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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Automatic Veterinary Biochemistry Analyzer Market Region Coverage (Regional Production, Demand & Forecast by Countries etc.):

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

Europe (Germany, U.K., France, Italy, Russia, Spain etc.)

Asia-Pacific (China, India, Japan, Southeast Asia etc.)

South America (Brazil, Argentina etc.)

Middle East & Africa (Saudi Arabia, South Africa etc.)

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Table of Contents:

Study Coverage: It includes study objectives, years considered for the research study, growth rate and Automatic Veterinary Biochemistry Analyzer market size of type and application segments, key manufacturers covered, product scope, and highlights of segmental analysis.

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Automatic Veterinary Biochemistry Analyzer Market Size by Manufacturer: Here, the report concentrates on revenue and production shares of manufacturers for all the years of the forecast period. It also focuses on price by manufacturer and expansion plans and mergers and acquisitions of companies.

Production by Region: It shows how the revenue and production in the global market are distributed among different regions. Each regional market is extensively studied here on the basis of import and export, key players, revenue, and production.

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Tags: Automatic Veterinary Biochemistry Analyzer Market Size, Automatic Veterinary Biochemistry Analyzer Market Growth, Automatic Veterinary Biochemistry Analyzer Market Forecast, Automatic Veterinary Biochemistry Analyzer Market Analysis

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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

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

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

In CA: You reopen, I stay closed, let’s call the whole thing off – USA TODAY

Restaurant and hotel workers will head back to work to bring seniors food as part of a new partnership unveiled Friday. And what happens as parts of California reopen and others don't? Plus, I talk to one of our partner newsrooms about how they're continuing to deliver vital content.

It's Arlene Martnez, with news to close out another shelter-in-place week.

But first:We're open, you're closed: The state's growing patchwork of shelter-in-place rules and human behavior.

And a quick programming note: I'll be out next week on unpaid furlough, which affects most employees ofnewsrooms across theUSA TODAY Network. The coronavirus has slashed revenues for our industry, but our work remains moreimportant thanever. I hope you'llconsider subscribing to your local outlet to make sure it continues.

Stay safe and informed with news and resourcesfrom acrossthe USA TODAY Network and beyond:Sign up for In California today (it's free!).

(Photo: Getty Images)

Restaurants and hospitality workers will get paid to cook and deliver meals for at-risk seniors during the COVID-19crisis, a new initiative designed to help several hard-hit groups at once.

Gov. Gavin Newsom announced the program, which he called the first of its kind, during his Friday news briefing. It means 1.2 million low-income seniors living isolated will potentially get food and socially distanced company, and the decimated food industry will go back to work.The initiative will also funnel cash to jurisdictions that are missing out on significant revenue from now largely absent food sector sales taxes.

We are really addressing three problems at the same time in a very meaningful way," Newsomsaid.

FEMA will cover 75% of the costs associated with the new program and the state will pay just under 19%, leaving counties and cities to make up the difference.

The Golden State's 482 cities stand to lose $6.7 billion in revenue over the next two years, mostly from lost sales and hotel taxes.

In a time of coronavirus, people with balconies are making the most of them, like this class of Balcony Boogie. But few apartments have them.(Photo: USA TODAY Network)

There are so many reasons to have useful balconies on every apartment - community building, fresh air, working out, pandemics. Here's why they're rare.

Treat Yo' Self to a special "Parks and Recreation"reunion showon April 30 at 8:30 p.m.It's to raise money for Feeding Americas COVID-19 Response Fund.

Grocerswon't be charging 10 cents for plastic bags and they can hand outthinner ones, part of several changes meant to reduce essential workers' coronavirus exposure.

He's not a doctor, but he plays one on TV: President Trump's coronavirus treatment claims,in one place and debunked. The latestprompted Lysol to warn people against ingesting itsproducts.

Sid Sicoff, who died of COVID-19, posed in November 2018 for a family photo during a celebration of the 50th anniversary of his marriage to his wife, Janet. Shown here, from top left to right, are: Mike Hayek, Julie Hayek, Christine Sicoff and Brad Sicoff.Bottom left to right: Nola Hayek, Sid Sicoff, Janet Sicoff, Brodie Sicoff and Aubrey Sicoff.(Photo: CONTRIBUTED PHOTO)

Loved by many, a friend heoften seemed to everyone, SidSicoff died alone becausehe tested positive for COVID-19.

