scholarly journals Principles and Practice of SARS-CoV-2 Decontamination of N95 Masks with UV-C

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas Huber ◽  
Olivia Goldman ◽  
Alexander E. Epstein ◽  
Gianna Stella ◽  
Thomas P. Sakmar
Keyword(s):  
Low Cost ◽  
Order Reduction ◽  
Practical Method ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Respiratory Pathogens ◽  
Point Of Use ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Single Use ◽  
Novel Coronavirus ◽  
Uv C

AbstractA mainstay of personal protective equipment (PPE) during the COVID-19 pandemic is the N95 filtering facepiece respirator. N95 respirators are commonly used to protect healthcare workers from respiratory pathogens, including the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, and are increasingly employed by other frontline workers and the general public. Under routine circumstances, these masks are disposable, single-use items, but extended use and reuse practices have been broadly enacted to alleviate critical supply shortages during the COVID-19 pandemic. While extended-time single use presents a low risk of pathogen transfer, repeated donning and doffing of potentially contaminated masks presents increased risk of pathogen transfer. Therefore, efficient and safe decontamination methods for N95 masks are needed to reduce the risk of reuse and mitigate local suspply shortages. Here we review the available literature concerning use of germicidal ultraviolet-C (UV-C) light to decontaminate N95 masks. We propose a practical method for repeated point-of-use decontamination, using commercially-available UV-C crosslinker boxes from molecular biology laboratories or a simple low-cost, custom-designed and fabricated device to expose each side of the mask to 800–1200 mJ/cm2 of UV-C. We measure the dose that penetrated to the interior of the respirators and model the potential germicidal action on SARS-CoV-2. Our experimental results, in combination with modeled data, suggest that a two-minute UV-C treatment cycle should induce a >3-log-order reduction in viral bioburden on the surface of the respirators, and a 2-log order reduction throughout the interior. The resulting exposure is 100-fold less than the dose expected to damage the masks, facilitating repeated decontamination. As such, UV-C germicidal irradiation (UVGI) is a practical strategy for small-scale point-of-use decontamination of N95s.

scholarly journals A small-scale low-cost water treatment system for removal of selected heavy metals, bacteria and particles

2018 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 446-459 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen Siwila ◽  
Isobel C. Brink
Keyword(s):  
Heavy Metals ◽  
Water Treatment ◽  
Metal Removal ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Heavy Metal Removal ◽  
Poor Quality ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Water Contact ◽  
Safe Water ◽  
Point Of Use

Abstract Two low-cost sand filtration systems incorporating granular activated carbon (GAC) and non-woven geotextile respectively were assessed for Point-of-Use water treatment. Laboratory scale models were evaluated in respect of selected heavy metals, bacterial and particulate removal when exposed to surface water for five months. System 1 (ISSF-1) incorporated GAC and system 2 (ISSF-2) incorporated non-woven geotextile. Filter-mats were placed on the filter surfaces of both systems. Flow rates ranged between 8 and 15 L/h for longer water contact with the GAC and bio-layer. On average, E.coli removals were 96% and 94%, while fecal coliform removals were 96% and 95%, by ISSF-1 and ISSF-2 respectively. Average TSS removals were 98% and 92%, while turbidity removals were 97% and 91%, by ISSF-1 and ISSF-2 respectively. Average metal removals were: Arsenic (21%), Cadmium (82%), Lead (36%), Iron (65%) and Manganese (94%) by ISSF-1, Arsenic (17%), Cadmium (<LoD), Lead (<LoD), Iron (92%) and Manganese (98%) by ISSF-2. Both models consistently met turbidity guideline (5 NTU) and can remove significant amounts of particles. Both systems can treat the poor-quality water used to provide relatively safe water and could be improved further for heavy metal removal. However, to guarantee continued safe-water supply, supplementary treatment by chlorination is recommended.

