All posts by Kenneth Dantzler-Corbin

I am a writer, editor, adjunct professor of Religion and Philosophy, English as a Second Language, Genealogy, Educator in Ambulatory Care, and Spiritual Support Specialist, Singer, Musician, and Social Justice Advocate for Human Rights.
disease, drugs, Health, medications, Pharmaceuticals

Regeneron Pharmaceuticals has paused critically ill COVID-19 patients’ enrollment

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Regeneron Pharmaceuticals has paused critically ill COVID-19 patients’ enrollment with its trial studying the antibody cocktail treatment, which was fond of President Trump earlier this month. The choice is because of potential safety concerns.
The drugmaker on Friday said it was suspending the enrollment of hospitalized #COVID-19 patients requiring high-flow oxygen or mechanical ventilation after an unbiased monitoring committee observed “a potential safety signal and an unfavorable risk/benefit profile at the moment.”

The enrollment of individuals in this category should be on hold, pending the collection and evaluation of additional data.

Trials continue to test the antibody cocktail in hospitalized patients necessitating little if any extra oxygen. Other trials involving mild or moderately ill patients also can move ahead.

The drug has revealed encouraging outcomes. Regeneron on Wednesday said early data confirmed the therapy lowered COVID-19 related medical visits by 57 percent.

Regeneron earlier this month asked the foodstuff and Drug Administration for emergency approval and said it could make doses accessible to the American people free of charge. The drugmaker said it might have sufficient doses for 300,000 people when looking at the coming months.

Reference

Regeneron stops enrolling critically ill COVID-19 patients …. https://news.immitate.com/2020/10/30/regeneron-stops-enrolling-critically-ill-covid-19-patients-for-antibody-drug-trial-thehill-the-hill/.

Behavioral Science, Culture, disease, Health, mental health

The new reboot for the miniseries “Roots” reminds us of the physical toll

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The new reboot for the miniseries “Roots” reminds us of the physical toll that slavery has had on Black people. Slavery ended up being an exploitative system that built international capitalism through the theft, kidnapping, torture, and jail labor of #Africans.

Nevertheless, that procedure is and is still an intergenerational one, by which Black people have experienced psychic harm. The experiences for the dreaded servant ship dungeons for the Middle Passage–in which an incredible number of souls still sleep at the end for the Atlantic—the auction obstructs, the rapes, whippings and lynchings, the servant patrols, the backbreaking and life-ending labor at gunpoint, the separation of families all inflicted psychological harm in the victims and their descendants. Though their trauma ended up being profound, enslaved Black people had no psychological wellness practitioners open to them, no counselors to help them cope and heal. Moreover, the illness had been passed on to subsequent generations who, even today, haven’t gotten the procedure they therefore desperately need.

Black people have post-traumatic stress disorder or #PTSD, plus they might not even understand it. “PTSD signs typically consist of intrusive ideas concerning the trauma, avoidance of ideas or reminders for the trauma, anxiety, issues about security, constantly experiencing on guard, worries to be judged due to the trauma, and #depression. People might also have flashbacks and emotions of dissociation. Extremely serious PTSD can lead to psychosis, and PTSD could be temporarily or permanently disabling.

Signs particular to race-based #trauma in African-Americans can sometimes include avoidance of white people, worries and anxiety within the police force, paranoia and suspicion, and exorbitant concerns concerning the security of relatives and buddies.

Reference
Post-Traumatic Slave Syndrome and Intergenerational Trauma …. https://atlantablackstar.com/2016/06/05/post-traumatic-slave-syndrome-and-intergenerational-trauma-slavery-is-like-a-curse-passing-through-the-dna-of-black-people/

disease, Health

Resistance to Covid-19 infection remains for at least five months

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Resistance to Covid-19 infection remains for at least five months, investigators reported — and probably lengthier than that.

While the study may seem perplexing and contradictory to a comparable report out of Britain this week, it is not. People’s bodies generate an army of immune substances in response to an infection, and many are complicated at first, succumbing off quickly, while others develop more gradually.

The new account out Wednesday reveals 90% of men and women who recover from #Covid-19 infections maintain a stable antibody reaction.

British study demonstrates proof of subsiding immunity to Covid-19.

