Researchers at CHOP and University of Pennsylvania developed an online tool to refine results from RNA sequencing obtained from clinically accessible tissues
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…
Loss of smell in patient with COVID-19
What The Study Did: The case of a patient with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) whose main symptom was a loss of smell without nasal obstruction is reported in this article. Authors: Michael Eliezer, M.D, of Lariboisière University Hospital in Paris,…
Examining association of preoperative metformin, surgical outcomes in patients with diabetes
What The Study Did: Metformin is the most commonly prescribed noninsulin medication for type 2 diabetes and this observational study examined postoperative death and hospital readmission among adults with type 2 diabetes who had a prescription for metformin before major…
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 children in Spain
What The Study Did: Describes testing for and treatment of children with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Madrid. Authors: Alfredo Tagarro, Ph.D., M.D., of the Hospital Infanta Sofía de San Sebastián de los Reyes in Madrid, Spain, is the corresponding…
Belle II yields first results in search of the Z’ boson
The Belle II experiment started about one year ago. Physical Review Letters has now published the initial results of the detector. The work deals with a new particle in the context of dark matter, which accounts for about 25 percent of the universe.
X-ray vision through the water window
The development of the first high-repetition-rate laser source that produces coherent soft x-rays spanning the entire ‘water window’ heralds the beginning of a new generation of attosecond technology
Eindhoven researchers present revolutionary light-emitting silicon
Breakthrough after 50 years of work paves the way for photonic chips
Protecting thin, flexible brain interfaces from the human body
Next-generation brain implants with more than a thousand electrodes can survive for more than six years
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…
Hidden army: how starfish could build up numbers to attack coral reefs
The coral-eating crown of thorns starfish that devastate tropical reefs can lie in wait as harmless young herbivores for more than six years while coral populations recover from previous attacks or coral bleaching, new research has shown.
UW Medicine recruiting for app to predict next outbreak
UW Medicine is recruiting 25,000 people nationwide to test out a smartphone app that’s intended to predict outbreaks of infections such as cold, flu, or other virus outbreaks.
The app is a project funded by the Defense Department’s Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, which makes investments in technologies that support national security.
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).
Treatment relieves depression in 90% of participants in small study
A new form of magnetic brain stimulation rapidly relieved symptoms of severe depression in 90% of participants in a small study conducted by researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine.
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.
Engineer uses metal-oxide nanomaterials deposited on cloth to wipe out microbes
Sonal Padalkar, an Iowa State mechanical engineer, is studying how metal-oxide nanomaterials can be deposited on cloth and paper for use as an antimicrobial agent.
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.
It’s now or never: Visual events have 100 milliseconds to hit brain target or go unnoticed
Researchers at the National Eye Institute (NEI) have defined a crucial window of time that mice need to key in on visual events.
Are gamma-ray bursts powered by a star’s collapsing magnetic fields?
When a massive star in a distant galaxy collapses, forming a black hole, two giant jets of light-emitting plasma shoot from its core.
Add movement to your stay-at-home plans, advises WVU physical activity expert
With a stay-at-home order in place across West Virginia and a majority of the United States, one West Virginia University physical activity expert suggests it’s a critical time to add exercise to your daily routine to strengthen your immune system…
Hangover drug shows wider benefits in USC research
A well-known hangover drug not only helps soothe pounding headaches but also triggers profound changes that protect the liver, USC scientists report in new findings that could help prevent alcohol-related harm.
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.
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health to Hold COVID-19 Expert Media Briefing
The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health is launching the first in a series of press briefings at 2:30–3 p.m. EDT on Thursday, April 9.
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.
Disaster, epidemic researcher on what prisons and jails should consider during the COVID-19 pandemic
With the COVID-19 pandemic reaching prison and jail inmates and staff — the first inmate in the state of Washington tested positive for coronavirus on April 6 and others have tested positive around the country — what should policymakers and…
Cornell Law School offers legal services for New Yorkers during pandemic
Faculty, students and staff at Cornell Law School are responding to the coronavirus pandemic by giving businesses and workers in central New York legal assistance.
Cornell Tech domestic tech abuse clinic goes virtual
Cornell Tech’s Clinic to End Tech Abuse has created a remote program to help survivors of intimate partner abuse use their devices without fear of monitoring or stalking.
Disaster, recovery researcher on the safest way for kids to interact during pandemic and school closures
With kids out of school and daycare across America, many for the rest of the school year, parents are wondering what’s safe for their children to do while protecting them from infection by the novel coronavirus. And while the top…
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.
COVID-19’s Impacts on the Human-Dog Relationship
Animal behaviorist Dr. Christy Hoffman describes how having the entire family and dog home under one roof may be beneficial to human-dog relationships and identifies reasons why this new situation also requires thoughtful consideration.
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.
COVID-19 disparities reflect persistent race and class segregation
Preliminary data in Illinois, Louisiana, Michigan, New York and North Carolina suggests there are large racial disparities in COVID-19 infections and deaths. Neil Lewis, Jr. is assistant professor of communication and social behavior at Cornell University and assistant professor of…
Six Self-Care Strategies to Combat Clinician Burnout
A study published in Critical Care Nurse identifies six self-care strategies to combat clinician burnout. Based on interviews conducted in 2017 and 2018, the research may offer guidance for healthcare teams responding to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Seeking COVID cures: Scientists find promising first step in antiviral treatment
Researchers from Cornell University have identified a possible target for antiviral treatment for COVID-19.
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…
Global Preclinical Data Forum Announces 2020 Negative Prize Award
The Global Preclinical Data Forum (GPDF), a partnership of Cohen Veterans Bioscience (CVB), a non-profit research biotech, and the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology (ECNP), is pleased to announce the opening of submissions for the 2020 Best Negative Data Prize competition.
UCLA pediatrician advises on how to manage children’s screen time during COVID-19
Even before COVID-19 struck, most parents understood that too much screen time was a bad thing for their children. But now that screens have increasingly become ever-present in our daily lives — supporting our children’s educational and social needs in the absence…
On the front lines of the coronavirus fight, health professionals show ‘compassion to its fullest’
The images flood news broadcasts and social media feeds. Doctors, nurses, clinicians and emergency medical technicians working tirelessly to treat patients suffering from the novel coronavirus. They start and end their days separated from their families. Their posts on social…
Study Demonstrates the Need for Immediate ICU Care for Severe COVID-19 Pneumonia, Describes Patient Characteristics
Researchers have identified the most common clinical characteristics of 109 patients with COVID-19 related pneumonia who died in Wuhan, China in the early stages of the coronavirus pandemic, according to a new study published online in the Annals of the American Thoracic Society.
Measuring Frailty More Accurately Predicts Cost of Care
A team of researchers identified a way to measure frailty using patients’ medical claims that more accurately predict costs-of-care, especially for clinicians with disproportionate shares of frail patients.
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.
Newswise Live Expert Panel for April 9, 2020: COVID-19 Updates, Emergency Preparedness, Healthcare Workers, Economic Actions by U.S. Government
As the COVID crisis continues to test the capacity of the healthcare system, what interventions are necessary to turn the tide of new infections, will the relief package have an impact, and how will a prolonged shutdown affect our economy?
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).