Assessment of respiratory disease infection risk and natural ventilation intervention countermeasures in teaching spaces: A campus case study

The risk of indoor respiratory disease transmission can be significantly reduced through interventions that target the built environment. Several studies have successfully developed theoretical models to calculate the effects of built environment parameters on infection rates. However, current studies have mainly focused on calculating infection rate values and comparing pre- and post-optimization values, lacking a discussion of safe baseline values for infection rates with risk class classification. The purpose of this paper is to explore the design of interventions in the built environment to improve the ability of buildings to prevent virus transmission, with a university campus as an example. The study integrates the Wells-Riley model and basic reproduction number to identify teaching spaces with high infection risk on campus and proposes targeted intervention countermeasures based on the analysis of critical parameters. The results showed that teaching buildings with a grid layout pattern had a higher potential risk of infection under natural ventilation. By a diversity of building environment interventions designed, the internal airflow field of classrooms can be effectively organized, and the indoor virus concentration can be reduced. We can find that after optimizing the building mentioned above and environment intervention countermeasures, the maximum indoor virus infection probability can be reduced by 22.88%, and the basic reproduction number can be reduced by 25.98%, finally reaching a safe level of less than 1.0. In this paper, we support university campuses' respiratory disease prevention and control programs by constructing theoretical models and developing parametric platforms. © 2023 Elsevier Ltd

Past, present and future of infectious diseases.

The history of humankind has been a battle against infectious diseases, and highly lethal viral infections have appeared many times. Even in Japan, one-fourth of the population was lost due to smallpox during the Nara period. In the modern era, effective vaccines and drugs were developed, and everyone was optimistic that infectious diseases could be eradicated from the earth by the end of the 20 th century. However, infectious diseases such as AIDS, influenza, SARS, and MERS emerged. In particular, the novel coronavirus pandemic that occurred in Wuhan, China, at the end of 2019 exposed the vulnerability of modern society to infectious diseases. Furthermore, infectious diseases are undergoing significant changes due to human factors such as globalization and the destruction of nature. In this review, I would like to outline the infectious diseases that humans have experienced so far and introduce the fight against the new coronavirus and future infectious disease countermeasures.Copyright © 2022, Japan Society of Drug Delivery System. All rights reserved.

Identification of Flavonoids as Potent Inhibitors Against MERS-CoV 3C-like Protease

In 2012, a coronavirus was isolated from a patient with severe pneumonia. This beta-coronavirus, which appeared in Saudi Arabia, was named Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coro-navirus (MERS-CoV). MERS-CoV is the sixth identified coronavirus that has the ability to infect humans. The Middle East respiratory syndrome-coronavirus (MERS-CoV) is a zoonotic pathogen transmitted between animals and humans. To date, MERS-CoV is responsible for an epidemic that is still ongoing, but limited to the Arabian Peninsula, with a total number of more than 2000 cases identified and a mortality rate of around 35%. The largest outbreaks of human-to-human transmission were reported in Jeddah in 2014 and South Korea in 2015. This infection causes a high mortality rate and no vaccine or medical countermeasures are currently available. Currently, no specific treatment or vaccine is available against this virus. The current challenge is to contain the epidemic and continue research efforts to develop a vaccine and a treatment. Certain flavonoids inhibit the replication of viral RNA and have therapeutic potential against viruses and bacteria. Therefore, it is suggested that flavonoids with these characteristics can be used as models to develop potent inhibi-tors of MERS-CoV. This work reviews current knowledge and provides an update on MERS-CoV and MERS-CoV 3Clpro virology, epidemiology, clinical features, and the use of flavonoids as potential inhibitors and therapeutic agents for MERS-CoV, and MERS-CoV 3Clpro. This review tries to elucidate the structure-activity relationships (SAR) of varied polyphenols against MERS-CoV 3C-like protease (3Clpro).Copyright © 2022 Bentham Science Publishers.

Hazard exposure of bicyclists at urban intersections

Traditionally, mobility problems and automobile traffic congestion have increased in cities around the world due to the urban development process, especially in the city of Metropolitan Lima. For this reason, the government of the Peruvian capital has established temporary detours in certain sections of the arterial roads of the network, to invite new cyclists, due to the effects of Covid-19. Today, Lima has a network of 294 km of bicycle lanes, which have been implemented without adequate planning. In view of this, we evaluated the risk of poor planning on the vulnerable user (the cyclist) at an intersection of this road network, with a high rate of motorized congestion. The main objective of this study has been to propose corrective actions to avoid the exposure to danger on the users of the bicycle lane (countermeasures);due to lack of safety at the intersection of La Marina Ave. and Universitaria Ave. In this sense, a risk matrix was developed with the most concurrent factors that occur at this intersection;to then obtain a risk level and take actions in each of them, to mitigate the impact. The result obtained in the analysis of this study for the intersection is classified as a level 2 risk: Important risk, which means that it presents several important danger factors. Finally, in addition to the analyses developed, a treatment scheme was proposed for the intersection to provide greater safety to the users of the bicycle lane, avoiding fatal and non-fatal accidents. © 2022 IEEE.

