Differences in infant negative affectivity during the COVID-19 pandemic.

This longitudinal study compared infant temperament rated at 3 months postpartum by 263 United-States-based women who gave birth during the COVID-19 pandemic and 72 who gave birth prior to the pandemic. All women completed questionnaires assessing perinatal mental health, social contact, and infant temperament. Mothers whose infants were born during the pandemic reported higher levels of infant negative affectivity as compared with mothers whose infants were born earlier (F(1, 324) = 18.28, p < .001), but did not differ in their ratings of surgency or effortful control. Maternal prenatal depressive symptoms, prenatal stress, and postpartum stress mediated differences in infant negative affectivity  between pandemic and pre-pandemic groups. Within the pandemic group, decreased postpartum social contact was associated with higher ratings of infant negative affectivity. These findings suggest that the pandemic has affected maternal perceptions of infant temperament, perinatal mental health, and social contact.

Este estudio longitudinal comparó el temperamento del infante evaluado a los tres meses después del parto por 263 mujeres con base en Estados Unidos, las cuales dieron a luz durante la pandemia del COVID-19 y 72 que dieron a luz antes de la pandemia. Todas las mujeres completaron cuestionarios para evaluar la salud mental perinatal, el contacto social y el temperamento del infante. Las madres cuyos infantes nacieron durante la pandemia reportaron más altos niveles de afectividad negativa del infante tal como se les comparó con madres cuyos infantes nacieron antes (F(1,324) = 18.28, p<.001), pero no difirieron en sus puntajes de rapidez y astucia o control esforzado. Los síntomas depresivos maternos mediaron la asociación entre la condición de pandemia y la afectividad negativa del infante. Dentro del grupo de pandemia, la baja en el contacto social posterior al parto fue asociada con más altos puntajes en la afectividad negativa del infante. Estos resultados proponen que la pandemia ha afectado las percepciones mentales de la salud mental y el contacto social del temperamento perinatal del infante.

Cette étude longitudinale a comparé le tempérament du nourrisson évalué à trois mois postpartum par 263 femmes basées aux Etats-Unis d'Amérique ayant donné naissance durant la pandémie du COVD-19 et 72 femmes ayant donné naissance avant la pandémie. Toutes les femmes ont rempli des questionnaires évaluant la santé mentale périnatale, le contact social et le tempérament du nourrisson. Les mères dont les nourrissons étaient nés durant la pandémie ont fait état de niveaux plus élevés d'affectivité négative du bébé comparées aux mères dont les bébés étaient nés avant (F(1 324) = 18,28, p <,001), mais n'ont pas divergé dans leurs évaluations du dynamisme ou du contrôle efficace. Les symptômes dépressifs maternels ont médiatisé le lien entre le statue pandémique et l'affectivité négative du nourrisson. Au sein du groupe pandémique le contact social postpartum décru était lié à des évaluations plus élevées de l'affectivité négative du nourrisson. Ces résultats suggèrent que la pandémie a affecté les perceptions maternelles du tempérament du bébé, la santé mentale périnatale et le contact social.

Consumers' Continued Intention to Use Online-to-Offline (O2O) Services in Omnichannel Retail: Differences between To-Shop and To-Home Models

Online-to-offline (O2O) commerce is a specific form of omnichannel retailing, wherein consumers search and purchase online and then consume offline. There are many different O2O models, and new O2O businesses are emerging during the COVID-19 pandemic;they can be cate-gorized into two types of O2O services: to-shop and to-home. However, few studies have focused on consumer behavior in a comprehensive O2O scenario, and no study has attempted to compare the differences between to-shop and to-home consumers. Therefore, this study aimed to propose a universal model to predict consumers' continued intention to use O2O services and to compare the differences between to-shop and to-home O2O in terms of factors influencing consumer behavior. A cross-sectional survey was conducted, and the PLS-SEM was used for data analysis. The basic SEM results indicated that habit, performance expectancy, confirmation, and offline facilitating conditions are the main predictors. The multigroup analysis showed differences between to-shop and to-home consumers regarding hedonic motivation, price value, and perceived risk. The study suggests that marketers and designers in various O2O scenarios can use the framework to build their business plans and develop different marketing strategies or sub-platforms for to-shop and to-home consumers. © 2023 by the authors.

