Background Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) and azithromycin (AZT) have been proposed for COVID-19 treatment. Data available in the literature reported a potential increased risk of fatal arrhythmias under these therapies. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of these drugs on QT interval and outcome in a COVID-19 population. Methods A total of 112 consecutive COVID-19 patients were included in this analysis and were divided in 3 groups according to the receiving therapeutic regimens: 19 (17%) patients in Group 1 (no treatment), 40 (36%) in Group 2 (HCQ only), 53 (47%) in Group 3 (HCQ/AZT). Results A prolonged QTc interval was found in 61% of patients treated with HCQ alone or in combination with AZT, but only 4 (4%) patients showed a QTc > 500 ms. HCQ/AZT combination determined a greater increase of QTc duration compared to the other two strategies (Group 3452 ± 26.4 vs Group 2436.3 ± 28.4 vs Group 1424.4 ± 24.3 ms, respectively; p < 0.001). Multivariate analysis demonstrated that HCQ/AZT combination (OR 9.02, p = 0.001) and older age (OR 1.04, p = 0.031) were independent predictors of QTc prolongation. The risk increased with age (incremental utility analysis p = 0.02). Twenty patients (18%) died, and no cardiac arrest neither arrhythmic fatalities were documented. Conclusions The HCQ/AZT combination therapy causes a significantly increase of QT interval compared to HCQ alone. Older patients under such regimen are at higher risk of experiencing QT prolongation. The use of such drugs may be considered as safe relating to arrhythmic risk in the treatment of COVID-19 patients as no arrhythmic fatalities occurred.

In a seminal article, Hanushek and Woessmann explained economic growth as a function of the quality of education. While they did not find evidence of the importance of years of schooling, they argued for the relevance of cognitive skills and a basic literacy ratio for economic growth. However, this result was based on cross-country data limited to 23 observations. In this study, we extended and modified their approach based on the results of PISA (Programme for International Student Assessment) tests to explain the GDP changes over the last 50 years. Using panel data, we considered the possible lag that characterizes this relationship, used statistical methods to address the risk of reversed causality of economic performance affecting the quality of education, and extended the model by the inclusion of other potential growth factors. The results, which also included several robustness checks, confirmed the relevance of earlier education quality as a significant growth factor. Our results suggest the significance of educational skills for GDP growth, which might be treated as a confirmation of the importance of quality primary and secondary education for economic development. We showed that our results are robust to changes in the order of lags and confirmed the validity of the conclusion with the use of specification-robust Bayesian model averaging.

Hypoxic cancer cells overexpress Glucose transporter 1 (GLUT-1) to accelerate glucose intake mainly for low effective, anaerobic respiration, so that they would not die of oxygen deficiency. Ischemic cell injury triggers apoptosis. Regulators of cell suicide like Bax and Bcl-xL combine their functions to cause apoptosis or to rescue cells from death. GLUT-1, Bax, and Bcl-xL are of prognostic significance in colorectal cancer but they have not been compared, yet. Thus, we aimed to determine eventual correlations between GLUT-1, Bax, and Bcl-xL in association with different clinicopathological features of colorectal cancer patients. Expressions of the proteins were evaluated in specimens of 150 colorectal patients by immunohistochemistry. The levels of tissue expressions were statistically analyzed with Spearman's correlation test. As in group of all the patients, GLUT-1 matched Bcl-xL and Bax in statistically significant manner regardless of different node status, grade of histological differentiation, histopathological type, tumor site, gender and age of patients. GLUT-1 correlated highly with Bcl-xL in both groups of various tumor growth extent: pT1 + pT2 and pT3 + pT4 tumors (P < 0.016, r = 0.6340, P < 0.0001, r = 0.5204, respectively). Bax correlated with GLUT-1 (P < 0.0001, r = 0.4284) and Bcl-xL (P < 0.0001, r = 0.5233) in pT3 and pT4 tumors without any statistical significance in a homologous comparison at pT1 and pT2 stage (P > 0.173, r = 0.1078, P > 0.744, r = 0.1, respectively). Significant coexpression of GLUT-1, Bcl-xL, and Bax could point to cooperation of these regulatory proteins in elimination due to irreversible injury, adaptation to hypoxia, reduction of further damage, and survival of colorectal cancer cells.

Purpose: The purpose of the study is to assess young adults' mental health. Bearing in mind that mental health and mental disorders can be regarded as two independent dimensions rather than aspects of the same dimension, the article considers both negative and positive attributes of mental health. Methods: The participants were 533 students from eight state universities in Warsaw-309 women and 224 men. The respondents' average age was 22. The study was based on a questionnaire consisting of 20 closed questions. Results: The results obtained on positive indicators of mental health show that the vast majority of students like themselves, know how to enjoy life, have plans for the future and declare the ability to concentrate and work effectively. Such answers were given by 80% of the respondents. More than 75%-both women and men-declared their ease in establishing relationships as well as their openness to challenges and unusual tasks. The most common negative indicators of mental health reported by the students were fatigue, pain, sleep problems, irritability, and unfounded fears. As for problematic behaviours, 12% of the respondents admitted to binge drinking, 10% were affected by nicotinism, and 9% reported using marijuana. Conclusions: The assessment of both negative and positive aspects of mental health in this age group is necessary before any measures aimed at reducing the risk of mental health disorders and exploring young people's potential more effectively are taken.