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•A novel noise barrier with a honeycomb structure was designed to harvest acoustic energy.•The sound pressure was amplified in a Helmholtz resonator at a resonance frequency.•A PVDF ...film was used to convert the energy of the sound resonance into electricity.•The energy from the noise conversion was stored in supercapacitors to power small electronic devices.•The tested properties are advisable for replacing a conventional noise barrier in high-speed rails.
High-speed railways have received much attention globally in recent years. While high-speed railways bring convenience to people, the environmental costs, such as noise pollution, are assignable, especially in residential areas near the railway. Notably, noise is a regenerative energy resource that can be harvested to generate electricity. Therefore, using noise barriers to simultaneously reduce noise and generate electricity is a meaningful research topic. In this paper, we present a novel renewable acoustic energy harvesting noise barrier using a Helmholtz resonator and a Polyvinylidene Fluoride (PVDF) film to convert the acoustic energy of low-frequency noise from high-speed railways into electricity. The renewable acoustic energy harvesting system scheme mainly consists of four components: a noise collection input module, a sound pressure amplification module, an electricity generator module and a power storage module. The sound pressure is amplified in a Helmholtz resonator, and a PVDF film in the electricity generator module can convert acoustic energy into electric energy. The power storage module stores the electric energy in supercapacitors that power small electronic devices, such as the monitors along the railway. Based on the experiments, one unit of the system can produce an instantaneous maximum output voltage of 74.6 mV at 110 dB (SPL), verifying the efficiency and practicability of the proposed acoustic energy harvesting noise barrier system being applied for renewable energy in high-speed railways.
Besides a global health crisis, the COVID-19 pandemic has potential to have a severe and long-lasting psychological impact on frontline healthcare workers such as paramedics. It is imperative to shed ...light on these mental health issues and employ interventions to protect the mental wellness of this vulnerable group of healthcare workers.
Background:
COVID-19 was initially considered to be a respiratory illness, but current findings suggest that SARS-CoV-2 is increasingly expressed in cardiac myocytes as well. COVID-19 may lead to ...cardiovascular injuries, resulting in myocarditis, with inflammation of the heart muscle.
Objective:
This systematic review collates current evidence about demographics, symptomatology, diagnostic, and clinical outcomes of COVID-19 infected patients with myocarditis.
Methods:
In accordance with PRISMA 2020 guidelines, a systematic search was conducted using PubMed, Cochrane Central, Web of Science and Google Scholar until August, 2021. A combination of the following keywords was used: SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19, myocarditis. Cohorts and case reports that comprised of patients with confirmed myocarditis due to COVID-19 infection, aged >18 years were included. The findings were tabulated and subsequently synthesized.
Results:
In total, 54 case reports and 5 cohorts were identified comprising 215 patients. Hypertension (51.7%), diabetes mellitus type 2 (46.4%), cardiac comorbidities (14.6%) were the 3 most reported comorbidities. Majority of the patients presented with cough (61.9%), fever (60.4%), shortness of breath (53.2%), and chest pain (43.9%). Inflammatory markers were raised in 97.8% patients, whereas cardiac markers were elevated in 94.8% of the included patients. On noting radiographic findings, cardiomegaly (32.5%) was the most common finding. Electrocardiography testing obtained ST segment elevation among 44.8% patients and T wave inversion in 7.3% of the sample. Cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging yielded 83.3% patients with myocardial edema, with late gadolinium enhancement in 63.9% patients. In hospital management consisted of azithromycin (25.5%), methylprednisolone/steroids (8.5%), and other standard care treatments for COVID-19. The most common in-hospital complication included acute respiratory distress syndrome (66.4%) and cardiogenic shock (14%). On last follow up, 64.7% of the patients survived, whereas 31.8% patients did not survive, and 3.5% were in the critical care unit.
Conclusion:
It is essential to demarcate COVID-19 infection and myocarditis presentations due to the heightened risk of death among patients contracting both myocardial inflammation and ARDS. With a multitude of diagnostic and treatment options available for COVID-19 and myocarditis, patients that are under high risk of suspicion for COVID-19 induced myocarditis must be appropriately diagnosed and treated to curb co-infections.
