No abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has spread widely around the world. Many mathematical models have been proposed to investigate the inflection point (IP) and the spread pattern of COVID-19. However, no researchers have applied social network analysis (SNA) to cluster their characteristics. We aimed to illustrate the use of SNA to identify the spread clusters of COVID-19. Cumulative numbers of infected cases (CNICs) in countries/regions were downloaded from GitHub. The CNIC patterns were extracted from SNA based on CNICs between countries/regions. The item response model (IRT) was applied to create a general predictive model for each country/region. The IP days were obtained from the IRT model. The location parameters in continents, China, and the United States were compared. The results showed that (1) three clusters (255, n = 51, 130, and 74 in patterns from Eastern Asia and Europe to America) were separated using SNA, (2) China had a shorter mean IP and smaller mean location parameter than other counterparts, and (3) an online dashboard was used to display the clusters along with IP days for each country/region. Spatiotemporal spread patterns can be clustered using SNA and correlation coefficients (CCs). A dashboard with spread clusters and IP days is recommended to epidemiologists and researchers and is not limited to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Occupational noise-induced hearing loss (ONIHL) is the most prevalent occupational disease in the world. The goal of this study was to review the epidemiology, pathogenesis, and preventive measures of ONIHL among workers and provide evidence for the implementation of control measures. Literature studies were identified from the MEDLINE, PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Google Scholar using the search terms “noise-induced hearing loss” “prevalence”, “pathogenesis”, and “preventive measures”. The articles reviewed in this report were limited from 2000 to 2020. Articles that were not published in the English language, manuscripts without an abstract, and opinion articles were excluded. After a preliminary screening, all of the articles were reviewed and synthesized to provide an overview of the current status of ONIHL among workers. The mechanism of ONIHL among workers is a complex interaction between environmental and host factors (both genetic and acquired factors). The outcomes of noise exposure are different among individual subjects. Clinical trials are currently underway to evaluate the treatment effect of antioxidants on ONIHL. Noise exposure may contribute to temporary or permanent threshold shifts; however, even temporary threshold shifts may predispose an individual to eventual permanent hearing loss. Noise prevention programs are an important preventive measure in reducing the morbidity of ONIHL among workers.

This study aimed to investigate the effect of sesame oil on oxidative stress-associated renal injury induced by lipopolysaccharide in rats. The effects of sesame oil on renal injury, oxidative stress, hydroxyl radical, superoxide anion, nitric oxide, and proinflammatory cytokines were assessed after a lipopolysaccharide challenge. Sesame oil attenuated lipopolysaccharide-induced renal injury, decreased lipid peroxidation, increased the activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase, reduced hydroxyl radical generation and nitric oxide production, and had no effect on superoxide anion generation in lipopolysaccharide-challenged rats. In addition, sesame oil significantly decreased tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin 1beta production 1 and 6 h, respectively, after lipopolysaccharide administration in mice. Thus, sesame oil attenuates oxidative stress-associated renal injury via reduction of the production of nitric oxide and the generation of proinflammatory cytokines in endotoxemic rats.

Leprosy is a neglected infectious disease caused by acid-fast bacillus Mycobacterium leprae. It primarily affects the skin and then progresses to a secondary stage, causing peripheral neuropathy with potential long-term disability along with stigma. Leprosy patients account for a significant proportion of the global disease burden. Previous efforts to improve diagnostic and therapeutic techniques have focused on leprosy in adults, whereas childhood leprosy has been relatively neglected. This review aims to update the diagnostic and therapeutic recommendations for adult and childhood leprosy. This review summarizes the clinical, bacteriological, and immunological approaches used in the diagnosis of leprosy. As strategies for the diagnosis and management of leprosy continue to develop better and more advanced knowledge, control and prevention of leprosy are crucial.