scholarly journals Effects of Electroacupuncture on Methamphetamine-Induced Behavioral Changes in Mice

2017 ◽  
Vol 2017 ◽  
pp. 1-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tsung-Jung Ho ◽  
Chiang-Wen Lee ◽  
Zi-Yun Lu ◽  
Hsien-Yuan Lane ◽  
Ming-Horng Tsai ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Behavioral Sensitization ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Behavioral Changes ◽  
Monoamine Oxidase A ◽  
World Health ◽  
Therapeutic Mechanism ◽  
Mao A ◽  
Health Organization ◽  
Dopaminergic Pathways ◽  
Major Drug

Methamphetamine (METH) is a major drug of abuse worldwide, and no efficient therapeutic strategies for treating METH addiction are currently available. Continuous METH use can cause behavioral upregulation or psychosis. The dopaminergic pathways, particularly the neural circuitry from the ventral tegmental area to the nucleus accumbens (NAc), have a critical role in this behavioral stage. Acupuncture has been used for treating diseases in China for more than 2000 years. According to a World Health Organization report, acupuncture can be used to treat several functional disorders, including substance abuse. In addition, acupuncture is effective against opioids addiction. In this study, we used electroacupuncture (EA) for treating METH-induced behavioral changes and investigated the possible therapeutic mechanism. Results showed that EA at the unilateral Zhubin (KI9)–Taichong (LR3) significantly reduced METH-induced behavioral sensitization and conditioned place preference. In addition, both dopamine and tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) levels decreased but monoamine oxidase A (MAO-A) levels increased in the NAc of the METH-treated mice receiving EA compared with those not receiving EA. EA may be a useful nonpharmacological approach for treating METH-induced behavioral changes, probably because it reduces the METH-induced TH expression and dopamine levels and raises MAO-A expression in the NAc.

scholarly journals Dynamics of TCR repertoire and T cell function in COVID-19 convalescent individuals

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lingjie Luo ◽  
Wenhua Liang ◽  
Jianfeng Pang ◽  
Gang Xu ◽  
Yingying Chen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
T Cells ◽  
T Cell ◽  
Cell Function ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
World Health ◽  
Cell Repertoire ◽  
Metabolic Functions ◽  
Tcr Repertoire ◽  
Discharged Patients ◽  
Health Organization

AbstractSARS-CoV-2 outbreak has been declared by World Health Organization as a worldwide pandemic. However, there are many unknowns about the antigen-specific T-cell-mediated immune responses to SARS-CoV-2 infection. Here, we present both single-cell TCR-seq and RNA-seq to analyze the dynamics of TCR repertoire and immune metabolic functions of blood T cells collected from recently discharged COVID-19 patients. We found that while the diversity of TCR repertoire was increased in discharged patients, it returned to basal level ~1 week after becoming virus-free. The dynamics of T cell repertoire correlated with a profound shift of gene signatures from antiviral response to metabolism adaptation. We also demonstrated that the top expanded T cell clones (~10% of total T cells) display the key anti-viral features in CD8+ T cells, confirming a critical role of antigen-specific T cells in fighting against SARS-CoV-2. Our work provides a basis for further analysis of adaptive immunity in COVID-19 patients, and also has implications in developing a T-cell-based vaccine for SARS-CoV-2.

scholarly journals A systematic review of immune pathogenesis of SARS-COV-2 infection

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (7) ◽  
pp. 978
Author(s):  
Shabarini Srikumar ◽  
Shridharan Perumal
Keyword(s):  
Immune Responses ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Clinical Manifestations ◽  
Multiple Organ ◽  
World Health ◽  
Multiple Organ Dysfunction ◽  
Viral Immunity ◽  
Secondary Infections ◽  
Rational Management ◽  
Health Organization

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) was declared a pandemic by the world health organization on March 11, 2020. The host immune response to SARS-CoV-2 appears to play a critical role in disease pathogenesis and clinical manifestations. SARS-CoV-2 causes direct activation of anti-viral immune responses and leads to the release of uncontrolled inflammatory mediators. These SARS-CoV-2-induced immune responses may lead to various other abnormalities like lymphopenia, thrombocytopenia and granulocyte and monocyte dysfunction, making the patient more prone to secondary infections by microorganisms, which may result in further further serious complications like septic shock, severe multiple organ dysfunction and eventually death. Therefore, mechanisms underlying immune abnormalities in patients with COVID-19 disease must be elucidated to guide clinical management of the disease. Rational management in combating the disease includes enhancing anti-viral immunity and inhibiting systemic inflammation, which is key to successful treatment.

