Social innovation in higher education: Business and social impacts and implications

The role of higher education is to benefit society at large to generate sustainable socio-economic returns. Therefore, research and knowledge creation must be rendered to achieve anodyne to overcome social challenges and foster new and better practices. Hence, social innovation is the need of society, especially from higher education providers. Especially after the outbreak of COVID-19, there is a need of social innovation by all stake holders in order to attain a sustainable economy. Although, to provide catalyst to the model of social change and innovation, there is a need of an entrepreneurial model for higher education. However, most of the prior studies with the reference of education are not related with the innovation but with societal impact and produce educational change. Thus, this chapter has been written purposely to describe social innovation by higher education providers. The chapter also includes various examples of social innovation with respect to the higher education sector in order to make readers understand the importance of social innovation in the pre-COVID-19 and post-COVID-19 worlds. © 2023, IGI Global. All rights reserved.

The temporal evolution in disease phenotype of COVID-19 hospitalisation, intensive care and case fatality rates in cancer patients across the United Kingdom (UKCCP)

Background: People living with cancer are reported to be at increased risk of hospitalization and death following infection with acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). This is proposed to be dependent on a combination of intrinsic patient and cancer factors such as cancer subtype, and emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants with differing pathogenicity. However, COVID-19 phenotype evolution across the pandemic from 2020 has not yet been systematically evaluated in cancer patients. Method(s): This study is a population-scale real-world evaluation of Coronavirus outcomes in the United Kingdom for cancer patients from 1st November 2020-31st August 2022. The cancer cohort comprises individuals from Public Health England's national cancer dataset, excluding individuals less than 18 years old. Case-outcome rates, including hospitalization, intensive care and casefatality rates were used to assess the evolution in disease phenotype of COVID-19 in cancer patients. Multivariable logistic regression models were fitted to compare risk of Coronavirus outcomes in the cancer cohort relative to the non-cancer population during the Omicron wave in 2022. Result(s): The cancer cohort comprised of 198,819 positive SARS-CoV-2 tests from 127,322 individual infections. Coronavirus case-outcome rates were evaluated by reference to 18,188,573 positive tests from 15,801,004 individual infections in the non-cancer population. From 2020 to 2022, the SARS-CoV-2 disease phenotype became less severe in both patients with cancer and the non-cancer population, though cancer patients remain at higher risk. In 2022, the relative risk of Coronavirus hospital admission, inpatient hospitalization, intensive care admission and mortality in cancer patients was 3.02x, 2.10x, 2.53x and 2.54x compared to the non-cancer population following multivariable adjustment, respectively. Higher risk of hospital admission and inpatient hospitalization were associated with receipt of B/T cell antibody and/or targeted therapy which also corresponded with an increased risk of Coronavirus mortality. Conclusion(s): The disease phenotype of SARS-CoV-2 in cancer patients in 2022 has evolved significantly from the disease phenotype in 2020. Direct effects of the virus in terms of SARS-CoV-2 hospitalization, intensive care and case fatality rates have fallen significantly over time. However, relative to the general population, people living with cancer and hematological malignancies remain at elevated risk. In order to mitigate the indirect effects of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic in terms of disruption to cancer care, there should be increased focus on preventative measures. Used in conjunction with vaccination and early treatment programs, this will maximize quality of life for those with cancer during the ongoing pandemic and ensure the best cancer outcomes.

The effects of lifestyle in Alzheimer's disease during the COVID-19 pandemic

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a multifactorial neurodegenerative disease affected by multiple elements such as exercise, food, and social stimulation. Research has demonstrated the positive effects of exercise such as community-based programs and aerobic activities in reducing rates of decline in cognition. Another protective measure is avoiding red meat and alcohol and instead incorporating a Mediterranean diet to reduce inflammation and inhibit free radicals. Finally, social stimulation can serve to reduce the progression of the disease by increasing a sense of connection and meaningful purpose. COVID-19 has made it difficult for AD patients, especially those living in nursing homes or advanced facilities, to participate in exercise classes due to restrictions, to eat a fresh diet due to resource shortages, and to see friends and family due to social distancing. This chapter delves into the effects of COVID-19 on elements such as physical activity, diet, and social interaction on the disease progression of AD. © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Barriers faced by nursing students during COVID- 19 pandemic and its impact on their attitude toward E-learning

