Present COVID-19 Pandemic Research Articles

The effects of a teacher-led online mental health literacy program for high school students: a pilot cluster randomized controlled trial

Background Adolescents are vulnerable to mental health problems, and this vulnerability may be enhanced in situations such as the present COVID-19 pandemic. Online mental health literacy (MHL) education may help adolescents maintain/improve their mental health, especially in situations where face-to-face education is difficult. Aims To evaluate the effects of a teacher-led “online Short MHL Program (o-SMHLP)” delivered online to grade 10 students in their classrooms. Methods Students (age 15–16) were randomly assigned to an o-SMHLP group (n = 115 (3 classes)) or a control group (n = 155 (4 classes)) at the class level. The program consisted of a 20-minute session which included an animated video. The students completed a self-report questionnaire pre- and post-intervention assessing outcomes including: “Knowledge about mental health/illnesses”, “Recognition of necessity to seek help”, “Intention to seek help”, and “Unwillingness to socialize with people having mental illness”. Mixed effects modeling was employed for analyses. Results All outcomes were significantly improved in the intervention group compared to the control group post-intervention, except for “intention to seek help”. Conclusions The present study shows the effectiveness of an online MHL intervention while identifying the need for the development of effective online programs targeting adolescents’ “intention to seek help”.

Neurological findings associated with neuroimaging in COVID-19 Patients

Patients with COVID-19 and other corona virus infections have been documented as having a variety of neurologic symptoms. In this article, we conducted a thorough evaluation of the imaging results of individuals who had been identified as having neurological symptoms linked to coronavirus infections. The use of CT and MRI has revealed varying radiologic outcomes in the setting of various neurologic presentations. Despite the fact that the majority of patients have normal imaging analyses, certain patients exhibit intra- and extra-axial abnormalities. There have been reports of encephalomyelitis, meningitis, acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM), ischemic and hemorrhagic strokes, and encephalopathy. In especially during the present COVID-19 pandemic, familiarity with these radiologic patterns can help radiologists and referring doctors investigate coronavirus infections in patients with worsening or progressing neurologic symptoms.

Arterial Oxygen Saturation: A Vital Sign?

The physical examination is a key part of a continuum that extends from the history of the present illness to the therapeutic outcome. An understanding of the pathophysiological mechanism behind a physical sign is essential for arriving at the correct diagnosis. Early detection of deteriorating physical/vital signs and their appropriate interpretation is thus the key to achieve correct and timely management. By definition, vital signs are "the signs of life that may be monitored or measured, namely pulse rate, respiratory rate, body temperature, and blood pressure." Vital signs are the simplest, cheapest and probably the most inexpensive information gathered bedside in outpatient or hospitalized patients. The pulse oximeter was introduced in the 1980s. It is an accurate and non-invasive method for the measurement of arterial hemoglobin oxygen saturation (SaO2). Pulse oximetry-based arterial oxygen saturation can be effectively used bedside in in-hospital and ambulatory patients with diagnosed or suspected lung disease. The present pandemic of COVID-19 should be considered as a wake-up call. Articles related to arterial oxygen saturation and its importance as a vital sign in patient care were searched online especially in PubMed. Available studies were studied in full length and data was extracted. Discussion: A. Clinical Utility of Oxygen Saturation Monitoring: There are many studies reporting the clinical applicability and usefulness of pulse oximetry in the early detection of hypoxemic events during intraoperative and postoperative periods. B. Role of clinical expertise accompanied by knowledge of physiology: A diagnostic sign is useful only if it is interpreted accurately and applied appropriately while evaluating a patient. The World Health Organisation also appreciates these facts and published "The WHO Pulse Oximetry Training Manual." Understanding the physiology behind and overcoming limitations of the diagnostic sign by clinical expertise is important. While using pulse oximetry, a clinician needs to keep in mind the sigmoidal nature of the oxygen-Hb dissociation curve. Considering these benefits of SaO2 measurement, there have been several references in the past to consider oxygen saturation as the fifth vital sign. In the present pandemic oxygen saturation i.e., SpO2 (arterial oxygen saturation) measured by pulse oxymeter, has been the single most important warning and prognostic sign be it for households, offices, street vendors, hospitals or governments. Measurement of trends of SaO2 added with respiratory rate will provide clinicians with a holistic overview of respiratory functions and multidimensional conditions associated with hypoxemia.

