upi--2020-12-21--New U.S. COVID-19 cases under 200K; deaths down for 4th straight day

Dec. 21 ( UPI ) -- Updated data from Johns Hopkins University on Monday shows that the United States has seen a second straight day of fewer than 200,000 COVID-19 cases , and four straight days of declining deaths .
Data from the university shows 189,100 new coronavirus cases for Sunday and about 1,500 deaths nationwide .
The decline in cases followed a record high of 249,700 on Friday .
Deaths nationally have been in decline for four days since a record of almost 3,700 patients died last Wednesday .
Since the start of the pandemic , there have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nationwide .
Figures show that hospitalizations in the United States are leveling off .
After setting records every day for weeks , hospitalizations reached a peak of 114,500 on Thursday and have since hovered around 113,500 , according to the COVID Tracking Project .
The number of patients in intensive care is a little under 22,000 .
The United States not yet decided whether to join a growing list of nations in restricting travel to Britain due to a contagious variant of COVID-19 , an administration official said Monday .
Assistant Secretary for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ official step has been taken on the possibility of following Canada , France and Germany in banning travel to Britain .
Giroir said the Trump administration is waiting for recommendations from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Dr. Robert Redfield on the matter .
`` We have a [ White House Coronavirus ] Task Force meeting today so we 'll make sure that everyone has updates , but as of now I have no new updates based on that , '' he said Monday .
In California , Gov .
Gavin Newsom @ @ @ @ @ @ @ order is likely to be extended , specifically citing the Dec. 28 end date in the San Joaquin region and the Dec. 30 date in Southern California as areas that could see increased time .
`` Based on the current trend lines , we 'll need to extend that stay-at-home order , '' he said .
Newsom has re-entered quarantine after one of his staff members tested positive for COVID-19 .
He tested negative Sunday but said he will do a 10-day quarantine as required by state guidelines .
The governor went into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ California Highway Patrol officer who 'd tested positive .
• Congress is expected to vote on a $ 900 billion coronavirus relief bill that was reached over the weekend .
It includes new stimulus payments to most Americans and enhanced unemployment payments .
• President-elect will receive Pfizer 's vaccine during a live event to build public confidence in two coronavirus vaccines that have now been approved in the United States .
• A new survey shows nearly three-quarters of parents are concerned with their children overusing social media during the pandemic .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ infection among people who underwent surgery for head and neck cancer was quite low -- indicating that interrupting or postponing treatments , particularly in life-threatening illnesses , is not necessary during the pandemic .

A man receives a temperature check on Sunday during holiday shopping at the Glendale Galleria in Glendale, Calif. Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI | License Photo
Dec. 21 (UPI) -- Updated data from Johns Hopkins University on Monday shows that the United States has seen a second straight day of fewer than 200,000 COVID-19 cases, and four straight days of declining deaths. Data from the university shows 189,100 new coronavirus cases for Sunday and about 1,500 deaths nationwide. Advertisement
The decline in cases followed a record high of 249,700 on Friday.
Deaths nationally have been in decline for four days since a record of almost 3,700 patients died last Wednesday.
Since the start of the pandemic, there have been 17.86 million cases and about 317,800 deaths nationwide.
Figures show that hospitalizations in the United States are leveling off.
After setting records every day for weeks, hospitalizations reached a peak of 114,500 on Thursday and have since hovered around 113,500, according to the COVID Tracking Project. The number of patients in intensive care is a little under 22,000.
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The United States not yet decided whether to join a growing list of nations in restricting travel to Britain due to a contagious variant of COVID-19, an administration official said Monday.
Assistant Secretary for Health Adm. Brett Giroir told CNN no official step has been taken on the possibility of following Canada, France and Germany in banning travel to Britain.
Giroir said the Trump administration is waiting for recommendations from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Dr. Robert Redfield on the matter.
"We have a [White House Coronavirus] Task Force meeting today so we'll make sure that everyone has updates, but as of now I have no new updates based on that," he said Monday.
In California, Gov. Gavin Newsom said Monday that the state's stay-at-home order is likely to be extended, specifically citing the Dec. 28 end date in the San Joaquin region and the Dec. 30 date in Southern California as areas that could see increased time.
"Based on the current trend lines, we'll need to extend that stay-at-home order," he said.
Newsom has re-entered quarantine after one of his staff members tested positive for COVID-19. He tested negative Sunday but said he will do a 10-day quarantine as required by state guidelines.
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The governor went into quarantine last month after contact with a California Highway Patrol officer who'd tested positive.
In other COVID-19 developments Monday:


upi--2020-12-21--Trump signs executive order recommending classical designs for federal buildings

Dec. 21 ( UPI ) -- President Donald Trump on Monday signed an executive order establishing classical architecture as the preferred style for federal buildings in Washington , D.C .
The order does not explicitly mandate that buildings be constructed in classical style , rather stating that they should be `` beautiful '' and establishes a `` Council for Improving Federal Civic Architecture '' to recommend updates to guidelines from the General Services Administration .
`` Applicable federal public buildings should uplift and beautify public spaces , inspire the human spirit , ennoble the United States and command respect from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ states .
`` They should also be visually identifiable as civic buildings and , as appropriate , respect regional architectural heritage . ''
In the order Trump criticized the GSA 's Design Excellence Program saying it has `` often selected designs by prominent architects with little regard for input or regional aesthetic preferences . ''
`` The resulting federal architecture sometimes impresses the architectural elite , but not the American people who the buildings are meant to serve , '' he said .
`` Many of these new federal buildings are not even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Under the new order , the GSA will be required to seek design input from the general public and future staff of federal buildings before selecting a design .
Rep. Dina Titus , D-Nev. , sent a letter to GSA Administrator Emily Murphy opposing the administration 's decision to implement a shared classic architectural design among federal buildings .
`` Imposing a preferred architectural style for federal facilities runs counter to our nation 's democratic traditions , '' Titus wrote .
`` Attempting to implement this misguided mandate from Washington , D.C. , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ GSA policy and practice without any public notice or hearing is even worse . ''
An earlier version of the executive order that would have placed an explicit ban on modernist design was condemned by the American Institute of Architects and the National Trust for Historic Preservation .
`` Architecture should be designed for the specific communities that it serves , reflecting our rich nation 's diverse places , thought , culture and climates , '' the AIA said .
`` Architects are committed to honoring our past as well as reflecting our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thought and expression that are essential to democracy . ''

President Donald Trump signed an executive order Monday designating classical architecture as the preferred style for federal buildings and stating that such architecture should be "beautiful." Photo by Yuri Gripas/UPI | License Photo
Dec. 21 (UPI) -- President Donald Trump on Monday signed an executive order establishing classical architecture as the preferred style for federal buildings in Washington, D.C. The order does not explicitly mandate that buildings be constructed in classical style, rather stating that they should be "beautiful" and establishes a "Council for Improving Federal Civic Architecture" to recommend updates to guidelines from the General Services Administration. Advertisement
"Applicable federal public buildings should uplift and beautify public spaces, inspire the human spirit, ennoble the United States and command respect from the general public," the order states. "They should also be visually identifiable as civic buildings and, as appropriate, respect regional architectural heritage."
In the order Trump criticized the GSA's Design Excellence Program saying it has "often selected designs by prominent architects with little regard for input or regional aesthetic preferences."
"The resulting federal architecture sometimes impresses the architectural elite, but not the American people who the buildings are meant to serve," he said. "Many of these new federal buildings are not even visibly identifiable as civic buildings."
Under the new order, the GSA will be required to seek design input from the general public and future staff of federal buildings before selecting a design.
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Rep. Dina Titus, D-Nev., sent a letter to GSA Administrator Emily Murphy opposing the administration's decision to implement a shared classic architectural design among federal buildings.
"Imposing a preferred architectural style for federal facilities runs counter to our nation's democratic traditions," Titus wrote. "Attempting to implement this misguided mandate from Washington, D.C., by circumventing Congress and gutting decades of GSA policy and practice without any public notice or hearing is even worse."
An earlier version of the executive order that would have placed an explicit ban on modernist design was condemned by the American Institute of Architects and the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
"Architecture should be designed for the specific communities that it serves, reflecting our rich nation's diverse places, thought, culture and climates," the AIA said. "Architects are committed to honoring our past as well as reflecting our future progress, protecting the freedom of thought and expression that are essential to democracy."


upi--2020-12-21--Walmart competes with Amazon to roll out free online return pickups

Dec. 21 ( UPI ) -- Walmart announced Monday that shoppers would be able to return unwanted merchandise purchased online without leaving their home .
Customers can schedule a return through a new service , Carrier Pickup by FedEx , and arrange for packages to be collected , the company said in a news release .
`` This new return option is not only super-easy but also free , and here to stay beyond the holiday season , '' the company said .
Walmart streamlined returns to compete with online giant Amazon , which lets customers return items at some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ UPS lockers and stores .
Amazon 's holiday season return policy states that items may be returned `` at your own expense '' with a credit for up to $ 20 for shipping applied when the item is received at the processing center , the company said on its website .
Broken or defective items are refunded the entire amount , plus shipping , the company said .
The big-box chain announced in a November earnings call that online sales during the pandemic had surged by 79 % .
The newest Walmart policy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at home and schedule a free pickup by FedEx online through the Walmart app .
Customers who do n't have access to a printer may return the goods by taking the packaged return along with a downloaded QR code to any FedEx Office location , where it will be shipped free of charge , the company said .
Refunds will be credited to customers ' payment account `` sometimes as soon as the next day , and same day for in-store returns , '' the company said Monday .
The company also said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ landfill by recycling 1.9 million pounds of recycled plastic resin from customer returns and using it to manufacture and package other products .

