Methane emissions are predominantly responsible for record-breaking atmospheric methane growth rates in 2020 and 2021

The global atmospheric methane growth rates reported by NOAA for 2020 and 2021 are the largest since systematic measurements began in 1983. To explore the underlying reasons for these anomalous growth rates, we use newly available methane data from the Japanese Greenhouse gases Observing SATellite (GOSAT) to estimate methane surface emissions. Relative to baseline values in 2019, we find that a significant global increase in methane emissions of 27.0 ± 11.3 and 20.8 ± 11.4 Tg is needed to reproduce observed atmospheric methane in 2020 and 2021, respectively, assuming fixed climatological values for OH. We see the largest annual increases in methane emissions during 2020 over Eastern Africa (14 ± 3 Tg), tropical Asia (3 ± 4 Tg), tropical South America (5 ± 4 Tg), and temperate Eurasia (3 ± 3 Tg), and the largest reductions are observed over China (-6 ± 3 Tg) and India (-2 ± 3 Tg). We find comparable emission changes in 2021, relative to 2019, except for tropical and temperate South America where emissions increased by 9 ± 4 and 4 ± 3 Tg, respectively, and for temperate North America where emissions increased by 5 ± 2 Tg. The elevated contributions we saw in 2020 over the western half of Africa (-5 ± 3 Tg) are substantially reduced in 2021, compared to our 2019 baseline. We find statistically significant positive correlations between anomalies of tropical methane emissions and groundwater, consistent with recent studies that have highlighted a growing role for microbial sources over the tropics. Emission reductions over India and China are expected in 2020 due to the Covid-19 lockdown but continued in 2021, which we do not currently understand. To investigate the role of reduced OH concentrations during the Covid-19 lockdown in 2020 on the elevated atmospheric methane growth in 2020–2021, we extended our inversion state vector to include monthly scaling factors for OH concentrations over six latitude bands. During 2020, we find that tropospheric OH is reduced by 1.4 ± 1.7 % relative to the corresponding 2019 baseline value. The corresponding revised global growth of a posteriori methane emissions in 2020 decreased by 34 % to 17.9 ± 13.2 Tg, relative to the a posteriori value that we inferred using fixed climatological OH values, consistent with sensitivity tests using the OH climatology inversion using reduced values for OH. The counter statement is that 66 % of the global increase in atmospheric methane during 2020 was due to increased emissions, particularly from tropical regions. Regional flux differences between the joint methane–OH inversion and the OH climatology inversion in 2020 are typically much smaller than 10 %. We find that OH is reduced by a much smaller amount during 2021 than in 2020, representing about 10 % of the growth of atmospheric methane in that year. Therefore, we conclude that most of the observed increase in atmospheric methane during 2020 and 2021 is due to increased emissions, with a significant contribution from reduced levels of OH.

Research on the paths and strategies of the integrated development of culture and tourism industry in urban historical blocks.

COVID-19 has brought about great impact on the global economy. Various countries have adopted different levels of spatial isolation measures to curb the spread of the epidemic. These measures not only limit the spatial flow of people and property, but also cause global anxiety and public mental health problems. Corresponding to this process, cultural demands are growing stronger and the humanistic shift in today's urban economic development also puts forward higher requirements for local culture. Historic districts are an important symbolic historical and cultural landscape of a city, and many cities regard them as important starting points for the shaping of urban characteristics and competitiveness. Taking Qingming Bridge Historical and Cultural Block in Wuxi City as an example, combined with the public's mental health needs in the context of COVID-19 and the current background of the return of humanism in urban development, and construct a more sustainable framework for the renewal and development of urban historical blocks, focusing on the integration and development of the cultural landscape and tourism in the historical block. A comprehensive analysis shows that the development of Qingming Bridge Historical and Cultural Block must be based on the comprehensive investment of "four types of resources," such as culture, land, capital, and labor, and must rely on the cooperation of the "two sectors" of culture and tourism. By earnestly respecting the above, as well as the "triple bottom line" of regional ecology, economy, and society, sustainable development can be achieved.

ACE2-containing defensosomes serve as decoys to inhibit SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Extracellular vesicles of endosomal origin, exosomes, mediate intercellular communication by transporting substrates with a variety of functions related to tissue homeostasis and disease. Their diagnostic and therapeutic potential has been recognized for diseases such as cancer in which signaling defects are prominent. However, it is unclear to what extent exosomes and their cargo inform the progression of infectious diseases. We recently defined a subset of exosomes termed defensosomes that are mobilized during bacterial infection in a manner dependent on autophagy proteins. Through incorporating protein receptors on their surface, defensosomes mediated host defense by binding and inhibiting pore-forming toxins secreted by bacterial pathogens. Given this capacity to serve as decoys that interfere with surface protein interactions, we investigated the role of defensosomes during infection by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the etiological agent of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). Consistent with a protective function, exosomes containing high levels of the viral receptor ACE2 in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) from critically ill COVID-19 patients was associated with reduced intensive care unit (ICU) and hospitalization times. We found ACE2+ exosomes were induced by SARS-CoV-2 infection and activation of viral sensors in cell culture, which required the autophagy protein ATG16L1, defining these as defensosomes. We further demonstrate that ACE2+ defensosomes directly bind and block viral entry. These findings suggest that defensosomes may contribute to the antiviral response against SARS-CoV-2 and expand our knowledge on the regulation and effects of extracellular vesicles during infection.

