Metal-organic frameworks as a therapeutic strategy for lung diseases.

Lung diseases remain a global burden today. Lower respiratory tract infections alone cause more than 3 million deaths worldwide each year and are on the rise every year. In particular, with coronavirus disease raging worldwide since 2019, we urgently require a treatment for lung disease. Metal organic frameworks (MOFs) have a broad application prospect in the biomedical field due to their remarkable properties. The unique properties of MOFs allow them to be applied as delivery materials for different drugs; diversified structural design endows MOFs with diverse functions; and they can be designed as various MOF-drug synergistic systems. This review concentrates on the synthesis design and applications of MOF based drugs against lung diseases, and discusses the possibility of preparing MOF-based inhalable formulations. Finally, we discuss the chances and challenges of using MOFs for targeting lung diseases in clinical practice.

China's Fight Against COVID-19: What We Have Done and What We Should Do Next?

Background Chinese government conducted unprecedented massive public health prevention interventions at the national level, which have effectively contained the spread of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) infections. Specifically, the outbreak in Wuhan has been effectively controlled. Meanwhile, the Chinese efforts to contain the virus have been widely recognized. Even the World Health Organization has praised the efforts of the Chinese government and advised other countries to learn from China's experience in the fight against COVID-19. However, the measures that have been conducted by China to effectively prevent the spread of COVID 19 in the country have not been rigorously analyzed. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the characteristics of China's control and prevention strategies, and identify the elements that changed the epidemiological curve of rapidly rising new confirmed cases of COVID-19. Methods Public health intervention measures and their effects on the spread of COVID-19 in terms of daily newly confirmed and cumulative cases were collected between January 20, 2020, and March 5. Notices of the Joint Prevention and Control Mechanism for COVID-19 of the State Council on Implementing Measures in Hubei were collected. Information obtained by relevant important documents and announcements was collected from the official website of the Chinese government. Additionally, from other media platforms, news, articles, and reviews were used to explain the intervention measure. Thus, using these data, we performed a retrospective description of the intervention strategies at three stages. Results The Chinese government adopted non-pharmacological interventions measures (NPIs) timely and efficiently. On February 20, the declining epidemic trend in China indicated that the three strictest disease prevention and control strategies issued by the Hubei Government had contributed to a smooth decline in the spread of the epidemic. Conclusions The NPIs taken by China play a decisive role to control the spread of novel coronavirus outbreaks. Further research and action are needed to ensure a sufficiently sensitive surveillance system and strong response mechanism, including the establishment of a highly accessible laboratory network, maintenance of awareness of both primary healthcare providers and the public, and regular training and exercise of local Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and general practitioners in the community-level.

COVID-19 Containment: Comparisons and Suggestions for Global Response.

BACKGROUND: The 2019-nCoV (COVID-19) is spreading at an alarming rate worldwide. Therefore, it is currently one of the biggest global health challenges. This research review describes the differences in response to the coronavirus epidemic between countries across the world. In addition, an opinion that the experience of China in response against the epidemic would play an important role globally in the battle against the novel coronavirus has been discussed as well as the insufficient and delayed response by other countries. OBJECTIVES: To provide an overview of China's experience in the control and prevention of the COVID-19, and compare it to that of other countries. METHODS: Relevant literature for this review was obtained from the Chinese government website; the World Health Organization website; Johns Hopkins University website; the European Centre for Disease Prevention website; and the PubMed databases. In addition, related news channels were used to obtain information. RESULTS: China's experience in the fight against COVID-19 provides valuable insight into the handling of this epidemic, and suggests that promoting cooperation between countries is imperative for effective control and prevention measures against this global virus pandemic. CONCLUSIONS: China's experience suggests that the following measures were effective in the fight against COVID-19: "social isolation," "medical observation," "social distancing" or "limited contact with people," "self-protection," and combined modern public health intervention measures. These findings could help control outbreaks in other countries and regions across the world.

Timeliness of information disclosure during the low transmission period of COVID-19: resident-level observational study in China.

BACKGROUND: Only when people feel they have received timely disclosure will they have sufficient incentive to implement community prevention and control measures. The timely and standardized information published by authorities as a response to the crisis can better inform the public and enable better preparations for the pandemic during the low transmission period of COVID-19; however, there is limited evidence of whether people consent that information is disclosed timely and influencing factors. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in China from 4 to 26 February 2021. Convenient sampling strategy was adopted to recruit participators. Participants were asked to filled out the questions that assessed questionnaire on the residents' attitudes to information disclosure timely. A binary logistic regression analysis was performed to identify the risk factors affecting the residents' attitudes. RESULTS: A total of 2361 residents filled out the questionnaire. 1704 (72.17%) consented COVID-19 information has been disclosed timely. Furthermore, age (OR = 0.093, 95%CI = 0.043 ~ 0.201), gender (OR = 1.396, 95%CI = 1.085 ~ 1.797), place of residence (OR = 0.650, 95%CI = 0.525 ~ 0.804), employed status (OR = 2.757, 95%CI = 1.598 ~ 4.756), highest educational level (OR = 0.394, 95%CI = 0.176 ~ 0.880), region (OR = 0.561, 95%CI = 0.437 ~ 0.720) and impact on life by the COVID-19 (OR = 0.482, 95%CI = 0.270 ~ 0.861) were mainly factors associated with residents' attitudes. CONCLUSIONS: The aims of this study were to evaluate the residents attitudes to information disclosure timely during the low transmission period in China and to provide a scientific basis for effective information communication in future public health crises. Timely and effective efforts to disclose information need to been made during the low transmission period. Continued improvements to local authority reporting will contribute to more effective public communication and efficient public health research responses. The development of protocols and the standardization of epidemic message templates-as well as the use of uniform operating procedures to provide regular information updates-should be prioritized to ensure a coordinated national response.

