Disinfection Effect of High-pressure Carbon Dioxide on Human Coronavirus (hCoV-229E)

Objective: Exploring the disinfection effect of high-pressure carbon dioxide (HPCD) on human coronavirus 229E (hCoV-229E). Methods: The human coronavirus 229E (hCoV-229E) was treated by HPCD at different temperatures (10, 25, and 37 ℃) and pressures (6.3 and 10 MPa) for different time (15 and 30 min). Result: Compared with the control groups under the corresponding temperatures, the virus titer in 50 mL tube treated with HPCD at 10 ℃ and 6.3 MPa for 30 min was significantly decreased (P<0.05). The virus titer was also significantly reduced after treatment with HPCD at 37 ℃ and 10 MPa for 15 min (P<0.01). Moreover, the virus titers inoculated on the surfaces of salmon meat, shrimp shell, and polyethylene packing materials were all significantly decreased after HPCD treatment at 37 ℃ and 10 MPa for 15 min as compared with the corresponding control groups (P<0.05). Conclusion: HPCD treatment at 37 ℃ and 10 MPa for 15 minutes could effectively disinfect hCoV-229E on the surface of food (salmon meat and shrimp shell) and polyethylene packaging materials. © 2023, Editorial Department of Science and Technology of Food Science. All rights reserved.

Presence of SARS-CoV-2 on surfaces and materials in supermarket social areas in Türkiye

The aim of this study was to monitor the presence of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that cause the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), particularly on certain foods and surfaces that come in contact with food in district supermarkets in Ankara, Türkiye, where the highest number of COVID-19 cases was reported based on data from the Ministry of Health. For this purpose, a total of 172 samples were taken from 5 supermarkets in 4 districts in Ankara. RNA was extracted from the samples and RdRp gene-targeting reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) assays were used to determine the presence of SARS-CoV-2. The results showed that all the supermarket samples collected during the period when there was a high number of COVID-19 cases in the district did not have SARS-CoV-2 except for one sample that was taken from a supermarket where COVID-19 had been detected among the staff. In this supermarket, COVID-19 RNA was detected with a high number of copies of 5 000, using Real-Time RT-PCR assay in pooled swab samples taken from salt shakers, pepper shakers, red pepper shakers, and vinegar and oil bottles in the social area that the staff used for lunchbreaks and other breaks. This finding shows that it is of great importance for public health agencies to monitor COVID-19 cases in food businesses in regions with a high number of cases and to take samples from these businesses at certain intervals, as a form of "early warning system.”. © 2023, Ankara University. All rights reserved.

A critical review on the inactivation of surface and airborne SARS-CoV-2 virus by ozone gas

COVID-19 pandemic has created chaos in almost every walk of life. The harsh impact of the disease is mainly rooted to the rapid and easy spread of SARS-CoV-2 virus through airborne and fomite routes. Thus, disinfection of contaminated surfaces and air is important to hamper COVID-19 disease transmission. Ozone being a potent gaseous disinfectant has been utilized to inactivate a wide-range of viruses and has more recently gained interest in the inactivation of SARS-CoV-2. This article critically reviews the current state-of-knowledge on disinfection of surface-adhered and airborne SARS-CoV-2 by ozone. The transmission and survival characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 alongside the specificity of ozone inactivation process are reviewed. Distinct focus is then given to reviewing the status of ozone inactivation of surface-adhered and airborne SARS-CoV-2 in terms of experimental investigations, kinetics, and influence of the operational factors on the inactivation process. Ozone inactivation of SARS-CoV-2 is compared to other enveloped viruses, and the challenges and future prospects of ozone inactivation of SARS-CoV-2 are also addressed. © 2022 The Author(s). Published with license by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.

