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Immunology

AAAAI: Highlights of Atopic Dermatitis Research – MedPage Today

Atopic dermatitis, a.k.a. eczema, remains a major clinical problem despite a growing number of agents approved to treat it. At the now-cancelled American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology's annual meeting (shuttered because of COVID-19), many of the scheduled research presentations addressed the topic. Here are some of the most interesting.

Many Patients May Need Long-Term Crisaborole

When treatment with topical crisaborole (Eucrisa) was discontinued, some people with mild to moderate atopic dermatitis saw rebound of their disease, researchers reported (abstract #608).

In the 28-day hiatus in treatment after receiving good results with crisaborole, 20% or more patients regressed, reported Mark Lebwohl, MD, of Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City.

He said that 77% of patients were able to achieve a clear or almost clear score (0-1) on the Investigator's Static Global Assessment with one cycle of treatment with crisaborole, but after the four-week interruption, only 51% of those 133 patients remained clear or almost clear.

Lebwohl said the pattern held for patients who, in a 48-week open-label extension trial, required two cycles of treatment to reach a 0-1 score. In the trial, 76.3% of patients reached the goal with two cycles, but after a 28-day stoppage, just 36.7% of the group remained clear.

Similar patterns were seen among patients receiving crisaborole for three or four cycles to achieve the clear-skin goal followed by a 28-day hiatus.

"Continuous long-term treatment with crisaborole beyond 28 days may be necessary to maintain control of atopic dermatitis symptoms in some patients with mild-to-moderate atopic dermatitis," he suggested.

Crisaborole is indicated for topical treatment of mild to moderate atopic dermatitis in patients age 2 and older. The trial was sponsored by the drug's manufacturer, Pfizer.

Rhinitis Has No Effect on Dupilumab

Efficacy of the atopic dermatitis agent dupilumab (Dupixent) was not compromised in adolescents with a co-history of allergic rhinitis, researchers said (abstract #611).

In a double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase III trial, some 250 patients ages 12-17 were randomized in equal numbers to receive placebo or dupilumab at 200 mg or 300 mg every other week, reported Lawrence Sher, MD, of Peninsula Research Associates, Rolling Hills Estates, California. About three-quarters of each group also had a history of allergic rhinitis.

After 16 weeks, more patients in the dupilumab groups achieved a 0-1 score on the Investigator's Global Assessment than did those on placebo, irrespective of allergic rhinitis status.

Among patients with allergic rhinitis, 22% achieved the clear or nearly clear observation in the 200 mg group, as did 25.4% of patients in the 300 mg group; only 3.5% of the placebo group achieved the goal. A similar pattern was seen in participants with no history of allergic rhinitis.

The story was much the same for an outcome of a 4-point or greater improvement in pruritus on the Numerical Rating Scale, and a 6-point or greater improvement from baseline in the Children's Dermatology Lie Quality Index, Sher reported.

"Dupilumab improved atopic dermatitis signs and symptoms in adolescents with moderate-to-severe disease regardless of history of allergic rhinitis," he reported.

The trial was supported by Regeneron and Sanofi-Genzyme.

Baricitinib Studies Show Benefits

Patients diagnosed with moderate to severe atopic dermatitis were more likely to get relief with baricitinib (Olumiant) than placebo, according to Andreas Wollenberg, MD, of Ludwig-Maximilian University, Munich, Germany, and colleagues (abstract #610).

Their report described results pooled from two similar phase III trials, BREEZE-AD1 and BREEZE-AD2 with a total of about 1,240 patients.

"In patients with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis with an additional comorbid atopic condition, baricitinib treatment resulted in clinically meaningful improvements in skin symptoms and itch without a differential safety profile," Wollenberg reported.

At week 16, among patients with atopic comorbidities, significantly more patients in the baricitinib groups (4-mg, 2-mg, and 1-mg, respectively) versus placebo had Investigator's Global Assessment rated mild or less ratings of less than 2. About 30% of the patients on the 4-mg dose met the goal, as did 25% of those receiving a 2 mg dose and 18.6% of those assigned to a 1 mg dose, compared to 9.8% of patients on placebo (P<0.01 for all comparisons with placebo).

An improvement of 4 or more points in the pruritus scale was achieved by 21.6% of patients on the 4-mg dose; 16.6% of those on 2 mg baricitinib and 10.2% of patients on the 1-mg dose compared with 4.4% of patients on placebo (P<0.05). There were no significant treatment effect differences in patients with or without atopic comorbidities. Wollenberg noted.

