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In this study, a method was proposed to predict the infection probability distribution rather than the room-averaged value. The infection probability by airborne transmission was predicted based on the CO2 concentration. The infection probability by droplet transmission was predicted based on occupant position information. Applying the proposed method to an actual office confirmed that it could be used for quantitatively predicting the infection probability by integrating the ventilation efficiency and distance between occupants. The infection probability by airborne transmission was relatively high in a zone where the amount of outdoor air supply was relatively small. The infection probability by droplet transmission varied with the position of the occupants. The ability of the proposed method to analyze the relative effectiveness of countermeasures for airborne transmission and droplet transmission was verified in this study. © 2022 17th International Conference on Indoor Air Quality and Climate, INDOOR AIR 2022. All rights reserved.
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In recent years, telework has enormously increased because of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, some people believe that teleworkers can concentrate the same as in-person office work, while others do not. Previous studies showed that the work environment necessary for concentration tends to differ depending on the worker's individual attributes. The goal of this study is to propose an Ambient Intelligence (AMI) telework system suited for each individual to enhance concentration. In this paper, we used two videos with different levels of diligence on a task to investigate what kind of environment makes it easier to concentrate, depending on the degree of neuroticism. Concentration was estimated using the auditory steady-state response (ASSR), which is an oscillatory brain signal elicited by repetitive auditory stimulation and used as a hearing test for infants and children. The changes in the power spectral density of the ASSR with concentration were increased by comparing EEG at rest and during concentration. The effect of the two types of videos on concentration was investigated by evaluating the relationship between neuroticism scores and the power spectral density of the ASSR. The results showed that there was a significant difference in concentration influenced by the two types of videos between the high and low neuroticism score groups. In addition, a negative correlation was found between the neuroticism score and the concentration influenced by the two types of videos. We found that people with lower neuroticism tended to easy to concentrate on their work after seeing someone working hard whereas people with higher neuroticism tended to easy to concentrate on their work after seeing someone working lazily. The experimental results suggest the possibility of constructing an AMI system suited to each individual that enhances concentration. © 2023 IEEE.
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Objectives: The study aims to determine the association between electrocardiographic abnormalities and in-hospital mortality of patients with Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection admitted in a tertiary hospital in the Philippines. Material(s) and Method(s): We conducted a retrospective study of confirmed COVID-19-infected patients. Demographic, clinical characteristics, and clinical outcomes were extracted from the medical records. Electrocardiographic analysis was derived from the 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) recorded upon admission. The frequencies and distributions of various clinical characteristics were described, and the ECG abnormalities associated with in-hospital mortality were investigated. Result(s): A total of 163 patients were included in the study, most were female (52.7%) with a median age of 55 years old. Sinus rhythm (40%), nonspecific ST and T wave changes (35%), and sinus tachycardia (22%) were the frequently reported ECG findings. The presence of any ECG abnormality was detected in 78.5% of patients and it was significantly associated with in-hospital mortality (p = 0.038). The analysis revealed a statistically significant association between in-hospital mortality and having atrial fibrillation or flutter (p = 0.002), supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) (p = 0.011), ventricular tachycardia (p = 0.011), third-degree atrioventricular block (AVB) (p = 0.011), T wave inversion (p = 0.005) and right ventricular hypertrophy (RVH) (p = 0.011). Conclusion(s): The presence of any ECG abnormality in patients with COVID-19 infection was associated with in-hospital mortality. ECG abnormalities that were associated with mortality were atrial fibrillation or flutter, SVT, ventricular tachycardia, third-degree AVB, T wave inversion, and RVH. Supporting Documents Association of electrocardiographic abnormalities with in-hospital mortality in adult patients with COVID-19 infection TARRANZA, Jannah Lee [1];RAMIREZ, Marcellus Francis [1,2];YAMAMOTO, Milagros [1] 1 Section of Adult Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Santo Tomas Hospital, Manila, Philippines 2 Division of Electrophysiology, Section of Adult Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Santo Tomas Hospital, Manila, Philippines.