Impact on Tuberculosis Notification During COVID-19 Pandemic in India: A Narrative Review.

Various programs are being weakened due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the tuberculosis (TB) program is no exception. TB case detection and notification is one of the worst affected areas. The study aims to assess India's TB reporting status during this pandemic and find possible solutions. Data analysis has been obtained from the India TB notification open-source database. Relevant literature research has been done to determine the measures based on various efforts made by different Indian states. There was a review of all TB notifications in 2019, 2020, and 2021 and a deficiency in notifications. Between 2019 and 2021, the country's TB notification ratio experienced a significant adaptation. In 2020, all states reported a decline in private and public TB case reports. In the nation, only a few private TB notifications were lost. In April 2020, there were the fewest notifications, which began to decline in February 2020. When states began implementing cutting-edge programs like the Integrated TB COVID Case Search and Active Case Finding (ACF), the notification trend improved in May 2020. The notifications of TB cases decreased significantly due to the present COVID-19 pandemic, which has consequences for the disease's stealthy spread throughout homes and communities. However, the situation may be better with an integrated strategy for managing TB-COVID cases.

Models of Telehealth Service Delivery in Adults With Spinal Cord Injuries: Scoping Review

Background In Canada, approximately 86,000 people live with spinal cord injury (SCI), and there are an estimated 3675 new cases of traumatic or nontraumatic etiology per year. Most people with SCI will experience secondary health complications, such as urinary and bowel issues, pain syndrome, pressure ulcers, and psychological disorders, resulting in severe chronic multimorbidity. Moreover, people with SCI may face barriers in accessing health care services, such as primary care physicians’ expert knowledge regarding secondary complications related to SCI. Telehealth, defined as the delivery of information and health-related services through telecommunication technologies, may help address some of the barriers, and indeed, the present global COVID-19 pandemic has emphasized the importance of integration of telehealth in health care systems. As a result of this crisis, health care providers have increased the usage of telehealth services, providing health services to individuals in need of community-based supportive care. However, the evidence on models of telehealth service delivery for adults with SCI has not been previously synthesized. Objective The purpose of this scoping review was to identify, describe, and compare models of telehealth services for community-dwelling adults with SCI. Methods This scoping review follows the PRISMA-ScR (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews) guidelines. Studies published between 1990 and December 31, 2022, were identified by searching the Ovid MEDLINE, Ovid Embase, Ovid PsycINFO, Web of Science, and CINAHL databases. Papers with specified inclusion criteria were screened by 2 investigators. Included articles focused on identifying, implementing, or evaluating telehealth interventions, including primary health care services and self-management services delivered in the community and home-based settings. One investigator performed a full-text review of each article, and data extraction included (1) study characteristics; (2) participant characteristics; (3) key characteristics of the interventions, programs, and services; and (4) outcome measures and results. Results A total of 61 articles reported telehealth services used for preventing, managing, or treating the most common secondary complications and consequences of SCI, including chronic pain, low physical activity, pressure ulcers, and psychosocial dysfunction. Where evidence exists, improvements in community participation, physical activity, and reduction in chronic pain, pressure ulcers, etc, following SCI were demonstrated. Conclusions Telehealth may offer an efficient and effective option for health service delivery for community-dwelling individuals with SCI, ensuring continuity of rehabilitation, follow-up after hospital discharge, and early detection, management, or treatment of potential secondary complications following SCI. We recommend that the stakeholders involved with patients with SCI consider the uptake of hybridized (blend of web-based and in-person) health care delivery models to optimize the care continuum and self-management of SCI-related care. The findings of this scoping review may be used to inform policy makers, health care professionals, and stakeholders engaged in establishing web-based clinics for individuals with SCI.

