Health – Lifeboat News: The Blog

Apr 10
2020

Susceptibility of ferrets, cats, dogs, and other domesticated animals to SARS–coronavirus 2

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) causes the infectious disease COVID-19, which was first reported in Wuhan, China in December, 2019. Despite the tremendous efforts to control the disease, COVID-19 has now spread to over 100 countries and caused a global pandemic. SARS-CoV-2 is thought to have originated in bats; however, the intermediate animal sources of the virus are completely unknown. Here, we investigated the susceptibility of ferrets and animals in close contact with humans to SARS-CoV-2. We found that SARS-CoV-2 replicates poorly in dogs, pigs, chickens, and ducks, but ferrets and cats are permissive to infection. We found experimentally that cats are susceptible to airborne infection. Our study provides important insights into the animal models for SARS-CoV-2 and animal management for COVID-19 control.

In late December 2019, an unusual pneumonia emerged in humans in Wuhan, China, and rapidly spread internationally, raising global public health concerns. The causative pathogen was identified as a novel coronavirus (1–16) that was named Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) on the basis of a phylogenetic analysis of related coronaviruses by the Coronavirus Study Group of the International Committee on Virus Taxonomy (17); the disease it causes was subsequently designated COVID-19 by the World Health Organization (WHO). Despite tremendous efforts to control the COVID-19 outbreak, the disease is still spreading. As of March 11, 2020, SARS-CoV-2 infections have been reported in more than 100 countries, and 118,326 human cases have been confirmed, with 4,292 fatalities (18). COVID-19 has now been announced as a pandemic by WHO.

Although SARS-CoV-96.2% identity at the nucleotide level with the coronavirus RaTG13, which was detected in horseshoe bats (Rhinolophus spp) in Yunnan province in 2013 (3), it has not previously been detected in humans or other animals. The emerging situation raises many urgent questions. Could the widely disseminated viruses transmit to other animal species, which then become reservoirs of infection? The SARS-CoV-2 infection has a wide clinical spectrum in humans, from mild infection to death, but how does the virus behave in other animals? As efforts are made for vaccine and antiviral drug development, which animal(s) can be used most precisely to model the efficacy of such control measures in humans? To address these questions, we evaluated the susceptibility of different model laboratory animals, as well as companion and domestic animals to SARS-CoV-2.

Apr 10
2020

Coronavirus and the Sun: a Lesson from the 1918 Influenza Pandemic

Fresh air, sunlight and improvised face masks seemed to work a century ago; and they might help us now.

By Richard Hobday

When new, virulent diseases emerge, such SARS and Covid-19, the race begins to find new vaccines and treatments for those affected. As the current crisis unfolds, governments are enforcing quarantine and isolation, and public gatherings are being discouraged. Health officials took the same approach 100 years ago, when influenza was spreading around the world. The results were mixed. But records from the 1918 pandemic suggest one technique for dealing with influenza — little-known today — was effective. Some hard-won experience from the greatest pandemic in recorded history could help us in the weeks and months ahead.

Apr 10
2020

Samsung to support U.S. communities in the fight against COVID-19

At Samsung, we have a long tradition of supporting the health and vitality of our communities. Our company and our employees have generously given to schools, charitable causes and local institutions to address hometown needs across the United States. Our philosophy is simple – our business and employees thrive when our partners and communities thrive.

With nearly 20,000 employees spread across the U.S., our top priority remains to keep them and their families healthy and safe during this unprecedented time. This extends to the communities in which they call home.

Since the onset of COVID-19, we have worked to supply Samsung products and technology to aid frontline healthcare workers in local hospitals across New York and New Jersey. To assist school systems with their transition to remote learning, we have built on the 10 years of our Solve for Tomorrow program by expediting the delivery of nearly $3 million in technology and supplies to local schools across the country. We continue to support consumers with round-the-clock care at Samsung.com and have extended our product warranties for those impacted by COVID-19.

Apr 10
2020

Coating That Could Destroy COVID-19 Virus, for Use in Hospital Masks, in Development

Researchers at the University of Central Florida (UCF) are working to create a protective coating that would include a new nanomaterial to catch #COVID19 and kill it within seconds.

ORLANDO, Fla., April 10, 2020 — The masks that health care workers wear to protect them from the virus that causes COVID-19 block the virus before it reaches their faces, but do not destroy it. To further protect doctors, nurses, and others on the front lines of the pandemic, researchers at the University of Central Florida (UCF) are working to create a protective coating that would include a new nanomaterial to catch the virus and kill it within seconds.

Apr 9
2020

Engineer uses metal-oxide nanomaterials deposited on cloth to wipe out microbes

In an effort to make highly sensitive sensors to measure sugar and other vital signs of human health, Iowa State University’s Sonal Padalkar figured out how to deposit nanomaterials on cloth and paper.

