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Progress Underway On Union’s New Stadium Daniel Hawk Demolition started in January on Union’s new $42 – News On 6

Posted on May 3, 2020 by Danzig

Friday, May 1st 2020, 10:36 pm

By: Daniel Hawk

Demolition started in January on Unions new $42 million stadium project.

Union AD Emily Barkley said she has quite the site to behold when she makes her rounds to check in on construction.

"I kind of looked out my window when I came in here today a little bit just to get caught up. They are encasing the new light fixtures that we have up there and brick facade, Barkley said.

What used to be the press box at Union-Tuttle Stadium is now a giant hole.

On the east side of the stadium new bleachers have been placed in hopes of having a rowdy fan base to cheer from this fall.

"I just can imagine having a school year without it. It's what we know and what we do. I would love to see us get back those things those extracurricular and co circular things that really make us enjoy that high school experience, Barkley said.

keeping up the joneses is the mantra of high school in Oklahoma these days and Union is looking to move to the front of the class.

"We are very fortunate that our patrons voted on this in the bond issue, and we are able to see it through. I think it would be very comparable to some of the really elite ones that are down there in Texas as well, Barkley said.

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Progress Underway On Union's New Stadium Daniel Hawk Demolition started in January on Union's new $42 - News On 6

Calif. Governor Warns That Packed Beaches Put Coronavirus Pandemic Progress At Risk – NPR

Posted on May 3, 2020 by Danzig

People enjoy a day out on Sunday in Huntington Beach, Calif. High numbers of beachgoers over the weekend prompted warnings from officials that defying stay-at-home orders could reverse progress and bring the coronavirus surging back. Marcio Jose Sanchez/AP hide caption

High temperatures drew large crowds to beaches along the California coastline over the weekend, and Gov. Gavin Newsom said Monday that photos of the packed shorelines show "what not to do."

That behavior could put the progress the state has made in battling the coronavirus pandemic in jeopardy, the governor warned at a news conference.

"I cannot impress upon you more, to those Californians watching, that we can't see the images like we saw, particularly on Saturday in Newport Beach and elsewhere, in the state of California," Newsom said. "This virus doesn't go home because it's a beautiful, sunny day around our coasts."

Many counties across the state have shut down beach access in the face of the pandemic, but beaches in Orange, Ventura and Santa Cruz counties have largely remained open.

Still, officials in Ventura County commended beachgoers for adhering to social distancing guidelines, and the governor admitted the majority of open beaches saw good behavior.

Modifications of the statewide order are "weeks, not months away," the governor said, but any gradual loosening of that order is "driven by data and behavior."

"The only thing that will set us back is people stopping to practice physical distancing and appropriate social distancing," Newsom said. "That's the only thing that's going to slow down our ability to reopen this economy."

Newsom urged Californians to continue to heed the state's stay-at-home order, which was put in place in March and has yet to expire. On Monday, Bay Area officials announced an extension of their shelter-in-place order through May.

As of Monday, 43,600 Californians have been sickened with coronavirus and more than 1,700 have died. While those numbers have continued to rise over the past month, the number of patients with COVID-19 in hospitals has leveled in the past week.

The governor's warning comes as states such as Georgia and South Carolina are reopening access to many businesses and beaches.

Newsom also mentioned in the briefing more aggressive enforcement was likely in those beach communities that saw high traffic. Law enforcement and local officials in Orange and Santa Cruz counties plan to meet in the coming days to discuss potential tactics or additional orders to limit beach access.

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Calif. Governor Warns That Packed Beaches Put Coronavirus Pandemic Progress At Risk - NPR

Healthcare ETFs to Gain on Progress in Coronavirus Vaccine – Yahoo Finance

Posted on May 3, 2020 by Danzig

The coronavirus has infected more than three million people across the globe. The death toll has surpassed 200,000 worldwide, according to Johns Hopkins University. In such a scenario, the desperation for a vaccine or treatment is rising by the hour. In fact, according to the latest WHO report, around six vaccine candidates have entered the clinical evaluation stage. These candidates belong to Moderna Inc.MRNA andInovio Pharmaceuticals Inc.(INO) along with China's Sinovac, CanSino Biological Inc., Beijing Institute of Biological Products and University of Oxford. Moreover, around 77 vaccine candidates are under preclinical evaluation, per the report.

Latest Progress in Vaccine Development

Large pharmaceutical player, Johnson & Johnson JNJ has entered into a manufacturing deal with Emergent BioSolutions Inc. (EBS) to strengthen the U.S.-based manufacturing capacity for its COVID-19 vaccine candidate. The company expects to initiate a phase I study on the candidate in September 2020 under an accelerated timeline. Safety and efficacy data from the study is likely to be available by this year-end, based on which, the company expects a vaccine to be available for emergency use in early 2021. Notably, J&J has also identified two back-up candidates apart from the chief COVID-19 candidate.

Moving on, Pfizer PFE and Germany-based biotech BioNTech recently received approval from the local regulatory authority, the Paul-Ehrlich-Institute, to initiate a phase I/II study to evaluate BioNTechs BNT162 vaccine program to prevent COVID-19 infection. They plan to initiate the study shortly. Notably, these companies had signed a deal to co-develop mRNA-based vaccines for COVID-19 last month.

Heating up the competition, pharmaceutical giants Sanofi SNY and GlaxoSmithKline plc GSK joined forces to speed up development of a vaccine for the virus on Apr 14. Both drug makers plan to begin the initial clinical tests of the vaccine prototype in the second half of 2020. The vaccine should be available in the second half of 2021, if the results are positive.

Meanwhile, Novavax has identified a coronavirus vaccine candidate, NVX-CoV2373, and plans to start a first-in-human trial in mid-May. Moderna has initiated a phase 1 trial of COVID-19 vaccine candidate, enrolling subjects at the highest dose. The trial has three arms that are administering doses of 25 mcg, 100 mcg and 250 mcg.

ETFs to Gain

The competition to come up with a vaccine is opening up near-term opportunities, making the biotech sector a prospective space for investments. Therefore, we discuss a few ETFs that seek to provide exposure to the biotech sector:

iSharesNasdaq Biotechnology ETFIBB

This fund looks to provide exposure to U.S. biotechnology and pharmaceutical stocks and tracks the NASDAQ Biotechnology Index. It comprises 210 holdings. It has AUM of $8.06 billion and charges a fee of 47 basis points a year (read:ETF Strategies to Play the Rising Virus-Induced Volatility).

SPDR S&P Biotech ETFXBI

The fund seeks daily investment results, before fees and expenses, which match the S&PBiotechnology Select IndustryIndex. It holds about 122 securities in its basket. It has AUM of $4.55 billion and an expense ratio of 0.35% (read:6 Top-Ranked ETFs Beating the Market).

VanEck Vectors Biotech ETFBBH

The underlying MVIS US Listed Biotech 25 Index tracks the overall performance of companies involved in the development and production, marketing and sales of drugs based on genetic analysis and diagnostic equipment. It holds about 25 securities in its basket. Its AUM is $389.1 million and it has an expense ratio of 0.35%.

Some healthcare ETFs can also be considered:

The Health Care Select Sector SPDR FundXLV

The most popular healthcare ETF, XLV follows the Health Care Select Sector Index. In total, the fund holds 60 securities in its basket, with the pharma sector taking the largest share at 33.2%. Healthcare equipment and supplies, healthcare providers and services, and biotech also have double-digit exposure each. The product manages nearly $24.82 billion in its asset base. The expense ratio is at 0.13% (read:Healthcare ETFs Looks Strong Ahead of Q1 Earnings).

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Healthcare ETFs to Gain on Progress in Coronavirus Vaccine - Yahoo Finance

Stocks charge higher on hopes for progress in fighting COVID-19 – Press Herald

Posted on May 3, 2020 by Danzig

Stocks around the world whipped higher Wednesday, riding a wave of optimism on encouraging data about a possible treatment for COVID-19.

The upswell of hope was so strong that investors completely sidestepped a report showing the outbreak drove the U.S. economy to its worst quarterly performance since the Great Recession. The S&P 500 vaulted 2.7 percent higher and extended a rally thats brought the U.S. stock market to the brink of its best month in 45 years.

The spark for Wednesdays rally was a report that an experimental drug proved effective against the new coronavirus in a study run by the National Institutes of Health. The nations top infectious diseases expert said the drug reduced the time it takes patients to recover, and it raised hopes that life around the world may eventually tiptoe back toward normal.

