Simultaneous Detection of SARS-CoV-2 and Six Other Human Coronaviruses by Multiplex PCR and MALDI-TOF MS (preprint)

The outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is challenging the health systems worldwide, and large population testing is a vital step to control this pandemic. Here, we developed a new method (named HCoV-MS), which combines multiplex PCR with matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry to simultaneously detect and differentiate seven human coronaviruses (HCoVs). The HCoV-MS method had good specificity and sensitivity, with a detection limit of 1-5 copies/reaction. To validate the HCoV-MS method, we tested 151 clinical samples, and the results showed good concordance with real-time PCR. In addition, 41 D614G variants were identified, which were consistent with the sequencing results. This method was also used in EQAE-SARS-COV in 2020, and all the samples were accurately identified. Taken together, HCoV-MS could be used as an effective method for large-scale detection. It was also capable of detecting key single nucleotide polymorphism about variants.

Discovery of orally active SARS-CoV-2 papain-like protease (PLpro) inhibitors (preprint)

Vaccines and first-generation antiviral therapeutics have provided important protection against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). However, there remains a need for additional therapeutic options that provide enhanced efficacy and protection against potential viral resistance. The SARS-CoV-2 papain-like protease (PLpro) is one of two essential cysteine proteases involved in viral replication. While inhibitors of the SARS-CoV-2 main protease (Mpro) have demonstrated clinical efficacy, known PLpro inhibitors have to date lacked the inhibitory potency and requisite pharmacokinetics to demonstrate that targeting PLpro translates to in vivo efficacy in a preclinical setting. Herein, we report the machine learning-driven discovery of potent, selective, and orally available SARS-CoV-2 PLpro inhibitors, with lead compound PF-07957472 (4) providing robust efficacy in a mouse-adapted model of COVID-19 infection.

Dynamic connectedness between clean energy stock markets and energy commodity markets during times of COVID-19: Empirical evidence from China

We examine the dynamic relationship between clean energy stock markets and energy commodity markets in China from a time-frequency perspective. The daily dataset spans from March 27th, 2018, to July 29th, 2022, and is utilized in this study. We find that the clean stock markets are the main contributors and recipients in this dynamic system in the short run, while the solid net contributor role of commodities is detected in the long run. In addition, in most cases, short-term spillovers can dominate the long-run ones. However, during the COVID-19 pandemic, long-term spillovers can dominate short-run spillovers. In particular, it can be seen that in the short run, energy commodities can be easily influenced by clean energy stocks. In the long run, traditional energy assets are less affected. Finally, we show that COVID-19 can increase the hedging effectiveness of the portfolio design. We conclude with policy implications for energy and resources policymakers.

Dynamic spillovers between uncertainties and green bond markets in the US, Europe, and China: Evidence from the quantile VAR framework

This paper investigates the quantile connectedness between uncertainties and green bonds in the US, Europe, and China by using a quantile VAR model-based connectedness approach. The empirical findings suggest that the spillover effect under extreme market conditions is significantly higher than that under normal market conditions. We also show that stock market uncertainty (VIX) and oil market uncertainty (OVX) have a greater impact on green bonds, especially in extreme upward markets. In addition, the US is the dominant transmitter of spillovers in other green bond markets, while China is always the net receiver of spillovers. Further research, meanwhile, demonstrates that the connectedness between green bonds and uncertainties is time-varying and that the spillover effects at extreme upper and lower quantiles are asymmetric and heterogeneous, especially in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. These findings provide investors and policymakers with systematic insights into the risk resistance of different green bond markets.

Resumption of school after lockdown in COVID-19 pandemic: Three case reports.

BACKGROUND: Students in the 9th grade of junior high school in Changsha were under a 75 d lockdown due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. After the resumption of school post-lockdown, the 9th grade students in Changsha faced the entrance physical examination test for senior high school. CASE SUMMARY: We report on 3 cases of occult fracture on the same site in adolescents of the same grade since resumption of school after the lockdown from the COVID-19 pandemic. Three students in the 9th grade of junior high school who were facing the physical examination in 2 wk were diagnosed with an occult fracture of the distal femur. CONCLUSION: It is recommended that the students, parents, education providers and policy makers should all pay attention to the physical exercise of students when the resumption of school after lockdown occurs and they should be aware of occult fractures when the adolescents have pain after physical exercise.

