Thursday, August 13, 2020

South Korea’s Daewoong Pharma gets India nod to test anti-parasite drug for COVID-19

A spokesperson for South Korea’s Daewoong Pharmaceutical Co Ltd said it received Indian regulatory approval to test its anti-parasitic niclosamide drug to treat COVID-19 patients in an early-stage human trial. The phase 1 trial, approved by India’s Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO), will involve around 30 healthy participants to test safety and kickstart this month, Daewoong said in a statement. The South Korean drugmaker is testing the drug in partnership with New Delhi-based Mankind Pharma Ltd, which will continue the second and third phases of trials in India on mild and severe coronavirus patients. Drugmakers worldwide are scrambling to develop treatments for the illness caused by the novel coronavirus. (Reuters)

The EPA approved the use of a chemical that repels and kills mosquitoes and ticks

Nootkatone, an oily compound found in cedar trees and grapefruits, is safe because it is not toxic to humans and many other mammals, as well as fish, birds, and bees. Products containing nootkatone could be used to fight ticks, mosquitoes, and fleas – insects that can pass on many diseases to humans, including malaria and Zika. It may be effective against other pests, including lice, sandflies, and midges. In smaller doses, nootkatone repels a variety of insects and in higher doses, it can kill those same insects. Nootkatone can kill bugs that are resistant to some commonly used pesticides, such as DDT and pyrethroids. Unlike other organic insect repellents, such as citronella, peppermint oil, and lemongrass oil, nootkatone has a long-lasting effect.  (The New York Times)

Images taken by the NASA Dawn spacecraft reveal that the dwarf planet Ceres has deposits of water under its surface

Astronomers had long thought that Ceres was barren. But after analyzing images taken by the orbiter, scientists from Europe and the U.S. identified hydrohalite, a compound commonly found in sea ice. According to a series of studies, the deposits of hydrohalite probably formed over the last 2 million years. That suggests that Ceres was once covered in salty water. Researchers think that underground brine deposits still exist and that the liquid ascends from the planet’s interior toward its surface. They think that the deposits are 25 miles deep and hundreds of miles wide. The researchers said that they have identified chemicals that are essential to life on the surface of Ceres. Ceres is the largest object in the asteroid belt, an area between Jupiter and Mars that is home to many asteroids and minor planets. Dawn took the images in 2018, when it flew at a distance of 22 miles from Ceres. (Space)

This Is Where You’re Most Likely to Be Catfished in the USA in 2020

According to an article from Highspeedinternet, it listed several states as the most likely states for people to be catfished in 2020. The site defines catfishing as a an online dating scam where a person uses a fake online profile to attract victims. They may be using a fake profile to ask for money from people, for revenge, or just for fun, according to the study. To come up with their data, the study looked at the 2019 FBI Internet Crime Report, which included total reported catfishing incidents per state, and combined those numbers with the US Census Bureau’s 2019 population to calculate the number of crimes per 100,000 residents.

States where you’re most likely to be catfished:

1. Nevada
2. Wyoming
3. Washington
4. Utah
5. Alaska
6. New Hampshire
7. Minnesota
8. Florida
9. Oregon
10. Maryland

States where you’re least likely to be catfished

1. South Dakota
2. Mississippi
3. Iowa
4. Lousiana
5. Maine
6. Kansas
7. Vermont
8. Nebraska
9. Ohio
10. North Carolina

(High Speed Internet)

Nine Central Texas men including 3 soldiers snared in two-day child prostitution sting

Nine Central Texas men, three of them Fort Hood soldiers, were snared in a two-day child sex trafficking sting in Killeen, Texas police said. “The overall goal of this joint effort was to locate and arrest subjects who were willing to make overt efforts to pay minors to engage in sexual acts,” police spokeswoman said. The nine made agreements involving money, drugs and alcohol through various social media platforms with undercover officers “for sexual acts with girls they believed were 15 or 16 years of age,” according to the spokeswoman. (KWTX)

New Zealand records first new coronavirus cases in 102 days

New Zealand Prime Minister said that authorities have found four cases of the coronavirus in one Auckland household from an unknown source, the first reported cases of local transmission in the country in 102 days. Auckland, the nation’s largest city, has been moved to Alert Level 3, meaning that people will be asked to stay at home, while bars and many other businesses will be closed. The country has been praised globally for its virus response. New Zealand initially got rid of the virus by imposing a strict lockdown in late March when only about 100 people had tested positive for the disease. That stopped its spread. Life had returned to normal for many people in the South Pacific nation of 5 million, as they attended rugby games at packed stadiums and sat down in bars and restaurants without fear of getting infected. But some had warned that the country had become complacent. New Zealanders have never routinely worn masks, but authorities have been urging people to buy them just in case. (The Guardian)

Elderly man wanted his lawn mower back after it was stolen

An 85-year-old elderly man in Harpursville, New York, was asking for help after his lawn mower was stolen right off his front lawn. He says he loves to mow his lawn in his red 2009 Craftsman riding lawn mower. However, when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, he left his home temporarily to live with his family in quarantine. Sometime while he was gone, his lawn mower was stolen. With him now back at home, he’s was on a mission to see that his lawn mower is safely returned to him. He took a piece of cardboard, writing, “Bring back my mower, I’m 85 years old and I can’t push”. For the man, mowing the lawn isn’t just a weekend chore. It’s his chance to feel a sense of normality in a time when everyone’s lives have been uprooted. Now, thanks to an anonymous donor, the elderly man has a new, but same model, lawnmower. The lawnmower was dropped off to him by the Broome County, New York Sheriff’s Office. (WBNG)

