Category Archives: Physiology

Today, nearly all of us are in enforced home confinement due to an invisible foe, the coronavirus. So, how do we amuse ourselves? Some pick up books theyve always wanted to read. Others get household chores done. But how about some of us losing weight? If typical busy schedules have interfered with your efforts in the past, could the current context support a concentrated effort on fasting to shed pounds? And what are the best ways to fast?

Fasting diets have generated considerable buzz among diet gurus in the media, not only as an approach to weight loss but also as a way to improve overall health. But do facts back it up?

Researchers say that animals and humans share some comment elements in the evolutionary process. One of these is that neither animals nor humans have always had the good fortune of enjoying three meals a day. Over long eras when our ancestors needed to scrounge for food, humans developed physiology capable of enduring periods without food. So the question arises, is it possible that the occasional fast might be good for us?

That seems to be true for animals. Studies show that fasting produces health benefits in laboratory animals. For instance, restrictive diet experiments involving rats and mice have delayed the progression of chronic conditions such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, cancer and neurological disorders.

Research suggests humans derive benefits too. For example, many studies look at the health impact of fasting by large numbers of people during Ramadan. Results show a reduction in inflammation biomarkers, and this in turn can help prevent a wide range of illness, including neurodegenerative conditions. Other benefits include reduced coronary artery disease and a lower risk of diabetes. Several studies have demonstrated that fasting can decrease blood sugar levels, improve blood sugar control, and reduce insulin resistance, facilitating efforts by those with diabetes to keep levels steady and prevent spikes and crashes.

If you decide to fast during home confinement, how should you do it? Some diets involve a complete fast, allowing only water for a period of time. But many people prefer intermittent fasting. This involves eating at only certain times of the day and fasting the rest of the day. Still other fasts involve drastically reducing food intake for two or three days of the week. Remember, fasting is about calorie restriction, and this is only advantageous if there is no overeating when breaking the fast.

Dr. Sai Krupa Das of the Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging says, In terms of weight loss and improvement on body composition, intermittent fasting can work, but there is not sufficient evidence to say it is superior to overall calorie restriction. In fact, the two methods appear to be pretty comparable.

A report in the journal Aging Research Reviews looked at various forms of calorie restriction. Researchers concluded that all forms of calorie restriction in overweight human subjects have shown improvement in multiple health indicators.

But Dr. Dariush Mozaffarian, dean of Tufts Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, has sound advice. He says, Avoiding refined starches, grains, avoiding added sugars and other hyper-processed foods, and eating plenty of minimally processed foods such as nuts, seeds, beans, fruits, vegetables, fish, yogurt, healthy fats, and plant oils activates many natural weight controlling pathways.

The bottom line is to eat and diet in a way that works for you. Many complicated factors, including inherited genetics and socioeconomic context, make it difficult for some of us to maintain a healthy weight. But for too many of us, the problem is not genetic or societal. It is a lack of individual will and poor lifestyle choices that result in overconsumption of too many calories. This, combined with not enough exercise and confinement at home, is a recipe for trouble.

Dr. W. Gifford-Jones, aka Ken Walker, is a graduate of the University of Toronto and Harvard Medical School. You can reach him online at his website, docgiff.com, or via email at info@ docgiff.com.

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The Doctor Game: Is home confinement a good time to fast? - The Westerly Sun

Physiology

Study: Wind turbine noise not the cause of health symptoms – YLE News

April 20, 2020 medical

A wind farm in Simo, Finnish Lapland.Image: Antti Ullakko / Yle

Claims of adverse health effects of the low frequency or infrasound vibrations caused by wind power stations are not supported by the newest, most long-ranging findings on the subject.

A long-term government-commissioned study conducted by the Technical Research Centre of Finland (VTT) and others found that waves of infrasound cause no measurable changes in human physiology, and could not be detected by the human ear in rigorous testing.

Project leader Panu Maijala from VTT said that the wind power industry can now breathe a sigh of relief, after years of unsubstantiated public sentiment criticising wind turbine construction.

The chair of the managerial research team, Vesa Pekkola from the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, predicted the results of the study will be significant in assuaging public misgivings.

"We were quick to make sure that the research must be utterly airtight in terms of scientific reliability," Pekkola said.

Maijala also emphasised the high quality of the research, which he said was conducted by "the best researchers in the country".

