关键词： COVID-19 pandemic   Digital inequalities   Internet access   Internet skills   Internet users   Path analysis  

摘要： The further digitization of society during the COVID-19 pandemic had implications for differential internet access and related social and economic outcomes. The pandemic impacted all three levels of the digital divides, as it affected how people accessed the internet, their internet skills and usage patterns. The literature, however, provides only a limited understanding about how these changes are interrelated at different levels of the digital divides. Building on the model of compound and sequential digital exclusion, this study examines the sequential pathways between the three digital divide levels before and during the pandemic, using two datasets obtained through cross-sectional surveys conducted in 2018 and 2022 from representative samples of Slovenian internet users ( N 2018  = 814, N 2022  = 802). Path and multi-group analysis results confirmed strong sequential pathways between the three digital divide levels before and during the pandemic, suggesting that despite a significant increase in internet access and breadth of uses, digital inequalities among users continue to persist following the pandemic. Moreover, the interaction effects of age and education on the relationships between the three digital divide levels were found to be almost unchanged, indicating that the pandemic did not affect the role of social inequalities in shaping digital inequalities.

摘要： The paucity of targeted medications and vaccines, coupled with the coronaviruses (COVID-19) outbreak brought by SARS-CoV-19, forced scientists to look for novel antiviral formulations. The absence of a specific treatment for COVID-19, designing new drugs and considering the use of plant-based products is crucial in the search for an effective remedy to target this deadly virus. Phytochemical medicines are faster and more cost-effective compared to conventional treatment methods. The potential use of plant extracts in the prevention and treatment of COVID-19 may have its start with the abundance of naturally occurring chemicals obtained from plants. Coronavirus enzymes, which are necessary for virus infection and replication, can be inhibited by antiviral polyphenolic medications. Flavonoids, alkaloids, terpenes and terpenoids and many more are categorized as naturally occurring compounds that may be important in the development of antiviral treatments that block viral proteases. In this review, we presented up-to-date studies with special attention on challenges and side effects of medication and traditional plant-based therapies for respiratory problems. It also highlights the importance of plant-based antiviral compounds, particularly in the development of a broad-spectrum medication against coronaviruses like SARS-CoV-2.

关键词： Financial strain   Caregiving   Structural equation modeling   Psychological well-being   Health behaviors   COVID-19  

摘要： Objectives This study aims to examine the change in financial strain, health behaviors, and psychological well-being of family caregivers of older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic and explore the differences in mental health outcomes by gender, race, and relationship status. Methods Using the 2020 National Health and Aging Trends Study COVID-19 supplement, our sample included 2026 family caregivers of older adults. Structural equation modeling was conducted. Results Caregivers with financial strain showed worse mental health than those with no financial strain. Female or adult children caregivers reported significantly less time walking, more financial strain, and a higher level of negative mental health outcomes compared to male or spouse caregivers; non-White caregivers reported greater positive mental health outcomes compared to White caregivers during the pandemic. Discussion Health professionals should consider the financial and mental health impact of COVID-19 among family caregivers when designing and delivering caregiver support programs. Innovation This study provides nationally representative estimates of several important health behaviors and health outcomes for caregivers of older adults during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, helping to fill the knowledge gap about the characteristics of caregivers whose health and well-being were most affected by the pandemic.

关键词： Silicone wristband   Asthma   COVID-19   Phthalates   Flame retardants   Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)   POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC-HYDROCARBONS   NUTRITION EXAMINATION SURVEY   PHOSPHORUS FLAME RETARDANTS   NATIONAL-HEALTH   PHTHALATE METABOLITES   PRENATAL EXPOSURE   INDOOR DUST   ASTHMA   COHORT   POPULATION  

