Lived experience of Indigenous Aussies crucial to eliminating rheumatic heart disease by 2031

Publicly released: Mon 16 Nov 2020 at 0001 AEDT | 0201 NZDT

Medical Journal of Australia

Updated guidelines for the prevention, diagnosis and management of acute rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease have been published, and experts say that cultural appropriateness and lived experience are crucial to eliminating the disease from Read more about Lived experience of Indigenous Aussies crucial to eliminating rheumatic heart disease by 2031

How the Royal Melbourne Hospital controlled Australia's biggest outbreak of COVID in health care workers

Publicly released: Mon 16 Nov 2020 at 0001 AEDT | 0201 NZDT

Medical Journal of Australia

Royal Melbourne Hospital had the largest institutional outbreak of COVID-19 in health care workers in Australia to date, and used a range of approaches to control the spread of the virus, say Australian experts. The Royal Park Campus had 40 per cent Read more about How the Royal Melbourne Hospital controlled Australia's biggest outbreak of COVID in health care workers

Go (over) easy on the eggs: ‘Egg-cess’ consumption linked to diabetes

Publicly released: Sat 14 Nov 2020 at 1930 AEDT | 2130 NZDT

British Journal of Nutrition

Scrambled, poached or boiled, eggs are a popular breakfast food the world over. Yet the health benefits of the humble egg might not be all they’re cracked up to be as new research from the University of South Australia shows that excess egg Read more about Go (over) easy on the eggs: ‘Egg-cess’ consumption linked to diabetes

NZ scientist helps keep track of half the world’s fishing

Publicly released: Sat 14 Nov 2020 at 0600 AEDT | 0800 NZDT

PLOS ONE

Small-scale fisheries are estimated to land half the world’s fish catch, and a research team including a Kiwi has created a software program to help them keep track of their activities. The team tested the software in Timor-Leste and found it can Read more about NZ scientist helps keep track of half the world’s fishing

Poor diet could be linked to erectile dysfunction

Publicly released: Sat 14 Nov 2020 at 0300 AEDT | 0500 NZDT

JAMA Network Open

A healthy diet could also help maintain erectile function in men, according to US researchers. The study used data from the Health Professionals Follow-Up study, which included information about the diet and health of 21,469 male health professionals Read more about Poor diet could be linked to erectile dysfunction

EXPERT REACTION: Preliminary results from University of Queensland's phase I COVID-19 vaccine trial

Publicly released: Fri 13 Nov 2020 at 1300 AEDT | 1500 NZDT

Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt has this morning announced that the University of Queensland's COVID-19 vaccine is so far proving "safe and effective", based on phase 1 trials. Various media reports have included that the vaccine is producing virus Read more about EXPERT REACTION: Preliminary results from University of Queensland's phase I COVID-19 vaccine trial

Ahead of World Diabetes Day, experts call for urgent action to address global diabetes epidemic

Publicly released: Fri 13 Nov 2020 at 1030 AEDT | 1230 NZDT

Lancet

Ahead of World Diabetes Day on Saturday 14 November, a new report is calling for action to close the gap in diabetes prevention and care. Worldwide, 463 million people have diabetes, with 80 per cent from low-income and middle-income countries. In Read more about Ahead of World Diabetes Day, experts call for urgent action to address global diabetes epidemic

Covid treatment gets hospital patients back on their feet

Publicly released: Fri 13 Nov 2020 at 1000 AEDT | 1200 NZDT

The Lancet Respiratory Medicine

A clinical trial suggests interferon beta-1a is an effective treatment for hospitalised COVID-19 patients. Those who inhaled the immune response protein were more than twice as likely to recover from their infection to a point where everyday Read more about Covid treatment gets hospital patients back on their feet

COVID-19 takes a year off life expectancy in Spain

Publicly released: Fri 13 Nov 2020 at 0930 AEDT | 1130 NZDT

PLOS One

Spain’s annual life expectancy at birth dropped by 0. 9 years between 2019 and July 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a new study. It also shows that in the hard-hit city of Madrid weekly life expectancy dropped by 15 years, during Read more about COVID-19 takes a year off life expectancy in Spain

Rapid COVID-19 test could be misleading

Publicly released: Fri 13 Nov 2020 at 0915 AEDT | 1115 NZDT

The BMJ

As many as one in five people who receive a positive result from a finger-prick antibody test might have never had a Covid infection, new research suggests. The study authors say the AbC-19 Rapid Test is accurate enough to give a good estimate of Read more about Rapid COVID-19 test could be misleading

