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Pets linked to maintaining better mental health and reducing loneliness during lockdown, new ...

Sat, 26 Sep 2020 18:52:10 GMT

Sharing a home with a pet appeared to act as a buffer against psychological stress during lockdown, a new survey shows.

U.S. hospital admissions for non-COVID-19 have only partially rebounded from initial decline

Fri, 25 Sep 2020 17:47:14 GMT

While declines in U.S. hospital admissions during the onset of COVID-19 has been well-documented, little is known about how admissions during the rebound varied by age, insurance coverage and socioeconomic groups. The decline in non-COVID-19 admissions was similar across all demographic subgroups but the partial rebound that followed shows that non-COVID-19 admissions for residents from Hispanic neighborhoods was significantly lower than for other groups.

What new research reveals about rude workplace emails

Fri, 25 Sep 2020 15:36:48 GMT

A new study finds that rude emails at work can lead to significant distress for employees. Researchers say that 'active' email rudeness is overloaded with strong negative emotions. By comparison, 'passive' email rudeness leaves people struggling with uncertainty. Passive email rudeness may create problems for employees' sleep, which further puts them in a negative emotional state the next morning, thus creating a vicious cycle.

Age restrictions for handguns make little difference in homicides, study finds

Fri, 25 Sep 2020 15:36:28 GMT

In the United States, individual state laws barring 18- to 20-year-olds from buying or possessing a handgun make little difference in the rate of homicides involving a gun by people in that age group, a new study has found.

How do Americans view the virus? Anthropology professor examines attitudes, perceptions of COVID-19

Fri, 25 Sep 2020 15:36:17 GMT

A new study looks at how Americans' attitudes and responses have changed during the time of the pandemic and how to many people, the virus is not a biological agent but instead a malicious actor.

Marine heatwaves are human-made

Fri, 25 Sep 2020 15:33:51 GMT

Heatwaves in the world's oceans have become over 20 times more frequent due to human influence. This is what researchers are now able to demonstrate. Marine heatwaves destroy ecosystems and damage fisheries.

Study shows Massachusetts response to COVID-19 in nursing homes helped stem infection rate

Fri, 25 Sep 2020 15:33:25 GMT

A new paper found that adherence to infection control processes, especially proper wearing of personal protective equipment (PPE) and cohorting strategies, such as grouping residents based on their risk of infection or whether they tested positive for COVID-19, was significantly associated with declines in weekly infection and mortality rates.

Loneliness levels high during COVID-19 lockdown

Thu, 24 Sep 2020 18:16:20 GMT

During the initial phase of COVID-19 lockdown, rates of loneliness among people in the UK were high and were associated with a number of social and health factors, according to a new study.

Researchers examine COVID-19 impact on manufacturing

Thu, 24 Sep 2020 17:53:27 GMT

A new study finds that manufacturing response to COVID-19 has been largely reactive and uncoordinated, and many firms' crisis communication plans do not include managing an infectious-disease outbreak.

Job security, finances strongly related to increased anxiety during pandemic

Thu, 24 Sep 2020 17:53:25 GMT

For people still employed during the COVID-19 pandemic, job insecurity and financial concern are associated with greater symptoms of depression and anxiety, according to a new study.

Camera traps show impact of recreational activity on wildlife

Thu, 24 Sep 2020 14:19:32 GMT

The COVID-19 pandemic has fired up interest in outdoor activities in our parks and forests. Now a new study highlights the need to be mindful of how these activities may affect wildlife living in protected areas. All wildlife tended to avoid places that were recently visited by recreational users. And they avoided mountain bikers and motorized vehicles significantly more than they did hikers and horseback riders.

Remote neuropsychology tests for children shown effective, study finds

Thu, 24 Sep 2020 14:19:31 GMT

Administering neuropsychology evaluations to children online in the comfort of their own homes is feasible and delivers results comparable to tests traditionally performed in a clinic, a new study indicates. The finding could help expand access to specialists and reduce barriers to care, particularly as the popularity of telemedicine grows during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Climate pledges 'like tackling COVID-19 without social distancing'

Thu, 24 Sep 2020 12:27:09 GMT

Current global pledges to tackle climate change are the equivalent of declaring a pandemic without a plan for social distancing, researchers say.

Face-covering use up, more people are taking COVID-19 threats seriously, study finds

Wed, 23 Sep 2020 20:46:09 GMT

A new survey of six U.S. states has found that during the past two months, more people are wearing masks, vaccine uncertainty is on the rise, and many people are overestimating their risk of becoming seriously ill and dying from COVID-19.

UK lockdown and air pollution: Nitrogen dioxide halved but sulfur dioxide doubled

Wed, 23 Sep 2020 16:47:58 GMT

A new study of air pollution in the United Kingdom during the first 100 days of lockdown has revealed that while nitrogen oxide levels were cut by half, levels of sulfur dioxide increased by over 100 percent.

Flood risks: More accurate data due to COVID-19

Wed, 23 Sep 2020 16:47:36 GMT

Emerging use of Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) makes it possible to continuously measure shallow changes in elevation of Earth surface. A study now shows that the quality of these measurements may have improved significantly during the pandemic, at least at some stations. The results show which factors should be considered in the future when installing GPS antennas.

Enrolling in health education courses may help change student's beliefs about stress

Wed, 23 Sep 2020 16:47:28 GMT

College students are under a lot of stress, even more so lately due to the COVID-19 pandemic. New research finds that college health courses could help students develop a more positive stress mindset.

Sport and memory go hand in hand

Wed, 23 Sep 2020 16:46:16 GMT

If sport is good for the body, it also seems to be good for the brain. By evaluating memory performance following a sport session, neuroscientists demonstrate that an intensive physical exercise session improves memory. How? Through the action of endocanabinoids, molecules known to increase synaptic plasticity. School programs and strategies aimed at reducing the effects of neurodegeneration on memory could benefit from the study.

Death counts fail to capture full mortality effects of COVID-19, study finds

Wed, 23 Sep 2020 16:45:57 GMT

A new study finds that for each person in the U.S. who died after contracting COVID-19, an average of nearly 10 years of life had been lost. Researchers claim 'years of life lost' is a more insightful measure than death count since it accounts for the ages of the deceased.

COVID-19 'prediction model' uses data that can help determine if patients' conditions are ...

Tue, 22 Sep 2020 21:26:24 GMT

Using a combination of demographic and clinical data gathered from seven weeks of COVID-19 patient care early in the coronavirus pandemic, researchers have published a 'prediction model' they say can help other hospitals care for COVID-19 patients -- and make important decisions about planning and resource allocations.