American ginseng with different processing methods ameliorate immunosuppression induced by cyclophosphamide in mice via the MAPK signaling pathways.

This study aimed to clarify the effects of two processed forms of American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius L.) on immunosuppression caused by cyclophosphamide (CTX) in mice. In the CTX-induced immunosuppressive model, mice were given either steamed American ginseng (American ginseng red, AGR) or raw American ginseng (American ginseng soft branch, AGS) by intragastric administration. Serum and spleen tissues were collected, and the pathological changes in mice spleens were observed by conventional HE staining. The expression levels of cytokines were detected by ELISA, and the apoptosis of splenic cells was determined by western blotting. The results showed that AGR and AGS could relieve CTX-induced immunosuppression through the enhanced immune organ index, improved cell-mediated immune response, increased serum levels of cytokines (TNF-α, IFN-γ, and IL-2) and immunoglobulins (IgG, IgA, and IgM), as well as macrophage activities including carbon clearance and phagocytic index. AGR and AGS downregulated the expression of BAX and elevated the expression of Bcl-2, p-P38, p-JNK, and p-ERK in the spleens of CTX-injected animals. Compared to AGS, AGR significantly improved the number of CD4+CD8-T lymphocytes, the spleen index, and serum levels of IgA, IgG, TNF-α, and IFN-γ. The expression of the ERK/MAPK pathway was markedly increased. These findings support the hypothesis that AGR and AGS are effective immunomodulatory agents capable of preventing immune system hypofunction. Future research may investigate the exact mechanism to rule out any unforeseen effects of AGR and AGS.

Measuring the impact of the COVID-19 epidemic on university resumption and suggestions for countermeasures.

Background: During the COVID-19 pandemic, universities around the world had to find a balance between the need to resume classes and prevent the spread of the virus by ensuring the health of students. The purpose of our study was to effectively assess the overall risk of universities reopening during the COVID-19 epidemic. Design and methods: Using the pressure-state-response model, we designed a risk evaluation method from a disaster management perspective. First, we performed a literature review to find the main factors affecting the virus spread. Second, we used the pressure-state-response to represent how the considered hazards acts and interacts before grouping them as disaster and vulnerability factors. Third, we assigned to all factors a risk function ranging from 1 to 4. Fourth, we modeled the risk indexes of disaster and of system vulnerability through simple and appropriate weights and combined them in an overall risk for the university resumption. Finally, we showed how the method works by evaluating the reopening of the Hebei Province University in 2022 and highlighted the resulting advice for reducing related risks. Results: Our model included 20 risk factors, six representing exogenous hazards (disaster factors) that university can only monitor and 14 related to system vulnerability that can also control. Disaster factors included epidemic risk level of students' residence and the school's location, means of transportation back to school, size of the university population, the number of migrants on and off campus and express carrier infection. Vulnerability factors included student behaviors, routine campus activities and all the other actions the university can take to control the virus spread. The university of Baoding city (Hebei Province) showed a disaster risk of 1.880 and a vulnerability of 1.666 which combined provided a low risk of school resumption. Conclusion: Our study judged the risks involved in resuming school and put forward specific countermeasures for reducing the risk levels. This not only protects public health security but also has some practical implications for improving the evaluation and rational decision-making abilities of all parties.

Chinese Guideline on Allergen Immunotherapy for Allergic Rhinitis: The 2022 Update.

