scholarly journals Integrated photothermal decontamination device for N95 respirators

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Marcelo Muñoz ◽  
Maxime Comtois-Bona ◽  
David Cortes ◽  
Cagla Eren Cimenci ◽  
Qiujiang Du ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Low Income ◽  
Temperature Treatment ◽  
Low Income Countries ◽  
Effective Vaccine ◽  
Global Pandemic ◽  
Photothermal Treatment ◽  
Mild Temperature ◽  
N95 Respirators ◽  
Uv C

AbstractThe severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) responsible for the COVID-19 global pandemic has infected over 25 million people worldwide and resulted in the death of millions. The COVID-19 pandemic has also resulted in a shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE) in many regions around the world, particularly in middle- and low-income countries. The shortages of PPE, such as N95 respirators, is something that will persist until an effective vaccine is made available. Thus, devices that while being easy to operate can also be rapidly deployed in health centers, and long-term residences without the need for major structural overhaul are instrumental to sustainably use N95 respirators. In this report, we present the design and validation of a decontamination device that combines UV-C & B irradiation with mild-temperature treatment. The device can decontaminate up to 20 masks in a cycle of < 30 min. The decontamination process did not damage or reduce the filtering capacity of the masks. Further, the efficacy of the device to eliminate microbes and viruses from the masks was also evaluated. The photothermal treatment of our device was capable of eradicating > 99.9999% of the bacteria and > 99.99% of the virus tested.

scholarly journals Position of Scientific Oncological Societies Towards Biosimilar Antibodies

Breast Care ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 5-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bernhard Wörmann ◽  
Marianne Sinn
Keyword(s):  
Monoclonal Antibodies ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Financial Burden ◽  
Informed Consent Process ◽  
Low Income Countries ◽  
Efficacy And Safety ◽  
Economic Competition ◽  
Off Label ◽  
Careful Documentation

First biosimilars of monoclonal antibodies have recently been approved in oncology. Biosimilars enable economic competition, alleviate the financial burden for insurances, and may facilitate access to these drugs in low-income countries. Biosimilars are not completely identical to the original drug. The approval of biosimilars is only partially based on results of randomized clinical studies. In the introduction phase of new biosimilars, this can lead to uncertainties for patients and physicians. Based on the current clinical data and experiences, biosimilars of monoclonal antibodies in oncology show no significant differences in pharmacokinetics, efficacy, and safety in comparison to the patented originals. Scientific medical societies recommend the use of biosimilar monoclonal antibodies and support switching in long-term treatments. However, the use of biosimilars for off-label indications requires additional attention towards efficacy and safety. Active counselling of the patient by the treating physician is the most important step in the informed consent process, especially when switching from an original to a biosimilar. Careful documentation of the prescribed drug and enhanced pharmacovigilance are recommended for the use of biosimilars.

scholarly journals COVID-19, an Opportunity for Developing Countries?

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lee Smith ◽  
Nicola Veronese ◽  
Vincenzo Racalbuto ◽  
Damiano Pizzol
Keyword(s):  
Low Income ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
World Health ◽  
Low Income Countries ◽  
Prevention Measures ◽  
Viral Reservoirs ◽  
Case Scenario ◽  
Worst Case ◽  
Global Pandemic ◽  
Health Organization

The COVID-19 outbreak was declared by the World Health Organization (WHO) as global pandemic in March 2020. Considering the necessity to implement rapid response to control the pandemic and the fragility and the state of need of low income countries, it will be mandatory to develop a global approach in order to reduce the spread of infection and the creation of community viral reservoirs. So far, we could hypothesize a worst case scenario in which when the COVID-19 outbreak hits a peak in Africa and in low-income countries, the majority of such countries will be unprepared, with low resources allocated for affording the viral emergency and the consequences will be catastrophic with no lesson learnt. In the best case scenario, the COVID-19 will not affect Africa or South America on a large scale and, if the prevention measures will be implemented, we could register a lower incidence of hygiene linked diseases that still represent leading causes of death.

