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Self-study is an integral part of chemistry learning, whereby the students consume knowledge outside of the classroom environment. The COVID-19 pandemic magnified the need for efficient methods of synchronous and asynchronous instructional content delivery worldwide. Virtual reality (VR) presents a prospective technological solution to aid asynchronous content delivery, particularly for visual subjects such as chemistry. We investigate the feasibility of using carefully designed VR-based content to assist offline instruction about enzymes and the differences in their types. They are an essential concept in biochemistry due to their comprehensiveness and the similarities between their amino acid sequences responsible for their different functions. We compare the efficacy of VR-aided self-study against self-study assisted by recorded video lectures. An experiment is conducted to simulate self-study in three scenarios, i.e., conventional text-based self-study (1) without any additional aids, (2) assisted by recorded video lectures, and (3) with VR aids. Our findings indicate that VR can assist asynchronous content consumption leading to better learning and satisfaction. © 2023 American Chemical Society and Division of Chemical Education, Inc.
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Purpose: This research paper aims to explore the influence of social media–based knowledge-sharing intentions (SMKI) on prospective authentic leadership development (ALD) to deal with the future crisis. In the existing literature, to the best of the authors' knowledge, there is no significant empirical evidence to test the relationship between SMKI and ALD. Thus, this study contributes to the growing literature regarding the role of SMKIs, ALD, social media–based knowledge-sharing behavior (SMKB) and facilitating conditions (FCs). However, in this study, the authors developed a conceptual framework based on technology adoption and leadership theory. It was used to identify preservice educational leaders' SMKIs and their effect on ALD to deal with an educational crisis during the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, SMKIs are strengthening ALD, directly and indirectly, using SMKB and FCs. Design/methodology/approach: In this study, the higher education students are considered preservice leaders who were enrolled in educational leadership and management programs. However, this study's target population and sample are students enrolled in educational leadership and management programs. Therefore, higher education students are considered preservice educational leaders. Therefore, a multilevel questionnaire survey approach was adopted to collect data from preservice educational leaders (n = 451 at Time 1 and n = 398 at Time 2) enrolled in education departments in the selected universities in Pakistan. A total of 398 survey questionnaires were finalized with a return ratio of 89%. The partial least square structural equation modeling with SmartPLS 3.2.8 was used for the data analysis. Findings: This research found that SMKIs are positively and significantly connected with ALD. This study also confirms that SMKB significantly and positively mediates the relationship between SMKIs and ALD. Therefore, this study concludes that preservice educational leaders were ready to adopt SMKB. Practical implications: Social media–based knowledge sharing can be helpful to develop authentic leadership among preservice educational leaders during a crisis. Preservice educational leaders as authentic leaders can prove to be an asset in dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic crisis. Originality/value: This research integrated the technology adoption model and leadership theory to provide empirical evidence of SMKIs' direct and indirect influence on ALD through social media–based knowledge-sharing actual use behavior by preservice educational leaders during the COVID-19 pandemic. Moreover, the moderated mediating effect of the FCs was also studied in the relationship between SMKIs and actual user behavior as well as ALD. © 2022, Emerald Publishing Limited.
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As the number of people infected with COVID-19 continues to rise, a number of nations have implemented state wide quarantines. This has resulted in a global financial crisis that is having severe impacts on countries all around the world. As a direct consequence of the epidemic, unemployment rates have increased in a number of different regions, which has a substantial and detrimental effect on trade across the globe. In light of the current state of the economy, Artificial Intelligence (AI) is causing a shift in the manner in which businesses evaluate their bitcoin holdings. The application of AI in a commercial setting has the potential to produce a wide range of beneficial results. We are spared from completing as much manual labour as a direct result of the favourable effects that AI has had on technology. These consequences can be noticed in our day-to-day lives. In the event that there is a pandemic, having knowledge of AI and the various strategies it employs, such as the classifier model, could be beneficial. Humans will be better suited to make decisions if they have rapid access to the analyses and projections that are created by AI and big data. In order to be prepared for the arrival of the new world, the company is putting in more effort, in collaboration with small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and start-ups, to improve the administration of virtual enterprises by having a presence on a variety of different e-trade systems. Artificial intelligence (AI) is currently being utilised in a variety of settings to assist with the process of identifying and implementing workable solutions to a variety of problems that can develop in the workplace. AI is being used to improve business operations in a wide variety of spheres, including marketing, fraud detection, algorithmic trading, customer assistance, portfolio management, and product recommendations based on customer preferences. These are just few of the sectors. These are just a few examples of the kinds of problems that artificial intelligence might be able to solve in the future. Given the present worth of cryptocurrencies, technological developments may also be made in order to improve the performance of the rules that have been provided and produce the most accurate conclusion that is possible. © 2022 IEEE.
