ABSTRACT
Compound Qinlan Oral Liquid (,CQOL) is derived from Yinqiao San (), which is composed of Jinyinhua (Lonicerae Japonicae Flos), Huangqin (Scutellariae Radix), Lianqiao (Forsythiae Fructus) and Banlangen (Isatidis Radix). It is a common clinical herbal medicine for clearing heat and detoxification, and has antiviral effects. By reviewing the active ingredients of CQOL and the research progress on its anti-influenza virus and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) efficacy, with view to providing a basis for the clinical use of CQOL in treatment of respiratory diseases caused by SARS-CoV-2.Copyright © 2023 Editorial Office of Chinese Traditional and Herbal Drugs. All rights reserved.
ABSTRACT
Objective: To understand the performance of 2019-nCoV nucleic acid detection in screening of contacts of COVID-19 cases in same flights and provide evidence for the effective screening of persons at high risk for the infection in domestic flights. Methods: The information of passengers who took same domestic flights with COVID-19 cases in China from April 1, 2020 to April 30, 2022 were retrospectively collected,and χ2 test was used to analyze positive nucleic acid detection rates in the passengers in different times before the onsets of the index cases, in different seat rows and in epidemic periods of different 2019-nCoV variants. Results: During the study period, a total of 433 index cases were identified among 23 548 passengers in 370 flights. Subsequently, 72 positive cases of 2019-nCoV nucleic acid were detected in the passengers, in whom 57 were accompanying persons of the index cases. Further analysis of the another 15 passengers who tested positive for the nucleic acid showed that 86.67% of them had onsets or positive detections within 3 days after the diagnosis of the index cases, and the boarding times were all within 4 days before the onsets of the index cases. The positive detection rate in the passengers who seated in first three rows before and after the index cases was 0.15% (95%CI: 0.08%-0.27%), significantly higher than in the passengers in other rows (0.04%, 95%CI: 0.02%-0.10%, P=0.007),and there was no significant difference in the positive detection rate among the passengers in each of the 3 rows before and after the index cases (P=0.577). No significant differences were found in the positive detection rate in the passengers, except the accompanying persons, among the epidemics caused by different 2019-nCoV variants (P=0.565). During the Omicron epidemic period, all the positive detections in the passengers, except the accompanying persons, were within 3 days before the onset of the index cases. Conclusions: The screening test of 2019-nCoV nucleic acid can be conducted in the passengers took the same flights within 4 days before the onsets of the index cases on board. Passengers who seated within 3 rows from the index cases can considered as the close contacts at high risk for 2019-nCoV, for whom screening should be conducted first and special managements are needed. The passengers in other rows can be classified as general risk persons for screening and management.
Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Nucleic Acids , Humans , Retrospective Studies , SARS-CoV-2 , ChinaABSTRACT
Background: Aging and binge alcohol abuse are both known as independent risk factors for both atrial and ventricular arrhythmias. With the COVID-19 pandemic, increased social isolation has significantly increased alcohol consumption worldwide. Older adults are a high-risk drinking group and alcohol significantly enhances the risk of arrhythmia onset. Yet, how alcohol (a secondary stressor) drives spontaneous atrial and ventricular arrhythmia onset in the aged heart (a primary stressor) remains unclear. Objective(s): We recently reported the stress-response kinase c-jun N-terminal kinase 2 (JNK2) underlies alcohol-enhanced atrial arrhythmia vulnerability (pacing-induced) in healthy young hearts. Here, we reveal a critical role of JNK2 in alcohol-driven arrhythmia onset in the aged heart in vivo. Method(s): Ambulatory ECGs were recorded using wireless telemeters in binge alcohol-exposed aged (24 months) and young mice (2 months). Spontaneous premature atrial and ventricular contractions (PACs, PVCs), atrial and ventricular tachycardia (AT, VT) were quantified as previously described. The role of JNK2 in triggered arrhythmic activities was assessed using a well-evaluated JNK2-specific inhibitor and our unique cardiac-specific MKK7D and MKK7D-JNK2dn mouse models with tamoxifen inducible overexpression of constitutively active MKK7 (a JNK upstream activator) or co-expression of MKK7D and inactive dominant negative JNK2 (JNK2dn). Result(s): We found that binge alcohol exposure in aged mice (n=14) led to spontaneous PACs/PVCs (75% of the mice), and AT/VT episodes (50%) along with a 21% mortality rate. However, alcohol-exposed young (n=5) and non-alcohol-exposed aged mice (n=11) were absent of any spontaneous arrhythmic activities or premature death. Intriguingly, JNK2-specific inhibition in vivo abolished those alcohol-associated triggered activities and mortality in aged mice. The causative role of JNK2 in triggered arrhythmias and premature death was further supported by the high frequency of spontaneous PACs/PVCs and nonsustained AT/VT episodes along with a 50% mortality rate in MKK7D mice (n=10), which was strikingly alleviated in MKK7D-JNK2dn mice (n=5) with cardiac-specific JNK2 competitive inhibition. Conclusion(s): Our findings are the first to reveal that stress kinase JNK2 underlies binge alcohol-evoked atrial and ventricular arrhythmia initiation in aged mice. Modulating JNK2 could be a novel therapeutic strategy to treat and/or prevent binge drinking-evoked cardiac arrhythmias.Copyright © 2023
