Turn calamities into blessings: the impact of resource reconfiguration and firm resilience on the company's recovery and growth in the COVID-19 times

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to construct an integrated theoretical framework of firm resilience, and examine the relationship between resource reconfiguration, firm resilience, disruption impact, profit growth, innovation and environmental uncertainty in the context of COVID-19.Design/methodology/approachA survey was distributed to 220 companies and a total of 207 respondents returned the survey. chief executive officer (CEO) and chief financial officer (CFO) of each company participants in the survey. The hypotheses are tested using structural equation modeling (SEM) technique.FindingsThe results showed that firm resilience can be stimulated through the reconstruction of existing resources, and environmental uncertainty played a moderating role in this process;in turn, the improvement of firm resilience enabled companies to reduce the impact of disruptions, achieve profit growth and promote innovation.Practical implicationsThis study provides practical implications for how business management shapes firm resilience and promotes organization recovery and development.Originality/valueThis study expands the literature of firm resilience by providing an integrated theoretical framework of firm resilience. Firstly, based on the perspective of dynamic capabilities, this study reveals that resource reconfiguration plays a key role in shaping firm resilience. Secondly, this study enriches the boundary research on firm resilience by incorporating environmental uncertainty into the research framework. Thirdly, this study validates the impact of firm resilience on disruption impact, profit growth and innovation of companies, providing sufficient empirical evidence for the outcomes of firm resilience.

Hillock Related Degradation Mechanism for AlGaN-Based UVC LEDs.

Heteroepitaxial growth of high Al-content AlGaN often results in a high density of threading dislocations and surface hexagonal hillocks, which degrade the performance and reliability of AlGaN-based UVC light emitting diodes (LEDs). In this study, the degradation mechanism and impurity/defect behavior of UVC LEDs in relation to the hexagonal hillocks have been studied in detail. It was found that the early degradation of UVC LEDs is primarily caused by electron leakage. The prominent contribution of the hillock edges to the electron leakage is unambiguously evidenced by the transmission electron microscopy measurements, time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry, and conductive atomic force microscopy. Dislocations bunching and segregation of impurities, including C, O, and Si, at the hillock edges are clearly observed, which facilitate the trap-assisted carrier tunneling in the multiple quantum wells and subsequent recombination in the p-AlGaN. This work sheds light on one possible degradation mechanism of AlGaN-based UVC LEDs.

Location Scheme of Routine Nucleic Acid Testing Sites Based on Location-Allocation Models: A Case Study of Shenzhen City

Since late 2019, the explosive outbreak of Coronavirus Disease 19 (COVID-19) has emerged as a global threat, necessitating a worldwide overhaul of public health systems. One critical strategy to prevent virus transmission and safeguard public health, involves deploying Nucleic Acid Testing (NAT) sites. Nevertheless, determining the optimal locations for public NAT sites presents a significant challenge, due to the varying number of sites required in different regions, and the substantial influences of population, the population heterogeneity, and daily dynamics, on the effectiveness of fixed location schemes. To address this issue, this study proposes a data-driven framework based on classical location-allocation models and bi-objective optimization models. The framework optimizes the number and location of NAT sites, while balancing various cost constraints and adapting to population dynamics during different periods of the day. The bi-objective optimization process utilizes the Knee point identification (KPI) algorithm, which is computationally efficient and does not require prior knowledge. A case study conducted in Shenzhen, China, demonstrates that the proposed framework provides a broader service coverage area and better accommodates residents' demands during different periods, compared to the actual layout of NAT sites in the city. The study's findings can facilitate the rapid planning of primary healthcare facilities, and promote the development of sustainable healthy cities.

Complete genome sequencing and molecular genetic evolution analysis of Guangxi mutant of porcine epidemic diarrhea virus