摘要： Background: Although human biomonitoring of environmental chemicals has been considered a gold standard, these methods can be costly, burdensome, and prone to unwanted sources of variability that may cause confounding. Silicone wristbands have recently emerged as innovative passive samplers for measuring personal exposures. Methods: In a pilot study from 2019 to 2021 involving 55 children aged 5-9 years in Seattle and Yakima, Washington, we utilized silicone wristbands to explore associations of sociodemographic variables and COVID19-related restrictions, including school closures, with exposures to numerous chemicals including brominated and organophosphate ester (OPE) flame retardants, polychlorinated biphenyls, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), phthalates, and pesticides. We additionally conducted the first analysis testing silicone wristband chemicals as predictors of child wheeze, individually and in mixtures via logistic weighted quantile sum regression (WQS). Results: Among 109 semi-volatile organic compounds measured, we detected 40 in >60% of wristbands worn by children continuously for an average of 5 days. Chemicals were generally positively correlated, especially within the same class. Male sex and increasing age were linked with higher exposures across several chemical classes; Hispanic/Latino ethnicity was linked with higher exposures to some phthalates and OPEs. COVID-19 restrictions were associated with lower wristband concentrations of brominated and triaryl OPE flame retardants. Each onedecile higher WQS exposure index was suggestively associated with 2.11-fold [95% CI: 0.93-4.80] higher odds of child wheeze. Risk of child wheeze was higher per 10-fold increase in the PAH chrysene (RR = 1.93[1.07-3.49]), the pesticide cis-permethrin (3.31[1.23-8.91]), and di-isononyl phthalate (DINP) (5.40[1.22-24.0]) Conclusions: Our identification of demographic factors including sex, age, and ethnicity associated with chemical exposures may aid efforts to

摘要： The COVID-19 pandemic profoundly impacted the tourism and aviation sectors, leading to a shift from international to domestic travel, especially in China. Cultural tourism, including red tourism, was still active and played a pivotal role in China’s domestic tourism during the pandemic. This study used the panel vector autoregression (PVAR) model and the panel Granger causality test to investigate the interplay between red tourism, airline seat capacity, and the COVID-19 cases during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study contributed to the existing literature of the interplay (or the endogenous interaction) among these three endogenous variables. It found that red tourist numbers have significantly affected airline seat capacity in Chinese domestic market in the face of the disruptive effects of COVID-19. Red tourist numbers and airline seat capacity have the positive and negative relationships with the COVID-19 cases of origin cities but not at red tourism destinations. Although it primarily focuses on China’s red tourism, this study highlights avenues for cross-cultural exploration and a deeper understanding of the dynamic interplay among red tourism, aviation, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. This study concludes by offering insights in developing and shaping cultural tourism and industry’s preparedness strategies, helping the tourism and aviation industries recover and thrive in the post-COVID-19 era.

关键词： Mobile banking app   Technology adoption   Millennials   Behavioral intention   COVID-19   D91   O33   L86  

摘要： Mobile banking applications (apps) have become crucial in maintaining financial services accessibility during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study leverages the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) to examine Malaysian millennials' behavioral intentions toward mobile banking app adoption, aiming to aid banks in developing targeted strategies to expand their user base. Data collection was conducted from October 2020 to February 2021 during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. A survey was administered to 270 respondents using convenience and snowball sampling methods. The Sequential Least Square method was used for the analysis. Our findings reveal that performance expectancy, effort expectancy, trust, and personal innovativeness significantly influence mobile banking app adoption intentions, whereas social influence and facilitating conditions do not. Demographic factors also modulate these relationships to varying degrees. These insights contribute to theoretical discussions on technology adoption and offer practical guidance for banks looking to enhance their digital service offerings in a post-pandemic landscape. This study underscores the shifts in consumer behavior triggered by the pandemic and highlights the ongoing potential for digital banking growth in Malaysia.

关键词： COVID-19   Lower respiratory infection   Stress resilience   Cardiorespiratory fitness  

摘要： Objectives To investigate the associations between stress resilience in late adolescence and later risk of severe COVID-19 and other lower respiratory infections. A secondary aim was to examine potential confounding between low cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) and stress resilience in relation to respiratory infection. Methods We conducted a registry-based cohort study of 1.4 million Swedish men, undergoing military conscription between 1968 and 2005. All were assessed by a psychologist for stress resilience, receiving a score between 1 and 9. The outcomes were hospitalization or death due to COVID-19 from March 2020 to September 2021 and hospitalization due to bacterial or viral pneumonia from conscription until January 2020. A secondary aim was to examine potential confounding between low cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) and stress resilience in relation to respiratory infection. Results Poor stress resilience in late adolescence is associated with later risk of severe lower respiratory infections. Using a high resilience score as the reference, the hazard ratio (95 % CI) for death due to COVID-19 for the lowest scores was 1.49 (1.01–2.18) adjusted for CRF and other confounders. The corresponding adjusted hazard ratios for hospitalization due to bacterial pneumonia were 2.28 (2.03–2.57) and for viral pneumonia 1.92 (1.33–2.79). No significant interaction was seen between stress resilience and CRF in the analysis. Conclusions Poor stress resilience is a prospective factor for severe COVID-19 as well as for bacterial and viral respiratory pneumonia endpoints, independent of CRF. These findings imply an effect of late adolescent stress resilience on the immune system later in life.

