livescience--2020-11-16--Hurricane Iota will slam into Nicaragua as a 'catastrophic' Category 5

Hurricane Iota , the 30th named storm this season , is expected to barrel into the Nicaraguan coast as a catastrophic Category 5 hurricane .
As of 10 a.m. Eastern time on Monday ( Nov. 16 ) , the center of the swirling storm sustained maximum winds of 160 mph ( 257 km/h ) , .
The storm is projected to land near Puerto Cabezas on Monday night or Tuesday morning local time , touching down less than 15 miles ( 24 kilometers ) from where Hurricane Eta struck the coast just two weeks ago .
Iota ranks as the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ season , according to the Post .
`` Extreme winds and a life-threatening storm surge are expected along portions of the coast of northeastern Nicaragua , where a hurricane warning is in effect , '' from the National Hurricane Center ( NHC ) .
Heavy rains are expected to continue through Thursday , Nov. 19 , and will likely lead to flash flooding across portions of Central America .
The recent impacts of Hurricane Eta , which hit Nicaragua as a Category 4 , may worsen flooding and mudslides caused by Iota , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Eta and may face `` potentially catastrophic impacts '' from Iota , as well , according to the NHC .
All told , Honduras , northern Nicaragua , southeast Guatemala and southern Belize could get between 10 and 20 inches ( 25 and 50 centimeters ) of rain , NPR reported .
Isolated areas may see up to 30 inches ( 76 centimeters ) of rain , .
Hurricane warnings have also been issued for Providencia Island , located east of Nicaragua in the Caribbean Sea , The Washington Post reported , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in San Andrés , an island south of Providencia , per the NHC statement .
During Eta , Nicaragua evacuated an estimated 30,000 people from their homes , and many never got the chance to return before Iota began hurtling across the Atlantic toward them , according to the Post .
As of Sunday ( Nov. 15 ) , about 63,500 people had been evacuated in northern Honduras , according to NPR .
After Eta , the onslaught of wind , rain and flooding brought by Iota will only compound previous damage , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Eta arrived at the worst moment , making life more difficult for millions of people who have been affected for years by erratic climate and recently by the socioeconomic crisis caused by COVID-19 , '' Miguel Barreto , a regional director of the World Food Program , the food-assistance branch of the United Nations , Nov. 13 , the Post reported .
`` It also worries us that rain and flooding could destroy the next harvest , which subsistence farmers depend on , '' he said .
On Sunday night ( Nov. 15 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by 40 mph ( 64 km/h ) in just six hours ; this is an example of `` rapid intensification , '' where storms rapidly strengthen over a very short period of time .
Scientists predict that rapid intensification will occur more and more frequently , as ocean temperatures continue to rise due to .

Hurricane Iota, the 30th named storm this season, is expected to barrel into the Nicaraguan coast as a catastrophic Category 5 hurricane.
As of 10 a.m. Eastern time on Monday (Nov. 16), the center of the swirling storm sustained maximum winds of 160 mph (257 km/h), The Washington Post reported . The storm is projected to land near Puerto Cabezas on Monday night or Tuesday morning local time, touching down less than 15 miles (24 kilometers) from where Hurricane Eta struck the coast just two weeks ago. Iota ranks as the strongest hurricane ever observed this late in the season, according to the Post.
"Extreme winds and a life-threatening storm surge are expected along portions of the coast of northeastern Nicaragua, where a hurricane warning is in effect," according to a statement from the National Hurricane Center (NHC). Heavy rains are expected to continue through Thursday, Nov. 19, and will likely lead to flash flooding across portions of Central America.
The recent impacts of Hurricane Eta, which hit Nicaragua as a Category 4, may worsen flooding and mudslides caused by Iota, according to NPR . Neighboring Honduras sustained similar damage from Eta and may face "potentially catastrophic impacts" from Iota, as well, according to the NHC.
Related: A history of destruction: 8 great hurricanes
All told, Honduras, northern Nicaragua, southeast Guatemala and southern Belize could get between 10 and 20 inches (25 and 50 centimeters) of rain, NPR reported. Isolated areas may see up to 30 inches (76 centimeters) of rain, CBS News reported . Hurricane warnings have also been issued for Providencia Island, located east of Nicaragua in the Caribbean Sea, The Washington Post reported, and tropical storm or hurricane conditions are expected in San Andrés, an island south of Providencia, per the NHC statement.
During Eta, Nicaragua evacuated an estimated 30,000 people from their homes, and many never got the chance to return before Iota began hurtling across the Atlantic toward them, according to the Post. As of Sunday (Nov. 15), about 63,500 people had been evacuated in northern Honduras, according to NPR.
After Eta, the onslaught of wind, rain and flooding brought by Iota will only compound previous damage, according to the NHC statement.
"Eta arrived at the worst moment, making life more difficult for millions of people who have been affected for years by erratic climate and recently by the socioeconomic crisis caused by COVID-19," Miguel Barreto, a regional director of the World Food Program,the food-assistance branch of the United Nations, said in a statement Nov. 13, the Post reported. "It also worries us that rain and flooding could destroy the next harvest, which subsistence farmers depend on," he said.
On Sunday night (Nov. 15), Iota's winds speeds jumped by 40 mph (64 km/h) in just six hours; this is an example of "rapid intensification," where storms rapidly strengthen over a very short period of time. Scientists predict that rapid intensification will occur more and more frequently, as ocean temperatures continue to rise due to climate change .
Originally published on Live Science.


livescience--2020-11-16--Deadly hemorrhagic fever in Bolivia can spread between people

A deadly animal that causes fevers , abdominal pain , vomiting , bleeding gums , skin rash and pain behind the eyes can now spread between people , the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC ) announced Monday ( Nov. 16 ) .
Until now , there had been only one confirmed case of Chapare virus , an -like illness that turned up in the rural Bolivian province of Chapare in 2004 and then disappeared .
But in 2019 , at least five more people caught the bug , according to research now made public .
The virus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fluids in a region near Bolivia 's capital city of La Paz , killing three people .
There are no active outbreaks of Chapare in 2020 , and even in the event of further outbreaks the virus would be unlikely to cause a , according to virus experts .
There are reasons to be concerned about the news , however .
Three of the five confirmed patients from the 2019 outbreak were health care workers , according to a CDC statement ; a `` young medical resident , '' an ambulance medic and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with bodily fluids from infected patients .
Two of them died .
Hemorrhagic fevers such as Ebola rarely spread as widely as respiratory illnesses like the or , Colin Carlson , a Georgetown University researcher who studies zoonotic diseases , told Live Science .
That 's because hemorrhagic fever symptoms typically appear soon after infections ( as opposed to the long incubation periods of respiratory illnesses ) , and direct contact with bodily fluids is generally necessary to catch a hemorrhagic disease .
But outbreaks can devastate health care systems , with huge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after treating infected patients .
The first hint of the 2019 Chapare outbreak was found in a collection of bodily fluids that turned up in a government laboratory in the Bolivian city of Santa Cruz .
The doctors who collected the samples believed the patients had contracted dengue , a potentially fatal mosquito-borne illness that can also cause fever and internal bleeding .
`` In South America in particular , dengue is very prevalent , and many people when they see symptoms of a hemorrhagic fever will always think of dengue before anything @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC ) researcher who worked on the 2019 Chapere outbreak .
`` It 's similar .
Very similar . ''
But laboratory tests showed no trace of dengue virus in the samples .
The researchers tested for other pathogens endemic to the region , like yellow fever and Machupo , another rare , deadly hemorrhagic disease .
But those tests turned up negative as well .
`` They did not have a specific assay for Chapare virus , '' Morales-Betoulle told Live Science , referring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a virus .
Morales-Betoulle 's CDC lab had an ongoing partnership with the Latin America-focused Pan-American Health Organization ( PAHO ) to watch for emerging diseases .
`` They reached out to us through PAHO , and they asked us , 'Would you accept these samples ? '
'' she said .
The bodily fluids arrived at the CDC , along with information about the outbreak .
`` Even the description of the cases , in particular the [ then-single known ] fatal case among them … we decided to treat it as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ laboratory , handling it with the highest possible safety level . ''
The researchers identified fragments of genetic material known as from Chapare .
Details from the new outbreak showed the disease was now spreading from one person to another .
The infected ambulance medic , for example , likely contracted the virus while resuscitating the medical resident as she was being transported to the hospital .
( The medic survived ; the resident did not . )
The CDC sent researchers into the region who worked with local experts .
They found @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the semen of one survivor 168 days after infection .
They also found signs of the virus in rodents collected around the `` home and nearby farmlands '' of the first patient infected in the 2019 outbreak .
( This does n't yet prove that the rodents were the source of the outbreak .
It 's not even known whether rodents can infect people . )
The good news and the bad news Morales-Betoulle and Carlson both said that all of these potentially worrisome details are , to a certain extent , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ authorities working together effectively to identify and trace an emerging disease .
New viruses , including deadly viruses , are a fact of life in the 21st century .
`` It 's getting more common , '' to see new , potentially infection diseases emerge , Carlson said .
`` The ballpark used to be that there are about two or so emerging viruses every year .
Things we 've never seen before that we 're seeing for the first time .
And usually most of those are dead ends . ''
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ increased in the last decade or two , Carlson said , though it 's difficult to put a precise number on the uptick .
New viruses often spill over to humans through animals .
But just because a virus jumps from an animal to a person does n't mean it 's likely to jump to other people .
`` Most viruses when they make the jump from wildlife are poorly adapted enough to humans that they do n't just luck out right on the first try , '' he said .
In other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to human beings is unlikely to already have the traits necessary to thrive and infect other humans .
But viruses that circulate in animal populations with close proximity to humans — farm animals , for example , and rodents — have more opportunities to spread through human populations .
And and habitat destruction are changing how wild animals live , making wildlife sicker and altering the relationship between people and the natural world , Carlson said .
That brings more people into contact with once-distant viruses .
Scientists and the public tend to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or South Asian , Carlson said .
But Chapare 's case shows they can turn up anywhere in the world .
Related : Why do ticks spread so many diseases ?
`` The reality is hemorrhagic viruses are everywhere , the species that carry them are everywhere , and we have n't had a really big run in like this here , '' he said .
`` This makes you sit up and say 'Oh , this is usually the sort of thing we get 10 years before something bigger along these lines @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is a rough approximation .
But viruses that eventually become major infectious diseases tend to make a few forays into human populations over the course of decades before really catching on .
SARS-CoV-1 first turned up in 2002 , infecting thousands .
MERS , a related , much deadlier virus , turned up in 2012 , and has killed 866 of the 2,519 people known to have caught it according to the CDC .
SARS-Cov-2 , which turned up in 2019 , is the cause of the current global pandemic .
Ebola caused @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 1976 and 2012 , killing 1,590 people , according to the .
Then in 2013 , a strain of Ebola spread widely across several countries , infecting 28,646 people and killing 11,323 .
The good news , Carlson said , is that this research shows the world is getting better at spotting these outbreaks as they emerge .
Ten years ago , he said , researchers would not know about a Chapare outbreak so soon after so few people were infected .
Finding the RNA in the semen and the potential disease @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , is particularly impressive — and good news for future efforts to find and quash the embers of potential pandemics before they explode .
Even in Bolivia , Morales-Betoulle and Carlson said , people do n't need to worry about a major , COVID-19-style Chapare outbreak in the near future .
There are no known human cases right now , and hemorrhagic fevers — lacking the long asymptomatic periods of COVID-19 or the ability to spread through the air — do not spread as easily or widely .
There is a concern though @ @ @ @ @ @ @ effects of COVID-19 on health care systems , and on the health of global populations , makes humanity more susceptible to other viruses .
People can protect themselves though .
Rodent-borne diseases are a risk all over the world , Morales-Betoulle said .
She recommends people follow CDC guidelines , , on avoiding contact with the scurrying little disease vectors .
Among the key steps : sealing up holes in and outside homes , setting traps for the creatures to cull their populations and cleaning up food sources and rodent nesting sites .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the annual meeting of the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene .

An image shows microscopic specimens from the arenavirus family. The Chapare virus, like Lassa virus and Machupo virus, is from the arenavirus family.
A deadly animal virus that causes fevers, abdominal pain, vomiting, bleeding gums, skin rash and pain behind the eyes can now spread between people, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced Monday (Nov. 16).
Until now, there had been only one confirmed case of Chapare virus, an Ebola -like illness that turned up in the rural Bolivian province of Chapare in 2004 and then disappeared. But in 2019, at least five more people caught the bug, according to research now made public. The virus spread from person to person through bodily fluids in a region near Bolivia's capital city of La Paz, killing three people. There are no active outbreaks of Chapare in 2020, and even in the event of further outbreaks the virus would be unlikely to cause a pandemic , according to virus experts.
There are reasons to be concerned about the news, however. Three of the five confirmed patients from the 2019 outbreak were health care workers, according to a CDC statement; a "young medical resident," an ambulance medic and a gastroenterologist all contracted Chapare after contact with bodily fluids from infected patients. Two of them died.
Hemorrhagic fevers such as Ebola rarely spread as widely as respiratory illnesses like the flu or COVID-19 , Colin Carlson, a Georgetown University researcher who studies zoonotic diseases, told Live Science. That's because hemorrhagic fever symptoms typically appear soon after infections (as opposed to the long incubation periods of respiratory illnesses), and direct contact with bodily fluids is generally necessary to catch a hemorrhagic disease. But outbreaks can devastate health care systems, with huge numbers of health care workers becoming sick after treating infected patients.
A new outbreak
The first hint of the 2019 Chapare outbreak was found in a collection of bodily fluids that turned up in a government laboratory in the Bolivian city of Santa Cruz. The doctors who collected the samples believed the patients had contracted dengue, a potentially fatal mosquito-borne illness that can also cause fever and internal bleeding."In South America in particular, dengue is very prevalent, and many people when they see symptoms of a hemorrhagic fever will always think of dengue before anything else," said Maria Morales-Betoulle, a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) researcher who worked on the 2019 Chapere outbreak. "It's similar. Very similar."
But laboratory tests showed no trace of dengue virus in the samples. The researchers tested for other pathogens endemic to the region, like yellow fever and Machupo, another rare, deadly hemorrhagic disease. But those tests turned up negative as well.
"They did not have a specific assay for Chapare virus," Morales-Betoulle told Live Science, referring to a method of identifying and studying a virus.
Morales-Betoulle's CDC lab had an ongoing partnership with the Latin America-focused Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO) to watch for emerging diseases.
"They reached out to us through PAHO, and they asked us, 'Would you accept these samples?'" she said.
The bodily fluids arrived at the CDC, along with information about the outbreak.
"Even the description of the cases, in particular the [then-single known] fatal case among them … we decided to treat it as a viral hemorrhagic fever coming to our laboratory, handling it with the highest possible safety level."
The researchers identified fragments of genetic material known as RNA from Chapare.
Details from the new outbreak showed the disease was now spreading from one person to another. The infected ambulance medic, for example, likely contracted the virus while resuscitating the medical resident as she was being transported to the hospital. (The medic survived; the resident did not.)
The CDC sent researchers into the region who worked with local experts. They found that the viral RNA was still present in the semen of one survivor 168 days after infection. They also found signs of the virus in rodents collected around the "home and nearby farmlands" of the first patient infected in the 2019 outbreak. (This doesn't yet prove that the rodents were the source of the outbreak. It's not even known whether rodents can infect people.)
The good news and the bad news
Morales-Betoulle and Carlson both said that all of these potentially worrisome details are, to a certain extent, good news: They show global health authorities working together effectively to identify and trace an emerging disease.
New viruses, including deadly viruses, are a fact of life in the 21st century.
"It's getting more common," to see new, potentially infection diseases emerge, Carlson said. "The ballpark used to be that there are about two or so emerging viruses every year. Things we've never seen before that we're seeing for the first time. And usually most of those are dead ends."
The rate of new emerging diseases has clearly increased in the last decade or two, Carlson said, though it's difficult to put a precise number on the uptick.
New viruses often spill over to humans through animals. But just because a virus jumps from an animal to a person doesn't mean it's likely to jump to other people.
"Most viruses when they make the jump from wildlife are poorly adapted enough to humans that they don't just luck out right on the first try," he said.
In other words, a virus making the jump to human beings is unlikely to already have the traits necessary to thrive and infect other humans.
But viruses that circulate in animal populations with close proximity to humans — farm animals, for example, and rodents — have more opportunities to spread through human populations. And climate change and habitat destruction are changing how wild animals live, making wildlife sicker and altering the relationship between people and the natural world, Carlson said. That brings more people into contact with once-distant viruses.
Scientists and the public tend to think of deadly hemorrhagic diseases as African or South Asian, Carlson said. But Chapare's case shows they can turn up anywhere in the world.
Related: Why do ticks spread so many diseases?
"The reality is hemorrhagic viruses are everywhere, the species that carry them are everywhere, and we haven't had a really big run in like this here," he said. "This makes you sit up and say 'Oh, this is usually the sort of thing we get 10 years before something bigger along these lines.'"
That 10 year figure is a rough approximation. But viruses that eventually become major infectious diseases tend to make a few forays into human populations over the course of decades before really catching on.
SARS-CoV-1 first turned up in 2002, infecting thousands. MERS, a related, much deadlier virus, turned up in 2012, and has killed 866 of the 2,519 people known to have caught it according to the CDC. SARS-Cov-2, which turned up in 2019, is the cause of the current global pandemic. Ebola caused 24 outbreaks between its first known appearance in 1976 and 2012, killing 1,590 people, according to the World Health Organization . Then in 2013, a strain of Ebola spread widely across several countries, infecting 28,646 people and killing 11,323.
The good news, Carlson said, is that this research shows the world is getting better at spotting these outbreaks as they emerge. Ten years ago, he said, researchers would not know about a Chapare outbreak so soon after so few people were infected. Finding the RNA in the semen and the potential disease vector of the rodents, he said, is particularly impressive — and good news for future efforts to find and quash the embers of potential pandemics before they explode.
Even in Bolivia, Morales-Betoulle and Carlson said, people don't need to worry about a major, COVID-19-style Chapare outbreak in the near future. There are no known human cases right now, and hemorrhagic fevers — lacking the long asymptomatic periods of COVID-19 or the ability to spread through the air — do not spread as easily or widely.
There is a concern though, Carlson said, that the damaging effects of COVID-19 on health care systems, and on the health of global populations, makes humanity more susceptible to other viruses.
People can protect themselves though. Rodent-borne diseases are a risk all over the world, Morales-Betoulle said. She recommends people follow CDC guidelines, published here , on avoiding contact with the scurrying little disease vectors. Among the key steps: sealing up holes in and outside homes, setting traps for the creatures to cull their populations and cleaning up food sources and rodent nesting sites.
CDC researchers presented the news about Chapare at the annual meeting of the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.
Originally published on Live Science.


livescience--2020-11-16--Moderna coronavirus vaccine is 94.5% effective, early results suggest

