Daily Archives: April 4, 2020

2020-04-04: News Headlines

Fathiah Zakham, Olli Vapalahti, Hilal A Lashual (2020-04-04). [Correspondence] Education and research are essential for lasting peace in Yemen. thelancet.com Yemen, known to many as the land of Sheba, and Manhattan of the desert, is now referred to only as one of the poorest countries on Earth. The name Yemen has become synonymous with cholera, famine, death, instability, and war. The war continues to erase the lives, history, and the future of Yemenis, and meaningful aid and peace have yet to reach Yemen.

newsnetwork.mayoclinic (2020-04-04). Working toward a COVID-19 vaccine. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org The push to create a vaccine that prevents people from contracting SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, continues. Dr. Stacey Rizza, a Mayo Clinic infectious diseases specialist, says developing a vaccine takes research, money and time. "Everyone wants to have a vaccine ready right now," says Dr. Rizza. "Researchers around the globe and at Mayo …

newsnetwork.mayoclinic (2020-04-04). Mayo Clinic research finds spina bifida surgery before birth restores brain structure. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org ROCHESTER, Minn.

newsnetwork.mayoclinic (2020-04-04). COVID-19: The tale of 1 virus and 2 testing methods. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org When a new virus emerges that infects and sickens humans, the wheels of innovation start turning quickly in the world of health care and biomedical research. Teams versed in different aspects of laboratory medicine work together to better understand the virus and develop tests to identify those who are infected or have been exposed to …

newsnetwork.mayoclinic (2020-04-04). COVID-19 expert answers questions on how the virus makes people sick and more. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org Experts continue to learn more about SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, and how it behaves. Dr. Gregory Poland, an infectious diseases expert and director of Mayo Clinic's Vaccine Research Group, is answering questions about how the virus makes people sick, how it compares to influenza, and how the COVID-19 pandemic response is affecting the …

newsnetwork.mayoclinic (2020-04-04). Mayo Clinic Research in the news around the world. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org In this unconventional time, we are going to offer an unconventional article, really a collection of the previous week's news stories related to Mayo Clinic Research. Our plan – to share a brief excerpt and link to stories written by journalists around the world. Most will likely be about COVID-19, some may report findings that change …

WSWS (2020-04-04). Coronavirus crisis: Hunger and malnutrition spread in Germany. wsws.org Research indicates some 13 million people in Germany are living in poverty or confront hunger, malnutrition and social misery due to the effects of the coronavirus pandemic.

Talha Burki (2020-04-04). [World Report] 2020 Canada Gairdner Award winners announced. thelancet.com On March 31, the Gairdner Foundation announced the winners of its annual prizes in biomedical science and global health. Talha Burki spoke with the laureates.

newsnetwork.mayoclinic (2020-04-04). Science needs to guide us, says Mayo Clinic's Dr. Gianrico Farrugia on "Face the Nation" newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org ROCHESTER, Minn. ? Mayo Clinic President and CEO Gianrico Farrugia, M.D., shared his perspective on next steps to address the COVID-19 pandemic on CBS News' "Face the Nation" program that aired Sunday. Mayo Clinic President and CEO Gianrico Farrugia, M.D. In his interview with "Face the Nation" moderator Margaret Brennan, Dr. Farrugia said the focus …

John Nichols (2020-04-04). 'We Will Not Sit Back and Let Transit Workers Be Treated Like Cannon Fodder'. thenation.com 'We Will Not Sit Back and Let Transit Workers Be Treated Like Cannon Fodder'

yenisafak (2020-04-04). India coronavirus cases top 2,900, death toll at 68. yenisafak.com The death toll from coronavirus in India has risen to 68, authorities said Saturday.The tally of confirmed cases has risen to 2,902, with the most cases reported from the states of Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan.As part of measures to curb the spread of the virus, the Indian government imposed a 21-day nationwide lockdown on March 25.Malls, markets, restaurants, cinema houses and public transport remain shut.So far, more than 69,000 people have been tested for the virus, according to the Indian Council of Medical Research.Experts believe actual cases could be higher in the 1.3-billio…

yenisafak (2020-04-04). French doctor apologises for suggesting COVID-19 treatment be tested in Africa. yenisafak.com A French doctor apologised on Friday for suggesting a possible treatment for COVID-19 should be tested in Africa, after the remarks sparked an outcry on social media.Jean-Paul Mira, the head of the intensive care unit at the Cochin hospital in Paris, made the comments on Wednesday during an interview on French television channel LCI with the research director of France's national health institute, Inserm.The research director, Camille Locht, was discussing the BCG tuberculosis vaccine, which is being trialled in several European countries and Australia against COVID-19, the respiratory disease caused by the new c…

sputniknews (2020-04-04). Watch: Two 'Artificial Structures' Spotted on Mars, Alien Buff Claims. sputniknews.com Scott C. Warring, the founder of the UFO and paranormal news blog ET Data Base, believes he has found evidence of intelligent life on Mars: a pyramid with a door and a weird elongated "building".

sputniknews (2020-04-04). NASA's Hubble Captures Galaxy With 'Violent Secret' Hiding Inside. sputniknews.com Last month, scientists used the United Kingdom's Infrared Telescope (UKIRT) and NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope to identify a new, star-forming galaxy known as NGC 8822.

sputniknews (2020-04-04). Pillar of Einstein Relativity Theory Holds Firm as Speed of Light Tested at Highest Energies Yet. sputniknews.com The Lorentz Invariance, at the heart of Albert Einstein's special relativity theory, is a concept according to which the laws of physics are the same throughout the universe. It predicts that the speed of light in a vacuum is a constant whatever the situation, while some theories suggest the invariance could be violated at very high energies.

imperial.ac.uk (2020-04-03). Coronavirus misinformation and vaccine research among key priorities for public. imperial.ac.uk Information overload and conflicting guidance are among the biggest concerns for the public during the current coronavirus outbreak, surveys reveal.

imperial.ac.uk (2020-04-03). Seven-figure support kickstarts COVID-19 Response Fund. imperial.ac.uk More than £600,000 of new gifts and £1 million from the donor-backed President's Excellence Fund are allowing Imperial to speed up COVID-19 research.

