Avoiding room light during night may stimulate immunity in COVID-19 patients by promoting melatonin production

2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (4) ◽  
pp. 476-481
Author(s):  
Murtada Ahmed Ahmed
Keyword(s):  
Pineal Gland ◽  
Hospital Setting ◽  
Hospitalized Patients ◽  
Health Issues ◽  
Light At Night ◽  
Pineal Melatonin ◽  
Room Light ◽  
Short Period ◽  
The World ◽  
Melatonin Production

COVID-19 is one of the greatest health issues facing humankind for many decades; it emerged in Wuhan, China, late in December 2019, and rapidly spread over the world within the short period. This report emphasizes the potential hazards of exposure to room light at night which affects the immunity of COVID-19 patients by suppressing their melatonin, which is only released from the pineal gland at night. Exposure to light at night is especially common in the hospital setting. This may make the symptom worse for the hospitalized patients and the light at night should not be ignored. Thus, I suggest that COVID-19 patients should avoid light at night either by wearing eye masks or darkening the room to enhance pineal melatonin synthesis and increase their serum melatonin levels.

Monosodium glutamate administration early in life alters pineal melatonin nocturnal profile in adulthood

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 99-114
Author(s):  
Janaína B Garcia ◽  
Fernanda G Do Amaral ◽  
Daniela C Buonfiglio ◽  
Rafaela FA Vendrame ◽  
Patrícia L Alves ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Insulin Resistance ◽  
Body Weight ◽  
Pineal Gland ◽  
Serum Insulin ◽  
Monosodium Glutamate ◽  
Female Rats ◽  
Pineal Melatonin ◽  
Melatonin Synthesis ◽  
Male And Female Rats ◽  
Melatonin Production

The pineal gland synthesizes melatonin exclusively at night, which gives melatonin the characteristic of a temporal synchronizer of the physiological systems. Melatonin is a regulator of insulin activities centrally and also peripherally and its synthesis is reduced in diabetes.  Since monosodium glutamate (MSG) is often used to induce the type 2 diabetic and metabolic syndrome in animal models, the purpose of this work is to evaluate the potential effects of MSG given to neonates on the pineal melatonin synthesis in different aged male and female rats. Wistar rats were subcutaneously injected with MSG (4mg/g/day) or saline solution (0.9%) from the second to eighth post-natal day. The circadian profiles both melatonin levels and AANAT activity were monitored at different ages. Body weight, naso-anal length, adipose tissues weight, GTT, ITT and serum insulin levels were also evaluated. Typical obesity with the neonatal MSG treatment was observed, indicated by a great increase in adipose depots without a concurrent increase in body weight. MSG treatment did not cause hyperglycemia or glucose intolerance, but induced insulin resistance. An increase of melatonin synthesis at ZT 15 with phase advance was observed in in some animals. The AANAT activity was positively parallel to the melatonin circadian profile. It seems that MSG causes hypothalamic obesity which may increase AANAT activity and melatonin production in pineal gland. These effects were not temporally correlated with insulin resistance and hyperinsulinemia indicating the hypothalamic lesions, particularly in arcuate nucleus induced by MSG in early age, as the principal cause of the increase in melatonin production.

Changes in work culture and workplace due to COVID19 crisis

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gurmeet Singh
Keyword(s):  
Mental Illness ◽  
Work Culture ◽  
Social Activities ◽  
Work Practices ◽  
Health Issues ◽  
Death Rates ◽  
Short Period ◽  
The World ◽  
The One ◽  
Financial Impacts

Across the world when the deadly COVID-19 virus started spreading, severe health issues and death rates increased amongst thousands of people in a noticeably short period. The one and the only way to stop the transmission of the virus was to stop economic and social activities in the affected countries for an indefinite time. This research covers three main sections which are growing variations in work practices that have remained essential to stop the spread, including compulsory working from home, psychological and financial impacts that are noticeable in the aftermath of COVID-19, which includes idleness, mental illness, and dependence. Besides, the potential moderating factor of age is also examined. This research intends to deliver a consolidative methodology for studying the consequences of COVID-19 on work cultures and workplaces along with pinpointing issues for further work and understandings to advise solutions.

