Do COVID-19 pandemic-related policy shocks flatten the bid-rent curve? Evidence from real estate markets in Shanghai.

The COVID-19 pandemic has drastically affected the socioeconomic activities and peoples' daily life, resulting in a change in locational preferences in the real estate markets. Although enormous efforts have been devoted to examining the housing price impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, little is known about the responses of the real estate markets to the evolving pandemic control measures. This study investigates the price gradient effects of various pandemic-related policy shocks using a hedonic price model on the district-level property transaction data in Shanghai, China over a 48-month period from 2018 to 2021. We found that these shocks have significantly altered the bid-rent curves. The price gradient for residential property units decreased in absolute value to - 0.433 after Wuhan's lockdown, demonstrating peoples' preferences to avoid the high infection risks in districts closer to the city center. However, in the post-reopening and post-vaccine periods, the price gradient increased to - 0.463 and - 0.486, respectively, implying rational expectations of a recovering real estate market for the low infection and mortality rates. In addition, we discovered that Wuhan's lockdown has steepened the price gradient for commercial property units, suggesting a decline in business volumes and an increase in operating costs in the low-density districts imposed by the strict pandemic control measures. This study contributes to the empirical literature on the price gradient effects of the COVID-19 pandemic by extending the study period to the post-vaccine era.

Study on basic and clinical application of Shufeng Jiedu Capsule in treating respiratory tract infection.

Shufeng Jiedu Capsule (SFJDC), composed of eight herbs, is a big brand traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) for the treatment of different respiratory tract infectious diseases with good clinical efficacy and few side effects. It is clinically applied to acute upper respiratory tract infection(URI), influenza, acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD), community-acquired pneumonia(CAP) and other diseases, due to its antibacterial, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, immunoregulatory and antipyretic activities. In particular, it has shown good clinical effects for COVID-19, and was included in the fourth to tenth editions of the 'Diagnosis and Treatment Protocol for COVID-19 (Trial)' by the National Health Commission. In recent years, studies on the secondary development which focus on the basic and clinical application of SFJDC have been widely reported. In this paper, chemical components, pharmacodynamic material basis, mechanisms, compatibility rule and clinical application were systematically summarized, in order to provide theoretical and experimental basis for further research and clinical application of SFJDC.

Hemorrhage and venous thromboembolism in critically ill patients with COVID-19.

OBJECTIVE: The majority of patients with COVID-19 showed mild symptoms. However, approximately 5% of them were critically ill and require intensive care unit admission for advanced life supports. Patients in the intensive care unit were high risk for venous thromboembolism and hemorrhage due to the immobility and anticoagulants used during advanced life supports. The aim of the study was to report the incidence and treatments of the two complications in such patients. METHOD: Patients with COVID-19 (Group 1) and patients with community-acquired pneumonia (Group 2) that required intensive care unit admission were enrolled in this retrospective study. Their demographics, laboratory results, ultrasound findings and complications such as venous thromboembolism and hemorrhage were collected and compared. RESULTS: Thirty-four patients with COVID-19 and 51 patients with community-acquired pneumonia were included. The mean ages were 66 and 63 years in Groups 1 and 2, respectively. Venous thromboembolism was detected in 6 (18%) patients with COVID-19 and 18 (35%) patients with community-acquired pneumonia (P = 0.09). The major type was distal deep venous thrombosis. Twenty-one bleeding events occurred in 12 (35%) patients with COVID-19 and 5 bleeding events occurred in 5 (10%) patients with community-acquired pneumonia, respectively (P = 0.01). Gastrointestinal system was the most common source of bleeding. With the exception of one death due to intracranial bleeding, blood transfusion with or without surgical/endoscopic treatments was able to manage the bleeding in the remaining patients. Multivariable logistic regression showed increasing odds of hemorrhage with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (odds ratio: 13.9, 95% confidence interval: 4.0-48.1) and COVID-19 (odds ratio: 4.7, 95% confidence interval: 1.2-17.9). CONCLUSION: Venous thromboembolism and hemorrhage were common in both groups. The predominant type of venous thromboembolism was distal deep venous thrombosis, which presented a low risk of progression. COVID-19 and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation were risk factors for hemorrhage. Blood transfusion with or without surgical/endoscopic treatments was able to manage it in most cases.

