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Researchers develop new modeling to map SARS-CoV-2 transmission dynamics in UK

Using a modified version of the susceptible-infectious-recovered (SIR) model to include effects of prevention measures, researchers show patterns in the increase and decrease of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases in the UK.

2 Feb 2021

Study identifies early warnings of COVID-19 outbreak on Twitter posts

Even before public announcements of the first cases of COVID-19 in Europe were made, at the end of January 2020, signals that something strange was happening were already circulating on social media.

25 Jan 2021

Study finds increase in drinking among people with anxiety and depression during COVID-19

People with anxiety and depression are more likely to report an increase in drinking during the COVID-19 pandemic than those without mental health issues, according to a new study by researchers at NYU School of Global Public Health published in the journal Preventive Medicine.

19 Jan 2021

COVID-19 taking a disproportionate toll on female healthcare workers

Women in the healthcare workforce seem to be suffering stress and burnout in the current pandemic situation, disproportionately when compared to men, suggests a new preprint research paper published on the medRxiv server.

11 Jan 2021

New agent-based model can be used for making informed choices regarding COVID-19 restrictions

What happens when municipalities in the Copenhagen area experience a COVID-19 flare-up? Would closing the schools have any effect, or would a better choice be directing the parents to work from home? Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, authorities worldwide have several times implemented steps to keep the pandemic in check.

11 Jan 2021

Do-it-yourself contact tracing is a ‘last resort’ in communities besieged by Covid

The contact tracers of Washtenaw County in Michigan have been deluged with work and, to cope, the overburdened health department has a new tactic: It is asking residents who test positive for Covid-19 to do their own contact tracing.

8 Jan 2021

Researchers develop new system for direct detection of SARS-CoV-2 in aerosols

Researchers from the Polytechnic University of Valencia, in collaboration with specialists from the University of Valencia (UV), have come up with a new system based on a high-sensitivity mass biosensor that continuously monitors signals for the direct detection of SARS-CoV-2 in environmental aerosols.

28 Dec 2020

Researchers publish study results on challenges of COVID-19 during confinement

The University of Alicante Public Health Research Group has just published the results of a study on the challenges of COVID-19 in Alicante; its effects on health and citizen resistance during confinement.

24 Dec 2020

Modeling the phases of quarantine reveals two-phase route is always better than one

New research into this question shows that the second wave of an epidemic is very different if a population has a homogenous distribution of contacts, compared to the scenario of subpopulations with diverse number of contacts.

23 Dec 2020

High altitude experts explain pneumolysis caused by COVID-19

The current COVID-19 pandemic has caused over 1 million deaths which can be attributed to its severe progressive pulmonary compromise.

21 Dec 2020

As Biden gets sworn in, White House will get scrubbed down

It was a down-in-the-mud presidential campaign, but the dirtiest part comes on Inauguration Day.

21 Dec 2020

Natural changes in UV influence the spread of COVID-19, shows study

Natural variations in ultraviolet radiation influence the spread of COVID-19, but the influence is modest compared to preventive measures such as physical distancing, mask wearing, and quarantine, according to new research from Harvard University.

17 Dec 2020

Researchers investigate whether tailored online exercise benefits ‘long Covid’ patients

Researchers at the University of Warwick and University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust are to investigate whether a tailored online exercise and support programme would benefit those experiencing long-term symptoms of Covid-19 - what has been dubbed 'long Covid'.

11 Dec 2020

Study: TMEM41B transmembrane protein is a critical factor for SARS-CoV-2 replication

A single protein that appears necessary for the COVID-19 virus to reproduce and spread to other cells is a potential weakness that could be targeted by future therapies.

10 Dec 2020

$Using fractional exponents in epidemic models could improve predictions of disease spread$

Using fractional exponents in epidemic models could improve predictions of disease spread

A new class of epidemiological models based on alternative thinking about how contagions propagate, particularly in the early phases of a pandemic, provide a blueprint for more accurate epidemic modeling and improved disease spread predictions and responses, according to a study published recently in Scientific Reports by researchers at the University of California, Irvine and other institutions.

8 Dec 2020

Study elucidates the link between oxytocin gene methylation and parental empathy

Parenting behavior is deeply linked to the ability to empathize with one’s children. Thus, to better understand why certain parents react to certain situations in a certain way, it is crucial to gain insight into how empathy is shaped.

8 Dec 2020

New system allows for individual supply of disinfected air in enclosed spaces for daily use

Researchers from the University of Alicante Institute of Chemical Processes Engineering have developed a procedure that allows for the individual supply of disinfected air in enclosed spaces for daily use.

27 Nov 2020

Vaping does not appear to pose any significant additional risk of SARS-CoV-2 transmission

Researchers in Mexico, New Zealand and Italy have conducted a modeling study suggesting that the risk of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) being transmitted via indoor vaping is not significantly higher than the risk associated with other types of expiration.

24 Nov 2020

Researchers conduct aerosol characterization experiments to protect healthcare workers from COVID-19

The rapid spread of COVID-19 overwhelmed hospitals that were unable to contend with the increasing number of patients, many requiring ventilators and other critical care. Such conditions can put medical workers at risk. Now researchers are studying methods to increase hospital safety and efficacy during the pandemic.