scholarly journals Reversible Long Term Contraceptives Utilization among Married Women of Reproductive Age Group in Areka Town, Southern Ethiopia

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
Samson Kastro Dake ◽  
Temesgen Lera Abiso
Keyword(s):  
Low Income ◽  
Statistical Significance ◽  
Married Women ◽  
Reproductive Age ◽  
Low Income Countries ◽  
Southern Ethiopia ◽  
Age Group ◽  
Women Of Reproductive Age ◽  
Reproductive Age Group

BACKGROUND፡ In low income countries, bearing many children is the main factor affecting maternal health. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of reversible long term contraceptives utilization and identify factors associated with it among married women of child bearing age in Areka District in South EthiopiaMETHODS: We conducted a community-based cross-sectional survey involving systematically recruited 346 married women of reproductive age group. Data was collected using a structured interviewer-administered questionnaire on May 2019. We used SPSS version 25 for data entry and analyses. Bivariate logistic regression analysis was used to select exposure variables with crude association. Multivariate analysis was done to control for potential confounders and identify predictors of the outcome. Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR) with 95% Confidence Interval (CI)was reported, and statistical significance was declared at p<0.05.RESULTS: The prevalence of reversible long term contraceptives utilization among married women of reproductive age group was 134(38.7%). Utilization of Reversible Long Term Contraceptives (RLTCs) was positively associated with being protestant Christian religion follower, advanced educational status, history of abortion, and having a better attitude towards reversible long term contraceptives. In other words, being housewife, being daily laborer, having no radio in the household and making fertility decisions alone were negatively associated.CONCLUSION: The prevalence of RLTCs in the study area was high. Women should be empowered educationally through other alternative opportunities to formal school. In addition to electronic media, different community events and community conversations should be used to convey messages on contraceptives particularly RLTCs. Behavioral change communications would benefit women in shaping their attitudestowards RLTCs.

scholarly journals Is physiotherapy an underused approach to prevent surgery in selective musculoskeletal disorders?

2021 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 409-413
Author(s):  
Junaid Amin ◽  
Sameer Gohir ◽  
Umer Qaiser ◽  
Ammar A Siddiqui ◽  
Freah Alshammary ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cost Effectiveness ◽  
Musculoskeletal Disorders ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Medical Science ◽  
Low Income Countries ◽  
Long Term Outcomes ◽  
Physiotherapy Intervention ◽  
Musculoskeletal Problems ◽  
The Cost

Objectives: The purpose of the literature review was to appraise the evidence that an early physiotherapy intervention helps to prevent the surgery in selective musculoskeletal disorders. A search of Google Scholar, Web of Science, Scopus, and PubMed was carried out utilizing the terms (“physiotherapy”, “surgery” OR “exercise, surgery” OR “rehabilitation”, “surgery”). Methods: The article titles and abstracts were screened for eligibility and included in the review. The recent literature evidently emphasized that physiotherapy has opted in selective musculoskeletal problems to avoid and delay surgeries. Results: Regardless of recommended conservative treatment option and effectiveness of physiotherapy, a massive gap can be observed between its evidence and practice. Conversely, overuse of diagnostic imaging, surgeries, and medications is present in clinical practice. In most of the clinical problems the long-term outcomes were reported the same with surgical and physiotherapy intervention. Likewise, patients can also get the advantage of better clinical outcome and cost-effectiveness with physiotherapy as compared to surgical intervention. Conclusion: The cost-effectiveness is an important factor in low-income countries where economic aspects of health care are highly considered. These advantages of physiotherapy should be considered by the clinicians, policymakers, patients, and included in the clinical guidelines. Bangladesh Journal of Medical Science Vol.20(2) 2021 p.409-413

scholarly journals Reversible Long Term Contraceptives Utilization among Married Women of Reproductive Age Group in Areka town, South Ethiopia

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samson Kastro Dake ◽  
Temesgen Lera
Keyword(s):  
Low Income ◽  
Statistical Significance ◽  
Married Women ◽  
Reproductive Age ◽  
Low Income Countries ◽  
Age Group ◽  
Women Of Reproductive Age ◽  
South Ethiopia ◽  
Reproductive Age Group

