Clinico-epidemiological and vaccination profile of patients attending flu clinic of a tertiary health care institution in Eastern India during the third wave of COVID-19 pandemic

Introduction and aim. With the third wave of COVID-19 hitting the country, there is an urgent need to systematically document the clinical-epidemiological and vaccination details of the patients to formulate evidence-based decisions. So, this study was planned to describe the profile of patients attending the flu clinic of a tertiary care hospital in eastern India. Material and methods. This hospital-based cross-sectional study was done for 6 weeks (Jan-Feb 2022) among 623 patients using a pre-tested, structured questionnaire related to COVID-19. An unadjusted odds ratio was calculated and statistical significance was attributed to a p-value <0.05. Results. Out of 623 patients, almost 90% of the patients were vaccinated against COVID-19 with at least one dose of any vaccine. Cough (57.8%) was the most common complaint. Patients aged > 60 years and those having one or more than one comorbidity suffered from moderate-severe COVID-19 infection when compared to their counterparts (p<0.001). Also, 2.1% of fully vaccinated, 3.8% of one dose vaccinated and 10.9% of unvaccinated patients suffered from moderate-severe COVID-19. Conclusion. During the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, a smaller number of elderlies compared to the previous two waves were affected indicating age shifting. The severity of COVID-19 was less among vaccinated individuals compared to unvaccinated highlighting the importance of COVID-19 vaccination. © 2022 Universidad Nacional de Colombia, , Department of Linguistics. All rights reserved.

Cystic fibrosis mental health research priorities: Qualitative content analysis of cystic fibrosis community and provider survey

Background: Mental health is among the top three research priorities of the CF community [1]. In 2020-21, the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Mental Health Research Prioritization Working Group met to designate areas of focus for CF mental health research [2]. To elicit broad input to inform this work, a mixed-methods study was conducted. In June 2020, a 22-item survey was sent via email and social media to CF health care providers, people with CF, family caregivers, and other CF community members. We aimed to analyze qualitative content to add depth to quantitative findings. Method(s): Three hundred fifty-two providers and 693 community members completed the survey, which included three open-ended questions: Q1) When thinking about research topics specific to mental health, where are the current gaps in knowledge that should be prioritized for future research? Q2) Is there anything else regarding mental health and the needs of the community you would like to share? Q3) Considering the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, are there additional mental health topics that are (Figure Presented) Figure 1.: Cystic fibrosis (CF) mental health research priorities of all respondents according to frequency. Overarching top-line categories and general codes for open-ended survey responses of CF health care providers, people with CF, family caregivers, and other CF community members not covered by the survey questions? Reponses containing more than one main idea were subdivided into topic-specific codable items. For Q1 and Q2, a codebook guided hierarchical placement of each item into an overarching top-line category with corresponding general code and, if applicable, one or more specific codes and populations or settings. A simplified process designated only one major theme per item for Q3. Three teams of one CF researcher and two CF community members coded the first 20% of their assigned items by consensus and then worked in pairs to independently double code the remaining 80%. Two-sided t-tests were adjusted with the Bonferroni correction using a significance level of less than 0.1. Result(s): One thousand three hundred ninety-one provider items and 1638 community items were coded for Q1 and Q2, and 565 provider and 323 community items were coded for Q3. Strong inter-rater agreement was obtained across coding dyads (71-90%). For Q1 and Q2, the most common top-line priorities were mental health conditions;living with CF;screening, assessment, and intervention;systems-level barriers and facilitators;and effects of modulators (Figure 1). Strong agreement was found in the ranking of top priorities by community members and providers, although providers were significantly more likely to mention effects of modulators;screening, assessment, and intervention;and substance misuse, and community members were significantly more likely to mention stress and trauma. Respondents also noted concerns captured by a wide range of specific codes (e.g., access to mental health care, role and life changes, family relationships), populations (e.g., children), and settings (e.g., inpatient). For Q3, isolation and anxiety emerged as the top COVID-19 concerns, with isolation more salient forcommunity members and anxiety for providers. Conclusion(s): Qualitative analysis of a large survey of multiple stakeholders provided input on top research priorities for CF mental health. This information facilitated consideration of diverse perspectives to identify gaps and select areas of focus for future researchCopyright © 2022, European Cystic Fibrosis Society. All rights reserved

Recent Advances in Understanding SARS-CoV-2 Infection and Updates on Potential Diagnostic and Therapeutics for COVID-19

