COVID-19 escalated armed conflicts in several war-torn countries

Publicly released: Thu 17 Dec 2020 at 1600 AEDT | 1800 NZDT

World Development

Of the nine countries that were studied, four had reduced armed conflict activities while five had escalations. India, Iraq, Libya, Pakistan and the Philippines all saw an escalation of civil wars because conflict parties exploited either state Read more about COVID-19 escalated armed conflicts in several war-torn countries

Clowns may help kids in hospital cope with pain and anxiety

Publicly released: Thu 17 Dec 2020 at 1600 AEDT | 1800 NZDT

The BMJ

Hospital clowns, the stuff of nightmares for some, may help improve physical symptoms and psychological wellbeing in children and adolescents having treatment for acute or chronic conditions, according to Brazilian and Canadian scientists. They Read more about Clowns may help kids in hospital cope with pain and anxiety

Pregnant women excluded from 3 in 4 COVID-19 treatment trials

Publicly released: Thu 17 Dec 2020 at 1600 AEDT | 1800 NZDT

The Lancet Global Health

Pregnant women are among those most in need of safe and effective therapies against COVID-19, but they are routinely excluded from the majority of clinical treatment trials, according to the US and Swiss authors of an opinion piece based on a review Read more about Pregnant women excluded from 3 in 4 COVID-19 treatment trials

Incredible footage reveals flatback sea turtle defending itself against shark attack

Publicly released: Thu 17 Dec 2020 at 1501 AEDT | 1701 NZDT

Ecology

Researchers from Murdoch University’s Harry Butler Institute and Western Australia’s Department of Biodiversity, Conservation & Attractions (DBCA) have captured fascinating video footage of a shark attacking a sea turtle from the turtle’s Read more about Incredible footage reveals flatback sea turtle defending itself against shark attack

The Sleigh team - leadership lessons from Santa

Publicly released: Thu 17 Dec 2020 at 1500 AEDT | 1700 NZDT

The BMJ

As Father Christmas gears up for the busiest 24 hours of his year, two doctors reflect on the skills he uses to get a seemingly impossible job done effectively and safely - and whether they can be applied to medicine. What lessons can medicine learn Read more about The Sleigh team - leadership lessons from Santa

Is Christmas naughty, or nice?

Publicly released: Thu 17 Dec 2020 at 1430 AEDT | 1630 NZDT

The BMJ

With tongues firmly in cheeks, UK experts highlight the dangers of Christmas by looking up cautionary tales from the past, and pose the question 'is Christmas worth it?'. Almost nothing about Christmas is safe, these Grinches conclude. Painting Read more about Is Christmas naughty, or nice?

New therapeutic target pinpointed for stomach cancer

Publicly released: Thu 17 Dec 2020 at 1423 AEDT | 1623 NZDT

Gastroenterology

WEHI researchers have identified a key molecular regulator involved in the progression and spread of stomach cancer, suggesting a potential new approach to treat this devastating disease. The team discovered that removing the inflammatory signalling Read more about New therapeutic target pinpointed for stomach cancer

Dolphin populations likely to be impacted by climate change and extreme weather events

Publicly released: Thu 17 Dec 2020 at 1416 AEDT | 1616 NZDT

Nature Scientific Reports

Freshwater Skin Disease is an emerging disease of cetaceans which we are likely to see increasing in frequency in vulnerable estuarine and coastal habitats globally that continue to be affected by worsening climate change, threatening the Read more about Dolphin populations likely to be impacted by climate change and extreme weather events

Exercise for low back pain beneficial but no one agrees on why

Publicly released: Thu 17 Dec 2020 at 1241 AEDT | 1441 NZDT

Musculoskeletal Science and Practice

A new UNSW evidence review has found there is still no consensus between researchers about why exercise works for low back pain patients – despite decades of studies on the topic. Exercise is scientifically proven to provide relief from chronic Read more about Exercise for low back pain beneficial but no one agrees on why

Polariton interactions: light matters

Publicly released: Thu 17 Dec 2020 at 1240 AEDT | 1440 NZDT

Physical Review Research

Why do 2D exciton-polaritons interact? This intriguing quasiparticle, which is part light (photon), and part matter (exciton), doesn’t behave as predicted: continuing to interact with other particles when confined to two dimensions in extremely Read more about Polariton interactions: light matters