Abstract Background: In low income countries, maternal mortality rate remains high. Bearing many children is the main factor affecting maternal health. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of reversible long term contraceptives utilization and identify factors associated with it among married women of child bearing age in Areka town in South Ethiopia Methods: We did a community-based cross-sectional survey involving systematically recruited 346 married women of reproductive age group. Data was collected using a structured interviewer-administered questionnaire on May 2019. We used SPSS version 25 for data entry and analyses. Bivariate logistic regression analysis was used to select exposure variables with a crude association. Multivariate analysis was done to control for potential confounders and identify predictors of the outcome. Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR) with 95% Confidence Interval (CI) was reported and statistical significance was declared at p <0.05.Results: The prevalence of reversible long term contraceptives utilization among married women of reproductive age group was 38.7% in the study area. Utilization of reversible long term contraceptives was positively associated with being Protestant Christian religion follower (AOR=5.33; 95% CI: 1.63, 17.40), advanced educational status (AOR=5.78; 95% CI: 1.97, 17.02), history of abortion (AOR=7.17; 95% CI: 2.81, 18.27), and having a better attitude towards reversible long term contraceptives (AOR=2.85; 95% CI: 1.46, 5.57). Whereas, being a housewife (AOR=.27; 95% CI: .09, .79) and daily laborer (AOR=.14; 95% CI: .02, .80), having no radio in the household (AOR=.40; 95% CI: .16, .99) and making fertility decisions alone (AOR=.12; 95% CI: .04, .37) were negatively associated. Conclusion: Women should be empowered educationally through other alternative opportunities to school. On top of electronic media, other alternative media should be used to convey messages on contraceptives particularly RLTCs. Behavioral change communications would benefit women in shaping their attitudes towards RLTCs.

scholarly journals THE NATURE OF INNOVATION ECO-SYSTEM OF THE WESTERN KAZAKH STATE UNIVERSITY

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 254
Author(s):  
Liliya Mergaliyeva
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Low Income Countries ◽  
State University ◽  
Education Development ◽  
Frugal Innovation ◽  
Innovation Culture ◽  
New Business ◽  
The University

It was a strong belief that higher education institutions are notoriously resistant to change. However, during the COVID-19 pandemic, universities have quickly and effectively moved millions of students and educators online despite huge logistical and technological challenges. There are very few industries that have reacted in this way. In future leading universities will look for a new business model and apply disruptive innovations into the leaning process.Today is a right time for planning a long term innovation strategy. In recent years Kazakh higher education development has been accompanied by intensive economic growth and raising demand for high qualifies employers. The aim of this research is to reveal the ways of implementing high innovation and creativity approach in universities under example of Western Kazakhstan State University. This study examines the factors determining conditions for development of innovation culture across the university and industry. The methodology is based on expert interviews, reflective experiences; surveying research for innovation, incorporating the information on innovation landscape map, university infrastructure, human resources, PESTEL analysis as well as industry overview. The results show that WKSU needs frugal innovation, as it provides a new entrepreneurial landscape for companies in low-income countries with limited resources to develop innovations.

Reaping the Dividends of Globalization: A Winning Road Map

2019 ◽  
pp. 254-309
Author(s):  
Justin Yifu Lin ◽  
Célestin Monga
Keyword(s):  
Low Income ◽  
World Trade ◽  
Low Income Countries ◽  
Global Trade ◽  
Poor Countries ◽  
Road Map ◽  
Industrial Parks ◽  
Long Term Trends ◽  
Economic Zones

This chapter analyzes the conditions needed to design and implement successful special economic zones and industrial parks. It discusses long-term trends and fundamental issues in global trade since trade is the main source of growth for low-income countries that have limited domestic demand. In recent years the story of global trade has often been presented by some economists and development experts as a cause for concern on the export-led growth model that made possible the so-called Asian Miracle that is no longer available for poor countries in Africa or South Asia. But statistics appear to show a turning tide: the value of world merchandise exports rose from $2.03 trillion in 1980 to $18.26 trillion in 2011, equivalent to 7.3 percent growth per year on average in current dollar terms according to WTO trade statistics. But from 2012 to 2014, world trade growth averaged only 2.2 percent, well below the average for the proceeding 20-year period. This has raised the question whether the same shaping factors that have given rise to today's global trade system are likely to continue in the medium and long term.