ASSESSMENT OF THE PLATELET COUNT IN THE PREGNANT WOMEN IN IGIMS, PATNA, BIHAR

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tanwi Singh ◽  
Anshuman Sinha
Keyword(s):  
Platelet Count ◽  
Pregnant Women ◽  
Screening Test ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Medical Science ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Platelet Indices ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Low Platelet Count ◽  
Severity Of The Disease

The major risk associated with low platelet count in pregnancy is the increased risk of bleeding during the childbirth or post that. There is an increased blood supply to the uterus during pregnancy and the surgical procedure requires cutting of major blood vessels. Women with thrombocytopenia are at increased risk of losing excessive blood. The risk is more in case of caesarean delivery as compared to vaginal delivery. Hence based on above findings the present study was planned for Assessment of the Platelet Count in the Pregnant Women in IGIMS, Patna, Bihar. The present study was planned in Department of Pathology, Indira Gandhi Institute of Medical Science, Patna, Bihar, India. The present study was planned from duration of January 2019 to June 2019. In the present study 200 pregnant females samples received for the platelet estimation were enrolled in the present study. Clinically platelet indices can be a useful screening test for early identification of preeclampsia and eclampsia. Also platelet indices can assess the prognosis of this disease in pregnant women and can be used as an effective prognostic marker because it correlates with severity of the disease. Platelet count is a simple, low cost, and rapid routine screening test. Hence the data generated from the present study concludes that platelet count can be used as a simple and cost effective tool to monitor the progression of preeclampsia, thereby preventing complications to develop during the gestational period. Keywords: Platelet Count, Pregnant Women, IGIMS, Patna, Bihar, etc.

PyDOSS: An open-source Python-based communicable disease outbreak surveillance system designed and used in a COVID-19 community care facility (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew Fang ◽  
Jonathan Kia-Sheng Phua ◽  
Terrence Chiew ◽  
Daniel De-Liang Loh ◽  
Lincoln Ming Han Liow ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Open Source ◽  
Surveillance System ◽  
Community Care ◽  
Communicable Disease ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Disease Outbreak ◽  
Disease Spread ◽  
Healthcare Team ◽  
Increased Risk

BACKGROUND During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak, community care facilities (CCF) were set up as temporary out-of-hospital isolation facilities to contain the surge of cases in Singapore. Confined living spaces within CCFs posed an increased risk of communicable disease spread among residents. OBJECTIVE This inspired our healthcare team managing a CCF operation to design a low-cost communicable disease outbreak surveillance system (CDOSS). METHODS Our CDOSS was designed with the following considerations: (1) comprehensiveness, (2) efficiency through passive reconnoitering from electronic medical record (EMR) data, (3) ability to provide spatiotemporal insights, (4) low-cost and (5) ease of use. We used Python to develop a lightweight application – Python-based Communicable Disease Outbreak Surveillance System (PyDOSS) – that was able perform syndromic surveillance and fever monitoring. With minimal user actions, its data pipeline would generate daily control charts and geospatial heat maps of cases from raw EMR data and logged vital signs. PyDOSS was successfully implemented as part of our CCF workflow. We also simulated a gastroenteritis (GE) outbreak to test the effectiveness of the system. RESULTS PyDOSS was used throughout the entire duration of operation; the output was reviewed daily by senior management. No disease outbreaks were identified during our medical operation. In the simulated GE outbreak, PyDOSS was able to effectively detect an outbreak within 24 hours and provided information about cluster progression which could aid in contact tracing. The code for a stock version of PyDOSS has been made publicly available. CONCLUSIONS PyDOSS is an effective surveillance system which was successfully implemented in a real-life medical operation. With the system developed using open-source technology and the code made freely available, it significantly reduces the cost of developing and operating CDOSS and may be useful for similar temporary medical operations, or in resource-limited settings.

Tools of Transformation: Appropriate Technology in U.S. Countercultural Literature

2012 ◽  
Vol 44 (2) ◽  
pp. 75-93
Author(s):  
Peter Mortensen
Keyword(s):  
Low Cost ◽  
Appropriate Technology ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Environmental Transformation ◽  
Buckminster Fuller ◽  
1960S And 1970S ◽  
The 1960S ◽  
Environmentally Sound ◽  
User Friendly ◽  
Second Wave