An Empirical Study on Continuous Usage Intention of Food Delivery Apps

In with the spread of COVID-19, the use of technology-based services that minimize face-to-face is increasing. In this context, the food delivery app (FDA) is characterized by minimizing face-to-face contact in the process of consumers ordering and receiving food. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to find out the mechanism that affects the intention of continuous use based on PAM for FDA users. The study sample selected residents of Korea who were over 20 years of age and used the FDA at least once in the past three months. Data collection was carried out for about one month from January 18 to February 12, 2020. Structural equation model analysis was conducted using 261 of the collected data. The results are expected to add depth to the research field related to the app-based O2O service area, and to be used as data that can contribute to the establishment of platform business strategies. Copyright © 2022 IGI Global.

A Thematic Review on Using Food Delivery Services during the Pandemic: Insights for the Post-COVID-19 Era.

The food delivery service is the most typical and visible example of online-to-offline (O2O) commerce. More consumers are using food delivery services for various reasons during the COVID-19 pandemic, making this business model viral worldwide. In the post-pandemic era, offering food delivery services will become the new normal for restaurants. Although a growing number of publications have focused on consumer behavior in this issue, no review paper has addressed current research and industry trends. Thus, this paper aims to review the literature published from 2020 to the present (October 2022) on consumers' use of food delivery services during the pandemic. A thematic review was conducted, with 40 articles searched from Scopus and Web of Science being included. Quantitative findings showed current research trends, and thematic analyses formed eight themes of factors influencing consumer behavior: (1) technical and utilitarian factors, (2) system-related attributes, (3) emotional and hedonic factors, (4) individual characteristics, (5) service quality, (6) risk-related factors, (7) social factors, and (8) food-related attributes. The paper also emphasizes COVID-19-related influences and suggests promising future research directions. The results offer insights into industry practices and starting points for future research.

Volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions from the usage of benzalkonium chloride and other disinfectants based on quaternary ammonium compounds

Quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs) are a class of molecules commonly used as residential and industrial disinfectants whose prevalence has increased in recent years and during the COVID pandemic. QACs are typically considered relatively inert and nonvolatile;however, little is known about the propensity of QAC commercial products (CPs) to emit volatile organic compounds (VOCs) during usage. We performed a series of environmental chamber and solution headspace measurements using a Vocus proton transfer reaction time-of-flight mass spectrometer (PTR-ToF-MS) to examine VOC emissions during simulated spraying of a dilute solution of pure benzalkonium chloride (BAC), several CPs whose primary active ingredients include BAC and didecyl dimethyl ammonium chloride (DDAC), and a CP containing a novel silyl-based QAC. A number of VOCs were observed during spraying of pure BAC solution, including functionalized benzyl compounds, chlorotoluenes, and small functionalized hydrocarbons;these VOCs may be derived from the BAC synthesis process. Similar emission signatures were also detected from CPs, though specific source attribution was challenging due to the chemical complexity of commercial formulations, which include molecules to aid in solubilizing and stabilizing QACs (among other roles). Headspace measurements of the silyl-QAC suggest a functionalized propyl-silyl molecule is volatilized whose exact origin and structure could not be determined. Functionalized benzyl compounds are detected at the C7H7+ ion as well as at the protonated [M]H+ species or other ions, providing insight into the structures that can give rise to the C7H7+ ion signature that has commonly been detected during PTR-ToF measurements of indoor and urban environments. Within the pure BAC solution, the identified benzyl molecules may not account for the entirety of the measured C7H7+ signal, leaving open the possibility that unidentified VOCs are also present. Overall, the present measurements show that QAC solutions are not inherently inert or nonvolatile and will emit a variety of VOCs depending on the identity and purity of the contained QACs and product formulation.

Highly efficient Ag doped δ-MnO2 decorated graphene: Comparison and application in electrochemical detection of H2O2.

