A new study from the University of Georgia finds that users of public insurance are paying more for bariatric weight loss surgery compared to private insurance patients. The study, which published recently in Clinical Obesity, is the first to break down surgeries by insurance payer type—public versus private insurance—to better understand the economic burden on
(HealthDay)—For adolescents, understanding the severity of COVID-19 and valuing social responsibility are associated with acting in socially responsible ways, including more social distancing and disinfecting, according to a study published online June 29 in JAMA Pediatrics. Benjamin Oosterhoff, Ph.D., and Cara A. Palmer, Ph.D., from Montana State University in Bozeman, examined psychological factors associated with
NTMs are closely related to tuberculosis bacteria and can (but do not need to) cause infectious diseases in humans. They are called “nontuberculous mycobacteria” (NTMs) to distinguish them from tuberculosis bacteria. There are approximately 200 different species and subspecies of these bacteria. Patients with bronchiectasis (dilation of the airways) are particularly affected. It is not
A first-in-human study presented at the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging 2020 Annual Meeting has demonstrated the safety, favorable pharmacokinetic and dosimetry profile of 64Cu-EBRGD, a new, relatively long-lived PET tracer, in patients with glioblastomas. The radiotracer proved to be a superior, high-contrast imaging diagnostic in patients, visualizing tumors that express low or
The collective effort to fight the coronavirus pandemic has been called the defining moment of the 21st century, or this generation’s Second World War. There may be some truth to these analogies, but it’s premature—and even presumptuous—to put the present into a historic context. Pandemics have always shaped human history. Starting in the year 541,
In the fight against the novel Coronavirus, a vaccine is considered to be crucial. But the population would benefit from this also? While in April 2020, 70 percent of the people in Germany were willing to be vaccinated, the number dropped in June to 61 percent. Many people are particularly concerned with possible side effects.
A face mask is supposed to cover your nose and mouth completely, which means it closely hugs the areas. So it can lead to acne because of the friction Face masks are now an integral part of our lives. And yet, as we get ourselves accustomed to wearing it every time we step out, there
The Corona-pandemic keeps the world in breath. More than 12 million people were infected with the novel Coronavirus, 198.546 of them in Germany. The United States reported almost daily new record numbers. The latest news on Corona-crisis in Germany, Europe and the world read in the News-Ticker of FOCUS Online. Corona-News from Germany and around
German COVID-19-patient treated for the first time with a diaphragm-therapy It comes to serious COVID-19-gradients, can be a mechanical ventilation will be required. During such ventilation, the risk of dying is particularly high. The so-called diaphragm-therapy aims to make breathing safer now. The medical staff of the University hospital of Greifswald, Germany successfully tested a
Virologists at the Rega Institute at KU Leuven (Belgium) have developed a vaccine candidate that protects hamsters from infection with the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus. Theirs is one of the first vaccine candidates that is proven to protect lab animals from infection. The team aims to start clinical trials next Winter. Their findings are pending peer review,
As Victoria grapples with a second-wave outbreak of COVID-19, the importance of large-scale testing has again been highlighted. Without its “testing blitz” aiming at 10,000 tests a day, the extent of the outbreak would have been invisible for much longer. Australia-wide, we’ve so far achieved a seven-day rolling average of a little more than 50,000
Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, marginalized racial groups and those who wore face masks reported an increase in discrimination from people who thought they might have the virus. The online survey of people living in the United States suggests that between March and April 2020, the percentage of people who experienced discrimination related to COVID-19
Various diseases of the digestive tract, for example severe intestinal inflammation in humans, are closely linked to disturbances in the natural mobility of the intestine. What role the microbiome—i.e. the natural microbial community colonizing the digestive tract—plays in these rhythmic contractions of the intestine, also known as peristalsis, is currently the subject of intensive research.
In Kazakhstan, the grass is a “unknown pneumonia”, which is more dangerous than the Coronavirus is magnetized according to the local Chinese Embassy. Kazakh media described the disease as “a normal pneumonia,” the health Ministry called the message “Fake News”. Nevertheless, 1772 people have died. The Chinese Embassy in Kazakhstan has warned of a new
A century-old tuberculosis vaccine may play a role in reducing death due to Covid-19 infection, a preliminary study has suggested. Researchers from the US-based the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases of the National Institutes of Health made the link to Bacille Calmette-Guerin, or BCG, after comparing data on Covid-19 mortality rates across the
Activating the immune system is a promising form of cancer treatment. Researchers at the University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital as well as the University of Eastern Finland mapped out the immune landscape of hematological malignancies in a dataset covering more than 10,000 patients to identify drug targets and patient groups which could potentially
Otago researchers studying the COVID-19 virus (SARS-2) have discovered potential target points on its genome, which may contribute to future treatments for the virus. While their laboratory was locked down during the Level 4 period, Ph.D. student Ali Hosseini and Professor Alex McLellan from the Department of Microbiology and Immunology worked from their homes to
Children being treated for cancer often spend long days receiving chemotherapy intravenously or through a port. They also often require regular blood transfusions, including platelets (which are involved in clotting, and produced in bone marrow), to maintain stability and health. But the platelet administration process is often agonizingly slow, typically taking hours, which means children
Cloth face coverings, even homemade masks made of the correct material, are effective in reducing the spread of COVID-19—for the wearer and those around them—according to a new study from Oxford’s Leverhulme Centre for Demographic Science. A comprehensive study, the report investigates the effectiveness of different face mask types and coverings, including an international comparison
Science is collaborative by nature, since scientific knowledge only advances, step by step, through combined efforts and findings. Nevertheless, there is often a lack of communication regarding the more technical and everyday advances in laboratory work, and as a result, research progresses less quickly. In recent years, the development of the digital ecosystem has resulted