This essay takes its cue from second-wave ecocriticism and from recent scholarly interest in the “appropriate technology” movement that evolved during the 1960s and 1970s in California and elsewhere. “Appropriate technology” (or AT) refers to a loosely-knit group of writers, engineers and designers active in the years around 1970, and more generally to the counterculture’s promotion, development and application of technologies that were small-scale, low-cost, user-friendly, human-empowering and environmentally sound. Focusing on two roughly contemporary but now largely forgotten American texts Sidney Goldfarb’s lyric poem “Solar-Heated-Rhombic-Dodecahedron” (1969) and Gurney Norman’s novel Divine Right’s Trip (1971)—I consider how “hip” literary writers contributed to eco-technological discourse and argue for the 1960s counterculture’s relevance to present-day ecological concerns. Goldfarb’s and Norman’s texts interest me because they conceptualize iconic 1960s technologies—especially the Buckminster Fuller-inspired geodesic dome and the Volkswagen van—not as inherently alienating machines but as tools of profound individual, social and environmental transformation. Synthesizing antimodernist back-to-nature desires with modernist enthusiasm for (certain kinds of) machinery, these texts adumbrate a humanity- and modernity-centered post-wilderness model of environmentalism that resonates with the dilemmas that we face in our increasingly resource-impoverished, rapidly warming and densely populated world.

scholarly journals Development of a simplified gas ultracleaning process: experiments in biomass residue-based fixed-bed gasification syngas

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christian Frilund ◽  
Esa Kurkela ◽  
Ilkka Hiltunen
Keyword(s):  
Activated Carbons ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Fixed Bed ◽  
Carbonyl Sulfide ◽  
Gas Analysis ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Cleaning Process ◽  
Medium Temperature ◽  
Gas Cleaning ◽  
Adsorption Affinity

AbstractFor the realization of small-scale biomass-to-liquid (BTL) processes, low-cost syngas cleaning remains a major obstacle, and for this reason a simplified gas ultracleaning process is being developed. In this study, a low- to medium-temperature final gas cleaning process based on adsorption and organic solvent-free scrubbing methods was coupled to a pilot-scale staged fixed-bed gasification facility including hot filtration and catalytic reforming steps for extended duration gas cleaning tests for the generation of ultraclean syngas. The final gas cleaning process purified syngas from woody and agricultural biomass origin to a degree suitable for catalytic synthesis. The gas contained up to 3000 ppm of ammonia, 1300 ppm of benzene, 200 ppm of hydrogen sulfide, 10 ppm of carbonyl sulfide, and 5 ppm of hydrogen cyanide. Post-run characterization displayed that the accumulation of impurities on the Cu-based deoxygenation catalyst (TOS 105 h) did not occur, demonstrating that effective main impurity removal was achieved in the first two steps: acidic water scrubbing (AWC) and adsorption by activated carbons (AR). In the final test campaign, a comprehensive multipoint gas analysis confirmed that ammonia was fully removed by the scrubbing step, and benzene and H2S were fully removed by the subsequent activated carbon beds. The activated carbons achieved > 90% removal of up to 100 ppm of COS and 5 ppm of HCN in the syngas. These results provide insights into the adsorption affinity of activated carbons in a complex impurity matrix, which would be arduous to replicate in laboratory conditions.

scholarly journals Evaluating of the association between ABO blood groups and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Iraqi patients

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ali H. Ad’hiah ◽  
Risala H. Allami ◽  
Raghdan H. Mohsin ◽  
Maha H. Abdullah ◽  
Ali J. R. AL-Sa’ady ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Blood Groups ◽  
Abo Blood Groups ◽  
Risk Of Death ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Fluorescence Probing ◽  
Group A ◽  
Risk Of Disease ◽  
Novel Coronavirus ◽  
Polymorphic System ◽  
Made In

