ABSTRACT
Introduction: Coronavirus disease 2019 is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), also known as novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV). The disease presentation ranges from asymptomatic to severe acute respiratory failure requiring intensive care support. Anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies are developed either by natural infection from SARS-CoV-2 or by vaccination against COVID-19. The persistence of IgG antibodies allows identification of the people who have been infected in the past, recovered from illness, and possibly become immune. 7 IgG detection and other serological assays will play an important role in research and surveillance. Aims and Objective: The objective of the study is to assess anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG titre among blood donors and to assess the decreasing incidence of COVID-19 in the department of blood bank, Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences, Ranchi, Jharkhand. Materials and Methods: An observational, cross-sectional study was conducted at the department of blood bank, Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences, Ranchi, Jharkhand over a period of 2 months and 14 days from 06 February 2021 to 20 April 2021 who donated at least one unit of blood. Results: This study recorded a greater number of male donors with B+ blood group. The anti-SARS-CoV-2 titre were mostly young adults between 18 and 31 years of age. Conclusion: Seroprevalence was high in males having blood group B+ between 18 and 32 years of age.
ABSTRACT
Introduction: Coronavirus disease 2019 is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), also known as novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV). The disease presentation ranges from asymptomatic to severe acute respiratory failure requiring intensive care support. Anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies are developed either by natural infection from SARS-CoV-2 or by vaccination against COVID-19. The persistence of IgG antibodies allows identification of the people who have been infected in the past, recovered from illness, and possibly become immune. 7 IgG detection and other serological assays will play an important role in research and surveillance. Aims and Objective: The objective of the study is to assess anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG titre among blood donors and to assess the decreasing incidence of COVID-19 in the department of blood bank, Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences, Ranchi, Jharkhand. Materials and Methods: An observational, cross-sectional study was conducted at the department of blood bank, Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences, Ranchi, Jharkhand over a period of 2 months and 14 days from 06 February 2021 to 20 April 2021 who donated at least one unit of blood. Results: This study recorded a greater number of male donors with B+ blood group. The anti-SARS-CoV-2 titre were mostly young adults between 18 and 31 years of age. Conclusion: Seroprevalence was high in males having blood group B+ between 18 and 32 years of age.
ABSTRACT
Air pollution has become one of the biggest challenges for human and environmental health. Major pollutants such as Nitrogen Dioxide (NO 2 ), Sulphur Dioxide (SO 2 ), Ozone (O 3 ), Carbon Monoxide (CO), and Particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5) are being ejected in a large quantity every day. Initially, authorities did not implement the strictest mitigation policies due to pressures of balancing the economic needs of people and public safety. Still, after realizing the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic, countries around the world imposed a complete lockdown to contain the outbreak, which had the unexpected benefit of causing a drastic improvement in air quality. The present study investigates the air pollution scenarios over the Dublin city through satellites (Sentinel-5P and Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) and ground-based observations. An average of 28% reduction in average NO 2 level and a 27.7% improvement in AQI (Air Quality Index) was experienced in 2020 compared to 2019 during the lockdown period (27 March-05 June). We found that PM10 and PM2.5 are the most dominating factor in the AQI over Dublin.
ABSTRACT
Air pollution has become one of the biggest challenges for human and environmental health. Major pollutants such as Nitrogen Dioxide (NO
ABSTRACT
The COVID-19 pandemic emphasised the global value chains (GVCs) debate by focussing on whether gains from GVC participation outweigh firms associated risks of demand and supply shocks amid rising protectionism. This paper bridges the gap between the international trade and management literature by examining the impact of COVID-19 on Commonwealth countries, an area that has received scant attention in academic literature. Using the Eora database, we simulate scenarios to examine Commonwealth countries' participation in GVCs post-COVID. We draw on the transaction cost economics (TCE) theory to develop a framework that investigates whether growing protectionism, associated with reshoring, decoupling and nearshoring, could potentially affect the constellation and participation of Commonwealth countries in GVCs post-COVID. Results show that trade protectionism is likely to impact the supply chains and lead to GVC reconfiguration, which could offer opportunities for the Commonwealth countries and firms to potentially gain following the geographical redistribution of suppliers.
ABSTRACT
Rapidly growing viral infections are potent risks to public health worldwide. Accessible virus-specific antiviral vaccines and drugs are therapeutically inert to emerging viruses, such as Zika, Ebola, and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Therefore, discovering ways to prevent and control viral infections is among the foremost medical challenge of our time. Recently, innovative technologies are emerging that involve the development of new biomaterial-based formulations and surfaces endowed with broad-spectrum antiviral properties. Here, we review emerging biomaterials technologies for controlling viral infections. Relevant advances in biomaterials employed with nanotechnology to inactivate viruses or to inhibit virus replication and further their translation in safe and effective antiviral formulations in clinical trials are discussed. We have included antiviral approaches based on both organic and inorganic nanoparticles (NPs), which offer many advantages over molecular medicine. An insight into the development of immunomodulatory scaffolds in designing new platforms for personalized vaccines is also considered. Substantial research on natural products and herbal medicines and their potential in novel antiviral drugs are discussed. Furthermore, to control contagious viral infections, i.e., to reduce the viral load on surfaces, current strategies focusing on biomimetic anti-adhesive surfaces through nanostructured topography and hydrophobic surface modification techniques are introduced. Biomaterial surfaces functionalized with antimicrobial polymers and nanoparticles against viral infections are also discussed. We recognize the importance of research on antiviral biomaterials and present potential strategies for future directions in applying these biomaterial-based approaches to control viral infections and SARS-CoV-2.