“Disinfection tunnels (DT): potentially counterproductive in the context of a prolonged pandemic” (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Manisha Biswal ◽  
RImjhim Kanaujia ◽  
Archana Angrup ◽  
Shubh Mohan Singh ◽  
Pallab Ray
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Impact ◽  
Ad Hoc ◽  
Scientific Evidence ◽  
Current Evidence ◽  
Scarce Resources ◽  
Run Off ◽  
Sense Of Security ◽  
The World ◽  
False Sense

UNSTRUCTURED There have been a lot of confidence-building measures rapidly instituted in the current COVID-19 pandemic without any scientific evidence to back them up. Foremost among these measures is the so-called “Disinfection tunnel”. DT are likely to be a wasteful expenditure of scarce resources. As they are ad-hoc structures, that environmental impact in the form of run-off disposal is a matter of extreme importance. WHO has condemned the use of these sprays and tunnels and has released an advisory. As we have seen views and comments and data from the world. We want to present our perspective on the basis of current evidence present regarding DT that are mushrooming in cities providing a false sense of security that it will contain this virus and prevent further spread.

scholarly journals Face masks increase compliance with physical distancing recommendations during the COVID-19 pandemic

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gyula Seres ◽  
Anna Helen Balleyer ◽  
Nicola Cerutti ◽  
Anastasia Danilov ◽  
Jana Friedrichsen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Adverse Effects ◽  
Field Experiment ◽  
Face Mask ◽  
Informational Content ◽  
Survey Experiment ◽  
Randomized Field Experiment ◽  
Social Signal ◽  
Sense Of Security ◽  
The World ◽  
False Sense

AbstractGovernments across the world have implemented restrictive policies to slow the spread of COVID-19. Recommended face mask use has been a controversially discussed policy, among others, due to potential adverse effects on physical distancing. Using a randomized field experiment (N = 300), we show that individuals kept a significantly larger distance from someone wearing a face mask than from an unmasked person during the early days of the pandemic. According to an additional survey experiment (N = 456) conducted at the time, masked individuals were not perceived as being more infectious than unmasked ones, but they were believed to prefer more distancing. This result suggests that wearing a mask served as a social signal that led others to increase the distance they kept. Our findings provide evidence against the claim that mask use creates a false sense of security that would negatively affect physical distancing. Furthermore, our results suggest that behavior has informational content that may be affected by policies.

scholarly journals PHARMACOLOGICAL TREATMENTS OF COVID-19 – A REVIEW

2020 ◽  
pp. 16-22
Author(s):  
JEEJA MATHUMMEL CHERUMANALIL ◽  
JAYAKRISHNAN THAYYIL
Keyword(s):  
Randomized Clinical Trials ◽  
Scientific Evidence ◽  
Clinical Trial Data ◽  
Current Evidence ◽  
Pharmacological Agents ◽  
Global Pandemic ◽  
Study Protocols ◽  
The World ◽  
Significant Burden ◽  
Novel Coronavirus

Now the world stands in the fight against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), with its early origin from Wuhan city in China. It has evolved into a global pandemic resulting into a significant burden to the human race. As per WHO, on July 31, 2020, there were 170 million cases reported all over the world, with 6.73 lakhs deaths. There is no effective treatment so far discovered for the severe acute respiratory syndrome-CoV2. Many pharmacological agents/therapies are being used or considered for treatment. In many countries, physicians are giving COVID-19 patients treatment that has not been approved for this disease. They are treating patients using medications outside their indicated, approved uses and without study protocols, with little scientific evidence. At present, there is no evidence from randomized clinical trials (RCTs) that any potential therapy improves outcomes in patients with COVID-19. There are no clinical trial data supporting any prophylactic therapy. Along with Solidarity trial, many active clinical treatment trials are underway. This narrative review summarizes current evidence regarding major proposed treatments, repurposed or experimental, for COVID-19 and provides a summary of current clinical experience and treatment guidance for this pandemic novel coronavirus.

Biodiesel production from non-edible oils: A review

2020 ◽  
pp. 149-159
Author(s):  
Jatinder Kataria ◽  
Saroj Kumar Mohapatra ◽  
Amit Pal
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Impact ◽  
Energy Demand ◽  
Fossil Fuels ◽  
World Wide ◽  
Edible Oils ◽  
Control Measure ◽  
Biodiesel Production ◽  
Pollution Level ◽  
Animal Fats ◽  
The World

The limited fossil reserves, spiraling price and environmental impact due to usage of fossil fuels leads the world wide researchers’ interest in using alternative renewable and environment safe fuels that can meet the energy demand. Biodiesel is an emerging renewable alternative fuel to conventional diesel which can be produced from both edible and non-edible oils, animal fats, algae etc. The society is in dire need of using renewable fuels as an immediate control measure to mitigate the pollution level. In this work an attempt is made to review the requisite and access the capability of the biodiesel in improving the environmental degradation.