Nyctohemeral rhythmicity of type II thyroxine 5′-deiodinase activity in the pineal gland but not in the Harderian gland of the Swiss mouse

1991 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 111-117 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Rubio ◽  
C. Osuna ◽  
M. A. Lopez-Gonzalez ◽  
R. J. Reiter ◽  
J. M. Guerrero
Keyword(s):  
Pineal Gland ◽  
Harderian Gland ◽  
Swiss Mouse ◽  
Type Ii ◽  
Light At Night ◽  
Harderian Glands ◽  
Maximal Peak ◽  
Nocturnal Increase ◽  
Melatonin Production ◽  
Peak Value

Type II thyroxine 5′-deiodinase (5′-D) activity in both pineal and Harderian glands of the Swiss mouse was studied. Pineal 5′-D activity exhibited a nyctohemeral profile with a maximal peak value at 05.00 h, which coincides with that for pineal melatonin production. However, no rhythm of 5′-D activity in the Harderian gland could be found. In pineal gland, light at night inhibited the nocturnal increase in 5′-D activity, while isoproterenol, a β-adrenergic agonist, could not stimulate the enzyme. In the Harderian gland, neither darkness, nor light at night, or isoproterenol were capable of modifying basal values of 5′-D activity.

scholarly journals Prediction of Environmental System Model during Isolation period of Pandemic COVID-19: A Comparative Survey

2021 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 1-6
Author(s):  
Swapnila Roy ◽  
Chinmoy Chakraborty
Keyword(s):  
Air Pollution ◽  
System Model ◽  
Health Issues ◽  
Environmental System ◽  
Short Period ◽  
The World ◽  
Comparative Survey ◽  
Catastrophic Disease ◽  
Day By Day ◽  
Isolation Period

This paper presents the environmental impacts on pandemic corona virus (COVID-19) during isolation period. Pollution and disease are correlated with each other. The world is busy combating with catastrophic disease which has become Pandemic worldwide within a short period. In a matter of months, the world has been transformed drastically. This Pandemic is getting more overwhelming day by day with extending social distancing across the world which eventually subsides the emissions of CO2 and other potential hazards. Consequently, pollution and greenhouse gas emissions have fallen across the continents. As the COVID-19 affects the lungs, so air pollution could make the COVID-19 pandemic worse for some people. This paper highlights the pollutants effects on several periods and also mentioned the different health issues.

scholarly journals What COVID-19 has taught the world

2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rati Barman ◽  
Naseem Ambra ◽  
Manish Barman
Keyword(s):  
Health And Safety ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Health Issues ◽  
Rapid Urbanization ◽  
Economic Burden Of Disease ◽  
Short Period ◽  
The World ◽  
Novel Coronavirus ◽  
Disease Epidemics

Background: A novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) has captured global recognition in a short period of time by dramatically impacting people's everyday lives and emerged as a public health emergency. Undoubtedly, it shows that lessons learned from past coronavirus epidemics such as the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and the Serious Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) were not adequate and thus left us ill-prepared to deal with the challenges presently raised by the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: COVID-19 adds to the list of previous outbreaks of infectious disease epidemics that try to remind us that we live in an ecosystem where the relationship between human and animal life, and the environment must be respected in order to survive and prosper. Rapid urbanization and our forestland invasion have created a new interface between humans and wildlife, and have exposed humans to unfamiliar species, frequently involving unfamiliar organisms and exotic wildlife. Findings: Every pandemic is nature’s way of reminding us that the interrelationship between all forms of existence needs to be recognized. To limit new infectious outbreaks, the transdisciplinary ‘One Health’ solution incorporating ‘Health in All Policy’ involving all stakeholders especially environmental health and social sciences is being advocated . Conclusion: Savings and investments should be made by everyone to meet the unexpected. Stigmatization and prejudice among individuals in the world should be discouraged. Special attention should be paid to the elderly, as their immune system is weak. Health and safety precautions such as physical distancing and health hygiene etiquettes should be considered as part of life. Global experience teaches that containment steps and active tracing of contacts are effective to minimize the economic burden of disease and enhance knowledge of disease processes, health issues, disease emergence, and re-emergence. These lessons will help us to battle future pandemics.