The S&P 500 rose 76.12 points to 2,939.51. It has surged 13.7 percent in April, and its a day away from closing out its best month since late 1974.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 532.31, or 2.2 percent, to 24,633.86, and the Nasdaq climbed 306.98, or 3.6 percent, to 8,914.71.

What youre finding now is you have this debate between optimism and realism, said Adam Taback, chief investment officer for Wells Fargo Private Wealth Management.

The Federal Reserve said Wednesday that it expects the health crisis to weigh on the economy over the medium term, as it promised to keep in place massive amounts of aid and interest rates at nearly zero. Oil prices, bonds and other markets besides stocks have also been dominated in recent weeks by worries about the economic impact of the virus outbreak.

Everything except equities is telling you things are not great, Taback said. This market is overly optimistic.

Gileads release about its remdesivir drug hit markets at the same moment as a government report showing the U.S. economy shrank at a 4.8 percent annual rate in the first three months of the year.

Job losses have exploded since early April, as layoffs sweep the nation following widespread stay-at-home orders, and economists expect to see even worse numbers for the second quarter of the year.

The first quarter figure was merely the tip of the iceberg, said Michael Reynolds, investment strategy officer at Glenmede.

But stocks have been rallying over the last month as investors look beyond the current economic devastation and focus instead on the prospect of economies gradually reopening. Some U.S. states and nations around the world have laid out plans to relax restrictions keeping people at home and businesses bereft of customers. Any new treatment for COVID-19 could also lower the dread so prevalent among households and businesses around the world.

But what got the 31.4 percent rally for the S&P 500 started in late March was massive aid from the Federal Reserve and Congress. The Fed on Wednesday said it wouldnt be pulling back on the aid anytime soon.

The markets easing pessimism about the economys path is perhaps most clear in how the smallest stocks have been performing.

When recession worries were at their height, investors punished small-cap stocks and sent them to sharper declines than the rest of the market, in part on worries about their more limited financial resources. But the Russell 2000 index of small-cap stocks jumped 4.8 percent Wednesday. Its up 10.4 percent this week alone, more than double the gain for indexes of bigger stocks.

The markets gains were widespread and accelerated through the day. Big tech and communications stocks helped lead the way after Googles parent company said its revenue was stronger in the first three months of the year than Wall Street was expecting.

Alphabet jumped nearly 9 percent, which helped communications stocks in the S&P 500 rise 5 percent for one of the biggest gains among the 11 sectors that make up the index.

In Europe, the French CAC 40 rose 2.2 percent after being down before the Gilead report. The German DAX returned 2.9 percent, and the FTSE 100 in London added 2.6 percent. In Asia, Hong Kongs Hang Seng added 0.3 percent, and the Kospi in Seoul advanced 0.7 percent.

Many professional investors are skeptical of the U.S. stock markets big rally. Theres still a lot of uncertainty about how long the recession will last.

The vigorous rise for stocks over the last month also implies investors see a relatively quick rebound for the economy and profits following the current devastation. But it may take awhile for households and businesses to get back to how things used to be.

My concern is that the market is starting to get a little bit more focused on the rewards and less focused on the risks right now, said Sal Bruno, chief investment officer at IndexIQ. Maybe investors are getting a little too enthusiastic.

I dont think you just flip the switch and everybody goes back to work right away, he said.

The yield on the 10-year U.S. Treasury rose to 0.62 percent from 0.61 percent late Tuesday after paring earlier losses. Yields tend to rise when investors are upgrading expectations for the economy and inflation.

Oil prices are continuing their extreme swings after a collapse in demand has sent crude storage tanks close to their limits. Benchmark U.S. crude oil for June delivery rose $2.72, or 22 percent, to settle at $15.06 a barrel Wednesday. Brent crude oil, the international standard, rose $2.08, or 10.2 percent, to $22.54 a barrel.

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Stocks charge higher on hopes for progress in fighting COVID-19 - Press Herald

Consumer Beware: Coronavirus Antibody Tests Are Still A Work In Progress – Kaiser Health News

Posted on May 3, 2020 by Danzig

After hearing for months about serious access issues involving tests that diagnose COVID-19 based on swabs from the nose or throat, Americans are being inundated with reports about promising new tests that look for signs of infection in the blood.

There are high hopes for these antibody tests, which detect proteins that form in blood as part of the bodys immune response to an invading virus. Communities across the U.S. have been rolling out the results of serological surveys that examine blood samples from people who havent been diagnosed with COVID-19 to see if they were, in fact, previously infected.

The thinking is, if there are blood markers that can detect when people have been infected, such tests should be able to tell us how widely the novel coronavirus has spread. And equally optimistic: those same antibodies could convey immunity to the disease, signaling someone is safe from reinfection and able to get back to work.

Such high hopes, however, are running smack into the roadblocks of reality.

Infectious disease experts are raising pointed questions about the reliability of the early tests and the studies that hinge on their results. And they warn that state and local governments as well as individuals should be wary of shaping policy or changing behavior based on any single report.

In the sharpest caution to date, officials with the World Health Organization on Saturday warned against plans for proposed immunity passports, which would allow people who have recovered from the coronavirus to resume unrestricted travel and work.

There is currently no evidence that people who have recovered from COVID-19 and have antibodies are protected from a second infection, the agency wrote in a scientific brief.

Even before the WHO weighed in, other experts were urging restraint in interpreting early results of antibody screening.

The science is catching up, said Dr. Liise-anne Pirofski, chief of the division of infectious diseases at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Montefiore Health System. Our ability to make a test at the moment is much greater than our understanding of what those antibodies we are testing for mean.

In the past few weeks, more than 180 academic centers, hospitals and private manufacturers have notified the federal Food and Drug Administration that they intend to create serology tests for COVID-19, spokesperson Stephanie Caccomo said in an email. Theyve been able to jump into the fray because the FDA in March relaxed regulations for developing tests as part of its emergency response to the pandemic.

But the FDA has not reviewed the vast majority of tests on the market, and their validity, particularly point-of-care blood tests that promise rapid results within minutes, isnt clear, said Dr. Michael Busch, director of the Vitalant Research Institute and a professor of laboratory medicine at the University of California-San Francisco.

Some of them have sensitivities that are quite poor, he said. You may even miss some infected people completely.

Other tests may flag people as positive for COVID-19 when theyre not infected. Thats especially true in regions of the country with little spread of the novel virus. If the prevalence of a disease is low, less than 5%, even an accurate test would yield a high number of false positive results because of the way such screening tools operate.

So when people see advertisements for finger-prick antibody tests becoming widely available at urgent care centers and medispas, they should think twice.

For one, antibody tests cant be used to diagnose the disease. Antibodies may not be present in high enough levels to be detected in the earliest days of an infection. And because there are several other known coronaviruses including those that cause the common cold people infected with those viruses could produce antibodies that cross-react with those produced in response to the new virus.

Scientists still know too little about whether antibodies to COVID-19 convey immunity that could allow people to put away masks and halt social distancing, said Dr. Mary Hayden, director of the division of clinical microbiology at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago.

Immunity to a virus is a complicated process that takes place over one to two weeks, the WHO noted. The immune system makes antibodies in response to an infection. But the body also makes T-cells that recognize and eliminate other cells infected with the virus, creating whats known as cellular immunity. Those two processes together may help a person recover and prevent reinfection. But it is not yet clear whether cellular immunity is required to bolster recovery and prevent subsequent infection with COVID-19.

We do not know whether or not the antibodies detected are protective, Hayden told reporters last week on a call organized by the Infectious Diseases Society of America. We recommend that people with antibodies not change their behavior in any way.

Scientists are hoping, however, that future COVID-19 studies may demonstrate immunity that could last for one or two years.

Concerns about the validity of the tests have cast a shadow on several recent reports aiming to quantify the spread of the virus in specific regions. Last week, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo revealed the results of a serological survey that suggested that 1 in 5 New York City residents had been infected with the coronavirus. Statewide, the figure was 13.9%, according to the study of 3,000 New Yorkers in 19 counties who were recruited at grocery stores.

But the results quickly drew criticism. Dr. Demetre Daskalakis, who directs the citys disease control, warned that the tests could produce false negative or false positive results. Florian Krammer, a microbiology professor at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai who designs such tests, tweeted and later deleted that the results were BS.

I think this is too high, he said in a later tweet. It is possible. But a 20% plus infection rate seems too high for NYC due to a number of reasons. I would think 6-8%, maybe 10% are closer to the truth. It would be nice to know more about the test, its sensitivity and specificity and the test population.