Love, Inc.

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laurie Essig
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Global Climate Change ◽  
Structural Changes ◽  
Global Climate ◽  
Dating Apps ◽  
Sense Of Security ◽  
True Love ◽  
The Future ◽  
False Sense ◽  
Global Movements

In Love, Inc., Laurie Essig argues that love is not all we need. As the future became less secure—with global climate change and the transfer of wealth to the few—Americans became more romantic. Romance is not just what lovers do but also what lovers learn through ideology. As an ideology, romance allowed us to privatize our futures, to imagine ourselves as safe and secure tomorrow if only we could find our "one true love" today. But the fairy dust of romance blinded us to what we really need: global movements and structural changes. By traveling through dating apps and spectacular engagements, white weddings and Disney honeymoons, Essig shows us how romance was sold to us and why we bought it. Love, Inc. seduced so many of us into a false sense of security, but it also, paradoxically, gives us hope in hopeless times. This book explores the struggle between our inner cynics and our inner romantic.

The Problem of Alternative Monotheisms: Another Serious Challenge to Theism

2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 31-51
Author(s):  
Raphael Lataster
Keyword(s):  
Infinite Number ◽  
Current Evidence ◽  
God Concept ◽  
Classical Theism ◽  
The World ◽  
Divine Transcendence ◽  
Hiddenness Of God

Theistic and analytic philosophers of religion typically privilege classical theism by ignoring or underestimating the great threat of alternative monotheisms.[1] In this article we discuss numerous god-models, such as those involving weak, stupid, evil, morally indifferent, and non-revelatory gods. We find that theistic philosophers have not successfully eliminated these and other possibilities, or argued for their relative improbability. In fact, based on current evidence – especially concerning the hiddenness of God and the gratuitous evils in the world – many of these hypotheses appear to be more probable than theism. Also considering the – arguably infinite – number of alternative monotheisms, the inescapable conclusion is that theism is a very improbable god-concept, even when it is assumed that one and only one transcendent god exists.[1] I take ‘theism’ to mean ‘classical theism’, which is but one of many possible monotheisms. Avoiding much of the discussion around classical theism, I wish to focus on the challenges in arguing for theism over monotheistic alternatives. I consider theism and alternative monotheisms as entailing the notion of divine transcendence.

CZY ZALEWA NAS FALA PRZEMOCY? POLITYCY I MEDIA VS. DANE STATYSTYCZNE

2014 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Katarzyna Hamer ◽  
Hanna Hamet
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
United Nations ◽  
Psychological Mechanisms ◽  
Police Data ◽  
Sense Of Security ◽  
The World ◽  
The United Nations ◽  
Drugs And Crime

By detailed analyses of Polish and world statistics, the authors search for the answer if in fact,as some politicians and citizens claim, the world and in particular European Union and Polandare overcome by the wave of violence. Data gathered, among others, by Polish Public OpinionResearch Center (CBOS), Eurostat and United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNOCD), aswell as anthropologists and police, clearly prove the opposite. Scientific comparisons concerningviolence over the centuries show that its scale drastically decreased and the world gets saferwith time. Statistical reports of the United Nations especially clearly indicate European Union(including Poland) as particularly peaceful region against the rest of the world, having the lowestmurder rates. Eurostat data confirm these results, also showing decrease in other crimes overthe years. Polish police data similarly prove existence of this trend and CBOS indicates thatit is reflected in increasing sense of security among Poles. In the second part of the article theauthors explain potential reasons for using such false slogans as “increasing wave of violence” bypoliticians and raising fear in voters as well as psychological mechanisms responsible for theirpotential effectiveness.

scholarly journals “A debriefer must be neutral” and other debriefing myths: a systemic inquiry-based qualitative study of taken-for-granted beliefs about clinical post-event debriefing

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Julia Carolin Seelandt ◽  
Katie Walker ◽  
Michaela Kolbe
Keyword(s):  
Interpersonal Relationships ◽  
Western Europe ◽  
Ad Hoc ◽  
Scientific Evidence ◽  
Clinical Event ◽  
Clinical Settings ◽  
Healthcare Organizations ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Open Coding ◽  
Healthcare Administrators

