Effects of the Covid-19 Pandemic on Primary Education System of Lahore, Pakistan

Background: The pandemic of Covid-19 impeded all socio-economical, pedagogic, and recreational activities. Pakistan is facing an intensified educational crisis due to previous educational differences, so the era of the pandemic has shown difficulties in the educational framework. Aim(s): Awareness among parents and students to combat challenges of pandemic. Method(s): The current study is based on random quantitatively study which gathered data from 300 respondents assembled from different areas of Lahore, Pakistan from June 2020 to July 2021. The responses were collected from students, teachers, and parents that how homeschooling compromises student's physical, psychological, and emotional health. Result(s): About 76% of the students favoured traditional classes over online classes whereas only 20% of the students found the online session interactive. In the other section, only 15.33% of the teachers were satisfied by the online results and they complained about the poor performance and interaction with the students. Overall, 81.67% parents agreed that there is a decline in the physical activity of their children. The results of this study suggested that social distancing and the emerging challenges associated with Covid- 19 have entirely changed the education system that has caused number of problems for children, parents, and teachers in Pakistan. Practical implication: This study highlights pros and cons of online study;such studies give students and teachers a way to prepare for future challenges. Conclusion(s): Considering all outcomes of study, it is highlighted that policy-level interventions were needed, along with well-designed interactive courses. Hence, integrated approaches based on the mental as well as physical capabilities of the students must be executed, and e-tools must also be practiced in traditional classes to fill the gap of homeschooling.Copyright © 2023 Lahore Medical And Dental College. All rights reserved.

The inspiratory activity of respiratory center and respiratory muscles strength after COVID-19.

The respiratory pump that provides pulmonary ventilation includes the respiratory center, peripheral nervous system, chest and respiratory muscles. The aim of this study was to evaluate the activity of the respiratory center and the respiratory muscles strength after COVID-19 (COronaVIrus Disease 2019). Methods. The observational retrospective cross-sectional study included 74 post-COVID-19 patients (56 (76%) men, median age - 48 years). Spirometry, body plethysmography, measurement of lung diffusing capacity (DLCO), maximal inspiratory and expiratory pressures (MIP and MEP), and airway occlusion pressure after 0.1 sec (P0.1) were performed. In addition, dyspnea was assessed in 31 patients using the mMRC scale and muscle strength was assessed in 27 of those patients using MRC Weakness scale. Results. The median time from the COVID-19 onset to pulmonary function tests (PFTs) was 120 days. The total sample was divided into 2 subgroups: 1 - P0.1 <= 0.15 kPa (norm), 2 - > 0.15 kPa. The lung volumes, airway resistance, MIP, and MEP were within normal values in most patients, whereas DLCO was reduced in 59% of cases in both the total sample and the subgroups. Mild dyspnea and a slight decrease in muscle strength were also detected. Statistically significant differences between the subgroups were found in the lung volumes (lower) and airway resistance (higher) in subgroup 2. Correlation analysis revealed moderate negative correlations between P0.1 and ventilation parameters. Conclusion. Measurement of P0.1 is a simple and non-invasive method for assessing pulmonary function. In our study, an increase in P0.1 was detected in 45% of post-COVID-19 cases, possibly due to impaired pulmonary mechanics despite the preserved pulmonary ventilation as well as normal MIP and MEP values.Copyright © Savushkina O.I. et al., 2023.

