Micro- and small-sized enterprises' willingness to borrow via internet financial services during coronavirus disease 2019

This paper explores the relationships among micro- and small-sized enterprises' (MSEs) willingness to borrow from internet financial services (IFS) and the related impacts of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and then analyses the mediating effects of their beliefs on the advantages and disadvantages of IFS. We further analyse the differences produced by the moderator effects of MSEs' enterprise variables (sector, operating years, entrepreneur's education, profit margin, and employee number) on the above relationships. We collected 632 valid reports by developing an online questionnaire in China and employing judgement sampling of MSEs with fewer than 50 employees and annual operating income less than RMB 5 million. Then, we analysed the findings with partial least squares structural equation modelling. The results show that COVID-19 significantly impacted most Chinese MSEs and that most Chinese MSEs tend to borrow via IFS, but the amount and period of MSEs' willingness to borrow should not be affected by the impacts of COVID-19 on MSEs. Rather, the explanation concerns the greater unfamiliarity or uncertainty concerning IFSs relative to traditional financial instruments. Moreover, MSEs' understanding of IFS's advantages and disadvantages has significant adverse mediating effects on the relationship between MSEs' willingness to borrow via IFS and the impacts of COVID-19. Furthermore, the enterprise variables of MSEs, namely, their industry type, entrepreneur's education, number of employees, profit margin, and operating years, have significant moderating effects on these relationships. The results have implications for the government's comprehensive supervision system for IFS risks, IFS firms' enterprise performance, risk survey, and information disclosure systems, and the development of customer-specific and easy-to-use marketing strategies for IFS firms. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Clinical characteristics of hospitalized patients in Binzhou, China during periods of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant BA.2 predominance: a single-centered, retrospective, observational study (preprint)

Background: Since the first identification of the novel SARS-CoV-2 variant of concern Omicron in South Africa, it has rapidly spread around the world. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical and laboratory characteristics of patients infected with the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant BA.2. Methods: In this retrospective study, we extracted data for 422 patients in Binzhou COVID-19 treatment centerl from March 11 to April 28, 2022. Cases were analyzed on the basis of demographic, clinical, and laboratory data as well as radiological features. Results: Of 422 hospitalized patients with SARS-CoV-2 Omicron Variant BA.2, there were 311 (73.7%) asymptomatic, 102 (24.1%) mild cases and 9 (2.1%) moderate cases. The median age was 38 years (IQR, 14 to 58) for all the participants, and the cohort included 207 men and 215 women. Compared with asymptomatic patients, moderate patients were older and had more chronic comorbidities (P<0.001). For all patients, Only 23 (5.5%) of 422 patients had never received any COVID-19 vaccine dose. Nonvaccination rate was significant difference between asymptomatic group and moderte group (4.5% vs 33.3%, p=0.001), respectively. The most common symptoms at onset of illness were fever, fatigue. Moderate patients had more ground-glass opacity, and patchy shadowing. Lymphopenia was present in 6.6% of all patients, which was more common in moderate patients than asymptomatic patients (44.4% vs 4.8%, P<0.001). Conclusion: Unvaccinated and older patients (>65 years) with comorbidities are at increased risk of moderate infection. Lymphopenia, increased D-dimer, ground-glass opacity, and patchy shadowing are common in moderate patients. 

Quarantine At Home May Not Enough!-From the Epidemiological Data In Shaanxi Province of China (preprint)

Objectives : A pneumonia associated with 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV, subsequently named SARS-CoV2) emerged worldwide since December, 2019. We aimed to describe the epidemiological characteristics of 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Shaanxi province of China.  Results: 1. Among the 245 patients, 132 (53.9%) were males and 113 (46.1%) were females. The average age was 46.15±16.43 years, ranging from 3 to 89 years. 2.  For the clinical type, 1.63% (4/245) patients were mild type , 84.90% (208/245) were moderate type, 7.76% (19/245) were severe type, 5.31% (13/245) were critical type and only 0.41% (1/245) was asymptomatic. 3. Of the 245 patients, 116 (47.35%) were input case, 114 (46.53%) were non-input case , and 15 (6.12%) were unknown exposure. 4. 48.57% (119/245) cases were family cluster , involving 42 families. The most common pattern of COVID-19 family cluster was between husband and wife or between parents and children.