ABSTRACT
Towards the end of 2019, a novel contagious virus (COVID-19) came out of Wuhan, China and turned into a disastrous pandemic. Many countries were locked down;completely or partially. The ongoing pandemic not only affected our economies and routine life, but also the environment. This study was aimed to compare the air quality of the Indian subcontinent prior to and during the COVID-19 pandemic. In this regard, air quality parameters (ozone, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, PM2.5 and PM10) and meteorological parameters (wind speed and relative humidity) were analysed. The data was obtained from 229 monitoring stations in India and satellitebased Aerosol Absorption Index (AAI) during the springs of 2019 and 2020. The result indicated a significant decline in the concentration mean, six air pollutants (i.e., PM2.5, PM10, N2, SO2, O3 and CO) decreased by 36.27, 42.96, 44.62, 28.88, 18.35 and 20.51 %, respectively during April 2020 due to less to no industrial activities and vehicular emissions. The spatial variation of each parameter was simulated using the Inverse Distance Weighted (IDW) interpolation method. An Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) model was applied to generate the overall air quality severity zonation map of the country. The zonation map indicated that by adopting cleaner fuel and restriction on biomass burning in the rural and urban sectors can improve the ambient air quality © 2023, Suranaree Journal of Science and Technology.All Rights Reserved.
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Background: Early identification of COVID-19-associated pulmonary aspergillosis (CAPA) is particularly challenging in low- middle-income countries where diagnostic capabilities are limited, and risk factors for CAPA have not been identified. It is also essential to recognise CAPA patients who are likely to have a poorer outcome to decide on aggressive management approaches. Therefore, this study aimed to identify risk factors and outcomes for CAPA among admitted moderate to critical COVID-19 patients at our centre in Pakistan. Methods: An unmatched case–control study with ratio of 1:2 was conducted on hospitalised adult patients with COVID-19 from March 2020–July 2021. Cases were defined according to European Confederation of Medical Mycology and the International Society for Human and Animal Mycology consensus criteria. Controls were defined as patients hospitalised with moderate, severe or critical COVID-19 without CAPA. Results: A total of 100 CAPA cases (27 probable CAPA;73 possible CAPA) were compared with 237 controls. Critical disease at presentation (aOR 5.04;95% CI 2.18–11.63), age ≥ 60 years (aOR 2.00;95% CI 1.20–3.35) and underlying co-morbid of chronic kidney disease (CKD) (aOR 3.78;95% CI 1.57–9.08) were identified as risk factors for CAPA. Patients with CAPA had a significantly greater proportion of complications and longer length of hospital stay (p-value <.001). Mortality was higher in patients with CAPA (48%) as compared to those without CAPA (13.5%) [OR = 6.36(95% CI 3.6–11)]. Conclusions: CAPA was significantly associated with advanced age, CKD and critical illness at presentation, along with a greater frequency of complications and higher mortality. © 2022 Wiley-VCH GmbH.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Early identification of COVID-19 associated pulmonary aspergillosis (CAPA) is particularly challenging in low-middle income countries where diagnostic capabilities are limited and risk factors for CAPA have not been identified. It is also essential to recognise CAPA patients who are likely to have a poorer outcome to decide on aggressive management approaches. Therefore, this study aimed to identify risk factors and outcomes for CAPA amongst admitted moderate to critical COVID-19 patients at our center in Pakistan. METHODS: An unmatched case-control study with ratio of 1:2 was conducted on hospitalized adult patients with COVID-19 from March 2020-July 2021. Cases were defined according to European Confederation of Medical Mycology (ECMM) and the International Society for Human and Animal Mycology (ISHAM) consensus criteria. Controls were defined as patients hospitalized with moderate, severe, or critical COVID-19 without CAPA. RESULTS: A total of 100 CAPA cases (27 probable CAPA;73 possible CAPA) were compared with 237 controls. Critical disease at presentation (aOR 5.04;95% CI 2.18-11.63), age greater than or equal to 60 years (aOR 2.00;95% CI 1.20-3.35), and underlying co-morbid of chronic kidney disease (CKD) (aOR 3.78;95% CI 1.57-9.08) were identified as risk factors for CAPA. Patients with CAPA had a significantly greater proportion of complications and longer length of hospital stay (p-value <0.001). Mortality was higher in patients with CAPA (48%) as compared to those without CAPA (13.5%) [OR=6.36(95%CI 3.6-11)]. CONCLUSIONS: CAPA was significantly associated with advanced age, chronic kidney disease, and critical illness at presentation, along with a greater frequency of complications and higher mortality.
