Characteristics of immune response profile in patients with immediate allergic and autoimmune urticarial reactions induced by SARS-CoV-2 vaccines.

Severe allergic reactions following SARS-COV-2 vaccination are generally rare, but the reactions are increasingly reported. Some patients may develop prolonged urticarial reactions following SARS-COV-2 vaccination. Herein, we investigated the risk factors and immune mechanisms for patients with SARS-COV-2 vaccines-induced immediate allergy and chronic urticaria (CU). We prospectively recruited and analyzed 129 patients with SARS-COV-2 vaccine-induced immediate allergic and urticarial reactions as well as 115 SARS-COV-2 vaccines-tolerant individuals from multiple medical centers during 2021-2022. The clinical manifestations included acute urticaria, anaphylaxis, and delayed to chronic urticaria developed after SARS-COV-2 vaccinations. The serum levels of histamine, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-8, IL-17 A, TARC, and PARC were significantly elevated in allergic patients comparing to tolerant subjects (P-values = 4.5 × 10-5-0.039). Ex vivo basophil revealed that basophils from allergic patients could be significantly activated by SARS-COV-2 vaccine excipients (polyethylene glycol 2000 and polysorbate 80) or spike protein (P-values from 3.5 × 10-4 to 0.043). Further BAT study stimulated by patients' autoserum showed positive in 81.3% of patients with CU induced by SARS-COV-2 vaccination (P = 4.2 × 10-13), and the reactions could be attenuated by anti-IgE antibody. Autoantibodies screening also identified the significantly increased of IgE-anti-IL-24, IgG-anti-FcεRI, IgG-anti-thyroid peroxidase (TPO), and IgG-anti-thyroid-related proteins in SARS-COV-2 vaccines-induced CU patients comparing to SARS-COV-2 vaccines-tolerant controls (P-values = 4.6 × 10-10-0.048). Some patients with SARS-COV-2 vaccines-induced recalcitrant CU patients could be successfully treated with anti-IgE therapy. In conclusion, our results revealed that multiple vaccine components, inflammatory cytokines, and autoreactive IgG/IgE antibodies contribute to SARS-COV-2 vaccine-induced immediate allergic and autoimmune urticarial reactions.

School Leadership, Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), and the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic: Perspectives of Principals in China, Germany, and the USA

We live in times of multiple crises. Climate change, degradation of soils, loss of biodiversity, COVID-19, and the war in Ukraine, to name but a few. School leaders are challenged in many ways to tackle the consequences of these crises, to prepare students for a future that will foreseeably be full of crises too, and to just do their 'normal';daily work: to make sure that the school is running successfully in order to help students learn how to read, write, calculate, etc. Education for sustainable development (ESD) is a concept that aims at empowering learners with the knowledge, skills, values, and attitudes to address the interconnected global challenges we are facing. This article reports on a study that seeks to investigate what principals in Germany, China, and the United States do to integrate sustainability and ESD in their schools. It specifically addresses the issue of COVID-19 and its impact on the establishment of ESD.

Molecular characterization and phylogenetic analysis of porcine epidemic diarrhea virus strains circulating in China from 2020 to 2021.

BACKGROUND: Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV), an enteric coronavirus, has become the major causative agent of acute gastroenteritis in piglets since 2010 in China. RESULTS: In the current study, 91 complete spike (S) gene sequences were obtained from PEDV positive samples collected from 17 provinces in China from March 2020 to March 2021. A phylogenetic analysis showed that 92.3% (84 out of 91) of the identified strains belonged to GII subtype, while 7.7% (7 out of 91) were categorized as S-INDEL like strains and grouped within GI-c clade. Based on a recombination analysis, six of S-INDEL like strains were recombinant strains originated from S-INDEL strain FR/001/2014 and virulent strain AJ1102. In addition, PEDV variant strains (CH/GDMM/202012, CH/GXDX/202010 et al) carrying novel insertions (360QGRKS364 and 1278VDVF1281) in the S protein were observed. Furthermore, the deduced amino acid sequences for the S protein showed that multiple amino acid substitutions in the antigenic epitopes in comparison with the vaccine strains. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, these data provide novel molecular evidence on the epidemiology and molecular diversity of PEDV in 2020-2021. This information may help design a strategy for controlling and preventing the prevalence of PEDV variant strains in China.