COVID-19 pandemic forced the people to social distancing across the world. This pandemic disrupted various aspects of life including educational activities which resulted in implementation of online teaching and learning strategies for schools, colleges and universities' students. About 1500 million students suffered due to closure of the educational institutions. The overall effects of this closure of educational institutes on students' learning, including nursing students, have been negative. This study was aimed to investigate the impact of barriers to learning, faced by undergraduate nursing students on their attitudes towards e learning during COVID-19 pandemic in Pakistan. A Descriptive, analytical study was conducted on a sample of 250 undergraduate nursing students from four nursing colleges in Pakistan. A standardized questionnaire consisted of a total of 53 questions for the collection of information related to e- learning barriers and their effects on the attitudes of undergraduate nursing students towards e-learning was used for data collection. The results of this research study showed that (82.8%) of the undergraduate nursing students were facing certain barriers with regard to e-learning. The most dominant barriers faced by undergraduate nursing students were the infrastructure and technology dimension (88.8%) technical and management support dimension (83.2%), and curriculum content dimension (82%). The results of the current study demonstrated that a high percentage of the respondents (64.8%) has a negative attitude towards e-learning. the undergraduate nursing students faced various types of barriers towards e-learning during COVID-19 Pandemic. The majority of the learners had negative attitudes toward e-learning. However, there was no significant association present between barriers to e-learning and students' attitude towards e-learning.

Psychological Distress among Healthcare and Non-Healthcare Workers during the COVID-19 Pandemic: This Too Shall Pass

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the psychological distress experienced by healthcare and non-healthcare professionals working in a hospital setting during the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Methodology: This survey-based cross-sectional study included 361 professionals (288 healthcare and 73 non-healthcare professionals) working at Ziauddin University Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan. Psychological distress was assessed using Depression Anxiety Stress Scale - 21 (DASS-21). Result(s): There was a higher prevalence of anxiety, depression, and stress among healthcare professionals as compared to the non-healthcare professionals, as indicated by the mean depression, anxiety, and stress scores on DASS-21 (p<0.05). The univariate logistic regression analysis showed that the odds of psychological distress were similar in both genders and individuals of all age groups. Healthcare professionals were twice more likely to be severely depressed and stressed as compared to non-healthcare professionals (p<0.05). Conclusion(s): This study concludes that psychological distress is more prevalent among healthcare workers than non-healthcare workers.Copyright © 2023 Lahore Medical And Dental College. All rights reserved.

Knowledge, attitude and practices of teledentistry during the COVID-19 pandemic in Southern Saudi Arabia

Aim: The aim of this study was to assess the knowledge, attitudes and practice of teledentistry during COVID-19 among dentists in Southern Saudi Arabia. Material(s) and Method(s): A questionnaire with 27 questions was constructed, validated and circulated electronically via social media channels like WhatsApp and by email to dentists from various fields in Southern Saudi Arabia. Data were collected and analyzed using the statistical software SPSS 23.0. Result(s): Most of the respondents showed a positive behavior towards all domains of the questionnaire, including knowledge, attitude and practice of teledentistry. Out of 839 participants, 532 participants were familiar with this term, most of them (64.4%) were practicing it during the pandemic of COVID-19. Discussion(s): It is an emerging technique that has the ability to improve the delivery of dental care diagnosis to communities with limited access or no access to specialists. As of today, there is a need for improvement in practicing it among the Saudi dental community.Copyright © 2022, Derman Medical Publishing. All rights reserved.

Making the Most of Online Classes: Clipping pedagogy's Future?

Since Internet video transmission emerged around 2000, online classes have yet to produce pandemic protocols and etiquette. Teachers and students alike remain in unknown territory. Sporadic rules emerge, as the audience muting their microphones, but whether videos should be on or off remains unclear, as too online exam policies (varying as they do from instructor to instructor). The onset of online classes makes standards-convergence an imperative. Personal pedagogical experiences and practices (from three terms of undergraduate/graduate electrical engineering IUB online courses) also suggest the need for a micro-macro "best practices” manual, asking if videos can be kept on or not, recording (but not distributing) classes and examinations, and permitting open-book tests and open Internet (without third-party communications). As globalizing and localizing forces both support and oppose each other, optimizing post-COVID-19 pedagogical solutions help. Overcoming pandemic and lockdown mindsets may be key to enhancing our perceptions and pedagogical practices. © The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2023.