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Background: Medical and dental students are among the frontline workers in the battle against COVID 19. As such their vaccination is mandatory. We conducted this study to assess perception and attitude of medical and dental students towards COVID-19 disease and its vaccination. Method(s): A total of 185 medical and 170 dental students were included in our study. A questionnaire based on previous studies was prepared. The respondents were interviewed telephonically and appropriate responses were recorded. Result(s): Among 355 students enrolled in our study, higher percentage of dental students were infected with COVID-19 (26%) as against only 20% medical students. 60% dental students had been tested for COVID-19 as against 70% medical students. Majority students in both the groups had done rapid antigen test (RAT). Academic loss was the major COVID-19 disease related concern among medical students, while in dental group there were two major concerns i.e academic loss and fear of passing the infection to family. Both the groups feared anaphylaxis the most as a sequel of vaccination. The other vaccination concerns in both the groups were fever, myalgias, infertility, thrombus formation while few female students feared that vaccination may disturb their menstrual cycles. The preferred vaccine in both the groups was Covishield. Conclusion(s): Our study concluded that there are many hurdles in the path of vaccination even among medical and dental students. It is important to address these hesitancies especially among health care workers since their opinion and recommendation is held supreme by common masses. Copyright © RJPT All right reserved.
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The aim of the study is to explore how the COVID-19 pandemic has taken entrepreneurship in its fold across different situations and from different geographic locations. This is a review study in which an extensive review is conducted from extant and relevant literature. The searching of the articles is based on the major research constructs of the study, which are entrepreneurship, small business, SMEs, entrepreneurs, and employees with relation to the COVID-19. As COVID-19 is a burning issue, therefore, the time frame of the search was from January 2020 to January 2021. Based on the review, a conceptual model was developed in which hypotheses are proposed. The finding of the study indicates that small business is always vulnerable in disasters as compared to any other forms of the economic mechanism. Entrepreneurial activities are at the front to receive warnings and threats from the pandemic situation where survival becomes very challenging without the support and relief of the respective countries' government and their policies. This study provides implications for international organisations, non-government organisations, government agencies, and policymakers to design strategies and approaches to support small businesses through different relief and packages. This study contributes to the literature and enhances understanding about the COVID-19, and its influence on the entrepreneurial activities. However, to the best of the author's knowledge, this is a novel study that incorporates more emphasis on entrepreneurs, employees, and SMEs into the research on COVID-19. © 2022 World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd.
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Due to the lack of prophylactic vaccines and effective treatment strategies against numerous public health conditions, viral infections remain a serious threat to global public health and socioeconomic development. The current ongoing severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic, against which there is no prophylactic vaccine or licensed antiviral agents, underscores the need to continuously identify novel/effective treatment strategies against these infectious agents. Plants and plant-derived compounds have immensely contributed to the fight against numerous health conditions by providing bioactives that possess potent antimicrobial attributes, including antiviral activities. One such plant that has gathered much interest, due to its multiple medicinal properties, is the Nigella sativa plant, a flowering plant belonging to the family Ranunculacea, which is native to various regions of the world. In this chapter, we discuss the antiviral activities of N. sativa against critical viral pathogens, focusing more on the SARS-CoV-2 virus, the etiologic agent of the current unparalleled coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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While COVID-19 liver injuries have been reported in various studies, concerns are raised about disease-drug reactions in COVID-19 patients. In this study, we examined the hypothesis of gene-disease interactions in an in-silico model of gene expression to seek changes in cytochrome P450 genes. The Gene Expression Omnibus dataset of the liver autopsy in deceased COVID-19 patients (GSE150316) was used in this study. Non-alcoholic fatty liver biopsies were used as the control (GSE167523). Besides, gene expression analysis was performed using the DESeq/EdgeR method. The GO databases were used, and the paths were set at p<0.05. The drug-gene interaction database (DGIdb) was searched for interactions. According to the results, 5,147 genes were downregulated, and 5,122 genes were upregulated in SARS-CoV-2 compared to healthy livers. Compared to the cytochromes, 34 cytochromes were downregulated, while 4 cytochromes were upregulated among the detected differentially expressed genes (DEG). The drug-gene interaction database (DGIdb) provided a list of medications with potential interactions with COVID-19 as well as metacetamol, phenethyl isocyanate, amodiaquine, spironolactone, amiloride, acenocoumarol, clopidogrel, phenprocoumon, trimipramine, phenazepam, etc. Besides, dietary compounds of isoflavones, valerian, and coumarin, as well as caffeine metabolism were shown to have possible interactions with COVID-19 disease. Our study showed that expression levels of cytochrome P450 genes could get altered following COVID-19. In addition, a drug-disease interaction list is recommended to be used for evaluations in clinical considerations in further studies.
