Green shoots: Rooftop farming takes off in Singapore

On the rooftop of a Singapore shopping mall, a sprawling patch of eggplants, rosemary, bananas and papayas stand in colourful contrast to the grey skyscrapers of the city-state's business district.

Belgium coronavirus death toll passes 10,000

Belgium, one of the European countries hardest hit by the coronavirus, on Wednesday reported its death toll from the pandemic had surpassed 10,000.

Even before pandemic struck, more US adults were uninsured

About 2.5 million more working-age Americans were uninsured last year, even before the coronavirus pandemic struck, according to a government report issued Wednesday.

Walmart looks to airports as inspiration of new store layout

Walmart is getting inspiration from the airport terminal as it revamps the layout and signage of its stores to speed up shopping and better cater to smartphone-armed customers.

Virus-hit Shell says cutting up to 9,000 jobs by 2022

Energy major Shell unleashed Wednesday a major restructuring to combat plunging oil prices driven by the coronavirus pandemic, warning it will also spark more asset writedowns in the third quarter.

Baby boom at Taipei Zoo lightens pandemic blues

Taiwan's largest zoo has celebrated a flurry of births in recent months—including pandas and pangolins—in a welcome boost during a visitor slump due to the coronavirus.

Germany puts first auto boss on trial over 'dieselgate' fraud

Five years after "dieselgate" emissions cheating revelations rocked the car industry, ex-Audi CEO Rupert Stadler on Wednesday became the first top executive to stand trial in Germany.

Predator-prey interaction study reveals more food does not always mean more consumption

Scientists at the NOAA Northeast Fisheries Science Center have developed an unusually rich picture of who is eating whom off the Northeastern United States. The findings, published recently in Fish and Fisheries, provide a close look at fish feeding habits for 17 fish species, predators, and their prey.

Counties with persistent poverty rates experience higher rates of cancer deaths

Residents of counties that experience persistent poverty face a disproportionately high risk of cancer mortality, according to a study published in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research.

New technologies link treatments to the patients who need them the most

Many of South Carolina's nicotine addiction researchers are in Charleston. But many of the smokers who need to quit live elsewhere in the state.

UM171 molecule saves another life

In a world first, a young man suffering from severe aplastic anemia who could not be helped by standard treatments has been given a life-saving blood transplant with the made-in-Canada UM171 molecule.

Drug found to correct gene defect that causes immune-driven gut leakiness

A team of researchers led by biomedical scientist Declan F. McCole at the University of California, Riverside, has found that the drug tofacitinib, also called Xeljanz and approved by the FDA to treat rheumatoid arthritis and ulcerative colitis, can repair permeability defects in the intestine.

Two pesticides approved for use in US harmful to bees

A previously banned insecticide, which was approved for agricultural use last year in the United States, is harmful for bees and other beneficial insects that are crucial for agriculture, and a second pesticide in widespread use also harms these insects. That is according to a new analysis from researchers at The University of Texas at Austin.

Chronically understudied, fences hold grave ecological threats

Fences are one of humanity's most frequent landscape alterations, with their combined length exceeding even that of roads by an order of magnitude. Despite their ubiquity, they have received far less research scrutiny than many human-built structures. Writing in BioScience , Alex McIntuff, who was at the University of California (UC), Berkeley, at the time of this research and is now with UC Santa Barbara, and a global team characterize the current state of fence research and generate a typology to guide future efforts.

Landmark clinical trial shows effectiveness of oral antibiotics in treating cystic fibrosis condition

A major national study led by experts from Bristol and Nottingham has found that oral antibiotics are just as effective as intravenous antibiotics in killing a common germ that causes dangerous complications in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients.

Scientists find one-two punch for preclinical cancer models

A one-two punch of changing gene expression, then deploying immune checkpoint inhibitors, shows promise in battling one of the most treatment-resistant types of cancer in preclinical models, according to a new publication including authors from the Hackensack Meridian Center for Discovery and Innovation (CDI).

210 scientists highlight state of plants and fungi in Plants, People, Planet special issue

The Special Issue, 'Protecting and sustainably using the world's plants and fungi', brings together the research—from 210 scientists across 42 countries—behind the 2020 State of the World's Plants and Fungi report, also released today by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Two studies show how older breast cancer patients can be treated more effectively

Women with breast cancer who are aged older than 70 years are sometimes not offered surgery, chemotherapy or radiotherapy because doctors believe their patients will not be able to tolerate these treatments and will derive little benefit from them. These decisions may contribute to worse breast cancer survival rates for older women than for younger ones, although many older women will not benefit from more aggressive treatments and so may avoid harm from over-treatment.

Wasp egg-laying organ inspires new tool to reduce trauma in minimally invasive surgery

A new tissue-transport device which was inspired by the egg-laying organs of parasitic wasps could greatly advance the field of minimally invasive surgery (MIS), according to a new study in Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology. The prototype, developed by researchers at Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands, could allow MIS techniques to be used in previously hard-to-reach areas of the body and vastly reduce the trauma from surgery, and therefore recovery time, of patients.

