Effect of warning signs on the epidemic spreading of the COVID-19 pandemic

Early warning signs of the outbreak of pandemic disease become a high profile from the beginning and they remind more susceptible individuals to keep social distance on social occasions. However, these signs have no way to the Susceptible-Infected-Recovered (SIR) models which have been concerned by medical scientists. Warning signs imply the risk level of the pandemic disease evaluated by the government. The response of susceptible population (S-population) to the warning signs is represented by a chicken game. In order to get a better payoff, the more beneficial behavior of the S-population may be induced in the autonomous society based on the SIR model. We emphasize that participants can choose their strategies whether to follow the health rules or not without coercion in the chicken game while the warning signs released by the policy makers can encourage S-population to choose beneficial behavior, instead of purely following the healthy rules or not. The agile policy helps S-population to make a choice on the basis of risk interests but without losing to protect themselves in a serious pandemic situation. Comparing the classic SIR model with our signal-SIR model, the serious pandemic signal released by the policy makers and the disease awareness to it together play an important role in the outbreak period of the pandemic disease. © 2023 World Scientific Publishing Company.

EDUCATION DOCTORAL STUDENTS’ SELF-STUDY OF THEIR IDENTITY DEVELOPMENT: A THEMATIC REVIEW

Aim/Purpose Doctoral students’ experiences in PhD programs could be a journey of identity evolution. Existing research on doctoral students’ identities has typically been conducted by faculties. As the main character in the identity evolution process, it is critical to understand doctoral students’ interpretation of their own identities and identity development in PhD programs. The purpose of this paper is to examine how and what education doctoral students discovered when they used self-study and relevant qualitative methodologies (e.g., auto-ethnography) to investigate their identities and identity development through their own practices in PhD programs. Background This research began as part of a larger project to synthesize studies on doctoral students’ identities. A cluster of articles was identified in which students were examining their experiences as developing individuals from the perspective of identities and identity development. In contrast to most of the previous research on doctoral education, this collection of articles was written by doctoral students as part of their academic and professional practice. Methodology The larger qualitative systematic review (i.e., qualitative evidence synthesis) of doctoral students’ identity development began with database searches that were not restricted by year (e.g., PsycINFO, Education Research Complete, and Education Resources Information Center). Thirteen articles written by doctoral students discussing their identities and identity development in PhD programs were further identified from selected articles ranging from 2009 to 2021. These articles and their implications were analyzed using a qualitative research synthesis approach. Contribution Although scholars have looked at doctoral students’ identities and identity development from various viewpoints, the current investigation deepens the understanding of this focus from doctoral students’ own perspectives. Doctoral students are trained investigators with research skills and mindsets. As novice researchers and educators, their open and honest reflections about their challenges, opportunities, and development are worthwhile to identify significant aspects of their identities and identity development in PhD programs. Findings There are two dimensions to the findings: the Approach Dimension and the Content Dimension. The Approach Dimension is concerned with how doctoral students investigated their identities and identity development, whereas the Content Dimension is concerned with what they found. Findings in the Approach Dimension show that doctoral students applied the self-study inquiry approach or used the notion of self-study inquiry to interpret their identity and identity development. The self-study inquiry encompasses five main features, including (1) Self-Initiated and Focused, (2) Improvement-Aimed, (3) Collaborative/Interactive, (4) Reflective Data Collection, and (5) Exemplar-Based Validation. Doctoral students examined the five self-study features both directly and indirectly in their studies. The investigation revealed four major themes in the Content Dimension, including (1) Identity Development as a Dynamic Process, (2) Multiple Identities, (3) Learning Contexts, and (4) Socialization. Recommendations The findings suggest that practitioners in PhD programs should be aware of for Practitioners the existence, process, and dynamics of identity evolution in doctoral programs. The best possible way for PhD program administrators, faculties, and advisors to support doctoral students’ growth and identity development is to incorporate doctoral students’ own insights into practice. Given the unprecedented influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on the educational environment and the diversity of doctoral students, it is crucial to discover how doctoral students use structured research methods to reflect, learn, and self-support their identity development during their PhD programs. The self-study inquiry process would be a helpful and effective approach to support doctoral students’ advan ement. For instance, PhD programs could create self-evaluation assignments or courses that incorporate both self-study and identity development concepts. Recommendations When studying doctoral students’ identity development, it is critical to emphafor Researchers size the essence of identity, which is people’s perceptions of who they are. We recommend that researchers who study doctoral students could further integrate doctoral students’ insights about their own identity status (e.g., multiple identities) into research. Impact on Society Successful completion of PhD programs is a critical foundation for doctoral students to serve society as expert researchers and educators. Support for the growth and development of doctoral students could facilitate the completion of their doctoral programs and strengthen their sense of agency through the lens of identity. Future Research Future research could go beyond the field of education and expand to more disciplines to identify common and diverse factors influencing doctoral students’ identity and identity development across domains. Future research on the post-COVID-19 era and its implications for online programs must also be studied in connection with doctoral students’ identities and identity development. © 2022 Informing Science Institute. All rights reserved.

