Long-term passaging of pseudo-typed SARS-CoV-2 reveals the breadth of monoclonal and bispecific antibody cocktails.

The continuous emergence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants poses challenges to the effectiveness of neutralizing antibodies. Rational design of antibody cocktails is a realizable approach addressing viral immune evasion. However, evaluating the breadth of antibody cocktails is essential for understanding the development potential. Here, based on a replication competent vesicular stomatitis virus model that incorporates the spike of SARS-CoV-2 (VSV-SARS-CoV-2), we evaluated the breadth of a number of antibody cocktails consisting of monoclonal antibodies and bispecific antibodies by long-term passaging the virus in the presence of the cocktails. Results from over two-month passaging of the virus showed that 9E12 + 10D4 + 2G1 and 7B9-9D11 + 2G1 from these cocktails were highly resistant to random mutation, and there was no breakthrough after 30 rounds of passaging. As a control, antibody REGN10933 was broken through in the third passage. Next generation sequencing was performed and several critical mutations related to viral evasion were identified. These mutations caused a decrease in neutralization efficiency, but the reduced replication rate and ACE2 susceptibility of the mutant virus suggested that they might not have the potential to become epidemic strains. The 9E12 + 10D4 + 2G1 and 7B9-9D11 + 2G1 cocktails that picked from the VSV-SARS-CoV-2 system efficiently neutralized all current variants of concern and variants of interest including the most recent variants Delta and Omicron, as well as SARS-CoV-1. Our results highlight the feasibility of using the VSV-SARS-CoV-2 system to develop SARS-CoV-2 antibody cocktails and provide a reference for the clinical selection of therapeutic strategies to address the mutational escape of SARS-CoV-2.

Customized High-Sensitivity Plasmonic Metasensing Towards Immunodetection of Single Bio-Nanoparticles

Plasmonic metasurface biosensing has shown great potential in label-free detection of bio-nanoparticles with various sizes, such as cancer antigens, exosomes and SARS-CoV-2 virus. It typically relies on the immunoassay, but current studies usually neglect the perfect size matching between each target bio-nanoparticle and the surface near-field domain, which should be very critical for the enhancement of detection performance. In order to maximize the immunodetection capability for each bio-nanoparticle, we propose a plasmonic meta-biosensor based on the field-customized mechanism. Our design overcomes the serious interference of biofunctionalization and accomplishes a sensitivity of 27 times higher than the conventional nanoplasmonic counterpart. Our method also builds the important basis of single bio-nanoparticle immunodetection by a plasmonic metasurface. The customized plasmonic metasensing study implies a promising way towards ultra-low concentration biosensing or even single bio-nanoparticle detection for high-performance point-of-care-testing in the near future.

The scientific progress and prospects of artificial intelligence in digestive endoscopy: A comprehensive bibliometric analysis.

BACKGROUND: Artificial intelligence (AI) has been used for diagnosis and outcome prediction in clinical practice. Furthermore, AI in digestive endoscopy has attracted much attention and shown promising and stimulating results. This study aimed to determine the development trends and research hotspots of AI in digestive endoscopy by visualizing articles. Publications on AI in digestive endoscopy research were retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection on April 25, 2022. VOSviewer and CiteSpace were used to assess and plot the research outputs. This analytical research was based on original articles and reviews. A total of 524 records of AI research in digestive endoscopy, published between 2005 and 2022, were retrieved. The number of articles has increased 27-fold from 2017 to 2021. Fifty-one countries and 994 institutions contributed to all publications. Asian countries had the highest number of publications. China, the USA, and Japan were consistently the leading driving forces and mainly contributed (26%, 21%, and 14.31%, respectively). With a solid academic reputation in this area, Japan has the highest number of citations per article. Tada Tomohiro published the most articles and received the most citations.. Gastrointestinal endoscopy published the largest number of publications, and 4 of the top 10 cited papers were published in this journal. "The Classification," "ulcerative colitis," "capsule endoscopy," "polyp detection," and "early gastric cancer" were the leading research hotspots. Our study provides systematic elaboration for researchers to better understand the development of AI in gastrointestinal endoscopy.

