Immunology

A Look Into The Immune System: Cornell Experts Explain How Our Bodies Fight Disease – Cornell University The Cornell Daily Sun

In the middle of a global pandemic, people now, more than ever, are invested in understanding how their immune system works.

Although many questions remain in the field of immunology research, The Sun interviewed three Cornell researchers to understand how the immune system functions when faced with an illness, and what experts recommend doing to assist the immune system in fighting off illness.

The immune system is always on the lookout for pathogens

Pathogens can enter the body in multiple ways, according to Prof. Cynthia Leifer, microbiology and immunology. These include the mouth and nose through either breathing in the pathogen or by touching your mouth, nose or eyes. Pathogens can also spread through eating something that contains pathogens or getting bit by a disease-carrying insect.

Whichever way pathogens enter the body, they will try to begin multiplying. According to Leifer, some bacteria can divide on their own, while viruses must hijack cells from the organism in order to reproduce.

Your body has basically a little army of cells that are constantly looking around for pathogens, and they have these little molecules on their surface called proteins that recognize the infectious agent, Leifer said.

The immune response has multiple components

Once a pathogen is detected, the first response is non-specific, focusing on limiting pathogen spread in ways that would impact any infectious agent rather than a specific bacteria, virus or other infectious agent.

There are events that happen very early on, and we call those innate mechanisms, Leifer wrote in a follow-up email. Those are just very rapid responses against an invading pathogen coming in, and these responses are relatively nonspecific.

According to lecturer Beth Rhoades, microbiology and immunology, the immune system includes T cells, which identify and kill infected cells, and macrophages, which dispose of the debris. There is also an adaptive response, which is largely driven by T cells and B cells cells that produce antibodies.

Antibodies are molecules that will tag a pathogen and say, eliminate this pathogen whatever is tagged with an antibody is in trouble, Rhoades said. The rest of the immune system will pick it up and destroy it one way or the other.

If the immune system has seen a pathogen before, it is better prepared to respond, according to Rhoades. Once B and T cells recognize a pathogen, they duplicate themselves, making what Leifer called a clonal army in order to fight that infection.

This memory response can be developed either by having the illness before, or through vaccination, which, unlike getting infected, is a safe way of developing a memory immune response.

It is often better to get a vaccine than to have a natural infection with a pathogen since vaccines are very safe and very effective, Leifer wrote.

Some pathogens cant stand the heat, but neither can people

A commonly misunderstood part of the immune system is fevers, a substantial rise in body temperature, which the immune system creates to fight off an illness.

The problem is that when youre talking about viruses, youre talking about millions and millions of them, said Prof. Hector Aguilar-Carreno, microbiology and immunology. When you raise the temperature, youre going to kill some of them, but not all of them.

According to Aguilar-Carreno, if a small number of viruses survive dehydration at high temperatures, these viruses can continue to reproduce. For this reason, while the fever response can help promote recovery, high temperatures alone do not guarantee that illnesses wont spread in or outside the body.

Fevers can not only dehydrate the pathogens infecting someone, but also the person. For this reason, medical professionals often work to alleviate the fever component of the immune response.

Too little of an immune response is bad, but so is too much

While too little of an immune response risks letting an infection progress, damaging tissues and endangering someones life, too strong of an immune response can also have repercussions. An overactive immune response can cause inflammation and tissue damage, according to Leifer.

You want the Goldilocks zone, where you have just the right immune response to kill the pathogen and not damage your own tissues, Leifer said.

COVID-19 exemplifies the need for staying within this zone as both the virus itself and the immune system response to it pose a risk. While the coronavirus is a threat, so is the inflammatory response it can provoke in the lungs and other organs, causing tissue damage, according to Leifer.

Strengthening the overall immune response is a complex task

While vaccines are well established as a safe way to develop immunity to specific pathogens, scientists are still working on finding out how to strengthen the immune system as a whole, and trying to understand what gives someone a stronger or weaker immune system.

According to Aguilar-Carreno, while researchers have determined that a balanced diet and exercise contributes to a healthy immune system, they are still working on determining mechanisms for why this is the case.

While many people may think that vitamin C and other supplements strengthen their immune system, Rhoades cautions against thinking that any one approach can make a perfect immune system.

There are all sorts of supplements that contribute to having a healthy immune system, but theres no magic bullet, Rhoades wrote in a follow-up email. The best thing that you can do is to get vaccinated, if you are able, and allow your body to set in place all of the layers of the immune response that you need.

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A Look Into The Immune System: Cornell Experts Explain How Our Bodies Fight Disease - Cornell University The Cornell Daily Sun

Immunology

COVID-19 may damage bone marrow immune cells; another reinfection reported – Reuters

(Reuters) - The following is a roundup of some of the latest scientific studies on the novel coronavirus and efforts to find treatments and vaccines for COVID-19, the illness caused by the virus.