Satellite-based estimates of daily NO2 exposure in urban agglomerations of China and application to spatio-temporal characteristics of hotspots

The analysis of the daily spatial patterns of near-surface Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) concentrations can assist decision makers mitigate this common air pollutant in urban areas. However, comparative analysis of NO2 estimates in different urban agglomerations of China is limited. In this study, a new linear mixed effect model (LME) with multi-source spatiotemporal data is proposed to estimate daily NO2 concentrations at high accuracy based on the land-use regression (LUR) model and Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) and TROPOspheric Monitoring Instrument (TROPOMI) products. In addition, three models for NO2 concentration estimation were evaluated and compared in four Chinese urban agglomerations from 2018 to 2020, including the COVID-19 closed management period. Each model included a unique combination of methods and satellite NO2 products: ModelⅠ: LUR model with OMI products;Model Ⅱ: LUR model with TropOMI products;Model Ⅱ: LME model with TropOMI products. The results show that the LME model outperformed the LUR model in all four urban agglomerations as the average RMSE decreased by 16.09% due to the consideration of atmospheric dispersion random effects, and using TropOMI instead of OMI products can improve the accuracy. Based on our NO2 estimations, pollution hotspots were identified, and pollution anomalies during the COVID-19 period were explored for two periods;the lockdown and revenge pollution periods. The largest NO2 pollution difference between the hotspot and non-hotspot areas occurred in the second period, especially in the heavy industrial urban agglomerations. © 2022 Elsevier Ltd

SARS-CoV-2 RNA viability on high-touch surfaces and evaluation of a continuous-flow ozonation treatment

Background: The COVID-19 emergency has highlighted the importance of prevention systems and environ-mental microbiological monitoring as fundamental elements in the response to epidemics and other such threats to individual and collective health. The use of automated "No-touch" room disinfection systems eliminates or reduces the dependence on operators, thus allowing an improvement in the effectiveness of terminal disinfection. Study design: In the present study, we focused on possible SARS-CoV-2 contamination of surfaces of com-mercial services, and the effectiveness of ozone treatment on the virus. Methods: Analyses were conducted on 4-7 October and 27-30 December 2021 in four supermarkets in an Apulian city;supermarkets A and B were equipped with an ozonisation system, while C and D were without any environmental remediation. Results: SARS-CoV-2 RNA was detected by real-time RT-PCR only in December, in 6% of the surfaces tested, and all examined samples were found to be negative after viral culture, since no cytopathic effect was observed. A statistically significant difference emerged from the comparison of October vs. December (p = 0.0289), but no statistically significant difference (p = 0.6777) emerged from the comparison between supermarkets with and without the ozonisation system. Conclusions: Although no important changes were observed by treating the environments with ozonisation systems, further studies are needed to validate the effectiveness of environmental treatments with airborne disinfectants.

[Educating to properly close the toilet knob taps or to replace them]. / Educare a chiudere in modo corretto i rubinetti a manopola del bagno o a sostituirli.

Systematic reviews have shown a prevalence close to 20% of gastrointestinal symptoms in COVID-19 positive patients, with nearly 40% of patients shedding viral RNA in their faeces, even if it may not be infectious, possibly because of inactivation by colonic fluid.According to current evidence, this virus is primarily transmitted by respiratory droplets and contact routes, including contaminated surfaces. The virus is quite stable on stainless steel, being detected up to 48-72 hours after application. Therefore, some individuals can be infected touching common contaminated surfaces, such as bathroom taps. Taps can be underestimated critical points in the transmission chain of the infection. Indeed, just by turning the knob, people leave germs on it, especially after coughing over their hands, sneezing, and/or blowing their nose. After handwashing with soap, user take back their germs when turning the knob. Paradoxically, the following user collects the germs back on his/her fingers by implementing a preventive measure, maybe before putting food into the mouth or wearing contact lenses.The Italian National Institute of Health recommends to clean and disinfect high-touched surfaces, but it is unrealistic and inefficient to do so after each tap use. As an alternative, new toilets should install long elbow-levers - or at least short levers - provided that people are educated to close them with the forearm or the side of the hand. This is already a standard measure in hospitals, but it is particularly important also in high-risk communities, such as retirement homes and prisons. It would be important also in schools, in workplaces, and even in families, contributing to the prevention both of orofaecal and respiratory infections.In the meantime, people should be educated to close existing knobs with disposable paper towel wipes or with toilet paper sheets.

