A novel textual track-data-based approach for estimating individual infection risk of COVID-19.

With the recurrence of infectious diseases caused by coronaviruses, which pose a significant threat to human health, there is an unprecedented urgency to devise an effective method to identify and assess who is most at risk of contracting these diseases. China has successfully controlled the spread of COVID-19 through the disclosure of track data belonging to diagnosed patients. This paper proposes a novel textual track-data-based approach for individual infection risk measurement. The proposed approach is divided into three steps. First, track features are extracted from track data to build a general portrait of COVID-19 patients. Then, based on the extracted track features, we construct an infection risk indicator system to calculate the infection risk index (IRI). Finally, individuals are divided into different infection risk categories based on the IRI values. By doing so, the proposed approach can determine the risk of an individual contracting COVID-19, which facilitates the identification of high-risk populations. Thus, the proposed approach can be used for risk prevention and control of COVID-19. In the empirical analysis, we comprehensively collected 9455 pieces of track data from 20 January 2020 to 30 July 2020, covering 32 provinces/provincial municipalities in China. The empirical results show that the Chinese COVID-19 patients have six key features that indicate infection risk: place, region, close-contact person, contact manner, travel mode, and symptom. The IRI values for all 9455 patients vary from 0 to 43.19. Individuals are classified into the following five infection risk categories: low, moderate-low, moderate, moderate-high, and high risk.

Source Credibility and the Information Quality Matter in Public Engagement on Social Networking Sites During the COVID-19 Crisis.

During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, people use social networking sites (SNSs) to seek social support, ease the move toward the social distance, and communicate and engage with one another. However, there is growing evidence that trustworthiness and quality of information can affect individuals' online engagement behaviors. This study proposes a theoretical model to test people's online engagement during the COVID-19 pandemic by applying the elaboration likelihood model (ELM). Through a questionnaire survey of 630 SNS users, the study examines whether and how source credibility and information quality affect people's online engagement during the COVID-19 pandemic. The model was tested using structural equation modeling. The findings show that source credibility and information quality have a significantly positive relationship with perceived benefit, while negative and significantly associated with perceived risk. Furthermore, perceived benefit is a stronger predictor of online public engagement than the perceived risk. To improve online public engagement as a crisis response strategy, careful source selection and careful generation of online crisis information should not be overlooked.

Factor structure and measurement invariance of the Chinese version of the COVID-19 Phobia Scale in depressive symptoms sample during COVID-19 closure: An exploratory structural equation modeling approach

The COVID-19 Phobia Scale is an instrument for measuring the phobia of coronavirus. It has a stable four-factor structure and good reliability and validity in other countries and regions. In order to expand related research, this study aims to test the reliability and validity of the COVID-19 Phobia Scale in Chinese adolescents with depressive symptoms. The C19P-SC was translated into Chinese by the method of forward and back translation and tested in 1933 Chinese adolescents with depressive symptoms. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and exploratory structural equation modeling (ESEM) were used to test and compare the four-factor model of the C19P-SC. Then we tested the measurement invariance of the C19P-SC across gender and time. Finally, the reliability was measured with the McDonald's omega coefficients. Consistent with previous studies, the C19P-SC showed a stable four-factor structure. The results showed that ESEM was better than CFA and more reasonable. In addition, the results of multi-group ESEM showed that the C19P-SC met the strict invariance at male and female and partial longitudinal strict invariance. The Mcdonald's omega coefficients of the C19P-SC total scale and each subscale reached the expected acceptable level. In short, the reliability and validity index of C19P-SC has reached an acceptable level, and the measurement invariance of different genders and different time points was established, but the cross-factor phenomenon of individual items was abnormal, and a further revision and testing are still needed.

Interpersonal risk communication matters more than media risk communication in its impact on individuals' trust and preventive behaviors during COVID-19.

A cross-sectional survey study from 1496 respondents was conducted to investigate how interpersonal risk communication and media risk communication foster individuals' interpersonal trust and trust in scientists during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Findings reveal that interpersonal risk communication is significantly related to interpersonal trust and trust in scientists, but have no direct association with preventive behaviors. Media risk communication is significantly associated with preventive behaviors and increases individuals' trust in scientists while having no effect on interpersonal trust. Preventive behaviors are significantly influenced by both interpersonal trust and trust in scientists. In addition, trust mediated the association between risk communication and preventive behaviors.

Suppression of ACE2 SUMOylation protects against SARS-CoV-2 infection through TOLLIP-mediated selective autophagy.

