ABSTRACT
Agricultural tractor drivers experience a high amplitude of vibration, especially during soil tillage operations. In the past, most research studied vibration exposure with more focus on the vertical (z) axis than on the fore-and-aft (x) and lateral (y) axes. This study examines how rotary soil tillage affects the vibration acceleration and frequency, and the power spectral densities (PSDs) at the seat pan and head along three translational axes in a real-field multiaxis vibration context. Moreover, this study aimed to identify the characteristics of the seat-to-head transmissibility (STHT) response to identifying the most salient resonant frequencies along the x-, y-, and z-axes. Nine (9) male tractor drivers operated the tractor with a mounted rotary tiller throughout the soil tillage process. In the event of a COVID-19 pandemic, and to respect social distancing, this study developed an Internet of Things (IoT) module with the potential to integrate with existing data loggers for online data transmission and to make the experimentation process more effective by removing potential sources of experimenter errors. The raw acceleration data retrieved at the seat pan and the head were utilized to obtain daily exposure (A(8)), PSDs, and STHT along the x-, y-, and z-axes. The vibration energy was found to be dominant along the z-axis than the x- and y-axes. A(8) response among tractor drivers exceeds the exposure action value explicitly stated by Directive 2002/44/EU. PSDs along the x-, y-, and z-axes depicted the low-frequency vibration induced by rotary soil tillage operation. The STHT response exhibited a higher degree of transmissibility along the y- and z-axes when compared with that along the x-axis. The frequency range of 4-7 Hz may plausibly be associated with cognitive impairment in tractor drivers during rotary soil tillage.
ABSTRACT
Background: Post-Covid retropharyngeal mucormycosis is a rare presentation, and no case has been reported in literature until date. Case presentation: A-32-year-old female post Covid presented to our OPD with history of dysphagia and with a history of steroid intake. Radiology confirmed it as retropharyngeal abscess. Endoscopic-guided aspiration was done. HPE (histopathological examination) revealed classic broad aseptate hyphae of mucormycosis. Patient was managed conservatively with broad-spectrum antifungal. Conclusion(s): Retropharyngeal mucormycosis is a rare entity in Covid era. Rapid diagnosis and management are needed to save life of an individual, or results could be fatal.Copyright © 2022, The Author(s).
ABSTRACT
In this study, the analysis of the topic 'Adaptive 3D and VFX Films Virtual Learning' has been provided. As virtual learning and 3D technologies use are increasing, the interest in their learning in academic discussion is increasing daily. However, there are various drawbacks to the use of3D for learning environments. To solve this drawback, the use of adaptive learning environments is increasing more, such as an environment that can dynamically adapt to the learner and the activities that can be performed by that specific learner. As the new ways of learning have been increasing over the past years (in the times of the COVID-19 Pandemic) through the use of computers in the educational sector. The learning environment has been widely adopted by the educational sectors in the case of obtaining promising outcomes. In recent years, these environments have evolved into more advanced environments with the implication of3D technology. With the help of 3D, these adaptive environments are helping learners according to their preferences. © 2022 IEEE.
ABSTRACT
Industrial applications of drones have increased during the past few decades. Automation has been the major factor behind the increasing usage of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). At first, UAV applications were limited to military applications or other such applications requiring government permissions. Nevertheless, industrial applications of drone usage increased in different industries including health (for COVID or other such pandemics), institutions or universities, weather monitoring, and many more. On the other hand, the increased usage of drones has led to increasing malicious attacks on drones. Therefore, it is an alarming issue affecting information. Owing to such related concerns, in this chapter, the Blockchain-based security methods or privacy mechanisms are presented. The overall objective of this chapter is to discover the vulnerabilities in Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) and then to analyze various solutions to overcome the security problems using blockchain technology. © 2022 Nova Science Publishers, Inc. All rights reserved.
