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Released: 18-Jan-2021 7:50 AM EST
Pregnant women should consider taking the COVID-19 vaccine.
University of Washington School of Medicine

If pregnant individuals catch COVID they will generally get sicker than non-pregnant individuals. They also more commonly end up on ECMO [heart-lung support], in the ICU or on ventilators.

Released: 18-Jan-2021 7:40 AM EST
Have allergies? Worried about COVID-19 vaccine? Don’t be.
UW Medicine

Even people who have experienced severe allergic reactions to food, latex, pets, pollen, or bee stings should get the coronavirus vaccine, UW Medicine allergy and infectious disease experts say.

Released: 14-Jan-2021 4:45 PM EST
Astronomers document the rise and fall of a rarely observed stellar dance
University of Washington

Astronomers have catalogued 126 years of changes to HS Hydrae, a rare evolving eclipsing binary. The two stars in HS Hydrae began to eclipse each other starting around a century ago, peaking in the 1960s. The degree of eclipsing then plummeted over the course of just a half century, and will cease around Feb. 2021.

11-Jan-2021 3:05 PM EST
Sexual harassment claims considered more credible if made by ‘prototypical’ women, study finds
University of Washington

A new UW study reveals people's perceptions that sexual harassment primarily affects young, feminine and conventionally attractive women. Women who fall outside that prototype not only are perceived as unharmed by harassment, but also have a harder time convincing others that they have been harassed.

Released: 12-Jan-2021 9:05 AM EST
New treatment allows some people with spinal cord injury to regain hand and arm function
University of Washington

University of Washington researchers helped six Seattle-area people with spinal cord injuries regain some hand and arm mobility.

   
8-Jan-2021 11:05 AM EST
More Management Measures Lead to Healthier Fish Populations
University of Washington

Fish populations tend to do better in places where rigorous fisheries management practices are used, and the more measures employed, the better for fish populations and food production, according to a new paper published Jan. 11 in Nature Sustainability.

Released: 11-Jan-2021 7:45 AM EST
Accelerating AI computing to the speed of light
University of Washington

A University of Washington-led team has come up with a system that could help speed up AI performance and find ways to reduce its energy consumption: an optical computing core prototype that uses phase-change material.

Released: 5-Jan-2021 2:35 PM EST
AI algorithms detect diabetic eye disease inconsistently
University of Washington School of Medicine

Diabetes continues to be the leading cause of new cases of blindness among adults in the United States. But the current shortage of eye-care providers would make it impossible to keep up with demand to provide the requisite annual screenings for this population. A new study looks at the effectiveness of seven artificial intelligence-based screening algorithms to diagnose diabetic retinopathy, the most common diabetic eye disease leading to vision loss.

Released: 23-Dec-2020 8:20 AM EST
Perspective: Why opioids cannot fix chronic pain
University of Washington School of Medicine

New epidemiological and neuroscientific evidence suggests emotional pain activates many of the same limbic brain centers as physical pain. Pain experts Mark Sullivan and Jane Ballantyne at the University of Washington School of Medicine explain the relation in a reflections column published ahead of print in the Annals of Family Medicine. The researchers say opioids may make patients feel better early on, but over the long term these drugs cause all kinds of havoc on their well-being.

Released: 23-Dec-2020 8:20 AM EST
A palpable sense of energy in vaccination clinics
University of Washington School of Medicine

A little slice of life at a vaccination clinic at UW Medicine in Seattle.

Released: 17-Dec-2020 5:55 PM EST
Insurance status doesn’t alter trauma care outcome in Ghana
University of Washington School of Medicine

A team of Ghanaian and U.S. researchers examined whether having insurance affected trauma patients’ out-of-pocket costs and their chances to get timely surgical care after being admitted to Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, a large teaching hospital in Kumasi, Ghana, a city of 3.3 million. The study was published in the Bulletin of the World Health Organization. Collaborators came from Stanford University and the University of Utah.

Released: 17-Dec-2020 3:00 PM EST
Research strongly suggests COVID-19 virus enters the brain
University of Washington School of Medicine

The SARS-CoV-2 virus, like many viruses before it, is bad news for the brain. In a study published Dec.16 in Nature Neuroscience, researchers found that the spike protein, often depicted as the red arms of the virus, can cross the blood-brain barrier in mice. This strongly suggests that SARS-CoV-2, the cause of COVID-19, can enter the brain. The spike protein, often called the S1 protein, dictates which cells the virus can enter. Usually, the virus does the same thing as its binding protein, said lead author William A. Banks, a professor of medicine at the University of Washington School of Medicine and a Puget Sound Veterans Affairs Healthcare System physician and researcher. Banks said binding proteins like S1 usually by themselves cause damage as they detach from the virus and cause inflammation.

Released: 15-Dec-2020 2:20 PM EST
A.I. model shows promise to generate faster, more accurate weather forecasts
University of Washington

A model based solely on the past 40 years of weather events uses 7,000 times less computer power than today’s weather forecasting tools. An A.I.-powered model could someday provide more accurate forecasts for rain, snow and other weather events.