Walmart announced Monday the company will pick up online returns free from a shopper's home via a new service called Carrier Pickup by FedEx, arranged through the company's app. Photo courtesy of Walmart App
Dec. 21 (UPI) -- Walmart announced Monday that shoppers would be able to return unwanted merchandise purchased online without leaving their home. Customers can schedule a return through a new service, Carrier Pickup by FedEx, and arrange for packages to be collected, the company said in a news release. Advertisement
"This new return option is not only super-easy but also free, and here to stay beyond the holiday season," the company said.
Walmart streamlined returns to compete with online giant Amazon, which lets customers return items at some Whole Foods markets, Kohl's and UPS lockers and stores.
Amazon's holiday season return policy states that items may be returned "at your own expense" with a credit for up to $20 for shipping applied when the item is received at the processing center, the company said on its website. Broken or defective items are refunded the entire amount, plus shipping, the company said.
The big-box chain announced in a November earnings call that online sales during the pandemic had surged by 79%.
The newest Walmart policy allows customers to print a return label at home and schedule a free pickup by FedEx online through the Walmart app.
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Customers who don't have access to a printer may return the goods by taking the packaged return along with a downloaded QR code to any FedEx Office location, where it will be shipped free of charge, the company said.
Refunds will be credited to customers' payment account "sometimes as soon as the next day, and same day for in-store returns," the company said Monday.
The company also said it was diverting return waste from the landfill by recycling 1.9 million pounds of recycled plastic resin from customer returns and using it to manufacture and package other products.


upi--2020-12-21--Study details smallpox epidemics in London over three centuries

Dec. 21 ( UPI ) -- Using mortality data collected over the course of 300 years , a pair of researchers have traced the history of smallpox epidemics in London between 1664 and 1930 .
Their data analysis , detailed Monday in the PLOS Biology , revealed links between several historical events and smallpox outbreaks , as well as the effects of various control interventions and public health policies on epidemic patterns .
Smallpox was one of history 's deadliest viruses , dating to Ancient Egypt .
It is one of only two viruses that have been entirely eradicated as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its eradication , the virus is estimated to have killed as many as 300 million people during the 20th century .
For the new study , researchers digitized weekly mortality rates recorded in two invaluable sources , the London Bills of Mortality , which provided data through 1842 , and the Registrar General 's Weekly Returns , which provided data after 1842 .
`` Our study shows very clearly the value of disease surveillance , '' study co-author David Earn , a professor of mathematics and statistics at McMaster University in Canada , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We are now gaining insights about disease transmission patterns , because of the systematic record keeping by the city of London over hundreds of years . ''
`` If these records had been lost , we would not have been able to discover how the shapes and sizes of epidemics changed over time , and would not have been able to identify associations with historical and environmental events , '' said Earn , who specializes in the modeling of infectious disease transmission .
The newly digitized datasets revealed the deadly impacts of smallpox @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of coordinated public health policies .
During the 18th century , It 's estimated that 400,000 Europeans died from the disease each year .
The virus killed three in every 10 infected .
Those who survived often were left crippled and blind .
`` Before the vaccine era , smallpox accounted for a substantial proportion of deaths , '' Earn said .
In addition to digitizing weekly smallpox mortality data , Earn and his research partner , Olga Krylova , a former doctoral student at McMaster , compiled a timeline of historical events @ @ @ @ @ @ @ specific smallpox outbreaks .
Their efforts showed an especially large outbreak in London was likely triggered or accelerated by activities related to the Franco-Prussian War .
The study co-authors also produced a timeline of public health interventions , including variolation and vaccination efforts .
Variolation , which preceded the development of vaccines , involved purposefully infecting people with small amounts of virus to elicit a protective immune response .
The introduction of variolation had a significant impact on the scope smallpox outbreaks in London , and according to the study 's authors , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vaccination efforts , and ultimately , the eradication of the deadly disease .
Researchers hope their work will inspired other researchers to take a closer look at the changes in the dynamics of smallpox outbreaks over the course of the 19th and 20th centuries .
The co-authors also hope their analysis will also serve as a reminder of the value of comprehensive record keeping .
`` Much more detailed data have been , and continue to be , collected during the present COVID-19 pandemic , '' Earn said .
`` In the coming @ @ @ @ @ @ @ these data , we will learn a great deal . ''

Scientists digitized weekly smallpox mortality data recorded in London over the course of three centuries. Photo by Public Domain Review
Dec. 21 (UPI) -- Using mortality data collected over the course of 300 years, a pair of researchers have traced the history of smallpox epidemics in London between 1664 and 1930. Their data analysis, detailed Monday in the PLOS Biology, revealed links between several historical events and smallpox outbreaks, as well as the effects of various control interventions and public health policies on epidemic patterns. Advertisement
Smallpox was one of history's deadliest viruses, dating to Ancient Egypt. It is one of only two viruses that have been entirely eradicated as a result of human intervention. Before its eradication, the virus is estimated to have killed as many as 300 million people during the 20th century.
For the new study, researchers digitized weekly mortality rates recorded in two invaluable sources, the London Bills of Mortality, which provided data through 1842, and the Registrar General's Weekly Returns, which provided data after 1842.
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"Our study shows very clearly the value of disease surveillance," study co-author David Earn, a professor of mathematics and statistics at McMaster University in Canada, told UPI in an email.
"We are now gaining insights about disease transmission patterns, because of the systematic record keeping by the city of London over hundreds of years."
"If these records had been lost, we would not have been able to discover how the shapes and sizes of epidemics changed over time, and would not have been able to identify associations with historical and environmental events," said Earn, who specializes in the modeling of infectious disease transmission.
The newly digitized datasets revealed the deadly impacts of smallpox prior to the advent of any kind of coordinated public health policies.
During the 18th century, It's estimated that 400,000 Europeans died from the disease each year. The virus killed three in every 10 infected. Those who survived often were left crippled and blind.
"Before the vaccine era, smallpox accounted for a substantial proportion of deaths," Earn said.
In addition to digitizing weekly smallpox mortality data, Earn and his research partner, Olga Krylova, a former doctoral student at McMaster, compiled a timeline of historical events that could have influenced the dynamics of specific smallpox outbreaks.
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Their efforts showed an especially large outbreak in London was likely triggered or accelerated by activities related to the Franco-Prussian War.
The study co-authors also produced a timeline of public health interventions, including variolation and vaccination efforts.
Variolation, which preceded the development of vaccines, involved purposefully infecting people with small amounts of virus to elicit a protective immune response.
The introduction of variolation had a significant impact on the scope smallpox outbreaks in London, and according to the study's authors, the immunization technique set the stage for vaccination efforts, and ultimately, the eradication of the deadly disease.
Researchers hope their work will inspired other researchers to take a closer look at the changes in the dynamics of smallpox outbreaks over the course of the 19th and 20th centuries. The co-authors also hope their analysis will also serve as a reminder of the value of comprehensive record keeping.
"Much more detailed data have been, and continue to be, collected during the present COVID-19 pandemic," Earn said. "In the coming years, as we look back at these data, we will learn a great deal."


upi--2020-12-21--S&P 500 falls as Tesla drops 6% in debut

Dec. 21 ( UPI ) -- The S & P 500 dropped on Monday as Tesla 's stock plummeted upon debuting on the index and markets responded to news of a new strain of COVID-19 .
The equity index fell 0.39 % to end the day after falling to a session low of nearly 2 % earlier in the day .
The Nasdaq Composite dropped 0.10 % , while the Dow Jones Industrial Average ended the day up 37.40 points , or 0.12 % .
Tesla stock declined 6.49 % in the electric car maker 's first day of trading @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Monday 's decline came as the company 's shares were up 687 % on the year and rose $ 39.10 , or 6 % , to a closing record at $ 695 .
Tesla entered the S & P 500 with a 1.7 % weighting , causing the broader S & P 500 to fluctuate one point for every $ 11.11 it moves .
Travel stocks fell as Britain entered its highest level of lockdown and other European nations banned travel from the country after the presence of a new strain of COVID-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Airlines stock fell 2.48 % and United Airlines dropped 1.53 % , while Norwegian Cruise Line declined 1.59 % and Royal Caribbean slid 0.65 % .
The Dow avoided losses Monday as Nike rose 4.91 % following strong earnings , while Goldman Sachs gained 6.07 % and JPMorgan Chase grew 3.75 % as the Federal Reserve announced share buybacks for banks would continue into the first quarter of 2021 .
Markets also responded positively to Congress announcing plans to vote on a $ 900 billion coronavirus relief bill and a government funding measure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The package includes $ 600 individual stimulus payments which Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin told CNBC would be sent out as soon as next week .

The S&P 500 dropped 0.39% on Monday amid a poor debut on the index from Tesla and concern over a new strain of COVID-19 reported in Europe. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo
Dec. 21 (UPI) -- The S&P 500 dropped on Monday as Tesla's stock plummeted upon debuting on the index and markets responded to news of a new strain of COVID-19. The equity index fell 0.39% to end the day after falling to a session low of nearly 2% earlier in the day. The Nasdaq Composite dropped 0.10%, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average ended the day up 37.40 points, or 0.12%. Advertisement
Tesla stock declined 6.49% in the electric car maker's first day of trading on the S&P 500.
Monday's decline came as the company's shares were up 687% on the year and rose $39.10, or 6%, to a closing record at $695.
Tesla entered the S&P 500 with a 1.7% weighting, causing the broader S&P 500 to fluctuate one point for every $11.11 it moves.
Travel stocks fell as Britain entered its highest level of lockdown and other European nations banned travel from the country after the presence of a new strain of COVID-19 was reported over the weekend.
American Airlines stock fell 2.48% and United Airlines dropped 1.53%, while Norwegian Cruise Line declined 1.59% and Royal Caribbean slid 0.65%.
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The Dow avoided losses Monday as Nike rose 4.91% following strong earnings, while Goldman Sachs gained 6.07% and JPMorgan Chase grew 3.75% as the Federal Reserve announced share buybacks for banks would continue into the first quarter of 2021.
Markets also responded positively to Congress announcing plans to vote on a $900 billion coronavirus relief bill and a government funding measure in a deal reached over the weekend.
The package includes $600 individual stimulus payments which Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin told CNBC would be sent out as soon as next week.


