Fear of COVID-19 in dentistry students: an evaluation of their knowledge and practices

Background: This study's objective was to analyse the fear of COVID-19 among the dentistry student and the knowledge, attitude, and practices during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: It was a cross-sectional questionnaire-based study. An online survey form was designed and distributed to undergraduate dental students via google forms. A previously validated fear of coronavirus scale (FCV-19S) was used to analyse the fear. SPSS 21 was used for data entry and data analysis. Descriptive statistics were applied to calculate the frequencies of different variables. Independent t-test was executed to determine the difference of FCV-19S among gender and between public and private dental colleges. ANOVA was carried out to evaluate the difference in fear among different levels of BDS. Results: Data of 983 individuals from different dental colleges in Karachi, Pakistan, have been analysed. The majority of the students were females in 1st year and private sector dental colleges (P<0.001). The mean FCV-19S was 20.99 +or- 6.48, which is higher than the cut-off value 15. A highly significant difference in mean FCV-19S among the different variables has been observed (P<0.001). A significant difference has been observed among the gender (t (932) = -5.40, p<0.001) in all 4-years of BDS. Conclusion: Despite good knowledge and following the COVID-19 guidelines, fear is prevalent among the students.

An Analysis of Mobile Gaming Apps' Privacy Policies

In the past decade, the gaming industry has seen a sharp rise in popularity, particularly in mobile gaming, and these numbers have only increased with the recent COVID-19 pandemic. Given the amount of user information being collected and shared by these gaming apps as well as the demographics of its users such as minors, it is critical to examine these apps' privacy vulnerabilities. In this study, we reviewed and analyzed 20 popular gaming apps' privacy policies and evaluated their explicit privacy protections or lack thereof. In particular, we examined if any specific privacy protections are provided to vulnerable groups like children and teenagers. Results found that although these gaming apps have privacy protections listed in their policies, only a few of them explicitly identify individual's consent and choice. Also, most of the privacy protections on minors like children and teenagers provided by these gaming apps are only at a basic level. Results from this study can provide guidance to both app users and app developers on the measures that each app is already taking on privacy protections, as well as identifying the vulnerabilities and potential privacy risks that currently exist. Furthermore, it can provide guidance for implementing appropriate privacy policies to protect users' personal data. © 2022 IEEE.

Attitudes Towards the Use of COVID-19 Apps and Its Associated Factors

Since early 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic has been significantly changing people's daily lives as social activities are limited to slow down the spread of the novel coronavirus. New technologies, especially mobiles apps, have been widely applied to help with reducing the spread of the pandemic. However, although these apps bring many benefits, it also raises privacy issues given the amount of user information being collected and shared. The goal of this study is to understand individuals' attitudes towards the privacy concerns on using COVID-19 apps, and their expectations on the privacy protections. By conducting the survey and collecting responses, results found that majority of the participants expressed privacy concerns on COVID-19 apps, and participants with different socioeconomic status may have different levels of willingness to use the app. Results from this study not only provide guidance for the government and app service providers on the implementation of appropriate safeguards, but also address on the needs of privacy protections for the vulnerable groups.

A Cross-sectional Survey to Understand the Public Attitude towards Attributes of COVID-19 Vaccine in the Chhattisgarh State of India

BackgroundandObjectives:Thissurveyisconductedtounderstandtheattitudeofthe population towards vaccination for COVID-19. Perception regarding COVID-19 vaccination such as efficacy, duration of protection, etc can affect the affinity of the population for readiness, enthusiasm, and willingness. Materials and Methods: A qualitative cross-sectional questionnaire-based survey was conducted during December 2020 and January 2021 at Chhattisgarh province of India. A bilingual questionnaire consisted of questions on belief, willingness, and attitude to receive future COVID-19 vaccination was developed. The non-probability purposive sample of 1717 respondent (1026 responded online while 691 responses offline) were chosen in this study. Results: 60% and 40% of respondents were male and female respectively. 51.4% of respondents belonged to 31-40yrs of age. 46.1 % of respondents believe that COVID-19 vaccine can prevent COVID-19 illness. In 82% of respondents, willingness was observed for COVID-19 vaccination, and willingness was highly dependent on literacy and qualification. Data support a good belief and willingness of the people from Chhattisgarh province towards the COVID-19 vaccination. Conclusion:The current study annuls the illusion and future hesitancy towards vaccination drive. The government must consider vaccine attributes like cost, the nation of vaccine origin, vaccine booth distances and attitude of the population like education status, occupation, socio-economic status, previous vaccination experience should also be undertaken for the largest single vaccine drive.

