Introductory Chapter: The Contribution of Cohort Studies to Health Sciences.

The COVID-19 pandemic has presented unprecedented challenges to the nation's K-12 education system. The rush to slow the spread of the virus led to closures of schools across the country, with little time to ensure continuity of instruction or to create a framework for deciding when and how to reopen schools. States, districts, and schools are now grappling with the complex and high-stakes questions of whether to reopen school buildings and how to operate them safely if they do reopen. These decisions need to be informed by the most up-to-date evidence about the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19; about the impacts of school closures on students and families; and about the complexities of operating school buildings as the pandemic persists. Reopening K-12 Schools During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Prioritizing Health, Equity, and Communities provides guidance on the reopening and operation of elementary and secondary schools for the 2020-2021 school year. The recommendations of this report are designed to help districts and schools successfully navigate the complex decisions around reopening school buildings, keeping them open, and operating them safely.

Offering a comprehensive review of the neuropathology of SARS-CoV-2, Neurological Care and the COVID-19 Pandemic provides up-to-date coverage of the wide array of the pathogen's neurological symptoms and complications. Drs. Ahmad Riad Ramadan and Gamaledin Osman discuss the neuropathology of SARS-CoV-2, its neurological manifestations, and the impact the pandemic has had on the care of patients with pre-existing neurological conditions. The authors also offer an overview of emerging treatments and vaccines, as well as ways healthcare systems have reorganized in order to respond to the pandemic. - Offers a thorough discussion of the impact the virus has had on the care of patients with neurological ailments, accompanied by recommendations on how to care for these patients. - Covers the impact of COVID-19 on patients with cerebrovascular diseases, seizures, demyelinating diseases, neuromuscular disorders, movement disorders, headache disorders, cognitive disorders, and neuro-oncological disorders. - Includes a detailed case study of how one healthcare system hit hard by COVID-19 successfully transformed itself to respond to the challenges imposed by the pandemic. - Consolidates today's available information on this timely topic into a single, convenient resource.

Coronaviruses were recognized as a group of enveloped, RNA viruses in 1968 and accepted by the International Committee on the Taxonomy of Viruses as a separate family, the Coronaviridae, in 1975. By 1978, it had become evident that the coronavirus genomic RNA was infectious (i. e. , positive strand), and by 1983, at least the framework of the coronavirus replication strategy had been per ceived. Subsequently, with the application of recombinant DNA techniques, there have been remarkable advances in our understanding of the molecular biology of coronaviruses, and a mass of structural data concerning coronavirus genomes, mRNAs, and pro teins now exists. More recently, attention has been focused on the role of essential and accessory gene products in the coronavirus replication cyde and a molecular analysis of the structure-function relation ships of coronavirus proteins. Nevertheless, there are still large gaps in our knowledge, for instance, in areas such as the genesis of coronavirus subgenomic mRNAs or the function of the coronavirus RNA-dependent RNA polymerase. The diseases caused by coronaviruses have been known for much longer than the agents themselves. Possibly the first coronavirus-related disease to be recorded was feline infectious peritonitis, as early as 1912. The diseases associ ated with infectious bronchitis virus, transmissible gastroenteritis virus, and murine hepatitis virus were all well known before 1950.

The Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has probably been the most important disease to emerge in the 21st century. This viral zoonotic disease has been a significant cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, but with a higher impact in low- and middle-income countries of Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Up to December 4, 2022, more than 645,195,564 cases had been reported globally, with 6,640,845 deaths, and more than 13,054,668,703 doses of a vaccine had been given. Research has been of the utmost importance in the COVID-19 crisis: a great deal of knowledge was gathered between December 2019 and December 2022. Appropriate evidence-based management and the development of safe and effective vaccines have been key to controlling the virus. This book presents a selection of the last two years’ learning from research and clinical practice concerning SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19.

