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Acupuncture is an important part of Chinese medicine that has been widely used in the treatment of inflammatory diseases. During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) epidemic, acupuncture has been used as a complementary treatment for COVID-19 in China. However, the underlying mechanism of acupuncture treatment of COVID-19 remains unclear. Based on bioinformatics/topology, this paper systematically revealed the multi-target mechanisms of acupuncture therapy for COVID-19 through text mining, bioinformatics, network topology, etc. Two active compounds produced after acupuncture and 180 protein targets were identified. A total of 522 Gene Ontology terms related to acupuncture for COVID-19 were identified, and 61 pathways were screened based on the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes. Our findings suggested that acupuncture treatment of COVID-19 was associated with suppression of inflammatory stress, improving immunity and regulating nervous system function, including activation of neuroactive ligand–receptor interaction, calcium signaling pathway, cancer pathway, viral carcinogenesis, Staphylococcus aureus infection, etc. The study also found that acupuncture may have additional benefits for COVID-19 patients with cancer, cardiovascular disease and obesity. Our study revealed for the first time the multiple synergistic mechanisms of acupuncture on COVID-19. Acupuncture may play an active role in the treatment of COVID-19 and deserves further promotion and application. These results may help to solve this pressing problem currently facing the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a bee foraging behavior-driven mutational salp swarm algorithm (BMSSA) based on an improved bee foraging strategy and an unscented mutation strategy. The improved bee foraging strategy is leveraged in the follower location update phase to break the fixed range search of salp swarm algorithm, while the unscented mutation strategy on the optimal solution is employed to enhance the quality of the optimal solution. Extensive experimental results on public CEC 2014 benchmark functions validate that the proposed BMSSA performs better than nine well-known metaheuristic methods and seven state-of-the-art algorithms. The binary BMSSA (bBMSSA) algorithm is further proposed for feature selection by using BMSSA as the selection strategy and support vector machine as the classifier. Experimental comparisons on 12 UCI datasets demonstrate the superiority of bBMSSA. Finally, we collected a dataset on the return-intentions of overseas Chinese after coronavirus disease (COVID-19) through an anonymous online questionnaire and performed a case study by setting up a bBMSSA-based feature selection optimization model. The outcomes manifest that the bBMSSA-based feature selection model exhibits a conspicuous prowess, attaining an accuracy exceeding 93%. The case study shows that the development prospects, the family and job in the place of residence, seeking opportunities in China, and the possible time to return to China are the critical factors influencing the willingness to return to China after COVID-19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background There has been controversy over whether to carry out online medical inquiries and electronic prescription for first-visit patients. While Internet hospitals have become crucial to ensure providing online diagnosis and prescription needs for first-visit COVID-positive patients. Objective We describe the results and advantages of online medical treatment during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak and analyse the results and advantages of online medical treatment. Methods Data were collected from the patients who received online medical inquiry services through the COVID-19 Special Section of our Internet hospital. The user demographic characteristics, user behaviour, clinical symptoms and medical records were collected. Baseline data of offline outpatient patients were also collected. Results A total of 16 173 online medical inquiries were included. The daily online outpatient service volume reached a peak of 2446 person-times. The median age was 29.92 years (SD 15.59), ranging from 20–39 years (n  = 8870, 54.84%). A total of 89.20% (n  = 14 426/16 173) patients had epidemic-related symptoms. Moreover, 23.35% of the people were diagnosed as COVID-19-positive through antigen or nucleic acid testing. Furthermore, 86.61% (14 008/16 173) of the patients visited our hospital for the first time or had no offline physical outpatient service record within the past 3 months. The demand for medical inquiries was mainly for drug dispensing, followed by medication guidance and disease diagnosis. And 2.07% (334/16 173) of the patients needed to go to the offline hospital for further treatment. Conclusion The service model of the COVID-19 Special Section based on Internet hospitals provided the public with the necessary medical support during the COVID-19 outbreak. It provides a reference for future pandemics or public health emergencies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has brought enormous challenges for public health crisis management in China. Crisis responses vary greatly among provinces. Many studies focus on the role of the central government in crisis management. However, how regional governments respond to such pandemic crises is underexplored. The existing literature lacks extensive comparative studies explaining why different regions respond differently to the crisis and how different regional institutional environments affect crisis management. By proposing an analytical framework based on governance capacity and legitimacy theory, this article seeks to address these questions. This study mainly focuses on provincial governments because they play a crucial role in coordinating various organizations and different levels of government in response to the crisis. By comparing the different COVID-19 responses of Hubei and Zhejiang provinces, this study finds that different regional institutional environments based on the triangular linkage of government, business and society influence regional crisis management by shaping different governance capacities (coordination, analytical, regulation and delivery capacity) and legitimacy (input, throughput and output legitimacy). Regional governments with strong governance capacity can promote crisis management through cross-organizational collaboration, scientific analysis and timely decision-making and effective policy implementation. Promoting citizen participation and information disclosure in the policy process and enhancing citizens' support can improve governance legitimacy, thereby facilitating crisis management. Governance capacity and legitimacy also affect each other. These findings contribute to the literature on public health crisis management. They also shed light on how regional governments in China and other countries with regional variation can effectively tackle public health crises under different institutional environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

