Week Of July Research Articles

If I’m not Streaming, I’m not Earning: Audience Relations and Platform Time on Douyin

Abstract Purpose This article explores how platforms reorganize our sense of everyday life. The platformization of everyday life means a changing relation to what we do in our daily lives, not only in China, but in every country in which digital platforms are becoming more relevant by the day. Using TikTok in China as our point of departure, we discuss the role of platform time and the abstracted audience. Design/methodology/approach This study is a collaboration between Douyin of ByteDance, whose headquarters are in Beijing, and a team of researchers. Users with more than 10,000 followers were identified so as to select users who had sufficient activities and strong motivation to operate their short video channel. A survey questionnaire was sent to these users during one week in July 2019, and 2375 users responded to the survey. For this paper, after briefly reading the survey results, we selected 50 users for in-depth interviews. The users gave their consent to disclose their identity. In the process, ByteDance helped contact these users. Findings Based on the data, we discuss two concepts, abstract audiences and platform time, which helped us to understand platform–labor relations. We argue that while there is the illusion that audiences are closer than ever to the content creator in terms of engagement, at the same time, they are abstracted through platform analytics, meaning that they are reduced to statistics provided to content creators. Originality/value Rather than being liberated, creators are restricted by a new form of time that offers the possibilities of freedom within the confines of the platform. Rather than having fixed working hours, creators are self-regulating as streaming hours and upload times demand certain patterns to increase one’s following and make a living, while as creators, they must also try to understand their audience and the platform algorithm.

Seasonal Incidence and Management of Harar Borer <i>Dichocrocis</i> sp.

A study on the seasonal incidence and management of harar borer Dichocrocis sp. was carried out at the College of Horticulture and Forestry, Neri, Hamirpur, Himachal Pradesh in 2018-19. Incidence started during the last week of May with two peaks, first peak was in the last week of July (77%) and the second peak (72%) was in the last week of September. The four insecticides viz. chlorantraniliprole 18.5 w/w, cyantraniliprole 10.26OD, fenvalerate 20EC, monocrotophos 36%EC and the biopesticide agniastra prepared using cow urine, reduced the infestation to <43%. Chlorantraniliprole 18.5 w/w @ 0.005% was the best reducing the infestation to 7.77% followed by cyantraniliprole 10.26OD @0.01% (9.99%) and fenvalerate 20EC @0.012% (14.43%).

Impacts of particulate matter (PM2.5) on the health status of outdoor workers: observational evidence from Malaysia.

Ambient air pollution is a significant contributor to disease burden, leading to an estimated 4.2 million premature deaths and 103.1 million disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) annually worldwide. As industrialization and urbanization surge in Asia, air pollution and its corresponding health issues follow suit. Findings on disease burden in developing countries are extremely scanty. This study aimed to determine the concentration of PM2.5 and its impact on respiratory health of outdoor workers in Malaysia. A 2-cycled 3-month cohort study involving 440 participants was conducted. Workers' health status was assessed via (1) Total Ocular Symptom Score (TOSS), (2) Total Nasal Symptom Score (TNSS), (3) St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGPQ), and (4) Asthma Control Test (ACT). The maximum PM2.5 concentration was measured at 122.90 ± 2.07µg/m3 during third week of August 2016. Meanwhile, the minimum concentration was measured at 57.47 ± 3.80µg/m3 and 57.47 ± 1.64µg/m3 during fourth week of July 2016 and first week of August 2017 respectively. Findings revealed that TOSS, TNSS, and SGPQ changes were significantly (p < 0.05) associated with the concentration of PM2.5. Outdoor workers were more significantly (p < 0.05) affected by changes in PM2.5 compared to indoor workers with a moderate correlation (r value ranged from 0.4 to 0.7). Ironically, no significant association was found between ACT assessment and PM2.5. Collectively, our findings suggested that changes in the concentration of PM2.5 threatened the respiratory health of outdoor workers. The existing policy should be strengthened and preventive measures to be enforced safeguarding health status of outdoor workers.

