COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy Among Older Adolescents and Young Adults: A National Cross-Sectional Study in China.

Background: With promotion of COVID-19 vaccinations, there has been a corresponding vaccine hesitancy, of which older adolescents and young adults represent groups of particular concern. In this report, we investigated the prevalence and reasons for vaccine hesitancy, as well as potential risk factors, within older adolescents and young adults in China. Methods: To assess these issues, an online survey was administered over the period from March 14 to April 15, 2021. Older adolescents (16-17 years old) and young adults (18-21 years old) were recruited nationwide from Wechat groups and results from a total of 2,414 respondents were analyzed. Socio-demographic variables, vaccine hesitancy, psychological distress, abnormal illness behavior, global well-being and social support were analyzed in this report. Results: Compared to young adults (n = 1,405), older adolescents (n = 1,009) showed higher prevalence rates of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy (16.5 vs. 7.9%, p < 0.001). History of physical diseases (p = 0.007) and abnormal illness behavior (p = 0.001) were risk factors for vaccine hesitancy among older adolescents, while only a good self-reported health status (p = 0.048) was a risk factor for young adults. Concerns over COVID-19 vaccine side effects (67.1%) and beliefs of invulnerability regarding infection risk (41.9%) were the most prevalent reasons for vaccine hesitancy. Providing evidence on the vaccine reduction of COVID-19 infection risk (67.5%), ensuring vaccine safety (56.7%) and the low risk of side effects (52.7%) were the most effective persuasions for promoting vaccinations. Conclusion: In China, older adolescents showed a higher prevalence for vaccine hesitancy than that of young adults. Abnormal illness behavior and history of physical diseases were risk factors for vaccine hesitancy among these older adolescents, while social support represents an important factor which could help to alleviate this hesitancy.

The efficient use of radiation, water, and nitrogen uptake by low-nitrogen-tolerant broomcorn millet (Panicum miliaceum L.) increased grain yield in the Loess Plateau, China

• Low N input decreased broomcorn millet grain yield by poor resource use efficiency. • Low-N-tolerant cultivars performed better than low-N-sensitive cultivars at low N. • Low-N-tolerant cultivars had increased photosynthesis and dry matter transport. • Low-N-tolerant cultivars had high productivity under field conditions. The development of highly productive, low-N-tolerant cultivars is important to facilitate green and sustainable agriculture. However, it is unclear how low-N-tolerant cultivars achieve high grain yields under field conditions. In this study, the physiology facilitating the strong growth and efficient resource use of four low-N-tolerant Panicum miliaceum L. cultivars was compared with two low-N-sensitive cultivars using low and typical N fertilization applications (0, 75, and 150 kg N ha−1) on the semiarid Loess Plateau, China in 2019 and 2020. Compared to normal N fertilization, low N fertilization treatments significantly decreased plant photosynthetic capacity by regulating leaf stomatal closing, resulting in reduced dry matter accumulation and transportation, growth inhibition, weakened resource utilization, and consequently, a 28.9% decrease in grain yield. Compared to the low-N-sensitive cultivars, the low-N-tolerant cultivars had improved growth, leaf photosynthetic capacity, and dry matter transportation. These improved physiological characteristics resulted in more effective resource capture in the low-N-tolerant cultivars. This included higher and more efficient radiation use (24.4% and 26.9%), water use (63.5% and 48.2%), and N uptake (37.0% and 33.7%) in 2019 and 2020, respectively. Furthermore, the low-N-tolerant cultivars had increased productivity, with higher grain yields (38.6-41.6%) and harvest index values (16.7-28.2%) under low N conditions in the two years of the study. Overall, the results of this study determined the effect of low N input on broomcorn millet productivity and illustrated the strategies by which low-N-tolerant cultivars increased grain yield in semiarid field conditions. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Agricultural & Forest Meteorology is the property of Elsevier B.V. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Meta-analysis of several epidemic characteristics of COVID-19.

As the COVID-19 pandemic has strongly disrupted people's daily work and life, a great amount of scientific research has been conducted to understand the key characteristics of this new epidemic. In this manuscript, we focus on four crucial epidemic metrics with regard to the COVID-19, namely the basic reproduction number, the incubation period, the serial interval and the epidemic doubling time. We collect relevant studies based on the COVID-19 data in China and conduct a meta-analysis to obtain pooled estimates on the four metrics. From the summary results, we conclude that the COVID-19 has stronger transmissibility than SARS, implying that stringent public health strategies are necessary.