Spatial Dimensions of Vulnerability: Meatpacking, Socioeconomics, and the Outbreak of COVID-19 in the High Plains of Texas

In May 2020, 2 months after COVID-19 arrived in the High Plains of Texas, meatpacking plant workers were discovered to be contracting the virus in large numbers. Working conditions in the plants-close spacing on the disassembly lines, cold temperatures, noise (shouting to be heard), etc.;along with congregant settings among the immigrant workers before and after work-were all implicated in the infections. Although much has been written on the vulnerabilities of meatpacking workers, little research has investigated the spatial spread of the virus. In this study we analyze COVID-19 case rates for May 15 (the first spike in daily case numbers), for the 41 counties of the region in relation to meat-packing influence, ethnicity, and socioeconomic structure of the counties. We find that meatpacking influence had the strongest relationship to COVID-19 rates across the counties;that the presence of Asian and African immigrants was also significant;and that rurality and isolation insulated more than half the counties from high virus rates. Further analysis, for later spikes in cases (July 1 and November 25), revealed a decline in meatpacking influence, a surge in COVID-19‘s infection of counties with large domestic minorities, and an amplification of low COVID-19 cases for rural, older, Anglo counties. © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2022.

Synthesis, spectroscopic, crystallographic, quantum and molecular docking investigations of cis-4,5-diphenylimidazolidine-2-thione

We present the synthesis and characterization of stereoselective thione. The synthetic procedure includes readily available starting materials and minimum side products. The reaction of meso‑stilbenediamine with carbon disulphide in the presence of strong base gave cis-4,5-diphenylimidazolidine-2-thione (DPIT) in an excellent yield. The thione compound was characterized via FT-IR and mass spectroscopy. In addition, the crystal structure of it was determined by single crystal X-rays diffraction analysis which inferred that the molecular configuration was stabilized by intramolecular π⋯π stacking interaction. The crystal packing was mainly stabilized by N-H⋯S bonding. Hirshfeld surface analysis was performed for the exploration of the intermolecular interactions. Void analysis was carried out to predict the mechanical stability. Interaction energy between the molecular pairs is calculated which showed that the dispersion energy played a dominant role in the stabilization of the crystal packing. Moreover, the quantum computational methods were used to study the molecular structure and electronic properties of entitled compound. The molecular geometries were optimized for possible thione and thiole tautomeric structures. A comparison of total energy of molecular tautomers indicates that thione tautomer possesses lower total energy which is about 20.18 Kcal/mol lower than thiole tautomer. The electronic properties of thione derivative were studied including 3-D wavefunction delocalization of highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) and lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) orbitals and their orbital energy gap. The HOMO-LUMO energy gap for DPIT was found to be 4.874 eV. The delocalization of wavefunction indicates the probable presence of HOMO and HOMO-1 are mainly localized over C-S bond owing to the presence of lone pair of electrons in the sulfur atom. Additionally, the molecular docking study was also carried out for main protease (Mpro) of SARS-CoV-2. The binding energy calculation and investigation of intermolecular interactions highlighted the probable inhibition tendency of DPIT for SARS-CoV-2. The present experimental and computational studies indicate a significant potential of entitled molecule for electronic and biological perspectives.

Boronic acid-modified bacterial cellulose microspheres as packing materials for enveloped virus removal.

Viruses are the most abundant microorganisms on the earth, their existence in contaminated waters possesses a significant threat to humans. Waterborne viral infections could be fatal to sensitive population including young child, the elderly, and the immune-compromised. It is imperative to remove viruses during water treatment to better protect public health, especially in the light of evidence of detection of coronaviruses genetic fragments in raw sewage. We reported bench-scale experiments evaluating the extent and mechanisms of removal of a model virus (spring viremia of carp virus, SVCV) in water by adsorption. Microspheres made by boronic acid-modified bacterial cellulose with excellent mechanical strength were successfully fabricated as packing materials for the column to remove glycoproteins and enveloped viruses from water. The synthesized adsorbent was characterized by attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy, Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), and Brunauer Emmett Teller (BET) measurement. The adsorption efficiency of glycoproteins was investigated by SDS-PAGE and the Broadford protein assay, while the binding capacity with the virus (spring viremia of carp virus) was monitored by cell culture to calculate the viral cytopathic effect and viral titer caused by the virus. The data obtained from the above experiments showed that ∼3-log removal of SVCV in 3 h, which significantly reduced the virus concentration from microspheres packed column. The present study provides substantial evidence to prove beyond doubt that material based on bacterial cellulose seems to have the potential for virus removal from water which can be extended to systems of significant importance.