teleSUR (2020-04-03). Spain: Bio-Engineers Find Drug That Blocks Effects of COVID-19. telesurenglish.net Researchers at the Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), together with international collaborators from Canada, Sweden and Germany, have identified a drug capable of blocking the effects of the novel coronavirus which leads to the COVID-19 disease, the institute said on Friday. | RELATED: | "We have been able to develop cell cultures that resemble the kidney, what we call micro-kidneys, in order to inves…

The Canary (2020-04-03). Health specialists 'frustrated' as shortage of materials is a barrier to ramping up coronavirus testing. thecanary.co Biomedical scientists and NHS laboratory staff have expressed "frustration" at a shortage of resources which is preventing them from carrying out more coronavirus (COVID-19) tests. | On 2 April, health secretary Matt Hancock committed to raising testing numbers to 100,000 a day by the end of April. But health specialists said they were currently "testing to the limit of our materials", adding that they were ready to increase capacity, but only if given a "reliable supply" of equipment to do so. A spokesperson for the Institute of Biomedical Science (IBMS) said: The UK has numerous high-quality accredited laborator…

teleSUR (2020-04-03). US Economy Lost 701,000 Jobs in March, Figures Will Rise. telesurenglish.net The U.S. economy lost 701,000 jobs in March, and the unemployment rate rose to 4.4 percent amid the new coronavirus pandemic, COVID-19, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) announced Friday. | RELATED: | This is the most significant job loss since March 2009, when the financial crisis sank the world's economies. | In February, the unemployment rate was 3.5 percent, the lowest level in almost 50 years. | The m…

Staff (2020-04-03). Coronavirus Hits March Employment Numbers Hard — 701,000 Jobs Lost. truthout.org Most sectors took a big hit in employment, most concerning is a loss of 42,500 jobs in health care. | The impact of the coronavirus shutdowns showed up very clearly in the March data as the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported a loss of 701,000 jobs, a decline almost as high as the peaks hit in the housing crash. The unemployment rate jumped 0.9 percentage points to 4.4 percent, while the employment-to-population ratio (EPOP) fell by 1.1 percentage points to 60.0 percent. | The size of the impact on the Ma…

Mehr News (2020-04-03). Iranian student volunteers disinfect passing cars against COVID-19 in Shiraz (Photos). iranian.com To combat the spread of the novel coronavirus, the students in Shiraz, Fars province Province, have formed small groups disinfecting passing cars.

Staff (2020-04-02). "There Aren't Enough Tests": As Pandemic Intensifies, Global South Prepares for the Worst. democracynow.org After devastating China, Europe and the United States, the coronavirus pandemic is now intensifying across the Global South. The United Nations warns the pandemic is poised to destroy fragile economies in poor nations, decimating food security, education and human rights. We speak with Yanis Ben Amor, assistant professor of global health and microbiological sciences at Columbia University and executive director of the Center for Sustainable Development at the Earth Institute.

Staff (2020-04-02). As U.S. Reels from COVID-19, Trump Backs Gilead's Exclusive Patent on Treatment & Suspends EPA Rules. democracynow.org As the United States leads the world in coronavirus cases, the nation's healthcare system is already stretched to capacity and protective gear in short supply. President Trump and his health advisors say more than 100,000 Americans could die from the coronavirus in the next two weeks. Meanwhile, millions of people have lost their jobs, and a record 6.6 million unemployment claims were filed this week, on top of last week's 3.3 million claims. For more on the economic impacts of the coronavirus, and how Trump has responded to the pandemic by rewarding pharmaceutical corporations like Gilead Sciences and indefinite…

Belinda J. Gabbe, William Veitch, Kate Curtis, Kate Martin, David Gomez, Ian Civil, Chris Moran, Warwick J. Teague, Andrew J.A. Holland, Fiona Lecky, Mark Fitzgerald, Avery Nathens, Anthony Joseph (2020-04-02). [Research Paper] Survey of major trauma centre preparedness for mass casualty incidents in Australia, Canada, England and New Zealand. thelancet.com The disaster preparedness of MTCs was high for communication, safety and security but there was clear need for improvement in other areas including surge capacity, human resources and post-disaster recovery.

John Nichols (2020-04-02). 'People Should Not Be Forced to Put Their Lives on the Line to Vote'. thenation.com 'People Should Not Be Forced to Put Their Lives on the Line to Vote'

imperial.ac.uk (2020-04-01). Traces of ancient rainforest in Antarctica point to a warmer prehistoric world. imperial.ac.uk Researchers have found evidence of rainforests near the South Pole 90 million years ago, suggesting the climate was exceptionally warm at the time.

imperial.ac.uk (2020-04-01). Imperial students provide over 350 free meals to NHS staff. imperial.ac.uk Imperial students Suraj Joshi and Jagruti Gohil are bringing together local restaurants and delivery drivers to give free meals to NHS staff.

imperial.ac.uk (2020-04-01). COVID-19 response: Imperial offers STEMM expertise to parents and teachers. imperial.ac.uk In response to the rise in home-schooling due to COVID-19, Imperial is offering free, online material based on the UK school curriculum.

Kerry-anne Mendoza (2020-04-01). How coronavirus might save more lives than it takes. thecanary.co For decades, our society has been deteriorating. And our tolerance for the discomfort and death of our fellow human beings has seemed virtually boundless. But with the appearance of a virus that made the world stop, we started to notice each other again. We started to count those suffering and dying like it mattered.We are in a surreal and terrifying moment. But if we harness the compassion and creativity that the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic has forced upon us, this virus might just save more lives than it takes.The numbers: I was floored by a statistic from the World Health Organization (WHO) from jus…

ProPublica (2020-03-30). In a 10-Day Span, ICE Flew This Iranian Detainee Across the Country Nine Times. iranian.com Less than two weeks ago, the Trump administration urged Americans to avoid nonessential travel to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Major airlines slashed their routes. All the while, Sirous Asgari took nine different flights around the country. None of them was by choice. Asgari bounced around on chartered jets from Louisiana to Texas to …

Staff (2020-03-27). "Total System Failure": Congress Pushes $2 Trillion Pandemic Bill. Will Dems Allow "Corporate Coup"? democracynow.org We continue our look at the massive $2 trillion coronavirus relief package — the largest stimulus bill in U.S. history — with author Matt Stoller, who argues the country will be unrecognizable after this pandemic if big corporations walk away with trillions of dollars and no strings attached. Stoller is research director at the American Economic Liberties Project and author of the book "Goliath: The 100-Year War Between Monopoly Power and Democracy." His recent column for The Guardian is headlined "The coronavirus relief bill could turn into a corporate coup if we aren't careful."