Impact, Utility and Need for Tele Orthodontics in Recent Times-A Systematic Review

Introduction: Tele orthodontics uses information technology to provide remote, global healthcare advice and treatment. This approach allows the exchange of patient-related information with healthcare providers and/ or related organizations using digital technology such as radiographs and healthcare-related consultations. This is in contrast to the traditional methods of healthcare management, which rely on direct patient contact and communication. Furthermore, Tele orthodontics has been shown to be a valuable means of monitoring patients and facilitating patient-dentist communication, especially in the present COVID-19 pandemic that has challenged the existing global healthcare systems and all forms of healthcare policy. Objective: To evaluate the impact, relevance and utility of tele orthodontics in today's era. Methods: In this systematic review, the articles search was performed on relevant studies collected through systematically developed and executed search strategies for the past 10 years in the following databases: PubMed, Google Scholar, Ebsco, Medline etc. The research was carried out by online and offline surfing and 10yrs database records.442 records were screened, out of which 8 articles were narrowed down to be included for the systematic review. Results: There are eight articles, which suggested the impact and relevance of teleorthodontics in recent times. Conclusion: Based on eight articles teleorthodontics is a go-to modality and an adjunct to traditional orthodontic diagnosis, consultation and treatment therapy

RHINO- ORBITAL-CEREBRAL MUCORMYCOSIS: CLINICAL PROFILE, POTENTIAL DIAGNOSIS AND RECENT TREATMENT ADVANCES IN COVID-19 ERA

Mucormycosis is a fungal infection which get worsens with time if not diagnosed and treated. The present COVID-19 pandemic has been associated with mucormycosis, an infection caused by fungi. Patients who possess impaired immune systems are easy targets for COVID-19 and mucormycosis. As COVID-19 infection results in a weakened immune system, COVID-19 patients have relatively high infection risk. Additionally, as we pointed out in case studies below, diabetes, corticosteroids, and a compromised immune system are the most common risk factors for this infection. Patients with COVID-19 who get steroids can experience adverse impacts on their health, and the condition frequently experiences diseases such mucormycosis.There are therapies, however they are less successful and not as optimistic. Therefore, the focus of study is to investigate potential treatments for mucormycosis. According to reports, mucormycosis has been successfully treated early on using liposomal amphotericin B (AmB), manogepix, echinocandinsisavuconazole, posaconazole, and other promising therapeutic agents. Due to their higher safety and efficacy, lipid formulations of AmB have replaced other treatments for mucormycosis as the norm. We included case reports involving mucormycosis infections in COVID-19 patients in the present study.For component of an immediate worldwide reaction to prevent and treat this deadly disease, particularly for individuals with documented risks, we also focused on anti-mucormycosis drugs including mechanisms of action of different therapeutics, including coverage of new antifungal medications under investigation.

A Novel Approach to detect COVID-19 from chest X-ray images using CNN

In light of the present COVID-19 pandemic, it is important to consider the worth of human life, prosperity, and quality of life while also realizing that it is difficult to restrict case spread and mortality. One of the most difficult challenges for practitioners is identifying individuals who are COVID19-infected and isolating patients to stop COVID transmission. Therefore, identifying the covid19 infection is important. For the detection of COVID-19, a 4-6-hour reverse transcriptase chain reaction is used. Chest X-rays provide us with a different method for detecting Coronavirus early in the disease phase. We detected properties from chest X-ray scans and divided them into three categories with VGG16 as well as ResNet50 deep learning algorithms: COVID-19, normal, and viral pneumonia. To test the model's accuracy in specialized cases, we injected them with 15153 scans. The average COVID-19 case detection accuracy for the ResNet50 model is 91.39%, compared to 89.34% for the VGG16 model. However, a larger dataset is required when using deep learning to identify COVID-19. It accurately detects situations, which is the desired outcome.

The Impact of Global Financial Crisis and COVID-19 Pandemic on Crude Oil Futures Returns

