Monthly Archives: November 2020

Behavioral Science, disease, Health

Danish study finds that face masks provide only limited protection

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Danish study finds that face masks provide only limited protection against SARS-CoV-19 infection. Researchers say findings should not be used to argue against widespread use to prevent people from infecting others. After one month, 1.8% of people wearing the masks had been infected, while 2.1% in a control group. Health experts have long said a mask provides only limited protection for the person wearing it but can dramatically reduce others’ risk.

Reference
Danish study finds face masks provide limited protection …. https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/reuters/danish-study-finds-face-masks-provide-moderate-to-no-protection-against-covid-19/46169826

disease, drugs, Health, medications

Interleukin-1 has been involved as a mediator of chronic pericarditis

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Interleukin-1 has been involved as a mediator of chronic pericarditis. A phase 3 trial of rilonacept was performed in patients with acute symptoms and systemic inflammation. During the run-in period, the median time for pain resolution or near-resolution was 5 days, and the median time for normalization of CRP was 7 days. Injection site reactions and upper respiratory tract infections were the most common adverse events. Among patients with chronic periecarditis, treatment resulted in rapid resolution and a slightly lower risk of recurrence than placebo. The most common side effects were injection site reactions and upper respiratory tract infections.

Reference

Phase 3 Trial of Interleukin-1 Trap Rilonacept in Recurrent Pericarditis. https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2027892

disease, Health, medications, Pharmaceuticals

Guidelines prescribe that one or more antiarrhythmic medications

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Guidelines prescribe that one or more antiarrhythmic medications be tested before catheter ablation is considered in patients with atrial fibrillation. First-line ablation could be more effective in preserving sinus rhythm, we’ve discovered. Severe adverse effects resulted in 5 patients who underwent ablation and 6 patients who prescribed antiarrhythmic drug treatment. Patients undergoing initial care for symptomatic, paroxysmal atrial fibrillation had a slightly lower risk of recurrence with catheter cryoballoon ablation than with antiarrHythmicDrug, as measured by continuous heart rhythm testing. The median ratio of time of atrial fibrillation was 0 per cent (interquartile scale, 0 to 0.08) with ablation and 0.13 per cent with drug treatment compared to 0.60 per cent with ablated therapy.

Reference

Cryoablation or Drug Therapy for Initial Treatment of Atrial Fibrillation. https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2029980

disease, Health

Patients with Type O or B blood spent less time in ICU than those with Type A or AB

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Study: Patients with Type O or B blood spent less time in ICU than those with Type A or AB. They were also less likely to require ventilation and to have kidney failure. Study looked at 95 critically ill COVID-19 patients at hospitals in Vancouver, Canada, between February and April. Researchers did not see any link between blood type and the length of each patient’s total hospital stay.  Both new studies came out Wednesday in the journal Blood Advances.     

Reference

https://www.sciencealert.com/study-gives-more-evidence-that-blood-type-may-change-covid-19-risk-and-severity

Diet, disease, Health, Healthy eating

A good-quality chicken noodle soup is nourishing

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A good-quality chicken noodle soup is nourishing because of the bone broth, vegetables, and protein-rich meat. Research suggests it may prove particularly beneficial when you are sick. Not all chicken soups are created equal; some contain a compound called carnosine that can prepare the immune system to fight the early flu stages. Most recipes include the following ingredients: vegetables, meat, broth, noodles, noodles.

Reference
Chicken soup is jam-packed with nutritious ingredients that make it a healthy meal, whether you are sick or not.https://www.insider.com/is-chicken-noodle-soup-healthy

disease, Health, mental health

The U.S. on Sunday surpasses 11 million cases of coronavirus

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The U.S. on Sunday surpasses 11 million cases of coronavirus. The increase has led officials in some states, such as Michigan and California, to impose lockdowns. The first wave of lockdowns in the spring took a toll on the mental health of many, with suicidal thoughts nearly doubling. The 18-24 age group was one of the most affected, with some 25% reporting having suicidal thoughts.

