关键词： Compound events   COVID-19   Pandemics   Sri Lanka   Natural hazards   Floods   Multi hazards   RISK  

摘要： Since the beginning of 2020, the focus has predominantly been on the prevention and control of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the 'new normal' has drastically altered responses to other hazards, underscoring the need to prepare and plan for complex, multi-risk scenarios. Nevertheless, there's limited literature on disaster preparedness and response for compound hazard scenarios, particularly pandemic-natural hazard hybrids. The few studies that have explored concurrent hazards during the COVID-19 pandemic have largely focused on developed, high-income countries. Yet, compound events can exacerbate pre-existing socio-economic vulnerabilities in developing countries, straining systems and causing disproportionate impacts. This study addresses this lacuna by examining (1) emergency preparedness and response measures for Sri Lanka's Southwest and Northeast monsoons during the COVID-19 pandemic, and (2) the feasibility of current Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) strategies for managing compound pandemic-natural hazard events in Sri Lanka. The research involves a desk-based policy analysis of disaster and health policies, key informant interviews with 26 officials, and focus group discussions with Public Health Inspectors from Ratnapura, Jaffna, Matara, and Gampaha. Findings indicate that while significant steps were taken, including impact scenario analyses, stakeholder meetings, and revised response measures, challenges such as resource constraints and limited capacity persisted. This study further demonstrates that the country's existing DRR strategies are characterised by gaps that may hinder capacities to effectively manage compound hazards. The findings of this study therefore encourage the implementation of structural changes and anticipatory action that adequately account for the complexity of risk supported by cross-sectoral collaboration. The study particularly highlights the importance of proactive scenario-based planning, developing composite risk matrices that

摘要： During the COVID-19 pandemic, the increase in plastic-based personal protective equipment has raised concerns about managing medical waste and protecting the environment. This study highlights the need for effective waste management strategies by creating a conceptual process flow diagram and investigating thermal treatment methods like pyrolysis as potential solutions. Using computational modeling and process optimization, the study examines different polymer blends, including High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE), Polystyrene (PS), and Polypropylene (PP), to understand how they behave during pyrolysis and the yields they produce. Two pyrolysis schemes have been developed to handle various polymer blends. In Scheme 1, the liquefied polymer is preheated and then pyrolyzed in a reactor, producing a vapor stream and a residue stream (carbon). The vapor stream is cooled to enhance liquid oil production and then is separated in a distillation column to isolate liquid oil from pyrogas. Scheme 2 follows a similar process but converts a significant portion of liquid hydrocarbons to gas in the distillation column, requiring further gas processing in a one-stage separator column. The results show that temperature significantly impacts liquid yield, with specific temperature ranges leading to increased yield. Additionally, the composition of the polymers and the rate at which the material is fed into the process affect the yields, with specific blends showing promise for higher liquid yield. This study emphasizes the importance of accurate process modeling to optimize the operational parameters and improve the economic viability of plastic pyrolysis technology presenting a promising opportunity to convert plastic waste into valuable resources.

关键词： COVID-19   SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibodies   Host immunity   Longitudinal immunophenotyping   Plasma proteomics   High dimensional flow cytometry  

摘要： SummaryBackgroundPassive administration of SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), such as CAS + IMD (Casirivimab + Imdevimab) antibody cocktail demonstrated beneficial effects on clinical outcomes in hospitalized patients with COVID-19 who were seronegative at baseline and outpatients. However, little is known about their impact on the host immunophenotypes. MethodsWe conducted an immunoprofiling study in 46 patients from a single site of a multi-site trial of CAS + IMD in hospitalized patients. We collected longitudinal samples during October 2020 ∼ April 2021, prior to the emergence of the Delta and Omicron variants and the use of COVID-19 vaccines. All collected samples were analyzed without exclusion and post-hoc statistical analysis was performed. We examined the dynamic interplay of CAS + IMD with host immunity applying dimensional reduction approach on plasma proteomics and high dimensional flow cytometry data. FindingsUsing an unbiased clustering method, we identified unique immunophenotypes associated with acute inflammation and disease resolution. Compared to placebo group, administration of CAS + IMD accelerated the transition from an acute inflammatory immunophenotype, to a less inflammatory or “resolving” immunophenotype, as characterized by reduced tissue injury, proinflammatory markers and restored lymphocyte/monocyte imbalance independent of baseline serostatus. Moreover, CAS + IMD did not impair the magnitude or the quality of host T cell immunity against SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. InterpretationOur results identified immunophenotypic changes indicative of a possible SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibodies-induced anti-inflammatory effect, without an evident impairment of cellular antiviral immunity, suggesting that further studies of Mabs effects on SAS-CoV-2 or other viral mediated inflammation are warranted. FundingRegeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc and federal funds from the Department of Health and Human Services; Administration for Strateg