Superrepellent Doubly Reentrant Geometry Promotes Antibiofouling and Prevention of Coronavirus Contamination.

The fomite transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has drawn attention because of its highly contagious nature. Therefore, surfaces that can prevent coronavirus contamination are an urgent and unmet need during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Conventional surfaces are usually based on superhydrophobic or antiviral coatings. However, these coatings may be dysfunctional because of biofouling, which is the undesired adhesion of biomolecules. A superhydrophobic surface independent of the material content and coating agents may serve the purpose of antibiofouling and preventing viral transmission. Doubly reentrant topology (DRT) is a unique structure that can meet the need. This study demonstrates that the DRT surfaces possess a striking antibiofouling effect that can prevent viral contamination. This effect still exists even if the DRT surface is made of a hydrophilic material such as silicon oxide and copper. To the best of our knowledge, this work first demonstrates that fomite transmission of viruses may be prevented by minimizing the contact area between pathogens and surfaces even made of hydrophilic materials. Furthermore, the DRT geometry per se features excellent antibiofouling ability, which may shed light on the applications of pathogen elimination in alleviating the COVID-19 pandemic.

Fate of Exhaled Droplets From Breathing and Coughing in Supermarket Checkouts and Passenger Cars.

The global pandemic of COVID-19 has highlighted the importance of understanding the role that exhaled droplets play in virus transmission in community settings. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) enables systematic examination of roles the exhaled droplets play in the spread of SARS-CoV-2 in indoor environments. This analysis uses published exhaled droplet size distributions combined with terminal aerosol droplet size based on measured peak concentrations for SARS-CoV-2 RNA in aerosols to simulate exhaled droplet dispersion, evaporation, and deposition in a supermarket checkout area and rideshare car where close proximity with other individuals is common. Using air inlet velocity of 2 m/s in the passenger car and ASHRAE recommendations for ventilation and comfort in the supermarket, simulations demonstrate that exhaled droplets <20 µm that contain the majority of viral RNA evaporated leaving residual droplet nuclei that remain aerosolized in the air. Subsequently ~ 70% of these droplet nuclei deposited in the supermarket and the car with the reminder vented from the space. The maximum surface deposition of droplet nuclei/m2 for speaking and coughing were 2 and 819, 18 and 1387 for supermarket and car respectively. Approximately 15% of the total exhaled droplets (aerodynamic diameters 20-700 µm) were deposited on surfaces in close proximity to the individual. Due to the non-linear distribution of viral RNA across droplet sizes, however, these larger exhaled droplets that deposit on surfaces have low viral content. Maximum surface deposition of viral RNA was 70 and 1.7 × 103 virions/m2 for speaking and 2.3 × 104 and 9.3 × 104 virions/m2 for coughing in the supermarket and car respectively while the initial airborne concentration of viral RNA was 7 × 106 copies per ml. Integrating the droplet size distributions with viral load distributions, this study helps explain the apparent importance of inhalation exposures compared to surface contact observed in the pandemic.

Disinfection Effect of High-pressure Carbon Dioxide on Human Coronavirus (hCoV-229E)

Objective: Exploring the disinfection effect of high-pressure carbon dioxide (HPCD) on human coronavirus 229E (hCoV-229E). Methods: The human coronavirus 229E (hCoV-229E) was treated by HPCD at different temperatures (10, 25, and 37 ℃) and pressures (6.3 and 10 MPa) for different time (15 and 30 min). Result: Compared with the control groups under the corresponding temperatures, the virus titer in 50 mL tube treated with HPCD at 10 ℃ and 6.3 MPa for 30 min was significantly decreased (P<0.05). The virus titer was also significantly reduced after treatment with HPCD at 37 ℃ and 10 MPa for 15 min (P<0.01). Moreover, the virus titers inoculated on the surfaces of salmon meat, shrimp shell, and polyethylene packing materials were all significantly decreased after HPCD treatment at 37 ℃ and 10 MPa for 15 min as compared with the corresponding control groups (P<0.05). Conclusion: HPCD treatment at 37 ℃ and 10 MPa for 15 minutes could effectively disinfect hCoV-229E on the surface of food (salmon meat and shrimp shell) and polyethylene packaging materials. © 2023, Editorial Department of Science and Technology of Food Science. All rights reserved.

