Passenger Perceptions, Information Preferences, and Usability of Crowding Visualizations on Public Displays in Transit Stations and Vehicles

Large crowds in public transit stations and vehicles introduce obstacles for wayfinding, hygiene, and physical distancing. Public displays that currently provide on-site transit information could also provide critical crowdedness information. Therefore, we examined people's crowd perceptions and information preferences before and during the pandemic, and designs for visualizing crowdedness to passengers. We first report survey results with public transit users (n = 303), including the usability results of three crowdedness visualization concepts. Then, we present two animated crowd simulations on public displays that we evaluated in a field study (n = 44). We found that passengers react very positively to crowding information, especially before boarding a vehicle. Visualizing the exact physical spaces occupied on transit vehicles was most useful for avoiding crowded areas. However, visualizing the overall fullness of vehicles was the easiest to understand. We discuss design implications for communicating crowding information to support decision-making and promote a sense of safety. © 2023 ACM.

Research progress of ulinastatin in treatment of COVID-19.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is still spreading worldwide. At present, no specific drug has been developed for the virus. Ulinastatin plays an important role in anti-inflammatory. Clinically, it is mainly used in acute pancreatitis, shock and disseminated intravascular coagulation. It also has the effects of antioxidant stress, anticoagulation and immune regulation, which may be of great significance to reduce the severity and mortality of COVID-19. Combined with the pharmacological effect of ulinastatin and its clinical application in the treatment of COVID-19 complications such as acute respiratory distress syndrome and sepsis lung injury, this paper discusses the feasibility of its application in COVID-19, so as to provide help for the clinical treatment and new drug research and development of this disease.Copyright © 2022 Tianjin Press of Chinese Herbal Medicines. All Rights Reserved.

Molecular Crowding Modulates SARS-CoV-2 Aptamer Affinity

SARS-CoV-2 aptamer is a favorable candidate for the recognition and detection of SARS-CoV-2, owing to its small size and easy synthesis. However, the issue of compromised binding affinities in real samples and targeting mutant SARS-CoV-2 hinder wide applications of the aptamer. In this study, it is discovered that molecular crowding could increase binding affinity of CoV2-6C3 aptamer against RBD (Receptor Binding Domain) of SARS-CoV-2 via increasing the absolute value of the enthalpy change. The values of the equilibrium dissociation constant in molecular crowding decrease by 70% and 150%, respectively, against wild-type and mutant RBD compared with those in buffer without crowding. Moreover, the detection limit of SARS-CoV-2 pseudovirus is up to 5 times lower under molecular crowding compared to dilute conditions. The discovery deepens the understanding of aptamer-target interaction mechanisms in crowding conditions and provides an effective way to apply SARS-CoV-2 aptamer for virus recognition and detection.

Comparing the Effects of Traditional Media and Social Media Use on General Trust in China During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Although previous studies have indicated a generally positive association between social media use and general trust, the differential impacts of traditional media and social media on general trust and their underlying mechanisms have yet to be fully elaborated. Drawing on the three-dimensional definition of social capital (i.e., personal networks, social norms, and interpersonal trust) as its theoretical framework, this study comparatively examines the impacts of traditional media and social media on general trust, focusing on the mediating role of social capital. Analyses of survey data from China (N = 1,519) during the first stage of COVID-19 demonstrate that social media has a positive relationship with general trust. In addition, social media has two opposing indirect effects on general trust through increased interpersonal trust and personal networks. In contrast, traditional media use has no positive relationship with general trust, either directly or indirectly, although it has a positive relationship with social norms. The differential consequences of using traditional media and social media on general trust are discussed from the perspective of social capital.

Long-Term Efficacy and Safety of Zanubrutinib in Patients with Relapsed/Refractory (R/R) Marginal Zone Lymphoma (MZL): Final Analysis of the Magnolia (BGB-3111-214) Trial