Moderna 's experimental coronavirus vaccine is 94.5 % effective in protecting against infection with the coronavirus , according to early data released by Monday ( Nov. 16 ) .
This comes a week after Pfizer 's announcement that its vaccine is more than 90 % effective , .Though the clinical trials from both companies are still in progress and final , peer-reviewed data has n't yet been published , these results provide some hope as the U.S. faces a record-breaking surge of cases .
Both candidate shatter public health experts ' expectations on efficacy and far exceed the 50 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Drug Administration ( FDA ) for a vaccine to be approved .
These early results were based on an early analysis conducted by an independent Data Safety Monitoring Board ( DSMB ) , appointed by the National Institutes of Health ( NIH ) .
The analysis was based on 95 participants in Moderna 's phase 3 trial who developed COVID-19 .
Of these 95 cases , 90 were among participants who received a placebo and five were among those given the vaccine , suggesting that the vaccine is 94.5 % effective in preventing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 15 were people who were 65 years old and older and 20 were among people from diverse communities , according to Moderna .
What 's more , in this group of participants , 11 had severe cases of COVID-19 , but none of these severe cases were among those given the actual vaccine .
( Pfizer did not yet report whether its vaccine protected against severe disease . )
The DSMB also did n't report any significant safety concerns in this group of people ; adverse events were generally mild or moderate , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is `` striking '' and `` quite impressive , '' Dr. Anthony Fauci , director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases ( NIAID ) told NBC News ' `` TODAY show , '' on Monday ( Nov. 16 ) .
`` Now , we have two vaccines that are really quite effective . ''
`` I think this is a really strong step forward to where we want to be , '' in terms of getting control of the outbreak , Fauci added .
Both companies use a technology that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ approved vaccine to date : A genetic messenger called mRNA prompts the body to create the coronavirus ' `` spike protein . ''
Traditional vaccines , on the other hand , supply the spike protein to the body rather than teach the body to create one , .
In both cases , the learns to recognize the spike protein and builds an arsenal of cells to fight the virus if the person is ever exposed to it .
Fauci predicts that other vaccines , that use these different platforms than mRNA , will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's vaccines , both given in two doses , seem to be similar in safety and efficacy .
But Pfizer 's vaccine needs to be stored in ultra-cold temperatures of minus 94 degrees Fahrenheit ( minus 70 degrees Celsius ) , whereas Moderna 's needs to be stored at minus 4 F ( minus 20 C ) .
Moderna 's vaccine remains stable for up to six months at that temperature , up to 30 days at refrigerated conditions of 36 F to 46 F ( 2 C to 8 C ) and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the company said in a separate .
In contrast , Pfizer 's vaccine lasts for five days in refrigerated conditions ( such as those commonly available in hospitals ) , .
`` Help is on the way , '' Fauci said on the TODAY show .
`` But the fact that help is on the way should spur us even more to double down on some of the public health measures , '' such as social distancing , washing hands , avoiding crowds and wearing masks , he said .
Fauci predicted that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could be doses of vaccines from both Moderna and Pfizer available for higher risk people .
For all Americans , a coronavirus vaccine could be available by April , Fauci previously said , .
Moderna 's phase 3 trial , conducted in collaboration with the NIAID and the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority ( BARDA ) , including more than 30,000 people , is still continuing , as is Pfizer 's .
The government 's Operation Warp Speed gave Moderna $ 955 million for research and development of its vaccine , whereas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the government for research and development for its vaccine , according to The New York Times .
However , the U.S. government has promised to buy hundreds of millions of doses of both vaccines if and when they are approved .
Pfizer expects to produce up to 1.3 billion doses of its vaccine globally in 2021 , and Moderna expects to produce 500 million to 1 billion doses globally in 2021 .
Both Moderna and Pfizer started their phase 3 trials on July 27 , and in the coming weeks , both expect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ emergency use authorizations ( EUAs ) — permission granted to unapproved products to be used in an emergency such as during a deadly .

Moderna's experimental coronavirus vaccine is 94.5% effective in protecting against infection with the coronavirus, according to early data released by the Cambridge, Massachusetts-based company Monday (Nov. 16).
This comes a week after Pfizer's announcement that its vaccine is more than 90% effective, Live Science previously reported .Though the clinical trials from both companies are still in progress and final, peer-reviewed data hasn't yet been published, these results provide some hope as the U.S. faces a record-breaking surge of coronavirus cases.
Both candidate vaccines shatter public health experts' expectations on efficacy and far exceed the 50% efficacy requirement set by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for a vaccine to be approved.
Related: Most promising coronavirus vaccine candidates
These early results were based on an early analysis conducted by an independent Data Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB), appointed by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The analysis was based on 95 participants in Moderna's phase 3 trial who developed COVID-19.
Of these 95 cases, 90 were among participants who received a placebo and five were among those given the vaccine, suggesting that the vaccine is 94.5% effective in preventing COVID-19. Among the 95 cases, 15 were people who were 65 years old and older and 20 were among people from diverse communities, according to Moderna.
What's more, in this group of participants, 11 had severe cases of COVID-19, but none of these severe cases were among those given the actual vaccine. (Pfizer did not yet report whether its vaccine protected against severe disease.) The DSMB also didn't report any significant safety concerns in this group of people; adverse events were generally mild or moderate, according to the statement.
The data is "striking" and "quite impressive," Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) told NBC News' "TODAY show," on Monday (Nov. 16). "Now, we have two vaccines that are really quite effective."
"I think this is a really strong step forward to where we want to be," in terms of getting control of the outbreak, Fauci added.
Both companies use a technology that hasn't yet been used in any approved vaccine to date: A genetic messenger called mRNA prompts the body to create the coronavirus' "spike protein." Traditional vaccines, on the other hand, supply the spike protein to the body rather than teach the body to create one, according to a previous Live Science report . In both cases, the immune system learns to recognize the spike protein and builds an arsenal of cells to fight the virus if the person is ever exposed to it. Fauci predicts that other vaccines, that use these different platforms than mRNA, will also be effective.
Pfizer and Moderna's vaccines, both given in two doses, seem to be similar in safety and efficacy. But Pfizer's vaccine needs to be stored in ultra-cold temperatures of minus 94 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 70 degrees Celsius), whereas Moderna's needs to be stored at minus 4 F (minus 20 C).
Moderna's vaccine remains stable for up to six months at that temperature, up to 30 days at refrigerated conditions of 36 F to 46 F (2 C to 8 C) and up to 12 hours at room temperature the company said in a separate statement released today . In contrast, Pfizer's vaccine lasts for five days in refrigerated conditions (such as those commonly available in hospitals), according to Reuters .
"Help is on the way," Fauci said on the TODAY show. "But the fact that help is on the way should spur us even more to double down on some of the public health measures," such as social distancing, washing hands, avoiding crowds and wearing masks, he said. Fauci predicted that by the end of December, there could be doses of vaccines from both Moderna and Pfizer available for higher risk people. For all Americans, a coronavirus vaccine could be available by April, Fauci previously said, according to a Live Science report .
Moderna's phase 3 trial, conducted in collaboration with the NIAID and the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), including more than 30,000 people, is still continuing, as is Pfizer's. The government's Operation Warp Speed gave Moderna $955 million for research and development of its vaccine, whereas Pfizer didn't take any money from the government for research and development for its vaccine, according to The New York Times . However, the U.S. government has promised to buy hundreds of millions of doses of both vaccines if and when they are approved.
Pfizer expects to produce up to 1.3 billion doses of its vaccine globally in 2021, and Moderna expects to produce 500 million to 1 billion doses globally in 2021. Both Moderna and Pfizer started their phase 3 trials on July 27, and in the coming weeks, both expect to have final results and file for emergency use authorizations (EUAs) — permission granted to unapproved products to be used in an emergency such as during a deadly pandemic .
Originally published on Live Science.


livescience--2020-11-16--Dog ticks prefer humans as hosts when temperatures rise

As temperatures rise as a result of climate change , ticks carrying the deadly bacterial disease may shift their feeding preferences away from dogs and toward humans , according to new research .
The findings , which were presented today ( Nov. 16 ) at the Annual Meeting of the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene , are an ominous sign of how climate change ( and the expected rise in average temperatures ) may increase people 's risk of contracting tick-borne diseases .
`` Our work indicates that when the weather gets hot , we should be much @ @ @ @ @ @ @ humans , '' Dr. Laura Backus , a veterinarian and doctoral student , who led the study at the University of California , Davis School of Veterinary Medicine , .
`` We found that when temperatures rose from about 74 to 100 degrees Fahrenheit [ 23 to 38 degrees Celsius ] , brown dog ticks that carry the disease were 2.5 times more likely to prefer humans over dogs . ''
RMSF is a disease caused by the bacteria Rickettsia rickettsii , which is carried by that usually feed on dogs .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been reported in recent years , and other Southwestern states , it 's transmitted primarily by the brown dog tick ( Rhipicephalus sanguineus ) , according to the .
Within the first five days of illness , antibiotics can clear it up , but left untreated , the disease can be fatal .
The occurrence of RMSF in the U.S. has risen substantially in recent years from 495 cases in 2000 , to a peak of 6,248 cases in 2017 , according to .
Predicting RMSF outbreaks is difficult , said Backus , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after humans could help .
`` If we can identify the situations , the environmental factors , that lead to humans getting bitten more often , we can then hopefully be able to identify and intervene faster and reduce cases , '' Backus told Live Science .
Earlier work by other researchers had suggested that temperature might be one of those factors , that is , that brown dog ticks may be more aggressive toward humans in hot weather , Backus said .
Related : Why do ticks spread so many diseases ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ colleagues recruited some brave human and canine volunteers for a unique experiment .
The researchers set up two large wooden boxes , one containing a , the other , a human , connected by a clear plastic tube .
They released 20 ticks at a time into the middle of the tube and , for 20 minutes , observed whether the ticks , which choose their hosts by smell , moved toward the dog , toward the human or stayed put .
Mesh barriers prevented the ticks from reaching their intended hosts .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ different temperatures , about 74 F ( 23.3 C ) , or room temperature , and about 100 F ( 37.8 C ) .
They used two types of brown dog ticks : tropical ticks , found in the Southern U.S. , and temperate ticks , found throughout the continental U.S .
They did 10 trials at each temperature for each type of tick .
Looking at all of the trials combined , the tropical ticks were more likely to move toward dogs at room temperature , with an average of 5.2 of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and 2.9 ticks crawling toward the human , Backus said .
At high temperatures , however , they shifted their preference toward humans : An average of 4.4 ticks moved toward the dog , while 7.5 ticks moved toward the person .
At the higher temperature , the ticks were also more likely to make a choice , rather than staying in the middle of the tube .
The results were less clear for the temperate ticks .
At higher temperatures , significantly fewer temperate ticks chose dogs .
Slightly more of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ higher temperature , but that increase was not statistically meaningful , Backus said .
The researchers are n't sure what is causing the ticks to shift host preferences .
`` At hotter temperatures , they might be more eager to find a host , because at higher temperatures , they 're more likely to dry out and die faster .
And so that might be why they 're going toward the host more aggressively and more quickly for survival , '' Backus said .
But this does n't explain why the ticks would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ temperatures , she added .
The results have implications for how climate change could affect the incidence of RMSF .
When it 's hot out , humans are more likely to be bitten by brown dog ticks , which can carry the disease , and as the climate warms , there are likely to be more hot days , Backus said .
`` There 's certainly a concern based on this that climate change translating to more hot weather events is going to lead to more disease outbreaks , '' she added .