The VTT study used long-term measurements, listening tests and questionnaires to investigate the properties of infrasound a sound vibration whose frequency is below the range of human hearing.

Measurements showed that the infrasound levels in rural areas with wind power parks were about the same as levels in a regular urban environment.

Maijala did say he was surprised to see occasional spikes in the volume of the frequency, going up to 102 decibels.

The main frequencies of the infrasound were between 0.1 and 1.0 hertz (Hz), which is well below the hearing range of the human ear (16-20 Hz). The lower the frequency, the louder the sound must be for it to be audible.

Maijala said he considers it theoretically possible that some individuals might be able to hear the loudest infrasounds caused by the wind turbines. He emphasised that no changes in physiology were discovered in the VTT study.

In the study, people who claimed their symptoms were caused by infrasound were not found to be able to hear the low frequencies any better than people who did not claim it as a cause. Their autonomous nervous systems were not found to be any more activated by the waves than those of asymptomatic test subjects.

The research took note of prior international studies on infrasound and health, but new long-term measurements were also taken at two wind power parks. Both the Kurikka wind farm and the Kopsa area in Raahe contain 17 wind turbines.

Researchers took measurements both indoors and outside, inside the wind power plant and beyond it, for 308 days.

"Usually measurements take a day or two to produce. The data we collected is rare, because we were able to measure the frequencies in people's homes for an extended period," Maijala said.

Maijala pointed out that the study was conducted on apartments and houses whose residents had moved away due to perceived wind-power related health symptoms. Maijala said he spent several days in another house near the Kopsa wind farm.

"The countryside is so quiet you can hear your own thoughts, but still the frequency didn't affect my sleep at all. Granted, I was there only a short while."

The study points out that for some sufferers, symptoms may be brought on by the so-called nocebo effect, where strong belief in negative effects can bring some of them about. People may also assign blame for their real, underlying ailments to the wind turbines in error or bad faith.

The unusually broad study was conducted by VTT, the University of Helsinki, the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health and the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL).

Pekkola said that no national or international criteria for the evaluation of infrasound effects existed prior to the study, published in late 2019. Concrete results have been in high demand around the globe.

"There have been a lot of people claiming that infrasound is a health risk. Now we have the evidence with which to approach those claims," Pekkola said.

As a world first, the study is piquing interest internationally, too.

"Similar research is underway in Germany and Australia, but their results aren't in yet," said Maijala. "I await them eagerly. I believe this study of ours will become a major reference point."

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Study: Wind turbine noise not the cause of health symptoms - YLE News

Physiology

WVU team finds N95 alternatives – Beckley Register-Herald

April 20, 2020 medical

The novel coronavirus pandemic has nearly exhausted stockpiles of medical gear in the United States. Personal protective equipment, like masks, serves as a first-line defense for medical professionals with a front row seat to COVID-19.

Coming to the aid of those doctors and nurses is a team of scientists from West Virginia University and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, which has developed two alternative face coverings that are as effective at blocking novel coronavirus as those highly coveted N95 masks.

You may even have some of the materials to make them: a home furnace filter and a 3D printer.

When COVID-19 began to creep into West Virginia, health officials and the state National Guard started scrambling for solutions to safeguard first responders, health care providers and patients affected by a lack of PPE.

They sought out expertise in WVUs Center for Inhalation Toxicology led by Timothy Nurkiewicz. iTOX includes the WVU Inhalation Facility, where researchers can test the effects of inhaled particles, even simulated COVID-19 droplets.

Nurkiewicz and his team concluded that air filter material from home furnaces you know, the ones you forget to change every three months can effectively obstruct coronavirus particles.

HVAC furnace filters especially the higher quality filters that remove allergens and dust mites can perform well in blocking COVID-19, said Nurkiewicz, chair of Physiology and Pharmacology at the WVU School of Medicine. We can layer that up and use it with publicly available 3D designs for respirator masks that would cover your face. That combination provides significant protection to anyone exposed to COVID-19 droplets.

Travis Goldsmith, iTOX senior research engineer, started the project by exploring ways to rapidly test unconventional filter materials. iTox worked in conjunction with Veronica Cyphert, Julie ONeil and Dr. Robert Gerbo, of WVU Occupational Medicine, to identify that the air filter material in a 3D-printed mask worked quite well.