A Multivent System for Non-invasive Ventilation: Solving the Problem of Ventilator Shortage during the COVID-19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a severe global problem of ventilator shortage. Placing multiple patients on a single ventilator (ventilator sharing) or dual patient ventilation has been proposed and conducted to increase the cure efficiency for ventilated patients. However, the ventilator-sharing method needs to use the same ventilator settings for all the patients, which cannot meet the ventilation needs of different patients. Therefore, a novel multivent system for non-invasive ventilation has been proposed in this study. The close loop system consists of the proportional valve and the flow-pressure sensor can regulate the airway pressure and flow for each patient. Multiple ventilation circuits can be combined in parallel to meet patients’ventilation demands simultaneously. Meanwhile, the mathematical model of the multivent system is established and validated through experiments. The experiments for different inspired positive airway pressure (IPAP), expired positive airway pressure (EPAP), inspiratory expiratory ratio (I:E), and breath per minute (BPM) have been conducted and analyzed to test the performance of the multivent system. The results show that the multivent system can realize the biphasic positive airway pressure (BIPAP) ventilation mode in non-invasive ventilation without interfering among the three ventilation circuits, no matter the change of IPAP, EPAP, I:E, and BPM. However, pressure fluctuation exists during the ventilation process because of the exhaust valve effect, especially in EPAP control. The control accuracy and stability need to be improved. Nevertheless, the novel designed multivent system can theoretically solve the problem of ventilator shortage during the COVID-19 pandemic and may bring innovation to the current mechanical ventilation system. Author

Coronavirus Pandemic and Online Education: Impact on Developing Countries

In this book, eight substantive chapters examine how "developing” countries such as Bangladesh, Malaysia, and Mexico confronted the pandemic-driven online education shift. As local instruments, resources, and preferences of specific universities meshed with global platforms, ideas, and knowledge, the book addresses several questions. Was the mix too flaky to survive increasing competitiveness? Were countries capable enough to absorb mammoth software technological changes? Throwing a "developed” country (the United States) in for contrast, the book elaborates on the inequities between these countries. Some of these inequalities were economic (infrastructural provisions and accesses), others involved gender (the role of women), political (the difference between public and private universities), social (accessibility across social spectrum), and developmental (urban-rural divides). In doing so, new hypotheses on widening global gaps are highlighted in the book for further investigation. © The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2023.

Retaining remote teaching and assessment methods in accounting education: Drivers and challenges in the post-pandemic era

Despite the availability of studies on teaching and assessment during the pandemic, little is known about the factors that contribute to their retention in the post-pandemic era. This study aims to address this gap by examining the reasons for retaining remote methods and the challenges of maintaining them. Using a case study approach, data were collected through eleven interviews and document analysis of the first and leading academic accounting degree program in Sri Lanka. Isomorphic pressures and PEST factors were used to analyze the drivers for retention and the challenges, respectively. The study finds that coercive pressures dominate in Sri Lanka for the retention of remote teaching and assessment methods, driven by government policies and the country's economic crisis. However, mimetic and normative forces also reinforce these methods, driven by peer pressure and the desire to keep up with global trends. Conversely, political, economic, social, and technological factors impede the retention of remote learning and assessment methods, acting as a powerful force that drives back these remote methods to pre-pandemic practices. Hence, educational policymakers must allocate adequate funds and enhance infrastructure for remote education. We urge educators to gain more knowledge and skills in remote teaching and assessment methods, and learners to demonstrate responsibility, organization, and commitment towards the benefits of remote education.

Home care nurses' and managers' work environment during the Covid-19 pandemic: Increased workload, competing demands, and unsustainable trade-offs.

Little research exists on how home care nursing personnel have experienced the Covid-19 pandemic. This qualitative study explores the work environment related challenges nurses and managers in home care faced during the pandemic. We discuss these challenges in relation to the Demand-Control-Support Model and reflect on how the organizational dynamics associated with them can be understood using the competing pressures model. During the pandemic, home care nurses and managers experienced both an increased workload and psychosocial strain. For managers, the increased complexity of work was a major problem. We identify three key takeaways related to sustainable crisis management: 1) to support managers' ability to provide social support to their personnel, 2) to increase crisis communication preparedness, and 3) to apply a holistic perspective on protective gear use. We also conclude that the competing pressures model is useful when exploring the dynamics of the work environment in complex organizational contexts.