Impact of Distance Learning on Development of Emotional Intelligence of Medical Bachelor Students

Objectives: To assess the impact of online learning and the restrictions associated with the SARS COVID-19 virus pandemic on the development of emotional intelligence (EI) of senior medical students. Method(s): The study is based on the P.Salovey and J.Mayer EI model, which consists of 4 components: the ability to perceive emotions, use, understand and manage emotions. Into the analysis 5 medical universities of the Republic of Kazakhstan was taken. Object of study: EI. Subjects of the study: Foreign medical students of the 4th and 5th years of study. To measure EI the validated questionnaire MSCEIT (Mayer-Salovey-Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test) consisted of 15 items was used. Result(s): Based on a two-sample t-test, the total EI [95% CI] found that the EI of 5th Year students (M = 57.07, SD = 9.6) is higher than the EI of 4th Year students (M=53.51, SD = 12.57), which may be due to the influence of clinical experience on EI. The distribution of scores across the four areas of EI showed that all areas were higher for 5th year of study of students, and in the final two-sample sum of Wilcoxon ranks for each composite EI, emotion perception (p=0.02) and emotion use (p=0, 04) are most affected. The total scores for the entire sample were at average level, although the clinical activity suggests a specialist with an ideal EI. Perception of emotions (p value = 0.02) and understanding of emotions (p value = 0.04) are more important for clinicians. Conclusion(s): Thus, we can outline the negative impact of online learning on the development of EI. As a predictor, this will have a negative impact on the basic clinical competencies of these students, these may lead to difficulties in residency, and further in medical carrier Copyright © 2022

Screening and Identification of candidate therapeutic drugs from plants for the management of patients infected Bacterial Infection Associated with SARS COV-2

The emergence of COVID-19 (SARS-COV-2) has resulted in millions of deaths worldwide. Nigeria has recorded over 2000 deaths due to the disease. Development of alternative medicine from plants against SARS-COV-2 can be a potential therapy for treatment of secondary complications. To investigate plants with potential to manage respiratory tract infections. The plants were extracted and screened for phytochemical constituents;their acute and subacute toxicity profile was evaluated. The plant extracts were tested against clinical microbial isolates associated with respiratory tract infection. All the plants extract were found to have acute toxicity dose above 5000 mg per kg body weight. Among the four tested medicinal plants Guiera senegalensis was found to have significant zone of inhibition against Klebsiella pneumonia and Moraxella catarrhalis more than the standard drug (Gentamicin). Guiera senegalensis has been used in traditional medicine to treat bacterial infections without any report of toxicity. The preclinical study indicated that Guiera senegalensis can be used in the management of respiratory infections associated with symptoms of COVID 19. Guiera senegalensis can therefore be used as a potential medicinal plant for management of secondary bacterial infections in Covid19 patients. Copyright © 2007 The authors.