In order to understand the genomic characteristics and molecular genetic diversity of porcine epidemic diarrhea virus(PEDV) in Guangxi in recent years, 11 pairs of specific primers were designed to detect the whole genome of PEDV GXNN isolated from porcine diarrhea in Nanning, Guangxi, China, and similarity comparison, genetic evolution, gene variation and S gene recombination were also analyzed. The results showed that full length of the GXNN strain was 28 035 bp, had similar genomic characteristics with other PEDV isolates, about 96.4%-98.7% nucleotide similarity with different reference strains, and the nucleotide similarity of S, ORF3, M and N genes was 93.7%-98.9%, 90.9%-99.4%, 97.4%-99.7% and 95.6%-99.2%;the amino acid similarity of them was 92.9%-99.5%, 91.3%-99.1%, 97.4%-99.1% and 96.4%-99.5%. GXNN is closely related to most domestic isolates in recent years. Phylogenetic tree showed that GXNN closely related to most strains isolated in China recent years, belonged to GII-b subtype. However, it was low relatedness to classic vaccine strains, domestic early epidemic strains, foreign epidemic strains and Guangxi CH-GX-2015-750 A, they belong to different subtypes. Compared with the 5 vaccine strains, the S gene of GXNN stain has a large variation, by inserting amino acid Q at positions 118 844 and 905 sizes, four unique amino acid mutations in the core neutralizing epitope(COE)region and the main epitope region, and 14 mutations in other regions. 126 T/A, 199 A/V and 103 T/A site mutations of ORF3, M and N genes were happened at position 126, 4 D4 region and PN-D4 region, respectively. Recombination analysis revealed that there was a potential recombination region in the hypervariable region of S gene at 826-3 142 nt. This study successfully obtained the complete genome sequence of a PEDV strain, and analyzed its genetic variation and provided a reference for PEDV molecular epidemiology research and new vaccine development.

Negotiating Complexity: Challenges to Implementing Community-Led Nature-Based Solutions in England Pre- and Post-COVID-19.

Nature-based solutions (NbS), including green social prescribing (GSP), are sustainable ways to address health and wellbeing, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated the strain on healthcare. NbS require national and local cross-sector coordination across complex, interrelated systems, but little is known about the specific challenges this poses for community-led NbS. We carried out a traditional literature review to establish the context and knowledge base for this study and interviewed 26 stakeholders. These came from environment, health and social care sectors at national and local levels, with local-level stakeholders from Bradford and Walsall: English cities significantly affected by the pandemic, with high levels of deprivation and health inequality. The interviews explored experiences of implementing NbS, both pre- and post-pandemic and the resulting renewed interest in the salutogenic effects of engaging with natural environments. We coded the interview transcriptions using NVivo to identify the challenges existing in the systems within which these stakeholders operate to create and manage NbS. By synthesizing what is known about the challenges from existing literature with findings from the interviews, we developed eight categories of challenges (perception and knowledge, political, financial, access to natural spaces, engagement, institutional and organisational, coordination, GSP referral and services) faced by multiple sectors in implementing community-led NbS in England. Furthermore, this study highlights the new challenges related to the pandemic. Identifying these challenges helps stakeholders in existing complex systems recognise what is needed to support and mainstream NbS in England.

Serum Free Zinc Is Associated With Vaccination Response to SARS-CoV-2.

Background: Zinc (Zn) is an essential trace element with high relevance for the immune system, and its deficiency is associated with elevated infection risk and severe disease course. The association of Zn status with the immune response to SARS-CoV-2 vaccination is unknown. Methods: A cohort of adult health care workers (n=126) received two doses of BNT162B2, and provided up to four serum samples over a time course of 6 months. Total SARS-CoV-2 IgG and neutralizing antibody potency was determined, along with total as well as free Zn concentrations. Results: The SARS-CoV-2 antibodies showed the expected rise in response to vaccination, and decreased toward the last sampling point, with highest levels measured three weeks after the second dose. Total serum Zn concentrations were relatively stable over time, and showed no significant association with SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. Baseline total serum Zn concentration and supplemental intake of Zn were both unrelated to the antibody response to SARS-CoV-2 vaccination. Time resolved analysis of free Zn indicated a similar dynamic as the humoral response. A positive correlation was observed between free Zn concentrations and both the induced antibodies and neutralizing antibody potency. Conclusion: While the biomarkers of Zn status and supplemental Zn intake appeared unrelated to the humoral immune response to SARS-CoV-2 vaccination, the observed correlation of free Zn to the induced antibodies indicates a diagnostic value of this novel biomarker for the immune system.

