CONSTRUCTION OF AN OPTIMAL PORTFOLIO USING THE SINGLE INDEX MODEL: AN EMPIRICAL STUDY OF PRE AND POST COVID 19

The financial markets have been significantly influenced by Covid-19. Investors have reallocated their portfolios as a result of changing expectations for risk and return. In both academia and industry, building a portfolio via wise stock selection has been seen as a problem. The stock market's inherent uncertainties are to blame for this. Stock selection in a portfolio is impacted by anticipated price movement. The predictability of stock price changes has been disputed for a very long time, however. The random walk hypothesis (Fama, 1995) states that since stock price changes are unpredictable and lack memory, the past cannot foretell the future. Therefore, if the market is efficient, the stock price at the moment represents all the information. Since insider trading is required, it is impossible to outperform the market and is compatible with EMH. Therefore, the quest for effective forecasting techniques does not lead to consistent, long-term trends that can be predicted. According to the findings, investors have begun redistributing their portfolios across other equities in response to the current financial crisis related to COVID-19. But not all investors experience the same situation when switching from risky to riskfree investments. [ FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Journal of Pharmaceutical Negative Results is the property of ResearchTrentz and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full . (Copyright applies to all s.)

COVID-19 Outbreak: Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice among Dental Students in a Tertiary Care Hospital: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background: Dental care settings have the risk of COVID-19 infection due to the aerosols generated during procedures, handling of sharps, and proximity of the dentist to the patient's oropharyngeal region. Materials and Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional online survey among undergraduate and postgraduate dental students studying in a tertiary care hospital employed a convenient snowball sampling technique. The survey instrument consisted of pretested and prevalidated questionnaire comprising demographic characteristics, 14 items on knowledge domain, 6 items on attitude domain, and 4 items on practice domain modified from a previously published questionnaire on COVID-19. Statistical Analysis: Statistical analysis was done using SPSS version 20.0 to perform the Chi-square test, MannWhitney, KruskalWallis, Spearman's correlation, and linear regression analysis. Results: The study population comprised 79 (28.9%) males and 194 (71.1%) females, with approximately 53% belonging to the age group of < 20 years. Based on our results, the majority of the general population had inadequate (42.1%) knowledge about the disease with a mean knowledge score was 22.82 & PLUSMN;1.98. Conclusion: This study showed that the dental students had an inadequate level of knowledge and negative attitude in their outlook on overcoming the COVID-19 pandemic. Various health education programs are necessary, particularly targeting students with lower knowledge regarding COVID-19 are essential for encouraging adequate knowledge, positive attitude, and maintain safe dental practices.

Mucormycosis in India -an in-Depth Postpandemic Review Analysis of Incidence, Prevalence and Management

The emergence of SARS-CoV-2 has increased mucormycosis cases, which was perceived to be a rare infection caused by belligerent fungi belonging to order Mucorales. It is also called the black fungus and is exhibited as one of the seven variants such as rhino-cerebral, cutaneous, pulmonary, renal, gastrointestinal, disseminated or miscellaneous, leading to the debilitation of systemic wellness often associated with a reduction in functional efficiency and characterized by organ failure due to necrosis necessitating early diagnosis and timely treatment. Hence, to sustain the quality of life during the pandemic, a better understanding of mucormycosis is the need of the hour for efficient management to overcome global crises. This review was carried out on existing literature over three decades involving data in India as well as its global comparison, especially in terms of incidence and prevalence for enabling a scientifically evidence-based comprehensive analysis so that appropriate modalities could be adopted in individuals with immunocompromised conditions to safeguard them from contracting as they are more susceptible to having high-risk exposure. Copyright © 2022, Anka Publishers. All rights reserved.