Introduction: Advanced MZL is generally incurable, with periods of remission and relapse. Zanubrutinib (BGB-3111), a potent and highly specific next-generation Bruton tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitor, was approved in the US and Canada for R/R MZL based on the MAGNOLIA primary analysis (BGB- 3111-214;NCT03846427);here, the final MAGNOLIA analysis is presented. Method(s): This was a phase 2, multicenter, single-arm study of adult patients (pts) with R/R MZL (>=1 prior CD20-directed therapy). Zanubrutinib (160 mg twice daily) was given until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. The primary endpoint was overall response rate (ORR) by independent review committee (IRC) per Lugano classification. Secondary endpoints were investigator-assessed ORR, duration of response (DOR), progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and safety. Efficacy was assessed by positron emission tomography (PET)-based Lugano criteria for IRC-confirmed fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG)-avid disease at baseline;non-avid disease was assessed by computed tomography (CT)-based criteria. Result(s): As of May 4, 2022, 68 pts were treated (median age=70 y [range 37-95];>=75 y=27.9%). MZL subtypes included extranodal (38.2%), nodal (38.2%), splenic (17.6%), and unknown (5.9%). The median number of prior therapies was 2 (range 1-6);32.4% of pts had disease refractory to last therapy, most (89.7%) had prior chemoimmunotherapy, and 7 (10.3%) had rituximab monotherapy as their only prior treatment. Sixty-one pts (89.7%) had FDG-avid disease. After a median follow-up of 28.0 mos (range 1.6-32.9) and a median treatment duration of 24.2 mos (range 0.9-32.9), 66 pts were efficacy- evaluable. IRC-assessed ORR (complete response [CR]+partial response [PR]) was 68.2% (CR=25.8%). By subtype, (Figure Presented)(Figure Presented)ORR/CR rates were 64.0%/40.0% (extranodal), 76.0%/20.0% (nodal), 66.7%/8.3% (splenic), and 50.0%/25.0% (unknown). Median DOR, PFS, and OS were not reached. Over 70.0% of pts were alive or progression-free after 2 years (Figure). Sensitivity analysis using only CT-based criteria (n=66) showed an ORR of 66.7% and CR of 24.2%. The most common treatment-emergent AEs were bruising (23.5%), diarrhea (22.1%), and constipation (17.6%). Neutropenia (8.8%) and COVID-19 pneumonia (5.9%) were the most common Grade >=3 AEs. Five pts (7.4%) died due to unrelated AEs: COVID-19 pneumonia=2, acute myeloid leukemia=1, myocardial infarction=1, septic encephalopathy=1. Hypertension occurred in 3 pts (4.4%), atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter in 1 pt (1.5%) each;none led to treatment withdrawal. One pt (1.5%) had a Grade 3 gastrointestinal hemorrhage while receiving rivaroxaban. None of the pts required dose reduction. Conclusion(s): In this final analysis with over 2 years of median follow-up, zanubrutinib continues to demonstrate durable disease control and was generally well tolerated, with no new safety signals observedCopyright © 2023 American Society for Transplantation and Cellular Therapy

Perceived Cognitive Deficits in Patients With Symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 and Their Association With Post-COVID-19 Condition.

Importance: Neuropsychiatric symptoms are common in acute SARS-CoV-2 infection and in post-COVID-19 condition (PCC; colloquially known as long COVID), but the association between early presenting neuropsychiatric symptoms and PCC is unknown. Objective: To describe the characteristics of patients with perceived cognitive deficits within the first 4 weeks of SARS-CoV-2 infection and the association of those deficits with PCC symptoms. Design, Setting, and Participants: This prospective cohort study was conducted from April 2020 to February 2021, with follow-up of 60 to 90 days. The cohort consisted of adults enrolled in the University of California, Los Angeles, SARS-CoV-2 Ambulatory Program who had a laboratory-confirmed symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection and were either hospitalized in a University of California, Los Angeles, hospital or one of 20 local health care facilities, or were outpatients referred by a primary care clinician. Data analysis was performed from March 2022 to February 2023. Exposure: Laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection. Main Outcomes and Measures: Patients responded to surveys that included questions about perceived cognitive deficits modified from the Perceived Deficits Questionnaire, Fifth Edition, (ie, trouble being organized, trouble concentrating, and forgetfulness) and symptoms of PCC at 30, 60, and 90 days after hospital discharge or initial laboratory-confirmed infection of SARS-CoV-2. Perceived cognitive deficits were scored on a scale from 0 to 4. Development of PCC was determined by patient self-report of persistent symptoms 60 or 90 days after initial SARS-CoV-2 infection or hospital discharge. Results: Of 1296 patients enrolled in the program, 766 (59.1%) (mean [SD] age, 60.0 [16.7] years; 399 men [52.1%]; 317 Hispanic/Latinx patients [41.4%]) completed the perceived cognitive deficit items at 30 days after hospital discharge or outpatient diagnosis. Of the 766 patients, 276 (36.1%) perceived a cognitive deficit, with 164 (21.4%) having a mean score of greater than 0 to 1.5 and 112 patients (14.6 %) having a mean score greater than 1.5. Prior cognitive difficulties (odds ratio [OR], 1.46; 95% CI, 1.16-1.83) and diagnosis of depressive disorder (OR, 1.51; 95% CI, 1.23-1.86) were associated with report of a perceived cognitive deficit. Patients reporting perceived cognitive deficits in the first 4 weeks of SARS-CoV-2 infection were more likely to report symptoms of PCC than those without perceived cognitive deficits (118 of 276 patients [42.8%] vs 105 of 490 patients [21.4%]; χ21, 38.9; P < .001). Adjusting for demographic and clinical factors, perceived cognitive deficits in the first 4 weeks of SARS-CoV-2 were associated with PCC symptoms (patients with a cognitive deficit score of >0 to 1.5: OR, 2.42; 95% CI, 1.62-3.60; patients with cognitive deficit score >1.5: OR, 2.97; 95% CI, 1.86-4.75) compared to patients who reported no perceived cognitive deficits. Conclusions and Relevance: These findings suggest that patient-reported perceived cognitive deficits in the first 4 weeks of SARS-CoV-2 infection are associated with PCC symptoms and that there may be an affective component to PCC in some patients. The underlying reasons for PCC merit additional exploration.