Evaluation of an automated CRISPR-based diagnostic tool for rapid detection of COVID-19.

The performance of an automated commercial CRISPR/Cas based technology was evaluated and compared with routine RT-PCR testing to diagnose COVID-19. Suspected and discharged COVID-19 cases were included and tested with CRISPR-based SARS-CoV-2 test and RT-PCR assay using throat swab and sputum specimens. The diagnostic yield was calculated and compared using the McNemar test. A total of 437 patients were included for analysis, including COVID-19 (n = 171), discharged cases (n = 155), and others (n = 111). For the diagnosis of COVID-19, the CRISPR-SARS-CoV-2 test had a sensitivity and specificity of 98.2% (168/171) and 100.0% (266/266), respectively; the RT-PCR test had a sensitivity and specificity of 100.0% (171/171) and 100.0% (266/266), respectively. No significant difference was found in the sensitivity of CRISPR-SARS-CoV-2 and RT-PCR. In conclusion, the CRISPR-SARS-CoV-2 test had a comparable performance with RT-PCR and showed several advantages, such as short assay time, low cost, and no requirement for expensive equipment.

Plague God Image in the Clinic.

This paper selects four dreams before and during COVID-19 which constellated the Plague God image in Chinese culture. The author argues that this shows evidence that the origins of the modern psyche, although hidden, are preserved and living within the ancient anima mundi.

Cet article sélectionne quatre rêves produits avant et pendant la pandémie de COVID-19 et qui montrent la constellation de l'image divine de la peste dans la culture Chinoise. L'auteur soutient que ceci montre la preuve que les origines de la psyché moderne, bien que cachées, sont préservées et vivantes au sein de l'ancien anima mundi.

El presente artículo selecciona cuatro sueños antes y durante la pandemia del COVID-19 que constelan la imagen del dios de la peste en la cultura China. El autor argumenta que esto demuestra que los orígenes de la psique moderna, aunque ocultos, se conservan y viven dentro de la antigua anima mundi.

Influencing factors of health resource allocation and utilisation before and after COVID-19 based on RIF-I-OLS decomposition method: a longitudinal retrospective study in Guangdong Province, China.

OBJECTIVES: To explore factors that influenced the health resource allocation and utilisation before and after COVID-19, and subsequently offer sensible recommendations for advancing the scientific distribution of health resources. DESIGN: A longitudinal survey using 2017-2020 data, which were collected for analysis. SETTING: The study was conducted based on data collected from the Health Commission of Guangdong Province's website. OUTCOME MEASURES: Eight health resource indicators and four health resource utilisation indicators were included in the factor analysis. Four indices were calculated to measure the inequality in health resource allocation and utilisation. We analysed factors for the inequality indices using the recentred influence function index ordinary least squares decomposition method. RESULTS: The health resource inequality indices peaked in 2020 (Gini coefficient (Gini): 0.578, Absolute Gini coefficient (AGini): 1.136, Concentration Index (CI): 0.417, Absolute CI (ACI): 0.821), whereas the health resource utilisation inequality indices declined year by year, thus reaching their lowest point in that same year. The majority of inequality indices in the annual change of health resource allocation were at their lowest in 2020 (Gini: -1.672, AGini: 0.046, CI: -0.189, ACI: 0.005), while the use of health resources declined dramatically, showing a negative growth trend. The inequality indices of health resource allocation and utilisation in 2020 were affected by a number of variables, including the COVID-19 level, (p<0.05), while the proportion of expenditure on public health was the most significant one. CONCLUSIONS: Guangdong Province's health resource allocation and utilisation were still concentrated in economically developed regions from 2017 to 2020. The health resource allocation inequality indices increased, especially under COVID-19, but the health resource utilisation inequality indices decreased. Measures should be taken to adjust the health resource allocation scientifically, which will fulfil the changing needs and the use of resources more efficiently. One effective measure is reasonably increasing the proportion of expenditure on public health.