Dr. Matthew Dietz, from WVU Orthopaedics, brought in additional 3D-printing expertise and added common window/door gaskets to the mask. This addition earned the mask the designation of pass for clinical fit testing performed by Occupational Medicine.

The team has forwarded those recommendations to the West Virginia National Guard, which is in the process of producing those masks. The National Guard has a network of printers that are currently being utilized, Nurkiewicz said.

For the second successful alternative, Nurkiewiczs team developed an adapter that can be 3D-printed and modified to universally fit any face mask. Goldsmith and Kevin Engels, of Physiology and Pharmacology, first developed a prototype. Oxana and Mark Tseytlin from WVU Biochemistry and Walter McKinney and Erik Sinsel from NIOSH in Morgantown worked quickly to develop the prototype into a 3D-printed product and try it out on a CPAP mask. The team discovered that it effectively blocked simulated coronavirus droplets from seeping through.

Nurkiewicz said the design templates will be made available free to the public in the coming weeks as the team refines the files.

Without the expertise of West Virginia Universitys researchers and expert faculty, we wouldnt be in a position to move forward with our network of academic institutions, community and technical colleges, public and private industries who are able to 3D-print these tested designs to meet the ever-growing need for PPE in our state, said Maj. Gen. James Hoyer, adjutant general of the West Virginia National Guard. This collaboration underscores the importance of building strong partnerships among academia and government agencies to develop innovative solutions to the most pressing issues facing our populace, including our current fight against COVID-19 in the Mountain State.

Overall, the team tested more than 20 materials and mask designs. As health professionals prepare for an expected peak in novel coronavirus cases in West Virginia in the coming weeks, Nurkiewiczs team is monitoring the local levels of PPE and is ready to assist if needed.

The WVU Inhalation Facility measures, identifies and discovers how particles we breathe affect our health. It provides researchers with real-time monitoring capabilities, while the many types of respirable particles it can accommodate during simultaneous experiments make it a standout internationally.

We have the capacity to generate artificial atmospheres of droplets and particles and can assess the size distribution of aerosols. Normally we assess the impact of their inhalation on the cardiopulmonary and reproductive systems, Nurkiewicz said. Now, we are determining whether or not a filter is performing a barrier function. Over the course of the past few weeks, weve tested pretty much everything.

Inside the Inhalation Facility, Nurkiewiczs team conducts aerosol generation exposures, which use ultrasound pulses to move particles and dust without physical contact. Researchers have previously used the iTOX facility to study nanomaterials and inhalable particles from e-cigarettes, auto emissions and military burn pits.

Necessity is the mother of invention, Nurkiewicz said in reflecting on the last few weeks. We dream and come up with a bunch of crazy ideas but working with the military has really been enlightening and rewarding. They are an awesome group of people, and we are very fortunate to have their service.

Nurkiewicz said the research would not have been possible without a dedicated effort from a diverse team of experts coming together as one.

We are making critical coverage of the coronavirus available for free. Please consider subscribing so we can continue to bring you the latest news and information on this developing story.

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WVU team finds N95 alternatives - Beckley Register-Herald

Physiology

Doctors suspect death of 16-year-old boy from suburban Chicago may be linked to COVID-19 – WITI FOX 6 Milwaukee

April 20, 2020 medical

WHEELING, Ill. A Northwest suburban school district confirmed two student cases of suspected COVID-19; one student died, and the other remains in intensive care.

Zach Leviton, 16, is the Wheeling student who died. His family said his symptoms werent what youd expect from the coronavirus. His test, in fact, came back negative, but doctors arent sure, so the case is still being investigated by state health officials as possible COVID-19.

Like many who are 16, Zach Leviton had his permit. His mom said he was excited to get his drivers license. What set this Wheeling High School student apart were his values, which are being remembered by friends and family online.

Some of the comments call Leviton a genuine person that could make me laugh, kind and such a sweetheart. One classmate said shell remember him like this, I wasnt the type of student to ask a question in class, and as soon as Zach realized this, he started asking the questions for me.

If Levitons death is confirmed as a COVID-19 case, he would be the first Illinois teenager to die from complications due to coronavirus. In March, COVID-19 took the life of an infant in Illinois. Both cases would be rare occurrences.

