Feature Channels: Public Health

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Changes in blood platelets triggered by COVID-19 could contribute to the onset of heart attacks, strokes, and other serious complications in some patients who have the disease, according to University of Utah Health scientists. The researchers found that inflammatory proteins produced during infection significantly alter the function of platelets, making them “hyperactive” and more prone to form dangerous and potentially deadly blood clots.

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Scientists have new evidence that overactive neutrophils--a common type of circulating immune cell--may drive the life-threatening blood clots and inflammation that occur in some patients with COVID-19.

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It seems there will never be enough “thank you’s” for the incredible doctors, nurses, technicians and support staff members who are working around the clock to help patients who have the dangerous coronavirus disease. The dedication, determination and spirit enable Johns Hopkins to deliver the promise of medicine.

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Several U.S. cities may be at increased risk of surges in COVID-19 cases as they reopen their economies because their residents are unwilling to follow practices that reduce the spread of the disease, according to Penn State College of Medicine researchers.

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Mathematicians based in Australia and China have developed a method to analyze the large amount of data accumulated during the COVID-19 pandemic. The technique, described in the journal Chaos, can identify anomalous countries -- those that are more successful than expected at responding to the pandemic and those that are particularly unsuccessful. The investigators analyzed the data with a variation of a statistical technique known as a cluster analysis.

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Using flow visualization of emulated coughs and sneezes, researchers assessed the efficacy of facemasks in obstructing droplets. Loosely folded facemasks and bandana-style coverings provide minimal stopping-capability for the smallest aerosolized respiratory droplets. Well-fitted homemade masks with multiple layers of quilting fabric, and off-the-shelf cone style masks, proved to be the most effective in reducing droplet dispersal. Importantly, uncovered coughs were able to travel noticeably farther than the currently recommended 6-foot distancing guideline. Without a mask, droplets traveled more than 8 feet.

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Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the U.S., and nearly 20 Americans die from melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, every day. As more Americans prepare to head outdoors for the 4th of July holiday, dermatologists from the American Academy of Dermatology have an important reminder: dress to protect yourself from the sun. In addition to seeking shade and applying sunscreen, wearing protective clothing goes a long way in protecting you from the sun’s harmful UV rays, which can increase your risk of skin cancer. However, not all clothing is created equal when it comes to sun protection, say dermatologists. Some garments provide better UV protection than others.

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A new, first-of-its-kind Boston University School of Public Health (BUSPH) study finds that 48% of 12-18-year-olds who have been in a relationship have been stalked or harassed by a partner, and 42% have stalked or harassed a partner.

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Signals sent and received from cell phone microphones and speakers could help warn people when they have been near someone who has contracted COVID-19, researchers say. In a new paper, researchers described a system that would generate random, anonymous IDs for each phone, automatically send ultrasonic signals between microphones and speakers of phones within a certain radius, and use the information exchanged through this acoustic channel for contact tracing.

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Chicago Cubs right fielder Jason Heyward is donating $100,000 to University of Chicago Medicine to help alleviate hardships experienced by frontline healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic and expand contact tracing efforts on Chicago’s South Side.

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Delta Air Lines and Mayo Clinic, a global leader in serious and complex medical care, are deepening their relationship to provide additional safety and COVID-19 infection control measures for customers and employees. The collaboration is another significant step in Delta’s efforts to build upon its foundation of care and cleanliness, known as the Delta CareStandard, to mitigate the risk of transmitting COVID-19 during travel.

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In addition to its predictive value, the discovery could lead to new treatments to prevent deadly cytokine storms. It also may help explain why diabetes contributes to worse outcomes in patients with COVID-19.

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Researchers at The University of Kansas Cancer Center are studying vaping to better understand its effects on our health, as well as reduce vaping among adolescents.

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Researchers at Columbia Engineering and the University of Wisconsin-Madison have identified a library of molecules that shut down the SARS-CoV-2 polymerase reaction, a key step that establishes the potential of these molecules as lead compounds to be further modified for the development of COVID-19 therapeutics. Five of these molecules are already FDA-approved for use in the treatment of other viral infections including HIV/AIDS, cytomegalovirus, and hepatitis B.

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Registered media to MSVirtual2020 will have access to the full program including plenary sessions, invited speakers and platform presentations of abstracts, poster presentations, teaching courses, and industry supported satellite symposia, both scheduled and on-demand

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For more than a decade, the American Fitness Index has recognized the critical role all three play in a city’s overall health and fitness. ACSM and the Anthem Foundation will release the 2020 Fitness Index rankings at 7 a.m. EDT on July 14, 2020.

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New research indicates that significant enhancement of secondary aerosol formed in the atmosphere via gas-to-particle conversion, together with long-lasting regional transport, may be the cause of severe haze over China despite a dramatic reduction in emissions during the COVID-19 shutdown.

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Contrary to what many would think, characteristics of your neighborhood have little to do with how satisfied you are with it, Michigan State University research found.

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The positive impact of school-corporate partnerships on the college and career success of young people is immeasurable. Just as significant is the impact on the corporate culture of businesses like TransPerfect, according to the world’s largest provider of language and technology solutions for global business.

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Researchers from the Social Cognition Center Cologne at the University of Cologne and from the University of Bremen report that participants in three experiments, each involving more than 500 adults in the United States, tended to assume the number of COVID-19 cases grew linearly with time, rather than exponentially.