In addition to investigating the virology of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), discovering the host-virus dependencies are essential to identify and design effective antiviral therapy strategy. Here, we report that the SARS-CoV-2 entry receptor, ACE2, conjugates with small ubiquitin-like modifier 3 (SUMO3) and provide evidence indicating that prevention of ACE2 SUMOylation can block SARS-CoV-2 infection. E3 SUMO ligase PIAS4 prompts the SUMOylation and stabilization of ACE2, whereas deSUMOylation enzyme SENP3 reverses this process. Conjugation of SUMO3 with ACE2 at lysine (K) 187 hampers the K48-linked ubiquitination of ACE2, thus suppressing its subsequent cargo receptor TOLLIP-dependent autophagic degradation. TOLLIP deficiency results in the stabilization of ACE2 and elevated SARS-CoV-2 infection. In conclusion, our findings suggest selective autophagic degradation of ACE2 orchestrated by SUMOylation and ubiquitination as a potential way to combat SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Risk Factors Associated With Increased Anxiety Sensitivity in Children and Adolescents in Northwest China During COVID-19 Pandemic Lockdown

Purpose A large body of evidence has revealed that the sudden outbreak of public health emergencies induces dramatic effects on the mental health of the general public. We aimed to investigate the level of anxiety sensitivity and its risk factors in children and adolescents from northwest China during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown in early 2020. Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted through the Wenjuanxing platform using a convenience sampling method between 18 and 26 February 2020. The self-designed questionnaire contained sociodemographic characteristics, factors associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, and the Childhood Anxiety Sensitivity Index (CASI) scale. The data from 1,091 valid questionnaires from students aged 9–17 years were analyzed using ANOVA, multiple linear regression, and binary logistic regression. Results The average CASI scores were 11.47 ± 6.631, and 642 students (58.9%) had prominent anxiety sensitivity. Gender, education level, family members participating in anti-COVID-19 work, getting ill and needing medical help during the lockdown, feeling afraid or having heart palpitations on hearing things associated with COVID-19, believing that COVID-19 would have adverse impacts on themselves or their family in the future, and fear of infection were identified as significant factors for elevated levels of anxiety sensitivity (p < 0.05). We established a multiple linear regression model for the anxiety sensitivity score. Risk factors found for anxiety sensitivity in children and adolescents during the COVID-19 lockdown included studying in secondary or high school, becoming ill during the pandemic, feeling afraid or experiencing rapid heartbeat or palpitations on hearing about the COVID-19 pandemic, thinking that COVID-19 would have an adverse impact on themselves or their family in the future, and fear of infection. Conclusions During the COVID-19 pandemic and home quarantine, scores measuring the prevalence of anxiety sensitivity in children and adolescents from northwest China were elevated. We should develop measures that especially target possible risk factors to intervene against and prevent anxiety sensitivity in children and adolescents in both the current and future pandemics.

Rejection of Acellular Porcine Corneal Stroma Transplantation During Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic

: To report 2 successfully managed cases of graft rejection with acellular porcine corneal stroma (APCS) transplantation in patients with fungal corneal ulcer. Two patients were diagnosed with fungal corneal ulcer and received APCS transplantation. Graft rejection developed due to the lost follow-up during the period of coronavirus disease 2019 outbreak. Amniotic membranes transplantation and cauterization of neovascularization was performed, respectively. The graft failure resolved successfully after the procedure. To the best of our knowledge, amniotic membranes transplantation and cauterization of new vessels are the firstly reported in treating APCS graft failure. Amniotic membranes transplantation or cauterization of neovascularization appear to be a safe and costeffective method for treating graft failure.

Source Credibility and the Information Quality Matter in Public Engagement on Social Networking Sites During the COVID-19 Crisis

During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, people use social networking sites (SNSs) to seek social support, ease the move toward the social distance, and communicate and engage with one another. However, there is growing evidence that trustworthiness and quality of information can affect individuals’ online engagement behaviors. This study proposes a theoretical model to test people’s online engagement during the COVID-19 pandemic by applying the elaboration likelihood model (ELM). Through a questionnaire survey of 630 SNS users, the study examines whether and how source credibility and information quality affect people’s online engagement during the COVID-19 pandemic. The model was tested using structural equation modeling. The findings show that source credibility and information quality have a significantly positive relationship with perceived benefit, while negative and significantly associated with perceived risk. Furthermore, perceived benefit is a stronger predictor of online public engagement than the perceived risk. To improve online public engagement as a crisis response strategy, careful source selection and careful generation of online crisis information should not be overlooked.

Explaining education-based difference in systematic processing of COVID-19 information: Insights into global recovery from infodemic.