Clinical characteristics, socioeconomic factors and COVID-19 were associated with delayed surgery in children with hypospadias: a retrospective study of 4439 cases in a single center.

BACKGROUND: Hypospadias is one of the most common congenital diseases of the genitourinary system in children. The European Association of Urology (EAU) Guidelines recommend that children undergoing hypospadias surgery should be between 6 and 18 months. In China, where many children have hypospadias, it remains unknown whether clinical characteristics, socioeconomic factors and COVID-19 were associated with delayed surgery in children with hypospadias. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed children with hypospadias who underwent primary surgery at the Department of Pediatric Urology in Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center between January 2010 and October 2021. Patients who had two-stage surgery or a second round of surgery due to complications were excluded to eliminate data duplication. The clinical characteristics and demographic information were collected. We defined delayed surgery as primary surgery performed after 18 months following the EAU Guidelines. RESULTS: A total of 4439 children diagnosed with hypospadias were included in the study. The median age (29.1 ± 16.7 months) of surgery for hypospadias in our study was much higher than the recommended age reported in the EAU guidelines, and 76.6% of the children underwent surgery after the age of 18 months. Children without comorbidities including cryptorchidism (odds ratio [OR] = 1.562; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.199-2.034; p = 0.001), prostatic cyst (OR = 2.613; 95% CI 1.579-4.324; p < 0.001), penile hypoplasia (OR = 1.778; 95% CI 1.225-2.580; p = 0.002), inguinal hernia (OR = 2.070; 95% CI 1.394-3.075; p < 0.001), and penoscrotal transposition (OR = 4.125; 95% CI 1.250-13.619; p = 0.020) were more likely to receive delayed surgery. Living in a low economic area (OR = 1.731; 95% CI 1.068-2.806; p = 0.026) or not close to a main medical center (OR = 1.580; 95% CI 1.370-1.824; p < 0.001) was highly associated with delayed surgery. The proportion of children undergoing delayed surgery and the median age of surgery during the COVID-19 pandemic were significantly higher than those before the COVID-19 pandemic (p = 0.004 and < 0.001, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Most children with hypospadias received delayed surgery (surgical age > 18 months). Comorbidities, living in a low economic area, too far from a main medical center and the COVID-19 pandemic were highly associated with delayed surgery. It is vital to improve the public awareness of hypospadias and strengthen the re-education of primary community doctors to reduce delayed surgery.

[Clinical observation on filiform-fire needling of "Biaoben acupoint combination" for 33 cases of sequelae of coronavirus disease 2019 during recovery period].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the clinical therapeutic effect of filiform-fire needling of "Biaoben acupoint combination" on the sequelae of patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) during the recovery period. METHODS: A total of 33 patients with COVID-19 during the recovery period were treated with filiform-fire needling at the acupoints of Mingmen (GV 4), Shenzhu (GV 12), Gaohuang (BL 43), Zusanli (ST 36) and Shangjuxu (ST 37), etc., once every other day, 3 times a week, and 3 times was one course of treatment and totally 2 courses of treatment were required. The TCM symptom, Hamilton anxiety scale (HAMA) and Hamilton depression scale (HAMD) scores, pulmonary function indexes (forced vital capacity [FVC], forced expiratory volume in one second [FEV1], peak expiratory flow [PEF]) and chest CT imaging change were observed before and after treatment, and the therapeutic effect was evaluated. RESULTS: After treatment, the scores of TCM symptom, HAMA and HAMD were decreased compared with those before treatment (P<0.05), and the levels of FVC, FEV1 and PEF were increased compared with those before treatment (P<0.05), and the recovery rate of 22 patients with pulmonary ventilation dysfunction was 86.4% (19/22). After treatment, the lung shadow area was smaller than that before treatment (P<0.05). The effective rate of 25 patients with lung CT abnormalities was 84.0% (21/25). After treatment, 23 cases were cured, 5 cases were markedly effective, 4 cases were effective, 1 case was ineffective, the cured and markedly effective rate was 84.8%. CONCLUSION: The filiform-fire needling of "Biaoben acupoint combination" could significantly reduce the sequelae of cough, fatigue, chest tightness, etc. and mental symptoms such as anxiety and depression in patients with COVID-19 during the recovery period, and promote inflammatory exudation absorption of pulmonary lesion and improve lung ventilation function.

