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India, as the second-largest country in terms of rice production, faces the challenge of managing waste generated from rice mills. One potential solution is the utilization of Rice Husk Ash (RHA) in concrete production, which can help address increasing demand for concrete while reducing CO 2 emission associated with its manufacturing. RHA is acquired by incinerating rice husks in mills, yielding a remarkable silica content of approximately 90% alongside commendable pozzolanic reactivity. These characteristics make RHA a viable and sustainable building material that can be used as a partial replacement for cement in concrete. Several published studies have explored the successful utilization of RHA in manufacturing of concrete and have examined the attributes exhibited by this concrete during both the early (fresh) and later (hardened) stages. The findings of these studies suggest that RHA holds promise for use in various types of concrete, including normal concrete, high-strength concrete, and self-compacting concrete. Concrete incorporating RHA has shown favourable results in terms of strength and durability parameters. By replacing a portion of cement with RHA, concrete can exhibit comparable or even improved performance compared to traditional concrete mixes. Moreover, the use of RHA in concrete production offers additional environmental benefits. It contributes to resource conservation by utilizing an agricultural waste product that would otherwise be discarded. This approach helps in managing agricultural waste generated by rice mills. By incorporating RHA into concrete, the construction industry can contribute to the circular economy by reducing waste and promoting sustainable practices. In conclusion, the utilization of RHA as a partial cement replacement in concrete offers a promising solution for industrialists and the construction industry in India. It not only addresses the challenge of waste management in rice mills but also helps in mitigating the impact of concrete production on the environment. The addition of rice husk ash in concrete can enhance the strength and durability of the material while providing additional environmental benefits and contributing to the circular economy.

ObjectivesThe study aimed to clinically assess the association between periodontitis and COVID-19-related outcomes.Material and methodsData pertaining to patient demographics, medical history, blood parameters, periodontal clinical examination and aMMP-8 point-of-care diagnostics (both site-level and patient-level) was recorded for eighty-two COVID-19-positive patients. COVID-19-related outcomes such as COVID-19 pneumonia, death/survival, types of hospital admission and need of assisted ventilation were also assessed.ResultsMales were predominantly afflicted with COVID-19, with advanced age exhibiting a greater association with the presence of periodontitis. Higher severity of periodontitis led to 7.45 odds of requiring assisted ventilation, 36.52 odds of hospital admission, 14.58 odds of being deceased and 4.42 odds of COVID-19-related pneumonia. The aMMP-8 mouthrinse kit was slightly more sensitive but less specific than aMMP-8 site-specific tests.ConclusionsBased on the findings of the present study, periodontitis seems to be related to poorer COVID-19-related outcomes. However, within the constraints of this work, a direct causality may not be established. Periodontitis, by means of skewing the systemic condition for a number of comorbidities, may eventually influence COVID-19 outcomes in an indirect manner.Clinical relevanceThe study is the first to clinically, and by means of a validated point-of-care diagnostic methodology, assess the association between periodontal health and COVID-19-related outcomes. Assessment of the periodontal status of individuals can aid in the identification of risk groups during the pandemic along with reinforcing the need to maintain oral hygiene and seeking periodontal care.

Introduction The current gold standard for detection of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) RNA involves subjecting nasopharyngeal or oropharyngeal swabs to reverse transcription quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR). However, both sample types need to be collected by trained professionals. Using self-collected buccal swabs as an alternative could simplify and accelerate diagnosis of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Objective To assess self-collected buccal swab samples as an alternative method for SARS-CoV-2 detection in patients with COVID-19. Methods Buccal swab samples were self-collected by 73 patients with COVID-19. Total RNA was extracted using Qiagen kits. RNA encoding the SARS-CoV-2 Env protein and human RNase P as an internal control was amplified using the TRUPCR® SARS-CoV-2 RT-qPCR kit version 2.1 and a Bio-Rad CFX96 Real-Time Detection System. Result The sensitivity of RT-qPCR from buccal swabs was 58.9% (43/73; 95% confidence interval [CI] 46.77%–70.27%) and that of RT-qPCR from saliva was 62.90% (39/62; 95% CI 49.69%–74.84%) taking positive SARS-CoV-2 RT-qPCR from nasopharyngeal swabs as the gold standard. Conclusion Self-collected buccal swabs are promising alternatives to nasopharyngeal or oropharyngeal swabs for SARS CoV-2 detection.

This study delves into the sustainable use of bagasse ash (BA) in conjunction with a liquid alkaline activator (LAA) for pavement subgrade construction. The selection of BA is based on its robust chemical composition, including SiO 2 , Al 2 O 3 , Fe 2 O 3 , and CaO. These chemical compounds and the LAA enhance the properties of black cotton soil (BCS), specifically its California bearing ratio (CBR) and swelling characteristics, such as expansion ratio (ER). The strength and swelling attributes of the BCS were assessed at 7, 14, and 28 days of curing time. BA and LAA were applied to treat the BCS for use as a pavement subgrade construction material. The effectiveness of BA was gauged by examining the soaked CBR and ER of the modified BCS. The CBR value of the specimen exhibits an increase with up to 20% BA content and prolonged curing time. The microstructural analysis of both natural BCS and BCS treated with BA and LAA was conducted using field emission scanning electron microscopy. The CBR values of the natural BCS and treated BCS are used to determine the thickness of the pavement. The designed pavement thickness also prompted calculations for the initial construction cost and carbon dioxide equivalent (CO 2e ).