Systematic processing helps individuals identify misinformation during the COVID-19 pandemic and serves as an individual-level measure to fight the infodemic. Highly educated people tend to engage in systematic processing more than their less educated counterparts. We follow a major part of the risk information seeking and processing (RISP) model to explicate this gap. An online survey (N = 1,568) conducted during the early stage of the pandemic in China showed that current knowledge and perceived information gathering capacity both positively mediated the association between education level and systematic processing. Although informational subjective norms were positively associated with systematic processing, we did not observe a significant difference in these norms between highly and less educated individuals. The results clarify the psychological mechanism underlying the education-based difference in systematic processing of the COVID-19 information and corroborate a relevant part of the RISP model. Moreover, our findings offer practical implications for facilitating individuals with less educational attainment to engage in systematic processing, thereby alleviating the negative impact of exposure to misinformation on them. These insights not only apply to managing the infodemic in China, but also inform the global recovery from the infodemic.

The Impact of COVID-19 on China’s Capital Market and Major Industry Sectors

This paper studies the impact of COVID-19 on China’s capital market and major industry sectors via an improved ICSS algorithm, a time series model with exogenous variables and nonparametric conditional probability estimation. Through the empirical analysis of the stock market, the bond market and different industry sectors, it is found that the pandemic has had no significant impact on the return of the stock and bond markets;however, it has increased market volatility. There are significant differences in the significance, direction and duration of the impact of the pandemic in different sectors. In addition, the impacts of COVID-19 have been gradual in some industries but rapid in others. Different industries show different sensitivities in their response to COVID-19. Based on the impact analysis, this paper proposes corresponding suggestions for investment strategies and macrocontrol decisions.

Topic Evolution of Chinese COVID-19 Policies Based on Co-Occurrence Clustering Network Analysis

This study aims to explore the changes of Chinese coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) policy topics in the eclipse, outbreak, and convalescent stage of COVID-19 based on 4982 textual policies. By using the co-occurrence clustering network method, we find that the strict prevention and control of the epidemic is the only topic of policies in the eclipse stage. In the outbreak stage, strict epidemic prevention and control is still the most important policy topic. The policies of resuming work of “essential”enterprises and stabilizing market prices are important support and guarantee for fighting against COVID-19. In the convalescent stage, as the prevention and control of COVID-19 has become regular, promoting and ensuring the resumption of work in all sectors of society is the most important topic of the policies. Moreover, the success of Wuhan City’s fight against COVID-19 reflects China’s governance characteristics of “concentrating power to do a major event”. Finally, the possible improvements for Chinese COVID-19 policies are discussed, which can provide practical suggestions for government departments on how to effectively respond to public health emergencies.

The Impact of COVID-19 on China's Capital Market and Major Industry Sectors.

This paper studied the impact of COVID-19 on China's capital market and major industry sectors via an improved ICSS algorithm, a time series model with the exogenous variable and a non-parametric conditional probability estimation. Through the empirical analysis, it is found that the epidemic has no significant impact on the return of the stock and bond markets, but it has increased the market volatility and the impact on the stock market volatility is gradual and more obvious. There are significant differences in the significance, direction and duration of the epidemic on different sectors. In addition, the impact of COVID-19 has been gradual in some industries and rapid in others. Different industries show different sensitivities in their response to COVID-19. Based on the analysis of the impact, this paper put forward the corresponding suggestions for investment strategies and macro-control decisions.

A Customized Mask Retainer and Its Effects on Improving the Fit Performance of Surgical Masks (preprint)

Background: With the outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the effectiveness of providing mask protection is important for people. This article introduces a customized mask retainer to improve the fit performance of face masks. Methods: : The participant’s 3D face scans with and without a surgical mask were taken by using a 3D face scanner. The fitter was designed on the 3D face scan data according to the facial anthropometric landmarks, and examined and adjusted on the face scan data with a mask. The fitter was 3D printed using a metal printer for Titanium. The effectiveness of the fitter on augmentation of fit of surgical mask was test according to the Chinese Standard. Tests were repeated three times per participant, and compare differences between groups by Wilcoxon Matched-Pairs Signed-Ranks Test using software (a=.05). Results: : The effectiveness test of the retainer on augmentation of fit performance showed a result more than 25-fold increase of overall Fit Factor, which have met the fit requirement for KN95 respirators in China. Conclusions: : Fit Factor results indicated that by using the retainer, the Fit Factors of overall and each exercise have significantly increased as compared to that of face mask alone group. It may provide a solution to the shortage of N95 respirators the world is now encountering as fighting against the COVID-19 epidemic.

Mental health and social support among nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic.

This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of mental problems and social support among nurses during the COVID-19 epidemic and to explore the correlation. We carried out a multicentre, large-sample questionnaire survey in Chongqing (China). The WeChat-based survey program Questionnaire Star was used to distribute a questionnaire with self-designed items to obtain general information, the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21), and the Social Support Rating Scale (SSRS). A total of 848 neonatal nurses participated. The results showed that 104 nurses (12.3%) had depression symptoms, 133 (15.7%) had anxiety symptoms, and 45 (5.3%) had stress symptoms. However, the DASS-21 score of the majority of nurses was normal. Pearson correlation analyses revealed that mental health was negatively correlated with social support, indicating that the higher social support was, the better the psychological condition of nurses.

