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Over the last three COVID-19 effective years, it was evident that healthcare has been the most sensitive sector to electricity failures. Therefore, if well developed and implemented, a microgrid system with an integrated energy storage system (ESS) installed in hospitals has great potential to provide an uninterrupted and low-energy cost solution. In this article, we target to show the importance of the installed ESS against the problems that will arise from power outages and energy quality problems in hospitals. Besides, it aims to construct an energy management system (EMS) based on the scheduling model to meet the lowest cost of a system containing solar panels, microturbine, gas boiler, and energy storage units that are repurposed lithium-ion batteries from electric vehicles and thermal storage tank. EMS is a mixed-integer linear program to meet the hospital's electricity, heating, and cooling demands with the lowest cost for every hour. The established scheduling model is run for a hospital in Antioch, Turkiye, with 197 beds, 4 operating rooms, 2 resuscitation units, and 9 intensive care units for every hour based on the data in 2019. With the EMS, approximately 25% savings were achieved compared to the previous energy cost. Furthermore, as the result of the net present value calculation, the payback period of the proposed system is estimated to be approximately seven years.
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Aim: In this study, we aimed to show the contribution of the chest computed tomography (CT)-based histogram analysis method, which will enable us to make quick decisions for patients who are clinically suspected of having COVID-19 infection and whose diagnoses cannot be confirmed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests. Material(s) and Method(s): A total of 84 patients, 40 in the PCR-positive group (age range: 17-90 years) and 44 in the PCR-negative group (age range: 15-75 years), were included in the study. A total of 154 lesions with ground-glass density, 78 in the PCR-positive group and 76 in the PCR-negative group, were detected in these patients' thorax CT scans. The region of interest was placed on the ground-glass opacities from the images and numerical data were obtained by histogram analysis. Numerical data were uploaded to the MATLAB program. Result(s): The localizations of ground-glass densities in the CT findings of patients with probable and definite COVID-19 diagnoses were similar;74.7% of the ground-glass areas in both groups showed peripheral distribution. Lesions were frequently observed in right lungs and lower lobes. In histogram analysis, standard deviation, variance, size %L, size %M, and kurtosis values were higher in the PCR-positive than the PCR-negative group. When receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was performed for standard deviation values, the area under the curve was 0.640, and when the threshold value was selected as 123.4821, the two groups could be differentiated with 62.8% sensitivity and 61.8% specificity. Discussion(s): The use of histogram-based tissue analysis, which is a subdivision of artificial intelligence, for clinically highly suspicious patients increases the diagnostic accuracy of CT. Therefore, performing CT analysis with the histogram method will significantly aid healthcare professionals, especially in clinics where rapid decisions are required, such as in emergency services.Copyright © 2022, Derman Medical Publishing. All rights reserved.
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Objective: Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic changed various priorities in health area. Many elective surgeries for renal cell cancers (RCC) have been postponed. We examined the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on the surgical treatment of RCC in Turkey. Material(s) and Method(s): Surgically treated 457 patients for kidney tumor, from March 1, 2019 to February 28, 2021 in 9 centers in Turkey were analyzed retrospectively. Result(s): The number of surgical treatments for RCC during the COVID-19 pandemic has decreased significantly, in contrast to the same period before COVID-19. Admission symptoms were similar in these two periods (p=0.32). However, although not statistically significant, the rate of admission to hospital due to hematuria was higher during the pandemic period compared to the prepandemic period (14.4% vs 9.8%, respectively). The two study periods differed significantly in terms of the rate of metastatic RCC detected in preoperative imaging (13.1% vs 6.1%, during COVID-19 and pre-COVID-19, respectively) (p=0.01). Moreover, the study periods differed significantly in terms of time between imaging and operation [35 (2-240) vs 30 (1-210) days, during COVID-19 and pre-COVID-19, respectively] (p=0.01). However, these two periods were similar in terms of tumor size, type of surgery, and pathological stage (p>=0.05). Although the pathological stages were similar among the groups, nephrectomies due to the metastatic disease were significantly higher in the pandemic period (p=0.01). Conclusion(s): The number of RCC-related surgeries were significantly decreased during the pandemic period. However, the rate of surgery for metastatic disease has significantly increased. © Copyright 2022 by Urooncology Association Bulletin of Urooncology / Published by Galenos Yayinevi 119.