Vaccines, adjuvants and key factors for mucosal immune response.

Vaccines are the most effective tool to control infectious diseases, which provoke significant morbidity and mortality rates. Most vaccines are administered through the parenteral route and can elicit a robust systemic humoral response, but they induce a weak T-cell-mediated immunity and are poor inducers of mucosal protection. Considering that most pathogens enter the body through mucosal surfaces, a vaccine that elicits protection in the first site of contact between the host and the pathogen is promising. However, despite the advantages of mucosal vaccines as good options to confer protection on the mucosal surface, only a few mucosal vaccines are currently approved. In this review, we discuss the impact of vaccine administration in different mucosal surfaces; how appropriate adjuvants enhance the induction of protective mucosal immunity and other factors that can influence the mucosal immune response to vaccines.

Antimicrobial efficacy and inactivation kinetics of a novel LED based UV-irradiation technology.

BACKGROUND: UV light emitting diodes (UV-LEDs) are energy efficient and of special interest for the inactivation of microorganisms. In context of the current pandemic, novel UV technologies can offer a powerful alternative of effective infection prevention and control (IPC). METHODS: We here assessed the antimicrobial efficacy of UV-C LEDs on Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas fluorescens and Listeria innocua as well as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), human immunodeficiency virus 1 (HIV-1) and murine norovirus (MNV) dried on inanimate surfaces based on the European standard EN 17272. RESULTS: We found an inactivation rate of 90% for the tested bacteria at a mean UV-C dose, averaged over all three investigated UV-C wavelengths, of 1.7 mJ cm-2 for E. coli, 1.9 mJ cm-2 for P. fluorescens and 1.5 mJ cm-2 for L. innocua. For the tested viruses, a 90% inactivation rate at UV doses less than 15 mJ cm-2 for applied UV wavelengths at 255 nm and 265 nm were found. Exposure of viruses to longer UV wavelengths such as 275 nm and 285 nm, required much higher doses up to 120 mJ cm-2 for inactivation. Regarding inactivation, non-enveloped MNV required much higher UV doses for all tested wavelengths compared to SARS-CoV-2 or HIV-1. CONCLUSION: Overall, our data recommend the use of LEDs emitting at shorter wavelengths of the UV-C spectrum to inactivate bacteria as well as enveloped and non-enveloped viruses by exposure to the appropriate UV-dose. However, low availability and excessive production costs of shortwave UV-C LEDs restricts the implementation currently and supports the use of longwave UV-C LEDs in combination with higher irradiation doses.

Virtual Tabletops (VTT) for Role-Playing Games (RPG) and Do-It-Yourself (DYI) Interactive Surfaces as Examples of Vernacular Design

Pop culture-driven nostalgia for the times of the second half of the 20th century-with their music, aesthetics and entertainment, in combination with the increased need for casual interpersonal contacts observed during the COVID-19 pandemic led to a kind of renaissance of classic tabletop board and Role-Playing Games. At the same time, the pandemic necessity of isolation has led to the emergence of new solutions in the field of social but remote entertainment-specially through software called Virtual Tabletops (VTT). In classic RPGs such as "Dungeons and Dragons"players often use boards, mockups, models, dioramas and miniatures for tactical orientation in situations where it is essential from the mechanics point of view (e.g. during combat sequences). Virtual game tables allowed for this types of props to be digitized including automation of some mechanical activities related to the game (statistics of objects, markers for area effects, fields of view, fogs of war etc.). This turned out to be so attractive that some players began to mix the classic pen and paper RPG's gameplay (requiring the physical presence of players at the table and face to face communication), with virtual tools which then allow for projection onto table's surface, walls or to the TVs, tablets and smartphones. This niche but extremely interesting example of vernacular practices in computer based media seem worth further investigation. © 2022 ACM.

