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Frequent COVID-19 testing key to efficient, early detection, study finds
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — The chance of detecting the virus that causes COVID-19 increases with more frequent testing, no matter the type of test, a new study found. Both polymerase chain reaction and antigen tests, paired with rapid results reporting, can achieve 98% sensitivity if deployed at least every three days. “This study shows that frequent […]
How do July 4 celebrations affect wildlife?
Celebrating the nation’s Independence Day with fireworks is an enduring tradition, but fireworks can be a source of distress and danger to wildlife. Dr. Sam Sander, a clinical professor of zoo and wildlife medicine at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, spoke with News Bureau life sciences editor Diana Yates about how fireworks affect wildlife and […]
Study links prenatal phthalate exposure to altered information processing in infants
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Exposure to phthalates, a class of chemicals widely used in packaging and consumer products, is known to interfere with normal hormone function and development in human and animal studies. Now researchers have found evidence linking pregnant women’s exposure to phthalates to altered cognitive outcomes in their infants. Most of the findings involved […]
Lipid epoxides target pain, inflammatory pathways in neurons
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — When modified using a process known as epoxidation, two naturally occurring lipids are converted into potent agents that target multiple cannabinoid receptors in neurons, interrupting pathways that promote pain and inflammation, researchers report. These modified compounds, called epo-NA5HT and epo-NADA, have much more powerful effects than the molecules from which they are […]
Childhood trauma could affect development, treatment of multiple sclerosis, mouse study finds
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Childhood trauma could affect the trajectory of multiple sclerosis development and response to treatment in adulthood, a new study in mice found. Mice that had experienced stress when young were more likely to develop the autoimmune disorder and less likely to respond to a common treatment, researchers at the University of Illinois […]
Study finds fungal disease of snakes in 19 states, Puerto Rico
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — In a collaborative effort between scientists and personnel on U.S. military bases in 31 states and Puerto Rico, researchers surveyed for an infection caused by an emerging fungal pathogen that afflicts snakes. The study found infected snakes on military bases in 19 states and Puerto Rico, demonstrating that the fungus is more […]
Repurposed anti-malarial compounds kill diarrheal parasite, study finds
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — A class of compounds used for malaria treatment also kill the intestinal parasite Cryptosporidium, a leading cause of diarrheal disease and death in children that has no cure, a multi-institution collaboration of researchers found in a new study. The compounds, called bicyclic azetidines, specifically target an enzyme responsible for protein production within […]
Blood markers predict Humboldt penguin nest type, reproductive success
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — From March to December every year, Humboldt penguins nest in vast colonies on the Peruvian and Chilean coasts. The lucky ones find prime habitat for their nests in deep deposits of chalky guano where they can dig out sheltered burrows. The rest must look for rocky outcrops or other protected spaces that […]
Environmental contaminants alter gut microbiome, health
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — The microbes that inhabit our bodies are influenced by what we eat, drink, breathe and absorb through our skin, and most of us are chronically exposed to natural and human-made environmental contaminants. In a new paper, scientists from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign review the research linking dozens of environmental chemicals […]
Veterinary infectious disease expert weighs in on coronavirus threat
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Influenza, SARS and COVID-19 are all zoonotic diseases, readily transmitted from animals to humans. The viruses that cause these diseases also share traits that allow them to quickly mutate, infect widely and spread around the world. In a new podcast, a veterinarian and expert in zoonotic diseases offers insights into the special […]
Veterinarians: Dogs, too, can experience hearing loss
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Just like humans, dogs are sometimes born with impaired hearing or experience hearing loss as a result of disease, inflammation, aging or exposure to noise. Dog owners and K-9 handlers ought to keep this in mind when adopting or caring for dogs, and when bringing them into noisy environments, says Dr. Kari […]
What is the coronavirus spreading across the globe?
Editor’s note: The first case of a novel strain of coronavirus has been confirmed in the United States. The respiratory illness, which can cause pneumonia and other symptoms, was first reported in Wuhan, China, where hundreds have been sickened and at least 18 have died. Leyi Wang, a virologist and professor of veterinary medicine at […]