Researchers Urge Clinical Trial of Blood Pressure Drug to Prevent Lethal Complication of Covid-19

Researchers in the Ludwig Center at the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center report they have identified a drug treatment that could—if given early enough—potentially reduce the risk of death from the most serious complication of Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), also known as SARS-CoV-2 i

UCI physicists exploring use of Blu-ray disc lasers to kill COVID-19, other viruses

Irvine, Calif., May 19, 2020 – A new weapon in the arsenal against the coronavirus may be sitting in your home entertainment console. A team led by physicist Chris Barty of the University of California, Irvine is researching the use of diodes from Blu-ray digital video disc devices as deep-ultraviolet laser photon sources to rapidly disinfect surfaces and the indoor air that swirls around us.

Study shows improved marital relationship and spousal quality of life following joint-replacement surgery

While individuals with osteoarthritis (OA) who undergo joint replacement surgery often experience reductions in pain, emotional distress and improved function, there is little known about how these recovery-related changes impact their spouse or marital relationship. A new study released as part of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons’ (AAOS) Virtual Education Experience titled “Marital Relationship and Quality of Life in Couples Following Joint Replacement Surgery” found that a spouse’s quality of life also improves when their partner experiences positive results, following total hip arthroplasty (THA) or total knee arthroplasty (TKA).

Cannabis use for management of chronic musculoskeletal pain increasing, new study shows

The use of medical cannabis has garnered a lot of recent attention, especially as parts of the United States and Canada have legalized its use. While it has been studied in cancer and nerve pain, not much is known about the usage rate and its efficacy in managing chronic musculoskeletal (MSK) pain. According to a new study released as part of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons’ (AAOS) Virtual Education Experience, up to 20% of patients presenting to an orthopaedic surgeon with chronic MSK pain are using cannabis to manage their pain, with many reporting success. Additionally, two-thirds of non-users are interested in using it for the management of MSK pain, prompting a need to further study its effects.

New technique separates industrial noise from natural seismic signals

For the first time, seismologists can characterize signals as a result of some industrial human activity on a continent-wide scale using cloud computing. In two recently published papers in Seismological Research Letters, scientists from Los Alamos National Laboratory demonstrate how previously characterized “noise” can now be viewed as a specific signal in a large geographical area thanks to an innovative approach to seismic data analyses.

COVID-19 Antibody Testing Needn’t be Perfect to Guide Public Health and Policy Decisions

While it’s too soon to use COVID-19 antibody testing to issue “immunity passports”, antibody tests that are available today are good enough to inform decisions about public health and relaxing social distancing interventions, says an international group of infectious disease and public health experts in Science Immunology today.

RNA Molecules in Maternal Blood May Predict Pregnancies at Risk for Preeclampsia

UC San Diego researchers have identified small molecules in the blood of asymptomatic pregnant women that may predict risk for preeclampsia, responsible for a significant proportion of maternal and neonatal deaths, low birth weight and is a primary cause of premature birth.

ALGORITHMIC AUTOS

Connected and automated vehicles use technology such as sensors, cameras and advanced control algorithms to adjust their operation to changing conditions with little or no input from drivers. A research group at the University of Delaware optimized vehicle dynamics and powertrain operation using connectivity and automation, while developing and testing a control framework that reduced travel time and energy use in a connected and automated vehicle.

Children Not Immune to Coronavirus; New Study from Pandemic Epicenter Describes Severe COVID-19 Response in Children

While most children infected with the novel coronavirus have mild symptoms, a subset requires hospitalization and a small number require intensive care. A new report from pediatric anesthesiologists, infectious disease specialists and pediatricians at the Children’s Hospital at Montefiore (CHAM) and Albert Einstein College of Medicine, describes the clinical characteristics and outcomes of children hospitalized with COVID-19, during the early days of the pandemic.

Why having a national health information technology infrastructure could help save lives

Real-time data about health and health care during the COVID-19 pandemic can help contain the virus but has been difficult to obtain. A new paper published in JAMA explores the concept of a national health information technology (IT) infrastructure to provide up-to-date patient information in public health emergencies, which can then be used in planning and containment efforts.