The Variation of Rice Quality and Relevant Starch Structure during Long-Term Storage

The main substances of rice are starches, which vary their metabolism during storage. We conducted a series of tests including rice physicochemical properties, edible quality, starch content and chain length distribution along with starch structure variation to disclose the shift of rice quality by observing the changes of rice during storage. The results showed that: (1) the rice deterioration occurred as time passed, and the germination rate decreased from 70.8% to 29.4% during the storage;(2) fatty acid values increased significantly during long-term storage;(3) electrical conductivity increased as time passed;and (4) the two-year-storage rice showed significantly decreased viscosity and edible quality after sensory evaluation, decreased hardness and damaged surface area of starch granules as storage time passed. Additionally, the damaged surface area of starch granules increased with storage time. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) showed that the short-range order and spiral degree of rice starch first decreased in the first year and then increased over the storage time. Furthermore, X-ray diffraction showed that the main starch of rice was A-type crystalline. Meanwhile, apparent amylose content increased from 31.00% to 33.85%, then decreased to 31.75%. The peak viscosity reduced from 2735.00 mPa·s to 2163.67 mPa·s and the disintegration value was brought down from 1377.67 mPa·s to 850.33 mPa·s. Based on the results, rice should not be stored for more than 2 years under suitable granary conditions to maintain it at a good quality.

Risks factors for virus shedding period of COVID-19 in maintenance hemodialysis patients: a retrospective cohort study (preprint)

Objective This study aimed to describe the clinical features of maintenance hemodialysis (MHD)patients with COVID-19 and potential factors related to the time to return negative RT-PCR in discharged.Methods Retrospective analysis was performed on the clinical data of 90 MHD patients and 134 non-dialysis patients who infected with COVID-19 and admitted to our hospital from 1 April 2022 to 10 June 2022.Results The average age of the MHD patients with COVID-19 was 64.8 ± 12.9 years old and 59.3% patients were males. 12.2% MHD patients with COVID-19 were admitted to ICU and they had higher levels of WBC, neutrophils and procalcitonin(PCT)(P < 0.05) and more symptoms of nausea or vomiting at admission(P = 0.0003). The mean lengths of time from positive to two consecutive negative COVID-19 PCR was 18.15 ± 6.37 days in discharged MHD patients and 11.18 ± 3.52 days in non-dialysis patients(P < 0.0001). Discharged MHD patients with hypertension and DM need obviously longer time to negative than without comorbid disease(21.33 ± 7.03 days vs 16.47 ± 3.6, P = 0.0194). Longer time to negative PCR was associated with lower level of Ct-ORF1ab RNA and Ct-N RNA at admission (R2 = 0.05958, P = 0.0291; R2 = 0.06719, P = 0.0202) in MHD patients.Conclusion MHD patients with COVID-19 had a high probability of admitting to ICU and the level of inflammatory indicators were critical factors. It takes a week longer for MHD patients to return negative PCR than non-dialysis patients. MHD patients combined with hypertension and DM, lower level of Ct- RNA need longer SARS-CoV-2 RNA clearance time than others.

