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Objective To analyze the epidemiological characteristics of COVID-19 cluster epidemic in Huizhou from January to February in 2020, and we provide experience and reference for the prevention and control of cluster epidemic. Methods Descriptive epidemiology was used to analyze the clusters of COVID-19 in Huizhou city. Results From January to February in 2020, a total of 19 COVID-19 cluster outbreaks were reported in Huizhou. The most common cluster outbreaks were in Huidong county (8 cases), Boluo county (3 cases) and Huiyang district (3 cases). There were 59 cases involved in 19 outbreaks, among which 46 were confirmed cases, and 13 were asymptomatic infected. The sex ratio of male to female was 0.84: 1, the age was 1-85 years old. The 19 cases of outbreaks were all caused by imported cases, among which 13 cases were imported from Wuhan (68.4%), 3 cases were imported from Hubei province except Wuhan (15.8%), and 3 cases were imported from other provinces and cities (15.8%). There were 13 cases (68.4%) in the first generation, and 6 cases (31.6%) in the second generation. Events exposed place were variety, including 3 (15.8%) simple family exposure, 13 (68.4%) joint exposure, exposure family, 1 (5.26%) of the joint exposure, family exposure, family dinners, 1 (5.26%) of the joint exposure, family exposure, exposure (hotel) exposed in public places, 1 (5.26%) of the collective unit (workplace) exposure. Conclusion All the COVID - 19 cluster outbreaks in Huizhou city were caused by imported cases, most of which occurred in the family and were caused by families living together and eating together. As the number of people returning to work, production and school increases, various prevention and control measures should be implemented in key areas, key populations and key places to prevent the outbreak from rebounding.Copyright © China Tropical Medicine 2021.
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Despite extensive use of online language learning during the pandemic of COVID, there is insufficient research on what factors influence students' foreign language achievements in online learning conditions. This article investigated the roles of language aptitude and online self-regulated learning in foreign language achievement in mainland China. 76 freshmen from two classes at a university in Jiangxi participated in this study. They were required to complete an aptitude test of MLAT and a questionnaire on online self-regulated learning. The results showed that: (1) The students' language aptitude is at a relatively low level, and their online self-regulated learning is at an intermediate level;(2) A positive correlation is detected between language aptitude, online self-regulated learning, and their English achievements (r=0.621 & 0.583 respectively);(3) Language aptitude alone (grammatical sensitivity and associative memory ability) accounts for 38.9% variance in English achievement. Language aptitude and online self-regulated learning contributed 52.4% of the variance to their English achievements. Overall, the findings of the study confirm the high predictive power of the MLAT and predictions of the Linguistic Coding Deficit Hypothesis (LCDH) advocated by Sparks and colleagues. Pedagogical implications are also discussed. © 2022 European Knowledge Development (EUROKD). All right reserved.
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Objective To analyze the work situation of the personnel in Beijing Centers for Disease Prevention and Control during the novel coronavirns disease 2019 (C0VID-19) epidemic，and to provide references for improving the construction of the capital5 s disease control and prevention system. Methods Cross-sectional survey and cluster sanpling methods were used. A total of 422 municipal-level and 664 district-level professional technicians from CDCs who were mainly involved in epidemic prevention and control in Beijing were included in the study. Self-designed questionnaires were used to collect the basic information, work intensity and satisfaction and other data. The statistical description and test analysis were carried out. Results Among professionals, 64. 36% had nornal workload, and 76. 89% had overload during the epidemic prevention and control period. The proportion of disease control personnel expressing dissatisfaction "with the usual salary level "was 54. 51%, and the satisfaction with the professional title promotion w-as mostly at the average level (45. 58%). The proportions of satisfaction with the prevention and control work arrangements and logistical support during the COVID-19 epidemic were 49. 08% and 54. 42%, respectively. Only 21. 73% professionals were satisfied with the temporar w-ork subsidy. From the perspective of population distribution, staffs at the municipal and district levels and in different job positions were mainly dissatisfied with the salar level (all P<0. 05). Most of staffs who undertook different prevention and control responsibilities were satisfied with the work arrangements and logistics support (all P<0. 05), but they w-ere dissatisfied with the temporar work subsidies (H = 27. 076, P = 0. 012). Among the survey respondents, 44.48% had thoughts of resigning. Regardless of the municipal and district levels, different professional titles or positions, the wdllingness to resign was generally high (all P>0. 05). The primar reason for wanting to leave was the low salary level, followed by difficulty in promotion of professional titles and poor development prospects which were also major considerations. Conclusion It is suggested to improve the stability of CDCs staffs and promote the high-quality and sustainable development of the disease control and prevention system by improving the personnel allocation, strengthening the interdisciplinary talent reserve, improving the salary system and optimizing the professional title appointment mechanism.