A Vaccine with Multiple Receptor-Binding Domain Subunit Mutations Induces Broad-Spectrum Immune Response against SARS-CoV-2 Variants of Concern.

With the emergence of more variants of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and the immune evasion of these variants from existing vaccines, the development of broad-spectrum vaccines is urgently needed. In this study, we designed a novel SARS-CoV-2 receptor-binding domain (RBD) subunit (RBD5m) by integrating five important mutations from SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VOCs). The neutralization activities of antibodies induced by the RBD5m candidate vaccine are more balanced and effective for neutralizing different SARS-CoV-2 VOCs in comparison with those induced by the SARS-CoV-2 prototype strain RBD. Our results suggest that the RBD5m vaccine is a good broad-spectrum vaccine candidate able to prevent disease from several different SARS-CoV-2 VOCs.

A Multi-Center Study on the Negative Psychological Impact and Associated Factors in Chinese Healthcare Workers 1 Year After the COVID-19 Initial Outbreak.

Objectives: The study aimed at analyzing the prevalence of five psychological outcomes (depression, anxiety, stress, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and suicidal ideation) among Chinese healthcare workers (HCWs), and measured the total possible negative psychological impact 1 year after the COVID-19 initial outbreak. Methods: A cross-sectional nationwide multi-center study was performed between November 2020 and March 2021 in China. A self-report questionnaire was applied, and three psychological scales were used. Binary logistic regression was performed to analyze the risk factors associated with each psychological outcome. Results: The findings demonstrated that the COVID-19 pandemic had a negative psychological impact on HCWs, which was still evident 1 year after the initial outbreak. Nurses showed higher depression and anxiety than other HCWs. Female gender, passive coping, long working hours, having a chronic disease, and experiencing violence, among other factors, were all risk factors for psychological impairment. Conclusion: Developing and promoting programs to improve mental health among HCWs, and identifying those who might need psychological support is still relevant 1 year after the initial outbreak.

Depression, anxiety and post-traumatic growth among COVID-19 survivors six-month after discharge Depresión, ansiedad y crecimiento postraumático entre sobrevivientes de COVID-19 seis meses después del alta COVID-19 幸存者出院六个月后的抑郁、焦虑和创伤后成长

Background Pre-hospitalisation, hospitalisation and post-hospitalisation factors may significantly affect depression, anxiety and post-traumatic growth (PTG) among COVID-19 survivors. Objective Our study investigated depression, anxiety and PTG and their correlates among COVID-19 survivors. Method A cross-sectional telephone survey recruited 199 COVID-19 patients (Mean age = 42.7;53.3% females) at six-month follow-up after hospital discharge in five Chinese cities (i.e. Wuhan, Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Dongguan and Nanning). Their demographic information, clinical records and experiences during (e.g. severity of covid-19 symptoms, treatment and exposure to other patients’ suffering) and after hospitalisation (e.g. perceived impact of covid-19, somatic symptoms after hospitalisation), and psychosocial factors (e.g. perceived discrimination, self-stigma, affiliate stigma, resilience and social support) were investigated. Depressive and anxiety symptoms were measured by the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) and the Generalised anxiety disorder (GAD-7) scale, respectively. PTG was examined by the Post-traumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI) instrument. Results The proportion of depressive symptoms <5, ≥5 and <10, ≥10 were 76.9%, 12.0% and 11.1%, respectively. The proportion of anxiety symptoms <5, ≥5 and <10, ≥10 were 77.4%, 15.1% and 7.5%, respectively. Multivariate logistic regression showed that receiving mental health care services during hospitalisation, somatic symptoms after discharge, perceived affiliate stigma and perceived impact of being infected with COVID-19 were significantly and positively associated with probable depression. Significant correlates of probable anxiety also included permanent residents of the city, somatic symptoms after discharge, perceived impact of being infected with COVID-19 and self-stigma. Social support, self-stigma and receiving mental health care services during hospitalisation were positively associated with PTG. Conclusions: The results suggest that post-hospitalisation and psychosocial factors had relatively stronger associations with depression, anxiety and PTG than pre-hospitalisation and hospitalisation factors. Promoting social support and social inclusion may be useful strategies to improve the mental health of COVID-19 survivors. HIGHLIGHTS • Post-hospitalisation and psychosocial factors had relatively stronger associations with depression, anxiety and PTG than pre-hospitalisation and hospitalisation factors, promoting social support and social inclusion may be useful strategies to improve mental health of COVID-19 survivors.