Feedback from a peer-reviewed paper published by ACS Sustainable Chemistry and Engineering describing her new fabrication technology mentioned the metal-oxide nanomaterials the assistant professor of mechanical engineering was working with—including zinc oxide, cerium oxide and copper oxide, all at scales down to billionths of a meter—also have antimicrobial properties.

“I might as well see if I can do something else with this technology,” Padalkar said. “And that’s how I started studying antimicrobial uses.”

Apr 8
2020

DIY T-Shirt Masks and Balaclavas: Military Services Release Face-Covering Guidance

The military branches are requiring troops to make their own cloth face masks after the Pentagon’s latest policy directed face coverings for all personnel during the novel coronavirus outbreak.

The Defense Department announced Sunday that troops, DoD civilian employees, contractors and family members are encouraged to make simple coverings out of clean T-shirts and other household materials. The do-it-yourself face coverings are mandatory whenever people cannot maintain six feet of social distance in public areas or places of work, according to the policy, signed by Defense Secretary Mark Esper.

The DIY masks will help preserve much-needed N95 and surgical masks for health care workers, the policy states.

Apr 8
2020

Tesla will slash employee pay and furlough employees

Tesla will cut pay for all of its salaried employees and will furlough hourly workers until May 4, when it intends to resume production of electric cars, according to an internal e-mail that multiple employees shared with CNBC. The pay reductions are expected to be in place until the end of the second quarter.

Health orders, implemented to curb the spread of COVID-19, forced Elon Musk’s electric car company to wind down production at its main vehicle assembly plant in Fremont, California.

The new pay cuts follow Tesla’s first-quarter vehicle production and deliveries report, which pleased investors — the company said it delivered approximately 88,400 vehicles and produced 103,000 in Q1. Tesla has yet to withdraw guidance it gave investors for 2020, saying it should “comfortably exceed” 500,000 vehicle deliveries for the year.

Apr 7
2020

Engineering Volcanoes

Science yearns to discover a means to control or stop volcanic eruptions before they begin. To date there have been no successful efforts to start, stop or reduce a volcanic eruption; however, the ideas exists and discussion is underway. By accurately forecasting or minimizing a volcanic eruption, scientists and decision makers can reduce the risk and damage to human health and property through preparation and evacuation. Unfortunately, eruption forecasting is not totally accurate or reliable. However, if we are able to initiate a volcanic eruption we could schedule the event and prepare, properly evacuate and effectively eliminate risk to human well being. Think of it as a geologic Caesarean . Other techniques to control an eruption could include depressurization of the magma chamber or increasing the aperture of the vent to diffuse the energy of an eruption.

Apr 6
2020

Modern iron lung designed to address ventilator shortage

British engineers are developing a modern version of the Negative Pressure Ventilator (NPV), more popularly known as the “iron lung,” to provide COVID-19 patients under the care of the NHS with a simple, inexpensive alternative to ventilators.

One of the resources that is in critically short supply for treating COVID-19 patients in need of respiratory support is ventilators. They help to support breathing in people whose lungs have been heavily affected by the virus, but these machines face a number of problems.

The most obvious difficulty is that ventilators are in short supply across the world as health authorities scramble to secure enough to meet the current and estimated demand as the pandemic spreads. They are also complex, expensive, require monitoring by trained personnel, and are dangerous to use on even healthy people because they require the patient to be intubated and sedated, and sometimes even paralyzed.

Apr 6
2020

Spinal Cord Injury with Residual Quadriparesis Improved After Stem Cell Treatment

I met with an accident in 1997.I suffered a spinal cord injury in that accident.3 months go I took stem cell therapy at Neurogen. In these 3 months I feel I have improved a lot more than before. My legs feel loose. My back also feels free. While walking my legs used to crossover each other, that has now reduced. All the muscles of my legs were very tight.
before now it has reduced. Climbing up and down the stairs is also easier than earlier.
I can also move my toes know. Earlier while walking my legs used to cross over each other, now that has reduced and I can walk much better. From lying down I can get up much easily and I can do it on my own now. Earlier I used to do bed rolling as an exercise which is much easier now. I get up from bed very easily now, back seems.
less tight and I can do the movements freely. I can roll, turn and crawl in the bed freely, than before. I can now shift forward and backward in the bed easily and on my own. Earlier while standing and walking the heel of my foot used to lift off the ground, now it touches the ground. I can balance myself on both legs now. I feel I have a good grip while walking, bearing more weight on both the legs. While climbing stairs I can lift my leg up on my own and climb. I can now stand on my own without any support. Earlier both these muscles were very tight Now they have become loose helping me Walk better.
Earlier I could not do this exercise at all But now I am able to lift my back easily

Improvement
Adductor spasticity has decreased.

Earlier he had a scissoring gait. Now
he is able to walk normally.

Hip control is better.

Trunk muscles have improved, so
getting from supine position is easy.

Intrinsic foot muscles has improved.

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