Search

Copyright of Journal of Central China Normal University is the property of Huazhong Normal University and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Covid19 is a worldwide pandemic challenge that started in Wuhan, China and spread to almost all countries on the planet within a few months. The causative virus was found to be highly contagious and, until now, considerably difficult to contain. A look at the epidemiological distribution of the disease over the planet has raised a number of questions whose answers could help us understand the behavior of the virus and consequently leads us to possible means of limitation of its spread or even flattening of the curve of morbidity and mortality. After the third decade of life, there is a progressive decline of growth hormone (GH) secretion by approximately 15% for every decade of adult life. The data from highly affected countries suggest a more aggressive course in the elderly, a double-time affection of males more than females, and the vulnerability of some risk groups of patients. Our observation is that GH deficiency is a common factor in all vulnerable patient groups. We think that there is a need for studying the role of growth hormone in the unique epidemiological pattern of Covid-19 so that it might help in the early detection and management of the high-risk groups as appropriate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is the official name of a respiratory infectious disease caused by a new coronavirus that started first in Wuhan, China, and outspread worldwide with an unexpectedly fast speed. Flights have been canceled worldwide and transportation has been closed nationwide and across international borders. As a consequence, the economic activity has been stopped and stock markets have been dropped. The COVID-19 lockdown has several social and economic effects. Additionally, COVID-19 has caused several impacts on global migration. On the other hand, such lockdown, along with minimal human mobility, has impacted the natural environment somewhat positively. Overall carbon emissions have dropped, and the COVID-19 lockdown has led to an improvement in air quality and a reduction in water pollution in many cities around the globe. A summary of the existing reports of the environmental impacts of COVID-19 pandemic are discussed and the important findings are presented focusing on several aspects: air pollution, waste management, air quality improvements, waste fires, wildlife, global migration, and sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study finds significant immediate adverse impact of the novel coronavirus (COVID- 19) pandemic on tourism shares listed in the Shanghai and Shenzhen stock exchanges, in terms of breadth and depth. Overall, prices of these shares plunged by 20% in three consecutive days in response to pandemic fears, before technical rebound set in. Significant negative cumulative abnormal returns after the Wuhan lockdown are identified in 18 out of 21 tourism shares traded in the Chinese stock exchanges. These findings could serve as references for the China Security Regulatory Commission to monitor the market in future pandemic management. Investors are advised to avoid tourism shares the moment there is any suspicious development of virus outbreak in the future. Instead, they could look for opportunity to buy dip after massive market decline at the appropriate timing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The first confirmed death from coronavirus infection occurred on 9 January 2020. On January 23, 2020, the Wuhan center was placed in quarantine, where all public transport in Wuhan and Wuhan were suspended. The nearby cities of Huanggang, Ezhou, Chibi, Jingzhou and Zhejiang have also been quarantined since 24 January 2020. Coronavirus 2019-nCoV was identified in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, after people developed pneumonia without a clear cause and for which existing vaccines or treatments were not effective. The virus shows evidence of person-toperson transmission, and the transmission rate (infection rate) appears to have escalated in mid-January, from other cases than those reported by China so far. The first cases of coronavirus in Romania and the Republic of Moldova were confirmed on February 26 and March 7, 2020 respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]