Overview on Monkey Pox an Emerging Viral Infection. A Review of Literature

Aim: To reiterate the extent of problem of Monkey pox in our country and to acknowledge the problem and to implement the preventive measures as suggested by the Indian government (ICMR guidelines) by Health care professionals as well as Indian public. Objective(s): Monkey pox is a zoonotic infection caused by a virus that belongs to DNA family Poxviridae. Recently there has been upsurge in the number of monkey pox cases in our country. This has led to increase in the awareness programs in our country by WHO as well as Indian Government. Especially with strict implementation of preventive measures this viral disease can be easily preventable as happened recently with smallpox virus which belongs to same family. This review of literature is made simple for the awareness of the preventive measures suggested by WHO for health care professionals as well as general public. This DNA virus shows mutations less frequently compared to COVID -19 which has recently caused devastating Pandemic all over the world. An account on life cycle and pathogenesis is useful for further research in directing the different therapeutic modalities against the disease. Standard ICMR guidelines needed to be followed for laboratory diagnosis, treatment and prophylaxis of the suspected cases. Proper transportation of the appropriate specimens like nasopharyngeal swabs, skin lesion materials to apex laboratories through IDSP portal, in triple packing especially need proper guidelines suggested by WHO. This review can give overview on all the aforementioned aspects. Conclusion(s): Monkey pox in our country is still less prevalent compared to western Africa. Proper awareness on laboratory diagnosis, treatment and preventive measures can almost all make it less significant disease in our country. Copyright © 2023 Ubiquity Press. All rights reserved.

The COVID-19 pandemic redefining the mundane food packaging material industry?

COVID-19 pandemic has been the talk of the globe, as it swept across the world population, changing enumerable aspects. The pandemic affected all sectors directly or indirectly. The food sector took a direct hit. The food packaging sector rose to the occasion to serve and feed the pandemic affected, but there were interactions, reactions, and consequences that evolved through the course of the journey through the pandemic. The aim of this perspective is to address the importance of the food packaging industry (from the COVID-19 point of view) and to highlight the unpreparedness of the food packaging materials, for times as these. As the world has been asked to learn to live with Corona, improvisations are definitely necessary, the lapses in the system need to be rectified, and the entire packaging industry has to go through fortification to co-exist with Corona or confront something worse than Corona. This discussion is set out to understand the gravity of the actual situation, assimilating information available from the scattered shreds of reports. Food packaging materials were used, and plastic wastes were generated in bulks, single-use plastics for fear of contamination gained prominence, leading to an enormous turnover of wastes. Fear of Corona, sprayed overloads of sanitizers and disinfectants on food package material surfaces for surface sterilization. The food packages were tailored for food containment needs, never were they planned for sanitizer sprays. The consequences of these sanitization procedures are unprecedented, neglected and in the post-COVID-19 phase no action appears to have been taken. Corona took us by surprise this time, but next time atleast the food packaging industry needs to be fully equipped. Speculated consequences have been reviewed and plausible suggestions have been proposed. The need for extensive research focus in this direction in exploring the ground-reality has been highlighted.

The Picking and Packing Problem in Buy-Online-Pick-up-in-Store Retailing

With the rapid increase of digitization and desire for contactless shopping during the COVID-19 pandemic, online grocery sales keep growing fast. Correspondingly, optimized policies for order picking are nowadays central in omnichannel supply chains, not only within dedicated warehouses but also in grocery stores while processing online orders. In this work, we apply the Buy-Online-Pick-up-in-Store concept and optimize the in-store picking and packing procedure. The approach we propose, which is based on two mathematical programming models, guides pickers on how to organize articles into bags while collecting items. In this way bags are filled up evenly and they are ready to be handled to the customers at the end of each picking task, with no further rearrangement needed.

Effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and the preventive and compulsory social isolation on the workers of two circulatory territories in Argentina's agriculture

In this paper, we analyze the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and the preventive and compulsory social isolation, called ASPO in Argentina (Decree 297/2020), on the temporary and cyclical mobility of agricultural workers towards different productive areas of the country. On the one hand, we observe the effects on workers of Salta province who were involved in harvesting and packing tasks in the viniculture sector in Mendoza and the fruit growing sector in Rio Negro when the ASPO was declared by the government. On the other hand, we inquiry about the impact on Bolivian workers that were doing different works in tobacco and horticulture farms in Salta province at the beginning of the pandemic and the isolation measures. Moreover, we observe some effects on Bolivian people that were permanently (residents) or temporarily in Salta at the time when the ASPO and the closing of the border between Argentina and Bolivia began. The findings are based on interviews to agricultural workers, leaders of social organizations both from Bolivia and Salta origin, and civil servants of the Bolivian consulate in Salta carried out during 2020 and 2021. We incorporate in our analysis the collection of national and provincial news articles, web portals, decrees and official resolutions. We also include the findings of our previous research conducted before the pandemic about Bolivian mobility associated to tobacco and horticulture labor market in Salta province.

Cattle Production’s Response to Packing Capacity Disruption

In August 2019, a fire at Tyson’s Finney County, Kansas, beef plant removed approximately 5% of U.S. beef packing capacity for 3 months. Subsequent COVID-19 pandemic-related precautions and workforce illness caused multiple packing plants across the country to decrease or stop production in the spring of 2020. Both events resulted in feedlots being unable to ship cattle at optimal finish points or according to projection. Estimates of the number of cattle backlogged during 2020 approach 1 million. Producers were faced with decisions on how to manage finished animals that could not be shipped while considering economic, animal welfare, and animal health outcomes. Many factors further complicated the situation including highly volatile markets, the possibility employee quarantine due to personal or family illness would cause operations to be under-staffed, and shortage of available pens for new cattle. Feeders had the option to slow the rate of growth of finished cattle due to the ability of ruminant animals to utilize low-energy feedstuffs or by calculating programmed rates of gain using the net energy system. Instead, many producers chose to attempt maximal rates of gain hoping persistent growth and feeding margins would offset discounts due to heavy carcass weights and excess fatness when the supply chain began moving again. Regarding new placements, the structure of the beef industry is uniquely developed to absorb cattle in stocker and backgrounding operations. This presentation will review the factors impacting cattle production and provide case-studies related to feeding at maintenance and growth rates, efficiencies, and carcass outcomes of held cattle from an operation and industry level.

Attitudes of young college age consumers to the use of packaging when shopping at retail in the context of the COVID pandemic 19

In the last decade, a growing trend can be observed in all areas of consumption due to this fact amount of waste from packing from individual households is increasing rapidly. These topics have become the subject of extensive discussions among the professional and lay public in the context of sustainability, the environment and also the renewable resources. Many young people in economically developed countries have embraced the ideas of the Zero Waste and have actively considered the issues of recycling and economy in packaging management. Many young people in economically developed countries have embraced the ideas of the Zero Waste and have actively considered the issues of recycling and economy in packaging management. The aim of the article is to evaluate the current attitudes of young people in college age in the Czech Republic to the purchase of unpackaged good. Research was carried out in January 2021. Total number of respondents were 389. All respondents were university students. The contingency tables and X2 test as methods were used for evaluation relationship between variables. For measuring of strength Cramer's V was used. Four null hypotheses were defined. 83% of respondents sort waste, from that more than 90% of respondents sort plastics, paper, and glass at household. In contrast, only 22% of respondents sort bio-waste and 41% of respondents sort beverage cartons. Women showed more knowledge of sorting waste than men. More than 90% of respondents stated that the volume of packaging waste in their households increased in the last year.