Seasonal Flight Activity of Atylotus duplex (Walker), Atylotus thoracicus (Hine), and Stonemyia rasa (Loew) (Diptera: Tabanidae) in Connecticut, with Floral Hosts of Stonemyia Species in New England

Adults intercepted by Malaise traps of the Gressitt and Gressitt style were used to determine the seasonal flight activity of Atylotus duplex, A. thoracicus, and Stonemyia rasa at three sites in Connecticut over one or two years. In Guilford, adults of A. duplex entered two traps placed between an apple orchard and a mesic forest during four weeks in July 1996 and in four between late June and late July 1997. In an acidic bog in Norfolk, adults of A. thoracicus flew into a trap over five weeks between mid-July and mid-August 2011. Stonemyia rasa entered two traps in Guilford over four weeks between mid-August and early September 1996 and between late August and mid-September 1997. In Meriden, S. rasa was captured in two traps between an apple orchard and a field with scattered woody vegetation between late July and early September 1996. A significant female bias occurred in trap samples of A. duplex from Guilford in 1997 and of S. rasa from Guilford and Meriden in 1996. Flight periods in Connecticut are compared with others reported for northern areas. In New England, adults of Stonemyia rasa visited flowers of six plant species (four new floral hosts) in five families, and those of S. tranquilla were on seven species (six new) in six families. The most important results of this study were the first systematic sampling of A. duplex and S. rasa, the first state records of A. duplex, and the discovery of many new floral hosts for S. rasa and S. tranquilla. New information on flight periods of A. duplex and S. rasa was the direct result of examining the bycatch of traps operated for other purposes.

Safe urodynamic practices in times of COVID-19: What can be accomplished and what can be added?

AimTo present feedback, after applying national and international urodynamic study (UDS) recommendations for safe practice during the COVID‐19 pandemic.MethodsWe created a checklist to assess the feasibility of performing UDS recommendations for safe practice during the COVID‐19 pandemic from the first week of May 2021 to the last week of July 2021.ResultsOne hundred patients were analyzed during the study period. We observed that all preventive recommendations for the steps that precede UDS could be followed in full. However, some guidelines for performing the exam were not feasible in all patients. We have successfully adopted other safety measures for all patients.ConclusionsThe COVID‐19 pandemic will likely persist for several more years. We believe that continuous improvement, revision, and updating of existing protocols and guidelines for the safe practice of UDS in times of COVID‐19, as we propose in this study, should be encouraged.

Fire Hotspot and Particulate Matter (Pm2.5) Distribution Patterns In Tropical Rainforest Ecosystems Of Batanghari River Basin In July 2021

Rainforest in the Batanghari River basin is one of the tropical ecosystems that currently is threatened by deforestation, slash and burn swidden farming that lead to the increased numbers of fire hotspots. The fire hotspots are high in midyear during the dry season when a swidden farming activity starts. Then this study aims to assess the distribution of fire hotspots and its impact in the form of PM2.5 contents. The study was conducted in the rainforest of the Batanghari River basin in midyear in July 2021. The methods to classify the rainforest covers and to detect fire hotspots and PM2.5 contents were based on remote sensing and GIS analysis using Landsat 8 OLI, VIIRS, and MODIS remote sensing imageries. The result showed increasing trends of daily fire hotspot numbers in the rainforest of the Batanghari River basin for one month in July 2021. There were significant differences in the daily average of fire hotspots based on the week (P = 0.006, F = 8.677). The daily average of hotspots in the first week of July 2021 was 1.333 hotspots (95%CI: 0-3.94 hotspots). Whereas in the third and fourth weeks, there were sharp increases in the daily average of hotspots. In the third week, the average of hotspots was 4.333 hotspots (95%CI: 0-9.04 hotspots) and increased almost threefold in the fourth week with 11.000 hotspots (95%CI: 7.61-14.4 hotspots). In the areas where the fire hotspots have occurred, the PM2.5 contents ranged from 30 to 80 μg/m3.

