ABSTRACT
In recent years, the significance of biosensors has increased rapidly due to the growing demand for rapid detection of various biomarkers with high selectivity and sensitivity. Among different biosensors, Graphene Field Effect Transistor (Gr-FET) based biosensors has emerged as a promising device and exhibited wide range of application prospects. Gr-FET biosensors are ideal for ultra-sensitive immunological diagnosis applications as it can sense surrounding changes on their surface with low noise. Recently Gr-FET based biosensors have gained profound research interest among scientific community because of its ability in detection of SARS-CoV-2 (corona virus-2). This review article highlights the sensing performance and characteristics of different Gr-FET biosensors like DNA sensor, RNA sensor, glucose sensor, lactose sensor, protein sensor, pH sensor, various bacteria and virus detecting sensors etc.This article also critically reviews the recent progress in Gr-FET based SARS- CoV-2 covid-19 virus detection bio-sensors. © 2022 Elsevier Ltd
ABSTRACT
Digital participatory enterprise modelling (PEM) is an emerging knowledge area that may increase collaboration and understanding amongst team members in modelling enterprise operations, especially when team members are geographically dispersed. The COVID-19 pandemic emphasised the need to use participatory design practices when in-person face-to-face participation is not possible. Within a tertiary post-graduate engineering education context, this study uses an online approach to demonstrate the use of PEM to students. The main objective is to investigate whether an interactive modelling tool is useful to post-graduate engineering students when they also apply digital PEM within the context of their own enterprise. Using design science research to further evolve an existing story card method (SCM), we address a key concern that was identified during a previous design iteration of the SCM, namely that the previous modelling tool did not encourage active participation during modelling due to the latency of the tool. Although multiple participative modelling tools are available, we used a list of entry requirements to short-list two tools. We provide a comparative analysis of the two tools, motivating selection of a single tool that was used in combination with the SCM. We involved 36 participants in applying the SCM, of which 25 completed a survey to evaluate whether the tooling encouraged participative design. Using a demonstration case to illustrate the notion of participative design to the post-graduate participants, using the selected tool in combination with the SCM, we obtained positive feedback about the participative enterprise modelling tool that was used by post-graduate engineering students. The feedback also provides guidance towards our future teaching practices, encouraging participative online co-modelling, especially when post-graduate students conduct their studies remotely. © 2022 IEEE.
ABSTRACT
Solid waste management is one of the critical challenges seen everywhere, and the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has only worsened the problems in the safe disposal of infectious waste. This paper outlines a design for a mobile robot that will intelligently identify, grasp, and collect a group of medical waste items using a six-degree of freedom (DoF) arm, You Only Look Once (YOLO) neural network, and a grasping algorithm. Various designs are generated before running simulations on the selected virtual model using Robot Operating System (ROS) and Gazebo simulator. A lidar sensor is also used to map the robot's surroundings and navigate autonomously. The robot has good scope for waste collection in medical facilities, where it can help create a safer environment.
ABSTRACT
All the countries of the world are facing humanity's biggest crisis since World War II. Almost every country has been affected by the devastating Coronavirus disease (COVID-19). An outbreak from China has gone everywhere. In the last almost year, Corona's epicenter has been shifted from China to Europe to the United States. By this time, over 1.5 million people had been affected by COVID-19 and about 80,000 people had died worldwide. Indirectly, billions of people have been suffering from the impact of the global pandemic of COVID-19. What is disturbing is that the numbers likely stem from under-reporting, and may probably rise alarmingly in the weeks ahead if we factor in asymptomatic patients and rapid tests. Given that the pandemic-driven crisis is constantly changing, countries are desperate to flattening the curve for COVID-19. Surely, this Coronavirus has put the world economy at a major risk Coronavirus ravages the economic foundations of world trade. Commentators have identified this outbreak as an outcome of hyper-globalization or starting of de-globalization. However, the world is going to face recession;and the global losses, according to some commentators, may exceed World Wars I and II combined. At the same time, the falling world price of crude oil has added further anxieties. Several estimates are now available on the economic loss and post-COVID-19 growth path, and most of the estimates show that the world is already in an economic crisis. South and Southeast Asian countries are no exception. They are heavily affected, health or otherwise. Countries are under full or partial lockdown for the last few weeks. It is a global challenge and a global response is called for. Flattening the COVID-19 curve together helps everyone in an inclusive manner. Unlike the 2007-08 Global Financial Crisis, it is primarily a health crisis, which has given birth to an economic shock. Meanwhile, the world order has been changing fast. Several theories are being postulated. Anti-globalization rhetoric venom is now unfurled. In such unfolding "New Normal" of the world order, the consensus is that countries need to save the earth from the epidemic if we need to live together.