Similarly, two serology studies in California, one in Santa Clara County and one in Los Angeles County, drew wide criticism about the recruitment of subjects and the analyses used.

In the Santa Clara study, Stanford University researchers tested 3,330 volunteers for antibodies showing exposure to COVID-19; about 1.5% were positive. They concluded that meant from 48,000 to 81,000 people were infected with the virus in the county.

It was completely inadequate to interpret the results that 50,000 to 80,000 people were infected, Busch said.

The L.A. study, conducted by University of Southern California researchers, concluded that 2.8% to 5.6% of the countys adult population had been exposed to the coronavirus. That translates to 221,000 to 422,000 adult residents who have been infected. Critics, however, argued that the study sample was too small and that details of the methodology werent immediately available.

Busch understands the drive to conduct such tests.

People are asking the questions: Whats the real denominator to judge the case counts and the death counts against? he said. People are urgently trying to get data.

Unfortunately, that data simply is not available yet, other experts said. This coronavirus has never been seen before, so the science that will inform efforts to help communities respond and recover is playing out in real time.

The problem is that the science has not kept up with the tests, Hayden said. Now we need to do the research to tell what the results mean.

On the positive side, most of the scientific community has pivoted to focus on finding solutions, said Pirofski, who was also on the IDSA call. We just have to slow our roll.

This is our first dive in trying to understand whats going on, she said. I would say its a start.

Illini remain work in progress offensively with passing attack a key focus – Champaign/Urbana News-Gazette

Posted on May 3, 2020 by Danzig

CHAMPAIGN The 2019 season was a mixed bag offensively, at least from a statistical standpoint, for the Illinois football team.

The Illini scored at least a little better even if their total yardage per game dropped by a rather considerable margin.

What Illinois was, however, was more balanced offensively. The teams 2018 offense was built almost exclusively through its ground game. The 2019 offense had Michigan transfer Brandon Peters at quarterback and could attack teams through the air.

Put it this way. Illinois couldnt have pulled off its 24-23 upset against Wisconsin last October without the hard running of Dre Brown on its game-winning drive. But the Illinis 37-34 win at Michigan State on Nov. 9 to clinch bowl eligibility for the first time since 2014 wouldnt have come without wide receiver Josh Imatorbhebhes big game and crucial fourth-and-long catch on that game-winning drive either.

The since canceled spring practices were going to provide Illinois the opportunity to fine tune its offense in year three under coordinator Rod Smith.

There were a few games at the start of last season where we had a slow start, Illinois center and 2019 captain Doug Kramer said.

We got behind. Some of that was from penalties and other mistakes like that. Youve got to buy into the system 100 percent. All 11 guys have to be bought in. Thats the biggest thing. Everyone on the fields got to understand their job and theyve just got to do it. Obviously, we all trust the system and we believe in it. Thats really the biggest thing. Keep getting reps, keep understanding whats going on and good things will come from that.

Those reps just didnt come this spring. If they did, the plan was for the passing game to be a significant part of Illinois work. The Illini might have to lean on Peters and Co. more in 2020 after the graduation of Brown and Reggie Corbin, who combined to rush for 1,259 yards and 12 touchdowns last season.

I think the first thing was wed continue to keep getting the timing and consistency in the throw game between Brandon and the other quarterbacks with the wide receivers, Smith said. It hurts. Its bothersome that were not able to have spring ball because our guys need it, but the positive out of it was we had a bowl game which allowed us to get extra practices. Its not like we lost out on everything.

Illinois was likely going to be in a similar boat this spring as it was during its bowl preparation in terms of available wide receivers to work with Peters and the other quarterbacks. Injuries hit that position group hard in 2019, with the likes of Ricky Smalling and Trevon Sidney, among several others, unavailable by the time the Illini squared off against Cal in the Redbox Bowl.

The Illinois wide receiver group probably wouldnt have been at full strength this spring either. But there would have been enough for Peters to keep honing his connection. The 6-foot-5, 220-pound quarterback threw for 1,884 yards, 18 touchdowns and just eight interceptions in his first season with the Illini while showing just enough wiggle in the run game to be dangerous.

Expectations will only be higher for Peters in the 2020 season. His teammates are firmly in his corner, though.

I think he can be a great player, Kramer said. Brandon, hes probably one of the best quarterbacks Ive seen. He has the arm strength to throw the ball anywhere. Hes a smart football player and understands the game. Then, obviously, just understanding Coach Rod Smiths playbook and just getting another year in that system is huge for him. I think youre going to see a big year from BP. Obviously, I think the world of him as a competitor.

Peters came up big in the Redbox Bowl even in a 35-20 Illinois defeat against California on Dec. 30 with 341 yards of total offense, which included a team-high 68 rushing yards, and a passing touchdown. Freshman quarterback Isaiah Williams also saw time in the bowl game. As a wide receiver.

The spring plan, though, was for Williams to rep solely at quarterback.

We planned on basically working him at quarterback this spring, Smith said. I know Isaiahs a guy that can do multiple things. He can go out and probably play wide receiver for you. He could probably play (defensive back) for you. He could do a lot of things, but my intent and purpose was to allow him to be a quarterback and give him every opportunity to be our quarterback.

Smith said the 5-10 Williams spent the winter bulking up to about 190 pounds. The St. Louis native, Smith added, also knew what was at stake this spring before all organized team activities were canceled.

He knows what he needs to improve on, Smith said. Weve talked about it. This spring was going to be big for him. I hate it for him that he didnt get a chance to get out there and get those 15 practices. But I have no doubt. I know the kid and the competitor he is that hes working his tail off as we speak right now. Theres no days off for him. Im sure hell be ready to roll once we get back.

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Illini remain work in progress offensively with passing attack a key focus - Champaign/Urbana News-Gazette

Steele Updated Clinton Ally on Dossier Progress in 2016 – National Review

Posted on May 3, 2020 by Danzig

Chairman of the Federal Reserve Ben Bernanke (L) speaks as Brookings Institution President Strobe Talbott watches at the Brookings Institution in Washington, D.C., September 15, 2009. (Jim Young/Reuters)

Former British spy Christopher Steele recently testified that he was contacted by Clinton-ally Strobe Talbott in Summer 2016 regarding his investigation into presidential candidate Donald Trump, after Talbott learned of the investigation from Obama administration officials.

I remember taking a phone call from [Talbott], your Lordship, earlier in the summer, in which he said that he was aware that I had he spoke in fairly cryptic terms, but he was aware that we had material of relevance to the U.S. election, Steele testified as part of a defamation lawsuit against him in the U.K., according to transcript of the deposition obtained by theDaily Caller.

Talbott, the current president of the Brookings Institution, indicated that he was told of Steeles work by either former national security adviser Susan Rice or former State Department official Victoria Nuland.

Although he didnt state it explicitly, one or either or both of them had briefed him on the work we had been doing, Steele said. Rice spokeswoman Erin Pelton told theDaily Callerthat it is utterly and completely false that Rice spoke with Talbott regarding Steeles investigation. Nuland declined the Daily Callers request for comment.

Steele went on to provide Talbott with a copy of the dossier in November 2016. And Talbott, who was tapped in 2011 by then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to chair the State Departments Foreign Affairs Advisory Board, disseminated the dossier to his Brookings colleague, Fiona Hill in January 2017 while she was serving in the Trump administration.

Talbotts brother-in-law, Cody Shearer, also disseminated his own dossier in 2016 claiming that the Kremlin had video of Trump engaged in sexual behavior in Moscow a charge that later ended up in Steeles dossier.

Steele also admitted in March that his claim of secret communications between a Russian bank and the Trump presidential campaign was based on a tip from lawyer Michael Sussman, whose firm Perkins Coie represented the Democratic National Committee and Hillary Clinton campaign.

Steele further said that his records on all conversations with the primary sub-source of the Steele Dossier, which was used by the FBI as the basis for an investigation of alleged ties between the Trump campaign and Russian operatives, were deleted in 2017. Senate Judiciary Committee chairman Lindsey Graham (R., S.C.) has since asked the Justice Department to release all documents that question the accuracy and reliability of Steeles sources.

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Steele Updated Clinton Ally on Dossier Progress in 2016 - National Review

Gov. Cooper: ‘Hopeful’ signs on Covid-19 benchmarks but progress is mixed – Qcity metro

Posted on May 3, 2020 by Danzig

With a decision looming next week on loosening stay-at-home restrictions, Gov. Roy Cooper said Thursday that there are some encouraging signs in the states fight to halt the spread of Covid-19. But not every indicator is moving in the right direction yet.

