Background: In March 2020, the World Health Organization declared coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), which is caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), a pandemic. Currently, data on changes in sexual behavior during the COVID-19 outbreak are limited. Aim: The present study aimed to obtain a preliminary understanding of the changes in people's sexual behavior, as a result of the pandemic, and explore the context in which they manifest. Methods: A convenience sample of 270 men and 189 women who completed an online survey consisting of 12 items plus an additional question were included in the study. Outcomes: The study outcomes were obtained using a study-specific questionnaire to assess the changes in people's sexual behavior. Results: While there was a wide range of individual responses, our results showed that 44% of participants reported a decrease in the number of sexual partners and about 37% of participants reported a decrease in sexual frequency. Multiple regression analysis showed that age, partner relationship, and sexual desire were closely related to sexual frequency. In addition, we found that most individuals with risky sexual experiences had a rapid reduction in risky sexual behavior. Clinical Implications: The current findings contribute to identifying another potential health implication associated with the COVID-19 pandemic and report preliminary evidence of the need to provide potential interventions for the population. Strength & Limitations: This study is the first to perform a preliminary exploration of sexual behavior during the COVID-19 outbreak. The generalizability of the results is limited, given that only a small convenience sample was used. Conclusion: During the height of the COVID-19 outbreak, overall sexual activity, frequency, and risky behaviors declined significantly among young men and women in China.

Skin aging is a specific manifestation of the physiological aging process that occurs in virtually all organisms. In this study, we used data independent acquisition mass spectrometry to perform a comparative analysis of protein expression in volar forearm skin samples from of 20 healthy young and elderly Chinese individuals. Our quantitative proteomic analysis identified a total of 95 differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) in aged skin compared to young skin. Enrichment analyses of these DEPs (57 upregulated and 38 downregulated proteins) based on the GO, KEGG, and KOG databases revealed functional clusters associated with immunity and inflammation, oxidative stress, biosynthesis and metabolism, proteases, cell proliferation, cell differentiation, and apoptosis. We also found that GAPDH, which was downregulated in aged skin samples, was the top hub gene in a protein-protein interaction network analysis. Some of the DEPs identified herein had been previously correlated with aging of the skin and other organs, while others may represent novel age-related entities. Our non-invasive proteomics analysis of human epidermal proteins may guide future research on skin aging to help develop treatments for age-related skin conditions and rejuvenation.