Alessandro Miani, Ernesto Burgio, Prisco Piscitelli, Renato Lauro, Annamaria Colao (2020-03-27). The Italian war-like measures to fight coronavirus spreading: Re-open closed hospitals now. thelancet.com As recently highlighted by The Lancet, the Covid-19 outbreak started in Northern Italy has shocked Europe, while it has been questioned if China benefits from an authoritarian advantage in disease response [1,2]. In Italy, after the shutdown of the educational system (schools and Universities will remain closed at least for one month) and the collapse of the touristic sector (90% of travels and reservations cancelled), the Government officially locked down residents of all the region of Milan (Lombardia) and other 11 provinces.

Linda-Gail Bekker, One Dintwe, Andrew Fiore-Gartland, Keren Middelkoop, Julia Hutter, Anthony Williams, April K. Randhawa, Morten Ruhwald, Ingrid Kromann, Peter L. Andersen, Carlos A. DiazGranados, Kathryn T. Rutkowski, Dereck Tait, Maurine D. Miner, Erica Andersen-Nissen, Stephen C. De Rosa, Kelly E. Seaton, Georgia D. Tomaras, M. Juliana McElrath, Ann Ginsberg, James G. Kublin, HVTN 602 (2020-03-18). [Research Paper] A phase 1b randomized study of the safety and immunological responses to vaccination with H4:IC31, H56:IC31, and BCG revaccination in Mycobacterium tuberculosis-uninfected adolescents in Cape Town, South Africa. thelancet.com BCG revaccination administered as a single dose ID and both H4: IC31 and H56: IC31 administered as 2 doses IM had acceptable safety profiles in healthy, QFT-negative, previously BCG-vaccinated adolescents. Characterization of the assays and the immunogenicity of these vaccines may help to identify valuable markers of protection for upcoming immune correlates analyses of C-040-404 and future TB vaccine efficacy trials.

Li Li, Qianghong Xv, Jing Yan (2020-03-16). [Correspondence] COVID-19: the need for continuous medical education and training. thelancet.com Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) moved rapidly through China, and the virus had spread to more than 60 countries and infected nearly 90‚Äà000 patients by March 5, 2020. Based on data for 72‚Äà314 cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), 14% of people have severe disease, 5% have critical illness, and 2 ∑3% die.1 COVID-19 is not a conventional disease, and rapid changes in the provision of critical care have been needed to meet the needs of patients. Health emergencies such as the COVID-19 outbreak can be a huge challenge for critical-care ph…

V.L. McCune, M.N. Quraishi, S. Manzoor, C.E. Moran, K. Banavathi, H. Steed, D.C.O Massey, G.R Trafford, T.H. Iqbal, P.M. Hawkey (2020-03-16). [Research Paper] Results from the first English stool bank using faecal microbiota transplant as a medicinal product for the treatment of Clostridioides difficile infection. thelancet.com The methodology developed here enabled successful licencing of FMT by The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency as a medicinal product. This has widened the availability of FMT in the National Health Service via a stool bank and can be applied in other centres across the world to improve access to safe and quality assured treatments.

Ebrahim Variava, Neil Martinson, Firdaus Nabeemah (2020-03-16). [Comment] Evolving therapies for rifampicin-resistant tuberculosis: balancing efficacy and toxicity. thelancet.com Disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis is a leading global health problem associated with severe morbidity and a high risk of death, despite widespread availability of effective treatment for drug-sensitive tuberculosis. Although drug-resistant tuberculosis had been described for many years, alarming reports over the past decade suggested neither tuberculosis transmission nor virulence was compromised by the selection of tuberculosis drug resistance.1,2 These reports, describing the prognosis of patients with extremely drug-resistant tuberculosis, galvanised global research efforts into improving treatment,…

Andreas Kerschbaumer, Daniel Aletaha (2020-03-13). [Comment] Targeting p19 in psoriatic arthritis: more than just another therapeutic approach? thelancet.com Pharmacological management of chronic immune-mediated inflammatory conditions has experienced many advances in the past decade. Psoriatic arthritis has for a long time almost exclusively had therapeutic strategies that were originally developed for rheumatoid arthritis, on which most arthritis research has focused. The complexity of psoriatic arthritis, with its different disease manifestations besides the arthritis (enthesitis, dactylitis, involvement of the axial skeleton, and skin and nail disease), poses a challenge to comprehensive assessment of disease activity and to manifestation-oriented management of th…

Amaury Billon, Marie-Paule Gustin, Anne Tristan, Thomas Bénet, Julien Berthiller, Claude Alexandre Gustave, Philippe Vanhems, Gerard Lina (2020-03-10). [Research Paper] Association of characteristics of tampon use with menstrual toxic shock syndrome in France. thelancet.com Our study suggests that the risk of MTSS was associated with using tampons for more than 6 h, overnight tampon use during sleep, and neither read nor followed tampon insertion instructions in case of reading.

Dorothy Shaw (2020-03-09). [Comment] Patchy progress on the ICPD: are we asking the right questions? thelancet.com The International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) agenda, set in 1994 in Cairo and revisited 25 years later in Nairobi in 2019, included goals for equitable education of women, reduction of infant and child mortality, reduction of maternal mortality, and access to reproductive and sexual health services, including family planning, through its well known Programme of Action.1 The ICPD was ground-breaking in recognising the benefits that empowerment of women and girls would have for themselves, their families, and, ultimately, their countries.