Dense Feature Memory Augmented Transformers for COVID-19 Vaccination Search Classification

With the devastating outbreak of COVID-19, vaccines are one of the crucial lines of defense against mass infection in this global pandemic. Given the protection they provide, vaccines are becoming mandatory in certain social and professional settings. This paper presents a classification model for detecting COVID-19 vaccination related search queries, a machine learning model that is used to generate search insights for COVID-19 vaccinations. The proposed method combines and leverages advancements from modern state-of-the-art (SOTA) natural language understanding (NLU) techniques such as pretrained Transformers with traditional dense features. We propose a novel approach of considering dense features as memory tokens that the model can attend to. We show that this new modeling approach enables a significant improvement to the Vaccine Search Insights (VSI) task, improving a strong well-established gradient-boosting baseline by relative +15% improvement in F1 score and +14% in precision. © 2022 Association for Computational Linguistics.

Dynamic correlations of renewable-energy companies: Evidence from a multilayer network model

Against the background of seeking to achieve carbon neutrality, relationships among renewable-energy companies around the world have become multiple and complex. In this work, the Pearson, Kendall, tail, and partial correlation coefficients were applied to 51 global companies - including solar and wind firms, independent power plants, and utilities - to explore the linear, nonlinear, extreme-risk, and direct relations between them. Sample data from 7 August 2015 to 6 August 2021 were considered, and three sub-periods were extracted from these sample data by analysis of the evolution of multiple correlations combined with event analysis. A four-layer correlation network model was then constructed. The main results are as follows. (1) The multiple relations among the selected firms underwent dramatic changes during two external shocks (the China-US trade war and the COVID-19 pandemic). (2) The extreme-risk network layer verified that the trade war mainly affected the relationships among companies in the solar industries of China and the US. (3) During the COVID-19 pandemic period, the linear and direct relationships among wind firms from Canada, Spain, and Germany were significantly increased. In this sub-period, edge-weight distributions of the four different layers were heterogeneous and varied from power-law features to Gaussian distributions. (4) During all the sub-periods, most companies had similar numbers of neighbors, while the numbers of neighbors of a few companies varied greatly in the four different layers. These findings provide a useful reference for stakeholders and may help them understand the connectedness and evolution of global renewable-energy markets. © 2023 Author(s).

INTERDISCIPLINARY TELEHEALTH REFERRAL PATHWAY AND CONSULTATIONS TO IMPROVE OUTCOMES AMONG CANADIAN OLDER ADULTS WITH LIVER CIRRHOSIS

