower infection rate by perhaps more than 90%. Individuals not suitable for fasting should be excluded from pilot test and large experiments. Multiple episodes of fasting with proper intervals can be conducted to beat pandemic or control viral infection at its infancy.

EXPERIENCE IN MEDICAL SUPPORT OF SHIPS AND UNITS OF FOREIGN ARMIES DURING THE NEW CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC

The pandemic of a new coronavirus infection (COVID-19) threatened the combat readiness of the Armed Forces (AF) and required the urgent development and implementation of its own measures to limit the spread of the disease. Wide-spread principles to combat this disease, including social distancing, isolation of patients and quarantine of contact persons, are difficult to comply with Navy service. Given the features of habitability, autonomy and distance from the main locations, the experience gained and the measures taken during the outbreak of COVID-19 on the US Navy nuclear aircraft carrier «Theodore Roosevelt» are of great interest. It was important that at the time of diagnosis COVID-19 77% of crew members had no signs of disease, and 43% of them remained completely asymptomatic. The incidence among officers was significantly less than in ordinary and sergeant personnel. None of the officers were hospitalized. People of the white race predominated among the diseased and hospitalized (42,7 per cent and 30,4 per cent, respectively), as well as those associated with reactor operation, weapons and support personnel (27,9 per cent in total). At the same time, those servicemen who strictly followed non-specific preventive measures had a reliably lower infection rate.

The impact of quarantine on Covid-19 infections

Objectives: Coronavirushas had profound effects on people’s lives and the economy of many countries, generating controversy between the need to establish quarantines and other social distancing measures to protect people’s health and the need to reactivate the economy. This study proposes and applies a modification of the SIR infection model to describe the evolution of coronavirus infections and to measure the effect of quarantine on the number of people infected. Methods: Two hypotheses, not necessarily mutually exclusive, are proposed for the impact of quarantines. According to the first hypothesis, quarantine reduces the infection rate, delaying new infections over time without modifying the total number of people infected at the end of the wave. The second hypothesis establishes that quarantine reduces the population infected in the wave. The two hypotheses are tested with data for a sample of 10 districts in Santiago, Chile. Results: The results of applying the methodology show that the proposed model describes well the evolution of infections at the district level. The data shows evidence in favor of the first hypothesis, quarantine reduces the infection rate; and not in favor of the second hypothesis, that quarantine reduces the population infected. Districts of higher socio-economic levels have a lower infection rate, and quarantine is more effective. Conclusions: Quarantine, in most districts, does not reduce the total number of people infected in the wave; it only reduces the rate at which they are infected. The reduction in the infection rate avoids peaks that may collapse the health system.

Heavy Exposure of Children Aged 9–12 Years With Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Did Not Lead to Infection

The reason for the apparently lower infection rate of children with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) compared to adults is still unclear. Here, we report on 4 schoolchildren with heavy exposure to SARS-CoV-2 with no clinical signs of coronavirus disease 2019, repeated negative nasopharyngeal swabs for SARS-CoV-2 RNA, and no seroconversion.

Dietary Camellia sinensis Influences the Broilers: A Review

This study was conducted in order to understand the impact of using dietary Camellia sinensis in broilers. In this regards several studies were explored and obtained findings were found to be much interesting and useful. In summary it has been reported by researchers that Camellia sinensis supports the feed intake (4480 g/b), water intake (8960 ml/b), live body weight (2356.8 g/b), weekly weight gain (2322.8 g/b), carcass weight (1381.8 g/b) and feed conversion ratio (1.92). Further, it was stated that Camellia sinensis reduces the relative weight of heart, liver, spleen, proventriculus, intestine and fat pad by 13.53, 61.1, 2.26, 58.13, 10.2 and 81.41%, respectively compared to their normal weights. Camellia sinensis enhances the immunity of broilers that results lower infection rate and mortality rate. Concerning digestibility it was indicated by researchers that digestibility of crude protein improves by 80.33%, ether extract by 76%, crude fiber 33.83% and metabolizable energy by 79.66%. In conclusion, Camellia sinensis has been proved an important dietary supplement for the broilers. It supports birds’ immunity, production and performance.

More Active Internet-Search on Google and Twitter Posting for COVID-19 Corresponds with Lower Infection Rate in the 50 U.S. States

As the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) continues to rage worldwide, the United States has become the most affected country with more than 2.5 million total confirmed cases up to now (June 2, 2020). In this work, we investigate the predictive power of online social media and Internet search for the COVID-19 pandemic among 50 U.S. states. By collecting the state-level daily trends through both Twitter and Google Trends, we observe a high but state-different lag correlation with the number of daily confirmed cases. We further find that the predictive accuracy measured by the correlation coefficient is positively correlated to a state’s demographic, air traffic volume and GDP development. Most importantly, we show that a state’s early infection rate is negatively correlated with the lag to the previous peak in Internet search and tweeting about COVID-19, indicating that the earlier the collective awareness on Twitter/Google in a state, the lower is the infection rate.

