An island of sanity during COVID-19 pandemic: Does pet attachment support buffer employees' stress due to job insecurity?

Drawing on the transactional theory of stress, the current study investigates whether employee job insecurity triggers employee behavioral strain reactions (i.e., alcohol use, marijuana use, and cigarette use) and psychological strain reactions (i.e., emotional exhaustion and depression) through stress during the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, we integrate social support theory and expect the moderating role of pet attachment support in the above relationships. By collecting two-wave data from 187 employees with pets in the United States, we found that during the COVID-19 pandemic, stress mediated the relationships between job insecurity and predicted behavioral and psychological reactions. Moreover, pet attachment support buffered the relationships between stress and these behavioral and psychological strain reactions (all except cigarette use). Pet attachment support also alleviated the conditional indirect effects job insecurity had on the two types of strain reactions via stress. We discuss theoretical and practical implications of this study.

Study of the temperature sensitivity of severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus

This study investigated the temperature sensitivity of severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus (SFTSV) to provide a basis for SFTSV disinfection and laboratory biosafety protection. We divided SFTSV cell culture supernatants into 250 L PCR vials at 100 L/tube, and placed them in a refrigerator at 4..C, and a metal bath at 25..C, 37..C, 39..C, 56..C, and 70..C. After treatment for predetermined periods of time, the viral titer was determined through indirect immunofluorescence in Vero cells. With increasing temperature, the rate of decline of the viral titer increased. After incubation at 4..C, 25..C, 37..C, and 39..C for 24 h, the titers decreased from 107.25/100 L to 107.00/100 L, 106.75/100 L, 106.50/100 L, and 105.00/100 L, respectively. At the same temperature, with prolonged storage time, the decrease in titer became more pronounced. After SFTSV was placed at 4..C, 25..C, 37..C for 72 h, the viral titer decreased from 107.25/100 L to 106.63/100 L, 106.50/100 L, and 103.38/100 L, respectively. SFTSV lost its infectivity after incubation at 39..C for 72 h. SFTSV was inactivated after exposure to 56..C for 180 min or 70..C for 5 min. We concluded that SFTSV is inactivated after incubation at 70..C for 5 min. However, after 3 days of exposure to 4..C and 25..C, the viral titer did not change significantly. Laboratories and medical staff should focus on personal protection and disinfection of items contaminated by SFTSV.

Viral RNA level, serum antibody responses, and transmission risk in recovered COVID-19 patients with recurrent positive SARS-CoV-2 RNA test results: a population-based observational cohort study.

Managing recovered COVID-19 patients with recurrent-positive SARS-CoV-2 RNA test results is challenging. We performed a population-based observational study to characterize the viral RNA level and serum antibody responses in recurrent-positive patients and evaluate their viral transmission risk. Of 479 recovered COVID-19 patients, 93 (19%) recurrent-positive patients were identified, characterized by younger age, with a median discharge-to-recurrent-positive length of 8 days. After readmission, recurrent-positive patients exhibited mild (28%) or absent (72%) symptoms, with no disease progression. The viral RNA level in recurrent-positive patients ranged from 1.8 to 5.7 log10 copies/mL (median: 3.2), which was significantly lower than the corresponding values at disease onset. There are generally no significant differences in antibody levels between recurrent-positive and non-recurrent-positive patients, or in recurrent-positive patients over time (before, during, or after recurrent-positive detection). Virus isolation of nine representative specimens returned negative results. Whole genome sequencing of six specimens yielded only genomic fragments. 96 close contacts and 1,200 candidate contacts of 23 recurrent-positive patients showed no clinical symptoms; their viral RNA (1,296/1,296) and antibody (20/20) tests were negative. After full recovery (no longer/never recurrent-positive), 60% (98/162) patients had neutralizing antibody titers of ≥1:32. Our findings suggested that an intermittent, non-stable excretion of low-level viral RNA may result in recurrent-positive occurrence, rather than re-infection. Recurrent-positive patients pose a low transmission risk, a relatively relaxed management of recovered COVID-19 patients is recommended.