Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Thomas Pluemper, Eric Neumayer
Summary: This article examines the impact of political factors on the stringency of containment policies in European countries during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study finds that politics had a negligible effect during the first wave, but became substantively important during subsequent waves.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DISASTER RISK REDUCTION
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
James M. Trauer, Michael J. Lydeamore, Gregory W. Dalton, David Pilcher, Michael T. Meehan, Emma S. McBryde, Allen C. Cheng, Brett Sutton, Romain Ragonnet
Summary: Victoria, Australia successfully controlled the second wave of COVID-19 through aggressive policy interventions, with estimates showing that individual-level effects of physical distancing and face coverings were significant in reducing the spread of the virus. The multi-faceted interventions led to a dramatic reversal in the epidemic trajectory, with face coverings playing a particularly important role.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Karen Tavares Zambrano, Maryam Imani, Davi Gasparini Fernandes Cunha
Summary: This study evaluates the organizational resilience of the Brazilian water sector under the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and finds that the pandemic has exacerbated financial challenges in the sector, with state-owned companies showing better resilience compared to local companies.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Editorial Material
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Saurabh Kumar
Summary: The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a large number of infections and deaths in the country, with several infectious variants circulating. Preventive strategies include large-scale testing, tracing, treatment, lockdowns in hotspot areas, and mass vaccination.
JOURNAL OF TRAVEL MEDICINE
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Anderson P. Rudke, Daniela S. de Almeida, Ronaldo A. Alves, Alexandra Beal, Leila D. Martins, Jorge A. Martins, Ricardo Hallak, Taciana T. Albuquerque
Summary: This study investigates the impact of mobility restrictions implemented during the COVID-19 outbreak in Brazil on air quality. The results show significant reductions in air pollutant concentrations in multiple states, especially during the first 30 days of restrictions. However, as the restrictions were lifted and mobility rates increased, pollutant concentrations started to rise.
AEROSOL AND AIR QUALITY RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Ali Jadbabaie, Arnab Sarker, Devavrat Shah
Summary: Successful epidemic modeling requires understanding implicit feedback control strategies used by populations to modulate contagion spread. A simple model is proposed here, describing infection dynamics with a three-parameter feedback policy. Instead of directly controlling the contact rate, individuals are modeled as controlling the contact rate's derivative, resulting in a dynamic model. The feedback policy used by populations in the United States fitting best with observations is proportional-derivative control, with parameters correlating strongly with observed interventions.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Pediatrics
Sushma Malik, Dipty Jain, Chandrakant M. Bokade, Shakira Savaskar, Laxmikant S. Deshmukh, Poonam Wade, Abhishek D. Madhura, Milind Suryawanshi, Sachin T. Bandichhode, Sachin B. Bodhgire, Sarika Zala, Smita D. Mahale, Deepak N. Modi, Rakesh Waghmare, Suchitra Surve, Rahul K. Gajbhiye
Summary: The study examined outcomes in neonates of mothers with COVID-19 during the first and second waves of the pandemic. The second wave resulted in higher rates of preterm birth, neonatal ICU admissions, neonatal complications, birth asphyxia, prematurity, and neonatal resuscitation compared to the first wave. However, the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection in neonates was comparable between the two waves.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF PEDIATRICS
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Chiranjib Chakraborty, Ashish Ranjan Sharma, Manojit Bhattacharya, Govindasamy Agoramoorthy, Sang-Soo Lee
Summary: India is facing a rapid increase in COVID-19 infections recently, which may impact vaccination programs and vaccine production. This manuscript discusses the psychosocial and political factors driving the current wave in India, as well as the obstacles impairing vaccination programs.
BRAIN BEHAVIOR AND IMMUNITY
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Arnab Sarkar, Alok Kumar Chakrabarti, Shanta Dutta
Summary: COVID-19 outbreak started in late 2020 and India experienced significant growth in cases from the first wave to the second wave. The population aged 11-60 years was most affected, and the emergence of new variants led to a sharp increase in daily confirmed cases.
Article
Immunology
Francis Ateba Ndongo, Emilande Guichet, Eric Donald Mimbe, Justin Ndie, Raphael Pelloquin, Marie Varloteaux, Livo Esemu, Mireille Mpoudi-Etame, Nadine Lamare, Ginette Edoul, Rodrigue Kamga Wouambo, Dowbiss Meta Djomsi, Marcel Tongo, Felicite Naah Tabala, Rogacien Kana Dongmo, Mamadou Saliou Kalifa Diallo, Julie Bouillin, Guillaume Thaurignac, Ahidjo Ayouba, Martine Peeters, Eric Delaporte, Anne-Cecile Zoung-Kanyi Bissek, Eitel Mpoudi-Ngole
Summary: Two independent population-based serosurveys conducted in Yaounde, Cameroon, showed an increase in age-standardized SARS-CoV-2 IgG seroprevalence from 18.6% in the first survey to 51.3% in the second survey, indicating high community transmission during the second wave of COVID-19.
