scholarly journals Facing COVID-19 pandemic: development of custom-made face mask with rapid prototyping system

2021 ◽  
Vol 15 (01) ◽  
pp. 51-57
Author(s):  
Pasquale Piombino ◽  
Umberto Committeri ◽  
Giovanna Norino ◽  
Luigi Angelo Vaira ◽  
Stefania Troise ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
Close Contact ◽  
Face Mask ◽  
Virtual Design ◽  
Global Pandemic ◽  
Custom Made ◽  
3D Printed ◽  
Respiratory Droplets ◽  
Rapid Prototyping System

Background: COVID-19 is a global pandemic. The virus spreads through respiratory droplets and close contact. Therefore, the availability of personal protective equipment (PPE) for healthcare professionals is essential. 3D printing technology could represent a valid option to ameliorate PPE shortages. Methodology: Custom-made face mask were designed on the basis of facial scan and then 3D-printed. The whole protocol is executed with freeware software and only required a 3D printer. Six healthcare workers wore the device weekly thus expressing a judgment regarding quality of work, respiratory and skin comfort. Results: The estimated total cost of a single mask is approximately 5 USD. The virtual design of a complete mask lasted 68 minutes on average. Most healthcare workers rated comfort as very good. Conclusions: Based on the encouraging results obtained, we can confidently confirm that custom-made masks are novel and useful devices that may be used in the fight against COVID-19.

scholarly journals Susceptibility of ferrets, cats, dogs, and different domestic animals to SARS-coronavirus-2

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jianzhong Shi ◽  
Zhiyuan Wen ◽  
Gongxun Zhong ◽  
Huanliang Yang ◽  
Chong Wang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Infectious Disease ◽  
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome ◽  
Close Contact ◽  
Domestic Animals ◽  
Sars Coronavirus ◽  
Animal Management ◽  
Global Pandemic ◽  
Respiratory Droplets ◽  
Animal Reservoirs

AbstractSevere acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) causes the infectious disease COVID-19, which was first reported in Wuhan, China in December, 2019. Despite the tremendous efforts to control the disease, COVID-19 has now spread to over 100 countries and caused a global pandemic. SARS-CoV-2 is thought to have originated in bats; however, the intermediate animal sources of the virus are completely unknown. Here, we investigated the susceptibility of ferrets and animals in close contact with humans to SARS-CoV-2. We found that SARS-CoV-2 replicates poorly in dogs, pigs, chickens, and ducks, but efficiently in ferrets and cats. We found that the virus transmits in cats via respiratory droplets. Our study provides important insights into the animal reservoirs of SARS-CoV-2 and animal management for COVID-19 control.

scholarly journals Face Masks Are Beneficial Regardless of the Level of Infection in the Fight Against COVID-19

2020 ◽  
Vol 14 (5) ◽  
pp. e47-e50 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mervin L. Burnett ◽  
Consolato M. Sergi
Keyword(s):  
General Population ◽  
Health Care Workers ◽  
Face Mask ◽  
Limited Evidence ◽  
The Past ◽  
Preventative Measures ◽  
Widespread Implementation ◽  
Global Pandemic ◽  
Care Workers ◽  
Respiratory Droplets

ABSTRACTCoronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) due to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is currently a global pandemic that has affected over 7 million people worldwide, resulting in over 400,000 deaths. In the past 20 years, they have been several viral epidemics that were primarily transmitted by respiratory droplets. The use of face masks is proven to be effective in protecting health-care workers as they perform their duties. Still, there is limited evidence about whether the widespread use of face mask would be very useful in protecting the general population. This study aimed to conduct a review to determine if face masks would be beneficial in the general population as a means of reducing the spread of COVID-19. The widespread implementation of wearing face masks by the general population is challenging due to a variety of factors. However, the extensive use of cloth masks in conjunction with other preventative measures such as social distancing and handwashing can potentially reduce the risk of transmission of COVID-19.

scholarly journals Surgical Performance Is Not Negatively Impacted by Wearing a Commercial Full-Face Mask with Ad Hoc 3D-Printed Filter Connection as a Substitute for Personal Protective Equipment during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Randomized Controlled Cross-Over Trial

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 550 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eleni Amelia Felinska ◽  
Zi-Wei Chen ◽  
Thomas Ewald Fuchs ◽  
Benjamin Otto ◽  
Hannes Götz Kenngott ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Personal Protective Equipment ◽  
Ad Hoc ◽  
Face Mask ◽  
Protective Equipment ◽  
Surgical Performance ◽  
Randomized Controlled ◽  
3D Printed ◽  
Group 2 ◽  
Full Face