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The outburst of novel corona viruses aggregated worldwide and has undergone severe trials to manage medical sector all over the world. A radiologist uses x-rays and Computed Tomography (CT) scans to analyze images through which the existence of corona virus is found. Therefore, imaging and visualization systems contribute a dominant part in diagnosing process and thereby assist the medical experts to take necessary precautions and to overcome these rigorous conditions. In this research, a Multi-Objective Black Widow Optimization based Convolutional Neural Network (MBWO-CNN) method is proposed to diagnose and classify covid-19 data. The proposed method comprises of four stages, preprocess the covid-19 data, attribute selection, tune parameters, and classify cov-id-19 data. Initially, images are fed to preprocess and features are selected using Convolutional Neural Network (CNN). Next, Multi-objective Black Widow Optimization (MBWO) method is imparted to finely tune the hyper parameters of CNN. Lastly, Extreme Learning Machine Auto Encoder (ELM-AE) is used to check the existence of corona virus and further classification is done to classify the covid-19 data into respective classes. The suggested MBWO-CNN model was evaluated for effectiveness by undergoing experiments and the outcomes attained were matched with the outcome stationed by prevailing methods. The outcomes confirmed the astonishing results of the ELM-AE model to classify cov-id-19 data by achieving maximum accuracy of 97.53%. The efficacy of the proposed method is validated and observed that it has yielded outstanding outcomes and is best suitable to diagnose and classify covid-19 data. © 2022, Tech Science Press. All rights reserved.
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In this modern world with the growing trend of globalization, cultural and environmental changes, and the increased pace of technological advancements, new challenges have appeared in a tremendous manner. In the wake of these recent trends and complexities alongside the worldwide pandemic (COVID-19), organizations are working to provide a self-motivated and highly engaging environment for employees. The study intends to explore the relationship between Transformational Leadership (TFL) and Work Engagement (WE) with the mediating role of Structural Empowerment (SE) and Process Innovation (PI) during COVID-19. The quantitative research methodology was utilized and a simple random sampling technique was used for collection of data from 360 supervisors of banks in Pakistan using questionnaires. Hypotheses are tested with the help of Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) by using AMOS. By using SEM, confirmatory factor analysis revealed a statistically significant model. Outcomes showed a significant connection among TFL, WE, and PI. However, SE only significantly relates to TFL. Partial mediation through PI was discovered with the presence of a significant indirect path between TFL and WE. In contrast, the mediation of SE is not ascertained due to insignificant indirect effects. The digitally evolving banking industry in Pakistan requires engagement at workplace. The organization must be very much aware of the crucial job of leaders for WE as well as for PI just as the SE of employees. The findings of the study also highlight the importance of best HR practices that should work for creating intangible motivators for boosting WE level. © The Author(s) 2022.
ABSTRACT
COVID-19 has taken over the world as the largest viral outbreak in the past 100 years. With over 13 million confirmed cases and 0.5 million-plus people dead, it has affected the life around us. With Pakistan being amongst the top 15 countries affected by it, the government of Pakistan has started vaccination, issued SOPs on daily life and smart lockdown continues in the country, but a part of this activity developing countries are still facing even greater difficulties in handling this crisis. This paper was designed to evaluate the status of scientific literature available on Covid-19 pandemic and to relate this situation from Pakistan perspective. A detailed review of published literature was conducted from March 2020 to August 2020. Covid-19, pandemic, Pakistan, healthcare setup, psychological impact, educational activities and challenges SOPs were utilized as key vocabulary. Miscellaneous searching tools including, Science Direct, Embase, PubMed, Google Scholar and Covid-19 portal from Government of Pakistan were visited for relevant information. A total of 30 research commentaries, articles, opinions and editorial letters were selected based on the required information. This article discusses the effects of COVID-19 on society and focus on SOPs introduced and their effects on the physical and mental health of the general public.
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Background: Recent Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has inflicted the whole world critically. Although India has been listed amongst the top ten highly affected countries to date, one cannot rule out COVID-19 associated complications in the near future. Aim & Objective: We aim to build the COVID-19 severity model employing logistic function which determines the inflection point and help in the prediction of the future number of confirmed cases. Methods and Material: An empirical study was performed on the COVID-19 patient status in India. We performed the study commencing from 30 January 2020 to 12 July 2020 for the analysis. Exploratory data analysis (EDA) tools and techniques were applied to establish a correlation amongst the various features. The acute stage of the disease was mapped in order to build a robust model. We collected five different datasets to execute the study. Results: We found that men were more prone to get infected with the coronavirus disease as compared to women. On 165-days based analysis, we found a trending pattern of confirmed, recovered, deceased and active cases of COVID-19 in India. The as-developed growth model provided an inflection point of 72.0 days. It also predicted the number of confirmed cases as 17,80,000.0 in the future i.e. after 12th July. A growth rate of 32.0 percent was obtained. We achieved statistically significant correlations amongst growth rate and predicted COVID-19 confirmed cases. Conclusions: This study demonstrated the effective application of EDA and analytical modeling in building a mathematical severity model for COVID-19 in India.
