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New £2.8 million MRI scanner installed at Aston Institute of Health and Neurodevelopment

Installation of a new £2.8 million MRI scanner is due to start at Aston University in the Institute of Health and Neurodevelopment (IHN) to replace the existing ageing unit in the Day Hospital on campus. The state-of-the-art facility will be installed over a period of four months, including work being undertaken to remove the old machine from the building. This will involve several complex crane lifts outside the Day Hospital to remove the existing scanner. The internal spaces will then be refurbished before the new scanner is lifted into the building in February 2022. The new Siemens MAGNETOM Prisma 3T MRI scanner will enhance the world-class neuroimaging research facilities within the Institute. Currently Aston University researchers use advanced neuroimaging techniques to discover biomarkers of brain health in children with neurological disease. By detecting those biomarkers, researchers are able to determine those who are at risk of longer term poor cognitive, behavioural and health outcomes with the goal/vision of providing early support to those children who need it most. The new scanner will also enable the Institute to provide the most recent innovations in MRI for patients visiting through the clinical service: Aston University Imaging. Patients visiting for MRI scans come through private referrals, as well as from local institutions such as the Birmingham Royal Ballet and Aston Villa football club. Professor Jackie Blissett, co-director, Aston Institute of Health and Neurodevelopment (IHN), said: “The installation of our new MRI scanner is tremendously exciting. This state-of-the-art equipment is core to our child-focused research programme that delivers a new understanding of development and disease and the interventions that will make a difference.”

Six popular beliefs about colds: experts explain the facts

As we return to pre-lockdown levels of social mixing, colds are starting to become all too common. A TikTok video has gone viral involving putting garlic up your nose as a cold cure, just one in a long line of claimed treatments or cures. We asked two experts to examine some commonly held beliefs around colds. 1. Can you get a cold by getting cold? Colds become more common in winter. Like other upper respiratory tract infections (in the nose, throat and windpipe) they are normally caused by a virus. There might be a little truth in the idea that getting cold can give you a cold, because as the temperature changes this can alter the lining of our throat and windpipe, which can possibly make it easier for viruses to infect cells. However, the main reason we get more colds in winter is spending more time inside, closer to other people – the perfect environment to transmit viruses. 2. Does sticking garlic up your nose help? The TikTok trend involves putting cloves of garlic up your nose because it claims to act as a decongestant. Sticking something up your nose blocks the flow of mucus, so when it is removed, the flow starts and the mucus drips or even runs out of your nose. Mucus not only helps trap and remove pathogens including viruses, but also contains antibodies and can reduce how infectious and spreadable viruses are. So this is not a good idea. Garlic contains a range of compounds which might irritate the nose, and remember sticking anything up your nose isn’t a great idea. It could damage the lining and lead to bleeding or even get stuck. So it doesn’t really help and could be harmful. 3. Can herbal remedies prevent colds? Various herbal remedies claim to either prevent or speed up recovery from a cold. People often mention echinacea, a family of plants that grow in North America. Some trials have suggested a small preventative effect, but the evidence does not show statistically significant reductions in illness levels. Turmeric is also touted as a preventative medicine, but there is no robust evidence for its effectiveness either. 4. Can vitamin C help? Nobel prize-winning scientist Linus Pauling suggested that vitamin C in high doses could be an effective treatment for many viral infections. But a Cochrane review, a very robust system in which researchers assess evidence, found that vitamin C did not prevent colds, but may reduce their duration, in some people. As vitamin C supplements of around 200mg per day are considered low risk, some suggest this is a reasonable strategy to shorten the effects of a cold. 5. Does vitamin D prevent colds? Vitamin D has moved from being the sunshine vitamin associated with healthy bones, to being linked to reducing the risks around everything from heart disease and diabetes to viruses. This has included a lot of interest in vitamin D as a way of helping us fight off flu and more recently COVID-19. Laboratory experiments show that vitamin D is important in supporting immunity and this is critical in fighting off viruses. The problem may be that some people have inadequate vitamin D levels. Sunshine allows us to make our own vitamin D - but that happens less in winter. So it is likely that taking vitamin D supplements as advised by the UK government over winter is sensible so that you get enough, and this may help prevent you from getting a cold. 6. What about chicken soup? Chicken soup has been used through the ages to treat colds, and like honey it might have some benefits in managing symptoms. But it is unlikely to make a big impact on driving out the infection. The water in the soup will help with hydration, which is a often a problem when we have a cold. Like most hot drinks it can help to relieve painful sinuses. There are studies looking at the effect on our immune system cells, but the evidence from these is far from conclusive. Sadly, there are no miracle cures for the common cold. Some suggestions may be helpful, and are generally not harmful, such as getting enough vitamin C and D. But others are definitely not worth trying and could be risky, such as putting garlic up your nose. The best thing to do is get plenty of rest and drink plenty of fluids to stay hydrated.

