Rapid on-site PEDV detection using homogeneous fluorescence resonance energy transfer-based ELISA

The porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) is a major pathogen of swine enteric diseases. Various etiology and serological methods have been employed for PEDV detection, but most of their applications are limited to lab-oratories. To extend PEDV detection to on-site applications, we design a homogeneous fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET)-based enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Both donor and acceptor fluores-cence microspheres modified PEDV antibodies can be linked only to the occurrence of PEDV antigen, thus generating FRET signals, which can be collected by our designed portable FRET immunoassay station (FRETIS). Verified by standard samples, FRET immunoassay reached high sensitivity with a detection limit as TCID50 (median tissue culture infective dose) of 10/mL, which is 10 times more sensitive than colloidal gold test strips;and verified by clinical samples, it was also proved with high accuracy, good selectivity, and repeatability. More importantly, FRET immunoassay could detect PEDV in a 96-well plate in 35 min with only one step of incubation without any further washing steps using field-portable devices and field-operable procedures, well supporting on -site applications. Considering these advantages, this reported FRET immunoassay provides a promising way for multi-sample on-site PEDV detection and can be potentially used in the swine industry.

Network Pharmacology Study of Boosting effect from Aiye Herb on Anti-covid Properties of Cangzhu

Introduction: Cangzhu, an herbal medicine used to treat symptoms of respiratory pneumonia in traditional Chinese medical system, has shown its effectiveness in combating fever, cough, and fatigue of current pandemic while no specialty drugs are available. Latest research in network pharmacology has confirmed the theoretical mechanism behind, the drug itself is commonly prescribed alone side another herb Aiye, which believed to be able to improve the effectiveness of Cangzhu. In this study, network pharmacology will be applied in search of potential mechanism behind. Method: The Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology (TCMSP) is used to filter the active compounds and the target of the prescription compound. The Genecard and OMIM database are applied to identify the target related to our aim symptom fever, cough, and fatigue. The STRING database is used to analyse the intercepted targets. Compound-target interaction and protein-protein interaction networks are constructed using the Cytoscape between target disease Covid and our medicine mixture Cangzhu and Aiye. The Kyoto Encyclopaedia of Genes and Genome (KEGG) pathway and Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analysis are performed for investigation of the molecular mechanisms. Finally, the interaction probability between the targets and the active compounds can be determined by molecular docking technology. Results: A total of 14 target are identified, in which are 10 most important targets and 2 key compounds. Besides, 216 biological processes items are obtained (P<0.05). Two hundred and seventy-one pathways are obtained (P<0.05). The result of molecular docking shows a stable binding between the active compounds and the target. Copyright © 2022 Textile Bioengineering and Informatics Society.

AI in health tourism: developing a measurement scale

The COVID-19 pandemic created a strong urgency for the application of artificial intelligence (AI) in the tourism and hospitality industry. This paper was set to develop a scale of AI needs in health tourism. A total of 556 valid data were collected, and both exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were employed to analyze the data. Six constructs containing 18 items were identified, and the reliability and validity were examined to reach satisfactory levels. The measurement scale developed may serve as a foundation for future research, and shed light on tourism managers, marketers, AI designers and policymakers.

Study on the Scavenging Effect of Steady-state Displacement Air Purification System on Indoor Bioaerosol

Many types of microorganisms, including SARS-CoV-2, can spread through aerosols. Indoor medical environments are abundant in bioaerosols, which can cause infections among medical staff members and patients in hospitals. Given the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, using a steadystate displacement air purification system may reduce the spread of SARS-CoV-2 and other microorganisms. In this study, we analyzed the purification effect of the steady-state displacement air purification system on bioaerosols in the bronchoscopy room of the hospital. In particular, bioaerosols were collected from the bronchoscopy room at different periods from April to May 2021. Among them, the microorganisms contained in the bioaerosol were identified using nextgeneration sequencing (NGS) and culture and strain identification. During the experiment, we took 5 sampling points to collect the bioaerosols. The total purification efficiency was 88.0% (NGS) and 87.5% (microbial culture count and identification). The results were significantly different between the purified and unpurified groups. In an occupant environment in the bronchoscopy room, the steady-state displacement air purification system exerted a favorable removal effect on the bioaerosols. Such purification efficiency may help prevent the in-hospital spread of COVID-19 and various infectious diseases.

Research on the Impact of COVID-19 on Import and Export Strategies

Due to the spread of COVID-19, the public health crisis is bound to have a huge impact on the world economy and international trade. How to study the import and export strategies under the coronavirus pandemic has become a major issue that many scholars need to solve urgently. Therefore, a two-stage game model is constructed, and the reverse solution method is used to obtain the optimal output of enterprises in importing countries and exporting countries before and after the outbreak of pandemic, as well as the optimal subsidies for enterprises from exporting countries and the optimal import quarantine rate for importing countries. Based on the game between the two countries without the pandemic outbreak, the impact of the pandemic on the output, profits, and social welfare of enterprises in the two countries was compared. Enterprises in exporting countries face double threats from the pandemic and import quarantine fees. The increase in import quarantine fees reduces the social welfare of exporting countries. In order to effectively control the spread of the pandemic, subsidies are an effective means to restore exports to normal. Reasonable collection of import quarantine fees by importing countries can promote bilateral trade, but an excessive collection will be counterproductive. The governments of exporting countries should establish emergency mechanisms and relevant subsidy policies, and enterprises should continuously improve their competitiveness. At the same time, countries should abandon the concept of trade protection and negotiate and cooperate to jointly deal with the pandemic.