Genetic Surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 Mpro Reveals High Sequence and Structural Conservation Prior to the Introduction of Protease Inhibitor Paxlovid.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) continues to represent a global health emergency as a highly transmissible, airborne virus. An important coronaviral drug target for treatment of COVID-19 is the conserved main protease (Mpro). Nirmatrelvir is a potent Mpro inhibitor and the antiviral component of Paxlovid. The significant viral sequencing effort during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic represented a unique opportunity to assess potential nirmatrelvir escape mutations from emerging variants of SARS-CoV-2. To establish the baseline mutational landscape of Mpro prior to the introduction of Mpro inhibitors, Mpro sequences and its cleavage junction regions were retrieved from ~4,892,000 high-quality SARS-CoV-2 genomes in the open-access Global Initiative on Sharing Avian Influenza Data (GISAID) database. Any mutations identified from comparison to the reference sequence (Wuhan-Hu-1) were catalogued and analyzed. Mutations at sites key to nirmatrelvir binding and protease functionality (e.g., dimerization sites) were still rare. Structural comparison of Mpro also showed conservation of key nirmatrelvir contact residues across the extended Coronaviridae family (α-, ß-, and γ-coronaviruses). Additionally, we showed that over time, the SARS-CoV-2 Mpro enzyme remained under purifying selection and was highly conserved relative to the spike protein. Now, with the emergency use authorization (EUA) of Paxlovid and its expected widespread use across the globe, it is essential to continue large-scale genomic surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 Mpro evolution. This study establishes a robust analysis framework for monitoring emergent mutations in millions of virus isolates, with the goal of identifying potential resistance to present and future SARS-CoV-2 antivirals. IMPORTANCE The recent authorization of oral severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) antivirals, such as Paxlovid, has ushered in a new era of the COVID-19 pandemic. The emergence of new variants, as well as the selective pressure imposed by antiviral drugs themselves, raises concern for potential escape mutations in key drug binding motifs. To determine the potential emergence of antiviral resistance in globally circulating isolates and its implications for the clinical response to the COVID-19 pandemic, sequencing of SARS-CoV-2 viral isolates before, during, and after the introduction of new antiviral treatments is critical. The infrastructure built herein for active genetic surveillance of Mpro evolution and emergent mutations will play an important role in assessing potential antiviral resistance as the pandemic progresses and Mpro inhibitors are introduced. We anticipate our framework to be the starting point in a larger effort for global monitoring of the SARS-CoV-2 Mpro mutational landscape.

Analysis of differences in lymphocyte subsets and CD4+ T cells immune activation between re-detectable positive and non-re-detectable positive COVID-19 convalescent patients (preprint)

Background: Recently many literature were reported on the re-detectable positive phenomenon of COVID-19 patients during recovery, but there were few studies on the lymphocyte subsets and T-lymphocyte activation indicators between the RP (re-detectable positive) and NRP (non-re-detectable positive) patients. The aim of this study was to analyze immunological characteristics of RP and NRP patients among convalescent patients from post-discharge COVID-19 patients. Methods: Anticoagulated whole blood samples were collected from 11HCs (healthy controls) and 66 COVID-19 convalescent patients, then the percentage of lymphocyte subsets and CD4+CD38+/HLA-DR+ T cells were tested with flow cytometry, SARS-CoV-2 S RBD-IgG antibody ( anti-spike protein receptor-binding domain IgG antibody) was detected by chemiluminescence. Results: B cells (%) in RP group was significantly lower than that in HC group (P=0.005), and B cells (%) decreased successively in HC, NRP and RP group, with significant differences among the three groups (P=0.016). CD3+ and CD8+T cells (%) in RP group were noticeably higher than that in NRP group (P=0.004,0.019, respectively), but there was no difference in CD4+T cells (%) and NK cells (%) among the three groups. The CD4+CD38+ and CD4+HLA-DR+T cells (%) in RP group were noticeably higher than that in HC group (P=0.025,0.018). ANOVA (Analysis of variance) of the three groups showed that CD4+CD38+ and HLA-DR+T cells (%) were also significant difference (P=0.037, 0.029), and CD4+HLA-DR+T cells (%) in the three groups increased in turn. Meanwhile, there was a substantial positive correlation between RBD-IgG titer and CD4+HLA-DR+(%) (P=0.003, r=0.517), and the RBD-IgG titer of HLA-DR + high group was obviously higher than that of HLA-DR + Low group (P=0.005). Conclusions: In this work, we analyzed the immunological characteristics of re-detectable positive COVID-19 convalescent patients through lymphocyte subsets, suggesting that the low B cells (%) and the increased CD4+HLA-DR+T cells (%) in the convalescent patients of COVID-19 may be related to re-detectable positive phenomenon. 

Rapid PCR-Based Nanopore Adaptive Sequencing Improves Sensitivity and Timeliness of Viral Clinical Detection and Genome Surveillance

