THE IMPACT OF CORONAVIRUS (SARS-COV2) EPIDEMIC ON INDIVIDUALS MENTAL HEALTH: THE PROTECTIVE MEASURES OF PAKISTAN IN MANAGING AND SUSTAINING TRANSMISSIBLE DISEASE

Background: This study performed a focalized examination of the global impact of the coronavirus epidemic. This current review is one of the few kinds of research, which has sought to check the effect of the coronavirus on mental health issues and the need for psychological well-being in the standard population and patients in response to the global wake of the epidemic and its effects in Pakistan. Subjects and methods: This study has utilized the data on coronavirus patients from the Ministry of Health, National Institute of Health Pakistan. The age of the confirmed coronavirus patients ranged from 12 to over 80 years, including international and local transmitters. Results: Recorded data delivered by the National Institute of Health, Pakistan has quantified that the outbreak of coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) entered Pakistan through international travelers. They carried the virus after they visited different countries, such as Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, the USA, China, and European countries. By April 30, 2020, there were 16,473 confirmed cases of coronavirus. Total deaths are 361, with a mortality rate of 2.20%, and ultimately recovered cases reported 4,105 with a percentage of 24.90%. As of October 24, 2020, there were 327,063 confirmed cases of the COVID-19 in Pakistan, which posed vast social, economic, health, and environmental problems in the society. The epidemic has affected individuals across the country and confirmed patients in the country increased rapidly. Conclusion: The government officials had initially estimated over 50,000 corona patents by April 30, which would be a great challenge; however, the situation remained under control because of suppression and smart-lockdown strategies by the Government. This study\u27s findings reported that superior health facilities are required to treat the patients. This research review incorporated data generated by NIH, and respondents are from all the regions of Pakistan, subsequently restricting its generalizability to experimental results

COVID-19 PANDEMIC AND IMPENDING GLOBAL MENTAL HEALTH IMPLICATIONS

The increase in organisms transference and infectious pandemics across the globe have been accelerated by an increase in travel, international exchange and global changes in earth’s climate. COVID-19, a virus caused by the novel coronavirus that was initially identified on December 2019, in Wuhan city of China is currently affecting 146 territories, states and countries raising distress, panic and increasing anxiety in individuals exposed to the (actual or supposed) peril of the virus across the globe. Fundamentally, these concerns ascend with all infections, including those of flu and other agents, and the same worldwide safeguards are compulsory and suggested for protection and the prevention of further diffusion. However, media has underlined COVID-19 as rather an exclusive threat, which has added to panic and stress in masses which can lead to several mental health issues like anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder which should be contained immediately in its initial phases

Dental age estimation using the Kvaal method-an evaluation of length and width ratios:a systematic review

This study aimed to systematically review the correlational accuracy between width ratios and length ratios based on the Kvaal methodology with chronological age. This systematic review followed Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA). The search strategy included ProQuest, PubMed, Science Direct, and Taylor and Francis and Willey online without time or language restriction using Kvaal method of age estimation as key words for the search up to December 2021. A team of two researchers independently selected the studies and extracted the data. The Covidence platform was used to systematically organize all titles. The full texts of eligible studies were analyzed. Risk of bias (RoB) was assessed using a modified (to the specific characteristics of this systematic review) checklist based on Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) statement checklist for observational studies. A total of 658 articles were initially reviewed, but 22 were selected for inclusion. The risk of bias was estimated to be unclear to low overall. Among the length ratios, ratio R showed a strong association with chronological age, followed by ratio P. For the width ratios, ratio B demonstrated a close association with chronological age, followed by ratio C. The results suggest that width ratios correlate better with chronological age than length ratios. This systematic review suggests the width ratios are more strongly associated with chronological age than the length ratios. Using a width ratio could serve as a convenient and rapid way to estimate dental age. Our results apply equally to all types of ethnic groups.</p

The Effect of Combined Oral Contraceptive Pills on Factor VII Activity and D-dimer Level in Healthy and Obese Women