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It was aimed in this article to draw attention to the following issues: the importance of issuing guidelines on what countries can or should do in order for individuals with disabilities to maintain their daily exercises or physical activity routines, and informing the public about it;the importance of considering the needs of a person with disabilities in emergency preparedness and response plans of the countries affected by the Covid-19 pandemic;the importance of the dissemination of public health messages in plain language and accessible formats through all mass media channels;the importance of providing psychosocial support to persons with disabilities and their families;and, the importance of strengthening support networks for persons with disabilities. In the research, the literature on Covid-19 and physical activity in disabilities published in 2020 was scanned via Pubmed and Google Scholar, and the study was designed as a review. Analysis of the related literature showed that it is important to develop a habit of performing regular physical activity in disabilities and to continue these activities especially during the pandemic period. In this review, persons with disabilities should be informed about what they can or should do to maintain their daily exercise or physical activity routines.
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Aim: In this study, we aimed to show the contribution of the chest computed tomography (CT)-based histogram analysis method, which will enable us to make quick decisions for patients who are clinically suspected of having COVID-19 infection and whose diagnoses cannot be confirmed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests. Material and Methods: A total of 84 patients, 40 in the PCR-positive group (age range: 17-90 years) and 44 in the PCR-negative group (age range: 15-75 years), were included in the study. A total of 154 lesions with ground-glass density, 78 in the PCR-positive group and 76 in the PCR-negative group, were detected in these patients' thorax CT scans. The region of interest was placed on the ground-glass opacities from the images and numerical data were obtained by histogram analysis. Numerical data were uploaded to the MATLAB program. Results: The localizations of ground-glass densities in the CT findings of patients with probable and definite COVID-19 diagnoses were similar;74.7% of the ground-glass areas in both groups showed peripheral distribution. Lesions were frequently observed in right lungs and lower lobes. In histogram analysis, standard deviation, variance, size %L, size %M, and kurtosis values were higher in the PCR-positive than the PCR-negative group. When receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was performed for standard deviation values, the area under the curve was 0.640, and when the threshold value was selected as 123.4821, the two groups could be differentiated with 62.8% sensitivity and 61.8% specificity. Discussion: The use of histogram-based tissue analysis, which is a subdivision of artificial intelligence, for clinically highly suspicious patients increases the diagnostic accuracy of CT. Therefore, performing CT analysis with the histogram method will significantly aid healthcare professionals, especially in clinics where rapid decisions are required, such as in emergency services.
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Introduction: Viral pathogens have been reported increasingly in pneumonia patients. There are few studies in Turkey on viral and atypical bacterial etiology in adult patients with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) or hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP). In this study, it was aimed to determine atypical and viral pathogens in patients with pneumonia requiring ICU and to research clinical progression. Materials and Methods: Adult patients admitted to adult ICUs between November 2016-October 2017 with either CAP or HAP diagnosis were included prospectively. Viral pathogens and also atypical bacterial pathogens were investigated with the in-house multiplex polymerase chain reaction method. Results: Two hundred patients were enrolled to the study, of whom 63 had CAP (31.5%) and 137 had HAP (68.5%). Viral agents were identified in 31 (15.5%) patients in total, 11 (17.5%) in CAP and 20 (14.6%) in HAP. The most identified viral etiologic agents were rhinovirus, influenza A, and coronavirus HKU. Eight patients (4%) had Mycoplasma pneumoniae. All patients were negative for Legionella pneumoniae and Chlamydophila pneumoniae. Mortality rates were 16.7% for cases with a viral etiology only, 29.2% for cases with bacterial pathogens only, and 23.5% for cases with mixed agents identified. Conclusion: Viral pathogens and M. pneumoniae should be remembered in the etiology of severe pneumonia patients.
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Background: The lack of an effective antiviral treatment in the COVID 19 pandemic is increasing the importance of vaccines day by day. Materials and Methods: The study was scheduled between October 1, 2021 and January 7, 2022. COVID-19 PCR negative cases, cases whose vaccine information could not be reached, and cases under 18 years of age were excluded from the study. The cases in the service and the ICU, the cases that died and did not die during the follow-up in the ICU, and the vaccinated and unvaccinated cases were compared among themselves by dividing them into two groups. Results: The mean age, presence of comorbid conditions, length of stay, time elapsed after the last dose of vaccine and some laboratory values were found to be higher in ICU cases than in cases hospitalized in the service. The mean age and intubation rate were higher in the patients who died in the ICU compared to the survivors. The intubation rate was higher and the length of stay in the ICU was longer in unvaccinated cases compared to vaccinated cases. Conclusion: in our study, it was determined that the COVID 19 vaccines reduced the hospitalization of the patients in the early age groups, the length of stay in the ICU, and the admission to intubation. The reason for the significant difference in terms of mortality was thought to be due to the excess of comorbid conditions and higher average age in vaccinated cases.