FILE PHOTO: People walk past an illustration of a virus outside a regional science centre, as the city and surrounding areas face local restrictions in an effort to avoid a local lockdown being forced upon the region, amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Oldham, Britain August 3, 2020. REUTERS/Phil Noble

COVID-19 may damage immune cells in the bone marrow

Even bone marrow may not be a safe harbor from the ravages of COVID-19, according to a study that found previously unrecognized changes in newly produced immune cells, called monocytes, released into the blood from bone marrow. To learn more about how the body responds to COVID-19, researchers obtained serial "snapshots" of patients' immune health by analyzing their immune cells at multiple points during their hospital stays. In COVID-19 patients with more severe disease, the monocytes do not function properly, researchers reported last week in Science Immunology. It was not yet clear whether the monocytes are being released from the bone marrow in an altered state or whether the alterations happen after monocytes enter the blood, coauthor Tracy Hussell of the University of Manchester in the UK told Reuters. Either way, she said, treatments that prevent their release from the bone marrow may help reduce the exaggerated immune response that contributes to poor outcomes in patients with severe COVID-19. (bit.ly/3mziJls)

COVID-19 reinfections occur, but remain rare

Another case of reinfection after recovery from COVID-19 has been reported, this time in a healthy young military healthcare provider at a U.S. Department of Defense hospital in Virginia. He was first infected by a patient in March. He recovered within 10 days and "returned ... to excellent health," his doctors reported on Saturday in Clinical Infectious Diseases. Fifty-one days later, he was reinfected by a household member. Genetic studies showed the first and second infections to be from slightly different strains of the virus. The reinfection made him sicker, perhaps because the second strain was more potent, or the household contact infected him with a higher load of virus, doctors said. It was also possible antibodies from the first infection may have triggered his immune system to respond more strongly to the virus the second time his body encountered it. COVID-19 reinfections are still rare, they said. Kristian Anderson, professor of immunology and microbiology at Scripps Research in La Jolla, California, recently told Reuters virus reinfections are always possible. "We don't know at what frequency reinfections (with the new coronavirus) occur and how that might change over time," Anderson said. Without further studies, "we can't conclude what a single case of reinfection means for longevity and robustness of COVID-19 immunity and relevance for a future vaccine," she added. (bit.ly/2Hln23P)

Proven immunotherapy approach might be possible in COVID-19

A proven approach to severe virus infections, known as cytotoxic T cell therapy, may be applicable to COVID-19 despite a potential hurdle, researchers said. The approach involves treating critically ill patients with infusions of key immune cells known as T-lymphocytes obtained from people who successfully fought off the same virus. These donor T cells have learned to recognize and target the invading virus. But steroids, which are being increasingly used to treat COVID-19 patients, are toxic to lymphocytes, likely canceling out any beneficial effects of the immunotherapy. In a new report posted on bioRxiv ahead of peer review, researchers describe a possible workaround. They say they have figured out a way to take donor T cells that target the novel coronavirus and make them resistant to the deadly effects of steroids. "We are currently working on ... developing clinical trials to determine safety and efficacy," coauthor Dr. Katy Rezvani of The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center told Reuters. (bit.ly/3hNL83x)

High COVID-19 mortality seen in assisted-living facilities

Data compiled from more than 4,600 assisted living facilities in seven U.S. states through the end of May showed a four-fold higher COVID-19 fatality rate than in the nearby communities, researchers reported on Monday in the Journal of the American Geriatric Society. In North Carolina and Connecticut, for example, the proportions of COVID-19 cases that were fatal across the state were 3.3% and 9.3%, respectively. In assisted living facilities in those states, the fatality rate climbed to 13% and 31.6%. Unlike nursing homes, assisted living communities are not subject to federal regulation and are not required to collect and report data on COVID-19, coauthor Helena Temkin-Greener of the University of Rochester School of Medicine & Dentistry said in a news release. In this study, and in a separate study of nursing homes her team published on Monday in the same journal, COVID-19 cases were more common in facilities with more minority residents and more residents with dementia, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and obesity. "Assisted living communities and their residents urgently need local, state, and the federal governments to pay at least the same level of attention as that given to nursing homes," Temkin-Greener and colleagues conclude. (bit.ly/3iUaApI; bit.ly/3cjjVEN)

Open tmsnrt.rs/3a5EyDh in an external browser for a Reuters graphic on vaccines and treatments in development.

Reporting by Nancy Lapid and Deena Beasley; Editing by Bill Berkrot

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COVID-19 may damage bone marrow immune cells; another reinfection reported - Reuters

Immunology

Childrens Immune Response Protects Them Against COVID-19 According to New Study – Technology Networks

The first study comparing the immune responses of adults and children with COVID-19 has detected key differences that may contribute to understanding why children usually have milder disease than adults. The findings also have important implications for vaccines and drugs being developed to curb COVID-19. The study was published today inScience Translational Medicineand was conducted by scientists atAlbert Einstein College of Medicine,Children's Hospital at Montefiore(CHAM), and Yale University.

The study involved 60 adult COVID-19 patients and 65 pediatric COVID-19 patients (less than 24 years old) hospitalized at CHAM andMontefiore Health Systembetween March 13 and May 17, 2020; 20 of the pediatric patients had the novel multi-system inflammatory syndrome (MIS-C). The patients' blood was tested for the presence of several types of immune cells, antibody responses, and the inflammatory proteins, known as cytokines, that immune cells produce.