Research article A study on immediate and training effect of Bhramari pranayama on heart rate variability in healthy adolescents

Introduction and Aim: Bhramari pranayama (Humming bee breath) is the most common slow pranayama practice involving inhalation through both nostrils followed by exhalation which produces sound of humming bee. Practicing pranayama reduces the effects of stress on different systems by increasing the vagal tone. With the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, there are heightened feelings of stress, anxiety and depression and pranayama can be an effective way to improve our mental and emotional well-being. This study has been chosen to assess the effect of Bhramari pranayama on autonomic functions and to compare the immediate and training effects of Bhramari pranayama in the study group. Materials and Methods: An observational study was conducted in a medical college among 110 students aged between 18-22 years for a period of 2 months. The participants were instructed to do 9 rounds of Bhramari pranayama every day for 3 weeks. The immediate and training effect of pranayama practice on HRV (Heart Rate Variability) was assessed. The parameters of HRV (time and frequency domains) were assessed by PHYSIOPAC-PP4 (MEDICAID SYSTEMS, Chandigarh). Results: After training of Bhramari pranayama for 3 weeks, there was a decrease in Systolic Blood Pressure (SBP), Diastolic Blood Pressure (DBP) and PNN50 and a decrease in frequency domain parameters, LFnu and LF/HF ratio were observed significantly. Conclusion: The study shows the possibility that Bhramari pranayama has a beneficial effect on HRV in medical students, as the autonomic balance produces the improvement of parasympathetic tone.

A Rare Presentation of Strongyloides stercoralis Infection from an Immunocompetent Individual in a Tertiary Care Center in South India

Strongyloidiasis is a neglected parasitic disease caused by the intestinal parasite, Strongyloides stercoralis. Most patients with strongyloidiasis are asymptomatic, but few present with varied clinical manifestations such as cutaneous, gastrointestinal, pulmonary, and disseminated disease. It creates a diagnostic dilemma and undue delay in the diagnosis of patients. We report the case of a 79-yearold male who presented with fever and abdominal pain due to strongyloidiasis with no history of immunosuppression. The infection resolved entirely on treatment with ivermectin.

PREDICTING THE FUTURE COVID-19 USING SUPERVISED MACHINE LEARNING MODELS

Prediction mechanisms based on machine learning (ML) have proven their importance in several fields to improve the creation of choices on the long-term course of action. Technological advancements have a quick result in every area of life, be it the medical field or the other field. Many prediction methods are commonly used to handle prediction problems. This study demonstrates the ability of cubic centimeter models to predict the amount of approaching patients with COVID-19 that is currently considered a possible threat to clustering. Specifically, 3 common prediction models, like Extreme Gradient Boosting Machine (XGBM), LIGHT Gradient Boosting Machine (LIGHT GBM) and Random Forest mechanisms are used in this study to predict threatening factors of COVID-19. 3 styles of predictions are created by each of the models, such as the number of new infected cases, the number of deaths, as well as the range of recoveries in the next ten days. The results created by the study prove that it is a promising mechanism to use these means in this COVID-19 pandemic situation.

GUIDELINES FOR HANDLING DEAD BODY OF A COVID-19 PATIENT

As the number of positive cases for the novel Coronavirus continues to increase, so do the deaths associated with it. There exists a theoretical risk of infection during handling of the dead bodies and standard infection control practices should be followed when handling such bodies. The government has allowed both the burial and cremation as per the faith. However there is a standard procedure that all health workers and family members need to adhere to. This article highlights some of the guidelines recommended for managing dead bodies of COVID-19 patients. © 2020, Indian Academy of Pediatrics. All rights reserved.

An agent-based model to examine neuroinvasion by SARS-CoV-2 (preprint)

SARS-CoV-2 is known to primarily cause mild to severe respiratory infections as well as chemosensory disturbances such as anosmia. Furthermore, it has been associated with the occurrence of neurological symptoms. In this study probable route of neuroinvasion by SARS-CoV-2 from the olfactory epithelium to the central nervous system was suggested and an agent-based model has been developed using NetLogo 3D. A series of simulations were performed to analyze real-world infection patterns; based on these simulations, it was observed that there is a direct correlation between the age of the patient and the day of neuroinvasion onset.