BREEZE-AD1 and BREEZE-AD2 were independent 16-week randomized, double-blind, parallel-group, placebo-controlled trials conducted at 173 sites in Europe, Asia, Latin America, and Australia. Patients were randomized 2:1:1:1 to once-daily placebo or the three baricitinib doses. The trial was supported by Eli Lilly.

Atopy Severity Tied to Staph Bacterial Persistence

The presence of Staphylococcus aureus was associated with atopic dermatitis in children, and was more persistent in moderate to severe atopy than in milder cases, researchers reported (abstract #625).

Among all of the 163 children in the study who had at least two clinic visits in the Mechanisms of the Progression of Atopic Dermatitis to the Asthma in Children (MPAACH) cohort, S. aureus colonization decreased over time from 27.0% to 12.3% (P<0.001) from the first to the second visits, reported Tammy Gonzalez, an MD/PhD student at Cincinnati Children's Hospital.

Children with persistent moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis were more likely to be colonized with S. aureus at both visit 1 (41.9% vs 23.5%, P=0.037) and visit 2 (25.8% vs 9.1%, P=0.011) when compared to children without persistent moderate-to-severe disease.

Atopic dermatitis is a chronic inflammatory skin condition marked by barrier dysfunction and has previously been associated with S. aureus skin colonization, the researchers noted. However, the relationship between S. aureus colonization and persistent moderate-to-severe pediatric atopic dermatitis was less clear.

"We aimed to determine the association between S. aureus colonization at visits 1 and 2 and persistent moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis in children using the MPAACH," the group's abstract stated.

"We demonstrate that S. aureus colonization in pediatric atopic dermatitis decreases over time regardless of severity," it continued. "However S. aureus colonization remains higher in children with persistent moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis, suggesting a potential relationship between S. aureus and the stability of atopic dermatitis severity."

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AAAAI: Highlights of Atopic Dermatitis Research - MedPage Today

Immunology

The Exercise Training Modulatory Effects on the Obesity-Induced Immuno | DMSO – Dove Medical Press

Nakisa Soltani,1 Sayed Mohammad Marandi,1 Mohammad Kazemi,2 Nafiseh Esmaeil3

1Department of Exercise Physiology, Faculty of Sport Sciences, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran; 2Department of Genetics and Molecular Biology, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran; 3Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran

Correspondence: Nafiseh EsmaeilDepartment of Immunology, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan 81744-176, IranTel +98 31 37929097Fax +98 3113 7929031Email nafesm5@gmail.comSayed Mohammad MarandiDepartment of Exercise Physiology, Faculty of Sport Sciences, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, IranTel +983137932358Fax +983136687572Email smmarandi2001@yahoo.com

Abstract: Reduced physical activity rate in peoples lifestyle is a global concern associated with the prevalence of health disorders such as obesity and metabolic disturbance. Ample evidence has indicated a critical role of the immune system in the aggravation of obesity. The type, duration, and production of adipose tissue-released mediators may change subsequent inactive lifestyle-induced obesity, leading to the chronic systematic inflammation and monocyte/macrophage (MON/M) phenotype polarization. Preliminary adipose tissue expansion can be inhibited by changing the lifestyle. In this context, exercise training is widely recommended due to a definite improvement of energy balance and the potential impacts on the inflammatory signaling cascades. How exercise training affects the immune system has not yet been fully elucidated, because its anti-inflammatory, pro-inflammatory, or even immunosuppressive impacts have been indicated in the literature. A thorough understanding of the mechanisms triggered by exercise can suggest a new approach to combat meta-inflammation-induced metabolic diseases. In this review, we summarized the obesity-induced inflammatory pathways, the roles of MON/M polarization in adipose tissue and systemic inflammation, and the underlying inflammatory mechanisms triggered by exercise during obesity.

Keywords: exercise training, immune system, adipose tissue, toll-like receptors, macrophage polarization, obesity, meta-inflammation

This work is published and licensed by Dove Medical Press Limited. The full terms of this license are available at https://www.dovepress.com/terms.php and incorporate the Creative Commons Attribution - Non Commercial (unported, v3.0) License.By accessing the work you hereby accept the Terms. Non-commercial uses of the work are permitted without any further permission from Dove Medical Press Limited, provided the work is properly attributed. For permission for commercial use of this work, please see paragraphs 4.2 and 5 of our Terms.

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The Exercise Training Modulatory Effects on the Obesity-Induced Immuno | DMSO - Dove Medical Press

Immunology

When will a Covid-19 vaccine be available in New Zealand? – RNZ

Vaccines for Covid-19 could be at least 12 to 18 months away from wide distribution according to the world's leading scientists, but that doesn't mean they aren't moving at breakneck speed trying to develop them.

