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Background: Headache is a frequent symptoms of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Its long-term evolution remains unknown. We aim to evaluate the long-term duration of headache in patients that presented headache during the acute phase of COVID-19. Methods: This is a post-hoc multicenter ambisective study including patients from six different third-level hospitals between 1 March and 27 April 2020. Patients completed 9 months of neurological follow-up. Results: We included 905 patients. Their median age was 51 (IQR 45–65), 66.5% were female, and 52.7% had a prior history of primary headache. The median duration of headache was 14 (6–39) days; however, the headache persisted after 3 months in 19.0% (95% CI: 16.5–21.8%) and after 9 months in 16.0% (95% confidence interval: 13.7–18.7%). Headache intensity during the acute phase was associated with a more prolonged duration of headache (Hazard ratio 0.655; 95% confidence interval: 0.582–0.737). Conclusion: The median duration of headache was 2 weeks, but in approximately a fifth of patients it became persistent and followed a chronic daily pattern. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rotavirus is not included in the Spanish mass infant vaccination schedule but has also not been economically evaluated for its inclusion. We analysed cost-utility of the universal infant rotavirus vaccination using RotaTeq® versus no vaccination in Spain. We also carried out a budget impact analysis and determined the effect on results of different variables introduced in the model. A deterministic Markov model was built considering loss of quality of life for children and their parents, and introducing direct and indirect costs updated to 2011. The introduction of the vaccination using RotaTeq® as a universal infant vaccination would increase the annual health care budget in 10.43million euro and would result in a gain of an additional Quality Adjusted Life Year at a cost of 280,338€ from the healthcare system perspective and 210,167€ from the societal perspective. The model was stable to variable modifications. To sum up, according to our model and estimates, the introduction of a universal infant rotavirus vaccination with RotaTeq® in Spain would cause a large impact on the health care budget and would not be efficient unless significant variations in vaccine price, vaccine efficacy and/or utilities took place. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To estimate the frequency of headache in patients with confirmed COVID-19 and characterize the phenotype of headache attributed to COVID-19, comparing patients depending on the need of hospitalization and sex, an observational study was done. We systematically screened all eligible patients from a reference population of 261,431 between March 8 (first case) and April 11, 2020. A physician administered a survey assessing demographic and clinical data and the phenotype of the headache. During the study period, 2194 patients out of the population at risk were diagnosed with COVID-19. Headache was described by 514/2194 patients (23.4%, 95% CI 21.7–25.3%), including 383/1614 (23.7%) outpatients and 131/580 (22.6%) inpatients. The headache phenotype was studied in detail in 458 patients (mean age, 51 years; 72% female; prior history of headache, 49%). Headache was the most frequent first symptom of COVID-19. Median headache onset was within 24 h, median duration was 7 days and persisted after 1 month in 13% of patients. Pain was bilateral (80%), predominantly frontal (71%), with pressing quality (75%), of severe intensity. Systemic symptoms were present in 98% of patients. Headache frequency and phenotype was similar in patients with and without need for hospitalization and when comparing male and female patients, being more intense in females. Trial registration: This study was supported by the Institute of Health Carlos III (ISCIII), code 07.04.467804.74011 and Regional Health Administration, Gerencia Regional de Salud, Castilla y Leon (GRS: 2289/A/2020). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study investigates the geochemical characteristics of the flue gas desulfurization gypsum (FGD Gp) generated from a pulverized-coal combustion (PCC) power plant in Xinjiang, Northwest China, with special emphasis on manufacturing fire-resistant panels using this FGD Gp as well as the fly ash collected from the same power plant. The physical, mechanical and insulating properties of the manufactured panels are also determined. The FGD Gp is characterized by low trace element concentration and low leachable potential for environment-concerned trace elements, indicating it can be reused with low environmental implication. Fire-resistant panels were successfully made from pure FGD Gp, pure commercial gypsum (CGp) and different FGD Gp/fly ash and CGp/fly ash mixtures. With the same gypsum/fly ash proportion, the FGD Gp/fly ash panels present relatively lower density, lower water absorption and lower mechanical strength, but higher moisture contents and better insulating capacities than the CGp/fly ash panels. The pure FGD Gp panel presents the best insulating capacity (52 min), much higher than that of the pure CGp panel (42.8 min). The mechanical and insulating properties of the panels are reduced with the increasing of fly ash proportion in the mixtures, but even prepared with 80% fly ash, the manufactured panels can still be used as benign fire-resistant panels with no significantly physico-chemical, and mechanical limitations. Therefore, manufacture of fire-resistant panels from FGD-Gp and fly ash is a very promising application for these coal combustion by-products which are substantially being generated in large amounts from Xinjiang power plants. The manufactured fire-resistant panels can be used in large amount as insulating construction and building materials with low environmental implication and high economic value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The potential utilization of boiler slag generated in large amounts from pulverized-coal-combustion (PCC) power plants has recently drawn much attention due to the serious problems caused to ecosystems. In order to make maximal use of the boiler slag and reduce the environmental risk it poses, this study focused on manufacturing acoustic materials using boiler slag from Chinese PCC power plants. Three promising acoustic materials were successfully manufactured from up to 80% boiler slag with different grain sizes, with the addition of 20% Portland cement. The density and compressive strength of the products were inversely proportional and the sound absorption coefficient was positively proportional to the grain size of the boiler slag. The best sound absorption coefficient was obtained in products made from the coarsest fraction of the boiler slag (MS-C). Nonetheless, all the boiler-slag-based acoustic products still demonstrated compressive strength and densities comparable to those of other acoustic materials made of Spanish bottom ash or other conventional/recycled materials. The acoustic products made from the coarsest fraction (MS-C) and medium fraction (MS-M) of the boiler slag presented good noise absorption characteristics, like those of the commercial coarse porous cement that is traditionally used as an acoustic product. Furthermore, the acoustic products were characterized by very low leach ability of potentially hazardous elements. Consequently, the manufacture of acoustic materials is a very promising application for boiler slag. On the one hand, it consumes huge amounts of boiler slag that is generated in large amounts in China. On the other hand, the acoustic products can be used extensively to produce road acoustic barriers with a high sound absorption efficiency, no significant physical or mechanical limitations and no environmental implication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]