Does tourism activity reduce the size of the informal economy? Capturing long-term heterogeneous linkages around the world

2021 ◽  
pp. 135481662110498
Author(s):  
Aldo Salinas ◽  
Cristian Ortiz ◽  
Pablo Ponce ◽  
Javier Changoluisa
Keyword(s):  
Low Income ◽  
Informal Economy ◽  
Least Square ◽  
Low Income Countries ◽  
Global Level ◽  
Causality Test ◽  
Country Group ◽  
Long Run ◽  
Tourism Activity

This paper investigates the long-term and causal relationship between tourism activity and the informal economy in 76 countries from 1995 to 2015. We explore this relationship at the global level and by country group, using panel, co-integration techniques that indicate the existence of a long-run co-integration relationship between tourism and informal economy for the whole sample and at the level of country groups. Additionally, the paper analyzes the long-run coefficients of the model by using fully modified ordinary least square regressions (FMOLS). The results from FMOLS evidence a negative and significant impact of tourism on the informal economy at the global level and in high, upper-middle, and lower-middle income countries, but a positive link in low-income countries. However, the results reveal a heterogeneous long-run relationship within country groups. Also, the result of the Dumitrescu-Hurlin Granger causality test indicates bidirectional causality in the global sample, but the direction of causality varies by country group. The main policy implication derived from our findings suggests that in order to reduce the size of informal economy, policy-makers should foster tourism activities. JEL Classification : J01, L83, C23, O57, C00, C01

Malnutrition and “Nutrition Engineering” in Low-Income Countries: A Rejoinder

1993 ◽  
Vol 23 (3) ◽  
pp. 615-619 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alan Berg
Keyword(s):  
Political Economy ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Low Income Countries ◽  
The Political ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Technical Solutions

Malnutrition cannot be reduced to any single causality. While the political economy explanation is correct, suffering must be addressed in the short term by the available technical solutions. More work is needed on both the long-term causes of malnutrition and on methods of prophylaxis and treatment for nutritional diseases.

scholarly journals Pilot Study on the Impact of Biogas as a Fuel Source on Respiratory Health of Women on Rural Kenyan Smallholder Dairy Farms

2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carolyn Dohoo ◽  
Judith Read Guernsey ◽  
Kimberley Critchley ◽  
John VanLeeuwen
Keyword(s):  
Low Income ◽  
Respiratory Health ◽  
Low Income Countries ◽  
Respiratory Morbidity ◽  
Indoor Environments ◽  
Difficulty Breathing ◽  
Referent Group ◽  
Women And Children ◽  
The Impact

Biomass burning in indoor environments has been highlighted as a major cause of respiratory morbidity for women and children in low-income countries. Inexpensive technological innovations which reduce such exposures are needed. This study evaluated the impact of low tech compost digesters, which generate biogas for cooking, versus traditional fuel sources on the respiratory health of nonsmoking Kenyan farmwomen. Women from 31 farms with biogas digesters were compared to age-matched women from 31 biomass-reliant farms, in June 2010. Only 43% of the biogas group reported any breathing problems, compared to 71% in the referent group (P=0.03). Referent women self-reported higher rates of shortness of breath (52% versus 30%), difficulty breathing (42% versus 23%), and chest pain while breathing (35% versus 17%) during the last 6 months (P=0.09to 0.12) compared to biogas women. Biogas women demonstrated slightly better spirometry results but differences were not statistically significant, likely due to limited latency between biogas digester installation and spirometry testing. Most biogas women reported improved personal respiratory health (87%) and improved children’s health (72%) since biogas digester installation. These findings suggest that using biogas in cookhouses improves respiratory symptoms but long-term impacts on lung function are unclear.

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