Background: The combined pill includes a combination of an estrogen and a progestin. Users of these pills have an increased risk of developing thrombotic disorders compared to the non-users. Obesity is an independent risk factor for venous thromboembolism. Obesity with oral contraceptive use increases the risk of thrombosis furthermore. Objectives: To assess the effects of these pills in obese and healthy non-obese women on factor VII activity and D-dimer level. Also to compare the thrombophilic effects of combined pills in women with control group of normal healthy non-users women. Patients and Methods: This study was started on November 2014 and completed on March 2015, and included 50 females attended at Baghdad Teaching Hospital. They were using contraceptive pills (Microgynon® ED Fe) for at least 3 months. Females were divided into 2 equal groups; the non-obese group and the obese group. As well 25 non-obese age-matched non-pregnant females not on contraception or taking any hormonal therapy were recruited as a control. The hemostatic parameters done for them included the prothrombin time, activated partial thromboplastin time, factor VII, D-dimer level, and platelet count. Results: There were significant reductions in prothrombin time in both the non-obese and obese groups compared to the control (P= 0.014 and 0.020, respectively). The correlations between the duration of pills use and clotting times both showed insignificant differences in the study groups. The factor VII activity in the non-obese and obese groups were significantly higher than that of the control (P= 0.041 and 0.001, respectively). There were also significant increase in D-dimer levels in the non-obese and obese groups compared to the control (P= 0.029 and 0.038, respectively). The platelet count was significantly increased only in the obese group compared to the control (P = 0.027). Conclusion: The use of the combined oral contraceptive pills (Microgynon® ED Fe) is associated with significant increase in factor VII activity and the level of D-dimer that may lead to enhanced procoagulant activity. Therefore, females should be properly assessed and monitored before starting using the pills and while on them

Social Media Application as a New Paradigm for Business Communication: The Role of COVID-19 Knowledge, Social Distancing, and Preventive Attitudes

Business firms and the public have encountered massive consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. This pandemic has become the most significant challenge and influenced all communities. This research study focuses on exploring the relationship between COVID-19 knowledge, social distancing, individuals' attitudes toward social media use, and practices of using social media amid the COVID-19 crisis. This study examines how attitudes toward social media use mediate the linkage between COVID-19 knowledge, social distancing, and practices for social media use. This survey uses a non-probability convenience sampling approach to collect samples and recruit willing respondents with their consent for data collection. This study recorded the feedback from 348 participants who encountered the indirect/direct effects of nationwide lockdowns, restrictions on social gatherings, and COVID-19 infection. The findings validate the proposed hypotheses for their direct effects and indicate significant β-values, t-statistics, and the p-values at p &lt;0.001. The results validate a relationship between the COVID-19 knowledge of and social distancing practices. Similarly, the results approved a positive link between social distancing and attitudes toward social media use amid COVID-19. The findings validate the relation between social distancing and attitudes toward social media use during COVID-19 challenges (β-value = 0.22 and t-statistics = 3.078). The results show the linkage between attitudes toward social media use and practices of using social media (β-value = 0.41, and t-statistics = 7.175). Individuals' attitude toward social media use during COVID-19 mediates the connection between COVID-19 knowledge and COVID-19 practices of using social media use. The results validate the first mediation at β-value = 0.21 and t-statistic = 5.327. Similarly, the findings approve that attitudes toward social media use in the pandemic have positively mediated the relation between distancing and practices for social media use amid the crisis of COVID-19 (β-value = 0.09 and t-statistic = 2.633). The findings indicate how people have been indulged in social media to pave their business communication needs. The results provide valuable insights for the global business community. This study provides a systematic and holistic research model that helps in exploring the consequences of COVID-19. The generalizability of the findings provides valuable directions for future research related to the current pandemic

Predicting and validating the load-settlement behavior of large-scale geosynthetic-reinforced soil abutments using hybrid intelligent modeling

