2020, what a year! Melbourne University researchers, Zena Cumpston, Professor Andrew Dawson, Professor Peter Doherty AC, and Professor Guay Lim discuss a year in review from an Australian perspective on how the Covid-19 pandemic has changed our way of life in 2020: “Things we know at the end of 2020 (part 1)”. First published in […]
With an Ebola outbreak ongoing in the neighbouring Democratic Republic of the Congo in 2019, authorities in Uganda stepped up their health and response systems in readiness of possible important of the deadly virus. This investment in epidemic preparedness paid dividends, protecting Uganda citizens from an outbreak of Ebola. Transcript In 2019 the DRC (Democratic […]
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Sunday 27 December, 2020, has been designated the first International Day of Epidemic Preparedness. Transcript Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus: It’s hard to believe that only a year ago covet 19 was still completely unknown to us in the past 12 months our world has been turned upside down the impacts of the pandemic go […]
Statement from the REMAP-CAP trial: International Trials of Blood Thinners Pause Enrolment of Critically Ill COVID-19 Patients Three clinical trial platforms working together to test the effects of full doses of anticoagulants (blood thinners) in COVID-19 patients have paused enrolment for one group of patients. Among critically ill COVID-19 patients requiring intensive care unit (ICU) support, […]
Coronavirus spread during dental procedures could be reduced with slower drill rotation: Researchers from Imperial College London and King’s College London have found that careful selection and operation of dental drills can minimise the spread of COVID-19 through aerosols. Dental procedures can pose a high risk of viral transmission because the tools that are used often […]
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Sir Patrick Vallance delivers Hammersmith and White City Distinguished Lecture: Government Chief Scientific Adviser, Sir Patrick Vallance, spoke on science in government and shared insights into the UK’s response to COVID-19. Sir Patrick Vallance delivered this year’s Hammersmith and White City Distinguished Christmas Lecture in an online event for College staff and students. Formerly President […]
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Beta-blockers are used to prevent internal bleeding in patients with liver cirrhosis and portal hypertension. Researchers from MedUni Vienna have now shown that Beta-blockers also have beneficial effects on systemic inflammation and this translates into improved clinical outcomes. Approximately 170,000 people die every year in Europe from the direct consequences of advanced chronic liver disease […]
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A new study, led by experts from the University of Nottingham, has shown that people with rare autoimmune rheumatic diseases are at a greater risk of dying at a younger age during the Covid-19 pandemic. The findings of the study, published in the British Society for Rheumatology’s journal, Rheumatology, was the work of a team […]
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A tiny new silicon-based lab-on-chip test could pave the way for cheap handheld infectious disease testing. The chip, developed at Imperial College London and known as TriSilix, is a ‘micro laboratory’ which performs a miniature version of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) on the spot. PCR is the gold-standard test for detecting viruses and bacteria […]
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Liver cirrhosis: new study on the impact of systemic inflammation on disease progression: Patients with liver cirrhosis display a wide range of clinical symptoms. A prospective study conducted by MedUni Vienna has now shown that blood levels of biomarkers for systemic inflammation increase over the various stages of the disease and can predict the development […]