North Carolinians have made tremendous sacrifices, and it is making a difference, Cooper said in a news release. We remain hopeful that the trends will be stable enough to move into Phase 1 next week.

The number of Covid-19 cases increased this week, but two other important indicators the number of tests conducted and the percentage of those that are positive were encouraging.

We need to keep up the actions that will slow the spread of the virus. The good news is that we know we can do this, said Mandy Cohen, secretary of the state department of health and human services.

Last week, N.C. officials laid out a three-phase plan to begin reopening the state after May 8, but positive trends toward several benchmarks must happen first.

Cooper encouraged North Carolinians to stay the course and remain vigilant.

We need everyone to continue following the stay-at-home order right now, so that we can move to the next phases of easing restrictions, he said. Complacency could risk lives and undo these plans.

Phase I: The stay-at-home order would remain in place, but residents would be allowed more reasons to leave home. Social distancing and face masks still would be encouraged in public places. Mass gatherings still would be limited to 10 people or fewer. Nursing homes would continue operating under severe restrictions. And telework would be encouraged.

Phase II: The stay-at-home-order would be lifted a minimum of two to three weeks following Phase I. Residents with underlying health conditions would be encouraged to remain at home. Bars and restaurants would open, but with reduced capacity. The number of people allowed at mass gatherings would be increased.

Phase III: Four to six weeks after Phase II, capacity would be increased for bars, restaurants and churches. Strict rules would still apply to nursing homes and congregate living facilities.

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Gov. Cooper: 'Hopeful' signs on Covid-19 benchmarks but progress is mixed - Qcity metro

Progress Michigan calls on House Speaker to censure representative for using Holocaust as attack on Dr. Fauci – WLNS

Posted on May 3, 2020 by Danzig

Posted: Apr 30, 2020 / 03:17 PM EDT / Updated: Apr 30, 2020 / 03:20 PM EDT

Lansing, Mich. (WLNS) Progress Michigan is calling on House Speaker Lee Chatfield to censure Rep. Pamela Hornberger for using the Holocaust as an attack on Dr. Anthony Fauci.

Dr. Fauci has received additional security after threats were made against him early this month.

The increase in security came at the request of the Health and Human Services Inspector General (HHS IG), the officials said.

The representatives post attacking Fauci was posted to her Facebook:

The Republicans in Lansing both at the protests and in the legislature are showing their true colors. We expect House Speaker Lee Chatfield to formally censure Rep. Pamela Hornberger immediately, saidLonnie Scott, executive director at Progress Michigan.

She has disgraced her office by using the millions of people who were murdered during the Holocaust as a shameful political punchline. The lives of those who were murdered should not be used to attack public health officials who are doing what they can to keep people safe. This type of toxic rhetoric and relentless racism we have seen at our Capitol, including from a sitting Senator, has become rampant during the COVID-19 crisis and it needs to end. As a state, we need to be standing together, but Rep. Hornbergers post and Sen. Zorns confederate flag mask only further divide us. Chatfield, Shirkey and the Republican caucus need to act immediately to denounce this and hold Hornberger and Zorn accountable without delay.

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Progress Michigan calls on House Speaker to censure representative for using Holocaust as attack on Dr. Fauci - WLNS

‘A Work In Progress’ – How Will Maine’s Phased Reopening Work? – mainepublic.org

Posted on May 3, 2020 by Danzig

'A Work In Progress' - How Will Maine's Phased Reopening Work?

Maine Gov. Janet Mills Tuesday released her plan to restart the state economy. But there are still a lot of questions about how it might work and how it affects businesses. We've brought in Maine Public's chief political correspondent Steve Mistler to help explain what we know so far and, hopefully, clear up some confusion.

Ed note: interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Morin: Steve, the first phase of the governor's plan begins Friday. It would allow businesses like hair salons, barbershops, golf courses and auto dealerships to reopen if they're able to meet certain health and safety guidelines. Do we know what those guidelines are?

Mistler: No, but we should very soon. The Mills administration says they're developing a series of industry-specific checklists that will be posted to the Department of Economic and Community Development website Wednesday night or Thursday morning at the latest.

And Heather Johnson, the commissioner of DECD, said Wednesday that those checklists were partially developed by the affected industries, so that the state wasn't just imposing regulations that either couldn't be met or just aren't applicable. For example, a sample checklist for car dealerships includes things like sanitizing vehicles after a test drive or making sure there's distancing in the service waiting rooms. Those types of checklists are being developed for all of the affected industries.

And another important thing to highlight here is that these checklists will be rolled out as we get closer to different phases in the restart plan. For example, we're unlikely to see the safety checklists for restaurants until later in May, because those establishments wouldn't even be allowed to open until Phase 2, which is tentatively scheduled for June 1. The same goes for all businesses in Phase 3, which tentatively begins in July, or maybe even August. And of course, all of this depends on the status of the outbreak. If we have another surge of cases, the timing of this phased restart would definitely change.

I've been wondering about how these checklists are going to be monitored. Is the state going to be policing whether businesses are actually adhering to these safety guidelines?

No, not at least on the front end. Commissioner Johnson confirmed Wednesday that the state is basically leaving it to the businesses to police themselves. And if you think about it, I'm not sure there's any other way to do it, unless the state is going to hire a bunch of people to inspect individual businesses. Now, Johnson did say that the state will intervene if there are complaints. But in terms of upfront compliance, that's really going to be up to the businesses themselves. And I guess to their customers who, presumably, have an interest in keeping themselves safe.

Speaking of enforcement, I notice that the governor's plan pretty much retains the current requirement that out-of-state visitors self-quarantine for 14 days, at least through the first three phases of the plan. But how is that going to work in practice?

You've really touched on a tricky situation here. So the governor's plan says the out-of-state visitors can stay at hotels and campgrounds, which wouldn't open up until June at the earliest if they've met that 14 day quarantine, which is in effect now. But who's going to come to Maine, quarantine for 14 days somewhere, and then go to a hotel or a campground? I'm guessing not many people. It seems more likely that they're going to ignore that quarantine requirement or not come at all. That latter scenario is a big concern for businesses that are dependent on tourists, who on average, spend about three or four days here, according to state data. The former scenario, that they come anyway and ignore the quarantine, is a scary prospect for people who are already worried about tourists coming here and possibly spreading more of COVID-19.

Now, Governor Mills acknowledges that the requirement will be difficult to enforce. But I also get the sense her administration is exploring other ways to balance the health concerns against businesses who are dependent on tourists. Here's what Commissioner Johnson said about the quarantine requirement Wednesday: "Right now, a 14-day quarantine is kind of the only solution, ot the primary solution. We see line-of-sight to other potential solutions, but there's a lot of science that needs to that needs to happen between now and then."

So it sounds like the administration is looking at possible alternatives to the 14-day quarantine, which I understand was developed because that's believed to be the incubation period for the virus.

Yeah, that's right. If there's research that the incubation period is actually shorter, then maybe the administration would change the current requirement. But I think we're a pretty long ways off from that.

I've also been wondering about this badge that the state would give to businesses that follow their safety check lists. What can you tell us about that?

I'm glad you brought that up, Ed, because I've been seeing so much social media traffic suggesting that these badges, which are more like signs or posters, are basically some kind of big government tattoo or worse. But it's really not. I mean, the badges are voluntary for the businesses to use. And they're really meant as a tool for businesses to assure customers that they've satisfied these health checklists that we talked about earlier. And that might make a lot of sense for some donors attempting to restart during a pandemic. So much of the debate about reopening the economy has been about whether the government will even allow it. But it's also about whether customers will feel safe enough to participate and patronize businesses. And that's going to be a big challenge for businesses. And these badges might provide some reassurances for their customers.

I know there are a lot of other questions swirling out there, but maybe that's to be expected.

Yeah, I think that's right. I mean, much of this plan is very much a work in progress. And that's because so much of this work has never been done before. And that was a message that Maine Center for Disease Control Director Dr. Nirav Shah said during Wednesday's press briefing: "These are questions that at no time, at least in modern history, has society ever really faced."

That seems like something to keep in mind as all of this unfolds.

Originally published April 29, 2020 at 6:12 p.m. ET.