A more focused approach is needed to understand the SARS-CoV-2 virulence, structure, and genomics to devise more effective diagnostic and treatment interventions as this virus can evade the immune attack and causes life-threatening complications such as cytokine storm. The spread of the virus is still amplifying and causing thousands of new cases worldwide. It is essential to review current diagnostics and treatment approaches to pave the way to correct or modify our current practices to make more effective interventions against COVID-19. COVID-19 vaccine development has moved at a breakneck pace since the outbreak began, utilizing practically all possible platforms or tactics to ensure the success of vaccines. A total of 42 vaccine candidates have already entered clinical trials, including promising results from numerous vaccine candidates in phase 1 or phase 2 trials. Further, many existing drugs are being explored on broad-spectrum antiviral medications for their use in clinical recovery against COVID-19. The present review attempts to re-examine the SARS-CoV-2 structure, its viral life cycle, clinical symptoms and pathogenesis, mode of transmission, diagnostics, and treatment strategies that may be useful for resorting to more effective approaches for controlling COVID-19. Various antiviral drugs and vaccination strategies with their strengths and weaknesses are also discussed in the paper to augment our understanding of COVID-19 management.Copyright © 2022 Bentham Science Publishers.

A Case of Cortical Blindness Secondary to Pres

Blindness brought on by an intact anterior visual pathway but due to bilateral occipital lobe involvement is known as cortical blindness. Compared to partial blindness, it is less frequent. The posterior reversible encephalopathy disease has a well-documented history of reversible cortical visual blindness (PRES). The neurological condition PRES is characterised by reversible subcortical vasogenic brain oedema and sudden onset neurological symptoms. This illness can be reversed with prompt diagnosis and treatment. It frequently occurs in conjunction with disorders like eclampsia, cancer, kidney disease, hypertension, and hypertension. This case involves a male teenager who was infected with COVID and later developed PRES. The presence of Anton's blindness complicated PRES. Utilizing radiological investigation, an early diagnosis was obtained, and once therapy was started, all symptoms disappeared. Copyright © 2023 Ubiquity Press. All rights reserved.

Efficacy of Nucleic Acid Extraction by Manual versus Automated Magnetic Bead-based Method to Detect SARS-CoV-2

Introduction: In December 2019, a rapid spread of highly infectious, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), was reported in Wuhan, China. The gold standard for diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 infection is nucleic acid amplification technology by detecting its viral Ribonucleic Acid (RNA) from respiratory swabs (oropharyngeal and nasopharyngeal) by Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) whose specificity is approximately 95%. Magnetic bead RNA extraction was benchmarked against the commercial QIAcube extraction platform. Aim(s): To compare the efficacy of nucleic acid extraction by manual method and automated magnetic bead-based method to detect SARS-CoV-2. Material(s) and Method(s): The present observational comparative study was conducted in the Department of Microbiology, Autonomous State Medical College, Firozabad, Uttar Pradesh, India. Duration of the study was from February to March 2022. A total of 470 oropharyngeal and nasopharyngeal samples were included in this study to observe the efficacy of nucleic acid extraction by manual extraction and automated extraction for SARS-CoV-2. Data were entered in Microsoft Excel software and analysed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 26.0. Result(s): During this study period, a total of 470 individual samples were tested in 94 pools. Out of these 470 individuals, 331 were males (70.5%) and 139 were females (29.5%). All 94 pools were found negative by both automatic and manual extraction methods. Envelope (E) gene was found in one pool (1.06%) by the manual RNA extraction method. E gene was absent in 93 pools (98.94%) by manual method. Internal control was found highest in 88 pools (93.62%) by the automated extraction method. Conclusion(s): Automated workflows avoid human error from the sample processing pipeline and also ensure as well as enhance the meaningful output, diagnostic precision, and testing capacity. Automated instruments are in wide usage because of their capability of processing thousands of samples per day with the support of minimal staff. Copyright © 2022 Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research. All rights reserved.

A Cloud Based Intelligent Model for Predicting the Pre-Testing Corona Virus Infection Outbreak

Corona virus disease (COVID) is a transmittable disease caused by a newly discovered corona virus. For this a system is require which trace the location and predict the health of the people. In the present study, a cloud based a model is proposed. The proposed model will be connect with a cloud computing system that will predict the corona virus infected patients using naïve bayes classifier and provides geographic based danger areas to prevent the spreading of corona virus. This way will provide the great help to the local administration and health care agencies to control the spreading of covid. © 2022 IEEE.

