ABSTRACT
Worldwide, up to 8.8 million excess deaths/year have been attributed to air pollution, mainly due to the exposure to fine particulate matter (PM). Traffic-related noise is an additional contributor to global mortality and morbidity. Both health risk factors substantially contribute to cardiovascular, metabolic and neuropsychiatric sequelae. Studies on the combined exposure are rare and urgently needed because of frequent co-occurrence of both risk factors in urban and industrial settings. To study the synergistic effects of PM and noise, we used an exposure system equipped with aerosol generator and loud-speakers, where C57BL/6 mice were acutely exposed for 3d to either ambient PM (NIST particles) and/or noise (aircraft landing and take-off events). The combination of both stressors caused endothelial dysfunction, increased blood pressure, oxidative stress and inflammation. An additive impairment of endothelial function was observed in isolated aortic rings and even more pronounced in cerebral and retinal arterioles. The increase in oxidative stress and inflammation markers together with RNA sequencing data indicate that noise particularly affects the brain and PM particularly affects the lungs. Noise also increased levels of circulating stress hormones adrenaline and noradrenaline, while PM increased levels of circulating cytokines CD68 and MCP-1. The combination of both stressors has additive adverse effects on the cardiovascular system that are based on PM-induced systemic inflammation and noise-triggered stress hormone signaling. We demonstrate an additive upregulation of ACE-2 in the lung, suggesting that there may be an increased vulnerability to COVID-19 infection. The data warrant further mechanistic studies to characterize the propagation of primary target tissue damage (lung, brain) to remote organs such as aorta and heart by combined noise and PM exposure.Copyright © 2023
ABSTRACT
Although the outbreak of COVID-19 has spread around the globe to become a pandemic, differences between the West and the East are observed. In the case of East Asia, represented by Japan and Korea, relatively low prevalence and death rates are reported. This chapter therefore aims to explain the phenomenon with reference to the knowledge of social sciences, with specific focus on the healthcare measures and initiatives on the older adults. Possible reasons of the effectiveness would also be illustrated. It is expected that this chapter may provide a lesson learned in these two East Asian countries fighting against the epidemic situation. © The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021.
ABSTRACT
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an emerging infectious disease, and it is important to detect early and monitor the disease trend for policymakers to make informed decisions. We explored the predictive utility of Baidu Search Index and Baidu Information Index for early warning of COVID-19 and identified search keywords for further monitoring of epidemic trends in Guangxi. A time-series analysis and Spearman correlation between the daily number of cases and both the Baidu Search Index and Baidu Information Index were performed for seven keywords related to COVID-19 from January 8 to March 9, 2020. The time series showed that the temporal distributions of the search terms "coronavirus," "pneumonia" and "mask" in the Baidu Search Index were consistent and had 2 to 3 days' lead time to the reported cases;the correlation coefficients were higher than 0.81. The Baidu Search Index volume in 14 prefectures of Guangxi was closely related with the number of reported cases;it was not associated with the local GDP. The Baidu Information Index search terms "coronavirus" and "pneumonia" were used as frequently as 192,405.0 and 110,488.6 per million population, respectively, and they were also significantly associated with the number of reported cases (r(s) > 0.6), but they fluctuated more than for the Baidu Search Index and had 0 to 14 days' lag time to the reported cases. The Baidu Search Index with search terms "coronavirus," "pneumonia" and "mask" can be used for early warning and monitoring of the epidemic trend of COVID-19 in Guangxi, with 2 to 3 days' lead time.
ABSTRACT
Objective: To describe the clinical characteristics of the male reproductive system of COVID‑19 patients and to explore the presence of SARS‑CoV‑2 in semen. Methods: Case series of 112 male patients with confirmed COVID‑19 who were admitted to Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University from January to March, 2020. Demographic data, symptoms and signs related to the male reproductive system, throat swabs and semen samples were collected and analyzed. SARS‑CoV‑2 RNA levels were measured in throat swab and semen samples. The organ distribution of ACE2 mRNA and protein in human tissue on HPA database were investigated. Results: The HPA dataset revealed relatively high levels of ACE2 protein and RNA expression in testis. A total of 3 severe COVID‑19 patients (2.7%) presented with orchidoptosis, while no patient experienced other symptoms or signs related to the male reproductive system. The analysis of SARS‑CoV‑2 RNA in semen included 17 patients with fertility needs. In the semen SARS‑CoV‑2 analysis, all 17 patients were negative for the N gene and ORF1ab gene. Conclusion: The online datasets indicated the potential impairment of the testicular function by SARS‑CoV‑2. However, this study suggestes that male patients have few reproductive symptoms and signs, and SARS‑CoV‑2 was not present in the semen of patients with confirmed COVID‑19. In view of the potential impairment, the long‑term follow‑up for male COVID‑19 patients with fertility needs is of great significance. © 2022, Editorial Board of Medical Journal of Wuhan University. All right reserved.
ABSTRACT
Background: People with diabetes and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) have a significantly greater risk of death and/or intensive care unit (KU) admission. The Association of British Clinical Diabetologists (ABCD) recently audited out- comes for people hospitalised in the UK with diabetes and COVID-19. Methods: The ABCD COVID-19 and diabetes audit was a retrospective audit of patients admitted to UK hospitals with diabetes and COVID-19 between March and December 2020. Data related to patients admitted in Wales were compared with patients admitted in England and Scotland. Results: In Wales, 40/82 (48.7%) patients with diabetes had COVID-19-related mortality compared with 1,149/2,916 (39.1%) in the UK group (p=0.08). The Welsh cohort were more likely to be Caucasian, have a higher body mass index and HbA1c, be diagnosed with diabetic retinopathy and prescribed a sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitor or insulin than those in England and Scotland. Patients admitted to the ICU in Wales were more likely to be male and have type 2 diabetes. Conclusions: Patients admitted to hospital with diabetes and COVID-19 in Wales had a poorer outcome compared with England and Scotland. This disparity may reflect social inequality, differences in cardiovascular risk factors and/or differences in diabetes medications between hospitalised patients in Wales and the UK.
ABSTRACT
The outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by 2019 novel coronavirus has become a global public health challenge. In addition to the typical respiratory symptoms, COVID-19 can induce damage to testicular spermatogenesis. This study focuses on the possible causes and follow-up monitoring of testicular injury induced by COVID-19.