Since the emergence of the novel coronavirus in late 2019, multiple approaches for treating COVID-19 have been considered, from the use of repurposed medicines such as the antimalarial drug, hydroxychloroquine, to the Ebola antiviral drug, remdesivir. Many of these therapeutic strategies have fallen short in terms of their clinical effectiveness, which has propelled scientists to […]
West coast wildfires, COVID a double whammy to lung health
(HealthDay)—Even as wildfires rage across California, Oregon and Washington, another danger lurks in the eerie orange haze that has enveloped U.S. cities, towns and neighborhoods this week: an increased risk of catching COVID-19. Wildfire smoke can irritate the lungs and harm the immune system, explained Dr. Cheryl Pirozzi, a pulmonologist at University of Utah Health. […]
Loss of a pet can potentially trigger mental health issues in children
The death of a family pet can trigger a sense of grief in children that is profound and prolonged, and can potentially lead to subsequent mental health issues, according to a new study by researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH). In a paper appearing in European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, the team found that the […]
Over half a million U.S. kids already infected with COVID-19
(HealthDay)—More than 500,000 U.S. children had been diagnosed with COVID-19 as of early September, with a sizable uptick seen in recent weeks, a new report reveals. There were 70,630 new child cases reported between Aug. 20 and Sept. 3, 2020. That brings the total to 513,415 cases—a 16% increase over two weeks, according to state-by-state […]
Woman's 42I breasts caused her spine to collapse and left her using a wheelchair
Debbie Horton, 26, is desperately seeking breast reduction surgery, after her 42I breasts caused her spine to collapse and left her needing to use a wheelchair. The sales advisor, of Nuneaton, has spent the past four years in extreme pain due to spinal problems including spinal degeneration disc disease, fibromyalgia, prolapsed discs spondylitis and kyphosis […]
People with obesity in the UK wait much longer before discussing weight with a healthcare provider
A detailed analysis of UK data from a global obesity study (the ACTION-IO study) has shown that, on average, people with obesity (PwO) in the UK were struggling with their weight for 9 years before they sought help from a healthcare professional/HCP, much longer than the global average of 6 years found in this study. […]
How ‘swapping bodies’ with a friend changes our sense of self
Our sense of who we are is thought to be influenced by things like our childhood experiences, our interactions with others, and now, researchers say, our bodies. A study appearing August 26 in the journal iScience shows that, when pairs of friends swapped bodies in a perceptual illusion, their beliefs about their own personalities became […]
Mental health has long been a challenge for grad students. COVID-19 has made it harder
When Lauren Langbein became a doctoral student in cell biology at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia in 2014, she was used to being a stellar student—she had always excelled in classrooms and labs. But by the end of 2016, her research project was falling apart, and Langbein, a native of Monmouth County, N.J., and a […]
Here's how to take a nap and not ruin your night's sleep
Is there anything more blissful than a long and lazy Sunday nap, preferably enjoyed after a big brunch that included a mimosa or two? Except, you’ll likely be hit with a severe case of napper’s remorse hours later when you’re tossing and turning in bed — or the following morning, when there’s not enough coffee […]
Scent-sensing cells have a better way to fight influenza
Influenza researchers have long focused most of their efforts on the epithelial cells lining the lungs because these are the cells that become infected and killed while producing new copies of the virus. But other cells lining the upper airways are exposed to viruses in the same amounts and somehow aren’t as likely to be […]