In the last few decades, there has been a progressive increase in the prevalence of allergic rhinitis (AR) in China, where it now affects approximately 250 million people. AR prevention and treatment include allergen avoidance, pharmacotherapy, allergen immunotherapy (AIT), and patient education, among which AIT is the only curative intervention. AIT targets the disease etiology and may potentially modify the immune system as well as induce allergen-specific immune tolerance in patients with AR. In 2017, a team of experts from the Chinese Society of Allergy (CSA) and the Chinese Allergic Rhinitis Collaborative Research Group (C2AR2G) produced the first English version of Chinese AIT guidelines for AR. Since then, there has been considerable progress in basic research of and clinical practice for AIT, especially regarding the role of follicular regulatory T (TFR) cells in the pathogenesis of AR and the use of allergen-specific immunoglobulin E (sIgE) in nasal secretions for the diagnosis of AR. Additionally, potential biomarkers, including TFR cells, sIgG4, and sIgE, have been used to monitor the incidence and progression of AR. Moreover, there has been a novel understanding of AIT during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. Hence, there was an urgent need to update the AIT guideline for AR by a team of experts from CSA and C2AR2G. This document aims to serve as professional reference material on AIT for AR treatment in China, thus improving the development of AIT across the world.

An adoption-implementation framework of digital green knowledge to improve the performance of digital green innovation practices for industry 5.0

Despite the current slowdown in global economic growth due to the impact of COVID-19, the digital economy is still performing well. Under the background of double carbon, green innovation and intelligent production of manufacturing enterprises have become the general trend of sustainable development. It is particularly important to study the integration of digital technology into green innovation and production processes to improve the performance of digital green innovation and the competitiveness of enterprises. However, the integration of digital technology and green innovation from the perspective of knowledge management has not been fully introduced into current literatures. In this study, hierarchical regression and fsQCA approaches were used to empirically verify the adoption process of digital green innovation activities and the impact of digital green knowledge creation on digital green innovation performance (DGIP), and explores the moderating effects of digital green risk perception (DGRP) and digital green complexity perception (DGCC) through 429 questionnaires from Chinese manufacturing enterprises. In addition, knowledge search is divided into three dimensions: scientific digital green knowledge search (SDGKS), market digital green knowledge search (MDGKS) and supply chain digital green knowledge search (SCDGKS). The results show that: i) SDGKS promotes exploitative digital green knowledge creation (EDGKC). MDGKS has a positive impact on both utilizing digital green knowledge creation (ADGKC) and EDGKC. SCDGKS promotes EDGKC. ii) The relationship between SDGKS and EDGKC is only moderated by DGCC (positive). The relationship between MDGKS and EDGKC is only moderated by DGCC (negative). The relationship between SCDGKS and EDGKC is moderated by DGRP (negative) and DGCC (negative). iii) There is an inverted U-shaped relationship between ADGKC and DGIP. There is a U-shaped relationship between EDGKC and DGIP. The essence of this study is to help manufacturing enterprises find external partners to improve their digital green innovation performance through external knowledge search partner selection. The conclusion of this study has certain theoretical contribution to the clarification of the complex process of digital green innovation. This study provides a theoretical basis for enterprises to select knowledge search partners according to their own environment to carry out digital green innovation activities smoothly. This study has practical value for enterprises to improve competitiveness, better survival and development process under the current environment.

Prevention schemes for future fresh agricultural products (FAPs) supply chain: mathematical model and experience of guaranteeing the supply of FAPs during the COVID-19 pandemic.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 outbreak caused short-term disruptions in the supply chain of fresh agricultural products (FAPs), which exposed the vulnerability of the existing FAP supply chain. With pandemic control being widely coordinated, the supply chain of FAPs was gradually optimized and improved. However, after the outbreak of COVID-19, achieving an effective supply of FAPs in future pandemics has become a key issue. The present work therefore aimed to construct a three-level supply chain based on the Stackelberg game model, consisting of suppliers, third-party logistics (TPL), and retailers, to guarantee the supply of FAPs. COVID-19 pandemic factors such as virus infection coefficients and pandemic prevention efforts were fully integrated into the model. RESULTS: Compared with the wholesale prices of FAPs, preservation efforts and pandemic prevention efforts have huge impacts on the retail prices of FAPs. When suppliers are in the leading position, the quality assurance effort level is positively correlated with the optimal profit. Compared with this situation, when FAP retailers are in the leading position, TPL providers show higher levels of pandemic prevention effort and FAP preservation effort. With an increase in consumer preference for pandemic prevention, the profits of supply-chain members when FAP retailers are in the leading position will gradually increase. CONCLUSION: This study reveals an effective supply mechanism for FAPs in metropolitan areas during the COVID-19 pandemic and describes the authors' experience of guaranteeing the quality and safety of FAPs for future pandemic cases. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.

