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Immunology

Creation of an Emergency Fund for the Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer (IRIC) of the Universit de Montral – Canada NewsWire

MONTREAL, April 27, 2020 /CNW Telbec/ -The Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer (IRIC) of the Universit de Montral is creating an Emergency Fund to support its research activities and is launching an appeal for solidarity.

IRIC is being deeply impacted by the forced stoppage of part of its activities as a result of the current crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Most of its core facilities, which represent a major monthly financial resource for the Institute, have had to cease part of their activities. The future of young investigators and the completion of several promising projects are therefore greatly jeopardized.

To make up for the critical shortfall caused by the temporary stoppage of certain research work, IRIC has created an Emergency Fundand is launching an appeal for solidarity.

Research is vital to help us fight diseases like cancer, or currently COVID-19. Many of the Institute's researchers possessing multipurpose and complementary skills have also been called upon to contribute to research on this new virus. They are working tirelessly to accelerate the advancement of knowledge and to find creative solutions to fight this pandemic. Their expertise, which includes the fields of bioinformatics, genomics and medicinal chemistry, is being harnessed in the hope to find innovative therapeutic solutions to fight COVID-19.

More than ever, IRIC needs help to continue its mission and is launching an appeal for generosity. The Institute is well aware that the current situation poses collective health issues as well as economic issues. Moreover, it's with small and major donations that its investigators will be able to make the difference. Each contribution counts to support the research carried out at IRIC and contributes to finding new solutions against cancer and, currently, against COVID-19.

In these challenging times and this period of great instability, IRIC would like to extend its warmest thanks for the support of its donors so that together, we can make a difference and overcome this extraordinary ordeal.

About the Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer (IRIC) of the Universit de Montral

An ultra-modern research hub and training centre located in the heart of the Universit de Montral, the Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer of the Universit de Montral was created in 2003 to shed light on the mechanisms of cancer and discover new, more effective therapies to counter this disease. The IRIC operates according to a model that is unique in Canada. Its innovative approach to research has already led to discoveries that will, over the coming years, have a significant impact on the fight against cancer.

SOURCE Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer (IRIC) of the Universit de Montral

For further information: IRIC contacts: Catherine CARDINAL, Communications Director, IRIC, (514) 220-9209, [emailprotected]; Sandy THIBERT, Communication Public and Government Relations Advisor, IRIC, (514) 206-5420, [emailprotected]

http://www.iric.ca

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Creation of an Emergency Fund for the Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer (IRIC) of the Universit de Montral - Canada NewsWire

Immunology

Cleveland Clinic Appoints Timothy Chan, M.D., Ph.D., as Director of Center for Immunotherapy and Precision Immuno-Oncology – Health Essentials from…

Timothy Chan, M.D., Ph.D.

Timothy Chan, M.D., Ph.D., has been appointed director of the Center for Immunotherapy and Precision Immuno-Oncology at Cleveland Clinic.

A renowned immuno-oncology and cancer genomics expert, Dr. Chan leads the new center which brings together multidisciplinary experts from across the Cleveland Clinic enterprise to advance research and treatment related to the rapidly growing field of immuno-oncology.

The center will comprise four arms, including a Cleveland cell therapy program in collaboration with the Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, and will recruit national and international experts in computational science, immunotherapy and cancer immunology. The new center will initially have sites in Cleveland and the soon-to-open Cleveland Clinic Florida Research and Innovation Center in Port St. Lucie, Florida, both focused on immunotherapy research and developmental therapeutics.

Dr. Chan will also collaborate with experts in the new Center for Global and Emerging Pathogens Research, which is focused on broadening understanding of immunology and microbial pathogenesis with the goal of improving treatment for a variety of diseases, including virus-induced cancers.

Immunotherapy is the future of research in cancer and various other diseases and Cleveland Clinic has made it a priority by establishing this new center, said Serpil Erzurum, M.D., chair of Cleveland Clinics Lerner Research Institute. The Center for Immunotherapy and Precision Immuno-Oncology will empower clinicians and scientists throughout the enterprise to advance personalized cancer care and breakthrough immunotherapy research at Cleveland Clinic.