Platelets contribute to disease severity in COVID-19.

OBJECTIVE: Heightened inflammation, dysregulated immunity, and thrombotic events are characteristic of hospitalized COVID-19 patients. Given that platelets are key regulators of thrombosis, inflammation, and immunity they represent prime candidates as mediators of COVID-19-associated pathogenesis. The objective of this study was to understand the contribution of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) to the platelet phenotype via phenotypic (activation, aggregation) and transcriptomic characterization. APPROACH AND RESULTS: In a cohort of 3915 hospitalized COVID-19 patients, we analyzed blood platelet indices collected at hospital admission. Following adjustment for demographics, clinical risk factors, medication, and biomarkers of inflammation and thrombosis, we find platelet count, size, and immaturity are associated with increased critical illness and all-cause mortality. Bone marrow, lung tissue, and blood from COVID-19 patients revealed the presence of SARS-CoV-2 virions in megakaryocytes and platelets. Characterization of COVID-19 platelets found them to be hyperreactive (increased aggregation, and expression of P-selectin and CD40) and to have a distinct transcriptomic profile characteristic of prothrombotic large and immature platelets. In vitro mechanistic studies highlight that the interaction of SARS-CoV-2 with megakaryocytes alters the platelet transcriptome, and its effects are distinct from the coronavirus responsible for the common cold (CoV-OC43). CONCLUSIONS: Platelet count, size, and maturity associate with increased critical illness and all-cause mortality among hospitalized COVID-19 patients. Profiling tissues and blood from COVID-19 patients revealed that SARS-CoV-2 virions enter megakaryocytes and platelets and associate with alterations to the platelet transcriptome and activation profile.

High-Resolution CT Features of the COVID-19 Infection During Short-Term Follow-Up

Objective: To estimate the short-term follow-up chest HRCT manifestation in patients with COVID-19 who have left hospitals. Methods: Retrospective analysis was executed on the chest HRCT manifestation of 49 cases with RT-PCR confirmed COVID-19 pneumonia patients diagnosed in Beijing You’An hospital affiliated to capital medical university between 20 January 2020 to April 10, 2020. The study including 21 males and 28 females, and the median age was 59.5 years age ranged from 21 years to 80 years. The evolution characteristics of chest HRCT in short-term follow-up after discharge were analyzed. Results: Forty-nine patients were divided into two groups according to Diagnosis and Treatment Protocol of 2019 New Coronavirus Pneumonia (trial version 7) of National Health Commission of China. Severe group included 23 cases (46.9%) and 26 cases of ordinary (53.1%). The HRCT findings of patients in the 2 groups were analyzed on median follow-up time was 30 day (range, 14 to 46 days) after discharge. The follow-up chest HRCT were normal in 19 of 49 (38.8%) patients, abnormal HRCT findings were detected in 30 of 49 (61.2%) patients. The most frequent abnormality found on follow-up HRCT in COVID-19 patients who recovered from pneumonia was GGO which was seen in 26 of 49 (53.1%) patients, reticular pattern was in 9 of 49 (18.4%), traction bronchiectasis was in 3 of 49 (6.1%), small nodular consolidation was in 6 of 49 (12.2%), other findings including curved line in the subpleural area and irregular linear opacities were in 15 of 49 (30.6%). In the study, 3 of 49 (6.1%) patients were diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis according to HRCT findings. Three cases were severe patients, aged from 65 to 80 years. Pulmonary fibrosis occurred within 30–50 days of onset. Conclusion: Pulmonary fibrosis may develop in 6.1% of COVID-19 patients, which was lower than that of SARS and MERS, suggesting that the lung damage caused by SARS-COV-2 in the recovered patients was lower than that of SARS and MERS.

Comparison of clinical features on admission between coronavirus disease 2019 and influenza a among children: a retrospective study in China.

BACKGROUND: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) share similar symptoms with influenza A (IA), but it is more worthwhile to understand the disparities of the two infections regarding their clinical characteristics on admission. METHODS: A total of 71 age-matched pediatric IA and COVID-19 patient pairs were formed and their clinical data on admission were compared. RESULTS: Fever, cough, nasal congestion and nausea/vomiting were the most common symptoms on admission for both infections but occurred less often in COVID-19. The IA patients were more likely to have lower-than-normal levels of lymphocyte count and percentage and to have higher-than-normal levels of activated partial thromboplastin time, prothrombin time, serum C-reactive protein, and serum procalcitonin, while the COVID-19 patients had higher odds of having lower-than-normal levels of neutrophil count and percentage. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that influenza A is more symptomatic than COVID-19 for children and might be an overall more severe infection at the time of admission.