(1) Background: During the COVID-19 pandemic, shortages in the supply of personal protective equipment (PPE) have become apparent. The idea of using commonly available full-face diving (FFD) masks as a temporary solution was quickly spread across social media. However, it was unknown whether an FFD mask would considerably impair complex surgical tasks. Thus, we aimed to assess laparoscopic surgical performance while wearing an FFD mask as PPE. (2) Methods: In a randomized-controlled cross-over trial, 40 laparoscopically naive medical students performed laparoscopic procedures while wearing an FFD mask with ad hoc 3D-printed connections to heat and moisture exchange (HME) filters vs. wearing a common surgical face mask. The performance was evaluated using global and specific Objective Structured Assessment of Technical Skills (OSATS) checklists for suturing and cholecystectomy. (3) Results: For the laparoscopic cholecystectomy, both global OSATS scores and specific OSATS scores for the quality of procedure were similar (Group 1: 25 ± 4.3 and 45.7 ± 12.9, p = 0.485, vs. Group 2: 24.1 ± 3.7 and 43.3 ± 7.6, p = 0.485). For the laparoscopic suturing task, the FFD mask group needed similar times to the surgical mask group (3009 ± 1694 s vs. 2443 ± 949 s; p = 0.200). Some participants reported impaired verbal communication while wearing the FFD mask, as it muffled the sound of speech, as well as discomfort in breathing. (4) Conclusions: FFD masks do not affect the quality of laparoscopic surgical performance, despite being uncomfortable, and may therefore be used as a substitute for conventional PPE in times of shortage—i.e., the global COVID-19 pandemic.

scholarly journals Face Mask Detection Using LabView

2021 ◽  
Vol 17 (06) ◽  
pp. 49
Author(s):  
Chella Santhosh ◽  
M Ravi Kumar ◽  
J Lakshmi Prasanna ◽  
I. Ram Kumar ◽  
U Vinay Kumar ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Real Time ◽  
Public Transportation ◽  
Virus Disease ◽  
Face Mask ◽  
Real Time System ◽  
Single Plane ◽  
Vision Development ◽  
Global Pandemic ◽  
The People ◽  
Custom Made

<p>Rapid worldwide spread of Corona virus Disease 2019 (COVID 19) has resulted in a global pandemic. In present scenario due to covid-19, the mask has been an important part of our live for our safety as well as for the others safety so there is a need for efficient face mask detection applications in crowded areas like shopping malls, Public transportation etc. To ensure safety of the people in the surroundings. Face Mask Detection using NI LabVIEW. In this project a real-time system is developed to detect whether the person is wearing a mask or not by acquiring a real-time image of him through a Camera. The main challenges in detecting the mask are there are masks with various colors and patterns and secondly the background, light intensity are also the factors that affect the result. So, all these factors should be taken into consideration while developing the system in real-time. This system used for this application consists of vision development module. Vision development module helps to develop applications for machine vision and image processing applications we can use it with LabVIEW for real- time systems. A camera with good pixel quality is used for image acquisition. The captured image is of RGB format, it is difficult to analyze the image in this format, so it undergoes color plane extraction in this only a single plane of the image is considered which separates the mask from surroundings and results in a grey scale image for further processing. The image later is compared to a custom-made template dataset using pattern matching algorithm from vision assistant which helps to detect the mask region. overlaying techniques are used to highlight the mask region which shows that the person is wearing the mask.<strong></strong></p>

scholarly journals Update on COVID-19 Infection and Ivermectin Treatment

2021 ◽  
pp. 9-16
Author(s):  
Konne Felix Eedee ◽  
Emeji Roseline
Keyword(s):  
Mucous Membrane ◽  
Rna Virus ◽  
Close Contact ◽  
Face Mask ◽  
Ivermectin Treatment ◽  
Infected Person ◽  
Coronavirus Infection ◽  
Precautionary Measures ◽  
Respiratory Droplets