Theodore de Macedo Soares (2020-03-07). TEXAS 2020 DEMOCRATIC PARTY PRIMARY. tdmsresearch.com Exit Poll Versus Reported Vote Count By Theodore de Macedo Soares The 2020 Texas Democratic Party presidential primary was held on March 3, 2020. Election results from the computerized vote counts differed significantly from the results projected by the exit poll conducted by Edison Research and published by CNN at poll's closing. According to the exit poll Sanders was tied with Biden but lost in the unobservable computer counts by 4.5%. In this election candidate Sanders saw the largest

Adva Gadoth, Jody Heymann (2020-03-05). [Research Paper] Gender parity at scale: Examining correlations of country-level female participation in education and work with measures of men's and women's survival. thelancet.com This study extends past research by examining actionable areas of gender equality and their impact on both male and female survival. While longitudinal research is needed to examine both causality and mechanisms, our findings suggest longevity gains for both women and men, and for all children through reduced maternal mortality, where greater parity in school and work is exhibited.

Nandita Bhan, Lotus McDougal, Abhishek Singh, Yamini Atmavilas, Anita Raj (2020-03-05). [Research Paper] Access to women physicians and uptake of reproductive, maternal and child health services in India. thelancet.com Higher district availability of women physicians is associated with higher maternal health care utilization but not child health care utilization. Improving gender parity in the physician workforce and rural women physician access may improve maternal health care use in India.

Anita Raj, Karen M. Freund, Jennifer M. McDonald, Phyllis L. Carr (2020-03-04). [Research Paper] Effects of sexual harassment on advancement of women in academic medicine: A multi-institutional longitudinal study. thelancet.com Contrary to our hypothesis, women reporting severe workplace harassment in 1995 were more rather than less likely to advance to full professor. Women seeking advancement may be more vulnerable to sexual harassment in academic medicine vis a vis greater exposure to those who abuse their position of authority.

Irena Stepanikova, Sanjeev Acharya, Safa Abdalla, Elizabeth Baker, Jana Klanova, Gary L. Darmstadt (2020-03-04). [Research Paper] Gender discrimination and depressive symptoms among child-bearing women: ELSPAC-CZ cohort study. thelancet.com The findings provide the first evidence that perceived gender discrimination is associated with depressive symptoms among child-bearing women. Social intervention programs aimed at reducing gender discrimination can potentially contribute to better mental health of women.

Nandita Bhan, Kaushik Bhadra, Namratha Rao, Jennifer Yore, Anita Raj (2020-03-04). [Research Paper] Sport as a vehicle of change for livelihoods, social participation and marital health for the youth: Findings from a prospective cohort in Bihar, India. thelancet.com Evidence from India shows that sport can be an instrument supporting pro-social engagement for boys and girls. Further understanding of the gendered nature of sport and the mechanisms linking sport to agency among youth is needed.

Gary L. Darmstadt (2020-03-04). [Commentary] Gender equality: Framing a special collection of evidence for all. thelancet.com In this issue of EClinicalMedicine, the editors have assembled a special collection of papers which reinforce and extend concepts advanced recently in other Lancet family journals on Gender Equality, Norms and Health [1] and Advancing Gender Equity in Science, Medicine and Global Health [2]. These works in turn, build on decades of scholarship in the study of gender inequalities which to this day have disproportionately impacted women and girls, and even more so women who are poor or from racial or religious minorities or other intersecting aspects of identify which impart social disadvantage.

Nabeela S. Malik, Beau Munoz, Cynthia de Courcey, Rizwana Imran, Kwang C. Lee, Saisakul Chernbumroong, Jonathan Bishop, Janet M. Lord, George Gkoutos, Douglas M. Bowley, Mark A. Foster (2020-03-03). [Research Paper] Violence-related knife injuries in a UK city; epidemiology and impact on secondary care resources. thelancet.com Knife injuries constitute 12 ∑9% of trauma team workload. Violence recidivism and intoxication are common, and females are predominantly injured in a domestic setting, presenting opportunities for targeted violence reduction interventions. 13 ∑9% of injuries involved machetes, with implications for law enforcement strategies.

Alexandra York (2020-02-24). [Newsdesk] The 7th London Centre for NTDs conference. thelancet.com The London Centre for Neglected Tropical Disease Research conference was held in London, United Kingdom, on Jan 30. Alexandra York reports.

Kasper Mà∏nsted Pedersen, Yunus àáolak, Christina Ellervik, Hans Carl Hasselbalch, Stig Egil Bojesen, Bà∏rge Grà∏nne Nordestgaard (2020-02-19). [Research Paper] Loss-of-function polymorphism in IL6R reduces risk of JAK2V617F somatic mutation and myeloproliferative neoplasm: A Mendelian randomization study. thelancet.com A loss-of-function polymorphism in IL6R reduces risk of JAK2V617F mutation and myeloproliferative neoplasm. This finding supports inflammation as an independent risk factor for JAK2V617F mutation and myeloproliferative neoplasm and indicates that therapeutics designed to block interleukin-6 receptor signaling might prevent or retard progression of myeloproliferative neoplasm.

2020-04-04: Social Media Postees

Please be social by posting these 'POSTEES' on social media!

[Correspondence] Education and research are essential for lasting peace in Yemen
Fathiah Zakham, Olli Vapalahti, Hilal A Lashual | thelancet.com | 2020-04-04
Yemen, known to many as the land of Sheba, and Manhattan of the desert, is now referred to only as one of the poorest countries on Earth. The name Yemen has become synonymous with cholera, famine, death, instability, and war. The war continues to erase the lives, history, and the future of Yemenis, and meaningful aid and peace have yet to reach Yemen.
thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(20)30162-8/fulltext?rss=yes

COVID-19: The tale of 1 virus and 2 testing methods
newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org | 2020-04-04
When a new virus emerges that infects and sickens humans, the wheels of innovation start turning quickly in the world of health care and biomedical research. Teams versed in different aspects of laboratory medicine work together to better understand the virus and develop tests to identify those who are infected or have been exposed to …
newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/covid-19-the-tale-of-1-virus-and-2-testing-methods/

Mayo Clinic research finds spina bifida surgery before birth restores brain structure
newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org | 2020-04-04
ROCHESTER, Minn.