Children with COVID-19 fared significantly better than adults. Twenty-two adults (37%) required mechanical ventilation compared with only five (8%) of the pediatric patients. In addition, 17 adults (28%) died in the hospital compared with two (3%) of the pediatric patients. No deaths occurred among pediatric patients with MIS-C.

"Our findings suggest that children with COVID-19 do better than adults because their stronger innate immunity protects them against SARS-CoV-2, the novel coronavirus that causes the disease," said co-senior authorBetsy Herold, M.D., chief of infectious diseases and vice chair for research in the department of pediatrics at Einstein and CHAM.Kevan C. Herold, M.D., C.N.H. Long Professor of Immunology and of Medicine atYale School of Medicine, was the other co-senior author on the study.

People have two types of immunity--innate and adaptive. Innate immunity, in which immune cells respond rapidly to invading pathogens of all kinds, is more robust during childhood. Adaptive immunity, the second type of immune response, is more specific and features antibodies and immune cells that target specific viruses or other microbes.

Compared with adult patients, pediatric COVID-19 patients in the study possessed significantly higher levels of certain cytokines associated with the innate immune response. This suggests that young people's more robust innate response protects them from developing acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS)--the hallmark of severe and often fatal COVID-19 cases. One cytokine in particular, known as IL-17A, was found at much higher levels in pediatric patients than in adults. "The high levels of IL-17A that we found in pediatric patients may be important in protecting them against progression of their COVID-19," said Dr. K. Herold.

Both pediatric and adult COVID-19 patients were found to make antibodies against the coronavirus' spike protein, which the virus uses to latch onto and infect cells. Those spike-protein antibodies include neutralizing antibodies, which block the coronavirus from infecting cells. Counterintuitively, the researchers found that neutralizing antibody levels in adult COVID-19 patients who died or required mechanical ventilation were higher than in those who recovered--and significantly higher than levels detected in pediatric patients.

"These results suggest that the more severe COVID-19 disease seen in adults is not caused by a failure of their adaptive immunity to mount T-cell or antibody responses," said Dr. K. Herold. "Rather, adult patients respond to coronavirus infection with an over-vigorous adaptive immune response that may promote the inflammation associated with ARDS."

The findings have important implications for COVID-19 therapies and vaccines. "Our adult COVID-19 patients who fared poorly had high levels of neutralizing antibodies, suggesting that convalescent plasma--which is rich in neutralizing antibodies--may not help adults who have already developed signs of ARDS," said Dr. B. Herold. "By contrast, therapies that boost innate immune responses early in the course of the disease may be especially beneficial."

As for vaccines, Dr. B. Herold notes that most vaccine candidates for protecting against SARS-CoV-2 infection are aimed at boosting neutralizing-antibody levels. "We may want to consider assessing vaccines that promote immunity in other ways, such as by bolstering the innate immune response," she said.

Reference: Pierce CA, Preston-Hurlburt P, Dai Y, et al.Immune responses to SARS-CoV-2 infection in hospitalized pediatric and adult patients.Sci. Transl. Med.2020;eabd5487 doi:10.1126/scitranslmed.abd5487

This article has been republished from the following materials. Note: material may have been edited for length and content. For further information, please contact the cited source.

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Physiology

Physiq begins development of AI-based COVID-19 early warning system – BioWorld Online

The digital medicine company Physiq Inc. has received a contract from the NIH to develop an artificial intelligence (AI)-based index that can provide an early warning that a patient with COVID-19 is in decline and needs medical treatment.

The index, called the COVID-19 Decompensation Index (CDI) Digital Biomarker, is a personalized and multivariate AI-based algorithm that will run on Physiqs existing Accelerateiq computing platform, analyzing physiological data from FDA-cleared wearable devices to create a personalized baseline for patients who have tested positive for COVID-19. The technology then indicates changes in vital signs and results of the personalized baseline, producing the index that is used by medical personnel.

Chicago-based Physiq was one of seven companies and academic institutions to be awarded an NIH contract to develop digital health solutions to help address the COVID-19 pandemic.

The contracts were awarded in two phases, with an initial phase to demonstrate feasibility and a second phase for development. If all seven projects advance to the second phase, the total value of the contracts would be $22.8 million. Physiqs portion of the contract is worth $6.6 million. All companies have one year to complete the entire project.

The thing thats unique about our approach is we learn the patients unique physiology. This is not a population-based test, Gary Conkright, Physiqs CEO, told BioWorld. Instead, an N equals one approach to learning physiology allows us to see very subtle changes over time.

Building on existing index

Conkright said he anticipates that the company will be successful in developing the CDI because it builds on the companys existing FDA-cleared algorithm, the multivariate change index (MCI), which helps track health changes in patients with chronic disease. That technology has accumulated 1.5 million hours of physiologic data that is expected to assist in the development of the COVID-19 specific system.