SDGs, COVID-19 and institutional pressures on organizations

PurposeThis article answers the following research question: How do institutional pressures influence the re(actions) of organizations in relation to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the context of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic?Design/methodology/approachThe present research was conducted through the search and review of online secondary sources based on a critical and exploratory analysis. The data were obtained from the Global Compact Brazilian Committee (Rede Brasil do Pacto Global, in Portuguese) and analyzed by means of qualitative content analysis with the support of the ATLAS.ti software.FindingsThe results have showed the role of organizations in dealing with the impacts provoked by the current COVID-19 scenario. However, the association of actions implemented by organizations is evident in some SDGs, but not in all and not with the same intensity. There is a higher incidence of SDG 3 (Good health and well-being), which is linked to 278 actions. Regarding institutional pressures, we noticed a higher incidence of normative pressures, which may indicate a sense of responsibility towards employees and other stakeholders related to the prevention of the impacts caused by the pandemic.Practical implicationsThe findings presented here can encourage companies to better direct their efforts to fight the virus without neglecting the 2030 Agenda.Social implicationsThe authors intend to encourage institutions that may exert coercive, normative, and mimetic pressures to recognize the impacts of their influence and better direct it to the interests of society during and after the pandemic.Originality/valueThis research investigates organizational actions in the context of COVID-19 from an institutional theory perspective.

Casing Leak Repair to Continue Hydraulic Fractures Stimulation

A casing leak repair alternative is presented to allow continued hydraulic fracture treatment of an unconventional formation. Analysis of diagnostic operations, selection of the best alternative, and the results are detailed. This paper details the diagnostic operations (annular circulation test, multifinger caliper log, leak chase with hydraulic packer on Coiled Tubing, fluid transit evaluation, and real-time camera downhole images acquisition) to identify the casing leak zone and the analyzed repair alternatives with the final selection of a casing patch. To verify the pipe body shield strength and burst pressure post-patch expansion, a finite element analysis in dynamic condition was carried out to limit the hydraulic fracture pumping parameters. This paper covers details on repair operations executed, verification analysis to confirm original frac treatment continuity, and lower & upper completion installation. The diagnostics operations allowed pinpointing casing leak detection and selection of possible repair alternatives. The repair was carried out as planned involving many services companies. A solution was implemented with local staff and services considering the COVID context with travel restrictions of the patch owners. Web broadcasting CT surface parameters allowed real-time support from casing patch suppliers during the entire intervention. The completion plan with 24 frac stages performed through the casing patch was successfully executed. The production packer with an OD of 99.5% of the casing patch drift was run through the casing patch and wireline set without any problem. Considering well integrity conditions throughout the entire well production life as the main intervention objective, this paper introduces a successful alternative to repair casing failures on an unconventional well that allowed hydraulic fractures continuity to accomplish the original frac plan. The well production was higher than the Estimated Ultimate Recovery (EUR) expected for the landing zone. Copyright 2023, Society of Petroleum Engineers.

The inspiratory activity of respiratory center and respiratory muscles strength after COVID-19

The respiratory pump that provides pulmonary ventilation includes the respiratory center, peripheral nervous system, chest and respiratory muscles. The aim of this study was to evaluate the activity of the respiratory center and the respiratory muscles strength after COVID-19 (COronaVIrus Disease 2019). Methods. The observational retrospective cross-sectional study included 74 post-COVID-19 patients (56 (76%) men, median age – 48 years). Spirometry, body plethysmography, measurement of lung diffusing capacity (DLCO), maximal inspiratory and expiratory pressures (MIP and MEP), and airway occlusion pressure after 0.1 sec (P0.1) were performed. In addition, dyspnea was assessed in 31 patients using the mMRC scale and muscle strength was assessed in 27 of those patients using MRC Weakness scale. Results. The median time from the COVID-19 onset to pulmonary function tests (PFTs) was 120 days. The total sample was divided into 2 subgroups: 1 – P0.1 ≤ 0.15 kPa (norm), 2 – > 0.15 kPa. The lung volumes, airway resistance, MIP, and MEP were within normal values in most patients, whereas DLCO was reduced in 59% of cases in both the total sample and the subgroups. Mild dyspnea and a slight decrease in muscle strength were also detected. Statistically significant differences between the subgroups were found in the lung volumes (lower) and airway resistance (higher) in subgroup 2. Correlation analysis revealed moderate negative correlations between P0.1 and ventilation parameters. Conclusion. Measurement of P0.1 is a simple and non-invasive method for assessing pulmonary function. In our study, an increase in P0.1 was detected in 45% of post-COVID-19 cases, possibly due to impaired pulmonary mechanics despite the preserved pulmonary ventilation as well as normal MIP and MEP values. © Savushkina O.I. et al., 2023.