Going Virtual: Effect of Implementing Video Visits On Readmission Rates in Gi Surgical Oncology Patients

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic introduced a sudden need to decrease in-person visits. While many elective operations were postponed or canceled, GI cancers cases continued since treatment delay would risk disease progression. To mitigate contact risks, virtual postoperative visits replaced traditional encounters in the majority of patients. This study evaluates whether the shift to virtual postoperative visits increased hospital readmissions. Method(s): The Epic Clarity database was used to develop a retrospective cohort of patients undergoing inpatient oncologic operations. Readmission was compared Pre and Post-Covid with further analysis between Telehealth and In-Person subgroups in the Post- Covid cohort. A combination of univariate and multivariate logistic regressions was conducted on 30-day readmissions from the index admission. Result(s): The cohort consisted of 1,926 patients in the Pre- Covid timeframe and 1,064 patients in the Post-Covid, 699 (65.7%) Telehealth and 365 (34.3%) In-person follow-up visits. The readmission rate was 6.9% Pre-Covid and 7.2% Post-Covid (p=0.447) which did not change despite the shift to Telehealth. Those seen in-person Post-Covid visits were 46% more likely to be readmitted (p=0.026). Conclusion(s): Swift implementation of virtual clinics during the COVID-19 pandemic enabled video-based follow-up for the majority of GI oncology postoperative patients. Despite the high adoption of virtual follow-up visits, readmission rates did not increase. Further, higher readmissions in the Covid In-Person cohort suggest high-risk patients can effectively be identified and screened for in-person evaluation. Ongoing analysis is focused onidentifying a patient characteristic model for selecting appropriate postsurgical follow up.

Digital Pakistan in COVID-19: rethinking language use at social media platforms

This study aims at exploring the multilingual practices of users in digital communication. The study utilizes "translanguaging' as a framework to analyze and unravel these multilingual practices based on four stances of translanguaging. The data for the study are gathered through an open-ended questionnaire that seeks detailed views of respondents who are active users of Facebook, WhatsApp, Twitter, Instagram, and other social platforms. The study includes participants from diverse sociocultural backgrounds with the ability to have knowledge of more than one language with proficiency. The results correlate with the first two points of model, i.e., translanguaging blurs the boundaries between languages to convey meanings and introduce new concepts but deviates from the last two points. It also throws light on the impact of digital communication on local languages and presents suggestions for the preservation and promotion of local languages in the digital landscape, such as the provision of accurate translations of native languages, digital dictionaries, keyboards, and software. Copyright © 2023 Ahmad, Nawaz, Khan and Bukhari.

Impact of COVID-19 vaccination on menstrual cycle in women of reproductive age.

OBJECTIVE: To study the impact of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination on the menstrual cycle in response to concerns that the vaccines cause menstrual cycle disturbances and affect potential pregnancy. METHOD: An online survey-based cross-sectional study was conducted from November 20 to 27, 2021. Study participants were women of reproductive age (15-49 years) and the study tool used was a semi-structured pretested questionnaire. A total of 300 participants were recruited for the study. RESULTS: The mean age (± standard deviation) of the participants was 26.2 ± 4.8 years. 232 participants (77.3%) were unmarried. Only 30 participants (10%) reported a change in the regularity of menstruation and 33 (11%) participants reported a change in cycle duration after vaccination. CONCLUSION: In the present study, a change in the regularity of menstrual cycles was reported in 30 (10%) of the participants and a  change in the duration of the cycle was reported in 11% of the participants (33). There was a significant association between the type of vaccine used and the changes in the menstrual cycle after vaccination. However, its long-term health implications are yet to be determined.

Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Treatment Decisions of Patients Treated by Hematologists in Saudi Arabia

BACKGROUND: As on March 12, 2020, the WHO declared COVID-19 as a global pandemic. Its rapid spread has posed major challenges to the management of health-care systems. Patients with hematological disorders, being immunocompromised in more ways than one, face a lot of challenges. Most of these patients require frequent visits to health-care facilities for transfusion support, infusions, surveillance, and follow-ups, which increase the risk of exposure and hence infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. AIM: We assessed the impact of the pandemic on the decisions of hematologists in Saudi Arabia. Method(s): An online survey was done through questionnaires, to understand the decisions and course of clinical treatments taken. 45 hematologist answered 20-questions structured questionnaires through online link. RESULT(S): The majority of hematologist have used virtual clinics in managing patients and have delayed or canceled well visits. Although some hematologist delayed treatment in stable patients like autologous stem cell transplantation for myeloma patients, the majority did not delay induction or consolidation therapies for patients with leukemia with curative intent plans. CONCLUSION(S): The crisis brought along with it challenges and opportunities to improve patient care through research and clinical practice. Telemedicine was sought for supporting outpatients. Malignancies were taken care of, with due precautions. Observations of decisions of hematologists resulted in the patients still being closely followed up and urgent treatments being attended to. The hematologists expressed satisfaction with the use of telemedicine. Online consultations and monitoring of patients could probably be taken as an alternative resource in such situations.Copyright © 2023 Journal of Applied Hematology Published by Wolters Kluwer - Medknow.

COVID-19 Impact on Educational Institutions: A Detailed Analysis

This study draws attention to the global impact of e-learning during the Covid 19 era which is still not over completely. As part of the preventive measures and to counter the spread of the coronavirus;lockdowns and social distancing have been implemented, causing total paralysis of global activities including educational activities. As a result of the closures of the Universities, there is a shift from traditional learning to electronic learning (e-learning). This shift was necessary for the students to continue their studies and enabling them to graduate on time. However, such a shift created a significant increase in online classes, conferences, and meetings in fact entire world operations became online and completely dependent on the IT tools and related technology. Through the use of different electronic media, e-learning conveys preparation, training, and cooperation that has impacted students' perception, critical thinking, and other factors. This impact can be positive and or negative. This study offers an overview and related details of the process of e-learning as well as its advantages and disadvantages and also discusses the future of e-learning in Higher Education Institutes. It is evident from analysis and literature review that Covid created a vast gap between student learning, faculty teaching, and knowledge sharing. E-learning in the era of Covid-19 created more difficulties than ease of operations. To the best of the knowledge of researchers, there are limited studies conducted on this topic and this study will contribute to the enhancement of the existing body of knowledge. This study will be beneficial to the Higher Education Institutes, related educational ministries, and other regulatory bodies. © 2023 selection and editorial matter, Joanna Rosak Szyrocka, Justyna Zywiolek, Anand Nayyar and Mohd Naved;individual chapters, the contributors.

A Fintech-Based Zakat Model Using Artificial Intelligence

The COVID-19 pandemic and its associated lockdown have created a mammoth economic cost to the economies around the globe. The policy response to the crisis must be fast, secure, and sustainable. It has also created astonishing solidarity among the people with every element of society irrespective of race, caste, creed, or religion working together to save humanity. To overcome the financial and economic disruption caused by the pandemic, it needs immediate attention from the economists and policymakers. Islamic finance has many financial instruments for helping the poor by alleviating poverty, distributing income fairly, and improving social welfare, they comprise, Zakat, Sadaqat, Awqaf, etc. Zakat is the compulsory contribution from the Muslims to the poor and needy every year. Zakat is the compulsory donation from the rich and able Muslims which must be given to the poor and needy within a year. This immediate benefit of Zakat is well suited to tackle an economic crisis such as the one caused by COVID-19. Islamic finance in combination with the Fintech-based technologies like AI, Blockchain, machine learning, and natural language processing can work wonders in achieving Islamic finance objectives. The present study proposes an AI-based Islamic Fintech model to helping the needy and poor affected due to COVID-19. The model uses AI and NLP-based Fintech model for collection and dissemination of Zakat money to needy, poor, COVID-affected, and vulnerable sections of the society. © The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2022.