Although some researchers have suggested antibodies to this virus go away rapidly, experts have found just the reverse — that more than 90% of individuals who were moderately or averagely ill produce an antibody response strong adequate to counteract the virus, and the response is preserved for countless months.
This is important for successful vaccine improvement.

Can one get infected with Covid-19 two times? It is challenging
The team examined the antibody responses of more than 30,000 people who tested positive for Covid-19 at Mount Sinai’s Health System between March and October. They characterized their antibody reactions as minimal, moderate, or high. At least 90% had moderate to high amounts, or titers, of antibodies to the virus’s surge protein — the structure it uses to grip the cells it infects.

They then accurately studied 121 individuals who restored and contributed their plasma — once three months after they first produced signs, and again five months later.
Reference
Immunity to coronavirus lingers for months, study finds. https://www.cnn.com/2020/10/29/health/covid-immunity-lingers-months-wellness/index.html

disease, Health

A sizable English study showed the sheer number of individuals with Covid-19 antibodies declined significantly

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A sizable English study showed the sheer number of individuals with Covid-19 antibodies declined significantly throughout the summer, suggesting that having the virus may well not confer long-lasting immunity from future infection.

The survey of 365,000 adults in England who tested themselves in the home using a finger-prick test showed the proportion of men and women testing positive for #Covid-19 antibodies declined by 26.5% between June 20—12 weeks following the peak of infections when looking at the country—and Sept. 28.

The outcome also suggested that folks who did not display symptoms were expected to lose detectable antibodies before they showed symptoms. The analysis, conducted by Imperial College London and Ipsos Mori polling organization, was funded because of the British government, which announced the outcome and published the analysis on Monday night. Other experts have not yet reviewed the outcome.

Doctors do not yet know whether antibodies confer any effective immunity against reinfection by Covid-19. However, just because they are doing, and the link between this survey is confirmed, it suggests the outlook of widespread, long-term herd immunity into the virus should be tough to achieve. Herd immunity occurs when enough people in a population develop an immune response, either through previous infection or vaccination, so the virus cannot spread quickly, and those who are not immune have protection.

The findings showed that 18-24-year-olds lost antibodies at a slower rate than those aged 75 and over. The littlest decline of 14.9% was of men and women aged between 18 and 24 years, together with the largest decline of 29% was of men and women aged 75 and over.

The analysis reflects earlier smaller trials and implies that antibodies into the virus decline over 6-12 months after infection, such as other seasonal coronaviruses, for instance, the common cold. The analysis does not indicate whether other kinds of immune responses—such as that contributed by so-called T cells—would help drive back reinfection.

The analysis showed that 6% of England’s population had antibodies on June 20, compared to 4.4% on Sept. 28. After September, 9% of individuals displayed antibodies in London, compared to just 1.6% in all affected regions when looking at England’s southwest.

Among ethnic groups, 13.8% of Black people tested with antibodies at end-September and 9.7% of Asians—mainly South Asians. This is compared to 3.6% of white people. Minority ethnic groups, when looking at the U.K., such as the U.S., have suffered disproportionately through the virus.
Reference
Study Shows Covid-19 Antibodies Waning Over Time, Suggesting Immunity May Wear Off. https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/medical/study-shows-covid-19-antibodies-waning-over-time-suggesting-immunity-may-wear-off/ar-BB1aqa1Z?li=BBnb7Kz

Diet, disease, Fitness, Health

Over 80 percent of 200 COVID-19 sufferers in a hospital in Spain have vitamin D deficiency

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Over 80 percent of 200 COVID-19 sufferers in a hospital in Spain have vitamin D deficiency, relating to new research published when looking at the Endocrine Society’s Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.

Vitamin D is a hormone the kidneys generate that manages blood calcium amount and impacts the immune protection system. Vitamin D deficiency happens to be connected to many health problems, although scientific studies are still underway into why the hormone impacts other systems regarding the body. Many studies point out the beneficial affectation of vitamin D on the immune protection system, especially about protecting infections.