Dust storms make Mars sweat

Publicly released: Fri 13 Nov 2020 at 0902 AEDT | 1102 NZDT

Science

Our cold and dry solar system neighbour was once wet and warm, and researchers have posed a new theory for how Mars’ rivers and oceans disappeared. They’ve found evidence that Martian water is transported to the upper atmosphere, where it is Read more about Dust storms make Mars sweat

Significant barriers to COVID-19 antibody treatments

Publicly released: Fri 13 Nov 2020 at 0900 AEDT | 1100 NZDT

JAMA

Antibody treatments for COVID-19 could face major issues with emergency approval and equity of treatment, US medical researchers argue. Monoclonal antibodies garnered attention when they were part of the cocktail of drugs used to treat US President Read more about Significant barriers to COVID-19 antibody treatments

New COVID-19 strategy: vaccinate potential superspreaders first

Publicly released: Fri 13 Nov 2020 at 0600 AEDT | 0800 NZDT

PLOS ONE

As the world pins its hopes on Pfizer's announcement this week of an effective vaccine, Macquarie University researchers have unveiled a strategy addressing the question of who should be vaccinated first. Read more about New COVID-19 strategy: vaccinate potential superspreaders first

An antidepressant might help stop mild COVID-19 from becoming worse

Publicly released: Fri 13 Nov 2020 at 0300 AEDT | 0500 NZDT

JAMA

The antidepressant fluvoxamine, usually sold under the brand name Luvox, may stop mild COVID-19 from becoming more severe, according to a small clinical trial by US researchers. In a randomised trial of people with mild COVID-19, none of the 80 Read more about An antidepressant might help stop mild COVID-19 from becoming worse

EXPERT REACTION: Climate model suggests we may be past the 'point of no return'

Publicly released: Fri 13 Nov 2020 at 0300 AEDT | 0500 NZDT

Scientific Reports

New climate modelling suggests that even ceasing all greenhouse gas emissions today might not be enough to stop global warming. The reduced complexity model suggests that even with no further emissions, global temperatures will rise enough for Read more about EXPERT REACTION: Climate model suggests we may be past the 'point of no return'

BRIEFING: State of the Climate BOM/CSIRO report - More big weather is coming

Publicly released: Fri 13 Nov 2020 at 0001 AEDT | 0201 NZDT

The sixth instalment of the joint Bureau of Meteorology and CSIRO State of the Climate report will be released on Friday 13 November. The report, released every two years, shows Australia is continuing to warm and experiencing more frequent extreme Read more about BRIEFING: State of the Climate BOM/CSIRO report - More big weather is coming

Tired of COVID? More than half of those who caught it have lasting fatigue

Publicly released: Thu 12 Nov 2020 at 1651 AEDT | 1851 NZDT

PLOS ONE

If you think you are tired of COVID, spare a thought for those who actually caught it, with a new Irish study showing that more than half of people with acute COVID-19 infection still feel fatigued 10 weeks after their initial illness. Of the 128 Read more about Tired of COVID? More than half of those who caught it have lasting fatigue

C4 rice’s first wobbly steps towards reality

Publicly released: Thu 12 Nov 2020 at 1530 AEDT | 1730 NZDT

Plant Biotechnology Journal

An international long-term research collaboration aimed at creating high yielding and water use efficient rice varieties, has successfully installed part of the photosynthetic machinery from maize into rice. Read more about C4 rice’s first wobbly steps towards reality

Tertiary funding system disadvantages Māori researchers

Publicly released: Thu 12 Nov 2020 at 1506 AEDT | 1706 NZDT

Frontiers in Research Metrics and Analytics

A new paper argues the system of funding universities and other tertiary institutes based on their performance, is to the disadvantage of Māori academics and worldviews. The authors say the system should be rebuilt, to better recognise not only Read more about Tertiary funding system disadvantages Māori researchers

Cutting-edge computer vision technologies help detect threats

Publicly released: Thu 12 Nov 2020 at 1430 AEDT | 1630 NZDT

UTS Intelligent Drone Lab and local industry partner DroneShield combine expertise to develop a world-leading computer vision system to help identify threats from incoming drones. Read more about Cutting-edge computer vision technologies help detect threats