Medications studied for therapeutic benefits in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) have produced inconclusive efficacy results except for steroids. A prospective randomized open-label, parallel-arm Phase I/II clinical trial was planned to compare essential oil (EO) blend versus placebo nebulization in mild COVID-19. A Phase I safety evaluation was carried out in a single ascending and multiple ascending dose study designs. We assessed Phase II therapeutic efficacy on COVID-19 and general respiratory symptoms on days 0, 3, 5, 7, 10, and 14 on the predesigned case record form. Viremia was evaluated on day 0, day 5, and day 10. Dose-limiting toxicities were not reached with the doses, frequencies, and duration studied, thus confirming the formulation's preliminary safety. General respiratory symptoms (p < 0.001), anosmia (p < 0.05), and dysgeusia (p < 0.001) benefited significantly with the use of EO blend nebulization compared to placebo. Symptomatic COVID-19 participants with mild disease did not show treatment benefits in terms of symptomatic relief (p = 1.0) and viremia clearance (p = 0.74) compared to the placebo. EO blend was found to be associated with the reduced evolution of symptoms in previously asymptomatic reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR)-positive study participants (p = 0.034). EO nebulization appears to be a safer add-on symptomatic relief approach for mild COVID-19. However, the direct antiviral action of the EO blend needs to be assessed with different concentrations of combinations of individual phytochemicals in the EO blend.

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has spread to almost all the countries and regions in the world. The fear of getting infected while serving COVID patients and the stress due to separation from family during the quarantine period may impact over sexual functioning of healthcare workers (HCWs). Methodology: The study protocol was approved by the institutional ethics committee. This was a nonfunded, cross-sectional, observational study. All participants provided written informed consent. This study was carried out in a multispecialty tertiary teaching hospital in North India. The participants were drawn from married and living with partner male nurses. Sexual functioning was assessed using the changes in sexual functioning questionnaire short-form (CSFQ-14). Results: The study found that the prevalence of global sexual dysfunction was significantly higher in male nurses who had completed their rotations in the COVID hospital when compared to those who had not. There were no statistically significant differences between the groups on sociodemographic profiles and the profile of their spouses. Discussion: HCWs working in COVID situations are known to suffer from stress, depression, and anxiety. This may impact the sexual functioning of the HCWs, especially when they have been in an infectious environment and the marital dyad may have doubts of the transmission of the infection. Conclusion: Male nurses who have worked in a COVID care setting are likely to report higher levels of sexual dysfunction

This paper presents the strength, swelling, and microstructure characteristics of the expansive soil (ES) amended with rice husk ash (RHA) and liquid alkaline activator (LAA) for pavement subgrade performance. Sodium metasilicate (Na2SiO3.9H2O) and sodium hydroxide (NaOH) were used to prepare a liquid alkaline activator (LAA). The LAA facilitates the chemical reaction among ES, RHA, and LAA to form cementitious compounds in the treated soil. The effectiveness of the RHA with LAA was determined by performing an unconfined compressive strength (UCS) test, California bearing ratio (CBR) test, and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) test on the natural and amended ES with the different curing periods of 7, 14, and 28 days. The UCS and CBR of the amended ES specimens were found to be increasing with increase in the RHA content with optimum liquid alkaline activator content (OLAAC) up to a specific limit. After that, it was found to be decreasing with an increase in RHA with OLAAC. The strength increases due to the formation of cementitious compounds. The swelling characteristics of the treated ES with RHA and OLAAC are determined in terms of swelling pressure and percentage swell. It increases with the soaking time, and it decreases with an increase in the RHA content with OLAAC. The thickness of the pavement layers decreases as increase in the RHA with OLAAC at 28 days of the curing period. The construction cost is also reduced as the strength of the pavement subgrade increases. The relationship between compaction characteristics, i.e., maximum bulk density (MBD) and OLAAC, or strength characteristics, i.e., UCS and CBR, has been developed.

This paper presents the use of fly ash (FA) and liquid alkaline activator (LAA) to amend the engineering behavior of expansive soil (ES) based on a series of unconfined compressive strength (UCS), expansion ratio (ER), California bearing ratio (CBR), and free swell index (FSI) tests conducted on various sets of natural and amended ES with different proportions of FA with LAA at different curing periods of 7, 14, and 28 days. Microstructure analysis was carried out by field emission scanning electron microscopy. This study also evaluates the performance of pavement subgrade with amended ES. The LAA is a mixture of 1.0 molar sodium metasilicate and 10.0 molars of sodium hydroxide solution mixed in the proportion of 70:30, respectively. The results indicate that ER and FSI decrease when FA content increases with optimum alkaline activator content (OLC) in the combination, whereas UCS and CBR values initially increase with an increase in FA content up to 25% and after which they decrease. It is also observed that, with an increase in curing periods, the ER and FSI decrease, whereas UCS and CBR values increase. Also, the flexible pavement’s total thickness and initial cost first decrease up to optimum FA content (25%) with OLC after that increases.

A field experiment was conducted during kharif season of 2013 on sandy loam soil. The experiment aimed to evaluate the performance of hybrid maize with urdbean and mungbean under different planting patterns. In this investigation, 9 treatment combinations viz., maize with normal (1:1), paired (2:2) and strip (3:3) planted urdbean (Vigna mungo) and mungbean (Vigna radiata) along with all the three crops in their sole stands were tested in randomized block design with 3 replications. The study revealed that strip planted maize+urdbean (3:3) being on par with maize+mungbean (3:3) recorded significantly highest values of growth parameters, nodulation habitat, yield attributes and yield of maize in terms of grain yield (45.6 q/ha) and stover yield (77.8 q/ha), except phenological parameters and mortality %. In terms of protein in maize grains and nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium content in grains and stover, strip (3:3) planted maize proved its superiority over sole and normal (1:1) planted maize. Likewise, in intercrops, all the growth parameters, yields, nutrients content and protein yield were statistically superior in their sole as compared to normal (1:1), paired (2:2) and strip (3:3) planting with maize, except plant height.