Dr. Edwin S. Monuki watches microbiology lab scientist Jeanie Garcia process a patient's COVID-19 test sample. Photo Credit: Carlos Puma Read how through the efforts of the UC Irvine Health team, under the leadership of UCI MIND Faculty Member, Dr. Edwin Monuki, the medical center became the first hospital in Orange County to provide in-house COVID-19 testing on March 19 – more than two weeks ahead of schedule. http://www.ucihealth.org/…/racing-to-deliver-covid19-testing Dr. Monuki recently commented on antibody testing for the UCI MIND Blog and will participate in a virtual panel discussion tonight, May 14 at 7 PM PST. Click HERE to register.
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CalOptima, which provides health insurance to Orange County’s low-income residents, announced on Friday, May 8, it is working with UC Irvine and the county Health Care Agency to provide intensive training on infection control to staff at 12 nursing homes. … Dr. Susan Huang, who teaches about infectious diseases at UC Irvine, is working with researchers and clinicians to develop the tools and training, and will measure their effectiveness with diagnostic and antibody testing.
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Contributed by Daniel Nation, PhD, UCI MIND Faculty Member, Associate Professor of Psychological Science at UCI APOE4 is the strongest known genetic risk factor for Alzheimer's disease, the most common cause of dementia characterized by the accumulation of amyloid plaques and tau tangles. Although the predominant view has been that APOE4 conveys risk for Alzheimer’s dementia primarily through its effects on amyloid levels, prior work has also shown that APOE4 has adverse effects on the blood vessels of the brain. In a recent study published in Nature, colleagues at University of Southern California and I demonstrated that APOE4…
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The Center for Biotechnology and Global Health Policy and the Sue & Bill Gross Stem Cell Research Center have partnered to host a virtual panel of experts discussing COVID-19. The event takes place Thursday, May 14, from 7 to 8 p.m. Four experts, including UCI MIND faculty member Dr. Ed Monuki, will address the COVID-19 pandemic. Dr. Monuki recently blogged about the state of antibody testing. Hear more on this topic at the virtual panel. Register here. It will be streamed on Facebook at facebook.com/UCIStemCell and on YouTube at https://youtu.be/Pau-eWPE0RY. For further information, contact Judy Baek at Judy.baek@uci.edu
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California’s stay-at-home order has been especially tough for one caregiver population: Family members caring for someone who has dementia. Because of the novel coronavirus, adult daycare centers are closed temporarily and home services have been put on hold, cutting off critical support systems for this group. Here are a few tips from UCI Health for anyone now caring for a family member with dementia, provided by Jung-Ah Lee, PhD, an associate professor at the UCI Sue & Bill Gross School of Nursing: Read the full article here >
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UCI has launched the ASSIST Program – Assisting & Serving Socially Isolated Seniors via Telephone. UCI medical and nursing students who have been mobilized received the program training, and are ready to be paired with older adult participants who would like to receive regular check-ins via telephone just to chat and/or to receive referrals to community resources during this difficult time while they are self-isolating. The flyer is linked here and provided below. If interested, please call: (714) 497-0315.
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During this time of uncertainty, communities, businesses and families are being impacted like never before. People are also coming together to help others in unprecedented ways. And while we all are spending more and more time at home, many of us are looking for ways to strengthen our communities while maintaining the current health and safety recommendations from the CDC. I’d like to invite you and your families to make a real difference without leaving your home or opening your wallet. I’m an OC Mom and researcher at UCI MIND. We are seeking volunteers to sign up for our “Consent-to-Contact”…
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Contributed by Christian Salazar, PhD, UCI MIND Project Scientist The COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on families all across our country, with 70,000 reported deaths to date. Early in the pandemic the data had suggested that African Americans were being admitted to the hospital and dying in disproportionate numbers. In fact, an analysis by the Washington Post revealed that coronavirus death rates were about six times higher in black majority counties than in white majority counties. More recent data also showed that Latinos and Indigenous groups like the Navajo people were dying in excess numbers. What could explain…
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We could all use a laugh in these uncertain times. If you’re a person with Alzheimer’s disease, a family member, or caregiver, you can join LaughterOnCall for their virtual Lunchtime Laughter meetings, Monday-Friday at 12 PM PST. This webinar offers a light-hearted, engaging way to laugh and cope with feelings of isolation that can come from social distancing. To register, visit https://zoom.us/meeting/register/uZEtdemurzIq_pN_HCQ7TY2I8cpa4NsoGQ OR e-mail info@laughteroncall.com to sign up. LaughterOnCall may record these meetings for quality purposes.
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We’re pleased to announce the “Focus on Aging” webinar series with the Administration for Community Living, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Health Resources and Services Administration, and the National Institute on Aging. The first webinar, “Supporting Older Adults in Emergencies: Preparedness, Response, and Recovery” will be held May 13 at 1:30-3:00 p.m. ET. Register today! https://www.nia.nih.gov/alzheimers/focus-aging-federal-partners-webinar-series A message from: Nina Silverberg, PhD Director, Alzheimer's Disease Centers Program Division of Neuroscience National Institute on Aging National Institutes of Health
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