Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of Nonpharmaceutical Interventions Combined with Inactivated Vaccination and Oral Medicine in China

Objectives: Various interventions were used to control the COVID-19 pandemic and protect population health, including vaccination, medication and nonpharmaceutical interventions (NPIs). This study aims to examine the cost-effectiveness of different combinations of NPIs (including social distancing, mask wearing, tracing-testing-isolation, mass testing, and lockdown), oral medicine (Paxlovid), and vaccination (including two-dose and three-dose vaccination) under the Delta and Omicron pandemic in China. Method(s): We constructed a Markov model using a SIRI structure with a one-week cycle length over one-year time horizon to estimate the cost-effectiveness of different combinations in China from societal perspective. Effectiveness of interventions, disease transition probabilities and costs were from published data, quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) gained and incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICER) and net monetary benefits were calculated for one-year time horizon. One-way and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were performed to test the robustness of the model. Scenario analysis was developed to examine different situations under the Omicron pandemic. Result(s): Under the Delta pandemic, implementing the combination of social distancing, mask wearing, mass testing and three-dose vaccination was the optimal strategy, with cost at $11165635.33 and utility of 94309.94 QALYs, and had 60% probability of being cost-effective compared with other strategies. Three-dose vaccination combinations were better than two-dose combinations. Under the Omicron pandemic, antigen testing was better than nucleic testing by avoiding cross infections;second, adding Paxlovid or lockdown to the combined intervention strategies could increase limited health outcomes at huge cost and thus were not cost-effective;last, encouraging patients to stay at home can save societal costs compared with concentrated quarantine at hospitals. Conclusion(s): Three-dose vaccination and self-quarantine of asymptomatic and mild cases can save total costs. Under the Omicron pandemic outbreak, antigen testing is a better way to control the pandemic, and adding Paxlovid or lockdown to intervention combinations is not cost-effective.Copyright © 2023

COVID-19 and labour market resilience: evidence from large-scale recruitment behaviour

We construct a theoretical model to interpret the structural shock from the COVID-19 pandemic and the response of local labour market and industry specialization. The empirical study takes the large-scale online labour market of China to analyse firms' hiring demand for 20 industries across 380 cities with monthly recruitment data from May 2017 to September 2020. Post-event quantitative analysis on job postings and employer demand highlighted that the pandemic resulted in an unemployment shock and industry- and city-level redistribution of the worker. China's local job market resilience also revealed a regional imbalance, correlated with pandemic risk, city scale and industry structure. © 2023 Regional Studies Association.

Reconfigurable and In-sensor Computing Pb-free Perovskite Array towards Intelligent X-ray Imaging

Conventional X-ray imaging architectures feature data redundancy and hardware consumption due to the separated sensory terminal and computing units. In-sensor computing architectures is promising to overcome such drawbacks. However, its realization in X-ray range remains elusive. We propose ion distribution induced reconfigurable mechanism, and demonstrate the first X-ray band in-sensor computing array based on Pb-free perovskite. Redistribution of Br- ion in perovskite induces the switching of PN and NP modes under electrical pooling. X-ray detection sensitivity can be switched between two stable self-power sensing modes with 4373±298 and -7804±429 mu mathrm{CGy}-{ mathrm{a} mathrm{i} mathrm{r}}{}{-1} mathrm{cm}{-2} respectively, which are superior than that of commercial a-Se detectors (20 mu mathrm{C} mathrm{G} mathrm{y}-{ mathrm{a} mathrm{i} mathrm{r}}{}{-1} mathrm{c} mathrm{m}{-2}). Both modes exhibit low detection limit of 48.4 mathrm{n} mathrm{G} mathrm{y}-{ mathrm{a} mathrm{i} mathrm{r}} mathrm{s}{-1}, which is two orders lower than typical medical dose rate of 5.5 mu mathrm{G} mathrm{y}-{ mathrm{a} mathrm{i} mathrm{r}} mathrm{s}{-1}. The perovskite array sensors can integrate with thin film transistors (TFTs) with low-temperature (80oC) process with good uniformity. An in-sensor computing algorithm of attention mechanism is performed on array sensors for chest X-ray images COVID-19 recognition, which enables an accuracy improvement up to 98.2%. Our results can pave the way for future intelligent X-ray imaging. © 2022 IEEE.

The trend of modern cold chain management: Characteristics, challenges and opportunities of vaccine logistics

The high demand for Covid-19 vaccines due to the pandemic increases the need for vaccine transportation and storage worldwide, and a cold chain is often required for many vaccines. The existing cold chains are confronting some obstacles today but are facing many great opportunities at the same time with the emerging new technologies. This paper aims to address the trend of modern cold chain management of vaccine logistics through a literature review on the topic of Covid-19 vaccine transportation and storage. Empirical studies are needed in future research. The transportation and storage of the Covid-19 vaccines are important for the overall vaccine administrations and can save large amounts of money and lives when improved. Failures of the cold chain can lead to great economic loss and damage of the vaccine potency;therefore, it is essential to study the characteristics of the current cold chain and how related innovations influence its development. © 2021 IEEE.

