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Background School closures and family economic instability caused by the COVID-19 lockdown measures have threatened the mental health and academic progress of adolescents. Through secondary data analysis of World Vision Asia Pacific Region’s COVID-19 response-assessments in May–June 2020, this study examined whether adolescents’ study, physical, and leisure activities, psychosocial status, and sources of COVID-19 information differed by gender. Methods The assessments used cross-sectional surveys of adolescents in poor communities served by World Vision (n = 5552 males and n = 6680 females) aged 10–18 years old in six countries. The study households of adolescents were selected either by random sampling or non-probability convenience sampling and assessed using telephone or in-person interviews. Multivariate logistic regression analyses examined the relationship between gender and psychosocial status; daily activities (e.g., play, study); and sources of information about COVID-19. Results Participation in remote education was low (range: 0.5–20.7% across countries), with gender difference found only in Vietnam. Compared to males, female adolescents were less likely to play physically with a range of AOR: 0.36–0.55 (n = 5 countries) or play video games with a range of AOR: 0.55–0.72 (n = 2 countries). Female adolescents were more likely to feel isolated or stressed (India, AOR = 1.13, 95%CI:1.00, 1.26); feel unsafe (the Philippines, AOR = 2.22, 95%CI:1.14, 4.33; Vietnam, AOR = 1.31, 95%CI:1.03, 1.47); be concerned about education (India, AOR = 1.24, 95%CI:1.09, 1.41; Myanmar, AOR = 1.59, 95%CI:1.05, 2.40); or be concerned about household income (India, AOR = 1.13, 95%CI:1.00, 1.28; Vietnam, AOR = 1.31, 95%CI:1.09, 1.58). Female adolescents were also less likely to obtain COVID-19 related information through internet/social media (Bangladesh, AOR = 0.51, 95%CI:0.41, 0.64; India, AOR = 0.84, 95%CI:0.73, 0.96; and Myanmar, AOR = 0.65, 95%CI:0.43, 0.97) and mobile call or short message (India, AOR = 0.88, 95%CI:0.80, 0.98) but more likely to get the information from friends (Vietnam, AOR = 1.18, 95%CI:1.02, 1.36) and family (Bangladesh, AOR = 1.44, 95% CI:1.21, 1.70; India, AOR = 1.29, 95% CI:1.15, 1.45). Conclusions An understanding of gender differences in the impacts of COVID-19 on adolescents' schooling, physical, and mental health can inform adolescent protection interventions. Psychosocial support during response and recovery phases needs to pay special attention to gender differences, since female adolescents’ psychosocial status is at higher risk when facing the challenges of this pandemic.

In April 2020, Vietnam initiated a country-wide lockdown to curb the spread of COVID-19. This secondary data analysis evaluates whether NGO-supported households (n = 3,431) reporting to be severely impacted by the lockdowns differ from those reporting a lesser impact, regarding food availability within households and at markets and affordability. 19.2% of respondents indicated that the pandemic had severely impacted their livelihoods. In the severely impacted group, there was a higher percentage of urban residents (25.3 vs. 8.6%; p < 0.001), households reporting decreased income (85.4 vs. 39.9%), and females (56.4 vs. 45.6%; p < 0.001) than in the less impacted group. Both groups reported similar availabilities of staple food groups at the household-level, but the availability of green vegetables was lower in the severely affected group (Adjusted OR [aOR] = 0.62, 95% CI: 0.38, 1.00) than in the less affected group. However, local market availability of hygiene items (aOR = 1.64, 95% CI: 1.13, 2.39) and essential medicines (aOR = 1.80, 95% CI: 1.29, 2.50) were higher for the more impacted group relative to the less impacted group. While the self-reported livelihood impact of COVID-19 was associated with a loss of income, the association of indicators of food availability within households and at markets, and essential item affordability, did not frequently differ. Self-determination of a severe economic impact may represent a relative change in the household's socioeconomic status from before the pandemic.

Lockdowns due to COVID-19 in early 2020 had health, economic, and social consequences globally. Using survey data collected as part of a rapid assessment among non-governmental organization- (NGO) supported communities in six Asia Pacific countries (n = 13,522), this study examined if the early impacts of COVID-19 on job loss or reduced income, food expenditure, food availability at households and markets, and affordability of essential items, differed between rural and urban areas. Job loss or reduced income was higher in urban areas than in rural areas in India (91.2% vs. 82.5%), Myanmar (72.0% vs. 48.6%), and Vietnam (76.5% vs. 44.9%). While there was a significant decline in food expenditure in all six countries, there were significantly larger reductions in food expenditures in urban areas versus rural areas in India (35.2% vs. 24.0%), Myanmar (30.8% vs. 8.5%), and Vietnam (31.0% vs. 2.3%). Food stocks were less available in urban areas than in rural areas in Bangladesh (18.8% vs. 37.8%), India (91.5% vs.76.0%), and Myanmar (72.0% vs. 59.0%). Foods and essential items were largely available at markets, without significant differences between rural and urban areas, except in Vietnam. Full affordability was only 20%–30% for most items, with a trend of higher affordability of some items in urban areas than in rural areas. Recommendations to mitigate the impacts of COVID-19 include promoting urban agriculture with efficient food distribution and cash support and supporting small-holder farmers for procurement and adequate functioning of the supply chain system in the region.

OBJECTIVES: Lockdowns due to COVID-19 had health, economic, social, and political consequences globally. This study examined if the early impact of COVID-19 on livelihoods and food security differed between rural and urban areas in six Asia-Pacific countries. METHODS: Secondary data analysis was conducted in May 2029 using a total of 13,522 household survey data collected cross-sectionally among socially disadvantaged populations through a World Vision's rapid response assessment (n = 13,522) in Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Philippines, Myanmar, and Vietnam. Changes in food expenditure, availability of various food items, and accessibility and affordability of essential items (staple food, fresh foods, medicine, and hygiene) were tested between rural and urban areas using multivariate logistic regressions, accounting for confounding variables. RESULTS: Job loss or reduced income was prevalent (rang: 54.1%–89.6%), higher in urban than rural areas in all six countries. A higher percentage of households reduced food expenditure in urban areas (53.0%–80.3%) than in rural areas (34.2%–66.4%) in India, Myanmar, and Vietnam (all P

The copepod species, Tigriopus californicus, is one of the most thermally adaptable species in the biosphere. They have been found in tide pools from the coast of Alaska down to the coast of Southern California. However, as all other organisms have limits, the T. californicus are only able to tolerate temperatures up to 34oC. By comparing gene expression between specimens exposed to high temperatures and those expressed to optimal temperatures, we identified the genes responsible for conferring tolerance to increasing temperatures. After testing gene expression between copepods at 20oC and at 34oC, we have determined that both the hsp70 gene and the toll-like receptors of the T. californicus play a role in tolerance to temperature variance. L’espece copepode, Tigriopus californicus, est une des especes les plus thermiquement adaptables de la biosphere. On les trouve dans les bâches depuis la cote de l’Alaska jusqu’a la cote sud de la Californie. Toutefois, comme tous les autres organ¬ismes, les Tigriopus californicus ont des limites et ne peuvent pas tolerer des temperatures superieures a 34oC. En comparant l’expression genetique entre les specimens exposes a des temperatures elevees et ceux exposes a des temperatures optimales, nous avons identifie les genes responsables de la tolerance a des temperatures en hausse. Apres avoir teste l’expression genetique entre les copepodes a 20oC et a 34oC, nous avons determine que le gene hsp70 et les recepteurs de type Toll du T. californicus jouent tous deux un role dans la tolerance aux variations de temperature.