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The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly affected all countries of the world in many areas since the first day it was seen. The virus, which was first seen in China, spread to other countries over time and was declared a pandemic on March 11, 2020. In order to tackle the virus, people were prevented from being in groups;events, sports competitions and conferences were cancelled;and distance education was started by using technology. The aim was to prevent people from coming together and to reduce the spread of the virus. As a result of the measures taken within the scope of struggling the COVID-19 pandemic, practices such as social distancing, lockdown and quarantine caused significant changes in social life, and also their reflections on the economy were negative. The slowdown in production, the increase in unemployment and the recession can be given as examples of these negative results. In this context, sectors that want to continue their economic activities have resorted to policies such as creating an unmanned work environment by making use of digital technologies or enabling people to work from home with the remote working method instead of working in the office. This situation has led to an increase in digitalization and automation in employment, which had a positive momentum before the pandemic. In the last twenty years, technology has reached a very advanced level in economy and employment, as in all areas of life. Digitalization in employment and employment of robots increase significantly every year, thanks to technological advances such as artificial intelligence, cloud technology and the Internet of Things. On the basis of these technologies, whose importance has increased considerably today, there is the knowledge and technology accumulation created by the industrial revolutions. All industrial revolutions, from the first industrial revolution to the present, have produced economic and social consequences. Especially, the mechanization in agriculture has caused many people to be unemployed. Today, the advancement of automation and robotic technologies has increased the use of these technologies in employment. As a natural consequence of this, as many international research institutions have reported, it is predicted that in the near future, occupations made by people today will be completely automated and unemployment will increase. Since applications such as social distance, full closure and quarantine, which entered our lives due to the COVID-19 pandemic, have brought production to a halt, many sectors have sought ways to carry out their activities with as few people as possible by shifting their investments to digital technologies. In this context, while unmanned aerial and ground vehicles are used more widely for contactless delivery, it is planned to meet the needs of people without creating crowded environments with measures such as remote working and online trade. In accordance with these policies carried out to prevent the COVID-19 pandemic, remote working has been adopted in many sectors and has brought the necessity of robots to the agenda. In this context, the question of “should robots be taxed”, which started to be discussed before the COVID-19 pandemic, becomes more important. In addition, whether or not to pay social security premiums for robots has been one of the issues that started to be discussed. At the same time, due to the possibility of unemployment of a large part of the population with the increase in robot employment, the issue of providing a certain amount of monthly income to people to meet their basic needs with the universal basic income application is emphasized. A financing is needed for this income transfer to the unemployed population. In this context, it is claimed that robots should be taxed. One of the reasons for the taxation of robots is that robots do the same work with people who work in the factory and are subject to tax on their income. Another reason is stated as ensuring the equality of competition between the company that employs the robot and the com any that does not. However, besides these views, there are also those who argue that robots should not be taxed. As automation increases, production volume will increase, so it will positively affect economic growth. In addition, since more production means purchasing more raw materials, finished products and semi-finished products, people who employ robots will indirectly pay more taxes. It can be seen that taxation of robots is a new discussion topic. If digitalization and automation continue at the speed it has reached with the effect of COVID-19, it will be discussed more and its theoretical foundations will be completed in the near future. © 2022, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.
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Although the COVID-19 pandemic crisis is basically a health crisis, it does not only concern health policies due to its economic and social effects. In the fight against the pandemic, it is important to implement economic, social and financial policies as well as health policies. In this context, effectively using the public spending tools of fiscal policy in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic has become a priority rather than a political choice for governments. In times of pandemics, sufficient increase in public expenditures is an effective political tool for governments in order to prevent the decline of the economic growth process, loss of welfare, large-scale unemployment and supply problems. Considering the Peacock-Wiseman Hypothesis in the public finance literature, if public expenditures are used as an effective policy tool in the COVID-19 pandemic crisis, a leap in public expenditures is likely. This study evaluates the relationship between the COVID-19 pandemic crisis and public expenditures and reveals the public expenditure policies of selected countries in the fight against COVID-19. It can be said that there is a positive relationship between the level of development of countries and the increase in public expenditures in the COVID-19 pandemic crisis. It is seen that developing economies mostly resort to credit instruments, while developing countries mainly use public expenditure instruments, they also use credits and supports sufficiently. However, due to the continuation of the COVID-19 pandemic crisis, obtaining definitive results will emerge in post-pandemic studies. For this reason, the final results of this study will become clear with the studies carried out after the pandemic crisis. © 2022, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.
