All Sauce from Weekly Gravy:

A new cruise ship study suggests that the number of people who are infected with the new coronavirus but have no symptoms may be much higher than believed. More than 80% of those who tested positive for the infection had no symptoms, according to the study published online May 27 in the journal Thorax. The findings could be important as lockdown restrictions begin to be eased, and they highlight the need for accurate data on how many people worldwide have been infected, journal joint editor-in-chief Alan Smyth said in a linked blog. The study focused on a ship with 128 passengers and 95 crew that left Argentina in mid-March for a planned 21-day cruise of the Antarctic. The voyage began after the World Health Organization (WHO) had declared the new coronavirus a global pandemic. Passengers who in the previous three weeks had been in countries where coronavirus infection rates were high were not allowed to board. All passengers who were allowed to board had their temperature taken before embarkation, and the ship had numerous hand sanitizing stations, particularly in the dining room. After the first case of fever was reported on day 8 of the voyage, infection control measures were immediately implemented, including confining passengers to their cabins and the use of personal protective equipment by any crew member in contact with sick passengers. The…  read on >

An injectable electrode could prove a better way to ease chronic nerve pain than opioid painkillers or bulky and expensive implants, animal research suggests. It’s called an “injectrode.” It appears easier and cheaper than spinal implants for debilitating back pain, and safer than long-term use of opioids like OxyContin (oxycodone), a recent paper suggests. A liquid silicone gel filled with small metal particles is injected around the nerve that’s causing the pain, said researcher Kip Ludwig, a professor of biomedical engineering and neurological surgery at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. “It cures (hardens), and it becomes a conductible electrode” that surrounds the nerve, Ludwig said. Doctors then inject an outer sheath of insulation around the newly formed electrode, and use the same gel to craft a wire running from the injectrode to the surface of the skin. “You now have a direct connection to stimulate a deep nerve from the surface of the skin, without affecting any nerves on the surface of the skin,” Ludwig said. “We’re trying to get this to the point where it’s like getting a tattoo, in terms of invasiveness.” The use of electrical pulses to alter nerve activity, a technique called neuromodulation, has been shown to effectively treat chronic nerve pain, Ludwig said. “When you feel pain, those nerves are sending an electrical signal that goes to your brain and tells…  read on >

(HealthDay News) — As the U.S. coronavirus death toll passed 100,000 on Wednesday, there was more evidence of the collateral damage the virus has caused: New numbers released Thursday show the number of unemployed has now passed 40 million. The death toll is “a striking reminder of how dangerous this virus can be,” Josh Michaud, associate director of global health policy with the Kaiser Family Foundation in Washington, told the Associated Press. COVID-19 is also a virus of opportunity: A jump in cases is being seen in nearly a dozen U.S. states, at least half of which reopened early, as the country’s coronavirus case count passed 1.7 million on Thursday. Though the overall national trend has been staying steady or dropping, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and Tennessee are some of the states seeing upticks, The New York Times reported. All five states were among the first to loosen social distancing restrictions. To some degree, the increase in cases may be due to increased testing, but it also suggests that the virus’s spread in this country is nowhere near over, the Times reported. In a sign that the mental health toll of the coronavirus pandemic is also on the rise, new Census Bureau data shows that nearly a third of Americans are showing signs of clinical anxiety or depression, the Washington Post reported Tuesday. Meanwhile,…  read on >

Though the physical health risks posed by COVID-19 are at the top of everyone’s mind, experts warn the pandemic is also exacting a massive toll on mental health. So finds new research emerging on the mental health effects in China, where infection peaks and lockdowns have preceded the American experience by several months. For example, one recent study in the journal Psychiatry Research surveyed more than 7,200 Chinese men and women during the country’s February lockdown. More than a third were found to be suffering from COVID-related “generalized anxiety disorder,” while about a fifth struggled with signs of depression. Just over 18% reported sleeping difficulties. The good news? Experts say there are effective coping strategies for those who feel they’re sinking under the weight of the coronavirus crisis. “First I think it is important that we acknowledge for ourselves that feeling overwhelmed, fearful or stressed in the current circumstance is quite understandable,” said Danielle King, assistant professor of industrial and organizational psychology at Rice University in Houston. “Rather than avoiding having those feelings, I believe it is beneficial for us to acknowledge them, give ourselves grace, and find ways to also experience some positive emotions in the midst of these difficulties,” she said. Consciously doing that, said King, helps people accept that there are some things “that are not within our control.” And it also…  read on >

Mindfulness training may help counter the thinking and emotional difficulties caused by multiple sclerosis. In a small test study, people with multiple sclerosis (MS) who had four weeks of mindfulness training emerged with better emotional control and faster thinking. Multiple sclerosis is a disease in which the immune system attacks the brain, spinal cord and optic nerves. This interferes with communication in the brain and between the brain and body, leading to worsening mental and physical problems. An estimated one million people in the United States are affected. “Emotional upheaval is part and parcel of living with multiple sclerosis — there’s no cure, per se,” said Nicholas Larocca, a National Multiple Sclerosis Society consultant. “You can look at someone who has mild multiple sclerosis. They can have cognitive problems much more than physical problems,” he added. In a pilot study, Ohio State University researchers tested 47 women and 14 men with MS on emotional control, mental speed and short-term memory. For four weeks, the study participants were divided into three groups. One group received mindfulness training; a second received computerized “adaptive cognitive” training aimed at focusing their attention; and a control group received no training until the study ended. Mindfulness training teaches people to stay focused in the present, helping them look at problems objectively and accept without judgment, said study leader Ruchika Prakash, director…  read on >