Research challenges conventional wisdom about key autism trait

A new study into the causes of sensorimotor impairments prevalent among autistic people could pave the way for better treatment and management in the future, say psychologists.

How do Americans view the virus? Anthropology professor examines attitudes of COVID

In her ongoing research about Americans' responses to the COVID-19 pandemic, Northern Arizona University anthropology professor Lisa Hardy and her collaborators have talked to dozens of people. A couple of them stand out to the researchers.

Historical racial and ethnic health inequities account for disproportionate COVID-19 impact

A new Viewpoint piece published online in the Annals of the American Thoracic Society examines the ways in which COVID-19 disproportionately impacts historically disadvantaged communities of color in the United States, and how baseline inequalities in our health system are amplified by the pandemic. The authors also discuss potential solutions.

Higher COVID-19 mortality in men could be explained by differences in circulating proteins and immune system cells

New research presented at the ESCMID Conference on Coronavirus Diseases (ECCVID, online 23-25 September) suggests that the higher risk of poor COVID-19 outcomes in men could be explained by differences in circulating proteins and immune system cells compared with women. The study is by Gizem Kilic, Radbound University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands, and colleagues.

Study of UK key workers shows around half who had COVID-19 symptoms probably did not have the disease

New research from Public Health England (PHE) presented at this week's ESCMID Conference on Coronavirus Disease (ECCVID) shows up to half of UK key workers from a cohort of just under 3,000 individuals recruited (including police, fire and healthcare workers) who had self-reported symptoms of COVID-19 did not test positive for antibodies to the disease. This suggests that their symptoms were due to other conditions. The study was presented by Ranya Mulchandani, PHE, Birmingham, UK in collaboration with PHE colleagues and academic partners across the UK.

Older Western Europeans could already have systemic 'profile' that makes them susceptible to severe COVID-19

New research presented the ESCMID Conference on Coronavirus Disease (ECCVID, online 23-25 September) shows that the severe COVID-19 immunological profile, represented by changes in cell populations and circulating inflammatory proteins, is already partly present in older healthy individuals.

Novel neuroimaging study on dissociative symptoms reveals wounds of childhood trauma

Being traumatized can cause what are known as dissociative symptoms—such as experiencing amnesia, an out-of-body experience, feeling emotionally numb—which may help people cope. Experiencing these symptoms intensely or for a long time, however, can negatively impact an individual's ability to function.

Neurological consequences of COVID-19: The 'Silent Wave'

Is the world prepared a wave of neurological consequences that may be on its way as a result of COVID-19? This question is at the forefront of research underway at the Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health. A team of neuroscientists and clinicians are examining the potential link between COVID-19 and increased risk of Parkinson's disease, and measures to get ahead of the curve.

What have we learned from COVID-19 in persons with type 1 diabetes?

While diabetes is established as a risk factor for severe SARS-CoV2 infection several important specific aspects need to be considered for people with type 1 diabetes. In contrast to older persons with diabetes, children, adolescents and young adults with type 1 diabetes are not at risk for unfavourable outcomes.

COVID-19 and type 2 diabetes: do shared pathways have therapeutic implications?

During a special COVID-19 session at this year's online Annual Meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD), Prof. Daniel J. Drucker (Lunenfeld Tanenbaum Research Institute, Mt. Sinai Hospital, Toronto, Canada) will present a new review the latest clinical findings linking diabetes to risk of infection and differential outcomes in people with COVID-19 infection.

COVID-19 and diabetes: what is the evidence?

In the COVID-19 special session taking place at the online Annual Meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD), Prof. Juliana Chan, (The Chinese University of Hong Kong and Prince of Wales Hospital, Shatin, Hong Kong, China) will present a new review of the evidence on the devastating impact COVID-19 is having on people with diabetes.

Patients with type 1 diabetes that have adapted to remote medical appointments would continue this post COVID-19

A survey of more than 7,000 patients with type 1 diabetes from 89 countries, presented at this year's online Annual Meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) shows that three quarters of patients who have adapted to telemedicine appointments would consider continung the use of online or telephone appointments with their doctors, as has been happening during the COVID-19 pandemic, after the pandemic ends. The study is by Dr. Sam Scott and Prof Christoph Stettler, University of Bern, Switzerland, and colleagues, and will be published in the journal Endocrinology, Diabetes & Metabolism.

Analysis reveals heart-related side effects of hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine

As the antimalarial drugs hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine have drawn attention as potential therapies for COVID-19 and are being widely used off-label, it's now more important than ever to have a thorough assessment of the safety of these medications. A recent analysis published in the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology provides new insights.