Obviously, a 2-year-old and a 17-year-old are all considered pediatric patients, but we know that the 17-year-old has the physiology much closer to an adult than, say, an infant, or a baby, so former hospitals and pediatricians Ive talked to, they have seen severe illness in older pediatric patients, as they look more like adults than babies, said Illinois Department of Health Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike.

A dark week in District 214 that leaves me with an incredibly heavy heart. We will continue to move forward to see the sunrise again one day; however, this week in our District is marked by pain and sadness, said Superintendent Dr. David Schulerin a letter to parents.

One other student in District 214 remains hospitalized in the intensive care unit at an unnamed hospital, with COVID-19-like symptoms.

42.139193-87.928959

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Doctors suspect death of 16-year-old boy from suburban Chicago may be linked to COVID-19 - WITI FOX 6 Milwaukee

Physiology

Learning to fly from dinosaurs – Cosmos

April 20, 2020 medical

By Ian Connellan

Pterosaurs, the largest animals ever to fly, soared the skies for 160 million years much longer than any species of modern bird. That ought to be enough to think about how they did it, and what we can learn from them.

But despite their aeronautic excellence, these ancient flyers have largely been overlooked in the pursuit of bio-inspired flight technologies.

Now, in a review just published in the journal Trends in Ecology and Evolution, researchers outline why and how the physiology of fossil flyers could provide ancient solutions to modern flight problems, such as aerial stability and the ability of drones to self-launch.

Theres a lot of really cool stuff in the fossil record that goes unexplored because engineers generally dont look to palaeontology when thinking about inspiration for flight, says lead author Liz Martin-Silverstone, from the University of Bristol, UK.

If were only looking at modern animals for inspiration, were really missing a large degree of the morphology out there and ignoring a lot of options that I think could be useful."

Previously, engineers have largely focused on the physiology of modern birds and insects when designing aeronautic technology like drones and planes; fossils are often incomplete.

But Martin-Silverstone says there are a select few pterosaur fossils that provide extraordinarily deep insight into the anatomy of their wings, which is essential for understanding their flight capabilities.

There are two or three absolutely amazingly preserved pterosaur fossils that let you see the different layers within the wing membrane, giving us insight into its fibrous components, she says.

Also, some fossils are preserved enough to show the wing attachments beneath the hip. While you dont know exactly the shape of the wing, by knowing the membrane attachments you can model the effectiveness of different wing shapes and determine which would have performed best in natural conditions.

Analysis of the shape and predicted flight mechanics of these ancient creatures has revealed novel tactics that dont exist in modern flyers.

Getting airborne is one example.

Launching into the air through a leap or jump, also known as ballistic launch, is standard throughout the animal kingdom. However, larger birds require a running start to gain enough momentum for lift-off.

Incredibly, pterosaurs may have developed a method to launch from a stationary position, despite some specimens weighing nearly 300 kilograms.

One hypothesis, proposed by co-author Mike Habib, of the Dinosaur Institute at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, US, suggests that the wing membrane and the robust muscle attachments in the wings allowed pterosaurs to generate a high-powered leap off their elbows and wrists, giving them enough height to become airborne.

Today, something like a drone requires a flat surface to launch and is quite restricted on how it actually gets into the air, says Martin-Silverstone.

The unique launch physiology of pterosaurs might be able to help solve some of these problems.

Pterosaurs can also provide insights on preventing instability in flight.

Contrary to the way sails can become unstable in a strong wind, pterosaurs evolved strategies to resist flutter of their broad wings.

So far weve struggled to design things like flight suits that can resist the pressures of flight, says Martin-Silverstone.

If we can understand how pterosaurs did it, for instance by understanding how their wing membrane was actually structured, then thats something we can use to answer modern engineering questions.

Martin-Silverstone suggests that if we combine our knowledge from flyers both living and extinct, well have a much better chance of overcoming the hurdles still hindering man-made flight. She wants biologists and engineers to reach out to palaeontologists when theyre looking to solve flight problems.

If we limit ourselves to looking at the modern animals, then were missing out on a lot of diversity that might be useful.

