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The liver fluke disease caused by Clonorchis sinensis is one of the most serious food-borne parasitic diseases in China. Many freshwater fish and shrimps can be infected with C. sinensis metacercariae as the second intermediate hosts in endemic regions. Owing to the lack of infected humans and the good administration of pet dogs and cats in cities of non-endemic regions, few fish are expected to be infected with C. sinensis metacercariae in urban lakes. To determine the infection of C. sinensis metacercariae in freshwater fish and shrimps in urban lakes, a total of 18 fish species and one shrimp species were investigated in the East Lake of Wuhan City. Metacercariae were isolated by artificial digestive juice and identified using morphology and rDNA-ITS2 sequences. Five species of fish, Pseudorasbora parva, Ctenogobius giurinus, Squalidus argentatus, Hemiculter leuciclus, and Rhodeus spp., were infected with C. sinensis metacercariae. The overall prevalence of C. sinensis was 32.5%. The highest prevalence was found in P. parva with 57.9%, while S. argentatus exhibited the highest mean abundance (13.9). Apart from the C. sinensis metacercariae, four species of other trematode metacercariae were also identified across twelve fish species in total. Owing to the consumption of undercooked fish and feeding cats with small fish caught by anglers, there is a potential risk that the small fish infected with C. sinensis metacercariae may act as an infection source to spread liver fluke. Given the complete life cycle of C. sinensis, stray cats and rats were inferred to act as the important final hosts of C. sinensis in urban lakes in non-endemic areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The urban texture is the physical manifestation of the urban form's evolution. In the rapid process of urbanization, protecting and reshaping the urban texture has become an essential means to sustain the overall form and vitality of cities. Previous studies in this field have primarily relied on image analysis or typological methods, lacking a quantitative approach to identify and analyze the urban texture on a large scale. Moreover, the hierarchical structure and networked organization of the urban texture are gradually being elucidated and emphasized. This study takes a complex network perspective and applies percolation theory to identify and analyze the urban texture. The hierarchical evolutionary characteristics of the urban fabric and the underlying mechanisms driving the scale-dependent differences are analyzed, and the toughness of the urban texture is evaluated based on hierarchical connections. The research findings reveal the key scale in the cross-scale evolution of urban textures, with variations in scale dependence and hierarchical evolution characteristics among different types of urban texture. The traditional urban texture displays sensitivity to scale changes, maintaining its integrity and internal connectivity at small scales. On the other hand, the texture characteristics of modern and contemporary urban areas are only discernible at larger scales. The emergence of large-scale texture clusters at specific scale levels can be explained using multiple index systems. This study has reference significance for the preservation and renewal of the urban fabric in urban renewal processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The devastating pandemic of SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) began in Wuhan, China, and spread rapidly through most parts of the world in the second half of 2020. The air droplet spread of SARS-CoV-2 is of great global health concern as it is potentially fatal. Various drugs and treatment modalities have been tried to date, but none have been found to be definitive. Tranexamic acid (TXA) is commonly used in pigmentary disorders in dermatology due to its ability to reduce melanocyte tyrosinase activity. It also possesses anti-fibrinolytic and anti-inflammatory properties, which have been observed to suppress the cytokine storm and modulate coagulopathy in patients suffering from COVID-19. TXA, when administered early, has been effective in decreasing the severity of symptoms in COVID-19 patients, but on the contrary, it has also been associated with life-threatening thrombosis when given as a single drug. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to investigate the pollution emission of freight diesel motor vehicles in logistics parks, the article selected three logistics parks A, B and C in Dongxihu District of Wuhan City as the research object, analyzed the activity level of diesel motor vehicles based on the on-site survey and the data obtained from Wuhan Motor Vehicle Supervisory Platform, and carried out the field monitoring of NOx and PM2.5 in the entrance and exit sections of the logistics parks. The results show that the trucks entering and leaving the logistics park are mainly heavy-duty diesel vehicles, accounting for over 78.1%; the proportion of diesel motor vehicles of National + National emission standard types is more than 50%, but there are still a small number of diesel motor vehicles of National standard. The activity level of diesel motor vehicles in each logistics park has no direct correlation with the area of the logistics park, and the changes in traffic flow on weekdays and non-weekdays show different trends from the traffic volume on urban roads. The total emissions of NOx, PM2.5, PM10, CO, and HC from the three logistics parks during August were 36.958 tons, 0.529 tons, 0.586 tons, 16.588 tons, and 1.157 tons, respectively, and the monitored concentrations of NO2 and PM2.5 at the cross-sections into and out of the logistics parks in August and November were 1.24-2.41 times higher than those of the neighboring street air-quality monitoring stations, and 2.70-2.82 times higher than that of the neighboring -street air-quality monitoring stations, respectively, which shows that diesel motor vehicle exhaust emissions from the Logistics Park have a considerable impact on the quality of the air environ ment in the neighboring areas, and the type of diesel motor vehicle structure in the Logistics Park is also associated with the green transformation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In December 2019, a cluster of patients with pneumonia of undetermined etiology was recognized in Wuhan, Hubei, China. Subsequently, a novel coronavirus (Severe Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome- related Coronavirus) (SARS-CoV-2) was identified from lower respiratory tract samples obtained from affected patients. The clinical manifestation of Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID 19) is broad and ranges from asymptomatic and mild upper respiratory tract symptoms to severe illnesses with multi-organ failure and death. Furthermore, it is challenging to predict the clinical course or determine patients at risk of deterioration. Aim of the work: The aim of our study is to assess prevalence of gastrointestinal tract (GIT) symptoms in COVID 19 infected patients and to assess significance of rectal PCR in detecting COVID 19 patients with gastrointestinal symptoms. Patients and methods: This study was conducted on 100 adult COVID 19 patients recently diagnosed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). All patients were submitted to clinical examination, laboratory testing for Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (ESR), C-Reactive Protein,(CRP), Complete Blood Count (CBC), and D-dimer. Radiological investigations in the form of Computed Tomography Chest were reported by radiologist for all patients (High resolution computed tomography). Nasopharyngeal, oropharyngeal and rectal swabs were collected for COVID-19 (PCR) test. All patients received COVID-19 treatment according to protocols of World Health Organization (WHO) and Ministry of Health and Population, Egypt. Results: We found that GI symptoms are prevalent among COVID-19 Egyptian patients (64%). The most common GIT symptoms were Nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. We observed that 25 patients (25%) had positive viral RiboNucleic Acid (RNA) in rectal swab. Nausea was manifested in 38 patients (38%), Vomiting was manifested in 24 patients (24%), diarrhea was manifested in 21 patients (21%), pain was manifested in 22 patients (22%), hematemesis was manifested in 3 patients (3%) and melena was manifested in 2 patients (2%). Conclusion: The results of current study demonstrated that GIT symptoms are prevalent among COVID-19 Egyptian patients (64%) with Nausea, vomiting and diarrhea to be most common symptoms. Rectal PCR was found in 25 patients, all of them had GIT symptoms but it was statistically non-significant result when compared to the overall number of COVID-19 infected patients. Severe COVID-19 was more frequent in older age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Old residential areas present unique challenges in terms of design, stakeholders, and renovation requirements compared to traditional building projects. However, unreasonable construction plans can lead to delays, cost overruns, poor quality, and conflicts between the construction party and local residents. This article proposes an optimization model that prioritizes progress, quality, and cost as the key control objectives, leveraging the actual conditions of renovating old residential areas. The NSGA-II genetic algorithm is employed to solve the mathematical model. To validate the effectiveness and scientific rigor of the algorithm, a renovation project in an old residential area in Wuhan is used as a case study. The findings of this study offer valuable theoretical support for decision makers in selecting appropriate construction plans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the increasing awareness of architectural heritage conservation and the development of digital technology, there is an urgent need in the field of architectural heritage restoration for a novel solution that can enhance data security, collaboration efficiency, and file management capabilities. This study proposes an Architectural Heritage Restoration Distributed Common Data Environment (AHR-DCDE) framework based on blockchain and IPFS technologies to address the above challenges. The AHR-DCDE framework significantly improves data security and collaborative efficiency in architectural heritage restoration projects by creating a decentralized collaborative design process that achieves data immutability, traceability, and efficient large-scale file processing capabilities. The AHR-DCDE framework significantly improves data security and collaborative efficiency in architectural heritage restoration projects by creating a decentralized collaborative design process that achieves data immutability, traceability, and efficient large-scale file processing capabilities. In this study, the practicality and effectiveness of the AHR-DCDE framework is verified by taking the heritage restoration design project of Pinghe Packing Factory in Wuhan, Hubei Province, as an example. Evaluation of the framework's network