Control of blood sugar levels improved among people with type 1 diabetes who stopped working during lockdown

New research presented at this year's annual meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) shows that among people with type 1 diabetes who stopped working in the COVID-19 lockdown, blood sugar levels improved during the first week of lockdown despite having reduced opportunities for exercise and heightened psychological stress. The study was undertaken by Dr. Federico Boscari and colleagues at the Department of Medicine, University of Padova, Italy.

Risk of death may increase for successive generations of immigrants with type 2 diabetes

A 10-year nationwide study investigating survival rates in all people with type 2 diabetes in Sweden, to be published in Diabetologia, finds that non-Western immigrants experienced a higher risk of death with each generation born in the country.

People with 'silent' COVID-19 have as much coronavirus as those with symptoms

People with 'silent' COVID-19 infection have as much coronavirus in their noses and throats as those with symptoms, reveals research published online in the journal Thorax.

Genetic analysis links obesity to higher rheumatoid arthritis risk

An analysis of genetic data collected from more than 850,000 individuals of European ancestry has found a link between obesity-related genes and rheumatoid arthritis.

Prior abortion does not negatively affect feelings of parental competence

A recent study found that a prior induced abortion did not negatively impact a woman's psychological well-being or her thoughts about her competence as a parent when she later became a mother.

Caregiving factors may affect hospitalization risk among disabled older adults

Few studies have investigated the potential impact of caregivers and caregiver factors on older adults' likelihood of being hospitalized. A recent study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society has now provided some insights.

Perspective on employment rates after spinal cord injury—30 years after the ADA

A team of experts in disability employment summarized advances in outcomes being achieved in individuals recovering from spinal cord injury. Their article, "30 Years after the Americans with Disabilities Act: Perspectives on employment for persons with spinal cord injury," was published online on June 7, 2020 in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Clinics of North America.

Children and schools during the COVID-19 pandemic: do school closures help?

A special session at this week's ESCMID Conference on Coronavirus Diseases (ECCVID, held online 23-25 September) will see a new review of the evidence presented to address the difficult issue of school closures and reopenings. The session has been co-organised with the European Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (ECDC), Stockholm, Sweden.

Lower zinc levels in the blood are associated with an increased risk of death in patients with COVID-19

New research presented at this week's ESCMID Conference on Coronavirus Disease (ECCVID, held online from 23-25 September) shows that having a lower level of zinc in the blood is associated with a poorer outcome in patients with COVID-19. The study is by Dr. Roberto Güerri-Fernández, Hospital Del Mar, Barcelona, Spain, and colleagues.

Study shows that 40% of healthcare workers asymptomatic when COVID-19 positive, raising risk of silent transmission

A review of studies (meta-analysis) presented at this year's ESCMID Conference on Coronavirus Diseases (ECCVID, online 23-25 September) shows that 40% of healthcare workers who test positive for COVID-19 were asymptomatic, raising the risk of silent transmission in healthcare settings.

Higher risk of death in cancer patients with COVID-19 may be due to advanced age and more pre-existing conditions

New research presented at this this week's ESCMID Conference on Coronavirus Diseases (ECCVID, online 23-25 September) suggests that the poor outcomes and higher death rates in cancer patients with COVID-19 could be due to them generally being older and having more underlying conditions, rather than due to the cancer itself. The study is by Dr. Maria Rüthrich, Jena University Hospital, Germany, and colleagues.

Analysis shows high level of SARS-CoV-2 contamination in patient toilets, staff and public areas in hosptials

A systematic review of evidence being presented at this week's ESCMID Conference on Coronavirus Disease shows that air around patients with COVID-19, as well as patients toilets, and staff and public areas in hospitals are all show significant levels of contamination with SARS-CoV-2. The study is by Dr. Gabriel Birgand, University Hosptial Centre Nantes, France, and colleagues.

Does the coronavirus spread easily among children?

Does the coronavirus spread easily among children?

NASA plans for return to Moon to cost $28 billion

NASA on Monday revealed its latest plan to return astronauts to the Moon in 2024, and estimated the cost of meeting that deadline at $28 billion, $16 billion of which would be spent on the lunar landing module.

As rich nations struggle, Africa's virus response is praised

At a lecture to peers this month, John Nkengasong showed images that once dogged Africa, with a magazine cover declaring it "The Hopeless Continent." Then he quoted Ghana's first president, Kwame Nkrumah: "It is clear that we must find an African solution to our problems, and that this can only be found in African unity."

Rescuers race to save 180 stranded whales in Australia

Rescuers faced a race against time to save nearly 200 whales stuck in a remote Australian harbour on Tuesday, hoping to prevent the toll of 90 dead from rising further after managing to free "a small number" of the stranded mammals.

CDC changes, then retracts, web posting on how virus spreads

The top U.S. public health agency stirred confusion by posting—and then taking down—an apparent change in its position on how easily the coronavirus can spread from person to person through the air.

Charging ahead: Tesla teases big news on 'Battery Day'

Tesla chief Elon Musk has promised "insane" battery news at a streamed event after the company's annual shareholders' meeting on Tuesday.