County-Level Social Determinants of Health and COVID-19 in Nursing Homes, United States, June 1, 2020-January 31, 2021.

OBJECTIVES: Nursing homes are a primary setting of COVID-19 transmission and death, but research has primarily focused only on factors within nursing homes. We investigated the relationship between US nursing home-associated COVID-19 infection rates and county-level and nursing home attributes. METHODS: We constructed panel data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) minimum dataset, CMS nursing home data, 2010 US Census data, 5-year (2012-2016) American Community Survey estimates, and county COVID-19 infection rates. We analyzed COVID-19 data from June 1, 2020, through January 31, 2021, during 7 five-week periods. We used a maximum likelihood estimator, including an autoregressive term, to estimate effects and changes over time. We performed 3 model forms (basic, partial, and full) for analysis. RESULTS: Nursing homes with nursing (0.005) and staff (0.002) shortages had high COVID-19 infection rates, and locally owned (-0.007) or state-owned (-0.025) and nonprofit (-0.011) agencies had lower COVID-19 infection rates than privately owned agencies. County-level COVID-19 infection rates corresponded with COVID-19 infection rates in nursing homes. Racial and ethnic minority groups had high nursing home-associated COVID-19 infection rates early in the study. High median annual personal income (-0.002) at the county level correlated with lower nursing home-associated COVID-19 infection rates. CONCLUSIONS: Communities with low rates of nursing home infections had access to more resources (eg, financial resources, staffing) and likely had better mitigation efforts in place earlier in the pandemic than nursing homes that had access to few resources and poor mitigation efforts. Future research should address the social and structural determinants of health that are leaving racial and ethnic minority populations and institutions such as nursing homes vulnerable during times of crises.

Tocilizumab: A friend or a foe in COVID-19 management?

Background: The emergence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus- 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has led to many proposed treatments for COVID-19 induced cytokine release syndrome (CRS). We aimed to investigate the treatment response of Tocilizumab (TZB), an Interleukin-6 (IL-6) inhibitor in this single center study. Methods: A retrospective chart review in COVID-19 patients was conducted from 03/18/20 - 05/20/20. Patients with PCR confirmed COVID-19 who received TZB were included. Variables included dose and timing of TZB, trend of acute phase reactants, time to improved oxygenation and defervescence, 30-day mortality, and hospital/ intensive care unit (ICU) length of stay (LOS). Descriptive statistics were used. Results: Twelve patients received TZB at least once during the study period. Median patient age was 51.5 years (interquartile range (IQR), 34-87), and mean body weight of 109 kg (SD = 33.8). At time of admission, mean day of illness was 6.6 days (SD = 3.3) into their illness. All patients received a standardized TZB dose of 400 mg, and 2 patients received a second dose. Nine out of 11 patients (75%) had elevated median IL-6 baseline levels of 38.3 (IQR < 5- 96.22). The average CRS score was elevated at 3.3 at the time of TZB administration. All patients who received TZB were on supplemental oxygen, and 58% were mechanically ventilated. A decrease in oxygen requirement in 24 hours was seen in mechanically ventilated patients (71%) compared to those not on mechanical ventilation (20%). Median ICU days were 17.5 (IQR, 3-39), and median LOS days were 21.5 (IQR 8-46). All patients had sustained decreases in CRP post-TZB administration. Almost half of patients (42%) were treated for bacterial pneumonia post TZB and 3 (25%) patients were treated for herpes simplex virus (HSV) reactivation. Majority (92%) of patients received additional COVID-19 therapies such as hydroxychloroquine, convalescent plasma, or remdesivir. During the study period only one patient expired. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that TZB may have a role in mechanically ventilated patients in decreasing oxygen requirement. However larger randomized studies are needed to understand which patients would benefit the most. Our study also highlights secondary infections and HSV reactivation in TZB patients. (Table Presented).

