Yellow-eyed penguin chicks do better without tourists

Publicly released: Tue 21 Jul 2020 at 0001 AEST | 0201 NZST

Wildlife Research

Endangered hoiho are a big wildlife tourism drawcard for parts of Otago and Southland, but disturbance from us human visitors might be harming young penguins’ survival chances. Researchers found the 2006 closure of Dunedin's Boulder Beach allowed Read more about Yellow-eyed penguin chicks do better without tourists

NEWS BRIEFING: How is COVID-19 impacting Australia's flu season?

Publicly released: Mon 20 Jul 2020 at 1100 AEST | 1300 NZST

While you can catch the flu at any time of the year, Australia's peak flu season generally runs from April to October due to the colder weather. Since early March however, Australia has seen locks down and restrictions of movement, minimal mass Read more about NEWS BRIEFING: How is COVID-19 impacting Australia's flu season?

Birthweight charts need revising - turns out babies should be bigger than we thought

Publicly released: Mon 20 Jul 2020 at 0001 AEST | 0201 NZST

MJA

Australian birthweight charts, which determine which babies are considered small for their gestational age, need revising say Australian experts. The researchers say these charts tend to underdiagnose small for gestational age babies as the include Read more about Birthweight charts need revising - turns out babies should be bigger than we thought

Missing piece identified for lower-cost, high-quality MRI scans

Publicly released: Sat 18 Jul 2020 at 0400 AEST | 0600 NZST

Science Advances

A new international study has identified the missing piece needed to enable low-cost MRI scanners to produce high-quality imaging could be nanoparticles, which can help revolutionise how doctors diagnose and screen for disease. Read more about Missing piece identified for lower-cost, high-quality MRI scans

Steroid cuts deaths by one-third among patients critically ill with COVID-19

Publicly released: Sat 18 Jul 2020 at 0200 AEST | 0400 NZST

New England Journal of Medicine

The steroid dexamethasone reduced the death rate among patients hospitalised with COVID-19 who were on oxygen or ventilators, but not among those who were not receiving these interventions to help with their breathing, according to clinical trial Read more about Steroid cuts deaths by one-third among patients critically ill with COVID-19

New strategies for identifying health and disease biomarkers developed

Publicly released: Sat 18 Jul 2020 at 0100 AEST | 0300 NZST

Nature Protocols

A new integrative strategy for identifying biomarkers of health and disease has been developed - these biological markers, or biomarkers, are signals in our bodies that help to diagnose diseases early and effectively assess, target and develop Read more about New strategies for identifying health and disease biomarkers developed

Global warming and pollution have similar impact on coral reef fish

Publicly released: Fri 17 Jul 2020 at 1900 AEST | 2100 NZST

Nature Communications

An international collaboration has shown for the first time that human-caused stresses of global warming and pollution affect coral reef fish development and survival via the disruption of an endocrine pathway. “This means even exposure to low Read more about Global warming and pollution have similar impact on coral reef fish

Victoria should aim to eliminate not suppress COVID-19

Publicly released: Fri 17 Jul 2020 at 1530 AEST | 1730 NZST

MJA

Epidemiologists have presented a 10-point plan to help Melbourne and Victoria achieve the elimination of COVID-19 within the 6-week lockdown period. They say that under the “Standard” policy approach, there was no chance that all infected people Read more about Victoria should aim to eliminate not suppress COVID-19

Lessons to be learned from a COVID-19 outbreak in a NSW aged-care facility

Publicly released: Fri 17 Jul 2020 at 1300 AEST | 1500 NZST

MJA

The COVID-19 outbreak in the Dorothy Henderson Lodge nursing home in Sydney showed that optimal infection prevention and control practice among trained staff in aged care facilities cannot be assumed during an outbreak, according to one of Read more about Lessons to be learned from a COVID-19 outbreak in a NSW aged-care facility

Screening entire populations for cancer gene could save millions

Publicly released: Fri 17 Jul 2020 at 1200 AEST | 1400 NZST

Cancers

The most well-known breast and ovarian cancer-causing genes are BRCA1 and BRCA2, and international researchers, including an Aussie, suggest that a population-wide scan for these genes would be cost-effective and could prevent millions more breast Read more about Screening entire populations for cancer gene could save millions