COVID vaccines and your children – UConn’s medical experts are helping parents learn what’s best for their kids

The health and safety of their children is the top priority of every parent. And after more than a year and a half of enduring a pandemic, mothers and fathers across America have been inundated with news, information and debate about what’s best for all of our health and how to avoid contracting COVID-19. And now, as America is seeing vaccines approved for children five and over, parents and the media are relying on leading experts to provide honest guidance, advice, and clarity on what parents need to know about what’s best for the health of America’s kids. It’s why Dr. Jody Terranova, a physician at UConn Health and the president-elect for the Connecticut chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, is getting the word out to parents: The state of Connecticut is already rolling out vaccinations for children ages five to eleven. This move comes on the heels of the CDC's formal recommended emergency use authorization. Within hours of the announcement, children here have rolled up their sleeves. One UConn School of Medicine pediatrician says she understands why parents have questions and hopes to clarify a few important details. Not only is Dr. Jody Terranova the president-elect for the Connecticut chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, she was also a member of the scientific sub-group of the state of Connecticut governor’s COVID-19 vaccine advisory group. “At this point, we are really recommending that all five to eleven-year-olds get vaccinated. There are very few children that should not get vaccinated right now," Dr. Terranova explained. Dr. Terranova admits the topic of vaccines for children ages five to eleven is a sensitive issue. That’s why in order to make an informed decision for your family, it's critical to ask important questions, like how does the vaccine work to protect the pediatric population from COVID-19? “The vaccine that we are giving for COVID works very similar to other vaccines, where it’s really activating your immune system to mount a response to recognize that virus when it invaded your body and create antibodies that will attack it so that it can’t replicate and infect you or your child," continued Dr. Terranova. November 4 - Eyewitness News If you are a journalist looking to know more about the COVID vaccine for children and the important information parents need to know, let us help with your coverage. Dr. Terranova is available to speak with media – simply click on her icon to arrange an interview today.

“Rethink What’s Possible” - MSOE sits down with Sheila Ross and John Bukowy to talk about Humanizing Machine Learning

On Rethink What’s Possible, a podcast by Milwaukee School of Engineering, MSOE students, faculty, staff, alumni and community partners share their inventions, research, industry trends, projects, experiences and how they’re rethinking what's possible. Artificial intelligence. Machine learning. High performance computing. Super computers. These terms have been around for quite a while now, but only in recent years the research has been put into practice and there are no signs of it slowing down. Episode Three, 'Humanizing Machine Learning,' Artificial intelligence (AI) is becoming prominent in more and more industries each day, including health care. Artificial intelligence (AI) is becoming prominent in more and more industries each day, including health care. Join Dr. Sheila Ross and Dr. John Bukowy, AI faculty experts from Milwaukee School of Engineering (MSOE) and student Ethan Hindes as they discuss the advancements of AI in “Humanizing Machine Learning,” part of the MSOE podcast, “Rethink What’s Possible.” They talk about its impact on their research with the Medical College of Wisconsin to identify and assess the severity of damage to blood vessels in kidneys. Hindes also discusses how he found his way to major in computer science. The podcast is available for download and well worth listening to. And, if you are a journalist interested in learning more or arranging an interview with Dr. Ross or Bukowy – simply click on either expert's icon now to arrange an interview today.