scholarly journals Hand hygiene implementation: an easy step to improve public health

2020 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Carolina Fankhauser-Rodriguez ◽  
Chloé Guitart ◽  
Didier Pittet
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Nurse Staffing ◽  
World Health ◽  
Health Organization ◽  
Healthcare Associated ◽  
Nurses And Midwives ◽  
Trained Nurse

The World Health Organization has declared 2020 the “Year of the Nurse and Midwife”. On May 5th of this year, for the annual celebration of the SAVE LIVES: Clean Your Hands campaign, the WHO highlighted the critical role of nurses and midwives in promoting public health. Increasing well-trained nurse staffing will enable nurses and midwives to improve quality of care and prevent infections. The implications for improved nursing and health policy are many. Investing in nurses ensures better care for patients, reduces infections and the economic burden of healthcare-associated infections on countries' economies.

scholarly journals Infodemic, Misinformation and Disinformation in Pandemics: Scientific Landscape and the Road Ahead for Public Health Informatics Research

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Javad Pool ◽  
Farhad Fatehi ◽  
Saeed Akhlaghpour
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Concept Mapping ◽  
Health Informatics ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
World Health ◽  
Public Health Informatics ◽  
Sources Of Information ◽  
Future Directions ◽  
The Road ◽  
Health Organization

In response to epidemics and pandemics, access to authentic sources of information plays a critical role in informing public health practices. However, infodemic, i.e., an overabundance of health information, misinformation, and disinformation, impede implementing best public health policies during a public health crisis such as COVID-19. In this bibliometric study, we aim to report on concept mapping of infodemic literature, and in line with the World Health Organization (WHO)’s repeated calls for actions in managing infodemic, we highlight fruitful avenues for future directions. Through a visualization approach on a set of 414 records, a concept mapping was carried out. This map revealed 42 infodemic-related nodes in five clusters. We also propose an infodemic research platform in which a combination of the research nodes (e.g., COVID, pandemic, disinformation, fake news, post-truth, fact-checking, social networks, Facebook, WhatsApp, and lockdown) with impactful questions suggest future directions.

scholarly journals Molecular Docking Studies on the Anti-viral Effects of Compounds From Kabasura Kudineer on SARS-CoV-2 3CLpro

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Savariar Vincent ◽  
Selvaraj Arokiyaraj ◽  
Muthupandian Saravanan ◽  
Manoj Dhanraj
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Docking ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Drug Repurposing ◽  
Docking Studies ◽  
World Health ◽  
Synthetic Drugs ◽  
Energy Score ◽  
Main Protease ◽  
Novel Coronavirus ◽  
Health Organization

The COVID-19 has now been declared a global pandemic by the World Health Organization. No approved drug is currently available; therefore, an urgent need has been developed for any antiviral therapy for COVID-19. Main protease 3CLpro of this novel Coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) play a critical role in the disease propagation, and hence represent a crucial target for the drug discovery. Herein, we have applied a bioinformatics approach for drug repurposing to identify the possible potent inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2 main proteases 3CLpro (6LU7). In search of the anti-COVID-19 compound, we selected 145 phyto-compounds from Kabasura kudineer (KK), a poly-herbal formulation recommended by AYUSH for COVID-19 which are effective against fever, cough, sore throat, shortness of breath (similar to SARS-CoV2-like symptoms). The present study aims to identify molecules from natural products which may inhibit COVID-19 by acting on the main protease (3CLpro). Obtained results by molecular docking showed that Acetoside (−153.06), Luteolin 7 -rutinoside (−134.6) rutin (−133.06), Chebulagic acid (−124.3), Syrigaresinol (−120.03), Acanthoside (−122.21), Violanthin (−114.9), Andrographidine C (−101.8), myricetin (−99.96), Gingerenone -A (−93.9), Tinosporinone (−83.42), Geraniol (−62.87), Nootkatone (−62.4), Asarianin (−79.94), and Gamma sitosterol (−81.94) are main compounds from KK plants which may inhibit COVID-19 giving the better energy score compared to synthetic drugs. Based on the binding energy score, we suggest that these compounds can be tested against Coronavirus and used to develop effective antiviral drugs.

scholarly journals Measured voluntary avoidance behaviour during the 2009 A/H1N1 epidemic