Background Telehealth and telemedicine have become indispensable healthcare delivery tools during the COVID-19 pandemic. Older individuals with cirrhosis have complex medical needs that are currently unmet due to the growing disease burden and decreased access to care. Delivering timely specialist care virtually to older adults with cirrhosis will likely be beneficial and acceptable to such patients;however, this has not yet been prospectively evaluated. Purpose The primary goal is to pilot the delivery of dual specialist care from a hepatologist and geriatrician, delivered virtually, for older adults living with liver cirrhosis who are at high risk of geriatric syndromes (age >/= 65 with frailty, undifferentiated cognitive impairment from dementia or hepatic encephalopathy, recurrent falls, risk factors for polypharmacy and moderate to severe malnutrition). Care is delivered using a dedicated hepatology-geriatric referral pathway. Primary objectives include evaluating the impact of this approach on emergency care and inpatient utilization, along with patient attitude and satisfaction to the virtual interdisciplinary care delivery model. Method This pilot quality improvement study was conducted in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Ethics approval was obtained from the Nova Scotia Health Research Ethics Board and the University of Alberta Research Ethics Board. Fifty to one hundred participants (age 65 years or older with at least one geriatric syndrome;diagnosis of liver cirrhosis by liver elastography or liver biopsy, or Fibrosis-4 Index for Liver Fibrosis greater than three and having radiological features of cirrhosis and/or portal hypertension) were recruited between September 2022 to December 2022 at the time of their hepatology consultation. After consent and screening, each patient underwent a telehealth appointment by zoom with a geriatrician within four weeks of their initial hepatology assessment. Follow-up by telephone using a standardized survey regarding ease of access and quality of their telehealth experience then occurred at 3-4 weeks, 3 months and 6 months for emergency room visits and hospital admission status. Result(s) Pending Conclusion(s) Pending Please acknowledge all funding agencies by checking the applicable boxes below Other Please indicate your source of funding;Pfizer Canada Disclosure of Interest J. Zhu Grant / Research support from: Pfizer Canada, F. Carr Grant / Research support from: Pfizer Canada, P. Tian: None Declared, M. McLeod: None Declared, M. MacFarlane: None Declared, S. De Coutere: None Declared, M. Sun: None Declared, K. Peltekian: None Declared

Stimuli-responsive hydrogels for cancer immunotherapy

Immunotherapy plays an important role in cancer treatment by activating or suppressing the immune system. However, there are still a series of challenges to overcome regarding the delivery vehicles of immunotherapeutic agents and their effective activation at tumor sites. Meanwhile, owing to their well-hydrated environment and capability of immobilizing biological cargos, hydrogels in combination with immunotherapies provide a chance to enhance the antitumor immune response with reduced side effects. In addition, stimuli-responsiveness has been also widely applied to optimize the pharmacokinetics with an improved therapeutic outcome. In this review, we discuss the opportunities for the combination of immunotherapy and stimuli-responsive hydrogels, such as light, temperature, ultrasound and magnetically responsive hydrogels, for effective cancer treatment. Finally, we explore the potential of stimuli-responsive hydrogels as vaccine implants against cancer and Covid-19.

Computational tools for aptamer identification and optimization

Aptamers are single-stranded DNA or RNA oligonucleotides that can selectively bind to a specific target. They are generally obtained by SELEX, but the procedure is challenging and time-consuming. Moreover, the identified aptamers tend to be insufficient in stability, specificity, and affinity. Thus, only a handful of aptamers have entered the practical use stage. Recently, computational approaches have demonstrated a significant capacity to assist in the discovery of high-performance aptamers. This review discusses the advances achieved in several aspects of computational tools in this field, as well as the new progress in machine learning and deep learning, which are used in aptamer identification and optimization. To illustrate these computationally aided processes, aptamer selections against SARS-CoV-2 are discussed in detail as a case study. We hope that this review will aid and motivate researchers to develop and utilize more computational techniques to discover ideal aptamers effectively. Copyright © 2022 Elsevier B.V.

Data Mining and Network Pharmacology on Tibetan Medicine Prescriptions for the Prevention and Treatment of COVID-19

In this paper, the compatibility rules and drug combinations of Tibetan medicine prescriptions are explored, and the possible anti-epidemic mechanism is analyzed from the perspectives of biological network and signaling pathway, so as to provide reference for scientifically elaborating the potential value of ancient Tibetan medicine in preventing epidemic diseases. Association rules and clustering analysis are used for Tibetan drug mining. A total of 18 prescriptions involving 113 Tibetan medicinal materials were included, and 26 high-frequency Tibetan medicinal materials with the statistical frequency ≥3 are included, most of which are medicinal materials for clearing heat, detoxicating, eliminating plague. Thirteen potential drug combinations are obtained through association rule analysis. The KMean clustering and hierarchical clustering were used for clustering analysis to obtain five drug clusters, and the "Bamusaeconcretiosilicea - Carthami Flos"combination was selected for network pharmacology research by comparing the two methods. After drug target and pathway analysis, "Bamusaeconcretiosilicea - Carthami Flos"through MAPK cascade, response to oxygen level, reactive oxygen species metabolism process, PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, NF- κ B signaling pathway, cytokine-cytokine Receptor interaction and calcium signaling pathways have certain feasibility for the treatment of immune disease fever in three aspects: immune response, inflammatory response, and oxidative stress. © 2022 IEEE.