Vaccinating kids – Augusta University experts are ready to help with your questions and keep parents informed

As America continues down the long road of adapting, adjusting, and advancing safety efforts in order to overtake COVID 19 – vaccinations have now been approved for children five and older. It’s welcome news for health care experts and epidemiologists – but there’s no doubt this most recent development has parents concerned about the safety and potential consequences children could face if they roll up their sleeves to get immunized. Since this next step was announced, it’s gotten the attention of media and parents from across the country. Augusta University experts have been front and center to help with the messaging. The vaccine rollout for kids ages 5 to 11 starts now. Right now, local hospitals and pediatric offices are working to get doses to the river region. For the past nine months, we’ve seen different rollouts for different age groups come through Augusta University Health’s mass vaccination site. AU Health says it’s still up in the air right now whether this will be the main site you’ll bring your kids to get vaccinated. But what we do know is that 1,200 doses are on the way. “Every single individual has been paramount in this response,” said Dr. Joshua Wyche, AU vaccine coordinator. AU Health officials say they aren’t even close to accomplishing their mission to get everyone vaccinated. “We’re very fortunate to have caregivers that care so much about their community that want to make this impact and continue to push through during this pandemic,” Wyche said. November 03 - WRDW/WAGT Augusta An update from the CDC: kids can start rolling up their sleeves to get their COVID-19 vaccine. This means nearly 30 million American children ages five to 11 are now eligible for the vaccine. That's a little under 1 million in Georgia and 450,000 in South Carolina. But some parents still have concerns about the vaccine's safety. “For the vast majority of people and for parents as they’re looking for how they can protect they’re children best from COVID-19, having access to the vaccine now gives them another tool to protect their child,” says Augusta University Strategic Planning & Pharmacy VP Dr. Joshua Wyche. November 03 – Fox News Child vaccinations are an important topic – and it is essential that accurate details and information are shared with media and parents across the country, and that’s where Augusta’s experts can help. Dr. Joshua Wyche is accomplished pharmacist with an extensive background in business management. He is an expert in strategic planning and pharmacy services. Dr. Wyche is available to speak with media regarding this important topic – simply click on his icon now to arrange an interview today.

MEDIA RELEASE: Is your vehicle ready for winter? What you need to do to prepare for the season ahead

Temperatures are getting colder, Ontarians are bundling up, and CAA South Central Ontario (CAA SCO) is recommending that now is the right time to get your vehicle winter ready. “Preparing for unpredictable driving conditions will help ease the frustration and anxiety that comes with colder weather,” says Kaitlynn Furse, director, corporate communications, CAA Club Group. “Before the winter season starts ensure your car is in tip top shape.” If you’re uncertain of when or how to get ready for winter driving, the top three things you can do right now are: packing an emergency roadside kit, installing your winter tires, and checking your car battery. CAA recommends packing a fully stocked emergency roadside kit so in case something does happen while on the road, you have everything to stay safe until help arrives. The kit should include a flashlight and extra batteries, warning devices (e.g., flares, reflective vests/strips), a first aid kit, blankets, jumper cables, non-perishable food and water plus a phone charger. Be sure to also keep an ice scraper, small shovel and snow brush handy in your car at all times. With the temperature consistently hovering around 7° Celsius, it’s important to install four matching winter tires to fully optimize your vehicle’s handling, stability and braking. “Compared to all-season tires, winter tires stay flexible in cold temperatures giving you better traction, whether or not there’s snow on the ground,” says Furse. “This may reduce your stopping distance by a few feet which can be the reason for preventing a collision.”  While installing your winter tires, CAA recommends also asking your mechanic to check your car battery. “Even a fully charged battery can lose power when the temperature dips below 0° Celsius,” says Furse. “It’s important to have your car battery tested in the fall to ensure it’s ready for the winter.” Are you unsure if your car battery will make it through the winter months?  Watch for the following warning signs that a battery may need to be replaced:   Your vehicle cranks slowly when trying to start. It takes 175 to 250 amps of battery power to get a car going. If your car is slow to start, you might be dealing with an insufficient charge.  Your headlights dim while idling. When idle, a car may draw more power than the alternator alone can produce, so your battery kicks in. If your headlights dim when you are idling but brighten when you rev the engine, it could mean a drained battery.  Your digital systems power down quickly. Electronics like the radio, GPS, dash cams and other accessories, especially in modern cars, use battery power when the engine is off. If they stop functioning properly, it could suggest a weak battery.  You hear a grinding, clicking or buzzing noise when you turn on the ignition. It’s important to be able to distinguish the reason your vehicle may be making noises, usually these sounds mean your battery has lost its charge but if you’re still unsure, get your vehicle checked by a professional.   Your vehicle has stalled. The stored energy in your car battery is essential for starting the engine, without its juice, you won’t be going far.   If your battery is giving you problems or you are unsure if it’s time to replace it, you can call CAA’s Mobile Battery Service at *222 to have a trained CAA SCO Battery Service Representative come test your battery and provide a helping hand.

