Month: March 2020

Researchers in Australia recently examined whether the current popularity and perceived benefits of nature play are justified by any scientific evidence. Nature play is an increasingly popular design theme for children’s playgrounds.  Whereas traditional playgrounds consist of equipment such as slides and swings, nature play playgrounds are full of natural components such as rocks, ponds,
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Clinical trials are currently underway to investigate the effectiveness of bevacizumab for the treatment of COVID-19, with results expected as early as May 2020. The outbreak and rapid spread of the novel coronavirus, COVID-19, has resulted in the worldwide search for a viable treatment option. There are several drug candidates currently being investigated to treat
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A recent study compared the risk of cancer between non-hormonal-copper and hormone‑releasing intrauterine device users. An intrauterine device is a small device placed in the uterus to prevent pregnancy. There are two types of intrauterine devices: the non-hormonal-copper and the hormone-releasing intrauterine devices. As with any birth control, these devices also offer benefits and risks.
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A randomized phase 3 clinical trial has shown that pembrolizumab combined with chemotherapy improves the pathological complete response (defined as no evidence of cancer) of patients with early-stage triple-negative breast cancer. Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a high-risk cancer type comprising approximately 15% of all breast cancers. However, TNBC is more aggressive and has higher
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Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, was first detected in Wuhan, China in December 2019. Since that time, the World Health Organization has declared COVID-19 a public health emergency due to its rapid spread. A recent study published in The New England Journal of Medicine assessed SARS-CoV-2 viral loads in patients to
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A recent study identified a biomarker in saliva to identify childhood obesity risk. Globally, the prevalence of childhood obesity is growing at an alarming rate. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in the United States, obesity in children has risen from 13.9 percent in 2000 to 18.5 percent in 2016. Childhood
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Eating a moderate amount of fish per week, while pregnant, may improve child’s metabolic health, according to a new study. Fish is a significant dietary source of omega-3 fatty acids that may have cardiometabolic benefits. Several studies support that fish consumption can help reduce the risks of heart and metabolic diseases, such as high blood
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A recent review highlighted the psychological impact of quarantine and the ways to alleviate its effects.  The recent COVID-19 outbreak has impacted the world drastically. The World Health Organization (WHO) announced COVID-19 as a pandemic on March 11, 2020. Several people who had potential exposure to the virus are being asked to isolate themselves or
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Researchers investigated what factors play a role in cognitive decline in retirement, emphasizing the importance of staying mentally active. Previous research has shown that as people age and retire there is a decline in cognition due to less or no involvement in mental activities. The rate of cognitive decline varies individually and may be caused
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In the first step toward developing effective COVID-19 treatments, scientists successfully identify receptors that allow the virus to enter cells. Every new confirmed case of COVID-19 adds to the mounting pressure to develop a treatment or vaccine. But how are treatments or vaccines created, and why does it take so long?  What do we know
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In laboratory studies in mice, researchers investigated the link between success of an experimental cancer immunotherapy drug and gut bacteria. Different treatment approaches are used to treat different types of cancer. Cancer immunotherapy drugs help the body’s own immune system to attack abnormal tumor cells. Some tumor cells express proteins on their cell surfaces to
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Testing capacity for the coronavirus in the U.S. will dramatically increase in the coming days, former Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Scott Gottlieb told CNBC on Friday. “By probably next week, we’ll be at capacity of tens of thousands of tests a day,” Gottlieb said on “Squawk Box.” “Certainly by the end of next week, I think
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A recent study has investigated the features of COVID-19 infection in infants hospitalized in China over a two-month period. During the spread of COVID-19 in recent months, there has been a relatively smaller number of cases of severe disease in infants reported. A recent study examined the demographic, epidemiologic, and clinical features of COVID-19 infection
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Researchers describe the progress of a simple and non-invasive new urine test for prostate cancer that’s currently in development. Prostate cancer is one of the most frequently diagnosed cancers among men. Although there are effective treatments, such as radiotherapy and surgery for localized prostate cancer, men diagnosed with more progressive prostate cancer have a poorer
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A small study discusses the risk of COVID-19 transmission from asymptomatic carriers.  As scientists continue to work on slowing the spread of COVID-19, examining patterns of person to person disease transmission is crucial. However, the transmission of COVID-19 from asymptomatic carriers, with a normal chest computed tomography (CT), has not been investigated. Published in the Journal
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A recent study investigated whether anastrozole treatment could reduce the risk of breast cancer recurrence. Estrogen hormone promotes the growth and survival of normal and cancerous breast epithelial cells. Some breast cancers are more sensitive to the hormone estrogen, and they are known as estrogen receptor (ER)-positive breast cancers. Anastrozole is in a class of
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Population obesity in mice allows more virulent strains of influenza to develop and spread. The countless negative health impacts of obesity have mostly been well documented. However, one of the less well known harmful effects of obesity is the impact it can have on viral pathogenesis. Population-based studies of the 2009 Swine Flu pandemic suggest
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Researchers used a promising new therapy called antisense oligonucleotide therapy to control the expression of a mutant SCN8A gene, resulting in delayed seizure onset and survival in mouse models of SCN8A encephalopathy and Dravet syndrome.  What is SCN8A encephalopathy? Developmental and epileptic encephalopathies are a group of rare epilepsy syndromes that are characterized by early-onset
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