Corrigendum: COVID-19 and sudden sensorineural hearing loss: a systematic review.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2022.883749.].

Early detection of SARS-CoV-2 variants through dynamic co-mutation network surveillance.

Background: Precise public health and clinical interventions for the COVID-19 pandemic has spurred a global rush on SARS-CoV-2 variant tracking, but current approaches to variant tracking are challenged by the flood of viral genome sequences leading to a loss of timeliness, accuracy, and reliability. Here, we devised a new co-mutation network framework, aiming to tackle these difficulties in variant surveillance. Methods: To avoid simultaneous input and modeling of the whole large-scale data, we dynamically investigate the nucleotide covarying pattern of weekly sequences. The community detection algorithm is applied to a co-occurring genomic alteration network constructed from mutation corpora of weekly collected data. Co-mutation communities are identified, extracted, and characterized as variant markers. They contribute to the creation and weekly updates of a community-based variant dictionary tree representing SARS-CoV-2 evolution, where highly similar ones between weeks have been merged to represent the same variants. Emerging communities imply the presence of novel viral variants or new branches of existing variants. This process was benchmarked with worldwide GISAID data and validated using national level data from six COVID-19 hotspot countries. Results: A total of 235 co-mutation communities were identified after a 120 weeks' investigation of worldwide sequence data, from March 2020 to mid-June 2022. The dictionary tree progressively developed from these communities perfectly recorded the time course of SARS-CoV-2 branching, coinciding with GISAID clades. The time-varying prevalence of these communities in the viral population showed a good match with the emergence and circulation of the variants they represented. All these benchmark results not only exhibited the methodology features but also demonstrated high efficiency in detection of the pandemic variants. When it was applied to regional variant surveillance, our method displayed significantly earlier identification of feature communities of major WHO-named SARS-CoV-2 variants in contrast with Pangolin's monitoring. Conclusion: An efficient genomic surveillance framework built from weekly co-mutation networks and a dynamic community-based variant dictionary tree enables early detection and continuous investigation of SARS-CoV-2 variants overcoming genomic data flood, aiding in the response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Reflections on the battle against COVID-19: The effects of emotional design factors on the communication of audio-visual art.

Fighting against the epidemic is an arduous and prolonged battle where many artists hope to inspire people with the power of art through cultural creativity. To explore the effects of emotional design factors on the communication of audio-visual art and the audience's perceptive experience, this research takes the original anti-epidemic song and the film China Braves Headwind as the research object. The research also uses such methods as questionnaires, Structural Equation Models, and dependent samples t-tests to conduct statistical analysis. The results are as follows: First, the emotional design evaluation matrix based on the emotional communication model is reasonable, and the scales of this research are feasible. Second, the emotional design of audio-visual works can significantly affect the audience's emotional experience and further improve sharing intention. Third, Attribute A2 (Artistic style, Thematic perception) and attribute C3 (Emotional resonance, Spiritual sublimation) serve as common factors affecting the emotional experience in terms of both musical works and film and television works. Fourth, compared with musical works, film and television works are likely to resonate with the audience. The combination of music and visual sensation can help open up the conception of artistic works and convey their meanings to viewers. Therefore, it's necessary to explore the emotional communication mode between audio-visual artists and the audience. It helps artists think about how to create works innovatively and is conducive to marketizing works and stimulating cultural consumption demand.

Vertical integration and corporate value under uncertainty shock: Evidence from the COVID-19 pandemic

Using the exogenous shock of the COVID-19 pandemic, we examine whether vertical integration creates value for firms when facing increasing uncertainty. Using cross-sectional data during the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, we find that there is a significant and positive correlation between vertical integration and cumulative abnormal return in the event window of the COVID-19. Furthermore, when external transaction costs are higher or internal organization costs are lower during the COVID-19 pandemic, the above results are more pronounced. Our results indicate that vertical integration could avoid uncertainty, reduce transaction costs, hence improving corporate value, providing empirical evidence for theories about the uncertainty and vertical integration in transaction-cost economics.

Vertical integration and corporate value under the uncertainty shock: Natural experiment evidence from the COVID-19 pandemic

Using the exogenous shock of the COVID-19 pandemic, we examine whether vertical integration creates value for firms when facing increasing uncertainty. Using cross-sectional data during the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, we find that there is a significant and positive correlation between vertical integration and cumulative abnormal return in the event window of the COVID-19. Furthermore, when external transaction costs are higher or internal organization costs are lower during the COVID-19 pandemic, the above results are more pronounced. Our results indicate that vertical integration could avoid uncertainty, reduce transaction costs, hence improving corporate value, providing empirical evidence for theories about the uncertainty and vertical integration in transaction-cost economics.