Scheduling unrelated additive manufacturing machines with practical constraints

In the context of Industry 4.0 and COVID-19 pandemic, additive manufacturing (AM), the technology of rapid prototyping directly from digital models, has received rapid development and makes it possible to achieve the need of companies in terms of customized production and limited human resources. Consequently, the growing demands and potential applications necessitate the careful investigation on the associated AM machine scheduling problems to improve productivity. This paper is the first time to study a new AM scheduling problem, which considers unrelated parallel machines and two practical constraints, two-dimensional packing constraints and unequal part release times. Additionally, during the scheduling process, there exist multiple orientation candidates for each part, which potentially influences the processing time and increase the complexity of packing. To solve this problem, we first present a mixed integer linear programming model with the objective to minimize the makespan. Due to the NP-hard nature of the problem, we propose an adaptive large neighborhood search algorithm for large instances where the skyline packing pattern is adopted for the packing procedure. Several destroy and repair operators are designed based on the characteristics of the AM scheduling problem. Finally, three types of datasets with different ranges of release times are generated to verify the efficiency of the proposed algorithm. Some interesting insights on the effects of release times and orientation selection are also revealed and discussed.

Decomposition of the Knapsack Problem for Increasing the Capacity of Operating Rooms

This paper is aimed at the problem of scheduling surgeries in operating rooms. To solve this problem, we suggest using some variation of the bin packing problem. The model is based on the actual operation of 10 operating rooms, each of which belongs to a specific department of the hospital. Departments are unevenly loaded, so operations can be moved to operating rooms in other departments. The main goal is to increase patient throughput. It is also necessary to measure how many operations take place in other departments with the proposed solution. The preferred solution is a solution with fewer such operations, all other things being equal. Due to the fact that the mixed-integer linear programming model turned out to be computationally complex, two approximation algorithms were also proposed. They are based on decomposition. The complexity of the proposed algorithms is estimated, and arguments are made regarding their accuracy from a theoretical point of view. To assess the practical accuracy of the algorithms, the Gurobi solver is used. Experiments were conducted on real historical data on surgeries obtained from the Burdenko Neurosurgical Center. Two decomposition algorithms were constructed and a comparative analysis was performed for 10 operating rooms based on real data.

A Mathematical Formulation for Reducing Overcrowding in Hospitals' Waiting Rooms

The COVID-19 pandemic has triggered several new measures in public and private companies to limit the spread of the virus. One of the most effective measures was shown to be social distancing, but such measure is not easy to implement for every entity, especially for hospitals. In this work, we study the case of an Italian hospital whose goal is to find the best layout of outpatient services to reduce overcrowding in the waiting rooms. We propose an Integer Linear Programming model to identify the weekly optimal layout and we test it on a set of real data from the year 2019. The results obtained by our model reduce the overcrowding by 80% on average with respect to the results obtained with the configuration used by the hospital, but such results can only be obtained if the layout is allowed to change every week. We then study the case in which we force the layout to be fixed for two or three consecutive weeks and outline that both the computational time and the solution quality worsen significantly. © 2021 IEEE.

Epistaxis in the Sars-CoV-2 Era

Introduction Epistaxis was the third most common unscheduled ENT surgical intervention in Ireland in 2019. Otorhinolaryngologists are exposed to a high viral reservoir of Sars-CoV-2, as they are dealing with pathology in the upper respiratory tract. Risk analysis is required to minimise nosocomial transmission. Methods A prospective audit of epistaxis management in the outpatients at a tertiary hospital was undertaken pre pandemic. A retrospective review of patients records during the Sars-CoV-2 pandemic. Comparative analysis was utilised to assess outcomes. Results Pre Sars-CoV-2 analysis revealed 14 patients (70%) were manged with rigid endoscopy compared to one (5%) interpandemic. Cauterization treated 20 patients (100%) pre pandemic and four patients (20%) interpandemic. Nasal packing modality differed in that 13 patients (65%) were treated with Nasopore pre pandemic and 14 (70%) with Rapid Rhino interpandemic. This exhibited a paradigm shift in that 18 (90%) patients were managed conservatively with nasal packing interpandemic. Conclusion A paradigm shift in the management of Epistaxis during the pandemic has led to treatment which is less invasive, has less morbidity for the patient, requires less hospital admissions and lessens nosocomial transmission of the Sars-CoV-2. Further study is required given the advent of vaccines and development of various strains Sars-CoV-2.

