Porous carbon tubes from recycling waste COVID-19 masks for optimization of 8 mol% Y2O3-doped tetragonal zirconia polycrystalline nanopowder.

Disposable polypropylene medical masks are widely used to protect people from injury caused by COVID-19 worldwide. However, disposable medical masks are non-biodegradable materials, and the accumulation of waste masks can pollute the environment and waste resources without a reasonable recycling method. The aims of this study are to transform waste masks into carbon materials and to use them as a dispersant in preparing high-quality 8 mol% Y2O3-doped tetragonal zirconia nanopowders. The waste masks were carbonized to get a carbon source in the first step, then KOH was used to etch the carbon source creating a micropores structure in the carbon material after the carbon-bed heat treatment method. The resulting carbon material is a porous tube structure with a high specific surface area (1220.34 m2/g) and adsorption capacity. The as-obtained porous carbon tubes were applied as a dispersant to produce 8 mol% Y2O3-doped tetragonal zirconia nanopowders, and the resulting nanopowders owned well-dispersed and had the smallest particle size than that prepared by activated carbon as a dispersant. Besides, the sintered 8 mol% Y2O3-doped tetragonal zirconia ceramic possessed high density, which resulted in higher ionic conductivity. These findings suggest that waste face masks can be recycled to prepare high-added-value carbon materials and provide a green and low-cost method to reuse polypropylene waste materials.

Towards Efficient Masked-Face Alignment Via Cascaded Regression

Practical and efficient face alignment has been highly required and widely focused in recent years, especially under the trend of edge computation and real-Time operation. And it is a critical need to deal with masked faces in the context of COVID-19 epidemic. In this paper, we propose a novel cascaded facial landmark detector towards efficient masked face alignment, which we call QCN (Quantized Cascaded Network). QCN consists of three stages: Alignment, estimation and refinement. The alignment stage help to pre-Align the faces to alleviate extreme poses. And the next two stages localize facial landmarks in a coarse-To-fine manner. Thanks to the Network Architecture Search and Quantization techniques, the networks of QCN are designed as efficient as possible. Specifically, QCN occupies 1.75 Mb storage and runs in 84.18 MFLOPs only. Despite costs little computations, the proposed method yields 62.62% AUC (@0.08) on test set of JD-landmark-mask, which achieves 2nd place in the Grand Challenge of 106-point Facial Landmark Localization in ICME2021. © 2021 IEEE.

Anxiety During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Web-Based Survey of Thyroid Cancer Survivors.

OBJECTIVE: Cancer patients and survivors may be disproportionately affected by COVID-19. We sought to determine the effects of the pandemic on thyroid cancer survivors' health care interactions and quality of life. METHODS: An anonymous survey including questions about COVID-19 and the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System profile (PROMIS-29, version 2.0) was hosted on the Thyroid Cancer Survivors' Association, Inc website. PROMIS scores were compared to previously published data. Factors associated with greater anxiety were evaluated with univariable and multivariable logistic regression. RESULTS: From May 6, 2020, to October 8, 2020, 413 participants consented to take the survey; 378 (92%) met the inclusion criteria: diagnosed with thyroid cancer or noninvasive follicular neoplasm with papillary-like nuclear features, located within the United States, and completed all sections of the survey. The mean age was 53 years, 89% were women, and 74% had papillary thyroid cancer. Most respondents agreed/strongly agreed (83%) that their lives were very different during the COVID-19 pandemic, as were their interactions with doctors (79%). A minority (43%) were satisfied with the information from their doctor regarding COVID-19 changes. Compared to pre-COVID-19, PROMIS scores were higher for anxiety (57.8 vs 56.5; P < .05) and lower for the ability to participate in social activities (46.2 vs 48.1; P < .01), fatigue (55.8 vs 57.9; P < .01), and sleep disturbance (54.7 vs 56.1; P < .01). After adjusting for confounders, higher anxiety was associated with younger age (P < .01) and change in treatment plan (P = .04). CONCLUSION: During the COVID-19 pandemic, thyroid cancer survivors reported increased anxiety compared to a pre-COVID cohort. To deliver comprehensive care, providers must better understand patient concerns and improve communication about potential changes to treatment plans.