Mediating and moderating variables of employee relations and sustainable organizations: a systematic literature review and future research agenda

Purpose This study aims to perform a systematic literature review to organize the abundance of information on employee relations (ER) and sustainable organizations. Moreover, this study identifies the research gaps by investigating the review of ER' mediating and moderating variables and the relationship between ER and sustainable organizations. Design/methodology/approach This study is based on the systematic literature review methodology involving 257 studies in the final stage. The Scopus and Google Scholar databases with search criteria "employee relations" and "employee relations and sustainable organization" were used to achieve the research objective. After applying inclusion and exclusion criteria, researchers come to the distribution of the articles based on the subthemes, geographical region, types of methods, top authors with affiliation and complete research articles based on the citation. In the final stage, this study concluded with the conceptual model comprising mediators and moderators of ER as well as the mediating and moderating variables of the relationship between ER and sustainable organizations. Findings The reviewed literature shows that employee relation is an optimal strategy for retaining employees via proper disclosure of human resources (HRs) and ER Index. This study included the top six publishers, namely, Emerald, Elsevier, Sage, Springer, Taylor and Francis and Wiley Online Library, to do an exhaustive review on a specific topic. The findings indicate that after COVID-19, the ER index, HR disclosures and the sustainability of ER are among the new and required paradigm shifts needed to manage a crisis impact and perform productively. The mediator and moderator variables that can improve employee-employer relationships are organizational trusts, organizational justice, perceived job satisfaction, organizational structure and firm ownership. On the other hand, variables that mediate and moderate the relationship between ER and sustainable organizations are organizational climate, organization trust, organization culture, perceived organization support, psychological empowerment, firm ownership, leadership behavior and attitude, respectively. The findings concluded that harmonious and cordial ER are pertinent in building sustainable organizations and accomplishing organizational goals. Practical implications The mediating and moderating variables that have been identified can be helpful for enthusiastic researchers in contributing to empirical research. Practitioners and managers can use the findings in making an effective organizational model that develops good employee-employer relationships and helps create a culture of trust and harmony. This study focuses on exploring the variables of ER, which strengthens employee-employer relationships and supports organizations to stay agile and attain sustainability to endure in the future. Originality/value This study insights on the specific mediating and moderating variables of ER and sustainable organizations. Till date, studies exploring constructs of ER and sustainable organizations are still in deficit. Better employee relation reflects and leads to a more resilient organization. Future researchers should explore the connection between pandemics and ER which is done insufficiently in the present time.

Impact of digital innovation on health sector - a review article

New digital technologies provide better accessibility to healthcare for the public. It gives immense impact on the old traditional healthcare system. It is a boon to health sector. It gives better treatment giving opportunities to doctors and patients can avail the services given by the doctors properly. Digital technologies work on a wider-sector and are without boundaries and limits. The COVID-19 pandemic has also given the boost to digitization and its need in this current scenario. The Aim of this review article is to describe the impact of digital innovation on health sector and the people related to it. This Article also focuses on the challenges faced by the concerned industry and its future.

Accuracy of pulse oximeter and abg analysis in measurement of oxygen saturation in COVID 19 patients in recovery Ward and in silent hypoxia- an observational study

Need: A specific and accurate thorough clinical monitoring is crucial for observing patients' recovery status and further planning of treatment/management measures in COVID 19 pandemic. Fluctuations in blood oxygen saturation are particularly important in COVID 19 patients to prevent and early detect the unforeseen situations. Silent hypoxia is one of the threatening situations in such patients. Therefore the exact calibearation and accuracy testing of the oxygen is crucial. Method:. Out of 22 patients in COVID 19 recovery ward, 7 were encountered with silent hypoxia in sample collection process. The 30 paired samples of 15 patients and 14 paired samples of 7 patients with silent hypoxia (in a pair one sample was of SpO2 by pulse oximeter and another was of SaO2 by ABG analyzer) were analyzed seperately for accuracy by Bland and Altman's equations of limits of agreement. The mean difference and standard deviations were documented and the inferences were drawn.