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Learning to fly from dinosaurs - Cosmos

Physiology

Trees permit human beings to exist they are miracles of science, and of art – Times of India

April 20, 2020 medical

Graeme P Berlyn is EH Harriman Professor of Forest Management and Physiology of Trees at Yale Universitys School of Forestry and Environmental Studies. Writing for Times Evoke, the renowned environmental expert discusses the science of trees and their poetry:Trees have many benefits for the entire life of our planet. Trees tower majestically into the atmosphere where they absorb carbon and release oxygen, a process that permits the very life of aerobic organisms like humans to exist. Their roots penetrate deep into the soil where they recycle nutrients around the rhizosphere. Trees occupy only about a third of the terrestrial surface of the Earth but they are responsible for approximately two-thirds of the planetary carbon capture through the process of photosynthesis. '; var randomNumber = Math.random(); var isIndia = (window.geoinfo && window.geoinfo.CountryCode === 'IN') && (window.location.href.indexOf('outsideindia') === -1 ); console.log(isIndia && randomNumber

This is performed by tree leaves that grow along the stems and branches into the atmosphere. Significantly, trees have a large area of leaves per unit of ground surface area as compared to other land plants this accounts for their immense carbon capture. A key factor is the long life of trees, so the carbon that is taken up from carbon dioxide in the process of tree photosynthesis is stored for the life of the tree. When trees are removed due to clearing for various needs that result from population increases, this carbon repository is lost.

During the 1930s, President Franklin D Roosevelt of the United States initiated a system of planting windbreaks to ameliorate the blowing away of top soil in the dust bowl areas, from North Dakota to Texas. Tree crowns are the basis for this effect. In the winter, going into a forest seems warmer because of the reduction of wind. In the summer, forests are cooler because the tree crowns shield the forest floor from direct solar radiation. This effect is also seen in snowmelt the snow melts first in open fields or meadows. This influences animals as well in these environments.

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Trees permit human beings to exist they are miracles of science, and of art - Times of India

Physiology

University honors associate, assistant professors with Early Career Research Achievement Awards – The Brown Daily Herald

April 20, 2020 medical

Courtesy of Gl Zerze, Lehigh University

Nicolas Fawzi is studying a class of RNA processing assemblies whose dysfunction has implications for several neurodegenerative diseases, including ALS.

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Courtesy of Sylvia Chiang

Sylvia Chiang dedicates a space in a local health center for use in prenatal care activities.

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Courtesy of Brown University

RaMell Ross directed the Academy-Award winning documentary film "Hale County, This Morning This Evening."

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Courtesy of Brown University

Anita Shukla aims to create biomaterials for use in drug delivery and regenerative medicine. Previously, she worked to develop an antibacterial coating for IV catheters.

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Seven University faculty members received 2020 Research Achievement Awards this year for their research and scholarly contributions across disciplines including the arts, medicine, engineering and molecular science. An exceptional four researchers were awarded an Early Career Research Achievement Award.

Now entering their fourth year, the Research Achievement Awards acknowledge the significance of research at the (University) and recognize some of the extraordinary faculty who are making these contributions, Vice President for Research Jill Pipher wrote in an email to The Herald.

While typically six researchers are selected for these awards three for the Early Career and three for the Distinguished Research Achievement Awards seven total winners were chosen this year. We were especially struck by the terrific nominations for junior faculty, Pipher said. We decided to make four of those awards in (the Early Career) category.

This installment of a two-part series highlights the Early Career Research Achievement Awards, given to selected assistant professors and new associate professors in the fields of humanities and social sciences, physical sciences and life sciences and public health, according to the University website.

RaMell Ross relays life through multimedia works

Assistant Professor of Visual Arts RaMell Ross uses photography, film and art as a means for knowledge production to have more experiential connections to ideas, social concepts and social constructs in an effort to see what the material, conceptual world is made out of, Ross said.

Ross is the director, cinematographer, film editor and co-writer of the Academy Award-nominated documentary film Hale County This Morning, This Evening, which looks at the lives of two men in Hale County, Alabama, over the course of five years. The film explores art, ideas of Blackness, ideas of community and ideas of the origins of people who look like myself and have very similar experiences to myself in the U.S., Ross said.

Ross views live-the-life fieldwork as vital to understanding what its like to be a person in global society. Having spent a significant amount of time in Hale County, Ross experienced a life similar to those whose stories he eventually conveyed to his films audiences.

Ross digs into the way that language and literature shapes the world, applying the information he uncovers to his visual pursuits. Compared to the laboratory work that may come to mind when one considers research, Ross research is academic, but not held to the same standards of verifiability, he said. Its great because you have the freedom to let everything that is ineffable and intangible be the content and truth.