As temperatures rise as a result of climate change, ticks carrying the deadly bacterial disease Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF) may shift their feeding preferences away from dogs and toward humans, according to new research.
The findings, which were presented today (Nov. 16) at the Annual Meeting of the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, are an ominous sign of how climate change (and the expected rise in average temperatures) may increase people's risk of contracting tick-borne diseases.
"Our work indicates that when the weather gets hot, we should be much more vigilant for infections of RMSF in humans," Dr. Laura Backus, a veterinarian and doctoral student, who led the study at the University of California, Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, said in a statement . "We found that when temperatures rose from about 74 to 100 degrees Fahrenheit [23 to 38 degrees Celsius], brown dog ticks that carry the disease were 2.5 times more likely to prefer humans over dogs."
RMSF is a disease caused by the bacteria Rickettsia rickettsii, which is carried by ticks that usually feed on dogs. In Arizona, where several RMSF outbreaks have been reported in recent years, and other Southwestern states, it's transmitted primarily by the brown dog tick (Rhipicephalus sanguineus), according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) . Within the first five days of illness, antibiotics can clear it up, but left untreated, the disease can be fatal. The occurrence of RMSF in the U.S. has risen substantially in recent years from 495 cases in 2000, to a peak of 6,248 cases in 2017, according to CDC data .
Predicting RMSF outbreaks is difficult, said Backus, but knowing what causes ticks to go after humans could help. "If we can identify the situations, the environmental factors, that lead to humans getting bitten more often, we can then hopefully be able to identify and intervene faster and reduce cases," Backus told Live Science. Earlier work by other researchers had suggested that temperature might be one of those factors, that is, that brown dog ticks may be more aggressive toward humans in hot weather, Backus said.
Related: Why do ticks spread so many diseases?
To test the hypothesis, Backus and colleagues recruited some brave human and canine volunteers for a unique experiment. The researchers set up two large wooden boxes, one containing a dog , the other, a human, connected by a clear plastic tube. They released 20 ticks at a time into the middle of the tube and, for 20 minutes, observed whether the ticks, which choose their hosts by smell, moved toward the dog, toward the human or stayed put. Mesh barriers prevented the ticks from reaching their intended hosts. The researchers performed the experiment at two different temperatures, about 74 F (23.3 C), or room temperature, and about 100 F (37.8 C). They used two types of brown dog ticks: tropical ticks, found in the Southern U.S., and temperate ticks, found throughout the continental U.S. They did 10 trials at each temperature for each type of tick.
Looking at all of the trials combined, the tropical ticks were more likely to move toward dogs at room temperature, with an average of 5.2 of the 20 ticks moving toward the dog and 2.9 ticks crawling toward the human, Backus said. At high temperatures, however, they shifted their preference toward humans: An average of 4.4 ticks moved toward the dog, while 7.5 ticks moved toward the person. At the higher temperature, the ticks were also more likely to make a choice, rather than staying in the middle of the tube.
The results were less clear for the temperate ticks. At higher temperatures, significantly fewer temperate ticks chose dogs. Slightly more of the temperate ticks also chose humans at the higher temperature, but that increase was not statistically meaningful, Backus said.
The researchers aren't sure what is causing the ticks to shift host preferences. "At hotter temperatures, they might be more eager to find a host, because at higher temperatures, they're more likely to dry out and die faster. And so that might be why they're going toward the host more aggressively and more quickly for survival," Backus said. But this doesn't explain why the ticks would prefer humans more than dogs at higher temperatures, she added.
The results have implications for how climate change could affect the incidence of RMSF. When it's hot out, humans are more likely to be bitten by brown dog ticks, which can carry the disease, and as the climate warms, there are likely to be more hot days, Backus said. "There's certainly a concern based on this that climate change translating to more hot weather events is going to lead to more disease outbreaks," she added.


livescience--2020-11-16--World's ugliest bats sing through 'face masks' made of skin to woo the ladies

If you had a face as puckered as a wrinkle-faced bat 's , you too might hide behind a mask to seduce a mate .
When breeding time rolls around for male wrinkle-faced ( Centurio senex ) , they gather together in groups and cover the lower half of their remarkably wrinkly faces with white-furred flaps of skin that resemble face masks .
They then chirp ultrasonic songs through the masks while twiddling their wings .
Scientists long suspected that the skin flap under the chins of these elusive bats had something to do with courtship , and researchers recently @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the first time .
Dozens of male bats masked up ( only the males have masks ) but did n't socially distance .
Instead , these `` masked seducers '' perched together and sang in a group courtship display unlike any seen before in bats , researchers wrote in a new study .
Related : In photos : The eerily beautiful bats of Arizona Though scientists do n't know for sure why males would mask up for mating , it 's unlikely that they 're using the masks as humans commonly do : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It 's possible that a raised face mask may send a visual signal to females that a male is ready to mate , or perhaps it traps olfactory secretions that are released when the mask is lowered at the moment of copulation , according to the study .
Wrinkle-faced bats live in forests `` from Mexico throughout Central America to Venezuela and Trinidad and Tobago , '' and eat fruits and seeds , the scientists reported .
Unlike other bats in this family — Phyllostomidae , or New World leaf-nosed bats — C. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ flap , and its bizarre , puckered face is more deeply creased than that of any other bat species .
These bats are difficult to capture , and little is known about their behavior and habits in the wild .
So it was a stroke of good luck when a pair of nature guides unexpectedly spotted several of the bats perching together in a tree — `` hanging exposed and rather calm '' — during a night walk in a tropical forest in San Ramon , Costa Rica , on Sept.15 , 2018 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ photos of the rare bats and their unusual behavior , which the guides had passed along to other bat researchers , he immediately knew the nature guides had stumbled upon `` an incredible find , '' he .
Rodríguez-Herrera , a professor at the School of Biology and director of the Center for Research in Biodiversity and Tropical Ecology at Costa Rica University , quickly assembled a team to observe and record the bats .
They made 13 visits to the location over six weeks , between Sept. 27 and Oct. 31 that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ assembled in the same spot between 6 p.m. and midnight local time , hanging about 10 feet ( 3 meters ) above the ground .
The team recorded video with an infrared-sensitive camera , and captured audio of the bats ' ultrasonic songs and echolocation calls .
As many as 30 male bats perched during the same night .
Most of the time , they were masked , using their `` thumbs '' to pull the masks up or down .
Through their masks , they sang `` courtship songs '' composed of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ punctuated by sequences of wing beats , the scientists reported .
When a male successfully attracted a female companion , he `` immediately lowered his mask '' to mate with her .
After they finished , about 30 seconds later , `` the male immediately raised the mask again '' and resumed singing and beating his wings with the rest of the male bats , the researchers reported .
Female bats seemed to be highly selective when choosing their mates — 79 % of the successful copulations were performed by just 6 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and perform together in competitive courtship displays such as these , the behavior is known as lekking .
Lek mating parties are more commonly seen in birds , where they 're found in at least 148 species .
Lekking is poorly documented in mammals and is almost never seen in bats , according to the study .
The researchers ' observations raise intriguing new questions — about why they wear masks ; how the males ' health is affected by the rigors of group performance ; how the males coordinate their songs and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ between the masked males , Rodríguez-Herrera told Live Science in an email .
Since discovering lekking in wrinkle-faced bats , the study authors have encountered a new wrinkle : getting more data .
In the two years since the 2018 sighting , the bats have n't returned to that site .
`` We think that these bats are nomads , they move around a lot , '' study co-author Marco Tschapka , a research associate at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute from the University of Ulm in Germany , said in the statement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ see this behavior again in our lifetimes . ''
The findings were published online Nov. 11 in the journal .

