Your neighborhood may raise your risk of chronic kidney disease

A neighborhood's overall socioeconomic status, including income and education level, may influence its residents' risk of chronic kidney disease, according to a study recently published in SSM Population Health by researchers from Drexel University's Dornsife School of Public Health.

Statins reduce COVID-19 severity, likely by removing cholesterol that virus uses to infect

There are no Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved treatments for COVID-19, the pandemic infection caused by a novel coronavirus. While several therapies are being tested in clinical trials, current standard of care involves providing patients with fluids and fever-reducing medications. To speed the search for new COVID-19 therapies, researchers are testing repurposed drugs—medicines already known to be safe for human use because they are FDA-approved for other conditions—for their abilities to mitigate the virus.

New study: Face-covering use up, more people are taking COVID-19 threats seriously

A new National Science Foundation-funded survey of six states has found that during the past two months, more people are wearing masks, vaccine uncertainty is on the rise, and many people are overestimating their risk of becoming seriously ill and dying from COVID-19.

Galaxy S20 FE: Samsung introduces $700 5G phone

Samsung today introduced another entry to its S20 smartphone lineup, a budget-priced $699 edition that has many of the features of the top of the line $1,399 Galaxy S20 Ultra.

An Emoji update in 2021 will give couples more skin tone variations to choose from

More skin tone variations are coming to the world of Emoji.

In China, WeChat is everything: Text messaging, video chat and mobile payments

Frances He is a Chinese immigrant living near Los Angeles who uses the WeChat app to talk to her brother back home. But with the Trump Administration's Sunday ban on the app, she's going to have to find a new way.

H-E-B will deploy robots to handle online orders for curbside pickup, delivery

Robots will help H-E-B grocery stores keep up with the growing demand for online grocery services amid the pandemic.

Researchers develop method to create colloidal diamonds

The colloidal diamond has been a dream of researchers since the 1990s. These structures—stable, self-assembled formations of miniscule materials—have the potential to make light waves as useful as electrons in computing, and hold promise for a host of other applications. But while the idea of colloidal diamonds was developed decades ago, no one was able to reliably produce the structures. Until now.

Amazonia racing toward tipping point, fueled by unregulated fires

Amazonia is closer to a catastrophic ecological tipping point than any time in the last 100,000 years, and human activity is the cause.

Scientists develop forecasting technique that could help advance quest for fusion energy

Bringing the power of the sun to Earth requires sound theory, good engineering, and a little finesse. The process entails trapping charged, ultra-hot gas known as plasma so its particles can fuse and release enormous amounts of energy. The most widely used facilities for this process are doughnut-shaped tokamaks that hold plasma in place with strong magnets that are precisely shaped and positioned. But errors in the shaping or placement of these magnets can lead to poor confinement and loss of plasma, shutting down fusion reactions.

Researchers advance technique to distinguish brain energy molecules

Researchers at Center for BrainHealth, part of The University of Texas at Dallas, recently examined how cells in the brains of people at risk for developing Alzheimer's disease make and use energy. Relationships between the brain's energy metabolism and the risk of Alzheimer's disease have been reported previously. But this is the first study to clearly distinguish different energy molecules in the brain using high-powered imaging called magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) at 7-Tesla. The findings from this study could help the development of tests for the earlier detection and treatment of Alzheimer's disease.

BrainHealth's SMART methodology helps patients make more informed treatment decisions

Researchers at Center for BrainHealth, part of The University of Texas at Dallas, collaborated with scientists at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill to examine whether the Strategic Memory Advanced Reasoning Training (SMART) program affects people's abilities to make informed decisions about their medical treatment options. Patients with rheumatoid arthritis, in particular, are often reluctant to take antirheumatic drugs because of perceptions about the drugs' risks and benefits. The findings from this study point to an approach that helps these patients, and other people, make more informed decisions about their health.

Study discovers multiple unapproved drugs in 'brain boosting' supplements

Supplements that claim to improve mental focus and memory may contain unapproved pharmaceutical drugs and in potentially dangerous combinations and doses, according to a new study published in the September 23, 2020, online issue of Neurology Clinical Practice, an official journal of the American Academy of Neurology. Researchers found five such drugs not approved in the United States in the supplements they examined. The supplements are sometimes called "nootropics," "smart drugs" or "cognitive enhancers."

After six years of attacks, Qualcomm finally sees stability return to patent licensing

Alex Rogers says he likes stress. As head of Qualcomm's maligned patent licensing division, he has seen plenty of it over the past few years.

US administration unveils bill to limit online liability shield

The Trump administration unveiled legislation Wednesday aimed at limiting the liability shield of online services for content they host, the latest in a series of proposals motivated by a backlash against Big Tech platforms.