Nanopore sequencing has been widely used for the real-time detection and surveillance of pathogens with portable MinION. Nanopore adaptive sequencing can enrich on-target sequences without additional pretreatment. In this study, the performance of adaptive sequencing was evaluated for viral genome enrichment of clinical respiratory samples. Ligation-based nanopore adaptive sequencing (LNAS) and rapid PCR-based nanopore adaptive sequencing (RPNAS) workflows were performed to assess the effects of enrichment on nasopharyngeal swab samples from human adenovirus (HAdV) outbreaks. RPNAS was further applied for the enrichment of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) from nasopharyngeal swab samples to evaluate sensitivity and timeliness. The RPNAS increased both the relative abundance (7.87–12.86-fold) and data yield (1.27–2.15-fold) of HAdV samples, whereas the LNAS increased only the relative abundance but had no obvious enrichment on the data yield. Compared with standard nanopore sequencing, RPNAS detected the SARS-CoV-2 reads from two low-abundance samples, increased the coverage of SARS-CoV-2 by 36.68–98.92%, and reduced the time to achieve the same coverage. Our study highlights the utility of RPNAS for virus enrichment directly from clinical samples, with more on-target data and a shorter sequencing time to recover viral genomes. These findings promise to improve the sensitivity and timeliness of rapid identification and genomic surveillance of infectious diseases.

COVID-19 Vaccination Did Not Change the Personal Protective Behaviors of Healthcare Workers in China

Personal protective behaviors of healthcare workers (HCWs) and dynamic changes in them are known to play a major role in the hospital transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). In this study, 1,499 HCWs in Chinese hospitals completed an online survey about their knowledge on SARS-CoV-2 transmission and their personal protective behaviors before and after coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination. Of all the respondents, 89% were vaccinated at the time of the survey and 96% believed that the vaccine was effective or highly effective. Further, 88% of the vaccinated HCWs expressed that they would get revaccinated if the vaccination failed. Compared with HCWs with a lower education level, those with a higher education level had less fear of being infected with SARS-CoV-2 and reported a lower negative impact of the pandemic on how they treated patients. Physicians and nurses were willing to believe that short-range airborne and long-range fomite are possible transmission routes. HCWs with a higher education level had a better knowledge of COVID-19 but worse personal protective behaviors. The fact that HCWs with a longer work experience had worse personal protective behaviors showed that HCWs gradually relax their personal protective behaviors over time. Moreover, vaccination reduced the negative effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on how the HCWs treated patients. Importantly, the survey revealed that after vaccination, HCWs in China did not relax their personal protective behaviors, and it may bring a low potential risk for following waves of variant virus (e.g., delta).

Identification of RPSA as a Potential Biomarker in Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid for Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (preprint)

Background: Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a life-threatening condition leading to severe pulmonary injuries, and proteomic analysis of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) might elucidate potential biomarkers for diagnosis and targets for treatment of ARDS. Methods: Through iTRAQ analysis, we investigated paired BALF samples from three ARDS patients in the acute and recovery phases. The proteins sharing the same expression patterns between the two ARDS phases among different patients were determined as co-upregulated and co-downregulated proteins (CUDPs), and differentially expressed proteins (DEPs), whose fold change > 1.2 and P value < 0.05, were selected from CUDPs. The Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analyses were applied to determine the enriched functions and pathways of the CUDPs. Protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was generated at STRING database, and hub genes were identified by the Cytoscape software. A549 cells were treated by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to simulate alveolar epithelial cells in ARDS. Results: We identified 374 CUDPs and 53 DEPs. The GO analysis indicated that the most significantly enriched function was neutrophil mediated immunity response, and the KEGG analysis revealed that the 374 CUDPs were most significantly enriched in Coronavirus disease COVID-19 interaction. RPSA was discovered as the most top hub gene among DEPs, and was downregulated at protein levels during ARDS recovery. Moreover, we further confirmed that both RNA and protein level of RPSA increased upon inflammatory stimulation in vitro. Conclusion: Our results proposed RPSA as a candidate for biomarker and therapeutic target of ARDS.

SARS-CoV-2 was not detected in 383 samples from birds

Since December 2019, an outbreak of pneumonia (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-Z) has been widespread in the world. Investigation of Virus spread is a constant research focus. At present, SARS-CoV-Z has not been detected in livestock, poultry, or fur animals. This study focused on the traceability of SARS-CoV-Z in rare and endangered migratory birds. A total of 383 samples (throat swabs, anal swabs and fecal samples) were collected from 10 types of rare or endangered migratory bird, including mallard, white duck, pheasant, swan goose and white swan, in Jilin Province, China, between September 2019 and April 2020. Real-time RT-PCR, as recommended by the World Health Organization, was used to detect SARS-CoV-Z in these samples. SARS-CoV-Z was not detected in any of the samples.