Male wrinkle-faced bat (Centurio senex) shows a furry skin fold that can be pulled up to cover the lower half of the face like a mask.
If you had a face as puckered as a wrinkle-faced bat's, you too might hide behind a mask to seduce a mate.
When breeding time rolls around for male wrinkle-faced bats (Centurio senex), they gather together in groups and cover the lower half of their remarkably wrinkly faces with white-furred flaps of skin that resemble face masks. They then chirp ultrasonic songs through the masks while twiddling their wings.
Scientists long suspected that the skin flap under the chins of these elusive bats had something to do with courtship, and researchers recently observed and documented this astonishing sight for the first time. Dozens of male bats masked up (only the males have masks) but didn't socially distance. Instead, these "masked seducers" perched together and sang in a group courtship display unlike any seen before in bats, researchers wrote in a new study.
Related: In photos: The eerily beautiful bats of Arizona
Though scientists don't know for sure why males would mask up for mating, it's unlikely that they're using the masks as humans commonly do: to prevent the spread of disease. It's possible that a raised face mask may send a visual signal to females that a male is ready to mate, or perhaps it traps olfactory secretions that are released when the mask is lowered at the moment of copulation, according to the study.
Wrinkle-faced bats live in forests "from Mexico throughout Central America to Venezuela and Trinidad and Tobago," and eat fruits and seeds, the scientists reported. Unlike other bats in this family — Phyllostomidae, or New World leaf-nosed bats — C. senex doesn't have a leaf-shaped nose flap, and its bizarre, puckered face is more deeply creased than that of any other bat species.
These bats are difficult to capture, and little is known about their behavior and habits in the wild. So it was a stroke of good luck when a pair of nature guides unexpectedly spotted several of the bats perching together in a tree — "hanging exposed and rather calm" — during a night walk in a tropical forest in San Ramon, Costa Rica, on Sept.15, 2018. When lead author Bernal Rodríguez-Herrera saw photos of the rare bats and their unusual behavior, which the guides had passed along to other bat researchers, he immediately knew the nature guides had stumbled upon "an incredible find," he said in a statement .
When males perched in the branches, they pulled up their masks and "sang" through the flaps of white-furred skin. (Image credit: Marco Tschapka)
Rodríguez-Herrera, a professor at the School of Biology and director of the Center for Research in Biodiversity and Tropical Ecology at Costa Rica University, quickly assembled a team to observe and record the bats. They made 13 visits to the location over six weeks, between Sept. 27 and Oct. 31 that year; every night, the bats assembled in the same spot between 6 p.m. and midnight local time, hanging about 10 feet (3 meters) above the ground. The team recorded video with an infrared-sensitive camera, and captured audio of the bats' ultrasonic songs and echolocation calls.
As many as 30 male bats perched during the same night. Most of the time, they were masked, using their "thumbs" to pull the masks up or down. Through their masks, they sang "courtship songs" composed of echolocation sequences, trills and whistles, punctuated by sequences of wing beats, the scientists reported.
When a male successfully attracted a female companion, he "immediately lowered his mask" to mate with her. After they finished, about 30 seconds later, "the male immediately raised the mask again" and resumed singing and beating his wings with the rest of the male bats, the researchers reported. Female bats seemed to be highly selective when choosing their mates — 79% of the successful copulations were performed by just 6% of the males.
Female bats lack the white "mask" that the males wear during courtship. (Image credit: Marco Tschapka)
When males gather and perform together in competitive courtship displays such as these, the behavior is known as lekking. Lek mating parties are more commonly seen in birds, where they're found in at least 148 species. Lekking is poorly documented in mammals and is almost never seen in bats, according to the study. The researchers' observations raise intriguing new questions — about why they wear masks; how the males' health is affected by the rigors of group performance; how the males coordinate their songs and displays; and how female bats choose between the masked males, Rodríguez-Herrera told Live Science in an email.
Since discovering lekking in wrinkle-faced bats, the study authors have encountered a new wrinkle: getting more data. In the two years since the 2018 sighting, the bats haven't returned to that site.
"We think that these bats are nomads, they move around a lot," study co-author Marco Tschapka, a research associate at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute from the University of Ulm in Germany, said in the statement. "We may never get to see this behavior again in our lifetimes."


livescience--2020-11-16--Triassic period ended with 'lost' mass extinction and a million-year rain storm, study claims

Long ago , before the dawn of the age of , a heavy rain descended upon the supercontinent of — and it kept raining for more than 1 million years .
This epic rainy spell — known now as the Carnian Pluvial Episode ( CPE ) — occurred roughly 233 million years ago and was a stark shift from the typically arid conditions of the late .
But stormy skies were n't the only change Earth was facing .
According to a study published Sept. 16 in the journal , new fossil evidence suggests that the CPE was in fact @ @ @ @ @ @ @ volcanic eruptions and — that resulted in the deaths of one-third of all marine species , plus a significant number of terrestrial plants and animals .
This `` lost '' extinction event does n't quite reach the death toll of the five major typically discussed by the scientific community ( the Permian-Triassic extinction , which occurred just 20 million years earlier , may have wiped out 90 % of living species , for example ) .
However , the study authors argue , the CPE is n't just important for what was lost @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Far from just a period of death , the CPE was a period of `` turnover , '' the researchers wrote , effectively paving the way for the dominion of the dinosaurs and the evolution of many terrestrial animal groups that still roam the today .
Related : Paleo-Art : Dinosaurs come to life in stunning illustrations '' A key feature of the CPE is that extinction was very rapidly followed by a big radiation [ of new species ] , '' lead study author Jacopo Dal Corso , a geology professor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wuhan , .
`` A number of groups that have a central role in today 's ecosystems appeared or diversified for the first time in the Carnian [ an age within the Triassic that lasted from 237 to 227 million years ago ] . ''
Those groups include modern and plankton in the oceans , Dal Corso told Eos , as well as the appearance of land-based fauna such as , , crocodilians , and a diverse new swath of dinosaurs ( who would thrive on Earth for the next 150 million years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first appearance during the Carnian , further planting the roots of many modern ecosystems and inviting the `` dawn of the modern world , '' the authors wrote in their new paper .
So , what brought on the world-changing rain in the first place ?
It 's hard to say for certain , but the study authors believe the answers may lie in a continent-spanning lava field known as the Wrangellia Province , which runs for thousands of miles across the western coast of modern-day Canada .
This massive igneous province was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and overlaps ( at least partially ) with the CPE .
Prior studies estimate that those mighty eruptions released at least 5,000 gigatons of into the atmosphere ( that 's hundreds of times more than annual global emissions today ) , likely kicking off the extreme climate change that followed .
The world became significantly more humid , heavy rains became the norm , the and entire species died in droves , paving the way for strange new plants and animals to slowly take over .
That 's the story that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anyway .
However , they acknowledge , much more work is needed to understand the full scope of the CPE and its possible triggers .
There may have been other volcanic events at play beyond Wrangellia , the team wrote , but pinpointing them will be a challenge , as vast amounts of volcanic basalts from the Triassic period have already subducted into the Earth .
Our ever-changing planet is eating its own history , leaving stones and bones as the only clues .
You can read more about the CPE and its @ @ @

Long ago, before the dawn of the age of dinosaurs , a heavy rain descended upon the supercontinent of Pangaea — and it kept raining for more than 1 million years.
This epic rainy spell — known now as the Carnian Pluvial Episode (CPE) — occurred roughly 233 million years ago and was a stark shift from the typically arid conditions of the late Triassic period . But stormy skies weren't the only change Earth was facing. According to a study published Sept. 16 in the journal Science Advances , new fossil evidence suggests that the CPE was in fact a major extinction event — driven by volcanic eruptions and climate change — that resulted in the deaths of one-third of all marine species, plus a significant number of terrestrial plants and animals.
This "lost" extinction event doesn't quite reach the death toll of the five major mass extinctions typically discussed by the scientific community (the Permian-Triassic extinction, which occurred just 20 million years earlier, may have wiped out 90% of living species, for example). However, the study authors argue, the CPE isn't just important for what was lost — but also for what was gained. Far from just a period of death, the CPE was a period of "turnover," the researchers wrote, effectively paving the way for the dominion of the dinosaurs and the evolution of many terrestrial animal groups that still roam the Earth today.
Related: Paleo-Art: Dinosaurs come to life in stunning illustrations
"A key feature of the CPE is that extinction was very rapidly followed by a big radiation [of new species]," lead study author Jacopo Dal Corso, a geology professor at the China University of Geosciences in Wuhan, told reporter Scott Norris of Eos.org . "A number of groups that have a central role in today's ecosystems appeared or diversified for the first time in the Carnian [an age within the Triassic that lasted from 237 to 227 million years ago]."
Summary of major extinction events through time, highlighting the new, Carnian Pluvial Episode at 233 million years ago. (Image credit: D. Bonadonna/ MUSE, Trento)
Those groups include modern coral reefs and plankton in the oceans, Dal Corso told Eos, as well as the appearance of land-based fauna such as frogs , lizards , crocodilians, turtles and a diverse new swath of dinosaurs (who would thrive on Earth for the next 150 million years). Conifer trees also made their first appearance during the Carnian, further planting the roots of many modern ecosystems and inviting the "dawn of the modern world," the authors wrote in their new paper.
So, what brought on the world-changing rain in the first place? It's hard to say for certain, but the study authors believe the answers may lie in a continent-spanning lava field known as the Wrangellia Province, which runs for thousands of miles across the western coast of modern-day Canada. This massive igneous province was laid down by violent volcanism during the Carnian, and overlaps (at least partially) with the CPE.
Prior studies estimate that those mighty eruptions released at least 5,000 gigatons of carbon into the atmosphere (that's hundreds of times more than annual global emissions today), likely kicking off the extreme climate change that followed. The world became significantly more humid, heavy rains became the norm, the oceans acidified and entire species died in droves, paving the way for strange new plants and animals to slowly take over.
That's the story that the researchers envision in their new study, anyway. However, they acknowledge, much more work is needed to understand the full scope of the CPE and its possible triggers. There may have been other volcanic events at play beyond Wrangellia, the team wrote, but pinpointing them will be a challenge, as vast amounts of volcanic basalts from the Triassic period have already subducted into the Earth. Our ever-changing planet is eating its own history, leaving stones and bones as the only clues.
You can read more about the CPE and its impacts at Eos.org .
Originally published on Live Science.