The timeframe of 12 to 18 months could theoretically be accelerated, but people must plan for at least an 18-month wait. Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone

Right now there is no vaccine available for Covid-19 - a new coronavirus disease - which means that scientists around the world trying to develop vaccines are starting from scratch.

New Zealand's foremost experts in viral immunology are working closely together, and with other countries, to combine their knowledge and resources, yet Auckland University immunologist Rod Dunbar said people's expectations may need to be tempered.

"We all feel incredibly responsible to do all we can, however, in terms of our actual work, we are hesitant at this stage to share too much detail because we don't want to over promise," Dunbar said.

He said the timeframe of 12 to 18 months could theoretically be accelerated, but people must plan for at least an 18-month wait.

"You just can't predict what clinical trials are going to tell you, and early vaccines that aren't thoroughly tested can come with side-effects or potentially make the virus worse - so we have to be careful."

Graham Le Gros is the research director of the Malaghan Institute - a world-leading biomedical research institute based in Wellington - and fears 18 months may be a conservative prediction. Some vaccines can take more than a decade to safely develop.

"We really are blind on this one. I think 18 months is quite optimistic," he said.

"But it's just a virus. We'll get this thing. Obviously, it's a great challenge, but there are wonderful technologies now that means something will come up."

Trials around the world are slowly shifting into gear.

In Seattle this past week, 45 healthy volunteers began taking part in a six-week human trial against Covid-19, but it will be many months to know if this vaccine, or others in development, are effective.

But the good news is that Dunbar said vaccine development is far from resembling a "space race".

"There are some commercial imperatives, such as companies wanting to sell vaccines - so they won't share everything they know, but in terms of work being done targeting the virus, we're looking at an unprecedented speed and international collaboration. The fact that China has shared information has been incredible," he said.

"Information is being shared in academic publications, but without any barriers to access. There is a massive coordination effort."

He said the vaccine that comes first is likely to be the one that is both safe and effective, but also able to be "scaled up". In other words, which vaccine allows for the quick production of doses for massive global communities.

Read more about the Covid-19 coronavirus:

Le Gros expects multiple different vaccines to be produced and distributed. Certain vaccines may only be effective for certain people. As of a week ago, the World Health Organisation's website listed 41 candidate vaccines in development.

His Malaghan Institute, which started to look closely at Covid-19 about three weeks ago, has applied for a grant from the Health Research Council and hopes to put together a programme of its own. The institute can assist in vaccine development via its ability to test on mice.

"We've been living for almost 100 years in some sort of vaccine-protected world and we haven't really had any infectious agents that we are completely susceptible to, like this, for a long time," he said.

There is research showing that those who recover from Covid-19 are protected from reinfection for a long time, although this assumption isn't yet backed by definitive evidence.

"The fact that there are reports that most people who are recovering are now well, is good, and those people are effectively super-charged against the virus," Dunbar said.

But even if infection rates drop, the importance of developing a vaccine is still crucial.

"We don't yet know enough about this virus - we may not have lifelong immunity - and that's why vaccines can be effective down the track. Viruses like these are designed to survive," Le Gros said.

"If the virus changes every year, we may end up having a coronavirus season every year and different immunity shots will be needed."

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When will a Covid-19 vaccine be available in New Zealand? - RNZ

Immunology

Easy Remedies That Can Help Relieve Allergy Suffering – 24/7 Wall St.

Special Report

Easy Remedies That Can Help Relieve Allergy Suffering

Hristina Byrnes

As the world concentrates on fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, spring is fast approaching. Trees will soon be in bloom, spring flowers will decorate parks, and green grass will make everything look more pleasant. Most people cannot wait to see signs of spring. For the 50 million Americans who suffer from seasonal allergies, the sixth leading cause of chronic illness in the United States, excitement about spring is accompanied by a feeling of dread.

24/7 Tempo reviewed information by the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, and other health-focused sites to compile a list of ways to relieve seasonal allergies symptoms.

Spring allergies, which go by other names such as hay fever, or the more medical name such as allergic rhinitis, can cause sneezing, stuffy and runny nose, watery eyes, as well as itchy nose, eyes, and mouth, according to the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. These symptoms are due to an allergic sensitivity to pollen from trees, grass, weeds, or airborne mold spores.