Factors Associated With The Mental Health of Back-To-Wuhan College Students Based On Quantile Regression Model During The COVID-19 Period (preprint)

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has been spreading rapidly in China and other countries since December 2019, which has increased the risk of infection, and brought the unbearable huge psychological pressure on people. Methods A cross-sectional questionnaire survey was conducted from 31 August 2020, to 14 September 2020 by convenience sampling on the back-to-Wuhan college students, which included the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD-7), Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), the Insomnia Severity Index-7 (ISI-7), and the revised Impact of Event Scale (IES-R) scales and the basic demographic characteristics. Results The results from 1017 participants suggested that 44%, 47.5%, 37.7%, 57.7% were the prevalence rates of the anxiety, depression, insomnia, and distress respectively. Moreover, quantile regression analysis was used to identify the factors related to the mental health variables of the back-to-Wuhan college students during the COVID-19 period. Conclusion The finding showed that the respondents who were near graduation, discriminated owing to the experience in Wuhan, and worried about the future trend of COVID-19 had a higher risk of becoming negative psychologic status, especially the bottom and median quantile, and might require more psycho-social interventions or support.

Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Olfactory and Gustatory Dysfunction in Coronavirus Disease 2019 Patients (preprint)

Background: We performed a meta-analysis to assess the risk factors for olfactory and gustatory dysfunction in patients with COVID-19.Methods: Three databases (PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library) were searched for studies published between December 01, 2019 to May 31, 2021. Select random effects model or fixed effects model to pool data based on heterogeneity. The results were reported as odds ratios or standardized mean differences and the corresponding 95% confidence intervals. Heterogeneity was reported as I2.Findings: Twenty-six studies with a total of 13813 patients were included. The pooled data indicated that sex (OR, 1.47; 95% CI, 0.93-2.31), age (SMD, -5.80; 95% CI, −13.35-1.75), smoking (OR, 2.04; 95% CI, 0.72-5.79), and comorbidity (OR, 1.21; 95% CI, 0.58-2.53) had no effect on gustatory dysfunction in COVID-19 patients. Elderly patients with COVID-19 were more prone to olfactory dysfunction (SMD, -5.22; 95% CI, −8.28- −2.16). COVID-19 patients with nasal congestion (OR, 3.41;95%CI, 2.30-5.06) and rhinorrhea (OR, 2.35; 95%CI, 1.60-3.45) are more likely to suffer from olfactory dysfunction.Interpretation: These findings emphasize that elderly COVID-19 patients are more likely to suffer from olfactory dysfunction. Symptoms of nasal congestion and rhinorrhea may affect the recognition of olfactory dysfunction. Funding Information: No funding received.Declaration of Interests: The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Parallel isolation of calicivirus and reovirus from lethal co-infected mink during a potential epidemic of farmed mink infections

Mink has been identified as an animal with susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 and also as the only animal with evidence to transmit the virus back to humans. Thus, the surveillance of viruses among high-density farmed minks has a significant meaning for the control of zoonotic emerging diseases in humans. Within anal swabs of minks that died of unknown causes in a mink farm, mink calicivirus (MCV) and mammalian reovirus (MRV) were detected and simultaneously observed within MDCK cell culture from the sample of the same lethal mink. The parallel isolation was successfully performed by utilizing cell lines from different host sources with distinct viral sensitivities, i.e. Mv.1.Lu and Vero-E6 and the two viruses were independently separated. The prevalence of the virus among the minks and its genomic characteristics were investigated through deep sequencing technology. Phylogenetic analysis of the viral genome showed a close relationship of the newly isolated MCV-GCCDC8-2020 with MCV strains belonging to the genus Vesivirus, but with unique mutations derived from the major structural protein (VP1). The reovirus MRV-GCCDC9-2020 isolated from the same mink belongs to serotype 3 mammalian reovirus and genome analysis showed a potential reassortment derived from reoviruses in different species. This study provides a beneficial reference on viral co-infection within disease investigation in farmed minks and raises the concern for the virus surveillance among the high-density fed animal farms.