latency, throughput, and storage costs indicates that AHR-DCDE can meet the requirements of architectural heritage restoration projects, possessing efficient capabilities for handling and sharing project data. Furthermore, the implementation of the AHR-DCDE framework also facilitates efficient collaboration among interdisciplinary teams, providing robust technical support for the protection and restoration of architectural heritage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, with the acceleration of urbanization and the frequent occurrence of extreme weather globally, the risk of urban flood disasters has gradually increased, and its potential consequences are immeasurable. Therefore, conducting risk assessment of urban flood disasters is of great significance, as it is one of the foundations and decision-making means for Disaster Prevention and Mitigation, and has become a hot topic and trend in current research. This paper starts by exploring the concept and formation mechanism of urban flood disasters, taking Hazard Factors, Disaster-prone Environment sensitivity, Vulnerability of Exposed Bodies, and Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Capabilities as primary indicators. Based on this, a risk assessment index system is established with 14 secondary indicators, such as annual average rainfall, distance to water systems, elevation, and terrain undulation. The spatialization of each indicator data point is processed through ArcGIS10.7, and the importance of hazard and sensitivity indicators is ranked using the Random Forest algorithm. The indicators are then weighted using a combination of the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and the entropy method, and the combined weights of each assessment indicator are calculated. Taking Wuhan City as the research area, the weights of each indicator are input into the established risk assessment model. ArcGIS spatial analysis techniques and raster calculation functions are utilized to solve the fuzzy comprehensive evaluation of the assessment model, obtaining zoning maps of risk levels for hazard, sensitivity, vulnerability, disaster prevention, and mitigation capabilities, as well as the distribution of comprehensive risk levels. The validity and rationality of the model results are verified by actual disaster data, providing important reference for urban flood disaster prevention in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

According to piloti design, the outdoor thermal environment can be improved in cities with hot summer conditions. Taking Chinese cities with a hot summer and cold winter as the research object, this paper discusses the improvement of the outdoor thermal environment of residential districts in summer by considering piloti design factors. In this article, according to our investigation of piloti design in Wuhan, a basic model of the overhead layer in the Wuhan residential area is presented, along with the effects of different piloti ratios (0–80%), piloti heights (2–6 m), and greening rates (30–35%) on the outdoor thermal environment of buildings. The average air temperature and average wind speed at the pedestrian level are used as outdoor thermal environment indicators, the average PET is used as the outdoor thermal comfort indicator, and the comfort wind ratio is used as the outdoor wind comfort indicator. The results show that increasing the ratio of corridor columns has the greatest thermal comfort enhancement effect in the corridor area, and when the piloti ratio increases from 20% to 80%, the PET in piloti areas reduces by 2.926 °C. Improving the greening rate has the greatest thermal comfort enhancement effect in the passageway area, and when the greening rate increases from 20% to 80%, the PET in piloti areas reduces by 0.9 °C. Furthermore, the increases in both the piloti ratio and piloti height have an enhancement effect on the outdoor wind environment and wind comfort, with thresholds of a piloti ratio over 60% and a piloti height over 5 m. In contrast, the increase in the greening rate will deteriorate the outdoor wind environment and wind comfort. The conclusions of this study are of great significance for the planning and design of overhead layers in residential areas in hot and humid areas in summer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The emergence of the novel coronavirus in Wuhan, China since 2019, has put the world in an exotic state of emergency and affected millions of lives. It is five times more deadly than Influenza and causes significant morbidity and mortality. COVID-19 mainly affects the pulmonary system leading to respiratory disorders. However, earlier studies indicated that COVID-19 infection may cause cardiovascular diseases, which can be detected using an electrocardiogram (ECG). This work introduces an advanced deep learning architecture for the automatic detection of COVID-19 and heart diseases from ECG images. In particular, a hybrid combination of the EfficientNet-B0 CNN model and Vision Transformer is adopted in the proposed architecture. To our knowledge, this study is the first research endeavor to investigate the potential of the vision transformer model to identify COVID-19 in ECG data. We carry out two classification schemes, a binary classification to identify COVID-19 cases, and a multi-class classification, to differentiate COVID-19 cases from normal cases and other cardiovascular diseases. The proposed method surpasses existing state-of-the-art approaches, demonstrating an accuracy of 100% and 95.10% for binary and multiclass levels, respectively. These results prove that artificial intelligence can potentially be used to detect cardiovascular anomalies caused by COVID-19, which may help clinicians overcome the limitations of traditional diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Early pregnancy is a critical window for neural system programming; however, the association of first-trimester fetal size with children's neurodevelopment remains to be assessed. This study aimed to explore the association between first-trimester fetal size and children's neurodevelopment and to examine whether intrauterine accelerated growth could compensate for the detrimental effects of first-trimester restricted growth on childhood neurodevelopment. Methods: The participants were from a birth cohort enrolled from March 2014 to March 2019 in Wuhan, China. A total of 2058 fetuses with crown to rump length (CRL) (a proxy of first-trimester fetal size) measurements in the first trimester and neurodevelopmental assessment at age 2 years were included. We measured the first-trimester CRL and defined three fetal growth patterns based on the growth rate of estimated fetal weight from mid to late pregnancy. The neurodevelopment was assessed using the Bayley Scales of Infant Development of China Revision at 2 years. Results: Each unit (a Z score) increase of first-trimester CRL was associated with increased scores in mental developmental index (MDI) (adjusted beta estimate = 1.19, (95% CI: 0.42, 1.95), P = 0.03) and psychomotor developmental index (PDI) (adjusted beta estimate = 1.36, (95% CI: 0.46, 2.26), P < 0.01) at age 2 years, respectively. No significant association was observed between fetal growth rate and PDI. For children with restricted first-trimester fetal size (the lowest tertile of first-trimester CRL), those with "intrauterine accelerated growth" pattern (higher growth rates) had significantly higher MDI (adjusted beta estimate = 6.14, (95% CI: 3.80, 8.49), P < 0.001) but indistinguishable PDI compared to those with "intrauterine faltering growth" pattern (lower growth rates). Main limitations of this study included potential misclassification of gestational age due to recall bias of the last menstrual period and residual confounding. Conclusions: The current study suggests that restricted first-trimester fetal size is associated with mental and psychomotor developmental delay in childhood. However, in children with restricted first-trimester fetal size, intrauterine accelerated growth was associated with improved mental development but had little effect on psychomotor development. Additional studies are needed to validate the results in diverse populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), is an ongoing outbreak, disrupting human life worldwide. Vaccine development was prioritized to obtain a biological substance for combating the viral pathogen and lessening disease severity. In vaccine production, biological origin and relevant materials must be carefully examined for potential contaminants in conformity with good manufacturing practice. Due to fast mutation, several SARS-CoV-2 variants and sublineages have been identified. Currently, most of COVID-19 vaccines are developed based on the protein sequence of the Wuhan wild type strain. New vaccines specific for emerging SARS-CoV-2 strains are continuously needed to tackle the incessant evolution of the virus. Therefore, in vaccine development and production, a reliable method to identify the nature of subunit vaccines is required to avoid cross-contamination. In this study, liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry using quadrupole-time of flight along with tryptic digestion was developed for distinguishing protein materials derived from different SARS-CoV-2 strains. After analyzing the recombinantly produced receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, nine characteristic peptides were identified with acceptable limits of detection. They can be used together to distinguish 14 SARS-CoV-2 strains, except Kappa and Epsilon. Plant-produced RBD-Fc protein derived from Omicron strains can be easily distinguished from the others with 4–5 unique peptides. Eventually, a peptide key was developed based on the nine peptides, offering a prompt and precise flowchart to facilitate SARS-CoV-2 strain identification in COVID-19 vaccine manufacturing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rapid development of urbanization makes the phenomenon of urban heat islands even more serious. Predicting the impact of land cover change on urban heat island has become one of the research hotspots. Taking Wuhan, China, as an example, this study simulated the land type change in 2020 through the Cellular Automata-Markov-Chain (CA-Markov) model. The urban heat island in 2020 was simulated and analyzed in conjunction with the Weather Research & Forecasting Model (WRF), and the simulation results of wind velocity and temperature were confirmed using weather station observation data. Based on this, the land cover and urban heat island of Wuhan in 2030 were predicted. The temperature was found to be well-fit by CA-Markov simulated land use data, with an average inaccuracy of about 2.5°C for weather stations. Wind speed had a poor fitting effect; the average error was roughly 2 m/s. The built-up area was the center of the high temperature area both before and after the prediction, the water was the low temperature area, and the peak heat island happened at night. According to the forecast results, there will be more built-up land in 2030, and there will be a greater intensity of heat islands than in 2020. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