ABSTRACT
The unanticipated COVID-19 pandemic renewed interest in the success of various pedagogic practices across populations to determine the universality of their importance. This article contrasts the findings of research conducted among Kazakhstan business students, and recently reported in the Journal Eastern European and Central Asian Research, to a population of business students at Texas A&M University-Kingsville. Our empirical sample survey of 112 undergraduate students reveals a.) a greater satisfaction with online education, b.) the potential for a longer attention span, c.) agreement on techniques to improve pedagogy, and d.) better perceived online experiences versus Kazakhstani findings. This report shares additional actionable suggestions for lessening the instances of low online involvement, as well as suggestions for improving asynchronous online education, which is again found to be preferred to a synchronous modality. Insights provided by students from a different culture and hemisphere enhance understanding of student perceptions and ways to improve the online learning experience. © 2023, Institute of Eastern Europe and Central Asia. All rights reserved.
ABSTRACT
This work revolves around proper handling and monitoring of crowds at big events like concerts and public gatherings. To ensure appropriate management of the crowd at these events, a system is proposed and designed. The system consists of a series of modules namely a RFID based identification system for entry of only registered audience and a blood oxygen level and heart rate measurement unit which utilizes MAX30100 sensor to further check the health conditions. Along with these, an ultrasonic technology-based proximity monitoring unit (HC-SR04 module) is used to ensure the fulfilment of social distancing norms. This multi-module crowd management and monitoring system is tested in real-Time and the results are verified based on physical response as well as with the help of serial monitor values. The modules for this system are initially constructed on Fritzing, then implemented in real-life. The ThingSpeak platform and Arduino IDE are used to store the data and program the micro-controllers (Arduino and NodeMCU) respectively. © 2022 IEEE.
ABSTRACT
Introduction: COVID-19 pandemic has affected the KMC practices in our SNCU. Lack of clear guidelines and training about continuing KMC in COVID-19 times has further lead to decrease in KMC practices. Method(s): This is a prospective single centered quality improvement study conducted in the inborn unit of a tertiary care hospital. Intervention phase was done in August and September 2020. Preterm mother-infant dyads who were admitted in the inborn Level 2 Neonatal care unit with birth weight less than 2000 grams were enrolled in this study. A QI team comprising of resident doctors, nurses and supporting staff and a lactation counsellor was formed. The potential barriers for prolonged KMC were evaluated using fish bone analysis. A variety of measures were introduced and subsequently tested by seven plan-do-study-act (PDSA) cycles. Data on percentage of initiation of KMC was measured by bedside nurses on daily basis and the data was plotted on run chart every week during implementation phase. Result(s): 116 eligible mother-infant dyads were studied during implementation period (50 days). We achieved our goal by step-wise implementation of changes through multiple PDSA cycles. The percentage of initiation of KMC among eligible preterm infants has increased from baseline of 43.4% to 83.3% and duration of KMC from 1.5 mean hours to 4.5 hours over a period of eight weeks. Conclusion(s): Ongoing quality improvement measures increased the percentage of initiation and duration of KMC among eligible preterm infants without addition of extra man power.Copyright © 2022 by author(s). This is an Open Access article distributed under Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY NC ).
ABSTRACT
Since the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) pandemic, there have been several unusual presentations of mucormycosis in India, especially amongst immune-competent adults. COVID-19 infection has been found to have profound effects on the patient's immunity and some patients, though asymptomatic for COVID-19, can be infected by mucormycosis and develops dangerous complications. Skin involvement of the orbital, zygomatic and maxillary areas is a common occurrence in extensive cases of rhino-orbital mucormycosis, however, isolated involvement of the alar skin is an extremely rare occurrence in such patients. Paediatric cutaneous mucormycosis is by itself a rare entity, seen majorly in children with history of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantations, chemotherapeutic treatment, or patients with human immunodeficiency virus infections, herpes and other life-threatening viral infections. Patients receiving long-term steroid therapy are also predisposed to invasive fungal infections. This case was about a 10-year-old boy presented with a black crusted lesion over the nose to the otolaryngology outpatient department. The patient had history of contact with a COVID-19 positive individual. Examination revealed a necrotic patch over the palate and Non Contrast CT Scan of (NCCT) the paranasal sinuses showed pansinusitis. A KOH mount showed fungal elements and the patient underwent emergency debridement of nasal skin with endoscopic sinus and palatal debridement. Injectable liposomal Amphotericin-B was started. Over a period of one month, the patient showed significant clinical improvement. Though rare, sinonasal mucormycosis can present in the form of a cutaneous lesion which is an unconventional symptom. A general awareness amongst healthcare professionals, with a multidisciplinary approach, timely diagnosis and specialist intervention can improve outcomes in this sinister disease.Copyright © 2023 Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research. All rights reserved.
