Health
Special ultraviolet light prevents indoor transmission of airborne pathogens without harming humans: study
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The sunshine on the finish of the tunnel for the COVID-19 pandemic would possibly simply be overhead.
A brand new examine exhibits a hands-off method utilizing ultraviolet gentle, known as far-UVC gentle, diminished transmission of indoor airborne pathogens by greater than 98% in lower than 5 minutes, in line with a latest assertion.
“Far-UVC quickly reduces the quantity of energetic microbes within the indoor air to nearly zero, making indoor air primarily as secure as outside air,” stated co-author Dr. David Brenner, director of the Heart for Radiological Analysis at Columbia College Vagelos School of Physicians and Surgeons.
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“Utilizing this expertise in places the place individuals collect collectively indoors might forestall the following potential pandemic.”
The joint examine by scientists at Columbia College and within the U.Okay. suggests far-UVC gentle put in in ceiling lamps can scale back the chance of the following pandemic by successfully lowering airborne indoor transmission of infectious ailments recognized to trigger main outbreaks, comparable to COVID-19 or influenza.
However the assertion notes that far-UVC is a comparatively new expertise.
Though it’s been recognized for years that ultraviolet C gentle (UVC) has properties to destroy germs, its use has been largely restricted as a result of it may possibly trigger sunburns, pores and skin cancers in addition to hurt individuals’s eyes, so its utilization has been restricted primarily to sterilizing medical gear, the assertion stated.
However nearly 10 years in the past, scientists at Columbia College proposed {that a} totally different sort of UVC gentle, known as far-UVC gentle, might destroy germs as effectively as typical UVC gentle with out the dangerous uncomfortable side effects, as a result of the sunshine’s shorter wavelength doesn’t enable it to penetrate human pores and skin or eye cells, per the assertion.
Research over the previous decade confirmed far-UVC kills airborne micro organism and viruses with out damaging residing tissue because the germs are a lot smaller than human cells, however the research up up to now have been confided in experimental chambers that by no means mimicked the real-world setting, in line with the press launch.
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The present examine examined the efficacy of far-UVC gentle in a chamber the dimensions of a giant indoor room that had an equal air flow fee as a typical dwelling or workplace, which is roughly three air adjustments per hour.
Researchers constantly sprayed a micro organism known as Staphylococcus aureus till the focus of the microbes stabilized, then turned on overhead far-UVC lamps.
They select this specific micro organism versus coronavirus, as a result of it’s barely much less delicate to far-UVC gentle, so the researchers might create a conservative mannequin.
The examine found not solely the sunshine inactivated greater than 98% of the airborne micro organism in solely 5 minutes, but additionally was capable of hold the extent of micro organism within the air low over time as microbes continued to be sprayed within the room.
“Far-UVC gentle is easy to put in, it’s cheap, it doesn’t want individuals to alter their habits, and proof from a number of research suggests it might be a secure technique to forestall the transmission of any virus, together with the COVID virus and its variants, in addition to influenza and in addition any potential future pandemic viruses,” Brenner stated.
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Health
Many families take patients off life support too soon after traumatic brain injuries: study
Many patients who died after traumatic brain injuries may have survived and recovered if their families had waited to take them off life support, a new study found.
Researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School and other universities analyzed “potential clinical outcomes” for patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) who were removed from life support, according to a press release.
The study included 1,392 patients who were treated in 18 trauma centers across the U.S. over a 7½-year period.
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Using a mathematical model, the researchers compared patients for whom life support was withdrawn to similar patients who were kept on life support.
Among the group for whom life support was not withdrawn, more than 40% recovered at least some independence, according to a press release.
The researchers also discovered that the notion of remaining in a vegetative state was an “unlikely outcome” six months after injury.
When designing the study, the team didn’t know what to expect, according to study author Yelena Bodien, PhD, of the Department of Neurology’s Center for neurotechnology and neurorecovery at Massachusetts General Hospital.
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“Our anecdotal experience was that some families are told their loved ones had no chance for recovery, they would never walk, talk, work or have a meaningful relationship again — yet they chose not to discontinue life support and their loved one made a remarkable recovery,” she told Fox News Digital.
“On the other hand, clinicians are under a lot of pressure to make early prognoses and do not want to commit someone to a life that would never be acceptable to them, so it could be that those patients who died after life support was withdrawn would have had very significant impairments otherwise.”