Physics of droplet impact on various substrates and its current advancements in interfacial science: A review

Droplet impact dynamics is an interfacial phenomenon that is shown everywhere in nature and is the underlying of numerous technological applications including bio-printing, tissue engineering, pharmaceuticals, fight against COVID-19 pandemic, smart biomaterials, and flexible electronics. Over the last decade, expeditious advancement of novel functional interfacial surfaces, high-speed visualization, nanoscience, nanotechnology, machine learning, and computational power, as well as the connection of flow physics with interfacial science, have contributed to enhancing the understanding of relevant complex physical phenomena. Droplet, upon impacting onto substrates, can deposit, spread, bounce, and splash. Features of droplet impact physics and surface wettability necessitate elaborate solid–liquid interactions. Given the significance of droplet impact physics for healthcare and electronics, it is recommended for the scientific community to direct research studies to profound the understanding of such complex physics. Therefore, this Review initially focuses on liquid–solid interfacial science. Second, droplet impact physics on numerous solid surfaces was discussed. Substrates with various wettability and physical features were considered: hydrophilic, hydrophobic, superhydrophobic, smooth, rough, and flexible elastic surfaces. Furthermore, numerous advancements of droplet impact on solid surfaces related to advanced technologies and challenges including printed electronics, smart biomaterials, tissue engineering, machine learning, and COVID-19 pandemic were reviewed. Finally, this Review outlines future perspectives and research directions in complex droplet impact physics. [ FROM AUTHOR]

COVID-19 prevalence and infection control practices among dentists in Andhra Pradesh State, India.

BACKGROUND: The coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic posed a new challenge not only to public health but also to the health care systems and dentists are one of the highly vulnerable health care professionals for COVID-19 infection. OBJECTIVE: To assess the COVID-19 prevalence, associated factors, and infection control practices among dentists in Andhra Pradesh State, IndiaMETHODS:A cross-sectional web-based questionnaire survey was conducted among dentists in Andhra Pradesh state, India. 21-item pretested questionnaire was used for data collection between January 30, 2021 and February 21, 2021. 3700 dentists from the Andhra Pradesh state were selected from the Dentists Register of India through systematic random sampling method. RESULTS: Out of 3700 dentists invited to participate in this study, responses from 1876 dentists were received with response rate of 51%. Prevalence of 8 among the study population was 9%. Patients were the primary source of infection for 60.5% of the COVID-19 positive study participants. 65.8% of total respondents using full face shield and two-third of them using N-95 or equivalent mask while providing dental care. CONCLUSION: This study found a high prevalence rate of COVID 19 among the dentists. Among the associated factors, being into active practice during the pandemic was found to be statistically significant. This study recommend for additional infection control protocols specific to the COVID-19 pandemic.

New nickel(ii) Schiff base complexes as potential tools against SARS-CoV-2 Omicron target proteins: an in silico approach