Who Can I Trust in a Scary World? An Examination of the Objects of Trust, Information Sources and Social Distancing Intention Amid COVID-19.

Trust is a central construct of social research. While numerous studies have investigated trust as either a dependent or independent variable, little attention has been paid to its relationship with health-related behaviors in the context of a public health crisis. How trust in different entities influences people's social distancing intention is therefore an important question that merits academic scrutiny. Moreover, the relationship between trust and social distancing intention cannot be well understood without an account of the information environment. As previous studies have reached a consensus about the limited effects of information exposure on individual outcomes, this research focuses on possible moderating effects. Results show that information exposure, no matter via interpersonal or media sources, has no direct effects on behavioral intention. Rather, risk communication serves as a moderator of the relationship between trust and social distancing intention.

Potential Urinary Biomarkers of Young Adults With Short-Term Co-Exposure to Particulate Matter and Bioaerosols in a Time Course Identified by an Unbiased Metabolomic Approach With Gas/Liquid Chromatography–Mass Spectroscopy (preprint)

Background: Numerous epidemiological studies showed close relationships of outdoor air pollution with increased risk of cancer, infection, and cardiopulmonary diseases. However, a very limited number of studies investigate the potential biomarkers of the co-exposures of particle matters (PM) and bioaerosols, especially under current circumstances of the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. In the present study, we aimed to identify metabolic candidate biomarkers that are associated with co-exposure to PM and bioaerosols.Methods: We performed an unbiased gas/liquid chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GC/LC-MS) approach to detect urinary metabolites of 92 samples from young healthy individuals collected at three different time points with exposure to clean, polluted ambient, and purified air , followed by a cycling test after air re-pollution and re-purification with two additional time points. Subsequently, we compared metabolomic profiles in between two-time points via an integrated analysis, plus KEGG enriched pathway and time series analysis.Findings: We identified 33 and 155 differential metabolites (DMs) associated with PM and bioaerosol exposure, respectively. The results from KEGG data and time series analysis indicated significantly enriched pathways and dynamic alterations of metabolomic profiles, respectively. 16-Dehydroprogesterone and 4-Hydroxyphenylethanol in urine might be used as biomarkers for diagnosis of PM- or bioaerosol-relevant diseases.Interpretation: The present studies revealed dynamic alterations in urinary metabolites of young healthy humans with the cycling of the clean and polluted air environment. Our findings help to investigate detrimental health effects of airborne PM and bioaerosols in a real-time manner and improve clinically diagnostic tools for PM- and bioaerosol-related diseases.Funding Information: This work was financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China [NSFC Grant no. 81673958, 82074262, and 81828010]; CAMS Innovation Fund for Medical Sciences [CIFMS 2016-I2M-3-013]; The Drug Innovation Major Project of China [2018ZX09711001-007-002].Declaration of Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest in this work.Ethics Approval Statement: Our study was approved by the Ethical Committee of Guang'anmen Hospital. All recruited subjects provided written informed consent.

Clinical Risk Factors for Long-term Hospital Stay in Common Patients with coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19) (preprint)

Background This study aimed to investigate the potential risk factors associated with hospital stay in mild patients with COVID-19.Methods A total of 109 laboratory-confirmed COVID patients with initial common subtype diseased by real-time RT-PCR that meet discharge standards were retrospectively included from January 16 to March 15 of 2020. Baseline demographic, clinical, laboratory examination was extracted from electronic medical records at the first day of admission and compared between short-term hospital stay and long-term hospital stay. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression methods were used to explore the risk factors associated with hospital stay.Results Of 109 COVID-19 patients, 61 patients were short-term stay (≤ 10 days) and 48 patients were long-term stay (> 10 days). The average age of patients in short-term stay were younger than those long-term stay(P = 0.01). Hypertension was the most common comorbidity (34%, 21/61), followed by diabetes (15%,9/61) and Cardiopathy (8%, 5/61). Fever and cough were the typical clinical manifestation in two group. Decreased WBC, Hemoglobin and increased Monocyte, MLR (Monocyte Lymphocyte ratio) and Hypersensitive CRP showed a long-term stay (all P < 0.05). The treatment of Resochin and Human immunoglobulin had a shorter hospital stay. Multivariable regression showed that MLR and CRP on admission were risk factors for predicting the hospital stay, with the HR (hazard ratio 2.03, 1.02–5.39; P = 0.022) and (1.32,1.05–3.24, P = 0.045) respectively.Conclusions The potential risk factors of MLR and CRP may help clinicians to predict the hospital stay of COVID-19 patients.