A Study of the Emerging Trends in SIM Swapping Crime and Effective Countermeasures

SIM swapping is a novel criminal modus operandi which uses copied SIM cards for the purpose of taking over a mobile service subscription and thereby accessing sensitive personal and financial data. Authorities around the world have reported a surge in SIM Swapping crimes, mainly driven by criminals taking advantage of the increasingly virtual lifestyle precipitated by the COVID-19 pandemic. This study examines related cases around the world, and categorizes them according to their specific modi operandi, as well as the initial responses of national authorities to this emerging crime. By analyzing the dynamics of this new crime trend, this study aims to propose preemptive and preventative measures to address this new threat. Research has identified three main steps in SIM Swapping crime: 1) personal data theft, 2) fraudulent copying of SIM card, and 3) exploitation of falsely-obtained mobile service for perpetration. Research has also found that the subscriber authentication procedure involved in replacing a SIM card is vulnerable to identity theft, especially in jurisdictions which have implemented eSIM. Therefore, it will be upon governments to enforce a stronger user authentication and information security regime for mobile carriers, introduce an online payment system devised with a data-sharing mechanism connecting mobile carriers and financial services, and raise public awareness on SIM Swapping and information security in general. © 2022 IEEE.

The Evolution of Medical Countermeasures for Ebola Virus Disease: Lessons Learned and Next Steps.

The Ebola virus disease outbreak that occurred in Western Africa from 2013-2016, and subsequent smaller but increasingly frequent outbreaks of Ebola virus disease in recent years, spurred an unprecedented effort to develop and deploy effective vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostics. This effort led to the U.S. regulatory approval of a diagnostic test, two vaccines, and two therapeutics for Ebola virus disease indications. Moreover, the establishment of fieldable diagnostic tests improved the speed with which patients can be diagnosed and public health resources mobilized. The United States government has played and continues to play a key role in funding and coordinating these medical countermeasure efforts. Here, we describe the coordinated U.S. government response to develop medical countermeasures for Ebola virus disease and we identify lessons learned that may improve future efforts to develop and deploy effective countermeasures against other filoviruses, such as Sudan virus and Marburg virus.

Cloud Computing Infrastructure Security: Challenges and Solutions

Cloud computing market has been growing with its largest over the last two years. Many businesses and education systems moved to the Cloud to support remote work and learning respectively during the COVID time. As data and applications are being migrated outside the enterprise administrative domain to the Cloud, various security challenges should be known to the consumer and the provider. This paper discusses the cloud data center building blocks and surveys the current threats, vulnerabilities, and defense mechanisms at the physical, virtual, orchestration, and application programming interfaces to enable the cloud computing infrastructure as a service. © 2022 IEEE.

A Multicenter Evaluation of the Seraph 100 Microbind Affinity Blood Filter for the Treatment of Severe COVID-19.

The Seraph100 Microbind Affinity Blood Filter (Seraph 100) (ExThera Medical, Martinez, CA) is an extracorporeal therapy that can remove pathogens from blood, including severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. The aim of this study was to evaluate safety and efficacy of Seraph 100 treatment for COVID-19. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. SETTING: Nine participating ICUs. PATIENTS: COVID-19 patients treated with Seraph 100 (n = 53) and control patients matched by study site (n = 53). INTERVENTION: Treatment with Seraph 100. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: At baseline, there were no differences between the groups in terms of sex, race/ethnicity, body mass index, and need for mechanical ventilation. However, patients in the Seraph 100 group were younger (median age, 54 yr; interquartile range [IQR], 41-65) compared with controls (median age, 64 yr; IQR, 56-69; p = 0.009). Charlson comorbidity index scores were lower in the Seraph 100 group (2; IQR, 0-3) compared with the control group (3; IQR, 2-4; p = 0.006). Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II scores were also lower in Seraph 100 subjects (12; IQR, 9-17) compared with controls (16; IQR, 12-21; p = 0.011). The Seraph 100 group had higher vasopressor-free days with an incidence rate ratio of 1.30 on univariate analysis. This difference was not significant after adjustment. Seraph 100-treated subjects were less likely to die compared with controls (32.1% vs 64.2%; p = 0.001), a difference that remained significant after adjustment. However, no difference in mortality was observed in a post hoc analysis utilizing an external control group. In the full cohort of 86 treated patients, there were 177 total treatments, in which only three serious adverse events were recorded. CONCLUSIONS: Although this study did not demonstrate consistently significant clinical benefit across all endpoints and comparisons, the findings suggest that broad spectrum, pathogen agnostic, blood purification can be safely deployed to meet new pathogen threats while awaiting targeted therapies and vaccines.