After the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic, devising an effective reverse logistics supply chain to clean up disaster medical waste is conducive to controlling and containing novel coronavirus transmission. Thus, the focus of this paper concentrates on multi-period multi-type disaster medical waste location-transportation integrated optimization problem with the concern of sustainability, which is formulated as a tri-objective mixed-integer programming model with the goals of maximizing total economic benefits, minimizing total carbon emissions and total potential social risks. Then, a real-world case from Wuhan using CPLEX solver is used to validate the developed model. Results indicate that constructing DMWTTSs with flexible capacity in different periods is encouraged to handle the sharply increasing disaster medical waste. The multi-period decision model outperforms the single-period one in disaster medical waste supply chains because the former has the capability of handling the uncertainties in the future periods. Increasingly, since the increase of budget doesn't always work well and social resources are limited, the estimation of minimum budget to obtain optimum overall performance is of great importance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we consider the problem of healthcare resource management and location planning problem during the early stages of a pandemic/epidemic under demand uncertainty. Our main ambition is to improve the preparedness level and response effectiveness of healthcare authorities in fighting pandemics/epidemics by implementing analytical techniques. Building on lessons from the Chinese experience in the COVID-19 outbreak, we first develop a deterministic multi-objective mixed integer linear program (MILP) which determines the location and size of new pandemic hospitals (strategic level planning), periodic regional health resource re-allocations (tactical level planning) and daily patient-hospital assignments (operational level planning). Taking the forecasted number of cases along a planning horizon as an input, the model minimizes the weighted sum of the number of rejected patients, total travel distance, and installation cost of hospitals subject to real-world constraints and organizational rules. Next, accounting for the uncertainty in the spread speed of the disease, we employ an across scenario robust (ASR) model and reformulate the robust counterpart of the deterministic MILP. The ASR attains relatively more realistic solutions by considering multiple scenarios simultaneously while ensuring a predefined threshold of relative regret for the individual scenarios. Finally, we demonstrate the performance of proposed models on the case of Wuhan, China. Taking the 51 days worth of confirmed COVID-19 case data as an input, we solve both deterministic and robust models and discuss the impact of all three level decisions to the quality and performance of healthcare services during the pandemic. Our case study results show that although it is a challenging task to make strategic level decisions based on uncertain forecasted data, an immediate action can considerably improve the response effectiveness of healthcare authorities. Another important observation is that, the installation times of pandemic hospitals have significant impact on the system performance in fighting with the shortage of beds and facilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Waning immunity and new variants necessitate next generation SARS-CoV-2 vaccines. • The M2SR platform has a clear safety and immunogenic profile in clinical testing. • Intranasal dual influenza/COVID-19 vaccine induces systemic and mucosal antibodies. • SARS-CoV-2 M2SR protects hamsters from SARS-CoV-2 infection and lung pathology. • Dual vaccine maintains immunogenicity to matched and drifted influenza strains. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need for mucosal vaccines as breakthrough infections, short-lived immune responses and emergence of new variants have challenged the efficacy provided by the first generation of vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 viruses. M2SR SARS-CoV-2, an M2-deleted single-replication influenza virus vector modified to encode the SARS-CoV-2 receptor binding domain, was evaluated following intranasal delivery in a hamster challenge model for protection against Wuhan SARS-CoV-2. An adjuvanted inactivated SARS-CoV-2 whole virus vaccine administered intramuscularly was also evaluated. The intranasal M2SR SARS-CoV-2 was more effective than the intramuscular adjuvanted inactivated whole virus vaccine in providing protection against SARS-CoV-2 challenge. M2SR SARS-CoV-2 elicited neutralizing serum antibodies against Wuhan and Omicron SARS-CoV-2 viruses in addition to cross-reactive mucosal antibodies. Furthermore, M2SR SARS-CoV-2 generated serum HAI and mucosal antibody responses against influenza similar to an H3N2 M2SR influenza vaccine. The intranasal dual influenza/COVID M2SR SARS-CoV-2 vaccine has the potential to provide protection against both influenza and COVID. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wuhan, a highly urbanized and rapidly growing region within China's Yangtze Economic Zone, has historically been identified as a gap area for the critically endangered Yangtze finless porpoise (Neophocaena asiaeorientalis asiaeorientalis) based on daytime visual surveys. However, there has been a noticeable increase in porpoise sightings since 2020. This study employed passive acoustic monitoring to investigate porpoise distribution in Wuhan between 2020 and 2022. Generalized linear models were used to explore the relationship between shipping, hydrological patterns, light intensity, and porpoise biosonar activity. Over 603 days of effective monitoring, the daily positive rate for porpoise biosonar detection reached 43%, with feeding‐related buzz signals accounting for 55% of all porpoise biosonar signals. However, the proportion of minutes during which porpoise presence was detected was 0.18%, suggesting that while porpoises may frequent the area, their visits were brief and mainly focused on feeding. A significant temporal trend emerged, showing higher porpoise biosonar detection during winter (especially in February) and 2022. Additionally, periods without boat traffic correlated with increased porpoise activity. Hydrological conditions and light levels exhibited significant negative correlations with porpoise activity. Specifically, porpoise sonar detections were notably higher during the night, twilight, and new moon phases. It is highly conceivable that both fishing bans and COVID‐19 pandemic‐related lockdowns contributed to the heightened presence of porpoises in Wuhan. The rapid development of municipal transportation and shipping in Wuhan and resulting underwater noise pollution have emerged as a significant threat to the local porpoise population. Accordingly, it is imperative for regulatory bodies to effectively address this environmental stressor and formulate targeted protection measures to ensure the conservation of the finless porpoise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: We evaluated the immunogenicity and safety of BNT162b2 vaccination in adolescents with systemic lupus erythematosus (adoSLE) receiving either high- or low-dose immunosuppressant (High-IS and Low-IS). Methods: Patients aged 12–18 years diagnosed with SLE were enrolled. High-IS was defined as >7.5 mg/day prednisolone or with other immunosuppressant, while Low-IS was defined as only ≤7.5 mg/day of prednisolone and no immunosuppressant. Two doses of BNT162b2 vaccination were given 4 weeks apart, followed by a booster (third) dose at 4–6 months later. Anti-spike receptor binding domain (anti-RBD) IgG against Wuhan, neutralising antibody (NT) against Wuhan and Omicron variants, and cellular immune response by IFN-γ-ELISpot assay were evaluated following vaccination. Adverse events (AEs) and SLE flare were monitored. Results: A total of 73 participants were enrolled, 40 and 33 in the High-IS and Low-IS group, respectively. At 4 weeks following the 2nd dose, overall anti-RBD IgG seropositivity was 97.3%, with no difference between the groups (p =.498). AdoSLE on High-IS had lower anti-RBD IgG (p <.001), Wuhan NT (p <.001), and IFN-γ-ELISpot (p =.022) than those on Low-IS. A 3rd dose induced significantly higher antibody responses than after the 2nd dose (p <.001) in both groups and established seroconversion against Omicron variants, with persistent lower antibody levels in High-IS group. SELENA-SLEDAI scores within 12 weeks after 2-dose vaccination was higher than before vaccination (3.1 vs 2.5; p <.036); however, the occurrence of disease flare by SELENA-SLEDAI flare index was not different after vaccination compared to before vaccination, consistent across groups. Non-severe AEs occurred similarly in both groups. Conclusion: AdoSLE on High-IS induced lower SARS-CoV-2 vaccine immune responses than Low-IS. Vaccination can increase disease activity and requires close monitoring for disease flare. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The gut microbiota (GM) and its potential functions play a crucial role in maintaining host health and longevity. The aim of this study was to investigate the potential relationship between GM and longevity. We collected fecal samples from 92 healthy volunteers (middle-aged and elderly: 43–79 years old; longevity: ≥ 90 years old) from Changshou Town, Zhongxiang City, Hubei, China. In addition, we collected samples from 30 healthy middle-aged and elderly controls (aged 51–70 years) from Wuhan, Hubei. The 16S rDNA V3 + V4 region of the fecal samples was sequenced using high-throughput sequencing technology. Diversity analysis results showed that the elderly group with longevity and the elderly group with low body mass index (BMI) exhibited higher α diversity. However, no significant difference was observed in β diversity. The results of the microbiome composition indicate that Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, and Bacteroidota are the core phyla in all groups. Compared to younger elderly individuals, Akkermansia and Lactobacillus are significantly enriched in the long-lived elderly group, while Megamonas is significantly reduced. In addition, a high abundance of Akkermansia is a significant characteristic of elderly populations with low BMI values. Furthermore, the functional prediction results showed that the elderly longevity group had higher abilities in short-chain fatty acid metabolism, amino acid metabolism, and xenobiotic biodegradation. Taken together, our study provides characteristic information on GM in the long-lived elderly population in Changshou Town. This study can serve as a valuable addition to the current research on age-related GM. Key points: • The gut microbiota of elderly individuals with longevity and low BMI exhibit higher alpha diversity • Gut microbiota diversity did not differ significantly between genders in the elderly population • Several potentially beneficial bacteria (e.g., Akkermansia and Lactobacillus) are enriched in long-lived individuals [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Appropriate landscape configurations significantly mitigate rural thermal degradation. However, limited research exists on seasonal thermal comfort and the interconnections among landscape elements. Using ENVI-met software and field measurements, this study analyzed the microclimate of Dayuwan Village Square in Wuhan City. Fifteen design scenarios, including tree planting, building greening, albedo adjustment, and expanded tree coverage, were quantitatively evaluated to assess their impact on outdoor thermal comfort. Additionally, synergistic interactions between mitigation strategies were explored. The study found that increasing evergreen tree coverage by 50% has minimal impact on comfort during winter and spring. However, it significantly reduces temperatures in summer and autumn, resulting in average predicted mean vote (PMV) decreases of 0.315 and 0.643, respectively. Additionally, this strategy optimizes PMV values at 18:00 on extreme days, with a 0.102 decrease in summer and a 0.002 increase in winter. This research offers practical and sustainable guidance to designers for enhancing mitigation effects through optimal landscape configuration, providing a technical framework for rural environmental improvements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Taxi drivers in a Chinese megacity are frequently exposed to traffic-related particulate matter (PM2.5) due to their job nature, busy road traffic, and urban density. A robust method to quantify dynamic population exposure to PM2.5 among taxi drivers is important for occupational risk prevention, however, it is limited by data availability. Methods: This study proposed a rapid assessment of dynamic exposure to PM2.5 among drivers based on satellite-derived information, air quality data from monitoring stations, and GPS-based taxi trajectory data. An empirical study was conducted in Wuhan, China, to examine spatial and temporal variability of dynamic exposure and compare whether drivers' exposure exceeded the World Health Organization (WHO) and China air quality guideline thresholds. Kernel density estimation was conducted to further explore the relationship between dynamic exposure and taxi drivers' activities. Results: The taxi drivers' weekday and weekend 24-h PM2.5 exposure was 83.60 μg/m3 and 55.62 μg/m3 respectively, 3.4 and 2.2 times than the WHO's recommended level of 25 µg/m3. Specifically, drivers with high PM2.5 exposure had a higher average trip distance and smaller activity areas. Although major transportation interchanges/terminals were the common activity hotspots for both taxi drivers with high and low exposure, activity hotspots of drivers with high exposure were mainly located in busy riverside commercial areas within historic and central districts bounded by the "Inner Ring Road", while hotspots of drivers with low exposure were new commercial areas in the extended urbanized area bounded by the "Third Ring Road". Conclusion: These findings emphasized the need for air quality management and community planning to mitigate the potential health risks of taxi drivers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition with unique differences in social interaction, communication, and a spectrum of behavioral characteristics. In the past, motor disturbance in individuals with ASD has not been considered a significant core deficit due to the predominant focus on sociability and communication issues. However, recent studies indicate that motor deficits are indeed associated with the fundamental symptoms of ASD. As there is limited research on the motor behavior of children with ASD, particularly in China, the objective of this study is to investigate the development of fundamental movement skills (FMS) in children with ASD and compare them to typically developing children. Method: The study recruited 108 children with ASD (87 boys, 21 girls) aged 7-10 years from two special education rehabilitation centers in Wuhan, China. For comparison, a control group of 108 typically developing children, matched by age and gender, was randomly selected from three local primary schools. FMS were assessed using the Movement Assessment Battery for Children - Second Edition (MABC-2), which evaluates manual dexterity, aiming and catching, as well as static and dynamic balance. Group differences on MABC-2 percentile scores were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Mann-Whitney U test. Effect sizes were also calculated for practical significance. Results: Findings from the study showed that a significant majority, around 80%, of children with ASD either displayed motor challenges or were at risk of developing such delays. When comparing to their typically developing peers, children with ASD scored notably lower in areas of manual dexterity, ball skills, and both static and dynamic balance (with all these findings being statistically significant at p < 0.001). Interestingly, gender did not show a significant influence on these results (p > 0.05). Conclusion: In addition to addressing the other skill development areas outlined in the diagnostic manual for ASD, clinicians diagnosing and treating children with ASD should also assess the presence of motor skill development. For individuals with ASD who have co-existing motor difficulties, it is essential to offer evidence-based interventions tailored to their specific needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The quantification of the interplay between student behavior data and classroom teaching effectiveness using quantitative metrics has perennially posed a challenge in the evaluation of classroom instruction. Classroom activity serves as a reflection of student engagement, emotional ambiance, and other pertinent aspects during the pedagogical process. This article presents a methodology for quantifying student head posture during classroom instruction utilizing AI-driven video analysis technology, notably the Classroom Activity Index (CAI). A Classroom Activity Analysis System (CAAS) was designed and developed, integrating a multi-scale classification network based on ECA-ResNet50 and ECA-ResNet18. This network discerns and categorizes various head regions of students situated in both the frontal and real rows of a lecture-style classroom, irrespective of their dimensions. The classification network attains exceptional performance, boasting F1 score of 0.91 and 0.92 for student head-up and head-nodding. Drawing on the live classroom instruction at a higher vocational college in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, a comparative experiment was executed. The findings revealed that three factors: teacher-student verbal interaction, teacher body language, and utilization of digital resource, all exert an influence on CAI. Simultaneously, the degree of classroom activity as gauged by FIAS and manual analysis fundamentally aligns with the CAI indicators quantified by CAAS, validating the efficacy of CAI in the quantification of classroom activity. Consequently, the incorporation of CAAS in teaching, research, and oversight scenarios can augment the precision and scientific rigor of classroom teaching assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Coronaviruses are serious pathogens for both humans and animals. The name corona was designated because of the crown-like spikes on their surface. Currently, seven coronaviruses have been identified, such as 229E, NL63, OC43, HKU1, MERS-CoV, SARS-CoV, and SARS-CoV-2. Sometimes, animal coronaviruses infect humans and evolve due to genetic mutations, interspecies transmission, host adaptations, and favorable conditions. The main objective of this study was to analyze the genetic diversity and predict the emergence of new variants with novel properties. It has been reported that the spike protein gene plays an important role in host cell attachment and entry into host cells. The S gene has the highest mutation/deletion and is the most utilized target for vaccine/antiviral development. In this work, we discussed the genetic diversity, phylogenetic relationship, and recombination patterns of selected HCoVs with an emphasis on the newly emerged SARS-CoV-2 and MERS-CoV. The findings of this study showed that MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2 have significant sequence identities with the selected HCoVs. The phylogenetic and recombination results concluded that new variants may emerge in the future with novel properties that infect both humans and animals. This information will be helpful for global society to design and develop an effective vaccine and disease management strategy. Human coronaviruses (HCoVs) are seriously associated with respiratory diseases in humans and animals. The first human pathogenic SARS-CoV emerged in 2002–2003. The second was MERS-CoV, reported from Jeddah, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, in 2012, and the third one was SARS-CoV-2, identified from Wuhan City, China, in late December 2019. The HCoV-Spike (S) gene has the highest mutation/insertion/deletion rate and has been the most utilized target for vaccine/antiviral development. In this manuscript, we discuss the genetic diversity, phylogenetic relationships, and recombination patterns of selected HCoVs with emphasis on the S protein gene of MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2 to elucidate the possible emergence of new variants/strains of coronavirus in the near future. The findings showed that MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2 have significant sequence identity with the selected HCoVs. The phylogenetic tree analysis formed a separate cluster for each HCoV. The recombination pattern analysis showed that the HCoV-NL63-Japan was a probable recombinant. The HCoV-NL63-USA was identified as a major parent while the HCoV-NL63-Netherland was identified as a minor parent. The recombination breakpoints start in the viral genome at the 142 nucleotide position and end at the 1082 nucleotide position with a 99% CI and Bonferroni-corrected p-value of 0.05. The findings of this study provide insightful information about HCoV-S gene diversity, recombination, and evolutionary patterns. Based on these data, it can be concluded that the possible emergence of new strains/variants of HCoV is imminent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research learning engagement is the basic element of master's students' innovation output, and the supervisor is the first responsible body for master's students' cultivation. Exploring the influence of the supervisor–postgraduate relationship on master's students' research learning engagement, with a focus on the mediating role of academic aspiration, is of great significance for the improvement of master's students' cultivation quality. We surveyed 569 master's students at a university in Wuhan, China, using 3 measurement tools: the Supervisor–Postgraduate Relationship Scale, the Research Learning Engagement Scale, and the Academic Aspirations Scale. The results showed that: (1) The supervisor–postgraduate relationship positively and significantly predicted master's students' research learning engagement, and academic aspiration played a fully mediating role in the process. (2) There were differences in the effects of the three dimensions of the supervisor–postgraduate relationship on master's students' research learning engagement, with research collaboration having the greatest total effect on the impact of master's students' research learning engagement. This study emphasizes the importance of the supervisor–postgraduate relationship and academic aspirations and provides some implications for improving the research learning engagement of master's students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

