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

Slaughterhouses are coronavirus hotspots

Publicly released: Fri 20 Nov 2020 at 0930 AEDT | 1130 NZDT

PNAS

Livestock processing plants are responsible for up to 8 per cent of all coronavirus infections in the United States, new research finds. The study authors say as of July, slaughterhouses were linked to up to 310,000 COVID-19 cases, and up to 5,200 Read more about Slaughterhouses are coronavirus hotspots

Closing the gap for vision – good progress made but still a way to go

Publicly released: Fri 20 Nov 2020 at 0900 AEDT | 1100 NZDT

Australia continues to Close the Gap for Vision for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians, but not fast enough, according to a report being launched today. Read more about Closing the gap for vision – good progress made but still a way to go

How the flu spreads within cities

Publicly released: Fri 20 Nov 2020 at 0600 AEDT | 0800 NZDT

PLOS Pathogens

The spread of respiratory diseases, such as the flu, is affected by temperature and school-aged children, according to Swiss researchers, who looked at how the flu spread within a city. The researchers looked at the genetic sequences of the flu Read more about How the flu spreads within cities

Cesarean-born babies at increased risk of infection-related hospitalisation in early childhood

Publicly released: Fri 20 Nov 2020 at 0600 AEDT | 0800 NZDT

PLOS Medicine

Cesarean-born babies are at increased risk during early childhood of being hospitalised due to an infection, according to a new study of over seven million births from four countries. Read more about Cesarean-born babies at increased risk of infection-related hospitalisation in early childhood

The carrots and sticks of freshwater policy

Publicly released: Fri 20 Nov 2020 at 0500 AEDT | 0700 NZDT

A new research paper by Motu Economic and Public Policy Research presents the array of different policy instruments available for managing freshwater quality and quantity and provides insights into how the various instruments can be used to Read more about The carrots and sticks of freshwater policy

First map of bee species creating some buzz

Publicly released: Fri 20 Nov 2020 at 0300 AEDT | 0500 NZDT

Current Biology

International researchers have created some buzz after putting together the most complete map of bee species to date. There are over 20,000 species of bee – more than birds and mammals combined – but until now, information about how these Read more about First map of bee species creating some buzz

Start monitoring for vaccine side effects now - GP

Publicly released: Fri 20 Nov 2020 at 0001 AEDT | 0201 NZDT

NZMJ

A retired GP says New Zealand should set up a system to actively monitor the safety of COVID-19 vaccines. In a Viewpoint article, he says enough people will be getting the jab that there is a decent risk of adverse side-effects, negative publicity Read more about Start monitoring for vaccine side effects now - GP

Pregnant New Zealanders are eating unsafe foods

Publicly released: Fri 20 Nov 2020 at 0001 AEDT | 0201 NZDT

NZMJ

A survey of 200 pregnant New Zealanders has found a concerning lack of knowledge of which foods are safe for them to eat. Three quarters of those surveyed incorrectly identified a potentially dangerous food as safe. It also highlighted that Māori Read more about Pregnant New Zealanders are eating unsafe foods

NZers toughed out appendicitis through lockdown

Publicly released: Fri 20 Nov 2020 at 0001 AEDT | 0201 NZDT

NZMJ

The number of patients with appendicitis in New Zealand hospitals noticeably dropped over the national COVID-19 lockdown. However those who did go to hospital had been experiencing symptoms for longer, suffered more complications, and had to stay in Read more about NZers toughed out appendicitis through lockdown

Oxford's COVID-19 jab safer in older adults

Publicly released: Thu 19 Nov 2020 at 1800 AEDT | 2000 NZDT

The Lancet

Phase 2 trial results from Oxford’s ChAdOx1 vaccine shows it’s better tolerated in older people compared to younger adults, and produces a similar immune response in old and young adults. The study of 560 healthy adults – including 240 over 70 Read more about Oxford's COVID-19 jab safer in older adults

Potential new target to combat inflammatory diseases

Publicly released: Thu 19 Nov 2020 at 1618 AEDT | 1818 NZDT

EBioMedicine

An international team of researchers have uncovered a drug-like compound that blocks a crucial inflammatory pathway, potentially paving the way for a new treatment for a host of diseases – including COVID-19. WEHI’s Associate Professor Seth Read more about Potential new target to combat inflammatory diseases

Smartwatches could help detect COVID before symptoms appear

Publicly released: Thu 19 Nov 2020 at 1508 AEDT | 1708 NZDT

Nature Biomedical Engineering

Smartwatches can detect changes in you body as much as nine days before COVID symptoms appear, according to US research. The researchers analysed data from 32 individuals infected with COVID-19, identified from a group of nearly 5,300 participants, Read more about Smartwatches could help detect COVID before symptoms appear