An allergy is the immune systems hypersensitivity reaction to usually harmless substances in the environment. If the body is allergic to food, most symptoms occur around the mouth, throat, or stomach. If the allergen is something a person breathes in, the symptoms are then likely to affect the eyes, nose, and lungs here are 16 symptoms you may not know are allergic reactions.

Click here for easy allergy relief that isnt medication.

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Easy Remedies That Can Help Relieve Allergy Suffering - 24/7 Wall St.

Immunology

Coronavirus: Indian-origin researcher Arinjay Banerjee among scientists who isolated COVID-19 – Livemint

TORONTO (CANADA) :Indian-origin postdoctoral researcher Arinjay Banerjee was part of a team of Canadian scientists that managed to isolate the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the agent responsible for the outbreak of COVID-19 that has infected more than 200,000 globally.

Banerjee is a postdoctoral researcher at McMaster University, with research interests in innate immunology, virology, emerging infections, molecular biology, among others.

He was part of the team from the Sunnybrook Research Institute, the University of Toronto, and McMaster University, which was able to culture the virus from two clinical specimens in a Level 3 containment facility, as per a release by the Sunnybrook Research Institute.

"Now that we have isolated the SARS-CoV-2 virus, we can share this with other researchers and continue this teamwork," Banerjee said. "The more viruses that are made available in this way, the more we can learn, collaborate and share."

The achievement will help researchers in Canada and across the world develop better diagnostic testing, treatments, and vaccines, and gain a better understanding of SARS-CoV-2 biology, evolution and clinical shedding.

"We need key tools to develop solutions to this pandemic. While the immediate response is crucial, longer-term solutions come from essential research into this novel virus," said Dr Samira Mubareka, microbiologist and infectious diseases physician at Sunnybrook.

Across the world, the virus has infected more than 207,000 people in 166 countries and killed 8,657, as per the latest data available on the World Health Organisation website.

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Coronavirus: Indian-origin researcher Arinjay Banerjee among scientists who isolated COVID-19 - Livemint

Immunology

Janssen Submits Ponesimod New Drug Application to the US FDA for Treatment of Adults with Relapsing Multiple Sclerosis | Small Molecules | News…

DetailsCategory: Small MoleculesPublished on Thursday, 19 March 2020 13:23Hits: 346

TITUSVILLE, NJ, USA I March 18, 2020 I The Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson (Janssen) today announced the submission of a New Drug Application (NDA) to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for ponesimod for the treatment of adult patients with relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS).

Ponesimod is an investigational selective sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor 1 (S1P1) modulator that inhibits S1P protein activity and in so doing is believed to reduce the number of circulating lymphocytes that can cross the blood-brain barrier. In patients with MS, the movement of immune cells into the brain damages myelin, the protective sheath that insulates nerve cells. Damage to myelin slows or halts nerve conduction, producing the neurologic signs and symptoms of MS.i

"Nearly 1 million people over the age of 18 in the U.S. live with MSii, and approximately 85 percent of people with the condition are initially diagnosed with relapsing MS.iiiDespite new advancements and treatments coming to market, a number of unmet needs still remain leaving patients struggling to manage often-debilitating symptoms," said Mathai Mammen, M.D., Ph.D., Global Head of Janssen Research & Development, LLC. "In the coming months, we'll work closely with the FDA to bring ponesimod one step closer to the MS patient community and remain encouraged by its superior efficacy profile specifically in reducing new inflammatory lesions and disability accumulation in comparison to a leading therapy on the market."

The NDA is based on the head-to-head OPTIMUM Phase 3 study, which showed superior efficacy of ponesimod 20 mg on the primary endpoint of reduced annualized relapse rate (ARR), as well as most secondary endpoints, compared to Aubagio (teriflunomide) 14 mg in adults with relapsing MS.

At week 108, a highly statistically significant reduction of 30.5 percent on ARR was observed with ponesimod when compared to Aubagio. Additionally, a statistically significant reduction of fatigue symptoms and a 56 percent reduction on combined unique active lesions (CUALs) in the brain were observed with ponesimod compared to Aubagio. The safety profile observed for ponesimod was consistent with previous studies of ponesimod and the known safety profile for other S1P receptor modulators.

"What's interesting about MS is that symptoms are not always visible. Fatigue is one of the most common and debilitating symptoms of MS and yet, it's one of the most challenging to manage and treat," saidHusseini Manji, M.D., F.R.C.P.C., Global Therapeutic Area Head for Neuroscience at Janssen Research & Development, LLC. "We were thrilled to see improvement in fatigue-related symptoms as part of the Phase 3 OPTIMUM trial as we know the profound impact it may have on a person's daily life. The improvement in fatigue, coupled with reduction in ARR, demonstrate great promise for ponesimod with patients seeking a more targeted treatment option."