upi--2020-12-21--House subpoenas top health chiefs on accusations of 'meddling' in pandemic

Dec. 21 ( UPI ) -- Democrats in the U.S. House issued subpoenas Monday to two top White House health officials , saying that Trump Administration appointees attempted to alter or block at least 13 scientific reports related to the coronavirus .
Democrat Majority Whip James Clyburn said in a statement that the Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis demanded answers from the Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar and Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Robert Redfield , calling efforts to interfere with scientific work `` far more extensive and dangerous than previously known @ @ @ @ @ @ @ HHS Assistant Secretary Michael Caputo , senior adviser Paul Alexander , and other officials engaged in a `` far-reaching campaign to influence CDC 's scientific reports , despite pushback from career staff . ''
In a letter to Azar and Redfield , the committee alleges that Alexander and Caputo `` attempted to muzzle CDC scientists by retaliating against career employees who provided truthful information to the public and targeting CDC staff . ''
Emails from Alexander acquired by the committee show that he was advocating a policy of `` herd immunity '' for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , `` Infants , kids , teens , young people , young adults , middle aged with no conditions etc .
have zero to little risk ... .so we use them to develop herd ... we want them infected ... '' Both Alexander and Caputo resigned from their positions with the Trump administration .
The subcommittee interviewed editors and staff from the CDC 's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report and other scientific publications and found that Alexander and Caputo tried to meddle with articles and `` shelve '' publication of articles that showed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cooperation of Redfield , the letter said .
In one instance , Alexander demanded that an article about a superspreader event at a Georgia summer camp be altered so the findings removed any suggestion that data might be used to evaluate whether schools should re-open .
Alexander demanded that another article in the MMWR be altered or that the CDC stop publishing the journal altogether .
The editor testified that Redfield advised her to `` delete this email . ''
Caputo also was enraged when a senior CDC scientist spoke to NPR in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ longer update hospital data , and bullied the communications staff in emails saying they would `` be held accountable , '' the letter said .
The letter said chiefs of the HHS and CDC have dragged their feet on appearing before the committee and have been inadequate in producing documents , and even including documents that had nothing to do with COVID-19 in a document request .
The subpoenas require the agencies to produce a `` full and unredacted set '' of documents by Dec. 30 .

The House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis issued subpoenas Monday to Robert Redfield, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar for allegedly meddling with federal health agencies to downplay the pandemic. File Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI | License Photo
Dec. 21 (UPI) -- Democrats in the U.S. House issued subpoenas Monday to two top White House health officials, saying that Trump administration appointees attempted to alter or block at least 13 scientific reports related to the coronavirus. Democrat Majority Whip James Clyburn said in a statement that the Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis demanded answers from the Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar and Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Robert Redfield, calling efforts to interfere with scientific work "far more extensive and dangerous than previously known." Advertisement
Clybrurn said Monday that former HHS Assistant Secretary Michael Caputo, senior adviser Paul Alexander, and other officials engaged in a "far-reaching campaign to influence CDC's scientific reports, despite pushback from career staff."
In a letter to Azar and Redfield, the committee alleges that Alexander and Caputo "attempted to muzzle CDC scientists by retaliating against career employees who provided truthful information to the public and targeting CDC staff."
Emails from Alexander acquired by the committee show that he was advocating a policy of "herd immunity" for the virus in the summer, writing, "Infants, kids, teens, young people, young adults, middle aged with no conditions etc. have zero to little risk....so we use them to develop herd...we want them infected..."
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Both Alexander and Caputo resigned from their positions with the Trump administration.
The subcommittee interviewed editors and staff from the CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report and other scientific publications and found that Alexander and Caputo tried to meddle with articles and "shelve" publication of articles that showed the virus was spreading, with the cooperation of Redfield, the letter said.
In one instance, Alexander demanded that an article about a superspreader event at a Georgia summer camp be altered so the findings removed any suggestion that data might be used to evaluate whether schools should re-open. Alexander demanded that another article in the MMWR be altered or that the CDC stop publishing the journal altogether. The editor testified that Redfield advised her to "delete this email."
Caputo also was enraged when a senior CDC scientist spoke to NPR in July about how the agency would no longer update hospital data, and bullied the communications staff in emails saying they would "be held accountable," the letter said.
The letter said chiefs of the HHS and CDC have dragged their feet on appearing before the committee and have been inadequate in producing documents, and even including documents that had nothing to do with COVID-19 in a document request. The subpoenas require the agencies to produce a "full and unredacted set" of documents by Dec. 30.


upi--2020-12-21--More than 11,000 tickets win lottery drawing with 3-3-3 combination

Dec. 21 ( UPI ) -- The South Carolina Education Lottery said a total 11,453 winning tickets were purchased for @ @ @ @ @ came up with the numbers 3-3-3 .
Lottery officials said Saturday night 's drawing resulted @ @ @ @ @ selected , making 11,453 purchased tickets into winners .
The total was about 25 times @ @ @ @ @ the previous day 's drawing .
The South Carolina Education Lottery said it marked the @ @ @ @ @ come up in the drawing , with the most recent being in May 2019 .
@ @ @ @ @ payout of $ 250 or $ 500 , depending on how much the purchaser paid @ @ @ @

The South Carolina Education Lottery said 11,453 winning tickets were sold for a Pick 3 drawing that resulted in the numbers 3-3-3 being drawn. File Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo
Subscribe | UPI Odd Newsletter Subscribe Dec. 21 (UPI) -- The South Carolina Education Lottery said a total 11,453 winning tickets were purchased for a Pick 3 drawing that came up with the numbers 3-3-3. Lottery officials said Saturday night's drawing resulted in the numbers 3-3-3 being selected, making 11,453 purchased tickets into winners. Advertisement
The total was about 25 times the number of winners in the previous day's drawing.
The South Carolina Education Lottery said it marked the 13th time that 3-3-3 has come up in the drawing, with the most recent being in May 2019.
Pick 3 winners receive a payout of $250 or $500, depending on how much the purchaser paid for their ticket.


upi--2020-12-21--Kushner calls for end to 'scapegoating' Israel

Dec. 21 ( UPI ) -- White House Senior Adviser Jared Kushner called Monday for an end to `` scapegoating '' Israel .
President Donald Trump 's son-in-law made the remarks while in Israel with other senior White House staff ahead of a trip from Israel to Morocco Tuesday to solidify Israel 's normalization deal with Morocco .
`` Scapegoating , anti-Semitism , and isolating Israel have led to destructive behavior that has held the world back for far too long , '' Kushner said .
`` I urge the world as it goes forward to take the time to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ yourself if you would make the compromises Israel has been asked to make if you were in the prime minister 's shoes . ''
Earlier this month , Morocco became the fourth Arab country to normalize relations with Israel since this summer , following the United Arab Emirates , Bahrain and Sudan .
`` As part of the deal , Morocco will establish full diplomatic relations and resume official contacts with Israel , '' Kushner said at the time .
`` They will grant overflights and direct flights to and from Israel for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conference Monday with Kushner , Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu thanked the Trump administration for negotiating the normalization deals , along with recognizing Jerusalem as Israel 's capital , and moving its embassy from Tel Aviv .
The U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem also dedicated its courtyard on Monday to Kushner for leading the Trump administration 's Middle East peace efforts .
The Trump administration recognized Jerusalem as Israel 's capital three years ago , a move that many leaders in the Muslim world condemned with some suggesting the United States could lose its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ process .
`` In 2017 , President Trump was strongly warned that recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel would set off an explosion in the Middle East , '' Kushner said Monday in a tree-planting ceremony in the capital 's Grove of Nations honoring his peace efforts .
`` As it turned out , there has been an explosion , just not the kind of explosion the experts thought might happen .
President Trump 's bold decisions led to an explosion of peace . ''
During the planting ceremony , Netanyahu thanked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In planting this garden , we 'll make sure that future generations know what your contribution has been , '' Netanyahu said .
Netanyahu also asked Kushner to thank Morocco 's King Mohammed VI for the normalization deal .
`` Please give him my warmest regards and the regards of the entire people of Israel for the brave and historic decision he has made , again under the leadership of President Trump and your important personal role in making these things happen , '' Netanyahu said .

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and White House senior adviser Jared Kushner take part in a news conference, in Jerusalem, on Monday. Photo by Ronen Zvulun/UPI | License Photo
Dec. 21 (UPI) -- White House Senior Adviser Jared Kushner called Monday for an end to "scapegoating" Israel. President Donald Trump's son-in-law made the remarks while in Israel with other senior White House staff ahead of a trip from Israel to Morocco Tuesday to solidify Israel's normalization deal with Morocco. Advertisement
"Scapegoating, anti-Semitism, and isolating Israel have led to destructive behavior that has held the world back for far too long," Kushner said. "I urge the world as it goes forward to take the time to understand Israel's perspective and to ask yourself if you would make the compromises Israel has been asked to make if you were in the prime minister's shoes."
Earlier this month, Morocco became the fourth Arab country to normalize relations with Israel since this summer, following the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Sudan.
"As part of the deal, Morocco will establish full diplomatic relations and resume official contacts with Israel," Kushner said at the time. "They will grant overflights and direct flights to and from Israel for all Israelis."
In a press conference Monday with Kushner, Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu thanked the Trump administration for negotiating the normalization deals, along with recognizing Jerusalem as Israel's capital, and moving its embassy from Tel Aviv. The U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem also dedicated its courtyard on Monday to Kushner for leading the Trump administration's Middle East peace efforts.
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The Trump administration recognized Jerusalem as Israel's capital three years ago, a move that many leaders in the Muslim world condemned with some suggesting the United States could lose its standing as a mediator in a peace process.
"In 2017, President Trump was strongly warned that recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel would set off an explosion in the Middle East," Kushner said Monday in a tree-planting ceremony in the capital's Grove of Nations honoring his peace efforts. "As it turned out, there has been an explosion, just not the kind of explosion the experts thought might happen. President Trump's bold decisions led to an explosion of peace."
During the planting ceremony, Netanyahu thanked Kushner for his peace efforts.
"In planting this garden, we'll make sure that future generations know what your contribution has been," Netanyahu said.
Netanyahu also asked Kushner to thank Morocco's King Mohammed VI for the normalization deal.
"Please give him my warmest regards and the regards of the entire people of Israel for the brave and historic decision he has made, again under the leadership of President Trump and your important personal role in making these things happen," Netanyahu said.


upi--2020-12-21--Look: Deputies free 6-foot alligator from Florida storm drain

Dec. 21 ( UPI ) -- Sheriff 's deputies in Florida lifted a concrete slab to free a 6-foot alligator @ @ @ @ @ in a storm drain .
The Sarasota County Sheriff 's Office said deputies were summoned @ @ @ @ @ Venice on Monday morning to assist an alligator that was stuck in a storm drain @ @ @ @ @ slab at the top of the drain to allow the alligator to wriggle free of @ @ @ @ @ alligator headed toward a nearby lake .
Deputies said a trapper was called but did @ @ @ @ @ reptile was allowed to go free .