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'A Work In Progress' - How Will Maine's Phased Reopening Work? - mainepublic.org

Points of Progress: Breakthrough in plastic recycling, and more – The Christian Science Monitor

Posted on May 3, 2020 by Danzig

1. United States

The bald eagle continues to make its comeback from the brink of extinction in the United States, particularly across the Upper Midwest, where states are reporting record high numbers of the national bird. In Minnesota, the eagle population has climbed from 1,312 in 2005 to around 4,000 by the latest estimate. The continued increase in individual birds, as well as the record number of nests documented this year, is credited to the care afforded by the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.The ban of toxic pesticides such as DDT and conservation efforts have also contributed to the comeback. According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the number of nesting pairs in the continental U.S. rose from 487 in 1963 to 9,789 in 2007, when the bald eagle was taken off the endangered species list. (ABC News, St. Peter Herald, The Chronotype)

Literacy rates have risen dramatically over the past few years to 92% in Sobral, one of the poorest municipalities in Brazil, while the number of families living in extreme poverty declined by 89%. This is a result of a movement to improve education in Sobral, which started in 1997 with renovating school buildings, furnishing them with computers and resources, and boosting public spending on education.People think its magic and its not. It is persistence and a lot of hard work, says Ivo Gomes, Sobrals mayor. Now, the city tops 5,000 districts in Brazils education development index. Similar initiatives are being replicated across the country. Work has begun in 25 municipalities across five states. (The Guardian)

Makoko, the worlds largest floating slum, is being given a place on digital maps of Nigeria, a sign of recognition and inclusion of a place that is home to an estimated 250,000 people. The project, launched by the nonprofit organizations Code for Africa and Humanitarian OpenStreetMap in September 2019, is another step toward helping residents create an infrastructure that supports community development.Residents were taught how to pilot drones and populate the map with images from the community. Established nearly a century ago after fishermen from neighboring countries settled there, Makoko has been ignored by the Nigerian government or threatened with regular eviction notices. A navigable digital map aims to enable development of health care, electricity, and education services for the residents of Makoko. (CNN)

After decades of operation, SSEs Fiddlers Ferry electricity power station in northern England shuttered on March 31, 2020.

Two energy companies have shut down two coal-fired power operations ahead of the U.K.s ban on coal-fired power beginning in 2025. The closures leave only four coal plants in the country. After almost 50 years, the U.K.s leading energy corporations, SSE and RWE, shuttered their coal-fired plants on March 31. SSEs plant, designed in 1973 to serve 2 million customers, had been losing 3 million ($3.68 million) per year. Coal plants are going out of business largely because of a hefty government tax on carbon that aims to cut emissions in half, and competition from less expensive renewable energy sources.Four years ago, coal powered almost a quarter of U.K. electricity. In 2019, coal-fired electricity only made up 2.1% of U.K. energy output.(The Guardian)

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Giant pandas Le Le (top) and Ying Ying at Ocean Park mated for the first time in 13 years in the privacy of Hong Kongs pandemic lockdown.

Two giant pandas successfully mated for the first time during the coronavirus lockdown after living together for 13 years in a Hong Kong zoo. Ocean Park, home to Ying Ying and Le Le, shut down on Jan. 26, freeing the amusement park of its usual crowds. The species is known for its reluctance to mate and difficulties with fertility. Female pandas are fertile for only 24 to 72 hours a year, which makes matters more difficult for animal conservationists working to reverse the population decline of the vulnerable species.In 2014, the World Wide Fund for Nature estimated that there were only 1,864 giant pandas remaining in the wild. Pregnancy is more likely through natural mating over artificial insemination, and after 10 years of trials and lessons, zookeepers and experts say this is a cause for celebration. It is not yet known if a cub is on its way. (The Guardian, The New York Times)

Scientists have created a mutant bacterial enzyme that can break down PET, which is used to make plastic drink bottles. Originally discovered in compost, the enzyme can break down plastic to its chemical building blocks within a few hours. The chemicals then can be used to make new food-grade plastic bottles. The research, published in the journal Nature, is the product of screening 100,000 microorganisms.Carbios, the company behind the breakthrough, intends to reach industrial-scale recycling within five years. It partnered with companies such as LOral and Pepsi to speed up development. Other scientific efforts to find biological ways to break down major plastic are underway, including using wax moth larvae to break down polyethylene. (The Guardian, Nature)

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Points of Progress: Breakthrough in plastic recycling, and more - The Christian Science Monitor

Opinion: Good progress battling the virus. It’s time to heal the economy. – Juneau Empire

Posted on May 3, 2020 by Danzig

Mixed reactions greeted Gov. Mike Dunleavys announced modifications easing emergency health mandates across the state. Some medical and government officials contended it was too soon to open up Alaskas economy and that restrictive lockdowns should continue. Others disputed that claim, saying that with proper precautions continuing social distancing, wearing of facemasks and appropriate hygiene procedures it was prudent to allow some businesses to open.

Dunleavy wisely evaluated competing courses of action by balancing governments responsibility for public safety against the economic, social and health costs of extending lockdown mandates.

Earlier, hundreds of Alaskans had participated in an organized protest of COVID-19 restrictions. Anxious to get back to work to resuscitate their businesses, frustrated with constraints on their freedom and maybe suffering from old-fashioned cabin fever, the message was clear enough is enough.

Andrew McCarthy, a senior fellow at National Review Institute, addressed this point in a recent article. It does not mean that expertise, in particular the mastery of science, is insignificant. It is critical. But it does not have declarative authority. Expertise is not right because it says so. It is there to help us, not order us. It has to compete. It has to convince. And unless it does, it should have no power to infringe on our liberties.

McCarthys contention is that inherent in the Constitution is the abiding principle that liberty may not be restricted unless the government first convinces us that it must be. Mandates are not imposed just because a government official says so. Indeed, like our court system, the burden of proof is upon the government to prove its case before an individuals liberty is infringed.

Most Alaskans who have contracted COVID-19 have recovered from the disease, as of this writing 65% to date out of 351 cases. Only 37 have required hospitalization. Nine have died two of them from out of state. Over 16,000 tests have been administered. The number of active cases peaked on April 2 and has been declining since.

These were among the facts Dunleavy cited to justify reopening the states economy.

These are good numbers, Dunleavy said. These are numbers that demonstrate to us, again, that we can take those steps methodically, in a calculated fashion, to get back to doing some of the work.

Alaskas Chief Medical Officer Dr. Anne Zink, said the state is assessing four areas in weighing what to reopen, both at the state and local level. They include the number of cases; the amount of testing; contact tracing ability; and health care preparedness.

By beginning the reopening process, the Dunleavy administration hopes to blunt the economic devastation the coronavirus has inflicted upon our state while minimizing health risks to the general population.

According to ISER associate professor of economics Mouhcine Guettabi, 62,000 individual Alaskans had filed for unemployment by late April, representing 17% of the labor force. It is expected this number will rise significantly as additional layoffs occur and self-employed workers qualify for benefits.

Alaska was already dealing with a severe structural budget deficit before the COVID-19 crisis hit. Now, our formerly robust visitor and fishing industries may essentially be closed this year. Alaskas oil and mining industries are under extreme pressure due to collapsing worldwide demand.

Government cutbacks and layoffs at the state and local level are inevitable.

While significant federal aid will pour into the state over the next several months, Alaskans should recognize this aid is only temporary and it will never compensate businesses for the unprecedented losses they have incurred.

The proponents of lockdown have framed the options going forward as returning to work or risking death. This is a false choice.

With preventative measures and common sense, the odds of contracting the virus and being hospitalized are slight. The danger of dying in Alaska in a traffic accident is much greater than falling victim to the coronavirus.

With only five active COVID-19 cases and no current hospitalizations in Juneau, the CBJ Assembly sensibly endorsed the loosening of restrictions this week.

Alaska is not New York. Taking incremental steps towards re-opening our economy is neither dangerous nor foolhardy.

Given the available evidence, it is imperative.

Win Gruening retired as the senior vice president in charge of business banking for Key Bank in 2012. He was born and raised in Juneau and is active in community affairs as a 30-plus year member of Juneau Downtown Rotary Club and has been involved in various local and statewide organizations. Columns, My Turns and Letters to the Editor represent the view of the author, not the view of the Juneau Empire.

Foundation for Conscious Evolution | barbaramarxhubbard

Posted on May 3, 2020 by Danzig

Foundation forConscious Evolution

Our Vision

The ultimate goal of the Foundation for Conscious Evolution is the awakening of the spiritual, social, and scientific potential of humanity, in harmony with nature for the highest good of all life.

Our Mission

To educate people in the worldview of Conscious Evolution and how to apply it in their lives, personally and socially. To network, connect and align individuals and groups, making visible the vast movement for positive change that is arising everywhere, and to further cooperate toward our common goal of a compassionate, sustainable future.

