ABSTRACT
Pharmacotherapeutics are being repurposed and used as off-label at various stages of COVID-19 infection. Clinical trials are being initiated or are ongoing to investigate the effectiveness and safety of these pharmacotherapeutics. This review article outlines the current pharmacotherapeutics and the controversies surrounding their use. The pharmacotherapeutics that were discussed are hydroxychloroquine, favipiravir, lopinavir/ritonavir, remdesivir, interferons, tocilizumab, and steroids. We also discussed the special consideration for pharmacotherapeutics in COVID-19 infection. No pharmacotherapeutics have been found to be effective and approved for the treatment of COVID-19 infection. However, there are clinical trials that have eliminated the possibilities of use of some pharmacotherapeutics while others had shown promising preliminary results of its use. © 2022 UPM Press. All rights reserved.
ABSTRACT
In recent years, as a result of the significant development of information and communications technology, people have been paying much attention to automated guided vehicles (AGVs). In the ongoing global coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, hospital services have been seriously impacted. In the severe medical situation in hospitals, there is a serious shortage of human resources. This paper presents a novel automated guided vehicle (AGV) for guidance and service. The AGV is comprised of a microcontroller unit (MCU), a power unit, a human sensing unit, a collision warning unit, and a path sensing unit. The motion speed of the AGV and the distance between the AGV and the person being guided are determined by the MCU, the power unit, sensors, and an algorithm. The collision warning unit comprises three ultrasonic sensors and an infrared sensor in the front of the AGV in order to avoid obstacles. The trajectory results of the planned and actual paths are in good agreement. The AGV provides safe and effective guidance for people moving towards their destination. The AGV achieves excellent guidance results and shows great potential for guidance applications in hospitals. © 2021 Institute of Physics Publishing. All rights reserved.