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Dec. 21 (UPI) -- Sheriff's deputies in Florida lifted a concrete slab to free a 6-foot alligator that somehow got itself stuck in a storm drain.
The Sarasota County Sheriff's Office said deputies were summoned to a street in south Venice on Monday morning to assist an alligator that was stuck in a storm drain.
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Deputies lifted the concrete slab at the top of the drain to allow the alligator to wriggle free of the tight spot.
The alligator headed toward a nearby lake. Deputies said a trapper was called but did not respond, so the reptile was allowed to go free.


upi--2020-12-21--President-elect Joe Biden, Jill Biden receive COVID-19 vaccine

Dec. 21 ( UPI ) -- President-elect Joe Biden and his wife Jill received Pfizer 's COVID-19 vaccine on Monday during an event that was broadcast live .
The Bidens were inoculated in Delaware by staff from Christiana Care .
`` We owe these folks an awful lot , '' Biden said , praising scientists and frontline workers and clinical staff .
`` We owe you big . ''
Biden said .
He said the Trump administration `` deserves some credit getting this off the ground with Operation Warp Speed . ''
`` This is just the beginning , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Biden said , urging people to wear masks , socially distance and not travel for the holidays .
The publicity for the event was intended to build public confidence in two coronavirus vaccines that have now been approved in the United States -- the one from Pfizer and BioNTech and a second vaccine from Moderna that was approved over the weekend .
`` I do n't want to get ahead of the line , but I want to make sure we demonstrate to the American people that it is safe to take @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Officials have begun to distribute the Moderna vaccine and many hospitals nationwide will begin receiving their first shipments on Monday .
Moderna and Pfizer have both said their vaccines have proven to be about 95 % effective in blocking the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19 .
Vice President-elect Kamala Harris and husband Doug Emhoff will receive their vaccines next week .
Transition officials said health experts recommended that Biden and Harris stagger the timelines of their vaccines .
Vice President Mike Pence and second lady Karen Pence both received the Pfizer vaccine on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ government leaders who have also received the vaccine include House Speaker Nancy Pelosi , Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell and Surgeon General Jerome Adams .
President Donald Trump has not yet received the vaccine .
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that persons who have received a treatment for the coronavirus disease to wait at least 90 days until they are vaccinated .
Former Presidents Barack Obama and George W. Bush have both said they are also planning to publicly receive the vaccine .

Dec. 21 (UPI) -- President-elect Joe Biden and his wife Jill received Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine on Monday during an event that was broadcast live. The Bidens were inoculated in Delaware by staff from Christiana Care.
"We owe these folks an awful lot," Biden said, praising scientists and frontline workers and clinical staff. "We owe you big." Biden said.
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He said the Trump administration "deserves some credit getting this off the ground with Operation Warp Speed."
"This is just the beginning, but it's going to take time," Biden said, urging people to wear masks, socially distance and not travel for the holidays.
The publicity for the event was intended to build public confidence in two coronavirus vaccines that have now been approved in the United States -- the one from Pfizer and BioNTech and a second vaccine from Moderna that was approved over the weekend.
"I don't want to get ahead of the line, but I want to make sure we demonstrate to the American people that it is safe to take," Biden said last week.
Officials have begun to distribute the Moderna vaccine and many hospitals nationwide will begin receiving their first shipments on Monday.
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Moderna and Pfizer have both said their vaccines have proven to be about 95% effective in blocking the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19.
Vice President-elect Kamala Harris and husband Doug Emhoff will receive their vaccines next week. Transition officials said health experts recommended that Biden and Harris stagger the timelines of their vaccines.
Vice President Mike Pence and second lady Karen Pence both received the Pfizer vaccine on Friday at the White House.
Other government leaders who have also received the vaccine include House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell and Surgeon General Jerome Adams.
President Donald Trump has not yet received the vaccine. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that persons who have received a treatment for the coronavirus disease to wait at least 90 days until they are vaccinated.
Former Presidents Barack Obama and George W. Bush have both said they are also planning to publicly receive the vaccine.


upi--2020-12-21--Virginia takes back Robert E. Lee statue from U.S. Capitol

Dec. 21 ( UPI ) -- Virginia has taken back the Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee statue it contributed to the National Statuary Hall Collection at the U.S. Capitol over 100 years ago .
Workers removed the statue of the Confederate commander of the Army of Northern Virginia overnight , Virginia Gov .
Ralph Northam announced in a statement Monday .
The confederate general had stood in the National Statuary Hall Collection at the U.S. Capitol , as one of two statues each state is entitled to display since 1909 , 44 years after the Confederacy rebelled against the United @ @ @ @ @ @ @ statue stood with Virginia 's other contribution to the collection , a statute of America 's first president George Washington , added the same year .
`` We should all be proud of this important step forward for our Commonwealth and our country , '' Northam said in the statement .
`` The Confederacy is a symbol of Virginia 's racist and divisive history , and it is past time we tell our story with images of perseverance , diversity and inclusion . ''
Earlier this month , the state 's Commission for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ selected Barbara Rose Johns to replace the statue of Lee .
Johns played a pivotal role in the civil rights movement , according to historians .
In 1951 , at age 16 , Johns , led a student walkout against inferior and overcrowded conditions in her all-Black school in Farmville , Va. Johns ' case became one of five that the U.S. Supreme Court reviewed in its Brown versus Board of Education decision that declared such segregation unconstitutional three years later .
`` I look forward to seeing a trailblazing young woman of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , where visitors will learn about Barbara Johns ' contributions to America and be empowered to create positive change in their communities like she did , '' Northam said .
The commission voted unanimously in the summer to recommend removal of the Lee statue , and at the commission 's request it will be moved to a Virginia museum .
`` As of this morning , Virginia will no longer honor the Confederacy in the halls of the United States Capitol , '' Delegate Jeion Ward , who sponsored legislation creating the commission @ @ @ @ @ @ @ When I think of Barbara Johns , I am reminded of how brave she was at such a young age .
It 's time for us to start singing the songs of some of the Virginians who have done great things that have gone unnoticed .
This a proud moment for our Commonwealth , and I am humbled to have been a part of it . ''
A statue of Johns must be approved by the General Assembly before a sculptor can be commissioned .
If approved , the statue would be the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Collection .
Northam 's proposed budget includes $ 500,000 to replace the statue of Lee in the U.S. Capitol .
In 2017 , the Unite the Right rally , which sought to protect the statue of Confederate general Robert E. Lee in Charlottesville , Va. , turned deadly when self-identified White supremacist James Alex Fields plowed his car into counterprotesters , killing Heather Heyer , 32 , and injuring 35 people .
Racial justice protests to remove Confederate statues were renewed in the wake of the killing of George Floyd , an unarmed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ police custody on suspicion of using a counterfeit bill on Memorial Day .
Since then , Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin has been charged with second-degree murder and manslaughter and three other officers have been charged with aiding and abetting .
Amid nationwide protests over racial justice and police brutality in June , House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called for the removal of 11 statues depicting Confederate soldiers , among 100 on display that were donated by the 50 states to honor their states historic contributions in the Capitol 's Statuary Hall .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rid the Capitol of homages to hate , as we fight to end the scourge of racism in our country , '' Pelosi said in a statement Monday .
`` There is no room for celebrating bigotry of the Confederacy in the Capitol or any other place of honor in our country . ''
President Donald Trump has criticized removal of Confederate monuments from public spaces in the United States , saying in 2017 , `` beauty '' is `` being taken out of our cities . ''

