Search

Background: The spectrum of COVID-19 infection-related neurological imaging findings in East Asian and Western populations has been well documented. In the Indian subcontinent, certain extracranial neurological imaging manifestations such as acute invasive fungal sinusitis were noted to occur with increasing frequency when compared to that reported in literature. This anomaly was more evident during the second wave of infection and since there is a paucity of literature documenting this change, we undertook this retrospective observational study. Results: Patients with COVID-19 who underwent brain or spine imaging between 1st March 2020 and 31st May 2021 were assessed for inclusion. We considered cases with imaging done in 2020 as the 1st wave, and cases with imaging done in 2021 as the 2nd wave. In the first wave, the most common neuroimaging findings were ischemic stroke (82, 26.5%), acute invasive fungal sinusitis (34, 11%), dural venous sinus thrombosis (15, 4.9%), and brain hemorrhages (15, 4.9%). In the second wave, the most common were acute invasive fungal sinusitis (44, 21.9%), ischemic stroke (39, 19.4%), and noninvasive sinusitis (30, 14.9%). The second wave had significantly more cases of acute invasive fungal sinusitis (44, 21.9% vs. 34, 11%; p-value.001), noninvasive sinusitis, and orbital cellulitis when compared to the first wave. Conclusions: While we had ischemic stroke, followed by acute invasive fungal sinusitis, dural venous sinus thrombosis, and brain hemorrhages as the most common neuroimaging findings in the first wave, the second wave was dominated by the extracranial complications of Mucormycosis, namely acute invasive fungal sinusitis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID‐19 global pandemic has adversely affected educational institutions worldwide, resulting in frequent mandatory lockdowns and social distancing rules. After waiting for a brief period, most organizations, including educational institutions, moved their operations from traditional in‐class to virtual, web‐based teaching‐learning. As a result of unprecedented change, faculty, students, and administrators faced several challenges. However, how the educational institutions were coping with this challenging situation remained an important question. To address this, we present Knowledge Management Process (KMP), Knowledge Management System Infrastructure (KMSINF), and Knowledge Management System Quality (KMSQU) as resilient strategies to convert the challenges into opportunities. Using the KM processes and practices, a complex model is constructed to positively influence employee commitment, performance, and job satisfaction. A survey instrument was used to collect data from 747 faculty members from 14 higher educational institutions in the southern part of India. After testing the measurement properties using the Lisrel package of structural equation modeling, the complex model was tested using Hayes PROCESS macros. The results indicate (i) KMP is positively related to performance and employee commitment, (ii) employee commitment mediates the relationship between KMP and performance, (iii) KMSINF moderates the relationship between KMP and employee commitment, (iv) KMSQU moderates the moderated relationship between KMP and KMSINF in influencing the employee commitment, and (v) performance is positively related to job satisfaction. The results suggest that KM processes, system infrastructure, and system quality are effective, resilient strategies to bring educational institutions to normal functioning during the present global pandemic. The implications for KM, employee commitment, and job satisfaction are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has posed an unprecedented challenge to the healthcare systems worldwide. This uncharted territory has changed the practices in modern healthcare delivery; this is particularly true in the case of minimally invasive surgery (MIS) where various changes are being adopted. This survey was conducted to determine the impact of the pandemic and the changes being adopted in the field of MIS, from a resource-limited developing country, India. Materials and Methods: The survey was carried out from 27 July to 22 August 2020, amongst MIS surgeons in India using an online questionnaire generated on Google Forms. Results: The survey was completed by 251 MIS surgeons nationwide. There was a proportional reduction of overall elective surgeries and MIS. Approximately 30% of the surgeons continued to use MIS, as during the pre-pandemic era. Pre-operative tests for COVID-19 (96.1%) and personal protective equipment (PPE, 66%–86%), including respirators (95.2%), are used uniformly across the nation. Almost half (43.1%) of the MIS surgeons are using ≥6 recommended intraoperative modifications in MIS to mitigate the COVID-19 transmission. Conclusion: MIS surgeons in India have adapted within a short time to the challenge of the pandemic by embracing pre-operative testing, PPE and new techniques/technologies to continue patient care. Innovations and low-cost indigenous customisations are the need of the hour for a developing country like India. Further studies are required to establish the true risk of viral transmission involved in MIS and the efficacies of the techniques/devices to reduce the spread of the virus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]