COVID-19 expert answers questions on how the virus makes people sick and more
newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org | 2020-04-04
Experts continue to learn more about SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, and how it behaves. Dr. Gregory Poland, an infectious diseases expert and director of Mayo Clinic's Vaccine Research Group, is answering questions about how the virus makes people sick, how it compares to influenza, and how the COVID-19 pandemic response is affecting the …
newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/covid-19-expert-answers-questions-on-how-the-virus-makes-people-sick-and-more/

Working toward a COVID-19 vaccine
newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org | 2020-04-04
The push to create a vaccine that prevents people from contracting SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, continues. Dr. Stacey Rizza, a Mayo Clinic infectious diseases specialist, says developing a vaccine takes research, money and time. "Everyone wants to have a vaccine ready right now," says Dr. Rizza. "Researchers around the globe and at Mayo …
newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/working-toward-a-covid-19-vaccine/

Coronavirus crisis: Hunger and malnutrition spread in Germany
wsws.org | 2020-04-04
Research indicates some 13 million people in Germany are living in poverty or confront hunger, malnutrition and social misery due to the effects of the coronavirus pandemic.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/04/04/hung…

Mayo Clinic Research in the news around the world
newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org | 2020-04-04
In this unconventional time, we are going to offer an unconventional article, really a collection of the previous week's news stories related to Mayo Clinic Research. Our plan – to share a brief excerpt and link to stories written by journalists around the world. Most will likely be about COVID-19, some may report findings that change …
newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/mayo-clinic-research-in-the-news-around-the-world/

[World Report] 2020 Canada Gairdner Award winners announced
Talha Burki | thelancet.com | 2020-04-04
On March 31, the Gairdner Foundation announced the winners of its annual prizes in biomedical science and global health. Talha Burki spoke with the laureates.
thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(20)30789-3/fulltext?rss=yes

Science needs to guide us, says Mayo Clinic's Dr. Gianrico Farrugia on "Face the Nation"
newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org | 2020-04-04
ROCHESTER, Minn. ? Mayo Clinic President and CEO Gianrico Farrugia, M.D., shared his perspective on next steps to address the COVID-19 pandemic on CBS News' "Face the Nation" program that aired Sunday. Mayo Clinic President and CEO Gianrico Farrugia, M.D. In his interview with "Face the Nation" moderator Margaret Brennan, Dr. Farrugia said the focus …
newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/science-needs-to-guide-us-says-mayo-clinics-dr-gianrico-farrugia-on-face-the-nation/

You Don't Need to Believe China About China's Coronavirus Success
Jim Naureckas | zcomm.org | 2020-04-04
Source: FAIR Total confirmed cases of Covid-19 by nation (with China highlighted), from Oxford University's Our World in Data. Bloomberg News (4/1/20) reported that anonymous US officials say that a secret US intelligence report says that China's statistics on the coronavirus outbreak are "fake": China has concealed the extent of the coronavirus outbreak in Read…
zcomm.org/znetarticle/you-dont-need-to-believe-china-about-chinas-coronavirus-success/

'We Will Not Sit Back and Let Transit Workers Be Treated Like Cannon Fodder'
John Nichols | thenation.com | 2020-04-04
'We Will Not Sit Back and Let Transit Workers Be Treated Like Cannon Fodder'…
thenation.com/article/activism/public-transportation-worker-covid/

French doctor apologises for suggesting COVID-19 treatment be tested in Africa
yenisafak.com | 2020-04-04
A French doctor apologised on Friday for suggesting a possible treatment for COVID-19 should be tested in Africa, after the remarks sparked an outcry on social media.Jean-Paul Mira, the head of the intensive care unit at the Cochin hospital in Paris, made the comments on Wednesday during an interview on French television channel LCI with the research director of France's national health institute, Inserm.The research director, Camille Locht, was discussing the BCG tuberculosis vaccine, which is being trialled in several European countries and Australia against COVID-19, the respiratory disease caused by the new c…
yenisafak.com/en/world/french-doctor-apologises-for-suggesting-covid-19-treatment-be-tested-in-africa-3515953

India coronavirus cases top 2,900, death toll at 68
yenisafak.com | 2020-04-04
The death toll from coronavirus in India has risen to 68, authorities said Saturday.The tally of confirmed cases has risen to 2,902, with the most cases reported from the states of Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan.As part of measures to curb the spread of the virus, the Indian government imposed a 21-day nationwide lockdown on March 25.Malls, markets, restaurants, cinema houses and public transport remain shut.So far, more than 69,000 people have been tested for the virus, according to the Indian Council of Medical Research.Experts believe actual cases could be higher in the 1.3-billio…
yenisafak.com/en/world/india-coronavirus-cases-top-2900-death-toll-at-68-3515961

NASA's Hubble Captures Galaxy With 'Violent Secret' Hiding Inside
sputniknews.com | 2020-04-04
Last month, scientists used the United Kingdom's Infrared Telescope (UKIRT) and NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope to identify a new, star-forming galaxy known as NGC 8822.
sputniknews.com/science/202004041078831505-nasas-hubble-captures-galaxy-with-violent-secret-hiding-inside/

Pillar of Einstein Relativity Theory Holds Firm as Speed of Light Tested at Highest Energies Yet
sputniknews.com | 2020-04-04
The Lorentz Invariance, at the heart of Albert Einstein's special relativity theory, is a concept according to which the laws of physics are the same throughout the universe. It predicts that the speed of light in a vacuum is a constant whatever the situation, while some theories suggest the invariance could be violated at very high energies.
sputniknews.com/science/202004041078830115-pillar-of-einstein-relativity-theory-holds-firm-as-speed-of-light-tested-at-highest-energies-yet-/

Watch: Two 'Artificial Structures' Spotted on Mars, Alien Buff Claims
sputniknews.com | 2020-04-04
Scott C. Warring, the founder of the UFO and paranormal news blog ET Data Base, believes he has found evidence of intelligent life on Mars: a pyramid with a door and a weird elongated "building".
sputniknews.com/science/202004041078832430-watch-two-artificial-structures-spotted-on-mars-alien-buff-claims/