Study on the COVID-19 epidemic in mainland China between November 2022 and January 2023, with prediction of its tendency.

The prediction system EpiSIX was used to study the COVID-19 epidemic in mainland China between November 2022 and January 2023, based on reported data from December 9, 2022, to January 30, 2023, released by The Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention on February 1, 2023. Three kinds of reported data were used for model fitting: the daily numbers of positive nucleic acid tests and deaths, and the daily number of hospital beds taken by COVID-19 patients. It was estimated that the overall infection rate was 87.54% and the overall case fatality rate was 0.078%-0.116% (median 0.100%). Assuming that a new COVID-19 epidemic outbreak would start in March or April of 2023, induced by a slightly more infectious mutant strain, we predicted a possible large rebound between September and October 2023, with a peak demand of between 800,000 and 900,000 inpatient beds. If no such new outbreak was induced by other variants, then the current COVID-19 epidemic course in mainland China would remain under control until the end of 2023. However, it is suggested that the necessary medical resources be prepared to manage possible COVID-19 epidemic emergencies in the near future, especially for the period between September and October 2023.

Ferroptosis: A mixed blessing for infectious diseases.

To date, it has been confirmed that the occurrence and development of infectious diseases are tightly associated with regulatory cell death processes, such as apoptosis, autophagy, and necroptosis. Ferroptosis, as a newly discovered form of regulatory cell death characterized by iron-dependent lipid peroxidation, is not only closely associated with tumor progression, but is also found to be tightly related to the regulation of infectious diseases, such as Tuberculosis, Cryptococcal meningitis, Malaria and COVID-2019. The emerging critical roles of ferroptosis that has been found in infectious disease highlight ferroptosis as a potential therapeutic target in this field, which is therefore widely expected to be developed into new therapy strategy against infectious diseases. Here, we summarized the underlying mechanisms of ferroptosis and highlighted the intersections between host immunity and ferroptosis. Moreover, we illuminated the roles of ferroptosis in the occurrence and progression of different infectious diseases, which might provide some unique inspiration and thought-provoking perspectives for the future research of these infectious diseases, especially for the development of ferroptosis-based therapy strategy against infectious diseases.

Progress of cGAS-STING signaling in response to SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an epidemic respiratory disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) that can cause infections in millions of individuals, who can develop lung injury, organ failure, and subsequent death. As the first line of host defense, the innate immune system is involved in initiating the immune response to SARS-CoV-2 infection and the hyperinflammatory phenotype of COVID-19. However, the interplay between SARS-CoV-2 and host innate immunity is not yet well understood. It had become known that the cGAS-STING pathway is involved in the detection of cytosolic DNA, which elicits an innate immune response involving a robust type I interferon response against viral and bacterial infections. Nevertheless, several lines of evidence indicate that SARS-CoV-2, a single-stranded positive-sense RNA virus, triggered the cGAS-STING signaling pathway. Therefore, understanding the molecular and cellular details of cGAS-STING signaling upon SARS-CoV-2 infection is of considerable biomedical importance. In this review, we discuss the role of cGAS-STING signaling in SARS-CoV-2 infection and summarize the potential therapeutics of STING agonists as virus vaccine adjuvants.

Humoral and cellular immunity of two-dose inactivated COVID-19 vaccination in Chinese children: A prospective cohort study.