Visualization for Epidemiological Modelling: Challenges, Solutions, Reflections & Recommendations (preprint)

We report on an ongoing collaboration between epidemiological modellers and visualization researchers by documenting and reflecting upon knowledge constructs -- a series of ideas, approaches and methods taken from existing visualization research and practice -- deployed and developed to support modelling of the COVID-19 pandemic. Structured independent commentary on these efforts is synthesized through iterative reflection to develop: evidence of the effectiveness and value of visualization in this context; open problems upon which the research communities may focus; guidance for future activity of this type; and recommendations to safeguard the achievements and promote, advance, secure and prepare for future collaborations of this kind. In describing and comparing a series of related projects that were undertaken in unprecedented conditions, our hope is that this unique report, and its rich interactive supplementary materials, will guide the scientific community in embracing visualization in its observation, analysis and modelling of data as well as in disseminating findings. Equally we hope to encourage the visualization community to engage with impactful science in addressing its emerging data challenges. If we are successful, this showcase of activity may stimulate mutually beneficial engagement between communities with complementary expertise to address problems of significance in epidemiology and beyond. https://ramp-vis.github.io/RAMPVIS-PhilTransA-Supplement/

Hospitalization, interpersonal and personal factors of social anxiety among COVID-19 survivors at the six-month follow-up after hospital treatment: the minority stress model Hospitalización, factores interpersonales y personales de ansiedad social entre los sobrevivientes de COVID-19 en el seguimiento seis meses después del tratamiento hospitalario: el modelo de estrés de minoría 基于少数群体压力模型的新冠康复者住院经历, 出院后六个月人际及个人因素与社交焦虑之间的关联分析

Background As a highly infectious disease with human-to-human transmission characteristics, COVID-19 has caused panic in the general public. Those who have recovered from COVID-19 may experience discrimination and internalized stigma. They may be more likely to worry about social interaction and develop social anxiety. Objectives This study investigated the associations among hospitalization factors, social/interpersonal factors, personal factors, and social anxiety to reveal the mechanism of social anxiety in COVID-19 survivors. Methods A cross-sectional, multicenter telephone survey was conducted from July to September 2020 in five Chinese cities (i.e. Wuhan, Nanning, Shenzhen, Zhuhai, and Dongguan);adult COVID-19 survivors were recruited 6 months after they were discharged from the hospital. Linear regressions and path analysis based on the minority stress model were conducted to test the relationships among hospitalization, social/interpersonal factors, personal factors, and social anxiety. Results The response rate was 74.5% (N = 199, 55.3% females). Linear regression analyses showed that various hospitalization, social/interpersonal, and personal factors were statistically significantly associated with social anxiety. Path analysis showed that the proposed model fit the data well (χ2(df) = 3.196(3), p = .362, CFI = .999, NNFI = .996, RMSEA = .018). Internalized stigma fully mediated the association between perceived discrimination/social support and social anxiety, while it partially mediated the association between perceived affiliate stigma and social anxiety. Conclusions The results suggest that social/interpersonal and personal factors have a stronger association with social anxiety than hospitalization factors and highlight the importance of internalized stigma in understanding the mechanisms of these relationships. Clinical psychologists can refer to these modifiable psychosocial factors to develop efficient interventions for mental health promotion. HIGHLIGHTS Internalized stigma fully mediated the effects of perceived discrimination and social support on social anxiety and partially mediated the effect of perceived affiliate stigma on social anxiety.