The clinical study data that supports this filing was presented in September 2019 at the 35th Congress of The European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis Conference (ECTRIMS) in Stockholm, Sweden. More information may be found here.

About Multiple Sclerosis (MS)MS is a chronic autoimmune inflammatory disease of the central nervous system affecting 2.3 million people worldwide,iv with females more impacted than males.v The disease is characterized by demyelinationii and axonal loss leading to neurological impairment and severe disability.vi Relapsing forms of MS, which make up 85 percent of all MS cases, include clinically isolated syndrome, relapsing-remitting MS and active secondary progressive MS.vii In addition to the debilitating neurological symptoms of the disease, patients often also suffer from "hidden symptoms," namely fatigue and depression, both of which are major contributors to the reduced quality of life.viii Fatigue is one of the most common symptoms of MS, occurring in about 80 percent of people.ix

Relapses are defined as new, worsening or recurrent neurological symptoms that last for more than 24 hours with the absence of fever or infections. Relapses may be fully resolved over days or weeks or lead to persistent residual deficits and accumulation of disability.x

About the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & JohnsonAt Janssen, we're creating a future where disease is a thing of the past. We're the Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson, working tirelessly to make that future a reality for patients everywhere by fighting sickness with science, improving access with ingenuity, and healing hopelessness with heart. We focus on areas of medicine where we can make the biggest difference: Cardiovascular & Metabolism, Immunology, Infectious Diseases & Vaccines, Neuroscience, Oncology, and Pulmonary Hypertension.

Learn more at http://www.janssen.com. Follow us at http://www.twitter.com/JanssenGlobal. Janssen Research & Development, LLC is part of the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson.

*Aubagio(teriflunomide) is a registered trademark of Sanofi Socit Anonyme France.

iNational Multiple Sclerosis Society. What is Myelin? Available at: https://www.nationalmssociety.org/What-is-MS/Definition-of-MS/Myelin. Accessed July 22, 2019.iiNational Multiple Sclerosis Society. Multiple Sclerosis FAQs. Available at: https://www.nationalmssociety.org/What-is-MS/MS-FAQ-s#question-How-many-people-have-MS. Accessed November 20, 2019.iiiNational Multiple Sclerosis Society. Relapsing-Remitting MS (RRMS). Available at: https://www.nationalmssociety.org/What-is-MS/Types-of-MS/Relapsing-remitting-MS. Accessed February 12, 2020.ivNational Multiple Sclerosis Society. Multiple Sclerosis FAQs. Available at: https://www.nationalmssociety.org/What-is-MS/MS-FAQ-s. Accessed April 23, 2019.vNational Multiple Sclerosis Society. Who Gets MS. Available at: https://www.nationalmssociety.org/What-is- MS/Who-Gets-MS. Accessed April 24, 2019.viNational Multiple Sclerosis Society. Immunology of MS. Available at: https://www.nationalmssociety.org/What-is-MS/Definition-of-MS/Myelin. Accessed July 22, 2019.viiNational Multiple Sclerosis Society. What is MS? Types of MS. Available at: https://www.nationalmssociety.org/What-is-MS/Types-of-MS. Accessed July 22, 2019. viiiBiernacki T, Sandi D, Kincses ZT, et al. Contributing factors to health-related quality of life in multiple sclerosis. Brain Behav. 2019;00:e01466. https://doi.org/10.1002/brb3.1466. ixNational Multiple Sclerosis Society. Fatigue. Available at: https://www.nationalmssociety.org/Symptoms-Diagnosis/MS-Symptoms/Fatigue. Accessed February 25, 2020.xMultiple Sclerosis Association of America. What is an MS relapse? Available at: https://mymsaa.org/publications/ms-relapse-toolkit/what-relapse/. Accessed July 22, 2019.

SOURCE: Janssen

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Janssen Submits Ponesimod New Drug Application to the US FDA for Treatment of Adults with Relapsing Multiple Sclerosis | Small Molecules | News...

Immunology

Research interrupted: Lab groups find their way together – Cornell Chronicle

When Mariana Wolfner, a Cornell geneticist and molecular biologist,learned March 15she needed to suspend all noncritical research as part of the universitys effort to stem thecoronavirus outbreak, she had two main concerns.

The first was how best to help her students.

Everyone is just stunned ..., obviously because of the coronavirus, but also because of their research suddenly stopping or slowing down, said Wolfner,the Goldwin Smith Professor of Molecular Biology and Genetics in the College of Arts and Sciences (A&S). She has emphasized staying in contact with her lab virtually, to create a sense of community and support.

