VIRUS INACTIVATION BY NOVEL VIRUCIDAL MATERIALS

The development of virucidal coatings to inactivate a broad spectrum of viruses has gained popularity. Antiviral coating of personal protective equipment such as facial coverings can reduce the accumulation of viral load and mitigate transmission of airborne illnesses, which occur primarily through direct contact with respiratory aerosols or droplets carrying infectious viruses. Moreover, modification of PPE to inactivate viruses upon contact improves their reusability and reduces waste. Coating high frequency touch surfaces with similar virucidal coatings can reduce the risk of disease transmission associated with contaminated surfaces. This study explores the development of three novel virucidal materials to control the spread of viruses which occur either through direct or indirect exposure. Naturally occurring zeolites and clay minerals such as vermiculite and sepiolite find use in polymer composites to enhance material properties. They are highly absorbent and due to their large cation-exchange capacity, provide a great platform to incorporate virucidal metal ions such as silver, zinc, copper and iron. Here, two novel antiviral clay mineral powders, vermiculite, and sepiolite, were decorated with a powerful antiviral agent, cupric ion (Cu2+). The modified vermiculite powders showed 2.6 and 2.5 log-reduction in the titer of the non-enveloped PPV and enveloped HCoV 229E, respectively, by inactivation in 2 hours at 4 ℃. Sepiolite reduced the titers of PPV and HCoV by 3.5 and 3.2 log10 respectively, either through inactivation or virus adsorption or both. Adsorption of virus to the surface of the powder was determined to be crucial for inactivation by Cu2+. Quaternary ammonium (QA) compounds find use commercially and domestically to inactivate a broad spectrum of disease-causing viruses. Melt-blown polypropylene (mbPP), used as the main filtration layer in the WHO approved N95 mask and spun-bound polypropylene (sbPP), utilized in surgical masks were covalently and physically functionalized with a C12 quaternary ammonium compound - benzophenone. QA grafting of mbPP resulted in the largest reversal of surface charge density. The same fabric was found to be most effective in lowering the titer of enveloped viruses SuHV-1 and HCoV 229E by 3.3 and 2.3 log10 respectively. However, functionalization of the fabric led a decreased thein filtration efficiency to ~50% which was resolved by using the less effective sbPP as an outer layer in a prototype 3-ply N95 mask model. Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), a strong oxidizing agent, is another disinfectant commonly used in industry and households to meet daily disinfection needs. H2O2 releases a highly reactive hydroxyl free radical which can disrupt a broad spectrum of biomolecules such as proteins, nucleic acids and lipids to inactivate viruses. The catechol functional group in 6-hydroxydopmine (6-OHDA) generates H2O2 as a by-product when exposed to moisture. Here, polyacrylamide (PAAm) copolymerized with 6-OHDA was coated onto non-woven mbPP fabrics while maintaining fabric porosity at 80%. Sustained release of H2O2 with catechol copolymerized mbPP fabrics was demonstrated over a 24-hour period at room temperature. The fabrics were found to show 2.2 and 1.1 log-reduction in the titer of BVDV and HCoV respectively at room temperature

What is citizenship and what does it mean to lose it

The article conceptualises different definitions of citizenship, drawing parallels between citizenship and humanness. it envisages the meaning of losing citizenship and places in it in a wider ambit of the contemporary Indian political context. Using the example of the recent law called Citizenship Amendment Act in India, it deduces how citizenship is a prerogative to be considered human and those without it face violence largely justified and appropriated not just by society but also by law.&nbsp

Techniques for online analysis of large distributed data

With the advancement of technology, there has been an exponential growth in the volume of data that is continuously being generated by several applications in domains such as finance, networking, security. Examples of such continuously streaming data include internet traffic data, sensor readings, tweets, stock market data, telecommunication records. As a result, processing and analyzing data to derive useful insights from them in real time is becoming increasingly important. The goal of my research is to propose techniques to effectively find aggregates and patterns from massive distributed data stream in real time. In many real world applications, there may be specific user requirements for analyzing data. We consider three different user requirements for our work - Sliding window, Distributed data stream, and a Union of historical and streaming data. We aim to address the following problems in our research : First, we present a detailed experimental evaluation of streaming algorithms over sliding window for distinct counting, which is a fundamental aggregation problem widely applied in database query optimization and network monitoring. Next, we present the first communication-efficient distributed algorithm for tracking persistent items in a distributed data stream over both infinite and sliding window. We present theoretical analysis on communication cost and accuracy, and provide experimental results to validate the guarantees. Finally, we present the design and evaluation of a low cost algorithm that identifies quantiles from a union of historical and streaming data with improved accuracy

Detection and emotional evaluation of an electric vehicle’s exterior sound in a simulated environment