The initiatives of the Foundation for Conscious Evolution offer a context and container for connecting and empowering the vast global movement arising for positive change, making the efforts of this movement visible to engender greater coherence and synergy. We work on the premise that small islands of coherence in a sea of social chaos can jump the system as a whole to a higher degree of harmony and order.

By connecting and communicating whats working, positive and innovative, the Foundation for Conscious Evolution is helping to build a new patha golden bridgeto the next stage of human evolution. On that path, we look beyond the current confusion and crises to see the new capacities that are arising. We hold our unprecedented power as the means for restoring the earth, freeing ourselves from illness, hunger and war, and fulfilling the deepest aspirations of the human heart. We envision humanity arising to cocreate a future equal to our vast potential.

Foundation for Conscious Evolution | barbaramarxhubbard

New Solution to Keep Lithium Batteries from Catching Fire – DesignNews

Posted on May 3, 2020 by Danzig

One of the big challenges that researchers have tried to solve regarding lithium-based batteries is their tendency to degrade or fail in a way that causes them to catch fire or explode. Now nanoengineers from the University of California (UC) San Diego have devised a new safety feature that could prevent lithium-metal batteries from this disastrous scenario in case of an internal short circuit.

A team led by UC San Diego nanoengineering professor Ping Liu has modified the batterys separator, which stands between the anode and cathode, to slow the flow of energyand thus the heatthat accumulates inside the battery when it short circuits, said Matthew Gonzalez, Lius PhD student who worked together on the project.

Were not trying to stop battery failure from happening, he said in a press statement. Were making it much safer so that when it does fail, the battery doesnt catastrophically catch on fire or explode.

Dendrite Dilemma

Its by now well known that lithium metal batteries fail because of the growth of needle-like structures called dendrites on the anode after many cycles of charging. Many researchers have been studying the growth and evolution of these dendrites in batteries to approach resolving the problem in this way.

The UC San Diego team took a slightly different tack. Researchers observed how, over time, the dendrites can grow so long that they pierce the separator and create a bridge between the anode and cathode, which causes the short circuit. If this scenario happens, then the flow of electrons between the anode and cathode is disrupted, causing the battery to overheat and stop working.

To solve this problem, researchers developed a separator that essentially can soften the blow when a dendrite punctures it. Gonzalez compared it to a spillway at a dam, which opens to let some water flow out in a controlled way so if the dam breaks, theres not enough water for a flood.

Thats the idea with our separator, he said in a press statement. We are draining out the charge much, much slower and prevent a flood of electrons to the cathode. When a dendrite gets intercepted by the separators conductive layer, the battery can begin to self-discharge so that when the battery does short, theres not enough energy left to be dangerous.

The separator the team developed has one side thats covered by a thin, partially conductive web of carbon nanotubes that intercepts any dendrites that form. If a dendrite does punch through the separator, it should hit the web, giving electrons a pathway through which they can slowly drain out rather than rush straight towards the cathode all at once.

A Different Approach

Gonzalez said the UC San Diego teams approach is slightly different than some other ways scientists have tried to prevent the same problem, which is to build separators out of materials that are strong enough to block dendrites entirely. This, however, could cause an even worse short circuit because the ions still need to flow through to keep the battery functioning.

Instead of prolonging what seems like an inevitable failure scenario, researchers aimed to mitigate the effects of a short circuit rather than try to prevent it from happening altogether, Gonzalez said.

In a real use-case scenario, you wouldnt have any advance warning that the battery is going to fail, he said in a press statement. But with our separator, you would get advance warning that the battery is getting a little bit worse, a little bit worse, a little bit worse, each time you charge it.

Researchers published a paper on their work in the journal Advanced Materials.

While the UC San Diego teams particular study focused on lithium-metal batteries, the researchers say the separatorfor which they already have filed a provisional patent--also can work in lithium-ion and other battery chemistries.

Elizabeth Montalbano is a freelance writer who has written about technology and culture for more than 20 years. She has lived and worked as a professional journalist in Phoenix, San Francisco and New York City. In her free time she enjoys surfing, traveling, music, yoga and cooking. She currently resides in a village on the southwest coast of Portugal.

New Solution to Keep Lithium Batteries from Catching Fire - DesignNews

Homemade masks made of silk and cotton may boost protection – UChicago News

Posted on May 3, 2020 by Danzig

The experiments took place in two plexiglass boxes connected by a tube. In one chamber, the team created a cloud of particles and blew them toward the tube, which was covered by different combinations of cloth. Mike Schmoldt and Greg Moss, environmental safety experts at Argonne who specialize in respirator testing and the effects of aerosol particles, used laboratory-grade scientific instruments to measured the number and size of particles in the chambers before and after passing through the fabric.

According to their results, one layer of a tightly woven cotton sheet, combined with two layers of polyester-based chiffona sheer fabric often used in evening gownsfiltered out the most aerosol particles (80% to 99%, depending on particle size). Substituting the chiffon with natural silk or a polyester-cotton flannel, or simply using a cotton quilt with cotton-polyester batting, produced similar results.

Though the study does not attempt to replicate real-world conditions, the findings are a useful guide. The researchers pointed out that tightly woven fabrics, such as cotton, can act as a mechanical barrier to particles; whereas fabrics that hold a static charge, like certain types of chiffon and natural silk, can serve as an electrostatic barrier. The electrostatic effect serves to suck in and hold the tiniest particles, which might otherwise slip through holes in the cotton. This is key to how N95 masks are constructed.

However, Guha added, even a small gap reduced the filtering efficiency of all masks by half or more, emphasizing the importance of a properly fitted mask.

Fabrics that did not do well included standard polyester and spandex with more open weave. In general, Guha said, fabric with tighter weaveswith fewer gaps between the strands of yarnworked better.

This is some of the first methodical data Ive seen on homemade masks. Its very helpful to have some idea of how the different types of fabric perform, said Emily Landon, executive medical director of infection prevention and control at the University of Chicago Medicine. I was also pleasantly surprised by how effective some of the homemade masks can be in the right conditions.

Landon noted that the advice to wear homemade masks while out in public is intended primarily to protect others from your own respiratory droplets, and that universal adoption of this recommendation will go a long way to make everyone safer.

In that case, any mask is better than none.

The first author on the study was Abhiteja Konda with Argonne National Laboratory. The other authors were Argonnes Abhinav Prakash as well as Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering graduate student Gregory Grant. The team used the U.S. Department of Energys Center for Nanoscale Materials user facility at Argonne National Laboratory.

Citation: Aerosol Filtration Efficiency of Common Fabrics Used in Respiratory Cloth Masks. Konda et al, ACS Nano, April 24, 2020. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsnano.0c03252

Funding: partly supported by the U.S. Department of Defense Vannevar Bush Fellowship

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Homemade masks made of silk and cotton may boost protection - UChicago News

‘Breathable’ Electronics Pave the Way for More Functional Wearable Tech – NC State News

Posted on May 3, 2020 by Danzig

Engineering researchers have created ultrathin, stretchable electronic material that is gas permeable, allowing the material to breathe. The material was designed specifically for use in biomedical or wearable technologies, since the gas permeability allows sweat and volatile organic compounds to evaporate away from the skin, making it more comfortable for users especially for long-term wear.

The gas permeability is the big advance over earlier stretchable electronics, says Yong Zhu, co-corresponding author of a paper on the work and a professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering at North Carolina State University. But the method we used for creating the material is also important because its a simple process that would be easy to scale up.

Specifically, the researchers used a technique called the breath figure method to create a stretchable polymer film featuring an even distribution of holes. The film is coated by dipping it in a solution that contains silver nanowires. The researchers then heat-press the material to seal the nanowires in place.

The resulting film shows an excellent combination of electric conductivity, optical transmittance and water-vapor permeability, Zhu says. And because the silver nanowires are embedded just below the surface of the polymer, the material also exhibits excellent stability in the presence of sweat and after long-term wear.

The end result is extremely thin only a few micrometers thick, says Shanshan Yao, co-author of the paper and a former postdoctoral researcher at NCState who is now on faculty at Stony Brook University. This allows for better contact with the skin, giving the electronics a better signal-to-noise ratio.

And gas permeability of wearable electronics is important for more than just comfort, Yao says. If a wearable device is not gas permeable, it can also cause skin irritation.

To demonstrate the materials potential for use in wearable electronics, the researchers developed and tested prototypes for two representative applications.

The first prototype consisted of skin-mountable, dry electrodes for use as electrophysiologic sensors. These have multiple potential applications, such as measuring electrocardiography (ECG) and electromyography (EMG) signals.