Ciro Cordeiro, a postdoc in Scott Emrs lab in Weill Hall, organizes frozen cell samples.

The other thing thats been hard has been trying to figure out what to shut down without forgetting something critical to maintain, said Wolfner, a Stephen H. Weiss Presidential Fellow.

She and other researchers on campus have found that people are making extra efforts to help each other.

Everyone is working together, pitching in to find solutions to problems as they arise, saidScott Emr,the Frank Rhodes Professor of Molecular Biology and Genetics in A&S and director of the Weill Institute for Cell and Molecular Biology. The atmosphere in the lab is very collegial and supportive.

With universities across the country also suspending research, scientists have offered transition strategies on social media. Students in Wolfners lab also consulted friends at other institutions.

Using that, weve come up with a plan, Wolfner said. Her students canvassed lab members to determine what experiments were absolutely critical. A postdoctoral researcher made a shift schedule for the lab.

Laura Harrington, a professor of entomology whose research seeks to understand mosquito biology and use that knowledge to prevent them from spreading disease, has noticed small but meaningful acts of kindness. Students have made their own hand sanitizer and made it available. Entomology graduate students circulated a list of people willing to provide a room in their homes for students who had no place to go.

I was really touched by people reaching out, she said.

Another major consideration for researchers has been what to do with stocks of animals or cultures that are invaluable for their research.

Avery August, professor of immunology and vice provost for academic affairs, said maintaining animal models used in his lab will be essential for when lab members return to work.

We work a lot with animals, he said, adding that animals used in research can take months and even years to develop. Along with maintenance, research animals must continue to be bred. A lab member will come in regularly to make sure the animals are cared for, so that we dont lose six to nine months if we just stopped everything, August said.

Harrington and her lab colleagues are in a race to complete an essential research project theyve been working on for the last two years, on the acoustic behavior of disease-carrying Anopheles mosquitoes, a key for understanding how males hone in on females for mating. Weve got a whole bunch of really valuable mosquito strains that we need to maintain, she said.

Wolfners lab does pioneering work with fruit flies, which must be maintained and bred. One students entire doctoral thesis is based on a strain of flies the student created. To keep all the flies alive, a team is working at the lab in shifts, so theres only one person in the lab at a time.

Perhaps the biggest task for faculty has been supporting and guiding students during this transition.

A lot of people are upset, said Colin Parrish, the John M. Olin Professor of Virology at the Baker Institute for Animal Health. The students are trying to figure out what theyre going to do to finish their research projects, finish their theses.

Postdocs in Scott Emr's lab in Weill Hall work to freeze down cell samples to preserve the labs research.

Parrish has been helping his students come up with solutions ways they can be productive remotely, read papers and write. One of his students who was scheduled to travel for a job interview will now be interviewing online.

Its been especially hard for senior undergraduate students, because they are graduating, Harrington said.

One of her seniors was upset she was not able to finish her honors project research. I just told her, Youve done the best you can with the lab work, but it really is the experience that is the educational component rather than the end product, Harrington said.

Emrs group held a pre-graduation ceremony and celebration March 17, complete with a decorated sheet cake with an inscription, for two graduating seniors who feared they wouldnt have a graduation ceremony.

A one-hour pause in our day that made us all feel good, Emr said, especially the two seniors in my lab who are likely saying a final goodbye to Cornell when they leave Ithaca in the next three days.

As people leave campus, most lab groups have plans to stay in touch via regular Zoom meetings. Wolfners group has already held a Zoom lab meeting where they discussed a journal article just to do something normal, and it made us relax, she said. They plan to meet virtually three times a week.

Harringtons lab had its first virtual meeting on March 16. We tried to laugh about things, you know, talk to each other and share ideas, support each other, she said.

As a community, everyones done a great job, Parrish said. People are doing what they can to make it a smooth transition, and hopefully, in a month or two, when things settle down, well be able to start moving things in the other direction.

Research and lab work are being scaled down across Cornell Universitys campus to stem the spread of COVID-19. In Scott Emrs molecular biology and genetics lab, postdoctoral associates are putting most research on ice.

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Research interrupted: Lab groups find their way together - Cornell Chronicle

Human Behavior

Now AI will get to know your intentions, scientists teaching the nuances of human behavior – westofthepond.com

Imagine that you have put a robotic machine in front of you and you can describe it in a word of mind.At first it seems like a small part of a film, but now it can also be possible in reality.Because scientists have started making such robotic machines.For this, they are also teaching the Artificial Intelligence (AI) system the nuances of human behavior so that machines can anticipate peoples intentions in a timely manner and give prior notice if anything is anticipated.