“I am the evil of this world”: Case report of a 17-year-old teenager with autism and melancholic depression, a developmental perspective

Diagnosing depression during adolescence is complex due to the variety of manifestations encountered. Besides, depression is a common comorbidity in autism spectrum disorders and can be difficult to diagnose. We report here the case of a 17-year-old adolescent hospitalized for major hetero-aggressive behavior in a context of melancholic depression. We present the multidisciplinary care provided: psychotherapeutic, medication, family, and body packing. The case of this patient was complex due to multiple “internal” constraints linked to comorbidities (autism spectrum disorder, coordination impairment, attention disorder, sluggish cognitive tempo), as well as “external” constraints (complicated family context, worsening of disorders coinciding with the start of the SARS-cov-19 epidemic and the closure of the day hospital supporting him). These factors raised important questions in the choice of treatments for this patient, required several months of hospitalization and opened a discussion around differential diagnoses. © 2022 Elsevier Masson SAS

« Je suis le fléau du monde » : à propos d’un épisode mélancolique chez un adolescent avec autisme de 17 ans, perspective développementale

Résumé Le diagnostic de dépression à l’adolescence est complexe du fait de la diversité des manifestations rencontrées. Par ailleurs, la dépression est une comorbidité fréquente dans les troubles du spectre autistique et elle peut poser des difficultés diagnostiques. Nous résumons ici la prise en charge multidisciplinaire (psychothérapeutique, médicamenteuse, familiale, et corporelle par enveloppement) d’un adolescent de 17 ans hospitalisé pour troubles de comportement à type d’hétéro-agressivité majeure dans un contexte de dépression mélancolique. La prise en charge a été complexe du fait de multiples contraintes « internes » liées à des comorbidités (trouble du spectre autistique, trouble de coordination motrice, trouble de l’attention, et lenteur de traitement cognitif), ainsi que des contraintes « externes » (contexte familial compliqué, aggravation des troubles coïncidant avec le début de l’épidémie de SARS-cov-19 et la fermeture de l’hôpital de jour le prenant en charge). L’ensemble de ces facteurs ont entraîné des questionnements importants dans le choix des traitements pour ce patient, ont nécessité plusieurs mois d’hospitalisation et ouvert une discussion autour des diagnostics différentiels. Diagnosing depression during adolescence is complex due to the variety of manifestations encountered. Besides, depression is a common comorbidity in autism spectrum disorders and can be difficult to diagnose. We report here the case of a 17-year-old adolescent hospitalized for major hetero-aggressive behavior in a context of melancholic depression. We present the multidisciplinary care provided: psychotherapeutic, medication, family, and body packing. The case of this patient was complex due to multiple “internal” constraints linked to comorbidities (autism spectrum disorder, coordination impairment, attention disorder, sluggish cognitive tempo), as well as “external” constraints (complicated family context, worsening of disorders coinciding with the start of the SARS-cov-19 epidemic and the closure of the day hospital supporting him). These factors raised important questions in the choice of treatments for this patient, required several months of hospitalization and opened a discussion around differential diagnoses.

COVID-19 working paper: changes in regional hog slaughter during COVID-19. (COVID-19 Working Paper No. AP-095.)

This working paper describes how COVID-19 affected the pork packing industry, gives an overview of this industry, and measures changes in regional slaughter volumes in 2020. We find different effects of COVID-19 across regions. Some regions experienced a prolonged decline in hog slaughter compared with 2019, while in other regions sharp declines only lasted a few weeks. Slaughter counts in the major pork-producing regions declined for three weeks at the end of April and early May but recovered to 2019 levels by June 2020. Minor processing regions had mixed reactions to the pandemic. For instance, Region 2 (New Jersey and New York) experienced a large decline in slaughter, but, unlike major processing regions, the shock persisted throughout the year-slaughter rates were lower than 2019 levels. Overall, most regions in 2020 had increases in total slaughter compared with 2019, suggesting the industry suffered at the beginning of the pandemic but adjusted production and at least partially recovered.

BurmAmerican Foodscapes: Refugee Re-settlement and Resilience

This essay examines the resettlement of Burmese refugees in the United States through the lens of food. Looking specifically at Christian community gardens, corporatized meat processing, a feature film, and nonfiction book, I analyze how Karen refugees have participated in U.S. food economies and investigate processes of selective and serial migration, religion, representation, and community-building. "Critically juxtaposing" two different, although related, case studies enables a preliminary mapping of how refugees from Burma/Myanmar have resettled in the United States in the early twenty-first century, with a focus on legibility, racialization, traditional ecological knowledge (TEK), and mutual aid.