People living with HIV (PLWH) could be at risk of blunted immune responses to COVID-19 vaccination. We investigated factors associated with neutralizing antibody (NAb) responses against SARS-CoV-2 and variants of concern (VOCs), following two-dose and third booster monovalent COVID-19 mRNA vaccination in Japanese PLWH. NAb titers were assessed in polyclonal IgG fractions by lentiviral-based pseudovirus assays. Overall, NAb titers against Wuhan, following two-dose vaccination, were assessed in 82 PLWH on treatment, whereby 17/82 (20.73%) were classified as low-NAb participants. Within the low-NAb participants, the third booster vaccination enhanced NAb titers against Wuhan and VOCs, albeit to a significantly lower magnitude than the rest. In the multivariate analysis, NAb titers against Wuhan after two-dose vaccination correlated with age and days since vaccination, but not with CD4+ count, CD4+/CD8+ ratio, and plasma high-sensitivity C-Reactive protein (hsCRP). Interestingly, an extended analysis within age subgroups revealed NAb titers to correlate positively with the CD4+ count and negatively with plasma hsCRP in younger, but not older, participants. In conclusion, a third booster vaccination substantially enhances NAb titers, but the benefit may be suboptimal in subpopulations of PLWH exhibiting low titers at baseline. Considering clinical and immune parameters could provide a nuanced understanding of factors associated with vaccine responses in PLWH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wind shear has important implications for Kelvin–Helmholtz instability (KHI) and gravity waves (GWs) in the mesosphere–lower thermosphere (MLT) region where its momentum transport process is dominated by short-period (<1 h) GWs. However, the sub-hourly variation in wind shear is still not well quantified. This study aims to improve current understanding of vertical wind shear by analyzing multi-year meteor radar measurements at the Mohe (MH, 53.5°N, 122.3°E), Beijing (BJ, 40.3 ° N , 116.2 ° E ), Wuhan (WH, 30.5 ° N , 114.6 ° E ), and Fuke (FK, 19.5°N, 109.1°E) stations in China. The wind field is estimated by a new algorithm, e.g., the damped least squares fitting. Taking the wind shear estimated by normal products as a criterion, the shear produced by the new algorithm has more statistical convergence as compared to the traditional algorithm, e.g., the least squares fitting. Therefore, we argue that the 10 min DLSA wind probably produces a more reasonable vertical shear. Both intensive wind shears and GW kinetic energy can be simultaneously captured during the 0600–1600 UTs of May at MH and during the 1300–2400 UTs of March at FK, possibly implying that the up-propagation of GWs could contribute to the production of large wind shears. The sub-hourly variation in wind shears is potentially valuable for understanding the interrelationship between shear (or KHI) and GWs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents multimodal metaphors as (re)framing tools in the analysis of a 10-minute promotional video of Hubei Province produced by the Chinese government and circulated on new media platforms like YouTube, Douyin (Chinese Tik Tok) and WeChat Channels. The video introduces Hubei Province to the world in the pre-pandemic, pandemic and post-pandemic stage to erase the prejudiced "Wuhan virus" and "China virus" painted by Western media. Drawing upon MIPVU (the Metaphor Identification Procedure Vrije Universitei), multimodality of metaphors, and Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA), this study analyzes how the Chinese government attempts to reframe Hubei as a place of courage, prosperity and humanity via metaphors like WAR, BRIDGE, HAND and BACK. The benefits and drawbacks of such metaphor usage are also discussed with appropriate contextual and socio-cultural relevancies. The study provides a hands-on practice of the CDA-based analysis of multimodal metaphors and justifies the feasibility of integrating translation, metaphor and semiotic studies through the sociological theory of framing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oropharyngeal microbiomes play a significant role in the susceptibility and severity of COVID-19, yet the role of these microbiomes play for the development of COVID-19 Omicron variant have not been reported. A total of 791 pharyngeal swab samples were prospectively included in this study, including 297 confirmed cases of Omicron variant (CCO), 222 confirmed case of Omicron who recovered (CCOR), 73 confirmed cases of original strain (CCOS) and 199 healthy controls (HC). All samples completed MiSeq sequencing. The results showed that compared with HC, conditional pathogens increased in CCO, while acid-producing bacteria decreased. Based on six optimal oropharyngeal operational taxonomy units (OTUs), we constructed a marker microbial classifier to distinguish between patients with Omicron variant and healthy people, and achieved high diagnostic efficiency in both the discovery queue and the verification queue. At same time, we introduced a group of cross-age infection verification cohort and Omicron variant subtype XBB.1.5 branch, which can be accurately distinguished by this diagnostic model. We also analyzed the characteristics of oropharyngeal microbiomes in two subgroups of Omicron disease group—severity of infection and vaccination times, and found that the change of oropharyngeal microbiomes may affect the severity of the disease and the efficacy of the vaccine. In addition, we found that some genera with significant differences gradually increased or decreased with the recovery of Omicron variant infection. The results of Spearman analysis showed that 27 oropharyngeal OTUs were closely related to 6 clinical indexes in CCO and HC. Finally, we found that the Omicron variant had different characterization of oropharyngeal microbiomes from the original strain. Our research characterizes oropharyngeal microbiomes of Omicron variant cases and rehabilitation cases, successfully constructed and verified the non-invasive diagnostic model of Omicron variant, described the correlation between microbial OTUs and clinical indexes. It was found that the infection of Omicron variant and the infection of original strain have different characteristics of oropharyngeal microbiomes. Author summary: COVID-19, caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, was first discovered in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China in December 2019, causing a huge impact around the world. In the past three years, novel coronavirus has successively appeared many varieties through gene mutation, among which Omicron strain is the most popular variety. Studies have shown that the imbalance of microflora is closely related to the progress of novel coronavirus infection and the severity of clinical symptoms. In the previous study, we build database of oral-intestinal microbial metagenomics, immunome and metabolome of novel coronavirus Original Strain with mild, medium and severe clinical symptoms and healthy subjects, reveal the role and mechanism of the oral and intestinal microbiome in Original Strain infection and exacerbation, and build the model of susceptibility, severe warning and prognosis of Original Strain pneumonia which based on the microbiome-immunity-metabolism. Our research characterizes oropharyngeal microbiomes of Omicron variant cases and rehabilitation cases, successfully constructed and verified the non-invasive diagnostic model of Omicron variant. We also analyzed the characteristics of oropharyngeal microbiomes in two subgroups of Omicron disease group—severity of infection and vaccination times, and found that the change of oropharyngeal microbiomes may affect the severity of the disease and the efficacy of the vaccine. And we described the correlation between microbial OTUs and clinical indexes. At last, it was found that the infection of Omicron variant and the infection of original strain have different characteristics of oropharyngeal microbiomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective The risk factors for respiratory insufficiency in children with Guillain–Barré syndrome (GBS) are poorly known. This study aimed to investigate the factors associated with respiratory insufficiency in children with GBS. Methods This retrospective study included children diagnosed with GBS by pediatric neurologists and admitted at the Wuhan Children's Hospital and other hospitals from January 2013 to October 2022. The patients were divided into the respiratory insufficiency and nonrespiratory insufficiency groups according to whether they received assist breathing during treatment. Results The median (interquartile range) age of onset of 103 patients were 5 (3.1–8.5) years, 69 (67%) were male, and 64 (62.1%) had a history of precursor infection. Compared with the nonrespiratory insufficiency group, the respiratory insufficiency group showed more facial and/or bulbar weakness (p = 0.002), a higher Hughes Functional Grading Scale (HFGS) at admission (p < 0.001), and a shorter onset-to-admission interval (p = 0.017). Compared with the acute motor axonal neuropathy (AMAN) subtype, the acute inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (AIDP) subtype showed longer days from onset to lumbar (p = 0.000), lower HFGS at admission (p = 0.04), longer onset-to-admission interval (p = 0.001), and more cranial nerve involvement (p = 0.04). The incidence of respiratory insufficiency between AIDP and AMAN showed no statistical difference (p > 0.05). Conclusion In conclusion, facial and/or bulbar weakness, HFGS at admission, and onset-to-admission interval were associated with respiratory insufficiency and might be useful prognostic markers in children with GBS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objective: COVID-19 has been associated with more than 770 million cases and 6.9 million deaths worldwide, since the first case was reported in 2019 in Wuhan, China. Various demographic and clinical factors have been associated with high mortality. We retrospectively analyzed data of patients admitted to our Intensive Care Unit (ICU) with moderate to severe disease for association of mortality with baseline clinical parameters and lab values. Methodology: Retrospectively, data was collected for patients admitted to ICU of our hospital from March 2021 to August 2021, with moderate to severe covid infection. A total of 399 patients were included in the analysis after exclusion of patients with incomplete outcome data. Analysis was initially performed to find association of baseline parameters with ICU mortality; stratified analysis was further performed for association with various age groups. Results: There was significant association of increased mortality with higher baseline heart rate (> 100 bpm), respiratory rate (> 30 bpm), low PaO2/FiO2 (< 100), Low oxygen saturation (< 80%), high neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (> 10) and high baseline proBNP (> 500); however, subgroup analysis in the study showed that increased respiratory rate and increased neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio were not associated with increased mortality in patients with ages less than 50 y. Conclusion: Baseline higher baseline heart rate, respiratory rate, low PaO2/FiO2, Low oxygen saturation, high neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio and high baseline proBNP were found to be associated with higher mortality in COVID patients. However, higher respiratory rate and higher neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio were not associated with increased mortality in patients with age less than 50 y. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The immune mechanisms of long coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID) are not yet fully understood. We aimed to investigate the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)–specific memory immune responses in discharged COVID-19 patients with and without long COVID symptoms. In this cross-sectional study, we included 1041 hospitalized COVID-19 patients with the original virus strain in Wuhan (China) 12 months after initial infection. We simultaneously conducted a questionnaire survey and collected peripheral blood samples from the participants. Based on the presence or absence of long COVID symptoms during the follow-up period, we divided the patients into 2 groups: a long COVID group comprising 480 individuals and a convalescent group comprising 561 individuals. Both groups underwent virus-specific immunological analyses, including enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, interferon-γ-enzyme-linked immune absorbent spot, and intracellular cytokine staining. At 12 months after infection, 98.5% (1026/1041) of the patients were found to be seropositive and 93.3% (70/75) had detectable SARS-CoV-2-specific memory T cells. The long COVID group had significantly higher levels of receptor binding domain (RBD)–immunoglobulin G (IgG) levels, presented as OD450 values, than the convalescent controls (0.40 ± 0.22 vs 0.37 ± 0.20; P =.022). The magnitude of SARS-CoV-2-specific T-cell responses did not differ significantly between groups, nor did the secretion function of the memory T cells. We did not observe a significant correlation between SARS-CoV-2-IgG and magnitude of memory T cells. This study revealed that long COVID patients had significantly higher levels of RBD-IgG antibodies when compared with convalescent controls. Nevertheless, we did not observe coordinated SARS-CoV-2-specific cellular immunity. As there may be multiple potential causes of long COVID, it is imperative to avoid adopting a "one-size-fits-all" approach to future treatment modalities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In 2019, the first cases of an acute respiratory infectious disease were announced in the city of Wuhan, China. In places where the speed of transmission and the resulting high prevalence and death from this virus is high, it is important to find things that help prevent and reduce the symptoms and complications of the disease, one of these things. Things are serum levels of vitamin D. As a result of this study, serum levels of vitamin D were measured in patients with Covid-19. Methods: From December to March of 1400, 100 samples of people hospitalized in Khurshid laboratory were examined to identify the RNA of the Covid-19 virus by Real Time PCR method and at the same time to check the serum levels of vitamin D. The data was statistically analyzed using SPSS software. Results: The average age of the patients was between 12.45 and 40.8 years. Comparison the two Covid-19 positive and negative groups in terms of symptoms, it was found that the patients with RH positive had more positive PCR percentage and a significant difference was reported between RH positive and Covid-19 (p=0.006). In comparing the relationship between disease symptoms and the rate of PCR positive reports of gastrointestinal symptoms, history of significant disease, cough, fever, a significant difference was reported (p<0.001). Also, 50% of the samples were PCR positive. Based on the t-test, a significant difference was reported between the serum levels of vitamin D and Covid-19 (p<0.001). Conclusion: The results showed that the vitamin D is an acceptable protective factor against Covid19 infection and its deficiency increases the probability of infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In response to public complaints about the chaotic management of donations during the emergency, the site of the first identified COVID‐19 case, Wuhan (in central China), underwent a contingent governance transition. And given the public complaints about the disorganized management of donations during the early stage of emergency management in Wuhan in January 2020, local governments initiated a minor governance transition in philanthropy, involving multiple stakeholders such as public and private charities, as well as private enterprises. In contrast to the abundance of literature on governance actors such as the state, the market, and societal actors, this review discusses the changes in governance mechanisms using publicly available data from governmental websites, policy documents, and news reports. It examines a minor governance change in local philanthropy from hierarchical bureaucratic governance to embryotic non‐monocentric governance and to expedient collaborative/interactive governance. Moreover, it highlights the yet‐to‐be institutionalized characteristics of the newly emerging governance models in China, a country where the traditional mode of hierarchical governance is dominant. This article not only adds to the body of evidence on governance failures caused by monocentric bureaucracy, but it also contributes to the literature on public governance transition in China's philanthropic sector and the state‐society relations more broadly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The infection that caused the pneumonia, the virus known as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the source of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is the source of the global pandemic. The pneumonia cases began in Wuhan, China in December 2019 and had no apparent reason. Essential inflammatory mediators Chemokines are necessary for an immune response to eliminate pathogens. However, the fundamental cause of hyper inflammation is their excessive release. Chemokines may be directly responsible for the acute respiratory illness syndrome in the current COVID-19 outbreak. Objective: The current study aimed to estimate hematological changes with immunogenic markers CD177, GNLY, and CXCR4 gene expression in COVID-19 patients, and compare these parameters among patients and healthy individuals. Materials and Methods: the study was conducted at Al-Yarmouk Teaching Hospital and Medical Teaching Laboratories. Finally, to detect the immune markers level in samples of patients, by RT-PCR. Results: the results revealed the gene expression results in patients with COVID-19 means Ct difference of CD177 (24.70) fold more than (10.5) elevated when compared with the mean of Ct control healthy group is (28.21) fold of gene expression is 1.00 of CD177 when our study showed increased gene expression the mean of GNLY Ct receptor was reached to (28.70 ng/L) with fold more than 15.0 in COVID-19 patients, while mean Ct in healthy control was (32.61 ng/L) with fold 1.00, the current study found mean CT of CXCR4 gene expression (31.2) with fold (1.1) compared with healthy control CT(31.3) fold of gene expression was (1.0). Conclusion: It was concluded that COVID-19 caused significant changes in many immunological parameters and found the titer of immune markers was higher in infection compared with control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The neighborhood effect, a pivotal element within the realm of Geographic Cellular Automata (GCA) modeling, has garnered significant attention in research. However, no research has yet investigated GCA modeling based on varying neighborhood sensitivity for different land use types. In this study, we sought to bridge this gap by integrating the First Law of Geography with diverse sensitivities of different land use types, thus introducing a novel approach termed Adaptive Spatially Heterogeneous Neighborhood (ASHN) for GCA modeling. By applying this innovative framework to three regions, namely Beijing, Wuhan, and the Pearl River Delta, we elucidated the implementation process and conducted comprehensive land use change simulations. The calibration period spanned from 2000 to 2010, followed by the validation period from 2010 to 2020. The results demonstrated that the ASHN-GCA model outperformed both the Adaptive Homogeneous Neighborhood Geographic Cellular Automata (AHN-GCA) model and the Homogeneous Neighborhood Geographic Cellular Automata (HN-GCA) model, yielding superior Overall Accuracy (OA), kappa, fuzzy kappa, and Figure of Merit (FoM) scores. Furthermore, the ASHN-GCA model provided more nuanced and detailed insights into landscape patterns, further highlighting its efficacy and potential for advancing GCA modeling in land use dynamics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Whether parental educational expectations for adolescents serve as a source of motivation or stress depends on the extent to which adolescents hold expectations for themselves. Previous research on the discrepancies between parental and adolescent educational expectations and their impact on learning engagement has been limited by traditional statistical tests, and lacking an examination of the internal mediating mechanism of parent–child relational quality from both parental and adolescent perspectives. This crosssectional study, utilizing a multi-informant design, examined the association between discrepancies in parents’ and adolescents’ reports of expectations, and adolescents’ study engagement, as well as the mediating role of parent– child relational qualities perceived by both parties. The sample for this study consisted of 455 adolescents and their parents from 10 classes in a junior high school in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China. The adolescents had an average age of 12.8 years, and 51.6% of them were boys. Both parents and adolescents reported on their expectations and perceived relational quality, while adolescents also filled out questionnaires assessing their learning engagement. Data were analyzed using polynomial regressions with response surface analysis. The results revealed that when adolescents reported high expectations, regardless of whether their parents reported high or low expectations, adolescents reported satisfied relationships and high learning engagement. In contrast, parents reported satisfied relationships when both parties reported high expectations, or when parents reported higher expectations than adolescents. Lastly, the association between discrepancies in expectations and learning engagement was significantly mediated by adolescent-reported relationships but not parent-reported ones. These findings highlight the importance of considering multiple perspectives when studying the association between expectations and adolescent study engagement. This research advances our comprehension of the dynamics between parent-adolescent educational expectation discrepancies and adolescent learning engagement, offering insights for more nuanced and effective parenting strategies tailored to foster optimal educational outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

