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Researchers observe a rapid drop in average body temperature in tropical human population

In the nearly two centuries since German physician Carl Wunderlich established 98.6°F as the standard "normal" body temperature, it has been used by parents and doctors alike as the measure by which fevers -- and often the severity of illness -- have been assessed.

29 Oct 2020

Mouth may be primary route of SARS-CoV-2 infection and transmission

A new study published on the preprint server medRxiv in October 2020 shows that the virus also multiplies robustly in the oral cavity, indicating that saliva plays a role in viral transmission.

29 Oct 2020

Travel surges before lockdown undermine the SARS-CoV-2 containment effort

Recently, researchers from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston; the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign; and the University of California, USA, assessed the impact of the announcement and implementation of restrictions such as lockdowns on mobility patterns of humans.

28 Oct 2020

High-sugar diet can damage the gut’s protective mucus layer, lead to worse colitis

Mice fed diets high in sugar developed worse colitis, a type of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and researchers examining their large intestines found more of the bacteria that can damage the gut's protective mucus layer.

28 Oct 2020

Study: COVID-19 vaccine nationalism could cost the global economy up to $1.2 trillion

Nationalistic behavior by governments may exclude some countries from gaining access to COVID-19 vaccines and cost the global economy up to $1.2 trillion a year in GDP, according to a new study from the not-for-profit research organization RAND Europe.

28 Oct 2020

Genomic analysis of early SARS-CoV-2 epidemic in the UK

By analyzing 50,887 SARS-CoV-2 genomes, the team has provided insights into the micro-epidemiological patterns underlying the features of one of the world's largest national COVID-19 epidemics.

28 Oct 2020

Physical stress caused by interruptions in workplace

ETH researchers have used an experiment in a simulated group office environment to show for the first time that the body produces more stress hormones when people are repeatedly interrupted at work.

28 Oct 2020

Study assesses mental health, sleep quality among physically active adults during lockdown

In the middle of the pandemic this spring, researchers at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) conducted a survey among members of Kondis, a Norwegian fitness training organization.

28 Oct 2020

Women more likely to be hypertensive when experiencing social isolation

It's no secret that loneliness and social isolation have a negative impact on the mental and physical health of older adults. Now, researchers at the University of British Columbia are discovering that social isolation affects the health of men and women in different ways--including placing women at higher risk of high blood pressure.

28 Oct 2020

As anxieties rise, Californians buy hundreds of thousands more guns

Handgun sales in California have risen to unprecedented levels during the COVID-19 pandemic, and experts say first-time buyers are driving the trend.

28 Oct 2020

Access to air quality data and education should be a priority for improving health outcomes

In 2010, the European Respiratory Society appealed to physicians to “recognize that air pollution is the largest environmental challenge for European citizens, one that currently limits the fundamental right of all individuals to breathe clean air. This challenge is associated with large health effects – effects that will continue to menace public health in the future”.

28 Oct 2020

Social norms can influence mask use behavior

To mask or not to mask - and which mask to use? With public health guidance about masks in the United States confused by political hedging, clarity around mask use is increasingly important, especially as the western U.S. battles the twin crises of wildfire smoke and COVID-19.

28 Oct 2020

New study explores how bar/club opening hours affect ambulance callouts and crimes

A new £1.1 million study led by the University of Stirling is seeking to understand recent changes in opening hours for bars and nightclubs, and how these changes impact on health, crime levels, and emergency services in Scotland.

28 Oct 2020

For each critically ill COVID patient, a family is suffering, too

The weeks of fear and uncertainty that Pam and Paul Alexander suffered as their adult daughter struggled against COVID-19 etched itself into the very roots of their hair, leaving behind bald patches by the time she left the hospital in early May.

28 Oct 2020

Readers and tweeters shed light on vaccine trials and bias in health care

In the piece about the AstraZeneca vaccine trial subject who suffered severe spinal cord inflammation, that person was repeatedly referred to as a "patient" ("NIH 'Very Concerned' About Serious Side Effect in Coronavirus Vaccine Trial," Sept. 14).

28 Oct 2020

Scientists warn Americans are expecting too much from a vaccine

The White House and many Americans have pinned their hopes for defeating the COVID-19 pandemic on a vaccine being developed at "warp speed." But some scientific experts warn they're all expecting too much, too soon.

28 Oct 2020

Scientists compare ACE2 interaction with SARS-CoV-2 across species

Like other pathogenic coronaviruses, SARS-CoV-2 crossed the species barrier to cause human disease. This fact motivated the current study, published on the preprint server bioRxiv* in October 2020, which explores the way coronaviruses engage their host cell receptors in a range of animals.

28 Oct 2020

Scientists receive $3.9 million to optimize treatment for opioid use disorder

Drawing upon their experience and expertise in telehealth, collaborative care models, substance use disorders, depression and health information technology, Indiana University School of Medicine and Regenstrief Institute faculty have been awarded $3.9 million over four years to collaborate with Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute scientists on a trial to optimize treatment for opioid use disorder.

28 Oct 2020

Research: Sick vampire bats socially distance themselves from groupmates

New research shows that when vampire bats feel sick, they socially distance themselves from groupmates in their roost - no public health guidance required.

28 Oct 2020

COVID vaccine misinformation lowering people's intent to get vaccinated

A new study by researchers at the Imperial College London and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine aimed to determine how online misinformation impacts COVID-19 vaccine uptake intent. Further, the team wanted to identify socioeconomic groups at a higher risk of not getting vaccinated and those who are most susceptible to online misinformation.

27 Oct 2020