“One approach is always to identify and treat vitamin D deficiency, particularly in high-risk individuals, for instance, the elderly, patients with comorbidities, and nursing home residents, who will be the key target population for the COVID-19,” said study co-author José L. Hernández, Ph.D., regarding the University of Cantabria in Santander, Spain. “Vitamin D treatment should always be recommended in COVID-19 patients with lower levels of vitamin D circulating when you look at the blood because this approach could have beneficial effects both in the musculoskeletal in addition to the immune protection system.”

The investigators found that 80 percent of 216 COVID-19 patients in the Hospital Universitario Marqués de Valdecilla had vitamin D deficiency, and men had lower vitamin D levels than women. COVID-19 patients with reduce vitamin D levels also had increased serum amounts of inflammatory markers such as ferritin and D-dimer.
Reference
Over 80% of Hospitalized COVID-19 Patients Have Vitamin D Deficiency, Study Finds. https://scitechdaily.com/over-80-of-hospitalized-covid-19-patients-have-vitamin-d-deficiency-study-finds/

Diet, disease, Health

Synthetically sweetened beverages may not be a more healthy alternativ

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Synthetically sweetened beverages may not be a more healthy alternative after all, with a latest study finding an increased danger of heart problems.

Outcomes stemmed from the French NutriNet-Santé research with over 104,000 respondents and their nutritional data, concluded every six months, corresponding to a news release. Results were released in the Journal of American College of Cardiology.

“Compared to non-consumers, both higher customers of sugary beverages and of synthetically sweetened drinks had increasing concerns of first occurrence cardiovascular condition, after taking into account a extended array of confounding aspects,” research experts published.

Reference

Diet drinks linked to same heart issues as sweetened beverages, study says. https://www.foxnews.com/health/artificially-sweet-beverages-heart-issues-study-says

Behavioral Science, Culture, Ethics, human rights, mental health, Philosophy and Religion, Religion, Social Justice, Stigma

Pope Francis’ call for legal acceptance of same-sex relationships

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Pope Francis’ call for legal acceptance of #same-sex relationships has raised both hope and worries among #LGBTQ Catholics.

“What we need certainly to create is a civil union law,” the pontiff said in “Francesco,” an upcoming documentary from Russian American filmmaker Evgeny Afineevsky. “That way, these are typically legally covered. I stood up for that.”

Image: Pope Francis delivers "Urbi et Orbi" Christmas Day message from main balcony of St. Peter's Basilica

The remarks are a departure from earlier church messaging. Inside the last book, “Memory and Identity,” Pope John Paul II suggested same-sex marriage was “part of an innovative new ideology of evil.”

In 2003, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, who later became Pope Benedict XVI, wrote that respect for gays and lesbians “cannot lead in any solution to the approval of homosexual behavior or even to legal recognition of homosexual unions.”

“Legal recognition of homosexual unions or placing them on a single level as marriage will mean not only the approval of deviant behavior,” Ratzinger wrote, “but would also obscure basic values which fit in with the normal inheritance of humanity.” It has not been long ago that African Americans and Whites could intermarry. At that time, some Whites believed that Blacks would destroy the white race. Now, we see that the Pope is making a bold statement. Why are some people concerned about others’ marriage when their marriage ends in divorce because of an unfaithful partner who may be practicing deviant behavior with an individual of a different gender or that same-gender, which leads to adultery? Why get in other people’s business if your business is not perfect? Who gives a person the right to tell others who to love when your Christian bible say, “save yourself”? What would G-d say about one’s prejudice toward a sister or brother who may not share the same beliefs? Are we better than the other person because we know scriptures and many times misquote them without knowing the historial context that time in which scripture was written? If we take the scriptures literally, should we be stoning people?There are gay people in our families, pulpits, professional life who are doctors, lawyers, teachers, nurses, firefighter, ministers, essential workers, and in the church serving in every ministry whether known or unkown. There are just questions to think about.

Reference
Pope’s civil union remarks raise hopes, doubts for gay Catholics. https://www.nbcnews.com/feature/nbc-out/pope-s-civil-union-remarks-raise-hopes-doubts-gay-catholics-n1244337?cid=referral_taboolafeed

disease, Health, human rights

The early voting place has already generated long, long lines in many states

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The early voting place has already generated long, long lines in many states, counties, and with the November election just 11 days away, many states, counties, and cities have imposed security precautions to protect voters and poll workers from contact with the coronavirus.