ABSTRACT
There is an urgent need to mineralize organic pollutants such as antibiotics and other toxic organic materials discharged by various pharmaceutical and chemical industries into freshwater. These organic pollutants affect the aquatic ecosystem and human health due to bioaccumulation in the food chains and food webs. Heterogeneous photocatalysis is an advanced oxidation-based green technique by which these pharmaceutics can be degraded in the wastewater by using nontoxic and eco-friendly catalysts in the presence of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) as a source of irradiation. The main aim of the chapter is to disseminate information regarding the degradation of antibiotics and other pharmaceutics by green, non-toxic, and effective catalysts via economically viable techniques. Antibiotics are oxidized by hydroxyl radicals and superoxides generated during the irradiation of light on the surface of the catalyst. In this chapter, the authors discuss the most commonly prescribed antibiotics in the COVID-19 pandemic and how these antibiotics become environmental contaminants. They have also proposed the mechanism of degradation of these antibiotics in the presence of LED irradiation to attain a green and sustainable environment. © 2023 Nova Science Publishers, Inc. All rights reserved.
ABSTRACT
Background: Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) is the main cellular receptor for the entry of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and acts as a pro-inflammatory mediator of Coronavirus disease (COVID-19). The clinical outcome of SARS-CoV-2 infection is influenced by the pro-inflammatory mediators. The specific microRNAs (miRNAs) influence the ACE2 expression and are accountable for the increased circulatory pro-inflammatory mediator levels. Thus, host factors play a crucial role in COVID-19 pathophysiology. The pathogenesis of COVID-19 disease is not well understood. Hence we comprehended the role of miRNAs, pro-inflammatory cytokines, and ACE2 genes in COVID-19 pathophysiology. Method(s): We utilized multiple databases, specifically EMBASE, PubMed (Medline), and Google Scholar, for our search. Discussion(s): SARS-CoV-2 genes could be the target of host miRNAs. The miRNAs regulate the expression of ACE2 in various organs, including the kidney, heart, blood vessels, and lung. ACE2 acts as a pro-inflammatory mediator of SARS-CoV-2 associated disease. Pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, IL-1beta, and TNF) have been associated with severe COVID-19 disease. Hence variation in expression of miRNAs would influence the regulation of COVID-19 pathophysiology. The clinical outcomes of COVID-19 are variable which could be linked with the difference in binding of host miRNA to the target genes. Conclusion(s): Correlation of these genes with severe or critical stages of patients will provide bio-markers for the severity of lung inflammation which would be useful in the rapid identification of patients in need of hospital admission. Analysis of the relationship between the miRNAs and ACE2 will be helpful in designing anti-miR therapy for ACE2-related SARS-CoV-2 infection.Copyright © 2021 Bentham Science Publishers.
ABSTRACT
The major risk factor for suicide is mostly an untreated and frequently undiagnosed mental disorder. Dr Anitha Gautam will be talking about hidden epidemiology of suicide in India during COVID -19 pandemic. In India, for the past 5 years the number of deaths due to suicide has increased from approximately 1.3 lakhs in 2017 to 1.65 in 2021 (Suicide rate increasing from 9.9 to 12 per 1,00,000 population). Hence, there is need for developing a cost effective module which can address individual specific psychological stressors which are prevailing in Indian context. These psychological aspects can be delivered by non-specialist trained person. Dr.Hemendra Singh will discuss about association of Non- Suicidal Self Injury (NSSI) and suicide attempts among psychiatric patients based on his research and also need of developing a brief suicide prevention module for suicide attempters. As history of past suicide attempt is an important risk factor for future suicide, it is high time that the various factors associated with suicide attempt are to be identified to prevent future suicide. Dr Manaswi Gutam discusses on various strategies for suicide prevention along with highlights on NSSI. Dr Swati C would be discussing her experience of delivering brief intervention module for suicide prevention at a tertiary care hospital. Key Words: Non -Suicidal Self Injury, Suicide attempts, Psychiatric patients, Suicide Prevention.
