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A New Way to Fight Pandemics: Use Decoys to Trap the Viruses that Cause Them

With a vaccine for SARS-CoV-2 still months into the future, it’s clear that we need better antivirals to hold COVID-19 and future pandemics at bay. One strategy uses a decoy to block viruses at the point where they latch onto human cells, stopping infection before it can begin. To infect a cell, a virus must first latch onto a specific target on the cell surface, slice through the cell membrane, and insert its own genetic instructions, hijacking the cellular machinery within to produce replicas of the virus. But the virus could just as easily be persuaded to lock onto a decoy molecule, provided that molecule offers the same fit as the cellular target. Once bound to a decoy, the virus would be neutralized, unable to infect a cell or free itself, and would eventually degrade. This decoy strategy has shown promise in combating a number of viruses, including SARS-CoV-2, dengue, Zika, and influenza A. Two prominent researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute — Jonathan Dordick, a chemical engineer, and Robert Linhardt, internationally recognized for his creation of synthetic heparin — focus on viruses that use glycoproteins to latch onto human cells, a trait common to many viruses including coronaviruses. Their work studies how viruses gain entry into human cells at the molecular level and identifies safe, effective compounds to offer as a decoy. In their most recent test of this viral decoy strategy on mammalian cells, Dordick and Linhardt demonstrated that a compound derived from edible seaweeds substantially outperforms remdesivir, the current standard antiviral used to combat COVID-19. Heparin, a common blood thinner, and a heparin variant stripped of its anticoagulant properties, performed on par with remdesivir in inhibiting SARS-CoV-2 infection in mammalian cells. Both compounds bind tightly to the spike protein on the surface of SARS-CoV-2, the same strategy the team employed in their previous viral work. In 2019, the team created a trap for dengue virus, attaching specific aptamers — molecules the viral latches will bind to — precisely to the tips and vertices of a five-pointed star made of folded DNA. Floating in the bloodstream, the trap lights up when sprung, creating the world’s most sensitive test for mosquito-borne diseases. Dordick and Linhardt are available to speak on the viral decoy strategy, similar antiviral research efforts, and the need for more effective antivirals in future pandemic control.

Only 99 days until Election Day – let Dr. Stephen Farnsworth be your go-to source as the race for the White House begins its final stretch

This presidential election will undoubtedly be the most contentious, controversial, and probably extraordinary in American history.   If you thought 2016 was a spectacle, now Joe Biden and Donald Trump are facing off during a global pandemic, which will inevitably force the traditional styles of campaigning like whistle stops and rallies to pivot toward digital town halls and online chats.   Despite polling, both parties know they cannot take anything for granted. And there are a lot of factors at play: Has anyone done an almost exclusively online campaign before? What will a lack of massive rallies mean for Donald Trump? What can Joe Biden learn from the Clinton campaign? What are the key states at play and why do they matter so much? Can either candidate bridge the divide between a very divisive America? The next 99 days will be a long and drawn out marathon of drama, policies, and political punches. And if you are covering, let Dr. Stephen Farnsworth be your go-to for everything you need to know during this election. 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. He is author or co-author of six books on presidential communication. Dr. Farnsworth is available to speak with media and help with your coverage – simply click on his icon to arrange an interview today.

Chatbots can ease medical providers' burden, offer trusted guidance to those with COVID-19 symptoms