Studies on the level of neutralizing antibodies produced by inactivated COVID-19 vaccines in the real world (preprint)

BackgroundAlthough effective vaccines have been developed against COVID-19, the level of neutralizing antibodies (Nabs) induced after vaccination in the real world is still unknown. To evaluate the level and persistence of NAbs induced by two inactivated COVID-19 vaccines in China. Methods and findingsSerum samples were collected from 1,335 people aged 18 and over who were vaccinated with COVID-19 inactivated vaccine in Peking University Peoples Hospital from January 19 to June 23, 2021, for detection of COVID-19 antibodies. The WHO standard of SARS-CoV-2 NAbs was detected. The coefficients of variation between the detection results and the true values of the NAbs detected by the WHO standard were all lower than the WHO international standard 3% after the dilution of the original and the dilution of the theoretical concentrations of 500 IU/mL, 250 IU/mL, 125 IU/mL, 72.5 IU/mL, 36.25 IU/mL and 18.125 IU/mL. On day 11-70, the positive rate of NAbs against COVID-19 was 82% to 100%; From day 71 to 332, the positive rate of NAbs decreased to 27%. The level of NAbs was significantly higher at 3-8 Weeks than at 0-3 Weeks. There was a high linear correlation between NAbs and IgG antibodies in 1335 vaccinated patients. NAbs levels were decreased in 31 of 38 people (81.6%) at two time points after the second dose of vaccine. There was no significant difference in age between the group with increased and decreased neutralizing antibody levels ({chi}2 =-0.034, P>0.05). The positive rate of NAbs in the two-dose vaccine group (77.3%) was significantly higher than that in the one-dose group (18.1%), with statistical difference ({chi}2=312.590, P<0.001). A total of 206 people who were 11-70 days after receiving the second dose were tested and divided into three groups: 18-40 years old, 41-60 years old and >60 years old. The positive rates of NAbs in three groups (18-40 years old, 41-60 years old and >60 years old) were 95.14%, 78.43% and 81.8%, respectively. The positive rate of NAbs was significantly higher in 18-40 years old than in 41-60 years old ({chi}2=12.547, P <0.01). The titer of NAbs in 18-40 years old group was significantly higher than that in 41-60 years old group (t=-0.222, P <0.01). The positive rate of NAbs in male group (89.32%) was lower than in female (91.26%), but there was no significant difference ({chi}2=0.222, P >0.05). ConclusionsThe positive rate of NAbs was the highest from 10 to 70 days after the second dose of vaccine, and the positive rate gradually decreased as time went by. There was a high linear correlation between COVID-19 NAbs and IgM/IgG antibodies in vaccinators, suggesting that in cases where NAbs cannot be detected, IgM/IgG antibodies can be detected instead. The level of NAbs produced after vaccination was affected by age, but not by gender. The highest levels of NAbs were produced between shots 21 to 56 days apart, suggesting that 21 to 56 days between shots is suitable for vaccination. Author summaryO_ST_ABSWhy was this study done?C_ST_ABSO_LIAt present, the inactivated vaccines that have been approved to market in China have passed clinical trials to prove their effectiveness and safety. But the level of neutralizing antibodies induced by vaccination in the real world remains unclear. C_LIO_LISerological testing for neutralizing antibodies against COVID-19 is important for assessing vaccine and treatment responses and comparing multiple drug candidates. We assessed the levels of neutralizing antibodies produced in populations receiving inactivated vaccines and assessed the persistence of these vaccines in producing COVID-19 neutralizing antibodies in healthy adults. C_LI What did the researchers do and find?O_LIWe collected serum samples from 1,335 people aged 18 and above who had received COVID-19 vaccine in Peking University Peoples Hospital, and divided them into two groups according to one dose of inactivated vaccine and two doses of inactivated vaccine. C_LIO_LIOur study found that the positive rate of NAbs was 66.2% in adults who received one or two doses of inactivated vaccine and 77.3% in adults who received two doses of inactivated vaccine in the real world. C_LIO_LIFrom 11 to 70 days after the second dose of vaccine, the positive rate of neutralizing antibodies against COVID-19 was 82-100%; On days 71-332, the positive rate of neutralizing antibodies decreased to 27%. C_LIO_LIThe titer and the positive rate of NAbs in 18-40 years old group were significantly higher than that in 41-60 years old group. C_LI What do these findings mean?O_LIWhat is novel is we observed that in the real world, the positive rate of neutralization antibody was the highest at 10 to 70 days after the second vaccination, and with the extension of the vaccination time, the positive rate of antibody gradually decreased. Therefore, we recommend that the third dose of vaccine be administered at day 61 to day 70 for COVID-19 neutralizing antibodies levels. C_LIO_LIWe observed that there was a high linear correlation between COVID-19 neutralization antibodies and COVID-19 IgM/IgG antibodies in vaccinators, suggesting that in cases where NAbs cannot be detected, COVID-19 IgM/IgG antibodies can be detected instead. C_LIO_LIIn our manuscript, we found that the titer and positive rate of neutralizing antibodies in 18-40 years old group were higher than those in 41-60 years old group. The level of neutralizing antibodies produced after vaccination was affected by age, but not by gender. C_LIO_LIWe also observed that the highest levels of NAbs were produced between shots 21 to 35 days apart, suggesting that 21 to 35 days between shots is suitable for vaccination. C_LI

