ABSTRACT
The COVID-19 pandemic has forced most interactions to move to online space, starting from online lectures, conferences in hybrid mode, and work-from-home office works. Hence, it is essential for live video streaming to be reliable and provide a good quality of experience (QoE) to users. However, in large sections of the world, the cellular network is not reliable enough to be used for online participation in such events. To quantify this problem, we first measure the QoE in terms of lag, video resolution, and dropped calls on a popular video conferencing platform Google Meet over three different cellular ISPs in New Delhi, India. We observe significantly worse quality of experience metrics compared to a study recently performed in the US. To mitigate this problem, we propose NATIVE (Network Aggregation-based Tiled lIve Video strEaming), a system of aggregating the cellular network connectivity using a secondary or helper device in the vicinity trusted by the user. The implementation of NATIVE uses tiled encoding of video, where the video frames are divided into rectangular units known as tiles. All the tiles are divided into two subsets which are scheduled independently via the available network interfaces depending on its importance. The receiver device receives video segments from the two network paths and stitches back the tiles in them to play. We show the demo of NATIVE using two laptops and a cloud server where the server acts as a streamer. © 2023 IEEE.
ABSTRACT
The pandemic during COVID-19 has had a negative influence on the world's fabric, including health systems, travel, living and working habits, and economies in numerous countries throughout the world. Furthermore, it has had a significant negative impact on continuing global attempts to curb excessive usage of plastic materials. The extensive usage by healthcare professionals and the overall community, of masks, sanitizers, and synthetic-based personal protective equipment (PPE) kits, has resulted in massive amounts of plastic trash, with no effective measures or policies in place to reduce its severity. Wearing a face mask as a way of protection against COVID-19 has become commonplace. However, because present mask disposal techniques (i.e., burning and reclamation) produce dangerous chemicals, huge production of contaminated face masks causes environmental difficulties. Furthermore, disposable masks are prepared of a variety of materials that are either non-recyclable or difficult to recycle. Therefore, as a result, it is critical to comprehend the scope of the problem and, equally essential, to devise a viable solution to contribute to the creation of a sustainable civic society. © 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.
ABSTRACT
Due to the coronavirus's enormous spread and effect, a robotic arm system is designed such that doctors can perform contact-less surgery to minimize risk to their health. Modern robotic aided surgery frequently employs remote operation. The surgeon sits beside the console, guided by visual feedback, and utilises an input control panel to direct the slave robotic equipment doing the procedure. The study discusses a potential surgical robotic system that can be used in surgery. The first robotic arm, out of two, is capable of performing various operations: marking, incision and gluing, using a unique concept of multi-gripper introduced in this paper. The second one has an end-effector that is used for removing a specific part of the body. A camera like endoscopy micro usb camera is used to provide visual assistance to the surgeon. Designing is carried out on AutoCAD, and the components are 3D printed to construct the robot. Robotic arm is operated using a control panel consisting of joysticks and potentiometers. Wireless communication is achieved through NodeMCUs, which are used for interfacing actuators and sensors. This multi gripper will help in saving time as switching to different grippers is not needed for various operations. The robotic system design performs the operation efficiently, resulting in less blood loss and quicker recovery time while allowing the surgeon to control it remotely. © 2022 IEEE.
ABSTRACT
The pandemic during COVID-19 has had a negative influence on the world's fabric, including health systems, travel, living and working habits, and economies in numerous countries throughout the world. Furthermore, it has had a significant negative impact on continuing global attempts to curb excessive usage of plastic materials. The extensive usage by healthcare professionals and the overall community, of masks, sanitizers, and synthetic-based personal protective equipment (PPE) kits, has resulted in massive amounts of plastic trash, with no effective measures or policies in place to reduce its severity. Wearing a face mask as a way of protection against COVID-19 has become commonplace. However, because present mask disposal techniques (i.e., burning and reclamation) produce dangerous chemicals, huge production of contaminated face masks causes environmental difficulties. Furthermore, disposable masks are prepared of a variety of materials that are either non-recyclable or difficult to recycle. Therefore, as a result, it is critical to comprehend the scope of the problem and, equally essential, to devise a viable solution to contribute to the creation of a sustainable civic society.