Having studied photography at the Rhode Island School of Design, Ross defines his art as an approach to moments.

The most commonly held pursuit in photography is the action shot a frozen moment which Ross considers almost dangerous. To him, freezing moments like this problematically excludes larger notions of the individual person and individual experiences, he said. It caters quite naturally to our imagination in ways that reinforce ideology and our personally held beliefs.

In his documentaries, Ross focuses on capturing life authentically and in its entirety not trying to wrap something up with a neat bow.

When it comes to the process of making his multimedia creations, theres nothing better. He has a personal project, tentatively called the Black Dictionary, in the works, but Ill leave it at that, Ross said.

The COVID-19 pandemic has posed a challenge to his work, but with all challenges come really interesting things, and Im excited to see what people make.

Silvia Chiang addresses adolescent, pediatric tuberculosis

Assistant Professor of Pediatrics and a physician specializing in pediatric infectious disease Silvia Chiang studies the clinical and epidemiological aspects of pediatric tuberculosis. In addition to researching tuberculosis and its many implications in public health, environment and society, Chiang has enjoyed working in Peru. For almost a decade, she has collaborated with a branch of Partners In Health in Peru, known as Socios En Salud, to conduct her research.

Chiang has investigated the barriers in diagnosis and treatment of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis in children, but she has increasingly turned her attention to the disease in adolescents, Chiang wrote in an email to The Herald.

Adolescents are a neglected patient population that has not been thoroughly studied in this context, Chiang wrote. But adolescents have shown to have poor adherence to tuberculosis treatment, and the disease can impact their physical, social and psychological development.

To help fill this gap in research, Chiang is conducting a survey-based study on about 250 adolescents in Lima, Peru to identify the risk factors for poor adherence to treatment. She has also received funding for a follow-up study, she wrote.

Since college I have been inspired to focus my career on improving health outcomes for poor, marginalized patients, Chiang wrote. I have always loved living abroad and examining health in different cultural and social contexts.

She is also thankful for her amazing mentors and colleagues who have taught me so much and provided me with so many research opportunities, she added.

Nicolas Fawzi examines molecular assemblies, ALS

Associate Professor of Molecular Pharmacology, Physiology and Biotechnology Nicolas Fawzi focuses on understanding RNA processing assemblies that have dysfunctions associated with neurodegenerative diseases, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, commonly referred to as ALS.

Fawzi uses a technique known as NMR spectroscopy to study the intricacies of these biological molecules. You can change two atoms and have a fatal neurodegenerative disease with no cure, (so) we need atomically detailed information to understand what we can do about them, Fawzi said.

Fawzi uses the same technique to examine proteins of interest, which he overproduces in bacterial cells. He has studied how proteins clump together to form aggregates in neurodegenerative diseases like ALS since he was a graduate student, but only during his time at the University has the involvement of RNA processing assembly proteins been understood. The gap in knowledge about how this protein behavior at a molecular level leads to disease and its potential role in cancer have motivated his research. Im interested in seeing how life and these molecules work, something thats too small to see (with the naked eye), but we have the ability to look at and understand it, said Fawzi.

One of the most enjoyable parts of his job is working with talented students, who contribute great ideas. All this work is only made possible by the effort of people I work within the laboratory; a majority of those are Brown undergraduate and graduate students, said Fawzi.

Looking forward, Fawzi will continue to focus on how prevention of aggregation of protein TDP-43 can lead to the prevention and treatment of ALS. In collaboration with others, he aims to move the study of these assemblies from test tubes to live cells.

Though most of Fawzis laboratory research has been halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic, his research meetings, plans and preparations are still ongoing via Zoom. Fawzi and his colleagues in structural biology, led by Assistant Research Professor of Molecular Pharmacology, Physiology and Biotechnology Mandar Naik, are also starting to look into proteins associated with SARS-CoV-2, the virus strain responsible for COVID-19.

Anita Shukla designs for medicine

Assistant Professor of Engineering Anita Shukla aims to create biomaterials for use in drug delivery and regenerative medicine, according to a University press release. Shuklas contributions to this field include materials designed to reduce infections, The Herald previously reported.