Perspectives on the Barriers to and Needs of Teachers’ Professional Development in the Philippines during COVID-19

Due to COVID-19, remote or distance education has become the norm in the Philippines. Yet even in its second year, remote teaching and learning still face ongoing challenges, as does the need for teachers’ professional development. This paper describes a study that examined teachers’ perspectives on barriers and needs in professional development. The study involved 174 teachers who were teaching online courses in the National Capital Region. The participants completed a survey detailing their professional development frequency, perspectives, barriers, and needs, while eight teachers agreed to participate in a follow-up interview. Results from hierarchical multiple regression analysis have shown that teachers’ pedagogical and information technology skills requirements are influenced primarily by their prior professional development experiences and their need to apply active learning and innovative teaching ideas. Qualitative analyses indicate that teachers’ professional development needs are mostly focused on skills related to online teaching, information technology literacy, and conducting research. In addition, data indicated that barriers to professional development were primarily caused by financial and time constraints and a lack of teacher motivation and logistical support. In summary, for remote education to be sustainable, teachers need ongoing professional development as well as adequate logistical support. © 2022 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.

Acute postpartum care utilization after expedited postpartum discharge

Objective: During the COVID-19 pandemic, many hospitals provided expedited postpartum discharge (EPD) for patients wishing to leave the hospital soon after birth. This study was performed to assess whether acute postpartum care utilization increased after EPD during COVID-19. Study Design: Birth hospitalization data from a single teaching hospital from two 6-week periods (3/22-4/30/19 and 3/22-4/30/20) were used for this retrospective cohort study. EPD, defined as discharge on postpartum day 1 or 2 following vaginal or cesarean birth, respectively, was the primary exposure. The primary outcome was acute postpartum care utilization defined as emergency or obstetrical triage unit visits within 6 weeks of delivery. Secondary outcomes included 6-week postpartum readmission. We fit logistic regression models to assess the risk for the primary and secondary outcomes. Categorical comparisons were made with the chi square test. Results: Of 1,358 deliveries in the study, 5.0% of deliveries in 2019 (n=36) compared to 60.3% of deliveries in 2020 (n=388) underwent EPD (p< 0.01). Rates of acute postpartum care utilization were 8.8% and 5.6% for 2019 and 2020, respectively (Figure 1). In 2020, patients with hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP), chorioamnionitis/endometritis, or a positive COVID test were less likely to be discharged early (Table 1). There were no significant differences in rates of acute postpartum care utilization (OR 0.9, 95% CI 0.5, 1.8) or readmissions (OR 1.3, 95% CI 0.5, 3.6) between patients with EPD as compared to routine discharge. Among patients with HDP, readmission risk was significantly higher among those who had early discharge as compared to routine discharge (OR 6.1, 95% CI 2.1, 17.3). Conclusion: Rates of EPD were significantly higher in 2020 compared to 2019 with no impact on acute postpartum care utilization or readmission rates. Among patients with hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, expedited discharge was associated with higher risk of readmission. EPD discharge does not appear to be associated with increased acute postpartum care utilization among low-risk patients. [Formula presented] [Formula presented]

Land revolution and local governance: socialist transformation in China

Since the Land Revolution of 1949, China has continuously practiced collective ownership of land resources and local governance at the village and township levels. This chapter argues that based on Chinese experiences, a socialist transformation is largely dependent on socialization of land resources, with the majority having access to land, food, and shelter, as well as on community organization of livelihood. This is not only the legacy of land revolution but also the foundation of Chinese society, which acts as social stabilizer. China in the past 70 years has completed primitive capital accumulation and proceeded to industrial expansion and financial adjustments. Rural China has played an important role in absorbing the shocks of cyclical economic crises induced by external and domestic factors. China adopts policies of land distribution in favor of the small peasantry and promises to defend the agrarian sector comprising three irreducible dimensions: Peasants, rural society, and agriculture, together known as Sannong, as well as the current policy of rural vitalization against the background of macroeconomic crises, particularly amid the current economic downturn and health crises, that is, United States-China trade war, the crisis of globalization, New Cold War, and the COVID-19 pandemic. The experiences of Zhoujiazhuang Commune and Puhan Rural Community will be provided as examples to show that the bedrock of maintaining socialist transformation is the resilience of small peasantry and rural communities. © 2021 by Emerald Publishing Limited.