This is going to work, were just trying to make it more specific and theres value in doing that, he said.

To develop and validate the CDI, Physiq has partnered with the University of Illinois Hospital and Health Sciences System (UI Health) to monitor COVID-19 positive patients who are recovering at home.

During the development phase, COVID-19 positive patients who are sent home will receive a Physiq monitoring kit, which includes a smartphone with the Physiq app installed and wearable devices. The physiological information collected will be sent via cloud technology to advanced practice nurses from UI Health who can identify if a patients condition is deteriorating. Those nurses will contact patients who appear to be in decline and advise them about whether to go to the hospital for treatment.

The idea, Conkright said, is to get patients treatment before their condition becomes critical.

One of the horrible things about COVID is that it so subtly decreases physiological function that sometimes patients dont detect its getting worse until they are really in trouble, he said. By that time, it might be too late to prevent an intubation or worse.

During the validation phase for the technology, the company will evaluate lead time to event statistics, decompensation severity assessments and the ability of the CDI technology to predict decompensation severity.

During the development phase, the company plans to collect 400 patient datasets. They will collect an additional 1,200 patient datasets during the validation phase, Conkright said.

The goal there is to show how early and what kind of predictive power our index has, Conkright said.

The study, which is pending approved by the UI Health Institutional Review Board, is being designed to capture data from a large and diverse population to assess CDIs performance differences in subgroups, based on gender and racial/ethnic characteristics. Conkright said one of the reasons that UI Health was such an attractive partner for this project is that their patient population is racially diverse, with a large number of Black and Latinx patients.

Physiq is not new to the COVID-19 research space. The company has a separate study about to launch with UI Health to examine whether antihypertensive medications have a worsening effect on COVID-19 symptoms, specifically in Black and Latinx patients. Additionally, the company is working with the Department of Defense to collect data on military personnel with COVID-19.

Other COVID-19 digital tools

Along with Physiq, six other organizations received contracts from the NIH to test their COVID-19 digital health solutions.

Evidation Health Inc., based in San Mateo, Calif., is investigating a health measurement platform to analyze self-reported and wearable device data to both detect COVID-19 and differentiate it from influenza.

IBM, in Armonk, New York, is testing an integrated solution to support contact tracing and verifiable health status reporting.

Icrypt Inc., based in Santa Clara, Calif., is developing a smartphone-based platform to provide proof of testing, serologic, and vaccination status.

Shee Atik Enterprises LLC, based in Sitka, Alaska, is developing a smartphone-based platform aimed at supporting individuals in low-resource settings with a Bluetooth-enabled thermometer and pulse oximeter.

The University of California, San Francisco is investigating a GPS-based retroactive contact-tracing tool for COVID-19.

Vibrent Health, based in Fairfax, Va., is working on mobile applications, data integrations, and validated machine learning algorithms to identify COVID-19 and differentiate it from influenza, and to perform contact tracing.

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Physiq begins development of AI-based COVID-19 early warning system - BioWorld Online

Physiology

Regulatory T cells could lead to new immunotherapies aimed at treating multiple sclerosis – Newswise

Newswise Irvine, CA September 21, 2020 In a new University of California, Irvine-led study, researchers have discovered how regulatory T cells (Treg) are instrumental in limiting the damage caused to the spinal cord in diseases like multiple sclerosis (MS).

Published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the results of the study help explain how Treg cells prevent autoimmunity and dampen immune responses, specifically the negative effects of type 17 helper T cells (Th17) which are known to drive the progression of several autoimmune diseases.

This new study, which builds on recent research that identified pathogenic Th17 cells and their role in the progression of several autoimmune diseases, showed how the inhibition of Th17 cells by Treg cells enabled partial recovery from paralysis. This finding demonstrates how autoimmune diseases may be effectively targeted using Treg-based cellular therapies.

We discovered a unique repetitive scanning motility by which Treg cells (the good guys) dampen calcium signaling in pathogenic Th17 cells (the bad guys), and help to resolve neuroinflammation and limit reactivation of Th17 cells in the spinal cord, explained Shivashankar Othy, PhD, lead author of the study with Amit Jairaman, PhD, both project scientists in the Cahalan Lab at UCI.

Senior author, Michael D. Cahalan, PhD, distinguished professor and chair of the Department of Physiology & Biophysics at the UCI School of Medicine, added, Building on our years of expertise in immunoimaging and calcium signaling, this study highlights Th17 and Treg cell interactions, their motility characteristics, and intracellular signaling, thus providing new insights into the pathophysiology of MS. Our results illustrate how a regulatory T cell-based immunotherapy may be instrumental in limiting demyelination in MS.

This research was supported in part by the National Institutes of Health.