This study investigates the impact of the global financial crisis and of the present COVID-19 pandemic on daily and weekly Crude oil futures using four variants of ARMA-GARCH models: ARMA-sGARCH, ARMA-eGARCH, ARMA-TGARCH and ARMA- aPARCH with dummy variables We also investigated the persistence, half-life and backtesting of the models. This study therefore seeks to contribute to the body of literature on the impact of the global financial crisis and the present COVID-19 pandemic on the crude oil futures market. The impact of the global financial crisis and the COVID-19 on the crude oil futures has not been investigated at present. We obtained and analyzed the daily and weekly crude oil futures from secondary sources. The daily crude oil futures used in this study cover the period from 4th January 2000 to 27th April 2020 while the weekly crude oil futures covered the period from 2nd January 2000 to 26th April 2020. The global financial crisis period covered the period from 2nd July 2007 to 31st March 2009 and the current COVID-19 pandemic covered the period from 1st January 2020 to 27th April, 2020. The study used both Student t and skewed Student t innovations with AIC, goodness-of-test fit and backtesting to select the best model. Most of the estimated ARMA-GARCH models are supported by skewed Student t distribution while most of the ARMA-GARCH models exhibited high persistence values in the presence of the global financial crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic. In the overall, the estimated ARMA(1,0)-eGARCH(2,1) and ARMA(1,0)-eGARCH(2,2) model for daily crude oil futures and weekly crude oil futures respectively have been significantly impacted by the global financial crisis and the Present COVID-19 pandemic while the preferred estimated models also passed the goodness-of-test fit and backtesting. This study recommends shareholders and investors should think outside the box as crude oil futures tend to be affected by the global financial crisis and COVID-19 pandemic while countries also that depend mostly on crude oil are encouraged to diversify their economy in order to survive and be sustained during the financial and health crisis.

Subjective attitudes moderate the social connectedness in esports gaming during COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional study.

Electronic sports (esports) has become a practical intervention for young people craving social connections since the COVID-19 pandemic. Past studies have shown an equivocal role of esports participation in boosting social ties or social connectedness. It is unclear if their relationship is affected by subjective attitudes of gamers. Moreover, the present COVID-19 pandemic may further modify this relationship to a greater extent. This study primarily aimed to investigate the moderating effect of participants' subjective attitudes toward esports gaming on the relationship between in-game interaction during esports participation and participants' anticipated social connectedness among Chinese young adults during the COVID-19 lockdown periods in China. We conducted a nationwide online questionnaire survey through the Credamo platform among 550 Chinese young adults in the present study. The Social Connectedness Scale-Revised was used to assess participants' social connectedness levels. Four hundred and fifty-three participants were included in the final analysis. The effective response rate was 82.4%. Our results showed that the esports participation measured by in-game communication frequency among participants, as an independent factor, was negatively associated with participants' social connectedness scores (β = -0.13, p < 0.05). However, when the moderating effect of subjective attitudes toward esports gaming was considered, the association between communication frequency and social connectedness scores was turned into the opposite direction with a larger effect size (β = 0.35, p < 0.001). Our primary finding revealed that a positive mindset in esports gaming is indispensable in boosting social connectedness. Overall, our study provided supporting evidence for the benefits of esports on individuals' social connectedness. In future circumstances similar to the COVID-19 era, playing esports games is strongly encouraged in an attempt to maintain social connections and relieve psychological stress. In the meantime, we believe that having a positive esports experience, often associated with a positive mindset during gaming, can better promote social connectedness. Nevertheless, the amount of time spent on gaming per day should be of great concern, as esports games can be addictive, especially for teenagers and college students.

Partial replacement of maize with cassava root–moringa leaf and vegetable oil concentrates in broiler finisher diets

Context Roots and leaves have potential as feed ingredients for poultry, but antinutritional factors (ANFs), high fibre and low energy may limit their efficient utilisation. There is need to improve processing methods and diet formulation for maximum utilisation of these readily available resources and reduce feed cost. Aim To investigate the replacement of maize with cassava root, moringa leaf meal and vegetable oil blend in finisher broiler diets. Methods In total, 160 male broiler chickens aged 30 days were weighed and allotted randomly to 20 deep litter pens containing eight birds of similar individual weight (1500 g ± 16.11). Four broiler finisher iso-energetic and iso-nitrogenous diets were formulated for the experiment. Diet 1 was based on maize and in Diets 2, 3 and 4, 15%, 30% and 45% of maize was replaced respectively, by a concentrate of cassava root meal, moringa leaf meal and vegetable oil combination (CMOC). Each diet was given to five pens in a completely randomised design for a period of 12 days. Key results There were no significant differences in the growth parameters of birds among treatments. Except for drumsticks of birds on the 30% CMOC diet, there were no significant effects of diet on carcass components or digestive organ weights (P &gt; 0.05). Gizzard pH was higher in the control birds than in the test groups. Feed cost per kilogram of carcass weight was significantly (P &lt; 0.05) lower with the dietary inclusion of CMOC. Conclusion Replacing up to 30% of the maize with CMOC is beneficial and replacement up to 45% is not detrimental. However, the economic benefits of maize replacement with CMOC need to be re-evaluated with ingredient costings less affected by the present COVID-19 pandemic. Implications Maximum utilisation of cassava root and moringa leaf meal in the diet will reduce cost and improve income of small- to medium-holder broiler producers.