livescience--2020-11-16--SpaceX Crew Dragon launches 4 astronauts to space station in historic flight

CAPE CANAVERAL , Fla. — SpaceX successfully launched its first operational space taxi flight for NASA Sunday ( Nov. 15 ) , as a shiny white Falcon 9 rocket took to the skies above Kennedy Space Center here in Florida .
The rocket lifted off from NASA 's historic Pad 39 here at 7:27 p.m. EDT ( 0027 GMT on Nov. 16 ) carrying four astronauts in a Crew Dragon capsule to orbit , and then returned to Earth for a drone-ship landing in the Atlantic Ocean .
SpaceX 's Crew-1 Dragon is bound for the International Space Station ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ traditional crew supplies and research experiments its cargo variant normally carries , this spacecraft carried a different type of cargo into space : three NASA astronauts , Mike Hopkins , Victor Glover , Shannon Walker and Japanese astronaut Soichi Noguchi .
Going into the launch , the only concern was the weather .
Rough seas at the recovery zone prevented the Dragon from getting off the ground on its original launch date of Saturday .
Teams decided to delay the flight 24-hours in hopes that the drone ship `` Just Read the Instructions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in time for the launch .
The gumdrop-shaped capsule 's flight was one for the history books .
It marked several firsts , including the first-long duration crew mission to blast off from the space coast as well as the first operational commercial crew mission to launch as part of NASA 's Commercial Crew Program .
With the launch of a different Crew Dragon capsule in May , known as the Demo-2 mission , NASA and SpaceX helped usher in a new era in spaceflight — one led by commercial companies .
Nearly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , 2011 , the Space Shuttle Atlantis touched down for the final time , ending the storied career of NASA 's fleet of space shuttles .
The winged family of orbiters were NASA 's workhorses for decades .
First flying in 1981 , and continuing service until 2011 , the space shuttle helped build the International Space Station , which celebrated its 20th anniversary earlier this month .
But the shuttle 's time was limited , and just before its retirement NASA decided that it wanted to hand over the reigns to private @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their astronauts to and from space .
NASA selected SpaceX and Boeing as its future space taxi providers .
These two companies have worked to build a spacecraft capable of safely carrying crew , under contracts worth a total of $ 6.8 billion .
Once operational , their vehicles — SpaceX 's Crew Dragon and Boeing 's CST-100 Starliner — will be NASA 's primary means of transporting astronauts to space .
Ever since the final shuttle flight touched down , every astronaut bound for the orbital outpost has hitched a ride on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this flight marks the first official operational flight of the Crew Dragon capsule .
During the lead up to today 's flight , NASA certified the spacecraft to carry astronauts to and from the space station on a regular basis .
The four astronauts departed from historic launch pad 39A at NASA 's Kennedy Space Center in Florida .
This is the same launch pad that the Apollo 11 astronauts launched to the moon from and also hosted the first and last space shuttles launches .
In fact , a total of 82 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pad .
That heritage is also represented in the mission 's patch .
There are no names or flags on the patch .
Instead it has symbols on the lower edge to pay tribute to the four prior U.S. spacecraft that carried astronauts ― Space Shuttle , Apollo , Gemini and Mercury .
Related : See the evolution of SpaceX 's rockets in pictures On Sunday , the quartet of astronauts traveled to the pad approximately three hours before launch .
They traveled in style , riding in white Tesla Model X electric @ @ @ @ @ @ @ old NASA `` worm '' logo that was revived for the launch .
Upon arrival , they took an elevator to the crew access arm , which stands approximately 265 feet ( 81 meters ) above the launch pad , and then climbed into the capsule .
After a series of system checkouts , the closeout crew detected a potential leak in the spacecraft 's hatch .
The team spent several minutes to troubleshoot this issue before they cleared the pad .
According to the webcast , there could have been a small @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seal , which would have been removed before the crew was sealed inside .
They then armed the Crew Dragon 's abort system soon after .
That system is a crucial component in keeping them safe .
SpaceX then began fueling the rocket with supercooled liquid oxygen and kerosene 45 minutes before liftoff .
But before the crew could fly , SpaceX had to prove that its Crew Dragon capsule could keep astronauts safe during flight .
One of the lessons learned from the loss of the space shuttle Challenger in 1986 was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ emergency escape systems , which the shuttle did not have .
While in-flight anomalies are rare , NASA needed to ensure that , if one of SpaceX 's Falcon 9 rockets were to have an anomaly , its astronauts would still be brought home safely .
As such , SpaceX demonstrated how the system worked in flight earlier this year .
Following that successful inflight abort mission , SpaceX launched two astronauts , Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley on a test flight to the ISS .
During that flight , the duo put @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spent about 10 weeks on station before splashing down in the Gulf of Mexico on Aug. 2 .
While Behnken and Hurley took about 19 hours to catch up with the space station , Crew-1 will take about 27 hours to catch up with the ISS .
During that time , the astronauts will get to move around a bit , get some sleep and even eat some food before arriving at the space station .
The vehicle is fully autonomous , so it 's designed to fly without any human intervention .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ panel that the astronauts can use if necessary .
Hopkins is the mission 's commander , with Glover serving as the pilot .
Walker and Noguchi will be the mission specialists .
The duo were added onto the mission 's roster approximately seven months ago and did their training during the height of the pandemic .
`` I 've been pleasantly surprised with how SpaceX handled the training and everything , '' Noguchi said during a preflight news briefing .
`` Hopper is a great leader . ''
Hopkins , Walker and Noguchi @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this flight will be Glover 's first .
`` It 's hard to put into words , it 's surreal , '' Glover said before the flight .
`` I 'm excited just to go to space .
We have an amazing spacecraft and are going to join an amazing team . ''
The Crew-1 astronauts will be joining three people already living and working on the space station .
In Oct. , NASA astronaut Kate Rubins and two Russian cosmonauts Sergey Kud-Serchkov and Sergey Ryzhikov , blasted off to the orbital outpost @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crew members .
Hopkins explained during a preflight briefing Nov. 9 that the space station might be a little cramped after Crew-1 's arrival .
Currently , there is a shortage of sleeping pods on the space station .
That 's because historically ISS crew size has been six , and the arrival of Crew-1 will bring the orbiting lab 's population to seven .
According to Hopkins , he will sleep in the Dragon until another sleeping pod arrives at the space station , which could arrive mid-mission or after the Crew-1 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be a shortage of sleeping pods , but by sending a crew of four astronauts , it will increase the amount of research carried out on the space station .
To that end , the Dragon capsule is carrying a bevy of research experiments to the station along with the four astronauts .
Some of the experiments include a student genetics project , tests for future spacesuits and microbe-eating rocks .
Newbie spaceflyer Victor Glover will be participating in another research experiment that will help understand how spaceflight can change a spaceflyer 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ samples from his body during the mission which will help researchers examine how dietary changes can affect an astronaut 's immune function as well as their own microbiome .
The study , called the Food Physiology experiment will be ongoing .
About nine minutes after today 's successful liftoff , the Falcon 9 's first stage booster touched down on SpaceX 's drone ship , `` Just Read the Instructions '' ( JRTI ) , which was stationed out in the Atlantic Ocean .
This marked the company 's 65th landing and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ JRTI is SpaceX newest drone ship , having recently moved to the East Coast earlier this year .
Along with its counterpart , `` Of Course I Still Love You '' , the drone ships have helped SpaceX with its reusability efforts .
SpaceX plans to reuse the booster in today 's mission on its next crewed flight , which is scheduled to launch sometime in the spring of 2021 .
It will carry another crew of four astronauts : NASA 's Shane Kimbrough , Megan McArthur , along with French astronaut Thomas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Crew-1 is expected to dock with the space station Monday Nov. 16 at 11 p.m. EST ( 0400 GMT on Nov. 17 ) , and you can watch their arrival live here on Space.com .
They will remain parked at the orbital outpost for six months .
Follow Amy Thompson on Twitter @ astrogingersnap .
Follow us on Twitter @ Spacedotcom or Facebook .