ABSTRACT
In December 2019, a deadly virus named SARS-CoV-2 started spreading in the regions of Wuhan, Hubei, China. The number of coronavirus patients gradually increased in Wuhan, and by 20 December, it reached 60 and 266 by 31 December. Till now, there have been more than 40 Lakhs deaths due to Covid-19. This deadly pandemic gave a setback to most people all over the world in terms of losing their loved ones. Apart from that, this pandemic mentally affected a lot of minds. Social illness and loneliness have been linked to poor mental health by a broad body of research, and data from late March suggests a negative increase in mental health. There had been news of people committing suicides or some going under depression all because their social life was cut down and all they did was question their life choices, their existence, their personality, and their achievements which ultimately trapped them in those intrusive thoughts that kept popping up again and again- which made them disturbed or even distressed. The objective of this paper is to analyze and categorize the mental states of people from all over the world in order to raise mental health awareness, particularly during COVID-19. We used the big data approach to display the surge in sadness and suicidal ideation in terms of the increase in the frequency of certain words. To continue with this problem statement, we will examine text data and learn what words are utilized in virtual suicide/depression notes utilizing two subreddits and NLP tools.
ABSTRACT
Wastewater based epidemiology (WBE) has emerged as a tool to track the spread of SARS-CoV-2. However, sampling at wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) cannot identify transmission hotspots within a city. Here, we sought to understand the diurnal variations (24 h) in SARS-CoV-2 RNA titers at the m A neighborhood level, using pump stations that serve vulnerable communities (e.g., essential workers, more diverse communities). Hourly composite samples were collected from wastewater pump stations located in (i) a residential area and (ii) a shopping district. In the residential area, SARS-CoV-2 RNA concentration (N1, N2, and E assays) varied by up to 42-fold within a 24 h period. The highest viral load was observed between 5 and 7 am, when viral RNA was not diluted by stormwater. Normalizing peak concentrations during this time window with nutrient concentrations (N and P) enabled correcting for rainfall to connect sewage to clinical cases reported in the sewershed. Data from the shopping district pump station were inconsistent, probably due to the fluctuation of customers shopping at the mall. This work indicates pump stations serving the residential area offer a narrow time period of high signal intensity that could improve the sensitivity of WBE, and tracer compounds (N, P concentration) can be used to normalize SARS-CoV-2 signals during rainfall.
ABSTRACT
Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 or COVID-19 is the evolving disease that has grappled the whole world. Clinical manifestation of COVID-19 is still under lens as novel coronavirus is constantly evolving. Mutations are one of the key features of the viruses which happen at times. Changing clinical;manifestation of COVID-19 creates a new challenge as no one solution can be applied among infected individuals. The viral behavior is constantly changing and one must be vigilant about it. Dysosmia and dysgeusia are impairment in taste and smelling sensation. These can occur due to chemotherapy, drug abuse and so on. But it has been now associated with onset of COVID-19. Lot of patients of COVID-19 is complaining about these conditions. These conditions can coexist with the disease and can persist, post recovery too. Objective: Generally, both of these conditions are not life threatening and fade away after the recovery from the disease. Psychological impact of these conditions has been registered among certain patients as these are the sensory impairments which are part and parcel of daily life. This review pinpoints the motive of further exploring them. Methods: Original papers, reviews, preprints, and letters to editors relating to our topic were reviewed using MeSH terms in PubMed, Google Scholar electronic databases. Conclusion: Dysosmia and dysgeusia can be used as indicator for the onset of the COVID-19. The hypothesis of extreme exposure to disinfecting chemicals must be examined further to bring and solid correlation. Professional help is needed post recovery from COVID-19 to regain the balance in life.
ABSTRACT
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines were launched after granting them ‘emergency use authorization’ approval. Beyond the clinical trial, there was very limited data on the side effects following vaccination This is a longitudinal study among health care workers (HCWs) in a tertiary care hospital. Information was also collected using a pre-tested semi-structured questionnaire which included their demographic details, first dose and second dose. Post-vaccination follow-up was done at the centre which was then followed up by telephonic monitoring after 48 hours. In the present study 1,034 (65.6%) health care workers (HCWs) did not report any serious reactions/symptoms. Pain and tenderness were the most commonly reported side-effects in more than half. The severity of the symptoms following the second dose of vaccine was compared with the first dose and it was found that the majority 653 (41.4%) had reported no symptoms/reactions following both doses of vaccine. Every vaccine will have some side effects but it is important to understand that in the ongoing pandemic, vaccines are our “best shot” to fight against this virus. © 2022, Intelektual Pustaka Media Utama. All rights reserved.