Standardization of seed, rootstock and plant standards of lasoda (Cordia myxa L.) for commercial orcharding in India

Aim: The present study was conducted to develop the planting material standards of lasoda cultivar ‘Thar Bold’ for commercial orcharding in India. Methodology: The ripe fruits at pink colour appearance from mother tree of lasoda ‘Thar Bold’ were collected from Experimental Block-I after 75+5 days after fruit set during last week of May- first week of June months for raising of seedlings. Fruits and seeds were categorized based on size and weight and accordingly seeds sown in field bed and root trainers. At two true leaf stage, the seedlings were shifted in polybags for working out seed and rootstock standards. Further, to develop the planting material standards, the scion buds of current season’s growth were collected and budded during third week of May, June and July. The standards were prepared on the basis of all possible traits of the interest. Results: Under the present study, planting material standards of lasoda were developed with following prerequisites: ripened fresh fruits should have diameter &gt; 1.5 cm and fruit weight &gt; 6 g with seed germination &gt; 60 %; buddable seedlings/ rootstock of 9-12 months should have about 35-40 cm height and 0.8-1.0 cm girth; budding should be done during May-June months; at 90 days of budding, plants with sprouts length ≥ 50 cm and diameter ≥ 0.5 cm should be good for field planting in the same season. Interpretation: The developed standards of lasoda would be highly useful for conservation of elite type and large scale multiplication of quality planting material for commercial orcharding in the country.

Hitler's Greatest Gamble

Hitler's Greatest Gamble James J. Sheehan (bio) Jonathan Dimbleby, Operation Barbarossa: The History of a Cataclysm. New York: Oxford University Press, 2021. xliii + 595 pp. Photographs, maps, notes, bibliography, and index. $34.95. Among the greatest challenges facing the historian of modern warfare is capturing war's extraordinary scale without losing sight of its human dimension. Operation Barbarossa, the German invasion of the Soviet Union that began in June 1941, was one of the greatest battles in history, engaging millions of combatants, raging across hundreds of miles, lasting six months. Behind these figures were the broken lives of individual soldiers and civilians who were caught in the battle's murderous machinery. Barbarossa set in motion four years of vicious combat in which both sides were profligate with the lives of their troops and savage in their treatment of the enemy. To cite just one statistic: of the 5.7 million Soviet soldiers captured by the Germans, some 3.3 million perished from hunger, disease, or mistreatment. Those who managed to survive captivity were often punished after their liberation, since the Soviet authorities regarded being captured as a form of treason. Jonathan Dimbleby's book does justice to both the battle's scale and its impact on individuals' lives. Barbarossa's is, as he shows in convincing detail, an extraordinary story that begins when 3.3 million German troops attacked along an 1800-kilometer front, stretching from the Baltic to the Balkans. During the first weeks of the campaign, things went just as the invaders hoped: badly led, equipped with inferior weapons, and pursuing poorly executed tactics, the Soviets lost massive amounts of men, weapons, and aircraft. By the first week of July, well-informed German commanders predicted a rapid and relatively easy victory. But then the momentum of the German advance began to slow. By October, the Soviet resistance had stiffened, just as the first signs of winter appeared. In early December, the Russians launched a broad counter-offensive that did not destroy the Wehrmacht but did force it to assume defensive positions. This move, in effect, brought Barbarossa to an end. Neither Moscow nor St.Petersburg was captured, the regime remained intact, and the quality of the Red Army's leadership and weaponry dramatically improved. In addition to providing a clear account of the ebb and flow of military operations, [End Page 75] Dimbleby portrays the human face of battle with a skillfully arranged set of first-hand accounts taken from diaries, letters, and official documents. About the global significance of Barbarossa there can be no question. But was it "the most decisive campaign in the Second World War"? If Hitler had won this battle would he have become, as Dimbleby argues, "the master of Europe's destiny" (p. xxxvii)? Perhaps. But it seems equally possible that even had the Germans captured Moscow at the end of 1941, the Soviet regime would have survived. As the battle moved further east, the German conquerors might have found themselves in a situation similar to their Japanese allies in China, unable to convert battlefield victories into effective control over their enemy's vast territory. Hitler's fantasy of creating a stable colonial empire stretching to the Urals was just that, a fantasy that would have, sooner or later, shattered against the hard edges of geopolitical realties. Although Dimbleby devotes most of his book to the military history of Barbarossa, he weaves two other themes into his main story. One is the murder of Europe's Jews, which is not, to be sure, a result of the Russian campaign, but was an important part of Hitler's motives for moving east and did help shape the way the campaign was conducted. Dimbleby follows the now generally accepted narrative of Germany's racial imperialism in which the army—almost all of the generals and large numbers of ordinary troops—were deeply involved in the war's greatest atrocity. Dimbleby also examines the international setting of the German invasion and its aftermath. His book begins (rather awkwardly, in my opinion) with the agreement between the Soviet Union and the German Republic signed at Rapallo in 1922, when both states tried to overcome the international...