Abstract Background The goal of this study was to identify taken-for-granted beliefs and assumptions about use, costs, and facilitation of post-event debriefing. These myths prevent the ubiquitous uptake of post-event debriefing in clinical units, and therefore the identification of process, teamwork, and latent safety threats that lead to medical error. By naming these false barriers and assumptions, the authors believe that clinical event debriefing can be implemented more broadly. Methods We interviewed an international sample of 37 clinicians, educators, scholars, researchers, and healthcare administrators from hospitals, universities, and healthcare organizations in Western Europe and the USA, who had a broad range of debriefing experience. We adopted a systemic-constructivist approach that aimed at exploring in-depth assumptions about debriefing beyond obvious constraints such as time and logistics and focused on interpersonal relationships within organizations. Using circular questions, we intended to uncover new and tacit knowledge about barriers and facilitators of regular clinical debriefings. All interviews were transcribed and analyzed following a comprehensive process of inductive open coding. Results In total, 1508.62 min of interviews (25 h, 9 min, and 2 s) were analyzed, and 1591 answers were categorized. Many implicit debriefing theories reflected current scientific evidence, particularly with respect to debriefing value and topics, the complexity and difficulty of facilitation, the importance of structuring the debriefing and engaging in reflective practice to advance debriefing skills. We also identified four debriefing myths which may prevent post-event debriefing from being implemented in clinical units. Conclusion The debriefing myths include (1) debriefing only when disaster strikes, (2) debriefing is a luxury, (3) senior clinicians should determine debriefing content, and (4) debriefers must be neutral and nonjudgmental. These myths offer valuable insights into why current debriefing practices are ad hoc and not embedded into daily unit practices. They may help ignite a renewed momentum into the implementation of post-event debriefing in clinical settings.

scholarly journals Is a reduction in viability enough to determine biofilm susceptibility to a biocide?

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-7
Author(s):  
Katarzyna Ledwoch ◽  
Maddalena Magoga ◽  
Dulcie Williams ◽  
Stefania Fabbri ◽  
James Walsh ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mechanical Action ◽  
Atmospheric Plasma ◽  
Sense Of Security ◽  
Biocidal Products ◽  
False Sense ◽  
Sodium Dichloroisocyanurate ◽  
430 Stainless Steel ◽  
Cross Transmission ◽  
Product Test ◽  
Cleaning And Disinfection

Abstract Objective: The abundance and prevalence of dry-surface biofilms (DSBs) in hospitals constitute an emerging problem, yet studies rarely report the cleaning and disinfection efficacy against DSBs. Here, the combined impact of treatments on viability, transferability, and recovery of bacteria from DSBs has been investigated for the first time. Methods: Staphylococcus aureus DSBs were produced in alternating 48-hour wet–dry cycles for 12 days on AISI 430 stainless steel discs. The efficacy of 11 commercially available disinfectants, 4 detergents, and 2 contactless interventions were tested using a modified standardized product test. Reduction in viability, direct transferability, cross transmission (via glove intermediate), and DSB recovery after treatment were measured. Results: Of 11 disinfectants, 9 were effective in killing and removing bacteria from S. aureus DSBs with >4 log10 reduction. Only 2 disinfectants, sodium dichloroisocyanurate 1,000 ppm and peracetic acid 3,500 ppm, were able to lower both direct and cross transmission of bacteria (<2 compression contacts positive for bacterial growth). Of 11 disinfectants, 8 could not prevent DSB recovery for >2 days. Treatments not involving mechanical action (vaporized hydrogen peroxide and cold atmospheric plasma) were ineffective, producing <1 log10 reduction in viability, DSB regrowth within 1 day, and 100% transferability of DSB after treatment. Conclusions: Reduction in bacterial viability alone does not determine product performance against biofilm and might give a false sense of security to consumers, manufacturers and regulators. The ability to prevent bacterial transfer and biofilm recovery after treatment requires a better understanding of the effectiveness of biocidal products.

The Sanitary and Phytosanitary Agreement of the World Trade Organization: Debunking Its Reliance on Scientific Evidence and Reluctance to Endorse Potential Biotechnology Risks

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-17
Author(s):  
Muhammad ISLAM
Keyword(s):  
Risk Assessment ◽  
World Trade Organization ◽  
World Trade ◽  
Dispute Settlement ◽  
Scientific Evidence ◽  
Scientific Uncertainty ◽  
The World ◽  
Precautionary Measures ◽  
Phytosanitary Measures ◽  
Biotech Products

The World Trade Organization (WTO) Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS Agreement) relies on scientific evidence as a conclusive risk assessment criterion, which ignores the inherent limitations of science. This article highlights certain trade-restrictive effects of scientific evidence and comments on the Agreement’s aversions to precautionary measures and the consumer concern of the harmful effects of biotech products that may be necessary to protect public health and biosecurity in many WTO Member States. These measures and concerns have become pressing issues due to surging consumer awareness and vigilance concerning environmental protection and food safety. The Agreement is yet to overcome the weaknesses of its endorsed international standardising bodies, the problematic definition of scientific evidence and treatment of justification for scientific risk assessment methods and the implementation difficulties faced by most developing states. This article analyses these issues under the provisions of the Agreement and the interpretations of the WTO Dispute Settlement Body in disputes involving SPS matters, which fall short of addressing scientific uncertainty surrounding biotech products and their associated risks.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document