A flexible CeO
2
nanostructured polydopamine-modified carbon cloth (CeO
2
/PDA/CC) interface was fabricated via electrodeposition for ethanol detection. The fabrication method involved two ...consecutive electrochemical steps in which dopamine was firstly electrodeposited on carbon fibers, followed by the electrochemical growth of CeO
2
nanoparticles. The CeO
2
/PDA-based electroactive interface exerts an impressive electrochemical performance on the flexible sensor due to strong synergistic effect of the PDA functionalization with more active sites. Moreover, catalytic activity of CeO
2
nanostructures anchored on highly conductive CC incorporate superior electrocatalytic performance of the fabricated interface. The designed electrochemical sensor showed a wide response to ethanol in the linear range 1 to 25 mM with a detection limit of 0.22 mM. The CeO
2
/PDA/CC flexible sensor showed good anti-interference ability and excellent repeatability and reproducibility (RSD = 1.67%). The fabricated interface performed well in saliva samples with satisfactory recoveries, corroborating the viability of CeO
2
/PDA/CC integrated interface for practical implementation.
Graphical Abstract
In this research article, an organic polymer based polypyrrole (Ppy) composite material has been synthesized and analyzed for the design and fabrication purposes of a fast-responsive, highly ...sensitive, and an economical resistive-type novel humidity detection sensor. This humidity sensor most suitably serves the purpose for industrial humidity (i.e., values ranging from low to high) detection applications. First, a polypyrrole composite material (a mixture of polypyrrole, polypyrrole-NiO, polypyrrole-CeO2, and polypyrrole-Nb2O5) has been synthesized by chemical oxidative polymerization method, and then is treated at various temperatures, i.e., 100, 150 and 200 °C, respectively. After this treatment, the synthesized samples were then characterized by using FTIR, SEM, and DTA/TGA techniques for analyzing humidity sensing properties. The polypyrrole samples with the best morphological structure and properties were then incorporated on interdigitated electrodes. For the fabrication purposes of this thin film structure, at first a few drops of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) were placed over interdigitated electrodes (IDE) and then the synthesized polypyrrole composite was uniformly deposited in the form of a thin film over it. The plots show that this is a good resistive-type humidity detection device for the relative humidity range of 30% to 90%. The response and recovery times of this newly fabricated humidity sensor were reported to be the same as 128 s at room temperature. Additionally, the stability and the repeatability response behavior of this Ppy sensor were verified up to five cycles of multiple repetitions. This presents an excellent stability and repeatability performance of the sensor. Furthermore, the capacitances versus humidity response and recovery properties of the designed sensor were studied too. This illustrates an excellent capacitive verses humidity response and shows a linear and an active behavior. Lastly, the experimental result proves that polypyrrole composite thin film shows a reasonable best performance up to a temperature of 100 °C.
Background
The evolutionary stages of manufacturing have led us to conceptualize the use of Industry 4.0 for COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019), powered by Industry 4.0 technologies. Using ...applications of integrated process optimizations reliant on digitized data, we propose novel intelligent networks along the vaccine value chain. Vaccine 4.0 may enable maintenance processes, streamline logistics, and enable optimal production of COVID-19 vaccines.
Vaccine 4.0 Framework
The challenge in applying Vaccine 4.0 includes the requirement of large-scale technologies for digitally transforming manufacturing, producing, rolling-out, and distributing vaccines. With our framework, Vaccine 4.0 analytics will target process performance, process development, process stability, compliance, quality assessment, and optimized maintenance. The benefits of digitization during and post the COVID-19 pandemic include first, the continual assurance of process control, and second, the efficacy of big-data analytics in streamlining set parameter limits. Digitization including big data-analytics may potentially improve the quality of large-scale vaccine production, profitability, and manufacturing processes. The path to Vaccine 4.0 will enhance vaccine quality, improve efficacy, and compliance with data-regulated requirements.
Discussion
Fiscal and logistical barriers are prevalent across resource-limited countries worldwide. The Vaccine 4.0 framework accounts for expected barriers of manufacturing and equitably distributing COVID-19 vaccines. With amalgamating big data analytics and biometrics, we enable the identification of vulnerable populations who are at higher risk of disease transmission. Artificial intelligence powered sensors and robotics support thermostable vaccine distribution in limited capacity regions, globally. Biosensors isolate COVID-19 vaccinations with low or limited efficacy. Finally, Vaccine 4.0 blockchain systems address low- and middle-income countries with limited distribution capacities.
Conclusion
Vaccine 4.0 is a viable framework to optimize manufacturing of vaccines during and post the COVID-19 pandemic.