Management of fruit flies (Bactrocera spp.) in guava (Psidium guajava) by pheromone traps

Guava (Psidium guajava L.) is one of the most important commercial fruits grown in Punjab. Fruit flies (Bactrocera spp.) (Diptera: Tephritidae) are considered the key insect pest of guava causing yield losses and quality degradation during rainy season and thus decreasing fruit production. The present studies emphasis on ecofriendly management of fruitflies using the methyl eugenol pheromone traps (PAU traps) during 2017 and 2018. Fruit flies analysis by traps installation in guava orchard characterized high population of fruit flies (24.8–760.9) captured per trap per week (pooled mean of two years) in July to September. Population of fruit fly increased rapidly reaching its peak with weekly trap catches of 801.5 and 720.4 fruit flies/trap/week during the second week of August (32nd SMW) during 2017 and 2018 respectively, when the trees were at the maximum fruiting period. Maximum fruit infestation in control was observed in 34th and 35th SMW, i.e 67 and 81% as compared to 45 and 48% in treatment. The marketable fruits/ tree was 96 and 85 fruits/tree in treated plots as compared to 52 and 47 fruits/tree in untreated plots during 2017 and 2018 respectively. Mean fruit yield was 15.4 kg/tree and 12.6 kg/tree in treatment as compared to control with 8.8 kg/tree and 8.1 kg/tree during 2017 and 2019 respectively. There was significant increase in number of marketable fruits/tree and fruit yield. The results clearly depict that fruit fly traps offer one of the most effective method for the management of fruit flies especially in the rainy season.

Misinformation About and Interest in Chlorine Dioxide During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Mexico Identified Using Google Trends Data: Infodemiology Study.

BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic has prompted the increasing popularity of several emerging therapies or preventives that lack scientific evidence or go against medical directives. One such therapy involves the consumption of chlorine dioxide, which is commonly used in the cleaning industry and is available commercially as a mineral solution. This substance has been promoted as a preventive or treatment agent for several diseases, including SARS-CoV-2 infection. As interest in chlorine dioxide has grown since the start of the pandemic, health agencies, institutions, and organizations worldwide have tried to discourage and restrict the consumption of this substance.ObjectiveThe aim of this study is to analyze search engine trends in Mexico to evaluate changes in public interest in chlorine dioxide since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.MethodsWe retrieved public query data for the Spanish equivalent of the term “chlorine dioxide” from the Google Trends platform. The location was set to Mexico, and the time frame was from March 3, 2019, to February 21, 2021. A descriptive analysis was performed. The Kruskal-Wallis and Dunn tests were used to identify significant changes in search volumes for this term between four consecutive time periods, each of 13 weeks, from March 1, 2020, to February 27, 2021.ResultsFrom the start of the pandemic in Mexico (February 2020), an upward trend was observed in the number of searches compared with that in 2019. Maximum volume trends were recorded during the week of July 19-25, 2020. The search volumes declined between September and November 2020, but another peak was registered in December 2020 through February 2021, which reached a maximum value on January 10. Percentage change from the first to the fourth time periods was +312.85, –71.35, and +228.18, respectively. Pairwise comparisons using the Kruskal-Wallis and Dunn tests showed significant differences between the four periods (P<.001).ConclusionsMisinformation is a public health risk because it can lower compliance with the recommended measures and encourage the use of therapies that have not been proven safe. The ingestion of chlorine dioxide presents a danger to the population, and several adverse reactions have been reported. Programs should be implemented to direct those interested in this substance to accurate medical information.

