ABSTRACT
It is well known that the confirmed COVID-19 infection is only a fraction of the true fraction. In this paper we use an artificial neural network to learn the connection between the confirmed infection count, the testing data, and the true infection count. The true infection count in the training set is obtained by backcasting from the death count and the infection fatality ratio (IFR). Multiple factors are taken into consideration in the estimation of IFR. We also calibrate the recovered true COVID-19 case count with an SEIR model.
Subject(s)
COVID-19ABSTRACT
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has affected the mental health of individuals worldwide, and the risk of psychiatric sequelae and consequent mental disorders has increased among the general population, health care workers and patients with COVID-19. Achieving effective and widespread prevention of pandemic-related psychiatric sequelae to protect the mental health of the global population is a serious challenge. Salidroside, as a natural agent, has substantial pharmacological activity and health effects, exerts obvious neuroprotective effects, and may be effective in preventing and treating psychiatric sequelae and mental disorders resulting from stress stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic. Herein, we systematically summarise, analyse and discuss the therapeutic effects of salidroside in the prevention and treatment of psychiatric sequelae as well as its roles in preventing the progression of mental disorders, and fully clarify the potential of salidroside as a widely applicable agent for preventing mental disorders caused by stress; the mechanisms underlying the potential protective effects of salidroside are involved in the regulation of the oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, neural regeneration and cell apoptosis in the brain, the network homeostasis of neurotransmission, HPA axis and cholinergic system, and the improvement of synaptic plasticity. Notably, this review innovatively proposes that salidroside is a potential agent for treating stress-induced health issues during the COVID-19 pandemic and provides scientific evidence and a theoretical basis for the use of natural products to combat the current mental health crisis.
Subject(s)
Coronavirus Infections , Mental Disorders , COVID-19ABSTRACT
On 22 September 2020, within the backdrop of the COVID-19 global pandemic, China announced its climate goal for peak carbon emissions before 2030 and to reach carbon neutrality before 2060. This carbon-neutral goal is generally considered to cover all anthropogenic greenhouse gases. The planning effort is now in full swing in China, but the pathway to decarbonization is unclear. The needed transition towards non-fossil fuel energy and its impact on China and the world may be more profound than its reform and development over the past 40 years, but the challenges are enormous. Analysis of four representative scenarios shows significant differences in achieving the carbon-neutral goal, particularly the contribution of non-fossil fuel energy sources. The high target values for nuclear, wind, and bioenergy have approached their corresponding resource limitations, with solar energy being the exception, suggesting solar's critical role. We also found that the near-term policies that allow for a gradual transition, followed by more drastic changes after 2030, can eventually reach the carbon-neutral goal and lead to less of a reduction in cumulative emissions, thus inconsistent with the IPCC 1.5°C scenario. The challenges and prospects are discussed in the historical context of China's socio-economic reform, globalization, international collaboration, and development. Electronic supplementary material Supplementary material is available in the online version of this article at 10.1007/s00376-021-1313-6.
ABSTRACT
Background: Long-term exposure to air pollution is associated with lung function impairment. However, whether long-term improvements in air quality could improve lung function is unclear. Methods: : We conducted a prospective quasi-experiment cohort study with 1731 college students in Shandong, China from September 2019 to September 2020, covering COVID-19 lockdown period. Data on PM 2.5 , PM 10 , NO 2 and SO 2 concentrations were obtained from China Environmental Monitoring Station. The concentration of O3 was obtained from Tracking Air Pollution in China. Lung function indicators included forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) and forced expiratory flow at 50% of FVC (FEF50%). Linear mixed-effects model was used to examine the associations between the change of air pollutants’ concentrations and the change of lung functions. We also conducted stratified analysis by sex. Results: : Compared with 2019, the mean FVC, FEV1 and FEF50% were elevated by 414.4ml, 321.5ml, and 28.4ml respectively in 2020. Every 5μg/m 3 decrease in annual average PM 2.5 concentrations was associated with 36.0ml [95% confidence interval (CI):6.0, 66.0ml], 46.1ml (95% CI:16.7, 75.5ml), and 124.2ml/s (95% CI:69.5, 178.9ml/s) increment in the FVC, FEV1, and FEF50%, respectively. Similar associations were found for PM 10 . There was no significant effect difference between male and female. Conclusions: : Long-term improvement of air quality can improve lung function among young adults. Stricter policies on improving air quality are needed to protect human health. Funding Taishan Scholar Program
Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Lung NeoplasmsABSTRACT
Aim: To investigate nursing students' konwledge, attitudes and willingness to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, and the influencing factors. Background: Vaccination is one of the effective measures to prevent COVID-19, but the vaccination acceptance varies across countries and populations. As reserve nurses, nursing students have both the professionalism of medical personnel and the special characteristics of school students, their attitudes, knowledge, and willingness to receive the COVID-19 vaccine may greatly affect the vaccine acceptance of the population now and in the future. But little research has been done on vaccine acceptance among nursing students. Design: A cross-sectional survey of nursing students was conducted via online questionnaires in March 2021. Methods: Descriptive statistics, independent sample t tests/one-way ANOVA (normal distribution), Mann-Whitney U tests/Kruskal-Wallis H tests (skewness distribution) and multivariate linear regression were performed. Results: The score rate of attitude, knowledge and vaccination willingness were 70.07%, 80.70% and 84.38% respectively. Attitude was significantly influenced by family economic conditions and whether a family member had been vaccinated. The main factors influencing knowledge were gender, grade and academic background. In terms of willingness, gender, academic background, visits to risk areas, whether family members were vaccinated, and whether they had side effects were significant influencing factors. Conclusions: The vaccine acceptance of nursing students was fair. Greater focus needed to be placed on the males, those of younger age, with a science background, and having low grades, as well as on students whose family members had not received the COVID-19 vaccine or had side effects from the vaccine. Targeted intervention strategies were recommended to improve vaccination rates.