Abstract Background Susceptibility to the pandemic coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has recently been associated with ABO blood groups in patients of different ethnicities. This study sought to understand the genetic association of this polymorphic system with risk of disease in Iraqi patients. Two outcomes of COVID-19, recovery and death, were also explored. ABO blood groups were determined in 300 hospitalized COVID-19 Iraqi patients (159 under therapy, 104 recovered, and 37 deceased) and 595 healthy blood donors. The detection kit for 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) RNA (PCR-Fluorescence Probing) was used in the diagnosis of disease. Results Mean age was significantly increased in patients compared to controls (49.8 ± 11.7 vs. 28.9 ± 6.6 years; p < 0.001). A similar observation was made in recovered (42.1 ± 10.4 vs. 28.9 ± 6.6 years; p < 0.001) and deceased (53.6 ± 9.7 vs. 28.9 ± 6.6 years; p < 0.001) cases. The mean age was also significantly increased in deceased cases compared to recovered cases (53.6 ± 9.7 vs. 42.1 ± 10.4 years; p < 0.001). There were gender-dependent differences in COVID-19 prevalence. The percentage of COVID-19 was higher in males than in females (all cases: 59.7 vs. 40.3%; recovered cases: 55.8 vs. 44.2%). Such male-gender preponderance was more pronounced in deceased cases (67.6 vs. 32.4%). Logistic regression analysis revealed that groups AB and B + AB were significantly associated with increased risk to develop COVID-19 (OR = 3.10; 95% CI 1.59–6.05; pc = 0.007 and OR = 2.16; 95% CI 1.28–3.63; pc = 0.028, respectively). No ABO-associated risk was observed in recovered cases. On the contrary, groups A (OR = 14.60; 95% CI 2.85–74.88; pc = 0.007), AB (OR = 12.92; 95% CI 2.11–79.29; pc = 0.042), A + AB (OR = 14.67; 95% CI 2.98–72.33; pc = 0.007), and A + B + AB (OR = 9.67; 95% CI 2.02–46.24; pc = 0.035) were associated with increased risk of death in deceased cases. Conclusions The findings of this study suggest that group AB may be a susceptibility biomarker for COVID-19, while group A may be associated with increased risk of death.

A novel diagnostic tool for the evaluation of hypothalamic-pituitary region and diagnosis of growth hormone deficiency: pons ratio

2020 ◽  
Vol 33 (6) ◽  
pp. 735-742
Author(s):  
Meliha Demiral ◽  
Mehmet Salih Karaca ◽  
Edip Unal ◽  
Birsen Baysal ◽  
Rıza Taner Baran ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Growth Hormone ◽  
Growth Hormone Deficiency ◽  
Cost Benefit ◽  
Practical Method ◽  
Hormone Deficiency ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Pituitary Hormone ◽  
Clinical Value ◽  
Pubertal Status ◽  
Sensitive Tool

AbstractBackgroundsLimitations in the evaluation of the pituitary size and changes according to pubertal status make its validity questionable. Recently, in a small-scale study, pons ratio (PR) has been suggested as a more sensitive tool for diagnosis and etiological evaluation of growth hormone deficiency (GHD). The aim of the study is to evaluate the diagnostic value of PR in the diagnosis of GHD.MethodsWe retrospectively evaluated the pituitary magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of 133 patients with a diagnosis of GHD. Primary axis (PA) was assigned as a line crossing the mid-sagittal dorsum sella and fourth ventricle. PR was defined as the pons height above the PA divided by total pons height. The PR of patients with GHD was compared to subjects without GHD.ResultsStudy included 133 patients with GHD and 47 controls. In total, 121 (91%) patients had isolated GHD and 12 (9%) patients had multiple pituitary hormone deficiency. The PR of the patient group (mean: 0.32 ± 0.89; range: 0.14–0.63) was significantly higher than controls (mean: 0.26 ± 0.067; range 0.19–0.44) (p: 0.000). The optimal cut-off value of PR for GHD diagnosis was 0.27 (sensitivity 71% specificity 56%). There was a negative correlation between anterior pituitary height (APH)-SDS and PR (p: 0.002; r: −0.27). APH was increased, but PR remained unchanged in pubertal patients (p: 0.089).ConclusionsPR measurement is a noninvasive, practical method with a cost-benefit clinical value. As it is not affected by pubertal status, PR is potentially a more sensitive tool for evaluation of pituitary gland in GHD patients compared to APH.

scholarly journals 662 PAP Therapy: A Review of Resources for the Uninsured during COVID-19

SLEEP ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 44 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. A259-A259
Author(s):  
Melissa Malinky ◽  
Abigail Oberla ◽  
Meena Khan ◽  
M Melanie Lyons
Keyword(s):  
Low Income ◽  
Web Search ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Wait Time ◽  
The United States ◽  
Fixed Cost ◽  
United States Census ◽  
Lower Socioeconomic ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Available Resources