Production Capacity Reserve Strategy of Emergency Medical Supplies: Incentive Model for Nonprofit Organizations

In 2020, COVID-19 swept across the globe. To reduce the social harms caused by this public health event, nonprofit organizations (NPOs) cooperated with medical enterprises to produce reserves of emergency medical supplies. In practice, this cooperation was challenged by the different goals of NPOs and medical enterprises and the asymmetry of information between these parties. Enterprises are prone to irregularities or speculative behaviors that can result in insufficient production capacity during public health events, which increase disaster risks. Based on the principal–agent relationship of NPOs and enterprises, this study analyzed a game model between NPOs and enterprises under information asymmetry;constructed an incentive model for reserve emergency medical supply production capacity;and solved the optimal reward and punishment coefficients of NPOs, optimal effort level of enterprises, and benefits of disaster reduction. The study also verified the validity of the model using numerical examples and a sensitivity analysis. In taking up the findings of the study, this paper discusses the effects of several important exogenous variables on the optimal decision strategies of NPOs and enterprises and offers management-related insights for NPOs. © 2022 by the authors.

Bird's-eye View Social Distancing Analysis System

Social distancing can reduce the infection rates in respiratory pandemics such as COVID-19. Traffic intersections are particularly suitable for monitoring and evaluation of social distancing behavior in metropolises. Hence, in this paper, we propose and evaluate a real-time privacy-preserving social distancing analysis system (B-SDA), which uses bird's-eye view video recordings of pedestrians who cross traffic intersections. We devise algorithms for video pre-processing, object detection, and tracking which are rooted in the known computer-vision and deep learning techniques, but modified to address the problem of detecting very small objects/pedestrians captured by a highly elevated camera. We propose a method for incorporating pedestrian grouping for detection of social distancing violations, which achieves 0.92 F1 score. B-SDA is used to compare pedestrian behavior in pre-pandemic and during-pandemic videos in uptown Manhattan, showing that the social distancing violation rate of 15.6% during the pandemic is notably lower than 31.4% prepandemic baseline.

ZANUBRUTINIB IN OLDER PATIENTS (PTS) WITH RELAPSED/REFRACTORY (R/R) MARGINAL ZONE LYMPHOMA (MZL): SUBGROUP ANALYSIS OF THE MAGNOLIA STUDY

