ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To produce a geo-referenced map of the status of R&D in COVID-related studies in the World Methodology: Spatial mapping of bibliometric data of Cortellis Drug Discovery Intelligence through an spatial bibliometric model with the aid of a GIS (Geographic Information System) called ArcGIS and the software. RESULTS: We show the countries that have most studies related to COV ID-19 and their degree of collaboration. No drug discovery-related activity was found in South America and Africa. A geo-referenced map of the most active countries in COVID research was constructed as well as conceptual maps of the 11 most representative drugs employed for COVID treatment. CONCLUSION: The georeferenced conceptual maps produced in the present report allow not only to better understand the leading institutions in R&D in COVID-19 related drugs, but also to visualize their interactions and research relationships. This could offer, in addition to a coherent, organized multinational effort, the possibility of searching for other drugs that have been employed for other diseases and that, in terms of their conceptual relations, could represent some possibilities for treating the coronavirus SARS-2.
ABSTRACT
The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in high demand for disinfection technologies. However, the corresponding spray technologies are still not completely optimized for disinfection purposes. There are important problems, like the irregular coverage and dripping of disinfectant solutions on hard and vertical surfaces. In this study, we highlight two major points. Firstly, we discuss the effectiveness of the electrostatic spray deposition (ESD) of nanoparticle-based disinfectant solutions for systematic and long-lasting disinfection. Secondly, we show that, based on the type of material of the substrate, the effectiveness of ESD varies. Accordingly, 12 frequently touched surface materials were sprayed using a range of electrostatic spray system parameters, including ion generator voltage, nozzle spray size and distance of spray. It was observed that for most cases, the surfaces become completely covered with the nanoparticles within 10 s. Acrylic, Teflon, PVC, and polypropylene surfaces show a distinct effect of ESD and non-ESD sprays. The nanoparticles form a uniform layer with better surface coverage in case of electrostatic deposition. Quantitative variations and correlations show that 1.5 feet of working distance, an 80 µm spray nozzle diameter and an ion generator voltage of 3-7 kV ensures a DEF (differential electric field) that corresponds to an optimized charge-to-mass ratio, ensuring efficient coverage of nanoparticles.