2015 ◽  
Vol 282 (1818) ◽  
pp. 20150814 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jude Bayham ◽  
Nicolai V. Kuminoff ◽  
Quentin Gunn ◽  
Eli P. Fenichel
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Infectious Disease ◽  
Disease Transmission ◽  
Disease Risk ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Avoidance Behaviour ◽  
World Health ◽  
Swine Flu ◽  
Mixing Patterns ◽  
Health Organization

Managing infectious disease is among the foremost challenges for public health policy. Interpersonal contacts play a critical role in infectious disease transmission, and recent advances in epidemiological theory suggest a central role for adaptive human behaviour with respect to changing contact patterns. However, theoretical studies cannot answer the following question: are individual responses to disease of sufficient magnitude to shape epidemiological dynamics and infectious disease risk? We provide empirical evidence that Americans voluntarily reduced their time spent in public places during the 2009 A/H1N1 swine flu, and that these behavioural shifts were of a magnitude capable of reducing the total number of cases. We simulate 10 years of epidemics (2003–2012) based on mixing patterns derived from individual time-use data to show that the mixing patterns in 2009 yield the lowest number of total infections relative to if the epidemic had occurred in any of the other nine years. The World Health Organization and other public health bodies have emphasized an important role for ‘distancing’ or non-pharmaceutical interventions. Our empirical results suggest that neglect for voluntary avoidance behaviour in epidemic models may overestimate the public health benefits of public social distancing policies.

scholarly journals SARS-CoV-2 detection with de novo designed synthetic riboregulators

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ilkay Cisil Koksaldi ◽  
Recep Erdem Ahan ◽  
Sila Kose ◽  
Nedim Haciosmanoglu ◽  
Ebru Sahin Kehribar ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
De Novo ◽  
Point Of Care ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
World Health ◽  
Global Pandemic ◽  
Health Organization ◽  
Diagnostic Capabilities ◽  
Synthetic Biology Approach

Sars-CoV-2 is a human pathogen and is the main cause of COVID-19 disease. COVID-19 is announced as a global pandemic by World Health Organization. COVID-19 is characterized by severe conditions and early diagnosis can make dramatic changes both for personal and public health. In order to increase the reach for low cost equipment which requires a very limited technical knowledge can be beneficial to diagnose the viral infection. Such diagnostic capabilities can have a very critical role to control the transmission of the disease. Here we are reporting a state-of-the-art diagnostic tool developed by using an in vitro synthetic biology approach by employing engineered de novo riboregulators. Our design coupled with a home-made point-of-care device setting can detect and report presence of Sars-CoV-2 specific genes. The presence of Sars-CoV-2 related genes triggers translation of sfGFP mRNAs, resulting in green fluorescence output. The approach proposed here has the potential of being a game changer in Sars-COV-2 diagnostics by providing an easy-to-run, low-cost-demanding diagnostic capability.

scholarly journals Knowledge, Awareness, and Practices (KAP) towards COVID-19 among the marine fishers of Maharashtra State of India: An online cross-sectional Analysis

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (12) ◽  
pp. e0261055
Author(s):  
Suhas Wasave ◽  
Sangita Wasave ◽  
Ketankumar Chaudhari ◽  
Prakash Shingare ◽  
Bharat Yadav ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Online Survey ◽  
Behavioral Responses ◽  
Behavioral Changes ◽  
World Health ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Perceived Severity ◽  
Precautionary Measures ◽  
Health Organization ◽  
Almost All ◽  
Sectional Analysis

The knowledge, awareness, and practices (KAP) about COVID-19 among the marine fishers who are engaged in the high-risk occupations and depend on the vulnerable sources of income in the Maharashtra state of India, were investigated to understand the behavioral changes and vulnerability among the respondents because of COVID-19. Data were collected through an online survey from 1st July to 30th July 2020 during the first peak of COVID-19 in the study area by using the questionnaire. Authors based on the latest recommendations by the World Health Organization (WHO) developed the questionnaire and covered the KAP aspects under study. The questionnaire was administered through Google form link and the link was disseminated through social media such as Facebook and What’s App. The completed responses (n = 533) received from the eligible sample, excluding those outsides of the fisher community and duplicate entries were considered for analysis. Appropriate statistical tools were used to analyze the data. Among the respondents, 447 men (83.86%) and 86 women (16.14%), with a mean age of 45.4 years (M = 45.4, SD = 1.18). The results revealed that 70.92% of respondents perceived a low risk of infection because of COVID-19 with M = 1.77 and SD = 0.583, but authors found the perceived severity score high (M = 3.95, SD = 1.21) among the 60.97% of respondents. Around 95% of respondents were aware of the COVID-19, while almost all respondents knew the medium of infection and symptoms of COVID-19. The behavior of respondents towards COVID-19 infection was positive and was following sufficient precautionary measures suggested by WHO to protect themselves from COVID-19 infection. The results of multiple regression analysis revealed that the demographic features of respondents like age, education were significantly contributing to the KAP of the fisher community. The results confirmed the importance of KAP which is reflected in the behavioral responses of the fishers while tackling the COVID-19 pandemic situation. The results regarding the risk perception, severity, KAP about COVID-19 provide a collective understanding of the emerging infectious disease among the marine fishers of Maharashtra state of India.