These four recipients join three other University professors honored with the Distinguished Research Achievement Awards.

An institution-wide award like this is an important milestone for faculty members in their records of achievement. We hope it will lead to even more external recognition for them, Pipher wrote.

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University honors associate, assistant professors with Early Career Research Achievement Awards - The Brown Daily Herald

Physiology

LSU Health Shreveport faculty producing 3D-printed nasal swabs for COVID-19 testing – Bossier Press-Tribune Online

April 20, 2020 medical

SHREVEPORT, La. (April 17, 2020) The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has produced many medical challenges, which LSU Health Shreveport has risen to meet. Among the most important goals for clinicians and scientists has been to determine whether a patient is infected with COVID-19. While the LSUHS COVID-19 Response Team very rapidly created the Emerging Viral Threat (EVT) Lab at the health sciences center, there have been national shortages for testing supplies, which have threatened the ability of such testing labs to perform tests. A crucial part of COVID-19 test kits are the nasal swabs, which have been in short supply as the demand for COVID-19 testing has increased around the United States and internationally. These swabs need to be prepared from specific materials and must have particular shapes to ensure accuracy of for specimen collection.

Fortunately, scientists at LSU Health Shreveport were able to utilize existing research and design facilities at the institution to 3D print resin polymer nasal swabs which can be used by the EVT Lab. As part of a national cooperative with the University of South Florida (USF) Health, Northwell Health, New Yorks largest healthcare provider, and Formlabs, LSU Health Shreveport has obtained the printing files for a patented swab design, becoming the first in Louisiana to produce these patented 3D-printed swabs. Steven Alexander, PhD, Professor in the Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, is leading the effort and started to produce these 3D-printed nasal swabs in large numbers using a technique called photopolymer laser printing. This light activated printing technique can produce medical devices which are chemically inert, sterile and compatible with accurate testing procedures. Dr. Alexanders lab has started swab production with photoprinting occurring throughout the day and night. His lab has the capability to produce 324 of the swabs in one day and is planning to ramp up production significantly over the next couple of weeks. The printing of additional batches of swabs is already underway, and Dr. Alexander is working with LSU Health Shreveports EVT Lab to get the swabs into their COVID-19 test kits.

This type of printing enables us to make even the most sophisticated testing tools available anywhere and the workflow is increasing so that hopefully soon we may not only meet our own needs, but perhaps other hospitals in the area, said Dr. Alexander. The COVID-19 pandemic has fundamentally challenged how we work, but 3D printing can really help overcome problems with the availability of medical supplies, shipping and delivery which help to ensure continuity of medical testing and care.

I want to commend Dr. Steven Alexander, an extremely bright and humble physiologist, for thinking outside the box and finding a solution to address the local and national rate-limiting factor for COVID-19 testing, which is lack of nasal swabs. This newest 3D printing development will revolutionize access to swabs, and our intent is to help increase testing capabilities, not only regionally, but throughout the United States, stated LSU Health Shreveport Chancellor G. E. Ghali, DDS, MD, FACS, FRCS(Ed).

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LSU Health Shreveport faculty producing 3D-printed nasal swabs for COVID-19 testing - Bossier Press-Tribune Online

Physiology

Lucknow University introduces units on COVID-19 to two courses – Careers360

April 20, 2020 medical

NEW DELHI: Lucknow University has incorporated COVID-19 in the syllabuses of two of its courses. A unit on COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, has been introduced in the MSc Biochemistry. A similar unit has been added also to the course run by Institute of Public Health.

The new unit in the biochemistry course will be taught in the first semester, which will include four aspects of COVID-19 physiology, transmission, precautionary measures and ways to curb it. While the Institute of Public Health will teach the social and economic impact of the pandemic.

According to Times of India, LU Vice-Chancellor has introduced the courses using special powers granted to a VC. The decision to introduce the syllabus was taken to ensure students get all required information about the virus, reported Hindustan Times.

Meanwhile, LU has suspended all its classes and examination due to the ongoing lockdown. The teachers are taking online classes and several teachers have also uploaded the course material online which can be accessed by the students. The university is also conducting online career counselling and helping out those with mental health issues.