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Introduction: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic brought not only physical and mental health problems but also negative impacts on social, economic and educational activities. Trainees, including medical students, residents, and clinical fellows had fewer opportunities to see and discuss patients with supervisors in person. In contrast, recent advances in technology have made it possible to review cases with overseas experts through online conferences. We launched a biannual inter-facility endocrine case review meeting in a video conference format during the pandemic of COVID-19. Here we present the format of our inter-facility online case conference and its impact on trainees. Methods: The conference was organized by clinical faculty members from Japan, USA and Canada. For each conference, each facility prepared one to two cases in English. Four to five cases were presented and discussed with participants and guest commentators. After completion of the 4th conference, an anonymous multiple-choice online survey was administered to all attendees, and data was collected and analyzed by the committee members. Differences in responses before and after attendance were analyzed by paired t-test. Results: Four conferences were held between July/31/2020, and Dec/10/2021 (CST). The facilities participating was as follows: University of Minnesota, Hokkaido Univ., University of Alberta, and Kobe Univ. Participants included medical students, residents, endocrine fellows, and faculty. Presenters were medical students (n=1), endocrine fellows (n=15), and neurosurgery faculty (n=1). Presented topics included the following: 11 cases with pituitary disorders, 3 cases with neuroendocrine tumors, 2 cases with adrenal disorders and 1 case of thyroid disorder. Sixty-two percent of the attendees stated that 3-4 facilities are an ideal size of the collaborations in inter-facility case conference, and 82% of the attendees felt twice a year is an appropriate frequency of the conference. Ninety-seven percent of the participants indicated their willingness to continue to attend. The survey results also revealed that the conference has a positive impact on trainees’ clinical practice and career development. Furthermore, the confidence in presenting skills in English significantly increased after the conference (p<0. 01). Conclusion: Under the COVID-19 pandemic, we launched a new format of inter-institutional case review meeting using a video conferencing system that transcends national boundaries. This represents a new educational method for trainees. A small-scale (3-4 facilities) international collaboration in a video format may provide opportunities for learning rare endocrine cases, cultural diversity of endocrine care, enhanced active learning for trainees, and the opportunity for international presentation. This may lead to the development of a novel educational system in the future.Presentation: No date and time listed
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Background: Since the campaign of vaccination against COVID-19 was started, a wide variety of cutaneous adverse effects after vaccination has been documented worldwide. Varicella zoster virus (VZV) reactivation was reportedly the most frequent cutaneous reaction in men after administration of mRNA COVID-19 vaccines, especially BNT162b2. Aims: A patient, who had persistent skin lesions after BNT162b2 vaccination for such a long duration over 3 months, was investigated for VZV virus and any involvement of vaccine-derived spike protein. Materials & Methods: Immunohistochemistry for detection of VZV virus and the spike protein encoded by mRNA COVID-19 vaccine. PCR analysis for VZV virus. Results: The diagnosis of VZV infection was made for these lesions using PCR analyses and immunohistochemistry. Strikingly, the vaccine-encoded spike protein of the COVID-19 virus was expressed in the vesicular keratinocytes and endothelial cells in the dermis. Discussion: mRNA COVID-19 vaccination might induce persistent VZV reactivation through perturbing the immune system, although it remained elusive whether the expressed spike protein played a pathogenic role. Conclusion: We presented a case of persistent VZV infection following mRNA COVID-19 vaccination and the presence of spike protein in the affected skin. Further vigilance of the vaccine side effect and investigation for the role of SP is warranted.
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In 2020, a new coronavirus pandemic led to the rapid introduction of online lessons in higher education in Japan. Online lessons have the characteristic that it is easier to ensure physical accessibility and information accessibility in comparison with face-to-face lessons. However, prior to the pandemic, making face-to-face lessons available online had major barrier. We hoped that more online lessons would qualitatively improve the educational accessibility of students with disabilities, but the rapid changes created new problems. In this study, we discuss the cases of Hiroshima University, and sort out the impact of the rapid replacement of face-to-face classes with online classes on support for students with disabilities. We discuss the challenges and possibilities of online assistance in reasonable accommodation for students with disabilities. © 2021 IEEE.