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — SpaceX successfully launched its first operational space taxi flight for NASA Sunday (Nov. 15), as a shiny white Falcon 9 rocket took to the skies above Kennedy Space Center here in Florida.
The rocket lifted off from NASA's historic Pad 39 here at 7:27 p.m. EDT (0027 GMT on Nov. 16) carrying four astronauts in a Crew Dragon capsule to orbit, and then returned to Earth for a drone-ship landing in the Atlantic Ocean.
SpaceX's Crew-1 Dragon is bound for the International Space Station (ISS), but instead of the traditional crew supplies and research experiments its cargo variant normally carries, this spacecraft carried a different type of cargo into space: three NASA astronauts, Mike Hopkins, Victor Glover, Shannon Walker and Japanese astronaut Soichi Noguchi.
Live updates: SpaceX's Crew-1 astronaut launch for NASA
Related: SpaceX's Crew-1 astronaut mission in photos
Going into the launch, the only concern was the weather. Rough seas at the recovery zone prevented the Dragon from getting off the ground on its original launch date of Saturday. Teams decided to delay the flight 24-hours in hopes that the drone ship "Just Read the Instructions" would arrive at the recovery zone in time for the launch.
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and Crew Dragon spacecraft lift off for the Crew-1 mission to the International Space Station. (Image credit: Joel Kowsky/NASA)
The gumdrop-shaped capsule's flight was one for the history books. It marked several firsts, including the first-long duration crew mission to blast off from the space coast as well as the first operational commercial crew mission to launch as part of NASA's Commercial Crew Program.
With the launch of a different Crew Dragon capsule in May, known as the Demo-2 mission, NASA and SpaceX helped usher in a new era in spaceflight — one led by commercial companies.
Nearly a decade ago, on July 21, 2011, the Space Shuttle Atlantis touched down for the final time, ending the storied career of NASA's fleet of space shuttles. The winged family of orbiters were NASA's workhorses for decades. First flying in 1981, and continuing service until 2011, the space shuttle helped build the International Space Station, which celebrated its 20th anniversary earlier this month.
But the shuttle's time was limited, and just before its retirement NASA decided that it wanted to hand over the reigns to private industry and entrusted two companies to ferry their astronauts to and from space.
NASA selected SpaceX and Boeing as its future space taxi providers. These two companies have worked to build a spacecraft capable of safely carrying crew, under contracts worth a total of $6.8 billion. Once operational, their vehicles — SpaceX's Crew Dragon and Boeing's CST-100 Starliner — will be NASA's primary means of transporting astronauts to space.
Ever since the final shuttle flight touched down, every astronaut bound for the orbital outpost has hitched a ride on a Russian Soyuz spacecraft. Now, this flight marks the first official operational flight of the Crew Dragon capsule. During the lead up to today's flight, NASA certified the spacecraft to carry astronauts to and from the space station on a regular basis.
The four astronauts departed from historic launch pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. This is the same launch pad that the Apollo 11 astronauts launched to the moon from and also hosted the first and last space shuttles launches. In fact, a total of 82 shuttle launches left the planet from that pad.
That heritage is also represented in the mission's patch. There are no names or flags on the patch. Instead it has symbols on the lower edge to pay tribute to the four prior U.S. spacecraft that carried astronauts ― Space Shuttle, Apollo, Gemini and Mercury.
Related: See the evolution of SpaceX's rockets in pictures
On Sunday, the quartet of astronauts traveled to the pad approximately three hours before launch. They traveled in style, riding in white Tesla Model X electric cars that were decked out in the old NASA "worm" logo that was revived for the launch. Upon arrival, they took an elevator to the crew access arm, which stands approximately 265 feet (81 meters) above the launch pad, and then climbed into the capsule.
After a series of system checkouts, the closeout crew detected a potential leak in the spacecraft's hatch. The team spent several minutes to troubleshoot this issue before they cleared the pad. According to the webcast, there could have been a small piece of debris in the hatch's seal, which would have been removed before the crew was sealed inside. They then armed the Crew Dragon's abort system soon after. That system is a crucial component in keeping them safe. SpaceX then began fueling the rocket with supercooled liquid oxygen and kerosene 45 minutes before liftoff.
But before the crew could fly, SpaceX had to prove that its Crew Dragon capsule could keep astronauts safe during flight. One of the lessons learned from the loss of the space shuttle Challenger in 1986 was that all future crewed vehicles would need emergency escape systems, which the shuttle did not have.
While in-flight anomalies are rare, NASA needed to ensure that, if one of SpaceX's Falcon 9 rockets were to have an anomaly, its astronauts would still be brought home safely. As such, SpaceX demonstrated how the system worked in flight earlier this year.
Following that successful inflight abort mission, SpaceX launched two astronauts, Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley on a test flight to the ISS. During that flight, the duo put the Dragon spacecraft through its paces and spent about 10 weeks on station before splashing down in the Gulf of Mexico on Aug. 2.
Related: SpaceX's Crew Dragon space capsule explained (infographic)
While Behnken and Hurley took about 19 hours to catch up with the space station, Crew-1 will take about 27 hours to catch up with the ISS. During that time, the astronauts will get to move around a bit, get some sleep and even eat some food before arriving at the space station. The vehicle is fully autonomous, so it's designed to fly without any human intervention. However, it has a complete control panel that the astronauts can use if necessary.
Hopkins is the mission's commander, with Glover serving as the pilot. Walker and Noguchi will be the mission specialists. The duo were added onto the mission's roster approximately seven months ago and did their training during the height of the pandemic.
"I've been pleasantly surprised with how SpaceX handled the training and everything," Noguchi said during a preflight news briefing. "Hopper is a great leader."
Hopkins, Walker and Noguchi are all veteran flyers, however, this flight will be Glover's first.
"It's hard to put into words, it's surreal," Glover said before the flight. "I'm excited just to go to space. We have an amazing spacecraft and are going to join an amazing team."
The Crew-1 astronauts pose for a photo in the crew access arm at Launch Complex 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. (Image credit: Soichi Noguchi/ Twitter
The Crew-1 astronauts will be joining three people already living and working on the space station. In Oct., NASA astronaut Kate Rubins and two Russian cosmonauts Sergey Kud-Serchkov and Sergey Ryzhikov, blasted off to the orbital outpost and are ready to welcome their new crew members.
Hopkins explained during a preflight briefing Nov. 9 that the space station might be a little cramped after Crew-1's arrival. Currently, there is a shortage of sleeping pods on the space station. That's because historically ISS crew size has been six, and the arrival of Crew-1 will bring the orbiting lab's population to seven. According to Hopkins, he will sleep in the Dragon until another sleeping pod arrives at the space station, which could arrive mid-mission or after the Crew-1 team returns to Earth.
There may be a shortage of sleeping pods, but by sending a crew of four astronauts, it will increase the amount of research carried out on the space station.
To that end, the Dragon capsule is carrying a bevy of research experiments to the station along with the four astronauts. Some of the experiments include a student genetics project, tests for future spacesuits and microbe-eating rocks.
Newbie spaceflyer Victor Glover will be participating in another research experiment that will help understand how spaceflight can change a spaceflyer's immune system. Glover will collect biological samples from his body during the mission which will help researchers examine how dietary changes can affect an astronaut's immune function as well as their own microbiome. The study, called the Food Physiology experiment will be ongoing.
Related: How risky spacecraft launch aborts work (infographic)
SpaceX's Falcon 9 booster touches down on the drone ship "Just Read The Instructions" after launching the Crew-1 mission, on Nov. 15, 2020. (Image credit: NASA TV)
About nine minutes after today's successful liftoff, the Falcon 9's first stage booster touched down on SpaceX's drone ship, "Just Read the Instructions" (JRTI), which was stationed out in the Atlantic Ocean. This marked the company's 65th landing and the 12th for this particular drone ship.
JRTI is SpaceX newest drone ship, having recently moved to the East Coast earlier this year. Along with its counterpart, "Of Course I Still Love You", the drone ships have helped SpaceX with its reusability efforts.
SpaceX plans to reuse the booster in today's mission on its next crewed flight, which is scheduled to launch sometime in the spring of 2021. It will carry another crew of four astronauts: NASA's Shane Kimbrough, Megan McArthur, along with French astronaut Thomas Pesquet and Japanese astronaut Akihiko Hoshide.
Crew-1 is expected to dock with the space station Monday Nov. 16 at 11 p.m. EST (0400 GMT on Nov. 17), and you can watch their arrival live here on Space.com. They will remain parked at the orbital outpost for six months.
Follow Amy Thompson on Twitter @astrogingersnap. Follow us on Twitter @Spacedotcom or Facebook.


livescience--2020-11-15--COVID-19 reveals how obesity harms the body in real time