Youngkin wins Virginia - let our expert explain how it happened

It was a governor's race that had a lot of star-power, got a lot of attention and was supposed to be a referendum and affirmation on the first year of the Biden agenda. But the people of Virginia spoke with their votes Tuesday evening - and the state that overwhelmingly supported Joe Biden one year ago changed lanes and turned red. There will be no doubt an enormous amount of explanations, excuses, analysis and finger-pointing on both sides of the politcal spectrum regarding this outcome and what is says about the upcoming elections in 2022. And if you are a journalist covering this election - the let our experts help. Dr. Stephen Farnsworth is a sought-after political commentator on presidential politics. He has been widely featured in national media, including The Washington Post, Reuters, The Chicago Tribune and MSNBC. If you are a reporter covering Virginia's gubernatorial race, simple click on his icon to arrange an interview today.

Emory Experts - Post-Financial Crisis: How Well do Mutual Fund Stocks Fare?

Following the global financial crisis in 2008, the assets of passively managed mutual funds have ballooned, while the market share of actively managed funds has fallen dramatically. Addressing this topic, a new research has been coauthored by Jeffrey “Jeff” Busse, professor of finance, and Goizueta alumni Kiseo Chung 17PhD, assistant professor of finance, Texas Tech University and Badrinath Kottimukkalur 17PhD, assistant professor of finance, George Washington University. In their paper, the researchers explain the shift in assets from actively managed funds to passive funds, “Impediments to Active Stock Selection and the Growth in Passive Fund Management. In 1999, Busse and his coauthors explain, the net assets of passive funds were “less than an eighth the assets of active funds.” But by the end of 2019, “the market share of passive equity funds increased to more than 50 percent,” Busse, Chung, and Kottimukkalur note. Passive funds track indices such as the S&P 500, Dow Jones Industrial Average, NASDAQ Composite, and Wilshire 5000—all indices that have been difficult to beat over the last decade. According to the Wall Street Journal, from 2008 to 2018, more than 80 percent of actively managed funds in the U.S. underperformed the S&P Composite 1500. This is in large part, the trio notes in their paper, because the so-called “FAANG” stocks—Facebook, Apple, Amazon, Netflix, and Google—comprise such a large part of these indices. In fact, the top 10 stocks in the S&P 500 currently make up around 30 percent of its market cap. “The market caps of these companies are huge, and they’ve done exceptionally well since the financial crisis,” Busse explains. Hence, active fund managers and their teams of analysts have found it much more challenging to discover undervalued and overlooked stocks with positive alphas ─ the stocks that outperform an index. “As such, a general move toward passively managed funds is not so surprising,” the paper reveals. Finding Diamonds and Avoiding Duds Making it even more difficult to find diamonds in the rough is a lack of volatility in the stock market. Except for some isolated periods, including the month or so around the start of the pandemic in March 2020, the market hasn’t experienced much volatility since 2008. Without wide swings in prices, fund managers have less opportunity to buy low and sell high. Over the same time period, aggregate stock liquidity has also been high, which means less chance for fund managers to pick up winners at bargain prices. “When there’s money in the market—when there’s liquidity—it means there aren’t a lot of disagreements on prices,” explains Busse. “Liquidity is inversely related to mispricing,” the researchers explain in their paper. This combination of circumstances—the rise of the FAANG stocks, the lack of market volatility, and higher liquidity—is making it much more difficult for actively managed funds to find stocks that will help their funds beat the indices, and therefore, outperform the passive funds. As a result, justifying their management fees gets more complicated. According to Thomson Reuters Lipper, the average expense ratio (management fees divided by total investment in a fund) for actively managed funds is 1.4 percent compared to 0.6 percent for the average passive fund—nearly three times as much. While active fund managers have realized that these higher costs are no longer paying off and have moved to reduce them, actively managed funds continue to lose market share. Market Share Gain of Passively Managed Funds While the authors weren’t surprised by the growth of passively managed funds, they were surprised by how much they grew. From 1999 to 2019, the authors note, the number of actively managed funds grew by 11 percent, while the number of passively managed funds increased by 244 percent. “There haven’t been any papers that try to explain why passive funds have gained so much market share,” says Busse. He and his coauthors believe their research illustrates that it’s in large part because the market, post-financial crisis, is challenging for stock pickers. “As such, it has been difficult for actively-managed funds to recoup the costs associated with active management, and compared to earlier periods, passively managed funds are better positioned to gain market share,” they explain. “As the payoffs to active management decrease, it becomes more difficult to justify the costs of active management, and, thus, we expect funds to decrease these costs given their negative performance implications.” Busse doesn’t believe the current fund management environment will continue indefinitely. When the pandemic knocked the S&P 500 down 30 percent in March 2020, managers did gain opportunities to find positive alpha stocks—which they bought. “It’s just, on average, over the last 10 years, there haven’t been enough of those opportunities,” explains Busse. “It’s a matter of hanging in there and, in some sense, keeping your investors from fleeing to passive funds until the environment is a little bit better.” Jeffrey Busse is the Goizueta Foundation Term Professor of Finance where his research focuses on investments, with an emphasis on mutual funds. Jeff is available to speak with the media regarding this important topic – simply click on his icon now to arrange an interview today.

Aston University pollution expert praises Clean Air Zone roll out plans across UK