“I think there are two stories here,” said Bodien.
“One is that some patients with traumatic brain injury who died because life support was withdrawn may have recovered, but the other is that many would have died even if life support was continued.”
A patient’s prognosis after severe traumatic brain injury is highly uncertain, she noted. “Sometimes patients with the most devastating injuries survive and make meaningful recoveries.”
“Families can advocate for delaying a decision to discontinue life support if this is aligned with what they believe their loved one would want.”
The problem, Bodien said, is that health care providers lack the tools required to determine which patients with devastating injuries will recover, to what extent they will recover — and how long that will take.
‘Very important’ study
Dr. Marc Siegel, clinical professor of medicine at NYU Langone Medical Center and a Fox News medical contributor, was not involved in the research but said it was a “very important” study.
“Previous research shows a high-level recovery from mild TBI and a significant recovery percentage even with moderate to severe injury,” Siegel told Fox News Digital.
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“After head trauma, the brain may swell, and the use of mannitol and steroids and even sometimes surgery — where the top of the skull is removed — can be used to decrease pressure on the brain and increase chance of a full recovery,” he continued.
Rehabilitation is also crucial, Siegel added.
“All of these tools should be given a chance to work in most cases.”
Based on the study findings, Bodien recommended that clinicians should be “very cautious” with “irreversible decisions” like withdrawing life support in the days following traumatic brain injury.
“Families should also be aware of our results so that they can advocate for delaying a decision to discontinue life support if this is aligned with what they believe their loved one would want,” she added.
Limitations of the research
There were some limitations to the study, Bodien said.
“The sample size of the study was small, which made it difficult to find an adequate number of participants who did not have life support discontinued and were clinically similar, or ‘matched,’ to those who had life support discontinued,” she told Fox News Digital.
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Among the participants who did not have life support discontinued, the researchers were not able to follow all of them for a six-month period.
Another limitation is that the researchers used clinical variables that were available on the day of, or the day after, hospitalization — but sometimes decisions to discontinue life support are made several days later.
“There are many considerations that may lead to a decision to discontinue life support after traumatic brain injury that we were unable to factor into our analyses,” she continued.
“For example, personal beliefs, religion and advanced directives could all affect decision-making but were not captured in our study.”
Bodien also noted that the Harvard study was focused on traumatic brain injury and cannot be generalized to other injuries and illnesses.
For more Health articles, visit www.foxnews.com/health.
Health
7 important health stories you might have missed this week: Catch up here
Every day of the week, Fox News Digital publishes a range of health pieces to keep you up-to-date on the most important wellness news.
We cover cutting-edge medical research, breakthrough medications, mental health challenges, personal medical dramas and more.
In case you missed them, here are a few of our biggest health stories from this week.
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER
You can see a full list of recent health pieces at http://www.foxnews/health.
1. Hunger could be tied to sleep, expert says
If you’re feeling hungrier than usual lately, your sleep routine could be the culprit. A nutritional biologist offers tips for regulating sleep and curbing unhealthy cravings. Click here to get the story.
2. Health agencies issue bird flu update: ‘Alert, not alarmed’
The CDC and WebMD teamed up this week to deliver an hour-long update on Thursday about the current bird flu outbreak. Fox News Digital breaks down the most important points. Click here to get the story.
3. Melanoma patients share their stories
For Skin Cancer Awareness Month, two melanoma patients are speaking up about their symptoms, treatment and prevention tips to help others avoid the potentially deadly disease. Click here to get the story.
4. Report reveals staggering discrepancy in health care costs
Patients with private health insurance could be charged up to 300% more than those with Medicare, a new report reveals. Doctors explain the reasons for the sticker shock. Click here to get the story.
5. Pastor shares important message about depression
A Dallas pastor who fought his own depression battle shares how he overcame the disease – and why it’s so important for those in church leadership to seek help when they need it. Click here to get the story.
6. Nurse’s depression is cured through breakthrough tech
A Chicago nurse struggled with COVID-19-related PTSD and depression for years until electrical brain tapping therapy finally gave her a new lease on life. Click here to get the story.
7. Young vaper shares warning after nearly dying
A 22-year-old man in Nebraska required a double lung transplant due to vaping. Jackson Allard shares his story as a cautionary tale. “I had a 1% chance to live,” he said. Click here to get the story.
For more Health articles, visit www.foxnews.com/health.
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