Changes in fire activity are threatening more than 4,400 species globally

Publicly released: Mon 23 Nov 2020 at 0400 AEDT | 0600 NZDT

Science

Major new paper says too much or too little fire is threatening more than 4,400 species around the world, including the orangutan in Indonesia and mallee emu-wren in Australia. The research team also found a striking example from Australia: the Read more about Changes in fire activity are threatening more than 4,400 species globally

"Speaking up" could improve professionalism in healthcare

Publicly released: Mon 23 Nov 2020 at 0001 AEDT | 0201 NZDT

MJA

Hospital staff who say they have skills in “speaking up” seemed to experience less incivility and bullying from their colleagues, according to researchers who say training in speaking up might help eliminate unprofessional behaviour in healthcare Read more about "Speaking up" could improve professionalism in healthcare

Queenslanders needed for OCD treatment clinical trial

Publicly released: Mon 23 Nov 2020 at 0001 AEDT | 0201 NZDT

Researchers at QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute in Brisbane are recruiting participants for a clinical trial of a new brain stimulation treatment for people diagnosed with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. Read more about Queenslanders needed for OCD treatment clinical trial

Ritalin in uni unfair according to NZ professionals

Publicly released: Sat 21 Nov 2020 at 0600 AEDT | 0800 NZDT

PLOS One

Professionals are in agreement that it’s unfair to use cognitive enhancing drugs like Ritalin to get through university. The results are from a survey of 400 New Zealand pharmacists, doctors, nurses, lawyers, and accountants. However some Read more about Ritalin in uni unfair according to NZ professionals

Did Health Star Ratings on our foods help them become healthier?

Publicly released: Sat 21 Nov 2020 at 0600 AEDT | 0800 NZDT

PLOS Medicine

Researchers from NZ and Australia suggest that Health Star Ratings (HSR) had a small effect on the healthiness of foods that were labelled. HSRs were introduced in 2014, and producers were asked to voluntarily add the label to their packaging to Read more about Did Health Star Ratings on our foods help them become healthier?

Pioneering remote screening for vital health signs indicating COVID-19

Publicly released: Fri 20 Nov 2020 at 1330 AEDT | 1530 NZDT

A key symptom of COVID-19 – oxygen saturation – is now being estimated remotely from a camera, thanks to research from University of South Australia engineers Professor Javaan Chahl, Dr Ali Al-Naji and their team of graduate students. Read more about Pioneering remote screening for vital health signs indicating COVID-19

New findings speed progress towards affordable gene therapy

Publicly released: Fri 20 Nov 2020 at 1130 AEDT | 1330 NZDT

Chemical Communcations

In a promising advance for affordable, personalised medicine, researchers have used metal-organic frameworks to successfully deliver the genetic snipping tool CRISPR/Cas9 into human cancer cells. Read more about New findings speed progress towards affordable gene therapy

Don’t use remdesivir to treat COVID-19 - WHO

Publicly released: Fri 20 Nov 2020 at 1101 AEDT | 1301 NZDT

The BMJ

The WHO has concluded that remdesivir has no meaningful effect on whether COVID-19 patients die, need to go on a ventilator, or how long they take to improve. After thoroughly reviewing the evidence, the WHO Guideline Development Group expert panel Read more about Don’t use remdesivir to treat COVID-19 - WHO

Infectiousness peaks early in COVID-19 patients, cases need to be rapidly isolated

Publicly released: Fri 20 Nov 2020 at 1050 AEDT | 1250 NZDT

The Lancet Microbe

People infected with SARS-CoV-2 are most likely to be highly infectious in the first week after symptom onset, highlighting the need to identify and isolate cases early, according to a systematic review and meta-analysis. The study suggests Read more about Infectiousness peaks early in COVID-19 patients, cases need to be rapidly isolated

Victorian bushfires have become more severe

Publicly released: Fri 20 Nov 2020 at 1000 AEDT | 1200 NZDT

PLOS ONE

Bushfires in southern Australia have become more severe over the last 30 years, according to Australian research. The study found that the number of bushfires each year that were larger than 1,000 ha increased significantly between 1987 and 2017, a Read more about Victorian bushfires have become more severe