Exploring affecting factors of and developing a framework for teachers' online instruction

Online teaching has been capitalized to maintain normal educational activities since the outset of the pandemic. However, the wide adoption of emergency remote teaching may present challenges to teachers in terms of performing their instructional work. Hence, this study aimed to deeply explore the affecting factors of teachers' adoption of online instruction during emergencies through a qualitative research design. Semi-structured interviews and document analysis were utilized to collect data with nine higher education teachers at nine Chinese universities. Eight categories of factors emerged from this study that influenced the participants' adoption of online instruction, namely, facilitating conditions, technology self-efficacy, characteristics of learners, teaching administration, pedagogical factors, resistance to change, time issues, and security issues. A framework for developing teachers' competencies for online instruction is proposed based on the results. • A qualitative research design is used to explore teacher technology acceptance. • The original Technology Acceptance Model has been extended. • A framework for enhancing teachers' abilities for online instruction is developed. [ FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Learning & Instruction 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.)

New Onset and Exacerbations of Psoriasis Following COVID-19 Vaccines: A Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND: Vaccination has been promoted to control viral transmission in response to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Cases of new-onset or exacerbation of psoriasis, an immune-mediated inflammatory disease, were reported following COVID-19 vaccination. However, a comprehensive review examining the association between COVID-19 vaccination and the occurrence or exacerbation of psoriasis has yet to be performed. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this systematic review is to investigate the demographics, clinical variables, and outcomes associated with psoriasis following COVID-19 vaccination. METHODS: A systematic literature search was conducted using the PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane databases from database inception to April 25, 2022. The review included studies with relevant terms, including 'psoriasis,' 'psoriasis vulgaris,' 'guttate psoriasis,' 'pustular psoriasis,' 'palmoplantar pustulosis,' 'psoriatic erythroderma,' 'psoriatic arthritis,' 'COVID-19,' and 'vaccine.' We included all studies reporting at least one patient who developed new-onset psoriasis or experienced a psoriasis flare following at least one dose of any COVID-19 vaccine. A flare was defined as the worsening of disease conditions after vaccination according to the study by Gregoire et al. The appraisal tool described by Murad et al. was used to assess the quality of case reports and series, whereas the National Institute of Health quality assessment tool was used to assess observational studies. RESULTS: The initial search yielded 367 results, including 7 studies reporting new-onset psoriasis, 32 studies reporting psoriasis flares, and 4 studies reporting both. The most commonly observed psoriasis subtype was plaque-type psoriasis. mRNA vaccines, including those produced by Moderna and BioNTech/Pfizer, were frequently associated with subsequent psoriasis episodes. First, second, and third vaccine doses were associated with psoriasis incidents, with the second dose most frequently associated with psoriasis flares. Delayed onset was observed, ranging from 2 to 21 days in the new-onset group and from 1 to 90 days in the flare group. Most patients experienced favorable outcomes, with improvement or resolution occurring within 3 days to 4 months. CONCLUSIONS: Both new-onset psoriasis and psoriasis flares were reported as cutaneous adverse events following COVID-19 vaccination. Psoriatic patients may require regular follow-up before and after COVID-19 vaccination. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Review registration number PROSPERO database: CRD42022304157.

Teaching Chinese characters to students in grades 1 to 3 through emergency remote instruction during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The current study examined how Chinese characters were taught by primary grade teachers in Macao during online instruction resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic (i.e., emergency remote instruction). A random sample of 313 first to third grade teachers in public and private schools were surveyed about their instructional practices. Most teachers surveyed (72%) reported they taught a lesson about Chinese characters once every 3-4 weeks during emergency remote instruction, and 83% and 81% of teachers indicated they assigned homework for writing and reading characters, respectively, at the same rate. On average, they reportedly spent 97 min per week teaching students to write, read, and understand the meaning of new characters, devoting equal time to each of these skills. They also indicated students practiced writing and reading characters in class for 40 min per week. They further noted students were expected to spend 35 min a day practicing writing and reading characters for homework. While teachers reportedly used a variety of instructional practices for teaching characters (M = 30.38), the typical teacher applied less than one-half (N = 64) of practices assessed. Teachers reported use of asynchronous (online learning activities which can be completed at other times) and synchronous (real-time videos and audio/text) teaching methods and perceptions of adequacy of technical support predicted reported teaching practices. The findings from this study raise questions about the teaching of Chinese characters in Macao during emergency remote instruction.

Autophagy in health and disease: From molecular mechanisms to therapeutic target.