Starts and Refutations of the Covid-19 Epidemic Rumors: Evidence from the Reaction of the Stock Market

By manually collecting data on Internet-based rumors concerning COVID-19, we investigate the market reactions to the spread of such rumors and the government’s refutation of them. We find that frightening (reassuring) rumors have a negative (positive) impact on investors. The refutation of frightening rumors triggers a positive market response, whereas the refutation of reassuring rumors does not cause a significant market reaction. Further analysis shows that there is a stock price drift when frightening rumors are refuted by governments. Our conclusions remain robust after considering endogeneity. Our findings support the notion that epidemic-related rumors affect investors’ decisions, which add to literatures of the market responses of companies in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic and provide incremental evidence for the “the spiral of silence” theory.

Comparative analysis of single cell lung atlas of bat, cat, tiger, and pangolin.

Horseshoe bats (Rhinolophus sinicus) might help maintain coronaviruses severely affecting human health, such as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV). Bats may be more tolerant of viral infection than other mammals due to their unique immune system, but the exact mechanism remains to be fully explored. During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, multiple animal species were diseased by coronavirus infection, especially in the respiratory system. Herein, a comparative analysis with single nucleus transcriptomic data of the lungs across four species, including horseshoe bat, cat, tiger, and pangolin, were conducted. The distribution of entry factors for twenty-eight respiratory viruses was characterized for the four species. Our findings might increase our understanding of the immune background of horseshoe bats.

ECG Utilization Patterns of Patients With Arrhythmias During COVID-19 Epidemic and Post-SARS-CoV-2 Eras in Shanghai, China.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has led to concerns around its subsequent impact on global health. Objective: To investigate the health-seeking behavior, reflected by ECG utilization patterns, of patients with non-COVID-19 diseases during and after COVID-19 epidemic. Methods: Taking advantage of the remote ECG system covering 278 medical institutions throughout Shanghai, the numbers of medical visits with ECG examinations during the lockdown (between January 23 and April 7, 2020), post-lockdown (between April 8 and December 31, 2020) and post-SARS-CoV-2 (between January 23 and April 7, 2021) periods were analyzed and compared against those during the same periods of the preceding years (2018 and 2019). Results: Compared with the same period during pre-COVID years, the number of medical visits decreased during the lockdown (a 38% reduction), followed by a rebound post-lockdown (a 17% increase) and a fall to the baseline level in post-SARS-CoV-2 period. The number of new COVID-19 cases announced on a given day significantly correlated negatively with the numbers of medical visits during the following 7 days. Medical visit dynamics differed for various arrhythmias. Whereas medical visits for sinus bradycardia exhibited a typical decrease-rebound-fallback pattern, medical visits for atrial fibrillation did not fall during the lockdown but did exhibit a subsequent increase during the post-lockdown period. By comparison, the volume for ventricular tachycardia remained constant throughout this entire period. Conclusion: The ECG utilization patterns of patients with arrhythmias exhibited a decrease-rebound-fallback pattern following the COVID-19 lockdowns. Medical visits for diseases with more severe symptoms were less influenced by the lockdowns, showing a resilient demand for healthcare.

COVID-19 and Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss: A Systematic Review.

A growing body of evidence suggests that patients with the 2019 Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) have a risk of developing sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL). The pathogenesis of COVID-19-related SSNHL remains unclear. This systematic review examined whether COVID-19 causes an increased incidence of SSNHL and the clinical characteristics of patients with COVID-19-related SSNHL according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. SSNHL usually developed between a few days and 2 months after the diagnosis of COVID-19, and a proportion of patients developed it before the diagnosis of COVID-19. The literature is inconsistent regarding whether COVID-19 causes an increased incidence of SSNHL, and this matter remains unclear. This review included 23 patients with COVID-19-related SSNHL, all adult patients with an average age of 43.1 years. Of these patients, 60.9% had accompanying tinnitus symptoms. Glucocorticoids are the preferred medication to treat COVID-19-related SSNHL. Intratympanic administration may be considered to reduce the side effects of the drug. Hearing tests are suggested when hearing loss is suspected in COVID-19 individuals, and if SSNHL is detected, prompt and aggressive treatment is vital. Large-scale, multicenter research on the pathophysiology, treatment, and prognosis of COVID-19- related SSNHL should be conducted in the future.

Epidemiology, management, and outcomes of atrial fibrillation among 30 million citizens in Shanghai, China from 2015 to 2020: A medical insurance database study.