Coronaviruses are a group of related RNA viruses that cause disease in mammals and birds. COVID-19 infection is caused by a single stranded RNA virus called SARS-CoV-2 that is similar to the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV). The aim of this review is to identify how COVID-19 infects man, the preventive approach and treatment possibility with ivermectin drug. The possible main source of transmission is thought to be a close contact with infected person or animal and respiratory droplets while the mucous membrane; conjunctiva, mouth, nasal cavity, and throat are the main routes of transmission. The virus enters the human through the ACE2 receptor which are found in the mucous membrane. This is an important step for coronavirus infection establishment. To stay safe from coronavirus, physical distancing, wearing of face mask, keeping rooms well ventilated, avoiding crowds, cleaning/washing your hands, the use of hand sanitizers and coughing into a bent elbow are precautionary measures to avoid contracting the infection. Ivemectin blocks the initiation of the binding of the viral protein to the cytoplasmic receptor (imp α/β). The inhibitory role of ivemectin prevents further increase in the viral load. Ivermectin drug could be a remarkable medical breakthrough for the lasting treatment of the infection; however, more clinical trials are suggested in this area.

Professional quality of life and emotional well-being among healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Iran

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Reza Azizkhani ◽  
Farhad Heydari ◽  
Ahmad Sadeghi ◽  
Omid Ahmadi ◽  
Azita Azimi Meibody
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
Close Contact ◽  
Pearson Correlation ◽  
Negative Relationship ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Moderate Level ◽  
Professional Quality Of Life ◽  
Professional Quality

Objective: Healthcare workers (HCWs) are among the highest groups impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aimed to analyze professional quality of life (ProQOL) and its association with emotional well-being in HCWs during the pandemic. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on HCWs being in close contact with COVID-19 patients in Iran. The questionnaires assessing ProQOL, emotional well-being, and demographic and occupational characteristics were recruited via email or social media. The ProQOL was used to measure compassion fatigue (CF), burnout (BO) and compassion satisfaction (CS). Results: Among the respondents, 705 HCWs were enrolled, including a higher proportion of physicians 449 (63.7%), females 452 (64.1%), and married 486 (68.9%). The mean of participants’ work experience was 8.41 ± 8.91 years. Almost all of HCWs showed moderate to high levels of CS (98.3%). Also, most of HCWs showed a moderate level of CF (96.3%), and the majority of them (76.6%) had a moderate level of BO. There were significant differences in the duration of contact with COVID-19 patients for all three components of ProQOL and emotional well-being score. Women had a higher level of BO than men (P=0.003). CS was significantly higher in married HCWs than in singles (P=0.007). Pearson correlation coefficient showed that CS had a negative relationship with CF and BO. However, there was a direct correlation between emotional well-being and the CS. Conclusion: During the COVID-19 pandemic, Iranian HCWs showed to have moderate to high levels of CS, and a moderate level of both CF and BO, and showed that emotional well-being had a direct correlation with CS.

scholarly journals Airway Management in COVID-19 as Aerosol Generating Procedure

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nabil A. Shallik ◽  
Muhammad Firas Khader Alhammad ◽  
Yasser Mahmoud Hammad Ali Hammad ◽  
Elfert Amr ◽  
Shakeel Moideen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Airway Management ◽  
Direct Contact ◽  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Close Contact ◽  
Infected Person ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Staff Protection ◽  
Respiratory Droplets ◽  
High Chance

2020 has seen the whole world battling a pandemic. Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is primarily transmitted through respiratory droplets when in close contact with an infected person, by direct contact, or by contact with contaminated objects and surfaces. Aerosol generating procedures (AGPs) like intubation have a high chance of generating large concentrations of infectious aerosols. AGPs potentially put healthcare workers at an increased risk of contracting the infection, and therefore special precautions are necessary during intubation. The procedure has to be performed by an expert operator who uses appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE). Modifications of known techniques have helped to reduce the chances of contracting the infection from patients. The use of checklists has become standard safe practice. This chapter looks at the current knowledge we have regarding this illness and how we should modify our practice to make managing the airway both safer for the patient and the healthcare workers involved. It addresses the preparation, staff protection, technical aspects and aftercare of patients who need airway intervention. It recommends simulation training to familiarize staff with modifications to routine airway management.

scholarly journals Face Mask Detection with Raspberry Pi

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (VI) ◽  
pp. 3451-3458
Author(s):  
G. Pavan Kumar
Keyword(s):  
Real Time ◽  
Close Contact ◽  
Face Mask ◽  
Raspberry Pi ◽  
Single Shot ◽  
Facial Image ◽  
Pixel Resolution ◽  
Infected Area ◽  
Spinal Network ◽  
Respiratory Droplets