Dr. Chan joins Cleveland Clinic from Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and Weill Cornell School of Medicine, where he leads the Immunogenomics and Precision Oncology Platform and was a tenured professor, the PaineWebber Chair, and the Translational Oncology Division chair. He is an internationally recognized expert in precision immuno-oncology and a pioneer in using genomics to determine which patients will respond best to certain types of immunotherapies. He has published over 200 articles in peer-reviewed journals, has made landmark discoveries in his field, and has received numerous awards, including the National Cancer Institute Outstanding Investigator Award in 2018.

Innovation in precision immunotherapy is one of the most exciting areas in cancer research, said Brian Bolwell, M.D., chairman of Taussig Cancer Institute, Cleveland Clinic Cancer Center. The addition of Dr. Chan, a pioneer in cancer genomics, and the new centers focus on research and clinical trials will strengthen our ability to provide advanced treatment options for our patients.

Dr. Chan also joins the leadership of the National Center for Regenerative Medicine of Case Western Reserve University. Dr. Chan is also on staff in the Genomic Medicine Institute of the Lerner Research Institute; and the Department of Radiation Oncology of the Taussig Cancer Institute.

Dr. Chan earned his M.D. and Ph.D. in genetics from Johns Hopkins University, where he also completed a residency in radiation oncology and a postdoctoral fellowship in the division of tumor biology. He is board certified in radiation oncology and is an elected member of the Association of American Physicians (AAP).

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Cleveland Clinic Appoints Timothy Chan, M.D., Ph.D., as Director of Center for Immunotherapy and Precision Immuno-Oncology - Health Essentials from...

Immunology

How the USS Theodore Roosevelt outbreak could help scientists better fight COVID-19 – Task & Purpose

The aircraft carrier Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71) is pictured as it enters the port in Da Nang, Vietnam, March 5, 2020.

(Reuters/Kham)

SAN DIEGO An investigation by the Navy and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention into the outbreak of the coronavirus on board the San Diego-based aircraft carrier Theodore Roosevelt could yield data valuable not just to the military, but also to the greater scientific community in the race to better understand the virus, the Navy says.

The Roosevelt has been tied up in Guam for the last month as the virus spread throughout its crew.

More than 17% of the ships approximately 4,845 sailors have tested positive for the coronavirus 856 sailors. There are still a handful of results outstanding, the Navy said Friday.

Four sailors are in the hospital at Naval Base Guam. Another, Chief Aviation Ordnanceman Charles Thacker, 41, died from the virus last week.

Since Monday, the Navy has been surveying members of the crew as part of its investigation. The Navy and CDC said previously they hoped to survey 1,000 sailors, obtaining saliva and blood tests.

Cmdr. Denver Applehans, a spokesman for the Navy Bureau of Medicine and Surgery, said in an email Friday the service asked 1,400 sailors to participate. The Navy fell well short of that goal.

We are very thankful to the roughly 400 crewmembers of the USS Theodore Roosevelt who provided specimens for this outbreak investigation, Applehans wrote in an email. Its worth noting that the USS Theodore Roosevelts crew has been impacted by this virus harder than any other military unit and there are many competing demands on the crew to get the ship clean and ready to return to sea. We cant overemphasize our appreciation for those who did volunteer.

The goal of the investigation, officials say, is to better understand the behavior of the virus and to apply those lessons to other Navy ships and military units.

The outbreak on the Roosevelt presents an opportunity to understand how the disease spreads in a relatively controlled environment, said Shane Crotty, a virologist and professor in the Vaccine Discovery Division at La Jolla Institute for Immunology in San Diego.

Its really an outstanding opportunity to learn more, Crotty said. Thats the type of scenario a controlled environment, far fewer variables its the kind of situation epidemiologists love because of the minimization of variables. For my side, were very interested in understanding viral immunology the response (to the virus). In particular, how that would help vaccine development.

