Project description:With the tourism and hospitality sector reopening post-lockdown of COVID-19, the recovery of customers' purchase intentions is essential to reboot the sector. This study aims to examine the relationship between social distancing measures and purchase intentions in the UK's restaurant and hotel sectors using a propensity score weighting experimental design method. The findings suggest that the impact of social distancing measures on purchase intentions is mediated by the trust in the targeted restaurant and hotel. Risk tolerance significantly moderates the influence of social distancing measures on trust; (non-) cash promotions have an insignificant impact on purchase intentions. The introduction of the propensity score weighting scheme addresses the endogeneity caused by the sampling bias in non-probability sampling experiment studies.
Project description:Genome-wide DNA methylation analysis of COVID-19 severity using the Illumina HumanMethylationEPIC microarray platform to analyze over 850,000 methylation sites, comparing COVID-19 patients during and one year after infection, using whole blood tissue.
Project description:Neurological manifestations of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) have increasingly been reported since the onset of the pandemic. Herein, we report a relatively new presentation. A patient in the convalescence period following a febrile illness with lower respiratory tract infection (fever, myalgia, nonproductive cough) presented with generalized disabling myoclonus, which is phenotypically suggestive of brainstem origin, along with additional truncal cerebellar ataxia. His neurology work-ups, such as brain MRI, electroencephalography, serum autoimmune and paraneoplastic antibody testing, were normal. His CT chest scan revealed right lower lung infiltrates, and serological and other laboratory testing did not show evidence of active infection. COVID-19 titers turned out to be strongly positive, suggestive of post-COVID-19 lung sequelae. He responded partially to antimyoclonic drugs and fully to a course of steroids, suggesting a para- or postinfectious immune-mediated pathophysiology. Myoclonusataxia syndrome appears to be a neurological manifestation of COVID-19 infection, and knowledge regarding this phenomenon should be increased among clinicians for better patient care in a pandemic situation.
Project description:Post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC) represent an emerging global crisis. However, quantifiable risk-factors for PASC and their biological associations are poorly resolved. We executed a deep multi-omic, longitudinal investigation of 309 COVID-19 patients from initial diagnosis to convalescence (2-3 months later), integrated with clinical data, and patient-reported symptoms. We resolved four PASC-anticipating risk factors at the time of initial COVID-19 diagnosis: type 2 diabetes, SARS-CoV-2 RNAemia, Epstein-Barr virus viremia, and specific autoantibodies. In patients with gastrointestinal PASC, SARS-CoV-2-specific and CMV-specific CD8+ T cells exhibited unique dynamics during recovery from COVID-19. Analysis of symptom-associated immunological signatures revealed coordinated immunity polarization into four endotypes exhibiting divergent acute severity and PASC. We find that immunological associations between PASC factors diminish over time leading to distinct convalescent immune states. Detectability of most PASC factors at COVID-19 diagnosis emphasizes the importance of early disease measurements for understanding emergent chronic conditions and suggests PASC treatment strategies.
Project description:The SARS-CoV-2 Delta (B.1.617.2) variant is capable of infecting vaccinated persons. An open question remains as to whether deficiencies in specific vaccine-elicited immune responses result in susceptibility to vaccine breakthrough infection. We investigated 55 vaccine breakthrough infection cases (mostly Delta) in Singapore, comparing them against 86 vaccinated close contacts who did not contract infection. Vaccine breakthrough cases showed lower memory B cell frequencies against SARS-CoV-2 receptor binding domain (RBD). Compared to plasma antibodies, antibodies secreted by memory B cells retained a higher fraction of neutralizing properties against the Delta variant. Inflammatory cytokines including IL-1β and TNF were lower in vaccine breakthrough infections than primary infection of similar disease severity, underscoring the usefulness of vaccination in preventing inflammation. This report highlights the importance of memory B cells against vaccine breakthrough, and suggests that lower memory B cell levels may be a correlate of risk for Delta vaccine breakthrough infection.
Project description:Background: Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19), caused by the severe acute respiratory distress syndrome-coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), is primarily a respiratory infection but has been recently associated with a variety of neurological symptoms. We present herewith a COVID-19 case manifesting as opsoclonus-myoclonus syndrome (OMS), a rare neurological disorder. Case Presentation: A 63-year-old male diagnosed with COVID-19 infection developed behavioral changes, confusion, and insomnia followed by reduced mobility and abnormal eye movements within 48 h of recovery from respiratory symptoms associated with COVID-19. On examination, he had rapid, chaotic, involuntary saccadic, multidirectional eye movements (opsoclonus), and limb myoclonus together with truncal ataxia. CSF analysis, MRI of the brain, and screening for anti-neuronal and encephalitis related antibodies were negative. Extensive testing revealed no underlying malignancy. The patient was successfully treated with intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) with complete resolution of symptoms within 4 weeks of treatment. Conclusion: COVID-19 infection can be associated with the manifestation of opsoclonus myoclonus syndrome, a rare neurological disorder that can be treated with IVIG if not responsive to corticosteroids.
Project description:Opsoclonus-myoclonus-ataxia syndrome is a heterogeneous constellation of symptoms ranging from full combination of these three neurological findings to varying degrees of isolated individual sign. Since the emergence of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), neurological symptoms, syndromes, and complications associated with this multi-organ viral infection have been reported and the various aspects of neurological involvement are increasingly uncovered. As a neuro-inflammatory disorder, one would expect to observe opsoclonus-myoclonus syndrome after a prevalent viral infection in a pandemic scale, as it has been the case for many other neuro-inflammatory syndromes. We report seven cases of opsoclonus-myoclonus syndrome presumably parainfectious in nature and discuss their phenomenology, their possible pathophysiological relationship to COVID-19, and diagnostic and treatment strategy in each case. Finally, we review the relevant data in the literature regarding the opsoclonus-myoclonus syndrome and possible similar cases associated with COVID-19 and its diagnostic importance for clinicians in various fields of medicine encountering COVID-19 patients and its complications.
Project description:Since the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), our understanding regarding the pathophysiology and clinical manifestations of this disease have been improving. However, we still have limited data on long-term effects and lingering symptoms of post COVID-19 recovery. Despite predilection of COVID-19 for lungs, multiple extra-pulmonary manifestations appear in multiple organs and biological systems and with continued infection and recovery worldwide. It is necessary that clinicians provide patients with previous SARS-CoV-2 infection with expectations of long-term effects during or after recovery from COVID-19. Herein, we review the long-term impact of COVID-19 on different organ systems reported from different clinical studies. Understanding risk factors and signs and symptoms of long-term consequences after recovery from COVID-19 will allow for proper follow-up and management of the disease post recovery.