Serum Free Zinc Is Associated With Vaccination Response to SARS-CoV-2

Background Zinc (Zn) is an essential trace element with high relevance for the immune system, and its deficiency is associated with elevated infection risk and severe disease course. The association of Zn status with the immune response to SARS-CoV-2 vaccination is unknown. Methods A cohort of adult health care workers (n=126) received two doses of BNT162B2, and provided up to four serum samples over a time course of 6 months. Total SARS-CoV-2 IgG and neutralizing antibody potency was determined, along with total as well as free Zn concentrations. Results The SARS-CoV-2 antibodies showed the expected rise in response to vaccination, and decreased toward the last sampling point, with highest levels measured three weeks after the second dose. Total serum Zn concentrations were relatively stable over time, and showed no significant association with SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. Baseline total serum Zn concentration and supplemental intake of Zn were both unrelated to the antibody response to SARS-CoV-2 vaccination. Time resolved analysis of free Zn indicated a similar dynamic as the humoral response. A positive correlation was observed between free Zn concentrations and both the induced antibodies and neutralizing antibody potency. Conclusion While the biomarkers of Zn status and supplemental Zn intake appeared unrelated to the humoral immune response to SARS-CoV-2 vaccination, the observed correlation of free Zn to the induced antibodies indicates a diagnostic value of this novel biomarker for the immune system.

Urban-regional disparities in mental health signals in Australia during the COVID-19 pandemic: a study via Twitter data and machine learning models

This study establishes a novel empirical framework using machine learning techniques to measure the urban-regional disparity of the public's mental health signals in Australia during the pandemic, and to examine the interrelationships amongst mental health, demographic and socioeconomic profiles of neighbourhoods, health risks and healthcare access. Our results show that the public's mental health signals in capital cities were better than those in regional areas. The negative mental health signals in capital cities are associated with a lower level of income, more crowded living space, a lower level of healthcare availability and more difficulties in healthcare access.

Humoral immune response to COVID-19 mRNA vaccination in relation to selenium status.

The essential trace element selenium (Se) is of central importance for human health and particularly for a regular functioning of the immune system. In the context of the current pandemic, Se deficiency in patients with COVID-19 correlated with disease severity and mortality risk. Selenium has been reported to be associated with the immune response following vaccination, but it is unknown whether this also applies to SARS-CoV-2 vaccines. In this observational study, adult health care workers (n = 126) who received two consecutive anti-SARS-CoV-2 vaccinations by BNT162b2 were followed for up to 24 weeks, with blood samples collected at the first and second dose and at three and 21 weeks after the second dose. Serum SARS-CoV-2 IgG titres, neutralising antibody potency, total Se and selenoprotein P concentrations, and glutathione peroxidase 3 activity were quantified. All three biomarkers of Se status were significantly correlated at all the time points, and participants who reported supplemental Se intake displayed higher Se concentrations. SARS-CoV-2 IgG titres and neutralising potency were highest three weeks after the second dose and decreased towards the last sampling point. The humoral immune response was not related to any of the three Se status biomarkers. Supplemental Se intake had no effect at any time point on the vaccination response as measured by serum SARS-CoV-2 IgG levels or neutralising potency. Overall, no association was found between Se status or supplemental Se intake and humoral immune response to COVID-19 mRNA vaccination.

Clinical and analytical evaluation of the Abbott AdviseDx quantitative SARS-CoV-2 IgG assay and comparison with two other serological tests.

INTRODUCTION: Serological testing is an important tool to assist with assessing the immune response to SARS-CoV-2 infections, the causative agent of COVID-19. A quantitative assay was recently developed by Abbott Laboratories to measures antibodies against the receptor binding domain of the spike protein. In addition to assessing disease prevalence, this assay is useful towards determining the scale and duration of the humoral response to infection and vaccination. Here we evaluated the clinical and analytical performance of the quantitative Abbott AdviseDx SARS-CoV-2 IgG II assay and characterized the longitudinal dynamics of the IgG response against SARS-CoV-2 in 402 infected individuals up to 322 days post-symptom onset. METHODS: To assess test sensitivity, 1257 serum specimens derived from 402 patients positive for SARS-CoV-2 by RT-PCR were analyzed on the Abbott Alinity platform. To evaluate test specificity, 394 specimens were tested from patients who were symptomatic but PCR negative for SARS-CoV-2, as well as 305 archived pre-pandemic samples. To further characterize test performance metrics, we evaluated assay precision and linearity. RESULTS: The Abbott AdviseDx SARS-CoV-2 IgG II assay exhibited diagnostic specificity of 99.02% using 305 pre - COVID-19 serum specimens and 98.73% using 394 PCR negative specimens. Using 1257 sequential serum samples collected from PCR-confirmed individuals, clinical test sensitivity of the assay was 39.7% at 3-7 days, 75.9% at 8-14 days, 95.6% at 15-21 days, and 98.7% at 4-5 weeks post-symptom onset. The assay is linear across the analytical measurement range claimed by the manufacturer (22-25,000 AU/mL) and exhibited good analytical precision. The median concentration of IgG increased steadily from <22 AU/mL at 3-7 days post-symptom onset, to a peak of 14,421 AU/mL at 6-7 weeks. Although antibody concentration started to decline at 8-9 weeks following symptom onset, all patients remained seropositive during the observation period. When the positivity rate of this assay was compared with the Abbott anti-NP IgG and EUROIMMUN anti-S1 IgG tests, clinical sensitivity of the Abbott AdviseDx SARS-CoV-2 IgG II assay was the highest at all time points with the exception of 4-5 weeks after symptom onset. CONCLUSION: The Abbott AdviseDx SARS-CoV-2 IgG II assay offers high test specificity and sensitivity across a broad reportable range. We anticipate this assay will be a useful towards quantitatively assessing the humoral immune response to COVID-19 infection and vaccination.