Electric vehicles are quiet at low speeds and thus potentially pose a threat to pedestrians’ safety. Laws are formulating worldwide that mandate these vehicles emit sounds to alert the pedestrians of the vehicles’ approach. It is necessary that these sounds promote a positive perception of the vehicle brand, and understanding their impact on soundscapes is also important. Detection time of the vehicle sounds is an important measure to assess pedestrians’ safety. Emotional evaluation of these sounds influences assessment of the vehicle brand. Laboratory simulation is a new approach for evaluating exterior automotive sounds. This study describes the implementation of laboratory simulation to compare the detection time and emotional evaluation of artificial sounds for an electric vehicle. An Exterior Sound Simulator simulated audio-visual stimuli of an electric car passing a crossroad of a virtual town at 4.47 ms-1 (10 mph), from the perspective of a pedestrian standing at the crossroad. In this environment, 15 sounds were tested using experiments where participants detected the car and evaluated its sound using perceptual dimensions. Results show that these sounds vary significantly in their detection times and emotional evaluations, but crucially that traditional metrics like dB(A) do not always relate to the detection of these sounds. Detection time and emotional evaluation do not have significant correlation. Hence, sounds of a vehicle could be detected quickly, but may portray negative perceptions of the vehicle. Simulation provides a means to more fully evaluate potential electric vehicle sounds against the competing criteria

Mars Atmospheric and Climatic Survey System

Before Mars can be explored by humans, its extreme climate and environment must be investigated. This can be achieved through the deployment of weather station probes capable of measuring Martian air temperature, atmospheric pressure, relative humidity, and wind speed. The Mars Atmospheric and Climatic Survey System (MACSS) aims to collect this data, allowing predictive models of global climate patterns on Mars to be developed. These models will aid NASA in providing the needed knowledge to prepare for long-term exposure to the conditions on Mars. The probes are compact and lightweight; they have been designed to withstand Mars’ harsh environment: extreme temperatures, statically-charged dust particles, a thin atmosphere, and intense solar radiation. Considerations of deployment were also made, with the size and weight of each probe allowing for them to be deployed as-needed and as accessories in future missions rather than simultaneously in a single mission. With regards to components, solar panels are to supply the probes with primary power. Data would be collected by sensors and stored on a solid-state drive. A low-gain antenna would establish communication between the probes, NASA’s Deep Space Network, and Mars’ rovers and orbiters. This data can then be evaluated on Earth, allowing models of Martian climate to be formed. In order to demonstrate the feasibility of MACSS, a mockup was designed, simulating data collection in real time with Earth-equivalent components. With continued collaboration, MACSS and its probes can be further optimized for deployment to and longevity on Mars.https://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/capstone/1202/thumbnail.jp

An evaluation of streaming algorithms for distinct counting over a sliding window

Counting the number of distinct elements in a data stream (distinct counting) is a fundamental aggregation task in database query processing, query optimization, and network monitoring. On a stream of elements, it is commonly needed to compute an aggregate over only the most recent elements, leading to the problem of distinct counting over a “sliding window” of the stream. We present a detailed experimental study of the performance of different algorithms for distinct counting over a sliding window. We observe that the performance of an algorithm depends on the basic method used, as well as aspects such as the hash function, the mix of query and updates, and the method used to boost accuracy. We compare the performance of prominent algorithms and evaluate the influence of these factors, leading to practical recommendations for implementation. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first detailed experimental study of distinct counting over a sliding window

Feto-maternal outcome in patients with peripartum cardiomyopathy: a 5-year study in a tertiary care hospital in Kolar district

Background: Peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM) is a disorder of unknown cause in which initial left ventricular systolic dysfunction and symptoms of heart failure occur between the last month of pregnancy and the first 5 months postpartum. PPCM remains a diagnosis of exclusion. There have been numerous proposed causes including hormonal abnormalities, inflammation, viral pathogens, autoimmune response, and genetic predisposition. Aim of study was to study the clinical profile, risk factors, and the management along with obstetric and perinatal outcome, in women with peripartum cardiomyopathy.Methods: This retrospective observational study was conducted on the antenatal women of age group of 18 years to 40 years, admitted in the labour ward of R. L. Jalapa hospital who presented with heart failure in last month of pregnancy till 5 months postpartum, without previously having a heart disease over the 5 year period, January 20 15 to December 2019.Results: Majority of the patients (15/18) presented with complaints of exertional dyspnoea. Mean LVEF at the time of diagnosis was 38.39%. There were 5 (27%) maternal mortality and all of them had global hypokinesia on echocardiography and presented in NYHA class III and IV. Two (11%) out of eighteen patients had intrauterine death, and all the patients who had IUFD belonged to class IV. Four babies (22.22%) had intrauterine growth restriction.Conclusions: The present study came to conclusion that in rural tertiary center, maternal outcome and prognosis was poor as patients presenting to us were majority of them in cardiogenic shock and lower LVEF in terminal stages. The associated risk factors were preeclampsia, anemia and multiple gestation which could also contribute to the poor prognosis which was noticed in the study. Early recognition of the disease is of paramount importance as the clinical manifestations can conceal and can lead to high morbidity and mortality especially within 3 months postpartum