Spain: Bio-Engineers Find Drug That Blocks Effects of COVID-19
telesurenglish.net | 2020-04-03
Researchers at the Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), together with international collaborators from Canada, Sweden and Germany, have identified a drug capable of blocking the effects of the novel coronavirus which leads to the COVID-19 disease, the institute said on Friday. | RELATED: | Bolsonaro to Heal Brazil From COVID-19 With Religious Rituals | "We have been able to develop cell cultures that resemble the kidney, what we call micro-kidneys, in order to inves…
telesurenglish.net/news/Spain-Bio-Engineers-Find-Drug-That-Blocks-Effects-of-COVID-19-20200403-0009.html

Coronavirus misinformation and vaccine research among key priorities for public
imperial.ac.uk | 2020-04-03
Information overload and conflicting guidance are among the biggest concerns for the public during the current coronavirus outbreak, surveys reveal.
imperial.ac.uk/news/196696/coronavirus-misinformation-vaccine-research-among-priorities

Seven-figure support kickstarts COVID-19 Response Fund
imperial.ac.uk | 2020-04-03
More than £600,000 of new gifts and £1 million from the donor-backed President's Excellence Fund are allowing Imperial to speed up COVID-19 research.
imperial.ac.uk/news/196634/seven-figure-support-kickstarts-covid-19-response-fund

Health specialists 'frustrated' as shortage of materials is a barrier to ramping up coronavirus testing
The Canary | thecanary.co | 2020-04-03
Biomedical scientists and NHS laboratory staff have expressed "frustration" at a shortage of resources which is preventing them from carrying out more coronavirus (COVID-19) tests. | On 2 April, health secretary Matt Hancock committed to raising testing numbers to 100,000 a day by the end of April. But health specialists said they were currently "testing to the limit of our materials", adding that they were ready to increase capacity, but only if given a "reliable supply" of equipment to do so. A spokesperson for the Institute of Biomedical Science (IBMS) said: The UK has numerous high-quality accredited laborator…
thecanary.co/discovery/news-discovery/2020/04/03/health-specialists-frustrated-as-shortage-of-materials-is-a-barrier-to-ramping-up-coronavirus-testing/

US Economy Lost 701,000 Jobs in March, Figures Will Rise
telesurenglish.net | 2020-04-03
The U.S. economy lost 701,000 jobs in March, and the unemployment rate rose to 4.4 percent amid the new coronavirus pandemic, COVID-19, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) announced Friday. | RELATED: | ILO: Impact of COVID-19 on Economy Could Affect 25 Million Jobs | This is the most significant job loss since March 2009, when the financial crisis sank the world's economies. | In February, the unemployment rate was 3.5 percent, the lowest level in almost 50 years. | The m…
telesurenglish.net/news/US-Economy-Lost-701000-Jobs-in-March-Figures-Will-Rise-Worse-20200403-0012.html

Iranian student volunteers disinfect passing cars against COVID-19 in Shiraz (Photos)
Mehr News | iranian.com | 2020-04-03
To combat the spread of the novel coronavirus, the students in Shiraz, Fars province Province, have formed small groups disinfecting passing cars.
iranian.com/2020/04/02/student-volunteers-disinfect-passing-cars-against-covid-19-in-shiraz/

"There Aren't Enough Tests": As Pandemic Intensifies, Global South Prepares for the Worst
Staff | democracynow.org | 2020-04-02
After devastating China, Europe and the United States, the coronavirus pandemic is now intensifying across the Global South. The United Nations warns the pandemic is poised to destroy fragile economies in poor nations, decimating food security, education and human rights. We speak with Yanis Ben Amor, assistant professor of global health and microbiological sciences at Columbia University and executive director of the Center for Sustainable Development at the Earth Institute.
www.democracynow.org/2020/4/2/yanis_ben_…

[Research Paper] Survey of major trauma centre preparedness for mass casualty incidents in Australia, Canada, England and New Zealand
Belinda J. Gabbe, William Veitch, Kate Curtis, Kate Martin, David Gomez, Ian Civil, Chris Moran, Warwick J. Teague, Andrew J.A. Holland, Fiona Lecky, Mark Fitzgerald, Avery Nathens, Anthony Joseph | thelancet.com | 2020-04-02
The disaster preparedness of MTCs was high for communication, safety and security but there was clear need for improvement in other areas including surge capacity, human resources and post-disaster recovery.
thelancet.com/journals/eclinm/article/PIIS2589-5370(20)30066-3/fulltext?rss=yes

As U.S. Reels from COVID-19, Trump Backs Gilead's Exclusive Patent on Treatment & Suspends EPA Rules
Staff | democracynow.org | 2020-04-02
As the United States leads the world in coronavirus cases, the nation's healthcare system is already stretched to capacity and protective gear in short supply. President Trump and his health advisors say more than 100,000 Americans could die from the coronavirus in the next two weeks. Meanwhile, millions of people have lost their jobs, and a record 6.6 million unemployment claims were filed this week, on top of last week's 3.3 million claims. For more on the economic impacts of the coronavirus, and how Trump has responded to the pandemic by rewarding pharmaceutical corporations like Gilead Sciences and indefinite…
www.democracynow.org/2020/4/2/robert_wei…

'People Should Not Be Forced to Put Their Lives on the Line to Vote'
John Nichols | thenation.com | 2020-04-02
'People Should Not Be Forced to Put Their Lives on the Line to Vote'…
thenation.com/article/politics/wisconsin-democratic-primary/

Traces of ancient rainforest in Antarctica point to a warmer prehistoric world
imperial.ac.uk | 2020-04-01
Researchers have found evidence of rainforests near the South Pole 90 million years ago, suggesting the climate was exceptionally warm at the time.
imperial.ac.uk/news/196516/traces-ancient-rainforest-antarctica-point-warmer

Imperial students provide over 350 free meals to NHS staff
imperial.ac.uk | 2020-04-01
Imperial students Suraj Joshi and Jagruti Gohil are bringing together local restaurants and delivery drivers to give free meals to NHS staff.
imperial.ac.uk/news/196613/imperial-students-provide-over-350-free

