Covid-19: Rapid Digitalisation and Transformed Ways of Working in the Face of a Pandemic

The following sections are included: • Introduction • Transformed Ways of Working • The Change in Consumer and Firm Behaviour Amid Covid-19 • Agility and Collaboration in the Midst of Disruptions • Digital Faces as the New Norm • Supply Chain Digitalisation • Fundamental Requirements • Rethinking Digitalisation • Future Opportunities • Conclusion • References. © 2023 by World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd.

Identification of Critical Factors Influencing Students' Engagement and Satisfaction of Online Live Learning in Higher Education

In response to the COVID-19 epidemic, online live teaching becomes the main teaching method rather than a choice. Considering the immediate habit change in education, this study aims to identify the critical factors influencing students' engagement and satisfaction with the online live courses using a structural equation model and an online questionnaire survey. Through a comprehensive literature review, four critical factors influencing students' engagement and satisfaction which are instructor behaviors, student characteristics, course organization, the state of health, wellbeing, and sense of community-related (HWC) issues were identified and their relationships as well as measurement indicators for each factor were proposed. Through a survey, 306 valid responses were collected from civil engineering students in China in 2020. The results showed that instructor behaviors and student characteristics have the highest impact on student engagement and perceived learning, respectively. Moreover, the mediating effects of student engagement between instructor behaviors and student characteristics and perceived learning and satisfaction are statistically significant. Furthermore, the state of HWC issues caused by intensive online learning does have a significant negative impact on student satisfaction. Besides, the relative importance of practices affecting student online learning effects was prioritized. The findings contribute to the body of knowledge of online teaching theories and strategies. Moreover, the instructor and the education manager can improve their online live arrangement by referencing the findings of this study. © 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.

Two-Stage OD Flow Prediction for Emergency in Urban Rail Transit

Urban rail transit (URT) is vulnerable to natural disasters and social emergencies including fire, storm and epidemic (such as COVID-19), and real-time origin-destination (OD) flow prediction provides URT operators with important information to ensure the safety of URT system. However, hindered by the high dimensionality of OD flow and the lack of supportive information reflecting the real-time passenger flow changes, study in this area is at the beginning stage. A novel model consisting of two stages is proposed for OD flow prediction. The first stage predicts the inflows of all stations by Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) in real time, where the dimension is reduced compared with predicting OD flows directly. In the second stage, the notion of separation rate, namely, the proportion of inbound passengers bounding for another station, is estimated. Finally, The OD flow is predicted by multiplying the inflow and separation rate. Experiments based on Hangzhou Metro dataset show the proposed model outperforms the contrast model in weighted mean average error (WMAE) and weighted mean square error (WMSE). Results also suggest that the proposed prediction model performs better on weekdays than on weekends, and with greater accuracy on larger OD flows. IEEE

At the Heart of Learning: Affect, Identity and Care

Over the last few years, learning scientists have become increasingly interested in research around student's motivational and emotional processes, guided by a commitment to affirm learners' individual identities and support justice-oriented design and pedagogies. With ample evidence to show that the Covid-19 pandemic has exaggerated learner's struggles with their thoughts, feelings, and identity, the importance of such research has never been higher. This symposium brings together an international group of scholars with varying research contexts (online, in-person, hybrid, blended), working with students of different age groups (K-12, Undergraduates, pre-service teachers) to present their work around affective learning and teaching. The symposium's focus on affective learning designs that acknowledge learner emotions, affirm their identity, foster designer empathy and build a pedagogy of care will springboard deeper discussions in the ISLS community to further explore "global perspectives on equity and justice that promote the empowerment of educational innovation for all” (ISLS, 2022). © ISLS.