Undergraduate otolaryngology: enhancing interest and education with hands-on simulation

Introduction: With cancelled student placements due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there is a shift towards non-patient-facing methods to deliver medical education. The aim was to design, deliver and evaluate an ENT course for undergraduate medical students. Method: A three-part simulation course on common and emergency ENT conditions was delivered by ENT trainees to undergraduate medical students (n=50). It involved theoretical and hands-on experience with otoscopy on head models;nasoendoscopy and epistaxis management with upper airway head models and nasal packing kits;and management of compromised airways using critical airway models, airway adjuncts, intubation and cricothyroidotomy kits. Delegates were given pre- and post-course questionnaires, with another at six-weeks to test knowledge retention. Results were statistically analysed using paired and independent sample t-tests. Results: A statistically significant improvement in post-test knowledge of 55% (p<0.01) was observed. Delegates also demonstrated a sustained improvement of 51% (p<0.01) six-weeks later compared to baseline knowledge. 76% and 80% reported improved confidence managing epistaxis and performing intubation respectively;46% reported increased interest in pursuing ENT as a potential career. Conclusions: This study demonstrated statistically significant and sustained improvements in knowledge about common and emergency ENT concepts. ENT simulation therefore represents an efficacious mechanism for teaching key ENT concepts and improving confidence in undergraduate medical students, whilst improving interest in pursuing ENT as a career. Additionally, simulation is an invaluable educational adjunct that may foster more realistic, impactful, and safer educational experiences for medical students whilst exposure to patients is minimised due to the current pandemic.

Why Should Natural Principles Be Simple?

One of the criteria to a strong principle in natural sciences is simplicity. The conventional view holds that the world is provided with natural laws that must be simple. This common-sense approach is a modern rewording of the medieval philosophical/theological concept of the Multiple arising from (and generated by) the One. Humans need to pursue unifying frameworks, classificatory criteria and theories of everything. Still, the fact that our cognitive abilities tend towards simplification and groupings does not necessarily entail that this is the way the world works. Here we ask: what if singularity does not pave the way to multiplicity? How will we be sure if the Ockham's razor holds in real life? We will show in the sequel that the propensity to reduce to simplicity the relationships among the events leads to misleading interpretations of scientific issues. We are not going to take a full sceptic turn: we will engage in active outreach, suggesting examples from biology and physics to demonstrate how a novel methodological antiunitary approach might help to improve our scientific attitude towards world affairs. We will provide examples from aggregation of SARS-Cov-2 particles, unclassified extinct creatures, pathological brain stiffness. Further, we will describe how antiunitary strategies, plagiarising medieval concepts from William od Ockham and Gregory of Rimini, help to explain novel relational approaches to quantum mechanics and the epistemological role of our mind in building the real world.

Modelling the adsorption of proteins to nanoparticles at the solid-liquid interface.

HYPOTHESIS: We developed a geometrical model to determine the theoretical maximum number of proteins that can pack as a monolayer surrounding a spherical nanoparticle. We applied our new model to study the adsorption of receptor binding domain (RBD) of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein to silica nanoparticles. Due to its abundance and extensive use in manufacturing, silica represents a reservoir where the virus can accumulate. It is therefore important to study the adsorption and the persistence of viral components on inanimate surfaces. EXPERIMENTS: We used previously published datasets of nanoparticle-adsorbed proteins to validate the new model. We then used integrated experimental methods and Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulations to characterise binding of the RBD to silica nanoparticles and the effect of such binding on RBD structure. FINDINGS: The new model showed excellent fit with existing datasets and, combined to new RBD-silica nanoparticles binding data, revealed a surface occupancy of 32% with respect to the maximum RBD packing theoretically achievable. Up to 25% of RBD's secondary structures undergo conformational changes as a consequence of adsorption onto silica nanoparticles. Our findings will help developing a better understanding of the principles governing interaction of proteins with surfaces and can contribute to control the spread of SARS-CoV-2 through contaminated objects.