Simulation of Countermeasures in the Face of Covid-19 Using a Linear Compartmental Model Adaptation of an anatomy graduate course in ultrasound imaging from in-person to live, remote instruction during the Covid-19 pandemic

Summary In this chapter, the authors study the effectiveness of the health countermeasure adopted by half of the countries of the world as a means of dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic. Containment of the population seems to be a well-suited action in the absence of an effective treatment, such as a viral treatment or a vaccine. The SIR (Susceptible?Infected?Recovered) model is known in epidemiology as a compartmental model. The SIR model, in its basic formulation, stratifies the population into three health states: susceptible to the disease, infected with the disease and recovered from the disease. A linear model is proposed for simulation purposes, the authors specify its data, its variables, its objective function and its constraints. Health concerns during the Covid-19 pandemic required the adaptation of a lecture-laboratory course in ultrasound imaging for graduate students from an in-person to a live, remote learning format. The adaptation of in-person lectures to live, remote delivery was achieved by using videoconferencing. The adaptation of in-person laboratory sessions to live, remote instruction was achieved in the first half of the course by providing a hand-held ultrasound instrument to each student who performed self-scanning at their remote locations, while the instructor provided live instruction using videoconferencing. In the second half of the course, the students transitioned to using cart-based, hospital-type instruments and self-scanning in the ultrasound laboratory on campus. The aim of this study was to measure the success of this adaptation to the course by comparing assessment scores of students in the live, remote course with assessment scores of students in the in-person course offered in the previous year. There were no statistically significant differences in the assessment scores of students in the two courses. The adaptation of a course in ultrasound imaging from an in-person to a live, remote learning format during the Covid-19 pandemic described here suggests that contrary to the prevailing view, ultrasound imaging can be taught to students without in-person instruction. The adapted course can serve as a model for teaching ultrasound where instructors and learners are physically separated by constraints other than health concerns during a pandemic.

Research on the risk of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympic Games and the countermeasures of the preparatory work transition under the influence of COVID-19

As the most influential sports event in the world, there will be many athletes and spectators from all over the world during the Olympic Games. However, the continuing severe global COVID-19 situation has a significant impact on the smooth hosting of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics Games (hereinafter referred to as the 'Beijing Winter Olympics'). Based on above, this paper analyzed the impact of the global COVID-19 and expounded the six risks of Beijing Winter Olympic Games. Finally, it provided corresponding suggestions and countermeasures of the preparatory work transition for the change of running mode. It is expected to provide theoretical reference and decision-making support for the Beijing Winter Olympic Games to prevent and control of the COVID-19 emergency risk. © 2021 IEEE.

Implementation of SARS-CoV-2 monoclonal antibody infusion sites at three medical centers in the United States: Strengths and challenges assessment to inform COVID-19 pandemic and future public health emergency use.

Monoclonal antibody therapeutics to treat COVID-19 have been authorized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration under Emergency Use Authorization (EUA). Many barriers exist when deploying a novel therapeutic during an ongoing pandemic, and it is critical to assess the needs of incorporating monoclonal antibody infusions into pandemic response activities. We examined the monoclonal antibody infusion site process during the COVID-19 pandemic and conducted a descriptive analysis using data from three sites at medical centers in the U.S. supported by the National Disaster Medical System. Monoclonal antibody implementation success factors included engagement with local medical providers, therapy batch preparation, placing the infusion center in proximity to emergency services, and creating procedures resilient to EUA changes. Infusion process challenges included confirming patient SARS-CoV-2 positivity, strained staff, scheduling, and pharmacy coordination. Infusion sites are effective when integrated into pre-existing pandemic response ecosystems and can be implemented with limited staff and physical resources.