Viral loads, lymphocyte subsets and cytokines in asymptomatic, mildly and critical symptomatic patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection: a retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: Tens of million cases of coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) have occurred globally. The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) attacks the respiratory system, causing pneumonia and lymphopenia in infected individuals. The aim of the present study is to investigate the laboratory characteristics of the viral load, lymphocyte subset and cytokines in asymptomatic individuals with SARS-CoV-2 infection in comparison with those in symptomatic patients with COVID-19. METHODS: From January 24, 2020, to April 11, 2020, 48 consecutive subjects were enrolled in this study. Viral loads were detected by RT-PCR from throat-swab, sputum and feces samples. Lymphocyte subset levels of CD3 + , CD4 + , and CD8 + T lymphocytes, B cells and NK cells were determined with biological microscope and flow cytometric analysis. Plasma cytokines (IL2, IL4, IL5, IL6, IL8, IL10, TNF-α, IFN-α and IFN-γ) were detected using flow cytometer. Analysis of variance (ANOVA), Chi-square or Fisher's exact test and Pearson's Correlation assay was used for all data. RESULTS: Asymptomatic (AS), mild symptoms (MS) and severe or critical cases (SCS) with COVID-19 were 11 (11/48, 22.9%), 26 (54.2%, 26/48) and 11 cases (11/48, 22.9%), respectively. The mean age of AS group (47.3 years) was lower than SCS group (63.5 years) (P < 0.05). Diabetes mellitus in AS, MS and SCS patients with COVID-19 were 0, 6 and 5 cases, respectively, and there was a significant difference between AS and SCS (P < 0.05). No statistical differences were found in the viral loads of SARS-CoV-2 between AS, MS and SCS groups on admission to hospital and during hospitalization. The concentration of CD 3 + T cells (P < 0.05), CD3 + CD4 + T cells (P < 0.05), CD3 + CD8 + T cells (P < 0.01), and B cells (P < 0.05) in SCS patients was lower than in AS and MS patients, while the level of IL-5 (P < 0.05), IL-6 (P < 0.05), IL-8 (P < 0.01) and IL-10 (P < 0.01), and TNF-α (P < 0.05) was higher. The age was negatively correlated with CD3 + T cells (P < 0.05), CD3 + CD4 + T cells (P < 0.05), and positively correlated with IL-2 (P < 0.001), IL-5 (P < 0.05), IL-6 (P < 0.05) IL-8 (P < 0.05), and IL-10 (P < 0.05). The viral loads were positively correlated with IL-2 (P < 0.001), IL-5 (P < 0.05), IL-6 (P < 0.05) IL-8 (P < 0.05) and IL-10 (P < 0.05), while negatively correlated with CD 3 + T cells (P < 0.05) and CD3 + CD4 + T cells (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The viral loads are similar between asymptomatic, mild and severe or critical patients with COVID-19. The severity of COVID-19 may be related to underlying diseases such as diabetes mellitus. Lymphocyte subset and plasma cytokine levels may be as the markers to distinguish severely degrees of disease, and asymptomatic patients may be as an important source of infection for the COVID-19.