COVID-19 has placed tremendous pressure on health care systems, not only for critical care but also from an anxious public looking for answers. Research from the Indiana University Kelley School of Business found that chatbots -- software applications that conduct online chats via text or text-to-speech -- working for reputable organizations can ease the burden on medical providers and offer trusted guidance to those with symptoms. Researchers conducted an online experiment with 371 participants who viewed a COVID-19 screening session between a hotline agent -- chatbot or human -- and a user with mild or severe symptoms. They studied whether chatbots were seen as being persuasive, providing satisfying information that likely would be followed. Their results showed a slight negative bias against chatbots' ability, perhaps due to recent press reports. When the perceived ability is the same, however, participants reported that they viewed chatbots more positively than human agents, which is good news for health care organizations struggling to meet user demand for screening services. "The primary factor driving user response to screening hotlines -- human or chatbot -- is perceptions of the agent's ability," said Alan Dennis, the John T. Chambers Chair of Internet Systems at Kelley and corresponding author of the paper, "User reactions to COVID-19 screening chatbots from reputable providers." "When ability is the same, users view chatbots no differently or more positively than human agents." Other authors on the paper, forthcoming in the Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association, are Antino Kim, assistant professor of operations and decision technologies at Kelley; and Sezgin Ayabakan, assistant professor of management information systems, and doctoral candidate Mohammad Rahimi, both at Temple University's Fox School of Business. Even before the pandemic, chatbots were identified as a technology that could speed up how people interact with researchers and find medical information online. "Chatbots are scalable, so they can meet an unexpected surge in demand when there is a shortage of qualified human agents," Dennis, Kim and their co-authors wrote, adding that chatbots "can provide round-the-clock service at a low operational cost. "This positive response may be because users feel more comfortable disclosing information to a chatbot, especially socially undesirable information, because a chatbot makes no judgment," researchers wrote. "The CDC, the World Health Organization, UNICEF and other health organizations caution that the COVID-19 outbreak has provoked social stigma and discriminatory behaviors against people of certain ethnic backgrounds, as well as those perceived to have been in contact with the virus. This is truly an unfortunate situation, and perhaps chatbots can assist those who are hesitant to seek help because of the stigma." The primary factor driving perceptions of ability was the user's trust in the provider of the screening hotline. "Proactively informing users of the chatbot's ability is important," the authors wrote. "Users need to understand that chatbots use the same up-to-date knowledge base and follow the same set of screening protocols as human agents. ... Because trust in the provider strongly influences perceptions of ability, building on the organization's reputation may also prove useful."  

Cancellation of non-conference college football games may lead to a new battle in the courtroom

The Big Ten Conference's decision to cancel all non-conference football games for the upcoming season -- and the possibility that schools in other major conferences may soon follow -- raises a number of potential legal issues, says Nathaniel Grow, associate professor of business law and ethics at the Indiana University Kelley School of Business.  “Depending on the terms of the schools' college football scheduling agreement, the university cancelling the game may still owe the other school some level of compensation for breaking the agreement,” Grow said. “If the cancelling university refuses to pay, then it would not be surprising if the other school would elect to file a lawsuit.” A nationally recognized expert in the field of sports law, Grow studied has studied this issue, the subject of a 2010 article in the Journal of College and University Law. "The ultimate outcome of such a lawsuit would hinge largely on the specific terms of two affected schools' contract. In general, though, two provisions of the contract would likely prove to be the most important. First, most scheduling agreements will include some sort of liquidated damages provision, a clause that specifies that one side of the agreement must pay the other party a certain amount of money should the contract be broken. Often times, these contracts will provide that the breaching party must only pay the other school in the event that the opponent is unable to replace the cancelled game on its schedule with one against a sufficiently suitable alternative opponent.  "The other relevant clause in these scheduling agreements is likely to be the force majeure provision, sometimes referred to as an ‘Act of God’ clause. Under these provisions, schools may be excused from cancelling a game without penalty if circumstances arise that make playing the game unduly difficult or impossible (for instance, a hurricane or other major weather event). The applicability of such a provision will also vary depending on the specific wording employed in the contract, and whether the clause permits a team to cancel a game on the basis of either a pandemic or a change in conference policy regarding the playing of non-conference games." Grow can be reached at 812-855-8191 or grown@iu.edu.

Overshadowed by COVID – The opioid pandemic is still taking its toll across America

For more than two decades opioids have been ravaging American cities, towns, and communities. It prompted national attentions and official commissions advising the President.   But lately, as the world has turned almost all its focus on COVID-19, the opioid issue has been sitting in the shadows. Not necessarily idle or waiting, but just no longer the topic of a national conversation to find a cure.   Before COVID-19 turned our nation upside-down, policymakers were taking steps to help patients access evidence-based treatment for opioid use disorder. This included focusing on removing health insurers’ barriers to medication and requiring insurers to provide parity for mental illness and substance use disorders — and holding them accountable for violations of the law in Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and New Hampshire, to name a few recent examples. While we continue to take steps to address COVID-19 to help keep the public safe, the American Medical Association has seen reports from more than 30 states concerning increases in opioid-related mortality, mental health crises, suicide and addiction-related relapse. Reports are from every region in the nation. This includes a 20 percent increase in calls to the Jacksonville, Fla., fire department concerning overdoses; an “unusual spike” in overdoses in DuPage County, Ill.; increased emergency department visits in coastal North Carolina and spikes in fentanyl-related overdoses in Seattle. Georgia, too, has not been spared, causing increased concern for many. - Dr. Patrice A. Harris is the immediate past president of the American Medical Association and chair of the AMA Opioid Task Force. So – at what cost or how far back have efforts been set by COVID-19? And how much harder will it be for America to regroup and take on its addiction to opioids? There are a lot of questions to be asked – and if you are a journalist covering this topic or looking to learn more about the state of the opioid epidemic in America – then let our experts help. Justin Cole is an expert in clinical pharmacy, Pharmacogenomics, and the pharmacy industry.  Justin has been following this issue closely and is available to speak with media. Simply click on his icon to arrange an interview today.