Effects of COVID-19 Severity on Serum Calcium Levels

Background: The hypocalcaemia may be a unique biochemical feature of COVID -19 that has the potential to influence disease severity and represents a new potential therapeutic target worth testing in this clinical setting. Because COVID -19 testing has primarily focused on individuals with respiratory symptoms rather than calcium levels, Therefore the objective of current study was to determine the effect of e COVID-19 severity on Serum calcium levels. Methods: After the ethical approval, all the RT-PCR positive patients from the record of corona isolation wards of Ganga Ram hospital Lahore. Demographic details including name, age, gender, complete history & examination serum Calcium level was noted recorded al from hospital files on a predesigned proforma. To assess clinical severity of coronavirus disease, all the enrolled patients' disease category as mild, moderate, severe & critical was note. Data was analyzed using SPSS-26. Association between age and gender between disease severity was determined by using Chi-square test. Binary logistic regression was applied to find out the effect of disease severity on serum calcium levels. P-value less than 0.05 were considered to be significant. Results: 555 patients were enrolled in the current study. The mean ages of patients were 38.34+14.86. There were 300(54.1) male and 255(45.9) female, the severity of the disease shows that the majority 490(88.3%) of the patients had mild disease and 65(11.7%) had moderate disease. The mean serum calcium level was 8.7+0.34. The majority of patients had mild disease, of which 270 were female and 220 male and 230 among 31-50 years. The results of binary logistic regression show the effect of disease severity (Mild, Moderate) on calcium, age and gender. It was reported that only serum calcium, male gender and age category 30-50 years were a significant predictor of disease severity. Conclusion: It was concluded from current study that majority of patients have mild disease severity and patients have normal serum calcium. The disease severity has no significant impact on the calcium levels as the majority of patient has mild disease.

Micro-Credentials in Higher Education Institutions: Challenges and Opportunities

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the education sector locally and globally especially in teaching and learning delivery methods as most universities have adopted online platforms. The present situation is not only challenging but also tests the flexibility of the existing education system. With the help of technology, the existing traditional education system could be more flexible to enable more individuals from around the world to access education. The latest revolution in online education, micro-credential, is growing interest among public and private universities worldwide, including Malaysia. However, to date, little scholarly work is found related to micro-credentials in higher education. This conceptual paper presents an overview of micro-credential and the challenges and opportunities of offering micro-credential certification in the form of digital badges to the national and global market. Recommendations are made to multiple stakeholders (e.g., higher education providers, employers) to enhance the use of certifications for graduate employability. Ideas for further research are also presented. © 2021. All Rights Reserved.

The impact of a pandemic on knowledge sharing behavior: a COR perspective

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to look at the attitudes of the employees in terms of sharing knowledge during COVID-19 in an online environment and the various difficulties associated and to analyze knowledge sharing (KS) in a virtual office setting, using the conservation of resources theory. Design/methodology/approach: A qualitative approach was used by conducting face-to-face interviews online through GoogleMeet, Skype and Zoom. A total of 34 interviews from 14 multinational companies (or their subsidiaries), in a supervisory role, were conducted for the study. A thematic analysis was conducted to analyze the responses. Findings: During a crisis, the tendency of employees to share knowledge at the individual, team and organizational level increases and is interlinked. The results of this study suggest that during the initial phases of lockdown, the creativity levels among employees were high;however, as the work from the office got postponed because of extended lockdowns, the creativity level of employees saw a dip. Furthermore, the findings of this study also highlighted that KS in remotely located teams was found to be dependent on the extent to which the team members knew each other, such that known teams were in a better position to share knowledge than a newly formed team with unknown or less known members. Research limitations/implications: This study has 34 respondents which is an acceptable number for a qualitative inquiry. However, the number of industries could be increased for generalization purposes. Responses were collected from a group of knowledge workers who were willing to correspond digitally, using social media channels of the authors, such as Linkedin. Responses collected personally could provide different results. Practical implications: This study provides insights into visible change in organizational processes. The conceptual model developed in this study has several implications which will help chief knowledge officers to understand why the various individual, team and organizational factors lead to KS, particularly with respect to COVID-19. Originality/value: This study has explored a contemporary phenomenon – KS during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, in an online environment. This study depicts the extant literature on knowledge management during a pandemic, thus bridging the scholarly gap. This study tried to bring in a broader perspective by selecting respondents across continents, domains and varied age groups. Fourth, most studies analyzing KS/knowledge hiding in the extant literature, especially during the pandemic, have followed a quantitative approach. This study followed a qualitative approach to gain insights into the KS of the firm and the thoughts and practicalities behind it. © 2022, Emerald Publishing Limited.