How to maintain the balanced stability and resilient development of rural systems is an important issue that needs urgent attention in the field of sustainable rural development at present. In this paper, the entropy method, spatial autocorrelation model, and Geodetector were used to explore the rural resilience level, spatial distribution characteristics, and driving factors of 31 cities in the urban agglomerations in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River (UAMRYR), and to put forward corresponding policy suggestions. The results are as follows: (1) From 2005 to 2020, rural resilience in the UAMRYR showed an upward trend with an average annual growth rate of 8.26%. The ranking of the three major urban agglomerations is Changsha-Zhuzhou-Xiangtan urban agglomerations > Wuhan urban agglomerations > Poyang Lake urban agglomerations. (2) During the study period, the spatial distribution of rural resilience gradually developed from a negative correlation to a strong positive correlation and generally showed the characteristics of high in the west and low in the east. (3) The urbanization rate, the size and structure of the economy, the difference in consumption and income between urban and rural areas, the local fiscal revenue, and the number of village committees are the key factors affecting the level of rural resilience. On this basis, we proposed policy recommendations to improve the economic, social, and ecological resilience of rural areas in the UAMRYR. The findings of this paper are expected to provide insights into the policy formulation of China's rural revitalization strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic has spurred the resurgence of the informal street vending economy. This revival has boosted the market economy but has also challenged urban governance. Recognizing street vending deregulation as both a stimulus for employment and a potential challenge to hygiene and safety, this study evaluates the suitability of street vending within Wuchang District of Wuhan, China. The methodology unfolds in four steps: constructing an indicator system based on a policy and literature review, a spatial quantitative analysis via GIS, weight allocation through expert consultation and entropy methods, and the identification of suitable areas as well as strategies. Findings reveal suitability clusters centered around key urban nodes, extending across central and mid-western zones through corridors like Zhongnan Road, demonstrating the potential for centralized management and economic permeation into surrounding areas. The analysis of land-use compatibility showed that commercial, park, and residential lands offer the highest suitability for vending activities, proposing management strategies tailored to enhance business in commercial areas, flexible configurations in residential zones, diverse development in parks, quality-oriented development in public squares, and strict control in scenic and tourist facilities. This study not only deepens our understanding of the geographical distribution of and factors influencing street vending, but also proposes integrated management strategies for vending in urban public spaces, fostering vibrant, inclusive, and sustainable urban environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The potential hypotheses for finance research based on social media sentiment revolve around the reliability of investor sentiment expressed on social media and the causal relationship between financial markets and this sentiment. The central hypothesis we focus on is derived from the "lie game" played by investors on social media. This study is the first to explore three states of this lie game in the context of the Chinese stock market: the "equilibrium state", the "confusion state", and the "subversion state". Our findings indicate that the "equilibrium" state is the typical state of the lie game, where increased investor sentiment results in more positive market behavior, and higher stock prices lead to increased investor sentiment. We also examine the effect of significant social events, such as the "lockdown in Wuhan" and the "lockdown in Shanghai", on the lie game's outcome. The successful lockdown in Wuhan and the public's opposition to the politicization of COVID-19 reinforced the "equilibrium" state of the game. However, the Shanghai lockdown's failure to promptly halt the spread of COVID-19 led to the intertwining of the economy and COVID-19 in public discourse, shifting the lie game's outcome from an "equilibrium state" to a "subversive state". We emphasize that the "confusion state" and "subversion state" outcomes of the lie game are concerning, and managing public opinion and the externalization of domestic conflicts can help reduce this risk. This study offers a fresh perspective on the traditional issues of investor sentiment reliability and the causal relationship between investor sentiment and stock markets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rise of e-commerce, bolstered by advances in information and communication technology (ICT), has made it possible for consumers to shop online without the need to physically travel. The unexpected emergence of COVID-19 further accelerated this shift towards online shopping. This paper compares virtual versus physical access to goods, drawing from dual access theory. It aims to offer a comprehensive understanding of the disparities in accessibility between digital and brick-and-mortar shopping experiences. Our results indicate that, when considering the complete private costs — including the intrinsic costs of shopping and those incurred en-route like travel and delivery fees — online shopping typically offers greater accessibility and is more cost-effective than its in-store counterpart. While physical access to shopping displays a pattern where the central city has a distinct advantage over the suburbs, virtual access presents a more uniform distribution throughout the city. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to various factors such as aging, natural environment erosion, and man-made destruction, architectural heritage has formed various diseases and cracks, especially in pathology cracks, which are the most typical masonry–timber architectural heritages, directly affecting the structural stability of masonry–timber buildings. This paper uses artificial intelligence and architecture and other multi-disciplinary research methods, taking James Jackson Gymnasium, a famous masonry–timber architectural heritage in Wuhan, as an example, using 3D laser scanning technology to obtain disease details and crack data of architectural heritage, using a Mask R-CNN model to detect crack area, using an FCN model to identify and calculate single cracks, and finally summarizing the type, location, and characteristics of cracks, analyzing the causes of cracks, and then putting forward corresponding hierarchical restoration strategies. The research results build a set of detection and repair systems of masonry–timber architectural heritage pathology cracks, which provide a set of accurate and objective pathology cracks data for architectural heritage protection and repair, and provide a reference for architectural heritage repair. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The safety risk analysis of urban elevated bridge construction is an important management method to reduce the loss of safety accidents, and it has significant scientific research value and engineering application value. Therefore, this study proposes a novel analysis method to address these challenges. Firstly, this paper constructs a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)–Risk Breakdown Structure (RBS) matrix for the safety risk of urban elevated bridge construction in order to achieve a comprehensive and complete identification of the indicator system. Then, a combination of static weights and dynamic weights calculation methods is developed. The static weights are obtained using the analytic hierarchy process, while the dynamic weights are obtained based on the relationship between the dynamic scores of construction safety risk indicators in different construction stages and the preset evaluation levels. Finally, a case study of the Longlingshan elevated bridge project in Wuhan, China, is conducted to validate the feasibility of the proposed model and its potential application in projects. The case analysis for the first time reveals that with the progress of construction, the weights of each indicator continuously change, and the secondary indicators related to environmental factors, such as extreme high-temperature weather, undergo the greatest changes. A comparison of different dynamic weight calculation methods is conducted to highlight the advancement of the proposed model. The research findings of this paper will provide new insights and guidance for improving the construction safety of urban elevated bridge projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rapid advances in technology have led to an increasing demand for this type of information in the field of cultural heritage and architectural conservation. The article aims to use digital technology to obtain, record, store, and display accurate and intuitive information about architectural heritage for daily management and repair of that heritage. This article conducts a comprehensive and in-depth study of the pathology information from the James Jackson Gymnasium, a typical case of the modern educational architectural heritage of Wuhan. Research contents include obtaining point cloud data through 3D scanning, constructing Building Information Modeling (BIM) 3D models and pathological information models to visualize the affected parts, using the Monument Damage Diagnostic System (MDDS) to establish a pathological information map management system, using virtual simulation technology and digital repair technology to diagnose and repair the affected parts, and establishing a systematic architectural pathology information database to explore the causes of architectural pathology from a multidisciplinary perspective. The authors aim to gradually promote this