Background: MZL is the second most common lymphoma in older pts. Choosing an optimal treatment can be challenging because of patient-or disease-related risk factors and treatment-related toxicities (Curr Opin Oncol. 2019;31(5):386-393). Zanubrutinib is a potent, irreversible next-generation Bruton tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitor designed to maximize BTK occupancy and minimize off-target kinase inhibition, which may improve efficacy outcomes and minimize toxicities, such as cardiac arrythmias and bleeding events. Zanubrutinib received accelerated approval from the United States FDA for the treatment of pts with R/R MZL (Haematologica . 2022;107(1):35-43). Aims: We aim to present a subgroup analysis of efficacy and safety of zanubrutinib in pts aged ≥65 years with R/R MZL enrolled in MAGNOLIA (BGB-3111-214;NCT03846427). Methods: MAGNOLIA is a phase 2, multicenter, single-arm study of adults with R/R MZL who had received ≥1 line of therapy including ≥1 CD20-directed regimen. All were treated with zanubrutinib 160 mg twice daily until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Use of long-term antiplatelet and anticoagulation agents was permitted. The primary endpoint was overall response rate (ORR;complete response [CR] and partial response [PR]) determined by an independent review committee (IRC) in accordance with the Lugano classification. Secondary endpoints include ORR by investigator assessment (INV), duration of response (DOR), progression-free survival (PFS), and safety. All pts gave informed consent. Results: As of 18 January 2021, a total of 68 pts were enrolled (Table). Forty (61%) pts were ≥65 years old with a median age of 73 (range, 65-85);18 pts were ≥75 years old. Median number of prior therapies was 2 (range, 1-6) and 10 (25%) pts were refractory to last therapy. Most pts received prior rituximab + cyclophosphamide + vincristine + prednisone (48%) or bendamustine + rituximab (30%), while 5 (13%) pts received rituximab monotherapy. MZL subtypes included extranodal (n=17, 43%), nodal (n=14, 35%), and splenic (n=8, 20%). Median duration of treatment was 14.4 months (mo;range, 0.9-19.6). At a median follow-up of 15.8 mo (range, 2.8-21.8), ORR by IRC was 75% (CR 25%, PR 50%;Table). Responses were observed in all subtypes, with an ORR of 71%, 86%, and 75% in extranodal, nodal, and splenic subtypes, respectively (CR 41%, 21%, and 0%, respectively). Median DOR and PFS were not reached;15-month PFS was 87% and 12-month DOR was 93%. Most (63%) pts are continuing zanubrutinib. Treatment discontinuation due to disease progression was 28% by INV. Most common treatmentemergent adverse events (AEs) observed in ≥20% of pts include contusion (28%), diarrhea (25%), and constipation (20%). Grade ≥3 neutropenia occurred in 5% of pts. The most common infection was upper respiratory tract infection (10%). Two (5%) pts discontinued zanubrutinib due to unrelated fatal AEs (COVID-19 pneumonia and myocardial infarction in a patient with pre-existing coronary artery disease). Atrial fibrillation/flutter and hypertension occurred in 2 (5%) pts each and did not lead to treatment discontinuation. No pts required dose reductions, or experienced major or serious hemorrhage. Image: Summary/Conclusion: The safety profile of zanubrutinib observed in older pts was consistent with previously published results (Clin Cancer Res . 2021;27(23):6323-6332). Zanubrutinib was well tolerated and effective, as demonstrated by a high response rate and durable disease control in older pts with R/R MZL.

Characteristics of PM2.5 and PM10 Spatio-Temporal Distribution and Influencing Meteorological Conditions in Beijing

PM2.5 and PM10 in the atmosphere seriously affect human health and air quality, a situation which has aroused widespread concern. In this paper, we analyze the temporal and spatial distribution of PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations from 2016 to 2021 based on real-time monitoring data. In addition, we also explore the influence of meteorological conditions on pollutants. The results show that PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations are similarly distribution in temporal and spatial from 2016 to 2021, and the average concentrations of both show a decreasing trend. The ratio of PM2.5 to PM10 is decreasing, indicating that the proportion of fine particles is declining. PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations are higher in spring and winter, but lower in summer. Spatially, it shows a gradual shift from the characteristic of "high in the south and low in the north" to a uniform homogenization across districts. The spatial distribution of PM2.5 and PM10 mass concentrations is synchronous by applying empirical orthogonal functions (EOF). The first EOF pattern exhibits a consistent characteristic of high in the southeast and low in the northwest. The second pattern EOF reflects the effect of impairing PM2.5 concentrations in the southeast during the winter of 2016-2018. The PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations are significantly negatively correlated with wind speed and precipitation in both spring and winter. On the other hand, from the perspective of the circulation situation, the southeasterly and weak westerly wind in spring produce convergence resulting in higher particulate matter concentrations in the south than in the north in Beijing. The westerly wind is flatter at 700 hPa geopotential height, which is conducive to the formation of stationary weather. The vertical direction of airflow in spring and winter is dominated by convergence and sinking, indicating the weak dispersion ability of the atmosphere. The reason for the accumulation of particulate matter at the surface is investigated, which is beneficial to provide the theoretical basis for air quality management and pollution control in Beijing.

Prediction-driven collaborative emergency medical resource allocation with deep learning and optimization

This study addresses two key issues, ie, the “cold-start problem” in transmission prediction of new or rare epidemics and the collaborative allocation of emergency medical resources considering multiple objectives. These two issues have not yet been well addressed in data-driven emergency medical resource allocation systems. A decision support prediction-then-optimization framework combing deep learning and optimization is developed to address these two issues. Two transfer learning based convolutional neural network models are built for epidemic transmission predictions in the initial and the subsequent outbreak regions using transfer learning to deal with the “cold-start problem”. A prediction-driven collaborative emergency medical resource allocation model is built to address the issue of collaborative decisions by simultaneously considering the inter- and intra-echelon resource flows in a multi-echelon system and considering the efficiency and fairness as the objective functions. A case study of the COVID-19 pandemic shows that combining transfer learning and convolutional neural networks can improve the performances of epidemic transmission predictions, and good predictions can improve both the efficiency and fairness of emergency medical resource allocation decisions. Moreover, the computational results show that the prediction errors are asymmetrically amplified in the optimization stage, and the shortage of the resource reserve quantity mediates the asymmetrical amplification effect. © Operational Research Society 2022.