Course and Survival of COVID-19 Patients with Comorbidities in Relation to the Trace Element Status at Hospital Admission.

Selenium (Se) and zinc (Zn) are essential trace elements needed for appropriate immune system responses, cell signalling and anti-viral defence. A cross-sectional observational study was conducted at two hospitals in Ghent, Belgium, to investigate whether Se and/or Zn deficiency upon hospital admission correlates to disease severity and mortality risk in COVID-19 patients with or without co-morbidities. Trace element concentrations along with additional biomarkers were determined in serum or plasma and associated to disease severity and outcome. An insufficient Se and/or Zn status upon hospital admission was associated with a higher mortality rate and a more severe disease course in the entire study group, especially in the senior population. In comparison to healthy European adults, the patients displayed strongly depressed total Se (mean ± SD: 59.2 ± 20.6 vs. 84.4 ± 23.4 µg L-1) and SELENOP (mean ± SD: 2.2 ± 1.9 vs. 4.3 ± 1.0 mg L-1) concentrations at hospital admission. Particularly strong associations were observed for death risk of cancer, diabetes and chronic cardiac disease patients with low Se status, and of diabetes and obese patients with Zn deficiency. A composite biomarker based on serum or plasma Se, SELENOP and Zn at hospital admission proved to be a reliable tool to predict severe COVID-19 course and death, or mild disease course. We conclude that trace element assessment at hospital admission may contribute to a better stratification of patients with COVID-19 and other similar infectious diseases, support clinical care, therapeutic interventions and adjuvant supplementation needs, and may prove of particular relevance for patients with relevant comorbidities.

SOD1 is a Possible Predictor of COVID-19 Progression as Revealed by Plasma Proteomics.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has become a worldwide health emergency. Patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 present with diverse symptoms related to the severity of the disease. Determining the proteomic changes associated with these diverse symptoms and in different stages of infection is beneficial for clinical diagnosis and management. Here, we performed a tandem mass tag-labeling proteomic study on the plasma of healthy controls and COVID-19 patients, including those with asymptomatic infection (NS), mild syndrome, and severe syndrome in the early phase and the later phase. Although the number of patients included in each group is low, our comparative proteomic analysis revealed that complement and coagulation cascades, cholesterol metabolism, and glycolysis-related proteins were affected after infection with SARS-CoV-2. Compared to healthy controls, ELISA analysis confirmed that SOD1, PRDX2, and LDHA levels were increased in the patients with severe symptoms. Both gene set enrichment analysis and receiver operator characteristic analysis indicated that SOD1 could be a pivotal indicator for the severity of COVID-19. Our results indicated that plasma proteome changes differed based on the symptoms and disease stages and SOD1 could be a predictor protein for indicating COVID-19 progression. These results may also provide a new understanding for COVID-19 diagnosis and treatment.

Clinical Significance of Micronutrient Supplementation in Critically Ill COVID-19 Patients with Severe ARDS.