About the UCI School of Medicine

Each year, the UCI School of Medicine educates more than 400 medical students, and nearly 150 doctoral and masters students. More than 700 residents and fellows are trained at UCI Medical Center and affiliated institutions. The School of Medicine offers an MD; a dual MD/PhD medical scientist training program; and PhDs and masters degrees in anatomy and neurobiology, biomedical sciences, genetic counseling, epidemiology, environmental health sciences, pathology, pharmacology, physiology and biophysics, and translational sciences. Medical students also may pursue an MD/MBA, an MD/masters in public health, or an MD/masters degree through one of three mission-based programs: the Health Education to Advance Leaders in Integrative Medicine (HEAL-IM), the Leadership Education to Advance Diversity-African, Black and Caribbean (LEAD-ABC), and the Program in Medical Education for the Latino Community (PRIME-LC). The UCI School of Medicine is accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Accreditation and ranks among the top 50 nationwide for research. For more information, visit som.uci.edu.

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Physiology

AgEye Technologies announces formation of Scientific Advisory Board – hortidaily.com

AgEye Technologies, provider of AI-powered cameras, sensors and predictive analytics for indoor farming, announced the formation of a Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) to advance its "plant scientist in a box" technology.

"The creation of a SAB is an important step in furthering our research in the real-world application of deep learning artificial intelligence to optimize growth factors of specialty crops," said Nick Genty, CEO, AgEye Technologies. "The external scientific perspective of the Board will greatly aid in the continued development and validation of the AgEye platform."

The SAB will work closely with the AgEye leadership team as the company continues the global commercialization of its technology into indoor farms that grow high-value crops, including cannabis, leafy greens, micro-herbs, strawberries and tomatoes.

The company also announced that Dr. Ricardo Hernndez, Ph.D., has joined as an advisor on the SAB. Dr. Hernndez is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Horticultural Sciences at North Carolina State University and a highly recognized expert within controlled environment horticulture. He brings deep knowledge of plant eco-physiology and how it relates to maximizing plant growth rate, development, morphology, physiology and ultimately improvement of crop yield, phytochemical content, and flavor.

"The use of controlled environments to optimize plant growth provides the unique opportunity to deliver the conditions that the crop requires to maximize yield. However, the timing (when?) to deliver those conditions depends on the plant requirements through the growth stage," said Dr. Hernndez. "Monitoring and translating real-time plant feedback continues to be a challenge. Technologies such as AgEye can significantly help to alleviate this pressing issue."

For more information:AgEye Technologieswww.AgEyeTech.com

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Physiology

The Nation’s Leading Chiropractor Announces First Cutting-Edge Facility in Pennsylvania – The Wellsboro Gazette

ATLANTA, Sept. 22, 2020 /PRNewswire/ --Making INC 5000's fastest-growing companies isn't all that the award-winning doctors at Corrective Chiropractic are doing. With the recent announcement of yet another new facility, this time in Pennsylvania, the state-of-the-art King of Prussia office will be the first of its kind. Local residents will be able to get direct access to the most all-natural chiropractic treatments, including specialty care for weekend warriors, children, and pregnant women.

The King of Prussia location will be located at 649 S. Gulph Rd. and will offer a comprehensive suite of chiropractic services from digital posture assessments, thermal scans, and complimentary consultations for new patients. Corrective Chiropractic has become known for their customer service and for the extremely friendly nature of their doctors and medical staff. Dr. Skyler McCormick, the lead chiropractor at the King of Prussia office, is no exception.

Dr. Skyler McCormick

Dr. Skyler brings a host of enthusiasm, passion for helping others, and an unrivaled level of expertise to the King of Prussia facility. He received his doctor of chiropractic degree from Life University in Atlanta, GA, where he graduated magna cum laude. He holds a Bachelor's of Science Health and Exercise Physiology from Ursinus College. Dr. Skyler has dedicated countless hours studying the structural correction of the human spine and has extensive post-doctoral training in chiropractic biophysics, sports chiropractic, specific extremity adjusting protocols as well as injury and regeneration of skeletal muscle.

As a former collegiate athlete, it is Dr. Skyler's goal to help restore the health and wellness of all of his patients, from athletes, to young children, to those who may be suffering with chronic neck and back pain.

For more information about the new King of Prussia, PA location or to schedule an appointment, visit Corrective Chiropractic online here.

Corrective Chiropractic - The Chiropractic Practice With A Community Feel

Created with the mission to lead, empower, and inspire the Atlanta community to lead a proactive life through the principles of chiropractic, Corrective Chiropractic takes a holistic approach to healthcare. Specializing in providing expert chiropractic care to a host of patients from newborns, to athletes, to expectant moms and seniors, the award-winning doctors at Corrective Chiropractic are known for their thorough and friendly approach.

Photos:https://www.prlog.org/12839243

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Physiology

NMSU researcher co-authors article on damaging effects of social isolation due to COVID-19 – New Mexico State University NewsCenter

Date: 09/21/2020Writer: Adriana M. Chavez, 575-646-1957, adchavez@nmsu.edu Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Google+ Pinterest

While scientists and doctors are still working to understand the virus that causes COVID-19, the pandemic has also had many indirect effects on the health of people working remotely while in isolation.

A group of researchers from Australia and the U.S., including New Mexico State University, recently co-authored an article for the International Journal of Sports Science offering tips to increase physical activity, which will not only benefit physical health but mental health as well.