The development of an effective vaccine for the coronavirus is seen by many as key to getting life around the world back to normal. The La Jolla Institute for Immunology is leading an international effort to collect antibody samples, which are key in vaccine development.

Blood samples from the Roosevelt investigation will be tested at the CDCs laboratory in Atlanta using the agencys new serology test, which can identify antibodies and tell researchers whether a person has been exposed to the virus even if they are showing no symptoms.

On the Roosevelt, Applehans said, the rate of asymptomatic sailors testing positive for the virus is on the high end of what the CDC says can be expected in the general population.

Approximately 50% of the sailors who tested positive so far on the (Theodore Roosevelt) have not shown symptoms of COVID-19, Applehans said.

The CDC has said that roughly 25% of COVID-19 infections are asymptomatic across all age groups. Given that the Sailors are generally younger and healthier than the general population across all age groups, 50% or even slightly above may be appropriate or expected.

Applehans said the Navy expects to gain more clarity on asymptomatic carriers and virus transmission through its ongoing outbreak investigations.

Among the questions Crotty has is whether asymptomatic people who test positive for the virus develop an immune response something the CDCs antibody test might reveal.

From my area in expertise, for us thinking about vaccine development and immunity, one missing piece is: Do asymptomatic cases develop immune responses or not? Crotty said. The blood tests on the sailors should reveal that pretty quickly.

That immune response one that effectively fights off the virus would tell researchers what an effective response looks like.

Right now there are over 80 different vaccine candidates, Crotty said. Once you have information in hand on what a good immune response looks like, it can help point out what vaccine strategy works. Thats really valuable information theyre going to have very high quality data about true asymptomatic cases.

On the Roosevelt, and unlike anywhere else with an outbreak, 100% of those potentially exposed to the virus have been tested. Although not all of the crew participated in the Navy and CDCs investigation, and the goal is not specifically for vaccine development, the Navy is hopeful its results are useful.

What this outbreak investigation will provide is some basic information about exposure to the virus aboard the ship and the development of antibodies from that exposure, Applehans said. We hope it is useful in providing some additional information on how this virus is transmitted.

In addition to the blood and saliva samples taken from sailors, officials also had volunteers fill out surveys, to track their locations on board the ship.

The Navys surgeon general, Rear Adm. Bruce Gillingham, said recently one of the goals of the investigation is to determine how much the virus spread without sailors showing symptoms.

Because of the pre-symptomatic transmission, we believe that it probably passed through the ship quite freely and was initially unrecognized, Gillingham said.

The Roosevelt pulled into Guam on March 28 as the virus spread out of control among its crew. It is the largest outbreak of the virus in the U.S. military.

The first two cases of the virus were found among two members of the ships air wing, a Navy official told the San Diego Union-Tribune. However, because the two cases came to light 15 days after a port visit to Vietnam, Gillingham could not say how the virus got on board.

He said that is not the intent of the investigation.

The intent of investigation is not to get to the source; its to better understand the behavior of the virus going forward, he said.

Other factors the Navy is learning about the virus came to light recently, as the service reported some quarantined sailors tested positive for the virus more than 14 days after testing negative.

Experts point to the virus long incubation period as being one of the key factors making its spread difficult to slow.

The Navy expected its survey of the crew to finish Friday. Results from the CDC are not due for at least one month.

2020 The San Diego Union-Tribune. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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How the USS Theodore Roosevelt outbreak could help scientists better fight COVID-19 - Task & Purpose

Immunology

When is allergy season? Symptoms and treatment for seasonal allergies – Insider – INSIDER

Allergies can happen year-round. But there is a time of year when about 8% of Americans experience the same allergy, nation-wide.

Here's what you need to know about allergy season, when it strikes, and how to prepare.

Allergy season often refers to a specific type of allergy, called allergic rhinitis (or hay fever), that can be triggered by pollen.

Trees, flowers, and grasses typically release pollen in the spring and summer months. However, certain allergies can also happen in the fall, like those caused by weeds.