Assessment of Knowledge, Attitude and Practices of Health Care Professionals Working in Jumbo COVID Care Center Towards Mental Health Care Needs: A Cross Sectional Survey.

The present COVID-19 pandemic is a major threat worldwide. Health professionals being within the front line of the COVID-19 outbreak response are at the highest risk of getting infected. Such pandemics are always associated with ill effects on mental health also. A cross-sectional study included all the health care professionals working in the Jumbo COVID Care Center, Mumbai. Details of health care professionals were obtained from the authority of Jumbo COVID Care Center, Mumbai. Amongst 350 health care professionals, 285 responded (Response rate: 81.42%). A questionnaire, consisting of 19 structured, self-administered, and closed-ended questions, was employed online, and information regarding age, gender, profession, etc., was collected. It was then tabulated and subjected further to an analysis. Most health care professionals (96.1%) were aware that COVID-19 is not only affecting physical but mental health too, also posts on social media (86.3%) are affecting mental health more than the actual disease. A total of 95.8% agreed that health care/frontline workers are at the highest risk and felt the need for psychiatrists in the present pandemic. (81.4%) They were also worried thinking about elderly people with comorbidities in their homes. (82.1%). From the present study, it can be concluded that the present pandemic is affecting not only physical but mental health also, and there is an increased need for psychiatrists and mental health care professionals to overcome the same.

Side Effects of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine among medical staff

Background: A key public health intervention strategy to stop the spread of infectious diseases, such as the present COVID-19 pandemic, is vaccination. Nearly 190 COVID-19 vaccines are now being developed at various phases of pre-clinical and clinical testing, with a few vaccines recently receiving Emergency Use Authorizations (EUA) and being accepted by the WHO in several regions of the world. Patients and Methods: A cross-sectional design was adopted to conduct the study which involve all medical staff who attends to Covid-19 vaccination center at Al-Mosul General Hospital during the period from 1st July 2021 to 31st November 2021. The study sample was 200 participants of different specializations who attend to take the 1st or the 2nd dose of the Covid-19 vaccine. The interview was done by the researchers directly through a checklist. The statistical analysis was done with IBM-SPSS-26. Results: The mean age of the study sample is 34.8 years, 56.5% of them are males and 43.5% are females, fever is the most frequent side effect representing 49.0%, and the inflammatory reaction at the site of injection whether mild or severe represents 35.0%, pain at the injection site occurs in 28.5%, and headache occurs in 9.5%, shows that 69.7% are females and 30.3% are males. The Pfizer vaccine of batch no. FJ8198, FM3444, and FJ1966 were associated with side effects more than others. Conclusion: COVID-19 vaccine showed that the safety of the vaccine with no major side effects emerging and females were more prone to experience side effects. The Pfizer vaccine of batch no. FJ8198, FM3444, and FJ1966 were associated with side effects more than others.

Risk Factors of Rhino Orbital Mucormycosis.