Prevention schemes for future pandemic cases: mathematical model and experience of interurban multi-agent COVID-19 epidemic prevention.

To enhance the effectiveness of epidemic prevention (EP) in urban sustainability transformation, joint prevention and control mechanism should be established to prevent and control the COVID-19 epidemic. The interurban multi-agent EP strategy, as a key component of this mechanism, includes the spontaneous EP model, the superior leading EP model, and the collaborative EP model. In this study, firstly, the theoretical mechanism of the interurban multi-agent EP strategy was analyzed. Then, we proposed a three-party differential game model including factors such as the risk coefficient for the virus infection and EP experience teaching. Finally, prevention strategies, prevention efficiency, and prevention losses were compared under the three models based on theoretical analysis and numerical analysis. The results of this study are as follows. COVID-19 EP should be guided by a model of central government (CG) leadership, interurban collaboration, and social participation. The CG and urban governments (UGs) should comprehensively carry out COVID-19 EP from various aspects, including EP experience teaching, mass EP comfort, the utilization rate of EP funds, and the ability to implement strategies. During the course of the COVID-19 EP, when the CG and UGs transition from spontaneous EP model to a higher-level EP model, the UG's EP efforts will be enhanced. Under the collaborative EP model, the CG and UGs undergo the highest levels of EP effort. Compared with spontaneous EP model, the superior leading EP model can promote a Pareto improvement for all parties. From the perspective of total loss, the collaborative EP model is superior to the other two EP models. This study not only provides practical guidance for coordinating interurban relationships and enabling multi-agents to fully form joint forces, but also provides theoretical support for the establishment of an interurban joint EP mechanism under unified leadership.

Preventing COVID-19 from the perspective of industrial information integration: Evaluation and continuous improvement of information networks for sustainable epidemic prevention.

COVID-19 is accelerating industrial information integration (III) for sustainable epidemic prevention and innovation design. It is important to emphasize that this interaction makes it reciprocal. To prevent COVID-19, the III of industrial sectors should be strengthened to encourage innovation for sustainable epidemic prevention. Accordingly, we studied the overall dynamic change trend of industrial sectors' information integration networks (IIN), the characteristics of individual IIN, and their influence on IIN performance. In the study, the gravity model and social network analysis were used to determine the variables of industrial sectors' information distance and quality, and to construct the IIN of industrial sectors. The results show that the overall relevance of the IIN of industrial sectors is low, and the network density fluctuates, with high network efficiency and poor stability. Two-way, strong correlation between industrial sectors is relatively low. The spillover effect of industrial sectors in the upstream of the industrial chain is poor, and it is difficult to have a strong information integration driving effect on the downstream industrial sectors. The interplate linkage of the IIN of industrial sectors is insufficient. Compared with point centrality and closeness, improvement of the betweenness centrality of industrial sectors can significantly improve IIN performance.