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TOPIC: Chest Infections TYPE: Original Investigations PURPOSE: CT Chest is considered as one of the important modalities for the diagnosis and assessment of progression of COVID-19 disease. We conducted a study highlighting salient features of CT chest in patients with COVID-19 in a tertiary care center in Karachi, Pakistan. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study done at Aga khan university from April 2020 to December 2020. Adult patients who had a positive COVID-19 PCR and underwent CT scan chest were included in the study. Five hundred and eighteen patients who underwent CT scan chest were selected for screening. One hundred and twelve patients who were positive for COVID-19 PCR were selected for review. Two patients were later excluded as they had chronic changes on CT scan due to underlying comorbidities. RESULTS: Among the study cohort of 110 patients, 70 (63.7 %) were males and 40 (36.4 %) were females with a mean age of 56.5 ± 14.8 years (range 46-67 years). Out of 110 patients, 79 underwent high-resolution CT (HRCT) scan and 31 underwent contrast-enhanced CT chest. The most common abnormality seen on CT was ground-glass opacities (79%), followed by consolidation (62%), crazy paving pattern (32%), vascular enlargement sign (27%) and fibrotic-like features or reticulations (21%). Furthermore, air bronchogram sign was seen in 21%, pleural effusion was seen in 8% and lymphadenopathy in 7% of patients. CONCLUSIONS: CT scan chest is a key tool of investigation in the diagnosis of COVID-19 disease. Studies from across the world have identified specific CT scan patterns that can aid in the diagnosis of the disease. This is a study from a low to middle-income country that describes the spectrum of radiological features found in COVID-19 and has also focused on certain atypical features associated with COVID-19. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Certain radiological features like ground-glass opacities and consolidation are a known features of COVID-19. This study emphasizes on the most frequent radiological features of COVID seen in a tertiary care hospital in Pakistan. Chest CT imaging has a high negative predictive value and high sensitivity for diagnosing COVID-19 and can be considered as an alternative primary screening tool for COVID-19 in epidemic areas. Moreover, a negative RT-PCR test and a positive CT chest finding can suggest COVID-19. Hence as a clinician and radiologist, one should be aware of all the spectrum of radiological features so that early diagnosis and management can be facilitated. DISCLOSURES: No relevant relationships by Safia Awan, source=Web Response No relevant relationships by Kulsoom Fatima, source=Web Response no disclosure on file for Basit Salam;No relevant relationships by Aqusa Zahid, source=Web Response No relevant relationships by Syed Muhammad Zubair, source=Web Response No relevant relationships by Ali Zubairi, source=Web Response
ABSTRACT
Background: Recent Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has inflicted the whole world critically. Although India has been listed amongst the top ten highly affected countries to date, one cannot rule out COVID-19 associated complications in the near future. Aim & Objective: We aim to build the COVID-19 severity model employing logistic function which determines the inflection point and help in the prediction of the future number of confirmed cases. Methods and Material: An empirical study was performed on the COVID-19 patient status in India. We performed the study commencing from 30 January 2020 to 12 July 2020 for the analysis. Exploratory data analysis (EDA) tools and techniques were applied to establish a correlation amongst the various features. The acute stage of the disease was mapped in order to build a robust model. We collected five different datasets to execute the study. Results: We found that men were more prone to get infected with the coronavirus disease as compared to women. On 165-days based analysis, we found a trending pattern of confirmed, recovered, deceased and active cases of COVID-19 in India. The as-developed growth model provided an inflection point of 72.0 days. It also predicted the number of confirmed cases as 17,80,000.0 in the future i.e. after 12th July. A growth rate of 32.0 percent was obtained. We achieved statistically significant correlations amongst growth rate and predicted COVID-19 confirmed cases. Conclusions: This study demonstrated the effective application of EDA and analytical modeling in building a mathematical severity model for COVID-19 in India. © 2021, Indian Association of Preventive and Social Medicine. All rights reserved.
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Coronavirus pandemic has drastically upended the daily life routines of human beings and has wide wide-ranging effects on entire sectors of society. The food sector is also susceptible and substantially harmed by the influence of intensive effects of coronavirus. To ensure food safety and limit the spread of coronavirus at food services and retail sector has become a challenge where delicate and fresh food items are served and delivered to the customers, which have passed through a series of operational steps from order taking, food receiving, preparation of food, packing, delivery to customers. At each step, there is a possibility of food handlers to touch the food surface or food directly and if food handler is not following appropriate precautionary measures e.g. hand hygiene, sanitization and disinfection, social distances, and is touching, then it can be a possible source of coronavirus spread. Since there is no evidence that food is a coronavirus transmission route but during the food operations, improper sanitization and disinfection of key touchpoints, food contact, nonfood contact, equipment and cleaning tools surfaces and close contact of food handlers with staff and customers not only can put themselves on risk but can also be a risk for customers. Food services and the retail sector should make sure proper hand hygiene, approved sanitizers and disinfectants in use, follow social distances at workstations and while interacting with the customers. Finally, the business should be vigilant to monitor the temperature of staff and incoming guests to identify if there may any sick person to avoid from further spread of coronavirus and shall report to concerned health authorities if anyone symptoms matching with COVID-19.