The Mosquito Flag is no more

According to the Mississippi flag commission, the Mosquito Flag advanced to the second round of the flag selection due to a typo in a list of flag numbers submitted by one commissioner. The commissioner has since requested that the flag be removed from the Round Two gallery and MDAH says they have complied. Many people wondered how the Mosquito Flag, which bore a very similar design as the Hospitality Flag, was chosen yet the Hospitality Flag was left behind. That’s because, according to the Director of the Mississippi Department of Archives and History, the Hospitality Flag was pulled due to its designer notifying the flag committee that she held copyright and did not want the flag considered. The Hospitality Flag, formerly known as the Stennis Flag, was one of the early favorites to replace the Mississippi flag. The commission will meet three times before they will select the final flag to submit to the governor and Legislature on September 2nd. The winning flag will then go on ballots in November. If approved by a majority vote, it will become the official state flag. If not, the process will begin again for a vote next November. (WLBT)

Big Ten nixes fall college football season

Big Ten Conference presidents and chancellors voted Tuesday to postpone all fall sports seasons, including football, amid the coronavirus pandemic with the hopes of playing in the spring. Officials with the ACC and SEC have indicated they plan to proceed with seasons this fall, but it’s unclear whether the Big Ten’s decision will change those plans. The Atlantic Coast Conference, Big 12 and Southeastern Conference were still moving forward with plans for a fall college football season. Two other Power Five leagues, the Big Ten and the Pac-12, have called things off. (ESPN)

Tennessee woman renews license online, but ID arrives with picture of empty chair

A Tennessee woman who recently renewed her driver’s license online received the ID card back with a photo of an empty chair on it instead of her face. The chair ended up on the 25-year-old’s license since it was the last photo mistakenly taken and saved to her file at her last visit to the DMV, the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security said. “When the Department was made aware of her situation, we immediately made things right with the customer and provided her with a license with her actual photo and have addressed this situation internally,” the agency said. The woman posted a picture of the ID to her Facebook, which has been shared more than 18,000 times. The snafu has been a source of comic relief, especially with her coworkers. (WKRN)

Marijuana use during pregnancy associated with autism in babies, study finds

A large Canadian study found an association between maternal cannabis use during pregnancy and autism spectrum disorder in babies. The study involved an analysis of all live births in Ontario from April 2007 to March 2012, before recreational cannabis was legalized in Canada. The study notes that cannabis use during pregnancy has increased. Of half a million women in the study, 3,000, or 0.6%, reported using cannabis during pregnancy, according to a hospital press release on the study. Specifically, researchers found that women who used cannabis during pregnancy were 1.5 times more likely to have a child with autism. In a separate study conducted by the same researchers, they previously found that cannabis use in pregnancy was linked to an increased risk of preterm birth. The women involved in that study often used other substances like tobacco, alcohol, and opioids. The study had limits, however. Researchers don’t know the amount of cannabis used, the point at which women used cannabis during pregnancy, or how the cannabis was consumed. (Nature Medicine)

The last Blockbuster in the world will soon be available to rent on Airbnb — for just $4 a night

Years ago, people often spent so much time browsing the shelves at the local Blockbuster it may have felt like they lived there. Now, some special fans of the once-mighty chain actually can — for a night. The store manager of the last Blockbuster in the world announced it will soon allow stays at the Bend, Oregon, establishment through Airbnb, according to a company press release. However, there’s a catch: Only residents of Deschutes County, where the Blockbuster is located, are permitted to request to book a stay at the store. The store is also only available for a limited time restricting it down for three individual, one-night reservations on September 18, 19 and 20. Up to four people are allowed to stay in the store for only $4 a night, plus taxes and fees, just one penny more than the price of a movie rental, according to the release. Booking requests are open to residents of the county starting this coming Monday, August 17th. (AirBNB)

Sheriff forbids masks for deputies

The sheriff of Marion County, Florida is telling his deputies and visitors to the Marion County Sheriff’s Office that they are forbidden from wearing face masks. His actions are a response to the city of Ocala, FLorida trying to put a mask mandate ordinance in place. In email sent by Marion County Sheriff said, in part, “…My order will stand as is when you are on-duty/working as my employee and representing my office — masks will not be worn…” The sheriff says employees need to be able to see faces to identify visitors and if they won’t remove their masks they will be asked to leave. The email says if at any time a deputy is confronted about why they’re not wearing a mask, the deputy has been instructed to say: “I am not required to wear a mask nor will I, per the order of the sheriff.” The email says the deputy should then walk away. The sheriff did list exceptions when people could wear pre-approved masks. Those include a deputy being in court, where it is mandated, in hospitals and nursing homes, or a call from a person who has COVID-19. (WESH)

Thursday Throwdown Comes With:

• Filet Mignon Day
• International Lefthander’s Day
• Prosecco Day