COVID-19 critical care bed modelling study: potential shortage in Canada

A national modelling paper predicting the number of available ICU beds across Canada during the COVID-19 pandemic suggests that self-isolation will likely not be enough to keep demand from exceeding supply. It is published in CMAJ ( Canadian Medical Association…

Potential harms of chloroquine, hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin for treating COVID-19

Chloroquine, hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin are being used to treat and prevent COVID-19 despite weak evidence for effectiveness, and physicians and patients should be aware of the drugs’ potentially serious adverse events, states a review in CMAJ ( Canadian Medical Association…

Differences by race/ethnicity in stage at diagnosis, treatment, survival for cancers

What The Study Did: Data for 950,000 black, white, Asian and Hispanic patients in the U.S. diagnosed with prostate, ovarian, breast, stomach, pancreatic, lung, liver, esophageal, or colorectal cancers were analyzed to examine differences by race and ethnicity in stage…

COVID-19 in humanitarian settings and lessons learned from past epidemics

April 8, 2020 — “COVID-19 in Humanitarian Settings and Lessons Learned from Past Epidemics” published in Nature Medicine , invokes a global response to protect the most vulnerable during the COVID-19 pandemic. The authors make the point that displaced populations,…

Coronavirus and MS reporting database announced by CMSC & National MS Society

The Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers ( CMSC ) and the National Multiple Sclerosis Society have joined forces to create COViMS , a new North American database to capture COVID-19 infections in people with MS and related diseases. This joint…

Periodic physical distancing for COVID-19 control: new modelling study

OTTAWA – A new modelling paper, using data from Ontario, indicates that dynamic physical distancing and other measures could help maintain health system capacity and prevent intensive care units (ICUs) from becoming overwhelmed because of COVID-19, while allowing periodic psychological…

How soon can the economy recover from the COVID-19 recession?

There’s no doubt the COVID-19 pandemic has put the United States into a recession, says an economist who is the associate dean of the College of Business at The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH), so now the question on everyone’s mind is when business will get back to normal.

Be proactive about mental health during COVID isolation, clinical psychologist says

Seeking out good news is a great way to keep mentally balanced during the long period of social isolation imposed by the COVID-19 battle, says a clinical psychologist who is an associate professor of psychology at The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH).

Supercomputers Assist International Engineering Team on Wave Energy Project

Researchers at Sand Diego State University and the Polytechnic University of Turin in Italy used supercomputer simulations to study how ocean wave energy converters can harness energy and turn it into into electricity, offering the potential to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels.

UCLA web app will enlist public’s help in slowing the spread of COVID-19

UCLA researchers have launched an app called Stop COVID-19 Together, which is designed to predict the spread of COVID-19 throughout the community and to assess the effectiveness of current measures in that community, including physical distancing. The app will build a map of possible hotspots where there may be a higher risk for accelerated spread of the disease.

UAB among first in the U.S. to offer clinical trial for the treatment of patients with severe COVID-19 using nitric oxide

iNO has been used for the treatment of failing lungs, but it was also found to have antiviral properties against coronaviruses.The University of Alabama at Birmingham has been selected to begin enrolling patients in an international study assessing the use of inhaled nitric oxide (iNO) to improve outcomes for COVID-19 patients with severely damaged lungs.

Novel Research in AACC’s Clinical Chemistry Journal Shows That Vitamin D Supplements Do Not Prevent Osteoporotic Fractures

A first-of-its-kind study published in AACC’s Clinical Chemistry journal has found that low vitamin D levels alone do not cause osteoporotic fractures. This research could resolve the longstanding debate over whether vitamin D supplements prevent these fractures, and indicates that members of the general population should not rely on vitamin D by itself for this purpose.

A unique heat storage technology gathers steam

Many processes that generate electricity also produce heat, a potent energy resource that often goes untapped everywhere from factories to vehicles to power plants. An innovative system currently being developed at the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Argonne National Laboratory can quickly store heat and release it for use when needed, surpassing conventional storage options in both flexibility and efficiency.

Engineered virus might be able to block coronavirus infections, mouse study shows

No vaccines exist that protect people against infections by coronaviruses, including SARS-CoV-2, which causes COVID-19, or the ones that cause SARS and MERS. As COVID-19 continues to wreak havoc, many labs around the world have developed a laser-like focus on understanding the virus and finding the best strategy for stopping it.

Rutgers Experts Available to Discuss Gardening During COVID-19 Crisis

New Brunswick, N.J. (April 7, 2020) – Rutgers University–New Brunswick Professor Michelle Infante-Casella and other Rutgers faculty and staff are available for interviews on home gardening during the COVID-19 pandemic. In each county in New Jersey, the Agriculture and Natural…

Evaluating Embryo Quality with Ultrasensitive Protein Detection

Infertility is estimated to affect 9% of reproductive-aged couples globally, and many couples turn to assisted reproductive technology. Selecting embryos with maximum development potential plays a pivotal role in obtaining the highest rate of success in ART treatment.
Researchers can evaluate the quality of an embryo by detecting the content of proteins secreted. In Biomicrofluidics, a method to detect trace proteins secreted by embryos using microfluidic droplets and multicolor fluorescence holds promise to select embryos for ART.

Artificial Intelligence Enables Rapid COVID-19 Lung Imaging Analysis at UC San Diego Health

With support from Amazon Web Services, UC San Diego Health physicians are using AI in a clinical research study aimed at speeding the detection of pneumonia, a condition associated with severe COVID-19.

Loyola Medicine Pediatrician Offers Advice on Protecting and Caring for Children During COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic is creating unprecedented challenges for children and parents. However, Bridget Boyd, MD, a Loyola Medicine pediatrician, says there are ways that parents can communicate, and actions that they can take, to protect children and help them to better understand, adapt to and recover from this experience.
In the new Loyola Medicine video, “COVID-19: What Parents Need to Know about Protecting Their Kids,” Dr. Boyd offers tips for parents and caregivers.

Frank Hill Retires from the NSO

One of the National Science Foundation’s National Solar Observatory’s longest serving scientists, Frank Hill, retired March 30, 2020, capping more than 35-years of tenure. He held a variety of roles including assistant astronomer, scientist, senior scientist and program director. Hill’s latest position was as associate director of the National Solar Observatory’s Integrated Synoptic Program (NISP).