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The purpose of this study is to examine the role of entrepreneurial orientation (EO) in determining the enterprise performance (EP) during Covid-19. Moreover, in context of this relationship, the mediating role of entrepreneurial competencies (EC) has also been investigated in influencing the EO and EP connection. This quantitative study employs techniques for operationalizing and quantifying the variables under consideration followed by various statistical operations using SPSS and AMOS in order to test and explore the relationship as proposed in the conceptual framework, using data from 386 small enterprises as sample identified through Systematic random sampling. The analysis revealed that a positive relationship exists among all the constructs directly as well as through the mediator (EC). However, the strongest direct relation existed between risk taking propensity (RTP) and enterprise performance. Moreover, when EC is introduced as the mediator between the dependent and independent variables, again RTP path showed the strongest link. Several governments, particularly in the underdeveloped or developing countries try to support and boost the development of small businesses for the achievement of developmental objectives as well as to address the challenge of unemployment. This research explores both these key components in the context of Pakistan, testing the importance of EO and EC for small businesses. This study also provides the roadmap for policy makers to strengthen small enterprises for better performance.
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Purpose: In rapidly changing global village, individuals, organizations and the society are faced with various unforeseen challenges every day, and these challenges continuously trigger and test the instincts for survival, and higher education is of no exception. In the context of today’s most critical uncertainty, i.e. COVID-19, the purpose of this study is to highlight the significance of two leadership styles, i.e. adaptive and academic leadership, and assessing readiness for change among higher education institutions (HEIs) of Punjab, Pakistan. Design/methodology/approach: An online survey was conducted to collect data from 404 permanent faculty members in the public sector universities identified using stratified random sampling. The hypotheses developed were tested using co-variance-based structural equation modeling. Findings: As per the findings, both leadership styles as exogenous constructs and the presence of organizational learning capability as mediators contributed positively in crafting organizational readiness for change (ORC) among HEIs in the course of unpredictable circumstances. Practical implications: The COVID-19 episode globally has reiterated the importance of change, and the role of leadership in this regard cannot be undermined. This study, for that matter, stresses on the importance and benefits of academic and adaptive leadership dealing with uncertainties or change and the readiness of HEIs for change. Several institutions faced challenges in doing so, and the transition was not smooth, except for institutions where leaders were the differentiating factor. On top of it, institutions that had timely invested in digital systems and had enhanced organizations learning capacity survived in these turbulent times. Originality/value: COVID-19 has placed tremendous challenges on HEIs to adapt with the rapidly changing conditions. Hence, this study is unique in understanding the academic and adaptive leadership styles in context of ORC. This study further helps in understanding that how public sector universities that are already influenced by stringent bureaucratic structures react to change. © 2021, Emerald Publishing Limited.
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Coronavirus pandemic (Covid-19) leaves wide-ranging and catastrophic effects at normal ways of living, has disturbed the global food supply chain, and have a damaging impact on food security as well. Food industry and the government should come together to ensure that the food sector should remain open for consistent and unhindered production of food, so consumers have continued access to safe, healthy, and nutritious food during this pandemic. As the countries combat coronavirus pandemic, the food sector must keep gears of food processing and manufacturing moving on to avoid food shortage in the market. To continue the production and supply of safe food at the sites, the food processing and manufacturing facilities have the same level of health challenges which may pose hurdles to consistently of food production. To prevent such issues and critical situation, the food industry needs to take on specific precautions for site and employees to keep them safe and healthy. By appropriately maintaining the food safety systems and with special consideration to combat coronavirus transmission at premises and among employees can help food facilities to not disrupt the flow of manufactured food products and ingredients including food packaging material. Food facilities should strictly monitor staff health, personnel hygiene, and appropriate use of personnel protective equipment at the site entrance and during working and should adopt restrictive visitor policies including suppliers and contractors. Cleaning and disinfection of frequent and high touch points with approved chemicals and sanitizers with defined frequencies and practicing social distances and employee optimization during shifts can be helpful to prevent the spread of coronavirus. The management should limit their visits to the site and monitor the activities by CCTV cameras and food safety audits can be conducted with the use of remote auditing tools. Finally, the facilities should be vigilant to monitor the temperature of staff, employees and visitors, supplier, or contractor to identify if there may any sick person to avoid further spread of coronavirus and shall report to concerned health authorities if anyone symptoms matching with COVID-19.