Herein, we report the in silico design and synthesis of two new nickel(ii) coordination complexes, viz., [Ni(L-1)][(PPh3)]DMF (1) and [Ni(L-2)] (2), based on Schiff bases derived from the 2-hydroxy-1-naphthaldehyde moiety (where, (LH2)-H-1 = (E)-3-(((5-chloro-2-hydroxyphenyl)imino)methyl)naphthalene-2-ol), ((LH2)-H-2 = 2,2 & PRIME;-((1E,1 & PRIME;E)-(ethane-1,2-diylbis(azaneylylidene))bis(methaneylylidene))bis(naphthalen-2-ol)), PPh3 = (triphenylphosphine). The synthesized ligands (LH2)-H-1 and (LH2)-H-2 were coordinated to Ni(ii) ions through the tridentate-ONO and tetradentate-N2O2 donor atoms, respectively. The newly synthesized complexes were fully characterized using X-ray crystallography analysis. The synthesized complexes (1) and (2) crystallized in the triclinic and monoclinic crystal system with the P1 and P21/c space group, respectively, and exhibited a square planar geometry around the Ni(ii) ions. Computational approaches were employed to determine the structure-property relationship of the complexes. Hirshfeld surface analysis was also performed to investigate intermolecular interactions in the crystal systems. The strength of the interaction and 3D topology of crystal packing were visualized through an energy framework. To gain insights into the potential application of Ni(ii) complexes as effective SARS-CoV-2 Omicron inhibitors, we performed the following docks (a) Ni(ii) complexes with S protein from original SARS-CoV-2 (PDB ID: 7CWO), (b) Ni(ii) complexes with selected Omicron targets (PDB ID: 7QTK and 7WK8) and (c) controls ivermectin and levosalbutamol with the original SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and the Omicron S proteins. The synthesized Ni(ii) complexes (1) and (2) showed good docking results with the S protein of SARS-CoV-2, where the binding energies (& UDelta;G) and respective K-i (inhibition constants) correlation values are -7.38 (3.87 mu M) and -8.82 (341.77 nM), respectively. The molecular docking results revealed that the synthesized complexes (1) and (2) with the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron target protein (PDB ID: 7QTK) resulted the binding energy (& UDelta;G) of -7.46 kcal mol(-1) with an inhibition constant (K-i) of 3.39 mu M and binding energy (& UDelta;G) of -7.56 kcal mol(-1) with an inhibition constant (K-i) of 2.89 mu M, respectively. Similarly, the synthesized Ni(ii) complexes (1) and (2) with the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron target protein (PDB ID: 7WK8) exhibited the binding energy (& UDelta;G) and inhibition constant (K-i) of -7.03 kcal mol(-1) and 7.08 mu M and -7.89 kcal mol(-1) and 1.64 mu M, respectively. It was predicted that ivermectin shows a larger binding energy (& UDelta;G) for S proteins compared to levosalbutamol after molecular docking. Further, in silico ADMET to predict the drug-likeness behaviour and pharmacokinetic response of the synthesized complexes was also explored. Overall, the present study suggests that nickel(ii) complexes can be considered as potential therapeutic drugs against the Omicron target protein of SARS-CoV-2.

The Shift to Online Teaching of Technical Subjects during the Pandemic

The aim of the article is to compare the results of the study before and during the pandemic. It is also a reflection on what we experienced and how we undertook pedagogical work with students in critical teaching conditions. The coronavirus pandemic brought about an unexpected and rapid change in all aspects of education. It seems like neither the teachers nor the students were ready. The article describes how the transition to online teaching took place overnight. It describes how technical subjects were taught and examined in a new online environment. This is about how the students evaluated that form of education in the subjects of ‘Heat Treatment and Metal Surface Treatment' and ‘Material Science I'. The results of the study confirmed that even in the conditions of complete separation in the social and work contact, it is possible to study by conscientious preparation and self-access.

Presence of SARS-CoV-2 on surfaces and materials in supermarket social areas in Turkiye

The aim of this study was to monitor the presence of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that cause the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), particularly on certain foods and surfaces that come in contact with food in district supermarkets in Ankara, Turkiye, where the highest number of COVID-19 cases was reported based on data from the Ministry of Health. For this purpose, a total of 172 samples were taken from 5 supermarkets in 4 districts in Ankara. RNA was extracted from the samples and RdRp gene-targeting reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) assays were used to determine the presence of SARS-CoV-2. The results showed that all the supermarket samples collected during the period when there was a high number of COVID-19 cases in the district did not have SARS-CoV-2 except for one sample that was taken from a supermarket where COVID-19 had been detected among the staff. In this supermarket, COVID-19 RNA was detected with a high number of copies of 5 000, using Real-Time RT-PCR assay in pooled swab samples taken from salt shakers, pepper shakers, red pepper shakers, and vinegar and oil bottles in the social area that the staff used for lunchbreaks and other breaks. This finding shows that it is of great importance for public health agencies to monitor COVID-19 cases in food businesses in regions with a high number of cases and to take samples from these businesses at certain intervals, as a form of "early warning system.". Copyright © 2023, Ankara University. All rights reserved.