Another New Year, Will the Chinese Residents Wear Face Masks Again? A Cross-Sectional Survey.

Background: As more and more countries enter the low-transmission phase, maintaining prevention awareness among the population is critical to prevent a secondary outbreak. With large-scale interpersonal communication, whether Chinese residents can maintain a high awareness of prevention and control and adhere to the use of masks during the Chinese New Year of 2021 is worth studying. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in China from February 4 to 26, 2021. A convenient sampling strategy was adopted to recruit participators. Participants were asked to fill out the questions that assessed the questionnaire on face mask use. Descriptive statistics were used to assess the mask-wearing behaviors of the public. A binary logistic regression analysis was performed to identify the risk factors affecting mask-wearing behaviors. Results: A total of 2,361 residents filled out the questionnaire. In the mixed-effect logistic regression analysis, Chinese residents who were older (OR = 7.899, 95%CI = 4.183-14.916), employed (OR = 1.887, 95%CI = 1.373-2.594), had a chronic disease (OR = 1.777, 95%CI = 1.307-2.418), reused face masks (OR = 22.155, 95%CI = 15.331-32.016) and have read the face mask instructions (OR = 3.552, 95%CI = 1.989-6.341) were more likely to use face masks in interpersonal communication during the Spring Festival; while people who have breathing discomfort caused by face masks (OR = 0.556, 95%CI = 0.312-0.991) and considered that using masks repeatedly is wasteful (OR = 0.657, 95%CI = 0.482-0.895) were more unlikely to use face masks. Conclusions: Our results revealed that 83.86% of people wore face masks during the Chinese New Year; however, some aspects require further promotion. By investigating the use of masks by Chinese residents during the Spring Festival and its influencing factors, we can reflect the prevention awareness of the residents during the low transmission period of COVID-19, which can provide a reference for Chinese and global public health policymakers.

Comorbidities' potential impacts on severe and non-severe patients with COVID-19: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: An ongoing outbreak of pneumonia associated with the severe acute respiratory coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) emerged in December 2019 in Wuhan, China. Epidemiologic evidence suggests that patients with comorbidities and novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection may have poor survival outcomes. However, the risk of these coexisting medical conditions in severe and non-severe cases has not been systematically reported. PURPOSE: The present study aimed to estimate the association of chronic comorbidities in severe and non-severe cases. METHODS: A literature search was conducted using the databases PubMed, Embase, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), and Wanfang Database, Chinese Scientific Journals Full-text Database (CQVIP) from the inception dates to April 1, 2020, to identify cohort studies assessing comorbidity and risk of adverse outcome. Either a fixed- or random-effects model was used to calculate the overall combined risk estimates. RESULTS: A total of 22 studies involving 3286 patients with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 were included in the analysis. Overall, compared with the patients with non-severe cases, the pooled odds ratios (ORs) of hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and cardiovascular, cerebrovascular, and respiratory diseases in patients with severe cases were 2.79 (95% confidence intervals [95% CI]: 1.66-4.69), 1.64 (95% CI: 2.30-1.08), 1.79 (95% CI: 1.08-2.96), 3.92 (95% CI: 2.45-6.28), and 1.98 (95% CI: 1.26-3.12), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: This meta-analysis supports the finding that chronic comorbidities may contribute to severe outcome in patients with COVID-19. According to the findings of the present study, old age and 2 or more comorbidities are significantly impactful to COVID-19 outcomes in hospitalized patients in China.

Psychological Behavior of Frontline Medical Staff in the Use of Preventive Medication for COVID-19: A Cross-Sectional Study.