The 79-year-old Mason who acted half his age died at 1:09 a.m. on March 27 of respiratory distress in a Ventura Countyhospital.

His son and his son-in-lawwere allowedto visit him hours before he died. They could only look at him through a glass window because of the infectious virus.

His last conversation with his wife of 51 years was days before his death,when he still had enough air to talk.

"It ripped my guts out," his widow, Janet Sicoff, said. "... He was sick and alone. Thats the hard part of the whole thing."

A heartbreaking read about dying in a time of coronavirus.

A Ventura farmworker, a San Jose McDonalds employee, a Torrance meat-cutter from Vons: Illustrated stories reveal troubling peaksinto workplaces.

Mariachis serenaded a group of farmworkers in Ventura County, a gracias for their grueling effort tobringfood to our tables.

Leaders in McFarland, a small, cash-strapped city in theCentral Valley, approved a private prison company's bid to expand its immigration detention capacity in Kern County by 350%.

The middle school students who produce the weekly Lobo Newsbroadcast keep the hits coming, even as they S(chool)FH and ya, sometimes wake at 1 p.m.

People relax near the Ventura pier on Tuesday, April 21, 2020.(Photo: JUAN CARLO/THE STAR)

Beaches are open and closed, depending on where in the state you live. Check out photos from both, as a heatwave bakes all of us without AC.

In the blistering heat of the California desert, pools reopen with a caveat: Just one person at a time. No word on whether there's a time limit.

As the monthlong Ramadan began Thursday night, Islamic institutions open more virtual spaces for Muslims to come together.

Reporters at the Salinas Californian continue providing critical news to the community, wearing gloves and masks like everyone else.(Photo: Kate Cimini / Salinas Californian)

Kate Cimini is a reporter at the Salinas California, which covers Monterey County as part of the USA TODAY Network. Journalists are considered "essential" workers under the state's shelter-in-place orders, and we're out deliveringcritical information and front-line updates.

I asked Cimini to talk about the great work the newsroom has done since the coronavirus upended life as we know it.

The work isn't free and our company, mirroring the rest of ourindustry,has seen sharp declines in revenue. Please consider subscribing to your local media outlet so we can keep our vital work going, during the coronavirus and long after it's passed.

Here's Kate:

"Suddenly, we had to figure out how to connect with the public at a time when it wasn't safe for us or for them to go out and report in-person.

While a lot of reporting can be done over the phone, offices are closed to the public.It's harder to get access to public records and reporters are relying on public spokespeople to be forthcoming, whichisn't alwaysthe case.

"That's definitely a challenge," said reporter Joe Szydlowski. "You're relying on the people in charge to do their job and be responsible."

Vulnerable populations can also be difficult to reach.

The guidelines were changing quickly, but now, when we go out as David Rodriguez and I did to speakwith farmworkersabout protections andpotential wage cutswe wear face masksif possible.

The City of Salinas and the Community Homeless Solution provided eight trailers for people experiencing homelessness who are ready to transition into housing on Thursday, April 16, 2020. Five trailers are parked next to the Chinatown Navigation Center. (Photo: David Rodriguez/The Salinas Californian)

And when Szydlowski, sports reporter Ayrton Ostly and reporter/photographer David Rodriguez headed out to anurses rallyto demonstrate support for people without sufficient PPE, they gloved and masked upto shoot photos and report.

It's been particularly tough for Rodriguez, whose job as a photographer is to get up close and personal and connect readers to our subjects.

See some of hisphotographs here.

"The way I approach people has completely changed," said Rodriguez, citing the public's discomfort with interactions with other people right now. "I've had to minimize the human connection I usually have with people because I can't spend a long time with people anymore."

Rodriguez has also taken to keeping extra masks on him, wearing an N95 mask when he has to photograph large crowds and a colorful cloth mask when he works around children.