Joseph Berning, interim head of the Department of Kinesiology and Dance in NMSUs College of Education, co-authored COVID-19: Sedentary Isolation A Bad Combination. The article states that before the COVID-19 virus outbreak was declared a pandemic in March by the World Health Organization, people were already living mostly sedentary lifestyles.

While some people have bits and pieces of exercise equipment laying around at home, most do not and find themselves developing cabin fever staying at home, Berning said. The walls may seem to be closing in around you, which can be a source of stress in and of itself. Often times, unfortunately, when boredom or stress works its way into our lives, we tend to binge eat. Before you know it, youve gained five to 10 pounds of fat weight, the exact opposite of the definition of good health.

Berning and the articles co-authors have experience in higher education and research in applied and clinical exercise physiology for almost three decades each. Berning said he and his colleagues have adopted health and wellness as a lifestyle and exercise is a part of their normal daily routines.

When COVID-19 set in, nothing changed for each of us and our training routines, Berning said. In fact, because so many of us are working from home, we found we could actually increase workouts.

However, Berning and his colleagues have had to adapt to more time in front of their computers as online meetings have become the norm.

Online hasnt always made things easier and an argument can be made that online has actually created more meetings and therefore decreased our physical movement, Berning said. I admit, I find myself standing behind a computer from morning to night, and often seven days a week. I know the only way to combat this is to force yourself to get out and move.

According to the article, social isolation has been recognized to have a profound impact on health and longevity. Anxiety, depression, dementia and Alzheimers disease, among other mental health issues, have been shown to be related to social isolation. Major chronic diseases such as high blood pressure, obesity and weakened immune systems are also exacerbated by social isolation.

Our body was designed to work, be active and move, Berning said. We know relative to positive health, people who perform regular daily exercise live longer, experience less damaging health risks, experience fewer sick days per year, sleep better, perform better academically, decrease stress and maintain a higher quality of life.

Berning said that once people adopt physical exercise as a lifestyle, getting up to exercise isnt a forced activity, but a welcome one.

This research is so important because it reminds all of us that we need to keep moving, said Henrietta Pichon, interim dean of the College of Education. Hopefully, this can serve as a reminder to individuals that now is the best time to start or restart an exercise routine.

The article offers the following tips for physical activity: Move more, sit less. Accumulate at least 150 minutes a week of moderate-intensity activity, such as walking briskly, dancing or general yard work; or 75 minutes a week of vigorous activity such as jogging, energetic dancing or heavy yard work. Perform muscle strengthening activities that involve all major muscle groups two to three days a week.

The bottom line: dont make excuses. Berning said. Get up and off the chair or couch several times a day if even for 10 minutes at a time. This isnt about the perfect exercise prescription. This is about being active and the mental and physical health benefits associated with human movement.

Phillip Post, interim associate dean for academics in the College of Education, said the work and recommendations made in the article by Berning and his colleagues are more important than ever.

Currently there is no medication that can do what exercise can do for the body and mind, Post said. We know that exercise enhances the immune system, cognitive functioning, physiological functioning and emotional well-being. Given COVID-19, we could all reap the benefits of moving more and regularly incorporating exercise into our daily routine. I hope our community reads and adopts Dr. Bernings physical activity recommendations.

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NMSU researcher co-authors article on damaging effects of social isolation due to COVID-19 - New Mexico State University NewsCenter

Physiology

New UCLA Research Reveals Why Sleeping is So Important – NBC Southern California

A dramatic change in the purpose of sleep occurs when children are about 2 1/2 years old -- a time when sleep's primary purpose changes from brain-building to brain maintenance and repair, according to a study released Friday by researchers at UCLA.

Don't wake babies up during REM (rapid eye movement) sleep. Important work is being done in their brains as they sleep," said Gina Poe, the senior study author and a UCLA professor of integrative biology and physiology who has conducted sleep research for more than three decades.

Newborns spend about 50% of their sleep time in REM sleep, with that number falling to about 25% by the age of 10 and continuing to decrease with age. Adults who are older than 50 spend about 15% of their time asleep in REM, according to researchers.

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The study, published in the journal Science Advances, noted that the sharp transition in sleep function is ``remarkable given that this shift likely signals a profound shift in the function of sleep and the behavior of sleep processes.

Researchers, who used data from more than 60 sleep studies involving humans and other mammals, found that all species experienced a dramatic decline in REM sleep when they reached the human developmental equivalent of about 2 1/2 years of age.

The transition at about age 2 1/2 corresponds to changes in brain development, according to researchers, who say that sleep then helps repair a certain amount of neurological damage suffered during waking hours, and essentially declutter the brain.

Sleep is as important as food, Poe said. And it's miraculous how well sleep matches the needs of our nervous system. From jellyfish to birds to whales, everyone sleeps. While we sleep, our brains are not resting.

Poe noted that a chronic lack of sleep likely contributes to long-term health problems such as dementia and other cognitive disorders, and urged people to go to bed when they start to feel tired.