The interplay between inflammation and oxidative stress is a vicious circle, potentially resulting in organ damage. Essential micronutrients such as selenium (Se) and zinc (Zn) support anti-oxidative defense systems and are commonly depleted in severe disease. This single-center retrospective study investigated micronutrient levels under Se and Zn supplementation in critically ill patients with COVID-19 induced acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and explored potential relationships with immunological and clinical parameters. According to intensive care unit (ICU) standard operating procedures, patients received 1.0 mg of intravenous Se daily on top of artificial nutrition, which contained various amounts of Se and Zn. Micronutrients, inflammatory cytokines, lymphocyte subsets and clinical data were extracted from the patient data management system on admission and after 10 to 14 days of treatment. Forty-six patients were screened for eligibility and 22 patients were included in the study. Twenty-one patients (95%) suffered from severe ARDS and 14 patients (64%) survived to ICU discharge. On admission, the majority of patients had low Se status biomarkers and Zn levels, along with elevated inflammatory parameters. Se supplementation significantly elevated Se (p = 0.027) and selenoprotein P levels (SELENOP; p = 0.016) to normal range. Accordingly, glutathione peroxidase 3 (GPx3) activity increased over time (p = 0.021). Se biomarkers, most notably SELENOP, were inversely correlated with CRP (rs = -0.495), PCT (rs = -0.413), IL-6 (rs = -0.429), IL-1ß (rs = -0.440) and IL-10 (rs = -0.461). Positive associations were found for CD8+ T cells (rs = 0.636), NK cells (rs = 0.772), total IgG (rs = 0.493) and PaO2/FiO2 ratios (rs = 0.504). In addition, survivors tended to have higher Se levels after 10 to 14 days compared to non-survivors (p = 0.075). Sufficient Se and Zn levels may potentially be of clinical significance for an adequate immune response in critically ill patients with severe COVID-19 ARDS.

Relation of Serum Copper Status to Survival in COVID-19.

The trace element copper (Cu) is part of our nutrition and essentially needed for several cuproenzymes that control redox status and support the immune system. In blood, the ferroxidase ceruloplasmin (CP) accounts for the majority of circulating Cu and serves as transport protein. Both Cu and CP behave as positive, whereas serum selenium (Se) and its transporter selenoprotein P (SELENOP) behave as negative acute phase reactants. In view that coronavirus disease (COVID-19) causes systemic inflammation, we hypothesized that biomarkers of Cu and Se status are regulated inversely, in relation to disease severity and mortality risk. Serum samples from COVID-19 patients were analysed for Cu by total reflection X-ray fluorescence and CP was quantified by a validated sandwich ELISA. The two Cu biomarkers correlated positively in serum from patients with COVID-19 (R = 0.42, p < 0.001). Surviving patients showed higher mean serum Cu and CP concentrations in comparison to non-survivors ([mean+/-SEM], Cu; 1475.9+/-22.7 vs. 1317.9+/-43.9 µg/L; p < 0.001, CP; 547.2.5 +/- 19.5 vs. 438.8+/-32.9 mg/L, p = 0.086). In contrast to expectations, total serum Cu and Se concentrations displayed a positive linear correlation in the patient samples analysed (R = 0.23, p = 0.003). Serum CP and SELENOP levels were not interrelated. Applying receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve analysis, the combination of Cu and SELENOP with age outperformed other combinations of parameters for predicting risk of death, yielding an AUC of 95.0%. We conclude that the alterations in serum biomarkers of Cu and Se status in COVID-19 are not compatible with a simple acute phase response, and that serum Cu and SELENOP levels contribute to a good prediction of survival. Adjuvant supplementation in patients with diagnostically proven deficits in Cu or Se may positively influence disease course, as both increase in survivors and are of crucial importance for the immune response and antioxidative defence systems.

Changes of Ammonia Concentrations in Wintertime on the North China Plain from 2018 to 2020

The reduced economic and social activities during the Chinese Spring Festival provide a unique experiment to evaluate reductions in anthropogenic NH3 emissions in China. However, quantifying this unique scenario is challenging as meteorology may mask the real changes in observed NH3 concentrations. Here, we applied a machine learning technique to decouple the effects of meteorology and confirmed that the real (deweathered) NH3 concentration dropped to a minimum during the Spring Festival in 2019 and 2020 at both urban (Beijing) and rural (Xianghe) sites on the North China Plain. Compared with the scenario without the Spring Festival effect in 2020, we predicted NH3 concentrations that were 39.8% and 24.6% higher than the observed values at the urban and rural sites, respectively. The significant difference between the two sites indicates a larger reduction in anthropogenic NH3 emissions in urban areas than in rural areas due to the Spring Festival and lockdown measures of COVID-19. Future control strategies should consider the emissions of NH3 from the transportation, industrial and residential sectors, considering that agricultural emissions are minor in cold seasons.