PURPOSE: To understand the current pandemic, levels of anxiety in frontline staff, and whether they have been using medication to prevent COVID-19. METHODS: Between January 10 and March 10, 2020, 290 frontline staff completed a questionnaire incorporating the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale 7 (GAD-7) to indicate their psychological behavior in the use of preventive medication. RESULTS: Of those who participated in the study, 77.6% used preventive medication, with 47.5, 40.9, and 11.6% using these as part of routine preventive treatment, to fight infection after it was contracted, and after occupational exposure, respectively. There was a statistically significant relationship between the anxiety scale scores and the frequency of medication use (P < 0.05). Comparative analyses revealed that the scores of those in the group taking medication after occupational exposure (to respiratory and blood-borne pathogens) were significantly different from other groups. The proportion of participants choosing Western medicine, traditional Chinese medicine, and integrated Chinese and Western medicine was 24.4, 28.0, and 47.6%, respectively. Additionally, the relationship between the anxiety scale scores and the three types of medication was statistically significant (P < 0.05), as was the difference between Western medicine and other groups. According to Multinomial logistic regression based on the adjustment to gender, age, educational level, marital status, current workplace, and profession, participants with moderate to severe anxiety, had higher odds (OR = 10.331, 95%CI:1.453-73.429) of using Western medicine than participants with no anxiety. Participants with moderate anxiety were 6.399 times more likely to use an integrated combination of traditional Chinese and Western medicine compared to those with no anxiety (OR = 6.399, 95%CI:1.007-40.658). Furthermore, those with mild anxiety were 2.656 times more likely to use integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine than those with no anxiety (OR = 2.657, 95%CI:1.075-6.570). The probability that frontline medical staff with moderate anxiety took preventive medication after occupational exposure to COVID-19 was 8.066 times (OR = 8.066, 95%CI:1.043-62.353) higher than that of staff without anxiety. DISCUSSION: This study revealed that there was more anxiety among frontline medical staff who took medication after unexpected occupational exposure. There was less anxiety among those using an integrated course of Chinese and Western medicine than Western medicine alone. It was also observed that anxiety affects the types and frequency of the preventive medication taken. Frontline medical staff who suffer from anxiety are also more likely to use medication to prevent COVID-19.

Factors Associated With Job Satisfaction of Frontline Medical Staff Fighting Against COVID-19: A Cross-Sectional Study in China.

Purpose: The current research on frontline medical staff in China fighting against COVID-19 has not yet addressed job satisfaction. The purpose of this study is to investigate the job satisfaction of those who were sent to support Hubei province, China, or worked in local designated hospitals, and then analyze the associated influencing factors. Materials and Methods: A total of 455 medical staff who worked at the frontline of the prevention and control of COVID-19 in Hubei province was selected using simple random sampling. They were asked to fill out a self-developed general information questionnaire as well as the Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire (MSQ), from 10 January to 10 March 2020. Results: The average job satisfaction score of the participants was 82.58 ± 11.11. The influencing factors include education (P = 0.002), years of work experience (P = 0.006), anti-epidemic work duration (P = 0.048), daily sleep duration (P < 0.001), and the form of participation (P < 0.001). Conclusions: This study, for the first time, measures the job satisfaction of frontline medical staff in fighting against COVID-19 in China. The job satisfaction of frontline medical staff was at a "relatively decent" level, higher than the previous similar measures among medical staff. Related management departments should further improve the job satisfaction of frontline medical staff by meeting their reasonable demands, strengthening the emergency response and practical operation training of junior staff, and ensuring their ample time for sleep and rest. This study is of great reference value for improving the job satisfaction level of frontline medical staff during public health emergencies, developing medical staff security policies, and promoting the establishment of emergency response teams.

Chinese Public's Attention to the COVID-19 Epidemic on Social Media: Observational Descriptive Study.

BACKGROUND: Since the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) epidemic in China in December 2019, information and discussions about COVID-19 have spread rapidly on the internet and have quickly become the focus of worldwide attention, especially on social media. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to investigate and analyze the public's attention to events related to COVID-19 in China at the beginning of the COVID-19 epidemic (December 31, 2019, to February 20, 2020) through the Sina Microblog hot search list. METHODS: We collected topics related to the COVID-19 epidemic on the Sina Microblog hot search list from December 31, 2019, to February 20, 2020, and described the trend of public attention on COVID-19 epidemic-related topics. ROST Content Mining System version 6.0 was used to analyze the collected text for word segmentation, word frequency, and sentiment analysis. We further described the hot topic keywords and sentiment trends of public attention. We used VOSviewer to implement a visual cluster analysis of hot keywords and build a social network of public opinion content. RESULTS: The study has four main findings. First, we analyzed the changing trend of the public's attention to the COVID-19 epidemic, which can be divided into three stages. Second, the hot topic keywords of public attention at each stage were slightly different. Third, the emotional tendency of the public toward the COVID-19 epidemic-related hot topics changed from negative to neutral, with negative emotions weakening and positive emotions increasing as a whole. Fourth, we divided the COVID-19 topics with the most public concern into five categories: the situation of the new cases of COVID-19 and its impact, frontline reporting of the epidemic and the measures of prevention and control, expert interpretation and discussion on the source of infection, medical services on the frontline of the epidemic, and focus on the worldwide epidemic and the search for suspected cases. CONCLUSIONS: Our study found that social media (eg, Sina Microblog) can be used to measure public attention toward public health emergencies. During the epidemic of the novel coronavirus, a large amount of information about the COVID-19 epidemic was disseminated on Sina Microblog and received widespread public attention. We have learned about the hotspots of public concern regarding the COVID-19 epidemic. These findings can help the government and health departments better communicate with the public on health and translate public health needs into practice to create targeted measures to prevent and control the spread of COVID-19.