Perspectives on virtual interviews-A follow-up study of the Comprehensive Endocrine Surgery Fellowship interview process.

BACKGROUND: The American Association of Endocrine Surgeons Comprehensive Endocrine Surgery Fellowship interview stakeholders previously favored in-person interviews, despite time and expense. This study assessed perception changes given mandated virtual interviews because of coronavirus disease 2019. METHODS: Immediately after the 2020 Match, anonymous surveys were distributed to applicants (n = 37) and program directors (n = 22). Mixed-methods analyses were used to evaluate responses. Results were compared to data from a prior study of the 2013 to 2018 in-person interview process. RESULTS: Response rates were 82% (program directors) and 60% (applicants). Compared with prior applicants, 2020 applicants attended similar numbers of interviews (1-10, 32% vs 37%; P = .61), used fewer vacation days (23% vs 56%; P = .01), and most reported 0 expenses. Burdens included lack of protected time for interviews. The virtual format did not compromise applicant ability to meet faculty (mean rank = 6.8/10) or make favorable impressions (mean rank = 6.8/10). Program directors reported equivalent or improved assessments of applicants. Program directors (72%) and applicants (77%) indicated that future interviews should be partially or completely virtual. CONCLUSION: In contrast to prior survey data, applicants and program directors now express interest in virtual or hybrid interview processes. Virtual interviews were less costly, less time-consuming, and met goals effectively. Integrating virtual interview components will require innovative strategies to reduce redundancies and promote equitable access.

Anxiety and Fear During the Covid-19 Pandemic: A Web-Based Survey of Thyroid Cancer Survivors

Background: The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has led to rapid changes in our society and healthcare system. Cancer patients and survivors may be disproportionately affected by these changes, including decreased access to healthcare, increased infection risk, and economic challenges. We sought to determine the effects of the pandemic on thyroid cancer survivors’ quality of life. Methods: An anonymous web-based survey was administered in collaboration with ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Association, consisting of questions about (1) demographics, (2) thyroid cancer clinical characteristics, (3) attitudes toward and impact of COVID-19, and (4) the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) 29-item profile. The survey was linked on the ThyCa homepage. PROMIS measures were scored using item response theory models with a T-score metric relative to U.S. reference data via the HealthMeasures Scoring Service (https://www.healthmeasures.net). T-scores were analyzed using Mann-Whitney U, Wilcoxon signed-rank, Kruskal-Wallis, and Spearman’s rank correlation tests. Results: From 5/6/2020 - 10/8/2020, 505 participants accessed the survey, and all completed surveys by U.S.-based thyroid cancer survivors were analyzed (n=378, 75%). Mean age was 53 years, 89% were female, 90% were white, 74% had papillary thyroid cancer, 97% had surgery, and 70% received radioactive iodine. The vast majority agreed or strongly agreed (83%) that their lives were very different during COVID-19, as was the way they interacted with their doctors (79%). Less than half (43%) agreed or strongly agreed that they were satisfied with the amount of information from their doctor’s office regarding COVID-19 changes. Compared to previously-published PROMIS data for this population, T-scores were significantly higher in the domain of anxiety/fear (57.8 vs. 56.5, p&lt;0.01) and lower for ability to participate in social roles and activities (46.2 vs. 48.1, p&lt;0.01). Younger age was weakly correlated with greater anxiety/fear (Spearman’s rho=-0.38, p&lt;0.01), and greater anxiety/fear was associated with pending treatment (p&lt;0.01), lower cancer stage (p=0.01), and female sex (p=0.02). Conclusions: During the COVID-19 pandemic, thyroid cancer survivors reported increased anxiety/fear and decreased social participation. In our efforts to care for patients both physically and mentally as the pandemic continues, we must better understand their fears and concerns and improve communication about potential changes to their care.