Longitudinal characterization of the IgM and IgG humoral response in symptomatic COVID-19 patients using the Abbott Architect.

BACKGROUND: Antibody testing has recently emerged as an option to assist with determining exposure to SARS-CoV-2, the causative agent of COVID-19. Elucidation of the kinetics and duration of the humoral response is important for clinical management and interpreting results from serological surveys. OBJECTIVES: Here we evaluated the clinical performance of Abbott SARS-CoV-2 IgM and IgG assays, as well as the longitudinal dynamics of the antibody response in symptomatic COVID-19 patients. STUDY DESIGN AND RESULTS: The diagnostic specificity was 100 % for IgM and 99.67 % for IgG using 300 pre-COVID-19 serum specimens. Using 1349 sequential serum samples collected up to 168 days post symptom onset from 427 PCR-confirmed individuals, clinical test sensitivity of the SARS-CoV-2 IgM assay was 24.6 % at ≤7 days, 75.3 % at 8-14 days, 95.0 % at 15-21 days, and 96.0 % at 4-5 weeks (peak test sensitivity). The median duration of time for IgM seroconversion was 10 days. IgM levels declined steadily 4-5 weeks after symptom onset, and the positive rate dropped to 30.8 % at >3 months. The diagnostic sensitivity for the SARS-CoV-2 IgG assay post symptom onset was 23.2 % at ≤7 days, 69.5 % at 8-14 days, 93.6 % at 15-21 days, and 99.6 % at 4-5 weeks (peak test sensitivity). The median duration of time for IgG seroconversion was 11.5 days. During the convalescent phase of the infection, a decline in the IgG level was observed in patients who were followed for >100 days. Despite that decline, 92.3 % of the patient cohort remained IgG positive 3-6 months following symptom onset. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates the Abbott IgM assay against SARS-CoV-2 is detected slightly earlier compared to IgG, with both tests exhibiting excellent overall sensitivity and specificity. In symptomatic patients who test negative by PCR for a SARS-CoV-2 infection, assessing IgM and IgG antibodies can aid in supporting a diagnosis of COVID-19.

A human-centred assessment framework to prioritise heat mitigation efforts for active travel at city scale.

Hot weather not only impacts upon human physical comfort and health, but also impacts the way that people access and experience active travel options such as walking and cycling. By evaluating the street thermal environment of a city alongside an assessment of those communities that are the most vulnerable to the effects of heat, we can prioritise areas in which heat mitigation interventions are most needed. In this paper, we propose a new approach for policy makers to determine where to delegate limited resources for heat mitigation with most effective outcomes for the communities. We use eye-level street panorama images and community profiles to provide a bottom-up, human-centred perspective of the city scale assessment, highlighting the situation of urban tree shade provision throughout the streets in comparison with environmental and social-economic status. The approach leverages multiple sources of spatial data including satellite thermal images, Google street view (GSV) images, land use and demographic census data. A deep learning model was developed to automate the classification of streetscape types and percentages at the street- and eye-view level. The methodology is metrics based and scalable which provides a data driven assessment of heat-related vulnerability. The findings of this study first contribute to sustainable development by developing a method to identify geographical areas or neighbourhoods that require heat mitigation; and enforce policies improving tree shade on routes, as a heat adaptation strategy, which will lead to increasing active travel and produce significant health benefits for residents. The approach can be also used to guide post COVID-19 city planning and design.

Social Capital and Mental Health among Older Adults Living in Urban China in the Context of COVID-19 Pandemic.