Unprecedented Outbreak of Respiratory Syncytial Virus in Taiwan Associated with ON1 Variant Emergence between 2010 and 2020 (preprint)

Background: A national outbreak of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) has been observed in the community since August 2020 in Taiwan even under strict COVID-19 related public health measures.Methods: We reviewed a national laboratory-based surveillance network established by Taiwan Centers for Disease Control for respiratory viral pathogens between 2010 and 2020. A retrospective study of 257 children < 5 years old hospitalized with RSV infection at Chang Gung Memorial Hospital Lin Kou and Kaohsiung branches between 2018 and 2020 was conducted, and 193 samples positive for RSV-A were sequenced. Clinical data were obtained and stratified by genotype and year.Findings: National data from 2020 showed an enormous increase in RSV case numbers. The RSV positivity rate in 2020 had an approximately 4-fold surge compared to 2010 in Taiwan (OR 3.79; 95% CI, 3.06–4.69; p < 0.001), surpassing previous years during which ON1 was prevalent. Phylogenetic analysis of G protein showed that novel ON1 variants in 2020 with 6 amino acid changes that emerged gradually in 2019 and a novel substitution, E257K were clustered separately from those of 2018 and 2019 seasons and ON1 reference strains. The F protein of the variant carried T12I and H514N substitutions, which weren’t at antigenic sites. Age (OR: 0.97; 95% CI: 0.94–0.99; p =0.02) and 2020 ON1 variant (OR: 2.52; 95% CI: 1.13–5.63; p = 0.025) were independently associated with oxygen saturation <94% during hospitalization.Interpretation: The unprecedented 2020 RSV epidemic caused by novel ON1 variants suggests that the mutations may confer a fitness advantage over other genotypes. Further studies on viral replication, antigenic changes, and virulence are required.Funding: This work was supported by the Chang Gung Memorial Hospital in Taiwan [Grant CMRPG3K1011 and CMRPG3K1141 ]; Ministry of Science Technology in Taiwan [MOST 108-2314-B-182A-156-MY3]; China Medical University, Taiwan [Grant CMU 108-S-23, CMU109-MF-111]Declaration of Interests: No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.Ethics Approval Statement: This study was approved by the Research and Ethics Committee of Chang Gung Memorial Hospital (IRB:202100450B0, 202100569A3).

Study on the Influencing factors of urban economic resilience in post epidemic Era—A case study of Kunming City

At the end of 2019, the outbreak of the COVID-19 has a huge impact on China and the world economy, highlighting the vulnerability of the economy in the face of major shocks. The capability to resist pressure and risk of economic resilience can significantly improve the capability of the economy to resist external interference and recover its development. Kunming is located in the “Belt and Road” Economic Zone and is a bridgehead that radiates South Asia and Southeast Asia. Its economic development is particularly affected by the epidemic. How to improve the resilience of the regional economy will be of great strategic significance to achieve high-quality economic development. Taking Kunming as an example, this paper identifies the influencing factors of regional economic development through literature research and expert interviews and constructs a hypothesis model of influencing factors of economic resilience. From the three dimensions of “defense, absorption and learning” of resilience theory, data are collected through questionnaires, and the mechanism between resilience theory and economic development is explored by using the structural equation model(SEM). According to the main factors identified by the model, the paper figures out countermeasures to prompt the development of the regional economic better and faster.

A Cloud-Edge-Terminal Collaborative System for Temperature Measurement in COVID-19 Prevention (preprint)

To prevent the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), preliminary temperature measurement and mask detection in public areas are conducted. However, the existing temperature measurement methods face the problems of safety and deployment. In this paper, to realize safe and accurate temperature measurement even when a person's face is partially obscured, we propose a cloud-edge-terminal collaborative system with a lightweight infrared temperature measurement model. A binocular camera with an RGB lens and a thermal lens is utilized to simultaneously capture image pairs. Then, a mobile detection model based on a multi-task cascaded convolutional network (MTCNN) is proposed to realize face alignment and mask detection on the RGB images. For accurate temperature measurement, we transform the facial landmarks on the RGB images to the thermal images by an affine transformation and select a more accurate temperature measurement area on the forehead. The collected information is uploaded to the cloud in real time for COVID-19 prevention. Experiments show that the detection model is only 6.1M and the average detection speed is 257ms. At a distance of 1m, the error of indoor temperature measurement is about 3%. That is, the proposed system can realize real-time temperature measurement in public areas.