Loss of sleep or loss of dark?

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard G. Stevens
Keyword(s):  
Mood Disorders ◽  
Deep Sea ◽  
Short Distance ◽  
Water Surface ◽  
Ocean Floor ◽  
Physiological Adaptation ◽  
Poor Sleep ◽  
Short Period ◽  
The World ◽  
Night And Day

Before electricity, night was something akin to the deep sea: just as we could not descend much below the water surface, we also could not investigate the night for more than a short distance, and for a short period of time. Things changed with two inventions: the Bathysphere to plumb the ocean floor, and electricity to light the night for sustained exploration. Exploration led to dominance, and night has become indistinguishable from day in many parts of the world. The benefits of electric light are myriad, but so too are the possible detriments of loss of dark at night, including poor sleep, obesity, diabetes, cancer, and mood disorders. Our primordial physiological adaptation to the night and day cycle is being flummoxed by the maladaptive signals coming from electric lighting around the clock. The topic of sleep and health has finally attained scientific respect, but dark and health is not yet fully appreciated.

scholarly journals 13.D. Workshop: SDGs in the focus of environmental and health issues

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Climate Change ◽  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Community Engagement ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Health Issues ◽  
The Sustainable Development ◽  
The World ◽  
Environmental And Health Issues ◽  
The Impact

Abstract This workshop is dedicated on SDGs in the focus of environmental and health issues, as very important and actual topic. One of the characteristics of today's societies is the significant availability of modern technologies. Over 5 billion (about 67%) people have a cellphone today. More than 4.5 billion people worldwide use the Internet, close to 60% of the total population. At the same time, one third of the people in the world does not have access to safe drinking water and half of the population does not have access to safe sanitation. The WHO at UN warns of severe inequalities in access to water and hygiene. Air, essential to life, is a leading risk due to ubiquitous pollution and contributes to the global disease burden (7 million deaths per year). Air pollution is a consequence of traffic and industry, but also of demographic trends and other human activities. Food availability reflects global inequality, famine eradication being one of the SDGs. The WHO warns of the urgency. As technology progresses, social inequality grows, the gap widens, and the environment continues to suffer. Furthermore, the social environment in societies is “ruffled” and does not appear to be beneficial toward well-being. New inequalities are emerging in the availability of technology, climate change, education. The achievement reports on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), also point out to the need of reviewing individual indicators. According to the Sustainable Development Agenda, one of the goals is to reduce inequalities, and environmental health is faced by several specific goals. The Global Burden of Disease is the most comprehensive effort to date to measure epidemiological levels and trends worldwide. It is the product of a global research collaborative and quantifies the impact of hundreds of diseases, injuries, and risk factors in countries around the world. This workshop will also discuss Urban Health as a Complex System in the light of SDGs. Climate Change, Public Health impacts and the role of the new digital technologies is also important topic which is contributing to SDG3, improving health, to SDG4, allowing to provide distance health education at relatively low cost and to SDG 13, by reducing the CO2 footprint. Community Engagement can both empower vulnerable populations (so reducing inequalities) and identify the prior environmental issues to be addressed. The aim was to search for public health programs using Community Engagement tools in healthy environment building towards achievement of SDGs. Key messages Health professionals are involved in the overall process of transformation necessary to achieve the SDGs. Health professionals should be proactive and contribute to the transformation leading to better health for the environment, and thus for the human population.

scholarly journals Heatwaves in Kenya 1987–2016: Facts from CHIRTS High Resolution Satellite Remotely Sensed and Station Blended Temperature Dataset

Atmosphere ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 37
Author(s):  
Martial Amou ◽  
Amatus Gyilbag ◽  
Tsedale Demelash ◽  
Yinlong Xu
Keyword(s):  
High Resolution ◽  
Adaptation Strategies ◽  
Reference Period ◽  
The West ◽  
Tana River ◽  
Short Period ◽  
The World ◽  
Northern Side ◽  
Data Source