scholarly journals Wireless Networking-Driven Healthcare Approaches in Combating COVID-19

2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-10
Author(s):  
Syed Mohammed BasheeruddinAsdaq ◽  
N. Raghavendra Naveen ◽  
Lakshmi Narasimha Gunturu ◽  
Kalpana Pamayyagari ◽  
Ibrahim Abdullah ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Critical Role ◽  
Healthcare Services ◽  
World Health ◽  
Portable Devices ◽  
Government Officials ◽  
Wireless Technologies ◽  
Infected People ◽  
Viral Propagation ◽  
Precautionary Measures ◽  
Health Organization

Since its outbreak, the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has caused havoc on people’s lives. All activities were paused due to the virus’s spread across the continents. Researchers have been working hard to find new medication treatments for the COVID-19 pandemic. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that safety and self-measures play a major role in preventing the virus from spreading from one person to another. Wireless technology is playing a critical role in avoiding viral propagation. This technology mainly comprises of portable devices that assist self-isolated patients in adhering to safe precautionary measures. Government officials are currently using wireless technologies to identify infected people at large gatherings. In this research, we gave an overview of wireless technologies that assisted the general public and healthcare professionals in maintaining effective healthcare services during COVID-19. We also discussed the possible challenges faced by them for effective implementation in day-to-day life. In conclusion, wireless technologies are one of the best techniques in today’s age to effectively combat the pandemic.

scholarly journals A survey of International Health Regulations National Focal Points experiences in carrying out their functions

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Corinne Packer ◽  
Sam F. Halabi ◽  
Helge Hollmeyer ◽  
Salima S. Mithani ◽  
Lindsay Wilson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Online Survey ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
International Health ◽  
World Health ◽  
Intersectoral Collaboration ◽  
Focal Points ◽  
International Health Regulations ◽  
Surveillance And Response ◽  
Health Organization ◽  
Health Regulations

AbstractBackgroundThe 2005 International Health Regulations (IHR (2005)) require States Parties to establish National Focal Points (NFPs) responsible for notifying the World Health Organization (WHO) of potential events that might constitute public health emergencies of international concern (PHEICs), such as outbreaks of novel infectious diseases. Given the critical role of NFPs in the global surveillance and response system supported by the IHR, we sought to assess their experiences in carrying out their functions.MethodsIn collaboration with WHO officials, we administered a voluntary online survey to all 196 States Parties to the IHR (2005) in Africa, Asia, Europe, and South and North America, from October to November 2019. The survey was available in six languages via a secure internet-based system.ResultsIn total, 121 NFP representatives answered the 56-question survey; 105 in full, and an additional 16 in part, resulting in a response rate of 62% (121 responses to 196 invitations to participate). The majority of NFPs knew how to notify the WHO of a potential PHEIC, and believed they have the content expertise to carry out their functions. Respondents found training workshops organized by WHO Regional Offices helpful on how to report PHEICs. NFPs experienced challenges in four critical areas: 1) insufficient intersectoral collaboration within their countries, including limited access to, or a lack of cooperation from, key relevant ministries; 2) inadequate communications, such as deficient information technology systems in place to carry out their functions in a timely fashion; 3) lack of authority to report potential PHEICs; and 4) inadequacies in some resources made available by the WHO, including a key tool – the NFP Guide. Finally, many NFP representatives expressed concern about how WHO uses the information they receive from NFPs.ConclusionOur study, conducted just prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, illustrates key challenges experienced by NFPs that can affect States Parties and WHO performance when outbreaks occur. In order for NFPs to be able to rapidly and successfully communicate potential PHEICs such as COVID-19 in the future, continued measures need to be taken by both WHO and States Parties to ensure NFPs have the necessary authority, capacity, training, and resources to effectively carry out their functions as described in the IHR.

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