Nurses from Natividad and Salinas Valley Memorial Healthcare System joined nurses across the state to advocate for equal protection when treating COVID-19 patients. They wore red to represent the California Nurses Association on Thursday, April 16, 2020.(Photo: David Rodriguez/The Salinas Californian)

Sports reporter Ayrton Ostly had to do the biggest pivot of all: He began writing breaking news for us and attending virtual daily briefings, reporting the climbing COVID-19 numbers in Monterey County, as well as fleshing out our coverage with graphs andbusinesspieces.

"I feel like I've had to relearn what I'm doing," said Ostly. "It's been a little stressful, but it's a brave new world for me."

OK, that's the lastfrom me this week. See youMay 4 (hopefully!).

In California is a roundup of news from across USA TODAY Network newsrooms.Also contributing:LA Times, San Francisco Chronicle, Rolling Stone, CityLab.

Read or Share this story: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2020/04/24/covid-19-california-restaurants-heatwave-balconies-fri-news/3017252001/

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In CA: You reopen, I stay closed, let's call the whole thing off - USA TODAY

Human Behavior

Strategies to support teens and young adults with autism spectrum disorder during COVID-19 – Harvard Health Blog – Harvard Health

The COVID-19 pandemic has been described as the war of our generation. Millions of families are bravely waging war on COVID-19 by rising to the many challenges of social distancing, including upended school and work routines, financial insecurity, and inability to see loved ones, all compounded by the uncertainty of how long this will last. These challenges are likely magnified for those with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Features of ASD, including impaired social and communication skills, repetitive behaviors, and insistence on sameness, can make it very difficult to understand social distancing, express distress, and adapt to new routines.

Social distancing has created many new challenges for families caring for teenagers with ASD in the home. Many teenagers with ASD receive support services including special education, behavioral therapy, occupational therapy, speech services, and individual aides through school. Delivering these services virtually is a major challenge, particularly since many teenagers with ASD already have social and communication difficulties, limiting the utility of video chat. Parents are therefore finding themselves simultaneously expected to play the role of parent, special education teacher, and individual aide, all the while providing care for other children and juggling work-from-home responsibilities. Aggressive and self-injurious behaviors may also increase during this time of fear and uncertainty.

Group home residents have been impacted by social distancing in several unique ways. First, many group homes across the United States have restricted visitors to legal guardians. For many, this means that they are not permitted in-person visits with parents. Second, group home residents are now no longer permitted to engage in their normal routines at day programs and work sites. Because of these restrictions, group home residents are now generally confined to their group homes, and social interactions are limited to ad hoc activities with other residents and staff members, often within the group home. Third, the disappointment of missing highly anticipated events such as outings and family holidays can be amplified for a person with a limited understanding of the pandemic, particularly for those with intellectual disability. Many individuals with ASD may even view these restrictions as punitive, increasing the risk of anxiety, depression, or behavioral outbursts.

Educate teenagers about COVID-19. Since confusion can fuel fear and anxiety, it is important to educate teenagers and young adults with ASD about COVID-19 and social distancing. Exposure to COVID-19 through the media can be overwhelming and misinterpreted. The language used when discussing COVID-19 should be clear, direct, and adapted to the persons cognitive ability. It may be helpful to use a visual aid. Many people also have misperceptions and catastrophic fears about COVID-19, so it can be helpful to ask directly: What do you know about COVID-19? and What worries you most about COVID-19? Allow the teenager or young adult with ASD to guide how much or how little he/she would like to know and when he/she would like to talk about it.

Keep the routines that you can keep. Routines are very important to people with ASD. While many of our routines have dramatically changed, there are also many routines and rituals that we can help keep the same, such as mealtimes, bedtime, and other schedules (for example, I always call Grandma on Sundays.).

Create new routines. It can be helpful to replace the activities that are no longer possible with new routines to help create a new normal. When possible, these routines should incorporate social connectedness, fun, and physical exercise (like family dance parties after dinner).

Practice old coping skills and learn new ones. This is the time to recall and remind the teenager or young adult of coping skills that helped him/her manage challenging situations in the past. These may include listening to familiar music, visual aids to bolster communication, engaging in hobbies, or talking with friends and family.

Increase communication. It is natural for parents and children to worry about one another, particularly when in-person contact is limited, as it is for those who live in group homes. Open and frequent communication between group home staff and family members about policies and practices to optimize infection control, as well as how residents are doing, can help alleviate these worries.

