Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Energy Consumption in Office Buildings: A Case Study of an Australian University Campus

Building energy management, in terms of both adopted technologies and occupant consumption behaviour, is becoming an essential element of sustainability and climate change mitigation programs. The global COVID-19 pandemic and the consequential lockdowns and remote working had a notable impact on office building operations and provided a unique opportunity for building energy consumption studies. This paper investigates the COVID-19 effects on energy consumption in office buildings, particularly in the education sector. We studied different buildings at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) campus before and during the pandemic period. The results demonstrate that the changes in energy consumption due to COVID-19 in different UTS faculties are not as strongly correlated with occupant activity. The comparison shows that buildings with administrative offices or classrooms are easier to switch to a remote-working mode than those housing laboratories and special equipment. During weekends, public holidays, or conditions requiring working from home, the per capita energy consumption increases significantly translating into lower energy efficiency. Our findings highlight the essential need for some changes in office building energy management systems. We provide recommendations for office and commercial buildings in general to deal with similar crises and to reduce energy overconsumption in normal situations. © 2023 by the authors.

Skin Manifestations as Early Presenting Symptom of COVID-19 in Acute Myeloid Leukemia

Coronavirus infection in 2019 (COVID-19) is an acute respiratory infection caused by a coronavirus, and it has been associated with various organ involvement. However, there are few examples of COVID -19's unusual appearance in newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukaemia (AML). Through two case reports and a literature review, this report aims to provide an overview of cutaneous characteristics in COVID-19 individuals. In this study, we present two patients with AML who developed a diffuse maculopapular rash as an early indication of COVID-19. Our patients exhibited lung involvement and chest imaging characteristics consistent with COVID-19, as well as similar cutaneous manifestations. However, the COVID-19 RT-PCR became positive only in the first case at once. The various symptoms of COVID-19 are thought to be the result of an overwhelming immune response to coronavirus, which produces acute inflammation and tissue damage such as vasculitis and other skin lesions. Given the strategic importance of early COVID-19 diagnosis, particularly for malignant disorders, it is crucial to address the possibility of COVID-19 presenting with dermatologic manifestations.

Successful Recovery of a Child with COVID-19-Induced Secondary Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has imposed a significant burden worldwide, manifesting as a severe disease and causing mortality even in children. Severe COVID-19 disease is characterized by cytokine storm with progression to secondary hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (sHLH). We describe an 18-month-old boy in Iran, previously healthy, diagnosed with COVID-19-induced sHLH. Three weeks after close contact with COVID-19 confirmed cases, he was admitted with high fever, lethargy, mild respiratory distress, skin rash, and conjunctivitis with swollen eyelids and lips. Laboratory data revealed elevated levels of erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C-reactive protein (CRP) and liver enzymes, and mild thrombocytopenia. His clinical condition rapidly deteriorated, with septic shock, hepatosplenomegaly, and respiratory failure. Laboratory tests showed cytopenia, coagulopathy, hy-perferritinemia, and hypertriglyceridemia, which met the criteria for sHLH diagnosis. Chest computed tomography (CT) revealed bilateral infiltrations that suggested acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) of COVID-19 that was confirmed by a positive real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test. Therefore, the child was treated with intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG), glucocorti-coid, hydroxychloroquine, lopinavir/ritonavir, and interferonβ-1a. This therapeutic strategy enabled complete recovery from fever, regaining consciousness, weaning from respiratory support, and resolving shock. Serial chest radiographs showed diminishing infiltrations. Sequential physical examinations revealed an overall significant reduction in spleen and liver span. Laboratory data showed rapid improvement from cytopenia and coagulopathy, normalization of liver enzyme levels, and reduction in hyperinflam-mation markers. Although ARDS is the most common cause of death from COVID-19, other complications such as sHLH may be lethal;thus, early diagnosis and appropriate treatment are necessary for saving patients’ lives.