Who suffered most? Parental stress and mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany

Objective: This study examines gender and socioeconomic inequalities in parental psychological wellbeing (parenting stress and psychological distress) during the COVID19 pandemic in Germany. Background: The dramatic shift of childcare and schooling responsibility from formal institutions to private households during the pandemic has put families under enormous stress and raised concerns about caregivers' health and wellbeing. Despite the overwhelming media attention to families' wellbeing, to date limited research has examined parenting stress and parental psychological distress during the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly in Germany. Method: We analyzed four waves of panel data (N= 1,771) from an opt-in online survey, which was conducted between March 2020 and April 2021. Multivariable OLS regressions were used to estimate variations in the pandemic's effects on parenting stress and psychological distress by various demographic and socioeconomic characteristics. Results: Overall, levels of parenting stress and psychological distress increased during the pandemic. During the first and third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, mothers, parents with children younger than 11 years, parents with two or more children, parents working from home as well as parents with financial insecurity experienced higher parenting stress than other sociodemographic groups. Moreover, women, respondents with lower incomes, single parents, and parents with younger children experienced higher levels of psychological distress than other groups. Conclusion: Gender and socioeconomic inequalities in parents' psychological wellbeing increased among the study participants during the pandemic.

Safety of Pfizer-BioNtech COVID-19 Vaccine in Healthcare Workers, Singapore

Background. On 14 December 2020, the Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine was granted emergency use authorization in Singapore. Healthcare workers (HCW) were prioritized to receive the vaccine. We aim to investigate the side effects and risk factors for allergic reactions in our institution. Methods. All HCW vaccinations were recorded in an electronic centralized database. All reactions occurring within a 30-minute observation period post vaccination were recorded. Staff were required to report any vaccine-related medical consult including hospitalization occurring within 14 days after vaccination. Moderate/severe reactions were assessed by a medical team and determined if the reactions were probable allergic reactions with consultation with an Allergist. We extracted data from 8 Jan 2021 to 30 April 2021. Results. 5030 and 159 HCW completed 2 doses and 1 dose of the vaccine respectively. There were 1056 HCWs (20.3%) with self-reported pre-existing allergy. There were 114 (1.1%) reactions occurring without the 30-minute observation period, and 64 (56.1%) were related to first dose of vaccine. The most common side effect experienced was aches or pain on any part of the body (n=46, 40.4%) followed by fatigue and/or giddiness (n=45, 39.5%), palpitations and/or shortness of breath (n=22, 19.3%), systemic rash and/or angioedema (n=12, 10.5%) and nausea and/or vomiting (n=12, 10.5%). A total of 23 HCWs complained of systemic rash and/or angioedema that occurred anytime post vaccination. Fifteen HCWs (0.29% of the cohort) were considered to have probable allergic reaction to the vaccine. None of the reactions were classified as anaphylaxis or severe reactions, but 4 HCWs required short hospitalization stay for observation. HCWs with pre-existing allergy had 2.6 times the risk of having probable vaccine-related allergic reaction than HCWs without pre-existing allergy (RR 2.6, 95% CI 0.9 to 7.3, p=0.068) but this was not statistically significant. Conclusion. No anaphylaxis or severe reactions were observed in our institution. Acute side effects in our cohort were in line with published trial reports. We noted a raised relative risk of 2.6 of pre-existing allergy with probable vaccine-related allergic reaction but this was not statistically significant.

Antiviral Electrospun Polymer Composites: Recent Advances and Opportunities for Tackling COVID-19

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 has significantly affected the world, creating a global health emergency. For controlling the virus spread, effective and reliable diagnostic and therapeutic measures are highly expected. Using proper biomedical materials to produce detection kits/devices and personal protective equipment (PPE), such as swabs and masks, has become the focus since they play critical roles in virus diagnostics and prevention. Electrospun polymer composites have garnered substantial interest due to their potential to provide antiviral healthcare solutions. In this review, we summarized the recent efforts in developing advanced antiviral electrospun polymer composites for virus detection and prevention. We highlighted some novel strategies for developing effective antiviral personal protective equipment (PPE), including self-sterilization, reusability, and potential antiviral drug encapsulation. Besides, we discussed the current challenges and future perspectives for improving the materials' performance to achieve better virus detection, antiviral, prevention, and therapeutics.