Subject(s)
COVID-19ABSTRACT
The choice of optimum teaching design and practice of Medical Immunology for different students or disciplines is important. During execution of online teaching, we designed appropriate teaching design for students majored in Public administration and teached them the immunological knowledge about 2019 Novel Coronavirus, meanwhile, we expanded courses for ideological and political education.
ABSTRACT
Online teaching is an important way to adapt to the development of medical education in the information age. Since this teaching method is not limited by the time and the space, it plays an important role in school teaching during the COVID-19 epidemic. In order to give full play to the advantages of online teaching and deep integration with traditional classroom teaching ideas, we explored the use of the "presentation assimilation discussion" teaching concept in the medical immunology theoretical course teaching process and applied the "Duifene" platform for the first time. We use this platform for the entire online teaching, student management, curriculum design, teaching organization, formative evaluation and other practices. This exploration promoted the reform of medical immunology teaching and laid a good foundation for improving the quality of online teaching courses.
ABSTRACT
Background: The outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan quickly spread to 34 provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions in the country and 184 countries and regions around the world. It has drawn great attention from the International Health Organization and was declared an international public health emergency on January 31, 2020. Because the population is generally susceptible to the virus, there are no effective drugs and vaccines, and active participation of the entire population in self-protection and self-isolation has become the key to cutting off transmission routes and effectively controlling the epidemic. China has vast land and a vast area with a large population. Although the agricultural population has decreased this year with the acceleration of urbanization, according to national demographics, 40% of China's rural population is still living in remote areas. This population is relatively lacking in material and economic conditions and has limited access to medical services and education. Influencing factors such as traditional health habits and consciousness should not be underestimated in rural areas. In addition, the COVID-19 outbreak coincided with the Chinese New Year, and people’s return and post-holiday resumption of work greatly increased the chance of transmission of the virus. Rural residents accounted for 60% of the people returning to the Spring Festival. They are the most mobile and susceptible group and are at high risk of viral transmission. The knowledge, consciousness, attitude and behavior of rural residents with regard to COVID-19 control are related to the success or failure of epidemic prevention and control. To investigate the knowledge, attitudes and behaviors related to the prevention and control of COVID-19 among rural residents, to analyze the influencing factors, difficulties and challenges of prevention and control in this population, and to develop a plan to improve rural residents' awareness of COVID-19 prevention and control. Targeted interventions for prevention and control capabilities provide scientific evidence.Methods: A self-designed questionnaire to assess residents’ knowledge, attitudes and behaviors related to COVID-19 prevention and control was borrowed from the Questionnaire Star service platform, and snowball sampling was used to invite rural residents to complete the questionnaire on WeChat. Data analysis was performed with SPSS 22.0 statistical software.Results: A total of 554 valid questionnaires were collected. Rural residents’ average score of knowledge about the prevention and control of new coronary pneumonia was 39.75 ± 6.703, the average score of prevention and control attitude was 45.40 ± 3.341, and the average score of prevention and control behavior was 104.69 ± 12.167. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that male residents’ scores for knowledge, attitudes and behaviors related to SARS were significantly higher than those of women who had not experienced SARS (P <0.01); the scores of attitudes and behaviors of rural residents aged 30 and under were significantly higher than those of other age groups (P <0.01) 0.01); residents with an education level of junior high school or below and those who worked as farmers had significantly lower scores in knowledge, attitude, and behavior than those with other education levels (P <0.05); the knowledge and behavior scores of respondents with poor family economic conditions were significantly lower than those with good and moderate family economic conditions (P <0.05); and residents with chronic diseases and those living in areas with confirmed cases had significantly higher knowledge and behavior scores than those without chronic diseases and no or unknown living cases (P <0.05). Rural residents’ scores for knowledge and attitudes, attitudes and behaviors, and knowledge and behavior were positively correlated with new coronary pneumonia control (P <0.05). The difficulties and challenges they perceived during the epidemic were a lack of protective equipment and travel difficulties (lack of transportation) and weak awareness of prevention and control.Conclusions: Rural residents have a good grasp of COVID-19 and a positive attitude toward the need for prevention and control by individuals, communities, and the government during the epidemic. They use common chopsticks or split meals and take Chinese herbal medicines that nourish yin, invigorate the spleen, and nourish the lungs. Protective measures such as cleaning furniture with alcohol or chlorine disinfectant, returning home, and handwashing with soap before and after meals and after contact with pollutants need to be further strengthened. A lack of protective materials and weak awareness of prevention and control are the greatest difficulties and challenges experienced by rural residents during the epidemic.Trial registration:“Not applicable” in this section