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.
Study reveals mental health of medical personnel working with COVID-19 patients
Medical personnel treating coronavirus cases in China have higher rates of anxiety and other mental health symptoms than the general population, according to a new study publishing May 19 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by Ning Sun of Ningbo College of Health Science in Ningbo China, and colleagues.
UofL report shows COVID-19 hospitalizations plateau in Louisville
More precise data has informed a second modeling study produced by the University of Louisville School of Public Health and Information Sciences (SPHIS) and the Louisville Metro Department of Public Health & Wellness (LMPHW).
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.
Researchers go cuckoo: Antarctic penguins release an extreme amount of laughing gas
More than 1600 kilometers east of the Drake Passage between South America and Antarctica lies the Atlantic island of South Georgia.
Cooperation Can Be Contagious Particularly When People See the Benefit for
Seeing someone do something good for someone else motivates witnesses to perform their own helpful acts, an insight that could help drive cooperative behavior in communities navigating through the health crisis.
Cardiothoracic Surgery in the COVID Crisis: Global Summit on Reactivating Cardiothoracic Surgery Programs
This special worldwide STS webinar focused on the recovery of cardiothoracic surgery in the post-COVID era. STS President Joseph A. Dearani, MD, was joined by cardiothoracic surgeon leaders from around the world.
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.
Electrons Break Rotational Symmetry in Exotic Low-Temp Superconductor
This odd behavior may promote the material’s ability upon cooling to perfectly conduct electricity in a way unexplained by standard theories.
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.
New Study Confirms Important Clues to Fight Ovarian Cancer
A new study comparing cancerous tissue with normal fallopian tube samples advances important insights about the rogue cellular machinery that drives a majority of ovarian cancers.
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.
New analytic tool designed to help guide precision oncology discovery and treatments
How can researchers and oncologists glean meaningful information from mounds of data to help guide cancer research and patient care? A new analytic tool developed by University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center researchers combines multiple data sets to help sift the signal from the noise.
Cervical precancer identified by fluorescence, in a step toward bedside detection
Researchers developed a method using fluorescence to detect precancerous metabolic and physical changes in individual epithelial cells lining the cervix. The method, which can detect precancerous lesions non-invasively and non-destructively, opens the door to early-stage bedside diagnostics.
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.
First Pitch, The Definitive Guide to Pitching for Entrepreneurs, Launches Today
Debi Kleiman, executive director at the Arthur M. Blank Center for Entrepreneurship at Babson College, has authored First Pitch: Winning Money, Mentors, and More for Your Startup.
Hackensack Meridian Health Invests in EpiBone, Inc., A Regenerative Medicine Company
EpiBone’s Craniomaxillofacial, or EB-CMF, product is a living, anatomically correct bone graft made from a patient’s own fat-derived stem cells.
LLNL makes COVID-19 research public through new searchable data portal
To help accelerate discovery of therapeutic antibodies or antiviral drugs for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory has launched a searchable data portal to share its COVID-19 research with scientists worldwide and the general public.
Are there any Programs for Quitting Tobacco?
For this 2020 World No Tobacco Day, experts from the Rutgers Tobacco Dependence Program discuss New Jersey quit centers and how quitting tobacco can benefit one during cancer treatment.
Women told more white lies in evaluations than men: study
Women are more likely to be given inaccurate performance feedback, according to new research by Lily Jampol, Ph.D. ’14, and Vivian Zayas, associate professor of psychology in the College of Arts and Sciences, published in Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin.
X-ray Experiments Zero in on COVID-19 Antibodies
An antibody derived from a SARS survivor in 2003 appears to effectively neutralize the coronavirus that causes COVID-19, opening the door for speedy development of a targeted treatment.
Exposure to TV alcohol ads linked to drinking behavior
New research from Cornell University shows the more alcohol ads someone was exposed to, the more likely they were to report consuming at least one alcoholic drink in the previous month. And among drinkers, exposure to more ads correlated to consuming more drinks.
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.
Work begins on autonomous vehicle trial route
Over 300 kilometres of West Midland’s roads are set to trial connected and autonomous vehicles, making UK roads safer and allowing for more predictable goods delivery and journey times.
Nerve stimulation helps manage pain without opioids
Researchers at the University of Wisconsin (UW) are adapting a minimally invasive, safer approach to electrically treat pain directly at the source as part of the NIH Helping to End Addiction Long-term (HEAL) Initiative.
Story Tips from Johns Hopkins Experts on COVID-19
It seems like there will never be enough “thank you’s” for the incredible doctors, nurses technicians and support staff members who are working around the clock to help patients with this dangerous disease. It is their dedication, determination and spirit that allow Johns Hopkins to deliver the promise of medicine.
COVID-19 pandemic highlights need for strategies to identify and report child abuse
As children and families face added challenges and increased isolation as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, there is growing awareness of the need to be prepared to identify children who are at risk for maltreatment. The current situation also…
Modified Clinical Trial Protocol Created in Response to Urgency of COVID-19 Pandemic
A new paper published online in the Annals of the American Thoracic Society describes a nimble, pragmatic and rigorous multicenter clinical trial design to meet urgent community needs in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic.
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.
Retrofitting of VW Diesel engines was successful
Using exhaust gas measurements taken from the roadside, a team from the University of York and Empa was able to prove the “Dieselgate” scandal has led to positive results. The forced retrofitting of thousands of VW diesel engines saves the environment throughout Europe considerable amounts of Nitrogen oxide (NOx).
Complement genes add to sex-based vulnerability in lupus and schizophrenia
Variants in a gene of the human immune system cause men and women to have different vulnerabilities to the autoimmune diseases lupus and Sjögren’s syndrome, according to findings published in the journal Nature. The gene variants are a member of the complement system.
Signs of Child Abuse During COVID-19 Pandemic
With the pandemic keeping families inside their homes, and no access to school, faith institutions, or daycare, signs of child abuse may be easier to miss. Melissa Peters, MD, discusses how the potential increase in child abuse can be addressed, including signs to watch for in your community.
New Research Will Explore Language Biases in COVID-19 Information Searches on the Internet
Rutgers School of Public Health assistant professor, Pamela Valera, PhD, MSW, and Rutgers School of Communication and Information assistant professor, Vivek Singh, PhD, have received a National Science Foundation grant to analyze the differences in COVID-19 related online searches for English and Spanish speaking users.
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.
Mount Sinai First in U.S. to Use Artificial Intelligence to Analyze Coronavirus (COVID-19) Patients
Mount Sinai researchers are the first in the country to use artificial intelligence (AI) combined with imaging, and clinical data to analyze patients with coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
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…
Personalized ovarian cancer risk prediction reduces worries
Offering personalised ovarian cancer risk prediction to women shows that 98 per cent of participants felt less worried after finding out their ovarian cancer risk status, according to a study led by Queen Mary University of London. Identifying women at…
Food system innovation — and how to get there
From artificial meat to fine-tuning photosynthesis
Mathematics at the service of the heart
Project ERC iHEART of Politecnico di Milano penetrates into the core of medical action, generating the first important results
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…