COVID-19 response: Imperial offers STEMM expertise to parents and teachers
imperial.ac.uk | 2020-04-01
In response to the rise in home-schooling due to COVID-19, Imperial is offering free, online material based on the UK school curriculum.
imperial.ac.uk/news/196559/covid-19-response-imperial-offers-stemm-expertise

How coronavirus might save more lives than it takes
Kerry-anne Mendoza | thecanary.co | 2020-04-01
For decades, our society has been deteriorating. And our tolerance for the discomfort and death of our fellow human beings has seemed virtually boundless. But with the appearance of a virus that made the world stop, we started to notice each other again. We started to count those suffering and dying like it mattered.We are in a surreal and terrifying moment. But if we harness the compassion and creativity that the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic has forced upon us, this virus might just save more lives than it takes.The numbers: I was floored by a statistic from the World Health Organization (WHO) from jus…
thecanary.co/opinion/2020/04/01/how-coronavirus-might-save-more-lives-than-it-takes/

In a 10-Day Span, ICE Flew This Iranian Detainee Across the Country Nine Times
ProPublica | iranian.com | 2020-03-30
Less than two weeks ago, the Trump administration urged Americans to avoid nonessential travel to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Major airlines slashed their routes. All the while, Sirous Asgari took nine different flights around the country. None of them was by choice. Asgari bounced around on chartered jets from Louisiana to Texas to …
iranian.com/2020/03/30/in-a-10-day-span-ice-flew-this-iranian-detainee-across-the-country-nine-times/

The Italian war-like measures to fight coronavirus spreading: Re-open closed hospitals now
Alessandro Miani, Ernesto Burgio, Prisco Piscitelli, Renato Lauro, Annamaria Colao | thelancet.com | 2020-03-27
As recently highlighted by The Lancet, the Covid-19 outbreak started in Northern Italy has shocked Europe, while it has been questioned if China benefits from an authoritarian advantage in disease response [1,2]. In Italy, after the shutdown of the educational system (schools and Universities will remain closed at least for one month) and the collapse of the touristic sector (90% of travels and reservations cancelled), the Government officially locked down residents of all the region of Milan (Lombardia) and other 11 provinces.
thelancet.com/journals/eclinm/article/PIIS2589-5370(20)30064-X/fulltext?rss=yes

"Total System Failure": Congress Pushes $2 Trillion Pandemic Bill. Will Dems Allow "Corporate Coup"?
Staff | democracynow.org | 2020-03-27
We continue our look at the massive $2 trillion coronavirus relief package

[Research Paper] A phase 1b randomized study of the safety and immunological responses to vaccination with H4:IC31, H56:IC31, and BCG revaccination in Mycobacterium tuberculosis-uninfected adolescents in Cape Town, South Africa
Linda-Gail Bekker, One Dintwe, Andrew Fiore-Gartland, Keren Middelkoop, Julia Hutter, Anthony Williams, April K. Randhawa, Morten Ruhwald, Ingrid Kromann, Peter L. Andersen, Carlos A. DiazGranados, Kathryn T. Rutkowski, Dereck Tait, Maurine D. Miner, Erica Andersen-Nissen, Stephen C. De Rosa, Kelly E. Seaton, Georgia D. Tomaras, M. Juliana McElrath, Ann Ginsberg, James G. Kublin, HVTN 602 | thelancet.com | 2020-03-18
BCG revaccination administered as a single dose ID and both H4: IC31 and H56: IC31 administered as 2 doses IM had acceptable safety profiles in healthy, QFT-negative, previously BCG-vaccinated adolescents. Characterization of the assays and the immunogenicity of these vaccines may help to identify valuable markers of protection for upcoming immune correlates analyses of C-040-404 and future TB vaccine efficacy trials.
thelancet.com/journals/eclinm/article/PIIS2589-5370(20)30057-2/fulltext?rss=yes

[Correspondence] COVID-19: the need for continuous medical education and training
Li Li, Qianghong Xv, Jing Yan | thelancet.com | 2020-03-16
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) moved rapidly through China, and the virus had spread to more than 60 countries and infected nearly 90‚Äà000 patients by March 5, 2020. Based on data for 72‚Äà314 cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), 14% of people have severe disease, 5% have critical illness, and 2 ∑3% die.1 COVID-19 is not a conventional disease, and rapid changes in the provision of critical care have been needed to meet the needs of patients. Health emergencies such as the COVID-19 outbreak can be a huge challenge for critical-care ph…
thelancet.com/journals/lanres/article/PIIS2213-2600(20)30125-9/fulltext?rss=yes

[Research Paper] Results from the first English stool bank using faecal microbiota transplant as a medicinal product for the treatment of Clostridioides difficile infection
V.L. McCune, M.N. Quraishi, S. Manzoor, C.E. Moran, K. Banavathi, H. Steed, D.C.O Massey, G.R Trafford, T.H. Iqbal, P.M. Hawkey | thelancet.com | 2020-03-16
The methodology developed here enabled successful licencing of FMT by The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency as a medicinal product. This has widened the availability of FMT in the National Health Service via a stool bank and can be applied in other centres across the world to improve access to safe and quality assured treatments.
thelancet.com/journals/eclinm/article/PIIS2589-5370(20)30045-6/fulltext?rss=yes

[Comment] Evolving therapies for rifampicin-resistant tuberculosis: balancing efficacy and toxicity
Ebrahim Variava, Neil Martinson, Firdaus Nabeemah | thelancet.com | 2020-03-16
Disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis is a leading global health problem associated with severe morbidity and a high risk of death, despite widespread availability of effective treatment for drug-sensitive tuberculosis. Although drug-resistant tuberculosis had been described for many years, alarming reports over the past decade suggested neither tuberculosis transmission nor virulence was compromised by the selection of tuberculosis drug resistance.1,2 These reports, describing the prognosis of patients with extremely drug-resistant tuberculosis, galvanised global research efforts into improving treatment,…
thelancet.com/journals/lanres/article/PIIS2213-2600(20)30038-2/fulltext?rss=yes