Children are the high-risk group for COVID-19, and in need of vaccination. However, humoral and cellular immune responses of COVID-19 vaccine remain unclear in vaccinated children. To establish the rational immunization strategy of inactivated COVID-19 vaccine for children, the immunogenicity of either one dose or two doses of the vaccine in children was evaluated. A prospective cohort study of 322 children receiving inactivated COVID-19 vaccine was established in China. The baseline was conducted after 28 days of the first dose, and the follow-up was conducted after 28 days of the second dose. The median titers of receptor binding domain (RBD)-IgG, and neutralizing antibody (NAb) against prototype strain and Omicron variant after the second dose increased significantly compared to those after the first dose (first dose: 70.0, [interquartile range, 30.0-151.0] vs. second dose: 1261.0 [636.0-2060.0] for RBD-IgG; 2.5 [2.5-18.6] vs. 252.0 [138.6-462.1] for NAb against prototype strain; 2.5 [2.5-2.5] vs. 15.0 [7.8-26.5] for NAb against Omicron variant, all p < 0.05). The flow cytometry results showed that the first dose elicited SARS-CoV-2 specific cellular immunity, while the second dose strengthened SARS-CoV-2 specific IL-2+ or TNF-α+  monofunctional, IFN-γ+ TNF-α+  bifunctional, and IFN-γ- IL-2+ TNF-α+ multifunctional CD4+ T cell responses (p < 0.05). Moreover, SARS-CoV-2 specific memory T cells were generated after the first vaccination, including the central memory T cells and effector memory T cells. The present findings provide scientific evidence for the vaccination strategy of the inactive vaccines among children against COVID-19 pandemic.

Mental health status of infected children between 7 to 12 years old in Fangcang Shelter Hospital during the COVID-19 Shanghai lockdown in 2022: a cross-section study.

Background: There has been an increase in research on the potential adverse effects on children's mental health, especially depression and anxiety, during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic over the past few months. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate depression and anxiety symptoms among children in shelter hospitals during the 2022 Shanghai lockdown. Methods: A total of 98 infected children aged 7-12 years were enrolled in this study between April 19 and June 4, 2022. The Children's Depression Inventory (CDI), Anxiety Scale for Children-Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASC-ASD), and Anxiety Scale or Children-Autism Spectrum Disorder Parent Form (ASC-ADS-P) were used to assess children's depression and anxiety symptoms. Children's guardians completed the survey by verbally asking their child/children the questions. The guardians additionally completed the ASC-ASD-P. Results: The prevalence of depression and anxiety was 12.2% and 13.3%, respectively. A total of 66 respondents reported no physical symptoms. Linear regression showed that myalgia [7.198, 95% confidence interval (CI): 3.163-11.232], headache (7.189, 95% CI: 3.842-10.535) coryza (5.362, 95% CI: 2.654-8.070), and number of quarantine days (4.378, 95% CI: 3.409-5.348) were significantly correlated with higher levels of depression, whereas chills (14.337, 95% CI: 9.799-18.875), coryza (9.309, 95% CI: 6.467-12.152), headache (7.193, 95% CI: 3.182-11.204), myalgia (5.571, 95% CI: 0.684-10.459), number of quarantine days (3.190, 95% CI: 1.796-4.584), and gender (male) (-4.137, 95% CI: -6.609 to 1.665) were associated with anxiety scores. Persistent fever was correlated with depression (P=0.007), whereas physical discomfort, such as persistent fever, cough, sore throat, headache, myalgia, and coryza were correlated with anxiety (all P<0.05). Conclusions: The findings of the present study indicated a moderate prevalence of depression and anxiety among infected children in a shelter hospital during the 2022 Shanghai lockdown. Therefore, the findings of this study could provide scientific basis for the development of targeted psychological intervention. It could be helpful for policy-makers to focus on psychological health among infected children and help to optimize future interventions.

Ferroptosis: A mixed blessing for infectious diseases

To date, it has been confirmed that the occurrence and development of infectious diseases are tightly associated with regulatory cell death processes, such as apoptosis, autophagy, and necroptosis. Ferroptosis, as a newly discovered form of regulatory cell death characterized by iron-dependent lipid peroxidation, is not only closely associated with tumor progression, but is also found to be tightly related to the regulation of infectious diseases, such as Tuberculosis, Cryptococcal meningitis, Malaria and COVID-2019. The emerging critical roles of ferroptosis that has been found in infectious disease highlight ferroptosis as a potential therapeutic target in this field, which is therefore widely expected to be developed into new therapy strategy against infectious diseases. Here, we summarized the underlying mechanisms of ferroptosis and highlighted the intersections between host immunity and ferroptosis. Moreover, we illuminated the roles of ferroptosis in the occurrence and progression of different infectious diseases, which might provide some unique inspiration and thought-provoking perspectives for the future research of these infectious diseases, especially for the development of ferroptosis-based therapy strategy against infectious diseases.