Settlement prediction of geosynthetic-reinforced soil (GRS) abutments under service loading conditions is an arduous and challenging task for practicing geotechnical/civil engineers. Hence, in this paper, a novel hybrid artificial intelligence (AI)-based model was developed by the combination of artificial neural network (ANN) and Harris hawks’ optimisation (HHO), that is, ANN-HHO, to predict the settlement of the GRS abutments. Five other robust intelligent models such as support vector regression (SVR), Gaussian process regression (GPR), relevance vector machine (RVM), sequential minimal optimisation regression (SMOR), and least-median square regression (LMSR) were constructed and compared to the ANN-HHO model. The predictive strength, relalibility and robustness of the model were evaluated based on rigorous statistical testing, ranking criteria, multi-criteria approach, uncertainity analysis and sensitivity analysis (SA). Moreover, the predictive veracity of the model was also substantiated against several large-scale independent experimental studies on GRS abutments reported in the scientific literature. The acquired findings demonstrated that the ANN-HHO model predicted the settlement of GRS abutments with reasonable accuracy and yielded superior performance in comparison to counterpart models. Therefore, it becomes one of predictive tools employed by geotechnical/civil engineers in preliminary decision-making when investigating the in-service performance of GRS abutments. Finally, the model has been converted into a simple mathematical formulation for easy hand calculations, and it is proved cost-effective and less time-consuming in comparison to experimental tests and numerical simulations

Electrochemical study of modified glassy carbon electrode with polyaniline nanoparticles using cyclic voltammetry

ABSTRACT. The mechanical attachment method was used to modify the glass carbon electrode (GCE) with polyaniline nanoparticles (PANI NPs) to produce a new nanosensor (PAN NPs/GCE). Electrochemical properties was studied by a new nano working electrode using cyclic voltammetric (CV) technique to develop the oxidation – reduction reaction. K4[Fe(CN)6] solution is one of the standard solutions for CV titration by redox peak current of FeII/FeIII in KCl solution as electrolyte, which can be used to study different concentrations, scan rates, pH, diffusion coefficient (Df) and reliability and stability PAN NPs/GCE modified electrode. The CV results of the new PANI NPs/GCE nanosensor have two peaks at 400 and 200 mV for oxidation-reduction FeII/FeIII, respectively. The current ratio value of the new PAN NPs/GCE was found to be Ipa/Ipc ≈ 1 with a separation peak of ∆Epa-pc = 200 mV. From these results, the nanosensor acts as an irreversible and heterogeneous reaction. Other electrochemical properties of the new sensor have a low detection limit of K4[Fe(CN)6]. In addition to the highly enhancement of the redox peak current in acidic pH, it was obtained good stability of nanomaterial on the electrode. &nbsp; KEY WORDS: Polyaniline nanoparticles, GCE, K4[Fe(CN)6], Redox process, Cyclic voltammetry Bull. Chem. Soc. Ethiop. 2022, 36(3), 687-696.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.4314/bcse.v36i3.17&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp

A geodatabase of blood pressure level and the associated factors including lifestyle, nutritional, air pollution, and urban greenspace

OBJECTIVES: Hypertension is a prevalent chronic disease globally. A multifaceted combination of risk factors is associated with hypertension. Scientific literature has shown the association among individual and environmental factors with hypertension, however, a comprehensive database including demographic, environmental, individual attributes and nutritional status has been rarely studied. Moreover, an integrated spatial-epidemiological approach has been scarcely researched. Therefore, this study aims to provide and describe a geodatabase including individual-based and socio-environmental data related to people living in the city of Mashhad, Iran in 2018. DATA DESCRIPTION: The database has been extracted from the PERSIAN Organizational Cohort study in Mashhad University of Medical Sciences. The data note includes three shapefiles and a help file. The shapefile format is a digital vector storage format for storing geometric location and associated attribute information. The first shapefile includes the data of population, air pollutants and amount of available green space for each census block of the city. The second shapefile consists of aggregated blood pressure data to the census blocks of the city. The third shapefile comprises the individual characteristics data (i.e., demographic, clinical, and lifestyle). Finally, the fourth file is a guide to the previous data files for users