Education Situation in Online Education before the Pandemic and in the Time of Pandemic

Education was one of the worst affected sectors globally due to the pandemic which has caused more than 220 million students who have got displaced from their regular classroom teaching. According to the reports by UNESCO, the COVID pandemic impact on teaching and learning was felt on the shift towards online education to all age groups. After this effect, more than 90% higher educational institutions have started to accept teaching and learning through an online mode using different virtual educational platforms as a mechanism to provide an uninterrupted learning experience. Prior to pandemic, globally most of the formal education was classroom based while the percent of those under online education are typically delivered through non-formal educational such as distance education, correspondence learning, E-learning etc. Besides, education system prior to pandemic were more focused and oriented towards formal education adopting traditional classroom and face to face teaching and learning. Nevertheless, before the pandemic there was also significant progress made towards online education especially in education technology adoption, usage of online learning apps, and software, which opens the scope for evaluating the implication of online education before and during the pandemic. This chapter has examined the role of online education especially during the pandemic and summarized the different trends, technologies applications in E-learning that are employed in the current online education system. © 2023 selection and editorial matter, Joanna Rosak Szyrocka, Justyna Zywiolek, Anand Nayyar and Mohd Naved;individual chapters, the contributors.

New Technology Anxiety and Acceptance of Technology: An Appraisal of MS Teams

In the present times talking about distance education would be incomplete without mentioning the online education. Online education can be broadly classified as asynchronous and synchronous learning. The online platforms like MS Teams, zoom, google meet, CISCO Webex etc are widely accepted tools for the synchronous learning, where the learner can attend a live session, and can interact with the instructor or the resource person. Covid 19 has led to a quick adoption of technology, however, a major share of the population still seems to be struggling with the use of technology and might be having an anxiety termed as new technology anxiety with regards to online platform. In this study MS Teams has been analysed from the viewpoint of users through Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). Descriptive statistics have been used via SPSS-21 on the data administered from 409 respondents from 15 nations who participated in the international workshop series organised in Oman. The study reveals that despite the popularity of MS teams, the participants had high level of new technology anxiety in using it. The results can be used as user feedback for MS teams, and can be utilised by Educational Institution, and other agencies that are facilitating the online education directly or indirectly. © 2023 selection and editorial matter, Joanna Rosak Szyrocka, Justyna Zywiolek, Anand Nayyar and Mohd Naved;individual chapters, the contributors.

Outside The Box But All Squeezed In: A 23- year-old Man With Progressive Dyspnea After Overseas Travel

Case Presentation: A 23-year-old previously healthy man presented with progressive dyspnea. Physical examination revealed jugular venous distension and lower extremity edema. Laboratory testing demonstrated elevated B-type natriuretic peptide (193 pg/mL) and normal high sensitivity troponin. Echocardiogram revealed small pericardial effusion, respiratory variation in diastolic flow across the mitral valve, diastolic septal bounce, and annulus reversus (Figure). The differential diagnosis for constrictive pericarditis was broadly considered in the context of a recent febrile illness and frequent travel to Hawaii and Vietnam;we included infectious, autoimmune, and malignant etiologies. Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging revealed thickening and diffuse enhancement in the pericardium as well as ventricular interdependence. Chest CT identified hilar and anterior mediastinal lymphadenopathy. Laboratory testing was positive for QuantiFERON gold and negative for COVID-19, HIV, and ANA. Transbronchial biopsy demonstrated non-necrotizing granulomas with negative acid-fast bacilli smear, culture, and polymerase chain reaction for mycobacterial DNA. Reexamination identified a red-brown plaque on the patient's thigh;biopsy showed granulomatous inflammation and rod-shaped organism with positive FITE staining. A presumed unifying diagnosis was made of extrapulmonary tuberculosis (TB) complicated by constrictive pericarditis. Discussion(s): Despite being a primarily pulmonary disease, systemic involvement can occur with TB with the heart being one of the most common extrapulmonary sites. This case highlights 1) the utility of extra-cardiac diagnostic testing (e.g., dermatologic biopsy) in the diagnosis of constrictive pericarditis, and 2) the diagnostic challenge associated with extrapulmonary TB, particularly paucibacillary disease that requires a detailed social history with "out-of-the-box" thinking.