Monday 19 October 2020

New evidence to guide the practice of blood transfusions in children with severe malaria

Blood transfusions increase the survival of children admitted to the hospital with complications by severe malaria, and could be beneficial even at higher hemoglobin levels than those currently recommended. These are the main findings of a study led by ISGlobal, a center supported by 'la Caixa' Foundation, and published in The Lancet Haematology.

Italian PM announces stricter measures to counter virus

Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte on Sunday announced a new series of measures to tackle the rising number of virus cases, with restrictions placed on bars and restaurants and push to increase working from home.

French court tries Russian for multi-million-euro cyberfraud

A Russian goes on trial in Paris Monday accused of having defrauded nearly 200 victims across the world of 135 million euros using ransomware.

As virus flares globally, new strategies target hot spots

After entire nations were shut down during the first surge of the coronavirus earlier this year, some countries and U.S. states are trying more targeted measures as cases Israel and the Czech Republic have reinstated nationwide closures, other governments hope smaller-scale shutdowns can work this time, in conjunction with testing, contact tracing and other initiatives they've now built up.

Canada's Cogeco 'definitively' rejects Altice takeover bid

Canadian telecom giant Cogeco on Sunday definitively rejected an increased takeover bid from Altice U.S., citing the company's "enviable" market position and continued profitability under current ownership.

Irish data regulator probes Instagram: media reports

Ireland's data protection agency is investigating Instagram following concerns over how the image-sharing social platform handled children's personal data, according to media reports.

Big babies could be at higher risk of common heart rhythm disorder in adulthood

Elevated birth weight is linked with developing atrial fibrillation later in life, according to research presented at the 31st Great Wall International Congress of Cardiology (GW-ICC).

Early-arriving endangered Chinook salmon take the brunt of sea lion predation

The Columbia River is home to one of the West Coast's most important Chinook salmon runs. Through late spring and early summer, mature fish return from the sea and begin their arduous journey upriver to spawn. In recent years, these fish have faced an additional challenge: hungry California sea lions.

CBD helps reduce lung damage from COVID by increasing levels of protective peptide

One way CBD appears to reduce the "cytokine storm" that damages the lungs and kills many patients with COVID-19 is by enabling an increase in levels of a natural peptide called apelin, which is known to reduce inflammation and whose levels are dramatically reduced in the face of this storm.

68% of deaths from firearms are from self-harm, majority in older men in rural regions

A new study of gun injuries and deaths in Ontario found that 68% of firearm-related deaths were from self-harm, and they most often occurred in older men living in rural regions, pointing to the need for targeted prevention efforts. The study is published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).

Mystery over decline in sea turtle sightings

The number of sea turtles spotted along the coasts of the UK and Ireland has declined in recent years, researchers say.

Philips Q3 earnings boosted by virus healthcare demand

Dutch firm Philips said Monday its third quarter net profit rose sharply as its health arm got a boost from demand driven by the coronavirus pandemic.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2020-10-philips-q3-boosted-virus-healthcare.html

Tapping secrets of Aussie spider's unique silk

An international collaboration has provided the first insights into a new type of silk produced by the very unusual Australian basket-web spider, which uses it to build a lobster pot web that protects its eggs and trap prey.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-secrets-aussie-spider-unique-silk.html