SARS-CoV-2 RBD and its variants can induce platelet activation and clearance: Implications for vaccinations and antibody therapy against COVID-19

Background: Severe COVID-19 is associated with platelet activation, thrombosis, and thrombocytopenia, but the mechanisms remain unclear. Similarly, very rare cases of COVID-19 vaccine-induced-thrombotic-thrombocytopenia (VITT) are also poorly understood. Both infection and vaccination utilize the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the spike protein for virus-host cell entry and to elicit an immune response, respectively. Interestingly, the RBD contains an RGD integrin-binding motif that may facilitate platelet binding. Aim(s): To determine whether the RBD binds platelets and causes platelet activation/clearance. Method(s): We intravenously injected different doses (0.25, 0.5, 1.0mug/g) of recombinant RBD into mice and measured platelet counts post-injection using a Z2 Series Coulter. Flow cytometry detected RBD/RBD variants binding to platelets and associated platelet activation, apoptosis, and desialylation. Human gel-filtered platelet aggregation was induced by ADP, Collagen and Thrombin. Six anti-RBD monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) were generated and tested in a SARS-CoV-2 Vero cell infection model with the envelop gene quantified by RT-qPCR to determine the virus replication. Result(s): RBD injection caused platelet clearance in a dose-dependent manner. The RBD could also bind to platelets, induce activation and potentiate platelet aggregation in vitro. Our preliminary data also showed the RBD Delta variant has greater potential in inducing platelet activation. Interestingly, the RBD bound beta3-/-platelets ~50% less relative than wildtype mice. Consistently, mutating the RGD motif to RGE, and preincubating platelets with the beta3 inhibitor Eptifibatide also reduced RBD binding to platelets. Our novel anti-RBD mAbs 4F2 and 4H12 inhibited RBD-induced platelet activation and RBD-potentiated platelet aggregation in vitro, and prevented RBD-induced platelet clearance in vivo. Importantly, these mAbs also inhibited SARS-CoV-2 viral replication in a dose-dependent manner. Conclusion(s): Our data demonstrate that the RBD could directly bind to platelets partially via beta3 integrin. RBD-induced platelet activation and clearance may contribute to thrombosis and thrombocytopenia observed in clinical cases of COVID-19 and VITT.

[Time to initial diagnosis of imported malaria and its influencing factors in Jiangsu Province].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the health-seeking behaviors of imported malaria cases after returning to China, and to investigate the factors affecting the time to initial diagnosis, so as to provide the scientific evidence for early identification of imported malaria cases and prevention of severe cases development and secondary transmission. METHODS: The individual demographic features, and the disease onset and the time to initial diagnosis of imported malaria cases in Jiangsu Province in 2019 were captured from the National Notifiable Disease Report System and the Information Management System for Parasitic Disease Control in China. The characteristics of health-seeking behaviors and epidemiological features of imported malaria cases were descriptively analyzed, and the factors affecting the time to initial diagnosis of imported malaria cases after returning to China were identified using multivariate logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: A total of 244 imported malaria cases were reported in Jiangsu Province in 2019, and the time to initial diagnosis of the cases were 1-12 days, with mean time of (1.53 ± 1.65) days, with median time of one day. The highest number of malaria cases seeking healthcare services were found on the day of developing primary symptoms (76 cases, 31.1%), followed by on the second day (68 cases, 27.9%), on the third day (46 cases, 18.9%), and 54 cases (22.1%) received initial diagnosis 3 days following presence of primary symptoms, including 3 cases with initial diagnosis at more than one week. High proportions of imported malaria cases with a delay in the time to initial diagnosis were seen in migrant workers who returned to China in January (14 cases, 5.7%) and December (13 cases, 5.3%) and those aged between 41 and 50 years (32 cases, 13.1%). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed relative short time to initial diagnosis among imported malaria cases returning to China on March [odds ratio (OR) = 0.16, P = 0.03, 95% confidence interval (CI): (0.03, 0.85)] and those with a history of overseas malaria parasite infections [OR = 0.36, P = 0.001, 95% CI: (0.19, 0.67)]. CONCLUSIONS: Timely health-seeking behaviors should be improved among imported malaria cases in Jiangsu Province, patients with a history of overseas malaria infections require faster health-seeking activities.