Nearly all of the brain repair occurs during sleep, according to the study's senior author, Van Savage, a UCLA professor of ecology and evolutionary biology and of computational medicine.

I was shocked how huge a change this is over a short period of time, and that this switch occurs when we're so young, Savage said. It's a transition that is analogous to when water freezes to ice.

The study was co-authored by Junyu Cao, who conducted research in Savage's laboratory and is now an assistant professor at the University of Texas at Austin; Alexander Herman, an assistant professor of psychiatry at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities; and Geoffrey West, a physicist who is the Shannan Distinguished Professor at the Santa Fe Institute.

The National Science Foundation and the Eugene and Clare Thaw Charitable Trust helped to fund the study.

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Physiology

Ohio University shares academic programs returning, numbers of students to live in dorms for phase 2 – Athens NEWS

Ohio University recently released a comprehensive list of all undergraduate and graduate programs and courses that were authorized for the second phase of its reopening plan.

All freshmen and sophomores enrolled in any of the dozens of courses included will be permitted to return to campus and live in the dorms, though many are upper-level classes that underclassmen are often ineligible to take. There are, however, a handful of lower-level classes, like introductory courses in the College of Business, and entire degree programs, namely within The College of Fine Arts, that were authorized for in-person instruction.

Unlike in phase 1, there is no definitive option for phase 2 students to take all of their classes online, but many courses included have remote options. A large portion of phase 2 courses will be delivered in a hybrid format, meaning students will attend in-person classes some days and learn online during others. Many classes included can be completed entirely remotely and will not require any in-person attendance.

All graduate students were authorized to return to campus in phase 2. Their access to on-campus facilities will vary based on their area of study. All students in The Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine were invited to campus in phase 1 for hybrid learning, though some may have the option to remain fully online in phase 2. (Scroll down to view a complete list of all courses included in both phase 1 and 2.)

Housing and Residence Life is anticipating about 1,500 students to be living in on-campus residence halls by Sept. 28, the first day of phase 2, a university spokesperson said. The total number of students expected to live in residence halls is subject to change as many continue to decide whether they plan to return at the end of the month or not.

As of Monday, there are just over 300 students living in residence halls, according to OUs COVID-19 dashboard, with 105 more expected to move in this week.

Its not clear exactly how many students currently living either in dorms or off-campus have tested positive for COVID-19, largely because OUs dashboard to track cases is both disjointed and inaccurate.

According to the universitys dashboard as of last Friday, at least 162 Athens campus students have reported theyve received tests to the OU COVID-19 hotline, which is managed by OhioHealth in partnership with the university; while at least 53 have reported positive test results and at least 38 have pending tests.

At least 12 Athens campus staff members have reported to the hotline that theyve been tested, but none have come back positive and one remains pending.

Since Aug. 24, at least one staffer, one faculty member and at least 31 students at the Athens campus have reported positive test results through voluntarily submitted COVID-19 incident report forms, which the university verifies by contacting any individuals named and asking them to provide official documentation.

This data may not be a comprehensive reflection of all positive cases within our Ohio University community, OU Spokesperson Jim Sabin previously said in a statement about the universitys dashboard.

While the vast majority of confirmed and probable COVID-19 cases in the county are among young people ages 20-29, its unclear exactly how many of those are OU students.

Winfried Just, an OU professor who studies the transmission of infectious diseases, and a colleague were tasked in August by an OU official with modeling how many virus cases are likely to arise once students returned to campus.

He said last week that the model has generally been accurate in predicting the numbers of reported student cases in Athens.

Once phase 2 arrives, Just said he believes the numbers of reported cases among students should stay below the point where quarantine space and testing could become even more scarce.

[Phase 2] may just work. Were taking a risk, I mean, there is no doubt about it, he said on Friday.

The worst case scenario, Just said, would involve Athens County becoming designated by the state as a purple level 4 county, the most severe public health advisory within its COVID-19 alert system, with students being sent home a few weeks before the already-adjusted end date for on-campus activities.

For a period in July when virus cases surged, Athens was the only county in the state nearing a level 4 designation. To date, no counties in the sate have turned purple. As of Monday, virus cases in Athens County are, on average, soaring to heights not seen since the July surge. And there is a clear correlation between the rise in cases and the start of phase 1.

Below are lists provided by the Office of the University Registrar of all the undergraduate and graduate courses authorized for both phase 1 and phase 2:

College of Arts and Sciences

Human Anatomy Lab, Cell & Microbiology Techniques, Principles of Physiology Lab, Human Physiology Laboratory, Field Ecology, Teaching Vertebrate Anatomy, Aquatic Biology, Physiology of Exercise Lab, Ichthyology, Ornithology, Organic Chemistry Laboratory I, Physical Chemistry I Lab, Advanced Inorganic Laboratory, Advanced Organic Synthesis, Forensic Chemistry I Lab, Sustainable Agriculture, Plant Breeding, Restoration Ecology, Intermediate Laboratory Electrons and Protons (Physics), Social Welfare Overview and Trends (Social Work), and Field Practicum I (Social Work).