Reference

The impact of coronavirus lockdowns on kids’ mental health.https://www.foxnews.com/health/coronavirus-lockdowns-kids-mental-health

Behavioral Science, disease, Health, mental health

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted so many facets of our lives

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The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted so many facets of our lives for eight months. Moreover, many parents are suffering from their children’s mental well-being. For most learners, zoom or hybrid education is the only alternative right now. Mental health professionals agree that paying attention to your child is more critical than ever because of students’ tremendous burden.

Most students think about the future and feel nervous, afraid, and even depressed. Experts believe this is because many students no longer have the sense of order and excitement that school offers.

Reference
COVID-19’s impact on property tax assessments – REJournals. https://rejournals.com/covid-19s-impact-on-property-tax-assessments/
How families can help their students as pandemic, hybrid learning takes its toll on mental health. https://wgntv.com/news/coronavirus/how-families-can-help-their-students-as-pandemic-hybrid-learning-takes-its-toll-on-mental-health/

Behavioral Science, Health, mental health

The 15Minutes4Me test has blown through to TikTok,

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The 15Minutes4Me test has blown through to TikTok, with more than 6.4 million views on writing on the #15minutes4me hashtag alone. The 15-minute online survey is situated around an assessment questionnaire. It helps people determine their current mental state to figure out an effective treatment protocol and offer strategies and solutions for dealing with anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues. If somebody so decides, they can sign up for the next step: A month-by-month daily sessions program made to be a “therapeutic self-help program.”

The widespread usage of this online self-help program among teens begs the question, though: How helpful can a viral test be? We spoke to many mental health professionals to learn.

“With a lot of young adults utilizing the TikTok app, there has been room for so much more candid conversations surrounding the topic of mental health,” said Kristin Wilson, LPC, vice president of clinical outreach at Newport Academy, a healing center for adolescents struggling with mental health issues. “These discussions can help teens believe that they’re not alone within their struggles and produce an online community of support.”

Reference
TikTokers are turning mental health into a trend — but is …. https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/tiktokers-turning-mental-health-trend-142105404.html

disease, drugs, Health, medications, Pharmaceuticals

It is possible to forget that COVID-19 is only a relatively young virus

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It is possible to forget that COVID-19 is only a relatively young virus. And with that, experts are also struggling to find ways to handle it. Today, a recent report indicates that one possible cure for the virus may be found in your local pharmacy: traditional sleep aid melatonin.

The November study, which was published in the journal PLOS Biology, analyzed patient results from the Cleveland Clinic COVID-19 registry.1 Researcher found that melatonin use was related to an approximately 30% reduced risk of positive testing for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that triggers COVID-19, after age, race, smoking history, and comorbidity-adjusted scientists. The figures for people in some communities were also higher: Afro-Americans had a 52 percent reduced chance of positive results, while those with diabetes were at a 48 percent lower risk.
Reference

Researchers Identify Melatonin as Possible COVID-19 Treatment. https://www.verywellhealth.com/melatonin-possible-covid-19-treatment-5087816

disease

Desperate to find a seemingly responsible way to host dinner parties, certain people have begun to get coronavirus tests

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Desperate to find a seemingly responsible way to host dinner parties, certain people have begun to get coronavirus tests as a way to clear themselves up for dinner parties without having to wear masks or keep their distance.

Ferrer said on Monday that she had learned of groups of young adults going to get screened for coronavirus on Thursday to get negative results by Saturday morning, and then holding a dinner party on Saturday night. Such checks offer a false sense of security—and participating in this activity will also lead to a dinner party being a super-spreading occurrence that will widely disperse the extremely infectious virus.

Reference:

‘False sense of security’: L.A. County officials urge residents not to get tested for coronavirus just to socialize.https://ktla.com/news/local-news/false-sense-of-security-l-a-county-officials-urge-residents-not-to-get-tested-for-coronavirus-just-to-socialize/