It all depends on what type of plant you're allergic to and when that plant pollinates. Here's a breakdown of seasonal allergies during the spring, summer, and fall.

Tree pollination begins in February and lasts until June, and grass pollination starts in May and lasts until July.

"The first week of May, when grass pollen starts to surge, is the worst time overall because a lot of people who are allergic to tree pollen are also allergic to grass pollen," says Gary Stadtmauer, MD, FACP, a board-certified specialist in allergy-immunology and internal medicine at City Allergy.

You can also get an idea of how bad your spring allergies may be based on the prior winter.

"Tree pollen tends to be the worst, especially after a prolonged winter when lots of trees bloom in a short space of time," Stadtmauer says. "Unlike grass pollen, tree pollen can rain down thick and the layers can build up on surfaces like cars. Exposure increases dramatically and those who are allergic can have a profound surge in symptoms."

Tree and grass pollination lasts until June or July and ragweed pollination starts in August.

However, summer has generally been considered the least problematic season because plants release less pollen overall during this season.

"Spring has typically been the worst allergy season, and fall is more problematic than summer for those with weed allergies," says Clifford W. Bassett, MD, the founder and medical director of Allergy and Asthma Care of New York.

The most common culprit for fall allergies is ragweed, a plant that grows especially on the East Coast and in the Midwest. Ragweed blooms and releases pollen from August to November, and pollen levels are highest in early to mid-September.

Another common trigger of fall allergies is mold spores. As leaves fall to the ground and other vegetation starts to die, mold can start to grow on that decaying material. The mold then releases spores into the air which can cause allergies for some, says Jay M. Portnoy, MD, director of the Allergy, Asthma & Immunology division at Children's Mercy Hospitals & Clinics.

Other plants that can trigger fall allergies include:

While the timing and severity of allergy season varies across the country, the following climate factors can influence exposure and symptoms:

Climate change has also increased the duration and severity of allergy seasons. "Tree pollen starts earlier, grass pollen extends further into the summertime, and we are seeing more severe ragweed seasons," says Stadtmauer.

The most common symptoms of seasonal allergies are:

If you're not sure what your symptoms are indicating, here's a helpful graphic to differentiate allergy symptoms from the coronavirus, flu, and common cold:

Shayanne Gal/Insider

To prepare for seasonal allergies, we asked Bassett for his tips on how to proactively reduce your exposure to pollen and manage your allergies:

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When is allergy season? Symptoms and treatment for seasonal allergies - Insider - INSIDER

Immunology

MSU researcher secures $2.5 million grant from National Institutes of Health – Explore Big Sky

MSU NEWS SERVICE

BOZEMAN Montana State University researcherBlake Wiedenheftis a recognized expert in one of todays hottest science fields, so its natural to wonder what discoveries may be in store now that he received a $2.5 million grant from the National Institutes of Health earlier this year.

And because the NIHsMaximizing Investigators Research Awardis designed to provide flexibility to delve deeply into research that could generate breakthroughs, Wiedenheft himself is looking forward to seeing where the five-year funding will lead in his study of the complex interactions between bacteria and the viruses that attack them, with potential applications for treating COVID-19 and a wide range of other diseases.

An ideal outcome would be stumbling on something entirely unexpected, said Wiedenheft, associate professor in theDepartment of Microbiology and Immunologyin MSUsCollege of Agriculture. This grant really provides a new dimension of intellectual freedom for pursuing ideas as they evolve.

Dr. Wiedenhefts award is well-deserved and highly prestigious, said Jason Carter, MSUs vice president for research, economic development and graduate education. These MIRA grants are indicative of sustained, high-impact research by accomplished scientists.

The grant will allow Wiedenheft to significantly expand his labs capacity, adding up to six doctoral students, four postdoctoral researchers and a lab technician. Wiedenheft has made major contributions to the field in recent years, including high-profile papers in Science, Nature and other journals about CRISPR, the bacteria immune system that wields sophisticated molecules to grab and slice strands of invading viral DNA to render them harmless.