Sodium oligomannate combined with rivastigmine may improve cerebral blood flow and cognitive impairment following CAR-T cell therapy: A case report.

Chimeric antigen receptor-T (CAR-T) cell therapy is a breakthrough for B-cell hematological malignancies but is commonly associated with cytokine release syndrome and neurotoxicity and is occasionally complicated by neurological symptoms, such as cognitive disturbances. Currently, no effective treatments for CAR-T therapy-related cognitive impairment are available. Here, we present a 22-year-old patient with cognitive impairment who was treated with CAR-T cells as a salvage therapy for Burkitt lymphoma. One month after CAR-T cell infusion, he experienced memory loss that mainly manifested as forgetting recent-onset events. Two months of rehabilitation and hyperbaric oxygen therapy failed to provide clinical improvement. Subsequently, the patient improved with oral oxiracetam for 5 months. However, after 10 months of withdrawal, he showed significantly worse memory decline. Then, he began to take sodium oligomannate (22 February 2021). Follow-up testing at 6 and 12 months revealed maintenance of memory gains with sodium oligomannate alone or in combination with rivastigmine. Our case shows that CAR-T therapy may compromise cognitive function and that sodium oligomannate may have partial efficacy in restoring cognitive performance and activities of daily living. This may provide insights for further applications of sodium oligomannate for neurological symptoms, especially cognitive deficits following CAR-T cell therapy.

Anti-spike T-cell and Antibody Responses to SARS-CoV-2 mRNA Vaccines in Patients with Hematologic Malignancies.

The anti-spike T-cell and antibody responses to SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccines in patients with B-cell malignancies were examined in a real-world setting. A next-generation sequencing (NGS)-based molecular assay was used to assess SARS-CoV-2-specific T-cell responses. After the second dose, 58% (166/284) of seropositive and 45% (99/221) of seronegative patients display anti-spike T cells. The percentage of patients who displayed T-cell response was higher among patients receiving mRNA-1273 vaccines compared with those receiving BNT162b2 vaccines. After the third vaccination, 40% (137/342) of patients seroconverted, although only 22% displayed sufficient antibody levels associated with the production of neutralizing antibodies. 97% (717/738) of patients who were seropositive before the third dose had markedly elevated anti-spike antibody levels. Anti-spike antibody levels, but not T-cell responses, were depressed by B cell-directed therapies. Vaccinated patients with B-cell malignancies with a poor response to SARS-CoV-2 vaccines may remain vulnerable to COVID-19 infections. SIGNIFICANCE: This study represents the first investigation of SARS-CoV-2-specific immune responses to vaccination in a patient registry using an NGS-based method for T-cell receptor repertoire-based analysis combined with anti-spike antibody assessments. Vaccinated patients with B cell-derived hematologic malignancies are likely at higher risk of infection or severe COVID-19. This article is highlighted in the In This Issue feature, p. 476.

Anisodamine potently inhibits SARS-CoV-2 infection in vitro and targets its main protease.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) provoked a pandemic of acute respiratory disease, namely coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Currently, effective drugs for this disease are urgently warranted. Anisodamine is a traditional Chinese medicine that is predicted as a potential therapeutic drug for the treatment of COVID-19. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate its antiviral activity and crucial targets in SARS-CoV-2 infection. SARS-CoV-2 and anisodamine were co-cultured in Vero E6 cells, and the antiviral activity of anisodamine was assessed by immunofluorescence assay. The antiviral activity of anisodamine was further measured by pseudovirus entry assay in HEK293/hACE2 cells. Finally, the predictions of crucial targets of anisodamine on SARS-CoV-2 were analyzed by molecular docking studies. We discovered that anisodamine suppressed SARS-CoV-2 infection in Vero E6 cells, and reduced the SARS-CoV-2 pseudovirus entry to HEK293/hACE2 cells. Furthermore, molecular docking studies indicated that anisodamine may target SARS-CoV-2 main protease (Mpro) with the docking score of -6.63 kcal/mol and formed three H-bonds with Gly143, Cys145, and Cys44 amino acid residues at the predicted active site of Mpro. This study suggests that anisodamine is a potent antiviral agent for treating COVID-19.

