METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study involving a convenient sampling of 258 undergraduate students. Self-administered structured questionnaires adapted from the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21) and the Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S), were used to assess the severity of psychological symptoms (depression, anxiety and stress) and fear. The perception towards ODL is also designed to assess the students' perception related to ODL implementation. The data were analysed using descriptive statistics and Structural Equation Modelling-Partial Least Square (SEM-PLS).
RESULTS: Overall, 84.2%, 95.0% and 67.4% of the participants experienced moderate to very severe level of depression, anxiety and stress, respectively. In addition, 82.6% of them suffering with moderate to extreme level of fear, of which 81.8% of participants had a negative view on ODL. The results of SEM-PLS revealed that there are complementary partial mediation effects of fear on the relationship between depression and students' perception during ODL (β = 0.502, t-value = 0.828, P-value = 0.017). The anxiety (β = 0.353, t-value = 5.401, P-value = 0.000) and stress (β = 0.542, t-value = 8.433, P-value = 0.000) have directly influenced on fear.
CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated that university students had the prevalence of psychological symptoms and fear during ODL. In line with this, fear contributes significantly to the mental health status of university students and has negatively impacted the students' perception during ODL implementation.
OBJECTIVE: The effects of single targeted 2 Gy and 8 Gy gamma-ray irradiations on the immune cell population (lymphocytes, B-cells, T-cells, neutrophils, eosinophils, and macrophages) in EMT6 mouse-bearing tumour models was investigated.
METHODS: The effects of both irradiation doses in early (96 hours) and acute phase (5 to 11 days) post-irradiation on immune parameters were monitored in blood circulation and TME using flow cytometry. Simultaneously, selected cytokines related to immune cells within the TME were measured using multiplex ELISA.
RESULTS: A temporary reduction in systemic total white blood count (TWBC) resulted from an early phase (96 hours) of gamma-ray irradiation at 2 Gy and 8 Gy compared to sham control group. No difference was obtained in the acute phase. Neutrophils dominated among other immune cells in TME in sham control group. Eosinophils in TME was significantly increased after 8 Gy treatment in acute phase compared to sham control (p< 0.005). Furthermore, the increment of tumour necrosis (TNF)-α, eotaxin and interleukin (IL)-7 (p< 0.05) in both treatment groups and phases were associated with anti-tumour activities within TME by gamma-ray irradiation.
CONCLUSION: The temporary changes in immune cell populations within systemic circulation and TME induced by different doses of gamma-ray irradiation correlated with suppression of several pro-tumorigenic cytokines in mouse-bearing EMT6 tumour models.