Cytotoxic H2O2 is an inevitable part of our life, even during this contemporary pandemic COVID-19. Personal protective equipment of the front line fighter against coronavirus could be sterilized easily by H2O2 for reuse. In this study, Ag doped δ-MnO2 nanorods supported graphene nanocomposite (denoted as Ag@δ-MnO2/G) was synthesized as a nonenzymatic electrochemical sensor for the sensitive detection of H2O2. The ternary nanocomposite has overcome the poor electrical conductivity of δ-MnO2 and also the severe aggregation of Ag NPs. Furthermore, δ-MnO2/G provided a rougher surface and large numbers of functional groups for doping more numbers of Ag atoms, which effectively modulate the electronic properties of the nanocomposite. As a result, electroactive surface area and electrical conductivity of Ag@δ-MnO2/G increased remarkably as well as excellent catalytic activity observed towards H2O2 reduction. The modified glassy carbon electrode exhibited fast amperometric response time (<2 s) in H2O2 determination. The limit of detection was calculated as 68 nM in the broad linear range (0.005-90.64 mM) with high sensitivity of 104.43 µA mM-1 cm-2. No significant interference, long-term stability, excellent reproducibility, satisfactory repeatability, practical applicability towards food samples and wastewater proved the efficiency of the proposed sensor.

Anti-inflammatory and antiviral activities of flavone C-glycosides of Lophatherum gracile for COVID-19.

Lophatherum gracile (L. gracile) has long been used as a functional food and herbal medicine. Previous studies have demonstrated that extracts of L. gracile attenuate inflammatory response and inhibit SARS-CoV-2 replication; however, the underlying active constituents have yet to be identified. This study investigated the bioactive components of L. gracile. Flavone C-glycosides of L. gracile were found to dominate both anti-inflammatory and antiviral effects. A simple chromatography-based method was developed to obtain flavone C-glycoside-enriched extract (FlavoLG) from L. gracile. FlavoLG and its major flavone C-glycoside isoorientin were shown to restrict respiratory bursts and the formation of neutrophil extracellular traps in activated human neutrophils. FlavoLG and isoorientin were also shown to inhibit SARS-CoV-2 pseudovirus infection by interfering with the binding of the SARS-CoV-2 spike on ACE2. These results provide scientific evidence indicating the efficacy of L. gracile as a potential supplement for treating neutrophil-associated COVID-19.

Constructing a hybird model for the evaluation of the service quality of O2O platforms

The spread of COVID-19 has led many people to turn to O2O platforms to buy daily supplies leading to a boom in the O2Oe-commerce industry. How to improve the service quality of O2O platforms to attract more customers has become an important concern for service providers. This study differs from previous statistical analysis studies in that it applies the data mining methodology to extract the key factors that affect the service quality of O2O e-commerce platforms. A hybrid multi-criteria decision-making method is then utilized to obtain the influence relationships and weights of the dimensions and criteria. The results suggest that privacy security, and reliability have a positive impact on social interaction, recommendation quality, efficiency and empathy. Empathy, social interaction and recommendation quality are the three most important factors for evaluating the service quality of O2Oe-commerce platforms. Finally, the theoretical implications and management implications based on the findings are discussed. © 2022 IEEE.

Effects of Medical O2O Platform Quality Components on Continuous Use Intention to Information Distribution

Purpose: The digital healthcare business is rapidly growing due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the medical service platform business based on smartphone apps is globally expanding. This study targeted medical information online to offline (O2O) platform users in the medical service field. It verified the effect relationship revealed in the continuous use intention of the platform with the mediation of platform quality components, namely perceived benefits, flow experience, and use satisfaction. Research design, data and methodology: Based on previous studies, three medical information O2O platform quality components, namely system quality, information quality, and service quality, were defined. And the questionnaire survey was carried out targeting 359 leading medical information O2O platform users in Korea. Results: As a result of the analysis, it was confirmed that system quality and service quality had a positive (+) effect on satisfaction and continuous use intention with the mediation of perceived benefits and flow experience. Meanwhile, information quality had a negative effect (-) on perceived benefits and flow experience and did not affect use satisfaction and continuous use intention. Conclusions: Consequently, it was ascertained that the system quality and service quality affecting user behavior and experience were more significant factors than information quality to medical information O2O platform users from the medical service aspect. © Copyright: The Author(s) This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://Creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/) which permits unrestricted noncommercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Hand cleansing and disinfectant products based on hydrogen peroxide