method and build a systematic pathological information database of architectural heritage. This utilizes the sharing characteristics of information technology to transcend the barriers of time and space and provide important support for heritage protection and pathology management. The Architectural Pathology Information Management System is proposed as an innovative solution to promote the sustainable conservation of architectural heritage through digital technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to examine the relationships among the dimensions of service innovation (product innovation, process innovation, marketing innovation and organizational innovation), the dimensions of experiential relationship quality (experiential value, experiential satisfaction, experiential trust and experiential commitment) and the dimensions of shopping outcomes ((positive word-of-mouth (WOM) and patronage intentions)). Data were obtained from 485 respondents at one smart unmanned store in Wuhan of China, and were analyzed using structural equation modeling. The findings show that product innovation, process innovation, marketing innovation, organizational innovation and experiential value have a direct positive influence on experiential satisfaction. Also, experiential value, experiential satisfaction and experiential trust have a direct positive influence on experiential commitment, which in turn lead to positive WOM, while experiential trust has a positive influence on patronage intentions. This study concludes with key implications arising from the analyses and further research opportunities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since 2019n-CoV has swept the whole world, people's daily life is affected seriously and the public space system is facing to major challenges. Community public space should be re-evaluated and optimized as people change the way they use it. This research conducted a nationwide questionnaire survey in China, which collected the opinions of residents on community public space from the perspective of epidemic prevention and social needs to select research indicators. The questionnaire data were processed through the frequency analysis method, precedence chart and TOPSIS. We found: (1) under the background of the epidemic, people pay more attention to the satisfaction of leisure activities in community public space and the control of social spacing during activities; (2) the current assessment result of community public space risk of 2019-nCoV exposure is 0.386, which is relatively high; and (3) the exposure risk of the community can be effectively reduced by controlling for the two indicators of social distance and social facility sterilization. When the social distance is 1.8–3 m and the facility sterilization is once a day, the community public space minimizes exposure risk. In view of the above results, this paper selects the Wuhan start-up area of Wuhan, China, as an example for carrying out the optimization design of community public space based on the epidemic and the design the space optimization model for the two indicators of social distance and facility disinfection from both software and hardware aspects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the degree of spatial correlation between carbon emissions and ecological support coefficients among cities in the middle reaches of Yangtze River (MRYR) region by using social network analysis method and spatial autocorrelation analysis. The actual carbon compensation quota (ACCQ) of each city in MRYR is also calculated based on the carbon revenue and expenditure method, and the theoretical carbon compensation quota (TCCQ) is obtained by introducing technology level and ecological value factors. The results show that (1) carbon sinks in the MRYR region increased very little, while carbon emissions increased significantly during the study period, resulting in an overall carbon deficit in 2015. (2) Wuhan and Changsha, as regional economic centers, are at the center of the carbon emission spatial network, with significant carbon emission spillover. (3) The ecological carrying capacity of the MRYR region showed a spatial and temporal pattern of decline at the center and stability at the periphery. (4) The TCCQ is more convergent in revenues and expenditures than the ACCQ and is more suitable for government policymaking. Based on these findings, we recommend that governments establish regional carbon emission quota systems and horizontal carbon compensation mechanisms based on carbon budget accounting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Remote sensing provides us with an approach for the rapid identification and monitoring of spatiotemporal changes in the urban ecological environment at different scales. This study aimed to construct a remote sensing assessment index for urban ecological livability with continuous fine spatiotemporal resolution data from Landsat and MODIS to overcome the dilemma of single image-based, single-factor analysis, due to the limitations of atmospheric conditions or the revisit period of satellite platforms. The proposed Ecological Livability Index (ELI) covers five primary ecological indicators – greenness, temperature, dryness, water-wetness, and atmospheric turbidity – which are geometrically aggregated by non-equal weights based on an entropy method. Considering multisource time-series data of each indicator, the ELI can quickly and comprehensively reflect the characteristics of the Ecological Livability Quality (ELQ) and is also comparable at different time scales. Based on the proposed ELI, the urban ecological livability in the central urban area of Wuhan, China, from 2002 to 2017, in the different seasons was analyzed every 5 years. The ELQ of Wuhan was found to be generally at the medium level (ELI ≈0.6) and showed an initial trend of degradation but then improved. Moreover, the ecological livability in spring and autumn and near rivers and lakes was found to be better, whereas urban expansion has led to the outward ecological degradation of Wuhan, but urban afforestation has enhanced the environment. In general, this paper demonstrates that the ELI has an exemplary embodiment in urban ecological research, which will support urban ecological protection planning and construction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transportation stands as a fundamental industry that serves as a robust pillar for driving economic development. However, the occurrence of traffic incidents, encompassing traffic accidents and disruptions triggered by meteorological conditions such as rainfall and other atmospheric factors, exerts a substantial impact on both transport safety and the safeguarding of people's property. Consequently, it becomes imperative to undertake a meticulous examination of the risk assessment associated with rainfall-induced meteorological disasters in the realm of road traffic. The focus of this study lies in addressing the urgent requirements associated with the assessment of meteorological disaster risks triggered by rainfall in the field of road traffic. Additionally, it aims to tackle the current issues in domestic research on the assessment of meteorological disaster risks in highways, characterized by a singular research scale and method. Centered around the demand for the assessment of rainfall-induced meteorological disaster risks in road traffic, the study first adopts the "urban agglomeration—city—block" multi-scale integration as a starting point. It establishes a multi-scale integrated risk assessment indicator system based on the dimensions of regional spatial scale and road grade, employing a hierarchical division approach grounded in the pyramid principle. Furthermore, the study develops a novel indicator system weight calculation method that combines both subjective and objective elements, enhancing the comprehensiveness and reliability of the assessment model. Using this assessment model, the paper conducts a study on the risk assessment and zoning of rainfall-induced meteorological disasters on highways in the Wuhan 1 + 8 agglomeration of China, the main roads in Wuhan City, and the main roads in the Hongshan District. The outcome of the study reveals the distribution of risk levels across the examined regions. Notably, within the Wuhan 1 + 8 urban agglomeration, approximately 73% of the area is designated as a high-risk zone, whereas 25% and 3% represent medium- and low-risk areas, respectively. In Wuhan City, 2% of the territory falls under the high-risk category, with 73% classified as medium risk and 25% as low risk. Similarly, within the Hongshan District, 30% is identified as a medium-risk area, while 70% is categorized as low risk. In summary, through practical testing, the research endeavors concerning risk assessment methods conducted in this study serve as an invaluable point of reference for both theoretical and methodological investigations within the realm of meteorological disaster risk assessment. Furthermore, it signifies an efficacious exploration into conducting multi-scale assessments of meteorological disaster risks. Additionally, the study holds the potential to provide methodological and technical support to the pertinent departments involved in the Wuhan 1 + 8 urban agglomeration, thereby contributing to the prevention of highway meteorological disasters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has had a significant impact on global health and economies, resulting in millions of infections and deaths. This retrospective cohort study aimed to investigate the effect of antifibrotic agents (nintedanib and pirfenidone) on 1-year mortality in COVID-19 patients with acute respiratory failure. Methods: Data from 61 healthcare organizations in the TriNetX database were analyzed. Adult patients with COVID-19 and acute respiratory failure were included. Patients with a pre-existing diagnosis of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis before their COVID-19 diagnosis were excluded. The study population was divided into an antifibrotic group and a control group. Propensity score matching was used to compare outcomes, and hazard ratios (HR) for 1-year mortality were calculated. Results: The antifibrotic group exhibited a significantly lower 1-year mortality rate compared to the control group. The survival probability at the end of the study was 84.42% in the antifibrotic group and 69.87% in the control group. The Log-Rank test yielded a p-value of less than 0.001. The hazard ratio was 0.434 (95% CI: 0.264–0.712), indicating a significant reduction in 1-year mortality in the antifibrotic group. Subgroup analysis demonstrated significantly improved 1-year survival in patients receiving nintedanib treatment and during periods when the Wuhan strain was predominant. Discussion: This study is the first to demonstrate a survival benefit of antifibrotic agents in COVID-19 patients with acute respiratory failure. Further research and clinical trials are needed to confirm the efficacy of these antifibrotic agents in the context of COVID-19 and acute respiratory failure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]