To determine the clinical presentation and risk factors associated with rhino orbital mucormycosis. Mucormycosis is a rapidly progressive fungal infection caused by filamentous fungi in the Mucoraceae family. In large numbers, they release spores into the air, and humans get exposed through inhalation. The spores inoculate in the paranasal sinuses and nasopharynx and subsequently spread to the orbit and intracranial cavity. The present COVID-19 pandemic has witnessed a resurgence of rhino-orbital mucormycosis cases, mainly seen in patients with immunocompromised status. Hence, our study evaluated the risk factors and clinical features of rhino orbital mucormycosis. This was a prospective, single-center, cross-sectional study. Patients attending tertiary care centers fulfilling the inclusion criteria were evaluated with a detailed history including sociodemographic profile, occupation, history of fever, COVID-19 infection, steroid or immunosuppressant use, organ transplants, diabetes mellitus and use of oxygen (O2). A complete ophthalmic evaluation was performed, including best-corrected visual acuity, anterior segment evaluation with slit lamp biomicroscopy, and posterior segment evaluation using indirect ophthalmoscopy. Computed Tomography (CT) scan of paranasal sinuses was done for all the patients, and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) for a few patients if indicated. Intraoperatively, samples were sent for Potassium Hydroxide (KOH) stain while debridement and patients with positive results were included in the study. Forty participants were included, out of which 34 (85%) were males and six (15%) were females. The mean age of the patients was 51.75 years. Out of 40 patients, 29 (72.5%) had h/o COVID-19 infection, 30 (75%) were known type 2 diabetes mellitus, 25 (62.5%) had a h/o steroid intake and 25 (62.5%) had a history of O2 use. 17 (42.5%) patients presented with low vision, out of which 15 had no light perception. 30 (75%) patients had ptosis, 22 (55%) patients presented with proptosis, 15 (37.5%) patients had limited ocular motility, 11 (27.5%) had complete ophthalmoplegia, and 11 (27.5%) patients had central retinal artery occlusion. Rhino orbital Mucormycosis is more prevalent in patients with COVID-19 infection, especially those who have used steroids and oxygen and with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Early presentation with treatment can prevent further ocular morbidity.

Educational Institutions' Strategies and Innovations to Improve the Teachers' Quality in Pandemic Situation

This research aims to investigate the role of educational institution strategy and innovation in improving the quality of education. This investigation is qualitative and descriptive by nature. According to the findings of the study, the strategy of educational institutions during the pandemic, for instance, is based on the existence of a principal-designed program. The objective of executing the program is to increase the quality of teachers in both the present and the future. These activities take the form of seminars, microteaching, and book reviews. This activity has a positive effect on the quality of teachers in school institutions, as indicated by a rise in the personality, knowledge, and social standing of each teacher, which has an effect on the learning process offered by teachers during the pandemic. During the COVID-19 pandemic, several measures and innovations were used to enhance the quality of the institution's human resources. While the intention of this study was to determine the tactics and innovations implemented to improve the quality of teachers during the COVID-19 pandemic, it also aimed to assess the effectiveness of these strategies and innovations. This research may be utilized as a guide by other institutions to improve the quality of teachers in any context or circumstance, including the present COVID-19 pandemic.

The Limits of Mutual Aid and the Promise of Liberation within Radical Politics of Care

The present COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated conditions for continued survival, and community-based mutual aid networks have appeared seemingly organically to address such conditions. I argue these networks often fail to recognize capitalism’s mediation of caring labor, namely, the processes of survival and reproduction which are consistently undermined and demanded by capital’s accumulation. Instead, I propose a politics of care built on insights from the Black Panther Party’s and the Wages for Housework campaign’s respective responses to a lack of reproductive resources, which emphasize the position of survival struggles as a primary site of anti-capitalist political agitation and mobilization.

Epidemiological and Environmental Factors on Immunity and Diseases – Role of Vaccination

This article tries to highlight the past, present and future trends of emergence of Infectious Diseases. Elucidation of origins of emerging infectious threats, recent patterns of disease emergence and future disease pattern will enable early detection and response in the event of an outbreak. It will also predict its occurrence especially in Indian scenario.&#x0D; Infections, transmissible OR communicable diseases usually occur in the presence and growth of pathogens. The body of the host is the area where symptoms and sign will appear, however infectivity is the ability of an organism to infect, incubate and multiply. But there are occasions transmission of pathogen and also been inhibited or disappeared by epidemiological or environmental factors.&#x0D; This article throws light on how some diseases have become extinct whereas some others have changed in aetiology. The present Pandemic of COVID-19 (Novel Corona Virus) has made all of us to ponder on ways of preventing and increasing immunity towards it. This article tries to highlight the Pros and Cons of the vaccine as a preventive treatment and also discusses about the “hygiene hypothesis” especially applicable to the first world countries where the virulence and infectivity of Corona has been much more than the third world countries.

Unwinding the potentials of vitamin C in COVID-19 and other diseases: An updated review.