A comprehensive indoor hygiene concept for infection prevention and control within built environments

The COVID-19 pandemic has shown that actions related to infection prevention and control (IPC) need to be made more efficient, especially in indoor public spaces. Many standalone technologies and solutions are available to increase the hygiene levels of indoor environments. However, it is not clear how these technologies and solutions can be combined and adapted to building processes such that they cover the entire indoor environment and life cycle of a building-from its design to its use and maintenance. The construction industry faces challenges in this regard because many actors are involved, and interactions at multiple levels can hinder the implementation of innovations. Therefore, the aim of this article is to establish a framework for IPC within built environments by introducing a new indoor hygiene concept (IHC). It provides a tool for implementing necessary IPC actions during a building's life cycle to construct or renovate hygienic indoor environments. The IHC is based on the idea that all the elements of an indoor environment need to be considered to create a hygienic building. In addition, hygiene objectives need to be set at an early stage of the construction process and monitored throughout all the phases of a building's life cycle. This comprehensive approach enables designers, engineers, and other actors involved in different stages of a building's life cycle to see their roles in the IPC of shared public spaces. Adopting this approach can result in fewer infection transmissions via indoor environments and, in turn, cost benefits for society.

Mosaic Patterned Surfaces toward Generating Hardly-Volatile Capsular Droplet Arrays for High-Precision Droplet-Based Storage and Detection.

Precise detection involving droplets based on functional surfaces is promising for the parallelization and miniaturization of platforms and is significant in epidemic investigation, analyte recognition, environmental simulation, combinatorial chemistry, etc. However, a challenging and considerable task is obtaining mutually independent droplet arrays without cross-contamination and simultaneously avoiding droplet evaporation-caused quick reagent loss, inaccuracy, and failure. Herein, a strategy to generate mutually independent and hardly-volatile capsular droplet arrays using innovative mosaic patterned surfaces is developed. The evaporation suppression of the capsular droplet arrays is 1712 times higher than the naked droplet. The high evaporation suppression of the capsular droplet arrays on the surfaces is attributed to synergistic blocking of the upper oil and bottom mosaic gasproof layer. The scale-up of the capsular droplet arrays, the flexibility in shape, size, component (including aqueous, colloidal, acid, and alkali solutions), liquid volume, and the high-precision hazardous substance testing proves the concept's high compatibility and practicability. The mutually independent capsular droplet arrays with amazingly high evaporation suppression are essential for the new generation of high-performance open-surface microfluidic chips used in COVID-19 diagnosis and investigation, primary screening, in vitro enzyme reactions, environmental monitoring, nanomaterial synthesis, etc.

Recent development of antiviral nano-coatings for COVID-19 management-a review

Global pandemic COVID-19 has affected almost the entire world population in every aspect of life in terms of health, environment, and economy. According to WHO, the main source of transmission of this deadly virus (SARS-CoV-2) is proven to be through the aerosol coming from the infected person's cough, sneeze, or exhalation. These aerosols are likely to settle down on the exposed surfaces and such infected surfaces are known to be potential source of contamination. The spread of the viral infections can be controlled in a great extent with the development of anti-viral nano-coating materials for various surfaces. Thus, development of such anti-viral nano-coating materials becomes increasingly popular amongst the researchers due to their extensive applications on surfaces, such as, glass, cotton, plastic and many more. In this short review, we will describe a summary of the popular metals and metal oxide nanomaterials commonly explored as antiviral coatings to control the spread of various viral disease along with the corresponding working principle and effectivity of such coatings.