Understanding NO2 Concentration Dynamics within Tema Metropolitan Area of Ghana Using Generalized Linear Model

The concentration of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) is worsening across the globe alongside growth in industrial and general anthropogenic activities. Due to its serious health implications with long-term exposure, studies on NO2 concentration have gained space in the academic literature. In this study, awareness is created on the levels of NO2 across four (4) locations within the Tema Metropolitan area, with specific interest in selecting locations and periods significantly saturated with NO2 within the study area. NO2 was measured using RKI Eagle, an instrument with a built-in sensor for a specific gas measurement. Measurements were taken day and night at sampling points around 100 meters apart in each location. Data collection was performed over a nine (9)-month period. The Generalized Linear model is explored for selecting locations and periods significantly affected by NO2. From the results, the fourth week (26th–31st) of July 2020, the fourth week (27th–31st) of December 2020, the first week (1st–7th) of January 2021, and the fourth week (24th–31st) of January 2021 recorded severe concentrations of NO2. Additionally, the lives of residents in the Oil Jetty and the VALVO hospital areas were found to be the most endangered, as they recorded significantly high concentrations of NO2. In a developing country such as Ghana, this study is useful for monitoring NO2 concentrations in similar areas to inform decision making and environmental policy formulation.

Efficacy of botanicals against Pestalotia leaf spots in Strawberry

Pestalotia leaf spot is a serious disease of strawberry in temperate and subtropical areas. In the present study, out of thirteen aqueous botanicals evaluated under in vitro conditions, neem (Azadirachta indica) and Darek (Melia azedarach) were found most effective with 38.26 and 38.10 per cent of mycelial inhibition of Pestalotia followed by Roylea elegans (34.56%) and Ocimum sanctum (33.82%). The mycelial growth inhibition increased with the increase in concentration of plant extract. Among botanicals-based bio-formulations, Neemazal was found most effective with 75.78 per cent mycelial inhibition followed by botanical field formulation-2 (BFF-2) (57.05%) and botanical field formulation-1 (BFF-1) (26.16%). Among botanicals-based bio-formulations, Neemazal and BFF-2 were found most effective with disease incidence of 10.38 and 12.06 per cent and disease index of 4.24 and 6.54 per cent respectively. The yield recorded was 137.45, 141.34 and 138.00 q/ha and number of runners was 36.0, 37.6 and 35.8 in BFF-1, BFF-2 and Nemazal treatments respectively which were higher than control (53.68 q/ha and 13.8 respectively) but there were no differences among BFF-1, BFF-2 and Nemazal for these traits. Highest average plant height of 39.34 cm was recorded in the treatment BFF-2 followed by BFF-1 and Neemazal with plant height of 37.86 and 36.72 cm respectively, the latter two being at par. Thus foliar sprays of cow urine-based botanical field formulation (BFF-2) at 10 days interval starting from first week of July were found effective and may be recommended for management of disease under field conditions.

Data on the female reproduction of Chalcides mertensi Klausewitz, 1954 (Reptilia: Scincidae) from Tunisia

Chalcides mertensi is an Algero-Tunisian endemic three-toed skink. It inhabits perennial meadows in north-western Tunisia. The main characteristics of its reproduction traits were studied in six populations, by counting the total number of embryos in pregnant females in relation to their snout-vent lengths (SVLs) and measuring the lengths of newborn individuals. The species is viviparous, with SVLs of gravid females ranging between 103.2 and 220.3 mm, making this species one of the largest among its congeners. The maximal number of embryos per gravid female was 28, ranging between zero and 15 in each of the right and left oviducts. Selection apparently favoured larger females to maximize the number of embryos since a correlation between the number of embryos and female SVL was found. Births occurred during the first week of July, one month earlier than dates given for three-toed Chalcides species in Europe. The species produced one clutch each year.

Severe monkeypox case associated with recent laboratory diagnosis of HIV: case report

Introduction: Monkeypox is a zoonosis caused by the smallpox virus. The first confirmed human case was in 1970, when the virus was isolated from a child in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Since the beginning of May 2022, a large and unexpected outbreak has been documented globally, with the first cases initially described in the UK reaching around 70 countries today. The causes of this explosive increase in patients are not well understood, but exceed more than ten thousand10,000 infected by the third week of July 2022. Clinical and epidemiological presentations have been distinct from endemic cases and from small outbreaks previously described in non- endemic areas. Objective: The aim of this study was to describe the evolutionary and epidemiological, clinical characteristics of Monkeypox and human immunodeficiency virus co-infection in a patient treated at an STI/AIDS Reference Service in São Paulo, Brazil. Methods: information contained in this study was obtained through a review of the medical records, interviews with the patient, photographic record of the diagnostic methods, to which the patient was submitted and review of the literature. Results: A Brazilian man, with no epidemiological history of travel who was diagnosed with Monkeypox virus through polymerase chain reaction. At the same time of this diagnosis, he received a laboratory diagnosis of human immunodeficiency virus, Chlamydia Urethritis, and Late Latent Syphilis. Conclusion: To reduce the risk of the dissemination of Monkeypox, strategies at the public health level are necessary, with the dissemination of information and the development of prevention projects with targeted information and recommendations for vulnerable populations, especially men who have sex with men, with great prudence, seeking not to favor the development of stigmas as already experienced at the beginning of the human immunodeficiency virus epidemic.