ABSTRACT
Compound Qinlan Oral Liquid (,CQOL) is derived from Yinqiao San (), which is composed of Jinyinhua (Lonicerae Japonicae Flos), Huangqin (Scutellariae Radix), Lianqiao (Forsythiae Fructus) and Banlangen (Isatidis Radix). It is a common clinical herbal medicine for clearing heat and detoxification, and has antiviral effects. By reviewing the active ingredients of CQOL and the research progress on its anti-influenza virus and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) efficacy, with view to providing a basis for the clinical use of CQOL in treatment of respiratory diseases caused by SARS-CoV-2.Copyright © 2023 Editorial Office of Chinese Traditional and Herbal Drugs. All rights reserved.
ABSTRACT
By assuming that a risk-neutral hedge fund manager has ambiguous beliefs about the return process of risky asset, we study his robust risk choice under the high-water mark. The results show that without management fees, ambiguity aversion induces the manager to take more risk as the fund is close to the termination but take less risk as the fund approaches the high-water mark. With management fees, ambiguity aversion increases the induced risk aversion and moderates the manager's incentive to take risk, predicting that it is the manager with higher rates of management fees that reduces the risky asset holdings more when he becomes less confident and/or more pessimistic about the future returns. The model implies that managers' ambiguity aversion is a possible factor explaining hedge fund activities in stock markets during the financial crisis of 2007–2009 and in US Treasury markets during COVID-19 crisis. Finally, taxation is taken into account. © 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.
ABSTRACT
The general consensus is that physical activity can prevent and manage lifestyle-induced chronic diseases, and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) has been included in several guidelines of WHO as an indicative intensity standard. Numerous studies have confirmed that improving the spatial quality of urban parks can be very helpful in supporting physical activities, and that the quality of parks is significantly related to the intensity of physical activities. However, few studies have explored the spatial characteristics of activating physical activities. Using a modified System for Observing Play and Recreation in Communities (SOPARC), this study examines the relationship between spatial characteristics and MVPA through a binary logistic regression model. The results reveal that: firstly, inconsistent with other similar studies, the most observed group in the park is the adults rather than the seniors, and the proportion of the females (51%) is higher;secondly, the distribution of MVPA in different groups shows that the seniors have less interaction with other groups, and they have a significant spatial attachment. Thirdly, in functionality, large lawn and jogging trails have been proved to be the most effective features to promote the occurrence of MVPA;among the activity, except for the significant correlation between equipped and MVPA, other attributes can be proved to encourage MVPA as well as those in comfort. In conclusion, our results can contribute to the planning and design of the urban park as well as the further management and allocation of the space and facilities under the vision of promoting public health. © 2023 by the authors.
ABSTRACT
The standardized nutrition support therapy can improve the nutritional status, immunity, quality of life, and clinical outcomes of patients with novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) infection. The latest Chinese government policy also clearly states that nutrition support therapy should be included in the whole process of treatment and recovery of patients with COVID-19. Therefore, the Beijing Quality Control and Improvement Center for Clinical Nutrition Therapy has organized relevant experts to formulate the Recommendations of Nutritional Treatment for Patients with COVID-19 Infection (2023), following the latest clinical nutrition guidelines, research evidence and clinical practice of nutrition support of COVID-19. The recommendations suggest that individualized nutrition management be implemented by fol-lowing the standardized pathway of nutrition management, which includes nutrition-risk screening, malnu-trition diagnosis, nutrition treatment and nutrition monitoring, and by taking into account the clinical char-acteristics of patients with COVID-19.Copyright © 2023, Peking Union Medical College Hospital. All rights reserved.