[Comment] Targeting p19 in psoriatic arthritis: more than just another therapeutic approach?
Andreas Kerschbaumer, Daniel Aletaha | thelancet.com | 2020-03-13
Pharmacological management of chronic immune-mediated inflammatory conditions has experienced many advances in the past decade. Psoriatic arthritis has for a long time almost exclusively had therapeutic strategies that were originally developed for rheumatoid arthritis, on which most arthritis research has focused. The complexity of psoriatic arthritis, with its different disease manifestations besides the arthritis (enthesitis, dactylitis, involvement of the axial skeleton, and skin and nail disease), poses a challenge to comprehensive assessment of disease activity and to manifestation-oriented management of th…
thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(20)30525-0/fulltext?rss=yes

[Research Paper] Association of characteristics of tampon use with menstrual toxic shock syndrome in France
Amaury Billon, Marie-Paule Gustin, Anne Tristan, Thomas Bénet, Julien Berthiller, Claude Alexandre Gustave, Philippe Vanhems, Gerard Lina | thelancet.com | 2020-03-10
Our study suggests that the risk of MTSS was associated with using tampons for more than 6 h, overnight tampon use during sleep, and neither read nor followed tampon insertion instructions in case of reading.
thelancet.com/journals/eclinm/article/PIIS2589-5370(20)30052-3/fulltext?rss=yes

[Comment] Patchy progress on the ICPD: are we asking the right questions?
Dorothy Shaw | thelancet.com | 2020-03-09
The International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) agenda, set in 1994 in Cairo and revisited 25 years later in Nairobi in 2019, included goals for equitable education of women, reduction of infant and child mortality, reduction of maternal mortality, and access to reproductive and sexual health services, including family planning, through its well known Programme of Action.1 The ICPD was ground-breaking in recognising the benefits that empowerment of women and girls would have for themselves, their families, and, ultimately, their countries.
thelancet.com/journals/langlo/article/PIIS2214-109X(20)30080-2/fulltext?rss=yes

TEXAS 2020 DEMOCRATIC PARTY PRIMARY
Theodore de Macedo Soares | tdmsresearch.com | 2020-03-07
Exit Poll Versus Reported Vote Count By Theodore de Macedo Soares The 2020 Texas Democratic Party presidential primary was held on March 3, 2020. Election results from the computerized vote counts differed significantly from the results projected by the exit poll conducted by Edison Research and published by CNN at poll's closing. According to the exit poll Sanders was tied with Biden but lost in the unobservable computer counts by 4.5%. In this election candidate Sanders saw the largest Continue Reading ‚Üí…
tdmsresearch.com/2020/03/07/texas-2020-democratic-party-primary/

[Research Paper] Gender parity at scale: Examining correlations of country-level female participation in education and work with measures of men's and women's survival
Adva Gadoth, Jody Heymann | thelancet.com | 2020-03-05
This study extends past research by examining actionable areas of gender equality and their impact on both male and female survival. While longitudinal research is needed to examine both causality and mechanisms, our findings suggest longevity gains for both women and men, and for all children through reduced maternal mortality, where greater parity in school and work is exhibited.
thelancet.com/journals/eclinm/article/PIIS2589-5370(20)30043-2/fulltext?rss=yes

[Research Paper] Access to women physicians and uptake of reproductive, maternal and child health services in India
Nandita Bhan, Lotus McDougal, Abhishek Singh, Yamini Atmavilas, Anita Raj | thelancet.com | 2020-03-05
Higher district availability of women physicians is associated with higher maternal health care utilization but not child health care utilization. Improving gender parity in the physician workforce and rural women physician access may improve maternal health care use in India.
thelancet.com/journals/eclinm/article/PIIS2589-5370(20)30053-5/fulltext?rss=yes

[Research Paper] Sport as a vehicle of change for livelihoods, social participation and marital health for the youth: Findings from a prospective cohort in Bihar, India
Nandita Bhan, Kaushik Bhadra, Namratha Rao, Jennifer Yore, Anita Raj | thelancet.com | 2020-03-04
Evidence from India shows that sport can be an instrument supporting pro-social engagement for boys and girls. Further understanding of the gendered nature of sport and the mechanisms linking sport to agency among youth is needed.
thelancet.com/journals/eclinm/article/PIIS2589-5370(20)30046-8/fulltext?rss=yes

[Research Paper] Effects of sexual harassment on advancement of women in academic medicine: A multi-institutional longitudinal study
Anita Raj, Karen M. Freund, Jennifer M. McDonald, Phyllis L. Carr | thelancet.com | 2020-03-04
Contrary to our hypothesis, women reporting severe workplace harassment in 1995 were more rather than less likely to advance to full professor. Women seeking advancement may be more vulnerable to sexual harassment in academic medicine vis a vis greater exposure to those who abuse their position of authority.
thelancet.com/journals/eclinm/article/PIIS2589-5370(20)30042-0/fulltext?rss=yes

[Research Paper] Gender discrimination and depressive symptoms among child-bearing women: ELSPAC-CZ cohort study
Irena Stepanikova, Sanjeev Acharya, Safa Abdalla, Elizabeth Baker, Jana Klanova, Gary L. Darmstadt | thelancet.com | 2020-03-04
The findings provide the first evidence that perceived gender discrimination is associated with depressive symptoms among child-bearing women. Social intervention programs aimed at reducing gender discrimination can potentially contribute to better mental health of women.
thelancet.com/journals/eclinm/article/PIIS2589-5370(20)30041-9/fulltext?rss=yes

[Commentary] Gender equality: Framing a special collection of evidence for all
Gary L. Darmstadt | thelancet.com | 2020-03-04
In this issue of EClinicalMedicine, the editors have assembled a special collection of papers which reinforce and extend concepts advanced recently in other Lancet family journals on Gender Equality, Norms and Health [1] and Advancing Gender Equity in Science, Medicine and Global Health [2]. These works in turn, build on decades of scholarship in the study of gender inequalities which to this day have disproportionately impacted women and girls, and even more so women who are poor or from racial or religious minorities or other intersecting aspects of identify which impart social disadvantage.
thelancet.com/journals/eclinm/article/PIIS2589-5370(20)30051-1/fulltext?rss=yes