'It was peers and playgrounds that were missing, not play': young children in Northern Indian homes during the pandemic

Play during early years gives rhythm to children's lives, and although we make many investments in children's play in our modern world, it is also true that children play under all conditions, even the most difficult ones. In recent times, social encounters and physical mobility have become impacted, and fear and uncertainty have become constant companions. In this article, we explore children's play during the pandemic through a series of interviews with adults and children in Northern Indian families, to understand the ways in which their activities had changed. We found that socio-economic context played a key role in defining how and how much children's play had been impacted and reported. Whereas the vocal middle-class, educated parent recounted many adjustments and anxieties, semi-urban, rural, and urban poor families mostly believed that their children played as usual, slipping out onto the street to play with other children by avoiding scrutiny.

Neem (Azadirachta Indica A. Juss) Capsules for Prophylaxis of COVID-19 Infection: A Pilot, Double-Blind, Randomized Controlled Trial

Context center dot SARS-CoV-2 is a global public-health concern. Interventions to prevent infection are urgently needed. The anti-inflammatory and antiviral effects of neem make it a potential agent for COVID-19 prophylaxis. Objective center dot The study intended to evaluate the prophylactic effects of neem capsules for persons at high risk of COVID-19 infection due to contact with COVID-19 positive patients. Design center dot The research team designed a prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, paralleldesign study. Setting center dot The study was conducted at a single center in India. Participants center dot Participants were 190 healthcare workers at the hospital or relatives of patients with COVID-19 infection. Intervention center dot Of the 190 participants, 95 were in the intervention group and 95 in the control group. Participants received 50 mg of a proprietary, patent-pending, neem-leaf extract or a placebo orally in capsules, twice a day for 28 days. Outcome Measures center dot The number of individuals positive for COVID-19 between baseline and follow-up on day 56 was the primary outcome measure. Secondary measures included an evaluation of neem's safety and its effects on quality of life (QOL) and changes in biomarkers. Results center dot The mean age of participants was 36.97 years, and 68.42% were male. Total 13 subjects tested positive during the study. All were asymptomatic. Of the 154 participants who completed the study per-protocol, 11 tested positive, 3 in the intervention group and 8 in the control group. The probability of COVID-19 infection in participants receiving the intervention was 0.45 times that of participants receiving the placebo, a relative risk of 0.45, with the effectiveness of the intervention being around 55%. Treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) in both groups were minimal and were of grade 1 or 2 in severity. Biomarkers and QOL remained stable in both groups. Conclusions center dot The study found a reduced risk of COVID-19 infection in participants receiving neem capsules, which demonstrates its potential as a prophylactic treatment for the prevention of COVID-19 infection. The findings warrant further investigation in clinical trials.

Profile of platelet parameters in coronavirus disease – Positive cases — An observational study

Background: Coronavirus disease affects mainly the respiratory system. Other systems, including blood, are also affected. Blood cell abnormalities have varied between studies. The majority of patients present with platelet abnormalities. Methods: This was a laboratory observation study. All cases positive for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) by reverse transcriptase — polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test during the study period were considered for inclusion. Platelet index data were captured from an automated hematology analyzer: platelet count, mean platelet volume (MPV), platelet distribution width (PDW), plateletcrit (PCT), and platelet–large cell ratio (P-LCR). Platelet lymphocyte ratio (PLR), platelet neutrophil ratio (PNR), and platelet monocyte ratio (PMR) were calculated. The cases were classified into two groups: moderate and severe. The difference in alteration of platelet parameters between moderate and severe COVID-19 cases was analyzed using SPSS 22 version software. A p-value of < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Most cases (44.9%) were in the age group of 41 – 60 years. The male-to-female ratio was 1.9:1. Moderate cases comprised 53.4%, and 46.6% of cases were severe. The association of PLR and PNR between moderate and severe cases was statistically significant. PLR was higher in severe cases than moderate cases, whereas PNR was higher in moderate cases than severe cases. Conclusions: Studying platelet index profiles in COVID-19 patients can improve our limited knowledge of the disease progression regarding platelet parameters. PLR and PNR are the more reliable platelet parameters in managing COVID-19 patients, which help predict the prognosis and aid in improving therapeutic options for severe cases.

