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Introduction: Covid-19 pandemic has raised queries regarding implications for breastfeeding (BF). Data are limited and recommendations for initial days after birth differ. Parents count on paediatricians for optimal information about feeding their infants, especially when the mother is infected. Objectives: To estimate knowledge of paediatricians about BF in suspected or confirmed maternal cases of Covid-19, its association with demographic variables, and participants' opinions about factors influencing their guidance to parents regarding infant nutrition in Covid-19 infected mothers. Method: This was a prospective cross-sectional study based on an online questionnaire administered to paediatricians in Uttar Pradesh, India, from February to March 2021. A total of 389 paediatricians participated. Knowledge questions were based on the World Health Organization guidance on BF for Covid-19. Results: Among the 389 participants, 44.5% had adequate knowledge, 38.3% had average knowledge, and 17.2% had inadequate knowledge;96.4% paediatricians preferred mothers' milk for infants with Covid-19 infected mothers. Fear of transmission of infection to infant was the major restraint, while the low risk of transmission to the infant if infection prevention and control practices were followed was the most useful factor perceived while counselling an infected mother for BF.Conclusions: Knowledge of paediatricians about BF in suspected or confirmed maternal cases of Covid-19 was adequate in 44.5%, average in 38.3% and inadequate in 17.2%. Majority (96.4%) of paediatricians favoured BF in maternal Covid-19 cases. © 2022,Sri Lanka Journal of Child Health. All Rights Reserved.
ABSTRACT
Background: Managing head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) requires a prolonged course of concurrent chemoradiotherapy and other supportive care measures. Such a multidisciplinary approach was significantly hampered during the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic which necessitated divergence of health resources towards treating the infected patients thereby compromising cancer care. Therefore, we adopted an alternate-day hypofractionated radiotherapy (ADH RT) schedule, aiming to decrease patients' hospital visits daily without compromising the oncological outcomes. This study assesses the response and toxicity of the ADH RT schedule in HNSCC patients. Method(s): Retrospective analysis of all histopathologically proven HNSCC patients treated with ADH RT regimen during April - October 2020 in our institute. Hypofractionation dose schedule: 63Gy/21 fractions, 3Gy/fraction was delivered on alternate days without concurrent chemotherapy after patients' consent. Weekly radiation toxicity assessment and post-radiotherapy response assessment by CECT face and neck at 3 and 6 months. Result(s): A total of 26 patients were planned for ADH RT. Most (96%) of them were males with a median age of 60 years and ECOG PS <=2. The most common tumor site was the oropharynx (58%), the stage was IVA (54%) followed by stage IVB (27%). 93% of patients had a history of tobacco smoking. Only 23 patients completed the treatment and were included in the final assessment. Mucositis and dermatitis grade 1, 2 and 3 was observed in 44%, 52%, 4% and 78%, 18%, and 4% patients, respectively. At three months of follow-up, 5 patients were lost to follow-up and 4 patients expired due to COVID/disease-related complications. Complete response (CR) was observed in 10 patients (71.4%) and partial response in 4 patients. At 6 months, CR was observed in 7 (64.5%) patients. Conclusion(s): Most of the patients were able to tolerate and complete treatment. At analysis, around half of the patients either expired or were lost to follow-up which is the major limitation of this study. Among the available patients, a good response was observed. The practical applicability of this regimen needs to be tested further with a larger sample size and longer follow-up. Legal entity responsible for the study: The authors. Funding(s): Has not received any funding. Disclosure: All authors have declared no conflicts of interest. Copyright © 2022
ABSTRACT
The Last Planner® system (LPS) has witnessed a major shift in implementation at the onset of Coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19). Governed by maintaining social distancing and many other safety restrictions, some construction practices including LPS implementation are now taking place in the virtual environment. However, potential challenges and enablers of implementing LPS in such an environment are yet to be investigated. This paper presents a framework based on lean philosophy and aims at successful implementation of LPS in a virtual environment. The framework calls for embracing a strong lean culture in the virtual work environment. The study also seeks to outline the challenges and enablers of this implementation. The framework was tested on a construction project through an expert panel. Results show that the framework is promising, and that although COVID-19 inflicted many challenges, it also had some positive impacts on LPS implementation. The framework will help practitioners and managers adopt a systematic approach from initiation to implementation of LPS in a virtual environment. © Prof. Luis F. Alarcón and Assoc. Prof. Vicente González, IGL2021 All rights reserved.