How to protect yourself from the stress of politics

We interrupt your latest binge of breaking political news, fear-provoking campaign commercials and angry posts from your favorite pundit to report that politics can be stressful.

Debunked QAnon conspiracy theories are seeping into mainstream social media. Don't be fooled.

An emboldened community of believers known as QAnon is spreading a baseless patchwork of conspiracy theories that are fooling Americans who are looking for simple answers in a time of intense political polarization, social isolation and economic turmoil.

Walmart expands drone program with COVID-19 test-kit delivery

Walmart Inc. will test using drones to drop COVID-19 diagnostic kits at customers' homes, the retailer's latest move in the pandemic-fueled arena of contactless deliveries.

2,500 students locked down at elite Swiss school over virus

Some 2,500 students of a prestigious Swiss hospitality school have been placed in quarantine after a major outbreak of coronavirus following private parties there, regional authorities said on Wednesday.

California moves to end sales of new gas-powered cars

California will halt sales of new gasoline-powered passenger cars and trucks by 2035, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Wednesday, a move he says will cut greenhouse gas emissions by 35% in the nation's most populous state.

How is COVID-19 affecting Holocaust survivors?

Holocaust survivors have exhibited a wide range of emotional reactions to, and ways of dealing with, the COVID-19 pandemic. Some are dealing well with the current crisis while some experience considerable difficulties. The way they cope with the current crisis is largely derived from how they deal with their traumatic memories of the Holocaust.

Grad student finds PFAS in seabirds from Narragansett Bay, Massachusetts Bay, Cape Fear

Evidence continues to accumulate about human and wildlife exposure to chemical compounds called per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, collectively referred to as PFAS, and their deleterious effects on the environment. The latest study, by a University of Rhode Island graduate student, found high levels of the compounds in seabirds from offshore Massachusetts and coastal Rhode Island and North Carolina.

Prenatal cannabis exposure associated with adverse outcomes during middle childhood

While cannabis use during pregnancy is on the rise, researchers at Washington University in St. Louis have found evidence that the resulting children are more likely to have psychopathology in middle childhood.

Study finds lung transplant patients not given antifungal preventive drugs have higher risk of death

Antifungal preventive medications reduce mortality risk by half in the first year following lung transplantation, according to Mayo Clinic research involving 667 patients who received lung transplants from 2005 to 2018.

Study shows light therapy is safe and may benefit patients with TBI

Light therapy is safe and has measurable effects in the brain, according to a pioneering study by researchers from the Wellman Center for Photomedicine at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH). Senior investigators Rajiv Gupta, MD, Ph.D., director of the Ultra-High Resolution Volume CT Lab at MGH and Benjamin Vakoc, Ph.D., at the Wellman Center led the study, which was supported by a grant from the Department of Defense (DOD) and published in JAMA Network Open September 14th.

Researchers find news coverage in Chicago disproportionately devalues Black and Hispanic lives

The recent deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery added new momentum to the Black Lives Matter social movement in the United States. But Stanford researchers have found that local news media have not treated Black and Hispanic lives as equal in value to white lives in stories.

Chromium steel was first made in ancient Persia

Chromium steel—similar to what we know today as tool steel—was first made in Persia, nearly a millennium earlier than experts previously thought, according to a new study led by UCL researchers.

Jaws of death: Paleontologist renames giant, prehistoric marine lizard

Some 92 to 66 million years ago, as the age of dinosaurs waned, giant marine lizards called mosasaurs roamed an ocean that covered North America from Utah to Missouri and Texas to the Yukon. The air-breathing predators were streamlined swimmers that devoured almost everything in their path, including fish, turtles, clams and even smaller mosasaurs.

Neurological consequences of COVID-19: The 'Silent Wave'

Is the world prepared a wave of neurological consequences that may be on its way as a result of COVID-19? This question is at the forefront of research underway at the Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health. A team of neuroscientists and clinicians are examining the potential link between COVID-19 and increased risk of Parkinson's disease, and measures to get ahead of the curve.

What have we learned from COVID-19 in persons with type 1 diabetes?

While diabetes is established as a risk factor for severe SARS-CoV2 infection several important specific aspects need to be considered for people with type 1 diabetes. In contrast to older persons with diabetes, children, adolescents and young adults with type 1 diabetes are not at risk for unfavourable outcomes.

COVID-19 and type 2 diabetes: do shared pathways have therapeutic implications?

During a special COVID-19 session at this year's online Annual Meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD), Prof. Daniel J. Drucker (Lunenfeld Tanenbaum Research Institute, Mt. Sinai Hospital, Toronto, Canada) will present a new review the latest clinical findings linking diabetes to risk of infection and differential outcomes in people with COVID-19 infection.

COVID-19 and diabetes: what is the evidence?