These sensors were able to record signals with excellent quality, on par with commercially available electrodes, Zhu says.

The second prototype demonstrated textile-integrated touch sensing for human-machine interfaces. The authors used a wearable textile sleeve integrated with the porous electrodes to play computer games such as Tetris. Related video can be seen at https://youtu.be/7AO_cq8A_BE.

If we want to develop wearable sensors or user interfaces that can be worn for a significant period of time, we need gas-permeable electronic materials, Zhu says. So this is a significant step forward.

The paper, Gas-Permeable, Ultrathin, Stretchable Epidermal Electronics with Porous Electrodes, is published in the journal ACS Nano. First author of the paper is Weixin Zhou, a Ph.D. student at Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications (NUPT) who worked on the project while a visiting scholar at NCState. The paper was co-authored by Hongyu Wang, a Ph.D. student at NCState, and by Qingchuan Du of NUPT. Co-corresponding author of the paper is Yanwen Ma, a professor at NUPT.

The work was done with support from the National Science Foundation, under grant number CMMI-1728370.

-shipman-

Note to Editors: The study abstract follows.

Gas-Permeable, Ultrathin, Stretchable Epidermal Electronics with Porous Electrodes

Authors: Weixin Zhou, Qingchuan Du and Yanwen Ma, Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications; Shanshan Yao, North Carolina State University and Stony Brook University; and Hongyu Wang and Yong Zhu, North Carolina State University

Published: April 29, ACS Nano

DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.0c00906

Abstract: We present gas-permeable, ultrathin, and stretchable electrodes enabled by self-assembled porous substrates and conductive nanostructures. Efficient and scalable breath figure method is employed to introduce the porous skeleton and then silver nanowires (AgNWs) are dip-coated and heat-pressed to offer electric conductivity. The resulting film has a transmittance of 61%, sheet resistance of 7.3 /sq, and water vapor permeability of 23 mg cm-2 h-1. With AgNWs embedded below the surface of the polymer, the electrode exhibits excellent stability with the presence of sweat and after long-term wear. We demonstrate the promising potential of the electrode for wearable electronics in two representative applications skin-mountable biopotential sensing for healthcare and textile-integrated touch sensing for human-machine interfaces. The electrode can form conformal contact with human skin, leading to low skin-electrode impedance and high quality biopotential signals. In addition, the textile electrode can be used in a self-capacitance wireless touch sensing system.

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'Breathable' Electronics Pave the Way for More Functional Wearable Tech - NC State News

COVID-19: Potential impact on New Trends of Nano Satellite Market with Worldwide Industry Analysis to 2068 Cole Reports – Cole of Duty

Posted on May 3, 2020 by Danzig

The novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) has caused a slowdown in the global economy and disrupted the stock markets. Hence, companies in the Nano Satellite market are tapping incremental opportunities via alternative business solutions to revive market growth post the lockdown period. Get a full analysis report on the impact of Coronavirus which has affected the Nano Satellite market and learn how businesses are tackling the situation.

Assessment of the Global Nano Satellite Market

According to the latest report on the Nano Satellite market, the market is expected to reach a value of ~US$XX by 20XX and register a CAGR growth of ~XX% during the forecast period (20XX-20XX). The report provides a thorough understanding of the various factors that are expected to influence the current and future prospects of the Nano Satellite market including the major trends, growth opportunities, restraints, and drivers.

The SWOT and Porters Five Forces Analysis by analysts of marketresearchhub.us offers a fair idea of the operations of some of the key players operating in the Nano Satellite market. The current structure of the market and the estimated growth of the market over the forecast period is accurately represented in the report along with graphs, figures, and tables.

Get Free Sample PDF (including COVID19 Impact Analysis, full TOC, Tables and Figures) of Market Report @ https://www.marketresearchhub.com/enquiry.php?type=S&repid=2578251&source=atm

Segregation of the Nano Satellite Market:

The following manufacturers are covered:Lockheed MartinNorthrop GrummanPlanet LabsSurrey Satellite TechnologiesSpire GlobalDauria AerospaceTyvakCubeSatNANOSATELLITE COMPANIESAEC-Able EngineeringAeroAstro L.L.C.AeroflexAerojetAirbus Defence and SpaceAitechAlenia SpazioAPCO TechnologiesArdATKAustrian AerospaceBoeing Space SystemsCAEN AerospaceRaytheon

Segment by RegionsNorth AmericaEuropeChinaJapanSoutheast AsiaIndia

Segment by TypeCommunications SatellitePositioning SatelliteOthers

Segment by ApplicationGovernment DepartmentsArmyOther

The report includes a Y-o-Y growth assessment of each of these market segments and sub-segments. Further, the market share, size, revenue growth, and CAGR growth of each segment is accurately presented in the in-depth study of the Nano Satellite market.

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Valuable Insights Enclosed in the Report

The presented study resolves the following doubts related to the Nano Satellite market:

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COVID-19: Potential impact on New Trends of Nano Satellite Market with Worldwide Industry Analysis to 2068 Cole Reports - Cole of Duty

Hong Kong airport brings in cleaning robots and disinfection booth – CNN

Posted on May 3, 2020 by Danzig

(CNN) Cleaning robots, temperature checks and antimicrobial coatings could soon become synonymous with airport trips.

Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) has provided a glimpse into what international airport procedures might look like once we're traveling again, and a lot of disinfection technologies are involved.

The busy Asia airport claims it's the first in the world to trial a live operation of CLeanTech, a full-body disinfection booth.

The short, but thorough, process sees those passing through undertake a temperature check before entering a small booth for the 40-second disinfection and sanitizing procedures.

According to the airport authority, the inside of the facility contains an antimicrobial coating that can remotely kill any viruses and/or bacteria found on clothing, as well as the body, by using photocatalyst advances along with "nano needles."

'Instant disinfection'

Hong Kong International Airport is trialing CLeanTech, a full-body disinfection facility.

Courtesy Airport Authority Hong Kong

The individual is also sprinkled with sanitizing spray for "instant disinfection" inside the booth, which is kept under negative pressure, an isolation technique used in hospitals and medical centers, to prevent cross-contamination.

While CLeanTech is at present only being used on staff who undertake public health and quarantine duties for passenger arrivals, the fact that it's being trialed at one of the world's busiest airports suggests facilities like this may be used more widely in the near future.

However, it's worth noting that, as this system aims to disinfect a person's clothes and skin externally, it may not be effective when it comes to detecting those already infected with coronavirus who are not displaying any symptoms.

Along with CLeanTech, the airport authority is also testing antimicrobial coating that will see an invisible coating which destroys all germs, bacteria and viruses being applied at all passenger facilities at Hong Kong International Airport.

This includes handles and seats, smart check-in kiosks and check-in counters, baggage trolleys and elevator buttons.

Once the trial is complete in May, a decision will be made on whether this measure will be implemented permanently.

Along with this, autonomous cleaning robots are being used to continuously disinfect public areas and passenger facilities at HKIA.

Intelligent Sterilization Robot

The Intelligent Sterilization Robot, which is kitted with ultraviolet light sterilizer and air sterilizer, maintains the public toilets, as well as crucial operating areas within the terminal building.

"Although air traffic has been impacted by the pandemic, the AA spares no effort in ensuring that the airport is a safe environment for all users.

"We will continue to look into new measures to enhance our cleaning and disinfection work."

HKIA is one of several aviation bodies to announce it's stepping up safety procedures due to the coronavirus crisis.

The company has confirmed to CNN that airlines are already showing interest in both designs and they're currently going through the engineering design steps.

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Hong Kong airport brings in cleaning robots and disinfection booth - CNN

Healthcare, Education & Economy In Post Covid World – Kashmir Observer

Posted on May 3, 2020 by Danzig

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Only a small over 50% of children enrolled in schools in India make it to 12th Class

Jalib Beigh

THE empty streets have become the new normal during the COVID-19 pandemic. The whole world has come to a sudden halt. The outbreak of COVID-19 has created a worldwide health catastrophe that has a deep impact on the way we perceive our world and our day to day lives. Not only the rate of contagion and patterns of transmission threatens our sense of agency, but the safety measures put in place to contain the spread of the virus also require social distancing by abstaining from doing what is naturally human, which is to find comfort in the company of others.

There are round about ten nuclear-powered nations & expenditure amounting to $1.8 trillion on the military by the whole world to fight against each other yet they are failing to tackle a nano-micron sized organism.