A Characteristic Analysis and Countermeasure Study of the Hedging of Listed Companies in China Stock Markets

Due to COVID-19, the risk of price volatility in commodity and equity markets increases. The research and application of hedging is the most effective way to reduce the market risk. Hedging is a risk management strategy employed to offset losses in investments by taking an opposite position in a related asset. We use K-means and hierarchical clustering methods to cluster companies and futures products respectively, and analyze the relationship between the number of hedging firms, regional distribution, nature of firms, capital distribution, company size, profitability, number of local Futures Commission Merchants (FCMs), regional location, and listing time. The study shows that listed companies with large scale and good profitability invest more money in hedging, while state-owned enterprises' participation in hedging is more likely to be affected by the company size and the number of local futures commission merchants, and private enterprises are more likely to be affected by the company profitability and the regional location. Listed companies are more willing to choose long-listed and mature futures products for hedging. We also provide policy advice based on our conclusion. So far, there is no study on the characteristics of hedging. This paper fills the gap. The results provide a basis and guidance for people's investment and risk management. Using clustering analysis in hedging study is another innovation of this paper.

[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.

The causes, impacts and countermeasures of COVID-19 "Infodemic": A systematic review using narrative synthesis.

An unprecedented infodemic has been witnessed to create massive damage to human society. However, it was not thoroughly investigated. This systematic review aims to (1) synthesize the existing literature on the causes and impacts of COVID-19 infodemic; (2) summarize the proposed strategies to fight with COVID-19 infodemic; and (3) identify the directions for future research. A systematic literature search following the PRISMA guideline covering 12 scholarly databases was conducted to retrieve various types of peer-reviewed articles that reported causes, impacts, or countermeasures of the infodemic. Empirical studies were assessed for risk of bias using the Mixed-Methods Appraisal Tool. A coding theme was iteratively developed to categorize the causes, impacts, and countermeasures found from the included studies. Social media usage, low level of health/eHealth literacy, and fast publication process and preprint service are identified as the major causes of the infodemic. Besides, the vicious circle of human rumor-spreading behavior and the psychological issues from the public (e.g., anxiety, distress, fear) emerges as the characteristic of the infodemic. Comprehensive lists of countermeasures are summarized from different perspectives, among which risk communication and consumer health information need/seeking are of particular importance. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed and future research directions are suggested.

Projecting a second wave of COVID-19 in Japan with variable interventions in high-risk settings.

An initial set of interventions, including the closure of host and hostess clubs and voluntary limitation of non-household contact, probably greatly contributed to reducing the disease incidence of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Japan, but this approach must eventually be replaced by a more sustainable strategy. To characterize such a possible exit strategy from the restrictive guidelines, we quantified the next-generation matrix, accounting for high- and low-risk transmission settings. This matrix was used to project the future incidence in Tokyo and Osaka after the state of emergency is lifted, presenting multiple 'post-emergency' scenarios with different levels of restriction. The effective reproduction numbers (R) for the increasing phase, the transition phase and the state-of-emergency phase in the first wave of the disease were estimated as 1.78 (95% credible interval (CrI): 1.73-1.82), 0.74 (95% CrI: 0.71-0.78) and 0.63 (95% CrI: 0.61-0.65), respectively, in Tokyo and as 1.58 (95% CrI: 1.51-1.64), 1.20 (95% CrI: 1.15-1.25) and 0.48 (95% CrI: 0.44-0.51), respectively, in Osaka. Projections showed that a 50% decrease in the high-risk transmission is required to keep R less than 1 in both locations-a level necessary to maintain control of the epidemic and minimize the risk of resurgence.

How Does Railway Respond to the Spread of COVID-19? Countermeasure Analysis and Evaluation Around the World.

The global COVID-19 pandemic is having a significant impact on the development of many aspects all over the world. As an important part of public services, rail transit requires effective response countermeasures to control the spread of COVID-19. Considering the current development of the epidemic situation, this article discusses the characteristics of COVID-19 transmission and identifies vulnerable areas to target in order to prevent and control the spread of the epidemic in the rail transit system. Countermeasures adopted to prevent the spread of COVID-19 are analyzed in terms of external and internal categories, which were classified into six groups: passenger service, case care, information, staff, equipment and operation management. An evaluation architecture was also constructed, which was established from the perspective of effectiveness, economic efficiency, acceptability, privacy and so on. The effect of implementing the measures was evaluated by a social survey, and their advantages and shortcomings were analyzed, which can be used to guide future epidemic prevention and control for rail transit systems around the world. It is important to formulate a reasonable work schedule according to local conditions, providing a reference for rapid response to future public health emergencies of international concern.

Evaluating Apple Inc Mobility Trend Data Related to the COVID-19 Outbreak in Japan: Statistical Analysis.