ABSTRACT
The way an organization operates has a pattern to it. A knowledge-based way of understanding these patterns and implementing according to them retains the competitive advantage of the organizations. Thus, identifying factors is important because, if successful, it results in shared intellectual capital. Changing the core of the pattern upon which the organization works creates several problems in retaining an organization's competitiveness. This research focuses on identifying the elements which have a significant influence on an organization's operations due to the remote working of employees during situations like the COVID-19 pandemic. Further, the relationships of factors among each other have been explored from the available research. Based on the study of various organizations it has been found that not much work has been done to identify such factors even though several organizations have suddenly opted for their workforce to work remotely due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This has resulted in lost productivity and opportunities, organizational dis-balances, and a slower rate of development. The generated model may help organizations to understand the weak notes of remote working and implement structural changes accordingly to improve the productivity in remote working and tackle the productivity and opportunity loss due to remote workforce. © 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.
ABSTRACT
To stop the spread of COVID-19 in this outbreak, diagnostic testing is essential. Quick diagnostic tests must be employed in this pandemic, which is brought on by the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)-CoV-2 virus, to successfully treat and manage COVID-19. There are several problems with the present RT-PCR system that the lateral flow assay (LFA), a kind of clinically sensitive diagnostic test, may be able to fix, especially in low-and middle-income nations. Gold nanoparticle-(AuNP-LFA) is a practical method for detecting COVID-19 in basic hospitals and laboratories, particularly in emergency situations where many samples must be quickly examined. Safe, accurate, and non-toxic diagnostic tests must be employed during the pandemic, to successfully treat and manage COVID-19. Recombinant SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid monoclonal antibody was employed to detect COVID-19 antigens in the presence of patients to establish a fast LFA for COVID-19. Synthesis of colloidal gold particles and antibody colloidal gold conjugates was evaluated by using UV/Vis spectroscopy. A capture line made of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibody was coated on nitrocellulose membrane. To create the control line, goat anti-mouse IgG monoclonal antibody was coated. On a polystyrene backing board, the immunochromatographic strip was constructed in the ideal order. Using ELISA as the standard procedure, the strips' sensitivity and specificity were assessed. The results' stability and repeatability were evaluated over a 9-month period. Colloidal gold nanoparticle-based LFAs created in this study can be employed for quicker and more accurate detection of SARS-CoV-2. © 2023 Singh, et al.
ABSTRACT
Background: Mental health problems significantly increased worldwide during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. At the early stage of the outbreak, the government of Madhya Pradesh imposed lockdown and quarantine approaches to prevent the spread of the virus, which impacted people's daily life and health. The COVID-19 pandemic has also affected people's economic status, healthcare facilities and other lifestyle factors in Madhya Pradesh. Aim(s): The aim of the study to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health among the population of Madhya Pradesh. Methods and Materials: An online cross-sectional survey was conducted among 500 individuals of central India, aged between 15 and 65 years from the duration of 15 April to 10 May 2020. After obtaining electronic consent, thesurvey was conducted assessing individual's sociodemographic profiles and psychometric measures. Result(s): The prevalence of loneliness, depression, anxiety and sleep disturbance was estimated at 71% (mild: 32%, moderate: 29%, severe: 10%), 38% (mild: 24%, moderate: 11%, severe: 3%), 64% (mild: 30%, moderate: 17%, severe: 17%) and 73% (mild: 50%, moderate: 18%, severe: 5%), respectively. Conclusion(s): A large portion of respondents reported mental health problems during the COVID-19 pandemic in Madhya Pradesh. The present study suggests longitudinal assessments of mental health among Madhya Pradesh people to determine the gravity of the problem during and after the pandemic. Appropriate supportive programmes and interventional approaches would address mental health problems in Madhya Pradesh during the COVID-19 pandemic. Copyright © 2022, Dr Yashwant Research Labs Pvt Ltd. All rights reserved.