The inspiratory activity of respiratory center and respiratory muscles strength after COVID-19.

The respiratory pump that provides pulmonary ventilation includes the respiratory center, peripheral nervous system, chest and respiratory muscles. The aim of this study was to evaluate the activity of the respiratory center and the respiratory muscles strength after COVID-19 (COronaVIrus Disease 2019). Methods. The observational retrospective cross-sectional study included 74 post-COVID-19 patients (56 (76%) men, median age - 48 years). Spirometry, body plethysmography, measurement of lung diffusing capacity (DLCO), maximal inspiratory and expiratory pressures (MIP and MEP), and airway occlusion pressure after 0.1 sec (P0.1) were performed. In addition, dyspnea was assessed in 31 patients using the mMRC scale and muscle strength was assessed in 27 of those patients using MRC Weakness scale. Results. The median time from the COVID-19 onset to pulmonary function tests (PFTs) was 120 days. The total sample was divided into 2 subgroups: 1 - P0.1 <= 0.15 kPa (norm), 2 - > 0.15 kPa. The lung volumes, airway resistance, MIP, and MEP were within normal values in most patients, whereas DLCO was reduced in 59% of cases in both the total sample and the subgroups. Mild dyspnea and a slight decrease in muscle strength were also detected. Statistically significant differences between the subgroups were found in the lung volumes (lower) and airway resistance (higher) in subgroup 2. Correlation analysis revealed moderate negative correlations between P0.1 and ventilation parameters. Conclusion. Measurement of P0.1 is a simple and non-invasive method for assessing pulmonary function. In our study, an increase in P0.1 was detected in 45% of post-COVID-19 cases, possibly due to impaired pulmonary mechanics despite the preserved pulmonary ventilation as well as normal MIP and MEP values.Copyright © Savushkina O.I. et al., 2023.

A temporal examination of inspiratory muscle strength and endurance in hospitalized COVID-19 patients.

BACKGROUND: The two most common symptoms associated with COVID-19 are dyspnea and fatigue. One possible cause of such symptoms may be inspiratory muscle weakness. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to examine inspiratory muscle performance (IMP) from intensive care unit discharge (ICUD) to hospital discharge (HD) in patients with COVID-19 hypothesizing that IMP would be markedly depressed at both ICUD and HD. METHODS: IMP was examined at ICUD and HD via the PrO2 device (PrO2 Health, Smithfield, RI) which provided the maximal inspiratory pressure (MIP), sustained MIP (SMIP), inspiratory duration (ID), and fatigue index test (FIT). Patient symptoms were assessed at ICUD, HD, and 1-month post-HD. RESULTS: 30 patients (19 men, 11 women) with COVID-19 were included. The mean±SD age, BMI, and length of ICU and hospital stay was 71±11 yrs, 27.9 ± 6.3 kg/m, 9 ± 6 days, and 26±16 days, respectively. The mean±SD MIP, SMIP, ID, and FIT of the entire cohort at ICUD vs HD were 36±21 vs 40±20 cm H2O, 231±157 vs 297±182 PTU, 8.8 ± 4.2 vs 9.5 ± 4.6 s, and 9.0 ± 9.4 vs 13.1 ± 12.3, respectively, with only SMIP and FIT significantly greater at HD (p=.006 and 0.03, respectively). SMIP at HD was significantly related to resting dyspnea at HD (r=-0.40; p=.02). The SMIP and FIT of men were found to increase significantly from ICUD to HD, but no measure of IMP in the women increased significantly from ICUD to HD. At least one COVID-19-related symptom was present 1 month after HD with the most persistent symptoms being fatigue, cough, and dyspnea in 47%, 40%, and 37% of the patients, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: A significant reduction in IMP exists in patients with COVID-19 at both ICUD and HD and no measure of IMP in women was observed to increase significantly from ICUD to HD. Impaired inspiratory muscle endurance rather than strength was associated with greater dyspnea at HD.

