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Aim The aim of this study was to investigate the mental health status of healthcare workers and medical students during the early phase of the COVID‐19 pandemic. Methods An online questionnaire was administered to 637 students and 3189 healthcare workers from May to July, 2020. The patient healthcare questionnaire‐9 (PHQ‐9) and state anxiety (A‐State) of the state–trait anxiety inventory‐form (STAI) were used to assess depression and anxiety symptoms, respectively. Individuals were categorized into severe (15 or higher) depression and severe (50–51 or higher) anxiety groups. Results Healthcare workers and those taking care of COVID‐19 patients had a higher risk of severe depression (PHQ‐9 scores >15) than other comparison groups. Students and men also had a higher risk of severe anxiety (STAI > 50–51). Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that healthcare workers had a fivefold higher risk of developing severe depression symptoms (adjusted odds ratio [OR] = 4.99, confidence interval [CI] 2.24–5.97, P‐value < 0.001) and those taking care of COVID‐19 patients had 2.8‐fold higher risk of developing severe depression symptoms (OR 2.75, CI 1.36–5.53, P‐value = 0.005). Conclusion Both medical students and healthcare workers have been experiencing depression and anxiety symptoms during the first wave of the pandemic. Our findings showed a high rate of severe anxiety symptoms in medical students and a high rate of severe depression symptoms in healthcare workers. Those who treated COVID‐19 patients were at greater risk of developing major depressive disorder than those who treated non‐COVID‐19 patients.

Background: Nicolaides-Baraitser syndrome (NCBRS) is a rare disorder characterized by neurodevelopmental delays, seizures, and diverse physical characteristics. The DNA methylation (DNAm) profile in NCBRS is significantly different.DNAm is linked to the biological aging of cells and the health risks associated with biological aging. In this study, we examined changes in biological ages in NCBRS to provide insights into the prognosis and health risks of NCBRS. Methods:We used a publicly available dataset to examine biological aging in NCBRS using DNAm-based epigenetic ages, such as PhenoAge and GrimAge, as well as DNAm-based estimator of telomere length (DNAmTL). We investigated 12 cases, clinically diagnosed as NCBRS, and 27 controls.Results: Compared to controls, NCBRS cases exhibited significantly accelerated PhenoAge and GrimAge as well as significantly shortened DNAmTL. Conclusion:These results suggest an acceleration of biological aging in NCBRS and provide insights into the prognosis and health risks of NCBRS.

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