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Objective: Acute Appendicitis encounters as the frequent problem in surgical pediatric patients leading to Appendectomy, being one of the most common procedures performed in surgical Emergency. During COVID-19 pandemic, the trends in the management of acute appendicitis have changed. Conservative management of appendicitis with antibiotics is being proposed as an alternative to conventional appendectomy. So, this study is conducted to compare the presentation and outcome of Appendicitis managed during pre and post pandemic period in our settings. Methodology: After approval of Ethical Review Committee, a total of 267 patients of age 1-12 years were selected for the study. It was a retrospective Cohort Study. Patients were divided into group A (n=145) which was pre pandemic group. Data was collected retrospectively from charts regarding demographics, presentation, duration of stay operative findings and complications from May-Oct 2019 and Group B (n=122) during covid-19 was collected from the patients presented with appendicitis over a period of six months from May-Oct 2020 . Similar months of the year were selected to remove seasonal variation in the presentation of Appendicitis. All information was collected on a predesigned Performa. Data was compared and analyzed on SPSS 20. Results: Out of 267 patients, 151 (56.56%) were male. Group A patients presented during pre-pandemic period (n=145) were undergone appendectomy for appendicitis in 129 patients (88.96%) with 59 patients (40.68%) having acutely inflamed appendix and 70 patients (48.27%) had complicated appendicitis such as gangrenous, perforated with generalized peritonitis. In Group A only 16 patients (11.03%) were managed conservatively for appendicular mass. In contrast to group B (n=122) presented during pandemic, only 43 patients (35.24%) were operated with findings of acutely inflamed appendicitis while gangrenous/perforated appendicitis with pelvic abscess and/or generalized peritonitis was found in most of the patients with a number of 69 (56.55%), only 10 (8.19%) patient presented as Appendicular mass hence managed conservatively. Conclusion: Delay in presentation and early conservative management during pandemic crisis has resulted in an increase in the complications of Appendicitis. Early referral to specialized centers with vigilant selection for conservative treatment can save patients from developing complications.
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Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) represented as a global pandemic which mainly happened due to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), viral affected huge numbers of individuals all around the world. Besides the viral morbidity and mortality, the economy and health care system have also been significantly strained due to high viral transmission. COVID-19 virus is known as a virus of pneumonia which causes acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and may be alife threatening. There was evidence supposed that the virus affected the cardiovascular system significantly via its direct damage to the myocardium, acute systemic inflammatory restraint, hypoxia, a right strain of the heart due to acute respiratory distress syndrome and injury of the lung, also rupture of the plaque due to inflammation. Essential cardiac manifestations showed acute myocarditis, myocardial infarction, arrhythmia, and showed thrombosis. Many accepted documents have been done that support the management of cardiovascular disease due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The aim of this review study is to explain the cardiovascular system damage caused by SARS-CoV-2 with precise comprehensions for the underlying mechanisms to create a liable management approach for these patients.
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Even though coronavirus infection of humans is not normally associated with severe diseases, the identification of the coronavirus responsible for the outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome showed that highly pathogenic coronaviruses can enter the human population. Shortly thereafter, in Holland in 2004, another novel human coronavirus (HCoV-NL63) was isolated from a seven-month old infant suffering from respiratory symptoms. This virus has subsequently been identified in various countries, indicating a worldwide distribution. HCoV-NL63 has been shown to infect mainly children and the immunocommpromised, who presented with either mild upper respiratory symptoms (cough, fever and rhinorrhoea) or more serious lower respiratory tract involvement such as bronchiolitis and croup, which was observed mainly in younger children. In fact, HCoV-NL63 is the aetiological agent for up to 10% of all respiratory diseases. This review summarizes recent findings of human coronavirus HCoV-NL63 infections, including isolation and identification, phylogeny and taxonomy, genome structure and transcriptional regulation, transmission and pathogenesis, and detection and diagnosis. FAU - Abdul-Rasool, Sahar