Macroautophagy/autophagy is an evolutionally conserved catabolic process in which cytosolic contents, such as aggregated proteins, dysfunctional organelle, or invading pathogens, are sequestered by the double-membrane structure termed autophagosome and delivered to lysosome for degradation. Over the past two decades, autophagy has been extensively studied, from the molecular mechanisms, biological functions, implications in various human diseases, to development of autophagy-related therapeutics. This review will focus on the latest development of autophagy research, covering molecular mechanisms in control of autophagosome biogenesis and autophagosome-lysosome fusion, and the upstream regulatory pathways including the AMPK and MTORC1 pathways. We will also provide a systematic discussion on the implication of autophagy in various human diseases, including cancer, neurodegenerative disorders (Alzheimer disease, Parkinson disease, Huntington's disease, and Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis), metabolic diseases (obesity and diabetes), viral infection especially SARS-Cov-2 and COVID-19, cardiovascular diseases (cardiac ischemia/reperfusion and cardiomyopathy), and aging. Finally, we will also summarize the development of pharmacological agents that have therapeutic potential for clinical applications via targeting the autophagy pathway. It is believed that decades of hard work on autophagy research is eventually to bring real and tangible benefits for improvement of human health and control of human diseases.

Immediate Hypersensitivity Reactions Induced by COVID-19 Vaccines: Current Trends, Potential Mechanisms and Prevention Strategies.

As the world deals with the COVID-19 pandemic, vaccination remains vital to successfully end this crisis. However, COVID-19-vaccine-induced immediate hypersensitivity reactions presenting with potentially life-threatening systemic anaphylactic reactions are one of the reasons for vaccine hesitancy. Recent studies have suggested that different mechanisms, including IgE-mediated and non-IgE-mediated mast cell activation, may be involved in immediate hypersensitivity. The main culprits triggering hypersensitivity reactions have been suggested to be the excipients of vaccines, including polyethylene glycol and polysorbate 80. Patients with a history of allergic reactions to drugs, foods, or other vaccines may have an increased risk of hypersensitivity reactions to COVID-19 vaccines. Various strategies have been suggested to prevent hypersensitivity reactions, including performing skin tests or in vitro tests before vaccination, administering different vaccines for the primary and following boosters, changing the fractionated doses, or pretreating the anti-IgE antibody. This review discusses the current trends, potential mechanisms, and prevention strategies for COVID-19-vaccine-induced immediate hypersensitivity reactions.

Psychological intervention to treat distress: An emerging frontier in cancer prevention and therapy.

Psychological distress, such as chronic depression and anxiety, is a topical problem. In the context of cancer patients, prevalence rates of psychological distress are four-times higher than in the general population and often confer worse outcomes. In addition to evidence from epidemiological studies confirming the links between psychological distress and cancer progression, a growing body of cellular and molecular studies have also revealed the complex signaling networks which are modulated by psychological distress-derived chronic stress during cancer progression. In this review, aiming to uncover the intertwined networks of chronic stress-driven oncogenesis and progression, we summarize physiological stress response pathways, like the HPA, SNS, and MGB axes, that modulate the release of stress hormones with potential carcinogenic properties. Furthermore, we discuss in detail the mechanisms behind these chronic stimulations contributing to the initiation and progression of cancer through direct regulation of cancer hallmarks-related signaling or indirect promotion of cancer risk factors (including obesity, disordered circadian rhythms, and premature senescence), suggesting a novel research direction into cancer prevention and therapy on the basis of psychological interventions.

COVID-19 and Asian Phobia: Anti-Asian Racism and Model Minority Myth

[...]it is essential to understand these events and phenomena and their historical roots to address them appropriately and effectively. [...]the governmental discourse further reinforced and fueled the anti-Asian sentiment in the United States during the Second World War (Thiesmeyer, 1995). Besides the deprivation of Asian Americans' political rights and freedom, their commercial activities were also restricted. While the U.S. Supreme Court finally defined the California Alien Land Laws as unconstitutional in 1952 in the case of Sei Fuji v. California after decades of struggling (Lyon, 2012), it took some states much longer to abolish similar Alien Land Laws. Using her own experiences as a former member of the Chinese international student community, she pointed out that Chinese international students were often lumped together with students from other countries and regions and were categorized as "nonresident aliens."

Using Learning-Oriented Online Assessment to Foster Students’ Feedback Literacy in L2 Writing During COVID-19 Pandemic: A Case of Misalignment Between Micro- and Macro- Contexts