EMERGING INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Claudia Engel, Jonathan Rodden, Marco Tabellini
Summary: Choropleth disease maps, particularly those displaying case rates, have the potential to increase public concern and support for policies aimed at mitigating the spread of COVID-19. However, their impact on individuals' self-reported behavior may be limited.
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Giovanni Vicenti, Davide Bizzoca, Elisa Pesare, Michele Grasso, Walter Ginestra, Biagio Moretti
Summary: This study analyzed the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on orthopedic surgery in Apulia. The results showed a significant decrease in surgical activity and highlighted the challenges of longer waiting lists and limited healthcare resources.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MEDICINE
(2022)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Mohammed AL-Mohaithef, Bijaya Kumar Padhi, Soukaina Ennaceur
Summary: The study in Saudi Arabia aimed to assess the intention to be vaccinated against COVID-19 during the second wave of the pandemic. Results showed that 53.3% of participants were willing to get vaccinated, with most of them perceiving themselves at high risk of COVID-19 and trusting the healthcare system. Higher risk perception and trust in the healthcare system were significant factors influencing participants' decision to accept the COVID-19 vaccine.
FRONTIERS IN PUBLIC HEALTH
(2021)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Sunil Kumar Garg, Anupam Chauhan, Ramakant Sharma, Shyam Sundar Sharma, Pragya Garg
Summary: This article discusses the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on India and the assistance provided to Indian patients through online consultations by overseas Indian doctors.
JOURNAL OF INFECTION AND PUBLIC HEALTH
(2022)
Article
Business
Mohamed Yousfi, Younes Ben Zaied, Nidhaleddine Ben Cheikh, Bechir Ben Lahouel, Houssem Bouzgarrou
Summary: This study provides the first comparative assessment of the impacts of the first and second waves of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic on the US stock market and its uncertainty. The findings show significant effects on the dynamic conditional correlation and asymmetric impacts of shocks between the US and Chinese stock markets, as well as persistent links between US returns, uncertainty, and the COVID-19 pandemic during the outbreak. The results demonstrate harmful consequences of the pandemic on financial markets in general and the US economy in particular.
TECHNOLOGICAL FORECASTING AND SOCIAL CHANGE
(2021)
Article
Mathematics, Interdisciplinary Applications
Enrique C. Gabrick, Elaheh Sayari, Paulo R. Protachevicz, Jose D. Szezech Jr, Kelly C. Iarosz, Silvio L. T. de Souza, Alexandre C. L. Almeida, Ricardo L. Viana, Ibere L. Caldas, Antonio M. Batista
Summary: In this study, the unpredictability of seasonal infectious diseases is investigated using a SEIRS model with seasonal forcing. Bifurcation diagrams, hysteresis, and Lyapunov exponents are computed to study the dynamical behavior of the system. The results show bistable dynamics for all parameters of the model. The coexistence of periodic and chaotic attractors, bistability, is observed for over 70% of the interval when the inverse of the latent period is chosen as the control parameter. It is shown that unpredictability is associated with bistable dynamics, preferably chaotic attractors, and there is a tipping point associated with unpredictable dynamics.
CHAOS SOLITONS & FRACTALS
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Lucas Ferrante, Augusto Getirana, Fabricio Beggiato Baccaro, Jochen Schongart, Ana Cristina Monteiro Leonel, Renato Gaiga, Michel Varajao Garey, Philip Martin Fearnside
Summary: Given the speed of climate change caused by humans, endemic species may not have enough time to adapt and avoid extinction. This study investigated the origin of rainfall that affects the phylogenetic diversity of rainforest frogs and the impact of microclimate differences on the morphological traits of isolated populations. It also examined how deforestation in the Amazon can affect ecosystem services essential for maintaining the biodiversity of the Atlantic rainforest. The results suggest that morphological traits and population dynamics of Atlantic Forest frogs are influenced by the Amazonian flying rivers, which are now threatened by temperature anomalies caused by global warming and deforestation.