Researchers at the University of New South Wales (UNSW), Australia, said, In the era of growing AI, machines are now being built that have the ability to talk to humans and even detect their intentions.He said that currently AI can do commendable work to find out the intentions of a person.Apart from this, a possible list of different reactions of humans in a situation can also be made.From this it can be found out what kind of reactions a human being can give in a particular situation.

Human attachment to machines increases over time

Leila Yao, senior lecturer at UNSW, said, Over time, the attachment of humans to machines is increasing.Machines also think like humans and help to work, it is necessary that its system be further improved.With this, machines will not only be able to take better decisions but also forecast our intentions.

Yao said that in return for improving the AI system, it can increase our ability to work and make decisions.This will establish cooperative relations between machine and man and will be able to work well.Researchers said that although it will take some time to prepare machines that make 100 percent accurate predictions of human intentions, humans are not able to detect the frenzy in another persons mind.

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Now AI will get to know your intentions, scientists teaching the nuances of human behavior - westofthepond.com

Human Behavior

Coronavirus offers reprieve from air pollution | TheHill – The Hill

Environmental experts say the planet is getting a breather from the constant output of pollution by humans as the coronavirus puts many activities by individuals and businesses on hold.

Smog levels in China were reduced after factories shuttered during the outbreak there, and satellite images show a significant drop in air pollution in Italy while the country remains in a nationwide lockdown.

Similar declines are soon expected in the U.S., where half of all car trips are to and from work or school.

But while the coronavirus pandemic could disrupt daily routines for months, experts say the drop in heat-trapping emissions, while beneficial, will likely amount to just a blip in trend lines that show the world is moving toward unsustainable levels of carbon dioxide, or CO2, emissions.

The damage from CO2 just accumulates, so every ton we don't release is not inflicted on the environment, but if everything goes back to business as usual when this ends, it wont have much of an impact, said David Archer, a professor of geophysical sciences at the University of Chicago.

Experts say emissions are likely to drop this year, continuing a trend already driven by the closure of coal-fired power plants as utilities transition to cleaner forms of energy.

And as schools close and more Americans work from home, the decline in travel is likely to aid the emissions dip.

Vehicle emissions are expected to drop in the U.S. In New York City, traffic congestion was measured at 17 percent this week, compared to 52 percent during the same period in 2019, according to transit data company TomTom.

Air traffic, however, is a more complicated piece of the emissions puzzle.

Airlines have asked the federal government for $50 billion in economic relief amid massive declines in passenger travel as countries close borders, conferences are canceled and family vacations are postponed.

What counts is not the reduction in the number of people flying but the number of airplanes flying. There are a lot of airplanes running half empty, said Michael Gerrard, a professor at the Columbia Law School and director of the Sabin Center for Climate Change Law.

Many airlines are flying with planes that are anywhere from 30 percent to 50 percent full, whereas this time last year flights were about 80 percent full, according to information collected by Airline Data Inc.

While planes still account for just a small percentage of global emissions, the airline industry is one of the fastest growing sectors with greenhouse gas emissions. Emissions increased 32 percent between 2013 and 2018.

With more online meetings being held amid the outbreak, some clean energy advocates hope it could lead to a behavioral shift.

Weve seen a rise of fly-in, fly-out business travel, where 30 people come in and out, everyone shakes hands and then leaves almost immediately, said Dan Rutherford, aviation director at the International Council on Clean Transportation.

That's bad for the environment and now people are understanding it's bad for public health, so Im curious if that takes more of a long-term hit.

But data shows that airline traffic, while often taking a hit for about a year after events like 9/11 or the first Gulf War, eventually picks up again.

Similarly, many of the day-to-day human activities that have been put on hold by coronavirus are likely to resume once calls to social distance or shelter in place come to an end.

Are we talking about a short-term decline in emissions? Absolutely. It's not clear to me yet the epidemic will transform our economy to be more energy efficient or change human behavior, said Rob Jackson, an environmental scientist at Stanford University as well as chair of the Global Carbon Project.

Gerrard added that emissions have often gone down during recessions, only to recover alongside the economy.

I think we're talking about blips Im not sure whether theyre small blips or large blips but theres no reason to believe this is affecting overall trends unless it leads to a long-term crash of the global economy, which no one wants, he said of emissions.

There are also fears that an economic downturn might slow progress on some environmental fronts.