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Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by the new coronavirus, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) emerged in early December 2019, in Wuhan city, the capital city of Hubei Province. This virus spread easily and rapidly worldwide. A lot of serology testing for COVID-19 are now available, and very powerful tools to understand the immune response to SARS-CoV-2, vaccine efficacy, hard immunity among communities, and so on. However, there remains several uncertainties about serology testing, compared to the direct virus detection test, such as reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and antigen test. In this chapter, we introduce the current understanding of serological testing for COVID-19 to clarify how to use and select during the COVID-19 pandemic. © 2022, RIETI.
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Background: The adoption of telemedicine in providing patient-centric care has been limited due to concerns related to upfront cost and the uncertain reimbursement models. Telehealth modalities, which encompass broader services, quickly became a central focus of how we delivered care in cancer centers across the nation during the COVID-19 (C19) pandemic. Our aim is to describe five University of California (UC) Cancer Centers' experience with telehealth during the pandemic. Methods: Between March and June 2020, UC Cancer Centers developed or increased the use of telehealth modalities to continue to provide care to our oncology patients during the pandemic. Digital platforms were used to screen for symptoms and exposures related to C19, as well as for symptoms of distress. In addition, providers performed remote visits via video and telephone visits. Each of our centers monitored visit volumes as well as patient satisfaction scores during the pandemic. Results: Our Cancer Centers, each with various levels of pre-pandemic (Jan-Feb) use of telehealth, saw an increase in the volume of patients who were seen via remote visits including video and telephone visits during the pandemic (Mar-Apr). UC Davis, UC Los Angeles and UC San Francisco had implemented telemedicine prior to the pandemic, but the rates of use were 1%, 0.4% and 7%, respectively. In contrast, UC Irvine and UC San Diego did not offer remote visits prior to the pandemic. Despite these differences, during the pandemic, telemedicine rates increased to 50-70% of visits in the cancer centers. In addition, patient satisfaction scores were comparable to in-clinic visits. The use of digital platforms allowed 80% of patients to be screened for risk of C19 prior to their in-clinic visits. Conclusions: While differing levels of implementation was in place for telehealth services in our cancer centers prior to the pandemic, each cancer center was able to continue to see patients via remote visits. In addition, telehealth technology automated activities that would have been performed manually pre-pandemic. The increased use of telemedicine visits with high patient satisfaction scores is an indication that some patients can continue to receive their care via telehealth beyond the pandemic.
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[Purpose] To examine the health-related quality of life of community-dwelling elderly by age group in the early stage of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. [Participants and Methods] The subjects were 201 older adults who had attended a university open lecture at least once in the past. Responses to a questionnaire, sent to the participants on April 1st, 2020, were compared with those collected after the most recent open lecture. The questionnaire items included age, outing frequency, and the Short Form-36 item health survey ver.2 (SF-36). [Results] For those in their 60s and 70s, the scores for “Physical functioning”, “Social functioning” and “Mental health” were significantly lower after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic than before. For those in their 80s, there was no significant difference between the SF-36 scores recorded before and after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. [Conclusion] Care for older adults in an emergency situation should be tailored according to age group. © 2020, Society of Physical Therapy Science (Rigaku Ryoho Kagakugakkai). All rights reserved.
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We have been facing the COVID-19 pandemic that has imposed significant stress on hospitals and health care providers since the end of 2019, when the SARS-CoV-2 was identified in Wuhan, China. According to the guidelines of the Japanese Society of Gastroenterological Endoscopy released in March 2020, we have taken measures such as postponing non-urgent endoscopies, preparing a vinyl sheet at the reception desk to protect both the patients and receptionists, and stratifying the patient's risk of being infected with COVID-19 before the procedure. In addition, we found that there is a shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE). In this paper, we introduce the current situation at our endoscopy unit and efforts including making an alternative longsleeve plastic gown to deal with the shortage of PPE.