STORY: By the Numbers - CAA looks back on key initiatives from the pandemic

It’s been almost five months since COVID-19 started to dominate headlines in Canada and many people and businesses had to adapt to quickly changing circumstances.   As one of Canada’s largest membership organizations, with multiple areas of business, CAA had to navigate the changes in various industries in order to keep CAA members safe.   The initial response As a travel company, our agents helped to rebook hundreds of passenger travel itineraries as flights were cancelled and borders closed. CAA’s travel insurance company, Orion Travel Insurance, worked with thousands of insureds to extend their trip cancellation and interruption insurance policies while offering additional protection for travel suppliers’ vouchers and credits.   As the community spread of COVID-19 started to take hold, CAA had to make the difficult decision to implement contact-free service and ask members to seek alternative transportation from their breakdown location, all in the interest of keeping members and drivers safe.   To help do our part to curb the spread of the virus, a decision was made in early March to close all of CAA’s retail stores across south-central Ontario. While the state of emergency had not yet been implemented by the province, we felt it was the right thing to do. All CAA associates across the company quickly adapted to work from home.   Shortly after, a state of emergency went into effect in Ontario and CAA was established as an essential service both for roadside and insurance operations.   A Responsibility to do something good Once the safety of CAA operations was taken care of, we quickly started looking at how else we can make a difference during this difficult time.   First, we committed to supporting healthcare workers and first responders by offering free roadside assistance during this crisis.  We then leveraged our network of trucks to deliver vital food and supplies to those in need. CAA worked with several large organizations in need, such as food banks, Meals on Wheels, Mobilizing Masks for Healthcare Workers and other community service groups, to assist with delivering vital supplies where they were needed urgently.   CAA also felt that it was important to stay connected and check in on the vulnerable members of our community who are struggling most. We created Operation Outreach to proactively reach out to a group of CAA members who were over the age of 75. The initiative was overwhelmingly positive with members appreciating the call and opportunity to interact with someone. One member even offered to join our outbound-calling team and to help check in with others. As the pandemic continued, we noticed that another important way we could give back and help people in need was through our insurance coverage.   We saw that Canadians everywhere were feeling the profound social, emotional and financial effects of COVID-19, and so CAA Insurance looked at every possible way to help people save money. We are the only insurance company offering a 10% rate reduction on both home and auto policies, as well as a $100 Auto Insurance Relief Benefit. Unlike other insurers, we made sure that the rate reduction would be valid for the duration of the 12-month policy term.  By the numbers Everything that was accomplished throughout the pandemic was possible thanks to the hard work of dedicated Associates and the enduring support of our Members. While many Members may join CAA for roadside or to sign up for insurance, they are also contributing to the community.   The COVID-19 pandemic presented an opportunity for us to support our Members and the communities in which they live. We are pleased to share the impact that was made throughout this time.

STORY: All CAA Stores in South Central Ontario are now open

We are excited to announce that all CAA Stores will be re-opening on Friday, June 26, with proper safety, cleaning and physical distance measures in place.  This decision was made with careful consideration as we reviewed the status of reopening in the province and the health and safety of our associates and members. The safety of our members, customers and associates remains our top priority. We have put in place some changes to the store operations to ensure everyone's safety while still offering the exceptional retail experience our members expect. They include: Installation of plexiglass screens at counters and desks Providing personal protective equipment for associates and members Limiting the number of members allowed in the store at one time Signage and floor decals to encourage physical distancing Sanitizing stations for members Changes to store hours​ The COVID-19 pandemic is an evolving situation and we will continue to monitor as needed to maintain the health and safety of our members and associates. ​