A review, with 30 refs., of biocides used in prepns. with disinfecting properties was presented. Their range of biocidal activity, speed and effectiveness of action as well as impact on humans and the environment were discussed. H2O2 was shown to be an active substance with a broad spectrum of antimicrobial activity against bacteria, yeasts, fungi, viruses and spores. Its phys. chem. properties, stability and the method of industrial production in Poland were discussed.

Hydrophobic Rose Bengal Derivatives Exhibit Submicromolar-to-Subnanomolar Activity against Enveloped Viruses.

Rose Bengal (RB) is an anionic xanthene dye with multiple useful biological features, including photosensitization properties. RB was studied extensively as a photosensitizer, mostly for antibacterial and antitumor photodynamic therapy (PDT). The application of RB to virus inactivation is rather understudied, and no RB derivatives have been developed as antivirals. In this work, we used a synthetic approach based on a successful design of photosensitizing antivirals to produce RB derivatives for virus photoinactivation. A series of n-alkyl-substituted RB derivatives was synthesized and evaluated as antiviral photosensitizers. The compounds exhibited similar 1O2 generation rate and efficiency, but drastically different activities against SARS-CoV-2, CHIKV, and HIV; with comparable cytotoxicity for different cell lines. Submicromolar-to-subnanomolar activities and high selectivity indices were detected for compounds with C4-6 alkyl (SARS-CoV-2) and C6-8 alkyl (CHIKV) chains. Spectrophotometric assessment demonstrates low aqueous solubility for C8-10 congeners and a significant aggregation tendency for the C12 derivative, possibly influencing its antiviral efficacy. Initial evaluation of the synthesized compounds makes them promising for further study as viral inactivators for vaccine preparations.

Ultrasensitive NO Sensor Based on a Nickel Single-Atom Electrocatalyst for Preliminary Screening of COVID-19.

A new coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, has caused the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) epidemic. A rapid and economical method for preliminary screening of COVID-19 may help to control the COVID-19 pandemic. Here, we report a nickel single-atom electrocatalyst that can be printed on a paper-printing sensor for preliminary screening of COVID-19 suspects by efficient detection of fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO). The FeNO value is confirmed to be related to COVID-19 in our exploratory clinical study, and a machine learning model that can accurately classify healthy subjects and COVID-19 patients is established based on FeNO and other features. The nickel single-atom electrocatalyst consists of a single nickel atom with N2O2 coordination embedded in porous acetylene black (named Ni-N2O2/AB). A paper-printed sensor was fabricated with the material and showed ultrasensitive response to NO in the range of 0.3-180 ppb. This ultrasensitive sensor could be applied to preliminary screening of COVID-19 in everyday life.

Comparative Modern Retail Landscapes of Thai Retail Format Types: Omni-Channel and Value Proposition Perspectives

Covid-19 exerts as a business driver acceleration for new normal and retail landscapes among the declining of retail sentiment index and growth in Thailand. Thai retailers changed and adapted themselves especially the initiatives on digitalization in value proposition and omni-channel perspective to create modern retail landscape toward different consumer profiles. Value proposition canvas designates the rational on how and why consumers prefer a company's product or service over the others while the development of omni-channel contributes to the reflection of customers' experiences toward a company through the multiple usages of marketing or selling channels. Both value proposition canvas and omni-channel can be combined to determine the modern retail landscapes. Qualitative research had been conducted with management of four random Thai retailers in different format types to evaluate their common and difference outcomes in retail landscapes. The common outcomes underline that the agility on developing omni-channel for retail business will determine the leader in digitalization era while physical store outlet is still a crucial aspect. © 2022 IEEE.

Effect of invasive mechanical ventilation on the diversity of the pulmonary microbiota.