Axial Chirality and Antiviral Activity Evaluation of Arylnaphthalene Lignan Glycosides from Justicia procumbens

One of the structural uniqueness of arylnaphthalene lignans (ANLs) is their potential atropoisomerism, which may result in bioactivity discrepancy. However, the stable ANL atropisomers rarely exist in nature. In the course of our phytochemical study of Justicia procumbens, we isolated nine ANL glycosides (1-9) with four of them (1-4) being identified as new stable atropisomers. Their absolute configurations were determined based on the analysis of the circular dichroism (CD) and electronic circular dichroism (ECD) data. The ANL compounds were evaluated for their antiviral potential as entry inhibitors against the infections of H5N1 influenza virus, vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) with 5 being the most potent one with IC50 values ranging from 0.0063-1.13 mu M. The atropisomers did not display significant antiviral activity, indicating that a free rotation of the biphenyl aryl-aryl bond could play a significant role in the antiviral activity of ANL compounds.

Immunogenicity and safety of a SARS-CoV-2 inactivated vaccine in healthy adults: randomized, double-blind, and placebo-controlled phase 1 and phase 2 clinical trials

BACKGROUND: The significant morbidity and mortality resulted from the infection of a severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) call for urgent development of effective and safe vaccines. We report the immunogenicity and safety of an inactivated SARS-CoV-2 vaccine, KCONVAC, in healthy adults. METHODS: Phase 1 and phase 2 randomized, double-blind, and placebo-controlled trials of KCONVAC were conducted in healthy Chinese adults aged 18-59 years. The participants in the phase 1 trial were randomized to receive two doses, one each on Days 0 and 14, of either KCONVAC (5 mug/dose or 10 mug/dose) or placebo. The participants in the phase 2 trial were randomized to receive either KCONVAC (at 5 or 10 mug/dose) or placebo on Days 0 and 14 (0/14 regimen) or Days 0 and 28 (0/28 regimen). In the phase 1 trial, the primary safety endpoint was the proportion of participants experiencing adverse reactions/events within 28 days following the administration of each dose. In the phase 2 trial, the primary immunogenicity endpoints were neutralization antibody seroconversion and titer and anti-receptor-binding domain immunoglobulin G seroconversion at 28 days after the second dose. RESULTS: In the phase 1 trial, 60 participants were enrolled and received at least one dose of 5-mug vaccine (n = 24), 10-mug vaccine (n = 24), or placebo (n = 12). In the phase 2 trial, 500 participants were enrolled and received at least one dose of 5-mug vaccine (n = 100 for 0/14 or 0/28 regimens), 10-mug vaccine (n = 100 for each regimen), or placebo (n = 50 for each regimen). In the phase 1 trial, 13 (54%), 11 (46%), and 7 (58%) participants reported at least one adverse event (AE) after receiving 5-mug vaccine, 10-mug vaccine, or placebo, respectively. In the phase 2 trial, 16 (16%), 19 (19%), and 9 (18%) 0/14-regimen participants reported at least one AE after receiving 5-mug vaccine, 10-mug vaccine, or placebo, respectively. Similar AE incidences were observed in the three 0/28-regimen treatment groups. No AEs with an intensity of grade 3+ were reported, expect for one vaccine-unrelated serious AE (foot fracture) reported in the phase 1 trial. KCONVAC induced significant antibody responses;0/28 regimen showed a higher immune responses than that did 0/14 regimen after receiving two vaccine doses. CONCLUSIONS: Both doses of KCONVAC are well tolerated and able to induce robust immune responses in healthy adults. These results support testing 5-mug vaccine in the 0/28 regimen in an upcoming phase 3 efficacy trial. TRIAL REGISTRATION: http://www.chictr.org.cn/index.aspx (No. ChiCTR2000038804, http://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.aspx?proj=62350;No. ChiCTR2000039462, http://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.aspx?proj=63353).

Research on active compounds of Maxingyigan Decoction for treatment of coronavirus disease 2019 based on network pharmacology and molecular docking [Chinese]

Objective: To explore the active compounds of Maxingyigan Decoction for the treatment of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Method(s): The chemical constituents and action targets of Ephedra sinica, Armeniacae Semen Amarum, Coicis Semen, and Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma in Maxingyigan Decoction were retrieved from TCMSP. The database of UniProt and GeneCards were used to query the target genes that corresponding to the active compounds, and then a compound-target (gene) network was constructed by Cytoscape 3.6.1. GO functional enrichment analysis and KEGG enrichment analysis were performed through WebGestalt database to predict its mechanism of action. The main active ingredients were docked with SARS-CoV-2 3CL hydrolase and angiotensin converting enzyme II (ACE2). Result(s): The compound-target network contained 126 compounds and 266 corresponding targets. The key targets genes included PTGS2, ESR1, PCP4, PPARG, HSP90AA1, NCOA2, etc. GO function enrichment analysis found that 522 GO items were affected by Maxingyigan Decoction, including 12 biological process items, 20 cell composition items, and 17 molecular function items. KEGG enrichment analysis showed that 168 signal pathways were enriched, involving interferon-gamma signaling pathway, MAP kinase cascade, T cell activation, chemokines and cytokine signaling pathway-mediated inflammation pathways, etc. The molecular docking results showed that core compounds such as luteolin and quercetin had similar affinity with the recommended drugs used to treat COVID-19. Conclusion(s): The active compounds in Maxingyigan Decoction may have a therapeutic effect on COVID-19 through binding with 3CL hydrolase and ACE2 to act on targets such as PTGS2, ESR1, PCP4, PPARG, HSP90AA1 and NCOA2 so as to regulate multiple signal pathways. Copyright © 2020, Editorial Office of Chinese Traditional and Herbal Drugs. All right reserved.