Background: The discovery of vitamin C (ascorbic acid) is related to the ancient history of persistent research on the origins of the haemorrhagic disease scurvy. Vitamin C is an important nutrient that aids in a variety of biological and physiological processes. Scientists have been researching the function of vitamin C in the prevention and ailment of sepsis and pneumonia for decades. This has created a potential platform for applying these results to individuals suffering from severe coronavirus infection (COVID-19). Vitamin C's ability to activate and enhance the immune system makes it a promising treatment in the present COVID-19 pandemic. Vitamin C also aids in the activation of vitamin B, the production of certain neurotransmitters, and the transformation of cholesterol into bile acids. Hence, vitamin C is used for the treatment of many diseases. Aim: This review highlights the Vitamin C investigations that are performed by various researchers on patients with COVID 19 infection, the clinical studies and their observations. The authors have additionally updated information on the significance of vitamin C insufficiency, as well as its relevance and involvement in diseases such as cancer, wound healing, iron deficiency anaemia, atherosclerosis and neurodegenerative disorders. Here, we discuss them with the references. Methods: The method used in order to perform literature search was done using SciFinder, PubMed and ScienceDirect. Results: There is a potential role of vitamin C in various diseases including neurodegenerative disorders, COVID-19 and other diseases and the results are highlighted in the review with the help of clinical and preclinical data. Conclusion: More research on vitamin C and the undergoing clinical trials might prove a potential role of vitamin C in protecting the population from current COVID-19 pandemic.

Impairment of antiviral immune response and disruption of cellular functions by SARS-CoV-2 ORF7a and ORF7b

SARS-CoV-2, the causative agent of the present COVID-19 pandemic, possesses eleven accessory proteins encoded in its genome, and some have been implicated in facilitating infection and pathogenesis through their interaction with cellular components. Among these proteins, accessory protein ORF7a and ORF7b functions are poorly understood. In this study, A549 cells were transduced to express ORF7a and ORF7b, respectively, to explore more in depth the role of each accessory protein in the pathological manifestation leading to COVID-19. Bioinformatic analysis and integration of transcriptome results identified defined canonical pathways and functional groupings revealing that after expression of ORF7a or ORF7b, the lung cells are potentially altered to create conditions more favorable for SARS-CoV-2, by inhibiting the IFN-I response, increasing proinflammatory cytokines release, and altering cell metabolic activity and adhesion. Based on these results, it is plausible to suggest that ORF7a or ORF7b could be used as biomarkers of progression in this pandemic.

Design Methodology and Concept Demonstration of Preassembled Additively Manufactured Turbomachinery Systems: Case Study of Turbocharger Based Medical Ventilators

Abstract The present research focuses on analyzing the feasibility of manufacturing complex turbomachinery geometries in a pre-assembled manner through an uninterrupted additive manufacturing process, absent of internal support structures, or postprocessing. In the context of the present COVID-19 pandemic, the concept is illustrated by a three-dimensional (3D)-printable turbine-driven blower-type medical ventilator, which solely relies on availability of high-pressure oxygen supply and a conventional plastic-printer. Forming a fully pre-assembled turbomachine in its final form, the architecture consists of two concentric parts, a static casing with an embedded hydrostatic bearing surrounding a rotating monolithic shell structure that includes a radial turbine mechanically driving a centrifugal blower, which in turn supplies the oxygen enriched air to the lungs of the patient. Although the component level turbomachinery design of the described architecture relies on well-established guidelines and computational fluid dynamics methods, this approach has the capability to shift the focus of additive manufacturing methods to design for pre-assembled turbomachinery systems. Upon finalizing the topology, the geometry is manufactured from polyethylene terephthalate (PETG) plastic using a simple tabletop extrusion-based machine and its performance is evaluated in a test facility. The findings of the experimental campaign are reported in terms of flow and loading coefficients and are compared with simulation results. A good agreement is observed between the two data sets, thereby fully corroborating the applied design approach and the viability of additively manufactured pre-assembled turbomachines. Eliminating long and costly processes due to presence of numerous parts, different manufacturing methods, logistics of various subcontractors, and complex assembly procedures, the proposed concept has the potential to reduce the cost of a turbomachine to capital equipment depreciation and raw material.