Exploring Sustainable Fashion Consumption Behavior in the Post-Pandemic Era: Changes in the Antecedents of Second-Hand Clothing-Sharing in China

Second-hand consumption of clothing plays a vital role in promoting the overall global trend of low-carbon transition;however, the COVID-19 outbreak put this consumption model into a development dilemma. Cultivating consumers' sustainable behavior will be an effective way to promote the sustainable development of the apparel industry. Based on the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT), this study starts with fashion-sharing behavior and investigates the antecedents that influence consumers' use of second-hand clothing-sharing platforms in the post-pandemic era. The research background involves the Chinese clothing-sharing market in the growing period. The findings revealed that the pandemic raised people's awareness of health and hygiene protection. In addition, the cleaning problem of platform clothing has become the primary reason for curbing consumers' choice of sharing. High-cost performance, high efficiency, and convenience can stimulate consumers to use shared services. Considering that the pandemic has driven consumer economic fluctuations, perceived economic risks could widen the gap between willingness and behavior. In conclusion, platforms must fully realize the transparency of the clothing cleaning and maintenance process, improve their own construction level such as ease of use, convenience, and safety, and incorporate functional clothing-sharing to refine people's sustainable consumption habits.

Analysis and Review of the Countermeasures Required for Medical Staff's Cognition of Relevant Laws and Regulations in the Coronavirus 2019 Context.

Background: Novel coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) infections are highly contagious and have spread worldwide. Healthcare workers must understand the laws and regulations related to major public health emergencies to work effectively within this environment. Through investigation and analysis, a review was conducted to help gain a better understanding of a Level-1 response to public health events and the relevant laws and regulations applicable to medical staff. Based on the results, this study formulated measures for working in the current COVID-19 healthcare context. Methods: A total of 42,490 medical personnel in 18 cities in Henan Province (China) were reviewed and analysed using the convenience sampling method. A questionnaire was employed to address two areas of cognitive status quo (25 items), ie, "general information" and "major public events and rules of the law". Results: More than 90% of medical staff had a good understanding related to knowledge about prevention and control in the pandemic context, as well as their due diligence and legal responsibility for controlling the pandemic and preventing others from being infected. However, 3.47-32.61% of medical staff still had a minimal understanding of a Level-1 response to public health events and its relevant laws and regulations. Conclusion: The response to public health events required strengthening at all levels through promotion and education, by implementing an optimised treatment system and establishing an improved legal mechanism for the treatment of major conditions, such as hierarchical, stratified and triaged infectious diseases.

Research on antibody changes and nucleic acid clearance in COVID-19 patients treated with convalescent plasma

Purpose: To investigate changes in the production of IgM and IgG antibodies and the negative transformation of viral nucleic acids in COVID-19 patients after convalescent plasma therapy, and also to discuss the clinical therapeutic effect, so as to provide a basis for the treatment of COVID-19 using specific antibodies. Methods: The convalescent plasma of recovered patients from COVID-19 was used to treat other patients, and the levels of antibodies IgM and IgG and the nucleic acid genes ORF1ab and N in the patients were tested regularly for statistical comparison and analysis. Results: In general, the Ct value and concentration of IgM and IgG antibodies in the plasma infusion group were significantly higher (1-3 times higher) than those in the non-plasma infusion group, respectively, but these differences were not significant (P>0.05). However, the content of antibodies in severe patients in the plasma transfusion group was significantly higher than those in the non-plasma transfusion group at discharge, the results being statistically significant (P<0.05). Conclusions: The application of convalescent plasma significantly increases the antibody content in severe and critical inpatients, effectively enhances immune function, accelerates the clearance of virus and the nucleic acid negative conversion rate, and significantly promotes early improvement in COVID-19 patients.