Primary data analyses of MAESTRO-NAFLD-1 a 52 week double-blind placebo-controlled phase 3 clinical trial of resmetirom in patients with NAFLD

Background and aims: Approval of a drug therapy for NASH requires a very good safety/tolerability profile and acceptable therapeutic index. MAESTRO-NAFLD-1 (NCT04197479) is a randomized doubleblind (DB) Phase 3 clinical trial of placebo (PBO) versus resmetirom (RES), a once-a-day oral selective thyroid hormone receptor β agonist, in >1100 patients with NAFLD with safety as the primary end point. Method: Enrollment was Dec 2019 to Oct 2020 at 79 US sites. Requirements included 3 metabolic risk factors, fibroscan (FS) ≥5.5 kPa/CAP≥280 dBm, MRI-PDFF≥8%. Randomization was 1:1:1:1 to 3 DB arms, PBO, 80 or 100 mg RES (n = 972) or an 100 mg open label (OL) arm (n = 171). The primary objective was to evaluate the safety and tolerability of 80 or 100 mg RES versus PBO measured by the incidence of adverse events (AEs). Results: At baseline the DB safety population (n = 969) was age 55.9 (11.8);female, 54.4%, white 88.6%;hispanic 34.7%;BMI 35.3 (6.0) type 2 diabetes 49%, hypertension 76.1%, dyslipidemia 87.9%;FS 7.4 (4.7) kPa. Discontinuations (22.5%) did not differ by treatment, most patient decision (pandemic related). DB compliancewas impacted by COVID drug kit delays. AE withdrawals were 80 mg, 2.4%;100 mg, 2.8%;PBO, 1.3%. The primary objective was met. TEAEs were 80 mg, 88.4%;100 mg, 86.1%;PBO, 81.8%. TEAEs ≥grade 3 severity were 80 mg, 7.6%;100 mg, 9.0%;PBO, 9.1%. AEs in excess of PBOwere grade 1–2 AEs of diarrhea (80 mg, 23.5%;100 mg, 31.2%;PBO, 13.8%) and nausea (80 mg, 11.9%;100 mg, 18.2%;PBO, 7.9%), in the first few weeks. ALT increases ≥3XULN were 80 mg, 0.61%;100 mg, 0.31%;PBO,1.6%. Therewere no changes in bodyweight or HR. BP decreased by 2–3 mmHg in the RES arms. Key 2o end points were met (Table). Comparative mean reduction in FS VCTE was not significant;a responder analysis of FS and MRE showed significant reductions with RES treatment. Conclusion: RES achieved the primary safety end point in this 52- week Phase 3 NAFLD clinical trial that identified patients by metabolic risk and non-invasive imaging. Key 2o end points were met including LDL-C, ApoB, triglycerides, MRI-PDFF, FS (CAP).(Table Presented) 1MRE combined RES groups.

Attitudes Towards the Use of COVID-19 Apps and Its Associated Factors

Since early 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic has been significantly changing people’s daily lives as social activities are limited to slow down the spread of the novel coronavirus. New technologies, especially mobiles apps, have been widely applied to help with reducing the spread of the pandemic. However, although these apps bring many benefits, it also raises privacy issues given the amount of user information being collected and shared. The goal of this study is to understand individuals’ attitudes towards the privacy concerns on using COVID-19 apps, and their expectations on the privacy protections. By conducting the survey and collecting responses, results found that majority of the participants expressed privacy concerns on COVID-19 apps, and participants with different socioeconomic status may have different levels of willingness to use the app. Results from this study not only provide guidance for the government and app service providers on the implementation of appropriate safeguards, but also address on the needs of privacy protections for the vulnerable groups. © 2022, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.