Pulmonary microbial diversity may be influenced by biotic or abiotic conditions (e.g., disease, smoking, invasive mechanical ventilation (MV), etc.). Specially, invasive MV may trigger structural and physiological changes in both tissue and microbiota of lung, due to gastric and oral microaspiration, altered body posture, high O2 inhalation-induced O2 toxicity in hypoxemic patients, impaired airway clearance and ventilator-induced lung injury (VILI), which in turn reduce the diversity of the pulmonary microbiota and may ultimately lead to poor prognosis. Furthermore, changes in (local) O2 concentration can reduce the diversity of the pulmonary microbiota by affecting the local immune microenvironment of lung. In conclusion, systematic literature studies have found that invasive MV reduces pulmonary microbiota diversity, and future rational regulation of pulmonary microbiota diversity by existing or novel clinical tools (e.g., lung probiotics, drugs) may improve the prognosis of invasive MV treatment and lead to more effective treatment of lung diseases with precision.

Evaluation of degradation performance toward antiviral drug ribavirin using advanced oxidation process and its relations to ecotoxicity evolution.

The rapid spread of coronavirus disease 2019 has increased the consumption of some antiviral drugs, wherein these are discharged into wastewater, posing risks to the ecosystem and human health. Therefore, efforts are being made for the development of advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) to remediate water containing these pharmaceuticals. Here, the toxicity evolution of the antiviral drug ribavirin (RBV) was systematically investigated during its degradation via the UV/TiO2/H2O2 advanced oxidation process. Under optimal conditions, RBV was almost completely eliminated within 20 min, although the mineralization rate was inadequate. Zebrafish embryo testing revealed that the ecotoxicity of the treated RBV solutions increased at some stages and decreased as the reaction time increased, which may be attributed to the formation and decomposition of various transformation products (TPs). Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis along with density functional theory calculations helped identify possible toxicity increase-causing TPs, and quantitative structure activity relationship prediction revealed that most TPs exhibit higher toxicity than the parent compound. The findings of this study suggest that, in addition to the removal rate of organics, the potential ecotoxicity of treated effluents should also be considered when AOPs are applied in wastewater treatment.

Lonicerae Japonicae Flos Attenuates Neutrophilic Inflammation by Inhibiting Oxidative Stress.

Lonicerae japonicae flos (LJ) is an Asian traditional herb that is used as a dietary supplement, tea, and beverage to clear heat and quench thirst. However, no studies investigated its effect on activated human neutrophils, which played a crucial role in the bad prognosis of coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) patients by aggravating lung inflammation and respiratory failure. Herein, we evaluated the anti-inflammatory effect of LJ ethanol extract (LJEE) on human neutrophils activated by N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (fMLF). Our experimental results indicated that LJEE suppressed fMLF-activated superoxide anion (O2•-) generation, the expression of CD11b, and cell adhesion and migration, as well as the formation of neutrophil extracellular traps in human neutrophils. Further in-depth mechanical investigation revealed that pretreatment with LJEE accelerated the Ca2+ clearance, but did not affect the phosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) and protein kinase B (Akt) in activated human neutrophils. In addition, LJEE displayed a dose-dependent reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenger activity, which assisted its anti-inflammatory activity. From the bioassay-coupled chromatographic profile, chlorogenic acids were found to dominate the anti-inflammatory effects of LJEE. Moreover, LJ water extract (LJWE) demonstrated an interrupting effect on the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 spike protein (SARS-CoV-2-Spike)/angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) binding. In conclusion, the obtained results not only supported the traditional use of LJ for heat-clearance, but also suggested its potential application in daily health care during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Determinants of Business Resilience in the Restaurant Industry During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Textual Analytics Study on an O2O Platform Case