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Objective: The Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has caused the death of many people worldwide. Treatment protocol had to be developed as soon as possible so drug combinations, whose reliability has not been fully disclosed, have started to be used. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the effect of azithromycin (AZT), hydroxychloroquine (HCQ), and favipiravir (FVR) combination on the corrected QT (QTc) interval. Material and Methods: Eighty-four consecutive COVID 19 patients were enrolled in the study. All patients received AZT and HCQ, however, FVR was added to the combination in 32 patients with severe pneumonia at the beginning. ECG characteristics of all patients before treatment and on the fifth day of treatment were compared. Results: There was no significant difference between the HCQ+AZT group (n=52) and HCQ+AZT+FVR groups (n=32) in terms of baseline clinical characteristics. QTc interval significantly prolonged on the fifth day of treatment in the HCQ+AZT group (413,75±30,13;440,27±36,11 p<0.001) and in the HCQ+AZT+FVR group (426,65±32,83;468,22±42,13 p<0.001). When both groups were compared in terms of ΔQTc, a significant increase was observed in the HCQ+AZT+FVR group compared to the HCQ+AZT group (40(-14/175), 23(-28/213) respectively, p=0.042). In seven of the patients, QTc> 500 ms was detected after the treatment, four patients in the HCQ+AZT+FVR group and three patients in the HCQ+AZT group. Conclusion: We observed that FVR caused more prolongation in the QTc interval when used with the combination of HCQ+AZT. We recommend that patients who receive this treatment be monitored more closely for QTc.
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This article aims to discuss the role of a novel app, called Food2Share, developed at New York University (NYU). The study describes the potential of the app to alleviate hunger and food insecurity and simultaneously reduce food waste. The app is an example of a digital marketplace, designed to connect stakeholders and local communities, to help vulnerable New York City populations to obtain food. The app will be instrumental in scaling up efforts to combat food insecurity and to provide safe and nutritious foods through widespread local community outreach. Lastly, the study discusses how the Food2Share app may be adapted for global settings- particularly relevant during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Public Health Nutrition research group and technology experts at New York University have partnered to develop a prototype app, Food2Share, which connects food-insecure individuals with food establishments. Food salvaging is a strategy to recover food that would otherwise go to waste from restaurants, supermarkets and other food establishments and redistribute it to local food programmes and communities. The aim of the app is to improve and scale up food salvaging and redistribution efforts. To ensure that everyone has access to sufficient food, they must innovate by developing technology-enabled initiatives to increase food security and reduce food waste. Public-private partnerships can yield initiatives that can be replicated globally. Digital platforms need to be piloted to ensure that they are scalable and sustainable. Evaluation must ensure access to vulnerable, food-insecure populations. During the COVID-19 pandemic, with food establishments forced to close, many owners have risen to the challenge of providing food to those in need and to front-line responders through grassroots food-distribution initiatives. Scaling up these initiatives using technology and applying them to the global context could expand the efforts they have witnessed during the crisis. The Food2Share app is one illustration of a community initiative that connects food-insecure individuals with food establishments with excess prepared food and individuals willing to engage in helping those in need.
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Public space has critical importance for the city and society because it forms a sense of community. The debate on the end of public space, which is ongoing as the privatization in the city rises, moves on to a new phase with the Covid-19 outbreak. Since the perception of public spaces will be a determinant factor in the future of the city, the question arises: How the perception and usage of the public, virtual public and pseudo-public spaces (particularly shopping malls) have been affected by the recent Covid-19 pandemic? The aim of this study is to examine the changing perception and usage of public and pseudo-public spaces during the Covid-19 outbreak in Istanbul, Turkey. Within this scope, an online survey was conducted with 337 participants living in Istanbul between the dates of 1–5 June 2020. With this survey, the change in perceptions and usage of these spaces based on personal, residential and district characteristics were investigated. The findings of the study revealed statistically significant differences between the perceptions and usage of public spaces and pseudo-public spaces before and after the Covid-19 outbreak in terms of personal, residential and district characteristics. According to survey results, there would be a significant decrease in the frequency of possible visits to public places. The outbreak reduces interest in virtual spaces as a leisure activity, but it also increases the interest in virtual spaces as a shopping and meeting/chat platform. In addition, it was determined that the demand for shopping centres and virtual platforms as both before-after-the-outbreak leisure activities decreased significantly as the amount of green space per capita increases. Besides, the diminishing reputations of pseudo-public spaces and the increasing importance of virtual public spaces may be observed from the survey results. The longer the outbreak, the greater its impact on the design and planning of public spaces and pseudo-public spaces. Rather than planning huge and crowded spaces such as big squares and huge malls, there is likely a shift toward planning a large number of small-scale public spaces within walking distance. © 2021, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Limited part of Springer Nature.