Abstract Introduction In 2019, the United States Census estimated 8% (26.1 million) people were without health insurance. Further, an estimated 3.5 million people became/remained uninsured from COVID-19-related job losses. Patients with OSA that belong to a lower socioeconomic status (SES) are less likely to have access to healthcare and may be under or uninsured. Untreated OSA can lead to increased risk of symptoms and associated co-morbidities. Resources to help the uninsured to obtain PAP therapy were available pre-COVID, including two main sources, American Sleep Apnea Association (ASAA) and our local branch serving central Ohio, The Breathing Association. However, the COVID pandemic limited access or closed these programs. Our Sleep Medicine clinics saw 148 uninsured OSA patients between March-December, 2020. Given these difficulties, we re-evaluated available resources for the uninsured. Methods We conducted a search for current low cost ($100 or less) PAP therapy options for the uninsured, March 15, 2020-December 3, 2020, by: (1) contacting pre-COVID-19 resources, including Durable Medical Equipment (DME) providers, (2) consulting social work, and (3) completing a librarian assisted web-search not limited to PubMed, Embase, CINAHL for academic related articles and electronic searches using a combination of English complete word and common keywords: OSA, PAP, uninsured, no insurance, cheap, medically uninsured, resources, self-pay, low-income, financial assistance, US. Resources such as private sellers were not investigated. Results During COVID-19, assistance for PAP machines/supplies have closed or required a protracted wait-time. Options including refurbished items range from low, one-time fixed cost or income-based discounts from: one local charity (Joint Organization for Inner-City Needs) and DME (Dasco), and four national entities (ASAA, Second Wind CPAP, Reggie White Foundation, CPAP Liquidators). An Electronic Health Record-based tool was developed and distributed to increase provider awareness of pandemic available resources. Conclusion Untreated OSA is associated with increased risk of cardiovascular co-morbidities. Access and cost may limit treatment in OSA patients from a lower SES. The COVID-19 pandemic has shuttered programs providing discount PAP and supplies, leaving fewer resources for these patients, thus further widening this health care disparity. Alternatives are needed and current resources are not easily accessible for providers and patients. Support (if any):

scholarly journals Robust immobilization of anionic silver nanoparticles on cellulose filter paper toward a low-cost point-of-use water disinfection system with improved anti-biofouling properties

RSC Advances ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (9) ◽  
pp. 4873-4882
Author(s):  
Gongyan Liu ◽  
Ruiquan Yu ◽  
Jing Jiang ◽  
Zhuang Ding ◽  
Jing Ma ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Silver Nanoparticles ◽  
Filter Paper ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Water Disinfection ◽  
Point Of Use ◽  
Cellulose Filter

Point-of-use water disinfection by GA@AgNPs-LA-FP.

scholarly journals Understanding Spatial Variability of NO2 in Urban Areas Using Spatial Modelling and Data Fusion Approaches

Atmosphere ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 179
Author(s):  
Said Munir ◽  
Martin Mayfield ◽  
Daniel Coca
Keyword(s):  
Data Fusion ◽  
Spatial Variability ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Road Traffic ◽  
Dispersion Model ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Spatial Modelling ◽  
City Centre ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
The City

Small-scale spatial variability in NO2 concentrations is analysed with the help of pollution maps. Maps of NO2 estimated by the Airviro dispersion model and land use regression (LUR) model are fused with measured NO2 concentrations from low-cost sensors (LCS), reference sensors and diffusion tubes. In this study, geostatistical universal kriging was employed for fusing (integrating) model estimations with measured NO2 concentrations. The results showed that the data fusion approach was capable of estimating realistic NO2 concentration maps that inherited spatial patterns of the pollutant from the model estimations and adjusted the modelled values using the measured concentrations. Maps produced by the fusion of NO2-LCS with NO2-LUR produced better results, with r-value 0.96 and RMSE 9.09. Data fusion adds value to both measured and estimated concentrations: the measured data are improved by predicting spatiotemporal gaps, whereas the modelled data are improved by constraining them with observed data. Hotspots of NO2 were shown in the city centre, eastern parts of the city towards the motorway (M1) and on some major roads. Air quality standards were exceeded at several locations in Sheffield, where annual mean NO2 levels were higher than 40 µg/m3. Road traffic was considered to be the dominant emission source of NO2 in Sheffield.

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