Our brains have an upper limit on how much they can process at once due to a constant but limited energy supply, according to a new study using a brain imaging method that measures cellular metabolism. The study, published in the Journal of Neuroscience, found that paying attention can change how the brain allocates its limited energy; as the brain uses more energy in processing...
A new study shows that moist heat treatment of N95 masks eliminates severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and bacteria, which would allow reuse of these scarce resources. The study is published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal). The researchers found that moist heat treatment (60 min, 70°C, 50% relative humidity) did not damage the mask’s structure or affect function. “This low-cost reprocessing strategy...
According to a study by scientists at Harvard Medical School, the loss of smell in COVID-19 patients is likely to be caused by infection of no neuronal cell types. Loss of smell (or anosmia) is one of the most common symptoms of a COVID-19 infection, although it has not been clear what the mechanisms behind this phenomenon are. New research published in Science Advances by...
People who have been seriously unwell and treated on intensive care units can expect to take some months to recover fully, regardless of their ailment. However, with COVID-19, evidence is mounting that some people who have had relatively mild symptoms at home may also have a prolonged illness. Overwhelming fatigue, palpitations, muscle aches, pins and needles and many more symptoms are being reported as after-effects...
New research has found that people who laugh more during stressful times appear to show less symptoms of stress. The participants were followed for a period of 14 days, during which time they were asked to answer questions eight times a day on a mobile phone which asked them about the frequency and intensity of laughter, their reason for laughing, and any stressful events or...
In the case of an infection, the SARS-CoV-2 virus must overcome various defense mechanisms of the human body, including its non-specific or innate immune defense. During this process, infected body cells release messenger substances known as type 1 interferons. These attract natural killer cells, which kill the infected cells. One of the reasons the SARS-CoV-2 virus is so successful — and thus dangerous — is...
Home-made cloth face masks likely need a minimum of two layers, and preferably three, to prevent the dispersal of viral droplets from the nose and mouth that are associated with the spread of COVID-19, indicate a video case study published online in the journal Thorax. Viral droplets are generated during coughing, sneezing, or speaking. And face masks are thought to protect healthy people from inhaling...
Wоrkіng from hоmе is сhаllеngіng. Aраrt from rеduсеd social іntеrасtіоn аnd the dоmеѕtіс jugglіng involved, homes are nоt uѕuаllу designed tо rерlісаtе a workplace еnvіrоnmеnt whеn it соmеѕ tо еmрlоуееѕ’ hеаlth. Instead, іmрrоvіѕеd wоrk ѕtаtіоnѕ hаvе bесоmе thе nоrm fоr many реорlе, whether it’s a dining tаblе, a sofa, or еvеn a соrnеr оf flооr space. None оf thеѕе аrе ideal fоr роѕturе оr аvоіdіng...
Patients with аbnоrmаllу hіgh blооd sugar lеvеlѕ аrе mоrе thаn twісе аѕ likely tо dіе from COVID-19, rеѕеаrсhеrѕ іn China said Sаturdау. It іѕ thе first tіmе scientists have been able to соnfіrm thаt раtіеntѕ wіth hуреrglусеmіа, but nоt dіаgnоѕеd with dіаbеtеѕ, are аt higher risk of dеаth frоm COVID-19, they wrоtе іn the jоurnаl Dіаbеtоlоgіа. The rеѕеаrсhеrѕ examined dеаth rates for 605 COVID-19 patients...
Potentially fatal COVID-19 complications in the brain including delirium, nerve damage and stroke may be more common than initially thought, a team of British-based doctors warned Wednesday. Severe COVID-19 infections are known to put patients at risk of neurological complications, but research led by University College London suggests serious problems can occur even in individuals with mild cases of the virus. The team looked at...