Health-Promoting Behaviors, Risk Perceptions, and Attention to COVID-19-Related Information: Comparing People's Responses to the COVID-19 Pandemic Across Times of Chinese New Year and Summer 2020 in Hong Kong.

Background: Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, individuals have been encouraged to engage in health-promoting behaviors, namely actions taken to prevent infection and keep themselves healthy, such as maintaining social distancing. However, other factors, such as risk perception and feelings of fear, also might influence whether an individual takes such measures. This study compared people's responses to the pandemic in terms of their adoption of COVID-19 health-promoting behaviors, COVID-19 risk perceptions, and attention to COVID-19-related information during two periods: the 2020 Chinese New Year (CNY) in Hong Kong (HK), i.e., the very beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak (Time 1, T1), and summer 2020, i.e., before and during the third wave of COVID-19 infections in HK (Time 2, T2). Methods: Data were extracted from 180 HK participants, who were asked to recall and report their health-promoting behaviors, emotional and cognitive COVID-19 risk perceptions, and attention to COVID-19-related information during T1 and T2. A repeated-measures ANOVA series was conducted to investigate differences in public responses between the two aforementioned time points. Main Findings: After controlling for the effects from gender, age, and education levels, the participants reported practicing more infection-prevention behaviors, experiencing a lower level of fear as a psychological response, and paying less attention to COVID-19-related information during T2 than T1. Conclusions: This study addressed the need to monitor public responses to the COVID-19 pandemic, including changes in people's behaviors and psychological responses across time. The results also suggest that the HK public was steered toward striking a balance between strengthening their infection-prevention behaviors and reducing their fear of COVID-19 infection.

Deformation monitoring and thematic mapping of the Badaling Great Wall using very high-resolution interferometric synthetic aperture radar data

The preventive monitoring and sustainable conservation of large-scale cultural heritage sites require satellite-based Earth observations. In this study, we present the first monitoring and thematic mapping results of the Badaling Great Wall (Beijing, China) using deformation indicators calculated from very high-resolution (VHR) multi-temporal spotlight TerraSAR-X data. The proposed coarse–fine search algorithm achieved high computational efficiency for calculating the unknown parameters of the two-tier network persistent scatterer synthetic aperture radar (SAR) interferometry (PSInSAR) approach. The spatiotemporal deformation anomalies, characterized by the absolute velocity, deformation deviation and acceleration, are informative to identify suspected hotspots for prioritizing monitoring activities. We provide an understandable method for thematic mapping and subsequent sustainable conservation of heritage sites by synergistically exploiting impacts from natural degradation and the tourism industry. We determine that the optimum tourist capacity of the site could be 1.0 million per month based on comparing pre- and post-COVID data (2019–2020). This study demonstrates the potential and performance of spaceborne PSInSAR tools for the intelligent management of large-scale architectural heritage sites by integrating InSAR deformation products with environmental and social data.

Development and Efficacy of Lateral Flow Point-of-Care Testing Devices for Rapid and Mass COVID-19 Diagnosis by the Detections of SARS-CoV-2 Antigen and Anti-SARS-CoV-2 Antibodies.

The COVID-19 pandemic is an ongoing global pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in 2020-2021. COVID-19 is becoming one of the most fatal pandemics in history and brings a huge challenge to the global healthcare system. Opportune detection, confinement, and early treatment of infected cases present the first step in combating COVID-19. Diagnosis via viral nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs) is frequently employed and considered the standard procedure. However, with an increasing urge for point-of-care tests, rapid and cheaper immunoassays are widely utilized, such as lateral flow immunoassay (LFIA), which can be used for rapid, early, and large-scale detection of SARS-CoV-2 infection. In this narrative review, the principle and technique of LFIA applied in COVID-19 antigen and antibody detection are introduced. The diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of the commercial LFIA tests are outlined and compared. Generally, LFIA antigen tests for SARS-CoV-2 are less sensitive than viral NAATs, the "gold standard" for clinical COVID-19 diagnosis. However, antigen tests can be used for rapid and mass testing in high-risk congregate housing to quickly identify people with COVID-19, implementing infection prevention and control measures, thus preventing transmission. LFIA anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibody tests, IgM and/or IgG, known as serology tests, are used for identification if a person has previously been exposed to the virus or vaccine immunization. Notably, advanced techniques, such as LFT-based CRISPR-Cas9 and surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS), have added new dimensions to the COVID-19 diagnosis and are also discussed in this review.