Infección periprotésica en pacientes ancianos tratados mediante hemiartroplastia de cadera tras fractura intracapsular ¿Es el uso de cemento impregnado con altas dosis de antibiótico es un factor asociado a su disminución?.

Objective: to study whether the use of cement with a high dose of antibiotics is a factor associated with a lower infection rate in hip hemiarthroplasty after femoral neck fracture.Material and methods: a retrospective cohort study of 144 consecutive patients treated surgically for a cervical hip fracture with cemented hip hemiarthroplasty between February 2015 and February 2017. In 88 (61.1%) high dose antibiotic cement was used, defined as a concentration ≥ 5% of the total weight (Group 1) and in 56 (38.9%) cement without antibiotics was used (Group 2). The primary outcome variable was periprosthetic infection.Results: there were 2 (1.38%) infections that were classified as deep, both in group 1. One of patients had a superficial infection in group 2. We did not find differences in the rate of infections between the two groups. Among the intra-surgical complications, we found two failures of the cement-prosthesis interface (non-adherence of the cement to the stem at the end of the setting time), both cases occurred in group 1. There was no allergic or toxic reaction. The mean survival time of all operated patients was 2.7 years (95% CI: 2.4-2.9) at the end of follow-up. We found no differences in survival when stratified by the use or not of antibiotics in cement, p = 0.874.Conclusion:In our experience, in patients undergoing hip hemiarthroplasties the use of cement with a high dose of antibiotic is not associated with lower infection rate when intravenous antibiotic prophylaxis is correct.

Biocontrol of Mycoflora of Winter Wheat Seeds

Presented are the experimental data on the effect of biofungicides on seed infection and mycoflora of winter wheat seeds of varieties ‘Levada’ and ‘Podolyanka’. The phytostudy which was conducted allowed to determine the presence of micromycetes such as Alternaria alternata (infection rate 6.8–19.5 %), Tilletia caries (1–2 %), Fusarium spp. (0.5–3.5 %), Cladosporium herbarum (1.5–3.5 %), Bipolaris sorokiniana (1.0–4.8 %), Mucor spp. (1.5–12 %), Penicillium spp. (0.5–1.5 %), and Aspergillus spp. (1–1.5 %) on the seeds. The trend to decrease laboratory germination and lower infection rate was observed after the seeds were treated with biofungicides Gaubsin, Planriz, and Trichodermin. The positive effect of the biofungicides on the morphometric parameters of two-weeks-old plants was observed: 1.6 to 2 times increase in height, 2.1 to 2.8 times increase in the lengths of the roots, and 2.7 to 4.4 and 3.4 to 5.5 times increase in phytomass, respectively. The positive effect of Trichodermin on developing winter wheat plants was noted.

Reduction of ventriculostomy-associated CSF infection with antibiotic-impregnated catheters in pediatric patients: a single-institution study

OBJECTIVEExternal ventricular drains (EVDs) are commonly used in the neurosurgical population. However, very few pediatric neurosurgery studies are available regarding EVD-associated infection rates with antibiotic-impregnated EVD catheters. The authors previously published a large pediatric cohort study analyzing nonantibiotic-impregnated EVD catheters and risk factors associated with infections. In this study, they aimed to analyze the EVD-associated infection rate after implementation of antibiotic-impregnated EVD catheters.METHODSA retrospective observational cohort of pediatric patients (younger than 18 years of age) who underwent a burr hole for antibiotic-impregnated EVD placement and who were admitted to a quaternary care ICU between January 2011 and January 2019 were reviewed. The ventriculostomy-associated infection rate in patients with antibiotic-impregnated EVD catheters was compared to the authors’ historical control of patients with nonantibiotic-impregnated EVD catheters.RESULTSTwo hundred twenty-nine patients with antibiotic-impregnated EVD catheters were identified. Neurological diagnostic categories included externalization of an existing shunt (externalized shunt) in 34 patients (14.9%); brain tumor (tumor) in 77 patients (33.6%); intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) in 27 patients (11.8%); traumatic brain injury (TBI) in 6 patients (2.6%); and 85 patients (37.1%) were captured in an “other” category. Two of 229 patients (0.9% of all patients) had CSF infections associated with EVD management, totaling an infection rate of 0.99 per 1000 catheter days. This is a significantly lower infection rate than was reported in the authors’ previously published analysis of the use of nonantibiotic-impregnated EVD catheters (0.9% vs 6%, p = 0.00128).CONCLUSIONSIn their large pediatric cohort, the authors demonstrated a significant decline in ventriculostomy-associated CSF infection rate after implementation of antibiotic-impregnated EVD catheters at their institution.