Detection of Real Time Face Mask using Convolutional Neural Network

In recent years, the global pandemic like COVID - 19 has changed the lifestyle of people. Wearing face mask is must in order to stay safe and healthy. This paper presents a real-time face mask detector which identifies whether a human is wearing a mask or not. Moreover, this system can also recognize the person wearing a face mask inappropriately or wear other things except a face mask. The proposed algorithm for face mask detection in this system utilizes Haar cascade classifier to detect the face and Convolutional Neural Networks to detect the mask. The whole system has been demonstrated in a practical application for checking people wearing face mask. © 2023 IEEE.

Telehealth for Preoperative Evaluation of Patients With Breast Cancer During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Introduction The COVID-19 pandemic drove rapid, widespread adoption of telehealth (TH). We evaluated surgical telehealth utilization and outcomes for newly diagnosed breast cancer patients during the initial pandemic period. Methods We identified patients with breast cancer diagnosed March 17, 2020 through May 17, 2020 who underwent surgery as the initial treatment. Clinicodemographic characteristics were collected. Initial consultation types (office, telephone, or video) were categorized. Outcomes included time to consultation, surgeon touchpoints, time to surgery, surgery types, and reexcision rates. Continuous variables were compared using Mann-Whitney tests or t-tests, and categorical variables were compared using χ2 or Fisher's exact tests. Results Of 158 patients, 56% had initial telehealth consultations (21% telephone, 35% video) and 42% did not have a preoperative physical examination. Age, race/ethnicity, and stage distributions were similar between initial visit types. Median time to consultation was lower in the initial telehealth group than the office group (6 days vs 9 days, p = 0.01). Other outcomes (surgeon touchpoints, time to surgery, surgery type, reconstruction) were similar between visit types. We observed higher reexcision rates in patients with initial telehealth visits (20% telehealth vs 4% office, p = 0.01), but evaluation was limited by small numbers. The reexcision rate was 13% for patients with telehealth visits and no preoperative physical exam. Discussion During the initial pandemic period, the majority of new breast cancer patients had an initial telehealth surgical consultation. Office and telehealth consultation visits had comparable numbers of postconsultation surgeon touchpoints and most outcomes. Our findings suggest that telehealth consultations may be feasible for preoperative breast cancer consultations.

A review on ethnomedicinal and phytopharmacological potential of traditionally wild and endemic plant Berberis tinctoria Lesch

Introduction: Berberis tinctoria an evergreen shrub, endemic and predominantly found at a higher altitude of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, India. This leaf and fruit are edible, which are also used in homeopathic remedies for countless illnesses. Objectives: B. tinctoria with diverse ethnomedicinal uses was focused in the prevailing study to detailed the phytochemical and pharmacological properties for further imminent research in this species. Materials and methods: Published data in this review were all gathered from the online bibliographical databases: PubMed, Elsevier, Scopus, Google Scholar, Web of Science, and local ethnic community peoples of Kurumba and Toda. Results: B. tinctoria was used as a Ayurvedic and homeopathy medicine by the tribal communities. The previous findings of B. tinctoria were used for skin diseases, wound healing, inflammatory, menorrhagia, diarrhea, jaundice, and a snakebites. The phytochemical studies revealed that secondary metabolites, antioxidants, and antimicrobial activity as a result of major alkaloid isoforms of berberine, berbamine, jatrorrhizine, etc. Conclusion: B. tinctoria is an important plant due to the presence of bioactive phytochemicals, especially berberine protoberberine group of benzylisoquinoline. As a result of its diverse ethnopharmacological importance, as well as numerous commercial products and novel bioactive compounds yet to be discovered for future drug discovery and development.

Care in the time of COVID-19: impact on the diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer in a large, integrated health care system.

PURPOSES: To delineate operational changes in Kaiser Permanente Northern California breast care and evaluate the impact of these changes during the initial COVID-19 Shelter-in-Place period (SiP, 3/17/20-5/17/20). METHODS: By extracting data from institutional databases and reviewing electronic medical charts, we compared clinical and treatment characteristics of breast cancer patients diagnosed 3/17/20-5/17/20 to those diagnosed 3/17/19-5/17/2019. Outcomes included time from biopsy to consultation and treatment. Comparisons were made using Chi-square or Wilcoxon rank-sum tests. RESULTS: Fewer new breast cancers were diagnosed in 2020 during the SiP period than during a similar period in 2019 (n = 247 vs n = 703). A higher percentage presented with symptomatic disease in 2020 than 2019 (78% vs 37%, p < 0.001). Higher percentages of 2020 patients presented with grade 3 (37% vs 25%, p = 0.004) and triple-negative tumors (16% vs 10%, p = 0.04). A smaller percentage underwent surgery first in 2020 (71% vs 83%, p < 0.001) and a larger percentage had neoadjuvant chemotherapy (16% vs 11%, p < 0.001). Telehealth utilization increased from 0.8% in 2019 to 70.0% in 2020. Times to surgery and neoadjuvant chemotherapy were shorter in 2020 than 2019 (19 vs 26 days, p < 0.001, and 23 vs 28 days, p = 0.03, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: During SiP, fewer breast cancers were diagnosed than during a similar period in 2019, and a higher proportion presented with symptomatic disease. Early-stage breast cancer diagnoses decreased, while metastatic cancer diagnoses remained similar. Telehealth increased significantly, and times to treatment were shorter in 2020 than 2019. Our system continued to provide timely breast cancer treatment despite significant pandemic-driven disruption.