Virtual care during the COVID-19 pandemic has been good for the environment and has saved patients money, according to a new study.

Telephone visits, rather than in-person visits to the doctor, resulted in a significant reduction in carbon dioxide emissions and patient travel-related expenses, such as gasoline, parking, or public transit costs in the province of Ontario, Canada.

@aronyak The results suggest that it may be worthwhile to investigate the targeted use of natural sounds such as birdsong in a clinical setting — for example, in hospital waiting rooms or in psychiatric settings

Engaging in regular leisure-time activities such as gardening, walking, and dancing is associated with a slowing of brain aging by 4 years, new research suggests. Results of a neuroimaging study that included more than 1500 participants show that those who engaged in more physical activity had "larger brain volume, independent of other factors such as age, sex, and education" than those who were inactive, study investigator Yian Gu, PhD, Columbia University, New York City, told Medscape Medical News. The study findings were released on March 5 ahead of the scheduled presentation in April at the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) 2020 Annual Meeting.

Obesity in adolescence is linked to an increased risk for type 1 diabetes onset in adulthood, new research suggests. These new data, from Israeli military recruits followed for over a decade, suggest that obesity may be playing a causal role in type 1 as well as type 2 diabetes. The incidence of type 1 diabetes has been increasing by about 2%-3% annually over recent decades, but the reasons aren't clear. The study is the first to examine the role of obesity in adolescence and type 1 diabetes in young adulthood, and also the first to examine the question of using antibody status as part of the criteria for a type 1 diagnosis.

@srabani Munir, an associate professor of endocrinology, diabetes, and nutrition at the University of Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore, and colleagues examined the results of five studies including almost 250,000 people without diabetes. The researchers didn't find that using proton pump inhibitors reduces the risk of developing new diabetes in this population. But then they looked at seven studies involving 342 patients with diabetes to see the effects of PPIs on blood sugar control.

A new toolkit provides coping strategies for people who are anxious about climate change. These strategies include volunteering, building a community, discussing emotions with others, practicing mindfulness, and seeking therapy. The toolkit, which was developed by nursing experts at the University of British Columbia (UBC) in Vancouver, Canada, also offers reflection questions and a film with diverse voices for people to examine their values, emotions, and behaviors in relation to the environment.

@naresh Most rhinologists believe that allergic fungal sinusitis (AFS) is an allergic reaction to fungi, in which fungal debris, allergic mucin, and nasal polyposes are formed in the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses. The causative fungi in allergic fungal sinusitis (AFS) are usually dematiaceous fungi, consisting of the genera Bipolaris, Curvularia, Exserohilum, Alternaria, Drechslera, Helminthosporium, and Fusarium, with a small component of allergic fungal sinusitis (AFS) caused by Aspergillus. In a 1996 review of English literature performed by Manning, 263 cases of allergic fungal sinusitis (AFS) were identified, of which 168 cases yielded positive fungal cultures. Of these 168 positive cultures, 87% were from the dematiaceous genera, while only 13% yielded Aspergillus.

@tasmeen While we are focused on cough and fever as the initial signs of COVID-19, it’s also important to be aware that abdominal pain, vomiting and diarrhea could precede respiratory symptoms in some people. Results of a new study published in the American Journal of Gastroenterology indicate that a subset of persons could develop symptoms such as vomiting and diarrhea along with abdominal pain during early stages of infection with SARS -CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. That said, its still important to realize that respiratory symptoms are the more common presentation—fever and dry cough—as COVID-19 mainly affects the lungs. The potential for also having minimal early symptoms (nasal congestion, aches pains, and sore throat)—or none at all— has also been described, and is believed to be associated with ongoing asymptomatic transmission.

Hello, I would like to know how voice search helps in healthcare? Is it effective enough to create an impact? How voice technology works and what is the mechanism? Please elaborate on this.

@maya If you have a high fever and diarrhea, then make it a point to visit a doctor as soon as possible. Currently, most fevers are abnormal, meaning, some antibiotics do not cure deadly fevers. This is because the antibiotic has adapted to the harmful bacteria. This is called antibiotic resistance. The primary cause of dysentery is poor hygiene. Dysentery can be contagious in such a way that it can spread by a single touch. This happens when a normal person gets in contact with an infected person. So, how do you prevent this deadly disease from affecting your family members? Here is a list of simple home remedies that will protect you and your family from this dreadful disease.
Add rock salt to buttermilk and consume
Drink at least two glasses of fresh orange juice a day
Make a milkshake with pomegranate skin and consume
Drink lemon juice
Eat a lot of bananas. This will help in soft and norm stools
Mix milk, honey and lemon together and consume
Drink black tea
Wash your hands with soap or use hand sanitisers, especially after using the toilet. Make sure hand sanitisers are not used in excess.
Drink mineral water or boil water for 10 to 15 minutes
Also, make sure what food you are consuming is well cooked