The grant is an impressive achievement for Blake, and it represents tremendous recognition within a very competitive field of science, said Montana University System Regents ProfessorMark Jutila, head of the microbiology and immunology department. His efforts in the study of CRISPR have had major impacts in the field as well as at MSU, in terms of mentoring and training students in the lab and teaching in the classroom.

Although CRISPR is often used as a general term for CRISPR-Cas9 and a few other proteins that have been repurposed for curing genetic disease, those CRISPR systems represent a very small fraction of bacterial immune systems found in nature, Wiedenheft said. CRISPRs are very diverse, and many perhaps most havent been studied in detail, he said.

The NIH grant will allow Wiedenhefts team to explore the frontier of CRISPRs and other immune systems in bacteria, which, scientists are increasingly finding, in many ways resemble those of more complex organisms, including humans.

Some of these immune systems are incredibly complicated, Wiedenheft said. To understand how they work and which parts are most important, we look to the viruses for help. Thats because viruses have often evolved elegant mechanisms to thwart the bacterial defense, he explained.In one recent study, Wiedenheft showed that a virus produced a protein molecule called an anti-CRISPR that mimics the CRISPRs alert system, creating a decoy that distracts the bacterias response.

Peering inside of bacteria with an extremely powerful microscope to see CRISPR molecules is a bit like encountering a complex machine like a car and trying to figure out how it works, Wiedenheft said. Because viral anti-CRISPRs target parts of the car that are important or vulnerable, a virus can point you directly to the ignition switch, or the gas pedal or the steering wheel, he said.

Viruses can teach us about the immune systems were studying, and sometimes even point us to new immune systems that we didnt even know about, Wiedenheft said. We anticipate that anti-CRISPRs, like CRISPRs themselves, are incredibly diverse. By understanding that diversity, we think well gain a much better understanding of how these immune systems work.

Recent trials with human patients have shown success with using CRISPR-Cas9 to treat and potentially cure sickle cell disease, a serious disorder affecting millions of people around the world. The CRISPR treatment involves surgically correcting a genetic defect by cutting the DNA and repairing it in a way that restores gene function. Diseases like sickle cell, Beta thalassemia and other blood diseases are the easiest to treat because the cells in blood are relatively easy to access. But many labs, including Wiedenhefts, are working to develop new treatment methods that direct the CRISPR-Cas9 treatment to specific cells within the body, according to Wiedenheft.

In responding to the coronavirus pandemic, some scientists have also repurposed other CRISPR proteins, Cas12 and Cas13, to rapidly diagnose COVID-19 in experimental medical tests yet another indication of the far-reaching potential of precisely mapping CRISPRs and developing an understanding of how they might be applied, according to Wiedenheft.

Wiedenheft is the second person at MSU to receive the NIHs Maximizing Investigators Research Award. Last year,Joan Broderick, professor in theDepartment of Chemistry and Biochemistryin MSUsCollege of Letters and Science, won the five-year grant in the amount of $1.77 million for research on a large family of enzymes called radical SAMs.

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MSU researcher secures $2.5 million grant from National Institutes of Health - Explore Big Sky

Biochemistry

Automatic Veterinary Biochemistry Analyzer Market Overview, Top Companies, Region, Application and Global Forecast by 2026 – Latest Herald

URIT Medical Electronic

Global Automatic Veterinary Biochemistry Analyzer Market Segmentation

This market was divided into types, applications and regions. The growth of each segment provides an accurate calculation and forecast of sales by type and application in terms of volume and value for the period between 2020 and 2026. This analysis can help you develop your business by targeting niche markets. Market share data are available at global and regional levels. The regions covered by the report are North America, Europe, the Asia-Pacific region, the Middle East, and Africa and Latin America. Research analysts understand the competitive forces and provide competitive analysis for each competitor separately.