In the COVID-19 special session taking place at the online Annual Meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD), Prof. Juliana Chan, (The Chinese University of Hong Kong and Prince of Wales Hospital, Shatin, Hong Kong, China) will present a new review of the evidence on the devastating impact COVID-19 is having on people with diabetes.

Patients with type 1 diabetes that have adapted to remote medical appointments would continue this post COVID-19

A survey of more than 7,000 patients with type 1 diabetes from 89 countries, presented at this year's online Annual Meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) shows that three quarters of patients who have adapted to telemedicine appointments would consider continung the use of online or telephone appointments with their doctors, as has been happening during the COVID-19 pandemic, after the pandemic ends. The study is by Dr. Sam Scott and Prof Christoph Stettler, University of Bern, Switzerland, and colleagues, and will be published in the journal Endocrinology, Diabetes & Metabolism.

Analysis reveals heart-related side effects of hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine

As the antimalarial drugs hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine have drawn attention as potential therapies for COVID-19 and are being widely used off-label, it's now more important than ever to have a thorough assessment of the safety of these medications. A recent analysis published in the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology provides new insights.

Control of blood sugar levels improved among people with type 1 diabetes who stopped working during lockdown

New research presented at this year's annual meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) shows that among people with type 1 diabetes who stopped working in the COVID-19 lockdown, blood sugar levels improved during the first week of lockdown despite having reduced opportunities for exercise and heightened psychological stress. The study was undertaken by Dr. Federico Boscari and colleagues at the Department of Medicine, University of Padova, Italy.

Risk of death may increase for successive generations of immigrants with type 2 diabetes

A 10-year nationwide study investigating survival rates in all people with type 2 diabetes in Sweden, to be published in Diabetologia, finds that non-Western immigrants experienced a higher risk of death with each generation born in the country.

People with 'silent' COVID-19 have as much coronavirus as those with symptoms

People with 'silent' COVID-19 infection have as much coronavirus in their noses and throats as those with symptoms, reveals research published online in the journal Thorax.

Genetic analysis links obesity to higher rheumatoid arthritis risk

An analysis of genetic data collected from more than 850,000 individuals of European ancestry has found a link between obesity-related genes and rheumatoid arthritis.

Prior abortion does not negatively affect feelings of parental competence

A recent study found that a prior induced abortion did not negatively impact a woman's psychological well-being or her thoughts about her competence as a parent when she later became a mother.

Caregiving factors may affect hospitalization risk among disabled older adults

Few studies have investigated the potential impact of caregivers and caregiver factors on older adults' likelihood of being hospitalized. A recent study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society has now provided some insights.

Perspective on employment rates after spinal cord injury—30 years after the ADA

A team of experts in disability employment summarized advances in outcomes being achieved in individuals recovering from spinal cord injury. Their article, "30 Years after the Americans with Disabilities Act: Perspectives on employment for persons with spinal cord injury," was published online on June 7, 2020 in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Clinics of North America.

Children and schools during the COVID-19 pandemic: do school closures help?

A special session at this week's ESCMID Conference on Coronavirus Diseases (ECCVID, held online 23-25 September) will see a new review of the evidence presented to address the difficult issue of school closures and reopenings. The session has been co-organised with the European Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (ECDC), Stockholm, Sweden.

Lower zinc levels in the blood are associated with an increased risk of death in patients with COVID-19

New research presented at this week's ESCMID Conference on Coronavirus Disease (ECCVID, held online from 23-25 September) shows that having a lower level of zinc in the blood is associated with a poorer outcome in patients with COVID-19. The study is by Dr. Roberto Güerri-Fernández, Hospital Del Mar, Barcelona, Spain, and colleagues.

Study shows that 40% of healthcare workers asymptomatic when COVID-19 positive, raising risk of silent transmission

A review of studies (meta-analysis) presented at this year's ESCMID Conference on Coronavirus Diseases (ECCVID, online 23-25 September) shows that 40% of healthcare workers who test positive for COVID-19 were asymptomatic, raising the risk of silent transmission in healthcare settings.

Higher risk of death in cancer patients with COVID-19 may be due to advanced age and more pre-existing conditions

New research presented at this this week's ESCMID Conference on Coronavirus Diseases (ECCVID, online 23-25 September) suggests that the poor outcomes and higher death rates in cancer patients with COVID-19 could be due to them generally being older and having more underlying conditions, rather than due to the cancer itself. The study is by Dr. Maria Rüthrich, Jena University Hospital, Germany, and colleagues.

Analysis shows high level of SARS-CoV-2 contamination in patient toilets, staff and public areas in hosptials

A systematic review of evidence being presented at this week's ESCMID Conference on Coronavirus Disease shows that air around patients with COVID-19, as well as patients toilets, and staff and public areas in hospitals are all show significant levels of contamination with SARS-CoV-2. The study is by Dr. Gabriel Birgand, University Hosptial Centre Nantes, France, and colleagues.