Evaluating warm‐season annual forages to fill summer forage gaps in short‐season climates

AbstractAnnual warm‐season forages have been used to fill productivity and nutritional gaps during summer months throughout the southeastern United States. However, their performance and nutritive value in cooler, short‐season temperate climates above 40 °N has been less well studied. This study evaluated the forage mass and nutritive value of four warm‐season annual forages {brown midrib [BMR] sudangrass [Sorghum bicolor ssp. Drummondii (L.) Moench], buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench), Japanese millet [Echniochloa esculenta (A. Braun) H. Scholz], and teff [Eragrostis tef (Zuccagni) Trotter]} compared with a cool‐season small grain forage, oat (Avena sativa L.), and a cool‐season annual forage legume, chickling vetch (Lathyrus sativus L.). Monocultures of the six annual forage species, along with a mixture of all six species, were evaluated over 2 years in southeastern New Hampshire. Forage mass and nutritive value were assessed at weekly intervals over 3 weeks in July–August, approximately 4‐to‐5 weeks post‐germination. Across all three harvests, buckwheat, Japanese millet, and the summer mix produced greater forage mass than oat, while chickling vetch and teff produced the least. Conversely, chickling vetch had greater crude protein (CP), acid detergent fiber, and neutral detergent fiber compared with oat, while buckwheat had the lowest CP, in vitro true dry matter digestibility, and in vitro neutral detergent fiber digestibility of all the species assessed. Japanese millet produced greater forage mass while providing similar nutritive value as oat, making it a good alternative warm‐season annual forage for use under cool, short growing seasons.

A Pilot Surveillance Report of SARS-CoV-2 Rapid Antigen Test Results Among Volunteers in Germany, 1st Week of July 2022

A Pilot Surveillance Report of SARS-CoV-2 Rapid Antigen Test Results Among Volunteers in Germany, 1st Week of July 2022

Phenological Characteristics of Hawthorn, Crataegus songarica K Koch. in Kashmir Himalayas

Phenological analysis of trees provides a potential tool to address critical questions related to modelling and monitoring of climate change. Therefore present study was conducted to study the phenology of crataegus species in Kashmir Himalayas. The aim of study was to generate a baseline data and were described in different phases of growth throughout the seasons. The data was collected with respect to bud set, bud burst/break, leaf initiation/flush, flowering, fruit formation, fruit/seed fall, leaf tint, leaf fall and fruit fall. For collection of data five trees were selected randomly. In each tree, 4 branches were selected and a total of 20 observations were taken at weekly interval from February onwards. It was observed that the bud set starts from 3rd week of February and bud bursting from 4th week of March. Leaves fully open from 1st week of April. It was observed that flowering starts from 4th week of April and continues till 4th week of May. However, peak flowering was observed in the 2nd week of May. Investigations conducted revealed that fruiting starts from 4th week of July, fruit fall from 2nd week of September and continues till 3rd week of October. It was also observed that leaf tint occurs during the 3rd week of September. Leaf fall starts from 4th week of September and continues till 1st week of November. Investigations conducted revealed that pheno-phases of Crataegus songarica were completed in 9 months 3 weeks.

Assessment of the Antibiotics and Other Drug Prescribing Patterns in a Primary Health Care Setting