[Virtual Reality Skills Training Trends in Nurse Practitioner Education].

Technology developments change education strategies. Incorporating virtual reality into lesson plans allows education to focus not only on learning knowledge but also on knowledge and skills integration. In simulation education, learning environments are designed to approximate actual clinical situations, allowing students to practice skills in virtual clinical situations continuously. In addition, clinical lecturers may observe the students' practice process and provide feedback. Furthermore, through experiencing and practicing clinical procedures, students gain critical clinical judgment, skills, and teamwork operation competences, which may be applied in the real world. In Taiwan, the majority of nurse practitioner training is implemented in hospitals, and clinical training is done using hands-on and face-to-face teaching strategies within a mentorship framework. Because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, this hospital-based training model has been significantly challenged. However, this represents an opportunity to migrate the nurse practitioner training model toward technology-based simulation education. Developing more virtual-reality-based lesson plans centered on clinical situations may help students complete training that is normally conducted in hospital teaching environments. Through repetitive practice in virtual reality settings, students may obtain comprehensive knowledge and clinical skills that will help relieve the subsequent stress of clinical practicum work and promote care quality and patient safety.

Human Surfactant Protein D Binds Spike Protein and Acts as an Entry Inhibitor of SARS-CoV-2 Pseudotyped Viral Particles.

Human SP-D is a potent innate immune molecule whose presence at pulmonary mucosal surfaces allows its role in immune surveillance against pathogens. Higher levels of serum SP-D have been reported in the patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV). Studies have suggested the ability of human SP-D to recognise spike glycoprotein of SARS-CoV; its interaction with HCoV-229E strain leads to viral inhibition in human bronchial epithelial (16HBE) cells. Previous studies have reported that a recombinant fragment of human SP-D (rfhSP-D) composed of 8 Gly-X-Y repeats, neck and CRD region, can act against a range of viral pathogens including influenza A Virus and Respiratory Syncytial Virus in vitro, in vivo and ex vivo. In this context, this study was aimed at examining the likely protective role of rfhSP-D against SARS-CoV-2 infection. rfhSP-D showed a dose-responsive binding to S1 spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 and its receptor binding domain. Importantly, rfhSP-D inhibited interaction of S1 protein with the HEK293T cells overexpressing human angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (hACE2). The protective role of rfhSP-D against SARS-CoV-2 infection as an entry inhibitor was further validated by the use of pseudotyped lentiviral particles expressing SARS-CoV-2 S1 protein; ~0.5 RLU fold reduction in viral entry was seen following treatment with rfhSP-D (10 µg/ml). These results highlight the therapeutic potential of rfhSP-D in SARS-CoV-2 infection and merit pre-clinical studies in animal models.

Variable Induction of Pro-inflammatory Cytokines by Commercial SARS CoV-2 Spike Protein Reagents: Potential Impacts of LPS on In Vitro Modeling and Pathogenic Mechanisms In Vivo (preprint)