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The New York State Department of Health today announced that the Department has led a study on multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) associated with COVID-19, which was published today in the New England Journal of Medicine. The Department collaborated with the University at Albany School of Public Health and the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to complete the study.

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Research from the University of Kent has found that people who adopt a collectivist mindset are more likely to comply with social distancing and hygiene practices to help reduce the spread of COVID-19.

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The SARS-CoV-19 virus initially has a limited capability to invade, attacking only one intracellular genetic target, the aryl hydrocarbon receptors (AhRs).

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SHAREInternational collaboration provides important piece of COVID-19 puzzleLA JOLLA—A new study from researchers at La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI) and Erasmus University Medical Center (Erasmus MC) shows that even the sickest COVID-19 patients produce T cells that help fight the virus. The study offers further evidence that a COVID-19 vaccine will need to elicit T cells to work alongside antibodies.

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I am pleased to announce that the 8th Joint ACTRIMS-ECTRIMS Meeting will be held from September 11-13, 2020, with a special encore featuring Late-Breaking News and a COVID-19 Session on September 26.

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As California prepares for a potential surge of COVID-19, there is a pressing need to determine how critical care resources should be allocated, especially if there is an extreme shortage of those resources.

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An overactive defense response may lead to increased blood clotting, disease severity, and death from COVID-19. A phenomenon called NETosis—in which infection-fighting cells emit a web-like substance to trap invading viruses—is part of an immune response that becomes increasingly hyperactive in people on ventilators and people who die from the disease.

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The American College of Rheumatology (ACR) has released an official position statement supporting the role of telemedicine as a tool with the potential to increase access and improve care for patients with rheumatic diseases. It also highlights the significant barriers and opportunities presented to patients and rheumatology professionals.

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Researchers at Binghamton University, State University of New York are using machine learning to track the coronavirus and predict where it might surge next.

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To bring a full range of perioperative health care news and information to physician anesthesiologists, surgical care team members and health care executives, the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) today announced its expanded partnership with Wolters Kluwer to publish and relaunch its publication the ASA Monitor

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This month the American Thoracic Society (ATS) and the American College of Chest Physicians (CHEST) launched For My Lung Health, a patient-education website and media campaign. Using public service announcements and an education-based website, For My Lung Health focuses on empowering people from underserved communities who live with chronic lung disease.

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Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute today announced a research agreement with Eli Lilly and Company (Lilly) to characterize Lilly’s next-generation anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. These collaborative studies aim to build on Lilly’s current portfolio of neutralizing antibodies by exploring novel cocktails, half-life extension technologies and strategies to further enhance potency.

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The University of California San Diego today announced the next step in its Return to Learn program, which will guide an incremental repopulation of the campus while offering broad, asymptomatic testing for faculty, staff and students on a recurring basis to detect the presence of SARS-CoV-2, the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19.

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A team of researchers from the National University of Singapore has developed a portable COVID-19 micro-PCR diagnostic system, Epidax, that enables accurate on-site screening to be completed in about one hour.

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Children's Hospital Los Angeles offers summer safety tips for children and families so they can enjoy summer activities in a safe and healthy manner

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Due to COVID-19, there is an urgent need for a risk-prediction and update system so that individuals and various entities can be aware of the potential risk of infection when traveling locally, nationally or abroad. Wayne State is working on a system with the help of funding from the National Science Foundation.

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Taking new actions that focus on the well-being and safety of customers and team members, American Airlines today announced that it has created a new Travel Health Advisory Panel that includes Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) infectious disease experts to advise on health and cleaning matters as travelers return over the summer.

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In recent weeks, a multisystem hyperinflammatory condition has emerged in children in association with prior exposure or infection to SARS-CoV-2.

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How many people in the U.S. have had COVID-19? Using a database of information collected after the 2009 H1N1 outbreak, a Montana State University researcher is helping develop a better understanding of the spread of the novel coronavirus.

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It may seem like a truism that, in a time of crisis, the various players and institutions in a community should set aside their individual agendas and pull together for a common cause.

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Cancer researchers are turning their talents to the fight against COVID, using strategies that have lead to breakthroughs in cancer therapies for years, such as precision medicine, immunotherapy, biomarkers, and more.

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Summer of COVID, The 2nd Wave, BLM, the Economy, and Politics: Newswise Live Event for June 25, 2PM EDT

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A new study investigated the prevalence of activity limitations among older adults in 23 low- and middle-income countries, to help policymakers prepare for the challenges associated with the world’s aging population.

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For many patients admitted to the hospital with COVID-19, surviving the virus is only half of the battle. Once deemed virus-free and ready to be sent home, the often-long road to recovery – including rebuilding lung capacity and overall respiratory health – begins. Two Cedars-Sinai respiratory therapists explain what roadblocks these hospital-admitted patients face when it comes to lung health and offer tips for non-patients looking to improve their overall respiratory health.

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States with the highest level of income inequality had a larger number of COVID-19-related deaths compared with states with lower income inequality. New York state, with the highest income inequality, had a mortality rate of 51.7 deaths per 100,000 vs. Utah, the state with the lowest income inequality and which had a mortality of 0.41 per 100,000.

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Winter volunteered to treat patients at New York-Presbyterian Weill Cornell Medical Center.