ABSTRACT Asthma is a heterogenous disease with different endotypes. Among the various causative agents of asthma, allergens and genetic susceptibility play a key role. HLA is a complex region, and ...most of the GWAS studies on asthma are limited to simple gene markers. This study aimed to determine the association of HLA DRB1 alleles with atopic asthma in the Pakistani population. Blood samples of 568 subjects were collected from Punjab, Pakistan. HLA typing was performed by using sequence-specific primers (SSP). Total immunoglobulin E (IgE) was estimated by ELISA. Graph pad Prism 8 was used for statistical analysis. HLA DRB1* 0701-02 and HLA DRB1* 1301-04 showed a positive association with atopic asthma having an odd's ratio (OR) of 2.173 and 3.564 respectively. While HLA DRB1* 1101-04 and HLA DRB1* 1201-02 showed a negative association having OR of 0.4853 and 0.4299 respectively. HLA DRB1* 0701-02 had a positive association with family history (p = <0.0001*, OR= 3.641, 95% CI= 1.852-7.257) and female gender (p= 0.0003). Total IgE level was high in asthma patients (Mean = 508.7 IU/ml). In conclusion, this study suggested the association of atopic asthma with HLA DRB1 alleles in the Pakistani population of the Punjab region. Our study reveals that two HLA DRB1 alleles have a positive, and two alleles have a negative association with atopic asthma in the Pakistani population. This finding emphasized that further large-scale studies are needed in the Pakistani population to determine the association of atopic asthma with genetic susceptibility.
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is caused by SARS-CoV-2, which is known for the multiple mutations and forms that have rapidly spread across the world. With the imminent challenges faced by low- ...and middle-income countries in curbing the public health fallbacks due to limited resources, mucormycosis emerged as a fungal infection associated with high mortality. In this rapid review, we explored MEDLINE, Cochrane, Web of Science, WHO Global Database, and the search engine—Google Scholar for articles listed until July 2021 and presented a narrative synthesis of findings from 39 articles. The epidemiology, causative factors, incidence parameters, pharmacological treatment, and recommendations for low- and middle-income countries are enlisted. This study concludes that a majority of the globally reported COVID-19 associated mucormycosis cases stemmed from India. Individuals receiving systemic corticosteroids or who have a history of diabetes mellitus are more prone to contracting the disease. Public health authorities in LMIC are recommended to strengthen antifungal therapies for COVID-19 associated mucormycosis and to strategize reduction in diabetes mellitus prevalence.
The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in the widespread use of N95 respirators and surgical masks, with anecdotal reports among healthcare providers and the public of xerostomia, halitosis, and ...gingivitis, a consortium of symptoms colloquially termed “mask mouth”. However, this has not been scientifically verified. The aim of this study was to assess changes in salivary flow rate, gingival health status and oral microbiome associated with prolonged mask use. A total of 25 dental students (mean age = 26.36 ± 1.58) were included in the study and evaluated at three time points: T1, at the end of at least 2 months of full-day mask wear (7.26 ± 1.56 hours/day); T2, at the end of a period of minimal mask use (1.13 ± 1.13 hours/day); and T3, at the end of 2-3 weeks of resuming full-day mask wear (6.93 ± 1.80 hours/day). Unstimulated whole saliva (UWS) flow rate, xerostomia (on a quantitative scale of 10), gingival index (GI) and plaque index (PI) were assessed at each time point. The salivary microbiome was characterized using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Overall, UWS flow rates were normal (mean of 0.679 ml/min) and xerostomia, PI and GI scores were low (Mean of 3.11, 0.33 and 0.69, respectively) with no significant differences as a result of prolonged mask wearing. Similarly, there were no significant microbial changes at a false discovery rate (FDR) ≤ 0.05. However, some trends were identified using a nominal p-value cut-off of ≤ 0.01, namely
Gemella sanguinis
,
Streptococcus
sp. Oral taxon 066 and Oral taxon 058 were associated with prolonged mask wear. Trends were also seen by gender, race and age, for example an increase in
P. gingivalis and P. intermedia
with age. In conclusion, we found no evidence that prolonged mask wear adversely affects oral health. The findings support that the oral microbiome of healthy individuals is resilient.
A simple renal cyst can become infected spontaneously due to various modes like direct cyst penetration during biopsy or surgical exploration, hematogenous spread of infection, and retrograde ...infection from the urinary tract. Managing such cases becomes challenging due to the risk of rupture of the cyst, causing sequelae of bacteremia and septic shock. Aspiration of cyst along with imaging modality can strengthen the diagnosis. However, nephrectomy coupled with antibacterial administration is an updated therapeutic intervention for an infected simple renal cyst. Our patient presented with a renal cyst at each pole of the left kidney complicated by infection, and after confirming the diagnosis on computed tomography, we performed a right-sided nephrectomy after proper informed consent. The patient responded well to treatment and improved her quality of life.
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