The novel coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) has caused a serious global pandemic in just one year. Nearly every country and territory in the world has been affected by the virus. The virulence and infection rate of the virus are profound, and has required extreme social distancing measures across the globe in order to prevent overwhelming the healthcare services and hospitals. COVID-19 appears to have the greatest effects on elderly individuals and those who have co-morbid diseases, such as diabetes and obesity. As the cases and death rate remain high, there are justified fears of this virus remaining for several months or years to come. To address this, a rapid and unprecedented worldwide mobilization effort has begun to identify effective treatments and develop vaccines. As these begin to be deployed and administered across the globe, many now feel the virus will be brought under control and lives will eventually return to normal. This new volume will increase readers’ understanding of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic through a series of chapters that address these concerns. Leading experts will discuss new treatment approaches, vaccine development, mental health aspects of the pandemic, and convey the results of survey studies. The book will be an excellent resource for researchers studying virology, metabolic diseases, respiratory disorders, and clinical scientists, physicians, drug companies, and healthcare services and workers.

The COVID-19 pandemic caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus has affected nearly every country and territory in the world. Although worldwide vaccination efforts have reduced the risk of serious disease outcomes, disparities in distribution have led to multiple waves of SARS-CoV-2 outbreaks and the emergence of variants of concern, some of which have enhanced infectivity and ability to evade existing vaccines. Hence there is an increasing interest in understanding the evolution of viruses like SARS-CoV-2, as well as improving our capacity to effectively current and manage future pandemics. This new volume reviews the most effective omic techniques for increasing our understanding of COVID-19, to improve diagnostics, prognostics, and genomic surveillance, and to facilitate development of effective treatments and vaccines. Chapters are written by an international team of experts and explore methods in the areas of genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics. Techniques used to assess physiological function at the molecular level and artificial intelligence approaches used for more effective validation and translation of biomarker candidates into clinical use are also discussed. This book is an excellent resource for researchers studying biomarkers, virology, metabolic diseases, and infectious diseases, as well as clinical scientists, physicians, drug company scientists, and healthcare workers.

This detailed volume explores the application of multiplex biomarker methods in the critical area of COVID-19 research through state-of-the-art technologies in the fields of genomics, proteomics, transcriptomics, metabolomics, and imaging. The book features a series of protocols from labs across the globe employing multiplex molecular approaches, which can be applied to accelerate progress in the research of SARS-CoV-2 and other infectious illnesses. Written for the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and essential, Multiplex Biomarker Techniques: Methods and Applications for COVID-19 Disease Diagnosis and Risk Stratification serves as a vital resource for researchers in the areas of virology, metabolic diseases, respiratory disorders, as well as to clinical scientists, physicians, pharmacologists, and the healthcare services.

International and Life Course Aspects of COVID-19 describes the nuances and international variations of COVID-19 in different populations and age groups. This volume details those differences in chapters examining the effects of the virus at different life stages, including newborns, children, adolescents, and older populations. Consideration of the age-specific effects of COVID-19 on the brain are a major focus unique to this resource. International observations and global outcomes are also described. This volume is relevant for all clinicians working to ensure the best outcomes for patients with COVID-19 worldwide. Examines COVID-19 symptoms and concerns according to age Discusses outcomes related to global populations and differences observed in symptomatology and care Focuses on the brain, with a look at developmental changes in pregnancy, newborns, childhood, and adolescence Describes mental health impacts in the older populations Features individual chapter introductions and summaries to provide a comprehensive introduction Contains chapters with key facts, dictionary of terms, summary points, applications to other areas pertinent to each chapter, and policies and procedures

This book details how the processes of communication are affected by the presence of a pandemic and establishes a research agenda for those effects across the broad field of communication studies. Through contributions from experts in communication subdisciplines such as crisis, organizational, interpersonal, health, intergroup, and intercultural, this book provides the reader with a comprehensive view of the emerging field of study "pandemic communication." Each chapter has four primary objectives to: (1) define critical issues for pandemic communication from its subdiscipline’s perspective, (2) examine how communication varies during pandemic(s), (3) provide examples of how pandemic(s) havefor affected communication, and (4) propose a research agenda to build pandemic communication theory. This book is suited to undergraduate or post-graduate courses or modules in communication studies across a variety of subdisciplines as well as a reference for researchers in the subject.

The Mosaic of Autoimmunity: The Novel Factors of Autoimmune Diseases describes the multifactorial origin and diversity of expression of autoimmune diseases in humans. The term implies that different combinations of factors in autoimmunity produce varying and unique clinical pictures in a wide spectrum of autoimmune diseases. Most of the factors involved in autoimmunity can be categorized into four groups: genetic, immune defects, hormonal and environmental factors. In this book, the environmental factors are reviewed, including infectious agents, vaccines as triggers of autoimmunity, smoking and its relationship with rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, thyroid disease, multiple sclerosis and inflammatory bowel diseases. An entirely new syndrome, the autoimmune/inflammatory syndrome induced by adjuvants (ASIA), is also included, along with other diseases that are now recognized as having an autoimmune etiopathogenesis. Highlights the concept of the mosaic of autoimmune manifestations Includes new visions on unsuspected molecules Provides updated knowledge to physicians helping patients with autoimmune diseases Presents thorough, up-to-date information on specific diseases, along with clinical applications