Potentials of Interferons and Hydroxychloroquine for the Prophylaxis and Early Treatment of COVID-19.

The symptoms of the COVID-19 range from asymptomatic or mild disease to severe disease that results in acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and eventually death. Understanding the molecular mechanisms responsible for the progression from mild to severe disease is the key to decreasing the mortality of COVID-19. Compared to mild cases, severe cases of the COVID-19 have decreased interferon (IFN) α, ß, λ production. Type I (IFN α/ß) and III IFNs (λ) work coordinately to induce inhibition of viral reproduction through the stimulation of interferon stimulated genes (ISGs). Failure to mount an IFN response leads to suboptimal activation of adaptive immune response and increased viral load. The increased viral load causes severe tissue damage, inducing a late wave of IFNs and an exacerbated inflammatory response. There are two known risk factors associated with severe disease- obesity and aging. Both lead to the activation of inflammasome NLRP3, which stimulates transcription factor NFκB and the production of inflammatory cytokines. Type I IFNs inhibit activation of NRLP3. Taken together, an early deficient IFN response and the following hyperinflammatory state are the hallmarks of severe COVID-19. This suggests that both type I and III IFNs could potentially be beneficial as prophylaxis and treatment of COVID-19 at the early stage of infection. Indeed, clinical studies have shown benefit of IFN Is, and there are ongoing trials testing type III IFNs for the treatment of COVID-19. Another strategy is to use hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) to inhibit the viral entry into the cells. Our reanalysis of the results from two randomized clinical trials (RCTs) has concluded that use of HCQ is beneficial in postexposure prophylaxis. These two strategies can have great potential in the current pandemic of COVID-19.

Knowledge and awareness about natural immune booster among general public

The immune system plays a vital role in protecting the body against diseases, fighting against foreign bodies and does a remarkable job in defending against microorganism and distinguishing bodies’ own health issues and protecting them from infectious agents. Natural immune boosters are the product, which helps in boosting the immune system. Even some pharmaceutical preparation includes medicinal plants as they are compound extract again is a variety of diseases. Ayurvedic theory states that balance between the humours of the body that is “vayu, pitta and kaffa” leads to healthy living. The bottom line Herbs have been used as natural remedies like mouthwash, toothpaste, etc. since ancient times. An online survey was conducted among 100 general public to assess their knowledge and awareness about natural immune boosters. The online survey includes 15 questions based on immune boosters. The Results said that about 97% are aware of immune boosters and also about 95% think it’s important to boost immunity. A total of hundred people of Chennai, Kancheepuram and Tiruvallur district of Tamil Nadu attended this survey. In the study, we observe that about 97 % of them are aware of natural boosters, and 95 % say it is important to boost their immunity. Eating a lowfat, plant-based diet may help give the immune system to boost. The immune system relies on white blood cells that produce antibodies to combat bacteria, viruses, and other invaders.

Mapping community-level determinants of COVID-19 transmission in nursing homes: A multi-scale approach.

Deaths from the COVID-19 pandemic have disproportionately affected older adults and residents in nursing homes. Although emerging research has identified place-based risk factors for the general population, little research has been conducted for nursing home populations. This GIS-based spatial modeling study aimed to determine the association between nursing home-level metrics and county-level, place-based variables with COVID-19 confirmed cases in nursing homes across the United States. A cross-sectional research design linked data from Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, American Community Survey, the 2010 Census, and COVID-19 cases among the general population and nursing homes. Spatial cluster analysis identified specific regions with statistically higher COVID-19 cases and deaths among residents. Multivariate analysis identified risk factors at the nursing home level including, total count of fines, total staffing levels, and LPN staffing levels. County-level or place-based factors like per-capita income, average household size, population density, and minority composition were significant predictors of COVID-19 cases in the nursing home. These results provide a framework for examining further COVID-19 cases in nursing homes and highlight the need to include other community-level variables when considering risk of COVID-19 transmission and outbreaks in nursing homes.