8-Dec-2020 6:30 PM EST
Warm oceans helped first human migration from Asia to North America
University of Washington

New research reveals significant changes to the circulation of the North Pacific and its impact on the initial migration of humans from Asia to North America. It provides a new picture of the circulation and climate of the North Pacific at the end of the last ice age, with implications for early human migration.

Released: 8-Dec-2020 1:35 PM EST
NSF-funded deep ice core to be drilled at Hercules Dome, Antarctica
University of Washington

Antarctica’s next deep ice core, a 1.5-mile core reaching back to 130,000-year-old ice, will be carried out by a multi-institutional U.S. team led by UW’s Eric Steig. The site hundreds of miles from today’s coastline could provide clues to the most recent collapse of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet.

Released: 7-Dec-2020 5:10 PM EST
The Smellicopter is an obstacle-avoiding drone that uses a live moth antenna to seek out smells
University of Washington

A University of Washington-led team has developed Smellicopter: an autonomous drone that uses a live antenna from a moth to navigate toward smells. Smellicopter can also sense and avoid obstacles as it travels through the air.

Released: 7-Dec-2020 10:00 AM EST
Military flights biggest cause of noise pollution on Olympic Peninsula
University of Washington

A University of Washington study provides the first look at how much noise pollution is impacting the Olympic Peninsula in Washington state. The paper found that aircraft were audible across a large swath of the peninsula at least 20% of weekday hours, or for about one hour during a six-hour period. About 88% of all audible aircraft in the pre-pandemic study were military planes.

Released: 4-Dec-2020 8:30 AM EST
Researchers discover how bean plants fend off famished foes
University of Washington

A team led by scientists at the University of Washington and the University of California, San Diego has discovered that cowpeas — a type of bean plant — harbor receptors on the surface of their cells that can detect a compound in caterpillar saliva and initiate anti-herbivore defenses.

Released: 4-Dec-2020 8:15 AM EST
Tips and tools to help young adults through pandemic
University of Washington School of Medicine

Experts at the Center for Study of Health and Risk Behaviors at the University of Washington created a personalized assessment tool for young adults, including tips on how to increase their well-being during the pandemic.

Released: 3-Dec-2020 3:15 PM EST
Leaving so soon? Unusual planetary nebula fades mere decades after it arrived
University of Washington

Using images from the Hubble Space Telescope, astronomers have discovered that the Stingray Nebula, the youngest planetary nebula in our sky, has faded dramatically over the course of just 20 years. If dimming continues at current rates, in 20 or 30 years the Stingray Nebula will be barely perceptible.

30-Nov-2020 1:40 PM EST
Tire-related chemical is largely responsible for adult coho salmon deaths in urban streams
University of Washington

A team led by researchers at the University of Washington Tacoma, UW and Washington State University Puyallup have discovered a chemical that kills coho salmon in urban streams before the fish can spawn.

Released: 3-Dec-2020 9:40 AM EST
How a police contact by middle school leads to different outcomes for Black, white youth
University of Washington

A new University of Washington study finds that Black youth are more likely than white youth to be treated as “usual suspects” after a first encounter with police, leading to subsequent arrests over time. Even as white young adults report engaging in significantly more illegal behavior, Black young adults face more criminal penalties.

Released: 24-Nov-2020 4:30 PM EST
Microbes help unlock phosphorus for plant growth
University of Washington

A research team led by the University of Washington and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory has shown that microbes taken from trees growing beside pristine mountain-fed streams in Western Washington could make phosphorus trapped in soils more accessible to agricultural crops.

Released: 20-Nov-2020 2:20 PM EST
New treatments for hot flashes target neurons
University of Washington School of Medicine

Specifically, Dr. Susan Reed talked about research into drugs that act at the kisspeptin/neurokinin B/ dynorphin (KNDy) neuron complex in the hypothalamus which controls reproduction and hormonal control. During menopause, estrogen levels decrease, which causes these neurons to be hyperstimulated, thereby causing hot flashes.

16-Nov-2020 2:25 PM EST
Could Robots for Sex, Friendship Improve Our Aging Society?
University of Washington School of Medicine

A bioethicist lays out the ethical rationale to develop robots for isolated and disabled older people – a population increasingly alone due to COVID-19. Many lonely seniors would value a robot for companionship and sexual gratification, writes Nancy Jecker at the Univ. of Washington School of Medicine.

31-Oct-2020 12:00 PM EDT
Porcupine: a DNA-based molecular tagging system that could take the place of printed barcodes
University of Washington

University of Washington and Microsoft researchers have developed a DNA-based molecular tagging system.

Released: 3-Nov-2020 8:20 AM EST
Where you get depression care matters, study finds
University of Washington School of Medicine

Research shows that collaborative care programs in which primary-care providers work with a depression care manager and a designated psychiatric consultant can more than double the likelihood of improving depression outcomes. But a new study published in Health Affairs shows that not all care is equal.