(HealthDay News) — A jump in coronavirus cases is being seen in nearly a dozen U.S. states, at least half of which reopened early, as the country’s coronavirus case count neared 1.7 million on Wednesday. Though the overall national trend has been staying steady or dropping, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and Tennessee are some of the states seeing upticks, The New York Times reported. All five states were among the first to loosen social distancing restrictions. To some degree, the increase in cases may be due to increased testing, but it also suggests that the virus’s spread in this country is nowhere near over, the Times reported. In a sign that the mental health toll of the coronavirus pandemic is also on the rise, new Census Bureau data shows that nearly a third of Americans are showing signs of clinical anxiety or depression, the Washington Post reported Tuesday. Meanwhile, safety concerns over a malaria drug that President Donald Trump has touted as a coronavirus treatment prompted the World Health Organization on Monday to remove the medication from a global trial of potential COVID-19 therapies. Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the international health agency’s director-general, said the WHO decided to take a “pause” in testing hydroxychloroquine after a study published last week in The Lancet medical journal found people who took the drug were more likely…  read on >

(HealthDay News) — Safety concerns over a malaria drug that President Donald Trump has touted as a coronavirus treatment prompted the World Health Organization on Monday to remove the medication from a global trial of potential COVID-19 therapies. Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the international health agency’s director-general, said the WHO decided to take a “pause” in testing hydroxychloroquine after a study published last week in The Lancet medical journal found people who took the drug were more likely to die, The New York Times reported. Several other studies have found the medication has no benefit and could possibly harm COVID-19 patients. Still, Trump said on Sunday he had just finished taking a two-week course of the malaria drug to guard against COVID-19 infection after two White House staffers tested positive for the coronavirus. On Tuesday, pharmaceutical giant Merck jumped into the fight against the coronavirus, announcing two separate efforts to develop a vaccine and a partnership to develop a promising antiviral drug that can be taken as a pill, the Times reported. Meanwhile, hopes for another drug being tested against coronavirus infection dimmed on Friday, after a major, new study found the drug on its own won’t be enough to significantly curb cases and deaths. The study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, found that, “given high mortality [of patients] despite the use…  read on >

For parents hoping their “picky” eater will grow out of it, a new study may be unwelcome news. Researchers found that choosy 4-year-olds were still turning their noses up at many foods at age 9 — suggesting their finicky eating is more of a trait than a phase. The study, which followed over 300 children, found three patterns: The majority were consistently middle-of-the-road when it came to food fussiness — sometimes shunning unfamiliar cuisine, but remaining relatively open to trying new foods. A sizable minority (29%) consistently ate everything their parents offered up. Then there was the picky 14%. From age 4 to 9, they routinely refused new foods and maintained a limited culinary repertoire. Still, researchers saw bright spots in the findings, published May 26 in the journal Pediatrics. For one, there were no signs that picky eaters were underweight. And the fact that the fussiness seems to be a trait — and not a failure on the parents’ part — might bring some solace. “It can be very stressful for parents to deal with a picky eater,” noted senior researcher Dr. Megan Pesch, a pediatrician at the University of Michigan’s C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital in Ann Arbor. But if parents think they did something wrong to cause it, she added, these findings suggest otherwise. “It’s not your fault,” Pesch said. “It seems to…  read on >

If anxiety and fear about COVID-19 are keeping you awake, rest assured: Adopting a few easy-to-follow habits will help you get a good night’s sleep. “Now more than ever, we need to get good sleep,” said Dr. Amy Guralnick, a pulmonologist at Loyola Medicine in Chicago. “Sleep can help our immune system function at its best. Getting a good night’s sleep also helps us to think clearly and to problem-solve better.” And, she added, too little sleep can lead to depression, anxiety and other mental health conditions. So what can you do to get more — and better — Zzzzzzz’s? Make a sleep schedule and follow a routine, Guralnick advised. “Having a daily, fixed wake up time is the most important part of the schedule,” she said. In the hours before bedtime, avoid viewing any technology with a backlight, she suggested. That includes a phone, tablet or a computer. Here’s why: “Your brain thinks that the light coming from those is daylight and it will suppress the release of a hormone called melatonin which helps put you to sleep,” Guralnick explained. If you suffer from stress or anxiety, consider writing down your worries in a journal. But set it aside before bedtime, she said. Your bed should be used only for sleep and intimacy. “The bed is not for eating or working or reading or…  read on >

With many beaches and parks opening in time for Memorial Day, the American Cancer Society is reminding people to practice sun safety. Overexposing yourself to the sun increases your risk for skin cancer, which is the most common cancer in the United States, with almost 5.5 million cases each year. That’s more than breast, colon, lung and prostate cancers combined. “COVID-19 has forced Americans to remain indoors, and many people are anxious to get back to outdoor activities with some stay-at-home orders being lifted,” said Dr. Laura Makaroff, senior vice president of prevention and early detection at the American Cancer Society (ACS). “As more people get outside, practicing social distancing and avoiding crowded areas is still very important to reduce the risk of COVID transmission, and it is also important to not forget the risks of sun exposure and sunburn and take appropriate steps to protect your skin,” Makaroff said in an ACS news release. One of every 5 Americans will have some type of skin cancer in their lifetime. Melanoma, the deadliest type accounts for about 1% of all skin cancer cases, the ACS said. But skin cancer is very preventable. More than 90% of skin cancers are caused by exposure to ultraviolet radiation from the sun or indoor tanning. You can reduce the risk of skin cancer by: Not intentionally getting a sunburn…  read on >