Introduction: Appropriate drug use is critical in lowering global morbidity and death. Prescribing indicators are useful for quantitatively analysing critical aspects of prescribing practice, as well as regulating rationality in drug therapy and resource usage. Hence this study was aimed at assessing the drug prescribing pattern using WHO prescribing indicators at the primary health care level. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted during the first 2 weeks of July 2021 in the rural health centre of a tertiary care hospital in Chengalpattu, Tamil Nadu. All prescription copies from the outpatient pharmacy during the study period were collected and analysed using WHO prescribing indicators to assess the rational use of drugs. Prescriptions containing ineligible handwriting were excluded. The data collected from 340 prescriptions were analysed using IBM-SPSS, v21.0. Quantitative variables were described in terms of percentage. Results:Per prescription, the average number of medications was 3.7. Antibiotics and injections prescribed were 32.9% and 30.6% respectively. The most commonly given antibiotics were amoxicillin (23.9%), azithromycin (4.4%), and metronidazole (3.9%). The percentages of medications prescribed by generic name and from the essential pharmaceuticals list, respectively, were 80.3% and 100%. Conclusion: This deviation from normal standards reveals that unnecessary drug use is still obvious in actual clinical practice and persists as a public health challenge.Prescription standards should be improved among health professionals and the negative consequences of inappropriate drug and antibiotics prescription should be explained.

Trends in Self-reported Forgone Medical Care Among Medicare Beneficiaries During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Evidence suggests that the COVID-19 pandemic has had a negative association with medical care access. As prior studies mainly focused on the initial stage of the COVID-19 pandemic, less is known about how trends in forgone medical care changed over time. To examine trends in and reasons for forgone medical care among Medicare beneficiaries during the COVID-19 pandemic. This cross-sectional study analyzed Medicare beneficiaries using data from 3 waves of survey data from the Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey COVID-19 Supplement (Summer 2020, Fall 2020, and Winter 2021). Data analyses were conducted between July and August 2021. Date of interview. Self-reported forgone medical care because of COVID-19. A total of 23 058 Medicare beneficiaries were included (13 005 women [56.4%]; 10 445 [45.3%] 75 years old and older). The survey response rates for each wave were 72.6%, 78.95, and 79.6%, respectively. The rates of reported forgone medical care because of COVID-19 decreased from the week of June 7, 2020, to the week of April 4 to 25, 2021, but the largest difference in the rates was found between June 7 and July 12, 2020 (22.4% to 15.9%). Physician-driven factors accounted for about 70% of the forgone medical care. The proportion of those who reported forgoing medical care because of physician-driven factors tended to decrease from 66.2% in the week of July 7, 2020, to 44.7% in the weeks of April 4 to 25, 2021. The likelihood of forgone medical care was 4 percentage points (95% CI, 0.03-0.05) higher among those who reported feeling more stressed or anxious than those who did not, 3 percentage points (95% CI, 0.01-0.04) higher among those who reported feeling more lonely or sad than those who did not, and 3 percentage points (95% CI, 0.01-0.04) higher among those who reported feeling less socially connected than those who did not. The results of this cross-sectional survey study suggest that the COVID-19 pandemic may exacerbate existing barriers to care and lead Medicare beneficiaries to delay needed care. Policy makers must continue to identify effective means of meeting the forgone care backlog and maintaining continuity of care, especially for those with mental health problems.

Cross Sectional Study on The Association of Daily Spiritual Experience on Mental Well Being During COVID 19 Among The African Students In India

Objectives: The current research focussed to explore the association of daily spiritual experience on the mental well- being of international students hails from Africa and pursuing studies in various higher education institutions in India. The research also tried to explore whether age and gender plays a significant role in the mental well- being of the respondents. Design: The study is an exploratory cross-sectional in nature. The research tool comprised of the Daily Spiritual Experience Scale (DSES) and Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale (WEMWBS) along with the demographic details. Post reliability and validity tests, established scales are used to study the variable in the research. The data was analysed using Smart PLS SEM 3.3.2. Setting: The respondents comprise of international students hails from Africa and pursuing various under graduate, post graduate and PhD courses from various institutions at Bhopal, Delhi, Mumbai and Rajasthan in India. The respondents include a cohort of 102 respondents who gave consent to be part of the study during first week of July to first week of August 2021 and were selected through purposive sampling technique. Main outcome measures: The research measures the association of daily spiritual experience and mental well-being during pandemic and also the coping strategies used by the respondents. Findings: The research report shows an insignificant relation of gender to the mental well-being whereas age reported a significant association. A significant association is reported between daily spiritual experience and the mental wellbeing of the respondents amidst pandemic situation. Conclusion: Pandemic outbreaks influences the mental well-being of individuals specially when they are away from the social support system. Hence counselling services and other interventions to cater to the needs of students requires a serious deliberation at the policy level.