Evaluation Liver Function Test Abnormalities in Covid-19 Patient in Tertiary Care Hospital, A Cross Sectional Study

Since late December 2019, a novel coronavirus illness (COVID-19) outbreak has been detected in Wuhan, China, affecting 215 nations so far. Although respiratory symptoms are the most common symptom in COVID-19 patients, several extra pulmonary organ dysfunctions have also been observed. Previous investigations have found that individuals with COVID-19 had a high incidence of aberrant liver function parameters. The objective of current study will be to evaluate the effect of effects of covid-19 severity on liver function test and hypocalcaemia. Material and Methods: A cross-sectional study conducted at Corona Isolation Wards of Sir Gaga Ram Hospital Lahore from April to June 2019. Total 110 RT PCR Positive Covid-19 patients were enrolled in current study by consecutive sampling technique. The Demographic details, Disease severity, Laboratory Findings of Liver Function Test (LFTs) and outcome of every patient was recorded from on a predesigned proforma. Data was analyzed using SPSS-26. ANOVA was applied to find out the difference between disease severity LFTs level. P-value less than 0.05 considered as significant. Results: The patients' average age was 30.03+15.03. The average length of stay in the hospital was 14.76+2.77 days. There was predominance of Male in current study male [M=60(54.5%) vs. F=50(45.5%)]. There are 48 (43.6%) patients with mild disease, 28 (25.5%) patients with moderate disease, and 34 (30.9%) patients with severe disease. Only 2(1.8%) patients died, while 102(92.7%) patients recovered. The most common symptom experience by patients was Fever, followed by Cough (32), Fatigue (29), Diarrhea (17), sore throat (18). A significant increase was observed in ALT, AST, ALP, Serum Bilirubin, Total Protein, Albumin and Globulin according to disease severity (p-value<0.05) Conclusions: The abnormal liver function test was shown to be more common in moderate to severe cases. The severity of COVID-19 has a major impact on the liver's functional outcome.

Impact of COVID-19 on chronic respiratory disease outcome survey in Pakistan

Introduction: Pakistan has high prevalence of chronic respiratory diseases, especially bronchial asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Objectives: The main objective of the study is to find the impact of COVID-19 on chronic respiratory disease in Pakistan. Material and methods: This cross sectional study was conducted in King Edward Medical University, Mayo Hospital Lahore during January 2021 to July 2021. Before and after the COVID-19 period were defined by a predetermined set of criteria in the form of a questionnaire. Results: The data was collected from 314 respondents. According to the respondents, the survey also queried about the presence of respiratory comorbidities in patients who had tested positive for COVID 19. COPD was mentioned as a comorbidity by more than a third of those who responded, and several others, including bronchial asthma, ILD, and tuberculosis (TB), were also mentioned by many respondents. Conclusion: It is concluded that because of the lockout's efficacy and the widespread use of masks outside the facility, the air was probably rather clean. As a result, both the number of people visiting an asthma outpatient clinic and the number of people being admitted to the hospital with acute severe asthma dropped.

Epidemiology of sleeping disorders among doctors during COVID-19 pandemic in Pakistan

Introduction: Novel coronavirus disease or COVID-19, an acute respiratory illness caused by a newly discovered SARS-CoV-2 virus emerged in December 2019. Objectives: The main objective of the study is to find the epidemiology of sleeping disorders among doctors during COVID-19 pandemic in Pakistan. Material and methods: This cross sectional study was conducted in Sir Ganga Ram Hospital Lahore during June 2021 to December 2021. A questionnaire was used to collect the data. Among the topics covered in the survey were questions regarding the quality of one's night's sleep, where one keeps infection control supplies, how one copes with stress and depression, how one learns about COVID-19 on the internet, how one views risk, and other personal information. The survey was completed over the internet. Results: The data was collected from 200 patients. Over half (55.0 percent) were married and under the age of 35. (49.1%). The majority of respondents (57.8%) spend more than two hours a day on social media. The great majority of them came from the upper echelons of the workforce. There were 38.3%, 29.8%, and 29.1%, respectively, of those who reported a worse sleep quality following the onset of COVID-19, according to their weighted proportions. Conclusion: It is concluded that COVID-19 is widely spreading in Pakistani doctors. Mental health disorders and poor sleep quality are more widespread in the medical field because of the heightened danger of exposure during pandemic illnesses.