Plan something to look forward to. Since many spring events including vacations and family holidays have been cancelled, it can be helpful for families to plan delayed events or celebrations. Planning these events not only creates something positive for a family to look forward to, but they can also serve as a powerful reminder that this too shall pass.

Seek mental health services. If your teenager or young adult is having difficulty coping or is exhibiting increased aggression or self-injury, it is important to seek mental health services. Many clinics are continuing to provide care through telehealth, including talk therapy and medication management.

If teenagers with ASD are well-supported and socially connected during these difficult times, this period of social distancing may serve as a catalyst for personal development rather than a time of regression and loss of skills. If we engage with teenagers with understanding and good role modeling, we can help young people with ASD to tolerate uncertainty, accept what is beyond their control, and build their resilience and resources things they can control.

Guide to Mental Health Resources for COVID-19, Massachusetts General Hospital Department of Psychiatry.

COVID-19 information, Center for Autism Research and Treatment, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California Los Angeles.

Coronavirus/COVID-19 Resource Library, American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychology.

Excerpt from:
Strategies to support teens and young adults with autism spectrum disorder during COVID-19 - Harvard Health Blog - Harvard Health

Human Behavior

BeyGOOD, an initiative founded by Beyonc, and UCLA offer COVID-19 online toolkit for mental wellness – UCLA Newsroom

UCLA, in partnership with Beyoncs BeyGOOD initiative, has created an online COVID-19 Care Package to help people struggling with stress and anxiety brought on or worsened by the novel coronavirus pandemic.

This is the first offering of UCLAs new STAND Together During COVID-19 website, which will help people cope during this stressful time by providingself-care strategies and exercises based on research-backed cognitive behavioral therapy principles.

BeyGOOD recognizes how important it is to alleviate the immense mental health burden placed on essential employees who continue to work outside their homes in health care, the food industry, and as delivery workers, sanitation employees and in other roles.

We are living through an inflection point in human history, and across the globe people are naturally experiencing increased stress, anxiety and depression, said UCLA Chancellor Gene Block. Creating the STAND Together During COVID-19 website builds naturally on UCLAs ongoing relationship with Beyonc and her charitable work. UCLA is bringing all its research and expertise to bear in order to serve the greater community during this uncertain time, and one of the many ways we are doing that now is by providing mentalwellness guidance.

The first installment of the self-guided website features five strategies for coping with anxiety and depression, and an introductory video by UCLAs Michelle Craske, a world-renowned expert in treatments for anxiety and stress and distinguished professor of psychiatry and biobehavioral sciences in the Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior. New materials will be posted weekly over the next month, and BeyGOODs influence will amplify the reach of UCLAs mental health support to people nationwide.

The new UCLA website melds BeyGOODs philosophy of uplifting others with the ongoing UCLA Depression Grand Challenge. Launched in 2015, the Depression Grand Challenge takes aim at one of the worlds biggest health problems to cut depressions burden on health and well-being in half by 2050. While UCLAs hospitals treat coronavirus patients and the universitys researchers uncover details about the virus and search for a vaccine, UCLA can also help by addressing mental health.

In addition to the strategies for coping with anxiety and stress already available, STAND Together During COVID-19 will soon include additional videos and more self-guided modules, including tips for keeping worries manageable, ways to stop feeling overwhelmed, tools for reducing loneliness and eventually tools for managing depression. People without internet access can call 1-888-UC-STAND (1-888-827-8263) to reach a corps of helping hands trained to guide callers through the advice provided online.

It is completely normal to feel stressed, anxious and sad right now, said Craske, co-director of the UCLA Depression Grand Challenge and distinguished professor of psychology in the UCLA College. We are so grateful to Beyonc and BeyGOOD for helping share proven strategies for coping with stress and anxiety at a timewhen that information is so powerfully needed.

The world is unexpectedly united in managing the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, and more than ever before, we are all in this together, Block said. UCLA and BeyGOODs collaboration designed STAND Together During COVID-19 to provide people with added support and tools to cope with the universal stress and anxiety of these abnormal times.

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BeyGOOD, an initiative founded by Beyonc, and UCLA offer COVID-19 online toolkit for mental wellness - UCLA Newsroom