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North America (U.S., Canada, Mexico)

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Automatic Veterinary Biochemistry Analyzer Market Overview, Top Companies, Region, Application and Global Forecast by 2026 - Latest Herald

Physiology

SBK, Yamaha Superbike Riders Fitness put to the Test at Loughborough Sport – GPone English

Pata Yamahas two riders, Michael van der Mark and Philip Island race-winner Toprak Razgatlolu, were joined by GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Junior Teams duo, Federico Caricasulo and Garrett Gerloff, to take part in a series of tests during the day, which were widely similar to those conducted across other high-demanding sports, including physiology tests, strength and conditioning, and physiotherapy screening.

Tests conducted can help with data to determine the correlation between physical fitness and rider performance, with the results allowing riders to receive tailored training routines to maximise their on-track results. Alongside this, sports nutritionists consulted with the riders to advise them on the best foods and hydration methods during a typical race weekend.

Rhona Pearce, Sports Science Manager at Loughborough Sport Performance Centre, explained what her teams aims are: While we have done a lot of physiology tests with riders over the past 10 to 15 years, our strength & conditioning and physio teams have done less, and this is the first year we have looked to join all our services together to support motorcycle racers. So, we are continually looking at how we can improve this support and getting feedback from the Yamaha team on the testing and reports has been really useful in helping us to progress what we do to better support the team.

In the physiology lab, the riders did a standard set of cycling physiology tests measuring VO2max, maximal aerobic power output, and lactate thresholds. This can sometimes directly correlate with performance in sports like cycling, and although this is less directly relevant in motorcycle racing, Loughborough Sport has found after testing almost 100 riders that generally better race fitness is produced by those riders with a higher VO2max.

Strength and capacity tests were used to determine upper and lower body strength, as well as core fitness, using techniques such as the one-rep max to see the riders maximum force output.

Physiotherapy screening began with analysing the riders medical history and at what factors may affect performance, whether that be a physical injury from a fall or any current or previous health conditions.

The riders finished the day with a serious challenge - 45 minutes of cycling in full race leathers, helmet and gloves in a climate-controlled heat chamber to measure how their physiology, natural hydration levels and durability are affected by racing in hot environments. These results are important in order to understand how to stay appropriately hydrated during a race event in somewhere like Thailand or even southern Europe in mid-summer.

Pearce explained what her team found from the results of these tests: There was quite a variation between the four riders we tested, with all of them having comparable results in at least one area with good athletes from other sports. In the main, the most comparable were the strength tests. We have had some riders in the lab with excellent physiology test results, up there with national level runners and cyclists, but the strength element is probably more closely related to performance for motorcycle racing.

Motorcycle racing has very unique demands when compared to other sports though, with riders withstanding continuous stress on their whole bodies for more than 30 minutes during races, whereas other athletes tend to have those stresses for a shorter duration or have more regular breaks.

Although the riders did not display especially high max force outputs, unsurprising when you consider the lower weight requirements for racing, they did show impressive muscle endurance, while Pearce also noted their motivation to push through discomfort during the exercises.

After compiling the data, each rider received specific training advice based on their test results and a physical profile highlighting which areas to focus on. Pearce said: We aimed to give each rider advice on which areas of their fitness they would most benefit from working on, and specific training sessions to allow them to do this. Obviously with the four riders having different exercise preferences, we tried to give advice on how they could adapt the physiology training sessions to suit their interests and equipment. We used the testing and screening to generate a physical profile of each rider from a strength, stability and mobility perspective. Using this profile, we are able to identify areas of strength and weakness upon which we can then place more or less emphasis. Conversations with the riders are also very valued, as that gives us insight into their personal riding style and the areas in which they suffer fatigue during races or issues they have had previously.

Due to the current COVID-19 crisis, the Loughborough Sport Performance Centre team are unable to provide follow-up tests for the riders, but usually they would undertake these assessments two to three times per year.

Had the season gone ahead as normal, the Yamaha riders who undertook the tests in January would likely receive follow-up tests around the Donington Park WorldSBK round in July, with a final assessment for the year taking place after the season finale in Argentina.