30-Oct-2020 2:55 PM EDT
Flying through wildfire smoke plumes could improve smoke forecasts
University of Washington

The biggest study yet of West Coast wildfire plumes shows how a smoke plume’s chemistry changes over time. Results suggest current models may not accurately predict the air quality downwind of a wildfire.

30-Oct-2020 11:10 AM EDT
New study finds earliest evidence for mammal social behavior
University of Washington

A new study indicates that the earliest evidence of mammal social behavior goes back to the Age of Dinosaurs. A multituberculate that lived about 75.5 million years ago, Filikomys primaevus engaged in multi-generational, group-nesting and burrowing behavior, and possibly lived in colonies.

Released: 29-Oct-2020 3:45 PM EDT
Models show how COVID-19 cuts a neighborhood path
University of Washington

A research team led by UC Irvine and the University of Washington has created a new model of how the coronavirus can spread through a community. The model factors in network exposure — whom one interacts with — and demographics to simulate at a more detailed level both where and how quickly the coronavirus could spread through Seattle and 18 other major cities.

Released: 28-Oct-2020 4:30 PM EDT
SoundWatch: New smartwatch app alerts d/Deaf and hard-of-hearing users to birdsong, sirens and other desired sounds
University of Washington

UW researchers have developed SoundWatch, a smartwatch app for deaf, Deaf and hard-of-hearing people who want to be aware of nearby sounds.

   
Released: 26-Oct-2020 7:05 PM EDT
Partnership aims to improve critical care for young patients
University of Washington School of Medicine

UW Medicine and MultiCare Health System have signed an agreement making Airlift Northwest the preferred air transport service for pediatric patients needing care at Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital and neonatal patients needing care at MultiCare Tacoma General Hospital in Tacoma, Wash

Released: 22-Oct-2020 12:20 PM EDT
Simple actions can help people survive landslides
University of Washington

Simple actions can dramatically improve a person’s chances of surviving a landslide, show records from 38 landslides in the U.S. and around the world. People who survived landslides tended to have moved upstairs or to higher ground, among other key actions.

16-Oct-2020 12:00 PM EDT
Conversation about suicide prevention leads to safe gun storage
University of Washington

Research by Forefront Suicide Prevention at the University of Washington, from visits to 18 gun shows and other community events around Washington state last year, found that engaging people in a community-based setting, in an empathetic conversation focused on safety, resulted in more people locking up their firearms.

15-Oct-2020 4:50 PM EDT
Early-arriving endangered Chinook salmon take the brunt of sea lion predation
University of Washington

A new University of Washington and NOAA Fisheries study found that sea lions have the largest negative effect on early-arriving endangered Chinook salmon in the lower Columbia River. The results of this study will publish Oct. 18 in the Journal of Applied Ecology.

Released: 16-Oct-2020 1:35 PM EDT
Are climate scientists being too cautious when linking extreme weather to climate change?
University of Washington

Climate science has focused on avoiding false alarms when linking extreme weather to climate change. But when meteorologists warn of hazardous weather, they include a second key measure of success -- the probability of detection.

Released: 8-Oct-2020 4:05 PM EDT
UW receives $1.5 million CDC grant to study handgun carrying among rural adolescents
University of Washington

The CDC announced on Sept. 23 it would fund 16 studies for a total of more than $7.8 million to understand and prevent firearm violence. The University of Washington’s proposal to study handgun carrying among rural adolescents was awarded a three-year grant totaling roughly $1.5 million.

Released: 8-Oct-2020 11:55 AM EDT
Turning hotels into emergency shelter as part of COVID-19 response limited spread of coronavirus, improved health and stability
University of Washington

A King County, Washington, initiative to relocate people from homeless shelters to hotel rooms during the pandemic not only limited the spread of COVID-19, but also improved people's mental health and well-being, and allowed them to focus on long-term goals.

Released: 8-Oct-2020 11:25 AM EDT
Airdropping sensors from moths: Researchers use flying insects to drop sensors from air, land them safely on the ground
University of Washington

University of Washington researchers have developed a tiny sensor that can ride aboard a small drone or an insect, such as a moth, until it gets to its destination. Then the sensor can fall up to 72 feet and land on the ground without breaking.

Released: 6-Oct-2020 2:35 PM EDT
All together now: Experiments with twisted 2D materials catch electrons behaving collectively
University of Washington

A team led by the University of Washington reports that carefully constructed stacks of graphene — a 2D form of carbon — can exhibit highly correlated electron properties. The team also found evidence that this type of collective behavior likely relates to the emergence of exotic magnetic states.

Released: 5-Oct-2020 3:45 PM EDT
Women, workers of color filling most ‘high-hazard/low-reward’ jobs in Washington
University of Washington

When exploring data on Washington workers during the pandemic — demographics, working conditions, wages and benefits, and risks of exposure to disease — the authors of a new report found that women hold two-thirds of the jobs in the harshest category of work.

Released: 30-Sep-2020 1:55 PM EDT
UW researchers driving around Seattle to track COVID-19 response over time
University of Washington

University of Washington researchers developed a project that scans the streets every few weeks to document how Seattle has reacted to the pandemic and what recovery looks like.



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