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Researchers tap Twitter data to measure success of social distancing

By comparing Twitter data from before and after the COVID-19 outbreak, Johns Hopkins University researchers found a profound impact on the movement of Americans – indicating social distancing recommendations are having an effect.

6 Apr 2020

Clemson study provides insight into role of fungi in early childhood dental health

Although mostly preventable, tooth decay is one of the most common chronic diseases in children worldwide, particularly in developing countries. If left untreated, cavities can be painful and may negatively affect a young child's overall health, development and quality of life.

6 Apr 2020

Autoimmunity-associated heart dilation linked with heart-failure risk in type 1 diabetes

People with type 1 diabetes, particularly those with poor glycemic control, are at markedly increased risk for cardiovascular disease than the general population.

6 Apr 2020

Men more of a menace on the road than women

A groundbreaking study published online in the journal Injury Prevention in April 2020 called attention to the risks posed to fellow travelers and pedestrians by various modes of transport, different road types and settings, and gender. The researchers found that heavy vehicles, which are mostly driven by men, were responsible for the majority of traffic fatalities in England, and as such, women drivers posed less risk to the public than their male counterparts.

6 Apr 2020

Compound in fruit peels can reduce and reverse neuronal damage in multiple sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis, characterized by increasing muscle weakness and paralysis, has a number of treatments that help stall progression of the disease when used early on in the disease.

6 Apr 2020

McMaster: Common medical masks are good for most COVID-19 treatment

The N95 respirator masks should be preserved for health-care workers involved in inserting breathing tubes for patients with COVID-19. More common medical masks are fine for all other COVID-19 treatment, says preliminary research from McMaster University.

6 Apr 2020

Newborn screening for spinal muscular atrophy promises a benefit

On behalf of the Federal Joint Committee, the Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care investigated whether it is meaningful to test newborns in Germany for spinal muscular atrophy in combination with earlier diagnosis and treatment.

6 Apr 2020

Bedroom air filters provide asthma relief for children

A new study by American and Chinese scientists, published in the journal JAMA Pediatrics, in April 2020, shows that a simple bedroom filter can help asthmatic children breathe better.

6 Apr 2020

Texas A&M chemists focus on searching for drugs to treat COVID-19

In the wake of the novel coronavirus pandemic, Texas A&M University chemist Wenshe Ray Liu and his research team have focused their lab solely on searching for drugs to treat COVID-19.

6 Apr 2020

Do video games make children fatter?

A new study published in the journal JAMA Pediatrics in April 2020 reports that children who use video games for more extended periods before the age of 5 years may be slightly fatter by the age of 14 if they also drink sugary drinks and have irregular bedtimes.

6 Apr 2020

Marijuana vaping usage up among American teenagers

A new study published in the journal JAMA Pediatrics in April 2020 shows that more and more American teenagers were turning to vaping and ingesting marijuana in various forms over the period 2015 to 2018. This is a disturbing trend given the increasing evidence that chronic marijuana use at this age does cause abnormal development as well as causing social consequences.

6 Apr 2020

New antiviral drug could change the way doctors treat COVID-19

Scientists are hopeful that a new drug -- called EIDD-2801 -- could change the way doctors treat COVID-19. The drug shows promise in reducing lung damage, has finished testing in mice and will soon move to human clinical trials.

6 Apr 2020

'Smart toilet' looks for signs of disease

A Stanford study published in the journal Nature Biomedical Engineering in April 2020 reports the development of a new kind of toilet that can pick up signs of an extensive range of diseases, from molecules in stool and urine. This could be extremely useful in repeatedly and inexpensively screening high-risk groups for certain conditions, including those for which a genetic tendency is possible – such as prostate cancer or certain kinds of kidney cancer.

6 Apr 2020

Scientist proposes geroprotective strategies to reduce lethality of COVID-19 in the elderly

The Biogerontology Research Foundation, a registered UK charity supporting and promoting aging and longevity research worldwide since 2008, today announced the publication of a paper titled "Geroprotective and senoremediative strategies to reduce the comorbidity, infection rates, severity, and lethality in gerophilic and gerolavic infections" in the leading journal Aging.

6 Apr 2020

Shorter-course radiotherapy will benefit bowel cancer patients during COVID-19

An international panel of cancer experts has recommended a one-week course of radiotherapy and delaying surgery as the best way to treat patients with bowel cancer during the COVID-19 pandemic.

6 Apr 2020

Fertility apps often inaccurate, study shows

People are tracking their own health more and more using mobile health applications and other personal digital health informatics. One such app line involves tracking menstruation and fertility. However, a new study published in the BMJ of Sexual and Reproductive Health in April 2020 throws doubt on the accuracy of these apps.

6 Apr 2020

Giant viruses may possess the tools of metabolism in their genome

According to researchers from Virginia Tech, genes within viruses possess certain portions that help them make their own tools for metabolism. However, they do not have metabolic processes of their own. The new study with these findings appeared in the latest issue of the journal Nature Communications.

6 Apr 2020

Should US schools close to thwart spread of COVID-19?

A new study used mathematical modeling to explore the benefits and risks of closing down the schools to prevent new cases and the possibility of absenteeism among health care workers because they need to care for their children at home and the ultimate effect of the step on reducing the risk of deaths due to COVID-19.

6 Apr 2020

Discovery of novel brain-digestive link

Scientists across the globe have long studied the link between the brain and the digestive system. Previous studies have tied brain networks and how they influence the gastrointestinal tract or vice versa. Food has a unique effect on humans as food tastes or flavors often dictate food-seeking behaviors. So is the palate the only thing that controls food choices among humans?

6 Apr 2020

Healthy lifestyle, greater disease-free life expectancy

For years, doctors have been advocating a healthy diet, more regular exercise, stress relief, and weight control. However, no study has examined a combination of all these factors with the number of years that one can live free of major chronic disease. This could help communicate the benefits of a healthy lifestyle more convincingly than the commonly reported relative risk of disease with each of these risk factors.

6 Apr 2020