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Ten Minute Sabbatical
Ten Minute Sabbatical
Take a break from the bench to puzzle and peruse.
Ten Minute Sabbatical
Ten Minute Sabbatical

Take a break from the bench to puzzle and peruse.

Take a break from the bench to puzzle and peruse.

disease & medicine, microbiology

mosquito, dengue, vector, transmission, Aedes aegypti, Wolbachia, bacteria, virus, Zika, yellow fever,  chikungunya
Bacteria-Laced Mosquitoes Limit Spread of Dengue
Amanda Heidt | Aug 28, 2020 | 4 min read
Cases of dengue were greatly reduced in areas of a city where Wolbachia-infected mosquitos were released, according to preliminary data from a field study.
COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, coronavirus, pandemic, transmission, superspread, genome, virus, tracking, Biogen, Massachusetts
Thousands of Coronavirus Infections Stemmed from a Biotech Event
Amanda Heidt | Aug 26, 2020 | 3 min read
Officials had initially linked 97 cases to a single conference held by Biogen in February in Boston, but a new study tracking viral genomes suggests the number may be as high as 20,000.
Patients Reinfected with Coronavirus in Hong Kong, Europe
Lisa Winter | Aug 25, 2020 | 2 min read
So far, there are three patients known to have been infected with SARS-CoV-2 twice, and in at least one case the second time around was asymptomatic.
blood, plasma, COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, pandemic, coronavirus, FDA, Food and Drug Administration, emergency use authorization, EUA, treatment
FDA Gives Plasma Go-Ahead to Treat COVID-19, Experts Skeptical
Amanda Heidt | Aug 24, 2020 | 3 min read
White House officials hail convalescent plasma as a major breakthrough, but scientists say evidence supporting its effectiveness is still lacking.
adam kucharski the rules of contagion
Connecting the DOTS
Adam Kucharski | Aug 18, 2020 | 3 min read
The four factors that drive contagion
COVID-19 Outbreaks Occur as Students Return to Campus
Lisa Winter | Aug 18, 2020 | 7 min read
Following a string of outbreaks, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill will move to an online-only semester.
COVID-19 Convalescent Plasma Trials
The Scientist | Aug 18, 2020 | 1 min read
UPenn’s Katharine Bar discusses ongoing clinical trials to explore the efficacy of treating patients with plasma from individuals who have recovered from an infection.
COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, pandemic, coronavirus, saliva, testing, PCR, FDA, emergency use authorization
FDA Approves New Saliva-Based COVID-19 Test
Amanda Heidt | Aug 17, 2020 | 3 min read
SalivaDirect, an open-source protocol, avoids many of the supply bottlenecks of other tools and could be offered for as little as $10 a test.
Characteristics that Give Viruses Pandemic Potential
Anthony King | Aug 17, 2020 | 10+ min read
A handful of factors tip the scales in making a virus more likely to trigger a disruptive global outbreak. Right now, scientists tend to rank influenza, coronaviruses, and Nipah virus as the biggest threats.
Table: Viruses that Threaten to Spark Another Pandemic
Anthony King | Aug 17, 2020 | 3 min read
A coronavirus has been commanding the headlines for months, but strains of influenza and paramyxovirus are extremely dangerous pathogens that could spark outbreaks.
Book Excerpt from The State of Science
Marc Zimmer | Aug 14, 2020 | 5 min read
In Chapter 13, “Trusting Experts—and the Trump Administration,” Marc Zimmer laments the communication breakdown between modern US policy makers and scientists
Opinion: Science in a Time of Crisis
Marc Zimmer | Aug 14, 2020 | 4 min read
A new book explores the ways that research findings are used and misused.
COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, pandemic, coronavirus, food safety, fomite, disease transmission, testing, CDC, WHO
Coronavirus Found on Food Packaging, but Likely of Little Concern
Amanda Heidt | Aug 13, 2020 | 3 min read
China recently reported the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus on the outside of frozen food items imported from other countries, but experts stress the risk of transmission is extremely low.
laser imaging, methods, Duke Health, COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, pandemic, coronavirus, masks, safety, health, aerosols, droplets, saliva
Simple Tool Evaluates Mask Performance at Blocking Droplets
Amanda Heidt | Aug 12, 2020 | 4 min read
A proof-of-concept study finds some commonly used facial coverings may perform worse than no mask at all.
Noel Rose, Immunology, Autoimmune Disease, John Hopkins University, University at Buffalo, Microbiology, Antigens
Noel Rose, Who Demonstrated Autoimmunity Exists, Dies at 92
Amanda Heidt | Aug 10, 2020 | 4 min read
The Johns Hopkins University researcher bucked the prevailing idea that the body would not launch an immune response against its own tissues, and in doing so established an entirely new scientific discipline.
Looking Back, Looking Ahead
Bob Grant | Aug 10, 2020 | 4 min read
Although modern society seems to be unwilling or unable to learn from the past, doing so just might hold the key to envisioning a brighter future.
Disrupted Habitats Have More Zoonotic Disease Hosts: Study
Lisa Winter | Aug 6, 2020 | 2 min read
Animals that can host pathogens dangerous to humans, such as rodents, birds, and bats, are proportionately more common in human-occupied spaces than in remote areas.
DNA Could Thwart Trade of the World’s Most Trafficked Mammal
Diana Kwon | Aug 6, 2020 | 4 min read
Pangolins are poached for their scales and meat, leading researchers to develop a set of molecular tools to help track and mitigate the trade.
Tracking Pangolin Traffic Networks
The Scientist | Aug 6, 2020 | 1 min read
Working at bushmeat markets in Africa, researchers are trying to trace the trade networks of the mammals.
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