Interventional and diagnostic neuroradiology fellowship education in the COVID-19 era

Background and Purpose Given the relatively short duration and multiple facets of education, both interventional and diagnostic neuroradiology fellowships must be used efficiently. As hospital systems utilize resources to provide clinical care of patients with COVID-19, the overall number of elective neurointerventional procedures has been limited and the overall volume of diagnostic imaging has decreased. This article will evaluate and discuss the impact of procedural volumes between two academic centers, the impact on overall diagnostic neuroradiology imaging volume, and the rapid migration to online web-based education and research collaboration on both interventional and diagnostic neuroradiology fellowship experiences in the COVID-19 era. Material and methods A retrospective review was conducted at two academic tertiary care hospitals to evaluate the change in overall elective and emergent neurointerventional case volume during the COVID-19 pandemic spanning from January 2020 - April 2020 and those volumes were compared to pre- COVID-19 case volume during January 2019-April 2019. A single center comparison of annual neurointerventional case numbers during 2019 and 2020 was performed with sub-analyses of case types. Annual diagnostic neuroradiology imaging volume was also evaluated for 2019 and 2020. Results Both tertiary care academic medical centers experienced a statistically significant decrease in the number of elective neurointerventional cases between March - April 2019 and March - April 2020. There was also a statistical different decrease in elective case volume during the fourth quarter of the 2020 academic year (April - June). A statistically significant decrease in case volume was not seen in the setting of thrombectomy for acute ischemic stroke. A statistically significant decrease in aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) case volume was only seen at site #2. Between 2019 and 2020 there was a 32% drop in neuroradiology case volume during the fourth quarter of the 2020 academic year (April - June). Similar sizable decreases in diagnostic neuroradiology case volume were not appreciated in the remaining quarters of 2019 and 2020. Conclusion Elective neurointerventional case numbers decreased as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly impacting the fourth quarter of the 2019-2020 academic year (April - June). Similarly, there was a sizable decrease in diagnostic neuroradiology case volume during this same time period. The decrease in procedural and diagnostic neuroradiology cases raised concerns regarding the educational experience for both diagnostic and neurointerventional radiology fellows. However, as a result of decreased case volume, fellowship education was rapidly augmented with a wide variety of online webinars, lectures, case conferences, and research collaborations.

Effect of prolonged use of facemask on ambulance driver during covid 19: A questionnaires study

Background: The nose is a complex organ that shapes and has many roles as an integral part of the face. The nose’s primary purpose is to humidify, warm the inspired air, and also helps to remove the destructive particles from entering the lower respiratory tract. In general, an average adult inspires about 10,000 L of air each day. Nasal mucosa is a highly vascular structure and has a large surface area of 150 cm square. Physiologically, the nose has 50% resistance in the entire airway, which when affected plays a significant role in total respiratory function. that prolonged use of facemasks induces difficulty in breathing on exertion and excessive sweating around the mouth to the Ambulance driver which results in poorer adherence and increased risk of susceptibility to infection Objectives: The aim of this study is to determine the effects of prolonged usage of N95 respirators and surgical facemasks on Ambulance driver Material and Methods: A self constructed questionnaire containing 10 questions regarding the prolonged use of N95 respirators and surgical mask on Ambulance driver between the age group of 35 – 50 years were handed to them Results: This study suggests that prolonged use of facemasks induces difficulty in breathing on exertion and excessive sweating around the mouth to the Ambulance driver which results in poorer adherence and increased risk of susceptibility to infection.

Neem (Azadirachta Indica A. Juss) Capsules for Prophylaxis of COVID-19 Infection: A Pilot, Double-Blind, Randomized Controlled Trial

CONTEXT: SARS-CoV-2 is a global public-health concern. Interventions to prevent infection are urgently needed. The anti-inflammatory and antiviral effects of neem make it a potential agent for COVID-19 prophylaxis. OBJECTIVE: The study intended to evaluate the prophylactic effects of neem capsules for persons at high risk of COVID-19 infection due to contact with COVID-19 positive patients. DESIGN: The research team designed a prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-design study. SETTING: The study was conducted at a single center in India. PARTICIPANTS: Participants were 190 healthcare workers at the hospital or relatives of patients with COVID-19 infection. INTERVENTION: Of the 190 participants, 95 were in the intervention group and 95 in the control group. Participants received 50 mg of a proprietary, patent-pending, neem-leaf extract or a placebo orally in capsules, twice a day for 28 days. OUTCOME MEASURES: The number of individuals positive for COVID-19 between baseline and follow-up on day 56 was the primary outcome measure. Secondary measures included an evaluation of neem's safety and its effects on quality of life (QOL) and changes in biomarkers. RESULTS: The mean age of participants was 36.97 years, and 68.42% were male. Total 13 subjects tested positive during the study. All were asymptomatic. Of the 154 participants who completed the study per-protocol, 11 tested positive, 3 in the intervention group and 8 in the control group. The probability of COVID-19 infection in participants receiving the intervention was 0.45 times that of participants receiving the placebo, a relative risk of 0.45, with the effectiveness of the intervention being around 55%. Treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) in both groups were minimal and were of grade 1 or 2 in severity. Biomarkers and QOL remained stable in both groups. CONCLUSIONS: The study found a reduced risk of COVID-19 infection in participants receiving neem capsules, which demonstrates its potential as a prophylactic treatment for the prevention of COVID-19 infection. The findings warrant further investigation in clinical trials.