• Dr Stephen Worrall believes Birmingham’s Clean Air Zone is encouraging fewer drivers into city centre • The pollution expert said statistics show motorists are ‘changing their behaviour’ • He praised other cities for following suit but says changes need to come more quickly. A leading expert in air pollution from Aston University has examined available data on how many vehicles have paid to enter Birmingham’s Clean Air Zone (CAZ) and has said people’s behaviours are changing Atmospheric chemist, Dr Stephen Worrall, praised the introduction of Birmingham’s CAZ which launched on 1 June, saying it was an important step in tackling air pollution in the city and would have a considerable impact on people’s health. Whilst the full impact of the CAZ on pollution levels won’t become clear until 2022, Dr Worrall said since the “Go Live Date” the traffic data revealed that the number of non-compliant vehicles being driven in the zone was decreasing markedly. “In the first two weeks of June before charging was introduced, the daily number of non-compliant vehicles being driven within the CAZ was at an average of 18,787. “After charging was introduced, this dropped significantly to 11,850 for the remainder of June and this number has continued to fall, with the last reported daily average of 10,800 for August. “This isn’t just your average motorist with a car either, as the data shows similar trends for other categories of vehicles with the biggest improvement observed in light goods vehicles (LGVs). Over 75% of these vehicles were complying with the CAZ in August versus just 63% in June. This is a significant and sustained reduction which clearly demonstrates that people are modifying their behaviours,” he said. Dr Worrall added that the data was also able to hint at the manner in which people were modifying their behaviour, with a possible increase in public transport use, car sharing or a reduction in overall number of journeys. “Some people are upgrading their vehicles to newer, less polluting models as there has been a small rise of about 2,500 in the number of complaint vehicles entering the CAZ on a daily basis. However, this number is dwarfed by the approximately 8,500 reduction in the daily number of non-complaint vehicles. The upshot of this is that the total number of vehicles entering the CAZ every day has dropped by roughly 6,000 (around 6%). 6,000 fewer of the most polluting vehicles in our city centre is a real positive and a step in the right direction to improving our air quality and health,” he said. Air pollution particularly affects the most vulnerable in society, including children, and older people, and those with heart and lung conditions. The annual health cost to society of the impacts of particulate matter alone in the UK is estimated to be around £16 billion*. Levels of NO2 in Birmingham frequently exceed 45 to50 micrograms per cubic meter, mainly caused by road traffic emissions, with certain hotspots exhibiting even greater values such as the measuring site at St Chads Queensway where the last reported yearly average for the city centre was as high as 74 micrograms per cubic meter. The primary aim of the CAZ is to reduce the levels of NO2 to 40 micrograms per cubic meter. Dr Worrall said that although CAZs weren’t directly designed to address greenhouse gas emissions, if as suggested they result in less people using their vehicles for journey, then this would have an impact on emissions. “Whilst the CAZ target is to reduce nitrogen dioxide (NO2) levels, the knock-on effect of this reduction in