Discovery of new glider species highlights conservation risk

Publicly released: Fri 17 Jul 2020 at 1053 AEST | 1253 NZST

Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society

Research by Charles Darwin University has changed what was known about the charismatic nectar-loving sugar glider, finding that they are at more risk than ever, particularly after the recent bushfires devastating south-eastern Australia. Read more about Discovery of new glider species highlights conservation risk

Three-day testing deadline to limit COVID-19 spread

Publicly released: Fri 17 Jul 2020 at 1030 AEST | 1230 NZST

The Lancet Public Health

Modelling shows that even the most efficient contact tracing strategy will fail to reduce COVID-19 spread, if it takes three or more days to get a test after developing symptoms. Researchers find that any contact tracing delays need to be balanced Read more about Three-day testing deadline to limit COVID-19 spread

Is there a switch to stop prostate cancers spreading?

Publicly released: Fri 17 Jul 2020 at 1017 AEST | 1217 NZST

European Association of Urology Congress

Researchers presenting at the European Association of Urology congress suggest that they have found a switch that is associated with prostate cancers spreading, potentially leading to the ability to stop them multiplying farther down the line. The Read more about Is there a switch to stop prostate cancers spreading?

Meet the world’s highest mouse

Publicly released: Fri 17 Jul 2020 at 1000 AEST | 1200 NZST

PNAS

A mouse seen on an expedition to the icy summit of a Chilean mountain is believed to be the highest-dwelling mammal documented. Researchers captured the yellow-rumped leaf-eared mouse at the summit of Volcán Llullaillaco, 6,739m above sea level. Read more about Meet the world’s highest mouse

Up to 87% of COVID cases in Wuhan may have gone undetected

Publicly released: Fri 17 Jul 2020 at 1000 AEST | 1200 NZST

Nature

Undetected cases of COVID-19 probably had a major role in the rapid spread of the disease and could lead to a resurgence of infections upon lifting of restrictions too early, according to research out of China, which suggests up to 87 per cent of Read more about Up to 87% of COVID cases in Wuhan may have gone undetected

Coronavirus is messing with the weather forecast too

Publicly released: Fri 17 Jul 2020 at 0930 AEST | 1130 NZST

Geophysical Research Letters

Your weathercaster can blame the pandemic for getting it wrong this time. Research shows the world lost 50 to 75 per cent of its aircraft weather observations between March and May of this year, when many flights were grounded due to COVID-19 Read more about Coronavirus is messing with the weather forecast too

Blood test detects positive COVID-19 result in 20 minutes

Publicly released: Fri 17 Jul 2020 at 0900 AEST | 1100 NZST

ACS Sensors

Research by Monash University in Australia has been able to detect positive COVID-19 cases using blood samples in about 20 minutes, and identify whether someone has contracted the virus. Researchers developed a simple assay based on commonly used Read more about Blood test detects positive COVID-19 result in 20 minutes

Kea trained to avoid 1080 pellets

Publicly released: Fri 17 Jul 2020 at 0826 AEST | 1026 NZST

Applied Animal Behaviour Science

How do you stop kea from eating the aerially deployed 1080 poison pellets that are meant for their predators? Researchers have found that making the alpine parrots queasy on mimic bait filled with a mild gut irritant first could teach them to avoid Read more about Kea trained to avoid 1080 pellets

Too much or too little sleep may kill you, particularly if you have type 2 diabetes

Publicly released: Fri 17 Jul 2020 at 0801 AEST | 1001 NZST

Diabetologia

International scientists, including Australians, say too much or too little sleep may kill you, and the effect is much more pronounced in people with type 2 diabetes. The scientists looked at data from 273,029 adults, including 24,212 type 2 Read more about Too much or too little sleep may kill you, particularly if you have type 2 diabetes

Gentlemen, too much porn could make you a flop in the bedroom

Publicly released: Fri 17 Jul 2020 at 0801 AEST | 1001 NZST

European Association of Urology Congress

In a cautionary tale for all you blokes out there, European scientists say the more porn you watch, the more likely you are to suffer from erectile dysfunction, and the less likely you are to enjoy 'normal' sex, according to their online survey of Read more about Gentlemen, too much porn could make you a flop in the bedroom