2020 was an unprecedented year, with rapid and drastic changes in human mobility due to the COVID-19 pandemic. To understand the variation in commuting patterns among the Chinese population across stable and unstable periods, we used nationwide mobility data from 318 million mobile phone users in China to examine the extreme fluctuations of population movements in 2020, ranging from the Lunar New Year travel season (chunyun), to the exceptional calm of COVID-19 lockdown, and then to the recovery period. We observed that cross-city movements, which increased substantially in chunyun and then dropped sharply during the lockdown, are primarily dependent on travel distance and the socio-economic development of cities. Following the Lunar New Year holiday, national mobility remained low until mid-February, and COVID-19 interventions delayed more than 72.89 million people returning to large cities. Mobility network analysis revealed clusters of highly connected cities, conforming to the social-economic division of urban agglomerations in China. While the mass migration back to large cities was delayed, smaller cities connected more densely to form new clusters. During the recovery period after travel restrictions were lifted, the netflows of over 55% city pairs reversed in direction compared to before the lockdown. These findings offer the most comprehensive picture of Chinese mobility at fine resolution across various scenarios in China and are of critical importance for decision making regarding future public-health-emergency response, transportation planning and regional economic development, among others. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background To investigate the knowledge, attitudes and anxiety toward COVID-19 among Chinese college students studying in China and abroad. Method A structured questionnaire, comprised of demographic characteristics, knowledge and attitudes toward COVID-19 and the State–Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), was used to collect data for 566 domestic students and 126 students studying abroad. Results Domestic students were better than students abroad in knowledge of epidemiology and manifestations. Domestic students showed a significant higher enthusiasm for voluntary services than students abroad, including medical science popularization, community services, traffic dispersion, logistics transportation and being volunteers for vaccine trials. The scores (Mean ± SD) of S-AI and T-AI among students abroad were 59.48 ± 8.63 and 54.10 ± 7.20, respectively, which were significantly higher than those of domestic students (39.46 ± 8.16 and 39.25 ± 7.72). Conclusions Our study showed a better understanding of knowledge, more positive attitudes and less anxiety toward COVID-19 among domestic students, compared with students studying abroad. In light of this information, more attention and appropriate psychological and social intervention should be paid to college students with anxiety, especially those studying abroad. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), started in 2019 in China and quickly spread into a global pandemic. Nucleocapsid protein (N protein) is highly conserved and is the most abundant protein in coronaviruses and is thus a potential target for both vaccine and point-of-care diagnostics. N Protein has been suggested in the literature as having posttranslational modifications (PTMs), and accurately defining these PTMs is critical for its potential use in medicine. Reports of phosphorylation of N protein have failed to provide detailed site-specific information. We have performed comprehensive glycomics, glycoproteomics and proteomics experiments on two different N protein preparations. Both were expressed in HEK293 cells; one was in-house expressed and purified without a signal peptide (SP) sequence, and the other was commercially produced with a SP channeling it through the secretory pathway. Our results show completely different PTMs on the two N protein preparations. The commercial product contained extensive N- and O-linked glycosylation as well as O-phosphorylation on site Thr393. Conversely, the native N Protein model had O-phosphorylation at Ser176 and no glycosylation, highlighting the importance of knowing the provenance of any commercial protein to be used for scientific or clinical studies. Recent studies have indicated that N protein can serve as an important diagnostic marker for COVID-19 and as a major immunogen by priming protective immune responses. Thus, detailed structural characterization of N protein may provide useful insights for understanding the roles of PTMs on viral pathogenesis, vaccine design and development of point-of-care diagnostics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To control the spread of the 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19), China imposed nationwide restrictions on the movement of its population (lockdown) after the Chinese New Year of 2020, leading to large reductions in economic activities and associated emissions. Despite such large decreases in primary pollution, there were nonetheless several periods of heavy haze pollution in eastern China, raising questions about the well-established relationship between human activities and air quality. Here, using comprehensive measurements and modeling, we show that the haze during the COVID lockdown was driven by enhancements of secondary pollution. In particular, large decreases in NOx emissions from transportation increased ozone and nighttime NO3 radical formation, and these increases in atmospheric oxidizing capacity in turn facilitated the formation of secondary particulate matter. Our results, afforded by the tragic natural experiment of the COVID-19 pandemic, indicate that haze mitigation depends upon a coordinated and balanced strategy for controlling multiple pollutants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Understanding health worker awareness, attitudes, and self-confidence in the workplace can inform local and global responses toward emerging infectious threats, like the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Availability of accessible personal protective equipment (PPE) is vital to effective care and prevention. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional survey from February 24 to 28, 2020, to assess COVID-19 preparedness among health workers. In addition, we assessed trends from search engine web crawling and text-mining data trending over the Sina Weibo platform from January 1 to March 3, 2020. Data were abstracted on Chinese outbreak preparedness. Results In the survey, we engaged 6350 persons, of whom 1065 agreed to participate, and after an eligibility logic check, 1052 participated (16.6%). We accessed 412 internet posts as to PPE availability. Health workers who were satisfied with current preparedness to address COVID-19 were more likely to be female, to obtain knowledge about the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) outbreak from government organizations, and to consider their hospital prepared for outbreak management. Health workers with more confidence in their abilities to respond were those with more faith in their institution's response capacities. Elements of readiness included having airborne infection isolation rooms, visitor control procedures, and training in precautions and PPE use. Both survey and web post assessments suggested that health workers in need were unable to reliably obtain PPE. Conclusions Health workers' self-confidence depends on perceived institutional readiness. Failure to maintain available PPE inventory for emerging infectious diseases preparedness suggests a failure to learn key lessons from the 2003–2004 SARS outbreak in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the article, the authors discuss the effects of the Quick Response (QR) code system on older persons amidst the COVID-19 outbreak in China. Also cited are the use of the system as an electronic voucher to allow entry and exit in public spaces and travel to other places, how older people are discriminated due to their limited knowledge of digital technologies, and the need to address the issue to ensure older people's access to the Internet and health QR system.