There’s No Good Reason That Women Can’t Be Witchers Too – TheGamer

April 20, 2020 medical

The Witcher series of novels and video games (and now a massively successful Netflix series) has introduced more than 60 different Witchers, all of them men. Any explanation as to why women can't be Witchers too is dubious at best, and at worst reflects the exact kind of hostile sexism that has kept women on an unequal footing in the armed forces, athletics, and leadership roles throughout all of human history.

RELATED:Cloud Is Basically The Witcher

Fans will tell you it isn't a matter of tradition of institutionalized sexism, but rather is a limitation of female biology. Here's why that's a load of B.S. cut from the same cloth that has been historically used to subjugate women and limit their potential.

Witchers are afraternity of elite monster-slayers for hire that have been magically and alchemically enhanced with superhuman abilities. Witchers begin their training as young children at one of 4 Witcher schools, often taken from their parents or abandoned there (as Geralt was).

These young boys are trained to fight from the moment they are able to lift a sword. They're also taught a variety of skills like tracking and potion-making. Eventually, each boy is put through a deadly process called The Trial of the Grasses.

During the trial, the Witchers-in-training are subjected to a variety of alchemical and mutagenic processes that permanently change their physiology. This is what gives Witchers their signature cat eyes, their enhanced strength and reflexes, and in Geralt's case, white hair. The trial is incredibly painful and extremely dangerous. It's said that only 3/10 boys even survive the process because it is such a physically and mentally taxing experience.

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Many will point to the Trial of the Grasses as the reason that only men can become Witchers. They'll argue that only the strongest men survive the process and that women are biologically incapable of surviving the trial because they are physically inferior. It is mentioned in the novels that girls have been put through the trial, but none of them survived.

Here's the problem though:pre-adolescentboys and girls do not have marked differences in muscle mass or bone density. In fact, as we can all remember from 3rd grade, pre-adolescent girls growmuch faster than boys do. I can't imagine what physiological difference there could be between little boys and little girls that makes boys more resistant to drinking a bunch of magic poison anyway. Keep in mind, it's fiction after all, the science will only take us so far. If "physical ability" is your argument though, you don't have a leg to stand on.

Ok, then it's no a matter of "strength," but the other common argument is that the Trial of the Grasses is suited for males because of the differences in hormones. Geralt's power levelis often described in the books as the adrenaline coursing through his veins. It isn't a physical limitation that prevents women from being Witchers, but a hormonal one.

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Before we address the way this exact same argument has been used to keep women out of leadership roles in politics and business, we must once again remember that we're talking about children. At least one studywas able to demonstrate that there is no overwhelming difference between hormone levels in pre-adolescent boys and girls. That argument, again, simply does not track.

The final argument often made is simultaneously the most sincere and the problematic of them all. Males have already established a reputation as Witchers around the world. It simply isn't worth the time and research it would take to turn women into Witchers because the system is already set up for men. It's what people expect and what they're comfortable with. Obviously, reinforcing systemic sexism not a particularly good reason to keep women out of the monster-hunting game. The only legitimate reason to argue that women shouldn't be Witchers is that being a Witcher is a dangerous, thankless profession that will almost certainly guarantee a premature death.No oneshould become a Witcher.

Ciri is trained by Geralt using all of the techniques and knowledge that is taught to young male Witchers, so in essence, Ciriisa Witcher; but in name only. She will never be a true Witcher because she can not go through the Trial of Grasses.

When Kaer Morhen was attacked, the mages that protected the secrets of the Trial of the Grasses were all killed. The recipes and formulas for the process were lost, and no new Witchers have been made since.

Knowing Ciri as he does now, perhaps Geralt could have aged into a leadership role amount theSchool of the Wolf (like Vesemir) and perhaps even trained girls to be Witchers too. There are certainly no shortage of powerful, independent women in Geralt's life, and out of anyone I would expect him to abandon tradition and embrace women for all their potential. The Witcher School were misguided, sexists fraternities. There is no good reason a woman can't be a Witcher.

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Eric Switzer is the Livestream News Editor for TheGamer as well as the lead for VR and Tech. He has written about comics and film for Bloody Disgusting and VFXwire. He is a graduate of University of Missouri - Columbia and Vancouver Film School. Eric loves board games, fan conventions, new technology, and his sweet sweet kitties Bruce and Babs. Favorite games include Destiny 2, Kingdom Hearts, Super Metroid, and Prey...but mostly Prey. His favorite Pokmon is Umbreon.