Background: Atrial fibrillation(AF) has become a significant public health concern in China, with population aging and urbanization. Methods: Data screening was performed for 30,244,930 subjects with medical insurance in the Shanghai Municipal Health Commission database between 2015 and 2020. Patients diagnosed with AF were identified and further assessed for treatment information and clinical outcomes, as well as sex differences and impact of COVID-19 pandemic on AF managment. Findings: AF prevalence was 0.88% in Shanghai, which increased with age and reached 6.70% at subjects 80 years and over. AF was more prevalent in women compared with men (0.89% vs. 0.88%, p<0.0001), which could be attributed to higher AF burden in women over 80 years. Driven by increased prescription of non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants, anticoagulant use increased from 19.46% in 2015 to 56.57% in 2020. The number of left atrial appendage closure increased from 0.16% in 2015 to 1.23% in 2020. Rhythm control strategy was increasingly adopted, as the use of antiarrhythmic drugs doubled and ablation increased by 21% in 2020 compared to 2015. Compared with men, women were less prone to receive rhythm control treatments, including antiarrhythmics, ablation and cardioversion, but more likely to adopt rate control drugs. During the 5.5 years follow-up, the incidences of stroke, transient ischemic attack, systemic embolism, bleeding, myocardial infarction, and in-hospital death were 6.09%, 5.74%, 1.44%, 5.11%, 8.41%, and 12.84% in patients with index diagnosis of AF in 2015, respectively. Interpretation: The burdens of AF and AF-related outcomes in Shanghai are high. Management of AF is markedly improved in recent years, and was not or only slightly impeded by the COVID-19 pandemic. There are sex differences in the prevalence, management, and outcomes of AF. Funding: Shanghai Hospital Development Center, National Natural Science Foundation of China and Shanghai Municipal Science and Technology Commission.

Corrigendum to "The Cumulative Rate of SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Chinese Hemodialysis Patients" [Kidney Int. Rep. 2020 1416-1421].

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1016/j.ekir.2020.07.010.][This corrects the article DOI: 10.1016/j.ekir.2021.07.022.].

Erratum: The Cumulative Rate of SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Chinese Hemodialysis Patients.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1016/j.ekir.2021.07.021.][This corrects the article DOI: 10.1016/j.ekir.2020.07.010.].

Dataset of ultralow temperature refrigeration for COVID 19 vaccine distribution solution.

Most COVID-19 vaccines require temperature control for transportation and storage. Two types of vaccine have been developed by manufacturers (Pfizer and Moderna). Both vaccines are based on mRNA and lipid nanoparticles requiring low temperature storage. The Pfizer vaccine requires ultra-low temperature storage (-80 °C to -60 °C), while the Moderna vaccine requires -30 °C storage. However, the last stage of distribution is quite challenging, especially for rural or suburban areas, where local towns, pharmacy chains and hospitals may not have the infrastructure required to store the vaccine at the required temperature. In addition, there is limited data available to address ancillary challenges of the distribution framework for both transportation and storage stages, including safety concerns due to human exposure to large amounts of CO2 from dry-ice sublimation, issues due to the pressure increase caused by dry-ice sublimation, and the potential issue caused by non-uniform cryogenic temperatures. As such, there is a need for test dataset to assist the development of a quick, effective, secure, and safe solution to mitigate the challenges faced by vaccine distribution logistics.

Coping strategies, stigmatizing attitude, and cyberbullying among Chinese college students during the COVID-19 lockdown.

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic provides hotbed for hatred and violence, which could be especially true among college students, the most active users of internet and social media. Based on a national sample of Chinese college students (N = 1,673), the present study aims to explore the clustered nature of stress coping strategies, as well as its associations with the participants' stigmatizing attitude and cyberbullying behaviors towards people in Hubei Province, the place where the first COVID-19 case was reported and recognized as China's epicenter of the pandemic. Four latent subgroups were first identified among the participants based on type and comparative adoption rate of their coping strategies, namely the emotional coping group, the inactive coping group, the support-seeking and positive coping group, and the independent and positive coping group. The significant associations between coping strategy patterns and stigmatizing attitude and cyberbullying behaviors were reported, respectively. The two were most likely to happen among the participants using emotional coping while the least likely among the independent and positive coping group. This study provides empirical supports for combating the secondary disasters of the pandemic, namely stigma and cyberbullying, by identifying the role of emotional and positive coping strategies.