In an ideal world the first test would happen as they get back into training after the end of the season, say around November time, Pearce confirmed. Another test before racing starts would be perfect, as we could then see how their fitness has developed during the time when they should have the most opportunity to focus on specific improvements."

Outside of motorcycle racing, the current coronavirus pandemic also means that people are having their daily routines interrupted due to the lockdowns and restrictions in place around the world, with Pearce giving some final words of advice on how to maintain fitness during this tough period.

We would say the most important thing is to keep in the habit of training regularly, no matter what that might look like, and keep it fun and interesting, whether its simply exercising in other areas of your house or having a virtual challenge with friends or family so that you get the mental benefits as well as physical. There is a lot of information and a lot of resources people can access to help them train at home, and we are going to be sharing our ideas on social media. If you usually lift weights in the gym then getting resourceful at home with whatever you can find to use as weights or create resistance is good, but also consider thinking more about technique, good posture and movement patterns when your focus isnt on lifting the biggest weight you can.

Check out the Loughborough Sport Performance Centre on Twitter, on Facebook and Instagram. More information is also available on their website.

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SBK, Yamaha Superbike Riders Fitness put to the Test at Loughborough Sport - GPone English

Human Behavior

Deforestation may drive animal-to-human infections – Medical News Today

New research suggests that the loss of forest habitat increases contact between humans and nonhuman primates and therefore the transmission of diseases from animals to humans, as with coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19).

A new study published in the journal Landscape Ecology has identified some factors that bring humans and nonhuman primates into contact.

The researchers point out that the continued destruction of forest habitats, for agricultural use or human habitation, would cause this contact to become more frequent, as humans and nonhuman primates would be forced into closer proximity.

As a consequence, the chances of diseases transmitting from these primates to humans are also likely to increase.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which has caused the COVID-19 pandemic, is an example of a virus that spread from animals to humans.

According to a review in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, more than half of all human pathogens are believed to be zoonotic, meaning that they first emerged in nonhuman animals and were then transmitted to humans.

A variety of interlocking factors have increased the chances of these pathogens spreading to humans.

The review notes that global, intensive agriculture has increased, climate change has transformed ecologies, habitats have been fragmented, biodiversity has been reduced, and humans have been placed in increasing contact with wildlife, either directly or through intermediary animals, such as intensively farmed livestock.

The present study focuses on the roles that deforestation and other human behaviors may have in increasing contact between humans and nonhuman primates, from whom many viruses that currently circulate among people derive.

According to the lead author of the study, Laura Bloomfield, who is studying to be a doctor of medicine and who is also a Ph.D. candidate at the Stanford School of Earth, Energy & Environmental Sciences, in California, At a time when COVID-19 is causing an unprecedented level of economic, social, and health devastation, it is essential that we think critically about how human behaviors increase our interactions with disease-infected animals.

The combination of major environmental change, like deforestation, and poverty can spark the fire of a global pandemic.

The study looked, in particular, at forests and rural communities in Uganda that exist in close proximity to forest habitats. A key factor that has put humans in contact with these habitats is the continued transformation of forests into agricultural land and the proximity of the two types of land.

In Africa, the rapid expansion of agriculture has been a leading factor in widespread deforestation. This results in small islands of forest amid oceans of farmland, reducing the distance between humans and nonhuman animals.

The authors note that in Uganda, migration patterns have exacerbated these effects of deforestation, resulting in humans and animals accessing the same small areas of forest for food, or in the case of humans, for construction materials.

This increases the risk of contact and viral transmission between nonhuman animals and humans, either directly or through intermediary livestock, which, due to agricultural expansion, farmers may keep close to forests.

The present investigation, however, did not look at transmission through intermediary livestock, it only recorded direct human contact with nonhuman primates.

Animal-to-human transmission was seen in the case of HIV, and it likely occurred with SARS-CoV-2.

As study co-author Prof. Eric Lambin, also of the School of Earth, Energy & Environmental Sciences, explains, We humans go to these animals. We are forcing the interaction through transformation of the land.