Healthcare workers are on the front line of the pandemic outbreak response with limited PPEs and as such are exposed to hazards that put them at threat of infection. These hazards include pathogen contact, extended working hours, psychological agony and fatigue. Self-isolation and quarantine have precipitated depression and anxiety among people. People are away from their loved ones, dispossessed of personal liberties, and altered routine and livelihood. This is leading to frustration, boredom, low mood, and potentially depression. Anxiety is also rising at an alarming rate from fear of contagion and scarce clarity around social distancing guidelines, often made worse by less reliable media sources creating confusion and fear-mongering. Prolonged isolation and stress from the pandemic can affect people differently. It could put a strain on families, make those feel isolated who living alone and threaten peoples sense of purpose by keeping them off from work and those who are experiencing financial uncertainty in the middle of the pandemic have added stress that is difficult to resolve. Despite those differences, the experience of staying home together through a pandemic can be considered a collective mental disturbance.

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected almost every sector & among those badly hit sectors is education. Education is a constitutional right in India, but its provision falls beneath the satisfactory standards. Lack of education is a primary problem in India, and the Indian government schools are a clear picture of this. The infrastructure of schools is in a pathetic state and a lot of school teachers are not properly qualified, with 31% of them not having a degree. About 40% of schools are without electricity. Only a small over 50% of children enrolled in schools in India make it to 12th Class. Less than half of them enter higher educational institutes. By and large, only those students who can afford posh private coaching advance through the entrance tests to the popular engineering and medical colleges.

When the whole world is trying to impart education through online mediums India is lagging way behind in this race. It is the time when India should try investing in the educational sector & promote online education which will eventually help masses of students. Diversity of online study material in the form of videos and texts will encourage students to adopt online education platforms & online courses at UG or PG level are much more affordable than traditional programs.

The pace at which the economic shockwaves from the plague has hit developing countries is dramatic. The COVID-19 crumple of the global economy is prompting comparisons with earlier major economic adjustments at the time of World War II. Globalisation has made countries inter-dependent to some extent & by closing borders completely, the world is deprived of goods and products that were produced by countries together, therefore, hurting economies and worsening unemployment situation. There are round about ten nuclear-powered nations & expenditure amounting to $1.8 trillion on the military by the whole world to fight against each other yet they are failing to tackle a nano-micron sized organism. Now, will 13,890 nuclear warheads help any of the nations out there or will there be anyone left on this planet to use them? This pandemic is exposing each and every fault in the working of governments, International bodies & Organisations like UN/WHO/ILO.

Talking about Indias economy it was already in decline due to the recession in the automobile sector & this pandemic is adding nails to the coffin. The impact of COVID-19 has mostly been felt across sectors such as logistics, auto, tourism, metals, electronic goods, MSMEs and retail. The Demand & Supply chain is also affected to the worst extent, as a result, India is suffering huge inefficiencies of working capital, which is tied up in stock/inventory that is probably in the wrong place at the wrong time. Also, India is facing losses in income to parallel trade, counterfeiting, and other reliability intimidation, and a lack of adaptableness to shifts in demand or conditions.

In the moment of dire mental trauma world is going through something which needs to be addressed with diligent care. Even after the pandemic is over it will leave its traces over the global economies which will take round about at least five to six years to overcome the trade depression post COVID-19 pandemic. It is the high time for organisations like United Nations, World Health Organisation, International Labour Organisation and all the countries over the globe to come & work together for the betterment of humankind. In the future the amounts spent by countries on defence should be temporarily stopped and those funds should be diverted into healthcare & in the development of trade & commerce.

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Metal Based Catalysts Market Industry Trends and Forecast to 2027 | BASF SE, Evonik Industries, Johnson Matthey, Heraeus Holding, Clariant – Bandera…

Posted on May 3, 2020 by Danzig

Global Metal Based Catalysts Market,By Type (Platinum, Palladium, Rhodium, Ruthenium, Iridium, Gold, Others), End- Users (Automobile, Pharmaceutical, Refinery, Others), Country (U.S., Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Rest of South America, Germany, France, Italy, U.K., Belgium, Spain, Russia, Turkey, Netherlands, Switzerland, Rest of Europe, Japan, China, India, South Korea, Australia, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines, Rest of Asia-Pacific, U.A.E, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, South Africa, Israel,Rest of Middle East and Africa), Industry Trends and Forecast to 2027.

Market Analysis and Insights: Global Metal Based Catalysts Market

Metal basedcatalysts market will grow at a growth rate of 6.25% for the forecast period of 2020 to 2027.Rising investment in the automobile industry is expected to create new opportunity for the market.

Download Exclusive Sample Copy of this Report 2020 across with 350 Pages and in-depth TOC Analysis@https://www.databridgemarketresearch.com/request-a-sample/?dbmr=global-metal-based-catalysts-market

Increasing R&D investments in the metal catalysts is expected to enhance the market growth. Some of the other factors such as growth in automotive industry, increasing concern about carbon emissions, rising investment in catalyst to enhance quality & decrease cost and growing demand from various end- industries is expected to accelerate the Metal based catalyst market in the forecast period of 2020 to 2027.

Growing demand for electric vehicles, increasing emergence ofnano- particlecatalysts and volatility in the cost of the metal is expected to hamper the market growth in the mentioned forecast period.

This metal based catalysts market report provides details of new recent developments, trade regulations, import export analysis, production analysis, value chain optimization, market share, impact of domestic and localised market players, analyses opportunities in terms of emerging revenue pockets, changes in market regulations, strategic market growth analysis, market size, category market growths, application niches and dominance, product approvals, product launches, geographical expansions, technological innovations in the market. To gain more info onData Bridge Market Research metal based catalysts market contact us for anAnalyst Brief,our team will help you take an informed market decision to achieve market growth.

Global Metal Based Catalysts Market Scope and Market Size

Metal based catalysts market is segmented of the basis of type and end-users. The growth amongst the different segments helps you in attaining the knowledge related to the different growth factors expected to be prevalent throughout the market and formulate different strategies to help identify core application areas and the difference in your target markets.

Metal Based Catalysts Market Country Level Analysis

Metal based catalysts market is analysed and market size, volume information is provided by country,type and end-users as referenced above.

The countries covered in the metal based catalysts market report are U.S., Canada and Mexico in North America, Germany, France, U.K., Netherlands, Switzerland, Belgium, Russia, Italy, Spain, Turkey, Rest of Europe in Europe, China, Japan, India, South Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, Australia, Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines, Rest of Asia-Pacific (APAC) in the Asia-Pacific (APAC), Saudi Arabia, U.A.E, Israel, Egypt, South Africa, Rest of Middle East and Africa (MEA) as a part of Middle East and Africa (MEA), Brazil, Argentina and Rest of South America as part of South America.

The country section of the report also provides individual market impacting factors and changes in regulation in the market domestically that impacts the current and future trends of the market. Data points such as consumption volumes, production sites and volumes, import export analysis, price trend analysis, cost of raw materials, down-stream and upstream value chain analysis are some of the major pointers used to forecast the market scenario for individual countries. Also, presence and availability of global brands and their challenges faced due to large or scarce competition from local and domestic brands, impact of domestic tariffs and trade routes are considered while providing forecast analysis of the country data.

Competitive Landscape and Metal Based Catalyst Market Share Analysis

Metal based catalysts market competitive landscape provides details by competitor. Details included are company overview, company financials, revenue generated, market potential, investment in research and development, new market initiatives, global presence, production sites and facilities, production capacities, company strengths and weaknesses, product launch, product width and breadth, application dominance. The above data points provided are only related to the companies focus related to metal based catalystsmarket.

Table Of Contents Is Available Herehttps://www.databridgemarketresearch.com/toc/?dbmr=global-metal-based-catalysts-market

The major players covered in the metal based catalysts market report areBASF SE, Evonik Industries, Johnson Matthey, Heraeus Holding, Clariant, Umicore, Alfa Aesar, Thermo Fisher Scientific., Shanxi Kaida Chemical Engineering Co.,ltd., Vineeth Precious Catalysts Pvt. Ltd., CHIMET, Sabin Metal Corporation, American Elements., ALS Limited, Kunming Sino- Platinum Metals Catalyst Co., Ltd., Stanford Advanced Materials, aroramatthey.com, among other domestic and global players. Market share data is available for global, North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific (APAC), Middle East and Africa (MEA) and South America separately. DBMR analysts understand competitive strengths and provide competitive analysis for each competitor separately.

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Metal Based Catalysts Market Industry Trends and Forecast to 2027 | BASF SE, Evonik Industries, Johnson Matthey, Heraeus Holding, Clariant - Bandera...

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