Measuring Total Filtration Efficiency of Surgical and Community Face Masks: Impact of Mask Design Features

Surgical and community face masks are used worldwide to reduce the transmission of respiratory infections in indoor environments. Performance parameters for these loose-fitting devices are mainly focused on material filtering efficiency, while, differently from face respirators, there are no standard methods for measuring the fraction of air leaking at the face seal. This study quantifies the total filtration efficiency (TFE), a parameter based both on filter efficiency and air leakage, of 50 face mask models with the aim of understanding the role of several mask design features on TFE performance. An instrumented head form equipped with sensors for measuring volumetric airflow and differential pressure was used to simulate the air exhalation from the mouth of a person wearing a face mask. A response surface method (RSM) was used to model the TFE experimental data. Results showed that TFE values ranged over a wide interval (from 5% to 73%), with better values at higher flow rates. A significant positive correlation was found between TFE and filter breathability. The presence of a nosepiece (NP) showed to increase the TFE on average from 4% to 6%, according to the flow rate. Significant improvements were associated only to nosepieces incorporating a metallic wire. The RSM model evidenced that the increase in the number of the filter layers and the use of a meltblown layer result in higher TFE only when a nosepiece is in place. Differently, the benefit of the nosepiece is less marked for masks made of highly breathable filters. To improve overall mask performance, the design of loose-fitting face masks should carefully compromise between breathability and filtration efficiency of the filter materials. The addition of a metallic nosepiece helps improving the TFE by limiting the air leaking at the face seal. © 1963-2012 IEEE.

Derangement of Cardiovascular Regulatory Mechanisms in COVID-19 Patients in Intensive Care Unit and its Association with Mortality

The uncontrolled hyper-inflammation in critically ill patients with COVID-19 might be associated with a dysfunction of the cardiovascular regulatory mechanisms. In order to estimate the involvement of cardiovascular control in limiting the risk of mortality in COVID-19 patients we assessed the degree of asynchrony between heart period (HP) and systolic arterial pressure (SAP) variability at rest in supine condition (REST) and during an orthostatic challenge, namely the modified head-up tilt (MHUT), in 18 COVID-19 patients (age: 62± 10 yrs, 15 men) admitted in intensive care unit (ICU) for pneumonia. The patients were distinguished in two groups, i.e. survivors (SURVs) or non survivors (noSURVs) according to the outcome. Asynchrony between HP and SAP was assessed via a model-free nonlinear marker in the information domain, i.e. cross-sample entropy (CSampEn). Neither demographic indexes nor time domain markers could separate the two groups and this result held regardless of the experimental condition. Conversely, CSampEn could and, more precisely, noSURVs subjects had a significantly larger HP-SAP asynchrony when compared to SURVs in response to MHUT. We conclude that measures of the derangement of the cardiovascular control might be helpful to stratify the risk of mortality in COVID-19 critically ill patients. © 2022 Creative Commons.

Tradeoff between speed and reproductive number in pathogen evolution

The rapid succession of new variants of SARS-CoV-2 emphasizes the need to understand the factors driving pathogen evolution. Here, we investigate a possible tradeoff between the rate of progression of a disease and its reproductive number. Using an SEIR framework, we show that in the exponential growth phase of an epidemic, there is an optimal disease duration that balances the advantage of a fast disease progression with that of causing many secondary infections. This result offers one possible explanation for the ever shorter generation times of novel variants of SARS-CoV-2, as it progressed from the original strain to the Alpha, Delta, and, from late 2021 onwards, to several Omicron variant subtypes. In the endemic state, the optimum disappears and longer disease duration becomes advantageous for the pathogen. However, selection pressures depend on context: mitigation strategies such as quarantine of infected individuals may slow down the evolution towards longer-lasting, more infectious variants. This work then suggests that, in the future, the trend towards shorter generation times may reverse, and SARS-CoV-2 may instead evolve towards longer-lasting variants. © 2023 authors. Published by the American Physical Society. Published by the American Physical Society under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license. Further distribution of this work must maintain attribution to the author(s) and the published article's title, journal citation, and DOI.