Social Support in the Times of Social Distancing: Learnings from the South Asian Context

This study will examine the relationship between social support from the work and family domains, referred to as multiple social network ties (MSNT), and employees' job and family-related performance outcomes during the COVID-19 crisis. The study also demonstrates the importance of employees' work-family balance (WFB) in moderating the association between MSNT and job and family-related performance. A two-wave design was used to collect data from 320 managerial level personnel in Pakistan's textile sector. The path analysis technique of structural equation modelling (SEM) was used to analyze the responses. In times of crisis, social support mechanisms could potentially replace organizational support mechanisms for employees dealing with work and family obligations, according to the study. The findings of this study show that work-family balance is a significant partial mediator between MSNT and employees' job and familyrelated outcomes during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a best-fit model. This research supports the pragmatic view of MSNT's action mechanism in generating jobs for employees and family-related results, especially in uncertain situations. According to the findings, employees who have a positive work-life balance are happier and more productive in both work and personal life. It has major implications for human resource management (HRM) research and practice.

Effect of COVID-19 pandemic on food purchasing and waste generation during the lockdown period in The Sultanate of Oman

The coronavirus (COVID-19) is a threat to public health and caused several social, environmental, and economic problems. During the lockdown in different countries, waste generation has been significantly increased due to the high consumption of packaged food and increase the order of food via online and takeaway. This paper aims to investigate the impact of COVID 19 lockdown on food consumption and the subsequent change in waste generation in Oman. A quantitative research methodology was applied for this study using an online survey during the COVID 19 lockdown. The survey collected information on demographic data, awareness and attitudes toward food purchase behaviour, household food expenditure, and waste generation. Results show that 57.6% of the respondents believed that their food purchasing during the lockdown was increased as compared to before the lockdown. The main reason for increasing the food purchasing was the change in consumers behaviour and cooking more in households during the lockdown. This increase led to the increase in waste generation. One of the main reasons for the increased waste generation during the lockdown was the fact that people have spent more time at home. It was found that food waste and plastic packages were the highest increase (72% and 55%, respectively). These two types of waste are followed by cans and glass bottles with an increase of 68%. Other types of waste such as medical waste, electrical and electronic waste, and paper waste have shown no significant change in waste generation during the lockdown. Overall, this study provides useful information to further promote household food waste prevention behaviour, outlasting the COVID-19 crisis. The results from this study can be used by waste management and municipal utilities on consumption behaviour during emergency situations. © 2022 Global NEST.

Assessing Individual Differences in Coping Mechanisms during the COVID-19 Pandemic

As the coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic continues to be a global public health emergency, many individuals are facing mental health issues due to the many challenges that accompany this pandemic. Previous studies report that many people around the world are experiencing high levels of stress and therefore struggling to manage their emotions and mental well-being. While there are numerous different factors that influence how an individual may be dealing with the pandemic related stressors, one factor that does seem to influence their stress level is their coping mechanisms. In this study, we aim to understand people's perceived stress level during the COVID-19 pandemic, their coping mechanisms, and whether these constructs were influenced by their personality and other individual differences. To investigate these questions, we conducted an online survey in the summer of 2020 where study participants were asked to report on their mental well-being. Study results obtained from statistical models, including Pearson Correlation Test, Regression models, and Random Forest model, show that there is a significant difference between individuals' stress level and their coping mechanisms. In addition, we found that individuals' personality traits seem to influence their stress level as well as what type of coping mechanism they may be using during the pandemic. These findings can provide awareness to individuals as well as for public and mental health professionals who may be working or providing support to different populations during the COVID-19 pandemic. © 2021 ACM.