Face Mask Recognition Based on YOLOv3-tiny

The use of computer vision to realize non-contact face mask wearing testing and identify the standardization of wearing can improve the efficiency of mask wearing inspection, which is of great significance to reduce the spread of COVID-19. Based on the YOLO v3 framework in deep learning, this project conducts an in-depth study on the accuracy and efficiency of face mask detection, introduces its structure and principle, and explores and experiments its application based on TensorFlow. The evaluation and identification rate of the experiment was 78∗, which verified the feasibility and practicability of the method. © 2022 IEEE.

Acceptability and feasibility of two preoperative alcohol interventions

Purpose: This mixed-methods study examined the acceptability and feasibility of two pre-operative alcohol interventions promoting alcohol use reduction during the months before and after surgery to decrease post-operative complications. Methods: Participants (n = 52) included elective surgical patients who met high-risk alcohol use criteria (AUDIT-C ≥ 5). Participants were randomized to a Brief Intervention (10-minute phone-based session) or Virtual Health Coaching (two telehealth sessions with a therapist). After each session, we collected acceptability data using Likert-type items. At the conclusion of the trial, we recruited a sub-set of participants based on intervention response (≥50% vs. <25% reduction in alcohol use) to participate in individual qualitative exit interviews. We used a semi-structured interview guide to explore intervention acceptability/efficacy and uncover aspects of the interventions to improve. We calculated descriptive statistics for quantitative data and used thematic analysis to summarize exit interviews. Results: Of 1229 patients screened, 8.30% were eligible, and 50.98% enrolled. Of those enrolled, 15.38% of participants left the trial early due to COVID-19-related surgery cancelations. Among health coaching participants, 100% found it mostly or very acceptable, and 80.00% found it mostly or very important. Among brief intervention participants, 100% found it to mostly or very acceptable. Qualitative exit interview participants described the information delivered in both interventions as new and interesting and felt that receiving it before surgery was more motivating than it would have been in other settings (e.g., primary care). Well-defined guidelines about safe perioperative alcohol use, accountability from self-tracking, and having opportunities to discuss and reflect on alcohol use with a non-judgmental professional were aspects of the intervention participants found motivating. “Non-responders” felt that the intervention wasn't a good “fit” for them because they did not view their alcohol use as 'problematic.' Conclusions: This study resulted in two acceptable interventions of varying intensities and modalities. Feasibility was impacted by COVID-19 pandemic. Qualitative interviews showed that surgery can be leveraged to motivate patients to reduce alcohol use. For some patients, however, alternative approaches may be needed. Future research will determine the efficacy of these interventions in reducing alcohol use and surgical complications.

Effect of glucocorticoid therapy on the prognosis of patients with severe and critical COVID-19: a single-center retrospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has elevated mortality in severe and critical patients globally. This study examined the effect of glucocorticoids (GCS) on the time of virus clearance and absorption of lung lesions in severe and critical COVID-19 patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Severe and critical COVID-19 cases diagnosed in Wuhan Pulmonary Hospital from January 7 to February 10, 2020 were analyzed. The generalized linear model was utilized to assess the effects of GCS therapy on the times of nucleic acid test turning negative and improved pulmonary imaging, respectively. RESULTS: Of 66 patients, 51 (77.3%) and 15 (22.7%) were severe and critical cases, respectively, and aged 62 ± 11 years. A total of 58 patients (87.9%) tested negative, and 56 (84.8%) showed improved lung imaging. Age, thrombocytopenia, CD8 + T cell count, course of GCS therapy, and total dose were correlated with the time of nucleic acid test turning negative (p < 0.05), and sex was correlated with the time of initial pulmonary imaging improvement (p < 0.05). The time of nucleic acid test turning negative in individuals with GCS therapy course ≤ 10 days was shorter than that of the GCS therapy course > 10 days group (p=0.001). No statistical difference was found in the dose, course of GCS, and initial time of improved lung imaging. CONCLUSIONS: Increasing the dose of GCS and prolonging the course of treatment do not shorten the time of nucleic acid test turning negative or improved absorption of pulmonary lesions. Thus, the rational use of GCS is particularly important.

[Analysis of online education for public health and preventive medicine].

Since the outbreak of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), universities have carried out online education for public health and preventive medicine courses under the policy of "Suspending Classes Without Stopping Learning" launched by the Chinese government. The Public Health and Preventive Medicine Committee of the Ministry of Education Steering Committee for Medical Education investigated the online teaching activities in the member universities. This study presents the survey results, discusses the existing problems, and proposes suggestions for further reforms on mixed teaching activities.

[Rethinking public health education and public health workforce development in China].

During the fighting against COVID-19, both the public health education and public health workforce of China have exposed important challenges. The present review discusses dilemmas and weakness that relate to the position of public health education in the higher education system, public health education system, curriculum system, teaching methods, practice-based teaching, training of highly qualified personnel in public health, public health teachers, remuneration and non-monetary honorable rewards for the public health workforce. Suggestions are also proposed for each of the challenges.