BACKGROUND: In Japan, as a countermeasure against the COVID-19 outbreak, both the national and local governments issued voluntary restrictions against going out from residences at the end of March 2020 in preference to the lockdowns instituted in European and North American countries. The effect of such measures can be studied with mobility data, such as data which is generated by counting the number of requests made to Apple Maps for directions in select countries/regions, sub-regions, and cities. OBJECTIVE: We investigate the associations of mobility data provided by Apple Inc and an estimate an an effective reproduction number R(t). METHODS: We regressed R(t) on a polynomial function of daily Apple data, estimated using the whole period, and analyzed subperiods delimited by March 10, 2020. RESULTS: In the estimation results, R(t) was 1.72 when voluntary restrictions against going out ceased and mobility reverted to a normal level. However, the critical level of reducing R(t) to <1 was obtained at 89.3% of normal mobility. CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrated that Apple mobility data are useful for short-term prediction of R(t). The results indicate that the number of trips should decrease by 10% until herd immunity is achieved and that higher voluntary restrictions against going out might not be necessary for avoiding a re-emergence of the outbreak.

Association between frailty and changes in lifestyle and physical or psychological conditions among older adults affected by the coronavirus disease 2019 countermeasures in Japan.

AIM: This study aimed to clarify the association between frailty and changes in lifestyle and physical or psychological conditions among community-dwelling older adults affected by the coronavirus disease 2019 countermeasures in Japan. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was carried out between 8 May and 12 June 2020 in Japan. Self-reported questionnaires were distributed among 1353 older adults. To assess frailty, we used the frailty screening index. To assess changes in lifestyle and physical or psychological conditions, we developed the Questionnaire for Change of Life (QCL), which comprised five items related to frailty. Cronbach's α was calculated as a measure of internal consistency of QCL. We compared the score for each item in the QCL between the frailty and non-frailty groups. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to show the factors that affect frailty status. RESULTS: In total, 856 older adults (63.3%) were analyzed. A total of 83 participants (9.7%) had frailty, and 755 participants (90.3%) had non-frailty. Cronbach's α for QCL was 0.552. We observed a significant decrease in daily movement, leg muscle strength and meal size among older adults with frailty compared with non-frailty (P < 0.001). Subjective leg muscle strength (odds ratio 3.257, 95% confidence interval 2.236-4.746) was negatively correlated with frailty. CONCLUSIONS: We suggest that each individual QCL item should be used in analyses involving the QCL. This report showed that subjective lifestyle changes affected by the coronavirus disease 2019 countermeasures were associated with frailty status. In particular, as older adults were aware of a decrease in their leg muscle strength, they were significantly more frail. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2021; 21: 39-42.

Big Data Analysis of Media Reports Related to COVID-19.

COVID-19 is lasting longer than expected, which has a huge impact on the economy and on personal life. Each country has a different response method, and the damage scale is also distinct. This study aims to find out how COVID-19-related news was handled in the domestic media to seek ways to minimize the pandemic. The paper focuses on the number of news features by period and by disaster and analyzes related words based on big data. The results of the analysis are as follows. First, in the initial response phase, keywords to identify accurate sources of actual broadcast contents, fake news, social networking service (SNS), etc. were also ranked in the top 20. Second, in the active response phase, when the number of confirmed persons and the government's countermeasures were announced, more than 100 COVID-19-related articles were issued, and the related words increased rapidly from the initial response stage. Therefore, the fact that COVID-19 has been expressed as a keyword indicates that our society is watching with great interest in the government's response to the disease.

Syrian hamsters as a small animal model for SARS-CoV-2 infection and countermeasure development.

At the end of 2019, a novel coronavirus (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; SARS-CoV-2) was detected in Wuhan, China, that spread rapidly around the world, with severe consequences for human health and the global economy. Here, we assessed the replicative ability and pathogenesis of SARS-CoV-2 isolates in Syrian hamsters. SARS-CoV-2 isolates replicated efficiently in the lungs of hamsters, causing severe pathological lung lesions following intranasal infection. In addition, microcomputed tomographic imaging revealed severe lung injury that shared characteristics with SARS-CoV-2-infected human lung, including severe, bilateral, peripherally distributed, multilobular ground glass opacity, and regions of lung consolidation. SARS-CoV-2-infected hamsters mounted neutralizing antibody responses and were protected against subsequent rechallenge with SARS-CoV-2. Moreover, passive transfer of convalescent serum to naïve hamsters efficiently suppressed the replication of the virus in the lungs even when the serum was administrated 2 d postinfection of the serum-treated hamsters. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that this Syrian hamster model will be useful for understanding SARS-CoV-2 pathogenesis and testing vaccines and antiviral drugs.