A hunter touches an infected animal’s blood, a farmer breathes the moist air exhaled by sick cows, contaminated meat is served at an outdoor market—these […]

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To make the world safer against future infectious disease threats, national health systems should be strengthened, the World Health Organization’s emergency and outbreak response activities should be consolidated and bolstered, and research and development should be enhanced, says a new Policy Forum article that appears in the May 19 edition of PLOS Medicine.

The current measles outbreaks in the United States and elsewhere are being fueled by misinformation about the safety of vaccines.

Over the next five years, the U.S. Department of Defense’s Biological Threat Reduction Program (BTRP) should encourage and be among co-leaders in the federal government’s development of an enduring interagency mechanism to address an array of biological threats – including natural disease outbreaks, accidental releases, and intentional attacks -- to deployed U.S. forces and to the nation itself, says a new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine

February satellite readings in the troposphere (the lower atmosphere) of nitrogen dioxide (NO2), a pollutant primarily from burning fossil fuels, show a dramatic decline compared to early January when power plants were operating at normal levels.; Credit: /NASA Earth Observatory

As China seeks to control the spread of COVID-19, fewer cars are driving, fewer factories are running and — in some places — skies are clearer.

Air pollution levels have dropped by roughly a quarter over the last month as coal-fired power plants and industrial facilities have ramped down so employees in high-risk areas can stay home. Levels of nitrogen dioxide, a pollutant primarily from burning fossil fuels, were down as much as 30%, according to NASA.

"It is an unprecedentedly dramatic drop in emissions," says Lauri Myllyvirta, lead analyst at the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air, who tallied the reductions. "I've definitely spoken to people in Shanghai who said that it's been some of the most pristine blue skies that they remember over the winter."

Myllyvirta estimates that China's carbon emissions have dropped by a quarter over the same period. While that's a tiny fraction of its overall annual emissions, it's substantial in a worldwide context, since China is the largest emitter of greenhouse gases.

There's potentially a health benefit — although any gains due to a drop in pollution are set against the toll taken by the coronavirus outbreak.

Air pollution is estimated to contribute to more than 1 million premature deaths in China each year. Fine particle pollution, also known as PM 2.5, can enter the bloodstream through the lungs and has been linked to asthma attacks, heart attacks and respiratory problems.

Even a short-term reduction in air pollution can make a difference.

"There is no question about it: When air quality improves, that will be associated with a reduction in health-related problems," says Jim Zhang, professor of global and environmental health at Duke University.

Zhang says that was evident during the 2008 summer Olympics in Beijing. To help improve the air, government officials shut factories and dramatically limited car travel before and during the games. Levels of some air pollutants dropped by half.

He and colleagues studied a group of young men and women in Beijing and found that during that time period, their lung and cardiovascular health improved. He also followed pregnant women.

"What we found is that the kids whose mothers had a third trimester pregnancy during the Olympics when the air quality was better, their birth weight was substantially higher than the kids who were born a year before and a year later," he says.

But health specialists sound a cautionary note.

"It would be a mischaracterization to say that the coronavirus was beneficial to health because of these air pollution reductions," says Jill Baumgartner, associate professor and epidemiologist at McGill University.

"The health impacts from the virus itself, the stress on the health-care system, the stress on people's lives — those health impacts are likely to be much greater than the short-term benefits of air pollution on health," she says.

Baumgartner says people with health issues other than COVID-19 may have avoided seeing doctors during the outbreak or potentially couldn't receive treatment they needed in areas with overtaxed health systems.

Those isolated at home and avoiding crowds may also have been exposed to more indoor air pollution.

"People spent a lot more time indoors and it's possible that they were exposed to higher levels of indoor tobacco smoke," Baumgartner says. "Or in the suburban areas, it's possible that they were using their traditional wood or coal stoves for heating."

Not all cities have experienced the recent improvements. In mid-February, Beijing saw a spike in pollution due to local weather patterns trapping air in the region.

The drop in air pollution and carbon emissions is also likely to disappear as Chinese industry ramps up again in an attempt to offset its economic losses.

"If you think back to the global financial crisis, the immediate impact was for China's emissions to fall," says Myllyvirta. "But then the government response was to roll out the biggest stimulus package in the history of mankind that then drove China's emissions and global emissions up for years."

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

Pedestrians walk by the Castro Theatre that has a marquee announcing that they are closed due to a statewide ordinance banning gatherings of more than 250 people in San Francisco, California. ; Credit: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Hollywood has come to a stand still. The film and entertainment industry has been hit hard by the coronavirus outbreak as theaters close, film releases and events are being postponed, and studios are putting a pause on film production.

The gravity of the coronavirus is being felt all throughout the country and Hollywood is not coming out of the outbreak unscathed. Social distancing measures being enforced to help control the outbreak has studios and theatres taking a huge hit. It’s predicted that about 170,000 people in the film industry will lose their jobs. Many of the lowest-paid positions and freelance jobs have been the first to go. From events to films, the industry is trying to strategize around the outbreak with no clear picture on how long these conditions could last. Hollywood unions, activist groups and nonprofits are coming together to help provide some kind of emergency relief for workers who are getting hit the hardest. It’s been a period of economic shock for the entertainment industry and it’s still too early to see what Hollywood could look like after the outbreak is over.