A New Kind of "Zoom" Science Lesson

With the end of the school year just around the corner and numerous COVID-19 restrictions still in place for the foreseeable future, many parents are worried.  Summer camps in Pennsylvania are beginning to open—but with limited capacity. So, what are working caretakers to do with their kids all day? Villanova University professor of chemistry Marta Guron, PhD, and six of her students have created informative science lessons that bring learning and fun together in a virtual environment. In a typical year, Dr. Guron gathers a group together who volunteer their time by visiting local elementary schools to perform hands-on science experiments with fourth-graders, fifth-graders and sixth-graders. When in-person lessons were no longer an option due to the pandemic, the Villanovans adapted their strategy. Though finals are over and Villanova's campus remains empty, six dedicated undergraduate and graduate students are still finding time to go virtual with their lessons.  In the following video, Dr. Guron and the Villanova students use PowerPoint, plastic containers, water and their choice of "solids" to talk about density. The supplies for this outreach program are typically provided by Villanova, but in light of everyone being "stuck at home," Dr. Guron encouraged the grade school students to experiment. "If there is something that you don't have at home, it's OK to try to replace different things. For example, some students, when they added different solids, they might have added a penny or a piece of wood. But others might have a bead or something else. It doesn't... much matter." She adds, "Please make sure you talk to your mom and dad before you take anything out!" Some other experiments the team has done include assessing symmetry in crystals, making the gooey, Double Dare-inspired "gak," building a fruit battery, investigating sound and studying capillary action in flowers. Dr. Guron is grateful that her students were still interested in the project, even after the end of a particularly unusual semester. "I thought it was awesome that these students all volunteered time and effort after their final exams were over because of their dedication to the program and to the kids. We are truly a community of helpers."

With an economy on life support – is inflation inevitable?

As countries around the globe are flooding their respective economies with enough cash to hold back the financial tsunami that could be felt by COVID-19 … will all that cash inevitably come with an unfortunate consequence like inflation? Those who work the markets and do their best to see into the future … think so.   With the world economy forecast to shrink 6% this year, it may seem like a strange time to fret about inflation. And sure enough, market-based gauges suggest an uptrend in prices may not trouble investors for years. U.S. and euro zone inflation gauges indicate that annual price growth will be running at barely over 1% even a decade from now. So if inflation really is, as the IMF put it in 2013, “the dog that didn’t bark”, failing to respond to all the central bank money-printing unleashed in the wake of the 2008-9 crisis, why should investors prepare for it now, especially as demographics and technology are also conspiring to tamp down inflation across the developed world? The answer is that some think the dog really will bark this time, partly because - unlike in the post-2008 years - governments around the world have also been rolling out massive spending packages, in a bid to limit the impact of the coronavirus pandemic. “We will be pushing, pushing, pushing on the string and dropping our guard, then 3-5 years from now...that’s when the (inflation) dog will start barking,” said PineBridge Investments’ head of multi-asset Mike Kelly, who has been buying gold on that view. “Gold worries about such things long in advance. It has risen through this coronavirus with that down-the-road-risk top of mind,” he added. June 22 - Reuters It’s a daunting and stressful scenario. How much inflation could America expect and what would it mean to household incomes and spending? What industries would be further devastated by this? Is there any way to reverse inflation or is there an upside to it for some? If you are a reporter covering this topic – then let our experts help. Jeff Haymond, Ph.D. is Dean, School of Business Administration and a Professor of Economics at Cedarville and is an expert in finance and trade. Dr. Haymond is available to speak with media regarding this topic – simply click on his icon to arrange an interview.

Individuals With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities More Likely to Contract COVID-19

Recent news coverage has indicated that individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (ID/DD) are more likely than those without ID/DD to contract COVID-19 and to die as a result of it. "Similar to other individuals with disability, those with ID/DD often have pre-existing health conditions that increase their risk," says Suzanne C. Smeltzer, EdD, RN, the Richard and Marianne Kreider Endowed Professor in Nursing for Vulnerable Populations at Villanova University's M. Louise Fitzpatrick College of Nursing. Some people with ID/DD live in group settings in which they come in contact with others who may be infected with COVID-19. The frequent turnover of personal assistants and contact of persons with ID/DD with multiple personal assistants may increase the risk of COVID-19 in part because of their exposure to multiple potential carriers and the need for many of their personal assistants to use public transportation. Dr. Smeltzer says, "There is also concern in the disability community, among family members of individuals with disability and among disability advocates that those with these disabilities will be viewed as less deserving of more aggressive therapies, such as ventilators. The quality of life of persons with ID/DD may be considered by others as low, even though quality of life can only be judged by the people themselves." Initial limitations put in place in many health care institutions included the exclusion of family members and other support persons because of risk for COVID-19 infection. However, a groundswell of advocacy resulted in changes in this policy because individuals with ID/DD hospitalized during the COVID-19 pandemic were being deprived of essential support. "These support persons are needed to help those with ID/DD understand what was happening in the hectic health care settings and to help with communication and decision making," says Dr. Smeltzer. "Individuals with ID/DD need the same care as others and must receive explanations about their care and must be allowed to participate in making decisions about their care."