As global temperatures continue to rise unabated, episodes of heat-related catastrophes across the world have intensified. In Kenya, heatwave phenomena and their associated impacts are ignored and neglected due to several reasons, including unreliable and inconsistent weather datasets and heatwave detection metrics. Based on CHIRTS satellite infrared estimates and station blended temperature, this study investigated the spatiotemporal distribution of the heatwave events over Kenya during 1987–2016 using the Heatwave Magnitude Index daily (HWMId). The results showed that contrary to the absence of heatwave records in official national and international disaster database about Kenya, the country experienced heatwaves ranging from less severe (normal) to deadly (super-extreme) between 1987 and 2016. The most affected areas were located in the eastern parts of the country, especially in Garissa and Tana River, and in the west-northern side around the upper side of Turkana county. It was also found that the recent years’ heatwaves were more severe in magnitude, duration, and spatial extent. The highest magnitude of the heatwaves was recorded in 2015 (HWMId = 22.64) while the average over the reference period is around 6. CHIRTS and HWMId were able to reveal and capture most critical heatwave events over the study period. Therefore, they could be used respectively as data source and detection metrics, for heatwaves disaster emergency warning over short period as well as for long-term projection to provide insight for adaptation strategies.

Risks of the Digitalization of Life of the Population and Ways of Decreasing Them

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (4-1) ◽  
pp. 180-203
Author(s):  
Elena Stukalenko ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Digital Technologies ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Digital Economy ◽  
Digital Transformation ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
Short Period ◽  
The World ◽  
The Impact

Digital technologies, ubiquitous in our daily life, have radically changed the way we work, communicate, and consume in a short period of time. They affect all components of quality of life: well-being, work, health, education, social connections, environmental quality, the ability to participate and govern civil society, and so on. Digital transformation creates both opportunities and serious risks to the well-being of people. Researchers and statistical agencies around the world are facing a major challenge to develop new tools to analyze the impact of digital transformation on the well-being of the population. The risks are very diverse in nature and it is very difficult to identify the key factor. All researchers conclude that secure digital technologies significantly improve the lives of those who have the skills to use them and pose a serious risk of inequality for society, as they introduce a digital divide between those who have the skills to use them and those who do not. In the article, the author examines the risks created by digital technologies for some components of the quality of life (digital component of the quality of life), which are six main components: the digital quality of the population, providing the population with digital benefits, the labor market in the digital economy, the impact of digitalization on the social sphere, state electronic services for the population and the security of information activities. The study was carried out on the basis of the available statistical base and the results of research by scientists from different countries of the world. The risks of the digital economy cannot be ignored when pursuing state social policy. Attention is paid to government regulation aimed at reducing the negative consequences of digitalization through the prism of national, federal projects and other events.

REFORM OF LEGAL REGULATION OF REMOTE WORK AS A STIMULATION FOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP DEVELOPMENT IN RUSSIA

2020 ◽  
pp. 136-143
Author(s):  
Maria A. Andrianova ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Labor Law ◽  
Legal Regulation ◽  
Remote Work ◽  
High Quality ◽  
Quality Work ◽  
Entrepreneurship Development ◽  
Short Period ◽  
The World ◽  
Work Done ◽  
Usual Order

The pandemic has created many difficulties for entrepreneurs around the world, including in Russia. As you know, difficulties, disrupting the usual order, can give impetus for radical changes that would not have a chance to be realized in times of peace and prosperity. It seems that remote mode is not suitable for all forms of employment, but if initially the employer assumes such an opportunity, the main problem is not the lack of the ability to control the employee, but ensuring effective communication with him and the ability to timely obtain the results of high-quality work done. It is noted that this goal can be achieved with the help of greater detail in local regulations of the order and conditions of interaction between the employee and the employer. One of the most promising consequences of the pandemic has been the reform of the legal regulation of remote work. In a very short period of time, remote work in Russia from an unviable rudiment has become one of the most progressive institutions, which has every chance of making all labor law more flexible and effective. Such labor law will undoubtedly become one of the incentives for the development of entrepreneurship in Russia.

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