Introduction to the College of Business, Introduction to Business, Intro to Business Communications, and Strategic Business Communications, Intro to Management & Organization, Business Information Systems, and Intro to Marketing Management.

Studio Art BFA Exhibit, Intro to Modern Dance, Intro to Dance Ballet, Intro to Dance Jazz I, Modern Dance Technique I, Ballet Technique I, Beginning Dance Composition I, Beginning Dance Composition I, Dance Production I, Modern Dance Technique III, Ballet Technique III, Intermediate Dance Composition I, Jazz Dance Technique II, Lighting for Dance, Modern Dance Technique V, Ballet Technique V, Advanced Dance Composition I, Dance Pedagogy, Dance Production II, Modern Dance Technique VII, Ballet Technique VII, Dance Senior Capstone, Dance Internship, Practicum in Teaching Dance, Technical Toolbox I (Film), Wind Symphony, Symphonic Band, Symphony Orchestra Symphony Orchestra, University Singers, Choral Union, Play Analysis and Playwriting, Acting I, Acting Fundamentals II, Introduction to Playwriting, Acting III, Practicum in Production Design, Playwriting Revision Technique, Stage Management 1, Stage Management Seminar, Acting Studio I, and Advanced Playwriting.

Students enrolled in the following degree programs within the College of Fine Arts are included in phase 2 because they require in-person instruction for accreditation:

Dance, Dance Performance and Choreography, Playwriting, Production Design, Stage Management, Theater Performance, Theater Performance Musical, Film (first-year and second-year students only), Composition, Instrumental Performance, Music Education, Choral and Instrumental emphases, Music Therapy, Piano Performance, Piano Performance and Pedagogy, and Voice.

College of Health Sciences and Professions

Nursing (second-year and fourth-year students; third-year students were included in phase 1 and continue in phase 2; in-person learning is required for accreditation for many nursing students), Health Assessment (Nursing), Nursing Care of Adults I, Nursing Care Child & Families, Physiology of Exercise Lab, Cardiovascular Assessments, Principles of Food Science, Intro Food Production, and Experimental Foods.

Its not clear specifically which tutorial programs will require in-person learning, but the classes are required to be face-to-face for accreditation.

Patton College of Education

No undergraduate courses within the Patton College of Education have been authorized for phase 2.

Russ College of Engineering and Technology

Introduction to Aviation, Private Pilot Ground, Aviation Laws and Regulations, Instrument Pilot Ground, Commercial Pilot Ground, Aircraft Systems & Powerplants, Flight Instructor Ground, Adv Aircraft and Flight Crew Ops, Transition to AVN Industry, Elements of Land Surveying 1, Experimental Methods in Civil Engineering, Chemical Engineering Unit Operations Lab I, Chemical Process Control, Chmical Engineering Process Design I, Electrical Engineering Instrumentation Laboratory, Hydraulics & Pneumatics, Production Tooling, Automation, Robotics & Control, Operations Management Capstone II, Mechatronics I, Mechanical Engineering Capstone Design I, and Experimental Design Lab.

Scripps College of Communication

Understanding Virtual Reality, Virtual Reality Lab, Virtual Reality Production, VR Production Lab, Communications Foundations (Information and Telecommunications Systems), Business Reporting, Music Production and Technology I, Music Production & Technology II, Video & Audio Field Production, Production for the Community, Sound for Moving Image, Music Production: Mixing & Delivery, Music Production/Recording Industry Capstone, Special Topics in Media Arts and Studies, Commercial Photography I, Commercial Photogaphy II, Commercial Photography IV, and Photojournalism Capstone.

Intro to U.S. Air Force, History of Air Power, Mgt Concepts and Practices I, Fundamental Military Leadership Concepts, Military Leadership Laboratory, Tactics and Leadership, Small Unit Leadership & Operations I, Leadership, and Management & Ethics.

Center for International Studies

College of Arts and Sciences

Principles of Physiology Lab, Advanced Organic Synthesis, Restoration Ecology, Special Topics in Spanish, Foundation Field I (Social Work), and Advanced Field Practicum I (Social Work).

Advanced Managerial Accounting, Advanced Auditing, Forensics/Fraud Investigation, Law of Sports, Accounting for Executives, Descriptive Analytics, Organizational Behavior and Human Resources Management, Strategic Marketing, Predictive Analytics, Ethics in Leadership, Sport Marketing, and Revenue Generation.

Filmmaking I, Sound Techniques, Piano, 1 Wind Symphony, Symphonic Band, Symphony Orchestra, University Singers, Practicum in Design and Tech (Theater), Writing for Production I, Practicum Design Tech, Writing for Production III, Voice and Movement, Practicum in Design/Tech, and Writing for Production V.

Tools for Translational Research (Translational Biomedical Sciences).

Patton College of Education

Skill Acquisition (Coaching Education), Issues in Athletic Coaching, and Foundations of Coaching I.

Scripps College of Communication

Advanced Photo Reportage.

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Ohio University shares academic programs returning, numbers of students to live in dorms for phase 2 - Athens NEWS