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Background: The highly contagious Delta variant of COVID-19 accounts for more than 80% of SARS-CoV-2 cases in the fall of 2021. Our aim was to determine whether molecular methods for variant and lineage detection could be utilized at autopsy to examine pathologic findings of Delta variant as compared to non-Delta variant cases. Design: We evaluated the lungs from 20 decedents with death due to SARS-CoV-2 confirmed by antemortem nasopharyngeal RTPCR in July and August 2021 (Delta wave), as well as from 40 autopsy cases prior to February 2021 with death due to SARS-CoV- 2. The patient population included males and females, with an age range of 37-67 years in the Delta group, and 44-79 In the non- Delta group. The population demographic was considered at risk for death due to COVID-19, and only one decedent, with immunosuppression, was known to be vaccinated. Lung specimens were examined on H&E and with SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid immunostain (IHC). Results: The time from initial symptoms to death averaged 9 days within the Delta wave and 16 days in non-Delta cases. Steroids, anticoagulation, antibiotics, and monoclonal antibody infusion were frequently part of the clinical treatment of Delta wave cases. Notably, SARS-CoV-2 PCR of lung swabs at autopsy were positive in all but one case examined in the Delta variant group, and viral genome RNA sequencing from lung at autopsy confirmed Delta variant lineage. In both groups, gross features of the lungs included edema, while grossly identifiable thrombi were more commonly seen in non-Delta variant cases. Histologic examination revealed diffuse alveolar damage (DAD) in all cases, most commonly early stage DAD in Delta variant cases. SARS-CoV-2 IHC demonstrated patchy to strong positivity in the alveoli of the majority of Delta variant cases - a finding not frequently seen in non-Delta cases. Figure 1 - 15 Conclusions: Our study is the first to incorporate PCR and viral genome sequencing from the lung at autopsy to correlate the Delta variant wave with histopathologic findings - a technique that may be useful in identifying important pathologic features of future variants. While the finding of DAD remains the same across viral variants, the majority of Delta cases showed a significant presence of SARS-CoV-2 in the lung by IHC, with minimal inflammatory infiltrate and reduced thrombotic complication. Whether these findings are the result of a shorter time interval between disease onset and death, therapeutic intervention, or increased viral load remains to be determined.
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Background: Initial evidence has shown the occasional presence of SARS-CoV-2 in enterocytes in the intestines of patients with COVID-19. Our aim is to further assess the clinical and pathologic changes in the gastrointestinal tract caused by the highly contagious Delta (B.1.617.2) variant as compared to viral variants originating earlier in the pandemic. Design: Intestinal samples from 32 patients with death due to COVID-19 were obtained at autopsy. Decedents were males and females, with an age range of 32-73 years. Twenty-one of the decedents self-identified as Black/African American, eight as Caucasian, and three as Hispanic. Two groups were differentiated by viral genome RNA sequencing from autopsy tissue: those with Delta variant (n=16), and those with non-Delta variant (n=16). SARS-CoV-2 expression in the intestine was evaluated by immunohistochemical (IHC) detection of the SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein (N-protein). Results: Clinically, the Delta group reported diarrhea more frequently (25%) as compared to the non-Delta group (6%). Patients in the Delta group had a shorter time interval between the onset of gastrointestinal symptoms and death (mean = 19 days), as compared to the non-Delta group (mean = 25 days). Histologic examination revealed mostly normal to mild, non-specific chronic inflammation within the epithelium and lamina propria in both groups. Macrophages with positivity for N-protein IHC were present beneath the epithelium, most notably within the Delta group. N-protein positivity occurred most frequently in small submucosal and mesenteric blood vessels. Patchy positivity for N-protein in enterocytes was seen frequently in cases of Delta variant in which the time from initial symptoms to death was short (<14 days). Figure 1 - 11 Conclusions: As in prior studies, intestinal microscopic changes in COVID-19 were minimal, though our findings indicate that SARS-CoV-2 may be detected within enterocytes more frequently in the Delta group. Patients with the Delta variant experienced both a higher rate of diarrhea and a shorter interval between gastrointestinal symptom onset and death. Whether increased Nprotein in enterocytes is a result of the Delta variant itself, or earlier intestinal sampling relative to symptoms in this group, remains to be determined. Autopsy studies can add to our understanding of the effects of COVID-19 on the digestive system, by allowing a greater volume of tissue sampling, as well as temporal sampling relative to disease onset that is not always possible at endoscopy.