CONSERVATION BIOLOGY
(2023)
Letter
Ecology
Philip M. Fearnside
TRENDS IN ECOLOGY & EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Yuanwei Qin, Xiangming Xiao, Fang Liu, Fabio de Sa e Silva, Yosio Shimabukuro, Egidio Arai, Philip Martin Fearnside
Summary: Conflicts between forest conservation and socio-economic development in the Brazilian Legal Amazon have persisted for years. However, the effects of Indigenous territory and protected area status on deforestation in the region remain unclear. Our analysis of satellite images and forest area data shows that ITs and PAs cover a significant portion of the forested areas in the BLA and have contributed to a decrease in gross forest loss. However, recent weakening of Brazil's forest policies has led to a higher rate of forest loss in ITs and PAs compared to non-designated areas.
NATURE SUSTAINABILITY
(2023)
Editorial Material
Biodiversity Conservation
Rodrigo Machado Vilani, Lucas Ferrante, Philip M. Fearnside
ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION
(2023)
Letter
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Lucas Ferrante, Philip M. Fearnside
Editorial Material
Psychology, Biological
Mercedes Maria da Cunha Bustamante, Juliana Hipolito, Pedro Gabriel Godinho Delgado, Lucas Ferrante, Mariana M. Vale
Summary: Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva ('Lula')'s election as president of Brazil on October 30, 2022 signaled the end of the Bolsonaro era. In this Feature, five Brazilian scientists discuss their hopes and expectations for the new presidency and its scientific policies.
NATURE HUMAN BEHAVIOUR
(2023)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Lucas Ferrante, Philip Martin Fearnside
Summary: In January 2021, oxygen supplies ran out in Manaus, the largest city in the Amazon region during the peak of the COVID-19 second wave, leading to the loss of many lives. The Brazilian authorities used this tragedy to promote a political agenda that would have significant environmental and human rights consequences. The logistical strategy adopted to transport oxygen to Manaus was a poor choice, resulting in a delay that cost hundreds of lives.
JOURNAL OF RACIAL AND ETHNIC HEALTH DISPARITIES
(2023)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Lucas Ferrante, Alexandre Celestino Leite Almeida, Jeremias Leao, Wilhelm Alexander Cardoso Steinmetz, Ruth Camargo Vassao, Rodrigo Machado Vilani, Unai Tupinambas, Philip Martin Fearnside
Summary: Tendentious projections about COVID-19 in Brazil provided a convenient excuse for individuals and decision-makers to justify poor choices during a critical phase of the pandemic. These erroneous results likely contributed to the premature resumption of in-person school classes and easing of social contact restrictions, leading to the resurgence of COVID-19. In Manaus, the largest city in the Amazon region, the COVID-19 pandemic did not end on its own in 2020, but instead rebounded in a disastrous second wave.
JOURNAL OF RACIAL AND ETHNIC HEALTH DISPARITIES
(2023)
Article
Environmental Studies
Valter M. Azevedo-Santos, Vanessa S. Daga, Livia H. Tonella, Renata Ruaro, Marlene S. Arcifa, Philip M. Fearnside, Tommaso Giarrizzo
Summary: Brazil's Forest Code requires the preservation of Permanent Preservation Areas (APPs) along watercourses. However, a recently approved law undermines this requirement by allowing municipalities to define APP widths and potentially eliminate urban APPs. This is problematic as it would result in negative effects on aquatic ecosystems and biodiversity in cities. Repealing the law and prioritizing the conservation of urban terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems are necessary.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Jadson Pinheiro Santos, Erick Cristofore Guimaraes, Edson Bortoletto Garciov-Filho, Pamella Silva de Brito, Danilo Francisco Correa Lopes, Marcelo Costa Andrade, Felipe Polivanov Ottoni, Luiz Jorge Bezerra da Silva Dias, Marcelo Rodrigues dos Anjos, Raimunda Nonata Fortes Carvalho-Neta, Luis Reginaldo Ribeiro Rodrigues, Marluce Aparecida Mattos de Paula Nogueira, Fernando Mayer Pelicice, Angelo Antonio Agostinho, Philip Martin Fearnside
Summary: Given the increasing fishing pressure in Brazil, the importance of fisheries monitoring programs and their role in conservation decision-making is still limited. Therefore, it is necessary to generate information on the national fisheries sector in order to improve fisheries in the country.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Lucas Ferrante, Diana Rojas-Ahumada, Marcelo Menin, Philip Martin Fearnside
Summary: Climate change may lead to population declines and extinction of frog species in the Amazon region, including common species.
ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT
(2023)