Workers remove Confederate General Robert E. Lee's statue. Photo by Jack Mayer/Office of Gov. Ralph Northam
Dec. 21 (UPI) -- Virginia has taken back the Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee statue it contributed to the National Statuary Hall Collection at the U.S. Capitol over 100 years ago. Workers removed the statue of the Confederate commander of the Army of Northern Virginia overnight, Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam announced in a statement Monday. Advertisement
The confederate general had stood in the National Statuary Hall Collection at the U.S. Capitol, as one of two statues each state is entitled to display since 1909, 44 years after the Confederacy rebelled against the United States and was defeated. Lee's statue stood with Virginia's other contribution to the collection, a statute of America's first president George Washington, added the same year.
"We should all be proud of this important step forward for our Commonwealth and our country," Northam said in the statement. "The Confederacy is a symbol of Virginia's racist and divisive history, and it is past time we tell our story with images of perseverance, diversity and inclusion."
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Earlier this month, the state's Commission for Historical Statues in the United States Capitol selected Barbara Rose Johns to replace the statue of Lee. Johns played a pivotal role in the civil rights movement, according to historians. In 1951, at age 16, Johns, led a student walkout against inferior and overcrowded conditions in her all-Black school in Farmville, Va. Johns' case became one of five that the U.S. Supreme Court reviewed in its Brown versus Board of Education decision that declared such segregation unconstitutional three years later.
"I look forward to seeing a trailblazing young woman of color represent Virginia in the U.S. Capitol, where visitors will learn about Barbara Johns' contributions to America and be empowered to create positive change in their communities like she did," Northam said.
The commission voted unanimously in the summer to recommend removal of the Lee statue, and at the commission's request it will be moved to a Virginia museum.
"As of this morning, Virginia will no longer honor the Confederacy in the halls of the United States Capitol," Delegate Jeion Ward, who sponsored legislation creating the commission, said in a statement. "When I think of Barbara Johns, I am reminded of how brave she was at such a young age. It's time for us to start singing the songs of some of the Virginians who have done great things that have gone unnoticed. This a proud moment for our Commonwealth, and I am humbled to have been a part of it."
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A statue of Johns must be approved by the General Assembly before a sculptor can be commissioned. If approved, the statue would be the only teenager represented in the Statuary Hall Collection.
Northam's proposed budget includes $500,000 to replace the statue of Lee in the U.S. Capitol.
In 2017, the Unite the Right rally, which sought to protect the statue of Confederate general Robert E. Lee in Charlottesville, Va., turned deadly when self-identified White supremacist James Alex Fields plowed his car into counterprotesters, killing Heather Heyer, 32, and injuring 35 people.
Racial justice protests to remove Confederate statues were renewed in the wake of the killing of George Floyd, an unarmed Black man, while he was in police custody on suspicion of using a counterfeit bill on Memorial Day. Since then, Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin has been charged with second-degree murder and manslaughter and three other officers have been charged with aiding and abetting.
Amid nationwide protests over racial justice and police brutality in June, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called for the removal of 11 statues depicting Confederate soldiers, among 100 on display that were donated by the 50 states to honor their states historic contributions in the Capitol's Statuary Hall.
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"The Congress will continue our work to rid the Capitol of homages to hate, as we fight to end the scourge of racism in our country," Pelosi said in a statement Monday. "There is no room for celebrating bigotry of the Confederacy in the Capitol or any other place of honor in our country."
President Donald Trump has criticized removal of Confederate monuments from public spaces in the United States, saying in 2017, "beauty" is "being taken out of our cities."


upi--2020-12-21--Navalny dupes Russian agent into divulging details of poisoned underwear

Dec. 21 ( UPI ) -- Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny on Monday said he had duped a member of Russia 's FSB spy agency into revealing that Navalny was poisoned with a toxin placed in his underwear .
`` A week ago ..
I sat down at the phone and started calling my killers .
I spoke with one of them for 45 minutes , '' Navalny tweeted Monday .
`` Now we know a lot . ''
`` I said before : This whole poisoning thing is cooler than a Hollywood movie , '' Navalny said in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ aide working for a top FSB general and spoke to operative Konstantin Kudryavtsev , badgering Kudryavtsev to divulge details of the poisoning .
Kurdrayvtsev said his associates from the FSB dripped the toxin Novichok to the `` inner seams '' of Navalny 's blue boxer shorts , while Navalny was staying at the Xander hotel in the Siberian city of Tomsk .
Pretending to be `` Maxim Ustinov , '' Navalny continued to bully the agent , demanding to know why the poisoning attempt failed .
Navalny , 44 , a fierce critic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ violently ill on an airplane Aug. 20 , which made an emergency landing in the city of Omsk .
Kudryavtsev said if the plane had flown straight to Moscow , exposing Navalny to the toxin for another three hours , the poison may have been fatal .
`` Well yes , if [ Navalny ] was in the air for longer and they did not land in such an abrupt way , possibly , things would have not gone the way they did , '' Kudryavtsev told him .
`` Meaning , if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if there was no ambulance at the airport and so on . ''
Kudryavtsev said FSB agents had disconnected CCTV cameras at the hotel and then deployed the poison to Navalny 's underpants .
`` We applied a solution so that , you know , no traces could be found , '' Kurdrayvtsev said .
Previous theories were that Navalny had been poisoned by drinking drugged tea or a cocktail .
The investigative news agency Bellingcat announced last week that it had uncovered eight FSB members involved with Navalny 's poisoning .
Russian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what had caused Navalny 's illness , and he was flown to Berlin in an induced coma .
Doctors there determined he had been poisoned with a nerve agent .
Novichok is a class of chemical toxin created by the former Soviet Union that was found to have poisoned former double agent Sergei Skripal and his adult daughter in Salisbury , Britain , in 2018 .
The two recovered and Britain charged two Russians in the case .
In October , the European Union sanctioned several members of the Russian government for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ yearly news conference , Putin brushed off allegations that he had ordered the poisoning of Navalny , saying , `` If someone wanted to poison him , they probably would have finished the job . ''

Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny said Monday he duped a Russian spy agent into disclosing over the phone the plot to poison him in August with a toxin applied in his underpants. File Photo by Sergei Ilnitsky/EPA-EFE
Dec. 21 (UPI) -- Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny on Monday said he had duped a member of Russia's FSB spy agency into revealing that Navalny was poisoned with a toxin placed in his underwear. "A week ago .. I sat down at the phone and started calling my killers. I spoke with one of them for 45 minutes," Navalny tweeted Monday. "Now we know a lot." Advertisement
He also released a video Monday.
"I said before: This whole poisoning thing is cooler than a Hollywood movie," Navalny said in the video.
Navalny said he impersonated an aide working for a top FSB general and spoke to operative Konstantin Kudryavtsev, badgering Kudryavtsev to divulge details of the poisoning. Kurdrayvtsev said his associates from the FSB dripped the toxin Novichok to the "inner seams" of Navalny's blue boxer shorts, while Navalny was staying at the Xander hotel in the Siberian city of Tomsk.
Pretending to be "Maxim Ustinov," Navalny continued to bully the agent, demanding to know why the poisoning attempt failed.
Navalny, 44, a fierce critic of Russian president Valdimir Putin, became violently ill on an airplane Aug. 20, which made an emergency landing in the city of Omsk.
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Kudryavtsev said if the plane had flown straight to Moscow, exposing Navalny to the toxin for another three hours, the poison may have been fatal.
"Well yes, if [Navalny] was in the air for longer and they did not land in such an abrupt way, possibly, things would have not gone the way they did," Kudryavtsev told him. "Meaning, if the medics did not aid him, if there was no ambulance at the airport and so on."
Kudryavtsev said FSB agents had disconnected CCTV cameras at the hotel and then deployed the poison to Navalny's underpants.
"We applied a solution so that, you know, no traces could be found," Kurdrayvtsev said.
Previous theories were that Navalny had been poisoned by drinking drugged tea or a cocktail.
The investigative news agency Bellingcat announced last week that it had uncovered eight FSB members involved with Navalny's poisoning.
Russian doctors initially said they could not determine what had caused Navalny's illness, and he was flown to Berlin in an induced coma. Doctors there determined he had been poisoned with a nerve agent.
Novichok is a class of chemical toxin created by the former Soviet Union that was found to have poisoned former double agent Sergei Skripal and his adult daughter in Salisbury, Britain, in 2018. The two recovered and Britain charged two Russians in the case.
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In October, the European Union sanctioned several members of the Russian government for the Navalny poisoning.
On Thursday at a yearly news conference, Putin brushed off allegations that he had ordered the poisoning of Navalny, saying, "If someone wanted to poison him, they probably would have finished the job."


upi--2020-12-21--Scientists solve key mystery of the human immune response

Dec. 21 ( UPI ) -- For the first time , scientists have observed the technique that dendritic cells use to inform T-cells about the threat of disease .
The breakthrough , detailed Monday in the journal Nature Immunology , could help medical researchers develop new immunotherapy treatments for cancer and other maladies .
Dendritic cells are a type of immune cell responsible for presenting evidence of an invading pathogen to T-cells , which perform a variety of immune-related functions , including the recruitment of other types of infection-fighting antibodies .
When a cell is infected , its proteins are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the body to deliver an immune response , dendritic cells must show the altered proteins to T-cells .
Until now , scientists were n't sure how dendritic cells accomplished this task .
When dendritic cells find a cell that is diseased and dying , they collect fragments of the infected cell and store them in tiny pockets called phagosomes .
By studying mouse immune cells , researchers found the pockets of dendritic cells , once full of fragments , burst open , freeing the deformed proteins .
The freed proteins are broken down @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cellular membrane , where they can be transported to the outside of the cell and received by T-cells .
The new analysis showed the gene DNGR-1 is key to this process .
`` For decades , there has been a question over how proteins within phagosomes escape in order to be chopped up and presented at the dendritic cell surface , '' study co-author Caetano Reis e Sousa , group leader of the Immunobiology Laboratory at the Francis Crick Institute in London , said in a news release .
`` We 've been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it 's exciting to finally have evidence of a specific receptor which signals for phagosomes to burst . ''
Researchers are seeking to precisely trace and gain new insights into the path dead cell fragments take from infected cell to dendritic cell to T-cell .
The researcher team hopes their analysis will reveal the ways this immune response pathway can be disrupted , as well as potential strategies for bolstering the mechanism .
`` A better understanding of this process , which is fundamental to our immune system , could lead to new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ defenses against infection and cancer , '' Reis e Sousa said .