Proinflammatory cytokine production following infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS CoV-2) is associated with poor clinical outcomes. Like SARS CoV-1, SARS CoV-2 enters host cells via its spike protein, which attaches to angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). As SARS CoV-1 spike protein is reported to induce cytokine production, we hypothesized that this pathway could be a shared mechanism underlying pathogenic immune responses. We herein compared the capabilities of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), SARS CoV-1 and SARS CoV-2 spike proteins to induce cytokine expression in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). We observed that only specific commercial lots of SARS CoV-2 induce cytokine production. Surprisingly, recombinant SARS CoV-2 spike proteins from different vendors and batches exhibited different patterns of cytokine induction, and these activities were not inhibited by blockade of spike protein-ACE2 binding using either soluble ACE2 or neutralizing anti-S1 antibody. Moreover, commercial spike protein reagents contained varying levels of endotoxin, which correlated directly with their abilities to induce cytokine production. The lipopolysaccharide (LPS) inhibitor, polymyxin B, blocked this cytokine induction activity. In addition, SARS CoV-2 spike protein avidly bound soluble LPS in vitro, rendering it a cytokine inducer. These results not only suggest caution in monitoring the purity of SARS CoV-2 spike protein reagents, but they indicate the possibility that interactions of SARS CoV-2 spike protein with LPS from commensal bacteria in virally infected mucosal tissues could promote pathogenic inflammatory cytokine production.

The Effect of Religion on Psychological Resilience in Healthcare Workers During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic.

Background: Healthcare workers in the front line of diagnosis, treatment, and care of patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) are at great risk of both infection and developing mental health symptoms. This study aimed to investigate the following: (1) whether healthcare workers in general hospitals experience higher mental distress than those in psychiatric hospitals; (2) the role played by religion and alexithymic trait in influencing the mental health condition and perceived level of happiness of healthcare workers amidst the stress of the COVID-19 pandemic; and (3) factors that influence the resilience of healthcare workers at 6 weeks' follow-up. Methods: Four-hundred and fifty-eight healthcare workers were recruited from general and psychiatric hospitals, and 419 were followed-up after 6 weeks. All participants filled out the 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale, five-item Brief-Symptom Rating Scale, and the Chinese Oxford Happiness Questionnaire. Results: Under the stress of the COVID-19 pandemic, 12.3% of frontline healthcare workers in general hospitals reported having mental distress and perceived lower social adaptation status compared with those working in psychiatric hospitals. Christians/Catholics perceived better psychological well-being, and Buddhists/Taoists were less likely to experience mental distress. The results at 6 weeks of follow-up showed that the perceived lower social adaptation status of general hospital healthcare workers was temporary and improved with time. Christian/Catholic religion and time had independent positive effects on psychological well-being; however, the interaction of Christian/Catholic religion and time had a negative effect. Conclusions: Collectivism and individualism in the cultural context are discussed with regard to alexithymic trait and Buddhist/Taoist and Christian/Catholic religious faiths. Early identification of mental distress and interventions should be implemented to ensure a healthy and robust clinical workforce for the treatment and control of the COVID-19 pandemic.

[Moxibustion therapy in prevention and treatment of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19): construction and application of non-contact diagnosis and treatment mode].

OBJECTIVE: To establish and promote the non-contact doctor-patient interactive diagnosis and treatment mode based on mobile internet for the treatment of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) with moxibustion therapy, and to observe the feasibility and effectiveness of the model in the pandemic. METHODS: A total of 43 first-line medical staff and 149 suspected and confirmed cases with COVID-19 [18 cases in medical observation period, 17 cases of mild type (cold dampness and stagnation in the lung), 24 cases of ordinary type (cold-dampness accumulated in the lung) and 90 cases in recovery period (qi deficiency of spleen and lung)] were included. A non-contact doctor-patient interactive diagnosis and treatment platform was established for the treatment of COVID-19 with indirect moxibustion plaster based on mobile internet. By the platform, the patients were instructed to use indirect moxibustion plaster in treatment. For the first-line medical staff and patients in the medical observation period, Zusanli (ST 36), Qihai (CV 6) and Zhongwan (CV 12) were selected. For the mild cases (cold dampness and stagnation in the lung) and the cases of ordinary type (cold-dampness accumulated in the lung), Hegu (LI 4), Taichong (LR 3), Zusanli (ST 36) and Guanyuan (CV 4) were selected. In the recovery period (qi deficiency of spleen and lung), Dazhui (GV 14), Feishu (BL 13), Geshu (BL 17), Zusanli (ST 36) and Kongzui (LU 6) were used. The treatment was given once daily for 40 min each time. The intervention lasted for 10 days. After intervention, the infection rate and the improvement in the symptoms and psychological status of COVID-19 were observed in clinical first-line medical staff and COVID-19 patients. RESULTS: In 10 days of intervention with indirect moxibustion plaster, there was "zero" infection among medical staff. Of 43 first-line physicians and nurses, 33 cases had some physical symptoms and psychological discomforts, mainly as low back pain, poor sleep and anxiety. After treatment, regarding the improvements in the symptoms and psychological discomforts, the effective rate was 78.8% (26/33) and the curative rate was 36.4% (12/33). Regarding the improvements in psychological discomforts, the effective rate was 58.3% (14/24) and the curative rate was 37.5 (9/24). Of 149 patients, 133 cases had the symptoms and psychological discomforts. After treatment, regarding the improvements in the symptoms and psychological discomforts, the effective rate was 81.2% (108/133) and the curative rate was 34.6% (46/133). Regarding the improvements in psychological discomforts, the effective rate was 76.5% (52/68) and the curative rate was 57.4 % (39/68). CONCLUSION: It is feasible to apply the indirect moxibustion plaster technique based on mobile internet to the treatment COVID-19. This mode not only relieves the symptoms such as cough and fatigue, improves psychological state, but also possibly prevents the first-line medical staff from COVID-19.