摘要： The short-, medium- and long-chain chlorinated paraffins (SCCPs, MCCPs, and LCCPs) were measured in outdoor fine particulate matter (PM 2.5 ) and gas-phases in Xi'an in spring, autumn and winter of 2021, which containing two special events during this time, the sandstorms happened in spring and the COVID-19 epidemic in winter. The CPs concentrations in PM 2.5 were seasonal variated, with spring (mean: 17.5 ng/m 3 ) > autumn (mean: 8.6 ng/m 3 ) > winter (mean: 5.8 ng/m 3 ). The CPs concentrations in gas phases (mean:12.6 ng/m 3 ) were lower than in PM 2.5 in spring, and it showed shorter carbon chain and lower chlorinated CPs dominated in SCCPs in gas phase (C 10 , Cl 5,6 ) compared with in PM 2.5 (C 11 , Cl 6,7 ). The absorption was the main mechanism for the partitioning of CP in particle and gaseous phase. The shorter carbon chain CPs (C 10,11 , C 14 ) with lower chlorinated (Cl 6,7 ) CPs dominated in SCCPs and MCCPs, while the longer carbon chain (C 25 or C 29 ) with Cl 6,12 dominated in the LCCPs. So, more researches about the LCCPs should be concerned. Additionally, the CPs concentrations of all samples during the sandstorms in spring were increased 30.4%–136.5% and the proportion of SCCPs was obviously elevated. CPs concentrations obviously decreased during the COVID-19 epidemic in winter, while SCCPs, MCCPs attributed comparable in autumn and winter. Potential source analysis showed that during the sandstorms in spring, atmospheric pollutants were mainly transported over a long distance from northern and northeast of Shaanxi Province, while it was mainly from local emission during the COVID-19 epidemic in winter. The health risk assessment of CPs displayed that there had no or very low inhalation exposure risks of CPs for all age groups, but the younger age groups (younger than 6 years old) should be played more attention for their not fully development of their immune and respiratory systems.

关键词： COVID-19   Herbs   Jordan   Awareness   Attitude  

摘要： This paper examines the knowledge and attitudes towards complementary and alternative herbal medicine among the Jordanian population by gender during the COVID-19 outbreak. A cross-sectional self-reported survey conducted over two months included 419 participants in Jordan. Data were gathered and analyzed using SPSS V22. The results show that 65.4 % of participants used herbal medicine for COVID-19 symptoms, with higher usage among females (70.7 %) compared to males (51.3 %). For prevention, 44.4 % of participants used herbal medicine, with 78.5 % being females. Commonly used remedies included Anise, Chamomile, Ginger, Mint, Green Tea, and Thyme, with females using them more frequently. The average knowledge level was 72.08 %, with males (77.4 %) scoring higher than females (70.1 %). The knowledge level did not significantly vary across sociodemographic characteristics. Participants aged 19–25 showed less confidence in herbs for prevention, likely due to better health and fewer chronic conditions. A wide range of remedies was cited, and the primary sources of herbs were herbalists and affordable options. Family and friends were the main sources of information, with less reliance on the internet or professionals. The most common preparation methods were boiling or infusion. The study highlights the need for more education from professionals and enhancing the credibility of web-based health information.

摘要： The Covid-19 pandemic has posed significant challenges to the sector, and Türkiye’s strategic location plays a crucial role in crisis management. This study aims to explore the repercussions of the pandemic on the sector and propose appropriate solutions. To identify the most effective solutions for prioritizing the challenges posed by Covid-19, 53 sector experts participated in the study. The Stepwise Weight Assessment Ratio Analysis method was used to weigh the criteria representing these challenges. The solutions were ranked using the Weighted Aggregated Sum Product Assessment and Combined Compromise Solution methods. The results indicate that the primary challenge is the increased shipping cost, followed by the prolongation of the transport time, global-scale impacts, and port congestion. The most appropriate solution identified was alternative vessel loading, followed by mixed-mode transportation usage, reservation guarantees, long-term contracts with shipping operators, integrated logistics services, container purchases, and technological integration.