Public Health and Society: Current Issues analyzes current public health issues in a historical context, while relating them to individual lives. The text emphasizes the social determinants of health, social justice, and the climate crisis, by leading off with these important topics and then integrates them where appropriate throughout the text. Subsequent chapters explore gun violence, the opioid epidemic, tobacco, vaping, and alcohol use, COVID-19, mental health, environmental health chronic disease, emerging and reemerging diseases, and more. Key features “In the News” articles bring public health topics up-to-date and underscore their modern relevance. Personal vignettes humanize public health issues and make them resonate for readers. Short histories put current issues into historical context, for example, the opioid epidemic (Ch. 5) and alcohol and tobacco use (Ch.6) Comprehensive and up-to-date data and references are included throughout the text. Navigate eBook acc

In this issue of Clinics in Laboratory Medicine, guest editor Dr. Gregory Tsongalis brings his considerable expertise to Current Topics in Molecular Diagnostics and Precision Medicine. Top experts in the field cover key topics such as syndromic and point-of-care molecular testing; building evidence for clinical use of pharmacogenomics and reimbursement for testing; precision medicine using pharmacogenomic panel-testing; and more. - Contains 12 relevant, practice-oriented topics including next-generation sequencing approaches to predicting antimicrobial susceptibility testing results; the role of the human gutome on chronic disease: a review of the microbiome and nutrigenomics; blood group genotyping; review of SARS-CoV-2 antigen and antibody testing in diagnosis and community surveillance; and more. - Provides in-depth clinical reviews on current topics in molecular diagnostics and precision medicine, offering actionable insights for clinical practice. - Presents the latest information on this timely, focused topic under the leadership of experienced editors in the field. Authors synthesize and distill the latest research and practice guidelines to create clinically significant, topic-based reviews.

Zoonoses, diseases transmitted from animals to humans, hold immense global significance, impacting public health, economies, and ecosystems. Adopting the One Health approach, which recognizes the interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental health, is crucial in tackling these challenges. Zoonotic diseases pose significant public health threats. Diseases like rabies, Ebola, and influenza have claimed countless lives worldwide. Without proper management, these diseases can rapidly escalate into pandemics, as seen with the COVID-19 pandemic, originating from a zoonotic transmission. The health of humans and animals are intricately linked, making collaborative efforts essential for disease prevention and control. Zoonoses have profound economic implications. Outbreaks can devastate agricultural sectors, leading to loss of livestock, reduced productivity, and trade restrictions. For instance, the 2001 foot-and-mouth disease outbreak in the United Kingdom resulted in billions of dollars in economic losses. Addressing zoonoses through a One Health approach can safeguard livelihoods and ensure food security. Furthermore, zoonotic diseases impact biodiversity and ecosystems. Diseases like West Nile virus and Lyme disease can affect wildlife populations, disrupting ecosystems and biodiversity. Additionally, habitat destruction and wildlife trafficking increase the likelihood of zoonotic spillover events. We can mitigate these risks and preserve ecosystem integrity through conservation efforts and sustainable land-use practices. The global importance of zoonoses cannot be overstated. By embracing the One Health approach, we can address these complex challenges comprehensively. Collaboration between human and veterinary medicine, environmental science, and other disciplines is essential for effective disease surveillance, prevention, and control. By prioritizing the health of people, animals, and the environment, we can build a safer, healthier future for all.

This new volume in the Reproductive Medicine for Clinicians series of the International Academy of Human Reproduction (IAHR) focuses on current hot topics in the field, their ethical and legal aspects and their impact on society. It covers topics such as Covid-19, religious and philosophical controversies, possibilities that new technologies offer, human reproductive cloning problems, future challenges related to the heritable gene editing, therapeutic use of stem cells and stem cell factors and the role of receptors in steroids hormone action. This volume also offers an analysis of important innovations and new possibilities such as the use of artificial intelligence in reproductive medicine and the future of prenatal testing. The volume also discusses the issues of pregnancies in advanced paternal age, ethical and legal aspects of gametes donation, sex preselection, surrogate motherhood and infertility in overweight or obese PCOS patients. Chapters on the ethical and legal aspects of fertility preservation in woman, in children with cancer, and in patients sparing treatments in gynecological oncology are also included. This new volume in the series is a valuable resource for gynecologists, obstetricians, endocrinologists, general practitioners and all specialists dealing with reproductive health.

Malaria is one of the most important tropical diseases in the history of the world. This vector-borne disease has been a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in tropical countries of Africa, Asia, and Latin America. As such, this book provides updated information on epidemiological and public health research of malaria conducted in the last decade. Over four sections, chapters discuss such topics as diagnosis, epidemiology and surveillance, policy and prevention, and vector control and vaccines.