Today on AirTalk, we check-in with people in the entertainment industry who have been impacted by the outbreak and where might Hollywood go from here. If you work in entertainment, we'd like to hear from you! How are you coping as most productions are shut down? Join the live conversation by calling 866-893-5722.

Guest:

Andrew Wallenstein, co-editor-in-chief at Variety; he tweets @awallenstein

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

An early-warning system developed by researchers could help forest managers in Europe predict which trees are at greatest risk of bark- beetle infestation. The study looked at the probability of bark-beetle outbreaks on two important conifer-tree species in Slovenia: the Norway spruce (Picea abies) and silver fir (Abies alba). It found that high temperatures, and extreme weather linked to climate change — including droughts and ice storms — weakened trees, making them more vulnerable to attack by bark beetles.

Personal tracking tools -- technologies that meticulously count our daily steps, map our runs, account for each purchase - fall in and out of favor in users' lives.

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Biodiversity could play a key role in preventing future outbreaks of malaria in tropical forests, according to a new study. Results indicate that a greater number of mosquito species could increase competition for mosquitoes that spread malarial parasites, whilst more vertebrate species could increase the likelihood that malarial parasites end up in 'dead-end hosts' that are unable to transmit the disease any further.

New pest management strategies may be needed in landscapes where certain types of GM crop are grown, according to recent research. The study found that GM cotton grown in China, designed to resist insect attack, has had an unintended consequence: reduced insecticide use has allowed outbreaks of non-target organisms to infest crops across the agricultural landscape and emerge as new pests.

CULPEPER —  A new traffic pattern will take effect next week as construction begins on the westbound Route 211/522 (Lee Highway) bridge over the...

The Watford Sunday League (WSL) has been suspended until further notice in light of advice that all grassroots football should be postponed for the foreseeable future due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Shannon Courtenay's upcoming fight is among the latest sporting events to have been suspended due to the coronavirus outbreak, with Matchroom Boxing pushing back a number of their bills.

This week motorists should expect delays in the vicinity of Interstate 64 exit 87 westbound at Interstate 81 exit 221 southbound in Augusta County. There will be bridge deck work on the southbound ramp bridge from I-64 westbound to I-81 southbound. The right lane will be closed.   

Fifth-year students at the NTU Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine have started on SimConsult - a simulated clinical training - after postings to hospitals were suspended due to the Covid-19 outbreak....

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Researchers from NTU Singapore have developed a semi-autonomous robot that can disinfect large surfaces quickly. Named eXtreme Disinfection roBOT (XDBOT), it can be wirelessly controlled via a laptop or tablet, removing the need for cleaners to be in contact with surfaces, thereby reducing the risk of picking up the virus from potentially contaminated areas....

The doctor who discovered the dangers of concussions says kids should avoid high-impact sports until they are 18.

Which shortlisted bridge proposal for Tintagel Castle would King Arthur himself choose?

In conjunction with Greenbuild 2012, prefab firm Blu Homes announces the acquisition of Modern Cabana, a family-run company specializing in stylish accessory dw

A greenhouse gas that is thought to have a potent impact on global warming was detected in trace amounts in the atmosphere.

The Swedish home furnishings giant plans to offer 'lower carbon alternatives' to the signature pork and beef meatballs sold at its in-store cafes.

The Museum of London will showcase part of a 143-ton chunk of fat, diapers and baby wipes that was removed from the city's sewers.

College textbook prices have outpaced the rate of inflation since the 70s, but here are some creative ways to find course materials for less.

Chuck Leavell, the keyboardist for the Rolling Stones and the co-founder of MNN, interviews Ovie Mughelli, the fullback for the Atlanta Falcons about his passio

If you see this tagline on your teen's social media pages, here's what's going on.

The CDC hopes to teach the public about outbreaks and maybe attract future epidemiologists through the free app.

The hip Scandinavian superstore becomes the latest company affected by the broadening scandal.

A study finds that a tomato's cancer-fighting properties are reduced when consumed with iron-rich food.

New report finds that closing schools during a flu epidemic could halt the spread of the illness and keep people out of the emergency room.

Pitchforks? Water skis? When all else fails, these extreme fishermen go medieval on the tenacious invasive species.

Emedivet is helping farmers keep track of their cows' health an implantable device, but the ultimate goal is to get the devices into humans.

Here's how to get your home and family ready for the possibility of a coronavirus outbreak.

What's next? A peanut farm at Dallas/Fort Worth?

Yoga Insurance Services, sister company of OneCall, has signed up as the first client.

･ Midway through 2018 MTBP, MHI is executing as planned, strengthening financial foundations by embedding cash flow management processes ･ Management focused on balancing business growth and financial stability. Reflecting committed M&A deals and the current state of the medium-lot product market, FY2020 targets revised ･ Growth to be driven by combining MHI's core competencies in mechanical systems with innovative technologies in decarbonization, electrification and intelligence

Some say evolving bugs and lax oversight are making salmonella even more dangerous.