Early birth linked to greater risk of hospital visits during childhood

Being born early (before 37 weeks' gestation) is associated with a higher risk of hospital admission throughout childhood than being born at full term (40 weeks' gestation), finds a study published by The BMJ today.

Aim to exceed weekly recommended physical activity level to offset health harms of prolonged sitting

New additional research shows that increasing physical activity can counter early death risk linked to long periods of sedentary time

Powerful cyclone makes landfall in India

A powerful cyclonic storm hurtled into India's southern coast early Thursday, uprooting trees and packing strong winds and rains as tens of thousands of people took refuge in shelters.

AstraZeneca manufacturing error clouds vaccine study results

AstraZeneca and Oxford University on Wednesday acknowledged a manufacturing error that is raising questions about preliminary results of their experimental COVID-19 vaccine.

Homes evacuated as cyclone threatens India

Several thousand people in south-eastern India fled their homes on Wednesday, out of the path of a cyclone due to slam coastal areas after midnight, bringing with it heavy rain.

EU says first virus vaccinations possible by Christmas

A top European Union official said Wednesday that the first citizens in the 27 nation bloc could be vaccinated against the coronavirus by Christmas, but she warned that member countries must urgently prepare their logistical chains for the rollout of hundreds of millions of doses of the vaccines.

Spinal/epidural anesthesia associated with increased survival in leg artery bypass surgery

A new study published in The BMJ shows that people who had surgery to improve blood flow in their legs under spinal or epidural anesthesia were less likely to die than those who were given general anesthesia.

SARS-CoV-2 mutations do not appear to increase transmissibility

None of the mutations currently documented in the SARS-CoV-2 virus appear to increase its transmissibility in humans, according to a study led by UCL researchers.

Cooking with wood may cause lung damage

Advanced imaging with CT shows that people who cook with biomass fuels like wood are at risk of suffering considerable damage to their lungs from breathing in dangerous concentrations of pollutants and bacterial toxins, according to a study being presented at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA).

Research creates hydrogen-producing living droplets, paving way for alternative future energy source

Scientists have built tiny droplet-based microbial factories that produce hydrogen, instead of oxygen, when exposed to daylight in air.

German vials in spotlight as COVID-19 vaccine nears

As expectations grow that the first COVID-19 jabs will be administered in a matter of weeks, German glassmaker Schott is quietly doing what it has been for months: churning out vials that will hold the vaccine.

LA shuts restaurants as virus surges, but Europe eases lockdowns

A restaurant dining ban in Los Angeles was due to come into force Wednesday as officials warned Americans to stay home for the Thanksgiving holiday, while parts of Europe eyed looser lockdowns over the festive season.

Prehistoric mega-shark raised its young in nurseries: study

The largest sharks ever to have roamed the oceans parked their young in shallow, warm-water nurseries where food was abundant and predators scarce until they could assume their title as kings and queens of the sea.

UPS stepping up dry ice production, freezers for vaccines

Global shipping giant UPS on Tuesday said it would start making dry ice in the United States and also distribute ultra-cold temperature freezers as it prepares to handle the logistics of shipping COVID-19 vaccines.

Tesla's stock market value accelerates past $500 billion

Tesla's market value soared to more than $500 billion Tuesday ahead of its listing on the S&P 500, with its stock finishing up 6.4 percent or by nearly $32 billion in 24 hours.

Scores of pilot whales dead in New Zealand stranding

Almost 100 pilot whales have died in a mass stranding on New Zealand's remote Chatham Islands, conservation officials said Wednesday.

Tokyo to urge residents to avoid 'non-essential' outings: media

Tokyo's governor will urge residents to avoid non-essential outings and ask businesses serving alcohol to shut early as the country battles record coronavirus infections, local media said Wednesday.

Germany set to extend partial shutdown well into December

German Chancellor Angela Merkel and the country's 16 state governors are expected Wednesday to extend a partial shutdown well into December, and discuss tightening some restrictions while allowing somewhat more generous rules for the Christmas period.

Microbes help unlock phosphorus for plant growth

Phosphorus is a necessary nutrient for plants to grow. But when it's applied to plants as part of a chemical fertilizer, phosphorus can react strongly with minerals in the soil, forming complexes with iron, aluminum and calcium. This locks up the phosphorus, preventing plants from being able to access this crucial nutrient.

Research shows bariatric surgery may reduce severity of COVID-19 in patients with obesity

A Cleveland Clinic study shows that among patients who have obesity and who tested positive for COVID-19, a past history of bariatric surgery was significantly associated with a lower risk of hospital and intensive care unit admission. The results were published in the journal of Surgery for Obesity and Related Diseases.

Immune checkpoint inhibitor efficacy against glioblastoma may decrease with dexamethasone

Among patients with glioblastoma receiving an immune checkpoint inhibitor, those who received the corticosteroid dexamethasone at baseline for cerebral edema had significantly worse overall survival, according to results of a study published in Clinical Cancer Research, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research.

In fire-prone West, plants need their pollinators—and vice versa

2020 is the worst fire year on record in the United States, with nearly 13 million acres burned, 14,000 structures destroyed and an estimated $3 billion spent on fire suppression—and counting. At the same time, certain land managers have invested huge amounts of time and resources toward restoring fire through "controlled burn" approaches.

COVID's collateral damage: Germicidal lamps may damage corneas

In a paper published in the journal of Ocular Immunology and Inflammation, physicians from the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine reported that several patients using germicidal lamps in an attempt to sanitize against the coronavirus, developed painful inflammation of the cornea, a condition called photokeratitis. These consumer-available ultraviolet (UV) emitting devices were being used in an attempt to eliminate coronavirus from homes and offices.

For people with diabetes, Medicaid expansion helps, but can't do it all: study

Medicaid expansion through the Affordable Care Act has insured millions of low-income people in the United States, improving outcomes for patients with many different diseases. But expansion alone has not been enough to improve outcomes for patients with diabetes, according to a new Boston University School of Public Health (BUSPH) study.

Waste fishing gear threatens Ganges wildlife

Waste fishing gear in the River Ganges poses a threat to wildlife including otters, turtles and dolphins, new research shows.

When consumers trust AI recommendations—or resist them

Researchers from Boston University and University of Virginia published a new paper in the Journal of Marketing that examines how consumers respond to AI recommenders when focused on the functional and practical aspects of a product (its utilitarian value) versus the experiential and sensory aspects of a product (its hedonic value).