Medical students' mood adversely affected by COVID-19 pandemic: An interim analysis from the SPICE-19 prospective cohort study of 2075 medical students and interim foundation doctors

Background: Currently, we can only speculate on what the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic have been on medical students and interim foundation year doctors. In order to support them appropriately both now and, in the future, it is imperative that we understand the impact it has had upon them. This study assessed the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on medical students and interim foundation year doctors across the United Kingdom (UK), and the support that they received and sought. Methods: A prospective, observational, multicentre study was conducted. All medical students and interim foundation year doctors were eligible to participate. The data analysis was carried out as detailed a priori in the protocol. Findings: A total of 2075 individuals participated in the SPICE-19 survey from 33 medical schools. There was a significant (p<0.0001) decrease in participants' mood when comparing their mood before the pandemic to during the pandemic. Social distancing and more time at home/with family were the factors that negatively and positively respectively impacted the mood of the greatest number of participants. All areas of life included in the survey were found to have been significantly more negatively impacted than positively impacted (p<0.0001). 931 participants wanted more support from their university. Participants were mainly seeking support with exam preparation, course material, and financial guidance. Discussion: Medical and foundation schools need to prepare adequate and effective support. If no action is taken, there may be a knock-on effect on workforce planning and the health of our future workforce. When medical students return to their universities, there is likely to be need for enhanced wellbeing support, adaptations in the short-term and long-term strategies for medical education, and provision of financial guidance.

Journey of customers in this digital era: Understanding the role of artificial intelligence technologies in user engagement and conversion

Purpose: The first research objective is to understand the role of digital [artificial intelligence (AI)] technologies on user engagement and conversion that has resulted in high online activities and increased online sales in current times in India. In addition, combined with changes such as social distancing and lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic, digital disruption has largely impacted the old ways of communication both at the individual and organizational levels, ultimately resulting in prominent social change. While interacting in the virtual world, this change is more noticeable. Therefore, the second research objective is to examine if a satisfying experience during online shopping leads to repurchase intention. Design/methodology/approach: Using primary data collected from consumers in a developing economy (India), we tested the theoretical model to further extend the theoretical debate in consumer research. Findings: This study empirically tests and further establishes that deploying AI technologies have a positive relationship with user engagement and conversion. Further, conversion leads to satisfying user experience. Finally, the relationship between satisfying user experience and repurchase intention is also found to be significant. Originality/value: The uniqueness of this study is that it tests few key relationships related to user engagement during this uncertain period (COVID-19 pandemic) and examines the underlying mechanism which leads to increase in online sales. © 2021, Emerald Publishing Limited.

Mapping Risk Assessment Strategy for COVID-19 Mobile Apps’ Vulnerabilities

Recent innovations in mobile technologies are playing an important and vital role in combating the COVID-19 pandemic. While mobile apps’ functionality plays a crucial role in tackling the COVID-19 spread, it is also raising concerns about the associated privacy risks that users may face. Recent research studies have showed various technological measures on mobile applications that lack consideration of privacy risks in their data practices. For example, security vulnerabilities in COVID-19 apps can be exploited and therefore also pose privacy violations. In this paper, we focus on recent and newly developed COVID-19 apps and consider their threat landscape. Our objective was to identify security vulnerabilities that can lead to user-level privacy risks. We also formalize our approach by measuring the level of risk associated with assets and services that attackers may be targeting to capture during the exploitation. We utilized baseline risk assessment criteria within the scope of three specific security vulnerabilities that often exists in COVID-19 applications namely credential leaks, insecure communication, and HTTP request libraries. We present a proof of concept implementation for risk assessment of COVID-19 apps that can be utilized to evaluate privacy risk by the impact of assets and threat likelihood. © 2022, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.