In the wake of the COVID-19 epidemic, institutions such as the academy are suffering the most from global closure if the current situation haven’t rectified. COVID-19 also known as Serious Acute Respiratory Syndrome Corona virus-2 is an infectious disease that is transmitted to an infected person who talks, sneezes or coughs through respiratory droplets. This spreads quickly through close contact with anyone with the disease, or by touching objects or the infected area. By wearing a face mask under the jaws covering at crowded places or by frequently hygiene at your palms and by using at the minimum of 70% sanitizers which are based on alcohol is the best method for the against of the COVID-19. In this project we have used it ML, OpenCV and TensorFlow face recognition. This the model can be used for security purposes because of course an app that works well for use. In this way MobilenetV2 using a BN-based layout too lightweight and embedded this model with Raspberry pi to make real-time mask discovery, when, SSD (Single Shot Detector) format is used and the spinal network is light. As technology advances, Deep Learning has demonstrated its effectiveness in recognition and classification through image processing. The study uses in-depth reading techniques to distinguish facial recognition and to determine whether a person is wearing a facemask or not. The collected data contains 25,000 images using 224x224 pixel resolution and obtained 96% accuracy with the performance of a trained model. The system enhances the Raspberry Pi-based real-time recognition made by alarms and takes a facial image when the person found is not wearing a facemask. This study is beneficial in combating the spread of the virus and in avoiding contact with it.

scholarly journals Protection Level and Reusability of a Modified Full-Face Snorkel Mask as Alternative Personal Protective Equipment for Healthcare Workers During the COVID-19 Pandemic

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jean Schmitt ◽  
Lewis S. Jones ◽  
Elise A. Aeby ◽  
Christian Gloor ◽  
Berthold Moser ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Personal Protective Equipment ◽  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Face Mask ◽  
Protective Equipment ◽  
Additional Protection ◽  
Small Virus ◽  
3D Printed ◽  
Full Face

The worldwide outbreak of the COVID-19 drastically increased pressure on medical resources and highlighted the need for rapidly available, large-scale and low-cost personal protective equipment (PPE). In this work, an alternative full-face mask is adapted from a modified snorkel mask to be used as PPE with two medical grade filters and a 3D-printed adapter. As the mask covers the eyes, mouth and nose, it acts as a full-face shield, providing additional protection to healthcare workers. The filtration efficiency of different medical filters is measured for particles below 300 nm to cover the size of the SARS-CoV-2 and small virus-laden droplets. The filtration performance of the adapted full-face mask is characterized using NaCl particles below 500 nm and different fitting scenarios. The mask is compared to a commercial respirator and characterized according to the EN 149 standard, demonstrating that the protection fulfills the requirements for the FFP2 level (filtering face-piece 2, stopping at least 94% of airborne particles). The device shows a good resistance to several cycles of decontamination (autoclaving and ethanol immersion), is easy to be produced locally at low cost and helps addressing the shortage in FFP2 masks and face shields by providing adequate protection to healthcare workers against particles below 500 nm.

scholarly journals The Impact of New Coronavirus on Cancer Patients

2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aida Karimian ◽  
Sona Talaei ◽  
Arash Abdolmaleki ◽  
Asadollah Asadi ◽  
Muhammad Akram ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cancer Patients ◽  
Treatment Process ◽  
Data Sources ◽  
Public Health Issue ◽  
Medical Centers ◽  
Global Pandemic ◽  
Severity Of The Disease ◽  
Respiratory Droplets ◽  
The Impact

t the end of 2019, a new coronavirus (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)) emerged in China and then spread worldwide. Presently, Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a main public health issue. As of August 2021, more than 200 million confirmed cases from coronavirus and more than 4 million deaths have been reported by WHO in 222 countries. The data sources are Google Scholar, PubMed, and Science Direct articles. Publications were searched without regard to time in order to obtain a holistic and comprehensive perspective of the research done on this issue thus far. The SARS-CoV-2 can be transmitted from the human-to-human by respiratory droplets and shows great potential for a pandemic. Therefore, on March 11, 2020, COVID-19 was introduced as a global pandemic by WHO. Cancer patients are at high risk for exposure to the coronavirus. In the present article, we discuss the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the quality of life of cancer patients and their treatment process. One of these challenges is not visiting the patients in medical centers and hospitals for afraid of contracting the virus. Therefore, the diagnosis and treatment of cancer patients may be delayed, which is a serious threat to the lives of cancer patients. In this article, in addition to the impact of coronavirus on the lives of cancer patients, the severity of the disease in these patients, their required medical care, and the vaccination process are discussed.

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