Modeling COVID-19 Data Must Be Done With Extreme Care

As the virus causing COVID-19 began its devastating spread, an international team of scientists was alarmed by the lack of uniform approaches by various countries’ epidemiologists. Data modeling to predict the numbers of likely infections varied widely and revealed a high degree of uncertainty. In the journal Chaos, the group describes why modeling and extrapolating the evolution of COVID-19 outbreaks in near real time is an enormous scientific challenge that requires a deep understanding of the nonlinearities underlying the dynamics of epidemics.

Image Analysis Technique Provides Better Understanding of Heart Cell Defects

Many patients with heart disease face limited treatment options. Fortunately, stem cell biology has enabled researchers to produce large numbers of cardiomyocytes, which may be used in advanced drug screens and cell-based therapies. However, current image analysis techniques don’t allow researchers to analyze heterogeneous, multidirectional, striated myofibrils typical of immature cells. In the Journal of Applied Physics, researchers showcase an algorithm that combines gradient methods with fast Fourier transforms to quantify myofibril structures in heart cells with considerable accuracy.

Rutgers Experts Can Discuss 2020 Hurricane Season Outlook in N.J.

New Brunswick, N.J. (May 19, 2020) – Rutgers University–New Brunswick experts are available for interviews on the 2020 hurricane season outlook in New Jersey, the Garden State’s vulnerability to hurricanes and tropical storms, and the state’s tropical cyclone history. Hurricane…

Quarantine, stress from COVID-19 pandemic may lead to increased intimate partner violence

The coronavirus has caused millions of people around the world to quarantine to prevent the spread of the virus, but this isolation may not benefit couples in abusive or violent relationships, according to Richard Mattson, associate professor of psychology at…

How Children’s Hospital Los Angeles Is Keeping Families Safe During COVID-19 How Children’s Hospital Los Angeles Is Keeping Families Safe During COVID-19

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles has launched extensive protective measures to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus and keep patients, families and team members safe. With these measures firmly in place, the hospital is encouraging families not to delay needed care for their children.

Toward a low-cost, low-power wearable sensor for temperature and respiration

Engineers at the University of California San Diego are developing low-cost, low-power wearable sensors that can measure temperature and respiration–key vital signs used to monitor COVID-19. The devices would transmit data wirelessly to a smartphone, and could be used to monitor patients for viral infections that affect temperature and respiration in real time. The research team plans to develop a device and a manufacturing process in just 12 months.

Nature Unveiling Herself Before Science

21st century societal challenges such as demographic developments and an ageing population demand for new functional materials, such as for bone prostheses. Nature often serves as inspiration when designing these materials. In a recent study published in Analytical Chemistry, a team led by ERC awardee Dennis Kurzbach of the Faculty of Chemistry at the University of Vienna reports an innovative approach for high-resolution real-time monitoring of calcium phosphate mineralisation, which is an important natural process for the formation of, e.g., bone, carapace and teeth. They showed how next generation NMR technology allows to create new knowledge about the efficiency of natural materials.

Howard B. Fleishon, MD, MMM, FACR Announced Chair of the ACR Board of Chancellors

The American College of Radiology® (ACR®) announced Howard B. Fleishon, MD, MMM, FACR as chair of the ACR Board of Chancellors (BOC). Jacqueline A. Bello, MD, FACR, will serve as vice chair, Geraldine B. McGinty, MD, MBA, FACR, will serve as president and Alexander M. Norbash, MD, MS, FACR will serve as vice president. The new officers will take office immediately following the ACR 2020 Meeting, held entirely online.

Keep away from water: Skoltech scientists show a promising solid electrolyte is ‘hydrophobic’

Skoltech researchers and their colleagues have shown that LATP, a solid electrolytes considered for use in next-generation energy storage, is highly sensitive to water, which has direct implications for potential battery performance and lifetime. The paper was published in the…

Galactic cosmic rays now available for study on Earth, thanks to NASA

To better understand and mitigate the health risks faced by astronauts from exposure to space radiation, we ideally need to be able to test the effects of Galactic Cosmic Rays (GCRs) here on Earth under laboratory conditions. An article publishing…

People with atrial fibrillation live longer with exercise

“Regular endurance training and good fitness seem to protect against serious cardiovascular events and early mortality for people diagnosed with atrial fibrillation,” says exercise physiologist Lars Elnan Garnvik. Garnvik recently completed his doctorate at the Norwegian University of Science and…