Difference of Omicron variant infection and influence factors between people with and without HIV infection (preprint)

Background There are mixed findings in the literature regarding the association between HIV status and the risk of COVID-19 infection. Thus, we aimed to estimate the association between characteristics of HIV infection and the risk of COVID-19 Infection in a Chinese sample.Methods We conducted a cross-sectional survey of 1995 people living with HIV (PLWH) and 3503 HIV-negative adults in Ningbo, China. We compared the prevalence rates of the SARS-CoV-2 infection and the long nucleic acid conversion time (more than 2 weeks) among PLWH and HIV-negative participants, respectively. In addition, we explored the risk factors associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection and the long nucleic acid conversion time among the two groups.Results Overall, 1485/1995 (74.4%) PLWH and 2864/3503 (81.8%) HIV-negative people were infected with SARS-CoV-2. Among the SARS-CoV-2-infected participants, 437/1485 (29.4%) PLWH and 649/2864 (22.7%) HIV-negative people had the long nucleic acid conversion time. After controlling for the potential confounders, the rate of the SARS-CoV-2 infection was lower among the PLWH than the HIV-negative group (adjusted OR = 0.836, 95% CI = 0.706–0.990). However, PLWH had a significantly higher risk of the long nucleic acid conversion time after the SARS-CoV-2 infection (adjusted OR = 1.417, 95% CI = 1.176–1.707) than the HIV negative participants. Compared with those who did not receive ART, PLWH adults who received ART significantly had the increased risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Furthermore, HIV-negative participants receiving COVID-19 vaccines significantly displayed the decreased likelihood of the long nucleic acid conversion time after the SARS-CoV-2 infection.Conclusions Our study indicates that different HIV Infection status was significantly and differently associated with the SARS-CoV-2 infection and the long nucleic acid conversion time. However, the further studies are needed to confirm the effect of ART and COVID-19 vaccines on SARS-CoV-2 infection in PLWH.

Regional technology gap and innovation efficiency trap in Chinese pharmaceutical manufacturing industry

Objective There is a huge technology gap between regions in Chinese pharmaceutical manufacturing industry, which is the reality that must be faced. However, most of the available researches on innovation efficiency are based on the logic of a given technology level, ignoring the regional technological gap. This paper will stand from the perspective of technology gap and re-examine the innovation efficiency of pharmaceutical manufacturing industry in different regions of China and its impact on regional industrial competitiveness. Methods We use the DEA-BCC input-oriented model to measure innovation efficiency of 28 provinces from the data of China's pharmaceutical manufacturing industry. The threshold model is constructed, with technology level as the threshold variable, innovation efficiency as the main explanatory variable, and industrial competitiveness as the dependent variable. In the threshold model, 28 regions are divided into three technical groups, and further, the impact of innovation efficiency on industrial competitiveness in different groups is analyzed and compared. Results According to the empirical research results, an U-shaped efficiency trap has been found in Chinese pharmaceutical manufacturing industry, and the areas with medium technical level are at the bottom of the trap. The improvement of innovation efficiency does not necessarily promote the improvement of regional industrial competitiveness. Only in high-level and low-level technology groups, innovation efficiency has effectively promoted the improvement of industrial competitiveness. In addition, the intensity of R&D investment has a similar impact on industrial competitiveness. Conclusions The findings suggest that, regions in the efficiency trap should strive to seek opportunities for industrial transformation and focus on the industrial transformation of new technology, new industry and new opportunities, instead of blindly pursuing R&D investment intensity and superstitious innovation efficiency. So as to free up innovation resources for high-quality technological innovation in other regions. In addition, the Chinese government should make use of its public hospital system to normalize and expand the centralized drug procurement and eliminate the low-quality innovation.