MODELING AND SIMULATION FOR THE SPREAD OF COVID-19 IN AN INDIAN CITY: A CASE STUDY

We present a case study on modeling and predicting the course of Covid-19 in the Indian city of Pune. The results presented in this paper are concerned primarily with the wave of infections triggered by the Delta variant during the period between February and June 2021. Our work demonstrates the necessity for bringing together compartmental stock-and-flow and agent-based models and the limitations of each approach when used individually. Some of the work presented here was carried out in the process of advising the local city administration and reflects the challenges associated with employing these models in a real-world environment with its uncertainties and time pressures. Our experience, described in the paper, also highlights the risks associated with forecasting the course of an epidemic with evolving variants. © 2022 IEEE.

Acoustical Effects of Surgical and N95 Masks on Speech Perception in Open-plan Offices

Wearing face masks (alongside physical distancing) provides some protection against COVID-19. Face masks can also change how people communicate and subsequently affect speech signal quality. This study investigated how two common face mask types affect acoustic analysis of speech perception. Quantitative and qualitative assessments were carried out in terms of measuring the sound pressure levels and playing back to a group of people. The responses gauged proved that masks alter the speech signal with downstream effects on speech intelligibility of a speaker. Masks muffle speech sounds at higher frequencies and hence the acoustic effect of a speaker wearing a face mask is equivalent to the listener having slight high frequency hearing loss. When asked on the perception of audibility, over 83% of the participants were able to clearly hear the no mask audio clip, however, 41% of the participants thought it was moderately audible with N95 and face shield masks. Due to no visual access, face masks act as communication barriers with 50% of the people finding to understand people because they could not read their lips. Nevertheless, based on these findings it is reasonable to hypothesize that wearing a mask would attenuate speech spectra at similar frequency bands. © 2022 Internoise 2022 - 51st International Congress and Exposition on Noise Control Engineering. All rights reserved.

INDUSTRY-BASED THERMODYNAMICS CASE STUDY ON REFRIGERATION CYCLE

The case study learning methodology has been used for more than 20 years in teaching science and engineering. This methodology is known to be highly effective in promoting students' understanding of the concepts and improving their ability to make connections between the concepts. In 2020 and 2021, the limited access to laboratory equipment and facilities due to the COVID-19 pandemic encouraged instructors to implement alternative methods. One of the alternatives considered in the current institution is the use of case studies to enhance students' understanding of thermodynamics and fluid mechanics topics during the online and hybrid implementations of those courses. In this study, an industry-based air-conditioning (AC) unit is facilitated to prepare a case study to teach refrigeration cycles in the laboratory part of thermodynamics. All four components of the AC unit, which include a compressor, a condenser, an expansion valve, and an evaporator, are assembled on a single platform. In an actual application, the compressor and condenser are part of the outside unit while an evaporator and expansion valve would be located indoors. In the first phase of the case study, students analyze temperature and pressure data for the normal operation of the unit to understand the function of each component in the cycle. In addition, by using thermodynamics property tables, they determine enthalpy and entropy values at different stages of the process, generate a temperature versus entropy (T-s) diagram, and calculate the efficiency of the AC unit. In the second phase of the study, they are provided with temperature and pressure data collected for the cases corresponding to when there is a problem with the AC unit. They perform analysis of those cases. The examples of issues introduced include part of the condenser or evaporator coils being disabled or using a partially blocked air filter. The equipment used in the case study is modified by the manufacturer to simulate those issues. During data analysis, student teams are tasked with identifying the issue introduced by looking at the changes in temperature, pressure, and T-s diagram. This paper provides detailed information about the case study, data collection, and analysis. Copyright © 2022 by ASME.