ABSTRACT
To critically assess the performance of micro and small foodpreneurs during COVID-19 pandemic in Manipur state of India, an online survey was conducted during the year 2020. The survey data was subjected to non-parametric statistical analysis using PROC NPAR1WAY and Dwass, Steel, Critchlow-Ffigner multiple comparison analysis. The findings suggested that during COVID-19 pandemic, the micro and small foodpreneurs faced multifaceted challenges with respect to the number of employees, working hours, supply of raw material, selling mode, production, sale, turnover and the extent of loss, etc. The performance of different categories of foodpreneurs was compared based on the change in various performance indicators between pre-pandemic and pandemic period. The study also highlights the major problems faced by the foodpreneurs and remedial measures. This is the first report on the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on foodpreneurs from North East India.
ABSTRACT
Poisoning is one of the major medico legal problem for physicians. Present study is conducted to know the profile of poisoning cases. A four year (January 2017 to January 2021) retrospective study of acute poisoning cases is conducted from the patient's record to know the trends of poisoning. 60% cases were from males. The peak age group was 21 to 30 years. Rural residence has dominated. Most of victims consumed poison in their home, which came to hospital after one hour of consumption. Poisoning cases decreases in year 2019 and suddenly jump in year 2020 due to Covid pandemic. Most of cases occur on Tuesday in summers in the month of June. OPC (50.7%) is the common poisonous agent followed by Aluminum phosphide (34.7%). The least common poisons are corrosives and kerosene. Aluminum phosphide more frequently used in suicidal attempts. © 2022,Journal of Indian Academy of Forensic Medicine. All Rights Reserved.
ABSTRACT
COVID-19 has created a pandemic worldwide, paused the path of building the future, and is still ongoing without any long-term solution. The time taken in vaccine distribution is too slow compared to the spread of COVID-19. Hence, it is important to be aware and take precautions on time without delaying and waiting for long-duration after getting infected with the virus. Technology nowadays is more advanced than ever before. Almost everyone has access to at least one mobile device with internet connection. Therefore, we propose a Fog Server (FS) based system that helps create awareness about the spread of COVID-19 within the surroundings of an individual, utilizing the concept of Hidden Markov Model (HMM) and Bluetooth contact tracing in polynomial computational time complexity. Moreover, we evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed model through real-world data analysis on different simulation settings. © 2023 ACM.
ABSTRACT
The number of people affected by the ongoing coronavirus has fluctuated rapidly and it has become strenuous to predict when will this pandemic end. To impede the spread of this virus, it is the need of the hour to maintain a social distance, wear masks and sanitize regularly. No doubt, the mortality rate has escalated, summing to a large percentage of population and destroying lives and economies with it. In India, mortality has climbed to as high as 3.2% as per the Indian Express, with recovery rate summing to 81.55% according to Times of India. Therefore, it has become prudent to determine and predict the effect and drawbacks of various factors such as testing, mortality rate and confirmed cases on the recovery rate. Due to progression and evolution in the discipline of machine learning, it has become practicable to get a middling figure of effects of these factors on death rate. Regression, one of the most broadly exhausted machine learning and statistics algorithm, is used to make predictions from data by learning the relationship between the features. In this article, regression algorithms are used to anticipate the same by using a cumulative data of all states in India. Study compares the ramification of the number of testing done and their impact on the recuperation of life due to the virus. Therefore, based on the research and computing, it was found that ridge regression gave the highest accuracy equivalent to 99.6%. © 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.
ABSTRACT
The way an organization operates has a pattern to it. A knowledge-based way of understanding these patterns and implementing according to them retains the competitive advantage of the organizations. Thus, identifying factors is important because, if successful, it results in shared intellectual capital. Changing the core of the pattern upon which the organization works creates several problems in retaining an organization's competitiveness. This research focuses on identifying the elements which have a significant influence on an organization's operations due to the remote working of employees during situations like the COVID-19 pandemic. Further, the relationships of factors among each other have been explored from the available research. Based on the study of various organizations it has been found that not much work has been done to identify such factors even though several organizations have suddenly opted for their workforce to work remotely due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This has resulted in lost productivity and opportunities, organizational dis-balances, and a slower rate of development. The generated model may help organizations to understand the weak notes of remote working and implement structural changes accordingly to improve the productivity in remote working and tackle the productivity and opportunity loss due to remote workforce. © 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.