Globalization, Culture, and Development: Concepts, Clarifications, and Concerns

Between the time this volume was conceptualized and its publication, the world has seen dramatic changes as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic, changes that have directly impacted international relations and globalization. Because this issue of Human Development deals with insights and alternatives regarding globalization, culture, and development, the consequences of the pandemic are linked to the presentation of four specific articles based on invited addresses given at the 2019 Jean Piaget Society conference on the title topic. Beginning with this article, this volume aims to explore five themes: multiple pathways of development;the importance of understanding context for understanding development;using mixed methods;implications for interventions;and implications for how to engage people in diverse societies, even as those societies are changing. © 2021 American Medical Association. All rights reserved.

Epidemiological and clinical profile of covid-19 in nepali children: An initial experience

Introduction: COVID-19 has spread all around the world with huge toll of human lives and suffering since it evolved in China. Nepal had slow rise in morbidity due to COVID 19 in early days but has been gripped by the pandemic's exponential growth lately. This study was conducted with the aim to describe the clinical and epidemiological features of Nepali children in early phase of the pandemic. Methods: This was an observational study conducted at 11 COVID care centres designated by the Government of Nepal with availability of supervision by paediatricians between January and August 2020 in children under 18 years of age diagnosed with COVID 19. Data was collected based on definitions outlined in data collection resources available at WHO-ISARIC Global COVID-19 clinical resources platform and analysed. Results: One hundred and twenty one children diagnosed with COVID 19 who presented to the designated centres were enrolled. Majority of children (83.4%) were identified as a part of contact tracing, 28.1% had an identified contact to a person with COVID 19 prior to their diagnosis and 20.7% had another household member diagnosed with COVID 19. The mean age of admitted children was 8.8 years (SD 5.6 years) with the largest proportion being adolescents (40.5%). Male (58.7%) children were more commonly affected. There were 15 (12.4%) infants and 8 (6%) of them were under two months of age. Most children (87, 71.9%) were asymptomatic, 21 (22.3%) had mild symptoms and six (4.9%) had moderately severe symptoms. Fever (18.2%) was the most commonly reported symptom. All children were discharged after a median of 14 days of hospitalisation. Conclusions: Nepali children of all ages are affected by COVID 19 and present with asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic infection. Fever and respiratory symptoms are the most commonly reported symptoms. Most children do not develop complications. Continued surveillance in larger population of children as the pandemic unfolds will generate more stringent observations.

Enhancing university's brand performance during the COVID-19 outbreak: The role of ICT orientation, perceived service quality, trust, and student's satisfaction

The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of information & communication technology (ICT) orientation on university's brand performance along with the mediating role of student's satisfaction and moderating role of trust and perceived service quality in times of COVID-19. To achieve this purpose, a quantitative methodological approach was adopted in which the data was collected online through 417 structured questionnaires from university students of Pakistan. The data was analyzed using SPSS and AMOS in which structural equation modeling was performed for testing hypotheses of the study. Results of the current study indicate that the ICT orientation has a significant positive effect on student's satisfaction and university's brand performance while the student's satisfaction significantly mediates the relationship between ICT orientation and university's brand performance. It has been further found that the perceived service quality acts as a significant but negative moderator in the relationship between ICT orientation and student's satisfaction. Results further reveal that the trust acts as a positive moderator in the relationship between student's satisfaction and university's brand performance. The current study is expected to be an important contribution to the literature and practice as it provides useful implications that how universities can enhance and maintain their brand performance and student's satisfaction during the COVID-19 outbreak by adopting techniques and tools of ICT. © 2020 Johar Education Society Pakistan .