ABSTRACT
Covid-19 has had an overwhelming effect on lives and livelihoods alike. We have all embraced the new normal, including working from home, although it has come as an abrupt change. While not all jobs lend themselves to be shifted online, teaching is one profession that could witness such a change with relative ease. Technology eased the process, but it was not easy for those who had to do so, especially for women educators who faced very demanding sets of circumstances for managing work and home with limited domestic support. This paper attempts to study the impact of the mandatory lockdown on women educators, their work-life balance, and their experiences. The study was conducted in two phases, quantitative and qualitative. The quantitative phase was composed of 150 responses from women educators teaching online during the lockdown in PostGraduate Diploma in Management (PGDM) programs in Jaipur, India. Thirty respondents volunteered to participate in the qualitative phase, which was conducted using semi-structured in-depth interviews. Five themes emerged from the qualitative phase: Structuring the home environment for work, workplace social support, personal social support, household structure, and feelings of isolation. There was substantial evidence backing up all these themes in the existing literature and this has been discussed comprehensively in the findings section. © 2021, Research Institute of Asian Women. All rights reserved.
ABSTRACT
The Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic is the most recent threat to global health. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) testing, computed tomography (CT) scans, and chest X-ray (CXR) images are being used to identify Coronavirus, one of the most serious community viruses of the twenty-first century. Because CT scans and RT-PCR analyses are not available in most health divisions, CXR images are typically the most time-saving and cost-effective tool for physicians in making decisions. Artificial intelligence and machine learning have become increasingly popular because of recent technical advancements. The goal of this project is to combine machine learning, deep learning, and the health-care sector to create a categorization technique for detecting the Coronavirus and other respiratory disorders. The three conditions evaluated in this study were COVID-19, viral Pneumonia, and normal lungs. Using X-ray pictures, this research developed a sparse categorical cross-entropy technique for recognizing all three categories. The proposed model had a training accuracy of 91% and a training loss of 0.63, as well as a validation accuracy of 81% and a validation loss of 0.7108. © 2021 Institute of Advanced Engineering and Science. All rights reserved.
ABSTRACT
The COVID 19 pandemic has forced us to rethink our management strategies for surgical diseases. Patients with COVID 19 have increased risk of morbidity and mortality after surgical intervention. Emphysematous pyelonephritis (EPN) is often seen in diabetics and can be a life threatening condition. All patients require immediate treatment with antibiotics and close monitoring. Bilateral EPN is a rare entity seen in less than 10% of patients. We present a case of bilateral EPN in a COVID positive patient which was successfully managed conservatively. A 70 year old hypertensive female, presented to us with fever, breathlessness, loss of appetite, generalised weakness requiring oxygen supplementation & was diagnosed with COVID 19. Bilateral EPN (Grade 4) with perinephric collections was found on evaluation for acute kidney injury. She underwent bilateral pig tail insertion followed by bilateral DJ stenting after stabilization. She recovered dramatically, blood parameters improved and was discharged. At 1 year of follow up, patient was doing well. In the present COVID-19 pandemic where case selection for surgical intervention is crucial, we would like to highlight how a conservative approach for even Class 4 EPN is feasible after weighing the risks and benefits of the same. Patients can be spared the immediate morbidity and mortality risks due to surgical intervention during COVID 19 infection. Triaging surgical intervention can also help in better utilization of critical care facilities and man power, both invaluable in the ongoing crisis.
