Physical activity and nutrition guidelines to help with the fight against COVID-19

ABSTRACT

As the world is witnessing the epidemic of coronavirus disease 2019, emerging genetics and clinical pieces of evidence suggest a similar immunopathology to those of severe acute respiratory syndrome and Middle East respiratory syndrome. Staying at home to prevent the spread of the virus and consequently being largely inactive is associated with unintended consequences. These can actually enhance the infection risk and exacerbate poor health conditions including impaired immune function. Physical activity is a feasible way of improving health, particularly physical and mental health in a time of social isolation. However, people with certain health conditions in these circumstances may need a special physical activity programme in addition to any exercise they may already be performing via online programmes. This review aims to provide practical guidelines during the COVID-19 quarantine period. We suggest performing aerobic, resistance training, respiratory muscle training and yoga in the healthy, and in those with upper respiratory tract illness, patients with lower respiratory tract illness should be restricted to respiratory muscle training and yoga. In addition, vitamins D and C, omega-3 fatty acids, and regular consumption of fruit and vegetables might be considered as nutritional aids to support the immune system in those affected by COVID-19.     

CRISPR/Cas: a Nobel Prize award-winning precise genome editing technology for gene therapy and crop improvement

Since it was first recognized in bacteria and archaea as a mechanism for innate viral immunity in the early 2010 s,clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats(CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated protein(Cas) has rapidly been developed into a robust, multifunctional genome editing tool with many uses. Following the discovery of the initial CRISPR/Cas-based system, the technology has been advanced to facilitate a multitude of different functions. These include development as a base editor, prime editor, epigenetic editor, and CRISPR interference(CRISPRi) and CRISPR activator(CRISPRa) gene regulators. It can also be used for chromatin and RNA targeting and imaging. Its applications have proved revolutionary across numerous biological fields, especially in biomedical and agricultural improvement. As a diagnostic tool, CRISPR has been developed to aid the detection and screening of both human and plant diseases, and has even been applied during the current coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19) pandemic. CRISPR/Cas is also being trialed as a new form of gene therapy for treating various human diseases, including cancers, and has aided drug development. In terms of agricultural breeding, precise targeting of biological pathways via CRISPR/Cas has been key to regulating molecular biosynthesis and allowing modification of proteins, starch, oil, and other functional components for crop improvement. Adding to this, CRISPR/Cas has been shown capable of significantly enhancing both plant tolerance to environmental stresses and overall crop yield via the targeting of various agronomically important gene regulators. Looking to the future, increasing the efficiency and precision of CRISPR/Cas delivery systems and limiting off-target activity are two major challenges for wider application of the technology. This review provides an in-depth overview of current CRISPR development, including the advantages and disadvantages of the technology,recent applications, and future considerations.     

Student Experiences of the Covid-19 Lockdown

ABSTRACT

Two high school students Jorisi and Elizabeth, after two weeks stuck at home during the COVID outbreak, wrote these reflections for their English class.     

Considerations for development and use of AI in response to COVID-19

Artificial intelligence (AI) is playing a key supporting role in the fight against COVID-19 and perhaps will contribute to solutions quicker than we would otherwise achieve in many fields and applications. Since the outbreak of the pandemic, there has been an upsurge in the exploration and use of AI, and other data analytic tools, in a multitude of areas. This paper addresses some of the many considerations for managing the development and deployment of AI applications, including planning; unpredictable, unexpected, or biased results; repurposing; the importance of data; and diversity in AI team membership. We provide implications for research and for practice, according to each of the considerations. Finally we conclude that we need to plan and carefully consider the issues associated with the development and use of AI as we look for quick solutions.     

新冠疫情爆发时《深圳特区报》中的战争隐喻研究

基于自建的《深圳特区报》小型语料库,本文从认知隐喻学角度考察了新冠肺炎疫情爆发期间媒体中的认知隐喻,发现战争隐喻最为频繁,远远超出其他常用隐喻。这一隐喻形成了一个相互关联的概念网络系统,涵盖了抗疫的方方面面,对于抗疫的性质、参与人员的构成及责任,以及各种抗疫行为作了全面、形象的描述。战争隐喻如此突显,与隐喻的相似性本质、疫情特点以及举国体制下的抗疫现实有关。     

疫情之下的数据治理及人工智能应用边界探索

梳理欧美相关法律中的相关条款,专注于分析疫情爆发初期主要国家采用科技抗疫的案例,提出在疫情等公共安全事件突发时,各国应在内部明确数据保护与公共利益优先的临界点,并尽快建立平衡数据保护与公共利益的国际合作机制.     

Structural and physiological changes of the human body upon SARS-CoV-2 infection

Since December 2019, the novel coronavirus(severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(SARS-CoV-2)) has spread to many countries around the world, developing into a global pandemic with increasing numbers of deaths reported worldwide. To data, although some vaccines have been developed, there are no ideal drugs to treat novel coronavirus pneumonia(coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)). By examining the structure of the coronavirus and briefly describing its possible pathogenesis based on recent autopsy reports conducted by various teams worldwide, this review analyzes the possible structural and functional changes of the human body upon infection with SARS-CoV-2. We observed that the most prominent pathological changes in COVID-19 patients are diffuse alveolar damage(DAD) of the lungs and microthrombus formation,resulting in an imbalance of the ventilation/perfusion ratio and respiratory failure. Although direct evidence of viral infection can also be found in other organs and tissues, the viral load is relatively small. The conclusion that the injuries of the extrapulmonary organs are directly caused by the virus needs further investigation.     

Whiteness is not contained

ABSTRACT

The emergence of COVID-19, or the Coronavirus, has sparked a wave of anti-Asian attacks around the world. The cultural logic that does not distinguish among Asian cultural and ethnic groups, as well as the need to find scapegoats, reignites the trope of the “Yellow Peril.” The Yellow Peril is deeply entwined with whiteness and this forum calls for more interrogation of the ways that whiteness reinscribes its position-locally and globally.     

Physical activity and its relationship with COVID-19 cases and deaths: Analysis of U.S. counties

PurposeThe study was to examine county-level associations of physical activity with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases and deaths, per 100,000 county residents.MethodsData were collected from publicly available data sources for 3142 counties and equivalents, including the District of Columbia. Subjective health ratings, percentage uninsured, percentage unemployed, median household income, percentage female residents, percentage White residents, percentage of residents 65 years of age or older, and rural designation served as controls.ResultsThe two-level random intercept regression showed that physical activity rates at the county level were statistically and negatively associated with COVID-19 cases and deaths. Additional analyses showed that physical activity rates moderated the relationship between cases and deaths, such that the relationship was strongest when physical activity rates were low.ConclusionThe results presented here offer empirical evidence of the benefits of county-level physical activity during a pandemic. Implications for public health and physical activity provision are discussed.