car use will mean a reduction in pollution in general, including greenhouse gases such as CO2. This is really important and suggests that other cities need to be acting now rather than later. Bath has implemented a similar but less stringent system, London recently extended its ultra low emission zone (ULEZ) area and Portsmouth’s CAZ will be coming live shortly too, but other cities who have plans in the pipeline should really bring them forward as a matter of urgency,” he said. Dr Worrall added that with current COP26 discussions bringing pollution to the forefront, it was important to continue with awareness. “These policies are all small pieces in the puzzle for reducing emissions from transport and getting people to make wiser choices about the vehicles they own and buy, and as COP26 is making very clear we need to be doing all of these things now to save our planet” he said. Dr Worrall has great experience in the subject, having spent a portion of his post-doctoral research in Beijing where he took live air pollution measurements, monitored problematic levels and discussed with international colleagues’ ways to address these issues. Read more about the College of Engineering and Physical Sciences at Aston University, here: https://www.aston.ac.uk/eps ENDS * Defra (2017) Air quality plan for nitrogen dioxide in the UK

MEDIA RELEASE: CAA MyPace, Canada’s only pay-as-you-go auto insurance payment program now available to more Ontarians

CAA Insurance Company is proud to announce the expansion of Canada’s first and only pay-as-you-go auto insurance payment program, CAA MyPace™, in Ontario. The program allows motorists to monitor how much they are driving and to pay for auto insurance based on that mileage. After three years where thousands of Ontario drivers have benefitted from CAA MyPace, CAA Insurance is now providing greater savings by expanding access to those who drive less than 12-thousand kilometres annually. Previously it was designed for those who drive less than 9-thousand kilometres. “Since the launch of the program back in 2018, CAA MyPace has been generating a great deal of interest in the market, and consumers are asking for it by name,” said Matthew Turack, president, CAA Insurance Company. “As many Ontarians continue to drive less than they did two years ago, we are excited to make this program available to even more Ontario drivers.” The uniqueness of CAA MyPace in the Ontario auto insurance market has resulted in considerable interest by drivers. The number of new CAA MyPace policies during the pandemic period of January - September 2021, increased by 418 per cent compared to the same pre-pandemic period of January - September 2019. The growth directly results from customers who made the switch to CAA MyPace and are seeing significant savings. On average, CAA’s pay-as-you-go policyholders save 50 per cent on their auto insurance costs compared to a traditional policy. An August 2021 survey of over 2,100 Ontarians, conducted by CAA Insurance, indicated that 64 per cent of respondents would consider a pay-as-you-go product now or at their time of renewal. “Expanding our lifestyle products and programs gives CAA Insurance the ability to be responsive to the needs of our customers and to ensure that we are there for them in every stage of life,” says Turack. New customers can enrol in the expanded CAA MyPace program starting November 15, 2021. Existing CAA MyPace customers will be automatically transitioned into the expanded program, with no additional costs at renewal, effective January 15, 2022.