ABSTRACT
Monitoring respiration is vital for personal diagnosis of chronic diseases. However, the existing respiratory sensors have severe limitations, such as single function, finite detection parameters, and lack of smart signal analysis. Here, we present an integrated wearable and low-cost smart respiratory monitoring sensor (RMS) system with artificial intelligence (AI)-assisted diagnosis of respiratory abnormality by detecting multi-parameters of human respiration. Coupling with intelligent analysis and data mining algorithms embedded in a phone app, the lighter system of 7.3 g can acquire real-time self-calibrated parameters, including breathing frequency, apnea hypopnea index (AHI), vital capacity (VC), peak expiratory flow (PEF), and other respiratory indexes with an accuracy >95.21%. The data can be wirelessly transferred to the user's data cloud terminal. The RMS system enables comprehensive multi-physiological parameters analysis for auxiliary diagnosing and classifying diseases, including sleep apnea, rhinitis, and chronic lung diseases, as well as rehabilitation of COVID-19, and exhibits advantages of portable healthcare. © 2022 The Authors
ABSTRACT
Objective To understand the inter- relationships among COVID- 19 risk perception physical exercise and mental health among college students and to provide basis for effective mental health promotion of college students under the context of normal epidemic prevention and control. Methods By using a longitudinal design in December 2021 T1 and March 2022 T2 2 follow- up surveys were conducted among 973 college students from 16 colleges and universities in Zhengzhou Beijing Shenyang and Tianjin by using the Symptom Check List-90 SCL-90 Physical Exercise Rating Scale PARS-3 and COVID- 19 Epidemic Risk Perception Scale. Results There was no significant difference in risk perception of COVID- 19 between boys and girls Z = -1.81-1.82 P>0.05 while there were cross- group gender differences in physical exercise and mental health variables T1 Z = -0.98-4.84 T2 Z = -0.86-4.64 P<0.01 with boys were better than girls in physical exercise and mental health There was a stable and synchronous correlation between the risk perception of COVID- 19 epidemic physical exercise and mental health of college students r = -0.31-0.54 P<0.01 Early risk perception of COVID- 19 T1 could predict later physical exercise and mental health T2 of college students β = 0.30 0.43 P<0.01 early physical exercise T1 could predict later mental health T2 β = 0.37 P<0.01 and physical exercise had a mediating effect on the association between COVID- 19 risk perception and mental health. Conclusion There is a longitudinal causal relationship between COVID- 19 risk perception physical exercise and mental health. It is of practical significance to improve college physical exercise awareness based on gender. © 2022 The authors.
ABSTRACT
Artificial intelligence (AI) has revolutionized the medical industry in the decade. It is critical to integrate human–computer interaction into daily clinic service and further increase the public acceptance of medical AI. Based on self-categorization theory, our research draws on speciesism as a vital cognitive factor to examine how patients' speciesism affects their acceptance of medical AI in different roles. The study adopted a positivist research paradigm by examining 249 samples of data collected during COVID-19 in China. The results indicate that patients with higher speciesism tend to have lower acceptance of medical AI in an independent role but higher acceptance in an assistive role. Furthermore, we verified the mediating effect of human–computer trust and the positive moderating role of human uniqueness perception. This article expands the practicality of speciesism from human–animal relationships into human–AI relationships and contributes to human–computer interaction from the perspective of medical AI acceptance. © 2023 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.
ABSTRACT
Traditional classification techniques usually classify data samples according to the physical organization, such as similarity, distance, and distribution, of the data features, which lack a general and explicit mechanism to represent data classes with semantic data patterns. Therefore, the incorporation of data pattern formation in classification is still a challenge problem. Meanwhile, data classification techniques can only work well when data features present high level of similarity in the feature space within each class. Such a hypothesis is not always satisfied, since, in real-world applications, we frequently encounter the following situation: On one hand, the data samples of some classes (usually representing the normal cases) present well defined patterns;on the other hand, the data features of other classes (usually representing abnormal classes) present large variance, i.e., low similarity within each class. Such a situation makes data classification a difficult task. In this paper, we present a novel solution to deal with the above mentioned problems based on the mesostructure of a complex network, built from the original data set. Specifically, we construct a core–periphery network from the training data set in such way that the normal class is represented by the core sub-network and the abnormal class is characterized by the peripheral sub-network. The testing data sample is classified to the core class if it gets a high coreness value;otherwise, it is classified to the periphery class. The proposed method is tested on an artificial data set and then applied to classify x-ray images for COVID-19 diagnosis, which presents high classification precision. In this way, we introduce a novel method to describe data pattern of the data "without pattern” through a network approach, contributing to the general solution of classification. © 2022 Elsevier B.V.
