ABSTRACT
The urban parish, Corazón city, is located in the Pangua canton, Cotopaxi province, located in the foothills of the Andes Mountain range, where the water supply of drinking water is currently carried out by gravity with a storage tank to the population. This research analyzed the water supply during the period of confinement due to the Covid-19 pandemic. This was based on the change in use, behavior, and losses to the system. In order to population conditions, data from registered volumes were employed, distributed and consumed volumes registers were the variables used to develop the dynamic model, which has helped to estimate the charge in drinking water consumption due to the pandemic lockdown. Hence, the current consumption during the confinement period was determined, and the forecast considering the actual conditions. Finally, the dynamic model of water consumption was proposed;the results obtained showed that water consumption had not experienced any significant change during the social distancing period, and the maximum growth rate of 0.2755 will be reached in December 2020. A sharp change in water consumption tendency was probably not observed because the majority of Corazón city population have been working from home before and after the pandemic. To conclude, it is necessary to remark that thanks to the data provided, it was possible to model this behavior within mathematical formulas and the Vensim software, having results close to reality;Indeed, two critical scenarios have been considered on the supply system under analysis. © 2022. International Journal on Advanced Science, Engineering and Information Technology.All Rights Reserved
ABSTRACT
Introduction: AquaSafe is a mobile learning application that can be used as one of the modalities for teaching, training and risk assessment in aquaculture occupational health and safety (AOHS). The app has checklists, risk assessment tools and other relevant information on AOHS. Materials and Methods: Content information was based on global scientific literature, ILO, FAO, WHO and OHSAS 18001. An online survey is also available to identify which application tools are used and to assess the application’s effectiveness in promoting prevention of injury and illness in aquaculture workers. Results: Available for Android, its interfaces promote learning through a questionnaire;risk assessment checklists;and tools to identify the root cause of the AOHS problem. Users can find information on risks, personal protective equipment and educational videos on AOHS as well as COVID-19. Findings from the online survey revealed that most responders indicated that AquaSafe increased their knowledge of AOHS. Participants reported that risk tools, checklists and what-if are used more frequently than quizzes, videos and the “5-whys”. Conclusions: While AquaSafe is designed to support knowledge awareness, risk assessment and decision making in AOHS, it is not used widely enough. The low response rate to the survey and downloads suggest that AOHS is not a priority in low-middle income countries, such Brazil. AOHS awareness remains a challenge and requires differentiated approaches.
ABSTRACT
Introduction: Vaccine hesitancy is a major barrier to achieving herd immunity against COVID-19. This is especially apparent in patients with autoimmune diseases, such as multiple sclerosis (MS), who were largely excluded from seminal vaccine trials. Objectives/Aims: To assess COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy and early safety/tolerability in patients with MS and related disorders. Methods: Participants were recruited from multiple academic centers as part of the MS Resilience to COVID-19 (MSReCOV) Study Consortium. Statistical analysis was performed on responses to vaccine-specific questionnaires completed between February 24th and April 28th, 2021. Results: 1761 participants completed the vaccine questionnaire, including 1081(62%) with MS or another neuroinflammatory disease (NID), and 657(38%) controls. By survey completion, 1150(65%) participants had been vaccinated against SARS-CoV-2 with Pfizer(n=526, 54%), Moderna(n=415, 43%), Johnson & Johnson(n=22, 2%), AstraZeneca(n=2, 0.2%), or unknown(n=3, 0.3%). 82%(n=568) of MS/NID were on disease modifying therapy at the time of vaccination. Hesitancy rates were similar between MS/NID and controls(p=0.39), with 32% of unvaccinated participants(n=597, 34%) either unsure or not planning to be vaccinated. The most common reasons for hesitancy in patients with MS/NID pertained to vaccines being understudied in the autoimmune population(n=35, 54%), triggering a demyelinating event(n=30, 46%), or being too new(n=24, 37%). Of the MS/NID participants vaccinated with mRNA vaccines, 42%(n=240) and 45%(n=178) reported side effects(SE) after the first and second doses, respectively. Higher rates of SEs were noted in the MS/NID group after the second dose (67% vs. 45%;p<0.0001;RR 1.5, 95%CI:1.3 - 1.7). Most common SEs in the MS/NID groups were arm soreness(n=278, 85%), flu-like symptoms(n=139, 42%), and headache(n=23, 7%). Only 1 MS/ NID patient (vs. 3 controls) reported a neurologic SE other than headache, described as transient numbness. When comparing vaccinated and unvaccinated MS/NID patients, there was no difference in rates of recurrent neurologic symptoms(p=0.45), new neurologic symptoms(p=0.65) or new/ active lesions detected on MRI(p=0.35). Conclusions: Reasons for vaccine hesitancy in MS/NID population include lack of study in autoimmune population and fear of relapse. In this early analysis we found a higher rate of expected SEs after second mRNA dose but no evidence of worsening neurologic disease.
ABSTRACT
The pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has become a genuine public health problem. The largestproportion of cases appears to occur in elder subjects, which may be more likely to develop severe cases. Like- wise, older age has been positively correlated with the presence of comorbidities such as hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and cardiovascular disease, which in turn have been related to worse prognosis in patients with COVID-19. Upon this outlook, polypharmacy represents an added risk factor. In these patients, some of the most used drugs include the modulators of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS), such as the angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEi) and angiotensin II receptor antagonists (ARA). These modulators generate special attention in patients with COVID-19, as angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) can act as an entry point for SARS-CoV-2 into human cells. Interference of the RAAS with ACEi or ARA has been proposed to possibly modify the susceptibility to infection by coronavirus. Nevertheless, in the clinical setting, opposing opinions contrasts the risks of maintaining or discontinuing antihypertensive treatment with these drugs. The objective of this review is to evaluate the molecular mechanisms regulating ACE2 and its relationship with COVID-19, and revise the current recommendations regarding the use of ACEi and ARA in patients with this disease. Keywords: COVID-19, coronavirus, hypertension, renin- angiotensin-aldosterone, angiotensin-converting enzyme 2.