ABSTRACT
Introduction: Osmotic demyelination syndrome (ODS) is a dreaded complication of rapid sodium correction in high-risk hyponatremic patients. Predisposing factors include chronic alcoholism, malnourishment, severe hyponatremia. SARS-Cov2 infection may also be a risk factor as it is linked with multiple patterns of brain injury, renal damage and hyponatremia. Case Description: Patient is a 48-year-old female with history of alcohol use disorder who presented with malaise, vomiting, diarrhea for 3 days. On admission, the patient was stuporous and confused. She was clinically hypovolemic. Initial labs demonstrated severe hyponatremia (102 mmol/L), hypokalemia (2.2 mmol/L), HCO3 of 35mmol/L, lactic acid of 4 mmol/L, no EtOH, preserved GFR. SARS-CoV2 PCR was positive. She was not hypoxic, her chest X-ray was clear. The patient was resuscitated with 1L of isotonic saline, potassium correction was attempted. Her bloodwork 4 hours later showed Na of 113 mmol/L and K of 2.4 mmol/L. At this point patient had prominent diuresis, UNa was 13mmol/L, Uosm 175mOsm/kg and U spec gravity 1.006. Immediately DDAVP and D5W were started. She had a poor response to this therapy and her sodium continued raising even at maximal doses. At 24h her sodium was 118 mmol/L and at 48h it was 125mmol/L with stabilization at this level. She had clinical improvement and was more responsive on day 3. On the following days, sodium gradually drifted toward 132 mmol/L. On day 5 she developing worsening mental status. She was found poorly responsive with fixed gaze, aphasia, minimally removing extremities from pain, able to blink when asked. Brain MRI revealed signal abnormalities in the central pons, bilateral thalami, caudate, basal ganglia, subinsular regions consistent with ODS. Intensive treatment was restarted with D5W and DDAVP. Na of 124mmol/L was achieved at 24h. Over the course of the following days, she had partial recovery. She was discharged to rehab, able to smile, move her head and partially move her extremities. Discussion(s): SARS-Cov2 causes hyponatremia through several mechanisms. Poor oral intake, gastrointestinal loses, kidney injury and SIADH have been described. All of them may occur at the same time and cause hypovolemic/euvolemic states with high ADH. Volume replacement rapidly shuts off the ADH drive predisposing patients to get sodium overcorrection.
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Background: Lung diseases are common in Patients with End Stage Kidney Disease (ESKD) making the differential diagnosis with COVID-19 a challenge. This study describes pulmonary chest tomography (CT) findings in hospitalized ESKD on renal replacement therapy (RRT) patients with clinical suspicion of COVID-19 and compare image characteristics of positive versus negative cases. Method(s): ESKD individuals referred to Emergency Department older than 18 with clinical suspicion of COVID-19 were recruited. Epidemiological, baseline clinical information was extracted from electronic health records. Pulmonary CT was classified as typical, indeterminate, atypical or negative. We then compare CT findings of positive and negative COVID-19 patients. Result(s): We recruited 109 patients (62,3% COVID-19 positive) between March and December 2020. Mean age was 60 +/- 12.5 years-old, 43% were female and the most common etiology of ESKD was diabetes. Median time on dialysis was 36 months, Interquartile range=12-84. The most common pulmonary lesion on CT was ground glass opacities. Typical CT pattern was more common in COVID-19 patients (40(61%) vs 0(0%), p<0.001). Sensitivity was 60.61% (40/66) and specificity was 100% (40/40). Positive predictive value and negative predictive value were 100% and 62.3%, respectively. Atypical CT pattern was more frequent in COVID-19 negative patients (9(14%) vs 24(56%), p<0.001), while the indeterminate pattern was similar in both groups (13(20%) vs 6(14%), p=0.606), and the negative pattern was more common in COVID-19 negative patients (4(6%) vs 12(28%), p=0.002). Conclusion(s): In hospitalized patients with ESKD on RRT an atypical chest CT pattern cannot adequately rule out the diagnosis of COVID-19.
ABSTRACT
In recent years, the significance of biosensors has increased rapidly due to the growing demand for rapid detection of various biomarkers with high selectivity and sensitivity. Among different biosensors, Graphene Field Effect Transistor (Gr-FET) based biosensors has emerged as a promising device and exhibited wide range of application prospects. Gr-FET biosensors are ideal for ultra-sensitive immunological diagnosis applications as it can sense surrounding changes on their surface with low noise. Recently Gr-FET based biosensors have gained profound research interest among scientific community because of its ability in detection of SARS-CoV-2 (corona virus-2). This review article highlights the sensing performance and characteristics of different Gr-FET biosensors like DNA sensor, RNA sensor, glucose sensor, lactose sensor, protein sensor, pH sensor, various bacteria and virus detecting sensors etc.This article also critically reviews the recent progress in Gr-FET based SARS- CoV-2 covid-19 virus detection bio-sensors.
ABSTRACT
Emerging studies have suggested several chromosomal regions as potential host genetic factors involved in the susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 infection and disease outcome. We nested a COVID-19 genome-wide association study using the GR@ACE/DEGESCO study, searching for susceptibility factors associated with COVID-19 disease. To this end, we compared 221 COVID-19 confirmed cases with 17,035 individuals in whom the COVID-19 disease status was unknown. Then, we performed a meta-analysis with the publicly available data from the COVID-19 Host Genetics Initiative. Because the APOE locus has been suggested as a potential modifier of COVID-19 disease, we added sensitivity analyses stratifying by dementia status or by disease severity. We confirmed the existence of the 3p21.31 region (LZTFL1, SLC6A20) implicated in the susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 infection and TYK2 gene might be involved in COVID-19 severity. Nevertheless, no statistically significant association was observed in the COVID-19 fatal outcome or in the stratified analyses (dementia-only and non-dementia strata) for the APOE locus not supporting its involvement in SARS-CoV-2 pathobiology or COVID-19 prognosis.