A study on computational fluid dynamics modeling of a refrigerated container for COVID-19 vaccine distribution with experimental validation

A key issue with the distribution of vaccines to prevent COVID-19 is the temperature level required during transport, storage, and distribution. Typical refrigerated transport containers can provide a temperature-controlled environment down to −30 °C. However, the Pfizer vaccine must be carefully transported and stored under a lower temperature between −80 °C and − 60 °C. One way to provide the required temperature is to pack the vaccine vials into small packages containing dry ice. Dry ice sublimates from a solid to a gas, which limits the allowable transport duration. This can be mitigated by transporting in a − 30 °C refrigerated container. Moreover, because the dry ice will sublimate and thereby release CO 2 gas into the transport container, monitoring the CO 2 concentration within the refrigerated container is also essential. In the present work, a 3D computational fluid dynamics model was developed based on a commercially available refrigerated container and validated with experimental data. The airflow, temperature distribution, and CO 2 concentration within the container were obtained from the simulations. The modeling results can provide guidance on preparing experimental setups, thus saving time and lowering cost, and also provide insight into safety precautions needed to avoid hazardous conditions associated with the release of CO 2 during vaccine distribution. [ FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of International Communications in Heat & Mass Transfer is the property of Pergamon Press - An Imprint of Elsevier Science and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full . (Copyright applies to all s.)

Single cell atlas for 11 non-model mammals, reptiles and birds.

The availability of viral entry factors is a prerequisite for the cross-species transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Large-scale single-cell screening of animal cells could reveal the expression patterns of viral entry genes in different hosts. However, such exploration for SARS-CoV-2 remains limited. Here, we perform single-nucleus RNA sequencing for 11 non-model species, including pets (cat, dog, hamster, and lizard), livestock (goat and rabbit), poultry (duck and pigeon), and wildlife (pangolin, tiger, and deer), and investigated the co-expression of ACE2 and TMPRSS2. Furthermore, cross-species analysis of the lung cell atlas of the studied mammals, reptiles, and birds reveals core developmental programs, critical connectomes, and conserved regulatory circuits among these evolutionarily distant species. Overall, our work provides a compendium of gene expression profiles for non-model animals, which could be employed to identify potential SARS-CoV-2 target cells and putative zoonotic reservoirs.

COVID 19 vaccine distribution solution to the last mile challenge: Experimental and simulation studies of ultra-low temperature refrigeration system.

Most COVID-19 vaccines require ambient temperature control for transportation and storage. Both Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are based on mRNA and lipid nanoparticles requiring low temperature storage. The Pfizer vaccine requires ultra-low temperature storage (between -80 °C and -60 °C), while the Moderna vaccine requires -30 °C storage. Pfizer has designed a reusable package for transportation and storage that can keep the vaccine at the target temperature for 10 days. However, the last stage of distribution is quite challenging, especially for rural or suburban areas, where local towns, pharmacy chains and hospitals may not have the infrastructure required to store the vaccine. Also, the need for a large amount of ultra-low temperature refrigeration equipment in a short time period creates tremendous pressure on the equipment suppliers. In addition, there is limited data available to address ancillary challenges of the distribution framework for both transportation and storage stages. As such, there is a need for a quick, effective, secure, and safe solution to mitigate the challenges faced by vaccine distribution logistics. The study proposes an effective, secure, and safe ultra-low temperature refrigeration solution to resolve the vaccine distribution last mile challenge. The approach is to utilize commercially available products, such as refrigeration container units, and retrofit them to meet the vaccine storage temperature requirement. Both experimental and simulation studies are conducted to evaluate the technical merits of this solution with the ability to control temperature at -30 °C or -70 °C as part of the last mile supply chain for vaccine candidates.

Forecasting COVID-19 pandemic in Alberta, Canada using modified ARIMA models.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Auto regressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) model is a popular model to forecast future values of a time series using the past values of the same series. However, if the variance of the time series varies with time, the 95% confidence interval estimated by the ARIMA will not be accurate. This study proposes a method to revise the ARIMA model to suit time series with heteroscedasticity. METHODS: Multiple historical ARIMA models were constructed with publicly available COVID-19 data in Alberta, Canada. The time series between different time periods were applied for these models. The means and their 95% confidence intervals of the differences between the forecasted values and the corresponding actual values were computed. The forecasted values of the general ARIMA models were modified by adding these differences. RESULTS: The average incident cases forecasted with the proposed method are lower than those with a general ARIMA model during the forecasted period. The 95% confidence intervals of the forecasted incidence with the proposed method are narrower. During the forecasted period (13 weeks) the average incidence was predicted to increase first and then decrease exponentially. CONCLUSION: The proposed method can be used to automatically specify the best ARIMA model, to fit time series with heteroscedasticity and to forecast longer period of the trends in the future. In the next 13 weeks, the Covid-19 incidence may decrease but not eliminate. To stop the transmission of infections eventually, persistent effects complying with accurate forecasts are necessary.