Network pharmacology-based analysis of Cangzhu for the treatment of Covid-19

Cangzhu is a Herbal medicine used to treat symptoms of respiratory diseases in Traditional Medicine system for hundreds of years and can be a new herbal solution for the current world pandemic. By using network pharmacology and molecular docking, this study explores the possible mechanisms of Cangzhu. One target is identified in the results. Further analysis identified 1 key target and 1 key compound. Moreover, 1052 biological processes, 61 cell compositions, and 124 molecular function items are obtained (P<0.05). One hundred and thirty pathways are obtained (P<0.05). The result of molecular docking shows a stable binding between the active compounds and the target. © 2019 Textile Bioengineering and Informatics Symposium Proceedings 2021 - 14th Textile Bioengineering and Informatics Symposium, TBIS 2021. All rights reserved.

Epidemic Contact Tracing With Campus WiFi Network and Smartphone-Based Pedestrian Dead Reckoning

Due to the rapid spreading of infectious disease COVID-19, numerous campus students are increasingly exposed to the dilemma and thus the provisioning of a safe environment becomes of vital importance. As a well-established approach, contact tracing could contain epidemic diseases spread. Since WiFi network could cover almost the whole campus and each student carries at least one WiFi capable device (i.e., smartphone), in this work, an epidemic contact tracing with campus WiFi network and smartphone-based pedestrian dead reckoning (PDR) is proposed, involving not only coarse-grained duration, but also fine-grained distance between students. First, students' location distribution and duration are captured by non-perception WiFi network logs with highly flexibility. Then, the convolutional neural network (CNN) model is utilized to real-time recognize landmarks in PDR positioning trajectory, followed by the particle filter algorithm to fuse both the PDR positioning results and detected landmarks, thereby calibrating PDR cumulative error and calculating the social distance between students. Next, we analyze the contact degree between students by integrating duration and social distance. Finally, in a campus environment with an coverage of about 600m(2), we simulate a COVID-19 case study to validate proposed approach, showing that the average positioning error is reduced from 3.23m to 2.77m.

[Practical exploration on the Online Four-step Teaching of Encouraging and Sharing during COVID-19 period]

The "Four-step Teaching of Encouraging and Sharing" is a learner-centered teaching method that advocates teamwork and gives full play to the role of the teacher in guiding learning. It is an innovative teaching approach to realize students' self-transcendence by stimulating students' internal motivation for independent learning, applying group task-driven learning, and giving teachers' feedback to students' sharing. It consists of four steps: teachers' guiding, students' self-regulated learning, team learning and practice, experience sharing. We have applied this method to the teaching practice of physiology and experimental physiological science with a significant impact on teaching effects. This teaching method has also been implemented to other courses in other majors. To solve the problems of reduced communication and interaction, low learning enthusiasm and motivation in online teaching course during COVID-19 pandemic, we recruited 21 undergraduates from different schools and majors. Using the "Tencent Meeting" platform, the authors tried to apply the whole process of the "Four-step Teaching of Encouraging and Sharing" to the online teaching of physiology. Group tests and questionnaires were used to evaluate teaching effects. The results showed that the implementation of the "Online Four-step Teaching of Encouraging and Sharing (OFST)" was feasible and effective, and to a certain extent alleviated the problems of loneliness and low learning motivation of students during online learning caused by home quarantine, which was particularly helpful for long-distance inter-school and inter-discipline team learning.

[Estimating the distribution of COVID-19 incubation period by interval-censored data estimation method].

Objectives: The COVID-19 has been the public health issues of global concern, but the incubation period was still under discussion. This study aimed to estimate the incubation period distribution of COVID-19. Methods: The exposure and onset information of COVID-19 cases were collected from the official information platform of provincial or municipal health commissions. The distribution of COVID-19 incubation period was estimated based on the Log- normal, Gamma and Weibull distribution by interval-censored data estimation method. Results: A total of 109 confirmed cases were collected, with an average age of 39.825 years. The median COVID-19 incubation period based on Log-normal, Gamma, and Weibull distribution were 4.958 (P(25)-P(75): 3.472-7.318) days, 5.083 (P(25)-P(75): 3.511-7.314) days, and 5.695 (P(25)-P(75): 3.675-7.674) days, respectively. Gamma distribution had the largest log-likelihood result. Conclusions: The distribution of COVID-19 incubation period followed the Gamma distribution, and the interval-censored data estimation method can be used to estimate the incubation period distribution.

Biological Characteristics and Drug Development Strategy for Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2

In January 2020,a new severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 broke out in Wuhan,China,and up to noon of March 15 of 2020,it has become a worldwide epidemic disseminating 148 countries and regions around the world.Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 has led to a serious healthy event for people from all over the world,and this event has caused widespread concern in the international community.Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus all belongs to β-B coronaviruses,and they also have similar affinity for angiotensin-converting enzyme 2.Spike glycoprotein is a key protein of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2,which help severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 to bind to the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 receptor of human beings.Spike glycoprotein has both receptor binding and membrane fusion activities,which could promote the entrance and infection of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 into the affected host cells.Many characteristics of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 have been understood recently,including rapid spread among different species,extensive host distribution,and high variability,etc.Thus,it is necessary to develop broad-spectrum drugs or vaccines for coronaviruses,and specific drugs or vaccines for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2.This article reviews the biological characteristics and drug development strategies for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2.The purpose aims to provide references for the further research of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 and the development of the relative therapeutic drugs.