ABSTRACT
CrowdMap is an anonymous occupancy monitoring system developed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. CrowdMap collects, cleans, and visualizes occupancy data derived from connection logs generated by large arrays of Wi-Fi access points. Thus, CrowdMap is a passive digital tracking tool that can be used to reopen buildings safely, as it helps actively manage occupancy limits and identify utilization trends at scale. Occupancy monitoring is possible at various levels of resolution over large spatial (e.g., from individual rooms to entire buildings) and temporal (e.g., from hours to months) extents. The CrowdMap web-based front-end implements powerful spatiotemporal querying and visualization tools to quickly and effectively explore occupancy patterns throughout large campuses. We will demonstrate CrowdMap and its spatiotemporal GUI that was deployed for an entire university campus with data continuously being collected since summer 2020. © 2021 Owner/Author.
ABSTRACT
Contact tracing is an essential public health tool for controlling epidemic disease outbreaks such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Digital contact tracing using real-time locations or proximity of individuals can be used to significantly speed up and scale up contact tracing. In this demonstration, we present our system, REACT, for REAl-time Contact Tracing and risk monitoring via privacy-enhanced tracking of users' locations. With privacy enhancement that allows users to control and refine the precision with which their information will be collected and used, REACT will enable: 1) contact tracing of individuals who are exposed to infected cases and identification of hot-spot locations, 2) individual risk monitoring based on the locations they visit and their contact with others. In this paper, we demonstrate the procedure of contact tracing using our application and the utility of contact tracing given the protected locations. © 2021 IEEE.
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Purpose: Emerging reports have shown an increased incidence of pulmonary embolism (PE) in hospitalized COVID-19 patients which subsequently worsens respiratory distress and can lead to further clinical deterioration. We sought to determine whether PE in Corona virus patients were more likely thrombotic or embolic in etiology, and the role of IVC filters in hospitalized COVID-19 patients. Materials and Methods: A single-center retrospective analysis evaluating all CT pulmonary angiograms (684) that were completed at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic between March 15, 2020, and May 31, 2020, at a tertiary care center in an urban setting. Deep venous thrombosis (DVT) was defined as iliocaval or femoropopliteal thrombus on lower extremity Doppler or CT with lower extremity runoff, or brachial, axillary, subclavian, or internal jugular vein thrombus on upper extremity Doppler. PE was considered thrombotic in patients in the absence of DVT and embolic in the presence of DVT during their inpatient stay. COVID-19 status was based on the most recent results prior to the patient’s CT pulmonary angiogram, if testing was not conducted, the patient was considered negative for COVID-19. Chi-square analysis was carried out to determine the difference in rates between thrombotic versus embolic PE in Corona virus positive and negative patients. Results: Imaging confirmed acute PE in 112 patients during this period, of which 43 (38%) tested positive for COVID-19, and 69 (62%) tested negative. Of patients testing positive for Corona virus with PE, imaging confirmed concurrent lower or upper extremity DVT in 4 of 43 patients (9%) and ruled out DVT in 24 of 43 patients (56%). Whereas, in COVID-19 negative patients with PE, imaging confirmation of DVT was seen in 19 of 69 patients (28%) and DVT was ruled out in 21 of 69 patients (30%). This correlated with a chi-square value of 8.12 (P = 0.004). Conclusions: Pulmonary emboli in COVID-19 patients are more likely to be thrombotic rather than embolic in etiology, limiting the utility of IVC filters in Corona virus patients.
ABSTRACT
A developing assortment of writing concerns the rising patterns of screen time and its related health outcomes during the COVID-19 pandemic. The utilization of computerized screens, including TV, PCs, cell phones, and keen gadgets, can be related to a broad scope of well-being results. The ascent in youngsters' screen time during the pandemic has set off calls for more noteworthy intuitiveness and outside exercise to support learning and guard against changing degrees of screen time, which may have significant ramifications on their well-being and prosperity. The accessible proof proposes that screen time is related to corpulence, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, nearsightedness, sadness, rest issues, and numerous other noncommunicable infections. Exploration amalgamations show that incremental utilization of screen-based media may bring about unfriendly physical and emotional well-being ramifications, inactive ways of life, and other undesirable practices that will probably increment during isolation separation. It is essential to recognize this forthcoming general well-being emergency and embrace alleviation methodologies to forestall the well-being perils related to expanded screen time. This narrative review's motivation is to give fundamental experiences important to fortify the information base to make educated arrangements, rules, and remedies for decreasing the unfavorable well-being effects of screen time. © 2021 Karadeniz Technical University. All rights reserved.