Harbor porpoises on the decline in the German North Sea

The North Sea is a heavily trafficked area, with major shipping routes crossing its waters, and fisheries, offshore oil rigs, and wind farms populating its waves. All this activity inevitably has an effect on marine wildlife, and scientists are particularly interested in how the harbor porpoise population has fared in the face of such disturbances.

Indonesian baby sea turtles make a break for freedom

Newly hatched, dozens of baby turtles flipped and flopped their way down a beach towards the crashing waves of the Indian Ocean, under the watchful gaze of conservationists at an Indonesian national park.

China to launch carbon emissions trading scheme next month

China's delayed carbon trading system will start operating in February, the environment ministry has said, as the world's biggest polluter takes steps towards decarbonising its economy by 2060.

EU agency ponders approval for Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine

The European Union's medicines agency was meeting Wednesday to consider giving the green light to Moderna Inc.'s COVID-19 vaccine, a decision that would give the 27-nation bloc a second vaccine to use in the desperate battle to tame the virus rampaging across the continent.

Thailand scrambles to contain outbreak, secure vaccines

For much of 2020, Thailand had the coronavirus under control. After a strict nationwide lockdown in April and May, the number of new local infections dropped to zero, where they remained for the next six months.

Mexico to vaccinate rural elderly, but still awaits vaccine

Once Mexico has vaccinated its frontline medical workers against COVID-19, the government will turn its attention to the elderly living in its most remote places, President Andrés Manuel López Obrador said Tuesday.

California hospital, in midst of COVID-19 crisis, maxes out

The crush of patients with coronavirus is so severe in Los Angeles that on Tuesday they exceeded the normal capacity at Martin Luther King Jr. Community Hospital, which serves many Blacks and Latinos in America's largest county.

Dutch become last in EU to give COVID jab

The Netherlands administered its first coronavirus shot to a nursing home worker on Wednesday, as it became the last country in the 27-nation EU to start its vaccination programme.

How market incumbents can navigate disruptive technology change

Researchers from University of Texas at San Antonio and University of Southern California published a new paper in the Journal of Marketing that examines the difficult choices industry incumbents and new entrants face during times of potentially disruptive technological change.

Facebook posts help facilitate belief that HPV vaccine is dangerous to health

The human papillomavirus infection, or HPV, is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. HPV is associated with health problems including genital warts and cancers, but a vaccine has been available since 2006 to help stop the virus. The CDC reports more than 12 years of data supports the HPV vaccine is safe and effective, yet HPV vaccination rates across the U.S. still remain low.

Natural products with potential efficacy against lethal viruses

Researchers at Scripps Institution of Oceanography and Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences at the University of California San Diego have broken down the genomic and life history traits of three classes of viruses that have caused endemic and global pandemics in the past and identify natural products—compounds produced in nature—with the potential to disrupt their spread.

Does a mother's pre-pregnancy weight affect her children's future fertility?

A recent study published in Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica found that sons born to mothers who fell within the overweight range were more likely to be diagnosed with infertility during adulthood than sons of mothers with normal-range weight. No association between maternal weight and infertility was seen in daughters.

Microbiome study: Gum disease-causing bacteria borrow growth molecules from neighbors to thrive

The human body is filled with friendly bacteria. However, some of these microorganisms, such as Veillonella parvula, may be too nice. These peaceful bacteria engage in a one-sided relationship with pathogen Porphyromonas gingivalis, helping the germ multiply and cause gum disease, according to a new University at Buffalo-led study.

New drug form may help treat osteoporosis, calcium-related disorders

A novel form of a drug used to treat osteoporosis that comes with the potential for fewer side effects may provide a new option for patients.

Cattle grazing and soybean yields

By late fall, much of the Midwest is a pleasing landscape of dry, harvested corn fields. It makes for a bucolic rural scene on highway drives. But the corn litter that's left over doesn't seem useful, at least to untrained eyes.

Antibiotics not needed after most sinus surgeries: randomized controlled trial

Antibiotics are not necessary for patients after most routine endoscopic sinus surgeries despite the common practice to prescribe them, according to a team led by researchers at Massachusetts Eye and Ear.

Skin-to skin contact with fathers may help newborns after caesarean delivery

Separating infants and their mothers after a Caesarean section delivery is common. A new study published in Acta Paediatrica has found that providing skin-to-skin contact with the father may provide benefits to a newborn.

Study reports patient-reported loss of smell in 86% of mild COVID-19 cases

A reduced sense of smell, or olfactory dysfunction, is one of the most common symptoms of COVID-19. A recent study published the Journal of Internal Medicine has examined it prevalence and recovery in patients with varying degrees of severity of COVID-19.

How effective are educational support programs for children with cancer?

As children undergo treatment for cancer, they may miss school and risk falling behind in their education. An analysis published in Pyscho-Oncology has examined the educational support programs provided to children with cancer.

Study finds rising rates of food insecurity among older adults

From 2007 to 2016, food insecurity—or limited access to nutritious foods because of a lack of financial resources—increased significantly from 5.5% to 12.4% among older US adults, and the increase was more pronounced among individuals with lower income. The findings come from a study published in the Journal of the American Geriatric Society.

Hydroxychloroquine blood levels predict clotting risk in patients with lupus

The antimalarial drug hydroxychloroquine is frequently prescribed to treat symptoms of the autoimmune disease lupus. In addition to decreasing disease flares, the drug can also prevent blood clots, which are a major problem in individuals with lupus. A new study in Arthritis & Rheumatology shows that monitoring patients' blood levels of hydroxychloroquine can predict their clotting risk.

Living alone may increase risk of dying after hip fracture

Individuals face a higher risk of dying following hip fractures. A new study published in the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research has found that living alone after experiencing a hip fracture may further elevate this risk.

Understanding disease-induced microbial shifts may reveal new crop management strategies

While humanity is facing the COVID-19 pandemic, the citrus industry is trying to manage its own devastating disease, Huanglongbing (HLB), also known as citrus greening disease. HLB is the most destructive citrus disease in the world. In the past decade, the disease has annihilated the Florida citrus industry, reducing orange production for juice and other products by 72%. Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (CLas) is the microbe associated with the disease. It resides in the phloem of the tree and, like many plant pathogens, is transmitted by insects during feeding events. Disease progression can be slow but catastrophic. Symptoms begin with blotchy leaves, yellow shoots, and stunting, and progress into yield decline, poor quality fruit, and eventually death.

Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy affects self-criticism and self-assurance in individuals with depression

Findings from a recent study of individuals with depression suggest that Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) can improve how patients feel about themselves in difficult situations in ways that may help protect against relapse of depressive symptoms. The findings are published in Counselling and Psychotherapy Research.