As well as considering the role of deforestation in forcing proximity between humans and nonhuman primates, the authors also analyzed the ways that humans behave when they live close to forest habitat.

They gathered land use data from small-scale farmers and satellite imagery to better understand the relationship between the landscape and the farmers behavior.

The team found that farmers with more land bordering forests were more likely to come into contact with nonhuman primates, as were farmers who entered the forest to find construction materials.

This was likely because finding larger trees suitable for construction required them to go into areas where nonhuman primates spend time, increasing the chances of exposure.

The authors also observed that the smaller the fragments of forest near farmland, the greater the likelihood of contact between the farmers and wildlife mainly because these fragments shared more of their borders with farmland.

The authors suggest that buffer zones between farmland and forests could minimize contact between humans and nonhuman primates.

Furthermore, they note, international aid may be able to play a role in providing the resources that farmers are currently venturing into forests to access.

As the world grapples with COVID-19, responding to the underlying issues that force people and livestock into increasingly close contact with wild animals is crucial in preventing the next pandemic.

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Deforestation may drive animal-to-human infections - Medical News Today

Human Behavior

‘Planet of the Humans’ Review | Movies – Santa Fe Reporter

Theres a fine line between delusion and illusion.And both are part of the myth of a clean energy that magically lifts humanity from its crash course with the planet. Rather than drastically reduce our consumption of resources such as water, fossil fuels and hard-rock minerals, humans are more content to seek technological fixes that wont work anyway.

Thatis the thesis of Planet of the Humans. Move over, Al Gore. Henceforth, Earth Day belongs to Jeff Gibbs.

Gibbs directs and reports the documentary produced by Michael Moore and released on April 21. Its free on YouTube for 30 days and is a must-watch.

Just as billions in federal aid have been dumped into the economy in recent weeks from COVID-19 stimulus and relief packages, the US has poured fountains of money over the elusive concept of better energy, and were not saving the planet as much as were flailing to save our standard of living.

Gibbs highlights how the global environmental cost of mining, production and disposal of solar and wind technology dont get primetime play. Were still using fossil fuel-based infrastructure to build them. Plus, the same evil corporate overlords who run technological/industrial society (read: The Koch Brothers) run the strategy and profit bases that prop up the green energy movement.

The movie is an enjoyable if also gut-rotting indictment of Big Environment and some of its figureheads, including Vermonter Bill McKibben, and yes, Gore, in particular.

Catch candid interviews with other people youve never heard of who run solar farms, make policy and study science and human behavior. Just about everything with the word green in front of it takes a punch through this lens: biomass, biofuels, divestment/investments, natural gas and even giant mirrors in the California desert; the takeover of the environmental movement by capitalism, Gibbs says, is complete.

The planned release date couldnt have anticipated how so many people would be feeling this day, and that while were under stay-at-home orders from a public health threat, we see how the deep scar of humans on the environment can heal in perceptible ways.

There is much to mourn. And we can change. But how?

9+Must-watch cold water on a hot topic-It might burst your bubble

Planet of the HumansDirected byGibbsYouTube,NR, 100 min.

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'Planet of the Humans' Review | Movies - Santa Fe Reporter

Human Behavior

Susan Pinker: What Makes Social Connection So Vital To Our Well-Being? – NPR

Part 2 of the TED Radio Hour episode Meditations On Loneliness

Psychologist Susan Pinker explains why face-to-face connection is a human necessity. But during this period of isolation, she says some ways of connecting online are better substitutes than others.

About Susan Pinker

Susan Pinker is a developmental psychologist and social science author. Her latest book, The Village Effect, explores how social, face-to-face interactions are critical not only for our short-term happiness, but also for our long-term health. Pinker currently writes a column on human behavior for The Wall Street Journal.

Prior to writing for wider audiences, Pinker spent 25 years in clinical practice and teaching psychology, first at Dawson College and then at McGill University.

She holds degrees from McGill University and the University of Waterloo.

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Susan Pinker: What Makes Social Connection So Vital To Our Well-Being? - NPR