Dendritic cells are white blood cells named for their tree-like appearance. They help inform T-cells, another type of immune cell, about the infected cells. Photo courtesy of the Francis Crick Institute
Dec. 21 (UPI) -- For the first time, scientists have observed the technique that dendritic cells use to inform T-cells about the threat of disease. The breakthrough, detailed Monday in the journal Nature Immunology, could help medical researchers develop new immunotherapy treatments for cancer and other maladies. Advertisement
Dendritic cells are a type of immune cell responsible for presenting evidence of an invading pathogen to T-cells, which perform a variety of immune-related functions, including the recruitment of other types of infection-fighting antibodies.
When a cell is infected, its proteins are transformed to signify the problem. For the body to deliver an immune response, dendritic cells must show the altered proteins to T-cells.
Until now, scientists weren't sure how dendritic cells accomplished this task.
When dendritic cells find a cell that is diseased and dying, they collect fragments of the infected cell and store them in tiny pockets called phagosomes.
By studying mouse immune cells, researchers found the pockets of dendritic cells, once full of fragments, burst open, freeing the deformed proteins.
The freed proteins are broken down into smaller pieces and swim toward the cellular membrane, where they can be transported to the outside of the cell and received by T-cells.
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The new analysis showed the gene DNGR-1 is key to this process.
"For decades, there has been a question over how proteins within phagosomes escape in order to be chopped up and presented at the dendritic cell surface," study co-author Caetano Reis e Sousa, group leader of the Immunobiology Laboratory at the Francis Crick Institute in London, said in a news release.
"We've been working on this for many years so it's exciting to finally have evidence of a specific receptor which signals for phagosomes to burst."
Researchers are seeking to precisely trace and gain new insights into the path dead cell fragments take from infected cell to dendritic cell to T-cell. The researcher team hopes their analysis will reveal the ways this immune response pathway can be disrupted, as well as potential strategies for bolstering the mechanism.
"A better understanding of this process, which is fundamental to our immune system, could lead to new ways to exploit our body's natural defenses against infection and cancer," Reis e Sousa said.


upi--2020-12-21--U.S. troops to leave Somalia but remain in East Africa

Dec. 21 ( UPI ) -- Although U.S. troops are leaving Somalia , they will be deployed elsewhere in East Africa , the U.S. Africa Command leader said .
The Pentagon announced Dec. 4 that , under orders from President Donald Trump , U.S. personnel and assets will be removed from Somalia by early 2021 .
The troops are involved in combating the Islamist terrorist group al-Shabab , training local forces and protecting Baledogle Airfield in southern Somalia .
The U.S. forces will likely go to Camp Lemonnier in Djibouti or Manda Bay in Kenya , two countries that are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gen. Stephen Townsend did not mention locations in his statement .
`` I directed the activation of a joint task force , JTF-Quartz , built around the headquarters of Special Operations Command-Africa , to oversee Operation Octave Quartz , the directed re-positioning of U.S. forces from Somalia to other bases in East Africa , '' Townsend said .
`` To be clear , the U.S. is not withdrawing or disengaging from East Africa .
We remain committed to helping our African partners build a more secure future .
We also remain capable of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of our choosing .
They should not test us . ''
About 700 U.S. troops are in Somalia .
A weeklong clash at a military base in the central town of Ba'adweyene , between al-Shabab militants and Somali soldiers and civilians , left dozens dead in early December .

A statement from Gen. Stephen Townsend (L) said that although U.S. troops will leave Somalia, they will deploy elsewhere in East Africa. Photo courtesy of U.S. Embassy in Somalia
Dec. 21 (UPI) -- Although U.S. troops are leaving Somalia, they will be deployed elsewhere in East Africa, the U.S. Africa Command leader said. The Pentagon announced Dec. 4 that, under orders from President Donald Trump, U.S. personnel and assets will be removed from Somalia by early 2021. Advertisement
The troops are involved in combating the Islamist terrorist group al-Shabab, training local forces and protecting Baledogle Airfield in southern Somalia.
The U.S. forces will likely go to Camp Lemonnier in Djibouti or Manda Bay in Kenya, two countries that are adjacent to Somalia, but AFRICOM commander Gen. Stephen Townsend did not mention locations in his statement.
"I directed the activation of a joint task force, JTF-Quartz, built around the headquarters of Special Operations Command-Africa, to oversee Operation Octave Quartz, the directed re-positioning of U.S. forces from Somalia to other bases in East Africa," Townsend said.
"To be clear, the U.S. is not withdrawing or disengaging from East Africa. We remain committed to helping our African partners build a more secure future. We also remain capable of striking Al-Shabaab at the time and place of our choosing. They should not test us."
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About 700 U.S. troops are in Somalia.
A weeklong clash at a military base in the central town of Ba'adweyene, between al-Shabab militants and Somali soldiers and civilians, left dozens dead in early December.


upi--2020-12-21--Look: Lost wedding ring found weeks later at Christmas tree lot

Dec. 21 ( UPI ) -- A Christmas tree shop in New York state is trying to track down a @ @ @ @ @ ring weeks before it was found in a pile of debris .
The owners of @ @ @ @ @ Lafayette said a customer had called earlier in the season to report that her father @ @ @ @ @ and believed it may have been at the Christmas tree lot .
Employees searched the @ @ @ @ @ to find the missing ring .
The owner said the ring turned up weeks later @ @ @ @ @ barn was being cleaned out after closing for the season .
`` It was buried @ @ @ @ @ and for some reason it caught my eye , '' the owner said .
The @ @ @ @ @ lost the contact information for the woman who called the store weeks earlier and they @ @ @ @ @ see the store 's post on Facebook .

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Dec. 21 (UPI) -- A Christmas tree shop in New York state is trying to track down a customer who lost his wedding ring weeks before it was found in a pile of debris.
The owners of Luchsinger's Christmas Trees in Lafayette said a customer had called earlier in the season to report that her father had lost his wedding band and believed it may have been at the Christmas tree lot.
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Employees searched the store, but were unable to find the missing ring.
The owner said the ring turned up weeks later, when the shop's barn was being cleaned out after closing for the season.
"It was buried in a pile of debris and for some reason it caught my eye," the owner said.
The owner said they had mistakenly lost the contact information for the woman who called the store weeks earlier and they are now hoping she will see the store's post on Facebook.


upi--2020-12-21--Student creates 675-square-foot painting using spices

Dec. 21 ( UPI ) -- A college student in India broke a Guinness World Record by using cooking spices @ @ @ @ @ 675.12 square feet .
Neha Singh , a student at Banaras Hindu University , was @ @ @ @ @ the world 's largest spice painting when she used cooking spices that were past their @ @ @ @ @ picture of a `` tree of salvation . ''
The student was presented with her @ @ @ @ @ Magistrate Shrihari Pratap Shahi during a visit to her home in Kotwari village .
Guinness @ @ @ @ @ create the image as a means of creating something out of what would have otherwise @ @ @ @

Neha Singh, a student at India's Banaras Hindu University, broke a Guinness World Record by creating a 675.12-square-foot painting using cooking spices. Photo courtesy of Guinness World Records
Subscribe | UPI Odd Newsletter Subscribe Dec. 21 (UPI) -- A college student in India broke a Guinness World Record by using cooking spices to create a painting measuring 675.12 square feet. Neha Singh, a student at Banaras Hindu University, was awarded the Guinness record for the world's largest spice painting when she used cooking spices that were past their sell-by date to paint a picture of a "tree of salvation." Advertisement
The student was presented with her Guinness certificate by Ballia District Magistrate Shrihari Pratap Shahi during a visit to her home in Kotwari village.
Guinness said Singh was inspired to create the image as a means of creating something out of what would have otherwise been food waste.


upi--2020-12-22--U.S. tops 18 million cases; experts say new COVID-19 strain may already be here

Dec. 22 ( UPI ) -- New coronavirus cases and deaths in the United States are again at lower levels , according to updated data from Johns Hopkins University -- but the case count was enough to push the total number over the 18 million mark on Tuesday .
According to the Johns Hopkins data , there were 190,500 new COVID-19 cases on Monday and about 1,700 deaths .
Both were a slight increase over Sunday 's figures .
Since the start of the pandemic , there have been 18.04 million coronavirus cases and about 319,500 deaths , according to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an upward trajectory on Monday , with a record total of 115,400 , according to the COVID Tracking Project .
Before Monday , they had been below 114,000 for three straight days .
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Tuesday that a COVID-19 variant identified in Britain has not yet been seen in the United States .
Since last month , the variant strain has become prevalent in southeastern Britain and accounted for about six in 10 new cases in London , British health officials said .
The variant has led @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The CDC said in its advisory Tuesday that the strain has not yet been seen in the United States , but cautioned that the sample sizes have been small .
`` [ The variant ] has not been identified through sequencing efforts in the United States , although viruses have only been sequenced from about 51,000 of the 17 million U.S. cases , '' CDC scientists wrote .
`` Ongoing travel between the United Kingdom and the United States , as well as the high prevalence of this variant among current U.K. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' they added .
`` Given the small fraction of U.S. infections that have been sequenced , the variant could already be in the United States without having been detected . ''
The scientists also noted that there 's no evidence yet that the variant causes more severe COVID-19 or a greater risk of death .
Dr. Anthony Fauci , the nation 's top infectious diseases expert , said Tuesday it 's reasonable to assume that the variant has already arrived in in the United States .
`` When you have this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the U.K. , you really need to assume that it 's here already , '' he told ABC 's Good Morning America .
`` It certainly is not the dominant strain , but I would not be surprised at all if it 's already here . ''
CNN reported Tuesday that both Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna are testing their vaccines against the new strain .
Both vaccines are being distributed nationwide .
The head of the European Union 's top medical regulator , the CEO of BioNTech and former Food and Drug Administration Commissioner @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's likely the new vaccines will be effective in blocking the British mutation .
• Fauci , Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar , National Institutes of Health Director Dr. Francis Collins and front-line healthcare workers at the NIH will be among some of the first to receive doses of Moderna 's newly approved vaccine on Tuesday .
• President Donald Trump is expected to sign the $ 900 billion relief bill on Tuesday , and the attached omnibus spending package that will keep the government running until at least next October @