Companies ranging from Microsoft to Nestle have previously pledged to reduce their carbon footprint efforts Jackson worries may stall when faced with financial challenges caused by coronavirus.

It may hurt companies ability to keep their commitments; it may give them an excuse not to keep their commitments; it may make the government less likely to push more improvements too, he said.

Those scenarios suggest any long-term improvements to stem climate change are unlikely to come out of the coronavirus pandemic.

Its like were spending money on a credit card that we can't pay back every year, said Archer. If you stop spending for a year but then continue later, it slows down accumulation of the debt, but it doesn't make that much difference in the long run if your spending just bounces back.

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Human Behavior

DAVID CHANCEY: March Madness and the hunt for Double Q salmon – Henry Herald

The coronavirus outbreak still has my head spinning. As health officials keenly followed COVID-19, March began with news of the first U.S. death, a man in Washington state. Also, the CDC reported the first possible outbreak at a long-term care facility in Washington.

After a rough February closing, March 1 news reported a stock market surge of 5.1%. The rebound didnt last as economic distress surged as well.

Adjusting to the time change as we began the week of March 9, we wondered what a week with a full moon and a Friday the 13th would bring. We soon saw the coronavirus apprehension snowball.

The sports world turned upside down as various leagues cancelled, postponed or rescheduled their seasons. School systems shut down. Even some May graduations are already cancelled.

As new developments unfolded daily, observing peoples reactions became a study in human behavior. First came denial and disbelief. We lived our lives as if we werent affected, thinking China is a long way from America. Then COVID-19 hit Washington state and steadily spread.

Denial turned to skepticism: The news media is creating hysteria and people are overreacting, or This is a conspiracy with a political agenda, or This whole virus-thing is overblown.

Then skepticism turned to fear as people bombarded stores. Toilet paper turned to gold. Hand wipes disappeared. As my March 15 birthday approached, I requested fried salmon patties for my special meal. Suddenly, I couldnt find Double Q Pink Salmon as I daily visited several groceries and discovered the canned meat aisles cleared. I struck out.

Fear turned to hysteria as shoppers acted like a blizzard was coming, packing parking lots, standing in lines waiting for stores to open, clearing out key items. It was each man for himself until stores set limits. One customer asked, Did I miss the memo that the world was going to end?

Now folks seem to be coping with this disruption, hoping for this crisis to pass soon and for life to return to normal.

This craziness gives new meaning to March madness and reminds us how uncertain life is. Fear, scarcity and an unknown future trigger a reaction like stockpiling.

Stockpiling is a means of exerting control in a situation that is out of control, said Jon Mueller, professor of psychology at North Central College in Napierville, Ill. We want to do things to gain control, he said, and hoarding supplies offsets our sense of helplessness.

Chris Elkins, chief of staff at Denison Forum, shared hes having a hard time.

Theres no certainty about how this virus will spread or whom it will impact. . . I have zero control of the stock market, the hoarding or peoples compliance to guidelines. I find this troubling and deeply disturbing.

The reality is, under normal circumstances, we are NOT in control, even though we want to be. The sooner we accept that reality, the sooner we can lessen our anxiety. How can we live confidently in a world thats going nuts?

First, replace fear with faith. Faith and fear cannot coexist. Either were fearing or were demonstrating faith. Satan uses fear to erode our faith.

In times like these, where do you turn? Asaph found himself in a crisis and wrote, I cried out to God with my voice . . . and He gave me ear. In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord . . . (Psalm 77:1, 2a). Look first to God.

Second, remember Gods presence. Deuteronomy 31:8 reads, And the Lord, He is the One who goes before you. He will be with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed. God is with us in this crisis.

Third, look out for others. Were in this together. Dont fight over toilet paper. Share the wealth. Check on your neighbors, especially the elderly. Remember its not just about you.

Fourth, shine brightly. Believers must let the world see us living unafraid, using good sense, exercising wisdom, but living as people of faith who trust in a God who is bigger than coronavirus.

I finally found my favorite brand, Double Q salmon, by the way, and got to enjoy my belated birthday treat. And it was delicious!

David L. Chancey is pastor, McDonough Road Baptist Church, Fayetteville. The church gathers at 352 McDonough Road, near McCurry Park. Join MRBC this Sunday for Bible study at 9:45 and worship at 10:55 a.m. Visit them online at http://www.mcdonoughroad.org. Order Chanceys new book The Day I Nearly Met Dolly: Tales of Faith, Family and a Few Homeruns on Amazon.

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DAVID CHANCEY: March Madness and the hunt for Double Q salmon - Henry Herald