Online learning has emerged as the “new norm” due to the COVID-19 crisis. Compared with institutions’ and teachers’ responses to online teaching, little is known about students’ perceived influence of online assessment practices. The present study explored the perceived effects of learning-oriented online assessment on L2 students’ feedback literacy and individual differences in feedback literacy development from an ecological perspective. We used multiple sources of data, including a survey on student feedback literacy, semi-structured interviews with two focal students, drafts produced by them and related teacher feedback, and supplementary data reflecting the online assessment practices in the course. Results demonstrated that the students held less favorable opinions of the online mode of learning in promoting feedback literacy. However, they perceived positively the development of feedback literacy in the aspects of appreciating feedback, developing judgements, and taking actions. Considerable variations were identified in the development of two focal students’ feedback literacy, especially in the aspects of managing affects and taking actions. The findings revealed the negative influence of misalignment between micro- and macro- factors on student feedback literacy and how such a misalignment interacted with learner factors to influence individual students’ feedback literacy when learning-oriented assessment (LOA) was implemented during COVID-19. The paper proposed a fine-grained model for developing student feedback literacy through learning-oriented online assessment. With a special focus on misalignment, the model provided insights into the interactional dynamics among learners, classroom, and larger contexts in using LOA to enhance student feedback literacy online. Relevant pedagogical implications for developing student feedback literacy within and beyond COVID-19 were discussed.

Metacognitive Strategies, Language Learning Motivation, Self-Efficacy Belief, and English Achievement During Remote Learning: A Structural Equation Modelling Approach

Metacognitive strategies, language learning motivation, and self-efficacy belief are crucial to online or remote learning success. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the interrelationship among metacognitive strategies, language learning motivation, self-efficacy belief, and English learning achievement. The data were collected from three surveys and an English test. The participants were 590 Chinese university students. The findings revealed that self-efficacy belief predicts English learning achievement. In particular, metacognitive strategies and language learning motivation mediate the predictive effects of self-efficacy belief on English learning achievement. The findings show the potential of enhancing online English learning achievement by facilitating learners’ self-efficacy belief, motivation, and metacognitive strategies. Implications can be gained for remote learning within and beyond the coronavirus (COVID-19) context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of RELC Journal is the property of Sage Publications, Ltd. 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 abstract 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 abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

‘Let emotion ring’: An autoethnographic self-study of an EFL instructor in Wuhan during COVID-19

Teaching has always been an emotionally demanding profession, which involves tremendous emotional labour on the part of language teachers. This is particularly true for instructors of English as a foreign language (EFL) suddenly obliged to teach online during the COVID-19 pandemic. Drawing on the approach of autoethnographic self-study, this article reveals the first author?s understanding and negotiation of complex emotions during her online teaching from February to May 2020 in Wuhan, the centre of the COVID-19 pandemic during that period. This study sheds light on a language teacher?s complex emotional experiences in relation to technology, students and colleagues under the sudden shifts of teaching environment. It also explores how emotional regulation strategies are employed through undertaking emotional labour and observing/renegotiating emotional rules. The study exemplifies the importance of emotionally managed classrooms, and language teachers are advised to make deliberate and strategic efforts in channelling positive emotions into online teaching. The authors call for more attention to self-study as a viable and instrumental approach to facilitating language teachers? continuing development and enhancing their emotional reflexivity and well-being.

Distinguishable Immunologic Characteristics of COVID-19 Patients with Comorbid Type 2 Diabetes Compared with Nondiabetic Individuals.

BACKGROUND: COVID-19 caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has threatened every civilian as a global pandemic. The immune system poses the critical interactive chain between the human body and the virus. Here, we make efforts to examine whether comorbidity with type 2 diabetes (T2D) affects the immunological response in COVID-19 patients. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective pilot study investigating immunological characteristics of confirmed cases of COVID-19 with or without comorbid T2D. Two subcohorts of sex- and age-matched participants were eligible for data analysis, of which 33 participants were with T2D and the remaining 37 were nondiabetic (NDM). Cellular immunity was assessed by flow cytometric determination of surface markers including CD3, CD4, CD8, CD19, CD16, and CD56 in peripheral blood. Levels of C reactive protein, immunoglobulin (IgG, IgM, IgA, and IgE), and complements (C3, C4) were detected by rate nephelometry immunoassay. And Th1/Th2 cytokines (IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, TNF-α, and IFN-γ) were detected by Cytometric Bead Array. RESULTS: Neutrophil counts were found to be significantly higher in the T2D group than in the NDM group and had a significant relevance with clinical severity. Lymphocyte frequencies showed no significant differences in the two groups. However, the proportions and absolute counts of T, Tc, Th, and NK cells decreased in both groups to different degrees. An abnormal increase in neutrophil count and a decrease in lymphocyte subpopulations may represent risk factors of COVID-19 severity. The level of IgG, IgM, IgA, C3, and C4 showed no significant difference between the two groups, while the IgE levels were higher in the T2D group than in the NDM group (p < 0.05). Th1 cytokines including IFN-γ, TNF-α, and IL-6, as well as CRP, appeared significantly higher in the T2D group. CONCLUSIONS: The COVID-19 patients comorbid with T2D demonstrated distinguishable immunological parameters, which represented clinical relevancies with the predisposed disease severity in T2D.