Masked workers shovel snow off of steps and surfaces in New York City's Times Square last Thursday, in front of a sign that honors front-line health workers and other essential workers as "heroes." Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo
Dec. 22 (UPI) -- New coronavirus cases and deaths in the United States are again at lower levels, according to updated data from Johns Hopkins University -- but the case count was enough to push the total number over the 18 million mark on Tuesday. According to the Johns Hopkins data, there were 190,500 new COVID-19 cases on Monday and about 1,700 deaths. Both were a slight increase over Sunday's figures. Advertisement
Since the start of the pandemic, there have been 18.04 million coronavirus cases and about 319,500 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins.
Hospitalized patients nationwide resumed an upward trajectory on Monday, with a record total of 115,400, according to the COVID Tracking Project. Before Monday, they had been below 114,000 for three straight days.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Tuesday that a COVID-19 variant identified in Britain has not yet been seen in the United States.
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Since last month, the variant strain has become prevalent in southeastern Britain and accounted for about six in 10 new cases in London, British health officials said. The variant has led several countries to ban travel to Britain.
The CDC said in its advisory Tuesday that the strain has not yet been seen in the United States, but cautioned that the sample sizes have been small.
"[The variant] has not been identified through sequencing efforts in the United States, although viruses have only been sequenced from about 51,000 of the 17 million U.S. cases," CDC scientists wrote.
"Ongoing travel between the United Kingdom and the United States, as well as the high prevalence of this variant among current U.K. infections, increase the likelihood of importation," they added. "Given the small fraction of U.S. infections that have been sequenced, the variant could already be in the United States without having been detected."
The scientists also noted that there's no evidence yet that the variant causes more severe COVID-19 or a greater risk of death.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation's top infectious diseases expert, said Tuesday it's reasonable to assume that the variant has already arrived in in the United States.
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"When you have this amount of spread within a place like the U.K., you really need to assume that it's here already," he told ABC's Good Morning America.
"It certainly is not the dominant strain, but I would not be surprised at all if it's already here."
CNN reported Tuesday that both Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna are testing their vaccines against the new strain. Both vaccines are being distributed nationwide.
The head of the European Union's top medical regulator, the CEO of BioNTech and former Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Dr. Stephen Gottlieb have all said it's likely the new vaccines will be effective in blocking the British mutation.
In other COVID-19 developments Tuesday:
Fauci, Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar, National Institutes of Health Director Dr. Francis Collins and front-line healthcare workers at the NIH will be among some of the first to receive doses of Moderna's newly approved vaccine on Tuesday.
President Donald Trump is expected to sign the $900 billion relief bill on Tuesday, and the attached omnibus spending package that will keep the government running until at least next October.


upi--2020-12-22--Watch: Lala Kent 'connected' with Braunwyn Windham-Burke over sobriety

Dec. 22 ( UPI ) -- Lala Kent says she `` connected '' with fellow Bravo star Braunwyn Windham-Burke over their shared sobriety .
The 30-year-old Vanderpump Rules star confirmed on Monday 's episode of Watch What Happens Live that Windham-Burke , who stars on Real Housewives of Orange County , reached out to her after getting sober .
`` Yes , actually , when she decided to get sober she reached out to me via DM .
Now I think she 's well into the almost-year mark of her sobriety , '' Kent said .
`` I forward her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ So , yeah , we 're connected for sure , '' she added .
Windham-Burke recalled on Kent 's podcast , Give Them Lala ... with Randall , in October how she messaged Kent `` two or three days '' after deciding to become sober .
`` I knew she was sober and I found her on Instagram and said , 'Hi , I 'm Braunwyn .
How did you do this ?
Can I do this ? ''
Windham-Burke said .
`` And Lala was so sweet .
She got right back @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ' I 'm so proud of you .
Yes , you can do it .
My cast has been supportive , ' '' she added .
Kent has been sober for over two years .
She said getting sober was the `` biggest accomplishment '' of her life while celebrating her first year of sobriety in October 2019 .
Windham-Burke went public about being an alcoholic during the RHOC Season 15 premiere .
She said on WWHL in October that sharing her struggle was a `` freeing '' experience .
Kent is expecting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , with her fiancé , Randall Emmett .

Dec. 22 (UPI) -- Lala Kent says she "connected" with fellow Bravo star Braunwyn Windham-Burke over their shared sobriety.
The 30-year-old Vanderpump Rules star confirmed on Monday's episode of Watch What Happens Live that Windham-Burke, who stars on Real Housewives of Orange County, reached out to her after getting sober.
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"Yes, actually, when she decided to get sober she reached out to me via DM. Now I think she's well into the almost-year mark of her sobriety," Kent said.
"I forward her the links to my Zoom meetings. So, yeah, we're connected for sure," she added.
Windham-Burke recalled on Kent's podcast, Give Them Lala... with Randall, in October how she messaged Kent "two or three days" after deciding to become sober.
"I knew she was sober and I found her on Instagram and said, 'Hi, I'm Braunwyn. How did you do this? Can I do this?" Windham-Burke said.
"And Lala was so sweet. She got right back to me. She was like, 'I'm so proud of you. Yes, you can do it. My cast has been supportive,'" she added.
Kent has been sober for over two years. She said getting sober was the "biggest accomplishment" of her life while celebrating her first year of sobriety in October 2019.
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Windham-Burke went public about being an alcoholic during the RHOC Season 15 premiere. She said on WWHL in October that sharing her struggle was a "freeing" experience.
Kent is expecting her first child, a baby girl, with her fiancé, Randall Emmett.


upi--2020-12-22--AI model identifies women at high risk for gestational diabetes, study finds

Dec. 22 ( UPI ) -- Artificial intelligence can effectively identify women at high risk for gestational diabetes during the first trimester , allowing treatment to begin at an earlier stage of the disease , according to a study published Tuesday by the Endocrine Society 's Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism .
Researchers in China used machine learning , a form of AI , to develop a model that can predict whether women will develop the disease about 80 % of the time .
The model analyzes data from electronic health records , flagging known risk factors for gestational @ @ @ @ @ @ @ very low maternal weight , the researchers said .
`` Our study leveraged artificial intelligence to predict gestational diabetes in the first trimester using electronic health record data from a Chinese hospital , '' study author He-Feng Huang said in a statement .
`` These findings can help clinicians identify women at high risk of diabetes in early pregnancy and start interventions such as diet changes sooner , '' said Huang , a researcher at the Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine and the International Peace Maternity and Child Health Hospital in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ complication during pregnancy that affects up to 15 % of expectant mothers , according to the American Diabetes Association .
High blood sugar levels in the mother can be dangerous for the baby and lead to problems such as stillbirth and premature delivery .
Most women are diagnosed with gestational diabetes during the second trimester , meaning treatment may be started too late to avoid these potential complications , the researchers said .
However , some women are at particularly high risk for the disease and may benefit from earlier intervention , they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ researchers analyzed the electronic health records of nearly 17,000 of women treated at a hospital in China in 2017 , using machine learning models designed to predict those at high risk for gestational diabetes based on the presence of risk factors .
They compared the model 's predictions with 2018 electronic health record data and found they were successful at identifying who would develop gestational diabetes up to 80 % of the time .
The prediction models also found an association between high and extremely low body mass , and gestational diabetes , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ body mass have a insulin resistance and those with low body mass often have defective insulin secretion , researchers said .
Diabetes is caused by the body 's inability to produce sufficient insulin , a protein created by the pancreas that helps it process fats and sugars .
`` The artificial intelligence technology will continue to improve over time and help us better understand the risk factors for gestational diabetes , '' Huang said .

Researchers in China have successfully used AI to identify women at high risk for gestational diabetes, a common pregnancy complication. Photo by Free-Photos/Pixabay
Dec. 22 (UPI) -- Artificial intelligence can effectively identify women at high risk for gestational diabetes during the first trimester, allowing treatment to begin at an earlier stage of the disease, according to a study published Tuesday by the Endocrine Society's Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. Researchers in China used machine learning, a form of AI, to develop a model that can predict whether women will develop the disease about 80% of the time. Advertisement
The model analyzes data from electronic health records, flagging known risk factors for gestational diabetes, including older maternal age and very low maternal weight, the researchers said.
"Our study leveraged artificial intelligence to predict gestational diabetes in the first trimester using electronic health record data from a Chinese hospital," study author He-Feng Huang said in a statement.
"These findings can help clinicians identify women at high risk of diabetes in early pregnancy and start interventions such as diet changes sooner," said Huang, a researcher at the Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine and the International Peace Maternity and Child Health Hospital in China.
Gestational diabetes is a common complication during pregnancy that affects up to 15% of expectant mothers, according to the American Diabetes Association.
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High blood sugar levels in the mother can be dangerous for the baby and lead to problems such as stillbirth and premature delivery.
Most women are diagnosed with gestational diabetes during the second trimester, meaning treatment may be started too late to avoid these potential complications, the researchers said.
However, some women are at particularly high risk for the disease and may benefit from earlier intervention, they said.
For this study, the researchers analyzed the electronic health records of nearly 17,000 of women treated at a hospital in China in 2017, using machine learning models designed to predict those at high risk for gestational diabetes based on the presence of risk factors.
They compared the model's predictions with 2018 electronic health record data and found they were successful at identifying who would develop gestational diabetes up to 80% of the time.
The prediction models also found an association between high and extremely low body mass, and gestational diabetes, the researchers said.
Mothers with elevated body mass have a insulin resistance and those with low body mass often have defective insulin secretion, researchers said.
Diabetes is caused by the body's inability to produce sufficient insulin, a protein created by the pancreas that helps it process fats and sugars.
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"The artificial intelligence technology will continue to improve over time and help us better understand the risk factors for gestational diabetes," Huang said.


upi--2020-12-22--Scientists estimate carbon stocks trapped in subsea permafrost in Atlantic

