If someone gets a headache or feels a bit under the weather after receiving a COVID-19 vaccine, it’s become common to hear them say something like “Oh, it just means my immune system is really working hard.” On the flip side, when people don’t notice any side effects, they sometimes…
Teen’s scars tell a story of her frightening first 2 years
Madeline “Maddie” Ramon is used to being asked about the scars that can often be seen poking out the top of her shirt. “When I was younger, I had a heart problem and I had heart surgery,” she tells people. “And I’m good now.” Katie Ramon smiles when she hears…
Coronavirus vaccine trials won’t tell us if they save lives, prevent serious illness or stop transmission – here’s why
There are currently at least six COVID-19 vaccines in phase 3 clinical trials—the final phase of testing. These trials all aim to compare the safety and effectiveness of the vaccines versus a placebo. However, as Peter Doshi, associate editor at the BMJ, asks in a new report, what does “effective”…
What food cravings tell us about the quality of our diets
Do you dream of ice cream in a Zoom meeting or reach for potato chips as you check the latest COVID-19 stats? You may be experiencing something deeper than a whim, according to a team of scientists at the Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging (HNRCA) at Tufts University. Far…
How To Tell The Difference Between First-Degree, Second-Degree, And Third-Degree Sunburns
If you’ve ever had a reallly bad sunburn (you know, the I-look-like-a-lobster kind that makes you so uncomfortable, you can’t even sleep), you may have wondered what kind of damage that does to your skin long-term. First things first: Not all sun exposure is a bad thing. Sunlight, in small…
New site helps data tell COVID-19 story in real time
There were rich sources of information on COVID-19 out there. But while all that data had plenty to say about the times we are living in, it still took Grace Yi and her colleagues to help tell its story. “Our group felt we should use our expertise and experience to…
Please Tell Me It's Safe To Go On A Walk During Novel Coronavirus
With activity guidelines during the new coronavirus constantly evolving, many people are wondering whether or not it’s safe to go for walks. Experts say it’s safe to go outdoors for walks depending on the area in which you live and what time you go. As the coronavirus pandemic continues, official…
Not just for bones! X-rays can now tell us about soft tissues too
We all learned in school that the beams from X-ray machines pass right through soft tissues like skin and internal organs, but not dense materials like bones, right? Not so fast. Researchers in Japan have figured out a way to use X-rays to tell doctors about those squishy parts as…
People in high risk of contracting coronavirus tell us their fears
As of today, 35 people have tragically died because of coronavirus – many of whom had underlying health issues. Unfortunately, COVID-19 can exacerbate existing conditions and make it harder for a person to recover should they get infected, and odds are higher that the infection will be fatal. This includes people…
Genes tell a story about diabetic kidney disease
By analysing samples from hundreds of Finns with diabetes, scientists have identified genes, and the proteins they encode, that could be involved in the development of diabetic kidney disease. The research, conducted by researchers from Duke-NUS Medical School and their international collaborators, suggests potential targets for treating the condition. The…
How to Tell If You Could Have Frostbite—and What to Do About It
The news this week is all about the weather: Meteorologists are warning of deep freezes in the northeast and record low temperatures in the midwest in the coming days—with states like Illinois and Minnesota predicted to have wind chills as low as -50 and -60 degrees Fahrenheit. In Chicago, forecasters…