Although social capital has been found to be an important social determinant of mental health in later life, research on social capital in the context of COVID-19 and the interplay among subdimensions of social capital is lacking. The present study examined the mediating role of cognitive social capital on the relationship between structural social capital and mental health among older adults in urban China in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Data were collected from the Yangpu district in Shanghai, China, in July-August 2020. A quota sampling approach was used to recruit 472 respondents aged 60 years and older from 23 communities in the Yangpu district. Mental health was measured by depressive symptoms and life satisfaction. Cognitive social capital was assessed through trust and reciprocity, and structural social capital was assessed through organization memberships, and COVID-19 related volunteering and citizenship activity. Structural equation modeling was used to test the mediation model. The results show that cognitive social capital had a full mediation effect on the association between structural social capital and mental health indicators (life satisfaction: b = 0.122, SD = 0.029, p < 0.001; depressive symptoms: b = -0.343, SD = 0.119, p < 0.01). The findings indicate that social capital can play an important role in sustaining and improving mental health in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Policy and intervention implications are discussed.

Prediction of survival odds in COVID-19 by zinc, age and selenoprotein P as composite biomarker.

SARS-CoV-2 infections cause the current coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic and challenge the immune system with ongoing inflammation. Several redox-relevant micronutrients are known to contribute to an adequate immune response, including the essential trace elements zinc (Zn) and selenium (Se). In this study, we tested the hypothesis that COVID-19 patients are characterised by Zn deficiency and that Zn status provides prognostic information. Serum Zn was determined in serum samples (n = 171) collected consecutively from patients surviving COVID-19 (n = 29) or non-survivors (n = 6). Data from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) study were used for comparison. Zn concentrations in patient samples were low as compared to healthy subjects (mean ± SD; 717.4 ± 246.2 vs 975.7 ± 294.0 µg/L, P < 0.0001). The majority of serum samples collected at different time points from the non-survivors (25/34, i.e., 73.5%) and almost half of the samples collected from the survivors (56/137, i.e., 40.9%) were below the threshold for Zn deficiency, i.e., below 638.7 µg/L (the 2.5th percentile in the EPIC cohort). In view that the Se status biomarker and Se transporter selenoprotein P (SELENOP) is also particularly low in COVID-19, we tested the prevalence of a combined deficit, i.e., serum Zn below 638.7 µg/L and serum SELENOP below 2.56 mg/L. This combined deficit was observed in 0.15% of samples in the EPIC cohort of healthy subjects, in 19.7% of the samples collected from the surviving COVID-19 patients and in 50.0% of samples from the non-survivors. Accordingly, the composite biomarker (SELENOP and Zn with age) proved as a reliable indicator of survival in COVID-19 by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis, yielding an area under the curve (AUC) of 94.42%. We conclude that Zn and SELENOP status within the reference ranges indicate high survival odds in COVID-19, and assume that correcting a diagnostically proven deficit in Se and/or Zn by a personalised supplementation may support convalescence.

Selenium Deficiency Is Associated with Mortality Risk from COVID-19

SARS-CoV-2 infections underlie the current coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic and are causative for a high death toll particularly among elderly subjects and those with comorbidities. Selenium (Se) is an essential trace element of high importance for human health and particularly for a well-balanced immune response. The mortality risk from a severe disease like sepsis or polytrauma is inversely related to Se status. We hypothesized that this relation also applies to COVID-19. Serum samples (n = 166) from COVID-19 patients (n = 33) were collected consecutively and analyzed for total Se by X-ray fluorescence and selenoprotein P (SELENOP) by a validated ELISA. Both biomarkers showed the expected strong correlation (r = 0.7758, p <0.001), pointing to an insufficient Se availability for optimal selenoprotein expression. In comparison with reference data from a European cross-sectional analysis (EPIC, n = 1915), the patients showed a pronounced deficit in total serum Se (mean ±SD, 50.8 ±15.7 vs. 84.4 ±23.4 µg/L) and SELENOP (3.0 ±1.4 vs. 4.3 ±1.0 mg/L) concentrations. A Se status below the 2.5th percentile of the reference population, i.e., [Se] <45.7 µg/L and [SELENOP] <2.56 mg/L, was present in 43.4% and 39.2% of COVID samples, respectively. The Se status was significantly higher in samples from surviving COVID patients as compared with non-survivors (Se;53.3 ±16.2 vs. 40.8 ±8.1 µg/L, SELENOP;3.3 ±1.3 vs. 2.1 ±0.9 mg/L), recovering with time in survivors while remaining low or even declining in non-survivors. We conclude that Se status analysis in COVID patients provides diagnostic information. However, causality remains unknown due to the observational nature of this study. Nevertheless, the findings strengthen the notion of a relevant role of Se for COVID convalescence and support the discussion on adjuvant Se supplementation in severely diseased and Se-deficient patients.