The COVID-19 pandemic has thrust the obesity epidemic once again into the spotlight , revealing that obesity is no longer a disease that harms just in the long run but one that can have acutely devastating effects .
New studies and information confirm doctors ’ suspicion that this virus takes advantage of a disease that our current U.S. health care system is unable to get under control .
In most recent news , the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that 73 % of nurses who have been hospitalized from COVID-19 had obesity .
In addition , a recent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the effectiveness of a COVID-19 vaccine .
I am an obesity specialist and clinical physician working on the front lines of obesity in primary care at the University of Virginia Health System .
In the past , I often found myself warning my patients that obesity could take years off their life .
Now , more than ever , this warning has become verifiable .
Initially physicians believed that having obesity increased only your risk of getting sicker from COVID-19 , not your chance of being infected in the first place .
Now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ does obesity increase your risk of being sicker and dying from COVID-19 ; obesity increases your risk of getting infected in the first place .
In March 2020 , observational studies noted hypertension , diabetes and coronary artery disease as the most common other conditions – or co-morbidities – in patients with more severe COVID-19 disease .
But it was the editors of Obesity journal who first raised the alarm on April 1 , 2020 that obesity would likely prove to be an independent risk factor for more severe effects of COVID-19 infection @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 10,000 patients have shown that patients who have both COVID-19 and obesity have a higher risk of death at days 21 and 45 compared to patients with a normal body mass index , or BMI .
And a study published in September , 2020 reported higher rates of obesity in COVID-19 patients who are critically ill and require intubation .
It is becoming overwhelmingly evident from these studies and others that those with obesity are facing a clear and present danger .
Obesity is an interesting disease .
It is one that many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that their patients can not prevent or reverse it with the oversimplified treatment plan that we have been taught in our initial training ; “ Eat less and exercise more.
” It is also a disease that causes problems physically , such as sleep apnea and joint pain .
It also affects one ’ s mind and spirit due to societal and medical professionals ’ bias against those with obesity .
It can even adversely affect the size of your paycheck .
Can you imagine the outcry if the headline read “ Patients @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
We doctors and researchers have understood for quite some time the long-term consequences of excess weight and obesity .
We currently recognize that obesity is associated with at least 236 medical diagnoses , including 13 types of cancer .
Obesity can decrease one ’ s lifespan by up to eight years .
Despite knowing this , U.S. physicians are not prepared to prevent and reverse obesity .
In a recently published survey , only 10 % of medical school deans and curriculum experts feel that their students were “ very prepared ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the medical schools responded that expanding obesity education was a low priority or not a priority .
An average of 10 hours total was reported as dedicated to obesity education during their entire training in medical school .
And doctors sometimes don ’ t know how or when to prescribe medications for patients with obesity .
For example , eight FDA-approved weight loss medications are on the market , but only 2 % of eligible patients receive prescriptions for them from their physicians .
What goes on in the body So , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the obesity epidemic and the COVID-19 pandemic .
And a question I find patients asking me more and more : How does obesity create more severe disease and complication from COVID-19 infection ?
There are many answers ; lets start with structure .
Excess adipose tissue , which stores fat , creates a mechanical compression in patients with obesity .
This limits their ability to take in and completely release a full breath of air .
Breathing takes more work in a patient with obesity .
It creates restrictive lung disease , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lead to hypoventilation syndrome , which can cause a person to have too little oxygen in their blood .
And then there is function .
Obesity results in an excess of adipose tissue , or what we colloquially call “ fat.
” Over the years , scientists have learned that adipose tissue is harmful in and of itself .
One may say that adipose tissue acts as an endocrine organ all its own .
It releases multiple hormones and molecules that lead to a chronic state of inflammation in patients with obesity .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ state of low-grade inflammation , it releases cytokines , proteins that fight inflammation .
They keep the body on guard , simmering and ready to fight disease .
That ’ s all well and good when they are kept in check by other systems and cells .
When they are chronically released , however , an imbalance can occur that causes injury to the body .
Think of it like a small but contained wildfire .
It ’ s dangerous , but it ’ s not burning the entire forest .
COVID-19 causes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
When a person who is obese has COVID-19 , two small cytokine wildfires come together , leading to the raging fire of inflammation that damages the lungs even more so than patients with normal BMI .
Additionally , this chronic state of inflammation can lead to something called endothelial dysfunction .
In this condition , instead of opening up , blood vessels close down and constrict , further decreasing oxygen to the tissues .
In addition , increased adipose tissue may have more ACE-2 , the enzyme that allows the coronavirus to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
A recent study has shown an association of increased ACE-2 in adipose tissue rather than lung tissue .
This finding further strengthens the hypothesis that obesity plays a major role in more serious COVID-19 infections .
So in theory , if you have more adipose tissue , the virus can bind to and invade more cells , causing higher viral loads that stay around longer , which can make the infection more severe and prolong recovery .
ACE-2 can be helpful in counteracting inflammation , but if it otherwise bound to COVID-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
[ Deep knowledge , daily .
Sign up for The Conversation ’ s newsletter . ]
The novel SARS COVID-19 virus has forced the medical profession to face the reality that many U.S. physicians inherently know .
When it comes to prevention of chronic diseases such as obesity , the U.S. health care system is not performing well .
Many insurers reward physicians by meeting metrics of treating the effects of obesity rather than preventing it or treating the disease itself .
Physicians are reimbursed , for example , for helping patients @ @ @ @ @ @ @ certain A1C level , or a set blood pressure goal .
I believe is time to educate physicians and provide them with resources to combat obesity .
Physicians can no longer deny that obesity , one of the strongest predictors for COVID-19 and at least 236 other medical conditions , must become public enemy number one .
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license .
Read the original article .
Follow all of the Expert Voices issues and debates — and become part of the discussion — on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher .
This version of the article was originally published on Live Science .

Excess adipose tissue, which stores fat and is shown here in a scanning electron microscope image, creates a mechanical compression in patients with obesity.
The COVID-19 pandemic has thrust the obesity epidemic once again into the spotlight, revealing that obesity is no longer a disease that harms just in the long run but one that can have acutely devastating effects. New studies and information confirm doctors’ suspicion that this virus takes advantage of a disease that our current U.S. health care system is unable to get under control.
In most recent news, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that 73% of nurses who have been hospitalized from COVID-19 had obesity. In addition, a recent study found that obesity could interfere with the effectiveness of a COVID-19 vaccine.
Obesity correlates with a dulled immune response to COVID-19, and researchers worry that it might also blunt vaccine efficacy too. https://t.co/lRcNupif1POctober 25, 2020 See more
I am an obesity specialist and clinical physician working on the front lines of obesity in primary care at the University of Virginia Health System. In the past, I often found myself warning my patients that obesity could take years off their life. Now, more than ever, this warning has become verifiable.
More damage than believed
Initially physicians believed that having obesity increased only your risk of getting sicker from COVID-19, not your chance of being infected in the first place. Now, newer analysis shows that not only does obesity increase your risk of being sicker and dying from COVID-19; obesity increases your risk of getting infected in the first place.
In March 2020, observational studies noted hypertension, diabetes and coronary artery disease as the most common other conditions – or co-morbidities – in patients with more severe COVID-19 disease. But it was the editors of Obesity journal who first raised the alarm on April 1, 2020 that obesity would likely prove to be an independent risk factor for more severe effects of COVID-19 infection.
Additionally, two studies including nearly 10,000 patients have shown that patients who have both COVID-19 and obesity have a higher risk of death at days 21 and 45 compared to patients with a normal body mass index, or BMI.
And a study published in September, 2020 reported higher rates of obesity in COVID-19 patients who are critically ill and require intubation.
It is becoming overwhelmingly evident from these studies and others that those with obesity are facing a clear and present danger.
Stigma and lack of understanding
Obesity is an interesting disease. It is one that many physicians talk about, often in frustration that their patients cannot prevent or reverse it with the oversimplified treatment plan that we have been taught in our initial training; “Eat less and exercise more.”
It is also a disease that causes problems physically, such as sleep apnea and joint pain. It also affects one’s mind and spirit due to societal and medical professionals’ bias against those with obesity. It can even adversely affect the size of your paycheck. Can you imagine the outcry if the headline read “Patients with high blood pressure earn less”?
We doctors and researchers have understood for quite some time the long-term consequences of excess weight and obesity. We currently recognize that obesity is associated with at least 236 medical diagnoses, including 13 types of cancer. Obesity can decrease one’s lifespan by up to eight years.
Despite knowing this, U.S. physicians are not prepared to prevent and reverse obesity. In a recently published survey, only 10% of medical school deans and curriculum experts feel that their students were “very prepared” in regards to obesity management. Half of the medical schools responded that expanding obesity education was a low priority or not a priority. An average of 10 hours total was reported as dedicated to obesity education during their entire training in medical school.
And doctors sometimes don’t know how or when to prescribe medications for patients with obesity. For example, eight FDA-approved weight loss medications are on the market, but only 2% of eligible patients receive prescriptions for them from their physicians.
What goes on in the body
So, here we are, with a collision of the obesity epidemic and the COVID-19 pandemic. And a question I find patients asking me more and more: How does obesity create more severe disease and complication from COVID-19 infection?
There are many answers; lets start with structure.
Excess adipose tissue, which stores fat, creates a mechanical compression in patients with obesity. This limits their ability to take in and completely release a full breath of air.
Breathing takes more work in a patient with obesity. It creates restrictive lung disease, and in the more serious cases, lead to hypoventilation syndrome, which can cause a person to have too little oxygen in their blood.
And then there is function. Obesity results in an excess of adipose tissue, or what we colloquially call “fat.” Over the years, scientists have learned that adipose tissue is harmful in and of itself. One may say that adipose tissue acts as an endocrine organ all its own. It releases multiple hormones and molecules that lead to a chronic state of inflammation in patients with obesity.
When the body is in a constant state of low-grade inflammation, it releases cytokines, proteins that fight inflammation. They keep the body on guard, simmering and ready to fight disease. That’s all well and good when they are kept in check by other systems and cells. When they are chronically released, however, an imbalance can occur that causes injury to the body. Think of it like a small but contained wildfire. It’s dangerous, but it’s not burning the entire forest.
COVID-19 causes the body to create another cytokine wildfire. When a person who is obese has COVID-19, two small cytokine wildfires come together, leading to the raging fire of inflammation that damages the lungs even more so than patients with normal BMI.
Additionally, this chronic state of inflammation can lead to something called endothelial dysfunction. In this condition, instead of opening up, blood vessels close down and constrict, further decreasing oxygen to the tissues.
In addition, increased adipose tissue may have more ACE-2, the enzyme that allows the coronavirus to invade cells and begin to damage them. A recent study has shown an association of increased ACE-2 in adipose tissue rather than lung tissue. This finding further strengthens the hypothesis that obesity plays a major role in more serious COVID-19 infections. So in theory, if you have more adipose tissue, the virus can bind to and invade more cells, causing higher viral loads that stay around longer, which can make the infection more severe and prolong recovery.
ACE-2 can be helpful in counteracting inflammation, but if it otherwise bound to COVID-19, it cannot assist with this.
[Deep knowledge, daily. Sign up for The Conversation’s newsletter.]
The novel SARS COVID-19 virus has forced the medical profession to face the reality that many U.S. physicians inherently know. When it comes to prevention of chronic diseases such as obesity, the U.S. health care system is not performing well. Many insurers reward physicians by meeting metrics of treating the effects of obesity rather than preventing it or treating the disease itself. Physicians are reimbursed, for example, for helping patients with Type 2 diabetes to attain a certain A1C level, or a set blood pressure goal.
I believe is time to educate physicians and provide them with resources to combat obesity. Physicians can no longer deny that obesity, one of the strongest predictors for COVID-19 and at least 236 other medical conditions, must become public enemy number one.
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
Follow all of the Expert Voices issues and debates — and become part of the discussion — on Facebook and Twitter. The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher. This version of the article was originally published on Live Science.