Dec. 22 ( UPI ) -- Scientists have come up with an estimate for the first time for the amount of carbon and methane that remains trapped in underwater permafrost .
During the last glacial period , some 14,000 of years ago , rising seas swept across coastal tundra and steppe ecosystems , thawing permafrost and triggering microbial breakdown of organic matter .
Today , the subsea permafrost continues to degrade at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean , slowly releasing carbon and methane into the water column .
`` Subsea permafrost is really unique because it is still responding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than ten thousand years ago , '' Sara Sayedi , doctoral candidate at Brigham Young University and lead author of a new paper on the phenomenon , said in a news release .
`` In some ways , it can give us a peek into the possible response of permafrost that is thawing today because of human activity . ''
For the study , published Tuesday in the journal Environmental Research Letters , researchers used what 's called expert assessment to estimate the past and present size of subsea permafrost carbon stocks .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ studies on subsea permafrost and subsea permafrost degradation , gathering best guesses for the size of the carbon and methane stocks that ended up underwater the end fo the last ice age , as well as estimates for how rapidly those stocks have been degrading for the last 14,000 years .
After amalgamating and analyzing the assessments of experts , researchers devised their own best guess .
They believe 60 billion tons of methane and 560 billion tons of organic carbon remains trapped in sediment and soil within subsea permafrost regions .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ amount of carbon and methane stocks in subsea permafrost regions remains uncertain .
Based on the expert assessments , researchers estimated 140 million tons of CO2 and 5.3 million tons of methane gas , CH4 , from degraded permafrost stocks are released into the atmosphere each year .
`` These results are important because they indicate a substantial , but slow , climate feedback , '' Sayedi said .
`` Some coverage of this region has suggested that human emissions could trigger catastrophic release of methane hydrates , but our study suggests a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ While the degradation of permafrost submerged under the Atlantic Ocean was originally triggered by natural climate change some 14,000 years ago , scientists warn that human-caused climate change could accelerate the release of these submerged carbon and methane stocks .
Thought the release of carbon and methane from subsea permafrost is a gradual process , the phenomenon is currently not being accounted for in global climate models .
Scientists hope their expert assessment will encourage climate modelers to pay close attention to this climate feedback loop .
`` I think there are three @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said Ben Abbott , a BYU professor and senior researcher on the project .
`` First , subsea permafrost is probably not a climate time bomb on a hair trigger .
Second , subsea permafrost is a potentially large climate feedback that needs to be considered in climate negotiations , '' Abbott said .
`` Third , there is still a huge amount that we do n't know about this system .
We really need additional research , including international collaboration across northern countries and research disciplines . ''

At the end of the last ice age, rising seas flooded coastal tundra and steppe ecosystems, submerging newly thawed permafrost, but thousands of years later, that degraded permafrost is slowly releasing carbon and methane. Photo by 2017, P. Overduin
Dec. 22 (UPI) -- Scientists have come up with an estimate for the first time for the amount of carbon and methane that remains trapped in underwater permafrost. During the last glacial period, some 14,000 of years ago, rising seas swept across coastal tundra and steppe ecosystems, thawing permafrost and triggering microbial breakdown of organic matter. Advertisement
Today, the subsea permafrost continues to degrade at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean, slowly releasing carbon and methane into the water column.
"Subsea permafrost is really unique because it is still responding to a dramatic climate transition from more than ten thousand years ago," Sara Sayedi, doctoral candidate at Brigham Young University and lead author of a new paper on the phenomenon, said in a news release.
"In some ways, it can give us a peek into the possible response of permafrost that is thawing today because of human activity."
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For the study, published Tuesday in the journal Environmental Research Letters, researchers used what's called expert assessment to estimate the past and present size of subsea permafrost carbon stocks.
Researchers mined dozens of published and unpublished studies on subsea permafrost and subsea permafrost degradation, gathering best guesses for the size of the carbon and methane stocks that ended up underwater the end fo the last ice age, as well as estimates for how rapidly those stocks have been degrading for the last 14,000 years.
After amalgamating and analyzing the assessments of experts, researchers devised their own best guess. They believe 60 billion tons of methane and 560 billion tons of organic carbon remains trapped in sediment and soil within subsea permafrost regions.
The paper's authors acknowledged that the total amount of carbon and methane stocks in subsea permafrost regions remains uncertain.
Based on the expert assessments, researchers estimated 140 million tons of CO2 and 5.3 million tons of methane gas, CH4, from degraded permafrost stocks are released into the atmosphere each year.
"These results are important because they indicate a substantial, but slow, climate feedback," Sayedi said. "Some coverage of this region has suggested that human emissions could trigger catastrophic release of methane hydrates, but our study suggests a gradual increase over many decades."
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While the degradation of permafrost submerged under the Atlantic Ocean was originally triggered by natural climate change some 14,000 years ago, scientists warn that human-caused climate change could accelerate the release of these submerged carbon and methane stocks.
Thought the release of carbon and methane from subsea permafrost is a gradual process, the phenomenon is currently not being accounted for in global climate models. Scientists hope their expert assessment will encourage climate modelers to pay close attention to this climate feedback loop.
"I think there are three important messages from this study," said Ben Abbott, a BYU professor and senior researcher on the project.
"First, subsea permafrost is probably not a climate time bomb on a hair trigger. Second, subsea permafrost is a potentially large climate feedback that needs to be considered in climate negotiations," Abbott said.
"Third, there is still a huge amount that we don't know about this system. We really need additional research, including international collaboration across northern countries and research disciplines."


upi--2020-12-22--Look: Hilary Duff, Matthew Koma celebrate 1st wedding anniversary

Dec. 22 ( UPI ) -- Hilary Duff and her husband , Matthew Koma , are celebrating one year of marriage .
Duff , an actress and singer , and Koma , a singer-songwriter , marked their first wedding anniversary Monday by dedicating sweet posts to each other on Instagram .
Duff shared a photo of herself and Koma eating a plate of appetizers at their wedding and reflected in the caption .
`` I love this moment so much .
Matt and I were both too nervous to eat the day of our wedding.. this is directly after ... @ @ @ @ @ @ @ brought us before taking pictures and this pretty much sums us up ..Snacking through life , dreaming about dinner at 7 am and wrangling kids .
Oh , and dodging covid the first year of marriage , '' the star wrote .
`` Always with you babe .
For you .
Over and over I choose you and this , '' she added .
`` Thank you for being a damn good man .
Best I 've ever met 12-21-19 .
Thanks for drinking two cups or water today ... baby steps Old @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Koma also posted a photo from their wedding and looked back on their difficult year in the caption .
`` Happy Anniversary Ba ... .
One year ago today looked a whole lot different .
I ca n't imagine this last year without you to Clorox groceries and avoid the world with .
When I asked you to be my wife , we had no idea our first year would look like this ... '' They always say 'the first year is the hardest , ' but in our case it was for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in awe of your badassery .
How you 're able to be the mom , individual , spirit , and tie dye influencer you are , while making it look so easy is mind boggling and I do n't know what I did right to deserve being on the receiving end of it . ''
Koma thanked Duff for being `` the most steady , supportive , empathetic , loving , and passionate '' partner and for reminding him to `` drink water and eat breakfast . ''
`` You make me so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what it is .
You 're the only thing that makes me cry through the Prozac .
I love you , '' he said .
Duff and Koma have a 2-year-old daughter , Banks Violet , and married at their Los Angeles home in December 2019 .
Duff was previously wed to Mike Comrie and has an 8-year-old son , Luca Cruz , with her ex .
In October , Duff announced she is expecting her third child , her second with Koma .
She showed her baby bump in a new photo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ birthday '' at home .
Her birthday was in September .
`` Hubby made my quarantine birthday so sweet and special this year .
Missing my friends and family I got to be with ... .
just reminiscing feeling happy and light ... baby and I all dressed up for a celebration , '' Duff captioned the post .
Duff announced last week that the planned Lizzie McGuire revival for Disney+ has been canceled .
She plays Kelsey Peters on the TV Land series Younger , which was renewed in July for a @ @ @

Dec. 22 (UPI) -- Hilary Duff and her husband, Matthew Koma, are celebrating one year of marriage.
Duff, an actress and singer, and Koma, a singer-songwriter, marked their first wedding anniversary Monday by dedicating sweet posts to each other on Instagram.
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Duff shared a photo of herself and Koma eating a plate of appetizers at their wedding and reflected in the caption.
"I love this moment so much. Matt and I were both too nervous to eat the day of our wedding.. this is directly after ....we slammed a plate of apps someone brought us before taking pictures and this pretty much sums us up ..Snacking through life, dreaming about dinner at 7 am and wrangling kids. Oh, and dodging covid the first year of marriage," the star wrote.
"Always with you babe. For you. Over and over I choose you and this," she added. "Thank you for being a damn good man. Best I've ever met 12-21-19. Thanks for drinking two cups or water today... baby steps Old dogs can learn new tricks."
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Koma also posted a photo from their wedding and looked back on their difficult year in the caption.
"Happy Anniversary Ba.... One year ago today looked a whole lot different. I can't imagine this last year without you to Clorox groceries and avoid the world with. When I asked you to be my wife, we had no idea our first year would look like this...
"They always say 'the first year is the hardest,' but in our case it was for completely different reasons and I'm so in awe of your badassery. How you're able to be the mom, individual, spirit, and tie dye influencer you are, while making it look so easy is mind boggling and I don't know what I did right to deserve being on the receiving end of it."
Koma thanked Duff for being "the most steady, supportive, empathetic, loving, and passionate" partner and for reminding him to "drink water and eat breakfast."
"You make me so much better. You make our family what it is. You're the only thing that makes me cry through the Prozac. I love you," he said.
Duff and Koma have a 2-year-old daughter, Banks Violet, and married at their Los Angeles home in December 2019. Duff was previously wed to Mike Comrie and has an 8-year-old son, Luca Cruz, with her ex.
In October, Duff announced she is expecting her third child, her second with Koma. She showed her baby bump in a new photo this month while celebrating her "quarantine birthday" at home. Her birthday was in September.
"Hubby made my quarantine birthday so sweet and special this year. Missing my friends and family I got to be with .... just reminiscing feeling happy and light... baby and I all dressed up for a celebration," Duff captioned the post.
Duff announced last week that the planned Lizzie McGuire revival for Disney+ has been canceled. She plays Kelsey Peters on the TV Land series Younger, which was renewed in July for a seventh season.