COVID Falling in 49 of 50 States as Deaths Near 900,000 Feb. 4, 2022 Arizona has seen daily case and hospitalization numbers decline, though deaths are still on the rise, climbing from an average of about 61 a day last week to almost 79 as of Tuesday. "We have reason to be hopeful, but we are by no means out of the woods," tweeted Elizabeth Jacobs, PhD, a professor of epidemiology at the Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health. PBS NewsHour
Public Health Researchers Join Statewide Initiative to Prepare for Climate Impacts Feb. 4, 2022 Researchers at the Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health are partnering with organizations across the state to implement interventions aimed at protecting Arizonans from heat hazards with $2 million in funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. State of Reform
Aiming at a New Target to Stop a Widespread Common Virus Feb. 3, 2022 A postdoctoral researcher looks for ways to switch off the mechanism that allows a common yet potentially deadly virus to reproduce and thrive. Read more Image
Virtual Symposium Will Address Issues Affecting LGBTQIA+ Communities Feb. 3, 2022 The Fourth Annual LGBTQIA+ National Symposium and Community Fair aims to address inequities in care that affect the health outcomes of the LGBTQIA+ community. Read more Image
Public Health Researchers Join Statewide Initiative to Prepare for Climate Impacts Feb. 3, 2022 Researchers will partner with the Arizona Department of Health Services to prepare for adverse effects of climate change, especially heat-related health hazards. Read more Image
Report Finds What's Good for the Heart Is Good for the Brain Feb. 3, 2022 Researchers at the University of Arizona are working on a promising treatment to reduce the risk of dementia in patients who have had a stroke. Kristian Doyle, associate professor of immunobiology, University of Arizona College of Medicine - Tucson, said they are investigating a drug that helps the brain safely store cholesterol after a stroke without provoking an inflammatory response. Public News Service
Maintaining Transparency: Study to Focus on Causes of Cataracts Feb. 2, 2022 Researchers will use a $1.6 million National Eye Institute grant to study age-related lens cell changes that can lead to cataracts. Read more Image
Drug That Cleans Up Cholesterol May Reduce Post-Stroke Dementia Feb. 2, 2022 University of Arizona Health Sciences researchers discovered a potential treatment to reduce the risk of post-stroke dementia, which may be influenced by the immune response to dead brain tissue left in the wake of a stroke, according to a study published in the Journal of Neuroscience. Freethink
Arizona Poison Centers Warn of Increase in Fentanyl Overdoses Feb. 2, 2022 The two poison centers in Arizona have seen a significant increase in poisonings related to fentanyl from illicit M30 tablets. These counterfeit pills are very dangerous and can be so toxic they cause death. Steve Dudley, PharmD, DABAT, clinical toxicologist and director of the UArizona Poison and Drug Information Center, is quoted. Queen Creek Sun Times
What the Omicron Wave is Revealing About Human Immunity Feb. 2, 2022 SARS-CoV-2 has given scientists a plethora of vaccines to evaluate. The response after the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, for instance, elicits a weaker immune response than the mRNA vaccines initially, “and then it actually starts to get better over time,” says Deepta Bhattacharya, PhD, a professor and immunologist at the College of Medicine – Tucson. Nature