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Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has upended medical education, and medical students have had to take online courses and examinations during this pandemic. However, little is known about the impact of proctored online closed-book examinations (CBEs) on medical students' exam performance and test anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic and the contributing factors. Methods: This prospective study was conducted among all 134 third-year undergraduate medical students from Shanghai Medical College of Fudan University between February 24 and July 10, 2020. Responses to a self-designed 12-item online questionnaire about the impact of online examinations were collected. The final exam scores for classroom examinations in 2019 were collected for comparison. Results: A total of 120 (45 male and 75 female) students with a mean age of 21 years participated in the survey with a 100% response rate. The mean exam scores did not differ by school year, gender, degrees of anxiety and impact groups (P=0.931). Almost 97.5% of medical students experienced test anxiety during online CBEs. Female students (48.0%) were more vulnerable to a negative impact of online CBEs than male students (28.9%) and preferred (68.0%) closed-book classroom or open-book online examinations more than male students did (48.9%) (P=0.003 and P=0.019). The contributing factors included poor adaptation to online examinations (58.5%) and concerns about the unfairness of online examinations (41.5%). Conclusions: Test anxiety was common in students who lacked experience with online CBEs. Although online CBEs did not impact final exam scores, special attention should be paid to female students who are not adapted to online examinations. Sufficient instruction about the exam platform, individual-needs-based simulation tests prior to formal exams, and assurance of fairness during the online examination are beneficial to alleviate the negative impact of online examinations on exam performance and test anxiety. Future studies are needed to confirm these findings. © 2021 Pediatric Medicine. All rights reserved.
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Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is the traditional medicine of China, which played an active role in the fight against the pneumonia caused by the novel coronavirus. How to make TCM benefit the general public, and to get the prescriptions of the prestigious Chinese physician without leaving home is a problem worth studying. This is of great significance for the inheritance of TCM. In this paper, an intelligent prescribing model is designed based on the nosiy-or Bayesian network. This model uses the correlation analysis method based on information entropy to obtain the network structure. The entire process greatly reduces the guidance of domain experts. The model uses the medical record data of a prestigious Chinese physician as training data, which can realize intelligent output Chinese medicine prescriptions with input symptom groups. The experimental results show a high accuracy of the model, and it can correctly simulate the diagnosis and treatment process of the prestigious Chinese physician. © 2020 IEEE.
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To quantitatively analyse the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on China's container ports, the berthing ships are mainly investigated by the big data of Automatic Identification System (AIS). First, the methods of AIS data acquisition, cleaning and statistical analysis are introduced. Then the sample ports of Shanghai, Ningbo-Zhoushan and Tianjin are selected, and the monthly ratios of key indicators such as the number of berthing ships and berthing time are calculated by AIS analysis system. Finally, the numerical results show that although the COVID-19 epidemic does not significantly affect the number of container ships arriving at China's ports, it has a significant impact on the average berthing time of container ships. © Published under licence by IOP Publishing Ltd.
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It is essential to integrate and function risk communication and community engagement into national public health emergency response. Based on the interim guideline released by WHO and the situation concerning the outbreak of a novel coronavirus in China, this paper suggests that risk communication systems should be enhanced in the highest levels of government. Specifically, internal and partner coordination mechanisms are required to be improved and activated, public communication should be more rapid and accessible, communication engagement with affected communities should be paid more attention, addressing uncertainty and rumor still requires effective measures, and both global collaboration and evidence-based decision-making should be involved in the outbreak control and prevention.