However, polling places still have the potential in order to become “mass gathering events for people,” the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention educated and warned the American people in an advisory released on Friday of this week, adding that measures to stop the spread of Covid-19 might be improved.

The C.D.C. based its latest suggestions on a study through 522 poll workers’ experiences in Delaware’s statewide the month of September.

Guidelines and rules issued by the agency in June recommended various ways to attenuate crowds at polling locations in the United States, including absentee voting and extended voting hours.

To cut down on disease transmission of the virus, the C.D.C. also recommended setting up physical barriers, protecting self by wearing masks between voting machines; spacing the machines aside from the other person; indicating 6-foot distances with signs or floor markings for those of you waiting in line to vote for a long time; designating separate entrances and exits for voters; the use of protective gear — masks, face shields, gloves and gowns for individuals — for poll workers assisting sick voters and those who are carriers; and allowing curbside voting for folks who are ill.

“Ensuring that ill or potential voters who may be a carrier can vote while maintaining poll worker and voter safety may be important to minimizing transmission without restricting voting rights,” the report said.
Voting in the Covid-19 Pandemic: Wear a Mask and Bring Your Pen. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/23/health/Covid-voting-safety.html

disease, Health

A brand new study made headlines this week that features people claiming mouthwash could combat COVID-19

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A brand new study made headlines this week that features people claiming mouthwash could comba#t COVID-19.

Mouthwash is a day to day item that’s employed by many people several times just about every day. Also, it could have a large impact if it becomes a possible cure or treatment for the #coronavirus.
The analysis was launched this week by a Penn State College of Medicine research team led by Craig Meyers. They found certain oral antiseptics and mouthwashes could have the capability to inactivate human #coronaviruses.

https://wthr.com/embeds/video/507-6a81e8c9-e83a-4dbe-8d7b-f338b070a1af/iframe?jwsource=cl

Several tables into the study’s text show that one to two minutes of utilizing Johnson & Johnson baby shampoo as a nasal rinse inactives significantly more than 99% for the present virus while at the very least 30 seconds of Crest Pro-Health, Listerine Antiseptic, Listerine Ultra, Equate Antiseptic, CVS Antiseptic Mouthwash, and Betadine 5% bottles of mouthwash inactivate up to or maybe more than 99.99% of virus in your mouth.

As well as the tested mouthwashes that were less efficient still took care of most of the virus. “Most for the common over‐the‐counter mouthwashes/gargles tested demonstrated at the least a 90% decrease in infectious virus at 1 min of contract time using the greater part of products showing increasing virucidal activity with longer contact times,” the research said.

Reference
VERIFY: Study shows mouthwash may inactivate coronavirus, but not a cure.https://www.wthr.com/article/news/verify/verify-study-mouthwash-inactivate-coronavirus/507-98dcc164-17a8-42b3-bc84-5b55dd100f1d

disease, Healthy eating

If Americans would quit complaining concerning face masks

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If Americans would quit complaining concerning face masks and use them when they leave their homes, they could conserve well over 100,000 lives — and perhaps more than half a million — through the conclusion of February, based on a study published Friday in Nature Medicine.

The researchers viewed five circumstances for how the pandemic could play out with different levels of mask-wearing and guidelines about staying home and social distancing. All the scenarios presumed that no vaccine was accessible, nor any #medicines capable of curing the disease.

Systematically, the most effective — not to mention the least expensive and easiest — way to minimize deaths was to increase the number of individuals wearing masks.

As of Sept. 21, only 49% of Americans stated they “always” used a mask in public, corresponding to the study. If U.S. citizens do not mask up in increasing numbers, they jeopardize another round of compulsory social distancing measures that could shut businesses and schools around the country, the authors mentioned.

“The potential lifesaving benefit of maximizing mask use in the following fall and winter cannot be exaggerated,” wrote the team from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington.

The forecasts also suggest that if states continue to ease their social distancing mandates and other constraints regardless of the recent rise in #COVID-19 cases, there could be more than 1 million mortality rates in the U.S. by the end of February.

Reference
New study makes it clear: Mask wearing can save lots of lives. https://www.startribune.com/new-study-makes-it-clear-mask-wearing-can-save-lots-of-lives/572850702/