Understanding the resilience capabilities of restaurant operations and the determinants affecting these capabilities is critical to helping restaurants overcome the hardships owing to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. This article adopts a textual analytics approach to scientifically measure consumption trends and identify the shock to restaurant sales using online customer review data from Dianping.com (an O2O platform in China). Moreover, the article proposes a theoretical model of business resilience for the restaurant industry in the context of the pandemic. Then, an empirical investigation on how the determinants in our theoretical framework affect the resilience of restaurant business operations using the panel logit model is conducted. Our findings indicate that the pandemic has severely disrupted the full-service restaurants as compared to the quick-service restaurants. We identify four determinants of resilience, namely social capital (i.e., restaurant rating), physical capital (i.e., contactless service), economic capital (i.e., chain operation), and natural capital (e.g., location), which are significantly associated with the resilience of restaurant business during the pandemic. These four determinants play different roles in the resilience of full-service and quick-service restaurants. The findings of this study have theoretical contribution and generate some important managerial implications for helping the restaurant industry recover from disruptions brought by the COVID-19 pandemic. IEEE

Comparison between the first and second COVID-19 waves in Internal Medicine wards in Milan, Italy: a retrospective observational study.

COVID-19 spread in two pandemic waves in Italy between 2020 and 2021. The aim of this study is to compare the first with the second COVID-19 wave, analyzing modifiable and non-modifiable factors and how these factors affected mortality in patients hospitalized in Internal Medicine wards. Consecutive patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection and dyspnea requiring O2 supplementation were included. The severity of lung involvement was categorized according to the patients' oxygen need. Six hundred and ten SARS-CoV-2 hospitalized patients satisfied the inclusion criteria. The overall estimated 4-week mortality was similar in the two pandemic waves. Several variables were associated with mortality after univariate analysis, but they lacked the significance after multivariable adjustment. Steroids did not exert any protective effect when analyzed in time-dependent models in the whole sample; however, steroids seemed to exert a protective effect in more severe patients. When analyzing the progression to different states of O2 supplementation during hospital stay, mortality was almost exclusively associated with the use of high-flow O2 or CPAP. The analysis of the transition from one state to the other by Cox-Markov models confirmed that age and the severity of lung involvement at admission, along with fever, were relevant factor for mortality or progression.

From theory to practice: A case study of technology-enhanced O2O teaching

Stimulated by the isolation requirement of COVID-19 lockdown, online teaching method has been widely adopted by worldwide academic institutions and has been playing an essential role in accelerating education reform. While both traditional classroom teaching and pure online teaching have their drawbacks, an integrated online to offline (O2O) precision teaching model is considered to be the new trend. With the support of information technology, O2O precision teaching is capable of monitoring students' behavior closely and tailoring the curriculum for each student. This study designed a detailed platform-based O2O precision teaching model and applied it to the Chinese Business Culture course teaching. Traditional offline teaching was also conducted as a control. Both test scores and student feedback were collected and analyzed. Results show that the technology-enhanced O2O precision teaching model can improve students' test performance and various soft skills and has their high degree of satisfaction in the meantime, indicating that it can work as a promising new teaching model. Practitioner Notes 1. This study designs a platform based online to offline precision teaching model. 2. Students' learning behavior and performance data throughout the entire teaching process is collected and analyzed, helping finetune the teaching method.

Consumer Behavior in Online-to-Offline (O2O) Commerce: A Thematic Review

Online-to-offline (O2O) commerce is a popular business model which links offline business activities with online channels. Consumer behavior in O2O commerce is more complex than in other traditional business models as both online and offline channels are involved. Despite the growing number of publications focused on this issue, no review paper has discussed the current research trends and factors influencing consumer behavior in O2O commerce. Therefore, this review aimed to synthesize literature on O2O commerce from 2015 to April 2022, focusing on consumer behavior. A set of inclusion and exclusion criteria was developed for searching and screening articles from two dominant databases (i.e., WOS and Scopus), and 53 eligible articles were included in this review. A thematic review approach using ATLAS.ti 9 software was conducted. Quantitative results presented the research trends of O2O commerce. Qualitative analyses generated eight main clusters of factors which influence consumers’ O2O behavior: (1) service and product quality, (2) technical and utilitarian factors, (3) emotional and hedonic factors, (4) trust and risk, (5) price and cost (6), social factors, (7) online content, and (8) habit. This paper also highlighted promising future research directions. The findings are expected to benefit the sustainable management and the future research of O2O commerce.