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Many SARS-CoV-2 variants have high infectivity and transmissibility. The viral genome data show that the COVID-19 curves of daily case numbers were shaped by the emergence of the variants, including Alpha 202012/01 GRY (B.1.1.7; the U.K.), Beta GH/501Y.V2 (B.1.351, B.1.351.2, and B.1.351.3; South Africa), Gamma GR/501Y.V3 (P.1, P.1.1, and P.1.2; Japan, Brazil), Eta G/484K.V3 (B.1.525; Nigeria, the U.K.), Delta G/478K.V1 (B.1.617.2, AY.1, AY.2, and AY.3; India), Iota GH/253G.V1 (B.1.526; the U.S.A.), and Kappa G/452R.V3 (B.1.617.1; India). The Lambda (C.37) variant was reported in Peru initially; this has spread to 41 countries in four continents. Seven out of eight mutations in this variant are associated with the viral spike protein, akin to mutations in the other variants. These mutations have implications for effectiveness of the vaccines and neutralizing antibodies in immunized subjects and those previously infected with the virus and are thought to facilitate the viral invasion into host cells and help the virus evade the host immune system. Widespread dissemination of the viral variants may cause severe clinical consequences, lengthy hospitalizations, and unfavorable prognoses. Healthcare systems will be stretched, and health workers will be fatigued. Fast, equitable, and widespread vaccination with strict adherence to hygiene protocols will control the rising curves of the pandemic due to the new variants.
ABSTRACT
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by infection of the severe respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) significantly impacted human society. Recently, the synthetic pure glucocorticoid dexamethasone was identified as an effective compound for treatment of severe COVID-19. However, glucocorticoids are generally harmful for infectious diseases, such as bacterial sepsis and severe influenza pneumonia, which can develop respiratory failure and systemic inflammation similar to COVID-19. This apparent inconsistency suggests the presence of pathologic mechanism(s) unique to COVID-19 that renders this steroid effective. We review plausible mechanisms and advance the hypothesis that SARS-CoV-2 infection is accompanied by infected cell-specific glucocorticoid insensitivity as reported for some other viruses. This alteration in local glucocorticoid actions interferes with undesired glucocorticoid to facilitate viral replication but does not affect desired anti-inflammatory properties in non-infected organs/tissues. We postulate that the virus coincidentally causes glucocorticoid insensitivity in the process of modulating host cell activities for promoting its replication in infected cells. We explore this tenet focusing on SARS-CoV-2-encoding proteins and potential molecular mechanisms supporting this hypothetical glucocorticoid insensitivity unique to COVID-19 but not characteristic of other life-threatening viral diseases, probably due to a difference in specific virally-encoded molecules and host cell activities modulated by them.
Subject(s)
Antiviral Agents/pharmacology , COVID-19 Drug Treatment , Dexamethasone/pharmacology , Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System/physiology , Inflammation/drug therapy , Host Microbial Interactions , Humans , Immunity, Innate , SARS-CoV-2/drug effects , SARS-CoV-2/physiology , Severity of Illness Index , Virus Replication/drug effectsABSTRACT
Polymorphonuclear neutrophilic granulocytes (PMNs) are the largest proportion of leukocytes in adult human blood that perform numerous functions, including phagocytosis, degranulation, generation of reactive oxygen species, and NETosis. Excessive neutrophil activity associates with hyperinflammation and tissue damage during pathologies such as inflammatory bowel disease, diabetes mellitus, tuberculosis, and coronavirus disease 2019. Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) can modulate immune cells, including neutrophils, functions, therefore, nAChR ligands are considered as the potent agents for therapy of inflammation. Earlier it was shown, that about 30% of PMNs from the acute inflammatory site responded to nicotine by calcium spikes. In this study, we studied the generation of calcium spikes in murine granulocytes with different maturity level (evaluated by Gr-1 expression) isolated from bone marrow in response to ligands of nAChRs in control and under chronic nicotine consumption. It was found that nearly 20%-25% cells in the granulocyte population responded to nicotine or selective antagonists of different type of nAChRs (α-cobratoxin, GIC, and Vc1.1). We demonstrated that in the control group Ca2+ -mobilizing activity was regulated through α7 and α9α10 nAChRs in immature granulocytes (Gr-1int ), whereas in mature granulocytes (Gr-1hi ) it was regulated through α7, α3ß2, and α9-contained nAChRs. Sensitivity of PMNs to nicotine depended on their maturity level after chronic nicotine consumption. Gr-1int cells responded to nicotine through α7 and α9-contained nAChRs, while Gr-1hi did not respond to nicotine. Thus, calcium response to nAChR ligands in bone marrow PMNs depends on their maturity level.