Prediction and Analysis of Infectious Disease Visit Data Based on DPC

Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 in early 2020, the prevention and control of infectious diseases has been raised to a higher level. However, tuberculosis still ranks in the forefront of the incidence rate of various infectious diseases in China. The tuberculosis epidemic has also brought great economic pressure and negative social impact to the society every year. Therefore, we have always been very concerned about how to effectively prevent and control the spread of tuberculosis. However, the diagnostic data of tuberculosis are often high-dimensional, huge, messy and difficult to be used effectively. How to extract knowledge from the data to help medical staff find the incidence trend of tuberculosis to assist decision-making has become a practical topic. In this paper, after clarifying and standardizing the original data, the density peak clustering (DPC) algorithm is used for deep mining. The knowledge is extracted through clustering analysis and visualization. Finally, analysis results can intuitively illustrate the effectiveness and practical research significance of this work. © 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.

Overcoming High Flow Line Pressure by Successful Installation of First Surface Jet Pump

The year 2020 has been challenging for the whole world due to the COVID pandemic. The unprecedented impacts of the world's recent lockdown and volatility of oil and gas markets tested the leadership and resilience of business models and repositioned strategies that will shape the industry for the next decade. Business survival has become critical during these unprecedented times, especially in the energy industry which has taken a significant hit due to the oil price fall and supply gluts. Existing plans are under observation, as it is vital to identify more efficient approaches and solutions for building future business resilience. Modern technologies can be used to support energy transition. The surface jet pump is one of the newest technologies that help lower the wellhead pressure of the well. It also reduces back pressure on the well. Thus, it enhances the flow rate. Additionally, the surface jet pump overcomes the flow line pressure into the existing pressurized flow lines without creating back pressure on the reservoirs. This technology can be utilized for many applications, including well-bore cleanup after completions, de-liquefying gas wells, producing heavy, viscous, or corrosive liquids, producing CO2 and natural gas wells. This paper is about the successful installation of the first-ever surface jet pump in the country. The pump was deployed in the Northern Iraq region to reduce the backpressure on the wells caused by the central production facility. The pump parameters were designed on Jet Evaluation and Modeling Software (JEMS) and 13G was selected as the optimum nozzle and throat combination for this project. The pump worked successfully, and the wellhead increased from 310 to 355 psi. And gross production from a single well was increased to around 850 BPD from 550 BPD generating about 0.4 Million USD/Month additional revenue. With the long-term impact of the recent pandemic on the energy market, it's clear that companies are more focused than ever on picking the best solutions to ensure the long-term viability and survival of their operations. The surface jet pump is one of the technological advancements for such solutions that have been successfully tested at this location. This paper goes on the technicalities of the technology and project. Copyright © 2022, Offshore Technology Conference.

COVID-19 and sustainable environment: understanding higher education students' willingness to pay more for food delivery containers

Purpose: The Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has increased the use of food delivery containers in the food and beverage industry. Based on the theory of planned behavior (TPB), the aim of this paper is twofold: Firstly, it examines the influence of three elements of TPB (attitude, perceived behavioral control and subjective norm) and time pressure on the intention to reuse reusable food delivery containers (ITR). Secondly, it examines ITR as an antecedent to the willingness to pay more for reusable food delivery containers (WTPM). Design/methodology/approach: Data were collected from 401 higher education institution (HEI) students and analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM). Findings: The study found that the three elements of TPB influenced ITR. Furthermore, the results revealed that ITR directly influenced WTPM. Surprisingly, time pressure did not influence ITR. Originality/value: The research is one of the earliest studies to investigate HEI students' intention to reuse food delivery containers during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study contributes to TPB by presenting a novel, integrated model to explain the independent roles of time pressure and ITR on ITR and WTPM, respectively. Finally, it contributes to the existing body of knowledge on pro-environmental behavior among HEI students and advances methodologically by establishing the PLS-SEM approach. © 2023, Emerald Publishing Limited.