ABSTRACT
Despite being a worldwide disaster, the COVID-19 pandemic has also provided an opportunity for renewed discussion about the way we work. By contextualizing in the early periods of China's ending of lockdown policy on COVID-19, this paper offers evidence to respond to an essential discussion in the field of working from home (WFH): In terms of job performance, can WFH replace working from the office (WFO)? The present study compares job performance in terms of quality and productivity between WFH and WFO from 861 Chinese respondents using entropy balance matching, a quasi-experimental methodology. Results reveal that WFH enhances job performance in terms of job quality but lowers it in terms of job productivity. In addition, the present study aims to capture and empirically measure the variations in fundamental job characteristics in terms of job control and job demand between WFH and WFO by applying the job demand control support model. More specifically, we find that job control items, such as ‘talking right' and ‘work rate', and job demand items, such as ‘a long time of intense concentration' and ‘hecticness of the job', are vital factors that contribute to how these differences exert influence on employees' performance in the context of the pandemic. © 2022 Australian Human Resources Institute (AHRI).
ABSTRACT
COVID-19 has caused a large number of online public opinion incidents. How to timely and effectively guide the resulting network public opinion has become an urgent problem to be solved. This paper collects more than 130,000 original Weibo posts during the Wuhan "city closure” incident, and analyses the topic characteristics of the incident on the basis of user classification through topic models and community detection algorithms. It was found that during this period, the government responded quickly to the epidemic and gained public support. For different Weibo users, officially certified users mainly publish information about the epidemic and epidemic prevention measures. Personally certified users mainly forwarded and transmitted official information actively, and they also expressed their opinions and made suggestions. Non-certified users actively expressed their emotions and opinions, so they were important users that reflect public opinion. © 2022 SPIE.
ABSTRACT
As the COVID-19 pathogen, SARS-CoV-2 relies on its main protease (MPro) for pathogenesis and replication. During crystallographic analyses of MPro crystals that were exposed to the air, a uniquely Y-shaped, S-O-N-O-S-bridged post-translational cross-link that connects three residues C22, C44, and K61 at their side chains was frequently observed. As a novel covalent modification, this cross-link serves potentially as a redox switch to regulate the catalytic activity of MPro, a demonstrated drug target of COVID-19. The formation of this linkage leads to a much more open active site that can potentially be targeted for the development of novel SARS-CoV-2 antivirals. The structural rearrangement of MPro by this cross-link indicates that small molecules that lock MPro in the cross-linked form can potentially be used with other active-site-targeting molecules such as paxlovid for synergistic effects in inhibiting SARS-CoV-2 viral replication.
Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Humans , SARS-CoV-2 , Viral Nonstructural Proteins/chemistry , Antiviral Agents/pharmacology , Antiviral Agents/chemistry , Protease Inhibitors/chemistry , Molecular Docking SimulationABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Lack of access to diagnostic testing for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection can limit disease surveillance in remote areas. Serological surveillance can indicate the true extent and distribution of infections in such settings. METHODS: This study monitored SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence in residual serum samples salvaged from laboratories at five healthcare facilities across Timor-Leste from March to October 2021. RESULTS: Seroprevalence increased from 8.3% to 87.0% during the study period. Potential immunity gaps were identified among children aged 0-15 y (who had not been eligible for vaccination) and individuals aged >60 y. CONCLUSIONS: Efforts to vaccinate vulnerable individuals including older people should be maintained. Residual serum samples can be analysed to give local, contemporary information about the extent and distribution of antibodies to infections, especially SARS-CoV-2, in areas where epidemiological information is limited.