Lag effect of temperature on the incidence of COVID-19 in Hunan province

Objective To explore the lag effect of daily average temperature on the incidence of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Hunan Province and to provide scientific evidences for effective prevention of COVID-19.  Methods  The meteorological factors, the air quality factors and the data conincidence of COVID-19 reported in Hunan Province during January 21, 2020 to March 2, 2020 were collected. Spearman correlation and distributed lag non-linear model analysis were performed.  Results  A total of 1 018 COVID-19 cases were reported in Hunan Province. The distribution lag non-linear model results showed that the influence of daily average temperature on the incidence of COVID-19 presented a nonlinear relationship. The cumulative relative incidence risk of COVID-19 decreased with the increase of daily average temperature, and the lowest temperature risk of the patients was 0 ℃. Both cold temperature and hot temperature increased incidence risk of COVID-19. It was indicated that the hot effects were immediate, however, the cold effects with obvious lag effect persisted up to 12 days. The highest relative risk of COVID-19 incidence was associated with lag 8-day daily average temperature of -5 ℃(RR=2.20, 95% CI=1.16-4.19). The influence of high temperature(10 ℃) was more significant than that of low temperature(6 ℃).  Conclusion  The daily average temperature, especially cold or hot temperature, was an important influencing factor of the incidence of COVID-19 in Hunan Province, which had lag influence on the incidence of COVID-19. We suggested that some related preventive measures should be adopted to protect vulnerable population and severe patients to reduce the incidence risk. © 2021, Publication Centre of Anhui Medical University. All rights reserved.

[Challenges and countermeasures on Chinese malaria elimination programme during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak].

Since the end of 2019, the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been extensively epidemic in China, which not only seriously threatens the safety and health of Chinese people, but also challenges the management of other infectious diseases. Currently, there are still approximately three thousand malaria cases imported into China every year. If the diagnosis and treatment of malaria cases as well as the investigation and response of the epidemic foci are not carried out timely, it may endanger patients'lives and cause the possible of secondary transmission, which threatens the achievements of malaria elimination in China. Due to the extensive spread and high transmission ability of the COVID-19, there is a possibility of virus infections among malaria cases during the medical care-seeking behaviors and among healthcare professionals during clinical diagnosis and treatment, sample collection and testing and epidemiological surveys. This paper analyzes the challenges of the COVID-19 for Chinese malaria elimination programme, and proposes the countermeasures in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, so as to provide the reference for healthcare professionals.

Challenges and innovations in online teaching during the outbreak of COVID-19 in China

At the beginning of 2020, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) spread quickly throughout China. For the health and safety of faculties and students, all schools and universities were required to postpone their spring semester;however, the Ministry of Education hoped that teaching and learning could be facilitated to decrease or even eliminate the negative impact of the postponement on the students' subsequent self-development. Taking the "Principles of Electric Circuits" course as an example, this paper presents an innovative online teaching scheme for fundamental engineering courses, including pedagogical design and interactive methods in lectures. The students' feedback was collected using delicately designed questionnaires and the results demonstrated that our online teaching scheme achieved an effect no less than that from traditional in-classroom teaching, with even better student interactions using the online networks.

Human-animal interactions and bat coronavirus spillover potential among rural residents in Southern China

available from the publisher. FAU - Li, Hongying

Clinical characteristics and predictors of the duration of SARS-CoV-2 viral shedding in 140 healthcare workers.

BACKGROUND: Epidemiological and clinical features of patients with COVID-19 have been reported, but none of them focused on medical staff, and few predictors of the duration of viral shedding have been reported. It is urgent to help healthcare workers prevent and recover quickly from the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). METHODS: We enrolled 140 medical workers with COVID-19 in Wuhan. Epidemiological, demographic, clinical, laboratory, radiological treatment and clinical outcome data were collected, and predictors of the duration of viral shedding were explored through multivariable linear regression analysis. RESULTS: The medical staff with COVID-19 presented mild clinical symptoms and showed a low frequency of abnormal laboratory indicators. All the medical staff were cured and discharged, of whom 96 (68.6%) were female, 39 (27.9%) had underlying diseases, the median age was 36.0 years, and 104 (74.3%) were infected whilst working in hospital. The median duration of viral shedding was 25.0 days (IQR:20.0-30.0). Multivariable linear regression analysis showed reducing viral shedding duration was associated with receiving recombinant human interferon alpha (rIFN-α) treatment, whilst the prolonged duration of viral shedding correlated with the use of glucocorticoid treatment, the durations from the first symptom to hospital admission and the improvement in chest computed tomography (CT) evidence. Moreover, infected healthcare workers with lymphocytes less than 1.1 × 109 /L on admission had prolonged viral shedding. CONCLUSION: Medical staff with timely medical interventions show milder clinical features. Glucocorticoid treatment and lymphocytes less than 1.1 × 109/L are associated with prolonged viral shedding. Early admission and rIFN-α treatment help shorten the duration of viral shedding.