Covidex: Neural Ranking Models and Keyword Search Infrastructure for the COVID-19 Open Research Dataset (preprint)

We present Covidex, a search engine that exploits the latest neural ranking models to provide information access to the COVID-19 Open Research Dataset curated by the Allen Institute for AI. Our system has been online and serving users since late March 2020. The Covidex is the user application component of our three-pronged strategy to develop technologies for helping domain experts tackle the ongoing global pandemic. In addition, we provide robust and easy-to-use keyword search infrastructure that exploits mature fusion-based methods as well as standalone neural ranking models that can be incorporated into other applications. These techniques have been evaluated in the ongoing TREC-COVID challenge: Our infrastructure and baselines have been adopted by many participants, including some of the highest-scoring runs in rounds 1, 2, and 3. In round 3, we report the highest-scoring run that takes advantage of previous training data and the second-highest fully automatic run.

Analysis on mental health status and needs of health care workers in designated medical institutions of tuberculosis during the epidemic period of COVID-19 (preprint)

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has spread rapidly in China and other overseas areas, which has aroused widespread concern. The sharp increase in the number of patients has led to great psychological pressure on health care workers. The purpose of this study is to understand their mental health status and needs, so as to provide a scientific basis for alleviating the psychological pressure of health care workers. Methods: Using a cross-sectional study design, 511 health care workers were randomly selected from two designated tuberculosis medical institutions in Anhui Province. The basic situation, perceived social support, depression level, loneliness and COVID-19 related knowledge were collected and analyzed by questionnaire. Results: There were 139 people in epidemic prevention and control positions (27.20%). Depression level: female was higher than male; nurse was higher than doctor; middle and junior job titles were higher than senior titles; junior college degree or below were higher than bachelor's degree, master's degree and above; isolation ward, fever clinic and pre-check triage were significantly higher than those of non-prevention and control positions ( P < 0.05). Loneliness scores: doctors were higher than that of medical technicians, and isolation ward, fever clinic and pre-check triage were higher than those of non-prevention and control positions ( P < 0.05). Social support: doctors were lower than that of medical technicians, and isolation ward, fever clinic and pre-check triage were significantly lower than those of non-prevention and control positions ( P < 0.05). The score of social support was negatively correlated with depression and loneliness ( P < 0.001), while depression was positively correlated with loneliness ( P < 0.001). Health care workers most want to receive one-to-one psychological counseling (29.75%), and provide crisis management (24.07%). The awareness rate of health care workers on COVID-19's knowledge was relatively high. Conclusions: The psychological problems of health care workers, especially women, nurses with low educational background, low professional title, and staff in the epidemic prevention and control positions are relatively serious. We should focus on this population, and take targeted intervention measures.