ABSTRACT
To explore the influencing factors of perceived stress among frontline nurses during COVID-1 9, and the role of positive psychological capital in anxiety sensitivity and stress perception, so as to provide evidence for reducing the perceived stress of frontline nurses. From December 2021 to January 2022, 475 frontline nurses from 8 hospitals in X city were investigated by general data questionnaire, positive psychological capital, anxiety sensitivity index and perceived stress scale. The results showed that there were significant differences in nurses’ perceived stress in age, working years, professional title and salary. Perceived stress was positively correlated with anxiety sensitivity, negatively correlated with positive psychological capital, and anxiety sensitivity was negatively correlated with positive psychological capital. Anxiety sensitivity can not only directly predict perceived stress, but also negatively affect perceived stress through positive psychological capital. Therefore, during the epidemic prevention and control in COVID-1 9, nurses can obtain effective stress coping strategies by strengthening their positive psychological capital, thus reducing their anxiety and perceived stress, and better providing high-quality nursing services for patients. © 2022, Editorial department of Chinese Medical Ethics. All rights reserved.
ABSTRACT
Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has substantially affected medical school curriculum, limiting access to simulationbased trauma education and core surgical clerkship rotations. Virtual learning has been integrated into medical education as an alternative to live synchronous sessions. However, its effectiveness for teaching critical concepts in trauma resuscitation has not been validated. Moreover, while small-group sessions are an effective pedagogical model in-person, less is known about how they translate to online learning in clerkship. Method(s): Medical students were invited to attend a 2-day virtual trauma conference organized by student interest groups at McMaster University and promoted on social media. The event included 9 interactive presentations by physicians and residents in 5 specialties, followed by virtual small-group case discussions. A best-match algorithm assigned students to their preferred small-group sessions. Participants completed anonymous pre- and post-conference trauma knowledge tests and feedback questionnaires. Results were analyzed using paired t tests and descriptive content analysis. Result(s): A total of 360 students from over 17 medical schools in 5 countries registered to attend the conference. There was a peak of 167 simultaneous connections during presentations and 68 participants during small-group discussions. A total of 131 students (36%) completed the pretest, with a mean baseline score of 3.4 out of 10 (standard deviation [SD] 2.04). Eighty-six students (24%) completed the posttest, with a mean score of 6.3 out of 10 (SD 2.3, p < 0.001). Among students who completed both preand post-tests (20%, n = 73), paired t test analysis reveals a substantial improvement of the mean score of 2.7 out of 10 (SD 2.3, 95% confidence interval 2.17-3.23, p < 0.001). There were no significant correlations between years of education and school attended with pretest performance. Social media enhanced group engagement, resulting in a total of 147 posts, whereby 37.4% were participant generated. Live polling and a moderated chat box improved participation during presentations, with 74% of participants agreeing that the didactic sessions were interactive. The conference was well received. Overall, 95.2% of participants agreed that the online platform was effective and 78.3% agreed that the conference was helpful preparation for clerkship. The response rate for feedback forms for the small group sessions was 58.8% (40/68). Preliminary descriptive analysis revealed 42.5% (17/40) of participants reflected favourably on group interaction during small-group sessions. Overall, 92.7% of the participants rated the small-group discussions as effective. Conclusion(s): With high participant satisfaction and significantly improved posttest results, this virtual model for trauma education at the medical student level is an effective adjunct to the clerkship curriculum. Virtual small-group case-based discussions and social media were beneficial in enhancing participant engagement. This study has important implications for the future design and implementation of international virtual conferences..
ABSTRACT
RNA viruses have the characteristics of a high mutation rate. New Coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2), as a RNA virus, has been mutated to some extent since the outbreak of New Coronavirus pneumonia (COVID-19). It is of great significance to study the evolution and variation of novel coronavirus genes to analyze the source of virus infection and understand the evolution of viruses. This research is based on the Novel Coronavirus 2019 database at the National Genomics Data Center. We combined macro and micro. We used the phylogenetic tree to analyze the gene fragments of the virus, constructed an evolutionary tree with a depth of 301, searched the root node of the tree to find the source of the virus in the data set and used spectral clustering to analyze the degree of novel Coronavirus variation in each country and the clustering results were visualized to make them easier to observe. The experimental results show that the strain sample at the top of the evolutionary tree originated in New Zealand based on the existing data. In the evolutionary tree, the evolutionary process of the virus can be divided into three branches. After clustering the virus source data and constructing the visual map of the variation degree of SARS-COV-2, we found that the viruses in South Africa, New Zealand and other countries had a higher degree of variation, and the viruses in Australia, the United States and other countries have a relatively lower degree of virus variation. © 2022 IEEE.