Research progress of ulinastatin in treatment of COVID-19

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is still spreading worldwide. At present, no specific drug has been developed for the virus. Ulinastatin plays an important role in anti-inflammatory. Clinically, it is mainly used in acute pancreatitis, shock and disseminated intravascular coagulation. It also has the effects of antioxidant stress, anticoagulation and immune regulation, which may be of great significance to reduce the severity and mortality of COVID-19. Combined with the pharmacological effect of ulinastatin and its clinical application in the treatment of COVID-19 complications such as acute respiratory distress syndrome and sepsis lung injury, this paper discusses the feasibility of its application in COVID-19, so as to provide help for the clinical treatment and new drug research and development of this disease. © 2022 Tianjin Press of Chinese Herbal Medicines. All Rights Reserved.

The effects of self-generated and other-generated eWOM in inoculating against misinformation

This study examines the effects of self-generated and other-generated electronic word-of-mouth communication (eWOM) in inoculating individuals against potential misinformation. A three-phase between-subject experiment (N = 543) was conducted to compare the persuasive effects of inoculation messages combined with different eWOM content (self-generated, other-generated, and inoculation only) over two health topics (Covid-19 vaccine and e-cigarette). The results show that exposure to inoculation messages did not significantly increase resistance to misinformation. But inoculation messages combined with other-generated eWOM helped the participants develop more negative attitudes toward alternative smoking immediately after exposure to the inoculation stimuli. The participants who wrote eWOM after exposure to inoculation messages were more resistant to the attack of misinformation in Phase 3. Self-generated and other-generated eWOM did not significantly differ in their persuasive effects in any phases. The findings extend the literature on the effects of WOM in the inoculation process and offer theoretical implications over inoculation theory in online contexts. The study provides empirical guidance on using inoculation messages to combat misinformation in social media. © 2022 Elsevier Ltd

Factors Associated with Post-Acute Sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 (PASC) After Diagnosis of Symptomatic COVID-19 in the Inpatient and Outpatient Setting in a Diverse Cohort.

BACKGROUND: The incidence of persistent clinical symptoms and risk factors in Post-Acute Sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 (PASC) in diverse US cohorts is unclear. While there are a disproportionate share of COVID-19 deaths in older patients, ethnic minorities, and socially disadvantaged populations in the USA, little information is available on the association of these factors and PASC. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the association of demographic and clinical characteristics with development of PASC. DESIGN: Prospective observational cohort of hospitalized and high-risk outpatients, April 2020 to February 2021. PARTICIPANTS: One thousand thirty-eight adults with laboratory-confirmed symptomatic COVID-19 infection. MAIN MEASURES: Development of PASC determined by patient report of persistent symptoms on questionnaires conducted 60 or 90 days after COVID-19 infection or hospital discharge. Demographic and clinical factors associated with PASC. KEY RESULTS: Of 1,038 patients with longitudinal follow-up, 309 patients (29.8%) developed PASC. The most common persistent symptom was fatigue (31.4%) followed by shortness of breath (15.4%) in hospitalized patients and anosmia (15.9%) in outpatients. Hospitalization for COVID-19 (odds ratio [OR] 1.49, 95% [CI] 1.04-2.14), having diabetes (OR, 1.39; 95% CI 1.02-1.88), and higher BMI (OR, 1.02; 95% CI 1-1.04) were independently associated with PASC. Medicaid compared to commercial insurance (OR, 0.49; 95% CI 0.31-0.77) and having had an organ transplant (OR 0.44, 95% CI, 0.26-0.76) were inversely associated with PASC. Age, race/ethnicity, Social Vulnerability Index, and baseline functional status were not associated with developing PASC. CONCLUSIONS: Three in ten survivors with COVID-19 developed a subset of symptoms associated with PASC in our cohort. While ethnic minorities, older age, and social disadvantage are associated with worse acute COVID-19 infection and greater risk of death, our study found no association between these factors and PASC.