ABSTRACT
Purpose: COVID-19 therapies have evolved over time, but little is known regarding outcomes in SOT recipients treated with newer therapeutic agents such as remdesivir, dexamethasone, and convalescent plasma. We sought to compare outcomes including mortality, rejection, and renal function in a retrospective cohort of SOT recipients with COVID-19 treated during two different eras of therapy. Methods: 40 SOT recipients hospitalized for COVID-19 at our center comprised Era 1 (Mar-May 2020, 20 patients) and Era 2 (Jun-Aug 2020, 20 patients). Data were collected on demographics, comorbidities, renal function, and mortality at time points out to 90 days after COVID-19 infection. Results: Patients in Era 1 received hydroxychloroquine (11/20, 55%), tocilizumab (5/20, 25%) and/or convalescent plasma (3/20, 15%) as targeted therapy;patients in Era 2 received primarily remdesivir (8/20, 40%), dexamethasone (6/20, 30%), and/or convalescent plasma (13/20, 65%). Mortality was 1/20 in Era 1 and 0/20 in Era 2. MMF was held in 33/35 (94%) of patients. Acute kidney injury was present on presentation in 14/40 (35%). The median (IQR) decrease in SCr (mg/dl) between admission and last followup was 0.5 (0.4-0.6) and 0.1 (0-0.4) in patients who had and had not received remdesivir, respectively (p=0.02), 0.5 (0.1-0.6) and 0.1 (0-0.3) in patients who had and had not received plasma, respectively (p=0.09). Antibodymediated rejection (AMR) occurred in 2 patients in Era 1 and 0 patients in Era 2. Acute cellular rejection (ACR) occurred in 1 patient in Era 1 and 0 patients in Era 2. Conclusions: SOT recipients treated in Era 2, when the major targeted therapies were remdesivir, dexamethasone, and convalescent plasma, were not at higher risk for renal dysfunction, ACR, or AMR in the aftermath of COVID-19;rejection was uncommon in both eras and mortality was low in both eras. While awaiting detailed safety studies, these results suggest against renal toxicity or triggering of alloimunity in those receiving newer therapies.
ABSTRACT
In pandemics or epidemics, public health authorities need to rapidly test a large number of individuals without adequate testing kits. We propose a testing protocol to accelerate infection diagnostics by combining multiple samples, and in case of positive results, re-test individual samples. The key insight is that a negative result in the first stage implies negative infection for all individuals. Thus, a single test could rule out infection in multiple individuals. Using simulations, we show that this protocol reduces the required number of testing kits, especially when the infection rate is low, alleviating a key bottleneck for public health authorities in times of pandemics and epidemics such as COVID-19. Our proposed protocol is expected to be more effective when the infection rate is low, which suggests that it is better suited for early stage and large-scale, population-wide testing. However, the managerial trade-off is that the protocol has costs in additional time for returning test results and an increased number of false negatives. We discuss applications of pooled testing in understanding population-wide testing to understand infection prevalence, to diagnose infections in high-risk groups of individuals, and to identify disease cold spots. © 2021 Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad.
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Why was India’s growth slowing in the run-up to COVID-19 and how much fiscal space was used to stem the slowdown? What is the nature of India’s economic recovery from COVID-19? How does the budget seek to balance fiscal support while reducing the deficit? What was the underlying fiscal impulse in the COVID-19 year and what is it budgeted to be next year? What are the implications for debt sustainability and fiscal–monetary coordination? Finally, what are some paradigm changes the budget seeks to embark on and why is execution so crucial this time? This essay seeks to answer these questions to make sense of growth and fiscal dynamics in a post-COVID-19 world. © 2021 Economic and Political Weekly. All rights reserved.
ABSTRACT
With the growing understanding of coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pathogenesis, different therapeutic targets are being considered for the management of COVID-19. The development of new drugs is a time-consuming process;hence, many drugs acting on similar therapeutic targets/sites in the COVID-19 treatment are repurposed in COVID-19. In this article, an expert panel deliberated on the existing evidence on the immunopathogenesis, therapeutic targets under consideration for treatment of COVID-19, and the place of mefenamic acid in the therapy landscape of COVID-19. The expert panel has also provided recommendations regarding the dose and regimen of mefenamic acid in different phases of the COVID-19 disease.
ABSTRACT
Purpose: Covid-19 is a phenomenon of enormous magnitude and relevance. Since the beginning of this health crisis citizens have been spending more time on social media to get updates about the evolving situation and it is impossible to undermine the possibility of users exposing themselves to fake news. The aim of the paper is to determine to what extent the socio-demographic variables influences the user believability towards a news and tendency to respond in form of like, comment and share. Design/Method: A sample of 234 respondents participated in the online survey administered to test the research model. The questionnaire reliability was measured using Cronbach's alpha and path analysis and correlation matrix was used to examine the suggested research model. Findings: The findings suggest the role of age, gender, educational level, religion and employment status and the extent to which they influence user believability and tendency to respond. Age and religion were found to be most significant predictors of user acceptance of a social media news and attitude to respond. Also, user believability influences the attitude to respond in a positive direction. Practical Implications: This study contributes to society by addressing how the socio-demographics can affect user believability towards a news during pandemic situations. Originality/Value: By applying theories, traditionally researchers have studied the impact of demographic factors that influences user acceptance of news on social media. We attempt to induce a model of how the socio-demographics variables influences the user believability and attitude to respond during Covid-19 pandemic.